MDPI Articles Cited in the News: June 2026
For this June’s roundup of MDPI Articles Cited in the News, we explore top MDPI research mentioned in popular news outlets, including BBC Wildlife, The Guardian, and New York Post.
Predatory and Defensive Strategies in Cone Snails
Published in Toxins | Mentioned in BBC Wildlife
In 1935, a 27-year-old man named Charles Hugh Garbett was stung on the palm of his hand while on a fishing trip with friends around the Hayman Great Barrier Reef in Australia, resulting in his tragic death. 85 years later, we now know that the cone snail which stung Charles is one of the deadliest species from the Conidae family.
There have been around 30 recorded instances of humans stung by cone snail venom, resulting in several fatalities, including the death of Charles Garbett.
Cone snails are a type of carnivorous marine animal which possess a deadly venom as part of its defence and predatory mechanisms which is used to feed on fish, worms and molluscs.
A study published in Toxins and mentioned in BBC Wildlife Magazine explores the cone snail’s lethal venom, which contains harmful toxins that target nerve and muscle fibres of the afflicted, causing immediate muscle paralysis. This highly sophisticated predatory mechanism can be extremely harmful for humans, particularly due to the snail’s seemingly innocent outward appearance, which people commonly mistake for vacant seashells.
Unfortunately, no anti-venom currently exists, and treatment relies purely on managing acute symptoms to stabilise an individual that has been stung. With cone snails residing mainly in shallow waters along coral reefs, buried under sand, or in shallow tide pools, preventative strategies such as sufficient warning signs to spread awareness is important to keep visitors safe.
Decline in Honeybees and Its Consequences for Beekeepers and Crop Pollination in Western Nepal
Published in Insects | Mentioned in The Guardian
Pollinator species, such as honeybees, are not only critical for the environment, but also for agriculture and the broader economy. Therefore, beekeepers play an important role in global food security. However, a decline in various species of honeybee, such as the Asian honeybee, Apis cerana, poses a significant threat for farmers and beekeepers across Asia.
Research published in the Open Access journal Insects investigates population trends of native honeybees across Western Nepal. After interviewing 116 local beekeepers, they found there was a 44% decline in occupied beehives and a staggering 50% decline in honey production from 2012–2022.
With the increasing effects of climate change, research on how farmers and traders are being impacted is critical to help inform policy to protect local communities, as well as highlighting the urgent need to instil better practices to preserve these precious pollinator species.
Non-Structural Carbohydrate Concentration Increases and Relative Growth Decreases with Tree Size in the Long-Lived Agathis australis (D.Don) Lindl
Published in Forests | Mentioned in The Conversation
Dominating the 15-hectare nature reserve in Aukland, New Zealand, is the Agathis australis conifer, commonly known as kauri. It is the largest species of tree in New Zealand, reaching staggering heights of up to 50 metres tall.
The Kauri tree holds a deep cultural and spiritual significance to the indigenous Māori population. With some of the trees dating as far back as 1000–2000 years ago, these trees represent the epitome of hardwearing resilience and are utilised as valuable life lessons.
With the effects of climate change intensifying, these long-living species are facing extreme weather conditions, such as drought. Adaptive biological mechanisms are therefore essential to ensure their survival to sustain future generations of the protected conifers.
Research published in Forests analysed 6 of the Kauri trees rooted within the University of Auckland Huapai Scientific Reserve. They measured variations in non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) content and tree growth across seasons and as the trees aged.
NSC refers to the carbon reserves synthesised by photosynthesis and stored by the plant to use immediately for respiration. This is in the form of soluble sugars, such as sucrose, glucose of fructose, and starch. Storing sugars enables plants to remain resilient in stressful conditions, increasing their chances of survival.
The study found that the trees exhibited poor growth efficiency and higher concentrations of NSC as they aged. This is indicative of a protective strategy to avoid carbon starvation.
These adaptive processed are vital for the trees to carry on its renowned legacy amidst an unstable climate.
Temporal Trajectories in EEG-Based Mental Workload: Effects of Workspace Type
Published in Buildings | Mentioned in New York Post
Open plan working is now one of the most common layouts adopted by offices across the world. Companies aim for these layouts to foster a deeper sense of collaboration and open communication between employees. However, open plan working also has some downsides, often accompanied by more distractions, noise, and a lack of privacy for individuals, which can be challenging when carrying out tasks that require deep focus.
A study published in the Open Access journal Buildings analysed 26 participants completing auditory, writing and reading tasks while their brain activity was recorded. They found that carrying out the tasks in different spatial configurations yielded distinct brain activation patterns.
Specifically, they found that tasks carried out in closed work pods required less cortical effort to sustain the tasks, compared to work carried out in open plan spaces. This suggests that higher levels of mental strain are needed to retain focus when carrying out typical office-based tasks in an open-plan space. Sustained mental load can increase the risk of mental fatigue, leading to decreased productivity and overall health and wellbeing.
With a significant portion of the day spent in office spaces for many, understanding how spatial design impacts mental workload and catering to the employees’ needs is vital for their mental health and wellbeing.
Read more Open Access research by MDPI by browsing the full journal list
