White Noise May Worsen Sleep - McGill University

Stanford researchers recently revealed how a seemingly physics-defying wireless communication technology works. The new technology, called thermal noise communication, harnesses background static that normally is the bane of radio, cellular, and other wireless signals. In a new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team showed how a transmitter could deliver data to a receiver without any actively produced signal by manipulating tiny oscillations in voltage. The findings describe how the system works at a fundamental level, opening the door to improving the communication mode and determining real-world applications for it. "We've built a system that others could very easily implement," said senior author Zerina Kapetanovic, an assistant professor of electrical engineering. A physics mysteryIn her previous research at the University of Washington, Kapetanovic studied agricultural sensing technologies, which inspired her to pursue low-power modes of relaying data like soil moisture levels.

Two birds in Brazil are, scientifically speaking, loud as heck, So loud that these relatively small birds rival the earsplitting obnoxiousness of machinery like jackhammers and chainsaws. They’re even louder than much larger animals, like elephants. According to a study published in Evolution, researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst hiked into the Brazilian wilderness armed with laser rangefinders and portable sound level meters to measure the song volume of 123 different species. While hummingbirds let out a gentle 50 to 64 decibels, about on par with a normal conversation, the bare-throated bellbird and the red-legged seriema seemed to be trying to tear a hole in the universe with their birdsong.

Spinach, almonds, and sweet potatoes are often praised for their nutritional value. But new research from the UNC School of Medicine suggests that for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a naturally occurring compound in these foods may contribute to intestinal inflammation. The study, published August 13, 2026 in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (CMGH), was led by postdoctoral scholar Anna Salvador, PhD, RD, LDN, in the lab of Shehzad Z. Sheikh, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Genetics.

Researchers traced an immune pathway from brain-draining lymph nodes to tau-affected tissue, revealing how peripheral immune activity may become intertwined with neurodegeneration. Study: Priming of CD8+ T cells by peripheral dendritic cells exacerbates tau-mediated neurodegeneration. Image Credit: Antonio Marca / Shutterstock