Success story brown bear: 3D analysis reveals the secret of their climate resilience

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns

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Lower jaws of fossil brown bears from the Le Régourdou Cave, Dordogne, France, dating back 243,000 years, and from the Postes Cave, Extremadura, Spain, dating back 71,000–104,000 years. The brown bear from the Postes Cave lived during a warmer interglacial period and had a shorter row of teeth than Ice Age brown bears, as well as a shorter lever arm for its masticatory muscles.

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Credit: Mónica Villalba de Alvarado

Brown bears have lived in Europe for 175.000 years, right up to the present day. A new study now shows that, over the course of their evolution, the masticatory function of the lower jaws of European brown bears (Ursus arctos arctos) changed significantly time and again and did so in sync with the climate, alternating between warm and cold periods. This is the conclusion reached by zoologist Anneke van Heteren of the Bavarian State Collections of Natural History (SNSB) and her colleague from the Universidad del País Vasco, Donostia-San Sebastián. In their study, the two researchers compared the lower jaws of fossil and modern brown bears with those of their closest relatives, including two extinct cave bear species (Ursus spelaeus and Ursus deningeri) as well as polar bears (Ursus maritimus).

Detailed geometric 3D analyses show that the basic jaw structurehas remained remarkably stable in European brown bears over thousands of years. In contrast to the specialized herbivorous cave bear or the carnivorous polar bear, the brown bear retained a versatile, omnivorous jaw structure. This has not changed drastically since the Pleistocene. The crucial flexibility, however, lies in the details: The researchers found subtle differences in lower jaw morphology in the area where the large chewing muscle, Musculus masseter, attaches. Here, the morphology of brown bears varies over the course of their evolution, depending on whether they lived during warm or cold climatic periods. The lower jaws of fossil brown bears from cold periods resemble those of modern bears native to cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere and high-altitude areas. The jaws of fossil brown bears from warm periods, regardless of geological age, differ significantly from these. Apparently, changes in the available food supply for brown bears were reflected in the flexible adaptation of their masticatory musculature.

“This morphological flexibility of the masticatory structures in brown bears shows us that the animals were evidently able to adapt optimally to the selective demands of their environment. Their ability to cope with such extreme climatic fluctuations likely played a decisive role in their evolutionary success. Brown bears have been continuously present in Europe since the Middle Pleistocene. More specialized species, such as the cave bear, however, became extinct,” explains Anneke van Heteren, curator of mammals at the Bavarian State Collections of Natural History (SNSB) and lead author of the study. 

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Journal

Comptes Rendus Palevol

DOI

10.5852/cr-palevol2026v25a11 

Method of Research

Imaging analysis

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Functional morphology of Pleistocene and Holocene brown bears (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758): a 3D geometric morphometric approach to masseter biomechanics and evolutionary ecology

Article Publication Date

1-Jul-2026

 

“Just remove the water?” The real culprit behind battery failure revealed

Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)

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(a) Schematic illustration of the liquid-phase bubbling-assisted crystal water removal process

(b) Surface oxidation and Fe–O bond formation during conventional thermal dehydration

(c) Integrated liquid-phase dehydration–electrode fabrication process minimizing moisture re-absorption

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Credit: POSTECH

Like a delicate fabric that becomes damaged during drying, a promising next-generation battery material has faced an unexpected challenge: removing water to improve performance can actually shorten battery life. Now, a Korean research team has identified surface oxidation occurring during the dehydration process as the true cause of performance degradation and developed a new dehydration progress to overcome it.

 

A research team led by Professor Changshin Jo from the Department of Battery Engineering and the Department of Chemical Engineering at POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology), together with Ph.D. candidate Seunghye Jang from the Department of Battery Engineering, recently published their findings in Advanced Materials, a world-leading journals in materials science.

 

As the markets for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESSs) continue to expand, competition for battery raw materials is intensifying. Sodium-ion batteries have attracted significant attention as a next-generation energy storage technology because sodium is more abundant and less expensive than lithium. Among various sodium-ion battery cathode materials, Prussian Blue, an iron-based cathode material, is considered highly promising due to its low production cost and high energy-storage capability.

 

 

One major challenge is that Prussian Blue inherently contains a substantial amount of crystal water during its synthesis. This water can trigger undesirable side reactions, including electrolyte decomposition, gas evolution, and iron dissolution, ultimately reducing battery performance and lifespan. To address this issue, high-temperature heat treatment has been widely used to remove the water. However, battery performance often deteriorates after dehydration, and the underlying cause has remained unclear.

