ResearchJul 14, 2026
A new map traces the sky’s water highways
Atmospheric rivers bring heavy rain and floods, but if they don’t come around, it could mean drought. A new global map reveals little-known pathways.
Research
Updated Aug 26, 2026 8:00 AM PT
Research Psychologist News
Current reporting, research and professional developments across Research, curated for psychologists and behavioral-health professionals.
ResearchJul 14, 2026
A quasar breaks the record for most distant supermassive black hole
The Euclid space telescope discovery could help researchers understand how black holes grew so massive so quickly in the early universe.
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Dielectric levitation optical tweezers for powerful mesoscale biomanipulation
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceOptical tweezers (OT) are a cornerstone of precision manipulation but are limited by phototoxic heat damage and surface…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Disentangling dissociative and nondissociative reaction dynamics in molecular mutual neutralization reactions between CO+ and O−
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceThe products and dynamics in mutual neutralization (MN) of CO+with O−occurring in planetary atmospheres and cometary comae are…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
A general mobility analysis framework to reveal nonintuitive kinematic characteristics of rigid origami
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceUnderstanding the kinematics of origami structures has been central to origami engineering. Here, we clarify the role of…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Revealing ancient macroH2A features through in vivo analysis in the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceHistone variants diversify chromatin features and regulate genome packaging, expression, and protection. The conserved…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Quantitative calibration of a spatial QSP model identifies fibroblast impact on HCC immunotherapy
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceComputational models can simulate disease to generate virtual clinical trials informing therapeutic selection. Predictions…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Social evolution and diminished olfactory function in larval honey bees
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceSocial evolution is a potent force, shaping the expression of many important behavioral traits based on changes in a variety…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Spatiotemporally controlled matrix softening facilitates deterministic crypt formation in human intestinal organoids
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceEngineered organoid morphogenesis is an enabling concept that transforms heterogeneous, stochastic cell behavior into a…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Targeted α-synuclein mRNA degradation by PMO-based RNA-degrading chimeras
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceAbnormal aggregation of the neuronal protein α-synuclein is central to Parkinson’s disease and related disorders, yet…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
3D nanoscale imaging of amyloid-β oligomer interactions with extracellular vesicles by cryo-ET
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceAlzheimer’s disease accounts for over two-thirds of dementia cases worldwide. A key factor in Alzheimer’s disease pathology is…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Dopaminergic neurons preferentially accumulate mtDNA rearrangements
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceMitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation impairment is a hallmark of aging and it has been implicated in several neurological…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Fly navigational responses exploit plume-specific odor motion and gradient cues
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceMany animals navigate diverse odor plumes by smell. While upwind movement upon odor detection is well established, less is…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Cryogenic silicification enables nongenetic functional continuity across mammalian cell generations
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceLiving cells primarily transmit traits through genetic inheritance, whereas the contribution of nongenetic materials to…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
CDK8 coordinates jasmonate-induced immunity with sulfur-responsive defense in Arabidopsis
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificancePlants face fundamental tradeoffs between growth and defense due to limited resources, yet little is known about tradeoffs…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Repurposing trazodone for Alzheimer’s disease to modulate soluble ST2 levels and alleviate Alzheimer’s pathology
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceDrug repurposing offers a cost-effective strategy for accelerating therapeutic development. This study identifies trazodone…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Structural basis of membrane engagement and polyreactivity control in HIV-1 MPER broadly neutralizing antibodies
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceBroadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) targeting the HIV-1 membrane-proximal external region (MPER) engage both viral protein…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Oncogenic snoRNA SNORD78 fuels colorectal cancer by protecting the m6A reader IMP2 to enhance phospholipid metabolism
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceZhao et al. identified a novel epigenetic mechanism whereinSNORD78competitively binds to the Lys221 ubiquitination site of the…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Many AI analysts, one dataset: Navigating the agentic data science multiverse
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceScientific conclusions hinge not only on data but on analytic decisions that published results seldom make explicit. Using…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Distinct cell type–specific mechanisms underlie cognitive dysfunction during persistent integrated stress response activation
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificancePersistent activation of the integrated stress response (ISR) is causally linked to cognitive dysfunction across neurological…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Sequential evolution of antidote and toxin links genetic incompatibility with immune responses
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceToxin-antidote (TA) systems are selfish genetic elements thought to be widespread in eukaryotes, yet their origins and…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
A reassessment of NMDA receptor–dependent presynaptic homeostatic plasticity
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 29, July 2026. SignificanceA novel form of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus referred to as presynaptic homeostatic plasticity (PHP) has recently…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Do Phone Bans Work? Study Finds Little Mental Health Benefit
Banning smartphones in schools may help reduce some administrative burdens, but it does not appear to bring significant improvements to students’ mental health or overall well-being, according to a ...
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Shivamogga zoo takes up behaviour study of a tigress with psychologists
The authorities of Tyavarekoppa Tiger and Lion Safari (Shivamogga zoo) conducted a behavioural study of a tigress rescued from a human-animal conflict area, in collaboration with Kateel Ashok Pai ...
ResearchJul 14, 2026
New study reveals children drive cultural change
A new study led by our Psychology Department has revealed that children play a much bigger role in shaping human culture than previously thought. The research, published in the journal Behavioural and ...
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Exercise doesn't just strengthen the heart. It rewires it
Exercise doesn't just make the heart stronger. It also rewires the nerves that regulate it, a discovery that could pave the way for more personalized treatments for common heart conditions such as arrhythmias and angina.
ResearchJul 14, 2026
PROTECTIVE-D—a feasibility randomised controlled trial examining the effect of a positive mood intervention and vitamin D supplementation on the immunological responses to influenza vaccination in older adults
Background The effectiveness of vaccines in protecting against disease wanes with increasing age. There is some evidence that psychological wellness and vitamin D supplementation can increase vaccine effectiveness in…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Cognitive analytic therapy for self-harm with young people: protocol for the RELATE-YP feasibility randomized controlled trial
Self-harm is a major health concern amongst young people that is increasing in prevalence. Cognitive analytic therapy (CAT) is a relational, integrative psychotherapy that is theoretically consistent with our growing…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Indonesian psychologists’ sensemaking and reported intervention practices in working with women survivors of sexual assault with PTSD symptoms
Sexual assault is a significant public health and human rights concern in Indonesia and is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among women survivors. Limited evidence exists on how Indonesian…
ResearchJul 14, 2026
Problematic digital use in adolescents with ADHD: impulsivity, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and perceived cognitive flexibility
Adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are at risk for problematic digital use (PDU), which is better characterised by loss of control and functional impairment than by screen time alone. The…