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Tech Xplore / Laughter reveals how we use AI at home

Voice assistants such as Alexa are often marketed as smart tools that streamline everyday life. But once the technology moves into people's homes, interest quickly fades. This is shown by new research in which laughter is ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Consumer & Gadgets
Medical Xpress / Study finds IGF speeds lymphatic vessel growth, hinting at new lymphedema therapy

Scientists have made a breakthrough that could lead to effective treatments for lymphedema, a painful swelling condition for which there is currently no cure. Lymphedema can be congenital or caused by an injury, but it mostly ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Medical research
Phys.org / Cultured beef differs from conventional beef in allergy-related hazards, food safety study shows

As cultured meat moves toward commercialization, people want to understand how it impacts health compared to conventional animal meat. So, researchers publishing in theJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry conducted ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Chemistry
Phys.org / Nitrogen pollution is rising: What a new global map means for forest carbon

On a cool spring morning in a northern forest, the ground feels soft underfoot. Mist hangs between the trunks, and the air smells of wet leaves and old humus; the slow alchemy that keeps a forest alive. Beneath the surface, ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Earth
Phys.org / Warming winters are disrupting the hidden world of fungi—the result can shift mountain grasslands to scrub

When you look out across a snowy winter landscape, it might seem like nature is fast asleep. Yet, under the surface, tiny organisms are hard at work, consuming the previous year's dead plant material and other organic matter.

Feb 17, 2026 in Biology
Phys.org / A bacterium's built-in compass, explained: Single-cell magnetometry confirms Earth-field alignment

Some bacterial species possess an astonishing ability: They use Earth's magnetic field to orient themselves. To better understand this mechanism, the team led by Argovia-Professor Martino Poggio from the Swiss Nanoscience ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Medical Xpress / High-performance ECG patch eliminates cold gel and irritating adhesives

Conventional ECG patches often require cold gels and adhesives, which can cause skin irritation and leave marks. These materials can also lose effectiveness during vigorous movement, compromising signal quality. Addressing ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Cardiology
Phys.org / Extreme rainfall is worsening algal blooms along South Korea's coast

Extreme rainfall is reshaping coastal waters along South Korea's shoreline, flushing nutrients from land into the sea and fueling the growth of algal blooms. A new multi-year study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science, ...

Feb 15, 2026 in Earth
Medical Xpress / Pop-up-style 3D electrode array captures organoid-wide brain rhythms in real time

A team led by Northwestern University and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab scientists have developed a new technology that can eavesdrop on the hidden electrical dialogues unfolding inside miniature, lab-grown human brain-like tissues. ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Neuroscience
Medical Xpress / Big Five personality traits showed little link to changing exercise beliefs

Physical activity is a key piece of a person's overall health and quality of life. But physical activity rates among college students (particularly female students) have declined in recent years, and little research has been ...

Feb 19, 2026 in Psychology & Psychiatry
Phys.org / World's smallest QR code, read via electron microscope, earns Guinness recognition

Just how small can a QR code be? Small enough that it can only be recognized with an electron microscope. A research team at TU Wien, working together with the data storage technology company Cerabyte, has now demonstrated ...

Feb 17, 2026 in Nanotechnology
Medical Xpress / A genetic brake that forms our muscles: Variant linked to endurance may also raise odds of injury

In an international study, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have identified a gene variant that controls the body's capability to form new blood vessels in muscles—a mechanism that affects physical performance, ...

Feb 18, 2026 in Genetics