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Scientists have long focused on rising temperatures to understand how climate change is reshaping the natural world. But there's a critical blind spot in that picture: rain. A new global study reveals precipitation has been largely overlooked in studies of how climate change impacts birds, even though it can be just as influential as temperature.

A researcher's keen eye and spirit of curiosity led to the discovery of a new method for cell engineering - a finding that opens doors to more sustainable sources for everything from fuel to vitamin supplements. Western graduate Emma Walker, PhD'25, uncovered a more effective way to deliver DNA into diatoms, single-celled algae found near the surface of oceans, lakes and rivers.

Using images from the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb), an international research team including Western's Stanimir Metchev has discovered new answers to explain how some brown dwarfs form giant dust storms, contradicting previous assumptions. These storms may look similar to Jupiter's iconic Great Red Spot, but the new study, led by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, shows they actually form quite differently.

In every functional MRI scan, after the whir and pounding begins, there is a brief 10 to 20 seconds of stabilization as the machine's magnetic field settles into place. For decades, scientists have treated this period as dead time, discarding the data or 'dummy scans'. But a team of researchers at Western 's  Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping (CFMM) have discovered these early few seconds offer some of the richest data a scanner can produce.

It's well known that exercise is good for your brain. For years, scientists have shown even a single session of heart-pumping activity can sharpen executive function - the mental skills we use to plan, focus attention, remember instructions and juggle tasks. But what happens when movement isn't an option?

Before a new treatment can save a life, it must be tested. Yet across Canada, more trials need to be conducted. Researchers at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry are collaborating with local partners to strengthen London, Ont. as a leading centre in clinical trials, aiming to improve care through evidence and collaboration.

As we move through the world, our brains do more than plan our actions - they anticipate potential disruptions. A new Western study published in the high impact journal Nature reveals that we rely on sensory expectations to get prepared for unexpected disturbances, helping us react faster and more accurately.

Why do some people only use cannabis once, while others become frequent users and some go on to develop cannabis use disorder? The first study of its kind to look at the trait of frequency of cannabis use has shed light on possible genetic factors at play. Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry postdoctoral researcher Hayley Thorpe collaborated with researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine to conduct the study while serving as a visiting scholar there.

An international team of researchers, including Western's Gordon Osinski, discovered and successfully dated - for the first time ever - the birth of microorganisms in a meteorite crater, confirming that life established itself millions of years after the space rock's initial impact with Earth. The discovery, which supports the theory that meteorite impacts can create habitable environments on Earth and other planetary bodies, was made in the 78-million-year-old Lappajärvi impact crater in Finland.

There are over 100,000 fitness apps currently available on app stores, but despite the variety in choice, there has been little evidence they lead to real-world fitness improvements - until now. Lisa Nguyen A new study from Marc Mitchell, a Western kinesiology professor and Lisa Nguyen, MSc'24, examined whether fitness app usage can result in long-term exercise habits.

More than 100 scientists, including meteor physicists from Western University (Western Space), completed first-ever comprehensive study of asteroid tracked from space to impact on Earth A large international collaboration of nearly 100 researchers, led by Western adjunct professor Auriane Egal, has completed the first-ever comprehensive study of an asteroid tracked from space through to its impact on Earth.

Perovskite's optical and electronic properties could be applied to solar cells, LEDs and semiconductors Perovskite is a rising star in the field of materials science. The mineral is a cheaper, more efficient alternative to existing photovoltaic materials like silicon, a semiconductor used in solar cells.

Western biologists have developed an innovative way to reconstruct how crickets sing, based on the physical formation of the chirping insects' wings, using measurements from preserved samples and computational modelling. The new best practices, published July 30 in Royal Society Open Science , were devised by Western biology professor Natasha Mhatre , Canada Research Chair in invertebrate neurobiology, and three former undergraduate students in her lab, which investigates the biophysics of insect and spider communication.

Yellowstone, a popular tourist destination and namesake of an equally popular TV show, was the first-ever national park in the U.S. Bubbling beneath it - to this day - is one of Earth's most seismically active networks of volcanic activity.

A groundbreaking clinical trial led by London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI) and Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry may enhance how medical professionals detect hidden blood clots responsible for strokes. The study, published in The Lancet Neurology , is the first to show that extending imaging to include the heart within minutes of a patient's arrival to hospital with an acute stroke significantly improves the ability to determine the stroke's underlying cause.

Hiding behind numerous disguises, HIV has been evading researchers for years, leaving the search for a vaccine as elusive as the virus itself. Once believed to exist as pure strains or subtypes, new research shows the virus evolves constantly, combining dangerous elements that complicate treatment. As part of its evasive techniques, the virus can lie dormant in cells, avoiding treatments and the body's own immune system.

Western and LHSCRI researchers hope to inform environmental, health policy in high-pollution areas A new study reveals air pollution may contribute to the development of epilepsy, a brain condition that causes seizures. Published in Epilepsia, researchers at London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute (LHSCRI) and Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry found an association between long-term exposure to air pollution with new cases of epilepsy in adults in Ontario.

Western researchers uncover a ancient polar ecosystem - and surprising birthplace for familiar fish Most people picture the time of dinosaurs as a steamy, tropical world. But during the Late Cretaceous period, northern Alaska was a different kind of wild. Located far above the Arctic Circle, it endured months of winter darkness and freezing temperatures - even as much of the planet remained warm.

Researchers from London, Ont. discover regular use linked to signs of increased dopamine in the brain, a key factor in psychosis Although it's been six years since cannabis was legalized in Canada, further research is needed to fully understand its health effects. A new study published April 9 in JAMA Psychiatry sheds light on how cannabis use disorder is linked to changes in the brain that are associated with psychosis.

Previous studies show exposure to Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the main psychoactive component in cannabis - while in utero can lead to lower birth weight and potential heart complications in newborn animal offspring. For the first time, researchers from Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry have found a potential way to prevent those effects.