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Dec 15, 2025, 11:34 PM
Ukraine Enhances Preparedness for Avian Influenza with Simulation Exercises

Ukraine Enhances Preparedness for Avian Influenza with Simulation Exercises

Avian influenza remains a major global health concern. It affects birds, mammals, livelihoods, and economies. Ukraine is at particular risk because of its location along migratory bird routes. These routes increase the chance of interaction between wild birds and poultry, which can lead to the introduction and spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The risk of genetic reassortment continues to pose a threat to human health and calls for strong and vigilant systems for early detection, preparedness, and response. Strengthening these systems is critical to protect public health and ensure Ukraine’s readiness to respond to future outbreaks. In September 2024, Ukraine held a National Bridging Workshop (NBW) to improve coordination between human and animal health authorities. One of the main recommendations was to conduct regular simulation exercises to test preparedness. Consequently, an introductory course on simulation exercise management was organized in Ukraine in 2024. The aim was to build national expertise in planning, conducting, and evaluating exercises according to international standards. In April 2025, further progress was made when the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection signed a Memorandum of Cooperation. The agreement focuses on: To put these commitments into practice, a tabletop simulation exercise (TTX) on avian influenza was held in Kyiv on 16–17 June 2025. The exercise was partly supported by the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework Partnership Contribution (PC) funds and tested how national stakeholders would or might coordinate and communicate during potential HPAI outbreaks in animals and humans. The TTX identified areas for improvement in coordination, information sharing, and response. It also confirmed Ukraine’s growing capacity to manage zoonotic threats and prepare for future pandemics. Ukraine’s work on avian influenza contributes to the Global Influenza Strategy by strengthening surveillance, national disease control programs, and pandemic preparedness. WHO's support to key national partners will be guided by the recommendations from the simulation exercise and will focus on enhancing several critical areas such as formalizing cross-sectoral collaboration through the enhancement of standard operational procedures and establishing a robust framework for joint activities such as risk assessments and communication. Building on the lessons of recent crises, WHO will work with countries and partners to sustain preparedness investments and to reinforce regional mechanisms for early detection and rapid response.
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Dec 15, 2025, 11:33 PM
WHO Seeks Internationally Renowned Experts to Serve on Science Council

WHO Seeks Internationally Renowned Experts to Serve on Science Council

The World Health Organization (WHO) is today soliciting the interest of internationally-renowned experts to serve on its Science Council, one of the Organization’s highest-level advisory bodies to the WHO Director-General. In a rapidly evolving scientific landscape, WHO is committed to reinforcing its global leadership in health sciences and innovation. Through the Chief Scientist’s Office, the Science Division guides the Organization’s scientific direction, supports the development of health norms and standards, promotes ethical and equitable research ecosystems, and ensures that evidence is translated into impactful policy and action. “Scientific excellence is the backbone of effective public health,” said Dr Sylvie Briand, Chief Scientist, World Health Organization. “We are calling on the world’s leading experts to shape the future of global health together with WHO and to translate emerging knowledge into evidence informed solutions and drive innovations that ensure better health for all.” The Science Council will play a critical role in shaping WHO’s scientific priorities. Members will identify breakthroughs and emerging trends; assess urgent scientific issues; provide strategic guidance on research, innovation and global challenges; support reviews of WHO normative products; and advise on the ethical and societal implications of new scientific advances. WHO is seeking 15–20 multidisciplinary experts with outstanding achievements and demonstrated experience operating at the highest strategic levels across fields such as biomedical research, emerging technologies, data science, health economics, the social sciences, governance, ethics and global health. Selected members will serve in their personal capacity. WHO will consider technical expertise, communication skills, international policy experience, and the importance of regional and gender diversity, with particular attention to experts from low- and middle-income countries. All members must comply with WHO’s Code of Conduct for Experts and be free of real or perceived conflicts of interest. The Science Council is expected to meet at least three times a year, either in person in Geneva or virtually. While positions are not remunerated, WHO will cover travel and accommodation expenses in line with its policies. Expressions of interest are possible until 16 January 2026. Candidates should send in their applications by23:59 Geneva time on 16 January 2026. Applicants should provide a cover letter (without institutional letterhead), a two-page curriculum vitae, and a completed WHO Declaration of Interests form. Shortlisted applicants may be contacted for interviews, and WHO may publish the names and biographies of selected experts. For more information or inquiries, please contact:sciencecouncil@who.int.
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Dec 15, 2025, 11:33 PM
Congo Implements Sentinel Surveillance for Influenza, Strengthening Regional Health Security

Congo Implements Sentinel Surveillance for Influenza, Strengthening Regional Health Security

On 30 October 2025, the Republic of the Congo became the 35th country in the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region to implement sentinel surveillance for influenza, an achievement that strengthens regional capacity to monitor, detect and respond to respiratory threats and supports global pandemic influenza preparedness efforts. This launch follows months of preparation and contributes to the WHO African Region’s broader goal of expanding influenza surveillance capacity across all Member States. Congo applied WHO’s regional sentinel site selection checklist to identify strategic health facilities for surveillance, ensuring coverage in high-risk urban areas and alignment with national health priorities. In May 2025, a national training workshop brought together 25 participants including clinicians, surveillance officers, and laboratory staff from the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Laboratory, WHO Country Office, WHO Regional Office for Africa and partners. During the workshop, teams finalized site selection, received hands-on training on integrated influenza surveillance, and developed a national surveillance protocol with technical support from the WHO. Three sentinel sites—one in Pointe-Noire and two in Brazzaville—now form the backbone of Congo’s influenza surveillance system, enabling timely specimen collection and data reporting. This marks a strategic investment in having a system and health workforce capable of monitoring influenza viruses and disease, reinforcing Congo’s commitment to sustainable health security. With Congo’s achievement, the WHO African Region moves closer to comprehensive country level influenza surveillance coverage. “This event is not merely a technical activity; it symbolises a major strategic advancement for the Republic of Congo in building a public health system that is more resilient, more responsive, and better prepared to face emerging and re-emerging public health threats.” – Vincent Dossou Sodjinou, WHO Representative to the Republic of the Congo Next steps include activating the selected sentinel sites, validating the national protocol, and integrating the system into the regional Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response framework to ensure sustainability and alignment with health security priorities. These actions will ensure Congo’s surveillance system is not only operational but also contributes meaningfully to regional preparedness and global health security.
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Dec 15, 2025, 11:32 PM
Ethiopia Reaches Major Public Health Milestone with WHO Maturity Level 3 Achievement

Ethiopia Reaches Major Public Health Milestone with WHO Maturity Level 3 Achievement

In September 2025, Ethiopia achieved a major public health milestone by reaching World Health Organization (WHO) Maturity Level 3 (ML3) for its medicines and vaccines regulatory system. This recognition, granted through WHO’s Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT), confirms that the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) operate a stable, well-functioning and integrated regulatory system capable of ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of medical products. Ethiopia’s journey began in 2017, when EFDA underwent a rapid benchmarking exercise. The results laid the foundation for a comprehensive Institutional Development Plan (IDP), which guided the country’s efforts to strengthen its regulatory functions. Over the years, Ethiopia has demonstrated sustained commitment to regulatory improvement, supported by WHO and partners through capacity building, technical assistance, and repeated formal benchmarking. “This achievement is a landmark moment not only for the country but for Africa as a whole, A strong regulatory system means patients can trust that the medicines they take are safe, effective and of assured quality. This is a foundation for universal health coverage and healthier futures.” - Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa The achievement aligns with one of the Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 14) Outputs, which highlights WHO’s role in supporting countries to implement measures for better access to and use of effective, quality-assured health products. It also contributes to the Pandemic influenza Preparedness Framework: Partnership Contribution High-Level Implementation Plan III 2024-2030(HLIP III) output on improving access to pandemic countermeasures. “Effective regulation saves lives,” emphasized Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems, Access and Data. “By reaching Maturity Level 3, Ethiopia has demonstrated leadership and commitment to protecting its population, strengthening its health system, and contributing to regional and global efforts to improve access to quality-assured medical products.” Ethiopia’s success story is a testament to what can be achieved through strategic planning, national ownership, and strong partnerships. It sets a powerful example for other countries working to strengthen their regulatory systems and ensure equitable access to essential health products.
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Dec 15, 2025, 11:32 PM
WHO South-East Asia Region Develops Comprehensive Roadmap for Pandemic Readiness

