A new article in the peer-reviewed journal Psychedelic Medicine takes aim at one of the most influential, and controversial, narratives in comparative psychedelic culture: the idea that ancient Greek mystery rites at Eleusis were fueled by psychedelic drugs.

City parks, often embedded in a highly altered city fabric, are sometimes the only types of natural areas within human settlements. A new study by an international group from the HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research, with contributions from eight other institutes in Hungary and Romania, reveals the potential of city parks to retain bird diversity, compared to the surrounding landscapes near the cities. Published in Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, the study examines how landscape complexity and the spatial configuration of city parks affect bird community composition and functional trait variation.

The targeted engineering of artificial proteins with unique properties – that is possible with the assistance of a novel method developed by a research team led by Prof. Dr Dominik Niopek at the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology (IPMB) of Heidelberg University. It centers around a new AI model. This allows for forecasting how two proteins have to be fitted together at the molecular level from individual parts – subunits – in order to engineer a functional, adjustable new protein. Called ProDomino, this open-source tool opens up many different possible applications in biotechnology and medicine.

Jairo Patiño, José María Fernández-Palacios and colleagues chronicle every known terrestrial extinction in Macaronesia—an area in the Atlantic Ocean comprising the volcanic archipelagos of the Azores, Madeira, Selvagens, the Canaries, and Cabo Verde. 

Short-nosed dog breeds, like French Bulldogs and Pugs, remain immensely popular. But are they truly better companion animals than other breeds? According to a new study by ethologists at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), short noses may indeed influence behavior — but just as important are small body size and owner treatment. These dogs are often spoiled and less frequently trained, which affects their behavior. While short-nosed dogs may be calmer and less reactive, these potential benefits often fail to emerge without proper upbringing.

The precise mechanism of cellular condensation and regeneration is not well-understood in organogenesis. For advances in regenerative medicine, understanding these mechanisms is crucial. In a new study, researchers used single-cell transcriptomics to understand the composition of human dental follicles and dental papillae. They found a PDGFRA⁺ mesenchymal stem cell with odontogenic potential that interacts with endothelial cells via paracrine signaling to stimulate angiogenesis, showing promise for future therapeutics in dental regenerative medicine.