A new study found that popular generative AI web browser assistants are collecting and sharing sensitive user data, such as medical records and social security numbers, without transparency or consent. The researchers recommend adopting privacy-by-design principles to mitigate this issue.
Researchers at University College London developed durable new solar cells capable of efficiently harvesting energy from indoor light. The team successfully reduced defects in the perovskite material, increasing efficiency and durability, paving the way for electronics powered by ambient light.
A new study found that mothers' genetics may have a greater impact on their children's weight than previously thought. Researchers analyzed genetic and health data from over 2,600 UK families to examine the association between parental BMI and child birthweight, BMI, and diet.
A new study by University College London found that stimulating the vagus nerve through small electric pulses can amplify the benefits of self-compassion meditation training. This technique shows promise in boosting self-kindness and mindfulness, particularly when combined with regular practice.
A clinical trial found that participants who followed a minimally processed diet lost twice as much weight compared to those on an ultra-processed diet. The study suggests that cutting down on processing can help sustain a healthy weight long term.
A new study reveals that cyberstalking is increasing at a faster rate than traditional stalking, with nearly half of victims not perceiving it as a crime. The researchers call for improved public education, clearer legal definitions, and enhanced support services to address the growing threat of cyberstalking.
A new study finds that people with dementia are diagnosed an average of 3.5 years after symptoms start, highlighting the need for improved healthcare strategies to speed up diagnosis. The research also reveals racial disparities in diagnosis rates, with black patients experiencing longer delays.
A UCL-led study suggests that community-based technician-led virtual review clinics could significantly reduce wait times for patients with stable chronic eye conditions. The research found that appointment delays decreased by an average of 8.1 days per week after the clinic's launch, leading to a faster reduction in waiting times.
New research predicts a significant rise in heat-related deaths in England and Wales due to climate change, with projections of sixfold to fiftyfold increases by the 2050s and 2070s. The study suggests that careful planning and adaptation strategies can mitigate these impacts.
A new study by University College London found that nearly 58% of women who had given birth in the last year were not using contraception two months later, despite the risk of back-to-back pregnancies. Women who received high-quality contraceptive advice were more likely to use contraception sooner after giving birth.
A new study found that older people with diabetes who do not control their blood sugar levels are three times more likely to develop eye disease than those with controlled blood sugar levels. High glucose levels were also linked to an increased risk of glaucoma and macular degeneration.
A new study from UCL found correlations between exercise type and personality traits, including extroverts' preference for high-intensity exercise and those with neuroticism trait enjoying short bursts of activity. The research suggests that understanding individual personality can help tailor physical activity recommendations to suppo...
Researchers investigated low-density amorphous ice and found it was not fully disordered but contained tiny crystals. This discovery challenges the assumption that space ice is similar to liquid water and has implications for theories like Panspermia.
A new study published in The Lancet found that starting direct oral anticoagulants within four days of a stroke significantly reduces the risk of another stroke due to bleeding or artery blockage. Early treatment also did not increase the risk of bleeding into the brain.
Researchers at UCL found that low-risk thyroid cancer patients can safely forego radioactive iodine treatment after surgery, allowing them to spend more time with family. This could impact hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, particularly younger parents and those living in the UK.
A new study found that babies are born with the ability to sense physical pain but lack the cognitive understanding of it. The research, led by UCL researchers, used brain imaging data from infants and adults to map the development of pain-processing networks in the brain.
A review of AI eye imaging devices approved for patient care found significant gaps in evidence, including lack of transparency on training data and limited diversity in clinical evaluations. The study highlights the importance of rigorous, transparent evidence and data to ensure equitable and effective AI-based solutions.
A new report by UCL academics finds that opening new North Sea oil and gas fields is incompatible with achieving the Paris Climate Agreement goals. The researchers recommend stopping all future licenses to explore and refusing development consent for already-licensed fields.
Researchers developed a digital motor score, HDDMS, using smartphone apps to track disease progression in Huntington's disease. The HDDMS is around twice as sensitive as the current clinical measure, allowing for more efficient clinical trials and potentially accelerating drug development.
A new study by UCL researchers found that stroke survivors who attend talking therapy sessions are more likely to recover from their psychological symptoms. The study analyzed data from 1.9 million patients, including 7,597 stroke survivors, and showed that 71% experienced reliable improvement in depression and anxiety.
A new study published in Neuron has identified a brain region, the fusiform gyrus, as key to distinguishing between real and imagined experiences. The region's strength of activity can predict whether someone judges an experience as real or imagined.
New analysis led by UCL researchers found that whole-class mental health sessions can significantly reduce depression and anxiety symptoms. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-informed sessions were more effective at reducing anxiety symptoms than mindfulness-based classes.
Researchers argue that necrosis, a form of uncontrolled cell death, presents an opportunity for intervention in age-related conditions. Interrupting necrosis could lead to new treatments for kidney disease, cardiac disease, neurodegeneration, and aging.
Researchers at UCL and MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology successfully replicated RNA in a simple way, overcoming the challenge of double helix formation. This breakthrough provides new insights into the origin of life, suggesting that RNA played a key role in early life forms.
A new study found that people taking antidepressants for over two years are more likely to experience withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety and fatigue. Long-term users also tend to have worse withdrawal symptoms and are less able to stop taking the medication.
A study by University College London researchers found that depressive symptoms worsen long before pain begins in middle-aged and older adults. Early mental health interventions may help prevent or reduce later aches and pains.
