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Bacteria are remarkably good at adapting. That ability helps them survive changing conditions, but it can also create problems when harmful species become resistant to antibiotics and disinfectants. At the same time, bacteria are not simply enemies to eliminate. Many species play important roles in human health, including the hundreds…
New research from the University of Lincoln, UK, is questioning a long standing idea about the evolutionary roots of human violence. The findings suggest that everyday aggression does not necessarily build toward deadly conflict. Published in the international journal Evolution Letters, the study indicates that mild aggression and lethal violence…
New research suggests animals may have evolved up to 200 million years before they first appear clearly in the fossil record, challenging a key assumption scientists have used to estimate when animal life began. A study led by the University of Oxford suggests the earliest animals may have existed hundreds…
Northwestern scientists have identified, for the first time, a specific group of neurons — cells in the brain — that appear to contribute to anxiety caused by cannabinoid drugs, particularly when those drugs are combined with stressful conditions. Cannabinoids are a category of substances that includes THC, the main psychoactive…
New research suggests that advanced colorectal cancer is becoming more common in young patients, raising concerns that warning signs may be missed or recognized too late. The findings were presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2026 National Conference & Exhibition Oct. 2-6, 2026, at the San Diego Convention Center.…
Scientists have identified a way to restore cartilage in aging knee joints, at least in mice, by blocking a protein whose levels rise with age. The approach not only reversed naturally occurring cartilage loss in older animals, but also protected mice from developing arthritis after knee injuries similar to ACL…
About a century ago, archaeologists excavating pottery fragments around Tampa Bay encountered something puzzling. Some of the pieces carried decorations that looked strikingly similar to pottery found hundreds of miles farther north. On appearance alone, the fragments seemed connected to the Mississippian culture, which emerged more than 1,000 years ago…
Exercise is well known for supporting physical fitness and mental well being. New research from BYU suggests it may also offer benefits for marriage, particularly when spouses are active together. The study, recently published in Family Relations, found that couples who exercised together reported better communication, more effective conflict resolution…
In the universe’s earliest moments, temperatures reached trillions of degrees, creating an intensely hot mixture of quarks and gluons. These elementary particles raced around at nearly the speed of light in a state of matter known as quark-gluon plasma (QGP). This primordial material existed for only a few millionths of…
Becoming a mother can be difficult under any circumstances, but for some women, everyday obstacles can make getting medical care after childbirth especially challenging. Limited health literacy, unreliable transportation, difficulty navigating a complicated healthcare system, lack of childcare, and unstable housing can all determine whether a new mother receives needed…
Some of the most important reactions in nature depend on positively and negatively charged particles moving in a coordinated way. These reactions are essential to processes such as photosynthesis, catalysis and biological energy conversion, but they happen so quickly that they are extremely difficult to observe. A team led by…
Sleep difficulties are especially common during middle age, including among women in their 40s and 50s. New research suggests that an aromatic oil made from the roots of Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa), also known as Japanese cypress, could offer a simple way to support better sleep at home. In a study…
Scientists studying the tropical forests of Malaysian Borneo have discovered an unexpected shift in one of the region’s long-running ecological partnerships. An international team from Queen Mary University of London, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and other institutions found that predatory…
A ketogenic diet is high in fat and very low in carbohydrates. By sharply limiting carbohydrates, it shifts the body away from relying on sugar for energy and toward burning fat instead, an effect that can help some people lose weight. Scientists have increasingly studied whether this metabolic shift influences…
Going without food for several days does far more than force the body to burn stored fat. Research published in 2024 found that prolonged fasting produces widespread and coordinated biological changes across multiple organs, with some of the most notable effects appearing only after about three days without calories. The…
Why do some new skills seem to click almost instantly while others remain frustratingly difficult even after repeated practice? The difference may involve more than talent or effort. It may also depend on whether the brain is in the right condition to turn practice into lasting learning. Learning does not…
October offers several memorable sights for skywatchers, including Saturn at opposition, the Orionid meteor shower, and a close pairing of the Moon and the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters. Skywatching Highlights Oct. 4: Saturn reaches opposition, making the ringed planet visible for much of the night Oct. 6:…
The computers of the future may rely on more than the electrical charge carried by electrons. Researchers are increasingly interested in another fundamental electron property called spin, which could provide a new way to move and process information inside electronic devices. Conventional computers use the movement of electrical charge to…
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed an experimental treatment designed to tackle lung cancer and the severe muscle loss that can occur alongside it. The research, published in the Journal of Controlled Release, uses lipid nanoparticles to carry therapeutic genetic material directly to lung tumors. Nanoparticles Deliver mRNA to…
For the first time, scientists have identified a human gene that appears to serve an important biological role while still retaining the ability to move around the genome. Researchers at Cornell University made the discovery after finding a human genetic element inside a poxvirus. Their analysis showed that the element,…
Cancer immunotherapy can unleash T cells, the immune system’s specialized cancer killers, against tumors. But there is a major limitation: These cells can become worn down before the cancer is eliminated. This condition, known as T cell exhaustion, leaves the cells unable to maintain a strong attack or keep tumor…
NASA has chosen a proposal led by the Planetary Science Institute to determine whether a potentially large cave stretches underground from the opening of a pit on the Moon. If such a cavern exists, it could eventually offer astronauts natural protection from radiation and the dramatic temperature changes experienced on…
A protein best known for helping cells and tissues stay connected has another unexpected role. Researchers have found that it also helps epithelial cells, which form continuous sealed layers throughout the body, engulf nearby dead cells. The discovery could have implications for chronic inflammation. Debris from dying cells is a…
Constipation is one of the most common digestive problems, affecting people across age groups and backgrounds. Beyond causing bloating, straining, and infrequent bowel movements, it can also interfere with daily life by increasing stress, reducing productivity, and lowering overall quality of life. When constipation becomes persistent, it may also contribute…
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have revised a key piece of Oklahoma’s geologic history, with possible implications for how scientists interpret major events in the history of life on Earth. Beneath the town of Ames, Oklahoma, lies a meteor impact structure that stretches for miles underground. Layers…
It’s well established that the universe is expanding, but there’s serious disagreement among scientists over how fast it’s happening. Two of our best ways of measuring the cosmic expansion rate, the Hubble constant, give answers that are stubbornly at odds. This presents a major problem in modern cosmology known as…
What’s the best way to manage a forest? Australians have argued about this for decades. The debate is often framed as binary: do we protect forests entirely, or harvest trees to support local economies and communities? The reality is more interesting, as our new research on a long-forgotten experiment in…
A new UCLA study suggests that the pace of brain aging may be connected to bacteria in the gut and the chemical compounds they produce. The findings offer a new look at biological changes that may begin long before noticeable problems with memory or thinking appear. Scientists have used brain…
Researchers at Oregon State University have created a new class of materials that can use light to produce hydrogen from water, offering a potentially cleaner way to convert solar energy into fuel. The work was led by Kyriakos Stylianou of the OSU College of Science. His team developed a photocatalyst…
Edward (Ed) Waldner knew something was wrong, even though he could not explain exactly what was happening. At age 55, he was constantly exhausted, regardless of how demanding his day had been. At first, he wondered whether sleep apnea might be responsible. Then he began noticing changes in the way…