New research from UTHealth Houston reveals that substance use disorders accelerate biological aging in the brain through substance-specific molecular mechanisms. The study, published in Genomic Psychiatry, identified distinct genetic and biological pathways that contribute to premature aging in individuals with alcohol, opioid, and stimulant use disorders, offering potential targets for future therapeutic interventions.

Researchers at HSE MIEM, in collaboration with Chinese scientists, have developed a catalyst that efficiently converts CO₂ into formic acid. Thanks to carbon coating, it remains stable in acidic environments and functions with minimal potassium, contrary to previous beliefs that high concentrations were necessary. This could lower the cost of CO₂ processing and simplify its industrial application—e.g. in producing fuel for environmentally friendly transportation. The study has been published in Nature Communications. 

Scientists from China, the UK and the USA have collaborated to analyse the inner workings of Bolivia’s “zombie” volcano, Uturuncu. By combining seismology, physics models and analysis of rock composition, researchers identify the causes of Uturuncu’s unrest, alleviating fears of an imminent eruption. The findings have been published today (28 April) in the journal PNAS.

No more rancid hazelnuts: a research team at the URV has developed a method that can identify nuts that have gone bad due to oxidation. The technique uses infrared light to determine the chemical composition of hazelnuts without even removing them from their shells. The new system overcomes the limitations of traditional methods and makes it possible to identify the condition of all the hazelnuts in a packet in a single analysis, without the need to prepare or destroy the sample. The authors argue that the application of this technology would help to improve packaging techniques and distribution systems and significantly reduce losses in the nut trade, while offering new quality standards to the sector.