Kyoto, Japan -- Whether you practice ballet or prefer the tango, the benefits of dancing are self-evident. It's good exercise both physically and mentally due to the complexity of the movements, and it's also a fun social activity. But the benefits of dancing may extend beyond this: the mental activity and social interaction involved in dancing may also help prevent cognitive decline.

Previous research indicates that dance practice can improve the cognitive test scores of older adults with mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, an intermediate state of cognitive decline between normal aging and dementia. This inspired a team of researchers from Kyoto University to extend this research to older adults in an earlier stage of cognitive decline called subjective cognitive decline, or SCD. This refers to an individual's self-reported worsening memory or increased confusion that cannot yet be verified by tests.

"We focused on SCD because earlier intervention is more important from the viewpoint of dementia prevention," says first author Masatoshi Yamashita.

Shared e-mopeds are emerging as a solution for medium-distance trips, but do they improve efficiency and equity? A study in Japan found that they cut travel time and distance compared with public transit, especially in lower land-price areas with limited bus and rail service. Yet time-based pricing means these residents often pay more. Researchers recommend revising pricing models and expanding infrastructure to create transport systems that are fairer, more resilient, and more accessible for all.

Finely dispersed particulate matter with a diameter of ≤2.5 μm (PM_2.5) poses a significant health- and climate-risk, yet tracking its chemical composition remains a challenge. Now, researchers have developed a deep-learning model that accurately estimates hourly concentrations of five key PM_2.5 chemical components, without chemical analysis. Using air-quality and meteorological data, the model achieved high accuracy outperforming existing methods, and may strengthen air-pollution monitoring, fill data gaps, and support targeted emission control strategies worldwide.