I've just been published in @nature.com ! 🤯 My short piece argues for a culture of Slow AI, one that values reflection, care, and collective scrutiny over speed. Read it here: rdcu.be/eLZhH #SlowAI #Ethics #HigherEducation #GenAI #SciComm 🧪

🌳 Tropical forests now releasing carbon Long-term data show Australia’s tropical forests have shifted from storing carbon to emitting it, as rising heat and extreme weather increase tree deaths. 🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41... #ClimateCrisis #SciComm 🧪

💬 How populists reshape global narratives Analysing 4 million tweets on China’s anti-COVID protests, researchers found Western populists reframed the events to claim democracies act like dictatorships. 🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41... #Politics #SciComm 🧪

🌿 How belief can protect nature A new model suggests that fear of supernatural punishment for harming nature can evolve to curb overuse of resources, helping societies live sustainably. 🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41... #Sustainability #SciComm 🧪

🥛 Probiotics reshape the future of food A new review highlights how adding probiotics to dairy, grains, and plant-based foods can boost gut health and flavour, but stability and regulation remain challenges. 🔗 doi.org/10.3390/food... #FoodScience #SciComm 🧪

🧠 Why some people defend obvious falsehoods New research finds that some endorse disproven claims as a show of “symbolic strength,” valuing independence over truth, and making fact-checks seem weak. 🔗 doi.org/10.64628/AAI... #FakeNews #SciComm 🧪

🧬 Ancient lead exposure and human evolution Fossil and lab evidence show early hominids were exposed to lead for over 2 million years, which may have shaped brain genes linked to speech and behaviour. 🔗 doi.org/10.1126/scia... #Lead #Evolution #SciComm 🧪

🪱 How flatworms rebuild themselves Using spatial transcriptomics, scientists found planarian stem cells rely on signals from nearby gut cells (not fixed niches) to drive powerful regeneration. 🔗 www.cell.com/cell-reports... #FlatWorms #SciComm 🧪

🧠 Midlife is a mental peak, not a decline A new study finds overall psychological functioning peaks between ages 55–60, when reasoning, emotional balance, and judgement combine at their best. 🔗 doi.org/10.64628/AA.... #Psychology #SciComm 🧪

⚖️ Rethinking obesity diagnosis Using a new definition that includes body shape as well as BMI, obesity rates in 300,000 US adults rose by 60%, revealing hidden health risks missed by BMI alone. 🔗 doi.org/10.1001/jama... #Obesityh #SciComm 🧪

🥗 Ending free school meals hurts students Surveying 941 US school food authorities, researchers found ending universal free meals led to lower participation, more stigma, and rising meal debt. 🔗 www.jneb.org/article/S149... #PublicHealth #SciComm 🧪

🌸 The orchid that blooms underground Australia’s rare Rhizanthella orchid lives, feeds, and flowers entirely underground, relying on a fungus and bush roots to survive, now near extinction. 🔗 www.theguardian.com/science/2025... #Botany #SciComm 🧪

🐸 How toads took over the world Genetic data from 124 species show modern toads began in South America 61 million years ago, spreading globally thanks to new defences like toxic glands. 🔗 doi.org/10.1098/rspb... #Evolution #SciComm 🧪

💊 Timing matters for dopamine drugs A new model shows that dopamine drugs like bupropion work differently depending on the time of day, suggesting dosing should align with body rhythms. 🔗 doi.org/10.1371/jour... #Neuroscience #SciComm 🧪

🎶 Singing helps ease postnatal depression A UK trial with 199 mothers found that 10 weeks of group singing reduced postnatal depression symptoms for up to 8 months and was low-cost and well liked. 🔗 www.kcl.ac.uk/news/group-s... #MaternalHealth #SciComm 🧪

💓 Biofeedback helps reduce addiction cravings A trial of 115 adults found that heart rate variability biofeedback cut cravings, negative mood, and substance use by over 60%, supporting recovery efforts. 🔗 doi.org/10.1001/jama... #Addiction #Recovery #SciComm 🧪

