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New research from a Virginia Tech neuroscientist at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC is raising questions about a long-standing approach to studying chronic neurological conditions such as dystonia, ataxia, and tremor. These disorders originate from problems in the cerebellum, a region of the brain involved in coordinating movement.…
Modern neuroscience and psychoanalysis may have far more in common than many people realize, according to a new paper published in the neurocognitive journal Entropy. The researchers argue that today’s leading model of brain function shares striking similarities with ideas that originated with Sigmund Freud and have been developed by…
Alzheimer’s disease is marked by the buildup of a toxic protein called Tau, which damages and eventually kills brain cells. As this harmful protein moves into new areas of the brain, the disease progresses, leading to worsening memory loss and cognitive decline. Now, researchers have uncovered an unexpected player in…
Creatine is one of the world’s most popular sports supplements, widely used to improve strength and muscle performance. Now, researchers are exploring whether it could have benefits far beyond the gym. A new systematic review published in Brain Medicine examined whether creatine might help relieve depression by supporting the brain’s…
A long-running debate about a mysterious crater hidden beneath the North Sea has finally been settled. Researchers have confirmed that the Silverpit Crater was created when an asteroid or comet slammed into the region roughly 43 to 46 million years ago. The finding resolves a scientific argument that has lasted…
That question is at the center of a new paper published in Nature Astronomy, where researchers examine the often-overlooked problem of “false negatives” in the search for extraterrestrial life. These are cases in which life exists, or once existed, but scientists fail to detect it. “We are currently investing a…
Researchers led by the Institute of Cosmos Sciences of the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) have developed a new technique that could greatly improve how scientists study the expansion of the Universe and investigate the mysterious force known as dark energy. Published in Nature Astronomy, the research introduces a framework called…
A study published in Oncotarget is highlighting a promising new approach to fighting pancreatic cancer. The paper, titled “The anticancer effects of PCAIs in pancreatic cancer cells involve MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways hyperactivation,” was led by first author Kweku Ofosu-Asante and corresponding author Nazarius S. Lamango of the Florida A&M…
Americans spend more than $1 billion each year on fish oil supplements, largely because of claims that the omega-3 fatty acids they contain can support brain health. These essential nutrients help build and maintain the connections between brain cells that are important for thinking and memory. But new research from…
Researchers led by Daan van der Vliet, working with teams from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Leiden University, and Utrecht University, have identified a biological process that may help explain why multiple sclerosis (MS) becomes especially severe in some patients. Examining brain tissue from people with rapidly progressing MS, they…
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have discovered that the human brain can continue performing surprisingly advanced language tasks even when a person is fully unconscious under general anesthesia. The findings, published in Nature, challenge long held assumptions about the relationship between consciousness and cognition. They also offer new insights…
Researchers have uncovered an unexpected natural ally that could help farmers tackle one of agriculture’s fastest growing challenges: salty soil. A team including scientists from the University of East Anglia (UEA), led by Chinese researcher Dr. Yanfen Zheng, found that naturally occurring soil bacteria can significantly improve plants’ ability to…
A recent study led by researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) suggests that high intensity interval training (HIIT) could be one of the most effective ways for older adults to reduce body fat while maintaining muscle mass. The research compared different exercise intensities in healthy older adults…
Astronomers led by Northwestern University have uncovered an unusual feature surrounding the famous “Pink Planet”: skies filled with salty clouds. For more than a decade, the ancient world, known for its pinkish haze, has remained one of astronomy’s enduring mysteries. As one of the coldest planetary-mass companions ever directly imaged,…
A widely used agricultural pesticide may pose a greater threat to brain health than previously recognized. Researchers at UCLA Health report that long-term exposure to chlorpyrifos near the home is associated with a more than 2.5-fold increase in the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The study, published in Molecular Neurodegeneration,…
Hawaii faces a growing plastic waste challenge. Recycling on the islands is expensive and difficult, and large amounts of marine debris continue to wash ashore or remain in surrounding waters. Now, researchers are exploring an innovative solution by turning discarded fishing nets and household plastic waste into asphalt for roads.…
Teenagers who use cannabis may be more likely to develop serious psychiatric conditions by young adulthood, according to a major new study published in JAMA Health Forum. Researchers tracked 463,396 adolescents between the ages of 13 and 17 through age 26. They found that teens who reported using cannabis within…
Supereruptions are among the most powerful volcanic events on Earth. These massive eruptions release more than 1,000 cubic kilometers of magma, rock, and ash, with the potential to dramatically affect climate, ecosystems, and human societies. Because of their enormous impact, scientists are working to better understand the underground processes that…
A long-term study has found that even occasional visits from mountain lions can reshape an entire ecosystem. Researchers studying a small suburban preserve about 45 miles south of San Francisco discovered that as mountain lion activity increased, the behavior of many other animals changed as well. The effects extended beyond…
A newly published study in Oncoscience explores a potential new approach to treating glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer that remains extremely difficult to treat. The paper is titled “Selective blood-brain barrier penetration and tumor targeting of nitrosylcobalamin in glioblastoma: Pharmacokinetics, tissue distribution, and synergistic activity with trail and…
Many people notice a familiar change as they get older: the waistline gradually expands, even when overall body weight does not change dramatically. This increase in abdominal fat is more than a cosmetic concern. Excess belly fat has been linked to slower metabolism, accelerated aging, type 2 diabetes, heart disease,…
Astronomers have identified two of the fluffiest giant planets ever discovered, with densities so low they are actually less dense than cotton candy. The rare pair of “super-puff” planets was found by an international team led by the University of Oxford, working with Université Côte d’Azur/Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur…
While hiking through Morocco’s Dadès Valley, Dr. Rowan Martindale spotted something so unusual that it immediately caught her attention. Martindale, a paleoecologist and geobiologist at The University of Texas at Austin, was exploring the rugged landscape with fellow researchers, including Stéphane Bodin of Aarhus University. Their goal was to investigate…
A new peer reviewed study from researchers at The University of Toledo and the University of Missouri has found that goldfish can have major impacts on freshwater ecosystems when they are released or escape into the wild. Published in the Journal of Animal Ecology, the research provides some of the…
Imagine pouring together two cups of warm water and somehow ending up with a cup of boiling water. That cannot happen in everyday life, but at the quantum level, something similar is possible. Multiple low-energy particles of light can combine their energy to create a single particle with much higher…
Fructose and glucose are two common sugars found in many foods and drinks. Although they contain the same number of calories, new research suggests the brain responds to them in very different ways. Scientists at the Monell Chemical Senses Center discovered that fructose and glucose communicate with the brain through…
A chance encounter with a young great white shark has prompted scientists to revisit more than a century and a half of records in an effort to better understand one of the Mediterranean Sea’s most elusive predators. On April 20, 2023, local fishermen accidentally caught a juvenile great white shark…
A newly discovered spider in the rainforests of northern Queensland has evolved an extraordinary hunting technique. Researchers say the species uses a powerful spring-loaded silk trap to capture a single type of prey, catching one ant at a time in what they describe as “the ultimate specialization.” The small nocturnal…
The theory of panspermia proposes that life, or the ingredients needed for it, can spread throughout the cosmos aboard asteroids, comets, and other rocky objects. When life develops on a planet, powerful impacts can blast material from its surface into space, potentially carrying microscopic organisms or organic compounds to other…
An extraordinary high-energy event detected deep in space is giving astronomers a rare opportunity to study some of the Universe’s most extreme phenomena. On July 2, 2025, the China-led Einstein Probe (EP) space telescope spotted an exceptionally bright X-ray source during a routine survey of the sky. The object’s brightness…
