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  A 14-year-long retrospective cohort study of almost 960,000 hospital inpatients with acute medical conditions (congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, COPD, pneumonia, stroke, and GI tract bleeding) found that those who were treated by female physicians had significantly lower 30-day mortality rates and readmission rates. Summary: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-hospitalized-medical-patients-fare-female.html Paper: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

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  For about half a century, language meaning has been thought to be founded on three orthogonal dimensions: valence (pleasure), arousal, and dominance. A new study of frequencies of 20,000 words in seven large corpora identifies alternative dimensions: goodness, power, aggression, and danger. The work also reveals a safety bias in language use. Summary: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261023023738.htm Original paper: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr4039 #Science #Lan...

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  An essay on greed, arguing that it should be treated as an addiction, but unlike any other addiction because there is no natural limit that constrains the compulsion: https://www.realclearscience.com/articles/2026/10/24/greed_the_most_overlooked_mental_health_problem_1213357.html #Greed #Addiction #Money #MentalHealth #Psychiatry

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  An essay (with links to sources) on why self-sufficiency is insufficient for men. https://psyche.co/ideas/why-romantic-relationships-matter-more-to-men-than-to-women #GenderRoles #Romance #EmotionalSupport #MensHealth

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  The jumping spider *Portia fimbriata* undergoes movements of limbs, mouthparts, and eyes that are characteristic of REM sleep in vertebrates. When the spiders are deprived of sleep, and then later allowed to recover, their REM-like sleep period is longer, as if they need to make up the deficit. This may be a sign of memory consolidation--learning--in the spiders. Summary: https://www.sciencealert.com/spiders-can-rack-up-rem-like-sleep-debt-and-may-even-dream-just-like-humans Original paper: ht...

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  A year-long trial of each of two different hormone therapies in 51 post-menopausal women found that estrogen preserved bone density, but estrogen plus testosterone increased bone density in the lumbar spine (but not, evidently, in the hip or femoral neck). Summary: https://www.sciencealert.com/testosterone-may-have-an-unexpected-benefit-for-womens-bones-after-menopause Results are not yet published. #Science #WomensHealth #BoneDensity #Menopause #Osteoporosis #HormoneTherapy #Estrogen #Testos...

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  Experiments wiith mice found that extreme calorie restriction (30% fewer calories) was associated with fewer mutations. The change in mutation rate differed between tissues; the reduction was greater in liver cells than in kidney or brain cells. In liver and kidney cells, the reduction was greatest in the least active parts of the genome. Summary: https://scitechdaily.com/eating-30-less-food-has-an-unexpected-effect-on-dna-study-finds/ Original paper (not open access): https://www.cell.com/cel...

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  #Cats and #vegan diets: https://phys.org/news/2026-10-cats-vegan-diets-professor-andrew.html

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  A RCT of 187 obese adults evaluated the effects of intermittent fasting, exercise, or both relative to provision of diet and exercise guidance. Fasting and exercise, alone and together, reduced body fat but did not significantly reduce liver fat overall. But in the fasting+exercise group, men lost more liver fat than women, and those who initially had MASLD had significant reductions. Summary: https://knowridge.com/2026/10/intermittent-fasting-and-exercise-boost-fat-loss-but-benefits-fade-later...

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  Reliance on AI will give you cancer. #AI #NoAI

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  Two very small studies, one with 8 adults and one with 14 children, found that 30 minutes after drinking pure cranberry juice, dental plaque bacteria regrowth and acid production was reduced by 44 and 33 percent, respectively. This is consistent with an inverse relationship between cranberry juice consumption and UTIs, and may be due to proanthocyanidins. Summary: https://www.sciencealert.com/cranberry-juice-appears-to-suppress-dental-plaque-growth-study-reveals Original paper: https://www.nat...

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  A 16-week randomized crossover trial of daily consumption of 60 grams of unsalted skin-roasted peanuts by 31 adults ≥ 60 years old found changes in insulin responsiveness and blood flow in brain regions associated with memory, and no changes in liver fat, lipid metabolism or systemic inflammation. No nutrient-matched substitute was used during the control period. Summary: https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-discover-that-eating-peanuts-every-day-may-help-protect-the-aging-brain/ Paper: https:...

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  A 3-month crossover clinical trial of tomato paste consumption (0.5 g/kg body weight) vs. a low-ycopene control in 47 health adults ages 40-55 found improvements in concentration, processing speed, and associative memory. Executive function was unchanged. Functional MRI showed changes in brain connectivity. Summary: https://www.psypost.org/could-tomato-paste-help-your-brain-a-three-month-trial-points-to-modest-gains-in-attention-and-memory/ Original paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/15/5/6...

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  The Conversation has an essay title "How should AI be regulated? Follow the harm." On the face of it, 'follow the harm' seems like a good principle, but among the harms listed, theft is conspicuously omitted. https://theconversation.com/how-should-ai-be-regulated-follow-the-harm-292350 #AI #NoAI

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  Experiments with male mice that evaluated the effect of variations in testosterone, dietary fructose, and antibiotics on fatty liver (MASLD) found that low testosterone and fructose had a synergistic effect on fat accumulation in the liver. Gene expression in the liver and gut microbiota were also altered. Summary: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261026225622.htm Original paper: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpendo.00518.2025 #Science #Health #FattyLiver #MAS...

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  The physiological response of 51 middle-aged adults to a 30-minute sauna at 73˚C, with a cold shower in the middle, included a rise in white blood cells (neutrophils and lymphocytes) that persisted for 30 minutes after the sauna. This is similar to the effects of exercise. Summary: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261027231021.htm Original paper: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23328940.2026.2645467#ack #Science #Health #Sauna #ImmuneSystem #WhiteBloodCells #Exercise

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  A six-week RCT evaluated the effect on knee osteoarthritis of inulin (prebiotic) supplementation, physical therapy (PT), both, or a placebo in 117 adults. Inulin and PT both reduced pain. Inulin also reduced pain sensitivity generally. Action is presumed to be through the gut microbiome, butyrate, and reduced inflammation. Compliance with supplementation was much better than with PT. Summary: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/10/261027230715.htm Paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/1...

