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Statins are among the most important medications for preventing cardiovascular disease. By lowering cholesterol, they have helped save millions of lives and reduce the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes. However, these benefits can come with unwanted effects. Some patients develop muscle pain or weakness, while a small number experience…
An updated hurricane forecast map is making it easier for people to identify areas threatened by storms, but new research reveals a concerning limitation. Even when people can recognize where hurricane watches are in effect, they may not feel more at risk or become more inclined to take precautions. Researchers…
Scientists have measured the amount of helium produced during the Universe’s first five minutes with unprecedented precision, offering a clearer picture of the conditions that existed shortly after the Big Bang. The achievement, made by an international research team that includes scientists from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, represents…
Two extraordinarily rare fossils found in Wyoming have revealed a strange new species of squid relative that lived approximately 160 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period. Named Wyoteuthis linsterorum, the prehistoric creature belonged to an extinct group of marine animals known as belemnites, which were related to modern squid…
A dangerous intestinal infection may soon have a more targeted treatment option. Scientists have identified a natural compound that can kill the bacteria responsible for severe gut infections while leaving much of the beneficial gut microbiome unharmed. The bacterium Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is naturally found in the intestines of…
Growing older is often associated with memory loss and declining mental abilities. However, scientists are questioning whether these changes tell the whole story. Rather than simply becoming less capable, the brain may be adapting to a new stage of life in which accumulated knowledge, wisdom, and understanding become more important…
Protecting brain cells from destruction remains one of the biggest challenges in treating Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerative conditions. These disorders, known as tauopathies, involve the buildup of abnormal tangles of a protein called tau inside the brain. As the tangles accumulate, nearby neurons begin to die. However, growing evidence…
Some galaxies glow with sweeping spiral arms, while others are shaped by violent collisions, powerful black holes, and explosive bursts of star formation. A newly released collection of 16 images from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes reveals the extraordinary diversity of these cosmic structures. Like precious gemstones, galaxies…
Vitamin C plays an important role in keeping the immune system healthy, helping wounds heal, and protecting cells from damage. However, people with precancerous blood disorders and blood cancers often have persistently low vitamin C levels. Researchers have been investigating whether correcting this deficiency could improve their health and treatment…
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have achieved a breakthrough in quantum physics, developing a way to study individual molecules on a surface with extraordinary precision. For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that molecules attached to a surface can reach the ultimate quantum…
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission encountered an unexpected mystery when it arrived at asteroid Bennu in 2018. Instead of the relatively smooth terrain that earlier observations had suggested, the spacecraft found a rugged landscape dominated by enormous boulders, with very few areas suitable for collecting samples. “When OSIRIS-REx got to Bennu in…
For some cancer patients, the effects of immunotherapy can linger in an unexpected place: their joints. Painful arthritis may return repeatedly, sometimes becoming more severe with each episode. Now, scientists have uncovered a possible explanation involving the immune system’s ability to remember previous attacks. Researchers at The University of Texas…
On the evening of Aug. 9, 2025, passengers on the Hanse Explorer finished taking selfies and videos of the South Sawyer Glacier, and the ship headed back down the fjord. Twelve hours later, a landslide from the adjacent mountain unexpectedly collapsed into the fjord, initiating the second-highest tsunami in recorded…
Some people carry one of the strongest genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease yet never develop it, remaining mentally sharp well into their 80s. For years, scientists have wondered what protects these individuals despite their increased genetic vulnerability. Now, researchers at Columbia University have uncovered a biological mechanism that could…
A volcano famous for its glowing lava lake is hiding a surprisingly complex system of magma deep underground. Scientists at Penn State have uncovered evidence of two previously unrecognized magma sources beneath Nicaragua’s active Masaya volcano, raising new questions about how molten rock moves beneath the surface. The discovery is…
Scientists have uncovered changes inside taste buds that may help explain why some people struggle to taste food more than a year after recovering from COVID-19. The findings point to disruptions in the molecular signals responsible for detecting certain flavors, along with physical abnormalities in the structure of taste buds.…
A new study suggests that even low levels of physical activity could protect the brain from Alzheimer’s disease – but not in the way scientists expected. The researchers tracked almost 300 older adults with early brain signs of Alzheimer’s for nine to 11 years using pedometers. They found that physical…
For the first time, researchers have demonstrated that severely bleached corals can fully recover after spending just a few days in contact with healthy, genetically identical corals. In laboratory experiments, corals that had turned white and were close to dying regained their health within seven weeks. According to a study…
Astronomers at the University of Warwick have discovered that white dwarf stars can display a surprising variety of colors, including green, pink, purple, yellow, and cyan. Among their findings is the first known star that would appear genuinely green to the human eye. For most stars, color is closely tied…
Scientists who worked out how to control brain cells with light have won this year’s Nobel prize in physiology or medicine. Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel were honored for their research into “light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.” Peter Hegemann, at Humboldt University of Berlin, and Georg Nagel, at…
Scientists have discovered an unexpected reason why Alzheimer’s disease disrupts sleep, and their findings suggest that the problem may be reversible. In experiments involving mice with Alzheimer’s-like brain changes, researchers restored more than two hours of sleep per day without removing the amyloid plaques associated with the disease. The surprising…
A common liver disease affecting nearly 30% of adults worldwide is far more complex than previously understood. Researchers at Mayo Clinic have identified five biologically distinct forms of the condition, each associated with different risks of serious health complications, including heart disease, liver failure, cancer, and the need for a…
What if the human brain works in ways that Sigmund Freud began describing more than 130 years ago? A new scientific analysis suggests that some of his ideas about the mind share surprising similarities with one of the most influential theories in modern neuroscience. Published in the scientific journal Entropy,…
Consuming too much salt can affect more than blood pressure. Growing evidence suggests that excessive salt intake may also interfere with memory, thinking, and emotional well-being. High salt (HS) consumption is already a major public health concern because of its connection to hypertension, but its potential effects on the brain…
Physicists have uncovered a strange new form of quantum behavior in which particles organize themselves in ways that challenge established theories. Even more surprising, the particles maintain a remarkable hidden order despite being driven into an extremely energetic state. In a study published in Physical Review Letters, researchers from the…
A small pilot study suggests that eating blueberries every day may influence gut bacteria and potentially affect mood in older adults. Participants who consumed blueberries regularly experienced a greater and more consistent reduction in depressive symptoms, along with subtle changes in genes associated with gut microbial enzymes. However, the improvements…
A sugar naturally present in red meat may help explain why eating these foods has been associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. Preliminary findings from a large observational study suggest that people who consume the most of this sugar face a substantially greater risk of developing the…
Psilocybin, the psychedelic substance found in more than 200 species of mushrooms, appears to have an unexpected effect on aggressive fish. Most mushrooms containing this compound belong to the gilled mushroom genus Psilocybe. In mammals, psilocybin interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain, influencing emotions and behaviors such as mood,…
A massive volcanic eruption that struck Japan about 7,300 years ago had a devastating impact on prehistoric communities, but its aftermath was far more complicated than scientists once believed. While some populations declined or disappeared from affected areas, others continued to grow despite the destruction. An international research team led…
Scientists at Mount Sinai have identified three important brain connections associated with long-term improvement in patients receiving deep brain stimulation (DBS) for severe depression that has not responded to conventional treatments. The discovery could help researchers make this experimental therapy more precise and effective. Published October 1 in the American…