💓 Biofeedback helps reduce addiction cravings A trial of 115 adults found that heart rate variability biofeedback cut cravings, negative mood, and substance use by over 60%, supporting recovery efforts. 🔗 doi.org/10.1001/jama... #Addiction #Recovery #SciComm 🧪

👮‍♂️ Why youth crime is falling Studies across 30+ countries show youth crime has dropped over recent decades, likely due to less unsupervised socialising and lower alcohol use. 🔗 www.mpg.de/25556841/you... #YouthJustice #SciComm 🧪

🌎 Climate change weighs on teens’ minds In a survey of 800 Canadian adolescents, over a third said climate change affects their mental health, citing fear for the future and distress for nature. 🔗 doi.org/10.1371/jour... #MentalHealth #SciComm 🧪

💉 Shingles vaccine proves highly effective A US Medicare study found the recombinant shingles vaccine cut infection risk by over 50% in older adults, including those with weak immunity. Two doses worked best. 🔗 doi.org/10.7326/ANNA... #Vaccines #SciComm 🧪

🐠 Coral reefs hit climate tipping point Scientists say global coral die-offs mark Earth’s first climate 'tipping point', warning that recovery may be impossible without cooling the planet. 🔗 global-tipping-points.org #ClimateCrisis #SciComm 🧪

🤖 Building trust in AI for health care A new @jama.com report calls for better testing, monitoring, and shared oversight of medical AI tools to ensure they truly improve health for everyone. 🔗 doi.org/10.1001/jama... #AI #SciComm 🧪

🩸 Lab-grown embryo model makes human blood cells Cambridge scientists created embryo-like structures that formed early human blood and heart cells, a step toward patient-matched regenerative therapies. 🔗 www.theguardian.com/science/2025... #StemCells #SciComm 🧪

🌒 Eclipse confuses birds into dawn songs During the 2024 total solar eclipse, over half of bird species briefly sang as if it were morning, revealing how light shifts shape behaviour. 🔗 doi.org/10.1126/scie... #Birds #SciComm 🧪

🧠 Pollution and child brain development A Finnish study found that prenatal exposure to PFAS chemicals was linked to subtle brain changes in 5-year-olds, including regions for movement and vision. 🔗 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #PFAS #SciComm 🧪

🌍 Earth’s magnetic field is shifting Data from 11 years of satellites show the weak South Atlantic field is expanding, while Canada’s strong field is shrinking and Siberia’s is growing. 🔗 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #EarthScience #SciComm 🧪

🌿 Nature lifts mood all day Surveying over 2,000 adults, researchers found that visiting parks or watersides boosts happiness for everyone, including those with depression or anxiety. 🔗 doi.org/10.1080/1743... #MentalHealth #SciComm 🧪

🤖 Are chatbots dangerous companions? An analysis of 48,000 chatbot conversations found many users felt dependency, confusion, and emotional strain, raising concerns about AI-induced digital entrapment. 🔗 www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... #SciComm #AI #MentalHealth 🧪

🌍 Global health progress and new risks A major global study from @thelancet.com shows infectious diseases keep falling, but chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and anxiety are rising worldwide. 🔗 www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... #GlobalHealth #SciComm 🧪

🧫 Alarming rise of superbugs in newborns A study across Southeast Asia found most newborn sepsis cases were caused by drug-resistant bacteria, with Klebsiella and Acinetobacter showing especially high resistance. 🔗 www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... #SciComm #Health #AMR 🧪

🏭 When oversight stops, pollution rises During the 2018–19 US government shutdown, coal plants released more soot when EPA monitoring paused, showing firms cut corners when checks lapse. 🔗 www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... #AirQuality #SciComm 🧪

🦐 Krill help move carbon in the ocean Antarctic krill make and drop 'food boluses' while feeding. These sinking clumps may carry carbon deep into the sea, aiding ocean carbon transport. 🔗 doi.org/10.1098/rsbl... #MarineBiology #SciComm 🧪

📱 Social media and self-image A review found that appearance-focused social media use links to body shame and eating risks, while self-compassion can help protect against these effects. 🔗 jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.... #SciComm 🧪 #SocialMedia

