The Conversation in the news https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from The Conversation 'Let nothing be forgotten': Holocaust survivors' memorial books honored lives lost and vibrant hometowns My grandmother was a Holocaust survivor from Kostopol, Ukraine. Years after she passed away, I was trying to learn more about her life before the war—something I knew very little about. When I found a book called "Sefer Kostopol"—Hebrew for "Book of Kostopol"—I hoped to find her among its pages. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-forgotten-holocaust-survivors-memorial-honored.html Social Sciences Wed, 28 Oct 2026 15:40:01 EDT news712412982 Your bottom shape doesn't reveal your estrogen levels—despite what social media says The shape of your bottom cannot tell you anything about your hormones, whatever recent social media posts claim. Determining hormone levels requires appropriate laboratory testing; buttock shape is not a reliable indicator. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-bottom-doesnt-reveal-estrogen-social.html Wed, 28 Oct 2026 14:40:05 EDT news712413055 How to be happy: Tips from the pioneers of well being research Earlier this year, we convened a meeting of some of the most influential figures in modern happiness research to discuss what they had learned in their 600 combined years of research and professional experience. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-happy.html Social Sciences Wed, 28 Oct 2026 14:00:01 EDT news712406659 How evolutionary biology became an unwilling ally of the manosphere From steroid use to "bone smashing", the "looksmaxxing" movement is only the latest example of the manosphere's toxic hold on young people. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-evolutionary-biology-unwilling-ally-manosphere.html Social Sciences Wed, 28 Oct 2026 13:00:01 EDT news712405277 Autistic children come to ER in mental health crisis from as young as 8 Research consistently shows that autistic people face higher risks of mental health difficulties and are more likely to think about or attempt suicide than the general population. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-autistic-children-er-mental-health.html Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:40:03 EDT news712406599 The hydrogen atom: The raw material of the universe barely exists on Earth—now we've made it in a flask What do you see when you look up at the night sky? While everyone may have a different answer, the truth is that almost everything out there is hydrogen. The first element in the periodic table is by far the most abundant substance in the cosmos. It's the fuel of stars and the raw material from which the heavier elements were forged over billions of years. Even the sun is, at its core, a furnace for fusing hydrogen atoms together. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-hydrogen-atom-raw-material-universe.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:40:01 EDT news712405107 Exercise can sometimes cause chest pain—and this condition may be to blame As a general practitioner, I know that chest pain is one symptom that makes people worry. The immediate concern is that it's a sign there's something seriously wrong—such as a problem with their heart or lungs. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-chest-pain-condition-blame.html Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:20:19 EDT news712406537 What is artificial general intelligence—and is it already here? OpenAI's president, Greg Brockman, recently suggested that its advanced model, known as GPT-6 Astra, could mark the arrival of something called artificial general intelligence, or AGI. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-10-artificial-general-intelligence.html Machine learning & AI Wed, 28 Oct 2026 12:00:34 EDT news712406483 AI may quickly generate ideas, but working with people leads to more creative ones The productivity gains of generative AI are often touted as the main reason for its rapid adoption. Much like how a calculator can instantly solve mathematical equations too long for the human brain to compute, generative AI can help someone quickly summarize long articles and draft emails. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-10-ai-quickly-generate-ideas-people.html Machine learning & AI Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:20:17 EDT news712404259 Earwax is both slippery and sticky—this weird combo might lead to safer insect repellents What has the consistency of both toothpaste and dough, can absorb twice its weight in water and still remain sticky, was used by medieval artists as a binder in paint and has been hypothesized by physicians to repel insects? It's earwax. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-earwax-slippery-sticky-weird-combo.html Ecology Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:00:01 EDT news712393398 People are using AI to make expensive computer programs free. This could change everything One of the earliest uses of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and Claude was producing source code—computer language instructions that make up software such as word processors, your internet browser and everything else. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-10-people-ai-expensive-free.html Machine learning & AI Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:40:04 EDT news712393654 Indonesia's El Niño–driven peat fires are choking the region—and releasing centuries of stored carbon Right now, people in parts of Indonesia are inhaling what may be the most polluted atmosphere on Earth. As the historically large 2026 El Niño intensifies, parts of Southeast Asia have been plunged into an air quality crisis of catastrophic proportions. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-indonesia-el-niodriven-peat-region.html Earth Sciences Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:40:01 EDT news712393040 National parenting support strategy could strengthen Australia's efforts to protect children Australia has no shortage of policies relating to children. In fact, these policies are often in the headlines. Billions of dollars are invested each year trying to improve outcomes for children and young people. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-national-parenting-strategy-australia-efforts.html Social Sciences Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:20:08 EDT news712392919 Three ways professional gaming is becoming geopolitical The competitive gaming industry has grown rapidly over the past two decades, transforming from a niche subculture into a global phenomenon watched by millions of spectators worldwide. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-10-ways-professional-gaming-geopolitical.html Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 28 Oct 2026 09:00:01 EDT news712393099 Australia is cracking down on e‑bikes and e‑scooters. But is that what the public actually wants? When was the last time you heard of a parliamentary inquiry into traffic rules for cars in Australia? They're not common. