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Policy & Ethics

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 23-Oct-2026 05:16 ET (23-Oct-2026 09:16 GMT/UTC)

Supporting ecosystem monitoring: SELINA publishes two new policy briefs on ecosystem pressures and condition

Pensoft Publishers
Reports and Proceedings

Two new policy briefs were developed within the SELINA project, a product of the “Derive a minimum set of key ecosystem condition indicators per ecosystem type” task, providing a framework for monitoring ecosystem pressures and recovery across the European Union.

The miracle microbes that could save crops from impact of rising sea levels

University of East Anglia
Peer-Reviewed Publication

University of East Anglia researchers have helped uncover a hidden ally in the fight against one of agriculture’s greatest threats - salty soil. The new study shows how naturally occurring soil bacteria can dramatically boost plants’ ability to survive in salty conditions. The findings reveal a previously unknown mechanism by which microbes help plants – including maize, tomato and rapeseed - survive in harsh environments. It is hoped that the breakthrough could herald a new era of climate-resilient agriculture.

Journal: Science Advances

Three UK universities join JMIR Publications & Jisc flat-fee OA deal

JMIR Publications
Business Announcement

JMIR Publications Announces Expansion of Jisc Flat-Fee Unlimited Open Access Partnership, Adding Three New UK Institutions for 2026-2027

Dementia will cost the U.S. $818 billion this year

University of Southern California
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Often-overlooked costs, including diminished quality of life and informal care provided by loved ones, account for most of dementia's staggering economic toll.

This is how fair climate action works: Findings for 88 countries with 5 billion people

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) now sheds light, for the first time, on the carbon intensity of household consumption across much of the world – and thus on the distributional impact of climate policy, which, after all, makes carbon more expensive. The greatest differences are not between rich and poor, but within income groups: key factors include car ownership, place of residence and energy use. The study provides guidance on how to socially balance the fight against global heating. Published in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management (JEEM), it is supplemented by an interactive online carbon price calculator.

Journal: Journal of Environmental Economics and Management

AACR releases Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2026

American Association for Cancer Research
Reports and Proceedings

The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) today released its Cancer Disparities Progress Report 2026, a comprehensive analysis of the unequal burden of cancer in the United States. First published in 2020, this biennial report highlights the progress being made against cancer disparities while also raising awareness of the disproportionate toll that cancer continues to exact on racial and ethnic minority groups and other medically underserved populations, including sexual and gender minorities and residents of rural areas and persistent-poverty regions.

Edible agents with perceptible minds: A robotic tool for exploring human-food interactions

The University of Electro-Communications
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Japanese researchers have developed an edible agent capable of social interaction through vocalizations and movement, and examined mind perception of the edible agent. In an online survey with 1,094 participants, different vocalizations and behaviors modulated mind perception of the edible agent, while no significant relationship was observed between mind perception and either reluctance to eat or guilt. This study offers a new experimental tool for investigating human perception in human-food interaction and the psychological and ethical aspects of eating.

Journal: PLOS One
Funder: JSPS KAKENHI

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