Wildfires could damage or destroy nearly 300,000 U.S. buildings by 2060—almost triple today’s toll, a new study projects. Risk remains highest in the West but is set to surge in central states, making safer building and community planning urgent.

Childhood stroke deaths and disability have fallen globally, but the burden remains high: 2.7 million young people lived with stroke in 2021. Hemorrhagic stroke and rising adolescent cases highlight stark gaps in low-resource regions.

Wildfire-smoke exposure at U.S. schools and childcare centers has climbed sharply, with smoke-affected days rising to 54 and 112 a year, respectively, by 2023. Researchers warn indoor air can also be polluted and urge monitoring, cleaner ventilation and HEPA filters.

A U.S. study finds long-COVID recovery depends sharply on symptoms: fewer than 19% with multisystem illness improved over three years, versus about 60% with mainly smell or taste changes. Researchers caution that recovery measures remain unsettled.

Singapore has chosen Illumina to sequence genomes for a national study of about 450,000 people, expanding research from healthy volunteers to patients. The project aims to guide preventive care and assess genetic screening in public healthcare.

NSF’s new social-science grants plunged below 100 in fiscal 2026, from a historical average of about 850, leaving major fields unfunded. Researchers warn that long-running national surveys—and the public data they provide—could be at risk.

ESA’s Hera spacecraft has captured its first image clearly separating asteroid Dimorphos from its larger partner, Didymos, as it closes in. The mission will inspect the aftermath of NASA’s DART impact and test planetary-defense know-how.

A study of more than 100,000 adults links transportation noise above 50 decibels to higher risks of heart disease and key risk factors—even when sleep seems unaffected. Researchers say quieter homes and better noise-reducing policies may help.

U.S. flu hospitalizations are at their highest mid-October level in 15 years, as a mutated H1N1 variant drives early spread. Early data suggest vaccines still match; COVID-19 and RSV waves may follow.

A 24-year study links higher BMI in adults over 50 to faster declines in memory, thinking and everyday reasoning, especially after 65. The findings don’t prove weight causes decline, but suggest weight management may help.

Gut bacteria make lipids that enter the bloodstream and may bolster mitochondria in the liver and muscles. In mice, one lipid eased fatty-liver disease and protected muscle; human benefits remain unproven.

Archaeologists found hundreds of mineral-pigment fragments at Portugal’s Penascosa site, dating human activity there to more than 27,000 years ago. The colors may have been used on hides, tools or art, but researchers say they cannot yet prove Côa Valley engravings were painted.

A survey of Hungary’s 1596 Battle of Mezőkeresztes site uncovered a Bronze Age hoard more than 3,000 years old. Preserved intact, the cup and spiral arm ornaments may reveal whether they were valuables, ritual offerings or something else.

A review finds protein and amino-acid restriction may improve metabolism and extend lifespan in animals, but human longevity benefits remain unproven. Researchers warn needs vary, and call for long-term trials that track muscle health and frailty.

Two UN-linked reports warn that even a temporary breach of 1.5°C could trigger lasting, potentially irreversible damage to glaciers, ice sheets and permafrost. Scientists urge faster emissions cuts, stronger hazard warnings and cross-border cooperation as ice loss accelerates.

A Yakima County resident has died from severe H5N1 bird flu after exposure to infected dairy cattle—the first U.S. bird flu death of 2026. Officials report no evidence of easier spread; public risk remains low, but dairy workers are urged to use protective gear.

Rural Americans who die of heart attacks are nearly three times as likely as urban residents to die before reaching a hospital, a study of 2.5 million deaths found. Researchers cite possible access barriers; the preliminary findings don’t prove causes.

Researchers report what may be the oldest dinosaur red blood cells, preserved in a 115-million-year-old Brazilian fossil. Chemical tests support the identification, but experts say further work is needed to rule out mineral structures.

A study tracking more than 52,000 Israeli women found no higher rates of heart disease, blood clots or death among midlife hormone-therapy users. The observational findings are preliminary and don’t prove HRT is risk-free.