WHO South-East Asia Region Develops Comprehensive Roadmap for Pandemic Readiness

Influenza and other respiratory pathogens with pandemic potential continue to pose significant health risks worldwide. To strengthen regional preparedness and response, Member States in the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEAR) are working together to develop a comprehensive roadmap for pandemic readiness, with a focus on influenza, COVID-19 and other respiratory threats. This effort is guided by the Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET) initiative, the South-East Asia Regional Strategic Roadmap on health security and health system resilience for emergencies and supported by the Pandemic Preparedness (PIP) Framework Partnership Contribution (PC) funds. During the final two days of the annual regional meeting on PIP PC and PRET Implementation in Colombo, participants from Member States, WHO partner agencies, multidisciplinary technical experts, and WHO country, regional and headquarters offices, reviewed the draft regional roadmap and the strategic action framework for pandemic preparedness and response focusing influenza, COVID-19 and other respiratory threats for 2026–2031. This consultation is a part of the current SEARO PIP PC biennial workplan and contributes to the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework: Partnership Contribution High-Level Implementation Plan III 2024–2030 (HLIP-III) policy and planning output. Based on the principles of equity, inclusivity, multisectoral collaboration, and sustainability, the draft roadmap provides a coherent framework for integrated respiratory pathogen pandemic planning using the PRET approach. The draft SEAR roadmap supports planning for pandemic preparedness and response beyond a pathogen-specific focus towards a more integrated, “mode of transmission” approach, while maintaining pathogen-specific readiness through updated contingency plans for national influenza pandemic preparedness. The long-term goal of this roadmap is to ensure that every Member State in SEAR maintains an operational, regularly tested, and updated national broad respiratory pathogen pandemic plan by 2031. The consultation created a shared vision for strong respiratory pathogen pandemic preparedness in the region, building on national progress, addressing gaps, and leveraging opportunities. Discussions prioritized four thematic areas for the WHO SEARO to consider when finalizing the roadmap: Through collective work, participants enriched the roadmap with strategic insights, emphasizing practicality, sustainability, equity, resilience, and aligning with existing health security monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for tracking progress. By emphasizing the need for embedding a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach with a community protection focus, participants enabled the roadmap to position a populous and complex South-East Asia Region to plan for more effective response to future respiratory pathogen pandemics, protecting both lives and livelihoods. "This roadmap reflects our shared commitment to building a more resilient South-East Asia through both pathogen-agnostic and pathogen-specific preparedness planning for respiratory threats with pandemic potential. The adoption of the PRET approach marks a decisive regional strategy. It builds on over a decade of experience, expertise, infrastructure, and workforce development in influenza pandemic preparedness. This foundation is now being leveraged to develop dynamic systems, adaptable tools, a skilled workforce, and robust alert mechanisms to effectively respond to emerging respiratory threats." - Dr Pushpa R Wijesinghe, Programme Area Manager, Infectious Hazard Management, Health Emergencies Programme, WHO/SEARO Feedback from the consultation will be incorporated into the final version of the regional roadmap and action framework. The approved roadmap is expected to be released at the Seventy-ninth Session of the South-East Asia Regional Committee in 2026. Its implementation from 2026 will mark a significant step in the SEAR's PRET implementation journey, which began with the PRET Secretariat rollout in 2023.
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Dec 15, 2025, 11:32 PM
Guyana Introduces Seasonal Influenza Vaccination for Priority Groups

Guyana Introduces Seasonal Influenza Vaccination for Priority Groups

On 19 September 2025, Guyana announced the introduction of seasonal influenza vaccination for priority groups, including healthcare workers, older adults, pregnant women, children, and individuals with chronic conditions. Guyana is the 42nd country of the 44 reporting countries in the Region to introduce seasonal influenza vaccination. With Guyana’s introduction, 95% of the countries are conducting influenza vaccination for priority groups. This milestone is a result of sustained technical collaboration between the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization (WHO) with the support from the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework and the Task Force for Global Health. The rollout of seasonal influenza vaccines follows a series of coordinated activities, including the development of a national influenza vaccination policy, capacity-building workshops for healthcare workers and Expanded Programme on Immunization staff, and procurement of influenza vaccines through the PAHO’s Revolving Fund for Access to Vaccines. These efforts align with Strategic Objective 3 of the Global Influenza Strategy (2019–2030), which aims to build national influenza disease prevention and control programmes. Guyana’s progress in surveillance has also been notable. The National Public Health Laboratory was recently designated as a WHO National Influenza Centre (NIC), a recognition that reflects its enhanced diagnostic capacity and commitment to virus sharing under the PIP Framework. The laboratory now actively contributes data to the globalFluNet platform, strengthening regional and global situational awareness of influenza virus circulation. Data generated from Guyana’s influenza surveillance system enabled the country to model the potential impact of influenza vaccination in reducing hospitalizations, and deaths as well as worker absenteeism due to influenza. In addition, the information from the surveillance system was used to evaluate the timing of influenza epidemics, enabling Guyana to determine which vaccines were most appropriate (northern hemisphere vaccines) and when to start their vaccination campaign (September) to achieve the maximum impact from the vaccination programme. The introduction of influenza vaccination and NIC designation are examples of Guyana’s commitment to strengthening the national health system and implementing WHO initiatives, including the Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET) framework and the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR). By introducing seasonal influenza vaccination, Guyana is taking a decisive step to protect its most vulnerable populations and reduce the strain on health services during influenza season. This proactive approach underscores the country’s commitment to safeguarding health through prevention and their strategic investment in national epidemic and pandemic preparedness. Photo credit: News RoomPhoto caption: Minister of Health, Dr Frank Anthony receives influenza vaccine
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Dec 15, 2025, 11:31 PM
Uzbekistan's Virology Laboratory Achieves International Accreditation for Quality and Competence

Uzbekistan's Virology Laboratory Achieves International Accreditation for Quality and Competence

On 15 September 2025, the Virology Laboratory of the Committee for Sanitary-Epidemiological Well-being and Public Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan received accreditation against the national standard O'z DSt ISO 15189:2023 from the Uzbek Accreditation Center. Oʻz DSt stands for “Oʻzbekiston Davlat Standarti,” meaning Uzbekistan State Standard, and indicates the country’s adaptation of ISO standards to align with international requirements while reflecting local context. Oʻz DSt ISO 15189:2023 is Uzbekistan’s version of the internationally recognized ISO 15189:2023 standard, which sets global benchmarks for quality and competence in medical laboratories. This accreditation demonstrates that the laboratory meets rigorous international standards, ensuring reliable and timely test results essential for disease surveillance and public health interventions. The accreditation process was supported by the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Partnership Contribution (PC) through WHO Uzbekistan and WHO Europe’s Better Labs for Better Health initiative, which established the mentoring project and guided laboratories in implementing quality management systems. International experts conducted four on-site visits in 2019-2020 to initiate and strengthen the process. Building on this foundation, a national mentor, embedded in the laboratory with CDC support from 2021-2025, provided continuous guidance to sustain improvements and ensure compliance. These efforts have significantly strengthened Uzbekistan’s capacity for influenza surveillance and pandemic readiness, in line with the Global Influenza Strategy and International Health Regulations (IHR). While Uzbekistan does not have an internationally recognized National Influenza Centre (NIC), the accredited laboratory now performs many of the functions expected of such a center—providing reliable virological diagnostics and contributing to global health security. “I have been working in the laboratory system of the Republic of Uzbekistan for almost 40 years, and throughout this time, questions have often arisen: Is the laboratory operating properly? Are laboratory tests in the virology lab being conducted correctly? Is the laboratory staff competent enough? Only after receiving ISO 15189:2023 accreditation can I confidently answer these questions: ‘Yes, the laboratory has confirmed its compliance with the quality criteria of ISO 15189:2023.’ The laboratory received official confirmation from independent experts of its technical competence and ability to produce accurate, reliable test results.” - Dr Sultan Djemileva, Head, Accredited Virology Laboratory, Committee for sanitary-epidemiological well-being and public health, Republic of Uzbekistan This accreditation also advances WHO’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HEPR) agenda by reinforcing laboratory readiness for emerging infectious disease threats. It is a testament to how sustained PIP PC investment, combined with coordinated international and national support, can deliver long-term improvements in pandemic influenza preparedness at the country level. Looking ahead, Uzbekistan plans to further enhance laboratory quality and surveillance capacity, contributing to regional and global health security. Photo credit: Abdulatif AbdiakhatovPhoto caption: Lab technicians performing virological tests at the Virology Laboratory of the Committee for sanitary-epidemiological well-being and public health of the Republic of Uzbekistan
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Dec 15, 2025, 11:31 PM
WHO Issues Medical Product Alert: Falsified IBRANCE (Palbociclib) Detected in Multiple Countries

WHO Issues Medical Product Alert: Falsified IBRANCE (Palbociclib) Detected in Multiple Countries

