An international study led by researchers from Tel Aviv University and the French National Centre for Scientific Research provides the first scientific evidence that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens had biological and social relations, and even interbred for the first time, in the Land of Israel. The research team found a combination of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens traits in the skeleton of a five-year-old child discovered about 90 years ago in the Skhul Cave on Mount Carmel. The fossil, estimated to be about 140,000 years old, is the earliest human fossil in the world to display morphological features of both of these human groups, which until recently were considered two separate species. The study was led by Prof. Israel Hershkovitz of the Gray Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences at Tel Aviv University and Anne Dambricourt-Malassé of the French National Centre for Scientific Research. The findings of this historic discovery were published in the journal l’Anthropologie.

“Genetic studies over the past decade have shown that these two groups exchanged genes,” explains Prof. Hershkovitz. “Even today, 40,000 years after the last Neanderthals disappeared, part of our genome — 2 to 6 percent — is of Neanderthal origin. But these gene exchanges took place much later, between 60,000 to 40,000 years ago. Here, we are dealing with a human fossil that is 140,000 years old. In our study, we show that the child’s skull, which in its overall shape resembles that of Homo sapiens — especially in the curvature of the skull vault — has an intracranial blood supply system, a lower jaw, and an inner ear structure typical of Neanderthals.”

For years, Neanderthals were thought to be a group that evolved in Europe, migrating to the Land of Israel only about 70,000 years ago, following the advance of European glaciers. In a groundbreaking 2021 study published in the prestigious journal Science, Prof. Hershkovitz and his colleagues showed that early Neanderthals lived in the Land of Israel as early as 400,000 years ago. This human type, which Prof. Hershkovitz called “Nesher Ramla Homo” (after the archaeological site near the Nesher Ramla factory where it was found), encountered Homo sapiens groups that began leaving Africa about 200,000 years ago — and, according to the current study’s findings, interbred with them. The child from the Skhul Cave is the earliest fossil evidence in the world of the social and biological ties forged between these two populations over thousands of years. The local Neanderthals eventually disappeared when they were absorbed into the Homo sapiens population, much like the later European Neanderthals.

The researchers reached these conclusions after conducting a series of advanced tests on the fossil. First, they scanned the skull and jaw using micro-CT technology at the Shmunis Family Anthropology Institute at Tel Aviv University, creating an accurate three-dimensional model from the scans. This enabled them to perform a complex morphological analysis of the anatomical structures (including non-visible structures such as the inner ear) and compare them to various hominid populations. To study the structure of the blood vessels surrounding the brain, they also created an accurate 3D reconstruction of the inside of the skull.

“The fossil we studied is the earliest known physical evidence of mating between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens,” says Prof. Hershkovitz. “In 1998, a skeleton of a child was discovered in Portugal that showed traits of both of these human groups. But that skeleton, nicknamed the ‘Lapedo Valley Child,’ dates back to 28,000 years ago — more than 100,000 years after the Skhul child. Traditionally, anthropologists have attributed the fossils discovered in the Skhul Cave, along with fossils from the Qafzeh Cave near Nazareth, to an early group of Homo sapiens. The current study reveals that at least some of the fossils from the Skhul Cave are the result of continuous genetic infiltration from the local — and older — Neanderthal population into the Homo sapiens population.”

Now, researchers at UC San Francisco have identified a protein that’s at the center of this decline.

They looked at how the genes and proteins in the hippocampus changed over time in mice and found just one that differed between old and young animals. It’s called FTL1.

Old mice had more FTL1, as well as fewer connections between brain cells in the hippocampus and diminished cognitive abilities.

When the researchers artificially increased FTL1 levels in young mice, their brains and behavior began to resemble that of old mice.

In experiments in petri dishes, nerve cells engineered to make lots of FTL1 grew simple, one-armed neurites — rather than the branching neurites that normal cells create.

But once the scientists reduced the amount of FTL1 in the hippocampus of the old mice, they regained their youth. They had more connections between nerve cells, and the mice did better on memory tests.

“It is truly a reversal of impairments,” said Saul Villeda, PhD, associate director of the UCSF Bakar Aging Research Institute and senior author of the paper, which appears in Nature Aging on Aug. 19. “It’s much more than merely delaying or preventing symptoms.”

In old mice, FTL1 also slowed down metabolism in the cells of the hippocampus. But treating the cells with a compound that stimulates metabolism prevented these effects.

