science

A 2025 University of Pennsylvania study found that higher exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the year before death was associated with 19% higher odds of having more severe Alzheimer's-type brain changes.

A 2025 University of Pennsylvania study estimated that approximately 63% of the association between PM2.5 exposure and dementia severity was explained (mediated) by Alzheimer's-related brain pathology.

A 2025 University of Pennsylvania study examined postmortem brains from 602 people in the Penn Medicine Brain Bank and estimated individual PM2.5 exposure during the year before death using residential address.

A 2025 University of Pennsylvania study reported that among 287 individuals who had dementia assessments before death, higher PM2.5 exposure was associated with greater cognitive and functional decline, including memory loss, impaired judgment, and difficulty with personal care and speech.

Approximately 40,000 dogs are used annually in research studies in the United States.

Beagles are a commonly used breed in veterinary and medical research and are used in studies of canine cancer.

A study analyzing the 2023 Florida reef heat wave (co-authored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the University of South Florida, and nonprofit organizations) estimated that between 97.8% and 100% of staghorn and elkhorn corals in the affected area died, leading researchers to characterize those species as functionally extinct in the Caribbean region.

A cohort study analyzing UK Biobank data that followed more than 120,000 adults over 10 years found that regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with about a 50% higher risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD).

The cohort study analyzing UK Biobank data reported that replacing either sugar-sweetened beverages or low-/non-sugar-sweetened beverages with water was associated with up to a 15% reduction in risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), while substituting between sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened beverages offered no risk reduction.

The Manhattan Project was a secret U.S. government program during World War II to develop atomic bombs.

Cesium-137 is a radioactive isotope produced by nuclear reactions.

Cesium-137 is used in various industrial, medical, and research applications.

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences analyzed more than 12,000 MRI brain scans from nearly 5,000 healthy participants aged 17 to 95, with each participant having at least two scans taken over time.

Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel their symbiotic algae, causing corals to appear white, reducing their nutrition and increasing their susceptibility to disease.