Nobel Medicine: The 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to Karl Deisseroth and German researchers Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for optogenetics, a light-based method that helps map how specific cell types drive learning, fear, addiction and movement—pushing toward new treatments for disorders like Parkinson’s and epilepsy. Hungary in the spotlight: Hungary’s former foreign minister Péter Szijjártó faced a parliamentary grilling over his ties to China’s BYD while in office, including alleged conflict-of-interest concerns around subsidies and a Budapest R&D plan. EU trade vs China: EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič is heading to Beijing demanding “tangible results,” but analysts expect little beyond monitoring and statements as tariffs and rare-earth access tensions simmer. Water stress in Central Europe: The Czech Republic logged its third-driest year since 1961, with major drought impacts and an AI “gigafactory” plan landing amid worsening water risk. Research & talent: Corvinus University earned EQUIS accreditation, completing its “Triple Crown” with AACSB and AMBA. Tech & science culture: A new Budapest-based podcast series, “Challenging Archives,” launches from the Blinken Open Society Archives to spotlight Cold War-era human rights research. Math meets AI: The Justin Sun Prize recognized researchers solving multiple Erdős problems, including work tied to AI-assisted mathematical discovery.