What distinguishes a doting dad from a neglectful one? Princeton researchers have identified a molecular “off switch” for paternal care in African striped mice, one of the few mammalian species were some dads display paternal behavior. The study reveals that the gene Agouti — driven by social environment — suppresses activity in the brain’s parenting hub. High levels of Agouti caused males to attack pups, while low levels fostered caregiving, offering new clues into the biology of fatherhood.

New research shows that small clusters of interacting units – “motifs” – can disproportionately trigger sudden changes in complex systems. In ecological networks, interactions among just two or three species can explain large, unexpected system responses. These motifs act as amplifiers, making minor disturbances cascade into major effects. Recognizing such critical clusters helps explain why ecosystems, power grids, supply chains, and social networks can collapse or surge unpredictably, offering a potential pathway to forecast and mitigate cascading failures across diverse networks.

A new study from Bar-Ilan University is shedding light on a long-overlooked social group in archaeology: the elderly. While research on women and children has flourished in recent decades, older adults have remained largely invisible, their lives reconstructed primarily through skeletal remains. Now, Bar-Ilan archaeologists present a new and innovative study, identifying the elderly through household artifacts, offering a fresh window into their daily lives and social roles.