When California neighborhoods increased their number of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV) between 2019 and 2023, they also experienced a reduction in air pollution. For every 200 vehicles added, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) levels dropped 1.1%. The results, obtained from a new analysis based on statewide satellite data, are among the first to confirm the environmental health benefits of ZEVs, which include fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars, in the real world. The study was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and just published in The Lancet Planetary Health. For the analysis, the researchers divided California into 1,692 neighborhoods, using a geographic unit similar to zip codes. They obtained publicly available data from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles on the number of ZEVs registered in each neighborhood. ZEVs include full-battery electric cars, plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell cars, but not heavier duty vehicles like delivery trucks and semi-trucks. Next, the research team obtained data from the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), a high-resolution satellite sensor that provides daily, global measurements of NO₂ and other pollutants. They used this data to calculate annual average NO₂ levels in each California neighborhood from 2019 to 2023. Over the study period, a typical neighborhood gained 272 ZEVs, with most neighborhoods adding between 18 and 839. For every 200 new ZEVs registered, NO₂ levels dropped 1.1%, a measurable improvement in air quality. To confirm that these results were reliable, the researchers conducted several additional analyses. They accounted for pandemic-related changes as a contributor to NO₂ decline, such as excluding the year 2020 and controlling for changing gas prices and work-from-home patterns. The researchers also confirmed that neighborhoods that added more gas-powered cars saw the expected rise in pollution. Finally, they replicated their results using updated data from ground-level monitors from 2012 to 2023.

UC Irvine and Jefferson Health investigators identify distinct structural and blood-flow signatures in two major forms of mitral stenosis. Findings highlight limitations of applying rheumatic-based diagnostic criteria to calcification-driven disease. The research was partially funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

Researchers from Helmholtz Munich and the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed “fast-RSOM”, a new imaging technology that can capture detailed images of the smallest blood vessels directly through the skin – without the need for invasive procedures. By revealing early signs of cardiovascular risk, this technology could help doctors intervene sooner, guide personalized therapies, and improve long-term heart health.

A Wits-led study published in the prestigious journal Nature has added whole-genome data from more than 1,000 people across nine African countries to global science, significantly expanding understanding of human genetic diversity. The research, led through the Assessing Genetic Diversity in Africa (AGenDA) project, is expected to uncover millions of novel genetic variants, improving how diseases such as cancer, mental illness, diabetes and heart disease are studied, predicted and treated.

By focusing on African populations historically underrepresented in genomic research, the project strengthens genome-wide association studies and provides a model for African-led data governance, ethical data sharing and community partnership. The findings will contribute to more accurate genetic research and precision medicine for African populations and beyond.