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An article published in the journal Newton, part of the Cell Press group, has studied the optics of chicken eggs using a noninvasive technique known as time-domain diffuse optical spectroscopy. This technique is used to determine the absorption and scattering properties of the material based on the distribution of photons within the shell. The study shows that photons bounce off the shell numerous times inside the egg, making it possible to inspect its interior, determine whether the eggs have been fertilized, and detect the sex of the embryos. According to the research team, this technique could prevent the current culling of millions of male chicks at birth—since they do not lay eggs and are not profitable for the industry.

On TikTok, the vast majority (86.8 %) of videos about sunscreen promote its use, according to a content analysis of 971 of the most-viewed videos on this topic on the platform. However, the minority (6 per cent) of videos that criticise these products generate more engagement (likes, comments and shares) on TikTok, the authors warn. This misinformation stems from “small but highly influential numbers of content producers, whose shock-provoking and “sticky” content can generate considerably and disproportionately greater attention or interaction among some viewers”, they write in PLoS Digital Health.

A team from the UK has analyzed body mass index (BMI) and genetic variants associated with obesity in four generations of Britons born in 1946, 1958, 1970, and 2001—that is, before and after the rise in obesity rates. The results indicate that people with a genetic predisposition to a high BMI are likely more susceptible than others to changes in their environment that promote obesity, such as those that have occurred in recent decades related to ultra-processed food and sedentary lifestyles. In other words, although genetics has not changed, the obesogenic environment has strengthened its association with obesity. The work is published in Plos Genetics.  

A team from the UK and the Netherlands has estimated the environmental cost attributed to the actions of the top 10% of spenders—generally the wealthiest—both globally and in the richest country on each continent. Globally, they are responsible for damages worth between US$1.7 trillion and US$5.7 trillion. These figures exceed the funding needed to meet the 2035 climate finance target agreed upon at COP30—US$993 billion—and to cover the funding needed to halt biodiversity loss by 2030—US$657 billion. The study is published in Communications Sustainability, a journal of the Nature group. 

Nature has published two independent studies demonstrating the ability of large language models based on artificial intelligence (AI) to support different stages of patient management in controlled settings. The first study analysed MIRA, an AI agent that operates within electronic health records, which achieved a diagnostic accuracy of nearly 88%, compared with 78% for a panel of physicians. The second study evaluated AMIE, a conversational clinical reasoning model, against 21 primary care physicians across 100 multi-visit scenarios. AMIE achieved performance comparable to, and in some cases better than, that of physicians in terms of treatment accuracy, test ordering, and adherence to clinical guidelines. The models are based on simulations or retrospective data, which limits the strength of the conclusions that can be drawn. The findings are consistent with another model published in Science last April.

An international team has developed a 98-qubit quantum computer—quantum bits—that operates with high precision in a way that classical computers cannot replicate. The demonstration is published in Nature and, according to its authors, highlights the scalability potential of this type of quantum computer, based on trapped ions. However, the researchers note that challenges remain to determine whether this technology can be applied to even larger quantum systems.

A meta-analysis published today in PNAS shows that, globally, the loss of agricultural production due to insufficient pollination has declined since the 1980s, primarily thanks to the use of honeybees. The research includes 165 studies published between 1950 and 2019, the results of which showed that fields without managed pollinators did not exhibit a clear reduction in this loss of productivity. According to the authors, this type of pollination has mitigated yield losses, but the heavy reliance on a single pollinator species—the common honeybee—poses risks to agriculture. 

In December 2025, the European Commission proposed new rules for the placing on the market of genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs). Tomorrow, European Union health ministers will vote to adopt the position of the Council of the European Union (EU) on this proposal. The Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament must agree on the final version of the legislative text.

To fully experience the astronomical phenomenon of a total eclipse, you need to prepare in advance. The main concern is eye safety, but there are other health risks that can easily be avoided. We explain the main personal precautions to bear in mind.

Controlled burning of coniferous forests helps prevent larger wildfires and thus reduces emissions of polluting smoke, according to a study published in Science. The study uses satellite data to estimate the severity of wildfires in California between 2000 and 2021, combined with estimates of fine particulate matter emitted by the fires. By simulating the prescribed burning of more than 2,000 km² of forest per year, the authors estimate a 10% reduction in the cumulative emission of harmful particles in California up to a decade later.