Mobile robots must continuously estimate their position to navigate autonomously. However, satellite-based navigation systems are not always reliable: signals may degrade near buildings or become unavailable indoors. To operate safely and efficiently, robots must interpret their surroundings using onboard sensors and robust localization algorithms. Researchers at Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) in Spain have developed a hierarchical localization system that significantly improves robot positioning in large, changing environments. The method addresses one of the most challenging ...

Interbrain synchrony is the simultaneous activity of neural networks across the brains of people who are socially interacting –- for example talking, learning, singing, or working together. Having brains that are thus synchronized or ‘in tune’ can help people boost their emotional connection, improve communication, and align their attention. Neural synchrony is thought to be important for healthy bonding between parents and children. And now, a team of scientists in the UK has found that neural synchrony ...

Hip fractures are common in the elderly, with many patients experiencing a decline in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) post-surgery. Therefore, postoperative rehabilitation plays a crucial role in helping patients recover to their pre-injury ADL level. Previous studies have shown that providing rehabilitation on weekdays and outside of normal business hours, such as on the weekend and public holidays, during hospitalization promotes improvements in ADL. However, many medical institutions ...

Marking the fifth consecutive academic year of the Climate Solutions Now conference, Cal Poly’s Initiative for Climate Leadership and Resilience will host its upcoming all-virtual event on Feb. 23-27.  The conference, open to the public with a variety of ticketing options, includes more than 70 talks and discussions on strategies, tools and information for climate change solutions. Topics will cover energy, water, waste, business sustainability, agriculture, education and much more. Presenters include leaders from across ...

Researchers at Kumamoto University have discovered that behavioral changes during the COVID-19 pandemic—particularly widespread mask-wearing—may have reduced the risk of certain types of heart attacks triggered by air pollution. The study, led by Dr. Masanobu Ishii and colleagues, was published in the European Society of Cardiology’s flagship journal, European Heart Journal. Air pollution and heart attacks Fine particulate matter known as PM2.5—tiny airborne particles small enough to penetrate ...

Professor Pei-Qiang Huang's research group at Xiamen University recently reported the first reduction-cross-coupling reaction of aliphatic tertiary amides with 4-cyanopyridine via iridium and photoredox tandem catalysis. This method is based on the formation of imineonium through iridium-catalyzed hydrosilylation and acid catalysis, followed by tandem photocatalysis to generate two radicals (C,N,N trialkyl α-amino radical and stable 4-cyano-1,4-dihydropyridine radical) which then undergo ...

A new Edith Cowan University (ECU) study has found advertisements that encourage healthy choices can reduce cravings and intentions to consume unhealthy foods, and in some cases a 15-second message may be more effective than traditional 30-second commercials.  Led by Dr Ross Hollett, the research investigated how the length and framing of junk food and anti-junk food ads influence immediate cravings among adults in different Body Mass Index (BMI) categories.  Anti-junk food ads are public health campaigns designed to discourage people from eating unhealthy foods, either by warning about ...

A woman was buried with two children, but they were not her own. In another grave, two children were placed. They were not siblings and were more distantly related, perhaps cousins. In a new study, researchers at Uppsala University have clarified family relationships in four graves from a 5,500-year-old hunter-gatherer culture at Ajvide on Gotland. DNA analyses suggest that the people were well aware of family lineages and that relationships beyond the immediate family played an important role. Ajvide is one of the most important Stone Age sites in Scandinavia and is ...

The effectiveness of exercise therapy to ease the symptoms of osteoarthritis is likely minimal, short lived, and probably no better than no treatment at all, suggests an overarching (umbrella) systematic review and pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal RMD Open.   The findings question the universal promotion of exercise as a first line treatment to ease pain and improve physical function in all those living with the degenerative joint disease, and highlight the need to revisit research priorities, conclude the researchers.   Exercise ...

ANN ARBOR—The price of copper must at least double in order to spur the development of new copper mines to meet the world's growing demand for the metal, according to a team led by a University of Michigan researcher. A research team led by U-M geologist Adam Simon examined barriers to producing the copper necessary to meet demands for the metal under different scenarios. They found that meeting basic copper demand is possible, but will require higher prices and reforms to the permitting process to encourage ...

As aging populations and rising diabetes rates drive an increase in chronic wounds, more patients face the risk of amputations. UC Riverside researchers have developed an oxygen-delivering gel capable of healing injuries that might otherwise progress to limb loss. Injuries that fail to heal for more than a month are considered chronic wounds. They affect an estimated 12 million people annually worldwide, and around 4.5 million in the U.S. Of these, about one in five patients will ultimately require a life-altering amputation. The new gel, tested in animal models, targets what researchers believe is a root cause of many chronic wounds: a lack of oxygen ...

In the complex world of soil and water chemistry, certain minerals act like microscopic sponges, soaking up pollutants and keeping our environment safe. Among the most dangerous of these pollutants is hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), a highly toxic and mobile substance often found at industrial and mining sites. Now, a groundbreaking study published in Carbon Research has identified the specific "superstar" minerals that are best at neutralizing this threat while simultaneously locking away organic carbon. The research, ...

Sandy soils are among the most challenging environments for agriculture because water drains quickly and nutrients are easily lost. A new long-term field experiment shows that combining biochar with compost and sludge can dramatically improve how sandy soils retain water, offering a practical strategy for farming in drought-prone regions. Researchers conducted a 441-day lysimeter study to examine how different organic amendments influence the water balance of sandy soil under realistic environmental conditions. The team compared single amendments and combinations of biochar, compost, and sludge, monitoring soil moisture, drainage, ...

