ITHACA, N.Y. -A new variety of broccoli called “NorthStar,” a co-hybrid between parents developed at Cornell University and the global seed company Bejo Zaden, can withstand warmer, more unpredictable conditions such as the ones in the Northeast growing region. The hybrid greatly expands the regions where broccoli can be grown, increasing food security, sustainability and access—while reducing the carbon and financial costs of shipping.

Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt researchers have developed the first lung-on-a-chip with a functioning immune system, a breakthrough published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. Led by Ankur Singh and Krishnendu “Krish” Roy, the team created a postage stamp–sized device where blood and immune cells circulate, fight infection, and heal, just as they would in a living lung. The advance not only provides unprecedented insight into diseases like influenza, asthma, and cancer but also offers a path toward reducing animal testing. Long-term, the technology could enable personalized medicine, with chips built from patients’ own cells to predict which therapies will work best.

Cases of poisoning from eating self-picked mushrooms are quite common. Every year, the poison centres in the German federal states ("Laender") answer a few thousand questions about mushrooms. “In Germany, there are some really poisonous mushrooms that look like edible ones. Even experienced collectors can make mistakes,” says Dr Yuri Bruinen de Bruin, head of the National Poison Registry unit at the BfR. Popular local edible mushrooms include the field mushroom and the Russula. These mushrooms are often confused with the green death cap, which is highly poisonous. The toxins contained in this mushroom can cause liver failure and consuming even a small amount can be fatal. Children and elderly people are particularly at risk, as even small amounts can cause serious health problems. Not all mushrooms cause the same symptoms of poisoning. While mushroom poisoning can involve a variety of symptoms, it often begins with discomfort, accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

New machine learning models developed by University of South Australia (UniSA) researchers could help clinicians identify when patients can successfully stop long-term antidepressant use.