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Science News Archive January 2026 - Page 25


Page 25 of 47

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

Engineering yeast to make rare anticancer saponins: Reconstructing the complete biosynthesis of polyphyllin II

Scientists reconstructed the complete biosynthesis of polyphyllin II in yeast using plant transcriptomics and enzyme engineering. The study demonstrated the full heterologous production of polyphyllin II, enabling a sustainable alternative for producing complex medicinals.

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

Engineered yeast delivers record levels of animal-free chondroitin sulfate

Researchers achieve high product yield and sulfation quality in engineered yeast, enabling sustainable production of high-quality chondroitin sulfate without animal sources. The optimized strain delivers 7.13 g/L CSA with a stable sulfation degree of 48.4%, promising cleaner and more sustainable products.

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

Hierarchically converged defect engineering with 2-dimensional black phosphorus/MXene sequence for sensitive photoelectrochemical-electrostatic sensors

Researchers propose a hierarchically converged defect-engineering strategy to construct a multidimensional ZnO/Bi₂O₃/BiOCl/BP/MXene heterojunction photoelectrode framework. This targets modulation increases the electrochemically active surface area, optimizes energy-level alignment, and establishes efficient carrier transport pathways.

SourceResearch·JournalResearch·TypeNews article·DateJan 18, 2026

Pioneering second-order nonlinear vibrational nanoscopy for interfacial molecular systems beyond the diffraction limit

Researchers overcome spatial resolution limit of sum-frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy by utilizing plasmonic near-field confinement. This breakthrough enables direct visualization of nanoscale orientation heterogeneity in interfacial molecular domains.

SourceNational Institutes of Natural Sciences·JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry C·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 18, 2026

No clear evidence that cannabis-based medicines relieve chronic nerve pain

An updated Cochrane review of 21 clinical trials involving over 2,100 adults found no high-quality evidence that cannabis-based medicines reduce neuropathic pain more than placebo. Small improvements were reported by patients using products with both THC and CBD, but these changes were not clinically meaningful.

SourceCochrane·JournalCochrane Database of Systematic Reviews·TypeSystematic review·DateJan 18, 2026

Taking paracetamol during pregnancy does not increase risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities

A systematic review and meta-analysis of 43 studies found no link between paracetamol use during pregnancy and increased risks of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disabilities. Researchers concluded that previously reported links may be due to genetic predisposition or maternal factors rather than the medication itself.

SourceCity St George’s, University of London·TypeSystematic review·DateJan 16, 2026

The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynecology, & Women’s Health: Taking paracetamol during pregnancy does not increase risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disabilities, confirms new gold-standard evidence review

A new systematic review and meta-analysis of 43 studies confirms paracetamol during pregnancy is not linked to increased risks of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disabilities. The findings suggest alternative maternal factors may be responsible for previously reported associations.

SourceThe Lancet·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJan 16, 2026

Molecular sieve-confined Pt-FeOx catalysts achieve highly efficient reversible hydrogen cycle of methylcyclohexane-toluene

Researchers developed molecular sieve-confined Pt-FeOx catalysts for efficient reversible hydrogen storage and release, overcoming limitations of traditional metal catalysts. The catalyst exhibited excellent mass transfer performance, improved stability, and high hydrogen production rates.

SourceChinese Chemical Society·JournalCCS Chemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 16, 2026

New review highlights electrochemical pathways to recover uranium from wastewater and seawater

Researchers systematically analyze recent advances in electrochemical strategies designed to extract uranyl from complex aqueous environments. Electro-adsorption, electrocatalysis, and photo-electrocatalysis approaches offer a potentially energy-efficient alternative to traditional chemical separation methods.

Discarded cigarette butts transformed into high performance energy storage materials

Researchers have created a method to convert waste cigarette butts into nitrogen and oxygen co-doped nanoporous biochar with exceptional performance as an electrode material for supercapacitors. The material achieved a specific capacitance of nearly 345 farads per gram, demonstrating its potential for real-world applications.

Harm reduction vending machines in New York State expand access to overdose treatment and drug test strips, UB studies confirm

Two studies by the University at Buffalo found that harm reduction vending machines are well utilized and provide critical services to high-risk individuals. The machines dispense supplies such as naloxone kits, fentanyl test strip packages, and xylazine test strips outside of regular business hours.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalJournal of Addiction Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateJan 16, 2026

Canada losing track of salmon health as climate and industrial threats mount

New research from Simon Fraser University finds that Canada is failing to monitor the health of Pacific salmon populations, with 44% lacking sufficient data. The decline in monitoring is particularly concerning as salmon face the dual threat of climate change and industrial projects set to be fast-tracked by the federal government.

SourceSimon Fraser University·JournalCanadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences·DateJan 16, 2026

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine ahead-of-print tip sheet: January 16, 2026

Recent studies published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine explore the use of interim PET scans to predict treatment response and survival in patients with large B-cell lymphoma. Additionally, a phase 2 trial evaluates the safety and effectiveness of a radiopharmaceutical targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) in advanced...

SourceSociety of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging·JournalJournal of Nuclear Medicine·DateJan 16, 2026

Model predicts long term mortality risk from prostate cancer

Researchers developed a model that can predict long-term prostate cancer mortality risk using PSA scores, helping doctors and patients make informed decisions about further screening and treatment. The model was tested on over 200,000 patients and showed improved accuracy compared to existing risk calculators.

SourceMichigan Medicine - University of Michigan·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 16, 2026

Immune-targeting vaccine shows promise intercepting cancer in patients with Lynch Syndrome

Researchers found that NOUS-209 safely stimulated the immune system to target precancerous and cancerous cells in individuals with Lynch Syndrome, providing early evidence of its potential to intercept cancer before it develops. The vaccine-induced T cells were able to kill tumor cells and showed signs of long-lasting immune memory.