It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Monday, May 11, 2026
Feeling regret? Your feelings may mellow as you age
Age and the passage of time shape how we feel about our past decisions, study finds
Older adults report fewer recent regrets than younger adults, finds research published by the American Psychological Association. In addition, although older and younger adults report a similar number of long-term regrets, older adults experience less anger and frustration when they think about those mistakes and missed chances. The research highlights how both age and time shape our emotional responses to past decisions.
“Regrets are incredibly common. Almost all of us experience big regrets in our personal and professional lives – from marrying the wrong person to never finishing college,” says lead author Julia Nolte, PhD, of Tilburg University in the Netherlands. “The good news is that for many of us, the experience of regret seems to become less negative with age.”
The research was published in the journal Emotion.
In the study, the researchers surveyed 90 U.S. adults ages 21 to 89, asking them to list up to five recent regrets (from the past year) and five long-term regrets. Then, the researchers asked participants to focus on their most significant long-term regret and most significant recent regret, describing and rating those in detail. Participants rated the regrets on factors such as how long ago they occurred, what emotions they evoked and how controllable they felt – how much they felt they could to do manage the regret, either by changing their decision or by changing how they felt about it. Participants also described how they were coping with these regrets and how they might handle similar situations in the future.
The researchers found that older adults reported fewer and less emotionally intense recent regrets. They also found that older adults also tended to regret “missed chances” – times when they failed to act – more often than they regretted taking a wrong action.
More work is needed to understand exactly why aging changes the experience of regrets or whether the differences may reflect generational shifts rather than age differences, according to Nolte. Further research could also explore whether regret fulfills the same psychological purpose for younger and older adults, she says.
“It is assumed that regret helps us make better choices moving forward,” Nolte says. “But older adults may derive other benefits from regret, such as a chance to reflect or look for meaning.”
CONTACT: Julia Nolte, PhD, can be reached at j.nolte@tilburguniversity.edu
Journal
Emotion
Method of Research
Survey
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Adult Age Differences in the Response to and Regulation of Recent Versus Long-term Regrets
Article Publication Date
7-May-2026
New study: Women are 60 percent more likely to be injured in car accidents than men
A study by TU Graz, financed by the Austrian Road Safety Fund (VSF), shows that women have a 60 per cent higher injury risk in car accidents compared to men. This is especially true for female passengers and older women
Cars have become increasingly safe over the past few decades. However, not all groups of people benefit equally from this. Researchers at the Institute of Vehicle Safety at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) have now analysed Austrian accident data for the years 2012 to 2024 and reconstructed individual accidents in detail. The results of the study show that when two occupants of different sex are in the vehicle, women are significantly more likely to suffer injuries than men. In concrete terms, their risk of injury is greater by a factor of 1.6.
Same speed, more serious consequences
Women suffer noticeably more severe injuries than male occupants even at lower collision speeds. The risk of being seriously injured or killed is more than twice as high for them in these cases. “Our analyses show that women are injured disproportionately more often, especially in the chest, spine, arms and legs,” says the project coordinator, Corina Klug from the Institute of Vehicle Safety at TU Graz. The higher injury risk for women is particularly evident in the 50+ age group.
In the study, real accidents were reconstructed and simulated with virtual human models in different sitting positions. This made it possible to objectively compare the stresses that affect the female and male body. In addition to the significantly higher risk of injury for women, the study shows that the seating position on the passenger side has a massive influence on the risk of injury. This applies to both women and men, but women are more likely to ride in the passenger seat than men. “We’ve all seen a passenger seat positioned far back or even reclined. However, airbags and seat belts are not designed for such non-standard positions,” explains Corina Klug. The good news is that consumer protection (Euro NCAP) has already taken up this issue and has been carrying out tests on both dummies and human models in different seat positions since the beginning of the year.
“Women are not little men”
It is clear that there is a need to catch up with regard to the safety of women in vehicles. For decades, the 50th percentile man – the statistical “average man” – was defined as the global benchmark for safety. This male reference figure is deeply rooted in the historically evolved vehicle approval procedure and still shapes the test methods today. Models that correspond to the average male body are primarily used for the vehicle approval procedure. Even the so-called “female” dummy is merely a scaled-down version of the male model and also corresponds to a very small woman – 95 per cent of women are taller and heavier than this reference point. This also applies to the improved dummies whose use is currently being discussed. Specific anatomical characteristics of average women – such as pelvic width, chest circumference and shoulder geometry – are currently not realistically represented by any dummy for frontal or side crashes. Currently, there are only dummies of the average woman for rear-end collisions; these were developed as part of EU projects. But, they are not yet in use.
