Science
817 newsIt connects national decisions with regional realities, helping readers understand what changes for residents, travelers, businesses and families.
Why Spain’s winter clock change suits the body better
Sleep specialists favour keeping winter time, when morning light is more useful to the body. They recommend shifting daily routines by 15 minutes before the clock change and say seasonal switches should end.
Ibero-American states agree doctoral training pilot
Ibero-American authorities have agreed to test a joint doctoral and postdoctoral training programme before considering a permanent scheme. They will also advance a common researcher charter and review gender equality policies in science.
Pregnancy exposure to plastic chemicals tied to lower child IQ
Researchers from the University of Granada and ibs.GRANADA link higher prenatal exposure to a mixture of plastic-related chemicals with lower IQ scores at age three. The reported difference averages three points per unit increase in the mixture.
Brain study links stress-pathway changes to depression, schizophrenia
An analysis of 84 post-mortem brains found that gene activity and protein levels did not move in step in people with major depression or schizophrenia. Researchers at the Complutense University of Madrid and CIBERSAM led the study.
Brain study finds stress-pathway shifts in depression and schizophrenia
An analysis of 84 post-mortem brains found altered cellular stress pathways in people with major depression or schizophrenia. RNA changes did not consistently line up with protein levels.
Japan’s MMX heads to Fobos to bring samples home
Japan’s MMX spacecraft is scheduled to launch on 19 October at 21:41 Spanish peninsular time. JAXA plans to collect Fobos material and return it to Earth.
Heat Can Slow Thinking, While Brain Fog Has Other Causes
A study found slower responses and lower accuracy on cognitive tests as temperatures rose, with the clearest differences at 40C. Poor sleep and stress can also contribute to brain fog, while memory complaints are common during menopause.
Meritxell Rovira tracks a rise in cancers under 40
Diagnosed with breast cancer at 34 while researching pancreatic regeneration, Meritxell Rovira now studies pancreatic tumours. At 48, she is concerned by the rise in cancers among people under 40.
Four Cherenkov Telescopes Can Turn Toward Alerts in Seconds
At La Palma, four large instruments are designed to turn toward alerts from other observatories in seconds. That response could capture high-energy gamma-ray signals before some bursts fade.
Iberia’s Slow Clockwise Turn Tracks Plate Pressure
The Eurasian and African plates converge south of Iberia by 4 to 6 millimetres a year. A study led by Asier Madarieta connects that pressure to the peninsula’s slow clockwise rotation and the active Gibraltar arc.
Researchers trace severe COVID’s damage inside the lungs
Lung samples from 19 people who died of COVID-19 reveal the loss of oxygen-exchanging tissue and a rise in scar-forming cells. Researchers say existing antifibrotic medicines need preclinical testing before they can be considered as treatments.
AI ranks breast cancer risk from a single mammogram
A deep-learning tool assessed 27,172 normal mammograms and ranked women by their five-year breast cancer risk. In preliminary results, the highest-risk 10% accounted for about 30% of cancers diagnosed during that period.
Cabergoline tied to lower breast cancer risk after childbirth
Records from more than 150,000 women in Spain and Norway linked cabergoline use after childbirth to about 70% lower breast cancer risk. Clinical trials must test whether the association holds.
AI flags mammograms linked to higher five-year cancer risk
Across six centres, an AI model ranked the top 10% of women by risk; that group accounted for about 30% of cancers found within five years in preliminary results.
Lung map tracks severe COVID-19 damage
Researchers mapped 91,068 lung-tissue regions from 19 people who died with severe COVID-19. The analysis found stronger fibrosis-linked signals during a stage when alveolar repair was still underway.
Experts warn vaccine falsehoods could revive controlled diseases
At a congress in Vigo, experts warned that misinformation could revive diseases Spain had brought under control. They pointed to clear, credible information as a way to address public doubts.
LEAP2 may bring puberty forward in girls with obesity
Girls with obesity had higher blood levels of LEAP2. In rats, injections into the brain brought puberty forward and sped ovarian development.