This WHO Medical Product Alert refers to nine lots of falsified IBRANCE (palbociclib). These falsified products have been detected in Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya and Türkiye and were reported to WHO in November 2025. The falsified products have been offered directly to consumers via online platforms and have also been found at pharmacy level. IBRANCE (palbociclib) is a medicine used to treat certain advanced breast cancers. Genuine IBRANCE is presented as capsules to be taken orally. These products are falsified as they deliberately misrepresent their identity, composition, and source. The genuine manufacturer has confirmed that the products listed in this alert are falsified. Samples of the falsified products have been tested by the genuine manufacturer and were found to contain no active pharmaceutical ingredient. The genuine manufacturer also identified several visual discrepancies on the packaging. Some of the falsified products carry genuine lot numbers but display packaging, serialization, and capsule printing anomalies. Falsified lot numbers:The following lot numbers areNOT valid for genuine IBRANCEand any IBRANCE product with these lot numbers should be treated as falsified: FS5173, GS4328, LV1850, and TS2190. Suspicious lot numbers:(likely to be falsified if combined with any indicator below):GK2981, GR6491, GT5817, HJ8710, and HJ8715. Indicators of falsification include: These falsified medicines did not contain any active pharmaceutical ingredient and should therefore be considered unsafe. Their use could result in treatment failure, uncontrolled cancer progression, and a higher risk of death due to lack of therapeutic effect. It is important to detect and remove any falsified IBRANCE (palbociclib) from circulation to prevent harm to patients. Health-care professionals should report any unexpected adverse reactions, lack of therapeutic effects or quality defects to their National Regulatory Authorities or National Pharmacovigilance Centre. WHO advises increased surveillance and diligence within the supply chains of countries and regions likely to be affected by these falsified products. Increased surveillance of the informal/unregulated market, including online platforms, is also advised. National regulatory authorities/health authorities/law enforcement are advised to immediately notify WHO if these falsified products are detected in their country. If you are in possession of these products, WHO recommends that you do not use them. If you, or someone you know, has, or may have used these products, or suffered an adverse event or unexpected side-effect after use, seek immediate medical advice from a health-care professional or contact a poisons control centre. All medical products must be obtained from authorized/licensed suppliers. If you have any information about the manufacture or supply of these products, please contact WHO viarapidalert@who.int. Annex: Products subject to the WHO Medical Product Alert N°7/2025
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The Core
Dec 15, 2025, 11:00 PM
India Must Act: Regulating Social Media Use Among Children

India Must Act: Regulating Social Media Use Among Children

Australia sparked a global policy debate last week byrestricting social mediaaccess for children under 16. While critics fret over the practicalities of the enforcement, Canberra has accurately diagnosed a crisis that transcends borders. It is time for India, which has been deliberating this issue on the periphery, to move from low-key discussion to decisive regulation. The anxiety over digital addiction in general, and among children specifically, is the one issue that unites Indian parents across the political, economic and social spectrum. There is already much work being done in this space, for instance, by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which sits under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. Consider the NCPCR’spandemic-era studyof 5,811 participants across six states. It found that 60% of children were using phones—often their parents’ devices—for instant messaging. More alarming was the rampant circumvention of age limits. The study revealed that 38% of 10-year-olds possessed Facebook accounts and 24% were on Instagram, despite the platforms’ theoretical minimum age of 13. The costs of this exposure are being paid in cognitive and physical health. Nearly 37% of children reported frequently reduced concentration levels, and 24% admitted to using smartphones in bed, ahabit directly linkedto sleep disorders and anxiety. The NCPCR also met with representatives of social media platforms in November last year in the context of child sexual abuse material and emphasised the need for enhanced safety features on social media platforms; with a focus to keep children safe from predators and explicit content. A separate study by the Amity Institute of Forensic Sciences published by the World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics corroborates this, linking excessive scrolling to stress, anxiety and depression. While some of these studies are slightly old, the context could have hardly improved. Like many countries, India already has the legislative backdrop to make a move. The IT Rules of 2021 obligate platforms to curb harmful content, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act of 2023 explicitly prohibits data fiduciaries from tracking children ortargeting them with ads. But these are more like guardrails; and the current crisis requires a gate. The Government has also proven it can act swiftly against digital harm when it chooses. InAugust, the governmentcracked down on ‘real money games’, effectively curbing an online betting industry that even attractedbillions in venture capital. The Government correctly prioritised social welfare over investor returns, saving countless youth from gambling away their—or their parents’ income. The move was executed with rare clinical precision and speed involving both houses of the Parliament. The challenge now is to apply that same resolve to social media. Emulating Australia’s legislative ban is one path, but technology offers others. China, for instance, employs a ‘minor mode’ linked to identity verification, which restricts children aged 8 to 16 tojust one hour of daily access. While Beijing is not the most appropriate model for governance for a democracy like India, the efficacy of its technical controls is undeniable. A prudent Indian policy would likely blend these approaches: strict age-gating technology, school-level bans and awareness, and parental education. If there is any lingering doubt about the necessity of restriction, one needs only look at the household rules of Silicon Valley’s elite. Bill Gates, Tim Cook, and Peter Thiel have all famously limited screen time for children in their families. And for a long time. Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple until his death in 2012, revealed in a 2011 New York Times interview that he prohibited his kids from using the newly-released iPad. "We limit how much technology our kids use at home," Jobs told reporter Nick Bilton. Last week, YouTube CEO Neal Mohanjoined the chorus, telling Time magazine that his children’s use of media platforms is controlled and restricted. “We do limit their time on YouTube and other platforms and other forms of media,” he said. If the architects of the algorithm won’t let their own children consume it unchecked, why should India’s parents be expected to? Global examples show tighter child online rules—should India also rethink how it protects young digital users?
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Dec 15, 2025, 10:00 PM
Unraveling the Mystery of Memory: A Scientific and Philosophical Exploration

Unraveling the Mystery of Memory: A Scientific and Philosophical Exploration

As I reflect on a year ofQuantabiology stories to decide which of the many excellent ones to recommend, I am relying on memory. But what exactly does that mean? “Memory” is a slippery word. It means one thing to a person striving to recall places, people or moments from the past, and another to someone searching their mind for a fact they swore they knew. A neuroscientist might consider a “memory” to be a physical connection between neurons or networks reactivated by cognitive processes, or the changes in an animal’s behavior in response to something it experienced in the past. But what is memory to a cell biologist — or to a cell? This is what the writer Claire L. Evans explored inher scientific, philosophical, semantic journeythrough the long-forgotten and recently revived history of aneural, or brainless, forms of memory. She recounts decades-old and brand-new experiments that test whether individual cells record experiences, such as pulses of chemicals in their environments. In the process, these experiments challenge fundamental ideas in neuroscience. For a cell, Evans writes, “there’s no distinction between memory, the memorizer and the act of remembering.” Is that also true for us? Here are some more stories from 2025 that I think are worth remembering.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:49 PM
AI-Powered Podcasts Invade the Market: A New Era of Voice Technology Emerges

AI-Powered Podcasts Invade the Market: A New Era of Voice Technology Emerges

Chatty bots are sharing their hot takes through hundreds of thousands of AI-generated podcasts. And the invasion has just begun. Though their banter can be a bit banal, the AI podcasters' confidence and research are now arguably better than most people's. "We've just begun to cross the threshold of voice AI being pretty much indistinguishable from human," said Alan Cowen, chief executive of Hume AI, a startup specializing in voice technology. "We're seeing creators use it in all kinds of ways." AI can make podcasts sound better and cost less, industry insiders say, but the growing swarm of new competitors entering an already crowded market is disrupting the industry.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:47 PM
Public Perception Shifts Towards 'Chatbot Therapists' Following Rise of Generative AI

Public Perception Shifts Towards 'Chatbot Therapists' Following Rise of Generative AI

Public attitudes toward 'chatbot therapists' shifted dramatically during the rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence in 2023, according to a new Curtin University study, that is now behind the redevelopment of a safer, well-being chatbot called Monti. Data collected both before and after the emergence of ChatGPT revealed a major shift to usinggenerative-AI chatbots, valuing their natural conversation style and apparent understanding. This may have led earlier 'rules-based' chatbots to seem repetitive and lacking in understanding. The research is now guiding the redevelopment of Curtin's next generation of well-being chatbot, Monti, co-designed with consumers to promote safe, reflective emotional exploration. Research team lead and Professor of Mental Health Warren Mansell, from the Curtin School of Population Health, said 2023 marked aturning pointin the public understanding of AI-supported well-being tools.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:47 PM
WIC Program: Understanding Patterns for Long-Term Participation

WIC Program: Understanding Patterns for Long-Term Participation

Over five decades, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has become known as the nation's first "food as medicine" program. Low-income families receiving WIC benefits—which provides nutritious food in designated categories, nutrition education and access to other social services—have fewer premature births and infant deaths, eat higher-quality diets, and are more likely to receive regular medical care. But many families who are income eligible to participate in WIC aren't receiving those benefits. Research has found that households who don't use the full amount of theirnutrition benefitsare more likely to drop from the program. New research by the University of Washington has found that households who redeem more of their benefits in the most popular food categories are more likely to remain in the program long-term. Better understanding these patterns could help WIC agencies identify families who might need a little extra encouragement to stay enrolled. The study waspublishedinJAMA Network Open.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:45 PM
Chronic Mental Illnesses at Work: Flexibility and Trust Key to Success

