Daily briefing: Ancient rise in CO 2 hints at what could happen today

A new mRNA-based flu vaccine has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is currently under review by regulatory agencies in the European Union, Canada, and Australia. This mRNA platform allows for the vaccine to be easily reformulated to match circulating influenza strains, potentially revolutionizing flu vaccine development.

However, scientists remain cautious about its real-world performance and await data from extensive testing. Meanwhile, a recent study found that neighborhoods experiencing a rise in undocumented immigrant populations between 2010 and 2018 in the United States saw a decrease in property-related and violent crimes, contrary to popular belief.

The research team hopes these findings can help dispel misconceptions about immigration and its impact on crime rates. In response to the European Union's AI Act, AI giant Anthropic made headlines by embedding invisible watermarks in text generated by its Claude models launched on or after August 2, aiming to prevent undisclosed use of AI.

However, researchers caution that these watermarks can be easily removed, and the absence of a watermark does not guarantee human authorship. China's research ecosystem needs to rethink its approach to motivating early-career researchers to alleviate the immense pressure they face. The current system prioritizes prestige and publication rates, rather than fostering an environment that encourages tackling difficult research questions and advancing careers, according to vaccine researcher Ming Li.

The Nature podcast offers a curated selection of the week's top science books, and reader Jacob Smith shares advice on balancing personal and professional responsibilities from women founders who have navigated similar challenges.