The OLIGOTREND project has compiled a comprehensive global database on long-term water quality trends in lakes, rivers and estuaries. Spanning nearly four decades (1986–2023), this publicly available database includes over 30,000 annual records of Chlorophyll-a (a proxy for algal biomass) and nutrient concentrations. These parameters are key indicators of ecosystem health, as excessive nutrients can lead to eutrophication, which primarily is the overgrowth of phytoplankton, harming biodiversity and affecting water use for drinking, fishing, and recreation. Making these long-term trends visible and accessible helps scientists, policymakers, and the public better understand how inland and coastal waters are changing and what interventions are needed to safeguard aquatic ecosystems for future generations.

Liver organoids with proper blood vessel networks have been successfully produced, as reported by researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. This advancement addresses a major challenge in replicating the liver’s complex vasculature in lab-grown tissues. Using a novel 3D culture system, the researchers achieved the self-organization of four distinct precursor cell types into functional organoids, capable of producing essential clotting factors in a haemophilia A mouse model.

Aspergillus, a common mold-forming fungus, can cause severe respiratory disease in patients with reduced immunity. Through screening 23 A. spinulosporus strains, researchers have identified, for the first time, seven clinical A. latus strains in patient samples. Their discovery of A. latus strains in samples obtained between 2012 and 2023 revealed a high misidentification rate of 30.4%. Continued surveillance and improved diagnostic tools can aid in the clinical management of Aspergillus infections.

Airborne microorganisms, including fungi and bacteria, are major contributors to indoor air pollution, with growing links to respiratory diseases. In a recent study, scientists from Korea explored the health effects of common airborne microbes by testing their toxicity in mice and calculating human-equivalent exposure limits. The results revealed that some fungi can cause lung inflammation and injury even at concentrations below current guideline levels, highlighting the need for species-specific indoor air quality standards.

Recent advances in glucose management are reshaping our understanding of cognitive decline and dementia prevention. Energy imbalance and glucose dysregulation are now recognized as central to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk. Brain-specific insulin signaling disruptions due to dysglycemia impair natural protective mechanisms. These findings are leading to updated diabetes care practices that prioritize cognitive outcomes, marking a significant shift in how comorbid AD is addressed in aging populations.

The use of social media is contributing to declining attention spans, emotional volatility, and compulsive behaviours among young people, reveals a new report by NTU Singapore and Singapore-based research agency Research Network, in collaboration with US-based AI platform ListenLabs.ai.

The study, conducted across Singapore and Australia, surveyed 583 young people aged 13 to 25, and their parents. It found that prolonged social media use is associated with difficulties in sustaining focus, increased emotional fatigue, and behaviours resembling addiction. 

This is the first cross-cultural study of its kind to explore the societal effects of social media from both Eastern and Western perspectives, using an advanced AI-powered interview platform that enables emotionally attuned, large-scale conversations with young people and their parents.

These findings also complement earlier neuroscience studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which show that social media activates the brain’s dopamine reward pathways in ways that closely resemble addictive behaviour. The report is the first in a new series of white papers aimed at informing public discourse and policymaking on Gen Z’s digital use.

Scientists have used AI to re-analyse a clinical trial for an Alzheimer’s medicine, and identified a group of patients who responded to treatment. The work demonstrates that AI can inform the design of future clinical trials to make them more effective and efficient, accelerating the search for new medicines.