Immune Changes May Predict Bowel Disease Years Early
Scientists have identified immune-system changes that may precede inflammatory bowel disease by a decade. Researchers examined 2,000 stored blood samples from 500 people, including 200 who later developed Crohn’s disease, 200 who developed ulcerative colitis and 100 healthy controls. They measured antibody responses to roughly 357,000 potential targets, finding distinctive patterns years before diagnosis. Machine-learning models distinguished future Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis cases from controls with areas under the curve of 0.90 and 0.84, respectively. Antibody profiles also helped distinguish people who later developed complicated Crohn’s disease. Presented at UEG Week 2026, the findings suggest that immune changes begin long before obvious symptoms. However, the results are conference findings, not a validated screening test, and require independent prospective confirmation. (UEG)
Scientists Restore Disrupted Brain Rhythms in Alzheimer’s Mice
Researchers have restored disrupted brain rhythms in mice engineered to develop amyloid plaques resembling those seen in Alzheimer’s disease. The work focuses on parvalbumin interneurons, specialized nerve cells that help generate gamma oscillations associated with attention, memory and information processing. Scientists at UTHealth Houston found that these cells are recruited in a sequence rather than firing uniformly together, and that this recruitment pattern becomes impaired in the Alzheimer’s model. Enhancing the cells’ function using a sodium-channel subunit restored their recruitment pattern and improved gamma oscillations. Published in Neuron, the study identifies a potential route for repairing dysfunctional brain circuitry. Importantly, the experiments did not demonstrate restored memory or an effective Alzheimer’s treatment in humans; they establish a mechanistic proof of principle in mice. (Medical Xpress)
Mantis Shrimp Eyes Contain Reversible Molecular Light Switches
Mantis shrimp possess an extraordinary visual system, and researchers have discovered that some of its light-sensitive proteins operate like reversible molecular switches. Scientists from the University of Liège and Humboldt University of Berlin analyzed 17 opsins from the specialized central band of the animals’ eyes. Four pigments could alternate between active and inactive states when illuminated with different colors, without requiring the usual cellular regeneration process. Two were activated by red light and deactivated by blue; two responded to blue and orange instead. Together with colored eye filters, the pigments extend sensitivity to wavelengths reaching 687 nanometers. Published in Science Advances, the discovery could inspire new optogenetic tools for controlling cellular signaling. Whether these pigments improve the animals’ hunting or navigation remains untested. (Phys.org)
Archaeologists May Have Discovered World’s Oldest Shipwreck
Archaeologists investigating submerged cargo near Kekova, off Turkey’s southern coast, believe they may have found the world’s oldest known shipwreck. Pottery recovered from the seabed suggests a date around 2700–2400 BCE, potentially older than the roughly 4,200-year-old Dokos wreck in Greece. The wooden vessel itself has disappeared, but large, two-handled storage jars remain embedded in the rocky underwater slope. Their shapes and manufacturing methods suggest connections with trade networks spanning the eastern Mediterranean, possibly including the Levant. Some jars retain visible residues that may eventually reveal what they carried. The wreck was discovered in 2024, with dating work continuing in 2026. Crucially, the proposed age remains preliminary: laboratory analyses are pending, and the findings have not yet appeared in a peer-reviewed paper. (Phys.org)
Electrical Sliding Turns Graphene Magnetism On and Off
A team at Cornell University has demonstrated a way to switch magnetism on and off by electrically shifting the alignment of graphene sheets. The researchers stacked four atomically thin layers of carbon and applied a voltage that caused the layers to slide into different arrangements. The common Bernal stacking pattern was nonmagnetic, while the alternative rhombohedral configuration supported a magnetic state. Remarkably, the rearrangement persisted after the voltage was removed, and the team could switch repeatedly between configurations. Published in Nature Nanotechnology, the experiment exploits weak forces between layers rather than breaking strong chemical bonds to restructure a material. The result suggests a route toward nonvolatile memory and reconfigurable quantum devices, although practical computing applications remain speculative and will require additional engineering. (Cornell Chronicle)
Nearly Half of Reef-Building Corals Face Extinction Risk
