Nighttime social media posts can reveal the state of sleeplessness across the country, with new "social sensing approach" demonstrated by researchers in analyzing US sleep trends during the COVID-19 pandemic

Viewing “thinspiration” content on TikTok increases self-objectification and worsens mood, while viewing body-positive content also increases self-objectification but is linked to more positive mood, according to a new study published September 9, 2026 in the open access journal PLOS One by Samantha Jones of Western University, Canada, and colleagues.

Over three-thousand scientific article titles across disciplines have made use of Beatles song titles and lyrics, according to a study published September 9, 2026, in the open access journal PLOS One by Gabriel Budel of Delft University of Technology in The Netherlands, and colleagues. This analysis is an unprecedentedly large-scale, cross-disciplinary account of how the Beatles have left their mark on scientific writing.

Analysis of fossilized remains from dinosaurs known as troodontids reveals how one species’ hip and leg bones may have developed over its lifespan, from embryo to adult—with potential implications for resolving longstanding taxonomic challenges. David Varricchio of Montana State University, US, and Heath Caldwell of North Carolina State University, US, present their findings in the open access journal PLOS One on September 9, 2026.

Researchers at the CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College have found that Asian elephants can suppress impulsive behaviors and adjust their actions when circumstances change—a cognitive ability that may help explain the animals’ sophisticated problem-solving skills and social behavior. The findings could ultimately contribute to conservation strategies aimed at reducing conflict between elephants and people, particularly in areas of Asia where elephants and human communities increasingly share the same landscapes.