Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.

This month, we’re focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), a topic that continues to capture attention everywhere. Here, you’ll find the latest research news, insights, and discoveries shaping how AI is being developed and used across the world.

Latest News Releases

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-Nov-2026 11:16 ET (3-Nov-2026 16:16 GMT/UTC)

3-Aug-2026

 

Study shows gains in preschoolers’ executive function with additional teacher training

University of Rhode Island

A study performed by Sammy Ahmed, assistant professor of human development and family science in the University of Rhode Island College of Health Sciences, is shedding light on how much workshops and coaching help preschool teachers develop their students’ executive function.

Journal

Early Childhood Research Quarterly

Funder

U.S. Department of Education, Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, American Educational Research Association

3-Aug-2026

 

Georgia Tech to lead National Cloud Laboratory for Advanced Manufacturing and Materials

Georgia Institute of Technology
Grant and Award Announcement

The cloud lab will give researchers nationwide remote access to Georgia Tech’s Advanced Manufacturing Pilot Facility, pairing AI with autonomous experimentation to accelerate new materials discovery.

3-Aug-2026

 

AI-enabled measurements of ‘local brain aging’ offer detailed insights on dementia and more

University of Southern California
Peer-Reviewed Publication

USC researchers have developed an approach that uses artificial intelligence to generate detailed maps that highlight differences in how distinct parts of the brain age. The new model also sheds light on how patterns of brain changes correlate with changes in cognitive function across the lifespan, according to a new USC study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Journal

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Funder

Hanson-Thorell Family Research Scholarship Fund, Center for Undergraduate Research in Viterbi Engineering (CURVE) at USC

3-Aug-2026

Study identifies link between caregiver-child relationship, ADHD symptoms

Oregon Health & Science University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study from OHSU finds sensitive caregiving when children are very young can protect against the negative effects of inflammation during pregnancy, including ADHD symptoms.

3-Aug-2026

A public health challenge has led to a more efficient way to allocate all sorts of resources

North Carolina State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers have demonstrated a way to drastically reduce the computing power needed to run large-scale optimization models while still producing near-optimal results.

Journal

Sustainability Analytics and Modeling

3-Aug-2026

Artificial intelligence in correctional health care—designing for access, inclusion, and trust

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About the Study: This Viewpoint explores how artificial intelligence may mitigate or exacerbate inequities in correctional health systems and outlines policy and implementation considerations necessary to ensure health equity for incarcerated populations.

Journal

JAMA Internal Medicine

3-Aug-2026

UCF researcher aims to make AI safer, more reliable

University of Central Florida College of Engineering and Computer Science
Grant and Award Announcement

With support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, UCF Assistant Professor Amrit Singh Bedi will help train AI systems to become more resilient and resistant to users’ manipulative tactics. 

Funder

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency