Public research university in Edinburgh, Scotland
A set of new studies underline the scale of online grooming and pornography exposure among youths, with UK and global figures showing significant harms. Governments are urged to treat these issues as public health priorities while improving cross‑agency responses and survivor support.
Peter Murrell has been jailed for five years and three months after admitting he embezzled just over £400,000 from the Scottish National Party over a 12-year period. Separately, Greek courts have convicted a man over the 2009 killing of Jean Hanlon and Cédric Jubillar has written a first confession admitting involvement in his wife Delphine's disappearance.
Multiple defendants across the UK face charges or have admitted offences related to rape, sexual assault and abuse spanning decades. Cases involve a former pop star, MPs, and a group of men; proceedings are ongoing with investigations, plea changes, and upcoming trials.
AI analysis of 1,722 Scottish heart-trial scans has found that higher density in torso muscles correlates with an 85% lower death risk and a 58% lower risk of heart attack over 10 years. Researchers say muscle quality, not just size, matters; routine scans could guide prevention.
A Landseer Highland painting titled Scene in Braemar has sold for £5,946,000 at Sotheby’s, far surpassing pre-sale estimates of up to £4 million. The work, depicting a 12-point stag on a Scottish peak, is larger than Landseer’s Monarch of the Glen and connected to Victorian networks and Scottish tourism. The sale highlights the Highlands’ enduring appeal and the art market’s appetite for historic wildlife scenes.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have identified distinct androgen profiles in women with endometriosis, suggesting a non-invasive blood test could diagnose the condition and cut the current nine-year average wait in the UK. The study analysed 11-oxygenated androgens, including 11-ketotestosterone, in blood samples from 159 diagnosed patients and 57 controls, achieving over 95% accuracy in identifying cases.
Astronomers have detected helium escaping from LHS 1140b, a rocky 'super-Earth' 48 light-years away that orbits in its star's habitable zone. The finding has confirmed an atmosphere around a habitable-zone rocky exoplanet for the first time and has been published in Science; teams used ground-based infrared spectroscopy and modelling.
England and Wales are expanding rapid, non-invasive endometriosis testing on the NHS. The move follows long waits for diagnosis, with average times now around nine years, and points to blood-test research that could transform diagnosis and treatment. The BBC/Endometriosis UK reporting highlights patient stories and expert comment on access and impact.
A body of studies is showing that a blood marker called p-tau217 can forecast an elevated risk of cognitive impairment in healthy older adults years before symptoms appear. The evidence is not yet clinical-ready, but it is guiding trials that aim to slow or prevent Alzheimer’s disease and is being tested in Scotland’s primary care setting.
Scotland is piloting BriDGe, a project using p-tau blood tests in over 50 GP practices to speed Alzheimer’s diagnosis, with up to 500 patients referred. Experts say this could shift dementia care toward earlier intervention with better access to treatment and support.
Grass fire on Salisbury Crags near Arthur’s Seat is being tackled by firefighters. Six appliances are on site; residents are advised to avoid the area as hot, dry conditions persist. A separate Cairngorms wildfire is largely surrounded but remains active.
International researchers find inherited genetics influence how cancers evolve after DNA damage, affecting tumour growth and mutation patterns. The Edinburgh-led work, published in Nature, underlines implications for screening, diagnosis and personalised treatment across populations.
Two Chinese-born mathematicians, Hong Wang and Yu Deng, have been named Fields Medalists alongside John Pardon and Jacob Tsimerman. The award recognises breakthroughs in mathematics by researchers under 40; each recipient receives 15,000 Canadian dollars and a gold Archimedes medallion. Wang is the third woman to win the prize.