EurekAlert! In the Spotlight - Artificial Intelligence

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 16:16 ET (3-Nov-2026 21:16 GMT/UTC)

21-May-2026

Soil science: How AI could help scientists secure a vital global resource

Frontiers
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Soils store carbon, sustain ecosystems, and underpin global food and water systems. A new Frontiers in Science paper details how AI tools can help us adapt soils—and the systems they nurture—to a changing climate.

Journal: Frontiers in Science

21-May-2026

Carnegie Mellon University and Cleveland Clinic develop AI system to interpret cardiac MRI scans with enhanced accuracy

Cleveland Clinic
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University, in collaboration with Cleveland Clinic’s Cardiovascular Innovation Research Center, has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system capable of interpreting some of the most complex heart scans in medicine, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), without the need for manually labeled training data.

Journal: Nature Communications

21-May-2026

Public support for the energy transition is driven by emotions

Université de Genève
Peer-Reviewed Publication

What psychological factors influence public support for decarbonisation policies? A team at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has developed an artificial intelligence–based model to predict the level of public support for energy transition measures, whether related to electricity, heating or mobility. Based on fourteen key factors, the model shows that emotions play a decisive role than purely rational considerations. Published in Nature Energy, this research provides policymakers with practical tools to design transparent communication and strengthen public acceptance of energy transition policies.

Journal: Nature Energy

21-May-2026

Study reveals overlooked breadth of chimpanzee culture

Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Culture is not unique to humans: Over the last century, research has shown that many animal species are capable of cultural transmission.

The true scope of animal cultures has remained unclear: How broad cultural repertoires in animals are, and how important cultural learning is for their everyday lives, has remained poorly understood.

Shedding light on the true scope of chimpanzee culture: By directly studying social learning in action, a new study shows that chimpanzee culture extends far beyond what was previously recognized.

Journal: iScience

21-May-2026

ETRI Special Fellow Seokho Son becomes the first Korean to win the CNCF Community Award

National Research Council of Science & Technology

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) announced that Dr. Seokho Son, Principal Researcher (Special Fellow) at its Artificial Intelligence Computing Research Laboratory, has received the CNCF Community Award 2025 from the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF), a global open-source foundation.

Funder: Ministry of Science and ICT

21-May-2026

AI camera platform to help monitor zoo animals' welfare in new Surrey-Marwell Wildlife partnership

University of Surrey

An AI-powered camera platform could soon help monitor the health and behaviour of zoo animals overnight, thanks to a new partnership between the University of Surrey and Marwell Wildlife.

20-May-2026

Reusable catheters a safe choice that could save NHS millions, study finds

University of Southampton
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Reusable urinary catheters are just as safe as single-use ones and do not increase the risk of UTIs, scientists have found. By switching to reusable options, patients used 35 per cent fewer antibiotics, which could save the NHS millions and significantly reduce plastic waste.

Journal: International Journal of Nursing Studies
Funder: National Institute for Health Research