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The ocean's health may depend on a tiny microbe inside fish
A surprising new discovery suggests that tiny microbes living inside fish may be helping shape the chemistry of the world’s oceans. Scientists found evidence that bacteria in the guts of marine fish work alongside their hosts to produce calcium carbonate, a mineral that plays an important role in ocean health and carbon storage. For years, researchers believed fish handled this process on their own, but the new findings point to a hidden partnership between fish and microbes.
"They will ruin my life": Microsoft threatens to wield 'Digital Crimes Unit' over zero-day exploit disclosures — causing uproar in the cybersec community
Microsoft's approach to working with security researchers has long been controversial, but some of its recent language has alarmed some commentators.
MSU Benefitted From Recent Legislative Session
The recently-completed 2026 regular session of the Mississippi Legislature saw encouraging gains for Mississippi State University, the state’s leading research university, as lawmakers invested in the land-grant institution’s core missions and in the university’s world-class faculty and staff. “While the bulk of our operations saw level funding, I’m extremely pleased that the Mississippi Legislature and […]
It sounded like science fiction, but scientists sent quantum data through 19 miles of regular internet cable without breaking the network
Researchers just teleported quantum data through a busy internet cable. See how this breakthrough could create a secure quantum network.
Scientists Intrigued by Chunk of Flesh That Refuses to Die After Several Years
An amputated sea cucumber tissue survived for years in a natural environment, leading researchers to declare it immortal.
Scientists Challenge a 70-Year-Old Theory of Language With a Surprising Discovery
Researchers have identified a previously overlooked structure underlying human language, revealing patterns that extend beyond traditional measures of emotion.
These Are The States Where You're Stupidest And Smelliest, According To ChatGPT
In new research, the AI model had wild answers about where the sexiest and ugliest Americans live, too.
These Are The States With The Stupidest People In The U.S., According To ChatGPT
In new research, the AI model had wild answers about where the sexiest and ugliest Americans live, too.
On Lou Gehrig Day in baseball and the politics of medical research in 2026 [column]
“For the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break. Yet today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”
New 3D silicon chip breakthrough could extend Moore’s Law for years
As traditional chip miniaturization slows, researchers have found a way to pack more computing power into the same space by stacking silicon circuits in multiple layers. The new process uses ultra-thin silicon membranes and low-temperature manufacturing techniques to overcome a major obstacle that has long blocked the production of true 3D chips.
New 3D silicon chip breakthrough could extend Moore’s Law for years
As traditional chip miniaturization slows, researchers have found a way to pack more computing power into the same space by stacking silicon circuits in multiple layers. The new process uses ultra-thin silicon membranes and low-temperature manufacturing techniques to overcome a major obstacle that has long blocked the production of true 3D chips.
Scientists map the ocean’s invisible workforce of microbes
USC Dornsife research reveals how tiny sea-faring organisms compete for nutrients, recycle carbon and help regulate the planet’s climate
Scientists develop 'smart paint' that reflects 97% of sunlight and could reduce AC use during heatwaves
As heatwaves become more frequent and intense around the world, scientists are exploring new ways to keep buildings cool without increasing energy consumption. Researchers at the University of Sydney, working with startup Dewpoint Innovations, have developed a nano-engineered coating that reflects up to 97% of sunlight and stays significantly cooler than conventional surfaces.
Internships Connect Students Directly to Mission-Driven Science and Technology
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is offering students at every stage, from high school through graduate school, the opportunity to contribute to cutting edge research that supports national security and advances scientific discovery through its internship and fellowship programs.
Trump administration seeks to overhaul federal grant-making process, alarming researchers
The Trump administration has released a sweeping proposal to overhaul the bedrock regulation for all federal grants.
White House moves to give political appointees more power over federal grants
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump's administration on Friday moved to give political appointees more power over the billions of dollars in grants awarded by federal agencies, a move scientists say puts critical research funding into the hands of partisans without relevant expertise.
White House Moves to Give Political Appointees More Power Over Federal Grants
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump's administration on Friday moved to give political appointees more power over the billions of dollars in grants awarded by federal agencies, a move scientists say puts critical research funding into the hands of partisans without relevant expertise. In what ...
Microsoft under fire for threatening security researcher with criminal investigation
A public spat between Microsoft and an independent security researcher reopens a long-running debate over who is responsible for securing software.
Team develops open-source framework to accelerate health AI research
A research team led by Columbia University has developed an open-source framework designed to streamline and accelerate artificial intelligence research using health data, addressing longstanding challenges ...
AgriLife Research scientist receives international Borlaug early career award
Shannon Baker, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Research, received the 2026 Jeanie Borlaug Laube Women in Triticum, WIT, Early Career Awards.
Research Funding Slows Again for Universities Targeted by White House
The National Science Foundation lifted a hold on some grants for Harvard and other universities this week after inquiries from media outlets, including The New York Times.
Political support makes or breaks P3 transactions
Research from The Bond Buyer finds that political will is the strongest impediment or asset to the growth of P3 activity across the U.S.
Over 30 freezers recovered from Marine Science Lab fire
The recovery of over 30 chest freezers provides hope that decades worth of research from a Marine Science Lab fire may be viable.
Don’t shoot for the moon: aiming for ‘above average’ is key to success, maths suggests
Model created by researchers shows better outcomes are often more likely when people are not too ambitious
Republican mistrust in healthcare widens US health gap, study finds
Republicans increasingly avoid doctors and vaccines, widening health gaps with Democrats, researchers say
How the science of learning is transforming education
Read about How the science of learning is transforming education on Van Andel Institute – Stay updated on the latest research and groundbreaking discoveries in science and health.
Mental Health Disorders Now No. 1 Cause of Disability Worldwide
By HealthDay Staff HealthDay ReporterFRIDAY, May 29, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Mental health disorders are now the leading cause of disability worldwide, according to a major new study. Researchers found nearly 1.2 billion people were living with a mental health disorder in 2023 — almost twice as many ...
