Reporting world updates to you
A parasite that may already be living in your brain has the ability to infect the very immune cells designed to eliminate it. New research from UVA Health explains how the body still manages to keep this infection under control. Toxoplasma gondii is a potentially dangerous parasite that infects warm…
An international team led by researchers at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has found that Antarctica’s only native insect is already consuming microplastics, despite living in one of the most isolated places on Earth. The findings, published in Science of the Total Environment, mark…
Scientists at Northwestern University have created the most sophisticated lab grown model yet for studying human spinal cord injury. In the new research, the team worked with human spinal cord organoids — miniature organs derived from stem cells — to recreate different forms of spinal cord trauma and evaluate a…
For years, scientists have believed that compulsive behaviors happen when people become trapped in a “habit loop” that overrides self-control. But new research in rats from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) suggests the story may be more complicated. Compulsive behaviors appear in a range of mental health conditions, including…
Researchers at BESSY II have, for the first time, experimentally confirmed that a material can exhibit truly one-dimensional electronic properties. The team studied short chains of phosphorus atoms that naturally arrange themselves at specific angles on a silver surface. By applying advanced measurement and analysis techniques, they separated the signals…
A Cornell physicist has calculated that the universe may be nearing the halfway point of a total lifespan of about 33 billion years. Using newly released data from major dark energy observatories, he concludes that the cosmos will continue expanding for roughly another 11 billion years before reaching its largest…
Cardio activities such as running, swimming, and dancing appear to be especially effective at easing symptoms of depression and anxiety. That conclusion comes from a large scale (umbrella) review and data synthesis published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The analysis found that exercise done in supervised or…
Scientists at the University of California San Diego have identified the enzyme responsible for chromothripsis, a dramatic genetic event in which a chromosome breaks into many fragments and is stitched back together in the wrong order. This chaotic reshuffling allows cancer cells to evolve quickly and develop resistance to treatment.…
A fresh scientific investigation of the Hjortspring boat, an ancient wooden plank vessel displayed at the National Museum of Denmark, is shedding new light on where it may have come from. The boat’s origins have puzzled historians for more than a century. The new findings were published in the open-access…
New research from Aarhus University suggests that the updated Nordic dietary guidelines, created to support both personal health and environmental sustainability, may help people live longer. The recommendations encourage eating less meat and added sugar and increasing intake of whole grains, legumes, fish, and low fat dairy products. Introduced in…
Researchers at Stanford University led by Hyesang Chang set out to better understand why some children find math much harder than their classmates. Their findings were published in the journal JNeurosci, a peer reviewed neuroscience journal that focuses on how the brain supports thinking and behavior. Many people assume math…
Receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine shortly before or at any point during pregnancy is not linked to autism or other developmental disorders in children, according to research presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 2026 Pregnancy Meeting. The findings provide new data on the long term health of children…
A team led by Min Zhang and Dabao Zhang at the University of California, Irvine’s Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health has developed the most comprehensive maps yet of how genes directly influence one another in brain cells affected by Alzheimer’s disease. These maps go beyond identifying…
Researchers at Northwestern Medicine explored whether timing an overnight fast to match a person’s natural sleep wake cycle could improve heart and metabolic health. The circadian rhythm plays a central role in regulating cardiovascular and metabolic function. Importantly, participants did not reduce calories. The focus was entirely on adjusting when…
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose early, and it often does not respond well to standard treatments. Because of this, scientists are searching for new ways to stop the disease before it advances. Researchers already understand that nerves can help cancer spread, but what happens…
Scientists can now follow the path of a single drop of water across the globe. Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen, and some of these atoms naturally exist in slightly heavier forms called isotopes. As water evaporates, forms clouds, and moves through the atmosphere, the proportion of these isotopes…
Most people have heard the advice to “sleep on it” when faced with a tough decision. New research suggests that guidance may be grounded in science. While many people report breakthrough ideas emerging from dreams, researchers have struggled to test this phenomenon because dreams are difficult to control in a…
Psychedelic substances act on the brain by binding to serotonin receptors. Scientists have identified at least 14 different receptors that respond to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Psychedelics are especially drawn to one known as the 2A receptor. This receptor not only affects learning but also dampens activity in parts of the…
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, responsible for about 20 million deaths each year and roughly a quarter of all deaths in the UK. Statins are widely prescribed medications that reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and are proven to lower the risk of heart attacks, strokes,…
Researchers at Michigan State University have identified a molecular “switch” that boosts sperm energy just before they attempt to fertilize an egg. The finding could improve infertility treatments and support the development of safe, nonhormonal male birth control options. “Sperm metabolism is special since it’s only focused on generating more…
Computers designed to mimic the structure of the human brain are showing an unexpected strength. They can solve some of the demanding mathematical equations that lie at the heart of major scientific and engineering problems. In a study published in Nature Machine Intelligence, Sandia National Laboratories computational neuroscientists Brad Theilman…
A study published in the journal PeerJ has identified an unexpected factor in the spread of an invasive flatworm in France. The research was carried out by a scientist from the Institute of Systematics, Evolution and Biodiversity (ISYEB) at the French National Museum of Natural History, working with a collaborator…
Couples who intentionally pause to appreciate the enjoyable experiences they share tend to be more satisfied in their relationships, argue less, and feel more confident that their partnership will endure, according to researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. “Savoring involves slowing down to become aware of and focus…
A prominent scientific session moderated by the Financial Times, titled “How the human exposome will unlock better health and medicine,” will bring together three leaders of the Global Exposome Forum from the United States and Europe. They will update members of the international research community on the progress made since…
A large international study led by researchers at the University of Cambridge has identified a little-known group of gut bacteria that appears far more often in healthy people. The group, called CAG-170, was consistently found at higher levels in individuals without chronic illness. CAG-170 is known only through its genetic…
An international group of astronomers has identified a faraway planetary system that calls into question one of the most widely accepted ideas about how planets take shape. In most planetary systems observed across the Milky Way, scientists see the same basic layout. Small, rocky planets circle close to their star,…
Astronomers have directly observed a massive dying star skip a supernova explosion and instead collapse into a black hole. This event provides the most detailed set of observations ever assembled of a star making that transition, giving researchers an unusually complete view of how stellar black holes form. By combining…
Encouraging two parts of the brain to fire in sync can make people act more generously, according to research published February 10th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology. The study was led by Jie Hu of East China Normal University in China, in collaboration with researchers from the University of…
Nearly 19 million adults in the United States take fish oil supplements. These products are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, mainly eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, commonly known as EPA and DHA. Many people use them in hopes of lowering inflammation and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. When it…
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai have identified a biological repair process that could eventually lead to new treatments for spinal cord injuries, stroke, and neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The findings, published in Nature, reveal an unexpected role for astrocytes, a major support cell in the central nervous system. “Astrocytes are…
