Neuroscience & AI in the real world: University of Minnesota researchers are using Tetris plus brain and eye tracking to map how the brain plans ahead, while a new AI system aims to flag pre-seizure states in newborn EEG to speed up neonatal care. Brain and body repair: Mount Sinai scientists point to a molecular “brake” (AHR) that may explain why injured nerves struggle to regrow, and gene-activation tool TIGRa offers a more compact way to switch on protective genes in mice. Cancer as a whole-body problem: A Cell Metabolism study finds tumors can reprogram liver fat metabolism to blunt immune attack, and another Nature Aging paper links a classic cancer gene to chronic inflammation in senescent cells. Health screening that scales: A waist-to-height ratio could help screen children for fatty liver disease risk without expensive tests. Climate and disaster science: Southern Africa faces a drier-than-normal rainy season outlook, and scientists are still untangling the Nepal-China flood trigger—likely a glacier/rock collapse amplified by warming. Tech for science and society: A new toolkit (PLoPP) helps identify paint-derived microplastics, and a Georgia Tech workshop will share open-source methods for scientific computing. Local science & education: The Alabama STEM Council launched a math/science proficiency dashboard, and the University of Arizona received $1M to train more doctor-scientists.