Researchers found that MRI scans can detect heart inflammation, scarring, and impaired function in carriers of a mutated LMNA gene. This information can help clinicians predict which patients are at higher risk and inform decisions about treatments such as defibrillators or transplants.
Researchers at UCL and the Francis Crick Institute have identified the origin of cardiac cells using 3D images of a heart forming in real-time. They found that cardiac cells emerge rapidly during gastrulation and follow distinct paths to form the heart's pumping chambers and atria.
A groundbreaking study finds North Korea engages in unsustainable and illegal wildlife trade, breaching its own laws and posing a threat to biodiversity recovery. The country's economic hardship drives black market trade, with hunters simultaneously engaging in state-sanctioned and black market trade.
A new report by UCL researchers found that parental genes can influence child development through environmental factors, such as reading habits or access to resources. Non-inherited genes also show a tentative link to mental health traits, with strongest effects around age three.
Researchers have developed a new 'pressurised spinning' innovation to create cellulose materials from cow manure, a waste product in the dairy farming industry. This process is an energy-efficient example of circular economy and has significant environmental and commercial benefits.
The study suggests that T. rex and its cousins may have been better suited to cooler climates due to having feathers or a more warm-blooded physiology. The team found that megaraptors, a closely related group, were more widely distributed across the globe than previously thought, originating in Asia about 120 million years ago.
A recent study has identified the 'cell of origin' of lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), a second most common type of lung cancer among smokers. The research found that basal cells expressing the gene Krt5 become dominant in the trachea and eventually invade large areas of the lung, forming tumors.
A new study by University College London researchers suggests that intensifying existing farmland can degrade local biodiversity more than expanding agricultural land, depending on factors like region and crop type. The study highlights the need for sustainable intensification techniques to mitigate the impact of farming on the environ...
A new study reveals that individuals with anxiety and depression tend to focus on jobs where they feel less confident, rather than those where they perform well, leading to persistent low self-belief. Positive feedback boosts overall self-belief, while negative feedback reduces it in all participants.
A new study suggests that adding particles to the atmosphere at a lower altitude near the polar regions can effectively cool the planet. Commercial jets like Boeing 777F could reach this altitude.
A recent study published in The Gerontologist found no difference in spatial working memory between older people with autistic traits and those who are neurotypical. Most participants maintained their cognitive ability over time, suggesting that autism is not associated with increased risk of age-related cognitive decline.
A new study led by University College London researchers found that people with Alzheimer's disease scored slightly higher on a measure of empathy than peers with mild cognitive impairment. Despite this, emotional reactivity to negative emotions was heightened among those with Alzheimer's disease, contributing to difficulties regulatin...
Researchers at UCL developed a new scoring system, CAR, to identify patients with narrowed carotid arteries who can be effectively treated with optimised medical therapy. The study found low rates of recurrent strokes and heart attacks among patients treated with medication alone.
A team of researchers at UCL has identified key brain regions essential for logical thinking and problem-solving. They used lesion-deficit mapping to study patients with brain lesions caused by stroke or tumors and found that damage to the right frontal lobe impaired reasoning skills.
A recent study published in Addiction journal found that vaping rates in England, Wales, and Scotland have stalled since the UK Government announced plans to restrict vaping. Despite a significant increase in vaping prevalence from 2022 to 2024, rates have remained constant since January 2024.
A new global study found common genetic factors contributing to drug resistance in focal epilepsy, affecting 20 million individuals. Researchers identified specific genetic variants in CNIH3 and WDR26 genes associated with a higher risk of drug-resistant epilepsy.
A study by University College London anthropologists found that macaque mothers experience a short period of physical restlessness after the death of an infant, but do not exhibit typical human signs of grief. In contrast to human bereavement, macaque mothers spent less time resting in the first two weeks after their infants' deaths.
A new study found that death rates from alcohol in England increased by a fifth in 2020, rising further between 2020 and 2022. The largest increases were among men, people from deprived areas, and those aged 50-69, mainly due to liver damage caused by alcohol.
A new study led by UCL researchers found that the quality of the dinosaur fossil record worsened during the final 6 million years prior to the asteroid impact. The team analyzed over 8,000 fossils and estimated that dinosaurs may have been doing better than previously suggested in the lead-up to the asteroid impact.
A new AI tool called MindGlide can extract key information from brain images to measure damaged areas and highlight subtle changes in MS patients. The tool performed better than other AI tools and expert clinical analysis, enabling researchers to unlock valuable insights into multiple sclerosis.
A new study published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series A found that long-term exposure to high levels of air pollution is associated with lower scores in key cognitive abilities, especially language skills. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter was linked to poorer language performance.
A new study by UCL researchers found that people with visual Alzheimer's disease have a unique distribution of proteins and markers in their brain, leading to symptoms such as reading difficulties. In contrast, those with memory-led Alzheimer's disease have different protein patterns, resulting in symptoms like memory loss.
A new UCL study found that women experience a significant 4.3% reduction in earnings on average four years after a menopause diagnosis, rising to 10% by the fourth year. Women without a university degree are disproportionately affected, with graduate women facing no earnings penalty.
Research led by a UCL academic found that people who share more meals with others are more likely to report higher levels of life satisfaction and wellbeing. The study analyzed data from over 150,000 respondents in 142 countries and found that meal sharing is as strong an indicator of life satisfaction as income.