Losing weight on a UPF diet? Fat chance
Research has shown that ultra-processed foods can be harmful to health. However, a UCL study revealed has another side to these infamous foods. It examined 55 people on weight-loss diets over two eight-week programmes.
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For the first eight weeks, they ate minimally processed food; for the second, a diet based on UPFs. On average, participants lost twice as much weight on the MPF diet. With both diets abiding by official guideline levels of food intake, the study teaches an important lesson about the poverty gap, as UPFs are cheap and widely available.
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Scientists discover snail’s remarkable anatomy
An exciting new study, led by Alice Accorsi, is examining the regenerative capabilities of an unexpected creature: the apple snail. An invasive species native to South America, they were terrorising Italy’s lettuce crops when Accorsi noticed the snail’s fascinating ability to regrow eyes in 28 days.
The study reveals that the snail shares key genes with humans, including pax6, which is critical in eye development. While a human Hydra is still some way off, the study hopes to help us understand the genes involved in eye regeneration
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OpenAI rolls out new GPT and more
Sam Altman announced the launch of ChatGPT-5 last week, OpenAI’s latest iteration of the world’s most popular large language model. Boasting a radical update to its processing power and performance, GPT-5 is now rolling out to all ChatGPT users.
OpenAI says it offers big improvements in speed, accuracy and memory, with a reduced tendency to “hallucinate” or provide incorrect information. If that wasn’t enough, OpenAI also announced the release of its first truly open LLM, “gpt-oss”, which researchers can download and personalise.
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Jellyfish jam at French nuclear plant
Proceedings at the Gravelines nuclear power plant ground to a halt this week in a peculiar incident involving jellyfish. The plant was forced to stop after a swarm clogged its cooling system, triggering the automatic shutdown of four of its six reactors. The other two units were already offline for maintenance, leaving the entire site temporarily out of action.
The obstruction occurred in the plant’s non-nuclear section, where seawater from a nearby canal linked to the North Sea is drawn in to regulate temperatures. Warm summer waters and abundant plankton likely drew the jellyfish closer to shore, where their soft bodies slipped past the initial protective barriers before becoming trapped deeper in the system.
While such events are rare, they have been recorded at other facilities. Officials stressed that there was no danger to the public or environment, and work is underway to restore operations.
The findings also highlight how shortages severely impact patients with conditions like ADHD, menopause and diabetes (PA)
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ADHD drugs’ surprising side effect
A landmark Swedish study this week has revealed that ADHD medication may bring unexpected benefits far beyond improving focus. Tracking 150,000 people, researchers found that those taking medication for the condition were significantly less likely to face criminal charges, suffer accidental injuries, or attempt suicide.
Within just three months of starting treatment, criminal convictions fell by 25%, road accidents by 16 percent, and suicide rates by 15 per cent. One likely explanation is that a key symptom of ADHD—impulsive decision-making—is curbed by the medication, reducing the kinds of split-second choices that can lead to dangerous outcomes.
Experts have welcomed the findings, noting that the drugs’ “side effects” in this case are overwhelmingly positive. They urge parents considering treatment for their children to think not only about the immediate benefits, but also the potential long-term impact on their safety and wellbeing.