 

The research team focused on the fact that battery performance did not improve as expected even after crystal water had been removed through high-temperature heat treatment. Through detailed analyses of the surface chemical state before and after dehydration, they discovered for the first time that the primary cause of performance degradation is not the crystal water itself, but rather iron–oxygen (Fe–O) bonds that form on the surface of Prussian Blue during heat –treatment. These Fe–O bonds promote surface oxidation, accelerate electrolyte decomposition and gas generation, and ultimately undermine battery performance and stability.

 

Based on this finding, the researchers developed a new solution: a liquid-phase bubbling dehydration process that continuously injects nitrogen gas into a non-aqueous solvent. As nitrogen bubbles pass through the solution, crystal water is effectively removed while minimizing exposure to oxygen, suppressing surface oxidation. The process is analogous to drying wet clothes with a gentle breeze rather than with excessive heat that can damage the fabric.

 

Using this approach, the team reduced the crystal water content of Prussian Blue from approximately 12 wt.% to around 1 wt.% while significantly suppressing surface oxidation. The treated material also generated less gas during battery operation and exhibited superior capacity retention after 100 charge-discharge cycles compared with conventionally heat-treated samples.

 

Importantly, the new process can directly utilize the solvent already employed during electrode fabrication, allowing dehydration and electrode fabrication to be integrated into a single step. This integration minimizes moisture reabsorption, a common issue in conventional processing, and further improves long-term stability.

 

“This liquid-phase bubbling dehydration process integrates dehydration and electrode fabrication into a single operation while preventing moisture reabsorption,” said Professor Changshin Jo. “We believe this process can contribute to the commercialization of next-generation sodium-ion batteries.”

 

The study was supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy through the Advanced Specialized Graduate School Program for Batteries, the Energy Technology Development Program, and the Industrial Technology Innovation Program.

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Journal

Advanced Materials

DOI

10.1002/adma.73507 

Article Title

Suppressing Surface Degradation in Na-Rich Prussian Blue Cathodes via Liquid-Phase Dehydration

 

Extreme weather impacts white stork survival in Bulgaria

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Map of the locations where distressed birds have been found - in blue are the locations where White Storks from the first category were found, in red are the ones from the second category. The green dot is the location of the Wildlife Rehabilitation and Breeding Centre of Green Balkans.

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Credit: Petrov, Pastir & Gradev, 2026.

A comprehensive 15-year study published in the open-access Biodiversity Data Journal details the growing threat of extreme weather on White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) in Bulgaria. The research, which is part of the topical collection "Restoration of species of conservation importance," analyzes the admissions and treatment outcomes of injured storks at the Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Centre (WRBC) of the Green Balkans NGO between 2010 and 2025.

Led by Rusko Petrov alongside Eva Pastir of Trakia University and Gradimir Gradev of the Agricultural University of Plovdiv, the study examines how extreme weather events, specifically sudden spring frosts and wildfires, affect White Stork survival. Of 3,690 storks admitted to the WRBC over the 15-year period, researchers focused on 158 cases attributable to storms, hailstorms, strong winds, snowfalls with low temperatures, and wildfires.

A Tale of Two Disasters

The results revealed a stark contrast in survival depending on the type of weather event. Overall, 49% of the extreme weather victims (77 birds) were successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild, while 51% (81 birds) of the cases were fatal. Only two birds remained permanently disabled and were transferred to other facilities.

Notably, juvenile storks are exceptionally vulnerable to extreme conditions because they are unable to flee the nest. This is particularly tragic during wildfires, which destroy nests and trap the flightless young while adult birds flee. Consequently, survival rates for fire-related incidents were strikingly low at just 33% (32 out of 97 cases). In contrast, storks affected by storms, hailstorms, and sudden snowfalls had a significantly higher rehabilitation success rate of 74% (45 out of 61 cases).

The Climate Change Connection

The researchers identified distinct geographic and climatic patterns linked to these rescues. Wildfires primarily clustered in the warmer Upper Thracian Plain, driven by prolonged summer heatwaves and human factors. Meanwhile, cold-related rescues were prevalent in the Danubian Plain, where cold continental air masses invade during winter and early spring.

These geographic patterns are consistent with global warming trends. 

Warmer winters are prompting storks to migrate earlier, exposing the returning adults to sudden, deadly spring frosts and blizzards.

- explain the researchers

Simultaneously, the increasing frequency of summer heatwaves is fueling the nest-destroying wildfires that threaten the juveniles. Petrov also notes broader implications for other species: 

Our research is focused on White Storks, but the impact is similar to many other bird species and most sensitive to it are the migratory and endangered ones. - he explains

To safeguard the White Stork, the authors underscore the urgent need for enhanced nest protection, improved wildlife rescue efforts, and proactive climate adaptation strategies to conserve the species.

