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Science News for July 24, 2026


Global community-academic partnership centers health equity in new Lancet Public Health series on sex workers' health

The new series, developed through meaningful community partnership, provides a comprehensive synthesis of evidence on sex workers' health and offers a contemporary approach to inform future research, policy, and practice. It emphasizes the need to address structural barriers alongside individual-level interventions.

SourceSan Diego State University·JournalThe Lancet Public Health·DateJul 24, 2026

KAIST develops low-temperature technique for growing crystal-aligned semiconductor films

Researchers developed a self-aligned, thin-film growth technology to grow tellurium film in a uniform crystal orientation at a low temperature of 150°C. This approach enables the precise fabrication of high-quality semiconductor films for next-generation semiconductors and optoelectronic devices.

Long-term study finds widespread lithium in drinking water across communities in the western U.S.

A decade-long study found substantial regional variation in lithium exposure and established urinary lithium as a reliable measure of long-term environmental exposure. Household drinking water was linked to stable urinary lithium levels over 15 years, with most samples exceeding health-based screening levels.

SourceColumbia University's Mailman School of Public Health·JournalJournal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology·DateJul 24, 2026

UW chemists find a new way around a long-established limitation to electron transfer selectivity

Researchers at UW-Madison have found a novel strategy for designing reactions that can access previously inaccessible molecule couplings. This new approach allows for the creation of strong reductants and aggressive sources of electrons, facilitating electron transfer selectivity and opening up new possibilities for synthetic chemistry.

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 24, 2026

New open-access database maps pathogens and antibiotic resistance risks in coastal waters

A new global database has been developed to map pathogens and antibiotic resistance risks in coastal waters, providing a practical tool for assessing biological risks. The Coastal Water Pathogen Database integrates shotgun metagenomic sequencing data from six coastal regions across three continents.

SourceShenyang Agricultural University Collaborative Journals·JournalBiocontaminant·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 24, 2026

Analysis reveals ‘ultrarapid’ gene evolution behind diversity of feather color in chickens

Researchers at Texas A&M University discovered that a key pigmentation gene evolved rapidly in chickens, revealing an unexpected pattern of genetic evolution. This process allowed for the creation of a wide range of feather colors and patterns through the combination of multiple mutations within the same gene.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJul 24, 2026

New research reveals mass shootings and suicide deaths share summer peaks

A new study found consistent summertime peaks in both mass shootings and suicide deaths in the US, indicating a possible link between the two. The researchers observed seasonal fluctuations in these forms of violence, raising the possibility that mass shootings may share risk pathways with suicidal behavior.

SourceSAGE·JournalJournal of Biological Rhythms·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 24, 2026

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine ahead-of-print tip sheet: July 23, 2026

A new study published in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine has found that dual-energy SPECT may enable faster monitoring of PSMA therapy, reducing imaging time from 18 minutes to 9 minutes. Another study showed a prognostic model using PSMA PET can predict outcomes after therapy, including overall survival and PSA progression-free survival.

SourceSociety of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging·JournalJournal of Nuclear Medicine·DateJul 24, 2026

Long live ytterbium!

Researchers from the Universities of Amsterdam and New South Wales have discovered ytterbium ions can remain in previously unexplored metastable states for surprisingly long times, up to 30 seconds. The findings may improve the detection of quantum bits (qubits) and their generalized analogues in ytterbium ions.

SourceUniversiteit van Amsterdam·JournalPhysical Review A·DateJul 24, 2026

Bugs as drugs: Engineered gut bacteria show promise against pancreatic cancer

Researchers at the University of Chicago report a promising new strategy using BifidoSumIL-2, an engineered bacterial strain, to deliver an immune-stimulating therapy directly into pancreatic tumors. The treatment selectively activates cancer-fighting T cells and slows tumor growth, even when combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

SourceUniversity of Chicago Medical Center·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 24, 2026

Brain metabolism predicts survival in advanced non–small cell lung cancer patients

Researchers found that high brain metabolism is associated with longer overall survival, and it's an independent prognostic factor for overall survival. Brain metabolism measured by ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT provides valuable insight into patient outcomes and may help identify patients most likely to benefit from early supportive care.

SourceSociety of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging·JournalJournal of Nuclear Medicine·DateJul 24, 2026

Algorithm-designed photonic circuits beyond human intuition

A team of researchers at Harvard and Max Planck Institute have developed three new functional components for photonic microchips using an inverse design algorithm. The compact designs are about 500 times smaller than conventional designs and offer a path toward higher-performance integrated light technologies.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 24, 2026

JMIR News: Health tech industry trends and innovations

The health tech industry is evolving with AI-powered wearables that enable real-time data interpretation, reducing centralized infrastructure demands. Pharmaceutical AI tools like NoHarm automate reviews, freeing up resources for medication errors. These innovations transform healthcare, improving care and patient outcomes.

SourceJMIR Publications·JournalJournal of Medical Internet Research·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateJul 24, 2026

Can a robot tutor give too much help?

A new study found that robot-delivered feedback can help learners recover from mistakes, but more personalized feedback was not automatically more helpful in the next moment. Personalized feedback was linked to better overall performance across the whole task, suggesting a trade-off between detailed feedback and learning speed.

