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The gene most strongly correlated with Alzheimer's disease also boosts seizure activity by decreasing levels of ion pumps and energy-producing enzymes in neurons, a new study by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has found. Furthermore, the energy-making pathway was stimulated and seizures reduced in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease by administration of a blood pressure medication, pointing to a potential treatment to reduce seizure activity in those with the gene, APOE4.

Researchers at St. Petersburg University have developed an efficient way to detect a crucial immunity biomarker—neopterin—in the blood using nanotechnology and a laser. Neopterin is a nucleotide whose blood levels rise sharply in cases of viral infections, autoimmune or oncological diseases, implant rejection, and inflammatory processes.

Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University have studied how fruit flies tune their development in response to environmental changes (diapause). Studying fruit fly strains from different latitudes across Japan, they showed that the sensitivity to starting reproductive diapause varies smoothly with local conditions.

Quantum computers are alternative computing devices that process information, leveraging quantum mechanical effects, such as entanglement between different particles. Entanglement establishes a link between particles that allows them to share states in such a way that measuring one particle instantly affects the others, irrespective of the distance between them.

Researchers from the NeuroAD group (Neuropathology of Alzheimer's Disease) within the Department of Cell Biology, Genetics and Physiology at the University of Málaga, also affiliated with IBIMA–BIONAND Platform and CIBERNED, have made a pioneering breakthrough in the fight against this disease by identifying astrocytes as a promising cellular target for the development of future therapies.

Many technological applications, such as sensors and batteries, greatly rely on electrochemical reactions. Improving these technologies depends on understanding how electrochemical reactions work. However, most current methods cannot look at electrochemical reactions in detail.

An injured seabird sought help by pecking at the door of an emergency room at a hospital in Germany until medical staff noticed it and called firefighters to help with its rescue.

How you take probiotics can affect their impact on the brain. A study from Örebro University points to new possibilities for personalized approaches, depending on whether the primary aim is, for example, to improve memory or reduce depression. The research is published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.

Most bacteria, including many bacterial pathogens, are surrounded by an outer protective layer of sugar molecules, known as a capsule. This primarily protects the bacteria from environmental influences, but also serves as a kind of cloak of invisibility, enabling them to evade the phagocytes of our immune system. Structural biologists at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI) have now used cryo-electron microscopy to visualize the central Wza-Wzc protein complex, with which sugar molecules pass from the interior of the bacterial cell to the outside, in three dimensions at the atomic level for the first time.

Silent clapping, often referred to as "jazz hands," is becoming popular as a way to make events more neurodivergent friendly. A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that both neurodivergent and neurotypical people are generally positive towards the practice, although opinions vary widely. The study also highlights differing language preferences, with many participants indicating that both identity‑first and person‑first terms are acceptable.

At first glance, few materials would seem to have less in common than metals and textiles. And yet, by manufacturing nickel-titanium alloys as a highly deformable, interwoven material, more similar to fabric than a typical metal component, researchers from IMDEA Materials Institute and the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) have unlocked previously unachievable properties.

A team of researchers from the SABIEN group at the ITACA Institute of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has led an international study that comprehensively analyzes the use and impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). The work, published in Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, reviews a decade of research in the field and evaluates 41 studies that apply AI to the neonatal clinical setting.

Researchers at The University of Manchester have developed a new way to design Earth-observation satellite missions that could help protect the space environment while continuing to deliver vital data for tackling global challenges, such as climate change, food production, supply chain vulnerabilities and environmental degradation.

Clinical neurophysiology examinations include electroencephalography, sleep and vigilance studies, as well as nerve conduction recordings. Interpretation of these recordings is largely taught during clinical work, using the same devices and software that are employed in everyday practice.

An international study led by researchers from the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau) shows that advanced use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows much more accurate identification of patients with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and corticobasal degeneration (CBD). These are two rare and clearly underdiagnosed atypical parkinsonian disorders.

New research from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry and Masonic Cancer Center is providing important new insights into the structure of a human virus that causes blood cancer. In their study published in Nature Communications, researchers analyzed human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV), a human retrovirus that causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and is related to HIV. As there is no current treatment for this disease, the research team used high-resolution imaging of the virus to help uncover where therapies might be successful.

