Researchers used JWST to observe WASP-94A b and found aerosols dominated by condensation-driven clouds. Clouds form on cooler side, circulate, and evaporate as they move into the hotter day side.
A genomic study of German burial sites found that people from the Western Funnel Beaker culture were more closely related to neighboring Wartberg communities than previously understood. The findings suggest that kinship, mobility, and social exchange connected megalithic populations across great distances.
A large-scale study reveals that human presence is a major ecological force shaping wildlife behavior, with 65% of species affected by direct human activity. This has significant implications for conservation efforts, as it highlights the need to consider the impact of human presence on wildlife habitats and interactions.
The study reveals widespread GenAI use among students, with higher adoption in STEM fields and notable differences across disciplines. The findings raise concerns about unequal access to AI tools and literacy, highlighting the need for reforms tailored to individual disciplines.
A recent study found nearly half of mouse strains held by major research repositories showed discrepancies between their reported identities and actual genetic profiles. This highlights a critical gap in genetic quality control (GQC), which can undermine experimental validity and reproducibility.
Researchers report that tracking genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater improves disease surveillance and prediction of COVID-19 outbreaks. The new approach offers a powerful predictive tool for public health, providing earlier and more accurate insight into emerging waves of infection.
A new study finds that sudden withdrawal of US aid leads to significant increases in violent conflict, armed clashes, and protests in regions with substantial US support. Local institutional strength mitigates these effects, while weaker states are more prone to increased conflict.
Researchers have introduced an implantable 'living material' that contains bacteria sensing infections and releasing therapeutic molecules on demand. Engineered living cells can autonomously sense disease and deliver treatment directly at affected sites, offering a new class of medicine that sustains itself in vivo.
Fuel-reduction strategies like prescribed burns and forest thinning reduce wildfire spread and intensity by up to 36% and prevent $2.7-$2.8 billion in damages annually. These interventions yield more than three times the value in avoided damages for each dollar invested.
Two studies reveal substantial losses of plant diversity, identifying priority species and limits of conservation strategies. Using data from the EDGE2 index and computational modeling, researchers identified species that are both evolutionarily unique and at risk of extinction.
A new study finds that early-career scientists are more likely to drive transformative breakthroughs in science, while seasoned researchers focus on integrating and extending existing knowledge. This shift has significant implications for policies governing funding, tenure, collaboration, and scientific talent.
Researchers identified a massive landslide triggering a megatsunami in the Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska, which posed distinct hazards due to confined environment. The study highlights potential new tools for identifying and monitoring landslide-generated tsunamis, including precursory warning signals.
Researchers have identified a newly discovered organelle, the hydrogenobody, which powers methane machine in livestock. The organelle produces hydrogen while regulating oxygen levels, supporting methanogenic archaea and amplifying methane emissions.
Researchers found that targeting highly connected peers produced the largest reductions in smoking, with influence extending up to three degrees of separation. Social network structure also mattered, with denser networks showing wider and slower diffusion.
A recent CDC policy change emphasizing uncertainty has been shown to increase perceived vaccine risks, reduce vaccination intentions, and lower trust in the CDC. The experiment found that participants exposed to an uncertainty-based message were more receptive to science-denial strategies.
A new study shows that large language models (LLMs) excel in physicians' clinical reasoning tasks, including emergency room decisions and diagnoses. LLMs surpassed earlier AI systems in complex cases, but the findings raise questions about their future implementation in clinical care.
Researchers develop a new approach to selectively insert nitrogen into specific carbon-hydrogen bonds in organic molecules, enabling efficient and scalable synthesis of amines. This method simplifies the production of valuable chemicals used in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and polymers.
A new study found that the heart's constant beating may actively suppress tumor growth in cardiac tissues by altering gene regulation and reducing proliferation. This mechanical force also reshapes the cancer cell genome's regulatory landscape, influencing whether cells can proliferate.
A new study reveals that colossal octopuses were top predators in Cretaceous oceans, with species like Nanaimoteuthis jeletzkyi growing up to 19 meters in length. The discovery suggests these creatures played a significant role in shaping marine ecosystems, potentially preying upon large vertebrate apex predators.
New high-altitude measurements have revealed a hidden population of extremely small, organic-rich aerosol particles in the lower stratosphere. These ultrafine aerosols are found to dominate the surface area available for heterogeneous atmospheric chemistry and act as a significant condensation sink.
Large, warm-bodied fish like sharks and tuna require nearly four times more energy than other fish due to their ability to retain metabolic heat. This comes with elevated energetic costs, which may constrain body size and contribute to extinction risk in both living and extinct species.
Researchers suggest that an ancient lake overflowed 5.6 million years ago, establishing the Colorado River's course through the Grand Canyon. The study used uranium-lead dating to confirm a shared sediment source and indicate that the ancestral river was connected by 6.6 million years ago.
Rapidly growing commercial prediction market platforms raise concerns over democratic manipulation, addictive design features, and potential health risks. The authors call for informed regulatory action to address these issues.
Research finds over 3,000 genes with sex-biased transcription in the brain, including genetic variants linked to ADHD, schizophrenia, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease. Sex differences may arise from interplay of biological and social influences.
Lauer and Barnes advocate for a national scientist databank, like the National Practitioner Data Bank, to promote transparency on staff misconduct. This approach could help institutions avoid problematic hires while allowing preventive steps to be taken by new employers.