Ranking Member Lofgren Slams Trump Administration for Plan to Politicize Research Funding Process, Undermine Expert Review
The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Protein traffic jams may explain aging, memory loss, and Alzheimer’s
Scientists at Stanford may have uncovered a hidden reason our brains decline with age. Studying the ultra-short-lived turquoise killifish, researchers discovered that the cellular machinery responsible for building proteins begins to jam and malfunction over time. Tiny structures called ribosomes start colliding and stalling while reading genetic instructions, triggering a chain reaction that leads to faulty proteins and harmful clumps linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Northwestern researchers pitch ideas with environmental and health impact
Interdisciplinary teams compete for $200,000 in seed funding
Mirror life: Scientists clash over threat of lab-engineered bacteria
Bacteria created using mirror images of natural biomolecules would pose a grave threat to life on Earth, some researchers warn, but a new study suggests they would struggle to survive in the wild
The woman behind the world’s biggest longevity competition
Jamie Justice of XPRIZE Healthspan on the most promising research and "purely scammy" treatments in the world of longevity.
A.J. Anderson Foundation, FSU partner for symposium and golf tournament for rare diseases
Rep. Adam Anderson has been a champion for rare disease research after losing his son to Tay-Sachs in 2019.
Hidden driving danger when edible cannabis and alcohol mix
Using cannabis edibles and alcohol together may make drivers far more impaired than either substance alone, according to new research from Johns Hopkins. Even more concerning, common field sobriety tests often failed to detect the cannabis-related impairment.
Single infusion of controversial drug changed severe depression symptoms within hours, study finds
Researchers say a single intravenous ketamine infusion can rapidly relieve severe depression and suicidal thoughts when traditional antidepressants fail.
Primary care as public utility: Imagine that, researchers urge
A team of healthcare scholars is making U.S. states an offer they hope the border-defined polities won’t refuse: If you’ll pay for the reinvention of primary care, we’ll help sell the public on the rightness of measured, state-level efforts to preserve the profession.
Princeton scientists identify first experimental evidence of a 'co-extinction' connection: Without elephants, dung beetles disappear
A new study from Princeton University, the Smithsonian Institute, the Mpala Research Centre and many partner institutions has now documented the interconnection between the largest animals in the savanna and some of the smallest.
Scientists say evolution may work differently than we thought
A major research study is challenging one of evolution’s most influential ideas: that most genetic changes that become permanent are essentially neutral. Researchers at the University of Michigan found that beneficial mutations are actually far more common than scientists have long assumed. The puzzle is that these advantageous mutations rarely spread through entire populations. Their answer? Nature keeps changing the rules.
Twisted graphene reveals a hidden superconductivity switch
Scientists have uncovered a surprising new way to control superconductivity — the mysterious phenomenon where electricity flows with zero energy loss. By pairing twisted layers of graphene with a synthetic diamond material, researchers were able to effectively switch superconductivity on and off by tweaking how electrons interact with their surroundings. Even more intriguing, the material behaved in ways that defied the rules of conventional superconductors, hinting at an entirely new kind of physics.
European Academics Shun U.S. Business Conference
Going forward, the Academy of Management will move its annual meeting as attendees stay at home this year owing to visa worries and opposition to the president’s research policies.
Antarctica’s ice sheet hit a climate tipping point 1 million years ago
A new study suggests Antarctica’s ice sheet hit a climate tipping point about one million years ago, making it far more reactive to temperature and CO2 changes. Researchers warn this surprising sensitivity could offer clues about how the continent may respond to today’s warming world.
Scientists found the optimal robot body, and it has 20 legs — watch it scale walls and move through trees
A sea-urchin-like robot could offer a new blueprint for making more versatile robots, research suggests.
Microsoft 0-day feud escalates as researcher threatens another Windows exploit dump
Six 0-days, three under active exploitation, more to come on July 14?
Microsoft Threatens Researcher Over Bug Reports, Triggers Cybersecurity Uproar
Microsoft says it will coordinate 'as needed with law enforcement' after a disgruntled researcher exposed Windows bugs without proper coordination.
Why Retrofitting Research Impact Does Not Work
AACSB and the Academy of Management are convening their first-ever Research Impact Conference in Dublin this week, unveiling a long-awaited framework that takes a significant step toward making business school research serve not just academia but also corporate practice, policy, and society–with the potential to go even further.
How Mary Falcigno ’15 uses AI to support the U.S. Army’s drone program
Mary Falcigno ’15 uses her math and computer science skills at an elite research and technology hub, DEVCOM (U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development
HIV, Brain Health Research, and How It Could Benefit Everyone
Brain health research in people living with HIV could improve existing treatments and facilitate discovery of new interventions for other diseases.
Amputated parts of a sea cucumber stayed alive indefinitely. Researchers call it a real-life ‘zombie’
Severed fragments of a sea cucumber kept living and thriving instead of decaying, puzzling researchers.
Homing pigeons may use a surprising navigation mechanism
How animals navigate by Earth's magnetic field is hotly debated. New research in pigeons points to iron-laden liver immune cells as the compass.
Nithya Rajan’s journey from the field to the forefront of crop science
Nithya Rajan, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife agronomist and cropping system researcher, developed a producer-outcome perspective for soil science.
Vanderbilt Health researchers call for pandemic prevention through antibody development
The next pandemic may arrive in the United States via cruise ship or commercial flight originating halfway around the world.
Vanderbilt Health researchers call for pandemic prevention
Government grants and contracts have supported the discovery of human antiviral antibodies; corporate partners are needed to develop them.
Black Women Political Candidates Are Expected to Be 'Likable,' Qualified and Tireless. Men Aren’t.