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  Experiments with mice and with human cells have found that lean fat cells in the breast produce an oxylpin molecule (9S-HODE) that strongly suppresses the growth of cancer cells by inducing ferroptosis. Obesity reduces the secretion of 9S-HODE, and thus its protective effect. In humans, 9S-HODE in breast tissue is inversely correlated with BMI. Summary: https://scitechdaily.com/obesity-could-disable-a-key-defense-against-breast-cancer-study-finds/ Original paper: https://www.science.org/doi/10...

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  A RCT of 60 adults aged 60-75 found that 12 weeks of progressive resistance training (3x/week) improved the strength of respiratory muscles for both inspiration and exhalation. Strength and anti-inflammatory markers in the blood also increased. Summary: https://www.mensjournal.com/fitness/12-weeks-of-weightlifting-after-60-improves-something-unexpected-researchers-say Original paper: https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/11/4/434 #Science #Health #Aging #ResistanceTraining #Weightlifting #Exercise

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  Crescent Island, a ~ 1.7 km2 island in Kenya's Lake Naivasha, had its link to the mainland cut in 2020, isolating populations of impala, waterbuck, zebra, dik dik, wildebeest, giraffes, and hippopatami, without any large predators. The result has been overgrazing, proliferation of invasive plants, declining plant diversity, habitat degradation, and possible rising disease prevalence. Summary: https://www.iflscience.com/for-over-5-years-animals-have-been-trapped-on-a-predator-free-island-in-...

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  Out-hallucinating the AI interviewer: https://futurism.com/artificial-intelligence/ai-job-interview-llm-prompt-hacking-haywire Everybody should do this. #AI #NoAI

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  A stroke can lead to cavities in the brain where tissue has died. A new rat study injected these cavities with extracellular vesicles collected from astrocytes in vitro, and bound to a porous hydrogel. Immune cells, blood vessels, and nerve tissue then migrated into the cavities, and the rats regained lost motor function. Summary: https://scitechdaily.com/new-stroke-treatment-turns-brain-cavities-into-repair-hubs/ Original paper: https://www.cell.com/cell-biomaterials/fulltext/S3050-5623(26)0...

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  Wings of the tobacco hawkmoth have been found to have chemosensory pores that can detect airborne pyrrolidine and piperidine, which are released by nightshade plants that the moths prefer for laying eggs. Summary: https://phys.org/news/2026-07-moth-wings-reveal-unexpected-ability.html Original paper: https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/229/14/jeb252047/372157/Noses-on-the-wing-the-olfactory-capacity-of #Science #Biology #Olfaction #Hawkmoth

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  Re-wetting drained peatlands restores their carbon-capture ability but eliminates their value as cropland. Installing solar panels provides a substitute income. Monitoring of bird calls showed that bird biodiversity subsequently increased, and included not just peatland species but also other species that benefit from the presence of the solar panels. https://eos.org/articles/for-the-birds-solar-panels-over-peatlands-may-increase-avian-biodiversity https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com...

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  A study of 112 men, briefly shown faces with differently emphasized male and female features, found that men with larger body sizes (height, weight, BMI) were less able to identify the sex of somewhat ambiguous faces, but were more sensitive to differences in male than female faces. The hypothesized reason is that more formidable men face less risk from misjudging other men. Summary: https://www.psypost.org/bigger-men-are-less-sensitive-to-gendered-facial-features-study-finds/ Original paper:...

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  Analysis of 500,000 records of the French Forest Inventory from 2015-2023 finds associations between premature tree death and climate variability, including three different drought patterns and increasing pest populations. Summary: https://phys.org/news/2026-07-europe-trees-dying.html Original paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-74613-9 #Science #Trees #ClimateChange #Drought #Forests

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  Weekly monitoring of 368 Finnish children through the first year of life found that those from families with dogs had fewer respiratory infections and required fewer courses of antibiotics. Three dog-associated bacterial genera explained 25% of the protective effect. Protection may also be provided by aspects of the dog-owning lifestyle. Summary: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-07-early-dog-exposure-babies-infections.html Original paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pai.70...

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  Cognitive test scores of over 1.2 million Swedish people (mostly men) recorded during military enlistment were combined with tax records on charitable giving, voting records, and vehicle registrations. Those with the highest cognitive scores were more likely to contribute to charities, to vote, and to own an eco-friendly car. Summary: https://www.psypost.org/intelligence-predicts-prosocial-behaviors-like-voting-and-charitable-giving-in-m/ Original paper: https://academic.oup.com/ej/article/13...

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  GPS tracking of 13 pygmy falcons during the breeding season for three years found that each pair foraged over less than 1 km^2. This is only 1/14th that of the Lesser Kestrel, but consistent with expectations from allometry. Summary: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1133639 Original paper: https://bioone.org/journals/journal-of-raptor-research/volume-60/issue-3/jrr2553/Breeding-Home-Range-of-the-Pygmy-Falcon--The-Smallest/10.3356/jrr2553.full Researchers have yet to determine definit...

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  A new study that takes advantage of a change in availability of the shingles (*Herpes zoster*) vaccine in Wales finds that vaccination reduces dementia symptoms in those already diagnosed with the disease, and reduced deaths from dementia by approximately 30% over the following nine years. Summary: https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/shingles-vaccine-dementia Original paper: https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)01256-5?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii...