Researchers have used ancient DNA to challenge long-held assumptions about the inhabitants of Pompeii, who died after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. [ + ]

Scientists have made significant progress in understanding the composition of the mysterious black balls that recently washed onto Sydney beaches — and it's even more disgusting than first thought. [ + ]

Avoiding night light and seeking daylight may lead to reduction in disease burden, especially cardiometabolic diseases, and may increase longevity. [ + ]

'Free-form dual-comb spectroscopy' offers a faster, more flexible and more sensitive way to analyse substances in the air and other materials. [ + ]

COVID-19 infection may increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and death from any cause for up to three years for people with and without cardiovascular disease. [ + ]

In the Hoxb8 mast cell activation test (Hoxb8 MAT), mast cells grown in the laboratory are brought into contact with blood serum from allergic patients. [ + ]

Recovery from COVID appears to have a protective effect against the worst effects of the flu, with this memory response coming from an unexpected place. [ + ]

Experts urge moving away from short-term 'fixes' that only worsen a lake's condition over time, and instead advocate for a holistic, science-based strategy that tackles the underlying causes of lake health. [ + ]

University students who vape appear to have lower cognitive function scores, while exposure to vape residue while pregnant could put unborn babies at risk of immune system damage. [ + ]

The arrival of hundreds of tar balls — dark, spherical, sticky blobs formed from weathered oil — on Sydney's coastline caused the closure of several beaches last week. [ + ]

Colossal Biosciences has announced numerous breakthroughs in all stages of its thylacine de-extinction project, putting the company much closer to returning the iconic marsupial to Australia. [ + ]

After 48 bioengineered heart tissue samples spent 30 days at the International Space Station, the low-gravity conditions weakened the tissues and disrupted their normal rhythmic beats. [ + ]

The work represents an important step toward developing an OCT instrument that could be used to identify tumour margins during brain surgery. [ + ]

Researchers demonstrated the rejuvenation of oocytes from an older preclinical model by using a young follicular environment to partially restore its reproductive function. [ + ]

Scientists have warned that the Earth is stepping into a critical and unpredictable new phase of the climate crisis, with environmental conditions that have never been encountered in human history. [ + ]