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Researchers at UC San Francisco have identified a biological process that may explain why exercise sharpens thinking and memory. Their findings suggest that physical activity strengthens the brain’s built in defense system, helping protect it from age related damage. As people grow older, the blood-brain barrier becomes more fragile. This…
Human language is remarkably rich and intricate. Yet from the standpoint of information theory, the same ideas could theoretically be transmitted in a far more compressed format. That raises an intriguing question: why do people not communicate in a digital system of ones and zeros like computers do? Michael Hahn,…
Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have significantly increased how quickly changes in delicate quantum states can be detected inside a qubit. By combining commercially available hardware with new adaptive measurement techniques, the team can now observe rapid shifts in qubit behavior that were previously impossible to see. Qubits are…
Researchers at Stanford University have produced the first worldwide map of an unusual type of earthquake that occurs deep in Earth’s mantle rather than in the crust. The mantle lies between the planet’s thin outer crust and its molten core. By charting these rare events, scientists hope to better understand…
Parkinson’s disease is a long term neurological condition that gradually worsens over time. More than one million people in the United States are living with the disorder, and about 90,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Current medications and therapies can ease symptoms, but no treatment has been proven to…
A team at the University of Oxford has created an advanced technique that makes it possible to clearly see a vital component inside lithium-ion battery electrodes that scientists have struggled to track. The findings, published on February 17 in Nature Communications, could make battery manufacturing more efficient and help improve…
Older adults who live with higher levels of air pollution are more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, according to new research led by Yanling Deng of Emory University, U.S.A. The study was published February 17th in the open access journal PLOS Medicine. Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia…
Scientists widely agree that complex life emerged after two very different microbes formed a close partnership. That merger eventually gave rise to plants, animals, and fungi, collectively known as eukaryotes. Yet one key question has lingered for years. How did these two organisms meet if one required oxygen to survive…
A sweeping new investigation by the Silent Spring Institute has found dozens of potentially harmful chemicals in widely sold hair extensions, including those made from human hair. The findings represent the most detailed chemical review so far of this largely unregulated beauty product category. Researchers say the results add strong…
The story of how life began on Earth grows even more intriguing when viruses enter the picture. These microscopic particles are thought to have existed since the earliest cells emerged. Unlike living cells, viruses consist only of genetic material and cannot produce proteins on their own. Because proteins are essential…
Researchers at University College London have identified a biological process that helps the body shut down inflammation once it is no longer needed. The discovery could pave the way for new treatments for chronic diseases that affect millions of people around the world. Inflammation is an essential defense mechanism that…
Scientists have uncovered a powerful source of natural disease resistance in a wild banana, offering new hope for protecting the global banana supply from a dangerous fungal threat. Researchers at The University of Queensland, led by Dr. Andrew Chen and Professor Elizabeth Aitken, identified the specific genomic region responsible for…
Ion channels are tiny openings that control the movement of charged particles in living organisms. These narrow pathways are essential for many biological functions. In some cases, their tightest sections measure only a few angstroms across, roughly the width of individual atoms. Reproducing structures this small with precision and consistency…
Scientists at Nagoya University in Japan have identified two gut bacteria that appear to work together to trigger chronic constipation. The microbes, Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, break down the protective mucus layer that lines the colon. This slippery coating is essential for keeping the colon lubricated and stool soft.…
For years, the sharp rise in myopia — or nearsightedness — has largely been blamed on growing screen use, particularly among children and young adults. However, new research from scientists at the SUNY College of Optometry suggests the explanation may be more nuanced. A study scheduled for publication in Cell…
Scroll through TikTok or Instagram and you will likely see the familiar line: “Your frontal lobe isn’t fully developed yet.” It has become a popular explanation for questionable choices, from ordering another drink to texting someone you promised to avoid. The frontal lobe is responsible for many higher level abilities,…
A young woman was laid to rest with two small children at her side. For years, it might have seemed natural to assume they were her own. But DNA testing tells a different story. The children were closely related to each other, yet the woman was not their mother. In…
An international group of researchers, including scientists from the University of Wollongong (UOW), has uncovered strong evidence that shifting climate conditions contributed to the disappearance of Homo floresiensis, the small-bodied human species often called the hobbits. The findings, published in Communications Earth & Environment, indicate that these early humans left…
Scientists at the University of New Hampshire are using artificial intelligence to speed up the search for advanced magnetic materials. Their work has produced a searchable resource containing 67,573 magnetic compounds, including 25 materials that had not previously been recognized as magnets capable of staying magnetic at high temperatures. “By…
Sodium-ion batteries are emerging as a promising option for cleaner, more sustainable energy storage. Researchers at the University of Surrey have identified a surprisingly simple way to improve their performance by keeping water inside a critical battery material instead of removing it. Lithium-ion batteries currently dominate the market, but they…
An international team of researchers has developed a method to identify and forecast hotspots for some of the most dangerous scorpion species on Earth. By examining environmental conditions, the scientists determined which factors allow highly venomous scorpions to survive and spread — insights that could help reveal where scorpion stings…
Over the last decade, scientists at Northwestern University have identified a key insight about how vaccines work. The ingredients matter, but the way those ingredients are physically arranged can dramatically influence performance. After validating this concept in multiple studies, the researchers applied it to therapeutic cancer vaccines aimed at HPV-driven…
A new study reports a clear association between high sugar drink intake and anxiety symptoms in teenagers. Researchers from Bournemouth University collaborated on a large review that examined findings from multiple earlier studies exploring the relationship between diet and mental health. By analyzing the combined data, the team looked for…
Ocean waves represent one of the largest and most consistent sources of renewable energy on Earth. Despite their promise, converting wave motion into usable electricity has proven difficult. Most existing wave energy devices perform well only under specific wave conditions, limiting their effectiveness in the constantly shifting environment of the…
Intermittent fasting does not appear to help overweight or obese adults lose more weight than standard diet advice or even no structured program at all, according to a new Cochrane review. The findings challenge the widespread belief that changing when you eat leads to better weight loss results than traditional…
Researchers have created the first worldwide map and detailed study of small mare ridges (SMRs), subtle geological features that signal tectonic activity on the Moon. The findings, published in The Planetary Science Journal, come from scientists at the National Air and Space Museum’s Center for Earth and Planetary Studies and…
Researchers have pinpointed three already approved medications that may be repurposed to treat or prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Instead of starting from scratch, scientists examined medicines that are currently used for other conditions to see whether any could help protect the brain. The study, funded by Alzheimer’s Society and led by…
Today, oxygen is essential to life and constantly present in the air we breathe. But for most of Earth’s early history, that was not true. Oxygen did not become a stable part of the atmosphere until about 2.3 billion years ago, during a transformative period known as the Great Oxidation…
Antibiotic resistance (AR) has escalated rapidly in recent years, growing into a serious global health emergency. Disease-causing bacteria are continually adapting, finding new ways to survive treatments that once eliminated them. As a result, more drug resistant “superbugs” are spreading, and projections suggest that by 2050 they could be responsible…
For more than two centuries, paleontologists have studied a group of plant eating dinosaurs known as Iguanodontia. These dinosaurs were first identified in the early 1800s and are famous for their beaked mouths and strong hind legs. Now, that long established branch of the dinosaur family tree has gained a…
