Latest news stories - February 2026 - Click the links to read more
Biological organ ages predict disease risk decades in advance
Our organs age at different rates, and a blood test determining how much they’ve each aged could predict the risk of conditions like lung cancer and heart disease decades later, finds a new study led by UCL researchers. The researchers say their findings support a future shift in healthcare toward more personalised and effective disease prevention.
Climate change is accelerating but nature is slowing down
As the planet warms, many expected ecosystems to change faster and faster. Instead, a massive global study shows that species turnover has slowed by about one-third since the 1970s. Nature’s constant reshuffling appears to be driven more by internal ecological dynamics than by climate alone. The slowdown may signal something alarming: ecosystems losing the biodiversity needed to keep their engines running.
Scientists engineer bacteria to eat cancer tumors from the inside out
Researchers are engineering bacteria to invade tumors and consume them from the inside. Because tumor cores lack oxygen, they’re the perfect breeding ground for these microbes. The team added a genetic tweak that helps the bacteria survive longer near oxygen-exposed edges — but only once enough of them are present to trigger the change.
We now know why shoes squeak, and it involves miniature lightning bolts
The ubiquitous squeak of sneakers on a basketball court may be caused by more than just friction, a new study suggests. Researchers have found that the sharp chirp of rubber on a hard floor happens when tiny areas of slipping between the shoe's sole and the floor move at supersonic speeds — and, in some experiments, the process involved miniature, lightning-like sparks.
Scientists discover pets are helping an invasive flatworm spread
A new study shows that dogs and cats may be helping an invasive flatworm spread. Researchers analyzing over a decade of reports discovered the worm attached to pet fur. Its sticky mucus and ability to reproduce alone make it highly adaptable. Pets could be giving this slow-moving invader a major boost.