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Science News Archive September 2025 - Page 26


Page 26 of 54

Decoding plants’ language of light

Researchers have discovered how a compound called naringenin chalcone 'reprograms' a light-sensing protein in plants, activating it to send growth-regulating signals even without UV light. This unexpected interaction could lead to crops with improved tolerance to harsh environments and more efficient use of light energy.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 17, 2025

UMass Amherst researcher receives $1.12 million NSF grant to study impacts of water governance on children’s health in five countries

The project aims to strengthen community involvement in water management, improve child health and reduce under-age mortality in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Morocco and Tunisia amid global climate change. The research team will gather socioeconomic data and information on water governance, health risks and infant mortality.

Could boosting this molecule slow pancreatic cancer progression?

Researchers at Salk Institute and UC San Diego have identified a unique sugar called HSAT as a potential therapeutic target for slowing tumor progression and metastasis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Boosting HSAT levels may slow the formation and spread of pancreatic cancer, leading to improved survival rates among patients.

SourceSalk Institute·JournalJournal of Clinical Investigation·DateSep 17, 2025

Does physical frailty contribute to dementia?

A new study found that people with three or more symptoms of physical frailty were nearly three times more likely to develop dementia than those without frailty. The researchers also discovered changes in brain structure and biomarkers in people with frailty, which may be a mechanism underlying the pathway from frailty to dementia.

SourceAmerican Academy of Neurology·JournalNeurology·DateSep 17, 2025

Reconsidering the cosmological constant

Researchers Josh Frieman and Anowar Shajib found that physics-based models for evolving dark energy better explain current data than the standard model. The data suggests that dark energy density has decreased by about 10% over the last several billion years, changing the cosmic expansion history.

Prescribed opioid pain medications during pregnancy likely aren’t associated with increased risk of autism, ADHD

A Swedish study of over 1.2 million children found no significant association between prenatal exposure to opioids and increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The researchers attributed the observed differences in ASD rates among exposed versus unexposed children to other pre...

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateSep 16, 2025

Semaglutide provides powerful protection against diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults, Greek study suggests

A new study published in Pharmaceutics found that semaglutide provides powerful protection against diabetic retinopathy, a condition that can lead to sight loss. The study suggests that GLP-1 receptor agonists enhance retinal cells' defences against damage in diabetes-like conditions.

Precision targeting of the centromedian nucleus in drug-resistant epilepsy highlighted in brain network disorders

Researchers developed new methods to accurately target the centromedian nucleus for deep brain stimulation in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Advanced imaging techniques, such as high-resolution MRI and DTI tractography, improve targeting accuracy by identifying specific brain pathways and neural firing patterns.

SourceBrain Network Disorders Editorial Office·JournalBrain Network Disorders·TypeLiterature review·DateSep 16, 2025

Older brothers close in age reduce their sisters’ chances of survival

Researchers found that having more older brothers close in age reduces the chances of survival for girls, whereas having more older sisters close in age has a positive effect on both girls and boys. This study highlights the importance of considering sex-specific effects when studying the impact of siblings on human survival.

SourceUniversity of Groningen·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 16, 2025

Mapping the Universe, faster and with the same accuracy

Researchers have developed an emulator called Effort.jl that mimics the behavior of large-scale structure models, allowing for fast analysis on standard laptops. The new model delivers similar accuracy as the original, enabling scientists to analyze upcoming data releases from experiments like DESI and Euclid.

SourceSissa Medialab·JournalJournal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 16, 2025

Harnessing non-matched illumination for dark-field-like contrast in live-cell imaging

Researchers developed DF-FPDT to address low-frequency loss from non-matched illumination in live-cell imaging, enabling high-resolution and high-contrast 3D reconstructions. This breakthrough technique leverages non-matched illumination to enhance structural details without additional hardware or post-processing.

Loss of key male fertility gene leads to changes in expression of hundreds of other genes

A new study conducted at the University of Hawaiʻi has shown that the loss of a key male fertility gene leads to infertility and changes in the expression of hundreds of other important genes. The researchers found that sperm precursor cells are dying prematurely, and sperm have DNA that is not properly condensed.

SourceUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa·JournalCell Death and Differentiation·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 16, 2025

Orforglipron taken orally once daily leads to significant body weight loss (ATTAIN-1 Study)

A phase 3 trial of once-daily orforglipron found substantial weight loss in people with obesity but not type 2 diabetes. The medication improved cardiometabolic levels and was associated with significant reductions in body weight, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, triglyceride levels, and non-HDL cholesterol.

SourceEuropean Association for the Study of Diabetes·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateSep 16, 2025

Groundbreaking AI aims to speed lifesaving therapies

A new open-source AI tool, ProRNA3D-single, has significantly increased accuracy in predicting and visualizing protein-RNA complex structures. This method can generate finely detailed images of molecules in 3D, enabling drug developers to design treatments by analyzing where viruses attach to human proteins.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalCell Systems·DateSep 16, 2025

Justice is being lost in translation – Surrey researchers build AI to fix this problem

Researchers developed a custom speech recognition system trained on Supreme Court hearings, reducing transcription errors by up to 9% compared to leading commercial tools. The AI tool semantically matches paragraphs with timestamps, allowing users to scroll through judgements and instantly watch relevant exchanges from the hearing.

SourceUniversity of Surrey·JournalApplied Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateSep 16, 2025

Cybersecurity training programs don’t prevent employees from falling for phishing scams

A recent study found that cybersecurity training programs do little to prevent employees from falling for phishing scams. Researchers sent 10 different phishing email campaigns to over 19,500 employees at UC San Diego Health and found that embedded phishing training only reduced the likelihood of clicking on a phishing link by 2%. As t...

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateSep 16, 2025

A new way to produce ammonia more efficiently

A new way to produce ammonia more efficiently has been discovered by boosting its production using low-temperature plasma. This method could create ammonia in smaller facilities closer to where it is needed, making it safer and easier to transport, and potentially leading to a transformative change in energy storage and transportation.

SourcePrinceton University·JournalACS Energy Letters·DateSep 16, 2025