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Science21 May 2025

When lightning strikes: Gamma-ray burst unleashed by lightning collision

Osaka, Japan – Lightning is a phenomenon that has fascinated humanity since time immemorial, providing a stark example of the power and unpredictability of the natural world. Although the study of lightning can be challenging, scientists have, in recent years, made great strides in developing our understanding of this extreme spectacle. A study that will be published in Science Advances, led by researchers from The University of Osaka, describes a world-first observation of an intense burst of radiation, known as a terrestrial gamma-ray flash (TGF), synchronized ...

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Science21 May 2025

Shrinking Nemo: Clownfish survive heatwaves by shrinking

Clownfish have been shown to shrink in order to survive heat stress and avoid social conflict, Newcastle University research reveals. The fish, recognisable from the starring role in the film ‘Finding Nemo’, were studied by academics from the universities of Newcastle, Leeds and Boston, USA. The work was conducted in collaboration with Mahonia Na Dari Conservation and Research Centre, in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea. The team measured the length of 134 clownfish every month for five months, and monitored the water ...

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Technology21 May 2025

Penn engineers discover a new class of materials that passively harvest water from air

A serendipitous observation in a Chemical Engineering lab at Penn Engineering has led to a surprising discovery: a new class of nanostructured materials that can pull water from the air, collect it in pores and release it onto surfaces without the need for any external energy. The research, published in Science Advances, was conducted by an interdisciplinary team, including Daeyeon Lee, Russell Pearce and Elizabeth Crimian Heuer Professor in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE), Amish Patel, Professor in CBE, Baekmin Kim, a postdoctoral scholar in Lee’s lab and first author, and Stefan Guldin, Professor in Complex Soft Matter at the Technical University of Munich. Their work ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

‘Fast-fail’ AI blood test could steer patients with pancreatic cancer away from ineffective therapies

An artificial intelligence technique for detecting DNA fragments shed by tumors and circulating in a patient’s blood, developed by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center investigators, could help clinicians more quickly identify and determine if pancreatic cancer therapies are working. After testing the method, called ARTEMIS-DELFI, in blood samples from patients participating in two large clinical trials of pancreatic cancer treatments, researchers found that it could be used to identify therapeutic responses. ARTEMIS-DELFI and another method developed by investigators, called WGMAF, to study mutations were found to be better predictors ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

Plant cell sculptors

New research from the Sainsbury Laboratory at the University of Cambridge has shed light on how plants precisely control their growth and development, revealing that seemingly similar molecular components fulfil surprisingly different jobs. The study, published in Science Advances, focuses on the SCAR/WAVE protein complex, a crucial molecular machine that helps shape plant cells by directing the formation of the internal cell scaffold known as the actin cytoskeleton. This is vital for processes like the growth of root hairs, which are essential for nutrient uptake, and the shape of leaf hairs, called trichomes. Plants, much like other complex ...

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Environment21 May 2025

Scientists reveal how deep-earth carbon movements shape continents and diamonds

A new study published in Science Advances by researchers from the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (GIG-CAS), along with international collaborators, reveals that deeply subducted carbonates can cause significant variations in the redox states of Earth's mantle. This process influences the formation of sublithospheric diamonds and plays a role in the long-term evolution of cratons—ancient stable parts of the continental lithosphere. The research team conducted high-pressure experiments simulating depths between ...

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Science21 May 2025

Viral mouth-taping trend ‘sus’ says Canadian sleep expert

LONDON, ON – Mouth taping, a growing trend on social media channels like TikTok, carries serious health risks, especially for those with sleep-disordered breathing and obstructive sleep apnea, according to a paper published today in PLOS One. The study from Lawson Research Institute (Lawson) of St. Joseph’s Health Care London, London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI) and Western University’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry also found no strong evidence of health benefits. The trend involves ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

Global virus network statement in support of the WHO Pandemic Preparedness Accord

Tampa, FL, USA, May 21, 2025: The Global Virus Network (GVN) strongly supports the World Health Organization’s (WHO) newly adopted Pandemic Preparedness Accord. This agreement represents a vital and timely step toward establishing a more coordinated, transparent, and equitable global framework for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. GVN, an international coalition of leading virologists and research centers in over 40 countries, has consistently advocated for the critical components reflected in the Accord. Our recent statement ...

