Scientists reversed biological age in older adults in just 4 weeks

Healthy foods again may hold the key

University of Sydney

Older adults may be able to shift important markers of aging in a surprisingly short amount of time simply by changing what they eat.

New research from the University of Sydney found that Australians aged 65 to 75 who reduced either dietary fat or animal-based protein showed signs of a lower biological age after just four weeks. Biological age is an estimate of how old the body appears based on its health and physiological condition, rather than the number of years a person has been alive.

The findings were published in Aging Cell and were led by Dr. Caitlin Andrews from the University of Sydney's School of Life and Environmental Sciences.

Although the results suggest that diet may influence aging-related health markers relatively quickly, the researchers stress that the findings are preliminary. Longer studies will be needed to determine whether the changes persist, whether they translate into a lower risk of age-related disease, and whether similar effects occur in younger or different populations.

Love by the numbers

Scientists say love follows hidden mathematical rules

Taylor & Francis Group

Could lasting love have a mathematical formula? Researchers who have studied romantic relationships for decades say that the way feelings change over time may follow patterns that can be modeled with surprising precision.

Professor Laurent Pujo-Menjouet of the University of Lyon I and other researchers around the world have been developing mathematical models that treat romantic relationships as dynamical systems. In other words, they study how feelings evolve, respond to outside pressures, and either recover or decline over time.

In his book Love! Valour! Equations!, which brings together mathematics, psychology, literature, cinema and everyday life, Pujo-Menjouet writes: "There is no mysterious enchantment or magic potion. By now, that would be known. Is all hope lost then? Certainly not. That is precisely where everything becomes interesting."

Geology underfoot: Public invited to join field trips focused on Rhode Island landscape

URI hosting 117th annual New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference, Oct. 2-4

Kristen Curry 

The sole purpose of the yearly New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference is to present field trips in interesting geologic areas; this year it’s Rhode Island’s turn—the public is invited to join in. Shown: Beavertail State Park. (URI Photo / Brian Savage)

University of Rhode Island geosciences students get to welcome an event that hasn’t happened at URI since before they were born—and the larger public is also welcome to join and be a student of geology for a day (or two).

Hosted by URI this year, the annual New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference attracts students and faculty from the geologic disciplines across New England, but anyone is welcome to attend. Conference “field trips” are all free and open to the public.

This year’s conference will kick off with emeritus faculty Dan Murray co-hosting a virtual field trip on Thursday, Oct. 1 at noon to share updates on the ancient bedrock geology of Rhode Island. (Murray was also the organizer for URI’s last conference in 1998.)

According to URI geoscientist Dawn Cardace, one of this year’s organizers, “This is a community-led initiative, loosely managed, but much loved: Every year, the host organization shapes the event to fit the host college, the site, and the local flavors.”

Taking the stairs could protect your heart and help you live longer

Unless you have a heart attack

University of East Anglia

Simply choosing the stairs could have surprisingly big benefits for your heart and longevity. A large analysis involving more than 480,000 people found that regular stair climbers were 39% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease and 24% less likely to die from any cause than people who rarely took the stairs. They also had lower risks of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.

New research from the University of East Anglia and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital suggests that something as simple as choosing the stairs could contribute to a longer life.

The large study found that people who regularly climbed stairs had a substantially lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Frequent stair climbers were 39% less likely to die from heart-related causes and 24% less likely to die from any cause compared with people who climbed stairs less often.

Regular stair climbing was also associated with a lower likelihood of developing serious cardiovascular conditions, including heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.

Prof Vassilios Vassiliou, from UEA's Norwich Medical School, said: "Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide -- with cases nearly doubling between 1990 and 2019. But it is largely preventable through a healthy lifestyle -- including regular physical activity, a heart-healthy diet, not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.

"Taking the stairs is a practical and often overlooked way to build physical activity into daily life.

"We wanted to better understand how this everyday activity could have life-saving potential."

As we age, the body appears to sacrifice walking efficiency in exchange for stability.

Scientists reveal why walking gets so much harder with age

Flinders University

New Australian research is shedding light on why walking often becomes slower and more tiring with age. The findings suggest that the body gradually gives up some movement efficiency in favor of staying stable and upright.

Led by researchers at Flinders University and the University of Canberra, the study found that aging is associated with a "safety-first" walking strategy. This approach emphasizes stability instead of speed and energy efficiency, helping explain why older adults may fatigue more quickly and also face a greater risk of falling.

