Worldwide, it ranks among the cities with the highest levels of air pollution – and it’s located in the heart of Europe: Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Previously, the spatial distribution of air pollutants here was largely unknown, as were their sources. Now the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, using its mobile laboratory, has provided the first reliable data – and found the causes of the high level of pollution.

Scientists have created 3D printed surfaces featuring intricate textures that can be used to bounce unwanted gas particles away from quantum sensors, allowing useful particles like atoms to be delivered more efficiently, which could help improve measurement accuracy.

Blockchain is a promising solution for secure data sharing in the Internet of Things (IoT) networks, but existing systems often suffer from high latency that limits time-sensitive applications. Now, researchers from Japan have investigated how the structure of peer-to-peer blockchain networks affects IoT-blockchain performance. They developed Dual Perigee, a lightweight peer-selection algorithm that significantly reduces data propagation delays without increasing resource usage on IoT devices.

Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis are marked by the buildup of misfolded proteins that slowly destroy brain cells, yet treatments that address this root cause are still lacking. Interestingly, researchers provide a comprehensive review of the role of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) molecular chaperones in several neurodegenerative diseases. Notably, Hsp70 exert neuroprotective effects and mitigate the occurrence of pathological protein aggregates.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), characterized by high aggressiveness and recurrence, poses a significant global health challenge. The interplay between the tumour microenvironment and exogenous exposures disrupts homeostasis, and tumour biological behaviours, then accelerating tumour progression. Sorafenib, a first-line targeted therapy, often faces resistance due to tumour heterogeneity and microenvironmental changes. Understanding the link between adverse exposures and drug resistance, identifying key molecules, and developing precise interventions are crucial for improving the management of advanced/drug-resistant HCC.

Climate change and armed conflict rank among the strongest drivers of migration across Africa. A new study by researchers at Chungnam National University analyzes 20 years of data (1995–2015) from African nations, finding that climate adaptation—particularly improvements in agricultural productivity—significantly weakens migration pressures linked to drought and armed conflict. Higher adaptive capacity, including better water access, health systems, and infrastructure, moderates these effects most during overlapping crises.