Villeda is optimistic the work could lead to therapies that block the effects of FTL1 in the brain.

“We’re seeing more opportunities to alleviate the worst consequences of old age,” he said. “It’s a hopeful time to be working on the biology of aging.”

Authors: Other UCSF authors are Laura Remesal, PhD, Juliana Sucharov-Costa, Karishma J.B. Pratt, PhD, Gregor Bieri, PhD, Amber Philp, PhD, Mason Phan, Turan Aghayev, MD, PhD, Charles W. White III, PhD, Elizabeth G. Wheatley, PhD, Brandon R. Desousa, Isha H. Jian, Jason C. Maynard, PhD, and Alma L. Burlingame, PhD. For all authors see the paper.

Funding: This work was funded in part by the Simons Foundation, Bakar Family Foundation, National Science Foundation, Hillblom Foundation, Bakar Aging Research Institute, Marc and Lynne Benioff, and the National Institutes of Health (AG081038, AG067740, AG062357, P30 DK063720). For all funding see the paper.

Using four decades of satellite images, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers have looked at impacts Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are having on kelp forests along the coast of California.

They found that although the overall effect of MPAs on kelp forest cover was modest, the benefits became clear in the aftermath of marine heatwaves in 2014-2016, when kelp forests within MPAs were able recover more quickly, particularly in southern California.

“We found that kelp forests inside MPAs showed better recovery after a major climate disturbance compared to similar unprotected areas.” Explained Emelly Ortiz-Villa, lead author of the study and a PhD researcher at UCLA Department of Geography.

“Places where fishing is restricted and important predators like lobsters and sheephead are protected saw stronger kelp regrowth. This suggests that MPAs can support ecosystem resilience to climate events like marine heatwaves.”

Professor Rick Stafford, Chair of the British Ecological Society Policy Committee, who was not involved in the study said: “It’s great to see these results and they clearly show that local action to protect biodiversity and ecosystem function can help prevent changes caused by global pressures such as climate change.

“However, it also demonstrates the need for effective MPAs. In this study, all the MPAs examined regulated fishing activity, and this is not the case for many sites which are designated as MPAs worldwide – including many in the UK.”

Kelp forests: a globally important and threatened ecosystem

Kelp forests our found around coastlines all over the world, particularly in cool, temperate waters such as the pacific coast of North America, The UK, South Africa, and Australia.

These complex ecosystems are havens for marine wildlife, including commercially important fish, and are one of the most productive habitats on Earth. They’re also efficient in capturing carbon and protect coastlines by buffering against wave energy.

However, kelp forests across the west coast of North America have declined in recent years due to pressures such as marine heatwaves, made more frequent and intense with climate change, and predation from increasing numbers of sea urchins, which have benefitted from population collapses of sea stars, which predate them.

Kyle Cavanaugh, a senior author of the study and professor in the UCLA Department of Geography and Institute of the Environment and Sustainability said: “Kelp forests are facing many threats, including ocean warming, overgrazing, and pollution. These forests can be remarkably resilient to individual stressors, but multi-stressor situations can overwhelm their capacity to recover. By mitigating certain stressors, MPAs can help enhance the resilience of kelp.”

Marine protected areas as a conservation tool

MPAs are designated areas of the ocean where human activity is limited to support ecosystems and the species living there. However, protections vary widely and while some areas are no-take zones, others have few restrictions or lack comprehensive management and enforcement. Many even allow destructive practices like bottom trawling.

Effective MPAs form a key part of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed at COP15 in 2022, which commits nations to protecting at least 30% of oceans and land by 2030.

“Our findings can inform decisions about where to establish new MPAs or implement other spatial protection measures.” said Kyle Cavanaugh. “MPAs will be most effective when located in areas that are inherently more resilient to ocean warming, such as regions with localized upwelling or kelp populations with higher thermal tolerance.”

Emelly Villa added: “Our findings suggest that kelp forests could be a useful indicator for tracking the ecological health and climate resilience of protected areas and should be included in long-term monitoring strategies.”

Measuring the impact of marine protected areas

To understand the effects MPAs were having on kelp, the researchers used of satellite data from 1984-2022 to compare kelp forests inside and outside of 54 MPAs along the California coast.

By matching each MPA with a reference site with similar environmental conditions, they were able to test whether MPAs helped kelp forests resist loss or recover from extreme marine heatwaves which took place in the North pacific between 2014 and 2016.