Researchers analyzed movement data from 107 healthy adults between the ages of 26 and 86. They found small but meaningful age-related differences in how the ankle and nearby muscles manage each step.

How the Ankle Changes With Age

Lead author and sport and exercise technology expert Dr. Cody Lindsay says the ankle is essential for maintaining balance while also helping propel the body forward.

A once-nightly pill could offer a new way to treat obstructive sleep apnea without a CPAP machine.

Goodbye CPAP? New sleep apnea pill cuts breathing events by 44%

American Thoracic Society

A once-nightly oral medication significantly improved obstructive sleep apnea in a large phase 3 clinical trial presented at the 2026 ATS International Conference. The drug, known as AD109, is designed to treat OSA by targeting the neuromuscular problems that contribute to airway collapse during sleep.

The study, "Aroxybutynin and Atomoxetine (AD109) for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Randomized Phase 3 Trial," was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

In the SynAIRgy trial, people who received AD109 experienced fewer interruptions in breathing, less oxygen deprivation, and better overall blood oxygen levels while they slept. More than 40 percent improved enough to move into a less severe OSA category, while 18 percent achieved complete disease control.

No more science. Instead, we need "conservative-based" research

For a clear and intelligent rebuttal, read Why “Conservative Research” Is Confirmation Bias Disguised as Science

Brown University research finds additional benefits to getting vaccinated for shingles

Shingles vaccine linked to 24% lower dementia risk

Brown University

Older adults who received the Shingrix shingles vaccine were 24% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia over four years in a study of more than 500,000 people. 

Researchers estimate the difference could amount to roughly one dementia case prevented for every 17 people vaccinated.

The analysis drew on Medicare data and health records from more than 500,000 adults age 66 and older who were admitted to skilled nursing facilities for either short-term or long-term care. Researchers compared patients who received at least one dose of the recombinant shingles vaccine, known as RZV or Shingrix, with patients who remained unvaccinated. Shingrix was introduced in 2017 and is currently the only shingles vaccine available on the market.

Studies provide more evidence that HPV vaccines benefit men

It works. It's safe. It stops cancer

Liz Szabo, MA

Three new studies add to a growing body of research showing that men and boys vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) are much less likely than others to be infected with the ubiquitous virus, which can cause cancers of the head and neck, anus, and penis, as well as genital warts.

• A randomized trial from Japan, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases earlier this month, found that Gardasil 9—which protects against nine HPV strains—dramatically reduced the risk of developing anal or genital HPV infections. The vaccine prevented 92% of persistent infections with the most common strains of HPV and 73% caused by strains that are less common but still able to cause cancer. The researchers followed more than 1,000 men for a median of 2.4 years.
• A real-world study from Canada, published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases yesterday, focused on gay and bisexual men ages 16 to 23. The study of nearly 1,200 men confirmed that HPV vaccination is most effective when given at a young age, before people are exposed to the virus. Men vaccinated by age 23 were 60% less likely to have anal HPV infections than others in the study. The researchers found no reduction in HPV risk among men vaccinated at age 27 or older.
• A review of 21 studies performed from 2007 to 2024, published in The International Journal of Infectious Diseases last week, found that HPV vaccinations prevent anal, penile, and oral infections in men. Studies included Gardail 9, as well as an earlier vaccine that prevented four HPV strains. While results varied from study to study, researchers from University of Florida and Merck Research Laboratories found that evidence suggests that vaccines provide good protection, ranging from a 51% reduction in the risk of penile HPV infections to a 100% reduction in the risk of oral HPV infections. Merck is the manufacturer of Gardasil 9.

“It’s exciting,” Neil Gross, MD, director of clinical research in the department of head and neck surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center, told CIDRAP News when asked about the new findings.

“We’ve known vaccination is the right thing to do,” said Gross, who was not involved in the studies. “That’s why HPV is recommended as a gender-neutral vaccination strategy. It’s nice to see some data quantifying the benefit.”

Good news for men and public health

HPV affects about 80% of sexually active women and more than 90% of men. A small number of people develop persistent HPV infections, which can lead to cancer. HPV spreads through intimate contact, including vaginal, anal, and oral sex, and even deep kissing. 

Kennedy’s Quiet Hunt for Autism Culprits Stalls as Trump Orders Baseless Changes to Childhood Shots

Endangering children's lives based on quack science

By Amanda Seitz and Stephanie Armour

Donald Trump has ordered a reduction in childhood vaccines — publicly faulting the shots for an increase in autism cases — even as the nation’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has failed to produce evidence linking vaccinations to the disorder.