What I had experienced during that run wasn’t entirely unfamiliar to me. The year before, in 2013, I had run for president of the Young Democrats of America (YDA), a national political party office role, against a popular opponent. The opponent was a Black man, so race wasn’t a factor in the election; however, gender was. Before my campaign, I was vice president of YDA and had heard only good things about my service: my fundraising efforts, the partnerships I had engineered with progressive organizations, and programming coordination for the membership. However, when I decided to run for president, I instantly became ‘difficult to work with’ and ‘mean.’ Research on women candidates confirms that voters are less likely to vote for a woman if they don’t like her; by comparison, voters don’t need to like men to elect them. But when I was running as the Black woman candidate in a seven-candidate primary for public office, with two other women in the race, I noticed almost nothing about my being ‘difficult’ and more about my ability and work ethic. My experience running for public office reflected the systemic bias and double standards not just for women candidates, but Black women candidates who dare to aspire to any sort of political leadership—and that needed to change. We need more progressive Black women in public office for a myriad reasons, but we also specifically need the younger generation of Instigators in office, candidates who understand the times in which we live currently. Electing more Black women will take real investment in changing the biases and attitudes (conscious and unconscious) of mostly white donors, media, campaign staff, consultants and institutional leaders to help shift the culture and systems. But this support needs to be substantively increased so that we can rebuild an inclusive, multiracial democracy with the leaders we want and need. (Excerpted from The Instigators: How Black Women Have Been Essential to American Democracy by Atima Omara.)
HHMI Selects 176 Undergraduate Students as Inaugural Cech Fellows
The immersive summer research program pairs talented undergraduates from 109 institutions across 36 states and territories with leading HHMI scientists.
Neuroinfectious Diseases Research Workshop: Advancing Translational Science and Clinical Research Innovation
The Neuroinfectious Diseases Research Workshop will be a two-day scientific meeting designed to accelerate research, foster collaboration, and build capacity in the field of neurological infections. Hosted at the NIH Neuroscience Center (NSC, Executive Boulevard), this meeting will bring together clinician-scientists, laboratory investigators, translational researchers, government partners, and trainees committed to advancing understanding of neuroinfectious
Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST) and Three Other Science and Technology Institutes Launch Korea’s Largest Student Startup League, “GRAVITY 2026” to Foster Global Startups
-Offering a total prize pool of KRW 200 million and overseas acceleration opportunities, the program provides full-scale support for student startup teams preparing to debut on the global stage.
Build trust in science through your conduct, ERC president says
Maria Leptin also emphasises importance of research to democracy in award acceptance speech
SURF, School of Mines researchers make potential climate science, microbiology breakthrough
A graduate student working a late night in a lab at the South Dakota School of Mines may have made a discovery that could have serious implications for microbiology and climate science.
Polish scientists and students rally in campaign for 3% funding target
Polish scientists and students have been flooding social media with calls on the government to raise research and development spending as part of 3% for Science, 100% for Poland, a campaign born earlier this month out of frustration with chronic underfunding in the academic sector. On May 27, thousands took the slogan on to the streets.The EU has been trying to convince member states to raise their R&D expenditures to 3% of GDP for more than two decades, but the idea has never gained traction in capitals. Finance ministers were too busy plugging budget holes created in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, then the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and now the war in Iran.Critics say that countries missed or ignored the target because it is voluntary, but also because research communities have rarely raised their voice to put pressure on national governments. The European Commission hopes to make the target legally binding in the upcoming European Research Area Act, an EU-wide regulation that should be announced by the end of the year. Academia in Poland has been faced with a funding crisis for years, often leaving its members with no other choice but to work abroad in order to access better resources, or leave the sector altogether in the hope of earning a decent living. The risk, in the long-term, is that brain drain stifles local innovation capacity and technological competitiveness.In just a few weeks, the movement rallied nationwide support, including from major academic bodies and trade unions such as the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland and the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its public petition collected more than 23,000 signatures. On May 27, it formed the first large protest for science in Poland, gathering thousands of people in front of the parliament building in Warsaw.Ilona Uryga-Bugajska, representative of the Marie Curie Alumni Association Poland Chapter, was there. “The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported, and the entire event took place in a respectful and calm atmosphere,” she said. Banners she saw in the crowd carried slogans such as “A little longer and I’ll be teaching in a supermarket,” “National culture, starvation salary,” “Stop the destruction of science,” “Passion will not pay the rent,” “Without action, don’t expect a better future,” and “Pull science out of the hole.” She also observed a strong presence of young researchers, who are on the frontline of Poland’s academic crisis.