Autism spectrum disorder affects males far more frequently than females, with diagnoses occurring roughly four times more often in boys. Scientists have long suspected that females may possess biological protective mechanisms that reduce vulnerability to autism, but direct experimental evidence has remained limited.

A joint research team from KAIST, Yonsei University, and Institute for Basic Science has now uncovered evidence that the severity of autism-related genetic mutations may play a key role in overcoming these protective effects. The researchers developed the world’s first viable homozygous CHD8-mutant mouse model and discovered that stronger mutations can dramatically alter the male–female pattern of autism-related symptoms.

In the latest in a series of studies showing how lab-raised fish differ from those raised in more natural environments, researchers found that medaka maintained in more natural settings ovulated earlier than those in the laboratory. These findings highlight the challenges of inferring natural behavior from that observed in the laboratory.

A genetic study suggests that earlier age at first sexual intercourse may be linked to less favorable aging outcomes later in life. The research found associations with poorer multidimensional aging profiles, shorter lifespan-related measures, and greater frailty, and identified frailty, low mood, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as possible pathways connecting early-life behavior with later-life aging.

A UC Riverside researcher used high-speed video to reveal how scissor-tailed nightjars create one of the most curious sounds in the avian world.

Neuroplex, a novel imaging pipeline, enables simultaneous measurements of the activity of up to nine identified brain cell types in living mice, up from the previously established standard of two.

Behind the scenes at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, a record-breaking conservation milestone is helping secure the future of one of the world’s most imperiled amphibians. Months of meticulous care and coordination enabled Brookfield Zoo Chicago to successfully breed and raise 12,244 Puerto Rican crested toad tadpoles to be released in the wild. Over the last decade, the Zoo has contributed nearly 40,000 Puerto Rican crested toad tadpoles to island-wide recovery efforts led by the Puerto Rican Crested Toad Conservancy (PRCTC).

The International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) today announced that the ISSCR 2027 Annual Meeting is coming back to San Francisco, USA, 15-18 June 2027. Recognized as the premier international forum for stem cell science, the gathering will recognize 25 years of discovery, collaboration, and progress in stem cell science and gather the people, ideas, and work that will shape the next quarter century.