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Biology

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 25-Jun-2026 05:16 ET (25-Jun-2026 09:16 GMT/UTC)

100 million years ago, an ‘evolutionary fuse’ was lit in the deep ocean, sparking squid diversification

Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, a new study from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) combines existing databases with three newly sequenced squid genomes to identify the ‘long fuse’ that led to today’s diversity of squid and cuttlefish.

Journal: Nature Ecology & Evolution
Funder: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033, FSE+ and Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, National Institutes of Health

Model of brain wiring could shorten path to new medicines

University College London
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new, more life-like physical model of microscopic nerve fibres called axons could speed up the discovery of medicines for multiple sclerosis and other degenerative brain diseases, suggests a new study led by University College London (UCL) researchers.

Journal: Nature Methods

Choosing embryos based on genetic predictions raises new ethical and legal concerns

Hokkaido University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The article examines the emerging use of genomic testing to predict complex traits in embryos, such as intelligence or the risk of developing conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or Alzheimer’s disease later in life. As embryo testing moves beyond disease prevention toward the prediction of complex human social characteristics, the author argues that stronger oversight and clearer regulations are needed.

Journal: Frontiers in Reproductive Health

Developing a new predictive model to assess chemical risks in cetaceans

Ehime University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Assessing the health impacts of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in cetaceans is challenging due to ethical constraints on live animal testing. This study developed a predictive "QIVIVE" model for finless porpoises. By calculating the "freely dissolved concentration" of POPs using a mass distribution model, we discovered that current environmental exposure levels pose a low risk to cell viability. This novel framework enables precise, ethical chemical risk assessments for marine mammals.

Journal: Environmental Science & Technology
Funder: MEXT LaMer project, JSPS KAKENHI

Fujitsu and The University of Osaka develop new technologies for chemical material energy calculations on early-FTQC quantum computers

The University of Osaka
Business Announcement

Fujitsu Limited and the Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology at The University of Osaka today announced the development of a new technology designed to accelerate the industrial application of quantum computers in the era of early fault-tolerant quantum computing (early-FTQC). By combining ver. 3 of the STAR architecture, a unique highly efficient phase rotation gate quantum computing architecture, with a novel molecular model optimization technique, researchers have significantly reduced computational resource requirements. This breakthrough will enable the energy calculations for chemical material design such as catalyst molecules, within a realistic timeframe using early-FTQC quantum computers. These kinds of calculations are currently not possible using current computers, and would take millennia even using previous versions of the STAR architecture. The technologies are expected to contribute to solving various societal challenges, including accelerating drug discovery, improving the efficiency of ammonia synthesis processes, and advancing carbon recycling technologies.

Funder: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency

Pregnancy-associated spontaneous coronary artery dissection

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: From this large, multisite registry, results reveal that women with pregnancy-associated spontaneous coronary artery dissection (P-SCAD) had greater median ages at gestation, greater history of assisted reproductive technology use, and greater instances of multigravida and preeclampsia than women with non–pregnancy-associated SCAD (NP-SCAD) and the general reproductive-aged U.S. population. With high percentages of vascular imaging among participants, women with P-SCAD had less fibromuscular dysplasia but similar rates of extracoronary abnormalities including dissection and aneurysms as women with NP-SCAD. In this contemporary cohort, women with P-SCAD continue to represent a higher-risk phenotype with predominantly conservative management; however, they had less left ventricular ejection fraction recovery.

Journal: JAMA Cardiology

Changing the long search for rare disease diagnoses with new AI breakthrough

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A newly developed AI tool can dramatically speed up the search for the genetic causes of rare diseases, a process that often takes years and frequently ends without answers. The tool analyzes how genes have evolved across many species to uncover hidden clues about which gene is responsible for a patient’s symptoms. In tests, it successfully identified the disease-causing gene in most cases, even when that gene had never previously been linked to a disease. This approach could significantly shorten the diagnostic journey and help guide doctors toward effective treatments much sooner.

Journal: Genetics in Medicine

Precision work prior to cell division: how enzymes optimize DNA structure

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Peer-Reviewed Publication

LMU researchers show that the structure of DNA is organized to facilitate cell division at exactly the right moment in the cell cycle.

Journal: Nature Communications

Can a new heart health metric identify fracture risk in postmenopausal women? New study finds link

Tulane University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Using the American Heart Association’s recently developed PREVENT score to estimate a patient’s 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease, researchers found that women with the highest risk of cardiovascular disease were most likely to experience osteoporatic bone fractures. The findings could indicate that the PREVENT score may be valuable in identifying patients who could benefit from a bone density screening.

Journal: The Lancet