ResearchJul 28, 2026
Science for America’s next 250 years
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026.
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Updated Nov 15, 2026 2:00 AM PT
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Current reporting, research and professional developments across Research, curated for psychologists and behavioral-health professionals.
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Psychological inoculation against climate doom
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. Individuals encounter “climate doom,” extreme portrayals of climate change, on social media. While climate doom may be intended to…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
The human hippocampus can pattern separate memories by meaning
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceMemory research traditionally distinguishes semantic memory, which supports knowledge about the world, from episodic memory…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Adaptive molecular convergence is pervasive across deep time and largely decoupled from phenotypic convergence
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceEvolution frequently repeats, but how often similar traits arise from similar genetic changes remains unclear, especially…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Anterior and posterior retrosplenial cortex employ distinct strategies for egocentric–allocentric transformation in spatial coding
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceThis study reveals a functional variance in the retrosplenial cortex (RSC) for spatial processing. Using calcium imaging in…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Hypermutability of integrated sequences of viral origin in a chlorarachniophyte
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceDe novo mutations provide the raw material for adaptation, but at high frequencies, they can compromise genome integrity…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
The cortical scene processing network emerges in infancy, prior to independent navigation experience
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceDespite extensive work on the functional organization of scene processing in the human adult visual cortex, little is known…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Long-horizon associative learning as a unifying framework for statistical learning across scales
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceHumans readily extract structure from sequences, detecting regularities that span from local transitions to large-scale…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Parenthood decisions in uncertain times: Experimental evidence from four countries
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceWhy are fertility rates falling even where family policies are strong and gender equality has advanced? This study shows…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Structures of the sodium-coupled phosphate importer SLC34A2 reveal a distinct architecture and gating mechanism
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceThe SLC34 family of sodium (Na+)-driven inorganic phosphate (Pi) transporters are indispensable gatekeepers of the body’s…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Treating language contact as normal: Coalescent-theoretic modeling of the prehistory of the Bantu language family
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceWe build a coalescent-theoretic model for studying the early prehistory of the Bantu language family. Prior computational…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Distinct repair processes produce APOBEC-induced deletions, tandem substitutions, and complex mutations in yeast and human cells
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceDysregulated APOBEC activity is one of the most prominent sources of base substitution mutations in human cancer. Here, we…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
The floral illusion: A parasitic beetle mimics the scent of flowers to attract bees
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceFlowers use scent to attract pollinators, yet animals are not known to produce floral chemical signals to manipulate these…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Calcitriol–PKM2 axis drives transcriptional and metabolic reprogramming of ILCPs into intestinal dual-cytokine-producing ILC3s
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceThis study elucidates a vitamin D receptor–spleen tyrosine kinase–pyruvate kinase M2 (VDR–SYK–PKM2) axis through which…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Proteolytic activation of c-MYC facilitated by DOT1L
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceProteolytic activation of transcription factors has proven to serve biologically important regulatory roles. For example…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
The global demand and potential public health impact of oral antiviral treatment stockpile for influenza pandemics
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificancePandemic preparedness requires strategic stockpiling of antiviral drugs but existing stockpile estimates are based on…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Balanced polymorphism in a floral transcription factor underlies the ancient rhythm of daily sex alternation in avocado
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceHermaphroditic plants commonly evolve mechanisms to resolve conflict between male and female components of fitness, for…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
An antibody–drug conjugate active against antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceThe global spread multidrug-resistantNeisseriagonorrhoeaethreatens to undermine antibiotic treatment. Treatment failures of…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Pair living emerged early in placental mammals
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 31, August 2026. SignificanceUnderstanding how social systems evolved requires knowing the ancestral social organization. Here, we tested the assumption…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Editorial: Reimagining human movement: the impact of extended reality on physical and emotional experience
Reimagining Human Movement: The Impact of Extended Reality on Physical and Emotional Experience Behind each article we publish stands a team of superheroes: authors, editors, and reviewers who chose to uphold quality…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
How relationship doubts sway everyday conversations between couples
A laboratory study reveals how underlying relationship doubts and mutual support systems influence the emotional tone and conversational engagement of romantic couples during everyday logistics and problem-solving tasks.
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Psychometric validation of the Short Dark Tetrad (SD4): an item-level re-examination with measurement invariance
Psychometric evaluations of the Short Dark Tetrad (SD4; [33]) have been conducted predominantly in Western samples, and the limited evidence from non-WEIRD contexts has yielded inconsistent findings regarding its factor…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Intersections between AI affordances, autonomous learning, grit and AI-assisted L2 learning attitude: the moderating role of technology trust
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping second language (L2) learning by providing learners with more interactive, flexible, and personalized forms of support. Yet how learners’ perceptions of AI…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
AI exposure, occupational mobility, and post-transition job quality in China: labor-saving and labor-augmenting channels
This study examines how exposure to artificial intelligence (AI) shapes Chinese workers’ occupational mobility and how the consequences differ across AI’s labor-saving and labor-augmenting channels. Using 2,446…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
The influence of foreign language and a word-color unitization strategy on the age-related associative deficit
IntroductionOlder adults typically show a disproportionate decline in associative, relative to item, memory. Here, we investigated the role of stimulus presentation in a foreign language, as well as the impact of a…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
The relationship between physical exercise and social-emotional competence in college students: the chain mediation of peer relationships and self-efficacy
IntroductionCollege students face prominent emotional and interpersonal challenges under current social and academic pressures, and social-emotional competence is essential for their mental health and healthy…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Psychological capital, emotional intelligence, and creative teaching behavior among higher education physical education teachers: the mediating role of teacher wellbeing
In the dynamic landscape of higher education, Physical Education (PE) teachers face unique pressures that require adaptability and innovation to effectively engage adult learners. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Examining resilience, moral sensitivity, and work engagement among Chinese anesthesia nurses
BackgroundFacing rising global surgical volumes and healthcare workforce shortages, task shifting in anesthesia care has been widely implemented, including in China where a specialized anesthesia nursing workforce has…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Individual factors associated with physical activity adherence in schizophrenia: an exploratory secondary analysis of two randomized controlled trials
IntroductionPhysical activity is an effective adjunctive therapy in schizophrenia, improving psychiatric symptoms and reducing the mortality rate. However, individuals with schizophrenia engage in lower levels of…
ResearchJul 28, 2026
Is generative artificial intelligence becoming addictive? An exploration among undergraduate students
This study aimed to examine the multidimensional nature of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) addiction among undergraduate students. For this purpose, firstly, the Generative Artificial Intelligence Addiction…