Scientists

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.

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.

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.

Air conditioning in buildings is necessary to combat the high temperatures of summers, which are becoming increasingly long and hot; however, it is not without controversy due to its energy consumption and environmental impact. Today, the WHO is presenting its new guidance on health and heat action plans, in which it acknowledges that air conditioning is problematic, while also emphasizing the need for vulnerable populations to have access to these systems. In a recent briefing organized by SMC Spain, we analyzed its role in the fight against global warming.

The origin and the process by which eukaryotic cells—the cells that make up animals, plants and fungi—first emerged remains one of the great unanswered questions in biology. The prevailing explanation, put forward by biologist Lynn Margulis, identified the union between an archaeon and a bacterium as the turning point. Now, a study carried out by IRB Barcelona and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center re-examines and expands on the current theory. The findings, published in the journal *Nature*, suggest that the process was longer and more complex than previously thought. At least two other different bacteria contributed to the development of eukaryotic cells, and giant viruses appear to have acted as vehicles for gene transfer. To explain the study, the Science Media Centre Spain organised a briefing with Toni Gabaldón, the lead researcher on the paper.

Six state-of-the-art large language models (LLMs) based on artificial intelligence (AI) can simulate human emotions such as fear, sadness, and anxiety, according to a study published in the journal The Lancet Digital Health. The authors clarify that these are metaphorical reactions on the part of the algorithms, but suggest that this could open new avenues for developing and testing conversational therapy techniques aimed at treating mental health disorders.

Rising sea levels have quadrupled the frequency of extreme events related to this phenomenon along coastlines since 1900. This is one of the conclusions of a study, which included Spanish participation, suggesting that climate change has already altered the risk of coastal flooding and highlighting the need to integrate these changes into adaptation and risk management strategies. More than 680 million people worldwide live in low-lying coastal regions, where small changes in sea level can significantly affect flood risk. The study is published in Nature Climate Change and aligns with another paper, published the same day in Science Advances, which states that since the 1970s, the number of days on which sea levels have exceeded annual averages has tripled.