Identity-first language (eg "autistic person") versus person-first language (eg "person with autism") ebb and flow in popularity: though person-first language has seen an increase in popularity in books and online news from 1980 onward, this trend is counteracted by a more recent swing toward identity-first language.

New evidence from fossils representing two groups of human ancestors—Australopithecus and early Homo—adds an important piece to the puzzle about when our ancestors transitioned from a life often spent in trees to a life spent almost exclusively on the ground. An international research team led by the Keck School of Medicine of USC analyzed fossil data from seven human ancestors ranging from about 1.5 million to 3.7 million years old. The researchers measured the strength of arm and thigh bones, which adapt to the forces placed on them during life, to learn about how human ancestors used their bodies and moved through their environments. Animals that spend more time moving in trees tend to have relatively strong arm bones, while humans who walk upright on the ground tend to have stronger thigh bones. The team found that Australopithecus, an early ancestor that lived roughly two to four million years ago, had a distinct approach that resembles both modern apes and humans. These individuals had strong arms, suggesting they spent substantial time in trees, while the strength of their leg bones showed a more human-like pattern, suggesting they walked like humans on the ground. The early Homo individuals, descendants of Australopithecus that lived about 1.8 to 2.3 million years ago, had relatively strong leg bones and weaker arm bones—a pattern more similar to modern humans. The findings suggest that the transition from Australopithecus to Homo included a major shift in how human ancestors moved and lived. The team proposes that that relative limb strength is a ‘threshold trait,” a difference that marks an important and fundamental shift in behavior between Australopithecus and Homo.

In rare cases, blood flow can become unbalanced in twin pregnancies with a shared placenta, putting both foetuses at risk. 

Researchers at ETH Zurich, together with doctors from the University of Zurich, have developed a magnetically controllable endoscope that can reach the affected blood vessels in the placenta more effectively than conventional instruments. 

A panoramic view facilitates navigation for surgeons; in an animal model, this was combined with magnetic control and laser treatment.

A new MUSC study published in The Journal of Perinatology found that pregnant women with profound vitamin D deficiency were significantly more likely to experience preterm birth and earlier deliveries. The retrospective analysis examined more than 15,000 pregnancies at MUSC Health between 2016 and 2025. While the findings demonstrate an association rather than causation, they add to growing evidence that optimizing vitamin D status before and during pregnancy may improve maternal and infant health outcomes.