Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)

A study published in PNAS reveals the effects of large-scale wildfire smoke and aerosols from major volcanic eruptions on global atmospheric temperatures. Using satellite observations, the team estimated the temperature disturbances associated with the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines, the 2019–2020 Australian wildfires, and the 2022 eruption of the submarine Hunga Tonga volcano in Tonga. All three events had measurable impacts on global atmospheric temperatures. Sulfate particles from Pinatubo caused cooling in the troposphere and warming in the stratosphere, confirming previous measurements. Aerosols from the Australian wildfires —though only about 5 % of the aerosol mass emitted by Pinatubo— also produced both effects, while water vapor from Hunga Tonga led to tropospheric cooling.

In February 2025, lithium concentrations suddenly increased around 96 km above sea level some 20 hours after a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle re-entered the atmosphere. This is the first direct detection of pollution in the upper atmosphere due to the re-entry of a spacecraft, according to a study published in Communications Earth & Environment. Lithium is used in spacecraft components, but it is only found naturally at these altitudes in trace amounts, and its accumulation could have consequences on the climate.

Various studies have shown that exercise benefits the brain. Now, an international team has studied in mice how physical activity affects the brain and how these changes influence the effects of exercise. The research, published in Neuron, has shown that physical activity causes brain changes in a region of the hypothalamus involved in how the body uses energy and in regulating blood sugar. If these neurons were blocked immediately after exercise, the animals showed no improvement in endurance or metabolism with training. The authors suggest that activating these neurons may help the body recover faster, allowing other parts, such as the muscles, lungs, and heart, to adapt more quickly to more intense workouts.

A study published in Science shows a global increase in the toxicity and ecological harm caused by pesticides, contrary to the United Nations’ goal of halving pesticide-related risks by 2030. The authors analysed Total Applied Toxicity (TAT), which accounts for both pesticide use and toxicity, at a global scale between 2013 and 2019. The data covered the risks of 625 pesticides across eight species groups and 65 countries, representing 79.4% of global cropland. TAT increased in six of the eight species groups, including all invertebrate groups and terrestrial plants, and only Chile would meet the target of reducing pesticide risk by 50% by 2030.

AlphaGenome is a deep learning model developed by Google DeepMind capable of predicting the function of DNA sequences up to one million base pairs long. An evaluation of the tool shows that it matches or improves upon the predictive ability of existing models in 25 of the 26 tests performed. According to the authors, who are part of Google DeepMind itself, AlphaGenome can help scientists "better understand genome function, the biology of diseases, and ultimately drive new biological discoveries and the development of new treatments." The results are published in Nature. 

A study based on models and data concludes that adverse health effects related to plastic emissions could more than double by 2040 if current practices do not change. The authors note that their model could not assess the potential impacts associated with many chemicals contained in plastics, nor with the microplastics and nanoplastics that form throughout their life cycle, due to a lack of data and “a serious lack of transparency regarding their composition.” The results are published in The Lancet Planetary Health. 

A new report from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) toughens the discourse on the current water emergency by referring to an era of "global water bankruptcy". According to the report, the terms "water stress" or "water crisis" are no longer sufficient, as we find ourselves in a situation that goes beyond a temporary crisis, characterised by irreversible losses of natural water resources and the inability to return to historical levels. The report points out that, although not all basins are in water bankruptcy, "enough critical systems around the world have crossed these thresholds" and are interconnected through trade, migration, climate or geopolitics.

When a rhinovirus, the most common cause of the common cold, infects the lining of our nasal passages, cells work together to fight it off by activating an arsenal of antiviral defences. An article published in the journal Cell Press Blue demonstrates how they do this and suggests that it is the body's defences, rather than the virus itself, that determine whether we catch a cold or not, as well as the severity of the symptoms. 

Although extensive livestock farming has increased in some regions, it has also decreased in 42% of pastures dedicated to this purpose, according to a study published in the journal PNAS that analyses data from 1999 to 2023. The decline has occurred in wealthy areas of the world, such as Europe, North America and Australia, where consumption trends have shifted towards animals such as pigs and chickens. The increase was seen in poorer areas, specifically in Africa, Asia, South America and Central America. The authors of the study, one of whom is Spanish, state that ‘reductions in livestock stocking rates can have significant ecological consequences at regional and global scales,’ affecting biodiversity and fire regimes.

The sequencing of the DNA of the virus found in wild boars infected with African swine fever in Catalonia and its comparison with the DNA of 17 of the 19 samples being investigated at the Animal Health Research Centre (IRTA-CReSA) has revealed that they do not match, according to a press conference held this morning by representatives of the scientific team in charge of the study and the Catalan Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries. They consider the leak from the laboratory to be ‘highly unlikely’, although further studies are still ongoing. The research, led by the IRB, suggests that it could belong to a new strain not described in the scientific literature.