Scientists

A study reveals that most of the carbon dioxide (CO₂) absorbed by ecosystems has been stored in dead plant material, soils and sediments, and not in living biomass. These data, which suggest that terrestrial carbon reserves are more resistant and stable than previously believed, are crucial for designing future climate change mitigation strategies and optimising carbon sequestration efforts. The findings are published in the journal Science.

Two international teams have independently discovered the presence of oxygen in the galaxy JADES-GS-z14-0, the most distant known. The finding, which has been made using the ALMA telescope at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), could mean that galaxies evolved much earlier than previously thought. The results are published in the journals Astronomy & Astrophysics and The Astrophysical Journal.

Today the Spanish Parliament rejected the creation of the State Public Health Agency, a proposal that had been envisaged since the Public Health Act of 2011 and whose idea of implementation had resurfaced after the pandemic. 

Despite the overwhelming evidence, climate change denialist messages have found a loudspeaker in certain social networks. Of importance in this disinformation strategy is the attempt to discredit the scientific community in general, and climate researchers and weather forecasters in particular. However, the study of climate and the prediction and monitoring of adverse weather phenomena is in the interest of society as a whole.

The DIAN-TU platform is an initiative to test Alzheimer's disease treatments early, by recruiting people with a mutation that leads to developing the disease in the future. One of the trials with the anti-amyloid drug gantenerumab ended without reaching the targets. However, a continuation of the study in 73 patients suggests - for the first time, according to the authors - that long-term, high-dose treatment given some time before symptoms develop could delay the onset of the disease. The results are published in the journal The Lancet Neurology. 

In mice, a therapy based on editing regulatory T-cells can suppress an immune reaction against gluten, according to a study in Science Translational Medicine. Studies in animals with coeliac disease would be needed to assess the efficacy of this cell therapy in restoring gluten tolerance, the authors say. 

Around half of the 100 most popular videos on TikTok about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) contain statements that diverge from the scientific literature of reference, according to a study published in PLOS ONE. In addition, the research shows that there are discrepancies between young people and mental health professionals about the educational value of the content about ADHD on this social network.

A CNIC research team has identified a population of skin neutrophils that reinforce the physical protection of the tissue against infection. These immune cells are known for their microbicidal role, and the study published in Nature reveals that they also produce an extracellular matrix that reinforces the physical barrier of the skin.

The budget cuts affecting scientific activity in countries such as the United States and the fragility of centralised systems make decentralised and collaborative models a necessity. Science, intrinsically global, requires structures that can withstand local pressures. In this situation, Europe has the opportunity - and the duty - to lead a new paradigm where data is free, secure and accessible.

Clear evidence of human-induced climate change reached new heights in 2024 and some of the consequences will be irreversible for hundreds or thousands of years, according to the World Meteorological Organisation's State of the Global Climate 2024 report. It also highlights the enormous economic and social impacts of extreme weather conditions.