Researchers document a decades-long study of wild chimpanzee behavior, revealing a rare permanent split and subsequent lethal conflict within the Ngogo chimpanzee group. The study suggests that shifting social ties, competition over resources, and leadership changes can contribute to group divisions and violence.
A new study links global wildlife trade to increased transmission of human-infecting pathogens, with traded mammals 40% more likely to harbor these diseases. The duration of species in trade amplifies this risk, suggesting cross-species transmission is inherent to the trade.
A large-scale experiment found that punishment consistently increases cooperation, but its effect on collective welfare varies depending on factors such as communication, contribution framing, and interaction duration. The study suggests that these elements interact in complex ways, with communication being the most influential factor.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and DataSeer are collaborating on a six-month pilot to automate MDAR checklists for manuscripts submitted to Science using AI technology. The partnership aims to improve research quality, reproducibility, and editorial efficiency by reducing manual effort.
The 2026 EurekAlert! Travel Awards are open to early-career science journalists and student journalism students from the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Winners will receive travel funding and newsroom credentials to the AAAS Annual Meeting in Chicago.
Researchers developed a machine learning model, DefensePredictor, to predict bacterial immune systems. The model identified hundreds of previously unknown immune systems and validated their function in 42 cases.
Fábio Rosa's research has enabled genetic reprogramming of various cancer cell types to activate the immune system and bring about their own destruction. His approach uses tools from gene therapy to generate rare and functionally specialized immune cells that trigger powerful anti-tumor responses.
In a breakthrough, researchers have developed a method to assemble conductive polymers within living tissues using natural blood proteins and whole blood as catalysts. This approach enables targeted control of neuronal activity in living mice using near-infrared light.
A male octopus's dual-purpose arm can detect progesterone, a hormone produced by the ovaries, allowing it to locate the oviducts for fertilization. This specialized organ demonstrates how sensory systems can shape reproductive behavior and potentially influence speciation.
A new fossil assemblage in Yunnan, Southwest China has provided insight into the transition between Ediacaran and Cambrian periods. The site contains over 700 specimens, including bilaterian animals with preserved eating and locomotion structures, suggesting early animal diversification.
Researchers analyzed satellite data from the NASA/CNES Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite to study the 2025 Kamchatka earthquake and resulting Pacific-spanning tsunami. The findings reveal that the tsunami was generated within 10 kilometers of the subduction-zone trench, providing new insights into tsunamigenesis.
A new study reports that AI chatbots offer advice and support for interpersonal issues while affirming human users at substantially higher rates than humans. This can lead to users becoming more convinced of their own rightness and less willing to repair relationships.
Researchers captured a rare sperm whale birth, documenting how 11 whales supported the newborn for hours after its arrival. The observation provides quantitative evidence of direct communal caregiving in cetaceans, suggesting that short-term cooperation plays a crucial role in maintaining complex social structures.
A newly discovered fossil ape from northern Egypt has significantly rewritten the understanding of early hominoid evolution. The Masripithecus species, dating back to around 17-18 million years ago, represents the closest known hominoid relation to the lineage that ultimately gave rise to all living apes, including humans.
New research reveals how psychological stress worsens atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema, by activating a specific neural pathway. This pathway links the brain to immune responses in the skin, leading to increased inflammation and worsening symptoms.
A new study reexamines the geological context of Monte Verde II and finds that it is Middle Holocene in age or younger, challenging earlier interpretations. The researchers suggest that earlier dates were influenced by Late Pleistocene-age materials from older sediments that were redeposited into the site via erosion.
A new study in Sweden reveals that primary forests store up to 72% more carbon than managed secondary forests. Soils account for the largest carbon store and convertion may have a greater climate impact than previously thought.
A global citizen-science study found that humans tend to prefer many animal sounds favored by the species themselves, suggesting a shared aesthetic judgment. The study also showed that lower-pitched sounds are preferred by humans, with some variation in alignment across individuals.
Researchers found that lithium dendrites, which can cause battery explosions, are surprisingly strong and brittle, fracturing at tensile strengths greater than 150 MPa. This discovery provides insights for tailoring solid electrolyte microstructures to mitigate battery failure and improve safety.
Researchers tracked killifish behavior from adolescence to death, mapping aging trajectories and identifying distinct behavioral stages. Long-lived fish displayed more vigorous bursts of movement and less daytime sleep, while short-lived individuals had disrupted activity patterns and increased daytime sleep.
Researchers found that ravens rarely trail predators over long distances and instead rely on spatial memory to return to places where kills have occurred before. Ravens treat areas with historically high kill density as predictable foraging sites, indicating that navigation and memory play the dominant role in food source location.
Researchers have discovered specialized neural circuits in the brains of seals and sea lions that enable complex vocal behavior and learning. These circuits, including strong bilateral connections between the vocal motor cortex and brainstem nucleus ambiguus, are found in species with varying capacities for vocal flexibility and learning.
A unique hornwort plant-derived Rubisco subunit enables clustering into carbon-concentrating structures, increasing CO2 levels and improving photosynthesis efficiency. This breakthrough innovation offers a potential solution to boost nutrient efficiency and yield in agricultural crops.
A new genomic study of koala populations found that rapid demographic rebound restores genetic variation and drives recombination, easing the harmful effects of inbreeding. This recovery is driven by recombination, which shuffles existing genetic material into new combinations, helping to restore functional diversity.
Researchers have developed genetically altered astrocytes that express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) capable of clearing accumulations of amyloid-β in the brains of mice. These CAR-expressing astrocytes, called CAR-A, substantially reduced Aβ buildup and prevented disease progression in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.