news 2026

Research published in Science Advances has uncovered new insights into why the most aggressive oesophageal cancers are so difficult to treat and how the body's own defence systems are helping them to thrive. The study, led by Professor Eileen Parkes and her team in the Department of Oncology at the University of Oxford, analysed patient-donated tumour samples and found that the most dangerous types of oesophageal cancers share a key feature: high chromosomal instability.

Inflammation-related protein changes could help predict cognitive impairment after a strokeespecially in smokers Researchers at The University of Manchester have found that tracking changes in a protein linked to inflammation (interleukin-6) after a stroke could help identify people at risk of later memory and thinking problems (also known as cognitive problems).

Breakthrough discovery provides new clues about how these celestial bodies - that push the known laws of physics to their limits - find each other. Scientists have uncovered the first robust evidence of a black hole and neutron star crashing together but orbiting in an oval path rather than a perfect circle just before they merged.

Scientists have successfully reconstructed videos purely from the brain activity of mice, showing what the mice were seeing, in a new study led by UCL researchers. The findings, published in eLife , could help shed light on the intricate workings of how the brain processes visual information and open new avenues for exploring how different species perceive the world.

Two companion studies, published in Cell Genomics , reveal how brain development lays the foundation for both shared and sex-specific circuits, redefining how neural diversity arises. A preview article l'inked to the report highlights the broader significance of these findings and places them in context for the field.

A previously unknown chain of molecular signals that determines how strongly the body's immune system responds to viral infection has been discovered by scientists at UCL and the University of Cologne. Pattern recognition receptors act as sensors in the body's immune system that detect the molecular signatures of invading viruses and bacteria.

A systematic review of 52 scientific papers submitted to a world-leading clinical genetics journal from multiple scientists over a two-year period reveals that not a single one named critical gene mutations (correctly termed as variants) with precision. The findings partly explain why around 70% of rare diseases go undiagnosed, even in the UK, which arguably has the worlds most advanced genomic medicine service.

The recreational drugs cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines significantly increase the risk of stroke - including among younger users - Cambridge researchers have concluded after analysing data from more than 100 million people. Our analysis suggests that it is these drugs themselves that increase the risk of stroke, not just other lifestyle factors among users Eric Harshfield Stroke is a major global health challenge - the third leading cause of death and disability combined.

Scientists at the University of Manchester have discovered that placing magnetic films on atomically thin molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) fundamentally changes how they lose energy, a finding that could bring 2D-material spintronics a step closer to real devices. The team found that growing a widely used magnetic alloy, permalloy, on ultra-thin MoS2 alters the film's internal crystal structure, changing how and where energy is lost as magnetic spins move.

Differences in cellular pathway activity flip the switch from nocturnality to diurnality and explain a major evolutionary change humans have undergone. Early mammals were nocturnal, sleeping during the day while large predators were active. However, after the extinction of dinosaurs, several different lineages of mammals independently transitioned to become active during the day.

Cattle grazing at a nature reserve in the Yorkshire Dales has increased plant diversity by over 40% according to research by the University of Leeds. Allowing native cattle breeds to roam large areas of the landscape at Ingleborough has also led to a five-fold increase in the number of butterflies. Researchers conducted two studies into the relative effects of cattle and sheep grazing on the 1500-hectare landscape restoration project.

An AI-driven tool that tailors antidepressant treatment to individual patients was shown to improve outcomes for people with depression, compared to standard treatment, in a major international trial. It is the first time ever a mental health clinical prediction tool has been demonstrated as effective.

Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a "Stroke Cognition Calculator", a new tool designed to estimate a person's chance of having thinking and memory problems six months after a stroke. The study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care research (NIHR), and led by researchers at the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences was published in the Lancet Health Longevity .

The arrival of substantial numbers of early human ancestors ( Homo erectus) in the Southeast Asian prehistoric landmass of Sundaland, approximately 1.8 million years ago, likely triggered an evolutionary shift in Leucosphyrus mosquitoes, according to a new study. Researchers from The University of Manchester suggest that during the Early Pleistocene, the arrival and presence of these early hominins drove the mosquitoes to adapt to feeding on humans.

New research into why lithium-ion batteries tend to lose power over cycles of charge and discharge could help unlock the next generation of more durable, fast-charging power cells. An international team of chemists and engineers from the UK, China, and Germany have published a paper which challenges the conventional assumptions about how batteries should be optimised to maximise performance, highlighting the importance of electrical, rather than ionic, conductivity.

Robots are becoming increasingly capable in vision and movement, yet touch remains one of their major weaknesses. Now, researchers have developed a miniature tactile sensor that could give robots something much closer to a human sense of touch. The technology, developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge, is based on liquid metal composites and graphene - a two-dimensional form of carbon.

When a species lives in two distinct types of habitats, individuals with traits better suited to each habitat will thrive and reproduce, naturally selecting descendants with those traits.

Scientists reveal that even small differences in solar magnetic activity produce detectable changes inside the Sun. Scientists have analysed more than 40 years of astronomical data to uncover evidence that the Sun's internal structure subtly changes from one solar cycle minimum to the next. Publishing their findings in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , researchers from the University of Birmingham and Yale University reveal that even small differences in solar magnetic activity produce detectable changes inside the Sun.

A new study from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has revealed a unifying mechanical principle that explains why animals as different as pike, tuna, vultures and swifts have evolved such vastly different shapes for flight and swimming. The findings suggest that the same equations used when designing propellers apply to swimming and flapping flight.

A tool originally designed to monitor the erosion of Scotland's coast has proven its worth on a tropical island the other side of the world. The open-source tool, called VedgeSat, was developed by researchers from the University of Glasgow as a more affordable and accessible alternative to traditional methods of coastal management.