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-10-australia-ebikes-escooters.html Automotive Wed, 28 Oct 2026 08:40:01 EDT news712392981 Halloween meets history in many ghostly tourism attractions. Is this a problem? Halloween, the fall holiday and $13.5 billion industry, lurks around the corner. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-halloween-history-ghostly-tourism-problem.html Social Sciences Tue, 27 Oct 2026 22:20:01 EDT news712324524 Brambles are a problem weed in South Africa, but researchers are closer to finding a natural enemy to manage them Invasive alien brambles have been spreading across South Africa since the early 1900s, having come from North America and Europe. All brambles fall within the genus Rubus. Their common names in South Africa are braam (Afrikaans), ijingijolo (isiZulu) and monoko-metsi (seSotho). https://phys.org/news/2026-10-brambles-problem-weed-south-africa.html Ecology Tue, 27 Oct 2026 22:00:01 EDT news712323204 Cost overruns aren't just due to incompetence, bureaucracy and bad faith Nine out of 10 major transportation projects go over their initial budget. This isn't always because of incompetence. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-overruns-due-incompetence-bureaucracy-bad.html Economics & Business Tue, 27 Oct 2026 20:20:01 EDT news712320326 Punishment alone won't help gang‑involved teens—a former child soldier explains why When Americans hear of child soldiers, they may imagine tragic images of children wielding rifles on distant battlefields. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-wont-ganginvolved-teens-child-soldier.html Political science Tue, 27 Oct 2026 20:10:06 EDT news712320092 We studied 1,584 data centers—and found the buildings full of machines are tied to modest local job growth Data centers require enormous investments: land, buildings, computer equipment and power infrastructure. Yet, once they're up and running, they tend to employ no more than a few dozen people in occupations such as IT technicians, engineers and security guards. With billions of dollars flowing into new data centers across the United States, communities are asking what they will get in return. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-centers-full-machines-modest-local.html Economics & Business Tue, 27 Oct 2026 19:40:01 EDT news712319964 Can your brain make you see ghosts? The science behind the Bloody Mary legend It's Halloween night. Someone has dared you to turn off the lights and stand in front of the mirror. The rules are simple: Stare into your reflection and say her name three times. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-brain-ghosts-science-bloody-mary.html Social Sciences Tue, 27 Oct 2026 19:00:04 EDT news712316846 Can planting trees on riverbanks save salmon rivers from global warming? Every summer, Québec rivers increasingly reach water temperature levels that threaten Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Just a few extra degrees can make the difference between a favorable and hostile habitat for this iconic species. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-trees-riverbanks-salmon-rivers-global.html Ecology Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:20:04 EDT news712316245 Bottom trawlers do huge damage to life on undersea mountains. Could an end finally be in sight? Tens of thousands of underwater mountains dot the ocean floor around the world. A few break the surface, such as the Hawaiian island chain. The rest are seamounts, peaks and pinnacles rising from the deep seafloor. Some lie just a few meters below the surface, while others rest deeper. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-bottom-trawlers-huge-life-undersea.html Ecology Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:00:08 EDT news712316065 Supporting children with dyslexia starts with preparing their teachers A child pauses at a word, tries it, then looks to the teacher for help. Telling the word to the child can get the sentence moving. Working out what to teach so the child can read similar words independently takes a different kind of expertise. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-children-dyslexia-teachers.html Education Tue, 27 Oct 2026 17:50:05 EDT news712315979 Do more cannabis stores near schools mean more teens use cannabis? Our research suggests the answer is complicated When Canada legalized recreational cannabis in October 2018, one concern was that more legal stores would make cannabis easier for young people to access and encourage adolescent use. But does having more cannabis retailers near high schools actually mean more students use cannabis? https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-cannabis-schools-teens-complicated.html Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:40:11 EDT news712325305 Viruses obey the laws of physics—understanding why they infect people differently could lead to better treatments The beauty of physics at the cellular scale is part of what draws biomedical engineers and biologists like us to the field of mechanobiology: the study of how physical forces influence biology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-viruses-obey-laws-physics-infect.html Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:20:05 EDT news712324463 Embrace lazy fall gardening to protect wildlife As winter approaches, many of us start clearing leaves and tidying up our gardens. But these jobs can remove vital winter habitats for wildlife, particularly with increasingly volatile weather conditions. https://phys.org/news/2026-10-embrace-lazy-fall-gardening-wildlife.html Ecology Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:00:12 EDT news712311500 Leave home with a plan: What to pack in your medical kit and when to seek care for symptoms abroad When people prepare to see a doctor before an international trip, vaccines usually dominate the conversation. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-home-medical-kit-symptoms.html Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:00:08 EDT news712324397 Where humans build, mosquitoes follow—bringing dengue, West Nile and other diseases with them A mosquito buzzing in your backyard may seem like a minor annoyance. But these tiny insects, with their taste for human blood, are increasingly appearing in areas where they were once rare or absent, and that's raising concerns about the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, including West Nile, Zika and dengue fever. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-humans-mosquitoes-dengue-west-nile.html Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:50:01 EDT news712319927 Peptide users don't think of themselves as injecting drug users. Five safety basics injectors need to know There's a whole new population of injecting drug users. They buy peptides online for muscle building or weight loss, to aid workout recovery or to improve their skin or sleep. Few see themselves as injecting drug users. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-10-peptide-users-dont-drug-safety.html Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:20:08 EDT news712316662