Nearly half the world’s reef-building coral species face an elevated risk of extinction, according to a global assessment published October 15 in Nature. Researchers working with the International Union for Conservation of Nature reassessed 892 coral species, finding that 340 of the 774 with sufficient data—approximately 44%—qualified as threatened. Thirty-three species were classified as Critically Endangered, 251 as Endangered and 56 as Vulnerable. Climate-driven ocean warming was the dominant threat, with projected heat stress influencing the classification of more than 90% of threatened species. Particularly concerning, the assessment relies on information predating the extraordinary marine heatwaves and global bleaching event of 2023–2025. Researchers warn that current extinction risks may therefore be substantially higher, emphasizing that every fraction of a degree of avoided warming matters. (IUCN)
Brain Enzyme May Protect Memory During Aging
Why some older adults retain sharp memories despite Alzheimer’s-related brain changes may have a molecular explanation. Researchers identified PLA2G2F, an enzyme produced by hippocampal neurons that breaks down lipids and helps maintain healthy communication with immune cells. In aging mice, deleting the gene accelerated synapse loss, inflammation and spatial-memory impairment. Increasing its activity preserved neuronal connections and improved memory performance. Experiments with human-derived brain cells showed that the enzyme reduced fat accumulation in microglia. Analyses of donated human brains also found higher PLA2G2F activity among people who remained cognitively intact despite amyloid deposits. Published October 15 in Nature Neuroscience, the findings point toward a possible strategy for protecting aging brains. However, they do not demonstrate that boosting the enzyme prevents dementia in humans. (Nature)
Cancer-Promoting Protein Could Strengthen Immune Cell Therapies
A protein normally associated with cancer growth could become a weapon against tumors when activated in immune cells. Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory discovered that PPARD, a transcription factor regulating fat metabolism, plays dramatically different roles depending on which cells express it. In cancer cells, PPARD can promote tumor growth. However, activating it in immune cells increased their metabolic fitness and strengthened their ability to attack cancer. Researchers engineered CAR T cells with enhanced PPARD activity and tested them against colorectal cancer organoids, cultured human cancer cells and tumors implanted in mice. The modified cells slowed or stopped tumor growth, with encouraging findings also involving breast cancer, ovarian cancer and melanoma. Published October 14 in Nature Immunology, the research suggests a potential strategy for improving immunotherapy against solid tumors. Human trials remain necessary. (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
Scientists Reveal How Mosquitoes Detect Potential Hosts
Scientists have reconstructed the molecular machinery that helps malaria-carrying mosquitoes detect chemical signals associated with potential hosts. Researchers studying Anopheles stephensi used cryo-electron microscopy to examine a sensory receptor complex called IR8a–IR75k in four different structural states. The experiments revealed how the receptor recognizes specific carboxylic acids, including octanoic and nonanoic acids, through differences in their molecular shapes. When a suitable chemical binds, part of the receptor closes around it, triggering structural changes that open an ion channel and generate a sensory signal. Computer simulations and electrical measurements supported the proposed mechanism. Published October 14 in Nature, the findings provide an atomic-scale explanation for an important component of mosquito olfaction. Understanding these receptors could eventually guide the development of repellents that interfere with mosquito host-seeking behavior and reduce disease transmission. (Nature)
New Zinc System Could Transform Hydrogen Storage
Researchers have developed a chemical system that uses metallic zinc to transport energy and generate hydrogen when needed, potentially overcoming a major obstacle to widespread hydrogen adoption. Scientists at Tsinghua University used machine-learning-guided screening to identify lactate as a compound that improves zinc chemistry in alkaline solutions. The resulting system produces hydrogen without requiring an external electrical circuit during release and operates between 0 and 80 degrees Celsius. Experiments demonstrated approximately 99% Faradaic efficiency and a reported volumetric hydrogen capacity ranging from 137.9 to 218.4 kilograms per cubic meter. Published October 16 in Nature Synthesis, the research suggests that solid zinc could serve as a reusable hydrogen carrier for remote communities, portable power systems and industrial applications. However, practical deployment will require further engineering and assessment of full-system efficiency and costs. (Nature)