“Academics are usually people who prefer discussion, analysis, dialogue and compromise. We are not a group that protests easily,” said Katarzyna Marzec, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and AGH University of Krakow, who also took part. “But many of us feel that we have been pushed against the wall.”Aleksandra Rutkowska, translational neuroscientist and research group leader at the Medical University of Gdańsk, agreed. “Frustration in the scientific community is very high,” she said. “Science is often used politically as a symbol of innovation and modernity, but the everyday reality inside many institutions is much more difficult. There is a large gap between the public narrative and the actual condition of the sector.”Maria Wiktoria Górna, head of the structural biology group at the University of Warsaw and one of the organisers of the movement, told Science|Business that the campaign would continue without proven results. This might involve another strike in the autumn, she said. “Empty promises are not enough by now.”Campaign demandsAccording to Uryga-Bugajska, the organisers officially presented their demands and concerns to representatives of the government present at the event. These included Marek Gzik, deputy minister of science and higher education, and Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, secretary of state of that same ministry.The headline demand, for the government to increase national spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2030, should be within Poland’s economic capacity, Rutkowska said. “The real question is whether there is genuine long-term political commitment to treating science as a strategic priority rather than a slogan.”In 2024, R&D expenditure in Poland stood at 1.41% of GDP, which is slightly above the average for central and eastern Europe, with countries such as Czechia recording 1.82%, Hungary 1.31% and Romania 0.46%. However, it falls noticeably short of the EU average of 2.24%, which just a handful of countries exceed, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden.Campaigners are also asking for fair wages for scientific staff, including PhD stipends and junior academic salaries, which are widely considered uncompetitive. Starting doctoral scholarships amount to some €843 gross per month, when the statutory minimum wage stands at €1,135. By pushing early-career researchers out of Poland, growing precarity has caused a generational gap in the academic workforce, with just 25% of lecturers aged under 40. In this context, the movement fears that scientific careers could soon be accessible to a privileged minority only.Grzegorz Spólnik is a case in point. After 15 years working in mass spectrometry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, he decided to leave partly “to earn enough money to live a normal life,” he said. “At that time, my earnings were similar to those of people working in grocery shops, and the work-life balance is something that does not exist in science, or is very hard to achieve.”Now a senior field service engineer for Polish laboratory equipment supplier Bioanalytic, he would consider going back to research, “but never in the public sector, maybe some start-up or a big private company with ambitious R&D.”The campaigners want to see more support for basic research and have called for €236 million to be added to the budget of the National Science Centre (NCN) in 2027 so that the average grant application success rate does not fall below 25%.“At the protest, there was a banner I particularly liked: ‘NCN is not a lottery.’ Unfortunately, for many researchers, it increasingly feels exactly like one,” Marzec said. “Personally, I am one of the lucky ones. I work at two of the strongest institutions in the country, where the research standards are very high. I know that in many other institutions, the situation is much worse and obtaining funding for research at an early-career stage is becoming nearly impossible.”Rutkowska also considers herself fortunate. After studying abroad and holding a postdoctoral position, she returned to Poland, where her pay was supported through an NCN-funded project linked to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. “This also made me very aware that good research conditions in Poland often depend on external competitive funding rather than on stable support from the system itself,” she said.Long-term strategyBeyond the lack of funds for both salaries and grants, scientists believe that the issue is structural. “The biggest problem at the moment is the complete lack of a clear long-term strategy for the development of science and research from the current government,” Marzec said. “Everything ends with declarations and promises that are never truly followed by concrete actions or structural reforms.”Rutkowska agreed, citing a lack of infrastructure, continuity and long-term institutional support.“Running a research group in Poland often means functioning as an entire institution at once,” she said. “I am a principal investigator, a mentor, a recruiter, a project administrator and, when needed, still someone who returns to the lab bench to help with experiments,” she went on. “This creates a large hidden workload that takes time and energy away from actual science. At times, it feels as though scientists are no longer expecting extra help; we simply hope the system will stop creating additional obstacles that make research unnecessarily difficult.”Related articlesStrategic thinking: Germany funds joint research with Poland and FrancePoland to transfer €30M of regional funds to boost Horizon Europe participationPoland is funding fewer basic research grants as high inflation hitsIn short, “academics are expected to teach, publish papers, apply for grants and conduct high-quality research, while funding and salaries remain very limited,” said Uryga-Bugajska, who returned to her home country after 13 years in the UK.According to Marzec, another issue is the way that research institutions are evaluated. Previously, this took place every four years, with a clear differentiation between stronger and weaker institutions. “The current government, perhaps to avoid political backlash, effectively concluded that everyone is doing well, so in practice no meaningful evaluation took place,” she said.But in her view, “some form of serious assessment is necessary” to ensure the excellence and international competitiveness of Polish institutions, and to determine how to best use public resources and where institutional structures need reform. “Some institutions may need to rethink hiring practices in order to attract ambitious young researchers who are capable of obtaining competitive grants and building internationally visible research groups.” Rutkowska has already had to adapt. “When hiring PhD students, I often have to combine different funding sources creatively to make positions attractive enough for talented people to stay in science,” she said. “Many young researchers do not see a stable future in academia in Poland, and that is deeply worrying.”
Arctic Ocean passed a tipping point and scientists say it may never recover
The Arctic Ocean may have crossed a dangerous tipping point. Scientists say the rapid disappearance of sea ice is triggering a hidden chemical shift that is stripping the ocean of nitrate — a nutrient essential for the tiny plankton that support Arctic life. As nitrate levels plunge, the entire food web could feel the impact, from fish and seabirds to whales and polar ecosystems.
Forget LASIK: Safer, cheaper vision correction without lasers or surgery
Researchers are developing a futuristic alternative to LASIK that reshapes the eye without lasers or incisions. Using mild electrical pulses and platinum contact lenses, they temporarily soften the cornea so it can be molded into a new shape. Early tests on rabbit eyes successfully corrected nearsightedness in about a minute while preserving the eye’s structure.
Wind energy is not bad for your health, new research shows
In this study, Osea Giuntella and his colleagues found no adverse physical or mental health affects after the installation of nearby turbines.
