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Originally published by Public Library of Science on January 13, 2026 Edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan Credit: Pixabay /CC0 Public Domain In a new study , terrestrial bacteria-infecting viruses were still able to infect their E. coli hosts in near-weightless "microgravity" conditions aboard the International Space Station , but the dynamics of virus-bacteria interactions differed from those observed on Earth . Phil Huss of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and colleagues present the findings in the open-access journal PLOS Biology . Interactions between phages—viruses that infect bacteria—and their hosts play an integral role in microbial ecosystems. Often described as being in an evolutionary "arms race," bacteria can evolve defenses against phages, while phages develop new ways to thwart defenses . While virus-bacteria interactions have been studied extensively on Earth, microgravity conditions alter bacterial physiology and the ph...

Originally written by Max Planck Society  in MedicalXpress on  January 9, 2026, edited by Sadie Harley , reviewed by Robert Egan   The brain continuously calculates how likely it is that something will happen within the next three seconds. It uses this assessment to prepare quick and accurate responses. Credit: Max Planck Society Humans respond to environments that change at many different speeds. A video game player, for example, reacts to on-screen events unfolding within hundreds of milliseconds or over several seconds. A boxer anticipates an opponent's moves—even when their timing differs from that of previous opponents. In each case, the brain predicts when events occur, prepares for what comes next and flexibly adapts to the demands of the situation . A study by neuroscientists from the Ernst Strüngmann Institute of the Max Planck Society, Goethe University Frankfurt , the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, and New York University , explains how th...

Originally written in Genetic Engineering and Bitotechnology News on January 2, 2026                       Credit: TefiM / iStock / Getty Images Plus Air sacs in the lungs called alveoli are crucial for gas exchange and provide an important barrier against inhaled viruses and bacteria that cause respiratory diseases like flu and tuberculosis (TB). However, there remains a gap in developing immunocompetent and experimentally accessible alveolar systems to study human respiratory diseases.  In a new study published in  Science Advances  titled, “ Autologous human iPSC–derived alveolus-on-chip reveals early pathological events of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection ,” researchers from the  Francis Crick Institute and  AlveoliX have developed what they describe as the first human lung-on-a-chip model using stem cells taken from a single human donor . The chip can simulate breathing motion...

Hibernation helps animals survive periods of harsh conditions. Studying this behavior could uncover clues to treating obesity, preserving organs, and more in humans. Originally written in the Scientist by Stephanie DeMarco, PhD, on Nov 28, 2025  Hibernating animals go into a state of torpor wherein they lower their metabolic rate and internal temperature. Image credit:© iStock.com, Edwin_Butter As leaves fall off the trees and temperatures grow bitingly cold, many animals prepare to hibernate for the winter. During this period, animals enter a state of torpor wherein they reduce their metabolic activity and lower their body temperature , which helps them conserve energy . Organisms can also enter other kinds of dormancy or adaptations to stressful environments that resemble hibernation. While studying these behaviors can teach scientists more about the unique biology of these animals , it can also inform human health and disease . These include neurodegeneration mechanisms...