The extraordinary plenary session of the Congress of Deputies today approved the reform of the Law on Science, Technology and Innovation. After being passed in the Lower House without any votes against it on 23 June, the bill was approved in the Senate on 20 July with an amendment referring to indefinite-term contracts, which was rejected today in Congress. 

Research published in Nature shows the creation of synthetic mouse embryos derived from stem cells. The embryo model copies the stages of natural rodent embryo development that take place up to day 8.5 after fertilisation and includes regions of the brain, a neural tube and a structure similar to a beating heart.

Research estimates that the rise in global average temperatures could approach 2 ˚C by 2050. The study, published in Communications Earth and Environment, estimates that by 2100 many people living in tropical regions will be exposed to dangerously high levels of heat on most days of the year. In addition, deadly heatwaves, which are currently rare in mid-latitudes, could occur every year in these areas.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has analysed the effectiveness of the antiviral drug Paxlovid after implantation of the omicron variant. The relative risk of severe disease decreased markedly in patients over 65 years of age, both vaccinated and unvaccinated. No differences were found in those under 65 years of age.

It is one year since the last episode of dead fish in the Mar Menor and six years since its collapse in 2016.  In the European project COASTAL we propose 14 solutions for the sustainable development of the Mar Menor and Campo de Cartagena in collaboration with representatives of the agriculture, tourism, fishing, salt marshes, public administrations, NGOs and research sectors.

Using data from the 2017 National Health Interview Survey, researchers show that children and adolescents (aged 4-14 years) who skip breakfast or eat it away from home are more likely to have psychosocial behavioural problems. The research is published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.

Research published in PNAS shows how, in a sample of more than 1,600 racially diverse (black and white) parents in the United States, freedom of school choice, regardless of the presence of students of other ethnicities, also increases segregation. The authors attribute this to different preferences between black parents, who favour higher school ratings, and white parents, who prefer proximity to the school.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has authorised the administration of monkeypox vaccine intradermally rather than subcutaneously. This will allow more people to be vaccinated in the absence of doses, but effectiveness and safety data are limited. The Public Health Commission has decided to follow this strategy except for pregnant women and immunocompromised persons. 

The report Women Researchers 2022 highlights the fact that the presence of women in decision-making positions and in scientific and innovative leadership at the CSIC has increased. Among the shadows, the persistent under-representation of women researchers and the difficulty in achieving a gender balance in all scientific ranks, especially in research professorships.

Research published in the journal Cell has found a link between the intake of the sweeteners saccharin and sucralose with changes in the gut microbiota that may lead to altered glucose metabolism.