Polish scientists and students rally in campaign for better conditions
Polish scientists and students have been flooding social media with calls on the government to raise research and development spending as part of 3% for Science, 100% for Poland, a campaign born earlier this month out of frustration with chronic underfunding in the academic sector. On May 27, thousands took the slogan on to the streets.The EU has been trying to convince member states to raise their R&D expenditures to 3% of GDP for more than two decades, but the idea has never gained traction in capitals. Finance ministers were too busy plugging budget holes created in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, then the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and now the war in Iran.Critics say that countries missed or ignored the target because it is voluntary, but also because research communities have rarely raised their voice to put pressure on national governments. The European Commission hopes to make the target legally binding in the upcoming European Research Area Act, an EU-wide regulation that should be announced by the end of the year. Academia in Poland has been faced with a funding crisis for years, often leaving its members with no other choice but to work abroad in order to access better resources, or leave the sector altogether in the hope of earning a decent living. The risk, in the long-term, is that brain drain stifles local innovation capacity and technological competitiveness.In just a few weeks, the movement rallied nationwide support, including from major academic bodies and trade unions such as the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland and the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its public petition collected more than 23,000 signatures. On May 27, it formed the first large protest for science in Poland, gathering thousands of people in front of the parliament building in Warsaw.Ilona Uryga-Bugajska, representative of the Marie Curie Alumni Association Poland Chapter, was there. “The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported, and the entire event took place in a respectful and calm atmosphere,” she said. Banners she saw in the crowd carried slogans such as “A little longer and I’ll be teaching in a supermarket,” “National culture, starvation salary,” “Stop the destruction of science,” “Passion will not pay the rent,” “Without action, don’t expect a better future,” and “Pull science out of the hole.” She also observed a strong presence of young researchers, who are on the frontline of Poland’s academic crisis.“Academics are usually people who prefer discussion, analysis, dialogue and compromise. We are not a group that protests easily,” said Katarzyna Marzec, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and AGH University of Krakow, who also took part. “But many of us feel that we have been pushed against the wall.”Aleksandra Rutkowska, translational neuroscientist and research group leader at the Medical University of Gdańsk, agreed. “Frustration in the scientific community is very high,” she said. “Science is often used politically as a symbol of innovation and modernity, but the everyday reality inside many institutions is much more difficult. There is a large gap between the public narrative and the actual condition of the sector.”Maria Wiktoria Górna, head of the structural biology group at the University of Warsaw and one of the organisers of the movement, told Science|Business that the campaign would continue without proven results. This might involve another strike in the autumn, she said. “Empty promises are not enough by now.”Campaign demandsAccording to Uryga-Bugajska, the organisers officially presented their demands and concerns to representatives of the government present at the event. These included Marek Gzik, deputy minister of science and higher education, and Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, secretary of state of that same ministry.The headline demand, for the government to increase national spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2030, should be within Poland’s economic capacity, Rutkowska said. “The real question is whether there is genuine long-term political commitment to treating science as a strategic priority rather than a slogan.”In 2024, R&D expenditure in Poland stood at 1.41% of GDP, which is slightly above the average for central and eastern Europe, with countries such as Czechia recording 1.82%, Hungary 1.31% and Romania 0.46%. However, it falls noticeably short of the EU average of 2.24%, which just a handful of countries exceed, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden.Campaigners are also asking for fair wages for scientific staff, including PhD stipends and junior academic salaries, which are widely considered uncompetitive. Starting doctoral scholarships amount to some €843 gross per month, when the statutory minimum wage stands at €1,135. By pushing early-career researchers out of Poland, growing precarity has caused a generational gap in the academic workforce, with just 25% of lecturers aged under 40. In this context, the movement fears that scientific careers could soon be accessible to a privileged minority only.Grzegorz Spólnik is a case in point. After 15 years working in mass spectrometry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, he decided to leave partly “to earn enough money to live a normal life,” he said. “At that time, my earnings were similar to those of people working in grocery shops, and the work-life balance is something that does not exist in science, or is very hard to achieve.”Now a senior field service engineer for Polish laboratory equipment supplier Bioanalytic, he would consider going back to research, “but never in the public sector, maybe some start-up or a big private company with ambitious R&D.”The campaigners want to see more support for basic research and have called for €236 million to be added to the budget of the National Science Centre (NCN) in 2027 so that the average grant application success rate does not fall below 25%.“At the protest, there was a banner I particularly liked: ‘NCN is not a lottery.’ Unfortunately, for many researchers, it increasingly feels exactly like one,” Marzec said. “Personally, I am one of the lucky ones. I work at two of the strongest institutions in the country, where the research standards are very high. I know that in many other institutions, the situation is much worse and obtaining funding for research at an early-career stage is becoming nearly impossible.”Rutkowska also considers herself fortunate. After studying abroad and holding a postdoctoral position, she returned to Poland, where her pay was supported through an NCN-funded project linked to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. “This also made me very aware that good research conditions in Poland often depend on external competitive funding rather than on stable support from the system itself,” she said.Long-term strategyBeyond the lack of funds for both salaries and grants, scientists believe that the issue is structural. “The biggest problem at the moment is the complete lack of a clear long-term strategy for the development of science and research from the current government,” Marzec said. “Everything ends with declarations and promises that are never truly followed by concrete actions or structural reforms.”Rutkowska agreed, citing a lack of infrastructure, continuity and long-term institutional support.“Running a research group in Poland often means functioning as an entire institution at once,” she said. “I am a principal investigator, a mentor, a recruiter, a project administrator and, when needed, still someone who returns to the lab bench to help with experiments,” she went on. “This creates a large hidden workload that takes time and energy away from actual science. At times, it feels as though scientists are no longer expecting extra help; we simply hope the system will stop creating additional obstacles that make research unnecessarily difficult.”Related articlesStrategic thinking: Germany funds joint research with Poland and FrancePoland to transfer €30M of regional funds to boost Horizon Europe participationPoland is funding fewer basic research grants as high inflation hitsIn short, “academics are expected to teach, publish papers, apply for grants and conduct high-quality research, while funding and salaries remain very limited,” said Uryga-Bugajska, who returned to her home country after 13 years in the UK.According to Marzec, another issue is the way that research institutions are evaluated. Previously, this took place every four years, with a clear differentiation between stronger and weaker institutions. “The current government, perhaps to avoid political backlash, effectively concluded that everyone is doing well, so in practice no meaningful evaluation took place,” she said.But in her view, “some form of serious assessment is necessary” to ensure the excellence and international competitiveness of Polish institutions, and to determine how to best use public resources and where institutional structures need reform. “Some institutions may need to rethink hiring practices in order to attract ambitious young researchers who are capable of obtaining competitive grants and building internationally visible research groups.” Rutkowska has already had to adapt. “When hiring PhD students, I often have to combine different funding sources creatively to make positions attractive enough for talented people to stay in science,” she said. “Many young researchers do not see a stable future in academia in Poland, and that is deeply worrying.”
