Weekly Headlines (Excerpts)

1. Possible genetic clues to ME/chronic fatigue syndrome identified in massive study

DNA analysis of more than 15,500 people with the debilitating condition identifies eight tentative “genetic signals”

6 Aug 2025  By Catherine Offord 

2. Ancient Europeans resisted inequality for 5000 years

Farming and draft animals didn’t stratify societies in Carpathian Basin

6 Aug 2025  By Lizzie Wade 

3. Video reveals cockatoos have 30 unique dance moves—including headbanging

Researchers now know why the caged bird dances: a form of mentally enriching play

6 Aug 2025  By Annika Inampudi 

4. Using electrons to make art, this scientist’s biology images grace rock albums and stamps

Steve Gschmeissner’s electron microscope image of liver cholesterol won a Wellcome Photography Prize this year

6 Aug 2025  By Nazeefa Ahmed 

5. Could lithium stave off Alzheimer’s disease?

The metal is depleted in brains of people with disease and can reverse memory symptoms in mice, new study shows

6 Aug 2025  By Annika Inampudi 

6. Immune-dodging cells could give diabetes treatment a shot in the arm

In first human test, genetically modified pancreas cells injected into patient’s arm evade immune attack, produce insulin

4 Aug 2025  By Mitch Leslie 

7. Mysterious killer of sea stars finally identified

Discovery of a bacterium could reveal more about massive die-off, perhaps aid recovery

4 Aug 2025  By Erik Stokstad 

8. One-fifth of computer science papers may include AI content

A surge in AI-generated text has been detected in papers across many disciplines since the release of ChatGPT

4 Aug 2025  By Phie Jacobs 

9. Simple solar device extracts ammonia from wastewater

Technique could provide cheap fertilizer and prevent harmful nutrient runoff

1 Aug 2025  By Robert F. Service 

10. Blood taken from Danish babies ended up in huge genetic study—without consent

The iPsych project, which investigates the genetics of psychiatric disorders, has sent 140,000 opt-out notices amid backlash

1 Aug 2025  By Annika Inampudi