EurekAlert! In the Spotlight

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: 6-Nov-2025 10:11 ET (6-Nov-2025 15:11 GMT/UTC)

22-May-2025

An artificial protein that moves like something found in nature

University of California - San Francisco
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Proteins catalyze life by changing shape when they interact with other molecules. The result is a muscle twitching, the perception of light, or a bit of energy extracted from food.

Journal: Science
Funder: NIH/National Institutes of Health, NIH/National Institutes of Health

22-May-2025

A machine learning tool for diagnosing, monitoring colorectal cancer

Ohio State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists aiming to advance cancer diagnostics have developed a machine learning tool that is able to identify metabolism-related molecular profile differences between patients with colorectal cancer and healthy people.

Journal: iMetaOmics

22-May-2025

AI is here to stay, let students embrace the technology

University of British Columbia Okanagan campus
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study from UBC Okanagan says students appear to be using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) responsibly, and as a way to speed up tasks, not just boost their grades.

Dr. Meaghan MacNutt, who teaches professional ethics in the UBCO School of Health and Exercise Sciences (HES), recently published a study in Advances in Physiology Education. Published this month, the paper—titled Reflective writing assignments in the era of GenAI: student behaviour and attitudes suggest utility, not futility—contradicts common concerns about student use of AI.

Journal: AJP Advances in Physiology Education

22-May-2025

Study finds unfair expectations place extra pressure on new teachers

Taylor & Francis Group
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Experts say standardised tests do not guarantee new teachers can handle classroom complexities and may increase the risk of burnout.

Journal: Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education

22-May-2025

Sounding out coral larval settlements #ASA188

Acoustical Society of America
Reports and Proceedings

Healthy reefs are acoustically rich environments, filled with fish croaks and shrimp snaps. Océane Boulai and their collaborators mimicked these sound environments to study the effects of sounds on 19 artificial coral settlement modules placed in Kāneʻohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. The researchers recorded audio near a vibrant reef, which they replayed at various distances from their artificial microhabitats, which were coated with a bacteria designed to induce larval settlement. Notably, there were significant increases in coral settlement close to the speakers.

Meeting: 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America joint with 25th International Congress on Acoustics

22-May-2025

3D printers leave hidden ‘fingerprints’ that reveal part origins

University of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new artificial intelligence system pinpoints the origin of 3D printed parts down to the specific machine that made them. The technology could allow manufacturers to monitor their suppliers and manage their supply chains, detecting early problems and verifying that suppliers are following agreed upon processes.

Journal: npj Advanced Manufacturing

22-May-2025

Could AI understand emotions better than we do?

Université de Genève
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Is artificial intelligence (AI) capable of suggesting appropriate behaviour in emotionally charged situations? A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the University of Bern (UniBE) put six generative AIs — including ChatGPT — to the test using emotional intelligence (EI) assessments typically designed for humans. The outcome: these AIs outperformed average human performance and were even able to generate new tests in record time. These findings open up new possibilities for AI in education, coaching, and conflict management. The study is published in Communications Psychology.

Journal: Communications Psychology