More than 50,000 people died as a result of extreme heat in European towns and cities during the summer of 2026 – the highest figure recorded to date – according to two new studies published in Nature Health. After analysing 854 urban areas across 30 countries (the EU-27, the United Kingdom, Norway and Switzerland), researchers from Imperial College and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (United Kingdom) have concluded that climate change resulting from the burning of fossil fuels is responsible for two-thirds of these deaths. The five countries most affected were, in this order, Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the UK. According to these studies, 6,824 people died from heat-related causes in Spain this summer — 1,000 more than estimated by the MoMo system — of whom 77 per cent can be attributed to climate change.

A European team has developed and tested a wireless electronic device—implantable under the skin—in mice to treat diabetes and obesity (diabesity) without the need for medication. The approach is based on electrocatalysis, which converts excess blood glucose into gluconate—a substance that is subsequently excreted by the kidneys. In a proof-of-concept study involving mice with obesity and type 2 diabetes, the device successfully restored normal blood glucose levels. Furthermore, after six weeks of treatment, it was associated with a reduction in both body weight and triglyceride levels. The results are published in Science.  

During pregnancy, women’s biological age accelerates, and this is partially reversed after childbirth. A review published in the journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism suggests that closely spaced pregnancies may prevent the body from recovering fully and could lead to the accumulation of changes associated with biological ageing, with potential long-term consequences for maternal health. Although further studies are still needed to test this hypothesis, the authors suggest that the time elapsed between pregnancies could be a significant factor in women’s ageing.

The French authorities have announced the first recorded case of human infection with the Shamonda virus. The patient was receiving treatment for a serious illness and died in early October. This virus was first identified in farm animals in Europe this past summer, but had previously been detected in animals outside the continent. It is usually transmitted between animals via the bites of infected midges (Culicoides). It is still unknown how the patient contracted the viral infection and whether this was the direct cause of death. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in a press release has stated that it is monitoring the situation closely.

A team from the Netherlands has studied the role that salt marshes might play in protecting coastal areas subject to heavy swells from flooding. To this end, they transported and installed 306 square metres of salt marsh and vegetation in the Delta Flume, one of the world’s largest wave flumes. After 21 hours of exposure to waves up to two metres high, they found that the vegetation can reduce wave height by more than 10 per cent and by up to 50 per cent on low-energy marshy coasts — that is, those where waves reach a maximum of one metre. According to the authors, the restoration and conservation of salt marshes on storm-exposed coasts could be a promising strategy for mitigating the effects of storms. The findings are published in Nature.

Using clinical and genetic data from more than 10,000 Australians with depression, an international team has found that nearly 25 per cent suffered from what they have termed ‘circadian depression’ – a subtype previously proposed by the scientific community that is characterised by disrupted sleep-wake cycles, reduced daytime activity and low energy levels. In the study, those identified as having this form of depression reported an earlier age of onset, more severe clinical features and weight gain during depressive episodes. The authors, whose study is published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, state that these findings “support the apparent validity and potential clinical utility of a circadian subtype of depression as a clinical profile”.

The journal Tobacco Control has published a study on the proportion of passive smokers in Spain in 2024, which allows for a comparison with three previous editions and, for the first time, includes information on non-smokers’ exposure to smoke on outdoor terraces, as well as to e-cigarette products. The study, carried out by the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), shows, for the first time in the data series, an upward trend in the number of passive smokers. Bar terraces are identified as the main location of exposure. Three of the authors explained the main findings and their recommendations at a briefing organised by SMC Spain.

A study carried out by the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) has estimated the proportion of passive smokers in Spain in 2024. The study allows for a comparison of trends with three previous editions and, for the first time, includes information on non-smokers’ exposure to smoke on outdoor terraces, as well as to e-cigarette products. The results indicate that exposure has stopped falling and appear to show, for the first time in the data series, an upward trend in the number of passive smokers. Bar terraces are identified as the main location of exposure. The study is published in the journal Tobacco Control, part of the BMJ group.

A study led by the CSIC, which has analysed more than four million records of wild bees and hoverflies — known as flower flies — in Europe over the last century, shows that the majority of bee species and approximately half of the hoverfly species have experienced a decline. The study, published in PNAS, covers data on 88 per cent of these species and highlights that, by region, there were declines in the Atlantic and continental zones for both groups of pollinators, whilst recent increases were observed in the Alpine region in the case of bees.

Transboundary aquifers are groundwater reserves that extend across the territory of two or more countries, as is the case between Spain and Portugal. Globally, these aquifers supply 35 per cent of farmland irrigated with groundwater, but few are covered by international cooperation agreements. A study published in the journal PNAS has analysed water use in the 426 known transboundary aquifers. The results find no evidence that these aquifers, on average, suffer greater depletion than those located within a single country, although depletion tends to be concentrated near borders.