Within tissues, cells are embedded in complex, three-dimensional structures known as the extracellular matrix. Their biomechanical interactions play a crucial role in numerous biological processes. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have now developed a novel lab-on-a-chip system based on intelligent hydrogel structures, which enables precise pressure forces to be applied to cellular microenvironments. The recently presented method could find future applications in medical diagnostics for mechanical disorders in living tissues.

Hebrew University of Jerusalem is proud to announce that Prof. Moran Yassour, a leading researcher at the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Computer Science and Engineering, has been selected as one of the 2025 EMBO Young Investigators. She receives this prestigious recognition for her innovative research on the developing infant microbiome and its impact on pediatric health.

There are many ways for an eagle to suffer a human-caused death. Electrocution, lead poisoning, vehicle collisions, or being shot, to name a few. Some of these deaths are “offset” through a provision within the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act of 1962 (BGEPA) that requires eagles to be replaced when they are removed from the population by certain human actions. 

Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) have been protected in North America since 1962 and their populations in the West are considered stable. However, a new study published in the Journal of Raptor Research found that the Nevada population is declining and could be headed for something worse. 

Nocturnal moths rely on hearing to escape predatory bats, yet how they respond to different bat calls has remained unclear. In a new study, researchers from Japan exposed moths to ultrasonic pulses simulating bat hunting stages and observed their flight and egg-laying behaviors. The study found that moths change how they fly and lay eggs depending on the level of danger, a finding that could help develop ultrasonic methods to protect crops from moth damage.