Category: Global News

New GLP-1 pill delivers up to 12% weight loss in 36 weeks

A new oral approach to GLP-1 treatment helped adults with obesity or overweight lose as much as 12 percent of their body weight over 36 weeks, according to a randomized phase II clinical trial published in Nature Medicine. Robert Kushner, MD, ’82 GME, professor emeritus of Medicine in the Division…

1 in 5 people may carry this hidden genetic heart risk

New findings from more than 20,000 patients across three major NIH studies suggest that elevated Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] may contribute to cardiovascular risk that remains even after standard treatment. The results indicate that people with high Lp(a) may benefit from more aggressive efforts to reduce other heart disease risk factors. The…

Scientists discover a hidden switch inside silver nanocatalysts

Researchers have discovered for the first time that the same silver (Ag) nanocatalyst can operate at different reaction sites depending on whether a solid oxide cell is producing electricity or generating hydrogen. The finding points to a new way of designing these next-generation energy devices for better performance. The work…

Potatoes may have given Indigenous Andeans a digestive superpower

For thousands of years, potatoes have been central to life in the Andes. Indigenous Andean communities were the first to domesticate the starch-rich crop, turning it into a dietary staple long before potatoes spread around the world. Now, researchers have found evidence that this ancient reliance on potatoes may also…

Voyager 2 was running out of power. NASA just bought it more time

NASA engineers have found a way to free up additional power aboard Voyager 2, helping the nearly 50-year-old spacecraft continue its scientific work for longer. The effort, known as the “Big Bang,” was carried out by engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The team simultaneously shut down certain powered components…

For 15,000 years, humans and dogs have been changing each other

Dogs are often called ‘man’s best friend’, and their long history with people gives that phrase real weight. Archaeologists have discovered dogs buried beside humans in graves as old as 14,000 years. Dogs also appear in ancient artwork from every continent and hold places in the mythology, religion and folklore…

Cassini reveals a surprising twist in Saturn’s magnetic shield

Scientists examining data from the Cassini-Huygens mission have identified an unexpected feature in the structure of Saturn’s protective magnetic bubble. The finding supports the idea that giant planets such as Saturn have magnetospheres that behave very differently from Earth’s. The research, published in Nature Communications, includes Dr. Licia Ray and…

A daily glass of fruit juice was linked to lower depression scores

Drinking a daily glass of 100% fruit juice or a smoothie as part of the UK’s 5-a-day guidance may help support mental well-being, according to research from Newcastle University in the UK. In a randomized controlled trial, adults who typically ate relatively little fruit and vegetables received support to increase…

For decades, we were told to choose low-fat dairy. New research says otherwise

A new Canadian study led by University of Toronto professor Harvey Anderson adds to growing evidence that full-fat dairy can be part of a healthy diet. In the 12-week study, 74 adults consumed different amounts of dairy under varying dietary conditions. The researchers found that eating three servings of full-fat…

Scientists discover bacteria that lock toxic uranium into a stable form

Uranium, a radioactive heavy metal, is typically locked inside minerals in soil. However, mining and other environmental processes can change uranium into forms that dissolve in water. Once it becomes mobile in this way, it can spread through the environment and create problems because of its toxicity. Researchers at the…

Chemists set electrons free and break a decades-old chemistry barrier

Chemists depend on sophisticated molecules to develop life-saving drugs, produce advanced high-tech materials, and recreate processes found in living systems. One of the most useful tools for building these complicated structures is single-electron transfer, a technique that can activate molecules that would otherwise resist reacting and allow them to join…

Dinosaurs became giants — so why did they never become tiny?

Dinosaurs are often remembered for their enormous size. Tyrannosaurus rex was an imposing predator, while dinosaurs such as Apatosaurus reached truly massive proportions. Yet new research suggests that one of the most intriguing questions about dinosaur evolution lies at the opposite end of the size spectrum: Why did dinosaurs apparently…

Wine, beer, or spirits? Massive study finds a surprising health divide

Heavy alcohol use has consistently been tied to poorer health, no matter what type of alcohol a person drinks. At lower levels of consumption, however, the health effects may differ depending on the beverage, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26). The findings,…

A 0.42-nanometer breakthrough could push transistors beyond silicon

For more than a decade, atomically thin semiconductors have stood out as a promising route beyond conventional silicon. These materials can be just a single atom thick while still offering impressive electrical properties. In principle, they could enable transistors that are smaller, faster, and more energy efficient than today’s devices.…

Scientists say just 7 days of meditation can rewire your brain

A week of intensive meditation and other mind and body practices may be capable of producing measurable changes far beyond simple relaxation. In a recent study, researchers at the University of California San Diego found that a seven-day retreat was associated with changes in brain activity, blood chemistry, immune signaling,…

Stress can scramble your brain’s internal GPS, MRI study finds

The stress hormone cortisol can interfere with the brain system that helps people navigate and stay oriented. Researchers from Ruhr University Bochum in Germany found that cortisol weakens the activity of grid cells, specialized nerve cells that are essential for spatial navigation. The finding comes from an imaging study involving…

The dodo bird had a secret sensory world scientists are only now discovering

Only two complete dodo skulls are known anywhere in the world. One is housed at the Natural History Museum Denmark, while the other belongs to the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. The Copenhagen specimen has remained in the museum’s collections for centuries, and it has now played a key…

New fuel cell breakthrough could help power energy-hungry data centers

The rapid expansion of data centers across the United States is putting growing pressure on the nation’s electricity supply. These facilities require enormous amounts of power not only to operate their computing equipment, but also to keep it cool. The Electric Power Research Institute estimates that data centers could account…

Scientists reveal how much exercise you really need to protect your heart

Adults may need far more weekly exercise than current guidelines recommend to achieve a major reduction in the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to findings from an observational study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The researchers found that substantial cardiovascular protection was associated with…

A protein older than blood circulation could transform cancer immunotherapy

An immune molecule that appeared in evolution long before blood circulation may help improve cancer immunotherapy. Scientists at Nagoya University in Japan discovered that complement C3 can prevent immune-suppressing cells from building up inside tumors, but only when the protein is produced locally within the tumor. C3 traveling through the…

This tiny gold crystal could bring quantum technology out of the deep freeze

Quantum materials could reshape fields as varied as high-performance computing, secure communication, sensitive detection, and energy production. Yet one persistent limitation has kept most of them from becoming practical technologies. Almost every quantum material discovered so far works only when cooled to temperatures near absolute zero. At ordinary temperatures, heat…

The sun is covered in tiny whirlpools we’ve never seen before

Scientists have captured previously unseen plasma vortices swirling across the surface of the Sun, revealing tiny structures that could help explain how our star stores, moves, and releases magnetic energy. The discovery comes from researchers at the U.S. National Science Foundation National Solar Observatory (NSF NSO), the Max Planck Institute…

Cutting sweet foods doesn’t curb cravings or improve health

A new six-month trial suggests that changing how much sweet-tasting food people eat does not alter how much they enjoy sweetness. Researchers also found no meaningful differences in several measures related to heart disease and diabetes risk among people who ate diets with high, low, or average levels of sweetness.…