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Science News Archive February 2026 - Page 36


Page 36 of 45

Babies are born with a sense of rhythm, study suggests

Researchers found that newborns as young as 2 days old can anticipate rhythmic patterns, indicating an innate ability to recognize rhythm. However, they struggled to predict melodic changes, suggesting that melody may be learned through exposure.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2026

New paper urges caution as FDA plans to phase out animal testing in drug development

The FDA's plan to phase out animal testing in drug development has raised concerns among experts about the potential risks of relying on new methodologies. Researchers emphasize the need for rigorous validation and evidence-based approaches to ensure the safety and effectiveness of these alternative methods.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalTrends in Biotechnology·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateFeb 5, 2026

Charter schools lead to similar improvements in outcomes for students with and without disabilities

A study from Michigan State University found that charter schools lead to similar improvements in attendance and academic outcomes for students with disabilities as those without. After switching to a charter school, students with disabilities saw an increase in resource program participation and a decrease in cognitive programs.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalEducation Finance and Policy·DateFeb 5, 2026

Special strength training with lighter weights effectively strengthens muscle health and metabolism in type 2 diabetes

A new study shows that blood flow restriction training (BFRT) effectively strengthens muscle health and metabolism in type 2 diabetes, reducing visceral fat and improving mitochondrial function. BFRT is a low-impact alternative to classic strength training with heavy weights, promoting better insulin action and cardiovascular health.

SourceDeutsches Zentrum fuer Diabetesforschung DZD·JournalCell Metabolism·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 5, 2026

Fentanyl is changing how doctors treat opioid use disorder

A new national survey found that nearly three-quarters of clinicians encounter obstacles when starting buprenorphine treatment for patients using fentanyl. Researchers emphasize the need for evidence-based guidelines to initiate buprenorphine in light of more potent drugs.

SourcePenn State·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeSurvey·DateFeb 5, 2026

HKU and UCLA scientists uncover the mechanism powering “space battery” above auroral regions

A new study by HKU and UCLA scientists reveals that Alfvén waves act as an invisible power source, driving charged particles into the atmosphere and producing glowing auroral lights. The research provides a definitive answer to the physics of Earth's aurora and offers a universal model applicable to other planets in our solar system.

SourceThe University of Hong Kong·JournalNature Communications·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 5, 2026

The brain uses eye movements to see in 3D

Researchers at the University of Rochester found that the brain analyzes global patterns of image motion caused by eye movements to understand how objects move and where they are located in 3D space. This discovery challenges conventional ideas that image motion produced by eye movements is visual noise to be subtracted off.

SourceUniversity of Rochester Medical Center·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 5, 2026

FAU study links ultra-processed foods to greater heart attack, stroke risk

A study by Florida Atlantic University found that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are associated with a 47% higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers analyzed data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and found that those consuming high amounts of UPFs had a significant increase in heart attack and stroke ...

SourceFlorida Atlantic University·JournalThe American Journal of Medicine·TypeMeta-analysis·DateFeb 5, 2026

Psychosocial and community factors are strongly linked to diet quality among rural adults, study finds

A study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that psychosocial factors like motivation, confidence, and social support are strongly linked to diet quality among rural adults. Participants with higher scores in these areas consumed more fruits, vegetables, and fiber, and fewer ultraprocessed foods.

SourceElsevier·JournalJournal of Nutrition Education and Behavior·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 5, 2026

Achieving >97% on GSM8K: Deeply understanding the problems makes LLMs better solvers for math word problems

A new research proposes the Deeply Understanding Problems (DUP) method to address semantic misunderstanding errors in LLMs' math problem-solving. The experimental results show that DUP outperforms other counterparts across various reasoning datasets, achieving new SOTA results on GSM8K and SVAMP.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Computer Science·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2026

Using light for antimicrobial treatment

Photodynamic therapy using haemoporphyrin and red light has been shown to effectively inactivate Staphylococcus aureus in plasma bags, extending shelf life and ensuring sterility. The technique offers an alternative to antibiotics, which have become obsolete due to excessive use.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Optoelectronics·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2026

Bidirectional chain-of-thought for zero-shot object navigation

A research team proposes the Bidirectional Chain-of-Thought (BiCoT) framework for zero-shot object navigation, enabling AI agents to reason about navigation paths from both target and agent perspectives. Experimental results demonstrate significant improvements in success rate and navigation efficiency over previous methods.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Computer Science·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2026

Immune 'hijacking' predicts cancer evolution

Scientists at UNIGE discovered that neutrophils, a type of immune cell, undergo reprogramming to produce chemokine CCL3, promoting cancer growth. This mechanism appears to be a major variable in tumour biology and could serve as an indicator of disease progression.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalCancer Cell·TypeNews article·DateFeb 5, 2026

HKU scientists unveil groundbreaking discovery: Natural magnetic materials control light in unprecedented ways

Researchers at The University of Hong Kong have made a major breakthrough in controlling light with natural magnetic materials. They achieved negative refraction, a phenomenon that defies the law of physics, using a thin layer of CrSBr to bend light backward or in unexpected directions.

SourceThe University of Hong Kong·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2026

Model connects animal movement and population dynamics

Researchers developed a new theoretical framework that links individual animal movements to population dynamics across space and time. The range-resident logistic model incorporates interactions between multiple animals, providing a more accurate prediction of population sizes and helping inform real-world conservation recommendations.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf·JournalEcology Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 5, 2026

Evaluating the neurovascular compression in virus-associated peripheral vestibulopathies: A comparative study of vestibular neuritis and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome with dizziness

Researchers used MRI to compare neurovascular compression in patients with Vestibular Neuritis and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. They found a higher prevalence and severity of compression in RHS patients, suggesting nerve hyperexcitability may contribute to complex symptomatology.

SourceHigher Education Press·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2026

Sport: ‘Football fever’ peaks on match day

A study published in Scientific Reports found that football fans' mean stress level was 41% higher on the day of a major match compared to non-match days. Participants experienced increased heart rates, peaking during the match, and were more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as drinking alcohol.

SourceScientific Reports·JournalScientific Reports·DateFeb 5, 2026

Novel photoreactive probe enables sensitive detection of epigenetic intermediates

Researchers developed a light-sensitive oligonucleotide probe that selectively detects 5-formylcytosine, an epigenetically important intermediate. The probe demonstrates stable cross-linking with 5fC across various conditions, enabling its detection in target DNA and complex biological samples.

SourceInstitute of Science Tokyo·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2026

Batteries from rust? Carbon spheres filled with iron oxide deliver high storage capacity

Researchers at Saarland University have developed carbon spheres filled with iron oxide, achieving promising results for environmentally friendly lithium-ion batteries. The material's storage capacity increases over time as the iron oxide is electrochemically activated, making it a potential solution for renewable energy storage.

SourceSaarland University·JournalChemistry of Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2026