Haoyu Cheng, Ph.D., assistant professor of biomedical informatics and data science at Yale School of Medicine, has developed a new algorithm capable of building complete human genomes using standard laboratory technology. His tool, called hifiasm (ONT), eliminates the need for costly DNA sequencing that requires 40 times more genetic material and often cannot be performed on patient samples.

Solar power continues to grow—accounting for most new capacity added to U.S. electric grids in 2024—but the mid-1950s technology most often used to capture the sun's energy comes with environmental costs.

A new study published in Conservation Biology shows that geotagged social media photos can significantly improve biodiversity datasets, especially in regions underrepresented in global monitoring efforts. Led by scientists from the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, and Monash University, the team integrated Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) occurrence records with public images of the tawny coster butterfly (Acraea terpsicore) from Flickr and Facebook, and saw a 35% increase in total observations.

It's time for the Winter Olympics, and people across the globe will sit in front of their TVs with the hope that their country brings home lots of medals. But why does this make us happy? Why do we get so excited when the person we support is doing well in sports? After all, we're not the ones who are actually winning anything.

A powerful artificial intelligence (AI) tool could give clinicians a head start in identifying life-threatening complications after stem cell and bone marrow transplants, according to new research from MUSC Hollings Cancer Center. For many patients, a stem cell or bone marrow transplant is lifesaving. But recovery does not end when patients leave the hospital. For some, serious complications can emerge months later, often without warning.

By 2050, offshore wind power capacity in the North Sea is set to increase more than tenfold. Researchers at the Helmholtz Center Hereon have analyzed the long-term overall impact of this large number of wind farms on the hydrodynamics of the North Sea for the first time. They found that the current pattern could change on a large scale. The study highlights approaches for minimizing potential risks to the environment at an early stage. The work was recently published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment.

It's one of the latest technologies for sequestering carbon: crush silicate rocks, add to crop soil, and let the rock dust naturally react with carbon dioxide. The reactions bind carbon into stable mineral forms that can persist for millennia, while also enriching the soil with nutrients, boosting crop yields and increasing farmer profits.

Regular exercise is not only good for the body, but it may also help you stay cool under pressure. Research published in the journal Acta Psychologica found that higher cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with lower anxiety and anger and greater emotional resilience.

New research by the University of Portsmouth reveals that during the Great Plague of 1665, Londoners used published death figures to make daily, life or death decisions, reshaping how governments managed public health and personal freedom for the first time. The study is published in the journal Accounting History.

Far from the common assumption of a strictly binary division of labor, the roles of women and men in Neolithic Europe were both clearly differentiated and flexible, according to a new study conducted by CNRS researchers and an international team. These findings were published in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology on February 16, 2026.

The fragility and laws of quantum physics generally make the characterization of quantum systems time‑consuming. Furthermore, when a quantum system is measured, it is destroyed in the process. A breakthrough by researchers at the University of Vienna demonstrates a novel method for quantum state certification that efficiently verifies entangled quantum states in real time without destroying all available states—a decisive step forward in the development of robust quantum computers and quantum networks.

Aluminum's journey has been remarkable, going from being more expensive than gold to one of the most widely used materials, from beverage cans to window frames and car parts. Scientists from the Southern University of Science and Technology have added a new feather in aluminum's cap by expanding its use beyond the metallic form. They created a new aluminum-based redox catalyst—carbazolylaluminylene—that can flip back and forth between two oxidation states: Al(I) and Al(III). This catalyst drove chemical transformations long considered exclusive to transition metals.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny membrane-bound particles released by cells to transport proteins and other molecules to neighboring cells. Because of this natural delivery ability, EVs have attracted growing interest as potential vehicles for therapeutic protein and genome-editing enzyme delivery.

A recently published study from Karolinska Institutet shows that mortality among people who inject drugs enrolled in the Stockholm needle and syringe program declined over a 10-year period, with a marked reduction in opioid overdose deaths. The study is published in the Harm Reduction Journal, and the findings coincide with a period of expanded harm reduction interventions, including the implementation of a take-home naloxone program.

A new species of crocodylomorph dating to about 215 million years ago has been described from the U.K. It has been called Galahadosuchus jonesi in recognition of David Rhys Jones, a secondary school physics teacher from Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi who gave inspiration and encouragement to one of the authors to pursue a career in science.

Government departments across South Africa are increasingly relying on digital tools to evaluate public programs and monitor performance. This is part of broader public-sector reforms. Their aims are to improve accountability, respond to audit pressure and manage large-scale programs with limited staff and budgets.