The biomechanical differences therefore remain largely unconsidered methodologically, which limits the transferability of the test results to the actual injury risk of women. “Women are not little men. And models of very small, petite women are often unable to represent what we observe in the accidents,” Corina Klug summarises.
Clear recommendations: intelligent safety systems, more realistic tests
TU Graz derives clear recommendations from the study. Safety systems such as seat belts and airbags must become more intelligent. So-called adaptive belt-force limiters limit how strongly a belt restrains people in the event of a collision and automatically adapt these forces to the severity of the accident, the occupants’ physique and sitting position. In order for such systems to be available in more vehicles, they must also be evaluated in consumer protection and ideally in vehicle approval procedures. More realistic tests are also needed. Future approval procedures should stipulate different body shapes and more realistic seating positions. “Virtual, biomechanically realistic human models are a key component here. We can use computer simulations to significantly expand the historically male-centred and rigid test procedures,” says Corina Klug. The virtual models are able to not only simulate a wide variety of body shapes, but also enable different seating positions in the vehicle to be analysed without additional tests in the crash laboratory.
Positioning belts correctly
An often underestimated factor is the position of the belt on the body and the friction between the person in the car and the seat or belt. Thick winter jackets or blankets impair the transmission of force, which means that the body can slip under the belt in the event of an impact. This so-called ‘submarining’ can lead to serious internal injuries, as the belt does not act on the stable pelvic bone but in the region of the vulnerable soft tissue. “In addition to design measures to ensure that safe seating positions are also comfortable seating positions, more information is needed on the correct seat adjustment and belt position,” emphasises Corina Klug. “It is important not to sit too far back, to straighten the backrest and to position the belt so that the lap belt lies on the pelvic bone and the shoulder belt runs over the collarbone. This is the best way for the restraint systems to fulfil their function and, in the case of an accident, to slow the person down as gently as possible.”
LMU researchers evaluate host-response test for tuberculosis in high-risk household contacts in Africa
Household contacts of people with tuberculosis (TB) have a high risk of getting TB themselves, at around 2 percent. It is currently difficult to detect TB in its early stages, or predict who will go on to have TB, and therefore preventive treatment is not widely used. Most contacts are asymptomatic and current approaches rely mainly on symptom-based screening and sputum testing, which often miss early or hidden disease. As a result, many infections are only identified once the disease has progressed.
A study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases by LMU scientists Professor Katharina Kranzer, Dr Norbert Heinrich, and colleagues within the ERASE-TB consortium explores a different approach: host-response assays. The researchers assessed whether a blood-based 3-gene host-response test can detect active tuberculosis and help predict future disease. Unlike standard tests that detect the bacteria directly, these assays measure the body’s immune response, which may allow earlier identification of infection and people at higher risk of disease.
Large-scale study in African households
In a large prospective study funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP2), the team evaluated the Cepheid Xpert MTB Host Response (MTB-HR) blood test in more than 2,000 household contacts in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Participants aged 10 years and older were followed for up to two years with regular clinical, imaging, and laboratory assessments. At each visit, a finger-prick blood sample was analysed using the GeneXpert platform.
The MTB-HR assay showed good accuracy for detecting active tuberculosis and was able to distinguish well between individuals with and without disease. Its ability to predict future disease was moderate, performing best shortly before disease onset but less precise when predicting TB onset longer in the future. The test’s positive predictive value for incident was higher than that of currently used immunological tests, although overall it did not meet WHO criteria as a stand-alone screening or predictive tool.
Improving the effectiveness of tuberculosis prevention
The findings suggest that immune-based tests may help both to detect active tuberculosis and to identify people who are at risk of developing the disease in the future. The researchers highlight that household contacts are often asymptomatic at the time of screening, despite potential infection. Current standard tests have limited ability to predict who will progress to active disease.
Overall, the study provides important evidence that host-response assays could contribute to more targeted screening and prevention strategies, potentially reducing unnecessary preventive treatment and improving the efficiency of tuberculosis control efforts. At the same time, the researchers underscore the importance of assessing such tools in the real-world settings where they are intended to be used.
