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The Hebrew University of Jerusalem


Stronger scents and healthier crops: unlocking plants’ hidden potential through precision gene editing

Researchers used a virus-based CRISPR system to edit the gatekeeper enzyme HMGR in petunias and lettuce, unlocking natural metabolic control for enhanced aromatic compounds and health-promoting antioxidants. The result was more vigorous growth, stronger floral fragrance, and increased nutritional value.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 19, 2026

Study finds 1.9 million year out-of-Africa migration wave leaves its mark in the Jordan Valley

A new study has determined that the Ubeidiya site in the Jordan Valley dates back at least 1.9 million years, revealing a significant shift in our understanding of early human history. The discovery suggests that ancient pioneers were established in the Levant at the dawn of humanity's global expansion, using diverse stone tools.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalQuaternary Science Reviews·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 19, 2026

Can ESG ratings be trusted? New study examines the fight against greenwashing

A new study finds that ESG rating providers play a crucial role in building and repairing trust in sustainable finance. By comparing EU and UK regulatory approaches, researchers show that 'enhanced self-regulation' combining public oversight with industry-led rules can support a credible market-led green transition.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalRegulation & Governance·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 8, 2026

Diabetes management in disadvantaged communities improves significantly with financial incentives, study finds

A new study found that providing financial vouchers to offset medication costs can significantly improve glycemic control among patients with uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes. After six months, participants receiving performance-based incentives saw a clinically substantial reduction in HbA1c levels.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalThe Annals of Family Medicine·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 1, 2026

Rethinking where life could exist beyond earth

Astronomers may need to look beyond the traditional habitable zone for liquid water and potentially life-friendly conditions. A new study suggests that tidally locked worlds, even those orbiting closer to cool M- and K-dwarf stars than previously thought, could sustain liquid water on their night side.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 22, 2026

Artificially alive: How AI is bringing the dead back and what that means for the living

A new study reveals AI is being used to recreate deceased people's voices, faces, and personalities without consent, raising questions about ownership, exploitation, and power. The study identifies three dominant ways AI brings back the dead, including spectral labor, where digital remains are extracted and monetized.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalNew Media & Society·TypeCase study·DateJan 19, 2026

In patients’ homes, medical students learn what textbooks miss - new study

A new study found that year-long home visits with older adults helped first-year medical students develop stronger communication skills and challenge their age-related stereotypes. The program, which included gentle physical activity and open conversation, also promoted empathy and a patient-centered mindset among the students.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalMedical Education Online·TypeObservational study·DateJan 14, 2026

Paulson Family Foundation makes an additional $19 million donation to Hebrew University to fund a new building for electrical engineering. Together with its previous gift brings the total donation to $46 million

The Paulson Family Foundation has donated an additional $19 million to Hebrew University, bringing the total support to $46 million. The donation will be used for a state-of-the-art research and teaching complex supporting STEM disciplines critical to Israel's high-tech future.

Scientists trace facial gestures back to their source. before a smile appears, the brain has already decided

A new study published in Science uncovers how the brain prepares and produces facial gestures through a temporally organized hierarchy of neural codes. The research found that multiple brain regions work in parallel, each contributing different timing-based codes to generate coherent facial gestures.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 8, 2026

A CRISPR screen reveals many previously unrecognized genes required for brain development and a new neurodevelopmental disorder

A CRISPR screen identified 331 essential genes for brain cell generation, including PEDS1 linked to a severe developmental disorder. The study provides a new approach to identifying genes involved in neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and offers insights into gene inheritance patterns.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalNature Neuroscience·TypeMeta-analysis·DateJan 5, 2026

Why Some Bacteria Survive Antibiotics and How to Stop Them - New study reveals that bacteria can survive antibiotic treatment through two fundamentally different “shutdown modes”

Researchers identify two archetypes of growth arrest that lead to persistence: regulated and disrupted states. The former provides protection from antibiotics, while the latter is marked by vulnerabilities, particularly impaired cell membrane stability. This distinction has significant implications for developing targeted therapies.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 2, 2026

Machine learning offers growers a new tool for predicting crop water use

A new study demonstrates strong performance in predicting daily crop transpiration using machine-learning models and high-resolution lysimeter data. Machine learning can reliably predict daily transpiration from environmental conditions and plant characteristics, highlighting an important conceptual step toward plant-driven prediction ...

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalPlant Cell & Environment·TypeObservational study·DateDec 15, 2025

Robert I. Schattner Oral Health Center for People with Disabilities established at Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine

The Hebrew University-Hadassah School of Dental Medicine has established a new center dedicated to providing quality dental care for people with physical, cognitive, and complex medical conditions. The center will offer holistic, multidisciplinary care under one roof, serving approximately 30-40 patients daily.

New “molecular ruler” tracks growth of Alzheimer’s-linked tau fibrils

Researchers developed a new tool, FibrilPaint combined with the FibrilRuler test, to measure the length of toxic Tau amyloid fibrils directly in solution. This 'molecular ruler' represents a major advance in understanding how these fibrils grow, break, and respond to potential drugs.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 11, 2025

World’s earliest botanical art discovered and evidence of prehistoric mathematical thinking

Researchers found systematic plant imagery in ancient Halafian pottery with precise symmetry and numerical sequences, suggesting early farming villages had sophisticated mathematical thinking about dividing space and quantities. The study contributes to ethnomathematics, identifying mathematical knowledge embedded in cultural expression.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalJournal of World Prehistory·TypeObservational study·DateDec 10, 2025

How your brain understands language may be more like AI than we ever imagined

A recent study published in Nature Communications found that the human brain processes spoken language in a sequence mirroring advanced AI language models. The research suggests that artificial intelligence can offer insights into how the brain constructs meaning, challenging traditional rule-based theories.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalNature Communications·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 8, 2025

Rebuilding the mind after cancer: a new remote program offers hope

A new remote group intervention, CRAFT-G, combining cognitive training and occupational-therapy-based strategies, showed high satisfaction and clinically meaningful improvements in daily functioning among cancer survivors. The program proved to be accessible and effective in helping survivors manage 'chemobrain' and reclaim everyday life.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalSupportive Care in Cancer·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 4, 2025

Rapid changes in meteorological conditions govern how plants influence climate and air quality

A new study reveals that plant gas emissions are triggered by rapid changes in weather, not just dry conditions. The research shows that vegetation responds immediately to shifts in humidity and temperature, changing the rate of emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) into the air.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalScience of The Total Environment·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 30, 2025

New sensor sniffs out look-alike molecules in the air

Researchers developed a new type of gas sensor that can identify different types of air components by recognizing tiny structural differences in common volatile compounds. The sensor, which uses custom-built sugar-based receptors, shows promise for future non-invasive medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and quality control.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalEuropean Journal of Chemistry·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 29, 2025