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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterised by progressive loss of motor neurons. An international team has discovered evidence that ALS may have an autoimmune component, meaning that the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells, a hypothesis that had been considered by the scientific community. The study shows that inflammatory immune cells—called CD4+ T cells—attack certain proteins that are part of the nervous system in people with ALS. ‘These findings highlight the potential of therapeutic strategies aimed at improving regulatory T cells,’ the authors note in the research, published in Nature.

A team has managed to visualise and quantify the protein aggregates believed to trigger Parkinson's disease. This is the first time they have been directly visualised. These small aggregates – alpha-synuclein oligomers – were observed in post mortem brain tissue from people with the disease using a new microscopy technique, as explained by the authors in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

An international team has succeeded in generating fertilisable human eggs from skin cells using a novel technique. According to the authors, the study offers a way to address infertility, although they acknowledge that further research is needed to ensure efficacy and safety before future clinical applications. Of the 82 functional oocytes generated and fertilised, only 9% developed to day 6, when the experiment ended. In addition, the embryos had chromosomal abnormalities. The results are published in the journal Nature Communications.

A US research team has designed an ‘environmentally friendly and economically viable’ method for recovering rare earth elements from electronic waste. It is cheaper than traditional methods, uses less water, acid and energy, and emits fewer greenhouse gases, according to the authors in PNAS. Rare earth elements (REE) are a group of chemical elements needed to manufacture batteries, magnets and electronic components. Both the European Union and Spain are committed to these critical materials in order to reduce their dependence on foreign sources. 

The North American strain of the H5N1 avian influenza virus has been shown to be capable of causing outbreaks in mammals such as cows, something not seen elsewhere in the world, including Europe. An international team has identified and tested two mutations in ferrets that may explain improved adaptation and greater virulence. According to the authors, who published the results in the journal Science Advances, the finding "highlights the urgent need for strengthened surveillance and targeted interventions.

Through surveys of 78 healthcare workers in Gaza between August 2024 and February 2025, an international team has documented patterns of injuries among the civilian population during Israel's ongoing invasion. The most common traumatic injuries were burns, followed by injuries to the lower and upper limbs. Explosion damage accounted for most of the weapon-related trauma, which particularly affected the head, while gunshot wounds were mainly located in the lower limbs. The study is published in The BMJ.

An international team has analysed cancer incidence and mortality worldwide using data available since 1990. Between then and 2023, there was an increase of almost 75% in deaths from this cause, with more than 40% of all deaths associated with preventable risk factors. Estimates indicate that by 2050 there will be a similar increase in mortality, due in part to the ageing of the population. The increase will be particularly pronounced in low- and middle-income countries. The results are published in The Lancet.

Menstrual cycles were synchronised with lunar cycles until 2010, but according to research published in Science Advances, after this date, this synchrony is only found in January, when lunar gravity is at its strongest. The team analysed the menstrual records of 176 women and attributes the loss of synchrony to the increasing use of smartphones and LED night lights, which became widespread from 2010 onwards.

Maria Branyas was considered the oldest person in the world when she died in 2024 at the age of 117. An international team led by the Cancer Epigenetics group at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute and the University of Barcelona has analysed her molecular profile, including her genome, metabolome, microbiome and epigenome. "Our results have helped us identify factors that could help many older people live longer, healthier lives," say the researchers, whose work is published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine.

At a press conference at the White House on Monday, Donald Trump and health authorities linked the use of paracetamol during pregnancy to cases of autism. They also recommended leucovorin as a treatment for autism. Immediately afterwards, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in a press release that it had begun the approval process for calcium leucovorin tablets for patients with cerebral folate deficiency. “People with cerebral folate deficiency have been observed to have developmental delays with autistic characteristics, seizures, and movement and coordination problems,” they said. The update on the use of the drug, discussed by the scientific community, will authorize the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder.