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Serotonin is usually associated with mood, sleep, and digestion. But research published in 2023 suggests this chemical messenger may also influence a small structure that performs a vital job during every heartbeat: the mitral valve. The multicenter investigation found evidence that reduced activity of the serotonin transporter may accelerate damaging…
Gold has long been valued for its brilliant, long lasting shine. Now, researchers at Tulane University have uncovered an important reason why the precious metal remains so resistant to tarnishing. Their findings show that gold’s durability is not determined by its chemistry alone. Instead, the arrangement of atoms on its…
Parkinson’s disease may spread through the brain with the help of two proteins found on the surface of motor neurons, according to new research from Yale School of Medicine (YSM). The discovery could open the door to treatments designed to slow or even stop the disease instead of only managing…
A medication that has long been used to treat high blood pressure could also help make an important class of cancer drugs much more effective, according to new research from Dartmouth Cancer Center (DCC). The study found that the FDA approved drug telmisartan significantly boosted the cancer killing activity of…
An experimental drug developed at Michigan Medicine has shown the ability to reverse severe fatty liver disease in animal studies by restoring gut health. The findings, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, suggest that targeting the connection between the gut and liver could offer a promising new approach for…
Praying mantises have fascinated people for centuries. Across different cultures, they have been viewed as everything from mystical guides that help lost travelers find their way home to ominous creatures associated with bad luck. Beyond the legends, native mantises also play an important ecological role by serving as indicators of…
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), working with The Ohio State University and Amphenol Corporation, have uncovered a surprising new way to control how heat moves through solid materials. Their findings challenge long held assumptions about heat transport and could lead to more efficient cooling…
A second pregnancy changes the brain in ways that are both familiar and distinct from a first pregnancy, according to new research from Amsterdam UMC published in Nature Communications. Building on earlier work showing that a first pregnancy reshapes the brain, the researchers found that each pregnancy leaves its own…
Physicists from the University of Jyväskylä and Aalto University in Finland have successfully created a two dimensional topological crystalline insulator, marking the first experimental realization of a quantum material that scientists had predicted for more than a decade. Until now, attempts to produce it had been held back by difficulties…
Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a new way to control how ink dries by adding ultra fine bubbles to ink droplets instead of chemical additives. By simply changing the number of bubbles in each droplet, the team found they could dramatically alter the pattern left behind as the…
The human body is often described as a marvel of “perfect design”: elegant, efficient and finely tuned for its purpose. Yet, when we look closer, a rather different picture emerges. Far from being a flawless machine, the body reads more like a patchwork of compromises shaped by millions of years…
A rare fossil goose discovered in the remains of an ancient lake in Central Otago is changing scientists’ understanding of how New Zealand’s unique bird life evolved. According to researchers from the University of Otago — Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka, the find adds to growing evidence that the origins of Aotearoa’s…
When SpaceX’s Starship lifted off from the Texas coast in the summer of 2023, it marked a milestone that aerospace engineers had discussed for decades but few expected to witness so soon. The towering stainless steel rocket, standing taller than a 30 story building, ignited all 33 of its engines…
Intestinal worms may help reduce inflammation, but new research suggests they can only do so when they have enough dietary fiber to thrive. Without sufficient fiber, these worms enter a hibernation-like state and lose their ability to provide anti-inflammatory benefits. The findings, published in Nature Communications, come from parasitologists at…
Oceanographers often point out that scientists have mapped the surfaces of the Moon and Mars in greater detail than much of Earth’s deep ocean. That contrast is especially striking in the Bismarck Sea north of Papua New Guinea, where the seafloor remains poorly understood despite its remarkable geological complexity. The…
As marijuana becomes legal in more states, many people assume it is relatively safe. But when it comes to cancer, the picture is far less clear. While tobacco smoking has long been established as a major cause of lung cancer, scientists are still working to understand exactly how marijuana affects…
Smartphones, electric vehicles, and countless portable electronics all depend on batteries. As demand for better energy storage grows, improvements in battery capacity, lifespan, and safety will play a major role in the future of electrification. One of the most promising technologies is the solid-state battery, which could allow smartphones to…
Bumblebees may be small, measuring only about an inch long, but they play an enormous role in global agriculture. About one third of the world’s food production relies on pollinators such as bees. At the same time, these vital insects face growing pressure from pesticides and other environmental threats. Modern…
Mount Etna has fascinated geologists for decades. The towering volcano on the Italian island of Sicily is the most active in Europe, erupting several times a year, yet scientists have never fully understood how it formed. Now, researchers from the University of Lausanne (UNIL) have proposed a new explanation that…
Since physicist Freeman Dyson first proposed the idea in 1960, the hypothetical “Dyson sphere” has become one of the most intriguing concepts in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Rather than a single solid shell, scientists now envision a Dyson “swarm” made up of countless orbiting structures that capture nearly all…
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most valuable tools doctors use to diagnose disease. Yet even with today’s advanced scanners, producing clear images of some areas remains difficult. Deep brain structures and the delicate tissues of the eye and surrounding orbit are especially challenging because of the hardware…
Scientists at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) have identified a naturally occurring bacterium from the intestines of Japanese tree frogs (Dryophytes japonicus) that demonstrated remarkable anticancer activity in mice. The findings, published in Gut Microbes, introduce a new approach to cancer treatment that uses living bacteria…
A mostly plant and fish based diet with low protein and carefully balanced levels of an amino acid found in foods like eggs, meat, and dairy helped mice stay healthier as they aged, according to new research from the University of Southern California. The diet increased healthspan, reduced body fat,…
A common belief that baby rattlesnakes are more dangerous than adults has been overturned by a new study from Loma Linda University. After reviewing the history and spread of the myth, researchers concluded that bites from adult rattlesnakes are generally more dangerous because adults carry and inject much larger amounts…
A physicist at the University of Birmingham has created a laboratory “mini universe” that brings scientists a step closer to answering one of the biggest questions in physics: What is time? In a study published in Physical Review Research, Professor Giovanni Barontini demonstrates that it is possible to measure the…
LHS 3844b is an exoplanet just slightly larger than Earth that orbits the red dwarf star LHS 3884, located 48.5 light years from our solar system. Unlike Earth, it is tidally locked, meaning it rotates once on its axis in exactly the same amount of time it takes to orbit…
A tiny spider with a bright red smile on its back has surprised scientists by turning up thousands of miles from where they thought its famous relatives lived. For more than 100 years, the Happy Face spider was believed to exist only in Hawaii, making it one of the world’s…
The success of mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic transformed vaccine science. Now, the same Nobel Prize winning technology is being adapted to fight cancer, with experimental mRNA vaccines already being tested against melanoma, small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, and several other cancers. Researchers hope these vaccines…
Quasars rank among the brightest and most powerful objects in the universe. They are fueled by supermassive black holes that consume surrounding material at the centers of galaxies, producing so much energy that they can be seen across billions of light years. Now, an international team of researchers has identified…
Mars was not always the cold, dry world we see today. Billions of years ago, scientists believe it may have been warm, wet, and wrapped in a much thicker atmosphere, creating conditions that could have supported simple microbial life. Even so, proving that life ever existed there remains one of…
