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Science News Archive 2026 - Page 496


Page 496 of 519

Ben-Gurion University expert on autism spectrum disorders leads new project examining sleep in children with autism

A new open-science resource for studying sleep in children with autism has been launched, leveraging state-of-the-art wearable and nearable devices to gather unprecedented data. The Simons Sleep Project reveals that autistic children have greater difficulties falling asleep than their siblings, and this specific sleep problem is associ...

SourceBen-Gurion University of the Negev·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 19, 2026

A new comprehensive annotation dataset of mobile elements for genomic island detection

A new dataset of mobile elements, MEGI, was published to aid in genomic island detection. The dataset, including insertion sequences, integrative and conjugative elements, transposons, and bacteriophages, increased recall by over 20% and accuracy rates by 3-4% when used with Centroid and SIGI-HMM methods.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Computer Science·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 19, 2026

Clear effects, complex implications: meta-study reveals mechanisms of animals’ adaptations to cope with climate change

A meta-study of 213 scientific studies found that climate change influences seasonal developmental processes, allowing populations to remain stable or increase in numbers. However, the study also identified maladaptation to climate change in some cases, with inconsistent effects on body measurements and population growth rates.

SourceLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)·JournalNature Communications·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 19, 2026

The sky is full of secrets: Glaring vulnerabilities discovered in satellite communications

Researchers found that nearly half of geostationary satellite communications are not encrypted, putting sensitive data such as cellular texts, voice calls, and military information at risk. The study led to immediate action from companies like T-Mobile, Walmart, and KPU Telecom, which enabled encryption in response to the findings.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·TypeObservational study·DateJan 19, 2026

Polar weather on Jupiter and Saturn hints at the planets’ interior details

Scientists found that a planet's interior composition, specifically the 'softness' of its vortex base, determines the formation of polar vortices. The study suggests that Saturn may have a harder interior than Jupiter, leading to a single massive polar vortex, while Jupiter's softer interior gives rise to multiple smaller vortices.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 19, 2026

Global warming and CO2 emissions 56 million years ago resulted in massive forest fires and soil erosion

A 56-million-year-old study found that global warming caused by CO2 emissions led to widespread forest fires and soil erosion. The research team discovered that even small changes in temperature can have significant impacts on ecosystems, leading to the release of more carbon into the atmosphere.

SourceRoyal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 19, 2026

Golden Gate method enables rapid, fully-synthetic engineering of therapeutically relevant bacteriophages

Researchers from New England Biolabs and Yale University have developed a first fully synthetic bacteriophage engineering system using the High-Complexity Golden Gate Assembly platform. This method simplifies strain engineering techniques, allowing for rapid creation of tailored therapeutic strains to overcome antibiotic resistance.

SourceNew England Biolabs·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 19, 2026

Socio-environmental movements: key global guardians of biodiversity amid rising violence

A new study reveals that socio-environmental mobilizations play a critical role in global biodiversity conservation by resisting environmental degradation. These local struggles often overlap with global conservation priorities, highlighting the need for policy shifts to recognize and support these movements.

SourceUniversitat Autonoma de Barcelona·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeCase study·DateJan 19, 2026

Hidden order in quantum chaos: the pseudogap

Physicists used a quantum simulator to study the interaction of electrons in a material with a pseudogap state. They found that subtle magnetic patterns shape this mysterious phase of matter, which appears above the temperature at which it becomes superconducting.

SourceSimons Foundation·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 19, 2026

Research alert: Spreading drug costs over the year may ease financial burden for Medicare cancer patients

A new study found that nearly half of Medicare Part D beneficiaries with cancer face high out-of-pocket prescription drug costs, often leading to delayed treatment initiation and poorer health outcomes. Enrolling in the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (M3P) could reduce monthly payment volatility and mitigate cost-related nonadherence.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology·DateJan 19, 2026

IEEE study investigates the effects of pointing error on quantum key distribution systems

A new framework models pointing error in QKD optical wireless systems, clarifying its role in degrading secure key generation. The study found that increased beam waist and asymmetrical beam misalignment degrade performance, while increasing receiver aperture size and average photon numbers can improve it.

SourceInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers·JournalIEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 19, 2026

Layered hydrogen silicane for safe, lightweight, and energy-efficient hydrogen carrier

Researchers have discovered a new solid-state hydrogen carrier called layered hydrogen silicane (L-HSi) that can release hydrogen under ambient temperature and pressure. L-HSi exhibits high gravimetric hydrogen capacity and is stable, making it a promising alternative to conventional hydrogen storage systems.

SourceInstitute of Science Tokyo·JournalAdvanced Optical Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 19, 2026

Quantum ‘alchemy’ made feasible with excitons

A team of researchers from OIST and Stanford University has demonstrated a powerful new alternative approach to Floquet engineering by showing that excitons can produce Floquet effects more efficiently than light. This breakthrough enables the creation of novel quantum devices and materials with significantly lower intensities.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 19, 2026

Can Canada’s health systems handle increased demand during FIFA World Cup?

A recent editorial cautions that Canada's health systems may struggle to cope with the influx of patients during the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The article highlights concerns about overburdened hospitals and emergency departments, as well as the need for a national plan to bolster capacity and train personnel.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateJan 19, 2026

When aging affects the young: Revealing the weight of caregiving on teenagers

A COVID-19 survey found that young carers experience higher stress levels with greater care responsibilities. However, they also exhibit positive emotions like a sense of accomplishment and pride. The surveys revealed more pronounced emotional responses in 2024, suggesting growing societal understanding and support for young carers.

SourceOsaka Metropolitan University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeSurvey·DateJan 19, 2026

Brewing a rare medicine: Yeast engineered to produce a valuable astragalus isoflavonoid

Researchers have created a yeast platform capable of producing calycosin-7-glucoside, a valuable isoflavonoid from Astragalus membranaceus. The optimized strain achieved a titer of 0.22 mg/L within 48 hours, providing a scalable alternative to plant-derived production and reducing dependence on medicinal plant cultivation.

SourceNanjing Agricultural University The Academy of Science·JournalBioDesign Research·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 18, 2026

Memory justifications remain reliable over time, BGU study finds

A new study published in Communications Psychology found that verbal justifications supporting memories remain rich, detailed, and consistent even after a delay of 24 hours. The study suggests that memory justifications provide a temporally stable window into episodic memory, making them a reliable basis for evaluating memory credibility.

SourceBen-Gurion University of the Negev·JournalCommunications Psychology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 18, 2026

Universal plasma wave phenomena revealed: Mercury’s BepiColombo Mio and Earth’s GEOTAIL show shared wave frequency properties across planetary magnetospheres

Researchers from Kanazawa University and partners have discovered chorus emissions in Mercury's magnetosphere, exhibiting similar chirping frequency changes to Earth's magnetosphere. This breakthrough provides the first reliable evidence of intense electron activity at Mercury, expanding our knowledge of planetary space environments.

SourceKanazawa University·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 18, 2026