Chronic Mental Illnesses at Work: Flexibility and Trust Key to Success

More than 20% of Americans will bediagnosed with mental illness in their lifetimes. They will, that is, experience conditions that influence the way they think, feel and act—and that may initially seem incompatible with the demands of work. Our new research suggests that what people living with chronic mental illnesses need most to succeed at work is for their managers to be flexible and trust them. This includes the freedom to adjust their schedules and workloads to make their jobs more compatible with their efforts to manage and treat their symptoms. For that to happen, managers need to trust that these workers are committed to their jobs and their employers. We'remanagementprofessorswho reviewed hundreds of blog and Reddit posts and conducted in-depth interviews with 59 people. And those are the most significant findings from our peer-reviewed study, published in the October 2025 issue of theAcademy of Management Journal.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:45 PM
Nagoya University Develops Heat-Resistant Aluminum Alloys Using Metal 3D Printing

Nagoya University Develops Heat-Resistant Aluminum Alloys Using Metal 3D Printing

Aluminum is prized for being lightweight and strong, but at high temperatures it loses strength. This has limited its use in engines, turbines, and other applications where parts must stay strong under high temperature conditions. Researchers at Nagoya University have developed a method that uses metal 3D printing to create a new aluminum alloy series optimized for high strength and heat resistance. All new alloys use low-cost, abundant elements, and are recycling-friendly, with one variant staying both strong and flexible at 300° C. The study ispublishedinNature Communications. "The design centers on iron, which metallurgists usually don't add to aluminum because it makes the metal brittle and vulnerable to corrosion," explained Naoki Takata, lead author and professor at Nagoya University Graduate School of Engineering. "The extreme cooling rates inlaser powder bed fusion, which is a representative process of metal 3D printing technologies, cause molten metal to solidify in seconds. This changes fundamental rules—therapid coolingtraps iron and other elements in arrangements (formation of metastable phases) that can't form under normal manufacturing conditions. By carefully selecting which elements to add, we created new alloys that are both heat-resistant and strong."
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:44 PM
Ferrihydrite's Surprising Strategies for Trapping Carbon: A Key to Soil's Long-Term Carbon Sequestration

Ferrihydrite's Surprising Strategies for Trapping Carbon: A Key to Soil's Long-Term Carbon Sequestration

While scientists have long known that iron oxide minerals help lock away enormous amounts of carbon—sequestering it from the atmosphere—a new Northwestern University study now reveals exactly why these minerals are such powerful carbon traps. By exploring ferrihydrite, a common iron oxide mineral, engineers discovered it employs multiple, fundamentally different chemical strategies to grab carbon and lock it away. Although ferrihydrite has an overall positive electrical charge, the engineers found its surface is not uniformly charged. Instead, its surface resembles a nanoscale mosaic of positively and negatively charged patches. And ferrihydrite does not trap carbon using electrostatic attraction alone. It also uses chemical bonds and hydrogen bonding to form strong chemical links between its surface and organic materials. These unexpected strategies turn iron oxide minerals into highly versatile carbon snatchers, capable of grabbing and holding onto many different types of organic molecules. The findings offer new insight into how these minerals in soils trap carbon for decades or even centuries, preventing it from entering the atmosphere as climate-warming greenhouse gases.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:44 PM
Penn State Researchers Uncover Secret Behind Transparent Ceramics' Exceptional Light-Controlling Properties

Penn State Researchers Uncover Secret Behind Transparent Ceramics' Exceptional Light-Controlling Properties

A new class of ceramics are not only transparent, but they can control light with exceptional efficiency—better than any theories predicted. Now, an advanced theory put forth by researcher at Penn State may explain why this material is so good at light control, which could lead to large-scale manufacturing of these materials for faster, smaller and more energy efficient technologies used in high-speed communications, medical imaging and advanced sensing. To solve the puzzle of why transparent ceramic's electro-optic properties—the ability to change how they bend or transmit light when a voltage is applied—performed far better than predicted, Haixue Yan, reader in materials science and engineering from the Queen Mary University of London, reached out to Zi-Kui Liu, a Penn State professor of materials science and engineering. Liu previously developed an advanced theory of entropy, or the concept that systems trend toward disorder if no energy is applied to keep the chaos at bay. This advanced theory, known aszentropy theory, blendsquantum mechanics, thermodynamics and statistical mechanics into a single predictive framework. Together, along with a team representing multiple institutions across six countries, they solved the mystery and publishedtheir workin theJournal of the American Chemical Society. Ceramics offer major advantages for optical technologies because they are far cheaper to manufacture than single crystals, easier to scale into usable components and allow precise control of composition. However, to function in electro-optic devices, the material must be transparent so that light passes through it smoothly, a longstanding challenge that recent processing advances have finally overcome.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:44 PM
Corals' Hidden Feeding Habits: Uncovering the Role of Heterotrophy in Energy Production

Corals' Hidden Feeding Habits: Uncovering the Role of Heterotrophy in Energy Production

Corals obtain energy in two ways: firstly, through photosynthesis by their symbiotic algae, and secondly by taking up small food particles such as plankton directly from the water. In scientific terms, this process is known as "heterotrophy." In a studypublished inCommunications Biology, an international research team including Bremen-based scientist Marleen Stuhr (ZMT) reports that the contribution of heterotrophic food intake to energy production in corals has so far often been significantly underestimated. The underlying reason is rooted in the measurement methods themselves. Coral reefs provide a livelihood for millions of people—through fisheries, coastal protection, or tourism. But the climate crisis is putting increasing pressure on reefs worldwide. Recent scientific publications, such as theGlobal Tipping Points Report, warn that these essential ecosystems may soon reach a tipping point. Researchers are trying to find out how corals can build greater resilience against rising temperatures and ocean acidification. This requires a detailed understanding of how corals feed, the role of direct plankton uptake, and the contribution of their algal symbionts.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:43 PM
Trump Signs Executive Order to Overhaul State-Level Artificial Intelligence Regulations

Trump Signs Executive Order to Overhaul State-Level Artificial Intelligence Regulations

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Dec. 11, 2025, that aims tosupersede state-level artificial intelligence lawsthat the administration views as a hindrance to innovation in AI. State laws regulating AI are increasing in number, particularly in response to the rise of generative AI systems such as ChatGPT that produce text and images. Thirty-eight statesenacted laws in 2025 regulating AIin one way or another. They range fromprohibiting stalkingvia AI-powered robots tobarring AI systemsthat can manipulate people's behavior. The executive order declares that it is the policy of the United States to produce a "minimally burdensome" national framework for AI. The order calls on the U.S. attorney general to create an AI litigation task force to challenge state AI laws that are inconsistent with the policy. It also orders the secretary of commerce to identify "onerous" state AI laws that conflict with the policy and to withhold funding under theBroadband Equity Access and Deployment Programto states with those laws. The executive order exempts state AI laws related to child safety. Executive orders aredirectives to federal agencieson how to implement existing laws. The AI executive order directs federal departments and agencies to take actions that the administration claims fall under their legal authorities.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:43 PM
Gene Therapy Shows Promise in Treating Rare Genetic Disorder HSP

Gene Therapy Shows Promise in Treating Rare Genetic Disorder HSP

There is no cure for the rare disease Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP), but researchers from Drexel University's College of Medicine and the UMass Chan Medical School have achieved proof-of-principle success with "silence and replace" gene therapy—an approach that uses a viral vector to silence genes with disease-causing mutations and replace them with healthy genes—to prevent and even reverse disease progression. In this case, the team, led by Drexel College of Medicine Professor Peter Baas, Ph.D. and Research Instructor Emanuela Piermarini, Ph.D., who was chief scientist on the project, were able to prevent nerve breakdown and symptoms of HSP in a mouse model of the disease. Their findings arepublishedin the journalMolecular Therapy. HSP can be caused by mutations in any of more than 90 different genes, each with a numbered name, such as SPG1, SPG2 and so on. The team studied SPG4, the most common form of HSP, making up about 40% of cases and caused by mutations in the SPAST gene. Patients are generally categorized as having uncomplicated HSP––the majority of cases––categorized by gait defects, such as muscle stiffness and weakness in leg muscles or complicated HSP, which, in addition to muscle weakness and stiffness, may also include symptoms impacting upper limb mobility, speech or intellectual abilities and/or bladder control, among other symptoms.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:41 PM
Researchers Identify Small Molecules that Modulate Overactive Receptors Linked to Cancer Development

Researchers Identify Small Molecules that Modulate Overactive Receptors Linked to Cancer Development

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have identified small molecules capable of influencing a hard-to-target receptor family linked to cancer development. The findings have been published inNature Communicationsand theJournal of Biological Chemistry. The human body contains thousands of proteins that act as receivers of various signals. One particular group, the Frizzled receptors, enables cells to communicate and plays a crucial role in tissue growth and repair. However, when these receptors become overactive, they may contribute to the development of cancer. Researchers have therefore long sought ways to modulate them pharmacologically—an endeavor that has proven highly challenging. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have now investigated Frizzled 7 (FZD7), a receptor essential for intestinal cells and frequently overactive in tumors. By combining large-scale virtual compound libraries, in silico screening and computer simulations with laboratory assays and cryogenic electron microscopy (CryoEM), the team has identified and characterized small molecules that can reduce receptor activity.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:41 PM
Lipoic Acid May Slow Brain Atrophy in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

