Sam's News — science — 2026-09-22¶
Climate¶
8 Record El Niño threatens Asian drought and global food price increases¶
A record-breaking El Niño forecast to peak December 2026 is expected to cause severe drought in Asia and extreme weather globally, potentially pushing 49+ million additional people into acute food insecurity by end of 2027.
- UK national weather service calls it potentially 'strongest in living memory'; NOAA estimates 69% chance it will be strongest recorded since 1950
- Expected to cause severe drought in Asia, heat waves, flooding, and wildfires
- May push 49+ million more people into acute food insecurity by end of 2027
- Worst impacts anticipated in Central America and southern Africa; significant effects in eastern Africa and South/Southeast Asia
- Asian governments drawing on reserves to address Iran war ripple effects on energy costs and fertilizer supplies
Sources: Associated Press AI Web Searched, Phys.org RSS
7.5 El Niño weather pattern reaches record intensity¶
El Niño reached record intensity confirmed by NOAA in June 2026, with 75% probability of historic strength October-December 2026 and 63% chance of very strong event November-January. Impacts visible in Central America and Indonesia.
- NOAA Climate Prediction Center: 75% chance El Niño reaches historic strength October-December 2026 (up from 69% in August)
- 63% chance of very strong El Niño November-January ranking among largest events in historical record
- Greater than 90% chance of very strong event fall-winter 2026-27
- Anticipated impacts: drought across Amazon, Indonesia, Australia; disrupted India monsoons; shifting tropical rainfall
- California expected to experience wet, stormy winters with potential strong atmospheric rivers; combination with climate change could push global temperatures to record levels
Sources: Courthouse News Service AI Web Searched, Newsweek AI Web Searched, Phys.org RSS
Health/Neuroscience¶
7.5 Brain dopamine damage identified as cause of long COVID fatigue¶
PET brain imaging at CAMH revealed long COVID damages dopamine-releasing neurons in the striatum, correlating dopamine loss patterns with specific symptoms: motivation loss, movement slowing, and memory difficulties. The finding opens potential treatment strategies targeting the dopamine system.
- Long COVID affects approximately 5% of global population (~2 million people in Canada)
- Lower ventral striatum dopamine linked to loss of motivation
- Dorsal putamen dopamine reduction associated with slower movement
- Caudate putamen dopamine loss connected to memory difficulties
- No current evidence-based treatments exist for long COVID
Sources: ScienceDaily AI Web Searched, ScienceDaily — Health RSS
Conservation¶
7.5 First New Penguin Species Discovered in Over 100 Years¶
Scientists discovered a new penguin species on the Kerguelen Islands using genetic evidence, revealing that a single gentoo species is actually four distinct species. The southeastern gentoo (Pygoscelis kerguelensis) is the first new penguin species named in over 100 years.
- First new penguin species named in over 100 years
- Kerguelen Islands located nearly 2,000 miles from any permanently inhabited landmass
- Genetic evidence revealed four distinct species previously classified as one; three were previously unrecognized subspecies
- Four species: southeastern gentoo (Kerguelen Islands), southern gentoo (Antarctica), and two others in sub-Antarctic regions
- Climate change threatens species; warming oceans could leave several island populations with little suitable habitat by 2050
Sources: ScienceDaily AI Web Searched
7.5 Brazil Reduces Amazon Deforestation 23.5%, But Long-Term Protection Remains Uncertain¶
Brazil achieved a 23.5% reduction in Amazon deforestation in 2025 compared with 2024, reaching the lowest national clear-cutting rate since 2016. However, long-term sustainability of forest protection policies remains uncertain.
- 23.5% deforestation reduction in 2025 vs. 2024
- Lowest clear-cutting rate since 2016
- Single-year improvement; long-term sustainability uncertain
Sources: Reuters AI Web Searched, BBC News AI Web Searched, Phys.org RSS
Drug Discovery¶
7.5 High-throughput screening reveals novel DNA gyrase inhibitor for antibiotic development¶
Florida International University researchers developed the first high-throughput screening method to identify compounds that inhibit bacterial DNA gyrase, enabling rapid identification of DNA gyrase poisons for new antibiotic candidates.
- First high-throughput screening method to identify DNA gyrase inhibitors
- DNA gyrase is essential bacterial enzyme; compounds that 'poison' it force double-strand breaks in bacterial DNA
- Strategy targets mechanism to overcome antimicrobial resistance
- Screening method enables rapid identification from compound libraries, advancing drug discovery for antibiotics
Sources: Frontiers in Chemical Biology AI Web Searched, Frontiers in Microbiology AI Web Searched, Phys.org RSS
Science¶
7.5 Researchers observe real-time quantum jumps of sound for the first time¶
Stanford researchers recorded the first real-time quantum jumps of individual phonons vanishing from one energy state to another, opening applications in quantum computing and sensing.
Sources: ScienceDaily RSS Update to: Stanford team directly observes quantum jumps of sound for first time
Space¶
7.5 Astronomers detect radio signals from an exoplanet for the first time¶
Scientists have detected radio signals coming from an exoplanet, marking the first such detection of its kind.
Sources: Phys.org RSS
7 Einstein Probe and LHAASO detect 42-light-year X-ray tail linked to pulsar and orphan gamma rays¶
Joint observations from China's Einstein Probe satellite and LHAASO observatory traced a 42-light-year X-ray tail connecting a pulsar to previously unidentified gamma-ray sources, advancing understanding of cosmic ray acceleration.
Sources: Phys.org RSS
Biomedical Research¶
7 Stem cell transplants restore movement in mice after stroke¶
Researchers at the University of Zurich transplanted human neural stem cells into stroke-damaged brains one week post-stroke, where they survived, differentiated into neurons, regenerated tissue, restored motor function, and improved blood-brain barrier integrity over five weeks.
- Transplanted cells survived and most transformed into neurons communicating with existing brain cells
- Treatment restored motor function and improved blood vessels, inflammation, and blood-brain barrier integrity
- Stroke affects approximately 1 in 4 adults over lifetime, with ~50% experiencing lasting disabilities such as paralysis or speech difficulty
- Study addresses traditionally permanent brain damage with neural stem cell therapy
Sources: ScienceDaily AI Web Searched, ScienceDaily — Health RSS