One of the goals of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation, which came into force in 2024, is to halt species loss and preserve important ecosystem services provided by agricultural landscapes. Scientists at the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), in collaboration with the Senckenberg German Entomological Institute (SDEI), have now calculated the Grassland Butterfly Index for Germany – an indicator of the state of biodiversity proposed in the EU regulation. The results, published in the journal Nature Conservation, show a negative trend, especially in recent years. For their calculations, the researchers were able to draw on 4 million observation data collected at the UFZ over the last 20 years as part of the ‘Butterfly Monitoring Germany’ programme.

Speed limits on German highways are a major point of contention, seen as a restriction on personal freedom by some, and as life-saving by others. But what is actually true? One scientist at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, has compiled new, reliable data for the first time in about 50 years. The results show that a speed limit of 75 miles per hour (120 kilometers per hour) would reduce the number of crashes with severe injuries by 26 percent, and the number of traffic fatalities by 35 percent. The study has been published online in the journal Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice from August 5, 2025. 

Cactus Communications (CACTUS), a leading technology company specializing in AI-powered solutions, expert services for the scholarly publishing ecosystem and global enterprises, is pleased to announce the appointment of Siddharth Bhatia as Chief Growth Officer, Institutional Sales (West).

A new study out of the Complexity Science Hub (CSH) reveals that, over 170 years of economic history, the transformation of U.S. cities follows a surprisingly stable rule: while cities evolve and diversify, they on average maintain a constant level of “coherence”—a measure of how well their economic activities fit together.

Illinois once harbored more than 8 million acres of wetlands. By the 1980s, all but 1.2 million wetland acres had been lost, filled in for development or drained to make way for agriculture. Now, thanks to a 2023 Supreme Court decision, roughly 72% of the remaining 981,000 acres of Illinois wetlands are no longer protected by the federal Clean Water Act, putting communities at risk of losing the flood control, groundwater recharge, water purification and natural habitat these wetlands provide, researchers report.

External quality assessment (EQA) is a cornerstone of laboratory quality management, ensuring the accuracy, comparability, and reliability of test results across institutions. In the Republic of Korea, the Korean Association of External Quality Assessment Service (KAEQAS) has played a leading role since its inception in 1976, expanding from a small-scale clinical chemistry program to over 90 nationwide schemes across all disciplines. This article reviews the historical evolution, operational framework, and scope of KAEQAS, highlighting its contribution to standardization and accreditation. Current challenges include nonmandatory participation, persistent standardization gaps, the need for more category 1 accuracy-based programs, modernization of data analysis and reporting systems, and the establishment of a specimen bank. Future prospects emphasize policy reform, global harmonization, and technological innovation, positioning KAEQAS to further strengthen laboratory quality both nationally and internationally.