Diagnostic and prognostic accuracy of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis host response 3-gene cartridge among tuberculosis household contacts in Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe: a prospective, longitudinal, diagnostic and prognostic accuracy cohort study
Large-scale multi-omics study aims to decode aging in the Indian population
“India is undergoing a rapid demographic transition, with its elderly population projected to exceed 347 million by 2050”
Figure 1.Study team and collaborative framework of the BHARAT study. Schematic representation of the hub-and-spoke collaborative model underpinning the BHARAT study, conducted under the Longevity India initiative. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) functions as the central hub, providing advanced laboratory infrastructure, centralized biobanking, AI/ML and computational frameworks, and secure data storage and governance. Multiple regional clinical partners serve as spokes, facilitating participant recruitment, clinical phenotyping, and the collection of primary data and biospecimens.
The study was led by first author Suramya Asthana and corresponding author Deepak Kumar Saini from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The authors introduce the BHARAT Study (Biomarkers of Healthy Aging, Resilience, Adversity, and Transitions), India’s first large-scale, discovery-driven multi-omics cohort focused on understanding biological aging in the Indian population. The initiative was developed to address a major gap in aging research, as most existing biological age models and aging datasets have been derived primarily from Western populations.
The BHARAT study is a multi-center, cross-sectional observational cohort that integrates clinical, molecular, lifestyle, and environmental data from participants across diverse demographic groups in India. The initiative aims to enroll healthy volunteers spanning multiple age groups, with balanced rural-urban and sex representation. Biological samples—including blood, urine, stool, cheek swabs, and hair—will undergo extensive multi-omics profiling, including epigenomics, proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, metagenomics, and immune phenotyping.
“By generating interoperable, high-resolution data suited for mechanistic modelling and machine learning, BHARAT contributes a resource of global relevance that would be capable of refining universal models of aging biology while revealing novel, population-specific pathways that inform prevention and intervention strategies.”
The initiative uses a hub-and-spoke framework centered at the Indian Institute of Science, which serves as the central hub for biobanking, multi-omics analysis, computational integration, and AI-driven modeling. Clinical and community partners across India contribute participant recruitment, clinical assessments, and biological sampling, enabling the study to capture the country’s extraordinary genetic, environmental, dietary, and socioeconomic diversity.
A major focus of the study is the development of population-specific biological aging signatures and predictive models tailored to Indian populations. Researchers aim to identify biomarkers associated with resilience, frailty, and age-related decline while also recalibrating biological clocks that may not accurately reflect aging trajectories in non-Western populations. The study further seeks to establish standardized reference datasets and create scalable infrastructure for future longitudinal aging research in India.
Importantly, the BHARAT study combines untargeted discovery-based omics technologies with advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches. By integrating molecular data with clinical and lifestyle information, the initiative aims to improve understanding of how biological aging is shaped by genetics, environment, nutrition, infection burden, and social determinants of health.
Overall, this study establishes a comprehensive framework for aging research in one of the world’s most diverse populations. By generating large-scale, population-specific biological datasets, the BHARAT initiative may help advance precision aging research, improve risk prediction models, and support the development of more personalized approaches to healthy aging and disease prevention.
The BHARAT study: a multi-modal, multi-omics investigation of aging signatures in the Indian population
Article Publication Date
24-Apr-2026
COI Statement
DKS is a scientific advisor for Biopeak Wellness and the Founder of Rejuvome Therapeutics. These companies have no role in the current study design. None of the industry partners has any role in the study design or interpretation. Other academic authors have no conflicts to declare.
Cooling without pumps: New measurement data for modular reactors
Yago Rivera Durán from the PSI Center for Nuclear Engineering and Sciences has investigated passive cooling systems for small modular reactors. The experiments provide important insights for the development of future generations of reactors.
Small modular reactors are compact nuclear power plants with an electrical capacity of up to 300 megawatts. These are significantly smaller than current plants, which have a capacity of around 1,000 megawatts and more. They can be mass-produced and are considered promising for flexible deployment scenarios. A key feature of many of these reactors is their safety concept: Instead of relying on active systems that require external energy, they use passive cooling. Physical effects such as condensation, gravity, and density differences can keep the reactor safe in an emergency.
Up to now, however, the simulation of such complex cooling processes has required experimental data that have so far been limited. A new study at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI now provides important contributions to help close this gap. At PSI’s PANDA test facility, researchers have for the first time investigated passive cooling systems for small modular reactors under realistic conditions. The experiments, carried out with scientific support from cooperation partners in more than ten countries, provide high-resolution measurement data that can be used to validate such systems in simulations. The results have been published in the journal Nuclear Engineering and Design.
