About The Study: Results of this cohort study show that long-term exposure to road traffic noise was associated with higher Parkinson disease risk. Having a quiet facade mitigated this association. These findings suggest noise as a novel risk factor for Parkinson disease and support mitigation strategies ensuring a quiet residential side.

Scientists at Murdoch University have read the full genetic code of bacteria from the salt lakes of Wadjemup (Rottnest Island), giving them their clearest picture yet of how these tiny organisms could be used to make biodegradable plastic. Until now, scientists have mostly relied on rough, incomplete versions of their genetic code, which made it hard to know exactly what these bacteria could do. By reading every letter of the genetic code, the team could point to the exact genes that can make plastic, see how they are set out, and confirm they had barely changed over a very long time. This is significant as having a precise map turns these bacteria from an idea into something scientists can work on and fine-tune.

Press materials are now available for NUTRITION 2026, the annual flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). Nutrition scientists and practitioners from around the world will gather to share the latest research findings on food and nutrition during the meeting, to be held July 25–28 in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C.

 

For more than two decades, scientists have uncovered remarkable links between the trillions of microbes living in our gut and the health of our brains. This research has transformed our understanding of stress, depression, anxiety and neurodevelopment, opening new possibilities for preventing and treating mental illness. What if much of this science is based on studying only a narrow slice of global diversity? 

Published today in Nature Mental Health, a new international perspective led by researchers at APC Microbiome Ireland in University College Cork (UCC) argues that one of the biggest obstacles facing microbiome and mental health research is not a lack of technology or data, but a lack of global diversity in the people being studied. The authors contend that the field has become overwhelmingly concentrated in wealthy, industrialised nations, limiting scientific discovery. 

New statewide analysis reveals rising injury severity among e-bike riders, particularly children, highlighting urgent needs for safety education, infrastructure improvements and policy changes.