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Rivers reconnect in Europe, new drug offers hope for pancreatic cancer
603 river barriers removed in Europe, daraxonrasib doubled survival time in pancreatic cancer, five new marine protected areas in New Zealand...
Last year, 603 river barriers were removed in Europe, reconnecting more than 2,300 miles of waterways. This number surpassed the 542 barriers removed in 2024, setting a new record across the continent.
The most removals took place in Sweden, where 173 barriers were dismantled. Finland followed with 143, and Spain with 109. Iceland and North Macedonia also removed river barriers for the first time.
Fish migration routes reopened
The practice strengthened river habitats and made fish migration routes accessible again. It was reported that positive effects on wildlife are already being observed in some areas.
On the banks of the River Dee in northern Wales, sea lamprey nests were reported to be more frequent after the removal of Eribstock Weir. Joel Rees-Jones, who leads the project, said that reconnecting habitats and removing barriers like Erbistock Weir gives species such as lamprey and Atlantic salmon a chance to recover.
Dam Removal Europe stated that there are more than 150,000 unused barriers fragmenting Europe's rivers, so the work ahead remains vast. However, it was emphasized that momentum is growing.
Striking result in pancreatic cancer
Another headline in the news package was the drug daraxonrasib, developed for advanced pancreatic cancer. According to the research, the new drug suppressed a key protein that determines the course of the disease, increasing average survival time from 6.7 months to 13.2 months.
In the 500-person study, the drug was also noted to cause fewer side effects compared to chemotherapy. While it was reminded that the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is below 15 percent, these results were considered a significant advance in the fight against the disease.
Cancer experts said that pancreatic cancer has long been one of the most resistant cancer types and that this development could give patients more time. It was reported that regulatory agencies will assess whether the drug is suitable for use as a standard treatment.
In a separate development, it was announced that the Prosigna gene test, which measures the risk of tumor recurrence, could spare a significant portion of breast cancer patients from unnecessary chemotherapy. In an international study of 4,000 people, more than two-thirds of participants were safely monitored with hormone therapy.
For patients with low scores, the five-year survival rate was 93.7 percent, while for those receiving chemotherapy it was 94.9 percent. The research team said this result shows that some patients can be treated without experiencing serious side effects.
New marine protected areas and a lost species
Five new marine protected areas have been established on New Zealand's South Island. Covering a total of 191 square miles, these areas are the country's first new marine reserves in a decade.
The areas, named Te Au Roa o Te Rakihouia, host diverse habitats such as kelp forests, offshore canyons, and deep-sea corals. It was stated that the areas will be co-managed by the Kāi Tahu iwi community and the government, and will function as strictly protected, no-fishing zones.
Kāi Tahu representative Edward Ellison said these areas will complement existing protected zones and over time contribute to increasing both habitats and species diversity. He also expressed that the community's strong connection to the sea and coastline will be sustained.
The final notable news of the day was the rediscovery of a bird in a remote area of Indonesia that was officially listed as a lost species. The rediscovery showed that long-unseen creatures can still survive in different geographies.
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