NATURE BRIEFING 26 May 2026 Stress stops the brain from making links between memories and fresh information. Plus, why governments should invest in early science education and an AI model that was deemed too dangerous to release to the public. You have full access to this article via your institution. Hello Nature readers, would you like to get this Briefing in your inbox free every day? Sign up here . Stress has widespread effects on the brain. Credit: K H Fung/Science Photo Library Stress stops the brain joining the dots Acute stress makes it difficult to connect memories of past experiences with fresh information — a process crucial for making deductions. This could explain why people struggle to show insight under pressure.…