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The brain has a remarkable ability to recognize danger, but new research suggests that this survival mechanism may also explain why people sometimes feel threatened in situations that are actually safe. The discovery offers a possible explanation for the intense fear responses associated with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).…
For nearly 50 years, scientists have struggled to explain why frogs began disappearing from Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, one of the world’s richest regions for amphibian diversity. Beginning in the 1970s, researchers documented dramatic population declines, but the cause of these losses remained uncertain. Now, scientists have uncovered compelling evidence pointing…
Scientists are still working to understand why autism develops. Genetics are known to play a major role, but researchers have also found that conditions during pregnancy can influence the likelihood of autism spectrum disorder. A new study from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has uncovered a surprising connection between inflammation…
Eating mango and avocado every day could offer unexpected benefits for heart health, according to new research. In a study lasting just eight weeks, adults with prediabetes who regularly ate both fruits experienced improvements in blood vessel function and blood pressure, without gaining weight or consuming more calories. The findings…
For decades, explanations for why some children struggle with reading have often focused on two factors: intelligence and the ability to process visual information. Children who read easily have frequently been assumed to be more intelligent, while those who struggle have sometimes been viewed as less capable. Another common belief…
A new study reveals all five fundamental nucleobases – the molecular “letters” of life – have been detected in samples from the asteroid Ryugu. Asteroid particles offer a glimpse into the chemical ingredients that may have helped kindle life on Earth. The Ryugu samples were returned from space in 2020…
The European Space Agency’s Hera spacecraft has reached an important milestone in its mission to investigate a historic asteroid collision. For the first time, its onboard camera has captured the two asteroids Didymos and Dimorphos as separate objects rather than a single point of light. The asteroid pair is currently…
Nearly 50 years after leaving Earth, NASA’s Voyager 1 is approaching an extraordinary milestone that will highlight just how far humanity’s most distant spacecraft has traveled. But keeping the aging explorer operational has become an increasingly difficult challenge as its power supply slowly fades. NASA engineers recently achieved two important…
Scientists at King’s College London have identified a promising new strategy for fighting Alzheimer’s disease that could address several of the condition’s damaging effects at the same time. Their research suggests that an experimental drug originally developed for spinal cord injuries may help repair damaged DNA, reduce inflammation, and target…
The findings come one year after the first-ever oxygen collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). All four of the collider’s major research collaborations, ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb, have now reported signs that this primordial form of matter can emerge when oxygen and neon nuclei collide. ter than the…
Black holes are known for merging when two of them collide, but could the reverse ever happen? Could a single black hole somehow divide into two smaller ones? A new theoretical study suggests that this extraordinary possibility may not be entirely ruled out by physics, although the conditions required would…
The liver may hold an unexpected key to fighting two of the most serious diseases associated with aging: Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease. Scientists have discovered that restoring the function of aging liver cells can dramatically reduce harmful substances in the bloodstream, raising the possibility of treating diseases that affect…
Carrying excess weight may affect more than physical health. New research from the University of Georgia suggests that having a higher body mass index may also speed up cognitive decline, potentially causing memory and thinking abilities to deteriorate more quickly with age. Some cognitive changes are a natural part of…
An enormous number of invisible particles are constantly traveling through Earth, passing through our bodies and continuing into space as though almost nothing stands in their way. Known as neutrinos, these mysterious particles are among the most difficult objects in the universe to detect. Yet scientists are finding ways to…
For decades, one of the most common recommendations for lowering high blood pressure has been simple: eat less salt. But a new scientific report suggests that this advice may be missing an equally important part of the equation. Researchers say that increasing potassium intake, rather than focusing only on reducing…
An experimental electronic implant could offer an entirely new way to treat type 2 diabetes. Rather than relying on insulin or conventional medications, the device uses electricity to convert excess blood sugar into a substance that the body can eliminate. In early tests with diabetic mice, the technology successfully regulated…
Scientists have uncovered an unexpected connection between diet and cancer treatment. In a surprising finding, certain diets typically considered “unhealthy” or “fattening” actually improved responses to a common form of cancer immunotherapy in mice. The discovery suggests that the success of cancer treatment may depend not only on which bacteria…
NASA’s Perseverance rover has reached an impressive new milestone, traveling farther across another world than any vehicle before it. On Sol 2006 (Oct. 11, 2026), the rover’s total driving distance reached 45.22 kilometers (28.10 miles), establishing a new record for travel on another celestial body. The achievement was even recognized…
Located in the Weddell Sea, east of the Antarctic Peninsula, Vega Island has a particularly haunting appearance when viewed from above. Its rocky and icy features resemble a grinning skull seen from the side, seemingly gazing toward nearby Devil Island. But behind this unusual sight is a more serious story…
More than 30,000 years ago, people living across Ice Age Europe were far more connected than scientists previously believed. New genetic evidence reveals unexpected links between populations separated by enormous distances, challenging the long-held idea that eastern and western European groups remained largely isolated from one another. An international research…
A major new study suggests that even modest amounts of alcohol may carry serious health consequences. Researchers found that drinking levels many Americans consider moderate are associated with higher risks of premature death, disability, cancer, heart disease, and other long-term health problems. Published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol…
NASA’s Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes have uncovered surprising clues about the earliest days of our solar system by examining some of the smallest and faintest objects ever observed beyond Neptune. The findings challenge expectations about how planets form and suggest that these distant, icy bodies have preserved evidence…
A major new scientific review is raising questions about whether medical cannabis actually helps people with insomnia. Despite growing interest in cannabis as a sleep treatment, researchers found that the available evidence is too weak to reliably determine whether it improves sleep quality, sleep duration, or how well people function…
Eating peanuts every day may offer surprising benefits for the aging brain. Researchers at Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands have found that regularly consuming unsalted, skin-roasted peanuts can improve how certain brain regions respond to insulin in older adults. The findings come from the Institute of Nutrition and…
A pesticide used for decades in agriculture may be linked to a much greater risk of Parkinson’s disease, and scientists have uncovered a possible explanation for how it damages the brain. Researchers at UCLA Health found that people with long-term residential exposure to chlorpyrifos, a widely used pesticide, had more…
Scientists have developed a remarkable new molecular motor that spins when electricity passes through it. Inspired by an ancient invention, the tiny machine can even reverse its direction when the electrical voltage is switched. The achievement marks an important step toward creating working machines at the smallest possible scale. Molecular…
Crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) are among the most feared creatures on coral reefs. Covered in sharp, toxin-filled spines, these predators are notorious for consuming coral and leaving widespread destruction in their wake. However, new research from the University of Sydney suggests these infamous reef destroyers may also have a surprisingly beneficial…
Drinking tea regularly may offer important benefits for your heart and blood vessels, according to a massive study involving nearly 500,000 adults. Researchers found that people who consumed tea regularly had a lower risk of developing several vascular diseases compared with those who did not drink tea. However, the findings…
Scientists at the University of Virginia Comprehensive Cancer Center have developed a promising experimental strategy for treating glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive malignant brain tumor in adults. The new approach could help overcome some of the biggest obstacles that have limited the effectiveness of existing brain cancer treatments. The…
An ancient ape fossil discovered in Egypt is challenging a long-standing theory about where the ancestors of modern apes, including humans, first evolved. The remarkable find suggests that a crucial chapter of our evolutionary history may have unfolded much farther north than scientists previously believed. The newly identified species, named…
