Researchers developed a peptide to block Alzheimer's growth and discovered its presence in human blood, correlating with disease status. The peptide, HAEE, may be a useful biomarker for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease and could also have therapeutic potential.
The authors propose a 'Discovery Compact' that includes predictable, multi-year funding, support for the scientific workforce, and translation research policy to accelerate discovery-to-application. The compact also emphasizes government anticipatory governance, scientific integrity, and public accountability.
A survey of 15-year-olds worldwide suggests that boys' underperformance may be due to negative attitudes towards academic effort, with larger gaps in more developed countries. Boys are less likely to agree that trying hard is important, and their responses correlate with individual academic performance, especially in reading.
A recent study reveals that devaluation is the primary factor driving the academic gender gap, with 38% of women experiencing devaluation compared to 16% of men. The study, which surveyed over 10,000 academics, found that devaluation was the most strongly associated factor with women considering leaving or leaving academia altogether.
A study on AI use in the 2024 UK election found that chatbots increased belief in true information and decreased belief in misinformation. The study also showed that chatbot research and self-directed Google search performed similarly, with no apparent impact on factual political knowledge.
A model study suggests that spatial structure can increase abiotic molecular complexity, which could be used to detect life. The researchers found that ordered structures can shift assembly indices upward, but only under certain conditions.
The German B8 nuclear project, led by Werner Heisenberg, aimed to produce fissile material before Nazi Germany completed its own reactor. The project's failure was attributed to material shortages, including a lack of heavy water and uranium, making a working bomb highly unlikely.
Large language models (LLMs) evaluate humans based on cooperation and social norms, with most models favoring cooperation and punishing bad behavior. The LLMs' judgements often depend on the recipient's gender and cultural background, and may be influenced by prompting interventions.
A recent study found that the age-specific mortality risk of smoking is relatively stable over time, with the main contributor being the aging population. As a result, the overall increase in smoking-related mortality risk can be attributed to the shift towards older smokers, who are more susceptible to the health effects of smoking.
A Bayesian agent-based model forecasts mass shootings by analyzing three key factors: motivated perpetrators, access to firearms, and suitable target populations. The model assigns higher risks to areas with a history of shootings, suggesting access to firearms is a critical limiting factor in mass shooting risk.
Climate change is increasing the frequency of both droughts and floods, with back-to-back extreme events stressing crops and reducing yield. The area affected by such events is also likely to increase, with low-income populations facing the steepest relative increases in exposure.
The authors propose norms for AI use in research, distinguishing between non-generative tasks and generative AI, which should not replace human interpretation and judgement. Science requires diversity of inputs and ideas, and serendipity counts, making generative AI training on existing data limiting breakthroughs.
Non-police safety practitioners in San Francisco reduced crime and disorder, particularly behavioral health-related incidents and drug crime, through consistent relationships and referrals to services. The program achieved significant reductions in crime rates by intervening early and preventing escalation.
Researchers have discovered a novel approach to treating influenza by targeting the host's machinery, rather than the virus itself. By binding to a key protein called nucleolin, two new drugs have been shown to trap and inhibit the replication of both pandemic and seasonal flu strains.
A new corrosion detection algorithm uses just three spectral bands and a texture feature to accurately detect surface and subsurface corrosion on metal surfaces. The algorithm achieved accuracies above 90% in detecting corrosion across various coatings and colors, offering a cost-effective and safe solution for monitoring metal integrity.
A recent study found that AI models, including GPT-4o and GPT-5, exhibit face-to-character biases, selecting the more competent-looking individual in most cases. This bias can worsen unfairness in decision-making contexts such as job candidate selection and parole decisions.
A study models belief using a Bayesian framework and finds a link between incoherent beliefs and conspiracism. Incoherent beliefs, such as assigning high probabilities to incompatible claims, are more common among strong conspiracy believers.
Researchers identified distinct axonal components, including high regenerative capacity and sympathetic nerve fibers, in painful neuromas. The formation of these neuromas is associated with increased expression of pain-related neuropeptides like calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and mechanosensitive channels.
Large language models exhibit a preference for higher-quality options first, but later options when quality decreases. Models also show unique biases in name preferences, regardless of context, making them harder to predict and prevent.
Reducing artificial light at night (ALAN) in cities has been found to have ecological effects, including advances in plant growth cycles. Cities with mitigation policies show earlier leaf emergence and less delayed fall color, suggesting a positive impact on ecosystems.
The Asian longhorned tick's ability to produce offspring without fertilization has contributed to its global expansion. Genetic analysis revealed parthenogenesis evolved multiple times across different populations.
Researchers estimate that Mesolithic foragers occupied Malta between 8,500 and 7,500 years ago, surviving on the island due to long-distance sea crossings. The authors predict a population size of up to 419 individuals, which dropped to 170 by 9,000 years ago, suggesting a temporary or seasonal occupation.
Researchers discovered tunneling nanotubes that physically connect the membranes of cells in social amoebae, enabling the transfer of cytoplasmic components and organelles. These connections are found in multicellular organisms but were previously unknown in unicellular lineages.
Social expectation messages appeal to people's desire to act consistently with their self-image and reduce feelings of guilt. Emphasizing society's expectations enhances charitable giving in NGO advertisements, with click-through rates and donation rates significantly higher than other framings.