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Science21 May 2025

Dana-Farber genomic score predicts progression to multiple myeloma

BOSTON – A new risk assessment score developed by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard reveals how multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, begins and progresses from precancerous to malignant states by tracing DNA mutations. The score, called an MM-like score, assesses the severity of disease and risk of progression to active cancer, with higher scores indicating faster progression. In the future, the MM-like score could be used in clinical practice to inform decisions about early intervention. “In patients with a precursor condition for multiple myeloma, the multiple myeloma-like score helps to predict ...

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Technology21 May 2025

Femtosecond-level precision achieved in chip-scale soliton microcombs

Laser frequency combs are light sources that produce evenly spaced, sharp lines across the spectrum, resembling the teeth of a comb. They serve as precise rulers for measuring time and frequency, and have become essential tools in applications such as lidar, high-speed optical communications, and space navigation. Traditional frequency combs rely on large, lab-based lasers. However, recent advancements have led to the development of chip-scale soliton microcombs, which generate ultrashort pulses of light within microresonators. One of the key challenges for soliton microcombs is timing jitter, which refers to tiny fluctuations ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

New CRISPR technology could help repair damaged neurons

When a neuron in our body gets damaged, segments of RNA produce proteins that can help repair the injury. But in neurological disorders such as ALS and spinal muscular atrophy, or following spinal cord injuries, the mechanisms for moving life-essential RNA to injured sites within the cell fail. As a result, RNA molecules can’t get to where they are needed and damage becomes permanent. Researchers at Stanford have developed a technology for transporting RNA to specific locations within a neuron, ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

New strategy for screening anxiety and depression in epilepsy patients, study shows

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – May 21, 2025 – A new study from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine shows an improvement in screening rates for anxiety and depression among epilepsy patients with the implementation of an electronic health record (EHR)-based strategy. The findings appear online in the Journal of Clinical and Translational Science. “Anxiety and depression are common in epilepsy, yet they are often under-recognized and undertreated,” said Heidi Munger Clary, M.D., ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

A gene variant increases the risk of long COVID

An international team of researchers has found a genetic link to long-term symptoms after COVID-19. The identified gene variant is located close to the FOXP4 gene, which is known to affect lung function. The study, published in Nature Genetics, was led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland. Biological causes behind persistent symptoms after COVID-19 infection, known as long COVID or post-COVID, remain unclear. Common symptoms include fatigue, cognitive difficulties, and breathing problems, which can reduce quality of life. In an international collaboration – the Long COVID ...

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Science21 May 2025

Re-creating the sounds of an underground city #ASA188

NEW ORLEANS, May 21, 2025 – Have you ever walked through the ruins of an ancient city and wondered what life sounded like back then? So has Sezin Nas, a researcher of interior architecture and acoustics at Istanbul Galata University. The ancient, underground city of Derinkuyu caught Nas’s eye early on. Located in modern-day Turkey, Derinkuyu was built underground to defend against invasion, protect its citizens from harsh weather, and safely store agricultural products. At its peak, it could hold up to 20,000 people. The city spanned seven levels underground, with four main ventilation channels and over 50,000 other ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

Area deprivation index may not accurately measure neighborhood health

EMBARGOED UNTIL: 8:15 a.m., Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Session: D13—Current Research in Critical and Acute Care Neighborhood Health Measured by the Healthy Places Index (HPI), but Not by the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), Is Associated with Mortality for Critically Ill Sepsis Patients in the San Francisco Bay Area Date and Time: Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 8:15 a.m. Location: Room 25, Hall E (North Building, Exhibition Level), Moscone Center ATS 2025, San Francisco – Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood is linked to worse health outcomes, but there are significant differences in how ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

Medications that suppress REM sleep improve survival in ALS patients

EMBARGOED UNTIL: 8:15 A.M. PT, WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2025 Session: D19—In the Shallow: Exploring Sleep Related Hypoventilation Disorders Rapid Eye Movement Sleep-Suppressing Antidepressant Use Is Associated with Enhanced Survival in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Date and Time: Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 8:15 a.m. PT Location: Room 2018 (West Building, Level 2), Moscone Center ATS 2025, San Francisco – During REM sleep, the body enters a state of paralysis. This can pose a danger for patients with weakened diaphragms due to neuromuscular diseases. Now new research ...

