More and more young women are hesitant about having children in Sweden. New research from Uppsala University shows that one in four are either unsure about or do not want to have children at all – a big increase compared to 2014, when only one in ten felt this way. The same study also shows that fewer are using condoms and that a large proportion perceived consent when sexual activity was initiated.

In a paper published in National Science Review, a research team from Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Nanjing University present an overview of the historical developments in Generative Artificial Intelligence (Generative AI). They grouped the developments of Generative AI into four categories: 1) rule-based generative systems, 2) model-based generative algorithms, 3) deep generative methodologies, and 4) foundation models. They also described potential research directions aimed at better utilizing, understanding, and harnessing Generative AI technologies.

Researchers have documented the northernmost record of the highly invasive silver-cheeked toadfish, Lagocephalus sceleratus, in the Mediterranean, raising concerns about its impact on marine biodiversity, fisheries, and coastal tourism.

In a study published today in the ExRNA journal, researchers from the Novosibirsk Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine have proved that pre-analytical variables, as blood plasma or extracellular vesicles storage conditions influence on miRNAs stability and, thus, detected concentrations of individual microRNAs.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a serious public health threat. Understanding the biology of these bacteria—such as how they synthesise their protective capsules—is essential for developing new strategies to counter antibiotic resistance. 

Chronic jet lag causes drastically different effects on male and female metabolism in mice, say researchers from Kyushu University. The study, published in the journal, Biology of Sex Differences, found that the body clocks of female mice are more easily disrupted than the clocks of male mice, and revealed opposing metabolic effects; jet-lagged male mice gained weight and developed glucose intolerance, while jet-lagged females lost weight compared to female mice without jet lag.

Who were our earliest ancestors? The answer could lie in a special group of single-celled organisms with a cytoskeleton similar to that of complex organisms, such as animals and plants. ETH researchers made these findings in a new study.