Original source:

Petrov R, Pastir E, Gradev G (2026) Impact of extreme weather on White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) rehabilitation: admissions and outcomes (2010-2025). Biodiversity Data Journal 14: e182547. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.14.e182547

Percentage of storks admitted due to burnt and collapsed nests between 2010-2025.

Credit

Petrov, Pastir & Gradev, 2026.

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Journal

Biodiversity Data Journal

DOI

10.3897/BDJ.14.e182547 

Article Title

Impact of extreme weather on White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) rehabilitation: admissions and outcomes (2010-2025)

 

ADHD and autism diagnoses have increased. New study points to broader diagnoses as an explanation

Far more people are being diagnosed with ADHD and autism today than in the past, and a new study from the University of Copenhagen shows that the genetic contributions have decreased over the past 20 years

University of Copenhagen

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The number of people diagnosed with ADHD and autism in Denmark has increased substantially in recent decades. In 2000, around 0.1% of the population had an ADHD diagnosis; by 2022, this figure had risen to over 3%. A new study from the University of Copenhagen suggests that this trend is largely driven by changes in how diagnoses are made today.

The researchers analysed genetic data from more than 37,000 individuals diagnosed with ADHD or autism in Denmark between 1994 and 2016. The results show that people diagnosed in more recent years, on average, have a lower genetic predisposition for these conditions than those diagnosed earlier.

This suggests that today’s diagnoses encompass a broader group of individuals and milder symptom profiles than before.

“Genetics is our most objective measure, because the frequency of genes causing ASD or ADHD has not changed over the last 100 years – evolution just doesn’t work that fast,” says Andrew J. Schork, Associate Professor at the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Copenhagen and senior author of the study.

“The criteria and culture for how diagnoses in psychiatry are made – that can change rapidly, over even just a few years.  Our study shows that individuals diagnosed in 2016, where rates are higher, carry less genetic risk than individuals diagnosed in 1996, where rates are lower."

Genes have not changed — diagnoses have

The researchers used so-called polygenic risk scores, which combine the effects of thousands of small genetic variations associated with ADHD and autism. Both conditions are highly heritable – around 80% – meaning genetics plays a major role, although individuals can have high genetic risk without developing the disorder.

Because the genetic makeup of a population does not change substantially over a few decades, this approach provides a unique window into how diagnostic practices have evolved.

The study shows that more recently diagnosed patients have around a 10-15% lower genetic risk for ADHD and up to 25% lower for ASD than those diagnosed in 1994. Importantly, the kind of genetic risk – the pattern of risk for ADHD, ASD and other disorders like schizophrenia or bipolar – was very similar across the decades.

The researchers therefore conclude that the increase in diagnoses is best explained by a lower diagnostic threshold – meaning that more individuals with milder, but similar, or different symptoms are identified and diagnosed today.

Not evidence of overdiagnosis

Andrew J. Schork emphasizes that the findings should not be interpreted as evidence that people are being over- or misdiagnosed.

Rather, it shows that individuals diagnosed with ADHD or autism still carry a higher genetic risk than the general population and a pattern of risk that was relatively stable.

“Our results do not invalidate people’s diagnosis of ADHD or autism. Rather, they show that clinical practice, diagnostic manuals and society’s understanding of these diagnoses have changed to be broader over time. ,” says Sonja LaBianca, postdoc at the Institute of Biological Psychiatry at Copenhagen University Hospital and the study’s lead author.

However, the study ends at 2016, and the diagnostic rates have increased even further over the past 10 years.

“Unfortunately, we cannot speak to changes in the polygenic profile beyond 2016,” says Sonja LaBianca.

Could reshape the public debate

The rise in ADHD and autism diagnoses has been at the centre of intense public debate in recent years, touching on issues such as pressure on psychiatric resources, the role of schools, social media and screen use, and concerns about overdiagnosis.

The researchers believe their findings add an important layer of nuance.

“A challenge is a lack of objective data – there is no confirmatory blood test for a psychiatric disorder.  As such, we believe genetics has an important role to play in these debates, and our data point to a process by which diagnoses have gradually become broader and more inclusive, while maintaining a consistent core genetic profile” says Andrew J. Schork.

 

About the study

• More than 37,000 people with ADHD or autism were included in the analysis
• The researchers used data from blood samples from infants born between 1981 and 2008 as part of the iPsych research project. This data was combined with diagnoses from 1994 to 2016 from Danish health registries
• For each person, the researchers calculated a polygenic risk score—an overall measure of genetic predisposition based on thousands of genetic variations.
• The study is published in JAMA Psychiatry

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Journal

JAMA Psychiatry

DOI

10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2026.1450 

Article Title

Changes in Genetic Contributions to ASD and ADHD by Year of Diagnosis

COI Statement

Dr D. Børglum reported receiving personal fees from H. Lundbeck outside the submitted work. Dr Vilhjálmsson reported membership in the scientific advisory board for Allelica. No other disclosures were reported.

