University of Oviedo

Sea cucumbers are known for their regenerative capacity and for exhibiting minimal cellular ageing. An article published in the journal Science Advances has documented the viability of amputated tissue from the species Psolus fabricii for over three years in natural seawater. Samples taken from three individuals of this species showed cellular diversification, immune activity, tissue reorganisation and the uptake of dissolved amino acids—properties that are unparalleled in the current scientific literature, according to the article. The authors also note that the finding may pave the way for a new experimental model, free from ethical concerns, for regenerative biology, biomedical research and tissue engineering.

Ageing is characterised by the accumulation of cellular damage. Among the biomarkers associated with this process are epigenetic ‘clocks’, which analyse non-genetic modifications of DNA over time. However, these approaches have certain limitations, as they do not reflect the activity of specific genes. Now, a study published in Nature has analysed more than 11,000 transcriptomes from over 25 tissues in mice, rats, macaques and humans, showing that ageing-associated changes are conserved across species and cell types. The findings reveal universal transcriptomic signatures of ageing and mortality in mammals. Using these data, the authors developed their own molecular ‘clocks’, capable of estimating biological age and expected mortality.

Amid an unprecedented international security and coordination operation, the MV Hondius has arrived at the port of Granadilla, in Tenerife, where epidemiologists and members of the Foreign Health Service will examine the passengers and crew, who have not shown any symptoms of hantavirus so far. Once assessed, they will leave the ship, which is moored in a dock, in small boats to the port, grouped by nationality – they come from 23 different countries. From there, they will board military vehicles to reach Tenerife South Airport, from where they will be repatriated on various flights. The 14 Spaniards and a member of the WHO from Africa are bound for Gómez Ulla Hospital (Madrid) to undergo quarantine. Once the process is complete, the cruise ship will refuel and sail to the Netherlands with part of the crew on board and the body of one of the three fatalities.

The Ministry of Health has announced that Spain will receive the MV Hondius in the Canary Islands “in accordance with international law and the spirit of humanitarianism”. The government is thus responding to a request from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the European Union for the cruise ship, which is travelling from Argentina and has an outbreak of hantavirus on board, to dock in the Canary Islands, in the port of Granadilla, Tenerife. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has assessed which passengers should be evacuated from the ship to Cape Verde, where it is currently located, and which will continue on to the Canary Islands. Once there, they will be examined and transferred to their home countries in accordance with safety protocols. The cruise ship is expected to arrive in the archipelago in three or four days.

A clinical trial (COSMOS) involving 958 healthy adults with an average age of 70 tested the ability of a multivitamin supplement, together with cocoa extract, to slow ageing. The results, published in Nature Medicine, show that the supplement slightly slowed two of the five biological markers of ageing measured after two years of daily use. The two markers affected were PCPhenoAge and PCGrimAge, whose rate of increase was reduced by 2.6 months and 1.4 months respectively. The slowing effect was greater among participants who initially showed more accelerated ageing. Cocoa showed no effect.

How much homework do teachers assign? If children spend more time doing homework, do they get better grades? What should homework be like in order to be useful? There are conflicting opinions on this subject, as well as a great deal of academic research. In this article, we present evidence to unravel some of the controversies –with a focus on primary education, which is usually completed between the ages of six and twelve.

Forest disturbances in Europe—including fires, insect pest outbreaks, and windstorms—could double by the end of the 21st century compared with the 2001–2020 period if emissions are not reduced. In the case of wildfires, the annual area burned could nearly triple. The Mediterranean region ranks among the most vulnerable, and almost 90% of Mediterranean forests could be affected by increased fires and pest outbreaks under higher warming scenarios. The findings are published in a study in the journal Science involving Spanish research centers such as CREAF, the CTFC and the University of Girona.

On social network X (formerly Twitter), when users select the ‘for you’ option, the algorithm tends to steer them towards more conservative political options, according to research conducted with nearly 5,000 participants in the United States in 2023. The authors randomly assigned users to either an algorithmic or chronological feed for seven weeks. The switch from chronological to algorithmic feed increased engagement and shifted political opinion towards more conservative positions, especially on political priorities, perceptions of criminal investigations into Donald Trump, and opinions on the war in Ukraine. Conversely, switching from the algorithmic feed to the chronological feed had no comparable effects. ‘Initial exposure to X's algorithm has persistent effects on users' current political attitudes,’ say the authors of the study, published in Nature.

The inclusion of transgender women in women's sports categories is a controversial decision. To compare body composition and physical fitness between transgender and cisgender women, a team from Brazil has conducted a meta-analysis encompassing 52 studies and 6,485 individuals, analysing these values before and after gender-affirming hormone therapy. Although trans women showed greater lean mass—an indicator of muscle mass—there were no significant differences in upper or lower body strength, nor in maximum oxygen consumption, compared to cis women one to three years after hormone therapy. ‘The current evidence is, for the most part, of low certainty and heterogeneous quality, but it does not support theories about the inherent athletic advantages of trans women over cis women,’ say the authors of the study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The collision between two high-speed trains in Adamuz (Córdoba) on Sunday afternoon has left at least 39 people dead and more than a hundred injured. The emotional impact of the accident affects the families of the victims, as well as the crash survivors and other train users.