An international team led by the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC) and the University of Toronto (Canada) has discovered that Homo erectus were already using fire on a regular basis 1.07 million years ago and 1.79 million years ago at the Wonderwerk Cave (South Africa). Previous evidence had placed more regular and controlled use of fire one million years ago in Africa at that same site. The team, whose study is published in PLoS ONE, used a novel non-invasive technique based on luminescence.

An international team has published the five-year follow-up results of a phase 2b clinical trial testing a personalised cancer vaccine in combination with standard immunotherapy treatment for melanoma. After this period, the probability of cancer recurrence was around 50% lower in the group of patients who received the vaccine. Furthermore, the probability of metastasis was almost 60% lower. The results are being presented at the ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) conference and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

A team from the University of California (USA) has published an article questioning the scientific evidence supporting bans on social media for teenagers. Among other reasons, they argue that studies conducted to date on restricting social media use have focused on adults. Furthermore, as one of the authors points out in a press release, these restriction experiments "show weak, negligible, and mixed effects, with 40% of experimental studies reporting harmful effects (e.g., lower life satisfaction and increased loneliness) or no effect from social media restrictions." Some of the authors, whose article is published in Frontiers in Developmental Psychology, declare having ties to companies in the social media industry.

A team from the United States analyzed blood levels of three biomarkers associated with Alzheimer’s disease in 1,350 people without dementia, with an average age of 61. Higher levels were associated with poorer cognitive performance five years later, leading the authors to state that the findings “demonstrate the potential for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease in middle-aged adults through blood tests.” In a related commentary, two experts who did not participate in the study state that, in young populations without cognitive impairment, these tests “may generate a higher rate of false positives” and caution that “they are not suitable for mass, non-selective screening for Alzheimer’s disease pathology in cognitively healthy populations or in the general community.” The study is published in The Lancet.

Sea cucumbers are known for their regenerative capacity and for exhibiting minimal cellular ageing. An article published in the journal Science Advances has documented the viability of amputated tissue from the species Psolus fabricii for over three years in natural seawater. Samples taken from three individuals of this species showed cellular diversification, immune activity, tissue reorganisation and the uptake of dissolved amino acids—properties that are unparalleled in the current scientific literature, according to the article. The authors also note that the finding may pave the way for a new experimental model, free from ethical concerns, for regenerative biology, biomedical research and tissue engineering.

Society prefers immigrants who are women, young, highly educated and in skilled employment – even though there is greater demand in the labour market for low-skilled workers – according to a meta-analysis that brings together data on more than 140,000 people from 36 countries. Respondents also expressed a preference for immigrants who do not come from Muslim countries and who migrate to escape violent situations rather than for economic reasons, according to the article published in Science Advances.

Ageing is characterised by the accumulation of cellular damage. Among the biomarkers associated with this process are epigenetic ‘clocks’, which analyse non-genetic modifications of DNA over time. However, these approaches have certain limitations, as they do not reflect the activity of specific genes. Now, a study published in Nature has analysed more than 11,000 transcriptomes from over 25 tissues in mice, rats, macaques and humans, showing that ageing-associated changes are conserved across species and cell types. The findings reveal universal transcriptomic signatures of ageing and mortality in mammals. Using these data, the authors developed their own molecular ‘clocks’, capable of estimating biological age and expected mortality.

A study published in Nature estimates that more than 10 million children in countries across East and Southern Africa and Southeast Asia have experienced at least one form of online sexual exploitation and abuse, including harassment, the sharing of images without consent, and blackmail. This means that one in six children who use the internet is affected. The analysis is based on data from nearly 12,000 children aged 12 to 17 in 12 countries across Africa and Asia collected between 2020 and 2021, and warns that the actual number could be higher, as many of these incidents went unreported. When they did report incidents, minors primarily turned to informal channels, especially friends, rather than formal reporting mechanisms such as the police or helplines.

In 2023, 1.17 billion people suffered from a mental health disorder, compared to 599 million people in 1990, according to a global study published in The Lancet. Women experienced higher rates of anxiety and depression, while neurodevelopmental and behavioral disorders—such as ADHD or autism—are more common in men. The highest incidence was observed among those aged 15 to 19, which, according to the authors, underscores the need for early prevention and targeted support for this age group.

The latest reports from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) indicate a rise in bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) across Europe. In 2024, notifications of gonorrhoea and syphilis, along with congenital syphilis, reached their highest levels in more than a decade, reflecting sustained transmission across multiple countries. Gonorrhoea has increased by more than 300 % over the past 10 years, with Spain among the countries with the highest rates, while syphilis has risen by around 100 %, with Spain also ranking second highest. Men who have sex with men are the most affected population group for both infections. Congenital syphilis increased by almost 250 %, described as “one of the most concerning findings” by two ECDC experts during the briefing presenting the results. Possible contributing factors include reduced condom use, an increase in sexual partners, as well as higher levels of testing.