Lipoic Acid May Slow Brain Atrophy in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis

The over‐the‐counter supplement lipoic acid may have a small beneficial effect in slowing the loss of gray matter in the brains of people with progressive forms of multiple sclerosis, according to new research led by Oregon Health & Science University and the Portland VA Health Care System. However, the randomized controlled trial found that it did not improve the primary clinical outcome measured by walking speed. The findings were published in the journalNeurology. The study included 54 participants with primary progressive and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. People in the experimental group took a daily 1,200‐milligram dose of lipoic acid over two years. Researchers compared the outcomes with 61 people who were given a placebo. They measured the primary outcome as walking speed. Secondary outcomes included brain atrophy measured by magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, other clinical outcomes, and safety.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:40 PM
Older Adults' Experiences with Sexual Violence: A Long-Neglected Concern

Older Adults' Experiences with Sexual Violence: A Long-Neglected Concern

Sexual violence is usually framed as a concern affecting younger people. But a new George Mason University study of survivors over 50 tells a different story. The study ispublishedin the journalSage Open Aging. Michelle Hand, assistant professor of social work at the College of Public Health, set out to document those experiences, identifying 16 survivors in their 50s through 80s who shared candid accounts of violence they endured at later ages and the aftermath. The study is one of the first to center older adults' voices on sexual violence, an area where survivor accounts have been largely absent from research. The survivors describedsexual violenceamong older people as more common than the public assumes, but often ignored or dismissed. The group included both men and women, as well as LGBTQ+ survivors. "Many survivors who are 50 years and older feel left out of the narrative because they have been, so it was important that their voices were heard in this study," Hand said. "Their rich perspectives resulted in nuanced recommendations for sexual violence prevention and intervention, including in the workplace, where older survivors have been met with shock."
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:40 PM
Unlocking the Secrets of Age-Related Inflammation: A Potential Target for Treating Sepsis

Unlocking the Secrets of Age-Related Inflammation: A Potential Target for Treating Sepsis

As people age, their bodies develop a dysfunctional immune system, which can leave older adults more susceptible to conditions like sepsis. New research from University of Minnesota researchers reveals how certain immune cells, known as macrophages, stay locked in an inflammatory state during aging in preclinical models. The findings arepublishedinNature Aging. In the study, researchers found macrophages produce a protein calledGDF3, which signals back to the same cells and reinforces their inflammatory behavior—ultimately worsening the body's response to sepsis. The study, performed by biochemistry graduate student In Hwa Jang, showed that GDF3 signals through SMAD2/3, inducing permanent changes in the genome. This increases inflammatory cytokines that the macrophages secrete. "Macrophages are critical to the development of inflammation; in our study, we identified a pathway which is used to maintain their inflammatory status," said Christina Camell, Ph.D., an associate professor with the University of Minnesota Medical School and College of Biological Sciences. "Our findings suggest that this pathway could be blocked to prevent theamplified inflammationthat can be damaging to organ function and may be a promising target for future treatments that reduce harmful inflammation."
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:39 PM
XMM-Newton Observes Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in Low-Energy X-Rays

XMM-Newton Observes Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS in Low-Energy X-Rays

The European Space Agency's X-ray space observatory XMM-Newton observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS on 3 December for around 20 hours. During that time, the comet was about 282–285 million km from the spacecraft. XMM-Newton observed the comet with its European Photon Imaging Camera (EPIC)-pn camera, its most sensitive X-ray camera. This image shows the comet glowing in low-energy X-rays: blue marks empty space with very few X-rays, while red highlights the comet's X-ray glow. Astronomers expected to see this glow because whengas moleculesstreaming from the comet collide with the solar wind, they produce X-rays. These X-rays can come from the interaction of the solar wind with gases like water vapor, carbon dioxide, or carbon monoxide—which telescopes such as the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and NASA's SPHEREx have already detected. But they are uniquely sensitive to gases like hydrogen (H₂) and nitrogen (N₂). These are almost invisible to optical and ultraviolet instruments, such as the cameras on the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope or ESA's JUICE.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:38 PM
Tapt1 and Suco Genes Crucial for Brain Development and Protein Homeostasis

Tapt1 and Suco Genes Crucial for Brain Development and Protein Homeostasis

A research team led by Prof. Xu Zhiheng from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has identified Tapt1, together with its partner Suco, as important genes for brain development. They play a vital role in maintaining the balance between protein synthesis and degradation. The findings arepublishedin theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Brain development is the structural basis for the establishment of cognitive function, emotional regulation, and learning capacity. Disruptions in the developmental process, caused by factors like toxin exposure or gene mutations, can lead to severe disorders such as autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate brain development is essential for neuroscience and health care. Proper neural development relies on correct proliferation and differentiation of neural stem cells. This process requires the synthesis of large amounts of different proteins. However, how the balance between protein synthesis and quality control is maintained has not been fully understood. To fill this knowledge gap, Prof. Xu's team has identified that a key gene, Tapt1 (mutations of which led to severe developmental disease), plays an essential role in maintaining the homeostasis of newly synthesized proteins and brain development.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:37 PM
Northwestern Medicine Study Uncovers Critical Molecular Mechanism Underlying Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Northwestern Medicine Study Uncovers Critical Molecular Mechanism Underlying Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

A Northwestern Medicine study has shed light on a critical molecular mechanism underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), according to findingspublishedin the journalNeuron. The research points to a failure in the cell's RNA "quality control" system, which normally keeps genetic messages clean and functional. Every cell uses RNA as a messenger to carry instructions from DNA to make proteins, but these messages can sometimes be faulty or incomplete in ALS patients, said Evangelos Kiskinis, Ph.D., associate professor in the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology's Division of Neuromuscular Disease and of Neuroscience, who was senior author of the study. "In most ALS patients, we know that a predominantly nuclear RNA-binding protein known as TDP-43 leaves the nucleus and forms cytoplasmic aggregates," Kiskinis said. "This mislocalization of TDP-43 underlies the pathophysiology of the disease. In this study, we focused on understanding how loss-of-function of TDP-43 in human motor neurons affects RNA metabolism."
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:37 PM
Mount Sinai Researchers Develop Groundbreaking mRNA System for Targeted Cancer Treatments

Mount Sinai Researchers Develop Groundbreaking mRNA System for Targeted Cancer Treatments

Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a first-of-its-kind mRNA system that switches on therapeutic genes preferentially inside targeted cells—an advance demonstrated in studies in mice that could lay the groundwork for safer, more precise treatments for cancer and other diseases. The system, called thecell-selective modRNA translation system(cSMRTS), is an engineered form of mRNA designed to activate in specific cell populations. The findings were reported in the November 15 online issue ofMolecular Therapy. The approach builds on lessons from mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, which showed how cells can be turned into "protein factories" to produce helpful molecules. But unlike vaccines—where it doesn't matter which cells produce the protein—treating cancer often requires hitting only tumor cells and sparing healthy ones. That level of precision has been difficult to achieve using currentlipid nanoparticle(LNP) targeting technologies, say the investigators. "Our goal was to rethink how mRNA therapies work. Right now, so much effort goes into trying to deliver mRNA to the right place, and even then you get a lot of off-target effects," says first author Magdalena M. Żak, Ph.D., Instructor in the Cardiovascular Research Institute and the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:36 PM
Simultaneous Wireless Power Transfer and Communication Using Near-Infrared Light for Electronic Implantable Medical Devices

Simultaneous Wireless Power Transfer and Communication Using Near-Infrared Light for Electronic Implantable Medical Devices

A new study from a research team at the Center for Wireless Communications Network and Systems (CWC-NS) at the University of Oulu has introduced an approach using near-infrared (NIR) light beyond light therapy to facilitate simultaneous wireless power transfer and communication to electronic implantable medical devices (IMDs). Previously, the research team demonstrated that NIR light for wireless communication is feasible, and now the team made progress by involving wireless charging capabilities using the same light. Featured inOptics Continuum, theresearchoutlines an approach that promises to enhance the performance and durability of IMDs while providing more secure, safer, more private, and radio interference-free communication. The published paper, authored by Syifaul Fuada, Mariella Särestöniemi, and Marcos Katz at the CWC-NS, has demonstrated research merit as it was designated an Editor's Pick, highlighting articles of excellent scientific quality and representing the work occurring in a specific field. The paper is a small part of Syifaul Fuada's doctoral research. "This is the initial step that could open other ideas to advance the proposed approach," Fuada says. "Modern IMDs typically consist of several key components, such as a sensing module, an actuation module, a communication module, a power source, and most often, a programmable component is also involved within the system that acts to control all functionalities. So it is clear that wireless communication is needed, and at the same time, wireless communication capabilities are typically power hungry, which can deplete the battery," Katz points out.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:35 PM
MIT Researchers Develop Physical Model to Predict Proton Mobility in Metal Oxides

MIT Researchers Develop Physical Model to Predict Proton Mobility in Metal Oxides