Friendship fuels research success for KSU science students
Cecilia Le and Lily Schwartz have bonded over boba tea and chemistry research, but not necessarily in that order. The Kennesaw State University juniors met in the lab of Associate Professor of Biochemistry Mohammad Halim, and a partnership flourished – as did a friendship. They presented research into the effectiveness of certain peptides in mitigating COVID-19 twice at the Symposium of Student Scholars, and have continued to make their way as undergraduate researchers.
Scientists unlock evolution of gigantism in Scottish island wrens
A new study of British wrens has provided new insights into the inner workings of "island syndromes," according to research led by the University of Birmingham. The paper, published in the Evolutionary ...
Ozempic may be reshaping the brain, scientists say
The research has implications for addictive behaviors and diseases of aging such as Alzheimer’s.
Ozempic may be reshaping the brain, scientists say
The research has implications for addictive behaviors and diseases of aging such as Alzheimer’s.
The 'Doomsday Glacier' is poised to lose its ice shelf this year. An Antarctic researcher explains what that means for global sea levels
Researchers have warned that the Thwaites Glacier, one of the largest glaciers in the world, is about to lose its eastern ice shelf. We spoke to marine geophysicist Robert Larter about what this means for the "Doomsday Glacier."
How accurate is the science in movies? Ciné in Athens offers answers.
Athens theater Ciné pairs popular films with expert science talks to make complex research accessible to everyone.
Melatonin and Your Heart: Here’s What You Need To Know
Melatonin is a popular supplement that can help people catch ZZZs. But is it harmful to your heart? A cardiologist clarifies recent research on the topic.
Bringing basic biology back to INSAR
As the International Society for Autism Research has grown over the past two decades, basic science has become less central, Christine Wu Nordahl says. This year, she and other meeting organizers aimed to change that.
California advances $12 billion bond for science research in rebuke to Trump cuts
UCSF researchers say the bond could help protect studies, jobs and clinical trials from delays in federal NIH funding
A 100-year-old piano mystery has finally been solved
For more than a century, pianists and music teachers have argued over whether a performer’s touch can actually change the tone color of a piano note — and now scientists say the answer is yes. Using a cutting-edge sensor system that tracked piano key movements at 1,000 frames per second, researchers discovered that elite pianists subtly manipulate keys in ways that listeners can genuinely hear, even if they’ve never played piano before.
How do pigeons sense Earth's magnetic field? Scientists just solved the mystery.
New research suggests that pigeons use magnetic sensors in their livers.
Researchers block key protein that helps Parkinson’s spread through the brain
A newly identified protein called GPNMB may play a major role in helping Parkinson’s disease spread through the brain. Researchers discovered that immune cells release the protein in response to damaged neurons, creating a vicious cycle that speeds up brain cell degeneration. In early experiments, antibodies that blocked GPNMB stopped the toxic process from spreading between cells.
Earth’s orbital wobble triggered rapid climate chaos during the dinosaur age
New research suggests Earth’s climate can swing wildly on surprisingly short timescales — even during hot, ice-free greenhouse periods. By studying ancient sediments from the Late Cretaceous, scientists uncovered repeating climate shifts tied to tiny changes in Earth’s orbital wobble. These cycles may have repeatedly pushed the planet between humid and arid states every few thousand years.
New depression treatment targets the immune system instead of the brain
A surprising new approach to depression treatment is showing early promise — not by targeting brain chemicals, but by calming the immune system. In a small clinical trial, researchers found that an anti-inflammatory drug normally used for rheumatoid arthritis appeared to ease symptoms in people with hard-to-treat depression, while also reducing fatigue and anxiety and improving quality of life.
Space Telescope Science Institute
Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) is a multi-mission operations center for NASA’s flagship observatories and a world-class astronomical research center. Operated by AURA for NASA, STScI has helped guide the most famous observatory in history, the Hubble Space Telescope.
Prasugrel after PCI outperforms other common antiplatelet drugs
"Prasugrel provided the optimal balance between efficacy and safety," researchers noted in a new meta-analysis.
New NFIB Industry-Specific Survey Shows Shift in Small Business Optimism
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 27, 2026) – The NFIB Research Center released an industry-specific quarterly Small Business Economic Trends survey highlighting the construction, manufacturing, retail, and services industries. According to the report, the Optimism Index for all four reported industries fell fr
UNO Research Shows What Motivates Female Students to Pursue STEM Research Experiences
The study of urban and rural schools revealed the important role science fairs play in inspiring young learners.
Powering drug discovery with analytical chemistry
Advances in analytical instrumentation are helping researchers study drug behavior, improve biomedical research, and train the next generation of scientists.
The Romans and Vikings left few genetic traces of their occupations of Britain, research suggests
Despite their occupations of Britain, the Romans and Vikings didn't leave much of a genetic mark on Britons. The Anglo-Saxons, though, were a different story.
NASA Spaceline Current Awareness List #1,201 22 May 2026 (Space Life Science Research Results)
NASA Spaceline Current Awareness
Scientific Societies Launch “Trust Seal” to Strengthen Confidence in Science
Scientific societies and scholarly publishing organizations launch the Trust Seal, a new community-led initiative designed to strengthen confidence in science by supporting trustworthy publishing practices, transparency, and independent governance across the research ecosystem.
UTC graduate student recognized for her research in geospatial data science
Research allows students to gain hands-on experience in their field by developing knowledge and skills as they pursue their degrees. For University of Tennessee at Chattanooga graduate research assistant Mimi White, research has helped her discover a new passion and deepen her understanding of the field as she pursues her Master of Science in Environmental Science.
