Research

State-funded five-star hotel stays may sound appealing for a weekend, but when thousands of Israelis were evacuated to hotels during the October 7th war, the experience quickly proved far from idyllic. A new study reveals how hotels- symbols of a “luxury experience”, can mirror the psychological pains of imprisonment during wartime, raising urgent questions about the complex experiences of displaced communities, even under seemingly ideal conditions.

A new experiment called QROCODILE, led by the University of Zurich and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has achieved record sensitivity in the hunt for light dark matter. Using superconducting detectors cooled to near absolute zero, the team set world-leading limits on how dark matter interacts with ordinary matter — opening the door to future breakthroughs in one of physics’ greatest mysteries.

A new study shows that a TXA autoinjector delivers lifesaving treatment for severe bleeding as effectively as traditional IV methods — but in under five minutes and without the need for medical expertise. This breakthrough could transform trauma care in emergencies, making rapid, easy-to-administer treatment available in settings ranging from battlefields to roadside accidents, where every second counts.

Bacteria aren’t just mindless microbes. New research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals that single bacterial cells can carry a “memory” of their past environments—passing it down through generations—before eventually forgetting. Using a new technique called Microcolony-seq, scientists uncovered hidden subpopulations inside infections, each with different survival strategies. The finding could explain why antibiotics and vaccines sometimes fail—and may point the way toward more precise treatments.

Researchers have discovered that a virus living inside the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus significantly boosts the fungus’s ability to survive stress and cause severe infections in mammals. Removing the virus made the fungus weaker and less virulent, while antiviral treatments improved survival outcomes. This finding reveals a hidden factor driving the deadliness of fungal infections and opens the door to potential new treatments that target the virus rather than the fungus itself.

A new cross-national study reveals that older adults with disabilities are significantly less likely to receive preventive care, such as flu vaccinations, eye exams, and dental checkups. This gap remains the same for eye exams and dental care but  is eliminated for flu vaccinations in countries that invest more in public healthcare.

In the weeks after the October 7 Hamas attacks, many Israelis faced not only the trauma of war but also a surge of online hate. A new study from the Hebrew University finds that frequent exposure to such digital vitriol is linked to higher PTSD symptoms, especially for those who struggle to regulate their emotions, underscoring how today’s conflicts can wound both on the battlefield and on the screen.

ERC Honors Hebrew University Scientists for Pioneering Brain and Language Studies

When survivors of the October 7th attacks returned to what was left of their homes, many carried with them more than grief or post-traumatic stress. A new study shows that the trauma also fueled an unexpected surge in obsessive-compulsive disorder, offering the first direct evidence that acute trauma can trigger the disorder’s onset.

A new study from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem explores how the Israel–Gaza war is transforming religion and spirituality among young adults. Surveying over 1,200 students, the researchers found that half reported changes in their religiosity and/or spirituality, with increases more common than decreases. The findings show that cultural background and direct exposure to conflict shape whether people deepen their faith, turn to spirituality, or step away from religion.

Two years after October 7, its psychological impact continues to surface in unexpected ways. A new study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals that Israeli men with difficulties regulating their emotions were more likely to develop gambling problems in the months following the attacks and ensuing war. The findings highlight how collective trauma reverberates not only in memory, but also in private struggles for coping and survival.

 a resilience unmatched elsewhere. This is important because coral reefs globally are collapsing under rising ocean temperatures, threatening ecosystems and human livelihoods. The Gulf of Aqaba may represent one of the planet’s last natural refuges for reef survival, offering a crucial model for understanding resilience and underscoring the urgency of protecting this unique ecosystem before even it reaches its limits. New study reveals resilience of Red Sea corals in the face of intensifying climate threats.

A new study analyzing spontaneous speech in 48 languages reveals that human beings across the globe structure their speech into rhythmic units at a remarkably consistent rate of one every 1.6 seconds. This low-frequency rhythm is stable across cultures, ages, and languages, suggesting a universal cognitive mechanism of human communication. The findings shed new light on how the human mind structures language in time. This may have implications for neuroscience, language learning, and speech technology.