Researchers at Tulane University School of Medicine have discovered that if animal cells gain an extra set of chromosomes, a condition known as polyploidy, they activate a stress signaling pathway that causes them to become more mobile and capable of engulfing neighboring cells with normal chromosome numbers. The study, to be published April 21 in the Journal of Cell Biology (JCB), could provide new ways to target polyploid cancer cells, which are thought to promote tumor aggressiveness and therapy resistance.

An international team of ornithologists has overturned one of the oldest assumptions in natural history by directly documenting how common cuckoos lay their eggs in host nests located inside cavities. The findings provide definitive evidence that cuckoos do not carry eggs in their beaks; a theory that has persisted since ancient times.

Researchers at almost 100 institutions supported the creation of the Max Planck Institute-funded EVApeCognition Dataset – with hopes high that the resource could enhance scientific understanding of how human intelligence has evolved.

BUFFALO, NY — April 21, 2026 — A new meeting report was published in Volume 18 of Aging-US on April 6, 2026, titled “Toward actionable interventions in human aging (12th ARDD meeting, 2025).”

Floatable beads made from chitosan and cellulose acetate and enhanced with bentonite were engineered to effectively clean oil from water. The beads showed good oil adsorption capacity while remaining easy to collect from the water surface. 

A newly discovered mechanism renders antibiotic-resistant bacteria vulnerable by disabling both their individual resistance and a process known as cross-protection, the ability of resistant bacteria to shield nearby, otherwise sensitive strains. By targeting this shared defense, researchers aim to restore the effectiveness of antibiotics, enabling them to eliminate not only resistant bacteria but also the susceptible microbes they protect.

What culinary practices prevailed in the South Caucasus during the Bronze Age? The cuisine was remarkably diverse. This is what an international research team from the Universities of Bonn and Bari, along with other scientific institutions such as the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences report. The new evidence highlights a multi-ingredient cuisine alongside the central role of dairy products, fruit, and grape-based beverages in Kura-Araxes communities. The findings have now been published in the journal PNAS. 

Researchers at Umeå University have identified two human cell proteins, NUP98 and NUP153, that play a crucial role in how viruses such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), West Nile virus, and dengue virus replicate in the body. The findings challenge existing views of how these viruses exploit human cells and point to new, promising targets for future antiviral drugs.