See science in action at Argonne’s June 27 Open House
Argonne’s Open House returns June 27 with free registration, interactive exhibits, facility tours and opportunities to explore research in AI, energy, scientific tools and the universe.
Ebola, chemical plants and health, hantavirus, common colds, heat and more
As they say, bugs have ears. Public health has had a relentless May. Chemical plant (near) explosions, Ebola, hantavirus, and that's before you even get to the usual suspects: common colds, heat, and ticks. Here’s an attempt to keep you up to speed and, more importantly, what it means for you and your community. But first, an announcement: World Cup The World Cup starts in 15 days (not like anyone is counting down), and we are hanging TVs in the Health Security Operations Center. It’s going to be a gorgeous, chaotic celebration of basically every culture on earth. And it’s going to take a team effort—from communities to individuals, from public health to health care—to keep people healthy. That’s where you come in. If you’re going to the games or live within 30 miles of a stadium, we would love to hear from you. Sign up for a weekly survey here. Thanks to the more than 1,280 people who have already signed up…you will be hearing from us soon!! Global disease “weather report” Hantavirus: Two more cases The global count of cruise ship passengers with hantavirus has now increased to 13 cases (11 confirmed), with three deaths. The two new cases are overseas and among people who were already quarantining: A crew member in the Netherlands. A Spanish national passenger who was quarantining at home tested positive through daily monitoring. They are now in a biocontainment unit. In the U.S., everyone remains negative. There may be more cases, given that the incubation period of hantavirus (the time from exposure to infection) is 45 days. But this week, we will reach a major milestone: the median incubation window is 18 days, and that will pass on May 29. What this means for you: Your risk from this cruise ship outbreak remains essentially nil at this point. Ebola rages on in Central Africa Big thanks to Dr. Craig Spencer, a humanitarian physician who has treated and survived Ebola, for jumping in to provide the YLE community with an update. Craig, take it from here… The combined confirmed and suspected Ebola cases in DRC are now more than 1,000. All signs are pointing to a very long and catastrophic outbreak in Central Africa: This is a vast undercount. We know this because the test positivity rate is hovering around 50%, only 20% of contacts are being traced (and in some areas, no contacts at all), and more cases keep popping up with no known connection. This all points to widespread and undetected community transmission. This is in only a week of detection. Compared to previous outbreaks, the growth is very fast, as the huge West Africa outbreak in 2016 was first detected at 49 cases and rose to 208 cases a month later. It took four months for that outbreak to reach the size of the current one in the DR Congo. The cases are spread out across 16 health zones. There are now multiple epicenters, making containment very difficult. Next door in Uganda, the case count is seven. While this number is low compared to DRC, a concerning development is that two health care workers recently tested positive with uncertain exposure histories. If they weren’t treating known Ebola cases, this means it’s spreading undetected in Uganda as well. On the ground, backlash, including the burning of health centers, has emerged, a pattern seen in nearly every outbreak and rooted in deep community distrust. It often stems from outside actors working in communities without fully understanding or addressing local priorities. Affected populations may recognize the severity of Ebola while still holding other concerns as more pressing, such as where their loved ones are buried. Community trust is essential to an effective response, but difficult to build during an active emergency. It is best established long before a crisis begins. U.S. priorities are made clear, and may backfire. The U.S. Administration has shown that its first priority is keeping Ebola out, with helping end the outbreak in the DRC a secondary concern. That's meant travel restrictions broader than anything we've imposed before — covering travelers from across the region, and reportedly some green card holders and permanent residents as well. For example, just these past two days, news broke that high-risk American travelers will be subject to a mandatory quarantine in Kenya before they are allowed to return. If an American is infected, the U.S. government plans to send them to a hospital it is standing up from scratch in Kenya. (Currently, Americans who were in the area are allowed to return but are diverted to three airports—Houston, Atlanta, and DC—for further screening.) Past administrations have used travel notices and stepped-up screening; this goes much further. At first blush, these strict precautions may sound prudent. But this approach could backfire in three ways: Restrictions this blunt give people every reason to hide where they’ve been and whom they’ve been near — making the people we most need to find harder to track, not easier. They also breed a false sense that this is someone else’s problem. But diseases are humbling. They find the small cracks in even the most impenetrable-seeming defenses. Lives lost. There is no treatment for this Ebola strain, which means survival depends heavily on the quality of the health system. We have that system in the States, but we are choosing not to use it for infected Americans. This is unbelievable and infuriating. (See a deeper dive from me here.) The only real way to lower the risk to Americans — and everyone else — is to end the outbreak in the DRC and across the region. What this means for you: If you have travel plans to this region, it’s time to cancel them. This is a high-risk situation in Central Africa, and CDC released a Level 4 Travel Advisory. There is also great uncertainty if and when the Administration will let you back in. To the general public in the U.S., your risk remains very, very low right now. U.S. disease “weather report” Ticks: past peak season? Good news, especially for people in the Northeast and Midwest: tick numbers continue to decline. Though we are at the peak of the season, this unusually early year is trending favorably. Heat-related illnesses in the North Heat risk is certainly not blanketing the entire country yet, but this week it will be moderate in the Midwest and the Southeast. What this means for you: Be sure to check the CDC HeatRisk tool. A red day isn’t the best day for that soccer game for a kid with asthma, and a stretch of orange days is a great time to check on your elderly neighbor. Common colds surging As far as respiratory viruses go, the only thing really going around right now is the common cold. It is higher this year than last year, but should peak very soon before returning this fall. Spotlight: Chemical plants Over the weekend, YLE California covered the serious situation that unfolded around a chemical plant in Orange County, California. Thankfully, the worst-case scenario (a chemical explosion) was mitigated, but only through luck. The health implications in a densely populated area could have been catastrophic. As the situation was winding down, another chemical explosion struck