When comparing different types of antifouling paints against fouling on leisure boats, the results were the opposite of what many would expect. Of the paints tested, the biocide-free silicone paint worked best, and the paint marketed as environmentally friendly turned out to be extremely toxic. The study, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, was conducted in Swedish, Danish and French coastal waters, and also showed that coatings with a low copper content can be just as effective as those containing more copper.

Why do some bird songs endure for generations while others fade away? An FAU study suggests the answer may lie in the landscape itself. Researchers found that the most common songs of Bachman’s sparrows travel through natural habitats with greater clarity than rarer songs, raising the possibility that environmental acoustics help shape which vocal traditions are learned, shared and passed down over time.

Fear learning is a key adaptive mechanism, but its links to the immune system remain unclear, especially in people with childhood maltreatment. This study examined whether the type and timing of childhood abuse and neglect influence the relationship between brain function during fear learning and inflammation. Data were collected from 128 adults, including inflammatory markers (IL-8, IL-17) and fMRI brain scans during a fear conditioning task. Results revealed that the type and timing of childhood maltreatment differentially moderate associations between fear-related brain activity, functional connectivity, and inflammatory levels. These findings help explain how early adversity increases long-term health risks by altering neural-immune interactions.

A straightforward blood-based assessment developed at Institute of Science Tokyo, Japan, can help assess how effectively high-density lipoprotein (HDL) remove cholesterol from blood vessel walls, a function known as cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC). The study linked low CEC to a high-risk coronary plaque, supporting the broader clinical use of this method for predicting cardiovascular risk and improving preventive strategies.