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The COVID-19 pandemic made one thing unmistakably clear: people can experience the same infection in dramatically different ways. Some develop mild symptoms, while others face severe illness. This wide range of outcomes raises a fundamental question. Why do two people exposed to the same pathogen respond so differently? A major…
In a set of playful experiments modeled after children’s tea parties, researchers at Johns Hopkins University have shown for the first time that apes can use imagination and take part in pretend play. This ability was long believed to belong only to humans. Across three carefully designed experiments, a single…
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are heavily altered industrial products that contain added fats, sugars, starches, salts, and chemical additives such as emulsifiers. Common examples include sodas, packaged snacks, and processed meats. During manufacturing, many natural nutrients are removed, leaving foods that are very different from their original form. These products often…
Understanding how tumors grow and spread remains one of the biggest challenges in cancer research. Scientists at the University of Geneva (UNIGE), working with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, have identified a surprising factor that may help explain why some cancers progress more aggressively. Their research shows that neutrophils,…
New research from the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory provides the strongest evidence so far that a prolonged drought reshaped life on Rapa Nui (Easter Island) starting around the year 1550. To uncover this history, scientists extracted sediment cores from two of the island’s limited freshwater sites: Rano Aroi, a wetland high…
Human evolution is closely tied to a steady increase in brain size. New research suggests this expansion may be partly influenced by levels of estrogen before birth, with an unexpected indicator found in the length of our fingers. Professor John Manning, part of Swansea’s Applied Sports, Technology, Exercise and Med-icine…
Autism has traditionally been regarded as a condition that mainly affects males. A large study from Sweden published by The BMJ now suggests that autism may occur at similar rates in males and females. The researchers observed a clear pattern in which females begin to close the gap during adolescence.…
Methane concentrations in the atmosphere climbed at an unprecedented pace in the early 2020s due to a combination of weaker natural removal and rising emissions from warming wetlands, rivers, lakes, and agricultural areas. An international group of researchers reports these findings in the journal Science, pointing to changes in both…
Every organism alive today traces its lineage back to a single shared ancestor that lived about four billion years ago. Scientists refer to this organism as the “last universal common ancestor,” and it represents the earliest form of life that can currently be examined using established evolutionary methods. Research on…
A recent study suggests that older Americans who do not get enough lycopene in their diets face a much higher risk of developing severe periodontitis. The analysis focused on U.S. adults ages 65 to 79 and found that risk levels varied by both race and sex. The findings were published…
One of the most striking findings in spintronics is unusual magnetoresistance (UMR). In this effect, the electrical resistance of a heavy metal changes when it is placed next to a magnetic insulator and the direction of magnetization rotates within a plane perpendicular to the flow of electric current. This behavior…
The most extensive evaluation of ADHD treatments ever conducted shows that medication remains the most reliable option for both children and adults. For adults, cognitive behavioural therapy is also strongly supported. These approaches are backed by the highest-quality evidence from short-term clinical trials. The research team, led by scientists from…
A newly developed artificial intelligence system from the University of Michigan can analyze brain MRI scans and deliver a diagnosis in a matter of seconds, according to a new study. The model identified neurological conditions with accuracy reaching 97.5% and was also able to assess how urgently patients needed medical…
“The concept of time has troubled philosophers and physicists for thousands of years, and the advent of quantum mechanics has not simplified the problem,” says Professor Hugo Dil, a physicist at EPFL. “The central problem is the general role of time in quantum mechanics, and especially the timescale associated with…
With the 2026 Winter Olympics now in full swing, imagery from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission offers a clear and striking look at northern Italy, bringing several major Olympic locations into view from space. Known as the Milano Cortina Games, the 2026 Olympics are spread across a wide area rather than…
When we spend hours focused on screens, it is easy to forget that our bodies are constantly processing far more than images and noise. Yet our senses are always active. When we slow down or become more aware, we notice the texture of surfaces, the tension in our muscles, or…
Scientists at the University of Cambridge, working with international collaborators, have identified a crucial process that shapes how DNA behaves as it moves through nanoscale pores. This process is fundamental to many biological activities and to fast-growing DNA sensing technologies. The research highlights a long-overlooked DNA structure called plectonemes, a…
Women who follow a Mediterranean-style eating pattern may face a lower risk of stroke, according to research published on February 4, 2026, in Neurology Open Access, a journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study found a strong relationship between this diet and reduced stroke risk, though it does…
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecological cancer, largely because it is usually discovered too late. In most cases, doctors diagnose the disease only after it has already spread widely throughout the abdomen. Although researchers have long known that ovarian cancer progresses rapidly, the biological reason behind this speed has remained…
A newly released study reports that among people with moderate hearing loss, receiving a prescription for hearing aids did not lead to measurable improvements on standard tests of memory and thinking. The research was published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. “Hearing loss is more…
Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most widespread form of hair loss, affecting millions of people around the world. Medications such as finasteride and minoxidil are widely prescribed, but concerns about side effects and long term use have pushed many patients to look for gentler, more holistic approaches. A new scientific…
Trees are essential to life on Earth. They absorb and store CO2, support animals, fungi, and insects, hold soil in place, manage water cycles, and provide people with vital resources such as wood, food, and cooling shade during hot weather. Despite their importance, forests around the world are undergoing a…
Scientists have known for years that iron oxide minerals help store vast amounts of carbon by keeping it out of the atmosphere. A new study from Northwestern University now explains the chemistry behind that ability, revealing why these minerals are especially effective at locking carbon in place. By closely examining…
A rare luxury material once worn only by emperors in ancient times has been successfully recreated by scientists in South Korea. Researchers led by Professor Dong Soo Hwang (Division of Environmental Science and Engineering / Division of interdisciplinary bioscience & bioengineering, POSTECH) and Professor Jimin Choi (Environmental Research Institute) have…
Baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is best known for its role in baking, brewing, and modern biotechnology. Yet this everyday microorganism may also offer insight into a far bigger question: how life might endure the extreme conditions found beyond Earth. Researchers from the Department of Biochemistry (BC) at the Indian Institute…
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition that affects more than 1 million people in the United States and over 10 million worldwide. The disease causes a wide range of debilitating symptoms, including tremors, difficulty with movement, sleep problems, and cognitive decline. Current treatment options, such as long-term medications and…
The gut microbiome, also called the gut flora, plays a vital role in human health. This enormous and constantly changing community of microorganisms is shaped by countless chemical exchanges, both among the microbes themselves and between microbes and the human body. For these interactions to work, gut bacteria must be…
As interest grows in healthier alternatives to traditional wheat-based foods, scientists are exploring new ingredients that can improve nutrition without sacrificing practicality. One promising option is partially defatted sunflower seed flour (SF), a material left behind after sunflower oil is produced. This underused by-product has shown strong potential for enriching…
Researchers at the University of Warwick have developed a new method that makes it possible to predict how irregularly shaped nanoparticles move through the air. These particles are a major category of air pollution and have long been difficult to model accurately. The new approach is the first that is…
Scientists are continuing to search for new ways to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. In a recent study, researchers identified several compounds found in Aloe vera that could offer new possibilities for future treatments. Aloe vera is best known as a…