While the executive order released Aug. 10 does not directly mention autism, Trump’s demand to limit vaccine recommendations has puzzled leading medical groups, doctors, and political analysts alike. The directive landed less than 90 days before midterm elections, which Trump’s own pollsters have warned could be jeopardized by anti-vaccine rhetoric.

“The political timing, particularly for members on the Republican side in swing districts, is not good,” said Larry Bucshon, a former Republican congressman and retired doctor.

Trump’s willingness to gamble on the issue underscores the president’s impatience for his health secretary to deliver on a promise that he’d pinpoint a culprit for the sharp rise in autism diagnoses.

After more than a year, Kennedy and his close, anti-vaccine allies have blown past a deadline to turn up definitive answers in a multimillion-dollar research mission shrouded in secrecy, leaving the president to recycle debunked notions as he publicly assaults vaccines.

“This is about the most closed project that I’ve ever heard of,” Helen Tager-Flusberg, a renowned psychologist who runs the Coalition of Autism Scientists, said of Kennedy’s autism research efforts. “They’re treating it like the Manhattan Project in the 1940s. This is as opaque as it could possibly be.”

The White House did not answer questions about what research is informing the president’s opinions or which vaccines he believes could be linked to autism.

The Department of Health and Human Services said the president’s action builds on the agency’s January announcement that it was reassessing the nation’s vaccine schedule and recommended reducing childhood immunizations based on peer countries’ guidance. However, no other peer country separates the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine as the president has now ordered.

“As the secretary said, HHS will examine every biologically plausible hypothesis, follow the evidence wherever it leads, and make findings and actions available as they are ready,” HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard said in an email.

Long-term melatonin use linked to 90% higher heart failure risk

Researchers emphasize that the study was observational - correlation is not the same as causation

American Heart Association

Long-term use of melatonin, a widely used sleep supplement, was linked to a higher risk of heart failure, hospitalization for heart failure, and death from any cause among people with chronic insomnia, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

The findings do not prove that melatonin itself caused the increased risks. However, they raise new questions about the long-term safety of a supplement that many people view as a harmless or "natural" way to improve sleep.

Why Melatonin Is So Widely Used

Melatonin is a hormone made naturally by the pineal gland in the brain. It helps control the body's sleep and wake cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm. Levels of the hormone typically rise when it gets dark and fall during daylight.

Synthetic melatonin is chemically identical to the hormone produced by the body. It is commonly used for insomnia (difficulty falling and/or staying asleep) and jet lag.

Melatonin supplements are available over the counter in many countries, including the U.S. In the U.S., over-the-counter supplements are not regulated, so each brand of supplement can vary in strength, purity, etc.

For the new study, researchers divided participants according to their documented melatonin use. People with at least one year of melatonin use recorded in their electronic medical records were placed in the "melatonin group." Those with no record of melatonin use anywhere in their medical records were assigned to the "non-melatonin group."

"Melatonin supplements may not be as harmless as commonly assumed. If our study is confirmed, this could affect how doctors counsel patients about sleep aids," said Ekenedilichukwu Nnadi, M.D., lead author of the study and chief resident in internal medicine at SUNY Downstate/Kings County Primary Care in Brooklyn, New York.

Pentagon Secretly Working to Divert Billions From National Institutes of Health

Looting research funds to pay for Trump wars

Jake Johnson for Common Dreams

Donald Trump’s Department of Defense is reportedly working to divert billions of dollars in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health to bolster the Pentagon’s budget as the administration wages a costly, destructive, and open-ended war on Iran.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), the top House Democratic appropriator, revealed late Thursday that the Pentagon—without notifying lawmakers or the public—signed an interagency agreement that could give the Defense Department “access to billions of dollars that Congress provided to NIH for critical biomedical research.”

Under the deal, which the Trump administration disclosed to Congress under pressure from Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee, the Pentagon would pull funds from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, whose annual budget is around $7 billion. It is unclear whether NIH has signed the agreement.

Trump is still determined to build his new "Trump Class"
battleships

“This secretive attempt to siphon research funds away from NIH is outrageous. The interagency agreement needs to be terminated immediately,” DeLauro said in a statement. “These funds were provided for lifesaving medical research, not as extra money for the Department of Defense. It is no secret that the Department of Defense is facing enormous financial pressure because of President Trump’s war of choice with Iran. But the Trump administration cannot make American patients, families, and scientists pay the price.”

