A world-first study led by Museums Victoria Research Institute has revealed that beneath the cold, dark, pressurised world of the deep sea, marine life is far more globally connected than previously imagined. 

The 1000 Genomes Project (2007–2015) collected DNA samples from diverse human populations across five continents to analyse genetic variation from humans across the globe. Using advanced sequencing technologies, scientists have now mapped genomic variation in over 1,000 individuals from the project, offering new insights into human biology. In a complementary study, researchers assembled nearly complete genome sequences for 65 individuals, enabling detailed analyses of complex regions such as centromeres. These new datasets represent one of the most comprehensive overviews of the human genome to date and will enhance our understanding of genetic diversity across populations. Structural variations mapped through these datasets play a major role in many diseases, including cancer, providing a reference to allow understanding of what goes wrong under disease conditions in future clinical studies.

An international team of scientists has decoded some of the most stubborn, overlooked regions of the human genome using complete sequences from 65 individuals across diverse ancestries. The study, published online today in Nature and co-led by The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), reveals how hidden DNA variations that influence everything from digestion and immune response to muscle control—and could explain why certain diseases strike some populations harder than others.

A $1.1 million grant from the parent-caregiver-led Rare Bird Foundation to Weill Cornell Medicine is supporting the launch of a natural history study for a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that causes developmental delays and seizures called MEF2C Haploinsufficiency syndrome (MCHS).

Biologging is transforming wildlife research, yet stingrays have been overlooked due to their unusual body shapes. For the first time, researchers successfully developed and field-tested a biologging tag for the whitespotted eagle ray. The multi-sensor device stayed attached for up to a record 60 hours, revealing how they feed, move and interact with other species. Virtually impossible to capture before, these insights now shed light into this threatened, understudied species that plays a vital role in marine ecosystems.

Magellanic penguins use ocean currents to save energy and find food on their way home, often following curved paths shaped by tides. They adjust their swimming based on current strength, showing a flexible strategy rather than always heading straight to their nests. This behaviour suggests they can sense and respond to changing ocean conditions.

Long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) can disrupt immune balance and worsen lung health. In a recent study, researchers from Korea exposed mice to PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 to examine their effects on lung inflammation and immune responses. The results showed elevated T_H2 cytokines and activation of the NRF2 pathway, contributing to allergic-type lung damage. These findings suggest that air pollution may promote asthma and chronic lung diseases by altering immune regulation and increasing oxidative stress.