Scientists have discovered a previously unknown law of geometry that explains why some growing surfaces, whether in nature or engineered materials, suddenly stop being able to stay smooth and instead form dimples and folds. Until now, researchers believed they understood the geometric rules behind these shape changes, but this study reveals a new kind of "geometric frustration" that arises even when all the known rules are satisfied. The finding could reshape how scientists understand the formation of leaves, flowers, tissues and other natural structures, while helping engineers design smarter materials that can deliberately change shape for applications in soft robotics, medicine and advanced manufacturing.

A joint research team from the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), The University of Osaka, and Waseda University has developed a method to visualize the three-dimensional distribution of nanoplastics in the neonatal mouse brain without tissue sectioning. By combining tissue clearing with light‑sheet fluorescence microscopy, the researchers observed more extensive accumulation of 50 nm polystyrene nanoplastics than larger 500 nm particles in multiple organs—including the brain, intestine, and kidneys—following neonatal oral administration. Whole‑brain imaging revealed the widespread distribution of 50 nm particles, with relatively higher signals in the thalamus and brainstem. This study establishes a foundational three‑dimensional imaging platform for investigating nanoplastic biodistribution during early development. Of note, environmental exposure levels and health risks are not directly assessed in the study, which focuses on the development of a key methodological tool for research in the field. This research article is scheduled for publication on  June 29, 2026 in the Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances (Elsevier).

Across the globe, mosquitoes are the main vectors spreading diseases that annually affect more than 400 million people and cause around 40,000 deaths. New research has shown that an Indian strain of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes – which transmit a wide variety of diseases, including dengue, zika, and yellow fever – is showing signs of resistance against one of the most common insecticides used for vector control globally. The researchers also discovered the driving force behind this building resistance: proteins that surge in response to insecticide exposure. Understanding mosquitoes’ inbuilt defense mechanism before resistance is fully developed is key to transmission management, said the team.

Archaic human parents had to look after helpless infants like modern day parents do, according to new research. Human babies are born less developed than those of other great apes, and so are unable to move as freely. A common result of this is deformational plagiocephaly, also called flat head syndrome. Professor Yousuke Kaifu at the University of Tokyo led a team which studied head shapes from scans of living infants, historical Japanese skeletal remains, fossilized specimens of Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis, and compared these to measurements of dry skulls from other great apes. Human head shapes across the ages, as well as the fossilized samples, exhibited a far wider range of deformation. The team sees this as evidence that archaic humans birthed helpless infants, with implications for childcare practices and potentially cooperative social behaviors dating back hundreds of thousands of years.