A number of advanced energy technologies—including fuel cells, electrolyzers, and an emerging class of low-power electronics—use protons as the key charge carrier. Whether or not these devices will be widely adopted hinges, in part, on how efficiently they can move protons. One class of materials known as metal oxides has shown promise in conducting protons at temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius. But researchers have struggled to find the best materials to increase the proton conductivity at lower temperatures and improve efficiency. Now, MIT researchers have developed a physical model to predict proton mobility across a wide range of metal oxides. In a new paper, the researchers ranked the most important features of metal oxides for facilitating proton conduction, and demonstrated for the first time how much the flexibility of the materials' oxide ions improves their ability to transfer protons. The researchers believe their findings can guide scientists and engineers as they develop materials for more efficient energy technologies enabled by protons, which are lighter, smaller, and more abundant than more common charge carriers like lithium ions.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:35 PM
WSU Researchers Unlock Secret to Preventing Viral Invasion

WSU Researchers Unlock Secret to Preventing Viral Invasion

Washington State University researchers have found a way to modulate a common virus protein to prevent viruses from entering cells where it can cause illness, a discovery that could someday lead to new antiviral treatments. In the fundamental research, reported in the journalNanoscale,the researchers in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology were able to find and block an important interaction at the molecular level that allows the herpes virus to enter cells. "Viruses are very smart," said Jin Liu, corresponding author on the paper and a professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering. "The whole process of invading cells is very complex, and there are a lot of interactions. Not all of the interactions are equally important—most of them may just be background noise, but there are some critical interactions." In their work, the researchers worked with a"fusion" proteinthat is used by herpes viruses to fuse with and enter cells to cause many illnesses. Researchers have a poor understanding of how exactly the complex protein opens up and invades cells, which is part of the reason that there aren't vaccines for these common types of viruses.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:35 PM
Uncharted Territory: Mapping Transcription Factor Binding in Human Tissues

Uncharted Territory: Mapping Transcription Factor Binding in Human Tissues

The human genome contains approximately 1,600 types of transcription factors responsible for regulating gene activity across more than 400 tissue and cell types. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) is a key approach for mapping how these factors interact with DNA to control gene expression. However, practical limitations, such as the limited availability of suitable antibodies, have hindered efforts to comprehensively characterize transcription-factor binding, leaving many biologically important contexts uncharted. In this study, researchers systematically analyzed large-scale publicly available human ChIP-seq data to identify highly expressed transcription factor-tissue/cell type pairs whose activity remains unmeasured. They found that althoughblood cellshave been extensively studied far more than other tissues, over 80% of transcription factor-tissue/cell type combinations in organs such as the pancreas, muscle, and placenta has never been measured. This highlights significant gaps in current knowledge, suggesting that essential regulatory mechanisms may have been overlooked. The findings arepublishedin the journalBriefings in Functional Genomics.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:34 PM
Agrivoltaics: A Win-Win for Farmworkers and Crops

Agrivoltaics: A Win-Win for Farmworkers and Crops

Putting solar panels above agricultural crops may do more than produce food and clean energy on the same land: It can also significantly augment quality of life for farmworkers, according to new research to be presented at AGU's 2025 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Worker-reported benefits include shelter from the sun, cooler drinking water and reduced fatigue, while physical measurements indicate the panels can help farms avoid conditions conducive to dangerous heat stress. "In a lot of [food] sustainability conversations, we're thinking about resource use and not about farmworkers and their bodies," said Talitha Neesham-McTiernan, a human-environment researcher at the University of Arizona who led the research. She will present herworkon 15 December atAGU25, joining more than 20,000 scientists discussing the latest Earth and space science research. Hybrid solar-food fields, better known as "agrivoltaics" systems, typically involve solar panels mounted at or above head height, spaced among crops to allow sunlight to pass through the gaps between. In addition to making efficient use of land, these systems can benefit crops by reducing both sun damage and water lost to evaporation—and even by trapping some heat near the ground during colder months, Neesham-McTiernan said. In her four years of fieldwork on farms like these, often during brutal Arizona summers, Neesham-McTiernan noticed a pattern: Researchers and farmworkers alike would strategically plan to work in the panels' shade during the hottest hours.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:33 PM
Harvard Scientists Develop Innovative Bio-Logger to Decipher Sperm Whale Language

Harvard Scientists Develop Innovative Bio-Logger to Decipher Sperm Whale Language

Say you want to listen in on a group of super-intelligent aliens whose language you don't understand, and whose spaceship only flies by Earth once an hour. It's not unlike what Harvard scientists and others are doing, except their target species, sperm whales, thankfully live here on Earth. As part of the nonprofit Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative), a multi-institutional endeavor to discern the language of sperm whales, engineers in the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and others have led the development of a powerful listening device that adheres to whales and records high-fidelity audio and other information that's later analyzed by machine learning models. The device, called a bio-logger, collects large, high-quality datasets of whale sounds called codas, which to human ears sound like a series of rhythmic clicks, along with contextual clues like physical behavior and ocean depth. Thebio-loggeris among the first to be explicitly designed to capture data for interpretation by machine learning algorithms. Modern machine learning techniques can help uncover structured, non-human communication by identifying patterns and frequencies in the whale codas that humans can't readily perceive. The bio-logger has so far been deployed on whales off the Caribbean coast of Dominica during numerous deep-sea dives. The details of the device's design and the inspiration behind it arepublishedinPLOS One.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:33 PM
Mayo Clinic Researchers Uncover Mechanism Behind Zombie Cells' Role in Fatty Liver Disease

Mayo Clinic Researchers Uncover Mechanism Behind Zombie Cells' Role in Fatty Liver Disease

Mayo Clinic researchers have uncovered how aging "zombie cells" trigger harmful inflammation that accelerates a severe and increasingly common form of fatty liver disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). As obesity rates rise worldwide, MASH is projected to increase and is already one of the leading causes of liver transplantation. "Liver scarring and inflammation are hallmarks of MASH. If left untreated, it can progress to liver cancer. This is why it's so important to understand the mechanisms driving the disease so that we can prevent it or develop more effective treatments," says Stella Victorelli, Ph.D., who is the lead author of thestudypublished inNature Communications. Dr. Victorelli and colleagues, who study aged or senescent "zombie" cells, identified a mechanism by which these cells drive liver scarring and inflammation. They found that small molecules calledmitochondrial RNA, typically found within the cell's energy-producing mitochondria, can leak into the main part of the cell, where they mistakenly activate antiviral sensors called RIG-I and MDA5—normally triggered when a virus infects a cell. In this case, the danger signal comes from the cell's own mitochondria, prompting a wave of inflammation that can damage nearby healthy tissue. When the researchers blocked the sensors, inflammation dropped sharply. The study also found that proteinsBAXand BAK, which help open pores in the mitochondrial membrane, enable mitochondrial RNA to escape. In a preclinical MASH model, inhibiting BAX and BAK prevented RNA from escaping and was associated with less inflammation and healthier liver tissue.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:33 PM
Omega Centauri's Elusive Intermediate Mass Black Hole: A Radio Silence

Omega Centauri's Elusive Intermediate Mass Black Hole: A Radio Silence

Omega Centauri dominates the southern sky as the Milky Way's largest and brightest globular cluster, a dense sphere containing roughly 10 million stars. Earlier this year, astronomers found evidence that an intermediate mass black hole hides within the cluster's core, revealed by seven stars moving far too quickly to remain bound unless something massive holds them gravitationally. Now, researchers have searched for the black hole itself using radio telescopes, and their discovery is what they didn't find. Intermediate mass black holes represent a missing link in our understanding of how black holes evolve. We know stellar mass black holes form from dying stars, with masses up to perhaps 200 times the sun. We know supermassive black holes weighing millions or billions of solar masses dominate galactic centers. But intermediate mass black holes, with masses between these extremes, remain frustratingly rare. Only a handful of candidates exist, and confirming them proves difficult. The recentHubble Space Telescopestudy tracked 1.4 million stars in Omega Centauri across two decades of observations. Seven stars in the cluster's innermost region move so rapidly they should escape entirely, yet remain bound. The gravitational pull keeping them corralled suggests a black hole with at least 8,200 solar masses, though estimates reach as high as 47,000 solar masses. Angiraben Mahida and colleagues decided to search for the black hole's accretion signature. When black holes feed on surrounding gas and dust, the material forms a hotaccretion diskthat emits across the electromagnetic spectrum, including radio waves. The team used the Australia Telescope Compact Array to observe Omega Centauri's central region for approximately 170 hours, achieving a sensitivity of 1.1 microjanskys at 7.25 gigahertz. This represents the most sensitive radio image of the cluster ever obtained.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:32 PM
Misidentified Poison Frog Holotype Uncovered by Researchers at University of Kansas

Misidentified Poison Frog Holotype Uncovered by Researchers at University of Kansas