SourceTechnische Universität Berlin – Science of Intelligence·JournalCommunications Psychology·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 24, 2026

NYU Abu Dhabi study uncovers new path toward fighting malaria

Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have discovered that the malaria parasite relies on linoleic acid-containing blood fats to support its growth. This finding challenges scientists' understanding of how the parasite survives inside the human body, revealing a previously unknown vulnerability that could be targeted by future drugs.

SourceNew York University·JournalGenome Biology·TypeObservational study·DateJul 24, 2026

Increased social media use linked to anxiety, suicidal ideation among young adults, UTHealth Houston researchers find

Researchers at UTHealth Houston found that teenagers spending six or more hours a day on social media were twice as likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and three times as likely to report suicidal ideation. The study, published in Pediatrics Open Science, suggests that excessive social media use can contribute to poor mental health.

SourceUniversity of Texas Health Science Center at Houston·JournalPediatrics Open Science·DateJul 24, 2026

Eco-friendly ionic liquid halves energy use in industrial chemical separation

A Chinese research team has proposed a novel approach to separate dimethyl carbonate from methanol using a tailor-made ionic liquid and heat pump-assisted distillation. The method significantly reduces energy consumption and costs compared to traditional methods, making it an attractive solution for the chemical industry.

SourceKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.·JournalGreen Chemical Engineering·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJul 24, 2026

From folds and cuts to linkages

Researchers create collapsible scissored surfaces based on networks of interconnected scissor mechanisms that can transform into curved surfaces. The new approach completes a trilogy of metamaterial design principles: origami (folds), kirigami (cuts), and pantograph lattices (linkages).

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 24, 2026

Reciprocal learning across borders: Education as a bridge in turbulent times

The Canada-China Reciprocal Learning Partnership in Teacher Education and School Education created a durable collaborative space for cross-cultural contact and shared educational practice. The partnership generated substantial evidence of sustained activity, including six collaborative research teams, annual international conferences, ...

SourceECNU Review of Education·JournalECNU Review of Education·TypeObservational study·DateJul 24, 2026

Recent advances of atomic/molecular layer deposition engineering silicon interface for lithium‑ion batteries

Researchers developed atomic/molecular layer deposition (ALD) engineering of silicon interfaces to overcome traditional silicon anode limitations. The approach enables stable and functionalized interfaces with unique self-limiting surface chemistry, achieving ultra-high capacity, fast charging, and extended cycle life.

SourceShanghai Jiao Tong University Journal Center·JournalNano-Micro Letters·TypeNews article·DateJul 24, 2026

When quantum computers freeze

Researchers at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf demonstrate that increasing qubits in adiabatic quantum computers makes them increasingly sensitive to disturbances, leading to a 'quantum Zeno effect' that can freeze computational processes. Mitigating measures like shielding and active protection methods can help overcome this issue.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf·JournalNew Journal of Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 24, 2026

New geological archive discovered: Fossilised wood reveals 300 million years of Earth’s history

Researchers found five stages of silicic acid formation in fossilised wood, spanning 200 million years and documenting temperature, pressure, and composition conditions. The study uses quartz cathodoluminescence, fluid inclusions, and other techniques to reconstruct the geological history of the Saale Basin in central Germany.

SourceUniversity of Münster·JournalScientific Reports·DateJul 24, 2026

From heat dissipation bottlenecks to designable thermal functional units: interfacial heat transport in two-dimensional materials

Research on interfacial thermal transport in 2D heterostructures reviews recent advances and outlines future research directions. The authors argue that interfaces should be regarded as tunable thermal functional units, enabling active thermal management through device design.

SourceScience Exploration Press·JournalThermo-X·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateJul 24, 2026

Scientists turn modern biobanks into a new window on human evolution

Researchers analyzed genomic data from over 72,000 Han Taiwanese participants to identify genomic signatures of ongoing natural selection and uncover disease-associated genetic variants. The study reveals that large biobanks can function not only as tools for precision medicine but also as platforms for examining modern human evolution.

SourceNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung University·JournalThe American Journal of Human Genetics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 24, 2026

Endocytosis-independent delivery: Bypassing cellular barriers for direct biomolecule translocation into living cells

Emerging non-endocytic delivery strategies enable direct cytosolic delivery of proteins, nucleic acids, and gene-editing tools, providing new opportunities for biomedical therapies. The review discusses their application prospects in gene therapy, macromolecular drug delivery, and cellular engineering.

SourceBiomedical Analysis·JournalBiomedical Analysis·TypeLiterature review·DateJul 24, 2026

Pusan National study explores the hedging capability of cryptocurrencies in turbulent markets

A new study reveals that green cryptocurrencies are better at transmitting volatility compared to traditional green assets, offering limited hedging effectiveness. Portfolio analysis shows that Cardano and Stellar are key drivers of volatility, while green bonds and ESG investments absorb disturbances.

SourcePusan National University·JournalFinancial Innovation·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJul 24, 2026

Venus: Dead? Far from it

Recent research suggests Venus is geologically active, with evidence of recent rifting and volcanic activity. Computer models indicate that rift flanks can form along the edges of rift valleys, widening rapidly over time.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Geoscience·DateJul 24, 2026