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New nanoparticles could protect soldiers from deadly nerve agents

Nanoparticles could someday provide a new way to help soldiers fight back against deadly nerve agents on the frontline.

29 Sep 2026

Common chemical exposures in pregnancy may be linked to early attention and memory

Researchers examined whether prenatal exposure to aromatic amines and cotinine was associated with attention, processing speed, and memory in 250 infants assessed at 7.5 months. The study found mixed patterns across cognitive measures, with several estimates suggesting poorer attention or memory but carrying substantial statistical uncertainty.

23 Sep 2026

Coffee’s link to Parkinson’s risk may depend on how your body handles caffeine

In 435,551 UK Biobank participants followed for a median of 15.7 years, overall coffee consumption was not associated with Parkinson’s disease risk, but the relationship differed significantly according to CYP1A2 genotype. Lower risk was observed with low-to-moderate coffee intake among fast-metabolizer AA carriers, while higher intake was associated with increased risk among AC and CC carriers, although the observational findings do not establish causality and sex-specific patterns require cautious interpretation.

2 Sep 2026

New dashboard tracks flesh-eating screwworm threat across the United States

In the 1950s, the New World screwworm cost U.S. livestock producers tens of millions of dollars a year, as much as $50 to $100 million annually in the hardest-hit Southwest, before it was eradicated from the United States and pushed south to Panama.

11 Aug 2026

Occupational pesticide exposure may significantly increase ALS risk

Workplace exposure to pesticides (herbicides and insecticides) is linked to a 60-70% heightened risk of the most common form of motor neuron disease-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS for short, finds a synthesis of the available evidence, published online in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

4 Aug 2026

Exposure to fungicides and insecticides alters onset of puberty in girls

The study, which tracked more than 500 Spanish girls between the ages of 7 and 10, links the presence of certain fungicides in urine to early menarche and that of the insecticide chlorpyrifos to delayed menarche, highlighting the impact of pesticides on pubertal development.

31 Jul 2026

Milk nutrient levels vary by production method and season

When you pick up a gallon of milk at the store, the nutrients it contains may depend on both what's on the label and the time of year.

27 Jul 2026

Study uncovers genetic clues behind sex differences in Parkinson's disease

New research presented today (Wednesday) at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026 has discovered some of the genetic changes in brain cells that may help to explain why more men than women develop Parkinson's disease.

7 Jul 2026

Study maps biological pathways of weed killer during pregnancy

Exposure to glyphosate, the active ingredient in many weed killers, was linked to changes in several hormones that support pregnancy and fetal development-in one of the few studies to examine how a widely used herbicide may affect the body during pregnancy. The results come from a new study led by University of Michigan School of Public Health researchers.

16 Jun 2026

AI could help food systems detect pathogens, fraud, and contamination faster

A systematic review of 161 peer-reviewed publications found that AI research in food safety has expanded rapidly, rising from one study in 2012 to 46 in 2023. The review shows that machine learning and deep learning are being studied for pathogen detection, chemical contamination prediction, food fraud screening, outbreak surveillance, and regulatory decision-making, but data gaps, class imbalance, privacy limits, and model interpretability remain major barriers.

15 Jun 2026

Hormone-disrupting chemicals found in breast milk and infants' urine

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that interfere with hormones were found in breast milk and in the urine of children from birth up to 6 months, according to a study being presented Saturday at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

14 Jun 2026

Structural insights reveal unique bacterial β-1,2-glucan transport system

Even though sugars are often framed as simple sources of energy, they also serve as structurally complex and functionally diverse molecules that mediate interactions between organisms.

29 May 2026

Prenatal chemical mixtures may influence fetal growth and placental health

Common environmental chemicals could affect birthweight and placental function, according to a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology and led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a centre supported by "la Caixa" Foundation. Conducted within the Barcelona Life Study Cohort (BiSC), the research underscores the importance of considering real-life exposure to complex chemical mixtures and highlights the role of angiogenic biomarkers in linking these exposures to fetal development.

17 May 2026

Maternal occupations linked to increased autism diagnosis odds

Findings indicate that certain maternal jobs are associated with increased autism odds in children, highlighting the importance of prenatal occupational health.

15 May 2026

Maternal workplace exposures may increase autism risk in children

Mothers who work in jobs where they are frequently exposed to toxic chemicals or experience high stress have higher odds of having a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), suggest the findings of original research published online in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

12 May 2026

Infant exposure to environmental chemicals linked to lower bone density

Infants exposed to certain environmental chemicals, including breast milk and everyday products such as personal care items, are more likely to have lower bone density in the first year of their lives, according to research presented at the 28th European Congress of Endocrinology in Prague.

11 May 2026

Early chemical exposure linked to sperm abnormalities in men

An estimated 7% of all men are affected by infertility. Multiple animal studies indicated that exposure to persistent environmental chemicals in early life can negatively impact male reproductive health, and now a human study suggests the same.

4 May 2026

Study links common herbicide to rising early-onset colorectal cancer risk

Researchers used DNA methylation-based “epigenetic fingerprints” as proxies for lifelong exposome-related patterns and found that early-onset colorectal cancer was associated with lower Mediterranean diet adherence, lower education, smoking-related signatures, and higher picloram-related exposure signals. They then supported the picloram association in nine independent cohorts and with 21 years of US county-level pesticide-use data, while noting that the findings show association rather than proof of causation.

22 Apr 2026

Healthy diets linked to higher lung cancer risk in younger non-smokers

A diet rich in fruit, vegetables and whole grains is generally recommended for better health and to lower the risk of cancer and other diseases.

17 Apr 2026

Pesticide exposure linked to higher cancer risk in new study

A new scientific study, published in Nature Health, reveals a strong link between exposure to agricultural pesticides in the environment and the risk of developing cancer.

1 Apr 2026