Researchers at the University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum recently uncovered a slipup from decades ago: the misidentification of a poison frog specimen from Peru used as a holotype. A holotype is an individual preserved specimen collected in the field and deemed to officially represent an entire species, though today, scientists sometimes use associated data like photos or genetic data as part of the holotype. Their findings arepublishedin the journalZootaxa. "When you describe a species, you assign one specimen that bears the name of that species," said lead author Ana Motta, collection manager of herpetology at the Biodiversity Institute. "If I find something else later that looks like that species, I need to go to the holotype and compare things to know if that new population belongs to that species or is something else. So, the holotype is the specimen that represents the species." In 1999, a researcher saw a published photo of a colorful frog from the Peruvian rainforest, near the Ecuador border. Unable to identify its species, he described the mysterious frog based on that single photo of a specimen previously deposited with KU's herpetology collection, recording it as specimen KU 221832 and bestowing it with the scientific name Dendrobates duellmani.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:32 PM
Uncovering Medieval Diets: Broomcorn Millet Consumption Revealed Through Ancient Dental Calculus

Uncovering Medieval Diets: Broomcorn Millet Consumption Revealed Through Ancient Dental Calculus

A study has, for the first time, identified minute traces of broomcorn millet consumption directly from human dental calculus, offering an unprecedented window into medieval diets and expanding the toolkit available to archaeologists for reconstructing ancient foodways. Researchers from Vilnius University, the Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, the University of York, Frontier Laboratories Ltd., and the Institute of Archaeology in Kyiv applied an advanced analytical technique—thermal desorption gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (TD-GC/MS)—to human dental calculus recovered from the medieval Ostriv cemetery in central Ukraine (10th–12th centuries CE). The team successfully detected miliacin, a molecular biomarker uniquely abundant in broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), in eight of the 31 individuals analyzed. This represents the first direct molecular evidence of millet consumption retrieved from human dental calculus anywhere in the world. The findings arepublishedin the journalScientific Reports.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:31 PM
Unwrapping the Secrets of the Grinch: A Study in Anatomy and Origins

Unwrapping the Secrets of the Grinch: A Study in Anatomy and Origins

The Grinch is one of the holiday season's most familiar icons. The grumpy, green, fur-covered misanthrope who plotted to sabotage Christmas inDr. Seuss's classic1957 work has now become a quintessential part of the yearly festive ritual he so despised. But beneath that snarl and green fur, what kind of creature is he, really? Not even Dr. Seuss really had an answer. As an anatomist, I can't help but wonder what the Grinch would look like on the dissection table—and what his skeleton, muscles and brain can tell us about his unique origins. The Grinch's most recognizable feature is, of course, his face. And underlying these characteristic features would be a unique skull—unlike anything you'd find in Whoville or on Earth.
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:00 PM
Bondi Beach Shooting: Ahmed Al Ahmed Identified as Hero Who Disarmed Shooter, Not Edward Crabtree

Bondi Beach Shooting: Ahmed Al Ahmed Identified as Hero Who Disarmed Shooter, Not Edward Crabtree

At least 15 people were killed after a father-son duo, identified as Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram, opened fire at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia targeting Jewish people attending a Hanukkah event on Sunday (December 14, 2025).Shortly after the attack, footage of a civilian bravely tackling and disarming one of the shooters before pointing the gun at him began circulating widely online. While the man was widely hailed as a hero, several social media posts also falsely identified him as Edward Crabtree. Multiple news outlets later identified the man as Ahmed Al Ahmed, while we traced the viral name, “Edward Crabtree,” to an article uploaded on a dubious website.Evidence We began our investigation by searching keywords such as “Bondi Beach firing man disarmed shooter.” This led us to a report published by ABC, dated December 14, 2025, which identified the man who ran toward one of the gunmen and seized his weapon as 43-year-old Ahmed Al Ahmed. Ahmed’s parents, Mohamed Fateh Al Ahmed and Malakeh Hasan Al Ahmed, told ABC he was shot four to five times in his shoulder, with several of the bullets still lodged inside him. They had reportedly landed in Sydney from Syria only a couple of months ago, but their son came to Australia in 2006. The Sydney Morning Herald corroborated that the hero who tackled and disarmed one of the shooters was Ahmed Al Ahmed. A separate report by Reuters also identified the man who seized the gun as Ahmed Al Ahmed. Reuters quoted his cousin, Jozay Alkanji, who said Ahmed had undergone surgery and may require further medical procedures depending on doctors’ assessments.According to this Al Jazeera report, dated December 14, 2025, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday confirmed media reports that Ahmed Al Ahmed was the bystander who intervened. “Ahmed Al Ahmed took the gun off that perpetrator at great risk to himself and suffered serious injury as a result of that, and is currently going through an operation today in hospital,” Albanese told reporters.Notably, we did not find any credible Australian or international media reports identifying the man as Edward Crabtree.While tracing the origin of the viral name, we came across an article published on a website named The Daily AUS (thedailyaus.world), which identified the saviour as Edward Crabtree.A closer examination of the article revealed multiple factual inaccuracies. For instance, it claimed that the attack began at 2:47pm on Saturday, whereas official police statements stated that emergency services were called to Bondi Beach at 6:40pm on Sunday.The article also falsely claimed that the Australian Prime Minister visited “Crabtree” in hospital. However, no credible media outlet or official source has reported such a visit.We further examined the website and found several red flags. While the Edward Crabtree article was authored by “Rebecca Chen,” most other articles on the site were attributed to “Sarah Johnson,” with no verifiable author profiles.We also ran a section of the article through AI-detection tools. ZeroGPT indicated a 94.41% probability of AI-generated content, while Copyleaks flagged 100% of the text as likely AI-generated content.A review of the other elements/tabs of the website revealed additional concerns. For instance, the sections such as About Us, Contact, Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, Accessibility were non-functional. Category pages such as Sports, Entertainment, Lifestyle, and Opinion also led to error pages. The sign-in option on the website was non-accessible too and we were not able to find any associated social media handles.Newschecker checked the website on website Whois.com which showed that the website was registered on December 14, 2025, the same day as the attack, with key registration details withheld, another significant red flag.The ‘Registrant Contact’ is mentioned as Kalkofnsvegur 2, Reykjavik (Iceland), and the email address listed for the site is registered with “@withheldforprivacy.com”Interestingly, Kalkofnsvegur 2 is also the registered address for Withheld for Privacy. As per an article by The New York Times published in October 2024, “…but there is no outward sign that the service (Withheld from Privacy) occupies space in the six-story building…“Because Withheld for Privacy uses the building’s address as a default for its clients, Kalkofnsvegur 2 has been linked to online forums used by a white supremacist group in the United States… to phishing sites posing as companies such as Amazon, Coinbase and Spotify to steal money and personal information from visitors; and to Russian influence campaigns intended to spread fake narratives to unsuspecting Americans.”Senior journalist at BBC Verify, Shayan Sardarizadeh, too, called out online posts claiming Edward Crabtree as the man who tackled one of the Bondi Beach gunmen, saying that the false claim originated from a fake news website that pretends to be the genuine Australian digital outlet The Daily Aus. A similar Australian Financial Review report, dated December 15, 2025, debunked the fake name, stating, “…the website, called thedailyaus.world – not connected in any way to youth news website The Daily Aus – was registered by a user based (or pretending to be based) in Iceland on Sunday. (The Daily Aus founders Sam Koslowski and Zara Seidler said their readers had been in touch to alert them to the fake news site).”Although we could not yet independently find further details of the heroic bystander in the viral clip, we have reached out to journalists in Australia and will update this article once we receive a response.VerdictThe man who disarmed one of the shooters during the Bondi Beach firing was, as per media reports, Ahmed Al Ahmed, not Edward Crabtree. The false identification originated from an unreliable website riddled with factual errors, structural inconsistencies, and signs of AI-generated content.FAQs
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Dec 15, 2025, 09:00 PM
Viral Video of Lionel Messi's Arrival in Hyderabad Debunked: Revealed to be Footage from Pushpa 2 Premiere

Viral Video of Lionel Messi's Arrival in Hyderabad Debunked: Revealed to be Footage from Pushpa 2 Premiere

ClaimA viral video circulating on social media claims to show a massive crowd welcoming Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi on his arrival in Hyderabad.FactA reverse image search of keyframes from the viral clip led us to an X post by @adarshogirala__, dated November 26, 2025. The post featured the same footage, confirming that it predates Messi’s December 2025 visit to Hyderabad.Another X post dated August 15, 2025, shared by @lokeshreddy_000, carried the same video and associated it with the hype around Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa 2. A closer examination of the video revealed the presence of actor Allu Arjun standing amid the crowd. Further verification led us to a video shared by YouTube channel Hyderabad Mode on December 4, 2024, which showed similar visuals of crowds greeting Allu Arjun as he entered Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad for the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule.Additionally, a YouTube video published by NewsBuzz on December 5, 2024, also carried comparable visuals showing Allu Arjun’s arrival at Sandhya Theatre for the film’s premiere.We were also able to geolocate the viral clip around Sandhya Theatre, confirming that the footage captures crowds gathered for the Pushpa 2 premiere.The video does not show Lionel Messi arriving in Hyderabad. Instead, it shows Allu Arjun’s appearance at Sandhya Theatre during the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule.
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Dec 15, 2025, 08:34 PM
Cosmic Voids: Unveiling the Universe's Expansion History with NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