🤖 Who gets to decide what counts as ethical in AI? This week’s Slow AI asks how shared responsibility starts with everyday choices: theslowai.substack.com/p/why-ai-eth... #AIethics #SciComm #SlowAI #AI #GenAI

🧬 Blocking cancer growth safely New drugs that stop a key protein link in cancer cells slowed tumour growth in mice with RAS or HER2 mutations, without harming blood sugar control. 🔗 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... #Cancer #SciComm 🧪

🧠 How ageing reshapes the brain Scans from 2,600 adults show that ageing expands lower front brain areas and compresses upper back ones. These shape shifts link to weaker thinking and memory. 🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41... #SciComm #Ageing 🧪

🌍 Carbon offsets largely fail to cut emissions A 25-year review found most carbon offset schemes do not reduce global heating, with systemic flaws like double counting and temporary projects undermining real progress. 🔗 www.theguardian.com/environment/... #SciComm #Climate #CarbonOffsets 🧪

🏺 Climate shift and the fall of a dynasty Stalagmite records show a major drought and cooling event 2,800 years ago helped trigger the collapse of China’s Western Zhou Dynasty and mass southward migration. 🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s43... #SciComm #ClimateHistory #Archaeology 🧪

🐀 Social life slows brain ageing In aged rats, long-term social housing preserved memory and flexibility, supported by healthier brain activity in regions tied to learning and decision-making. 🔗 doi.org/10.18632/aging.206310 #SciComm #Ageing 🧪

🦣 Ancient hunters and lost giants New evidence shows early humans in southern South America relied mainly on now-extinct megafauna (such as giant sloths) for food until about 11,600 years ago, linking humans to their disappearance. 🔗 doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adx2615 #SciComm #Archaeology 🧪

🧫 How vaccines shape T cell defences Researchers found that repeated mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations keep T cells diverse while strengthening their binding power, helping the immune system adapt to viral changes. 🔗 doi.org/10.1126/sciimmunol.adu6730 #SciComm #Vaccines #COVID19 🧪

🧓 Calcium supplements and dementia risk A 14-year study of 1,460 older women found no link between calcium supplements and dementia, easing concerns about long-term cognitive harm. 🔗 www.thelancet.com/journals/lan... #SciComm #Ageing #Dementia 🧪

💪 Plant vs animal protein in training In a 12-week trial, men who took plant or animal protein with resistance training gained similar muscle mass and strength. Both sources were equally effective. 🔗 doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2025.2568047 #SciComm #Nutrition #Exercise 🧪

🌊 Emissions timing shapes sea-level rise A new study shows that when emissions fall matters as much as how much they fall. Delayed cuts drive higher sea levels, while Antarctic melt adds major uncertainty. 🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41... #SciComm #ClimateCrisis #SeaLevel 🧪

🏔️ Glaciers lose their cooling edge Scientists found that mountain glaciers will soon warm in step with the air around them, losing their brief cooling buffer and melting faster after midcentury. 🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41... #SciComm #ClimateCrisis #Glaciers 🧪

💼 Long-term impact of COVID-19 on work A study of 158 million US workers found health-related absences remain 13% higher than before the pandemic, reducing labour force participation. 🔗 doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.36635 #SciComm #COVID19 🧪

🧬 New clue toward male birth control Scientists found that sperm switch on an enzyme called aldolase to boost energy for fertilization. Blocking this process could lead to new male contraceptives. 🔗 www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... #SciComm #Reproduction #BirthControl 🧪

💉 School nurses call for stronger vaccine rules A new position from the National Association of School Nurses in the US says all students should be fully vaccinated, with exemptions allowed only for medical reasons. 🔗 www.news-medical.net/news/2025101... #SciComm #Vaccines 🧪

💊 Rise of deadly nitazene opioids Researchers report a global surge in nitazene use, a synthetic opioid up to 500 times stronger than morphine. Most overdoses occur when it is sold as other drugs. 🔗 doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-03280-5 #SciComm #Opioids 🧪

🥤 Soft drinks and depression A study of 932 adults found that soft drink intake was linked to major depression, especially in women. Gut bacteria changes partly explained the connection. 🔗 jamanetwork.com/journals/jam... #SciComm #MentalHealth #Nutrition 🧪