The researchers warn that while their findings show that MPAs can help kelp recovery after marine heatwaves, the effect was highly variable depending on location.

“On average, kelp within MPAs showed greater recovery than in the reference sites. However, not all MPAs outperformed their corresponding reference sites, suggesting that additional factors are also play a role in determining resilience.” said Kyle Cavanaugh.

The researchers say that future work could look to identify these factors to better understand where and when MPAs are most effective at enhancing kelp resilience.

A new article, co-authored by Dr. Leonard Berry of Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School, argues that listening isn’t just a nice gesture, it’s a powerful tool that can improve your care and even help heal the health care system itself.

Berry and colleagues at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Boston and Henry Ford Health Detroit published their findings in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

The Case Of The Norwegian Nurse

The team identified what it calls “values-driven listening.” It’s about more than asking questions, it’s about asking the right questions, being present and showing genuine curiosity and compassion.

“Listening is the gateway to healing,” Berry said. “It’s how we connect, understand and ultimately serve better.”

One story in the article shows just how transformative listening can be. A nurse in a Norwegian nursing home asked a patient, “What would make a good day for you?”

The patient responded: “I want to wear my blue shirt.”

“Why the blue one?” the nurse asked.

“That was my wife’s favorite shirt,” the patient said. “She died two years ago today, and I want to honor her.”

The patient shared memories of his wife with the nurse, and afterward, he asked for a wheelchair so that he could tell other patients about her; it was the first time he’d ever asked to interact with other people at the facility.

“That’s not a medical breakthrough,” Berry said, “it’s a human one.”

Six Listening Strategies

The authors outline six types of listening that contribute to better care:

Listening That Is Proximate Being physically present matters. Your provider can learn far more from a quiet moment in the exam room than from a rushed message or chart note. When they’re close, focused and curious, you’re more likely to open up, and that kind of trust is essential for making decisions together about your care. Be sure your provider spends this focused time with you.

Listening That Is Curious Your provider’s curiosity can be just as important as their expertise. When they ask open-ended questions and pay attention to your words, body language and emotions, it creates space for honest conversation. That’s often when key details emerge informing the plan of care. “What are your concerns about the plan of care we’ve discussed?” creates a path for open dialogue in a way that “Do you have any questions?” does not.

Listening That Earns And Enables Trust Trust starts when you feel safe to speak candidly, and that happens when your provider listens without judgment, gives you their full attention and treats your input as essential. At Henry Ford Health, some doctors are using AI-powered tools to handle notetaking during appointments, so they can focus entirely on the conversation.

Listening Aided By Design The design of a clinic or hospital can affect how well you’re heard. Small, crowded spaces make private conversations harder, but simple changes — like your provider sitting down during a visit — can make you feel more cared for and listened to. Some health systems, like Southcentral Foundation in Alaska, have created “talking rooms” that feel less clinical and more personal, showing that listening isn’t just a skill, it’s something built into the space itself.

Listening That Empowers Listening should lead to action, and that includes listening to the people who care for you. When frontline staff are asked what’s wasting time or making care harder, they often have smart, simple fixes. At Hawaii Pacific Health, a program called “Getting Rid of Stupid Stuff” led to hundreds of suggestions, including one that saved nurses 1,700 hours a month by removing a pointless documentation rule. When staff are empowered to speak up, care becomes more efficient, less frustrating and better for everyone.

Listening That Fosters Resilience Caring for others is demanding, and when health care workers are supported, they’re better able to support you. Simple acts like sharing meals and stories with colleagues can help reduce burnout and build emotional strength in those who are caring for you. Some hospitals schedule time for these peer connections, creating space for reflection and support. Ask your provider how their health care system supports its workers.

Listening Is Kindness

Berry and his co-authors write that deep listening benefits all parties: clinician-to patient; clinician-to-clinician; leader-to-clinical and non-clinical staff. It’s a cultural shift that starts with values. “Do you care enough to listen?” they ask.

For patients, this means you should feel empowered to speak up and expect to be heard.

“Your experiences, concerns and insights are not just helpful, they’re essential,” Berry said. “And when your care team listens with empathy and curiosity, it leads to better decisions, stronger relationships and more personalized care.

“Kindness is not a luxury in health care, it’s a necessity. And true listening is one of its most powerful expressions.”