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OnlyFans performers become unlikely allies of CISOs in securing websites

17 July 2026 at 18:37

CISOs at government organizations and universities have an unexpected ally coming to their aid: OnlyFans models.

For some time, hackers have exploited weaknesses in the websites of universities or government departments to host scams or malware, using content stolen from the OnlyFans website as bait to attract victims.

Now, according to security researchers at Upguard, the fightback has begun: creators of adult content on OnlyFans are leveraging Google search results and the protection offered by copyright law to break up the traffic distribution systems created by bad actors.

These distribution systems work in three stages: entry points using adult or other content to attract and capture web traffic, a routing system sends it to destination sites, and those sites monetize the traffic through scams and malware. It has proved to be a lucrative business for the scammers.

Google recognizes the approach and calls such actors SEO parasites as they benefit from the reputations of other organizations — in particular government or academic sites, which Google views as having high authority.

Since the creators of OnlyFans content are also the copyright holders, they are able to issue Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) take-down notices for the stolen content posted by the bad actors to other sites. Upguard was able to track this through Google’s DMCA Transparency Report, and through the Lumen Database, another tracker of takedown notices, to which it was granted research access.

“This allows us to identify likely compromised sites: government and university domains advertising unlicensed adult content,” Upguard said.

The OnlyFans creators’ action has two benefits for the operators of the affected websites: The adult content associated with their domain disappears from Google search results, no longer affecting their reputation — and if they receive takedown notices for such content they can check their webservers for the vulnerabilities that enabled the bad actors to post it there in the first place.

This article first appeared on CSO.

Nature study identifies a new way to spot nuclear weapons in orbit

16 July 2026 at 21:36
Russia's Kosmos-2553 spacecraft, alleged to be part of a nuclear weapons program, prior to launch. Credit: Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation

NEW YORK — A study published last week in Nature Astronomy has proposed a new satellite design and technique to detect thermonuclear warheads in space. Funded in part by the […]

The post Nature study identifies a new way to spot nuclear weapons in orbit appeared first on SpaceNews.

Brain implant helps paralysed man to feed himself and drink from cup

Keith Thomas can move arms and hands, and feel sensation of touch after ‘double neural bypass’ and months of training

A man who was paralysed from the chest down in a swimming accident six years ago has been able to feed himself and drink from a cup thanks to a brain implant that bypasses his spinal cord injury.

Keith Thomas of Massapequa, New York, could not lift his arms off his wheelchair when he agreed to trial the technology in 2021, but after surgery to implant electrodes in his brain and many months of training, he was able to move the limbs again.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research

© Photograph: Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research

© Photograph: Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research

New Winged Robot Can Fly and Swim Like a Puffin

Scientists hoped for years to make a machine that could emulate the movements of diving birds, such as puffins, and offer an affordable, unobtrusive way to monitor fragile marine ecosystems. A team of researchers at M.I.T. has been able to create such a waterproof winged robot, according to a study published July 9 in the journal Science.

Surprised Scientists Witness the Ocean Floor Literally Splitting Apart at Its Seams

14 July 2026 at 13:10

An international team of geophysicists examining the Southern Indian Ocean floor witnessed a section greater than two meters split apart, releasing millions of cubic meters of stored-up magma within just a few days.

Jean-Yves Royer, a marine geophysicist at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Brest and a co-author of the study detailing the team’s serendipitous discovery, said witnessing the ocean floor splitting apart in real time was “a major surprise,” while the team hailed the scientific value of finally witnessing these processes up close.

Scientists Have Never Witnessed The Ocean Floor Splitting Apart in Real Time

Because the ocean floor is dynamic, the movement of tectonic plates pulling the existing crust away from mid-oceanic ridges allows magma to well up to the surface. When it dries, this material solidifies, adding to the existing crust. While scientists have understood this process for decades, no one has ever witnessed the phenomenon directly. This absence has left a gap in scientific knowledge that, as study co-author Isobel Yeo, a geoscientist at the National Oceanography Center in Southampton, UK, notes, persists to this day.

“We still know remarkably little about the frequency, magnitude, and dynamics of the eruptions and tectonic processes that build them”, the researcher explained

To try to fill that gap, the team focused its research on a section of the seafloor called the Southeast Indian Ridge, which runs east to west across the Indian Ocean. Due to its location, the ridge separates two tectonic plates, the Antarctic and the Australian.