Washington State. This one was fatal. Health officials say the risk to surrounding residents from chemicals in the air and ground remains low, though the community deserves far greater clarity. Clean air and clean water consistently rank as Americans’ top public health concerns — yet when chemical disasters strike, communities are too often met with reassurances rather than transparency and accountability. Residents near the 2023 East Palestine, Ohio train derailment, for example, are still waiting to understand the long-term impact on their health, with few clear answers. What this means for you: Many are wondering if facilities processing potentially dangerous materials are in their neighborhoods. This interactive map allows you to enter your ZIP code and see all facilities monitored by the EPA, including any violations. Good news Ebola vaccines and treatment for the Bundibugyo species are in development. Two vaccine platforms are being explored, at least one of which may be deployable in as little as 2 months. One vaccine is being developed by Oxford, and the other uses the same biotechnology as the FDA-approved Zaire species of Ebola. (It may provide cross-protection, but it’s unclear at this point.) On the treatment side, two promising monoclonal antibody cocktails are likely to be deployed, though doses are limited and logistical hurdles remain significant challenges. Anni over at The Biotech Tea had a great explainer about the Ebola vaccine gap, if you want to read more. [ The Biotech Tea The Ebola vaccine gap, reading vessel damage, & the Makary exit 🗝️ Paid subscribers get the Biotech Term of the Week at $30/year (~$2.50/month). I try to keep it intentionally accessible, but if cost is ever a barrier, send me a message. A few people asked about expensing your subscription, so I put together a short email template… Read more 6 days ago · 10 likes · Annicka Evans, PhD ](https://www.thebiotechtea.com/p/the-ebola-vaccine-gap-reading-vessel?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web) Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been officially renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), following more than a decade of debate and input from roughly 22,000 clinicians, researchers, and patients worldwide. This is good because the old name was medically misleading, leading to patients without visible cysts being dismissed or overlooked entirely. The WHO estimates that 70% of people with the condition remain undiagnosed. A more accurate name should improve recognition, reduce stigma, and ultimately help the millions of people living with this condition get diagnosed and treated sooner. Poll Loading... Bottom line Public health situations are everywhere right now. Staying healthy takes public health professionals and systems working tirelessly behind the scenes and each of us showing up for our neighbors and communities. Love, YLE Big thanks to Ed Nirenberg for staying on top of the Ebola vaccines, Hannah Totte for all the figures, Dr. Craig Spencer for the Ebola insight, and Dr. Matt Willis for covering the chemical situation in CA. Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “Translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
Exceptional scientists elected as Fellows of the Royal Society
Over 90 outstanding researchers from across the world have this year been elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Society, the UK’s national academy of sciences.
Life sciences firm planning $16M relocation to Noblesville
Bothell, Washington-based BioLife Solutions Inc. plans to move its manufacturing and research operations from Indianapolis to Hamilton County.
Solving real-world problems with AI
Arvish Pandey, a recent computer science graduate at the University of Cincinnati, is using artificial intelligence to better assess risk and prevent harm to the public. A downtown Cincinnati brawl that went viral last summer has sparked Pandey's recent research project dubbed "HORIZN."
Humanity has already exceeded Earth’s limits, study warns
Humanity may already be living far beyond what Earth can sustainably support, according to a sweeping new study analyzing more than 200 years of population and environmental data. Researchers found that while population growth once fueled innovation and expansion, the trend shifted decades ago as the planet’s resources became increasingly strained.
Scientists say guava juice could make iron supplements work better
Researchers found that drinking guava juice may significantly improve anemia by helping the body absorb iron more efficiently. In a review of 17 studies, women and teenage girls who consumed guava juice — especially with iron supplements — experienced noticeable increases in hemoglobin levels. Since guava contains far more vitamin C than oranges, scientists believe it could become a simple, affordable nutrition tool in regions where anemia is widespread.
Did heart health impact the risk of severe COVID-19 infection during the pandemic?
Research Highlights: The risk of being hospitalized or dying from COVID-19 infection was lower among adults with better heart health scores. Adults without cardiovascular disease and with the best levels of heart health, as indexed by the American...
Scientists create supercharged vitamin K that helps the brain heal itself
Scientists in Japan have created powerful new vitamin K-based compounds that may help the brain regenerate lost neurons — a breakthrough that could one day change how diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are treated. By combining vitamin K with components related to vitamin A, the researchers developed compounds that were about three times more effective at turning neural stem cells into neurons than natural vitamin K alone.
Conduction system pacing after TAVR linked to improved outcomes in new meta-analysis
Researchers explored data from nearly 800 patients, focusing on a wide variety of outcomes.
Graduate Exhibition Showcases Intersection of Health, Technology, Art, Design
From digital data and technology to the environment, healthcare and the body, graduate students from across the College of Letters and Science at University of California, Davis, are pushing boundaries with their experimental research and creative expression. The results, varied in medium and discipline, will be on display at the Arts & Humanities 2026 Graduate Exhibition.
UC Davis Researcher Explores How Brain Development Shapes Teen Mental Health
Amanda Guyer, professor in the Department of Human Ecology and a faculty researcher at the Center for Mind and Brain, is helping uncover how brain development influences the way children and adolescents respond to social and emotional challenges. She is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May.
Congressional Leaders Laud NASA Moon Plans, But Fight Intensifies over Science Funding
“If we weaken academia, we don’t just weaken our research capacity, we lose our workforce and we lose the innovation that fuels our economy.” —Rep. Zoe Lofgren at ASCEND 2026 Congressional leaders…
NSF deploys $250 million to restart Small Business Innovation Research & Small Business Tech Transfer programs, including a new $40 million pilot emphasis on next-generation scientific instrumentation
The U.S. National Science Foundation today relaunched its Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer programs with $250 million for the nation's startups and small...