Cosmic Voids: Unveiling the Universe's Expansion History with NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

5 min read Lee esta nota de prensa en españolaquí. Our universe is filled with galaxies, in all directions as far as our instruments can see. Some researchers estimate that there are as many astwo trillion galaxiesin the observable universe. At first glance, these galaxies might appear to be randomly scattered across space, but they’re not. Careful mapping has shown that they are distributed across the surfaces of giant cosmic “bubbles” up to several hundred million light-years across. Inside these bubbles, few galaxies are found, so those regions are called cosmic voids. NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will allow us to measure these voids with new precision, which can tell us about the history of the universe’s expansion. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser thatsupports HTML5 video
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Dec 15, 2025, 08:32 PM
NASA Captures Stunning Image of Bassac River from International Space Station

NASA Captures Stunning Image of Bassac River from International Space Station

1 min read A camera on the International Space Station captured this Oct. 2, 2025, photo of the Bassac River in Cù Lao Dung, a river islet district in southern Vietnam. The Bassac River surrounds the district before emptying into the South China Sea. The river’s brown waters at its mouth result from massive amounts of silt, clay, and organic matter carried from upstream regions of the Mekong River Basin, combined with tidal forces from the sea that stir up sediment. This photograph was taken from as the space station orbited 260 miles above Earth. Image credit: NASA
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Dec 15, 2025, 08:31 PM
NASA Seeks Industry-Led Proposals for Moon to Mars Architecture Development

NASA Seeks Industry-Led Proposals for Moon to Mars Architecture Development

2 min read Notice ID:M2M-MSFC-0001 NAICS Codes: NASA seeks industry-led architecture concept development, concept refinement studies, and risk-reduction activities that addressMoon to Mars Architecturegaps through theNext Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships-3(NextSTEP-3). NASA plans to release this solicitation — NextSTEP-3 Appendix B: Moon to Mars Architectural Studies — near the beginning of calendar year 2026.For full details, consult the links under the notice ID above.
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Medical Dialogues
Dec 15, 2025, 08:06 PM
Metabolic Surgery Offers Hope in India's Uncontrolled Diabetes Crisis

Metabolic Surgery Offers Hope in India's Uncontrolled Diabetes Crisis

New Delhi:While uncontrolleddiabetesis unfolding as a silent crisis in India, resulting in organ damage and failure, metabolic surgery can help prevent it, according to a doctor at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi on Wednesday. India is already known as the diabetes capital of the world, but Dr Manjunath Maruti Pol, Additional Professor, Department of Surgery at AIIMS, New Delhi, shared that uncontrolled diabetes is surging complications such as kidney failure, heart attacks,strokes, neuropathy, and retinopathy, among others. In India, 70 million people suffer from diabetes, and 50 per cent of them have uncontrolled diabetes, shared the doctor, noting that the worldwide criteria for HbA1c (a measure of blood sugar control) is 7. But in India, it is 7.5. Also Read:Exercise Helps Offset Mental Effects of Junk Food: Study "Uncontrolled diabetes can be defined as when HbA1C levels continue to remain at 7.5 despite taking 3 or more than 3 medicines and controlling diet and lifestyle for at least 2 years," Pol said.
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Dec 15, 2025, 08:06 PM
Apollo Hospitals Launches Advanced Life-Support Ambulances in Bengaluru to Strengthen Emergency Healthcare Services

Apollo Hospitals Launches Advanced Life-Support Ambulances in Bengaluru to Strengthen Emergency Healthcare Services

Bengaluru:Apollo Hospitals, Bengaluru, marked an important message in strengtheningemergencyhealthcare services with the formal launch of three advanced life-support ambulances introduced in collaboration with the BillionHeartsBeating Foundation. This initiative is designed to significantly enhance pre-hospital emergency response across the city and surrounding areas, ensuring that criticallyillor injured patients receive timely, life-saving medical care even before reaching the hospital. The newly launched ambulances are fully equipped advanced life-support units, functioning as mobile intensive care facilities. They are staffed with trained medical professionals and fitted with state-of-the-art emergency equipment to manage cardiac arrests, trauma cases, respiratory emergencies, and other critical conditions during transit. Notably, even before the official launch, these ambulances have already been deployed in several special medical camps across Bengaluru, benefiting more than 23,000 people and demonstrating their immediate impact on community health. Speaking at the event, Mr. Akshay Oleti, CEO of Apollo Hospitals, Karnataka, emphasized the importance of strengthening emergency care beyond hospital walls. He stated that Apollo’s commitment has always been to reinforce the entire chain of emergency response, from the first distress call to definitive treatment.
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Medical Dialogues
Dec 15, 2025, 08:06 PM
Mumbai's Jaslok Hospital Successfully Treats Young Ex-Airhostess for Palmar Hyperhidrosis with Minimally Invasive Procedure

Mumbai's Jaslok Hospital Successfully Treats Young Ex-Airhostess for Palmar Hyperhidrosis with Minimally Invasive Procedure

Mumbai, India:Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre has successfully treated a young ex-airhostess suffering from palmar hyperhidrosis, amedicalcondition characterized by excessive sweating of the hands, through Bilateral Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy (VATS)—a safe, minimally invasive, day-caresurgicalprocedure with immediate results. Hyperhidrosis is estimated to affect 2–5% of the population in India, yet remains significantly underreported, as many individuals do not recognize it as a medical condition and continue to suffer silently. The disorder can severely impact daily functioning, emotional well-being, and professional life if left untreated. The patient had been experiencing symptoms since adolescence and had sought multiple medical opinions over the years with no lasting relief. The condition eventually forced her to step away from her profession and affected her mental health and self-confidence. The patient underwent Bilateral Thoracoscopic Sympathectomy (VATS), performed by Dr. Vimesh Rajput, Consultant – Thoracic Surgery. Anaesthesia was expertly managed by Dr. Savi Kapila, Consultant – Anaesthesiology, a one-hour surgical procedure that interrupts the sympathetic nerves responsible for excessive sweating of the hands. “Hyperhidrosis is not a minor inconvenience—it is a disabling medical condition that can push patients into social isolation, anxiety, and even depression,” said Dr. Vimesh Rajput, Thoracic Surgeon at Jaslok Hospital. “What makes the situation unfortunate is that a definitive, safe solution exists, yet awareness remains extremely low.”
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Medical Dialogues
Dec 15, 2025, 08:04 PM
Fortis Healthcare Launches 'Adayu' in Gurugram to Address India's Rising Mental Health Needs

Fortis Healthcare Launches 'Adayu' in Gurugram to Address India's Rising Mental Health Needs

Gurugram:Fortis Healthcare Takes a Step in Addressing India’s RisingMental HealthNeeds with the Launch of ‘Adayu’ in Gurugram. Adayu is a pioneering, fully integrated 36-bedded, in-patientmental health facility is designed to meet the growing demand for comprehensive psychiatric care in India. Purpose-built to combine advanced clinical care, cutting-edge technology, and evidence-based therapeutic programs, Adayu offers compassionate, personalized support across the mental health spectrum. Adayu brings together a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, counsellors and arts-based therapists, along with nutritionists, physiotherapists and yoga practitioners, ensuring holistic care. The dedicated in-patient facility reinforces Fortis Healthcare’s commitment to expanding access to world-class mental health services at a time when demand for structured and sustained care continues to rise nationwide. India faces a significant mental health burden, with one in every seven Indian living with some form of mental disorder. At the same time, the country continues to grapple with an acute shortage of mental health professionals and adequate infrastructure. India has just four public mental health beds per 100,000 population, highlighting the limited availability of specialist care and infrastructure.
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Medical Dialogues
Dec 15, 2025, 08:03 PM
Early Warning Signs of HIV Infection: Don't Miss the Red Flags

Early Warning Signs of HIV Infection: Don't Miss the Red Flags

World AIDS Dayis marked every year to raise awareness aboutHIVand to remind everyone about the importance of early testing and timely care. Even nowadays, there are a lot of individuals who miss the early symptoms of HIV since they may resemble general sickness. Speaking with Dr Aishwarya R, Consultant - Infectious Diseases, Aster Whitefield Hospital, she said, "The fact that the first signs of the disease are most of the time vague, mild, or even that they are mistaken for a common viral illness. They enumerate symptoms like fever lasting for a long time, tiredness that does not go away, swollen lymph nodes, recurrent oral ulcerations, night sweats, skin rashes of unknown origin, sudden weight loss, and infections happening more frequently that may be signs of a weak immune system and thus should be checked." Such signals are known to assist individuals in seeking medical assistance early enough and safeguard their well-being in the long run. Here is the simple overview of the signs and symptoms of HIV that should by no means be overlooked. Once an individual gets infected with HIV, he or she may present the symptoms within two to four weeks. This phase is commonly referred to as acute infection of HIV. Most individuals confuse it with seasonal viral disease or flu. Here are the early signs of HIV:
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