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Science News Archive May 2026 - Page 16


Page 16 of 48

Cows recognize a familiar human face

Researchers found that cows stared longer at unfamiliar faces and could match a known handler's voice with their image. The animals' heart rates showed no emotional response to the faces or voices.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS One·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2026

Nearly 60% of college students with a psychosis diagnosis are not receiving the recommended mental health treatment

A new study found that nearly 8 in 10 college students with psychosis needed mental health support, but only 4 in 10 received the recommended combination of therapy and antipsychotic medication. This indicates potential barriers to accessing care, including stigma.

SourceBoston University School of Public Health·JournalSocial Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology·TypeSurvey·DateMay 20, 2026

Climate change is destroying Arctic cultural heritage sites

Researchers found significant erosion damage to graves in a 17th-century whaling site in Svalbard, with textiles nearly completely degraded over 30 years. The study reveals the physical cost of climate change on Arctic cultural heritage sites and the need for revised policies.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS One·TypeObservational study·DateMay 20, 2026

New study aids earlier diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in patients with low-risk pancreatic cysts

A new study published in JAMA Network Open found that patients with low-risk pancreatic cystic lesions have a high risk of developing pancreatic cancer. The study highlights the need for long-term personalized surveillance strategies for these patients, which could enable earlier detection and treatment of the disease.

SourceMass General Brigham·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeObservational study·DateMay 20, 2026

Turning waste into wealth: high-acid-value waste oil upgraded to high-performance natural ester insulating oil in one efficient process

A multi-stage coupled refining process converts high-acid-value waste cooking oil into high-performance natural ester insulating oil with improved physical, chemical and electrical properties. The process increases the oil's dielectric dissipation factor and power frequency breakdown voltage.

SourceHEP Data Cooperation Journals·JournalJOURNAL OF ENGINEERING STUDIES·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2026

Breaking the bottleneck in in vivo and in situ monitoring: Science Bulletin reports a host-based antifouling gold nanotube sensor for the selective detection of mechanically sensitive serotonin release in intestinal mucosa

Researchers developed a flexible electrochemical sensing platform that captures dynamic small-molecule chemical signals in the gut. The platform reveals a new mechanism underlying enhanced intestinal mechanosensation under microbe-related stimulation, enabling real-time monitoring of serotonin release.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience Bulletin·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2026

Immobilized cell technology enables continuous production of nylon precursor cadaverine

Researchers developed a method to produce nylon precursor cadaverine continuously using immobilized cells entrapped in carrageenan gel and crosslinked with polyethylenimine. This approach enhances enzyme stability, allowing for a titer of 112 g/L and productivity of 44.8 g/g DCW/h, surpassing previous batch processes.

SourceHEP Data Cooperation Journals·JournalSystems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2026

Protein engineering overcomes substrate inhibition in industrial biocatalyst

Researchers used molecular docking and computational modeling to identify a superior mutant of L-amino acid deaminase, overcoming substrate inhibition at high concentrations. The mutant showed significantly enhanced catalytic efficiency and high-substrate tolerance, demonstrating a powerful approach for optimizing industrial biocatalysts.

SourceHEP Data Cooperation Journals·JournalSystems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2026

Squeezed and sped up: viscous stress primes glioblastoma cells for invasion

Researchers discovered that long-term exposure to high viscosity environments makes glioblastoma cells smaller and more deformable, allowing them to invade healthy tissue more effectively. The study found that viscosity is not just a passive barrier but an active driver of aggressive behavior.

Shandong University researchers develop multi‑scale feature fusion and weighted ensemble learning method for accurate promoter identification across cell lines

Shandong University researchers have developed MuSE-Promoter, a deep learning framework that integrates multiple complementary ways of looking at DNA sequences. The method consistently outperforms state-of-the-art tools in challenging cross-cell-line transfer and promoter-enhancer discrimination tasks.

SourceKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 20, 2026

IMH-NTU study identifies blood-based markers that may help predict development of psychosis in at-risk Asian youths

Researchers have identified blood-based proteomic biomarkers that may help predict the development of psychosis in at-risk Asian youths. The study, which used data from the Longitudinal Youth at Risk Study (LYRIKS), found that models developed using the LYRIKS dataset performed better than those based on Caucasian protein patterns.

SourceNanyang Technological University·JournalTranslational Psychiatry·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2026

Tumor microenvironment features may predict immunotherapy response in rare cancers

A study identified key tumor microenvironment features that can predict immunotherapy response in rare cancers, offering new insight into treatment options. The findings suggest that analyzing the tumor microenvironment beyond genomic analysis may help improve treatment selection for patients with rare cancers.

SourceUniversity of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center·JournalCell Reports Medicine·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateMay 20, 2026

π-Electron reorganization for narrowband red emitters

Scientists propose a strategy to control π-electron delocalization in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, enabling the synthesis of narrow-spectrum emission materials. This approach results in red emitters with high efficiency, narrow spectral width, and record-high performance in OLED devices.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 20, 2026

UM School of Medicine receives $2.9 million in federal funding for advanced microscopy to accelerate neuroscience discoveries

The University of Maryland School of Medicine has received a $2.9 million federal grant to establish an advanced microscopy facility, enabling researchers to study cellular processes with nanoscale precision. The facility will house cutting-edge instruments like the MINFLUX microscope, which can visualize molecular events in brain cell...

Modern medicine makes gut microbial diversity plummet

A study reveals that medical exposure can rapidly change the human microbiome, with gut microbes shifting toward patterns more commonly seen in urban populations. The research found a decline in microbial diversity and a shift towards bacterial groups more common in industrialized societies.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Reports·TypeObservational study·DateMay 20, 2026

Measuring shame through a combination of self-report, language and body posture may be clinically helpful

Researchers found a combination of measuring shame—self-report, language, and body posture—are necessary to predict stress and avoidance behaviors in healthcare settings. This multi-modal approach provides a way to examine the different ways individuals experience and express shame.

SourceBoston University School of Medicine·JournalJournal of Health Psychology·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 20, 2026

A well-liked best friend can reduce an isolated child’s exclusion but not their withdrawal, Concordia study finds

A new study by Concordia researchers found that well-liked friends can help reduce peer exclusion, but not social withdrawal in isolated children. The study tracked 252 fifth- and sixth-grade students over eight weeks and found that friendships with high-status peers reinforced existing social status, rather than improving inclusion.

SourceConcordia University·JournalChild Development·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 20, 2026