researchers

Mosquitoes kill more people than any other animal on Earth, and scientists say the threat is growing. As the climate warms, mosquito seasons are lasting longer, giving the insects more time to spread dangerous diseases such as malaria and dengue. Researchers are now exploring new methods to target and control mosquito populations before the expanding range of the insects puts more communities at risk.

A large international study has examined how screen time relates to children's wellbeing, with findings now circulating through news outlets worldwide. The research adds to ongoing debate among parents, educators and health experts about how much time children should spend on phones, tablets and computers, and what effects screens have on mood, sleep and development.

Google has announced Project Suncatcher, an initiative to place machine learning infrastructure in space, with details published on the company's research blog. The announcement is drawing attention among technologists debating the feasibility and costs of running data centers off Earth, powered by solar energy in orbit. Discussions center on how satellite-based compute could scale and whether the idea is realistic.

A New York Times DealBook piece examines how artificial intelligence is making law firms more efficient, cutting the hours needed for research and document work. Clients, who traditionally pay by the billable hour, are now demanding discounts reflecting those savings, while firms worry about losing revenue and grapple with whether the century-old billing model can survive automation.

A major new study reported by the Guardian finds that high screen usage in children is linked to poorer developmental outcomes. Researchers suggest the effect of elevated screen exposure could be as significant as parental behaviour and premature birth. The findings add weight to ongoing concerns among parents, educators and health experts about how much time children spend on phones, tablets and other devices.

The New York Times is examining whether Anthropic's AI system genuinely produced a scientific discovery independently or whether human researchers guided the result. The question has sparked debate about how much credit AI systems can claim for original scientific work, and where the line sits between genuine machine autonomy and sophisticated assistance. Anthropic is among the leading AI developers, and the claim touches on its positioning in the competitive AI field.

Leading AI researchers often described as the 'godfathers' of the field have publicly warned about the risk of a runaway 'intelligence explosion', in which AI systems rapidly improve themselves beyond human control. The warning, reported by The Guardian, adds to ongoing debate among scientists and policymakers about how quickly advanced AI should be developed and regulated.

Boris Cherny, an engineer at Anthropic, argued that general-purpose AI models are a better bet than narrowly specialized ones, saying broad systems can adapt to new tasks as capabilities improve. The remarks have sparked debate among AI developers about whether targeted, domain-specific models still make sense as frontier models grow more capable.

New polling indicates climate change has returned to people's top priorities, according to research by Climate Outreach. The organisation shared the finding publicly, suggesting renewed public concern about the issue after a period in which it had slipped down voters' lists of most important concerns. Further details from the poll, including specific rankings and regional breakdowns, were not provided.

A BBC Global Story episode examines the actual number of Russian soldiers killed in the war in Ukraine, a figure widely believed to be far higher than officially acknowledged by Moscow. The discussion reflects ongoing efforts by journalists and researchers to estimate casualties using obituaries, leaked documents and battlefield data, as Russia's losses continue to mount more than three years into the full-scale invasion.

A new study indicates healthcare workers are battling persistent long COVID symptoms, with many continuing to experience fatigue, brain fog and other lasting effects well after infection. The findings highlight the ongoing toll of the pandemic on medical staff, raising concerns about workforce shortages and the need for better support and treatment for affected clinicians.

A Stanford Medicine study concludes that cutting ultra-processed food from school menus will be tricky. The research suggests schools face practical obstacles in eliminating these products from meals served to students, though the specific challenges were not detailed in available coverage. The findings add to ongoing debate in the United States about the role of ultra-processed foods in children's diets and school nutrition policy.

Scientists and fishermen are pressing the federal government to continue funding a deep-ocean observation system, warning that losing the data stream would hurt marine research and fisheries management. The program monitors ocean conditions in deep waters, information both communities rely on for understanding ecosystems and making decisions. Supporters say the system's value extends well beyond academia into the fishing industry.

Leading artificial intelligence researchers are calling for urgent government oversight of self-improving AI systems, according to a Wall Street Journal exclusive. The researchers warn that systems capable of enhancing their own capabilities could pose risks that current safety measures and regulations are not equipped to handle, urging policymakers to act before the technology advances further.

New research suggests a worrying association between frequent cannabis use and an increased risk of seizures. The findings, reported by Gizmodo, are drawing attention because cannabis is often assumed to be relatively safe or even beneficial for seizure disorders, and the study complicates that picture for heavy users.

New research reported by Medical Xpress suggests that people with epilepsy who use cannabis frequently may experience more severe symptoms. The findings run counter to the common perception of cannabis as a potential treatment for seizures, adding nuance to an ongoing debate among doctors and patients about medical cannabis use.

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside say one of Saturn's moons may hold clues about the possibility of life beyond Earth. The finding adds to growing scientific interest in the moons of Saturn, which are considered promising targets in the search for extraterrestrial life because of their subsurface oceans and complex chemistry.

A study from Tulane University researchers suggests that loneliness and social isolation could shorten a person's healthy lifespan by up to six years. The findings link persistent social disconnection to worse long-term health outcomes, adding to growing evidence that isolation is a serious public health concern comparable to other major risk factors.

Mathematician Terence Tao has announced the formation of an Advisory Group on Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence, outlined in a post on his blog dated 21 September 2026. The group is intended to advise on how AI interacts with mathematical research and practice. The announcement is drawing attention in the technology and mathematics communities, where Tao is a widely respected voice on the role of AI in proof and discovery.

Scientists warn that shifting climate conditions could change the risks posed by deadly rodent-borne diseases. As temperatures and rainfall patterns alter habitats, rodent populations may move into new areas, potentially increasing human exposure to pathogens such as hantavirus and leptospirosis. Researchers say understanding these ecological shifts is becoming increasingly important for public health planning.

A widely used joint supplement, glucosamine, has been linked to faster progression of Alzheimer's disease, according to new research reported by ScienceDaily. The finding is drawing attention because millions of people take glucosamine for joint pain, believing it to be safe. Details of the study's methods and how strong the link is were not included in the available coverage.

New Norwegian science reporting says children and teenagers aged 9 to 18 increasingly turn to AI chatbots instead of Google for information and everyday questions. Researchers warn the consequences of this shift are unknown, raising concerns about accuracy, privacy and how young people learn to search and evaluate information online.

A new study reports that women presenting with symptoms similar to men's often receive less intensive medical care. The findings point to possible disparities in how treatment decisions are made in hospitals, echoing long-running concerns about gender bias in medicine. Researchers and commentators say the results underline the need for clinicians to reassess how urgently women's symptoms are evaluated and treated.

A California biotech company has licensed potent anti-measles antibodies developed by Vanderbilt University Medical Center, with plans to develop them further and move them into clinical testing. The antibodies, discovered by Vanderbilt researchers, could offer a new tool against a disease resurging in the United States and globally amid declining vaccination rates.

Researchers led by Dr. Jona Kayser at MPZPM report that physical processes within dense cell populations strongly influence the optimal timing of treatment cycles in cancer and antibiotic therapy. Treatment resistance is a central obstacle in both fields, and the findings suggest that scheduling therapies around these dynamics could improve outcomes. The work, associated with the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light, points to a greater role for biophysics in designing treatment schedules.