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Climate shock effects persist for generations, fruit fly study shows

A new paper in Molecular Biology and Evolution, published by Oxford University Press, finds that changes in animal development induced by climate shock persist generations after the initial event.

8 Apr 2026

Prickly pear may pack a surprising punch against metabolic syndrome

This narrative review examines how Opuntia ficus-indica fruit, or prickly pear, may help target multiple features of metabolic syndrome through its fiber, betalains, polyphenols, carotenoids, and other bioactive compounds. The authors conclude that the fruit shows promising mechanistic and preclinical potential, but stronger human trials are still needed before firm clinical claims can be made.

6 Apr 2026

AEGIS tool helps scientists study evolution of aging and lifespan

Why do some species live for only weeks while others survive for centuries? Researchers at the Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI) in Jena have developed AEGIS, a freely available software tool that enables scientists to simulate evolution on a standard computer and investigate how lifespan and aging evolve under different ecological pressures and genetic constraints.

1 Apr 2026

Boosting retail sales and nutrition through entrance-level produce displays

Placing fruit and vegetable sections near supermarket entrances increases the amount purchased and may improve the quality of women's diets, according to a new study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

1 Apr 2026

Common antibacterial soaps and wipes may worsen antibiotic resistance crisis

An international team of scientists is warning that everyday antibacterial soaps, wipes, sprays, and other "germ‑killing" products are quietly contributing to the global rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) while providing no added health benefit for most consumer uses.

31 Mar 2026

Passion fruit molecule may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease progression

Four years ago, a research group at the University of Oslo made what would turn out to be a major discovery.

25 Mar 2026

Home cooking may help prevent dementia in seniors

Preparing a home cooked meal at least once a week may cut older people's risk of dementia by 30%, suggests research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

24 Mar 2026

How parents shape kids’ fruit and vegetable habits

This study presents a new questionnaire to assess parenting practices influencing children's fruit and vegetable intake, validated across diverse populations.

23 Mar 2026

Synaptic wiring reveals neuronal identity without relying on morphology

Recent technological advances facilitate the reconstruction of complete brain connectomes in small organisms and partial connectomes in mammals, involving the mapping of the network of neurons and synaptic connections.

19 Mar 2026

Dragon fruit peel extract enhances bread nutrition and reduces food waste

A research team led by Professor ZHOU Weibiao from the Department of Food Science and Technology at the NUS Faculty of Science has shown that compounds extracted from red dragon fruit peel can be incorporated into bread to increase antioxidant activity and slow starch digestion, offering a potential pathway to healthier staple foods and reduced food waste.

17 Mar 2026

Breakfast, exercise, and sleep linked to better mental resilience

Do you ever feel mentally stuck, like you can't cope when a stressful situation hits? A healthy breakfast, exercise, and a good night's sleep might be just what you need to build psychological flexibility, and new research from Binghamton University shows why that matters.

17 Mar 2026

Selfish chromosomes hijack Overdrive gene to eliminate rival sperm

A new University of Utah-led study has discovered the mechanism behind a decades-old evolutionary mystery-how "selfish chromosomes" cheat the rules of genetic inheritance.

13 Mar 2026

Transposable elements cause majority of lethal mutations in fruit flies

Most lethal mutations in wild fruit flies are driven by newly transferred jumping genes, not small DNA errors, according to a new study from Duke University.

10 Mar 2026

Study finds most sustainable diet indices overlook industrial food processing

A scoping review of 57 studies found that most tools used to assess sustainable diets focus on food production and consumption while largely ignoring food processing and other stages of the food system. The findings suggest that overlooking ultra-processed foods and processing impacts may lead to incomplete sustainability assessments and highlight the need for more comprehensive evaluation frameworks.

4 Mar 2026

Ultra-processed foods linked to behavioral issues in preschoolers

A team led by researchers at the University of Toronto has found an association between ultra-processed foods in early childhood, and behavioral and emotional development.

3 Mar 2026

Acoziborole receives positive opinion for single-dose sleeping sickness treatment

The European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has granted a positive opinion to Acoziborole Winthrop (acoziborole) as a single-dose oral treatment for both early- and advanced-stage gambiense sleeping sickness in adults as well as in adolescents 12 years and older weighing at least 40 kilograms.

27 Feb 2026

Pomegranate’s hidden fiber-bound polyphenols significantly increase total antioxidant capacity

Researchers showed that pomegranate fruit extract contains substantial levels of non-extractable polyphenols bound within its fibre-rich matrix, significantly increasing its total measured antioxidant capacity. In human neuronal and astrocytic cell lines, the extract reduced hydrogen peroxide–induced oxidative stress, particularly in astrocytes, under in vitro conditions.

26 Feb 2026

New Pico C technology maps genome structure before activation

For decades, scientists viewed the genome of a newly fertilised egg as a structural 'blank slate' – a disordered tangle of DNA waiting for the embryo to 'wake up' and start reading its own genetic instructions.

24 Feb 2026

Chimpanzee urine confirms widespread alcohol consumption in the wild

Aleksey Maro knows far more than he cares to know about the urination habits of chimpanzees. But if you want to measure the alcohol intake of chimps in a Ugandan rain forest, where a breathalyzer is impractical, collecting urine for analysis is your only choice.

24 Feb 2026

Swiss centenarians show youthful blood protein profiles in aging study

In Switzerland, 0.02% of the population lives beyond the age of 100. Could there be biological characteristics associated with this exceptional longevity? As part of the "SWISS100" study, the first large-scale Swiss research project dedicated to centenarians, a team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL) compared the blood profiles of centenarians with those of octogenarians, and then with those of individuals aged 30 to 60.

24 Feb 2026