Mallorca plague study exposes a hidden human route
More than 2,400 people died in Mallorca's 1820 outbreak. Historical records now suggest that respiratory spread and human ectoparasites may have joined the usual rat-and-flea pathway.
CTAO North Adds Four Telescopes in La Palma
Four giant telescopes will be inaugurated in La Palma on 15 October 2026. Construction is ending, but commissioning and formal acceptance will decide when they begin scientific operations.
Silent receptor weakens tumour defence in mouse and human cells
A Nature study found that gamma-delta T cells lose tumour-fighting strength when their receptor stops working after maturation. The result points to a condition future immunotherapy research will need to preserve.
Urban birds could flag West Nile virus earlier in Spain
A CSIC study found more antibodies in urban birds during years with human West Nile outbreaks. Blackbirds and sparrows could help show where the virus is circulating in Spain.
Silent receptor leaves tumour-fighting immune cells weaker
Researchers found that gamma-delta T cells lose much of their tumour-fighting strength when a key receptor falls silent after the cells mature. The result held across mouse models and laboratory tests with human cells.
Spanish doctors triple survival for multiple myeloma patients
Spanish patients with multiple myeloma now live three times longer than before, thanks to a wave of medical innovation and close cooperation between researchers and the pharmaceutical industry. Some even achieve functional remission.
Nuclear clocks move from physics dream to working technology
Scientists in Austria and China have built the first functional nuclear clocks. The devices are not yet more accurate than the best conventional atomic clocks, but they give researchers a working platform for precision measurement and fundamental-physics experiments.
Mars cloud defies expectations with an extreme ice-forming process
Each spring, a 1,800-kilometre cloud appears above Arsia Mons. Researchers say it forms without dust or other particles, forcing a rethink of how clouds develop on Mars.
AbbVie: Spain risks falling behind in global pharma innovation
AbbVie's top executive in Spain warns that the country could lose its place in global medical innovation unless it ramps up investment and reforms. He calls for bold moves to keep Spain competitive as Europe trails the US and China.
Satellite images expose how humans are reshaping Earth
At CaixaForum Girona, satellite images connect polar ice loss, extreme rain and pollution with places people know. The exhibition asks visitors to look at environmental change from above, then consider its effects on the ground.
Incyte Biosciences Iberia demands faster access to new medicines
Incyte Biosciences Iberia has invested €130 million in Spanish R&D and clinical trials, but patients still wait too long for new treatments. Company leaders want clearer deals and quicker approvals to match Spain’s scientific strength.
Spain's Wind-Powered Sled Heads Into Antarctica's Interior
Ramón Larramendi is due to lead an 85-day crossing of Antarctica from 18 October. The wind-powered vehicle will carry 16 research projects across 3,400 kilometres of largely unstudied ice.
Spanish researchers reveal modular smart tyre aimed at cutting waste and boosting safety
A team at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid has built a modular tyre packed with sensors. Their silicone-based prototype could help cut pollution and make cars safer.
Francis Halzen wins Nobel for turning Antarctic ice into a neutrino detector
Francis Halzen has received the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics for turning Antarctic ice into a detector for high-energy neutrinos. IceCube now gives scientists a direct way to trace particles from some of the Universe's most violent events.
Microplastics Make Older Snow Melt Faster in the Pyrenees
Field tests near Formigal found that microplastics can lower snow reflectivity. In older snow, they increased melting by up to 17 percent.
Women carry a heavier lifetime burden of pain
Women report more pain across most stages of life. Researchers connect the gap to physiology, paid work and the unequal share of family care.
Barcelona Brings Back #EstàsON Science Workshops for Young Learners
Barcelona libraries and Barcelona Activa have reopened #EstàsON workshops for children. Registration is open for sessions built around experiments, play, science and technology.
October light loss puts vitamin D at risk in Spanish adults
Vitamin D levels may fall as October brings less useful sunlight, but available search results do not confirm that more than 60% of Spanish adults are affected. Testing matters because excess supplements can damage health.
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