The team notes that these two plates, which contain Antarctica and Oceania and the surrounding oceanic crust, are continuously moving in opposite directions by roughly six centimeters each year. Although both plates are exerting stress on the ridge, the team said the northward movement of the Australian plate accounts for most of this annual expansion.

The motion dynamics can also change by location. For example, one section of the Australian plate may stay stationary for a period and then suddenly experience a large surge in motion. These sudden events are accompanied by earthquakes. 

Ocean Floor Movement in Real Time

In hopes of catching the ocean floor splitting in real time, Royer and colleagues ventured to the Southeastern Indian Ridge in February 2024. Once on site, the team deployed three categories of sensors at several different locations along a 100-kilometer stretch of the ridge. The sensor array included five hydrophones that detect underwater sound, including the telltale sonic waves produced by earthquakes. The team also deployed 15 battery-powered acoustic beacons designed to emit and detect sounds at selected locations along the ridge.

Because the acoustic beacons can produce and receive sounds, the team programmed them to exchange audio signals every four hours. This regular exchange allowed the team to measure the time between sound and response, which they used to determine the distance between the two beacons at four-hour intervals.

After the sensors were all in place, the team’s efforts finally paid off. According to the study, the carefully placed hydrophones began to detect seismic tremors on the ocean floor. These signals were followed by several days of acoustic beacon returns, indicating some of the stations had moved. When the team calculated the time between beacon signals, they determined that some sections of the ocean floor had moved by “at least” two meters as they were pulled away from the ridge.

The team also found evidence that the ocean floor was splitting apart in real time, altering the ocean floor’s depth. According to a reading from a single pressure sensor, the depth change caused by the event was “substantial.”

a rare direct view of these processes in action

In the study’s conclusion, the research team estimates that 160 million cubic meters of lava rose between the split ocean floor and spilled onto the seafloor. They also suggested that the magma explosion emptied a reservoir that had accumulated along the ridge, which caused portions of the floor to “subside.”

Royer said the team was only expecting to find a vertical displacement of “a few centimeters.” Instead, he notes, “we measured 4.2 meters.” The team said this large amount of change suggests that three to six decades’ worth of stress from the northward movement of the Australian tectonic plate was released during the ocean-floor-splitting event.

When discussing the significance of witnessing the ocean floor splitting apart in real time for the first time, Yeo said their study “provides a rare direct view of these processes in action.”

The study “Anatomy of a seafloor spreading event captured by in situ seismogeodesy” was published in Nature.

 Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.

The Brain’s Language System Is Far More Expansive Than Scientists Thought, New Study Finds

7 July 2026 at 13:06

Neuroscientists have long believed that language processing was only found in regions of the brain’s left hemisphere, including the well-known Broca’s area. However, new evidence suggests the brain’s language network is far more widespread than previously thought. 

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) analyzed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans from 772 participants and identified 17 additional brain regions involved in language comprehension. These newly discovered areas are distributed across the brain, including the cerebellum, hippocampus, amygdala, and several regions of the cerebral cortex. In total, this accounts for five percent of the adult brain volume (roughly the size of a large strawberry). 

“Even though there are all these distant components, it’s pretty restricted in terms of volume. You don’t need that much of the brain to do language,” says senior author Evelina Fedorenko, an MIT associate professor of brain and cognitive sciences and a member of MIT’s McGovern Institute for Brain Research, in a statement. 

Locating the Brain’s Hidden Language Centers

To find these hidden language-related regions in the brain, the researchers revisited years of brain imaging data collected since 2013. Additionally, participants completed a standard “language localizer” task, during which they read or listened to meaningful sentences and sequences of meaningless nonwords. By comparing brain activity between these two conditions, the research team identified regions that responded more strongly to language.

“When we initially started looking at language, in the first couple of papers, I tried to be comprehensive and include anything that seemed consistent across participants, and there was a huge amount of resistance,” said Fedorenko. “People would say things like, ‘Well, we know those are not language areas, so please focus on the language areas.’”

The team decided to adopt a more flexible statistical approach to detect weaker signals and identify previously overlooked language-sensitive regions beyond the classical language areas. They then compared these regions’ responses during a spatial working memory task to distinguish language-specific areas from those involved in what would be considered general cognitive functions.