A team of scientists has created a method to identify mineral biosignatures on other worlds using Raman spectroscopy. The technique uses machine learning to analyze features of the spectrum, such as band positions and intensities, to determine whether a mineral was formed biologically or abiotically.
Rocket launch costs have decreased by 21.2% for every doubling of cumulative payload sent to orbit, driven by technological learning. By 2040, costs could reach $300 per kilogram, with SpaceX's Starship potentially pushing costs below $1,000.
A study predicts increasing human-elephant conflicts in Southern Africa due to crop raids by elephants, which can be financially devastating for farmers. The analysis identifies human population growth, cropland expansion, and climate-driven aridity as major drivers of the conflict.
Ayano Medo and Takuya Sato discovered that nematomorph parasites induce terrestrial crickets to jump into water, where they nourish endangered fish. The parasites, common globally, drive the transfer of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems.
A new training device enables laboratory-inexperienced personnel to perform complex diagnostic tests with high accuracy, expanding access to healthcare globally. The device guides users through sample pooling and provides real-time feedback to reduce errors.
Agent-based simulations suggest that up to 60% of medieval texts and over 95% of manuscripts are at risk of extinction due to limited copies made early in their creation. The model reveals that cultural heritage is fragile and shaped by randomness, historical contingencies, and human choices.
A study found that parole candidates from diverse racial backgrounds are evaluated differently based on cultural frames used to explain their crimes. Participants preferred dispositional statements, while those from interdependent cultures chose situational factors equally or with equal frequency.
Researchers surveyed 503 Americans on news headline accuracy and confidence. They found that people with high confidence in specific judgements were better at distinguishing true from false headlines, whereas those with general overconfidence struggled with this task.
A chatbot using GPT-4o technology delivers personalized messages to American adults, increasing support for transgender rights and improving attitudes, but effects are short-term. The intervention demonstrates AI's potential as a scalable complement to community-based approaches aimed at fostering inclusion.
A study of funded AI startups reveals occupations with high AI exposure, including office clerks and data scientists, while manual tasks like construction work are less affected. The Occupational AI Startup Exposure (AISE) index also notes that jobs requiring social skills or ethical decision-making may be less likely to automate.
Planting indigenous edible tree species can help restore nutritious foods and combat malnutrition in Africa. The authors developed an illustrated guide for native food trees, highlighting the potential of native species to serve both goals of landscape restoration and combating malnutrition.
Research found that heart rate synchrony increases when people are physically and emotionally close, particularly during shared attention to stimuli. Heart rate synchrony can serve as a reliable marker of real-world social engagement.
A new study found that patients taking weight-loss drug tirzepatide experienced significantly more weight loss than those on semaglutide, with nearly twice as many high responders. Additionally, tirzepatide showed fewer gastrointestinal side effects and more significant weight loss in women and white patients.
A new study reveals that climate change impacts influenza seasonality, with reduced humidity enhancing viral viability and transmission. The model predicts that warmer climates will see increased outbreak severity in tropical regions, while temperate areas may experience smaller peak outbreaks.
Researchers studied elephant trunks to understand properties and derive lessons for next-gen soft robotics. The study found functional zoned architecture allowing amplification of tactile signals while protecting fragile sensors.
A machine learning model, trained on 19 key parameters, can predict wind shear events with a minimum of 15 seconds warning. The model's outputs showed deviations from real outcomes within 5% across all forecast horizons, suggesting improved aviation safety.
Teachers tend to accept overly harsh AI grades more than human grades, resulting in a 22% larger gap between their score and the fair score. Teachers are more likely to accept strict AI grades if they view the system as competent and accountable.
Research finds that individuals who have overcome adversity are less likely to support reforms that make it easier for others to achieve similar goals. This is because they want to protect the value of their own hard work and achievements.
The development of AI-enabled research platforms poses a risk of unequal access, potentially excluding scientists without resources or connections. As decisions about platform accessibility are made in the next five years, it will shape the geography of global discovery for generations.
AI models struggled to maintain focus on a task, degrading in accuracy as the word list length grew longer. Human performance, however, remained stable even with long lists, suggesting fundamental limitations in AI decision-making abilities.
Women experience anxiety and depression at higher rates due to factors such as hormonal imbalances, violence, and discrimination. The authors advocate for evidence-based solutions like group therapy, telehealth, and policy changes to reduce women's stress, including paid maternal leave and financial support.
Demographic forces hinder global progress toward gender equality, as population growth in countries with low egalitarian views counters the trend. Women with less egalitarian views have more children, leading to increased representation of such views in national populations.
A recent study using satellite data measures the economic cost of war in Gaza, revealing that three-quarters of the economy has been destroyed since October 2023. The analysis found a 68.5% drop in night-time light intensity, indicating significant decline in human and economic activities.
The study models fork rate in a network of heterogeneous miners and quantifies the power wasted in mining orphaned blocks. The wasted energy has drastically increased over the past decade, equivalent to half of the UK's power generation in 2025.
A study of 66 million GPS records reveals that racial minorities face longer travel distances to job sites, healthcare facilities, parks, and schools. The findings highlight the need for transit networks to prioritize social inclusiveness in future planning.
Researchers propose a method to measure urban vibrancy by analyzing biodiversity and activity categories. The framework applies ecological concepts to urban planning, highlighting the importance of balancing activities in neighborhoods.