Recently covered

Photo: Roland zh / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

ETH Zurich breathalyser tracks fat metabolism globally

ETH Zurich researchers have developed a handheld, smartphone-assisted breathalyzer that measures acetone to monitor fat metabolism within about 90 seconds, with laboratory-level accuracy validated against mass spectrometry across 312 breath samples from 12 adults. The Nutrion device aims for at-home monitoring to tailor diets and metabolic therapies for obesity, diabetes, epilepsy, and related conditions, potentially reducing reliance on blood tests and enabling personalized treatment across different metabolic scenarios.

5 sources

Arctic Winter Sea Ice Decline Resumes After Pause

New studies show that the Arctic winter sea ice slowdown seen in the early 2020s was temporary, with 2025 and 2026 winters posting record lows that restore a significant downward trend in winter ice extent. The 5.8% drop from 2024 to 2025 was the largest year-to-year decline on record, and researchers say the recent data indicate winter ice loss is continuing and may accelerate again in the next decade due to ongoing global warming, despite the earlier pause being brought to an end by natural oceanic variations.

5 sources