When it comes to autism, few questions spark as much debate as how best to support autistic people with the greatest needs.

Scientists are moving toward a genetic test that could help thousands of mothers with epilepsy safely take life-saving medication without fear of it causing birth defects in their children.

To find new ways to shield hair from heat, sunlight and air pollution, researchers in Brazil are turning to vegan-friendly ingredients for shampoos and conditioners. Published in ACS Omega, early tests show that a fruit-algae combination added to haircare products coats strands with a protective film. Although the botanical film makes hair slightly less elastic, it improves shine and makes locks easier to comb compared to hair washed and conditioned with products not containing the biopolymer.

A recent study showed that Mars was warm and wet billions of years ago. The finding contrasts with another theory that this era was mainly cold and icy. The result has implications for the idea that life could have developed on the planet at this time.

The short, dark days of winter are never easy to get through. But for many people in the UK and across Europe, this winter has felt particularly gloomy because of the seemingly endless rain.

Fighting fires could be done remotely without the need to place firefighting crews directly in potentially dangerous situations by using collaborative teams of artificial intelligence-powered robots with extinguishing equipment on board, with an initial soft trial of the technology proving successful.

Generative AI can be used to combat misinformation. However, it can also exacerbate the problem by producing convincing manipulations that are difficult to detect and can quickly be copied and disseminated on a wide scale. In a new study, researchers have defined seven distinct roles that AI can play in the information environment and analyzed each role in terms of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks.

The old saying "you are what you eat" suggests that our food choices determine our health and longevity. Now, a study published in the journal Science Advances has put some specifics on it by estimating how many extra years can be gained through a healthy diet.

China watchers arguing that Beijing's artificial intelligence controls are dependent on its authoritarian government are peddling a "stereotypical narrative," according to new research. Xuechen Chen, associate professor in politics and international relations at Northeastern University in London, has co-written a paper that explores how traditional Chinese values and commercial interests have also played a part in self-regulatory guardrails on AI being introduced.

Can you tell the difference between an artificial-intelligence-generated face and a real one? In an era of digital misinformation, where fabricated images can spread widely across news and social media, this skill is proving invaluable.

An optimal combination of energy-efficient 5G network features—including AI systems that let mobile mast and antenna base stations go into sleep mode when usage is low, and phones that avoid unnecessary background network checks—could help cut indirect carbon emissions across the U.K. economy by around 25 million metric tons of CO2, according to new research from the University of Surrey.

A new international research paper is challenging long-held beliefs about what makes the world's fastest sprinters so quick, offering fresh insights that could transform how Australia develops its next generation of speed stars.

OpenAI has hired the Austrian creator of OpenClaw, an artificial intelligence tool able to execute real-world tasks, the US startup's head Sam Altman said on Sunday.

Standing on a tower overlooking the cliffs of the Cortina downhill course, there is someone who is just as involved in the biggest skiing races of the Winter Olympics as Mikaela Shiffrin and Breezy Johnson.

As India races to narrow the artificial intelligence gap with the United States and China, it is planning a vast new "data city" to power digital growth on a staggering scale, the man spearheading the project says.

Over the past few decades, electronics engineers have been trying to develop new neuromorphic hardware, systems that mirror the organization of neurons in the human brain. These systems could run artificial intelligence (AI) models, particularly artificial neural networks (ANNs) more reliably and efficiently than existing devices.

Alarm clocks, maps, books, flashlights, watches, radios, MP3 players, Palm Pilots, remote controls, cameras, handheld recorders and other devices have all been gradually absorbed into a single one: the smartphone.

The infamous Target data breach during the 2013 holiday shopping season, which cost the company more than $200 million in damages, has since been hailed as a landmark case in cybersecurity. Exposure to these threats has only increased as businesses continue to expand their digital footprints. That's why, as a new study involving Binghamton University's School of Management found, businesses that sufficiently prepare to defend against cyberattacks are also more likely to perform better financially.

After soaring to global attention with its hugely popular TikTok app, Chinese tech giant ByteDance is now positioning itself as a major player in the fast-evolving AI arena.

For many companies, customer privacy is often seen as a regulatory burden that limits data use and personalization rather than as a business opportunity. Research by Natalie Chisam at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln reveals companies that handle customer data with transparency, care, and clear communication can gain a measurable competitive advantage through what researchers call privacy stewardship.