Researchers in Spain and Japan tested a broad range of pedestrians in varying group sizes to see whether there were any patterns to their turning behaviors, and what factors influence them if there are. It turns out that the vast majority of people have a preference for counterclockwise turning. Most factors such as culture or gender made little difference. Only age showed a noticeable but small change in that younger people followed this pattern more strongly. This area of research could impact our understanding of the brain, and fields like design, engineering and architecture. The original research, including the initial experiments and analysis, was conducted by the Department of Physics and Mathematics at the University of Navarra in Spain, with additional comparative experiments later carried out in Japan in collaboration with the University of Tokyo team. 

Ultrahot exoplanet, atmospheric differences: Researchers discovered clear differences in the atmosphere between the morning and evening sides of the ultrahot gas planet WASP-121 b using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

Temperature and chemical variations: The evening side absorbs more infrared light due to higher temperatures caused by strong winds moving heat eastward, while water molecules decrease in the evening terminator due to high temperatures breaking them apart.

Planetary rotation and observation method: WASP-121 b’s synchronous rotation reveals different atmospheric regions during transit, allowing scientists to analyse changes in light absorption over time and longitude.

Combining fractions with a basketball improves pupils’ mathematical skills in primary school, a new study from the University of Copenhagen shows. The researchers call for the approach to be integrated into primary and lower secondary education.

A research paper by scientists at Wuhan University of Science and Technology presented a prosthetic control framework developed through human skill transfer..

The research paper, published on May 13, 2026 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems.

Penn Engineers have developed FireANTs, an open-source algorithm that compares complex medical images quickly and accurately by combining optimization techniques from modern AI with the precision of geometry. The method could help clinicians and researchers detect subtle changes in tissue over time, while making large-scale image analysis far more practical.

A silicon photonic chip generates certified random numbers while verifying that its own measurement hardware is functioning correctly, removing a trust assumption that has limited random number generators for decades. Made using standard manufacturing pro