The study of nearly 45,000 first-time mothers found that repeated exposure to combinations of common air pollutants in early pregnancy was associated with nearly three-times greater odds of early preterm birth. Levels that the EPA's AQI would classify as "safe" may still pose health risks when experienced together. The most critical pregnancy window was weeks 9-14 of pregnancy, particularly around week 11, when the placenta and fetal blood supply are developing.

People with dementia, mild cognitive impairment, alcohol addiction, or psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia show increased brain aging, each in specific patterns within the brain, according to a study published July 21^st in the open access journal PLOS Medicine by Shile Qi from the Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, China, and colleagues.

New journal PLOS Aging and Health publishes its first papers on July 21, 2026. The first issue includes research findings on a range of key topics focused on human aging.

In many urban areas, low-income neighborhoods have more mosquitoes, making residents more vulnerable to mosquito-borne diseases. A new study co-authored by scientists at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies found that invasive, nonnative plants, which tend to be more common in low-income areas, boosted mosquito populations in Baltimore, MD, and Washington, DC. The results, published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, suggest that cities and their residents could reduce mosquito infestations by planting native tree species.