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Environment21 May 2025

Discovering the rich biodiversity of coral reefs using a comprehensive new system

Just a few meters beneath the clear, blue waters of Okinawa, reef-building corals known as Scleractinia have quietly lived for centuries. Slowly, layer by layer, they have constructed intricate, rigid structures made of calcium carbonate to form the vibrant coral reefs of today. Now, researchers have developed a comprehensive system to identify the diversity of these hard corals using only a sample of surface seawater. This environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding system can successfully detect 83 of the 85 genera of reef-building corals known in Japan, enabling their effective and high-precision ...

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Science21 May 2025

Extreme weather cycles change underwater light at Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is experiencing large-scale shifts in ultraviolet radiation (UV) as climate change intensifies wet and dry extremes in the region. That is according to a study led by the University of California, Davis' Tahoe Environmental Research Center and co-leading collaborator Miami University in Ohio. For the study, published in ASLO, the journal of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, scientists analyzed an 18-year record of underwater irradiance at Lake Tahoe, which is renowned ...

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Technology21 May 2025

A new technology for extending the shelf life of produce

We’ve all felt the sting of guilt when fruit and vegetables go bad before we could eat them. Now, researchers from MIT and the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) have shown they can extend the shelf life of harvested plants by injecting them with melatonin using biodegradable microneedles. That’s a big deal because the problem of food waste goes way beyond our salads. More than 30 percent of the world’s food is lost after it’s harvested — enough to feed more than 1 billion people. Refrigeration is the most common way to preserve foods, but it requires energy and ...

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Social Science21 May 2025

Yes, social media might be making kids depressed

As rates of depression and suicide in youth spike, experts are asking whether social media makes kids depressed — or do depressed kids simply spend more time on social media? A new study provides answers. Researchers at UC San Francisco found that as preteens used more social media, their depressive symptoms increased. Yet the reverse wasn’t true — a rise in depressive symptoms didn't predict a later increase in social media use. On average, kids' social media use rose from seven to 73 minutes per day over the three ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

Social media use and depressive symptoms during early adolescence

About The Study: In this cohort study of more than 11,000 children and adolescents, reporting higher than person-level mean social media use in years 1 and 2 after baseline was associated with greater depressive symptoms in the subsequent year. The findings suggest that clinicians should provide anticipatory guidance regarding social media use for young adolescents and their parents. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Jason M. Nagata, MD, email Jason.nagata@ucsf.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

Nutritional content of ready-to-eat breakfast cereals marketed to children

About The Study: Analysis of newly launched children’s ready-to-eat cereals from 2010 to 2023 revealed concerning nutritional shifts: notable increases in fat, sodium, and sugar alongside decreases in protein and fiber. Children’s cereals contain high levels of added sugar, with a single serving exceeding 45% of the American Heart Association’s daily recommended limit for children. These trends suggest a potential prioritization of taste over nutritional quality in product development, contributing ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

Burden of skin cancer in older adults from 1990 to 2021 and modelled projection to 2050

About The Study: The older population (particularly male individuals and those living in high-sociodemographic index countries) is facing a substantial growing burden of skin cancer. Despite the relative incompleteness of keratinocyte cancer data and lack of race and ethnicity data, these results highlight the urgency for more effective prevention and management strategies targeting high-risk groups. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Jin Chen, PhD, email chenjin7791@163.com. To access the embargoed study: Visit ...

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Medicine21 May 2025

Scientists reveal how energy is delivered into the cells major “shipping port”

A team of scientists has answered a long-standing question in cell biology, uncovering how the cell’s main energy currency, ATP, is transported into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Disrupted energy transport could affect diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. The study, published in Nature, confirms that the transporter protein SLC35B1 is the key gateway for ATP entry into the ER. The research, led by David Drew, Professor of biochemistry at Stockholm University and located at SciLifeLab, reveals the first structural and mechanistic insight into how ATP enters the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) using ...

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Technology21 May 2025

Mind the band gap! – researchers create new nanoscale forms of elementary semiconductor with tunable electronic properties

Researchers have demonstrated that by using a semiconductor with flexible bonds, the material can be moulded into various structures using nano containers, without altering its composition, the discovery could lead to the design of a variety of customised electronic devices using only a single element. Semiconductors are vital to our daily lives, as they are found in nearly every electronic device. One of the key characteristics of semiconductors is their band gap, which determines how they conduct electric current. The band gap is typically ...

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