Two new studies highlight how communication gaps can complicate efforts to protect vulnerable users of technologies such as social media and AI chatbots. Researchers will present the work at the 29th ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW 2026), held October 1–14 in Salt Lake City.

Boys and young men who report greater symptoms of muscle dysmorphia may also be more likely to experience a range of sexual difficulties, according to a new study examining the intersection of body image and sexual health. 

A review led by Bournemouth University researchers has highlighted the extent to which people seeking help for alcohol problems may also be struggling with a second, hidden, problem with food and eating. Despite this evidence that many people experience both conditions at the same time, support for eating disorders and alcohol recovery are separated in healthcare systems.

The study, "Risks to Unique Dialects of Birdsong: The Case of Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) Song Dialects in Southern and Eastern Ukraine During the Russia–Ukraine War," was carried out by Eugenia Yablonovska-Grishchenko and Vitaly Grishchenko in Biosphere: A Scientific Journal.

A new study from Ukraine has used satellite imagery to assess the wartime destruction of forests that host distinct regional song dialects of the Common Chaffinch, finding that while most study sites remain intact, nearly a third have been damaged or destroyed by combat, and that the type of forest determines how much is lost when the fighting reaches it.

Black people in Canada have an increased risk of severe maternal morbidity (SMM) — serious complications that can occur during pregnancy, labour or delivery, and postpartum — compared with White people, according to new research published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.252020.

Several Canadian jurisdictions are moving toward ending the twice-yearly clock change, but a new analysis published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal)  https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.261089 argues that eliminating the clock change is only half the decision: governments must also decide whether to adopt permanent standard time or permanent daylight saving time. Both choices have trade-offs. Permanent daylight saving time keeps evenings lighter, which may support recreation, social activity, commuting, and some economic activity.