Cerebellum Discoveries

Interestingly, five of the newly identified language regions are located in the cerebellum, a structure traditionally associated with movement and coordination. Some of these cerebellar regions were also active during non-language tasks, suggesting they may help integrate information across different brain systems rather than process language alone.

“It’s a very simple paradigm that lets you identify this core language system in individual brains,” says MIT postdoc Agata Wolna, the lead author of the paper.

Additional language-sensitive regions were identified in the hippocampus and amygdala, areas better known for their roles in memory and emotion. Their involvement suggests that understanding language may rely more on integrating memory, emotional context, and higher-order cognitive functions than previously understood in science.

“We always see this frontal temporal network, but there’s quite a lot of evidence that there are other regions that are also critical for language processing,” said Wolna. “By using a laxer threshold and zooming in on areas with weak MRI signal, we tried to maximize the chances of finding small and weakly responsive regions outside of this left frontal temporal system.”

The findings challenge long-held assumptions about the brain’s organization and can open new avenues for research into how language processing is understood in neuroscience.

The recent study was published in the Journal of Neuroscience. 

Chrissy Newton is a PR professional and the founder of VOCAB Communications. She currently appears on The Discovery Channel and Max and hosts the Rebelliously Curious podcast, which can be found on YouTube and on all audio podcast streaming platforms. Follow her on X: @ChrissyNewton, Instagram: @BeingChrissyNewton, and chrissynewton.com. To contact Chrissy with a story, please email chrissy @ thedebrief.org.

Culturally Tailored Maternity Care Boosts First Nations Birth Health

9 July 2026 at 06:00

A recent groundbreaking study published in The Lancet’s eClinical Medicine reveals that a culturally tailored continuity of midwifery care model significantly improves perinatal outcomes for First Nations families in Victoria, Australia. This innovative approach, known as the Baggarrook Yurrongi or “Women’s Journey” model, ensures that women expecting First Nations babies receive consistent care from a known midwife throughout pregnancy, birth, and the early postnatal period.

Developed collaboratively with First Nations health organizations and maternity services, the Baggarrook Yurrongi model addresses the unique cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. The study analyzed over 164,000 births from three major hospitals, including outcomes for more than 2,000 First Nations babies. Researchers utilized a prospective, non-randomized design, comparing data before (2012–2017) and after (2017–2022) the model’s implementation to assess its real-world efficacy.

The findings demonstrated monumental improvements: there was a 45% increase in the rate of healthy births among First Nations babies. Additionally, the likelihood of low birthweight decreased by 33%, preterm births by 36%, and neonatal intensive care admissions by 30%. Mothers were also 86% more likely to initiate breastfeeding, underscoring enhanced postnatal engagement and infant health support.

Lead researcher Professor Della Forster emphasized the significance of culturally informed midwifery continuity care, highlighting its role in bridging healthcare disparities. By fostering trust and cultural safety, the model encourages better health practices and outcomes, marking a notable stride toward closing the persistent gap in Indigenous perinatal health.

Key to the success of this approach is the trusted relationship a known midwife builds with expectant mothers—crucial for communities historically wary of healthcare systems. Programs like Mercy Hospital for Women’s Nangnak Baban Murrup and Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital’s Galinjera have demonstrated both high uptake and satisfaction levels among clients and midwives alike, indicating sustainable integration into standard maternity care.

Clinical Midwife Specialist Evelyn Burns remarked that this continuity of care model profoundly impacts women’s confidence and connection during pregnancy. The study’s robust dataset and positive qualitative feedback from both families and clinicians provide compelling evidence for broader adoption across Australian maternity services.

This research not only validates the efficacy of culturally tailored care models but advocates for their expansion nationwide to ensure equitable and effective maternity healthcare for all First Nations families. The findings represent a pivotal shift in perinatal care paradigms, blending cultural competence with clinical excellence to improve long-term maternal and infant health outcomes.