“Circumventing Congress to divert money intended to help Americans who are exposed to HIV, influenza, tuberculosis, and other deadly diseases—and directing those funds to the Department of Defense—is beyond the pale,” DeLauro added. “DoD already has programs, funded by Congress, to research and develop medical countermeasures to chemical, biological, and nuclear threats, and does not need NIH funding to do so. The administration must provide Congress with a full accounting of how this interagency agreement was developed and exactly how much taxpayer money it is trying to transfer to DoD.”

New mRNA Flu Vaccine Makes This Flu Season ‘One to Watch’

The FDA’s approval of an mRNA flu shot presents a new, long-awaited option

By Annalies Winny

An mRNA flu vaccine is on its way.

On August 5, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna's mFlusiva, the first influenza vaccine to use mRNA technology, for adults 50 and older.

The approval gives many older Americans a long-awaited new option for protection. Tens of thousands of Americans typically die from the flu every year, and the vast majority of them are 65 and older. 

It’s long been a public health priority to evolve flu vaccine technology—a process which currently takes more than six months to produce a shot and is prone to mismatches with the circulating strains—so that manufacturers can respond more quickly to the evolving virus, ultimately making flu shots more effective.

When it comes to those goals, Moderna’s mRNA shot is “very, very promising,” says Anna Durbin, MD, a professor in International Health and director of the Center for Immunization Research.

“Most vaccinologists believe that mRNA vaccines are the future,” says Durbin, who sits on the FDA panel that recommended the vaccine. Regulators in the EU, Canada, and Australia are also reviewing the vaccine, and the European Medicine Agency has separately authorized a combined mRNA COVID-flu vaccine, also by Moderna.

For now, Durbin says, the FDA approval provides a welcome new option for older Americans—but the price, demand, and availability of the shot, and what it means for existing vaccines, remain open questions.

Forget Bobby Jr.

Here are the recommendations from REAL experts for vaccines

Meghan Holohan

Fall brings many new changes, including a new school year and a surge of respiratory illnesses. With little direction from the federal government, many people are confused about whether they need a flu, COVID-19, or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine.

To fill the information void, the Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP) at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP, publisher of CIDRAP News), and the American Medical Association (AMA) published the results of their independent evidence review of the influenza, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines today in JAMA. 

Filling in gaps left by federal vaccine-process breakdown

“We are living in unprecedented times when it comes to modern vaccine review and recommendation,” said Michael Osterholm, PhD, MPH, CIDRAP director and coauthor of an accompanying commentary. “The VIP program will never replace ACIP [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices]. In the interim, it’s the stopgap measure that allows us to continue recommending these vaccines based on a comprehensive review of both effectiveness and safety.” 

During a press briefing yesterday on the evidence reviews, four of the country’s major medical organizations—the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)— provided their vaccine recommendations for the 2026-27 respiratory illness season.

“We cannot allow the breakdown of a federal process to create a vacuum in evidence-based vaccine guidance,” Bruce Gellin, MD, MPH, chair of the VIP Board of Advisors, said during the briefing. 

Almost All Plant-Based Meat Alternatives Contain Mycotoxins

Risks attached to meat substitutes

By Cranfield University

Plant-based meats and drinks are often marketed as modern alternatives to traditional animal products, but many still rely on ingredients that face an age-old food safety problem: mold. A new study found naturally occurring fungal toxins known as mycotoxins in every one of 212 plant-based products tested in the UK.

Researchers detected 19 different mycotoxins across plant-based meat alternatives and beverages, with some products containing several at once. The study, led by the University of Parma in Italy and coauthored by Cranfield University, examined everything from vegan burgers, sausages, and chicken-style pieces to oat, almond, and soy drinks.

Mycotoxin exposure can lead to health concerns

Mycotoxins are especially common in foods made from plants because their raw ingredients, including grains, legumes, and seeds, can be exposed to mold during growing, harvesting, or storage.

The research team found that mycotoxin levels in the UK products they tested were below recommended EU guideline levels, a sign of the strong quality standards used by the UK food industry.

However, previous studies have shown that frequent consumption of even low levels of mycotoxins can increase overall exposure over time and may raise health concerns. Eating these products individually is unlikely to cause problems, but a diet based entirely on foods made from plants could lead to cumulative mycotoxin exposure if not properly managed. In very serious cases, exposure to mycotoxins can contribute to health problems such as liver and kidney damage, immune system suppression, and cancer.

Your dreams aren’t random. Your brain is rewriting reality

Dreams may be the brain’s nightly remix of personality, memory, emotion, and real-world experience.

IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca

Dreams are not random mental noise. A large study of more than 3,700 dream and waking reports found that what we experience during sleep is shaped by both our personalities and the world around us. Rather than simply replaying daily events, the dreaming brain mixes memories, emotions, imagined possibilities, and familiar settings into vivid new scenarios.

Why do some dreams feel so vivid that they seem almost real, while others unfold as confusing fragments that are difficult to remember or understand? New research suggests the answer may depend on a combination of personality, sleep quality, mental habits, and major events unfolding in the outside world.

A study led by researchers at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca found that dreams are not simply random collections of images and thoughts. Instead, they appear to be shaped by both individual differences and shared experiences, including major social disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coffee drinkers have less fat, more muscle, and surprising hormone differences

More health benefits linked to coffee

University of Oulu, Finland

Coffee drinkers may be getting more than an energy boost. A Finnish study found that people who drank more coffee tended to have less total and abdominal fat, more muscle, and healthier metabolic markers despite having similar BMIs. Higher coffee intake was also linked to lower levels of certain amino acids associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes risk.

Coffee is consumed around the world every day, and earlier research has associated coffee drinking with a reduced risk of conditions including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Scientists still do not fully understand the biological processes that might explain those connections.

 Now, new research from Finland suggests that regular coffee consumption is associated with healthier body composition, favorable metabolic markers, and distinct patterns involving sex hormones in men and women.

Researchers at the University of Oulu analyzed information from 2,264 people who were 46 years old and taking part in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. The team investigated how participants' usual coffee intake related to circulating metabolites, indicators of cardiometabolic risk, and sex hormone levels.

How volunteers and researchers at URI work together to better understand our environment

Become a citizen scientist

By Jessica Minker, Rhode Island Current

Across Rhode Island, volunteers are helping scientists answer big environmental questions, from tracking water quality in local ponds and streams to uncovering the secret lives of bobcats. These “community scientists” collect or analyze data that supports scientific research. 

They include Veronica Berounsky and Elise Torello, whose time and commitment helped researchers at the University of Rhode Island better understand our state’s unique environments.

Get involved

Learn more about these citizen science projects at these links

• About Watershed Watch
• Volunteer With Watershed Watch
• Explore Watershed Watch’s 2026 data dashboard
• Explore Narrow River’s water quality data dashboard since 1992
• About the Rhode Island Bobcat Project
• Bobcat Reporting Form

Study ties COVID vaccine conspiracy theories to distrust of government, mainstream media

If you've been wondering "What's wrong with these people?"

Meghan Holohan

As soon as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout began early in the pandemic, conspiracy theories about them started swirling. Some people claimed that the vaccines contained microchips, while others were suspicious about the intentions of the government or pharmaceutical companies. 

Researchers surveyed people in Japan about their beliefs in COVID-19 conspiracy theories to understand who adheres to such ideas. The findings were published last week in Scientific Reports.

“When people think about conspiracy beliefs, attention often focuses on highly extreme claims,” lead author Hitoshi Yamamoto, PhD, of Rissho University in Tokyo, said in a university press release. “However, our findings suggest that more common forms of conspiracy-related thinking are associated with the persistent distrust of social institutions and the mainstream media.” 

Unexpected findings add new insight on cannabis and heart health

Might have some heart benefits

By University of California, San Francisco

Edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Robert Egan

Habitual cannabis users experienced about 9% fewer premature heartbeats on days they inhaled cannabis compared with days they abstained, a counterintuitive finding that adds to the complex and evolving understanding of how cannabis affects the heart, according to new UC San Francisco-led research.

The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, is among the first to examine the acute cardiovascular effects of inhaled cannabis in people living their normal daily lives. While the findings challenge assumptions drawn largely from observational studies, the researchers caution that they should not influence medical or behavioral decisions around cannabis use.

With millions of Americans using cannabis, studies like this are increasingly important for understanding its health effects, the researchers said.

"We were surprised by the results because they contradicted our original hypothesis," said Gregory Marcus, MD, MAS, an endowed professor of atrial fibrillation research in the UCSF Division of Cardiology. "That's why randomized trials are so important. When the data challenge our expectations, our job as scientists is to understand them, not ignore them."

The trial enrolled 108 adults who regularly smoked or vaped cannabis but had no history of clinically diagnosed cardiac arrhythmias. Over 14 days, participants were randomly assigned each day to either inhale cannabis or abstain while wearing a continuously recording electrocardiographic monitor, activity tracker, sleep monitor and continuous glucose monitor.

Participants served as their own controls, allowing investigators to compare physiological changes during cannabis use and abstinence days.