Cooling steam through natural heat exchange
The experiment at PSI addressed a central question in the design of nuclear power plants: What happens if, in an accident, steam is released from the reactor into the power plant’s outer containment structure? This steam has to be cooled, or it will increase pressure on the containment structure. In conventional reactors, active safety measures such as water spray systems, which require pumps and valves, handle these tasks. They dissipate heat and keep the pressure in the containment vessel under control. However, these systems depend on a reliable power supply. If that fails, their function can be impaired. Therefore, researchers are increasingly looking into passive means of cooling steam.
To further that line of research a project team with Yago Rivera Durán from the PSI Center for Nuclear Engineering and Sciences, tested a closed cooling circuit. This consists of a vertical pipe, approximately six metres high, through which cold water flows. If steam were to escape into the containment vessel during an incident, it would strike the cold surface of the pipe, condense there, and drip back into the reactor as liquid water.
The heat released in this process is transferred to the water inside the pipe. Because warm water is less dense than cold water, it naturally rises and releases its heat to a water reservoir. The cooled water then flows back down. This creates a natural cycle based solely on the density difference between warmer and colder water – entirely without pumps or electricity.
Previous experiments had already shown that such systems work. The PSI team has now gone a step farther and presented, for the first time, highly detailed measurement data showing precisely how the physical processes inside a system on the scale of a nuclear power plant would unfold. Using high-speed cameras, the researchers even documented in detail tiny droplets of water that condense on the surface of the pipe.
For the first time, the researchers were able to observe how gases inside the containment vessel separate: More air collects in the lower section, while more steam remains at the top. This finding is important for both reactor design and computer simulations. If this effect were not taken into account, the system would be less effective at dissipating heat.
Furthermore, the researchers tracked tiny particles in the gas and demonstrated that it moves very slowly near the pipe. In this area, therefore, condensation is determined not by larger currents, but primarily by diffusion: The water vapour reaches the surface of the pipe only slowly and condenses there. This means that the cooling process is highly dependent on local conditions.
PANDA – no “real” reactor, but realistic data
The experiments were carried out at the globally unique PANDA research facility. PANDA, a German acronym, stands for “passive residual heat removal and pressure relief.” The test facility extends over five floors, reaching a height of 25 metres. It consists of several containers, with a total volume of roughly 500 cubic metres, in which processes that occur in nuclear reactors can be realistically simulated.
PANDA contains no radioactive material. The steam, which reaches temperatures of up to 200 degrees Celsius and pressures as high as 10 bar, is generated by an electric heater with a power output of 1.5 megawatts. At more than 80 different points, gas mixtures from different areas of the facility can be extracted and analysed with a mass spectrometer.
PANDA’s forte is its flexibility. For small modular reactors, several dozen design concepts are currently under discussion. Many of them can be replicated in this experimental facility. There are roughly 1,450 sensors ready to provide valuable data. “Until now, researchers developing simulations couldn’t be certain that their calculations matched reality,” says Yago Rivera Durán. “We're closing the gap with PANDA.” This will make data crucial for safety assessments and the licencing of future reactors available for the first time.
Fully booked into the 2030s
Because PANDA is unique, it has drawn together research institutes, universities, and regulatory authorities from ten countries around the world. Currently, national projects are under way with Swissnuclear, the association of Swiss nuclear power plant operators, along with projects for the European Union and international collaborations with partners from Europe, America, and Asia.
The latest publication marks the launch of an international benchmarking initiative based on PANDA data. Twenty-five institutions are already participating in this global collaboration, using the experimental results to verify and improve their simulation methods. A follow-up project, PANDA-2, will build on this work and focus even more intensely on complex scenarios as well as the long-term autonomous operation of passive safety systems. This international project is currently expected to run until 2030, while national and EU projects are already planned well into the 2030s.
Text: Bernd Müller
Eighty valves enable the analysis of different gas mixtures: In the PANDA test facility at PSI, passive cooling systems for small modular reactors are being investigated under realistic conditions. This globally unique facility allows researchers to simulate processes as if in a real reactor – entirely without radioactivity.
The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI develops, builds and operates large, complex research facilities and makes them available to the national and international research community. The institute's own key research priorities are in the fields of future technologies, energy and climate, health innovation and fundamentals of nature. PSI is committed to the training of future generations. Therefore about one quarter of our staff are post-docs, post-graduates or apprentices. Altogether PSI employs 2300 people, thus being the largest research institute in Switzerland. The annual budget amounts to approximately CHF 450 million. PSI is part of the ETH Domain, with the other members being the two Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology, ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne, as well as Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology), Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) and WSL (Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research).