Subject of Research: People
Article Title: The effect of culturally tailored continuity of midwifery care on perinatal outcomes for women having a first Nations baby in Victoria, Australia: a prospective non-randomised translational study
News Publication Date: 24-Jun-2026
Web References: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(26)00281-6/fulltext
References: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2026.104028
Image Credits: La Trobe University
Keywords: Health care, First Nations, midwifery continuity, perinatal outcomes, culturally tailored care

CRISPR Study Uncovers New Drug Targets for Psoriasis in Skin Cells

9 July 2026 at 05:17

In a groundbreaking fusion of cutting-edge technology and dermatological research, scientists at Biohub have unveiled novel therapeutic targets for psoriasis by conducting the first comprehensive genome-wide CRISPR screen in primary human adult skin cells. By overcoming the longstanding technical hurdle of delivering CRISPR components into notoriously resistant keratinocytes without toxicity, the team utilized centrifuge-based transfection to probe the genetic regulators involved in psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disorder affecting millions globally.

This innovative approach involved knocking out approximately 19,000 genes in keratinocytes sourced from human donors using a vast CRISPR guide RNA library. The focus was on modulating IL17RA, a pivotal receptor that mediates skin inflammation, to chart a genome-wide landscape of genes influencing inflammatory pathways directly in the skin’s outermost layer. The resultant massive data set was then mined using an AI-driven model, VirtualCRISPR, which cross-referenced each gene’s significance against existing scientific literature to highlight previously unrecognized contributors to psoriasis pathology.

Strikingly, this AI-guided screen pinpointed two promising protein targets: ALOX5, an enzyme targeted by the asthma medication zileuton, and OXTR, the gene encoding for the oxytocin receptor, a surprising candidate unassociated before with skin inflammation. Validation experiments in 3D reconstructed human skin cultures demonstrated that zileuton modulates keratinocyte metabolism to suppress inflammation independently from immune cells, revealing a direct pharmacological avenue.

Importantly, topical formulations containing zileuton and cligosiban, an OXTR antagonist, were tested in a mouse model of psoriasis, achieving comparable efficacy to standard injected biologics that broadly suppress immune function. Beyond mitigating inflammation, OXTR inhibition appeared to restore skin barrier integrity—a crucial factor in chronic disease progression—spotlighting this receptor as a novel therapeutic axis.

Unlike current systemic therapies, which often carry risks of broad immunosuppression and high costs, these localized topical interventions promise targeted treatment with minimal systemic exposure. Moreover, the safety profiles of zileuton and OXTR antagonists are well-established in clinical settings, potentially accelerating their repurposing for dermatological applications.

This study exemplifies the transformative power of integrating AI with high-dimensional genetic screening to unravel complex disease mechanisms in cell types previously inaccessible to large-scale functional genomics. By enabling direct investigation into keratinocyte biology, the research not only charts a course for new psoriasis treatments but also sets a precedent for applying similar methodologies to other inflammatory conditions.

As psoriasis affects roughly 125 million people worldwide, innovations enabling precise, effective, and safer therapies could revolutionize patient care. Biohub’s approach heralds a new era where AI-guided CRISPR screens expedite the discovery of unexpected drug targets and foster the development of locally acting, biology-informed treatments.


Subject of Research: Psoriasis therapeutic targets via genome-wide CRISPR screening of human skin cells

Article Title: AI-guided CRISPR screening reveals therapeutic targets in psoriasis

News Publication Date: 8-Jul-2026

Web References:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-75249-5

References:
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-75249-5

Image Credits: Biohub

Keywords

Psoriasis, CRISPR, Oxytocin receptor, ALOX5, Zileuton, Cligosiban, Keratinocytes, AI-guided screening, Inflammation, Topical therapeutics

Climate Change Fueling Europe’s Ferocious Heat Wave, Scientists Find

26 June 2026 at 05:01
A scientific analysis concluded that such high temperatures, across so much of the continent, would “not have been possible” without global warming.

© Christophe Archambault/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A shady passageway on Tuesday in Bordeaux, France, where temperatures reached 108 degrees Fahrenheit, or roughly 42 Celsius.

Why Is Europe the Fastest-Warming Continent

24 June 2026 at 18:59
The burning of fossil fuels is raising temperatures worldwide, but local factors, on land and at sea, determine which regions warm most rapidly.

© Toby Shepheard/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Morning commuters on the London Bridge on Wednesday, where temperatures reached 96 degrees Fahrenheit, the hottest recorded June day in the United Kingdom.
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