 

Scrolling for science: How a Twitter post discovered a new wasp in Fukuoka, Japan

Pensoft Publishers

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Illustration demonstrating how a twitter post discovered a new wasp (Eupelmus curvator) in Fukuoka, Japan.

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Credit: Kanji Toyosaki

The next time you post a nature photo online, you might be contributing to a major scientific breakthrough – just as several citizen scientists did when they helped discover the wasp Eupelmus curvator in Japan.

When a series of photos appeared on Twitter (now X) showing an iridescent wasp laying eggs on a praying mantis egg case, researchers from the Kyushu University Museum realised they weren't looking at a common garden insect. Instead, they were witnessing a species never before seen in Japan: Eupelmus curvator.

“The discovery was made possible through social media,” said Taisuke Kawano, the lead researcher and a specialist in eupelmid wasps at the Kyushu University Museum. “It all started with a post by a general user who shared a photo capturing a wasp emerging from a mantis egg case. A colleague of mine noticed the post and forwarded it to me via direct message.”

The wasp is the first record of Eupelmus curvator in Japan, a species previously known only to inhabit China. Perhaps more significantly, the recent study provided the first formal scientific description of the male of the species, which had remained a mystery until now.

A Rare Egg Hunter

“Eupelmus curvator is particularly interesting because it parasitises the egg cases of praying mantises,” Kawano explained. “While some other genera in Eupelmidae are specialised egg parasitoids, most species of Eupelmus attack larvae or pupae of other insects, and only very few are known to develop inside mantis oothecae. This makes Eupelmus curvator a rather unusual and biologically intriguing species.”

The researchers confirmed that the wasp targets the Narrow-winged Mantis (Tenodera angustipennis), turning the mantis’ future offspring into a nursery for its own young. In one case, a single mantis egg case collected in Fukuoka yielded 77 wasps and only a few surviving mantis nymphs.

Digital Collecting: The Future of Citizen Science

The research, published in the open-access journal Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa”, highlights a growing trend in biodiversity research: utilising digital collecting to find rare species.

In the spring of 2018 and again in 2021, citizen scientists and nature enthusiasts posted images and videos of the wasps' behaviour on Twitter. Through direct communication on the platform, these users sent specimens to Kawano for identification.

“Social media is becoming an increasingly important tool in citizen science,” Kawano said. “One of its greatest strengths is that it effectively increases the number of ‘eyes in the field.’ These observations often come from places and times that researchers would not normally be able to cover. When particularly interesting records appear, we can contact observers directly via social media, and in some cases obtain specimens for further study.”

To document the tiny find - females measure only about 2.2 to 3.2 mm excluding the ovipositor - the team used advanced macro photography and focus stacking technology to create hyper-detailed images of the wasp's anatomy.

Science in Your Backyard

The discovery suggests that even in well-studied regions like Japan, there is a wealth of biodiversity to be uncovered. The key, according to Kawano, is that scientists are now finding it in new ways.

“One of the most exciting aspects is how social media is changing the way we conduct research,” Kawano noted. “The social media platforms allow researchers to encounter observations that would otherwise remain unnoticed, effectively transforming everyday posts into valuable scientific data.”

As for his own social media habits? Kawano admits the line between work and leisure has blurred. “Personally, I sometimes joke that even when I am browsing social media, I am actually working,” he said. “And it is sometimes true... though not always.”

The research was supported by grants from the Robert T. Huang Entrepreneurship Center of Kyushu University and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Original source:

Kawano T, Imada S, Noguchi S, Toyosaki K (2026) When your posts yield biodiversity findings: social media-facilitated discovery of Eupelmus (Eupelmus) curvator Yang (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) in Japan with notes on its bionomics. Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa” 69(1): 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3897/travaux.69.e171809

Eupelmus (Eupelmus) curvator: female habitus.

Eupelmus (Eupelmus) curvator ovipositing on mantis ootheca at Kyushu University Ito campus, Fukuoka.

Credit

Taisuke Kawano et al., 2026

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Journal

Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle “Grigore Antipa”

DOI

10.3897/travaux.69.e171809 

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

When your posts yield biodiversity findings: social media-facilitated discovery of Eupelmus (Eupelmus) curvator Yang (Hymenoptera, Eupelmidae) in Japan with notes on its bionomics

Article Publication Date

1-Jul-2026