Mangrove forests are widely known as powerful natural carbon sinks, but new research shows that a lesser-known form of carbon stored in their soils could significantly influence how coastal ecosystems store and transport carbon. A new study investigating mangrove soils in the Zhangjiang Estuary of China reveals that black carbon, a highly stable product of incomplete combustion from sources such as wildfires and fossil fuel burning, persists in mangrove sediments and may contribute to long-term carbon sequestration in coastal environments. The findings also highlight the importance of dissolved ...

A new study from Adelaide University is turning a spotlight on those tablet versions, finding that the absorption-enhancing ingredient salcaprozate sodium (SNAC) may have measurable adverse biological effects for the gut and beyond.   It is the first in vivo study to systematically evaluate the effects of repeated SNAC exposure on gut microbiota composition, function, and metabolic outcomes. In an animal model extending 21 days, researchers identified:   Lower levels of beneficial gut bacteria that help break down dietary fibre Reduced short-chain fatty acids which protect the gut lining and help regulate inflammation Higher levels of blood inflammatory ...

PHILADELPHIA (February 17, 2026) – Penn Nursing is proud to announce Diane Dodge, Executive Director of Tiba Foundation, as the recipient of the 2026 Penn Nursing Renfield Foundation Award for Global Women’s Health. Dodge will be formally recognized on April 13, 2026, at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House, where she will receive a $100,000 unrestricted grant to further her transformative work in women’s health care access and economic empowerment. “We are proud to honor Diane Dodge for her visionary leadership,” said Antonia M. Villarruel, PhD, RN, ...

Maternal smoking during pregnancy may be associated with higher blood pressure and increased risk of hypertension in children, according to a new ECHO Cohort study led by Lyndsey Shorey-Kendrick, PhD, of Oregon Health & Science University and Christine Ladd-Acosta, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University. Blood pressure that is higher than normal in childhood, including diagnosed high blood pressure, can increase the risk of developing high blood pressure later in life, a major risk factor for heart disease. Previous studies examining prenatal smoking exposure and childhood blood pressure have produced mixed findings. Many relied on self-reported ...

Despite groundbreaking research, many cell and gene therapies do not make it all the way to the patients. Researchers and clinicians in Lund have now presented a new model for cooperation that will shorten lead times and reduce costs – with the aim to give more patients access to advanced, potentially curative treatments. In brief: Why promising cell and gene therapies fail to reach implementation – and how a Swedish model aims to solve the problem From discovery to reimbursement in healthcare: the ...

Researchers from North Carolina State University have used laser ablation to create ultra-stretchable, superomniphobic materials without the use of harsh chemical solvents. The materials – which are useful in applications ranging from soft robotics to artificial skin patches – retain their superomniphobic (i.e., super-repellent) properties when stretched up to five times their initial length and at over 5,000 stretch cycles. “Superomniphobic materials can repel virtually any liquid – such as ...

WASHINGTON — Researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence-based approach for detecting fatty deposits inside coronary arteries using optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. Because these lipid-rich plaques are strongly linked to serious cardiac events such as heart attacks, the method could eventually help doctors spot dangerous plaques before they rupture and cause damage. OCT is used during catheter-based procedures such as those used to open partially blocked blood vessels and place stents to help blood flow more freely. Although OCT provides very detailed images of the vessel ...

SeaCast is an innovative high-resolution forecasting system for the Mediterranean that harnesses AI to deliver faster and more energy-efficient predictions than traditional models. Unlike existing global AI models, which operate at lower resolutions and primarily rely on ocean data, SeaCast integrates both ocean and atmospheric variables, capturing complex regional dynamics. Its graph-based neural network accounts for intricate coastlines and lateral boundary conditions, overcoming one of the major challenges in regional ocean forecasting. The model operates at a high resolution of about 4 km (1/24°), the same ...

(Toronto, February 17, 2026) JMIR Publications invites submissions to a new theme issue titled “Bridging Data, AI, and Innovation to Transform Health” in its open access journal JMIR Bioinformatics and Biotechnology. The premier, peer-reviewed journal is indexed in PubMed- and Scopus and is the official journal of the MidSouth Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Society. This theme issue explores the convergence of computational biology, artificial intelligence (AI), and health care innovation. As AI continues to revolutionize diagnostics, treatment, ...

A team from the University of Freiburg led by neurobiologist and behavioural biologist Prof. Dr. Andrew Straw studied the flight behaviour of honey bees. Using a drone, the researchers tracked honey bees as they flew between their hive and a food source about 120 metres away in an agricultural environment. In order to observe the bees on their respective routes, the scientists used the ‘Fast Lock-On (FLO) Tracking’ method developed by Straw's working group. This involves attaching a small, highly reflective marker to the insect. On the drone, a computer uses image analysis of reflected light to reliably locate the bee within a few milliseconds and keep track ...

People with greater exposure to air pollution face a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study by Yanling Deng of Emory University, U.S.A., and colleagues, published February 17th in the open-access journal PLOS Medicine. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting about 57 million people worldwide. Exposure to air pollution is a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, and for several common chronic health conditions, such as hypertension, stroke and depression. ...

CHICAGO — Feb. 17, 2026 — A new study from the Advocate Aurora Research Institute — which is part of Advocate Health — published Tuesday in Hospital Pediatrics provides guidance for families and physicians caring for infants and young children hospitalized with a febrile urinary tract infection (UTI), one of the most common infections in early childhood.  The findings provide insight that could reduce the chances of unnecessary tests for children and added stress for families and could also help ...