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Research building on earlier work in type 2 diabetes suggests the experimental drug IC7Fc may also help protect against heart disease. A new study reports that the drug can lower cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation, two major contributors to cardiovascular problems. An international research team led by Leiden University Medical…
Researchers led by a team at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have identified biological markers that appear in the earliest stages of Parkinson’s disease, before major damage occurs in the brain. These early changes leave detectable traces in the blood, but only for a short time. The findings highlight…
The Arabian Sea contained more oxygen about 16 million years ago than it does today, even though Earth’s climate was warmer at the time. Powerful monsoons, shifting ocean currents, and connections between seas strongly influence oxygen levels, showing that ocean health depends on more than temperature alone. Over very long…
Quantum computers only work when they are kept extremely cold. The problem is that today’s cooling systems also create noise, which can interfere with the fragile quantum information they are supposed to protect. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have now introduced a new type of minimal quantum…
The decline of lions and pandas often captures global attention, but a quieter and potentially more damaging crisis is unfolding among small mammals. These tiny animals are disappearing at alarming rates, and their loss can have outsized consequences for biodiversity. Small mammals are powerful indicators of environmental health, yet tracking…
Helping to care for grandchildren may serve as a buffer against cognitive decline in older adults, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. Helping to care for grandchildren may help protect older adults from cognitive decline, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. The findings suggest…
Past research has shown that drinking alcohol is linked to a higher chance of developing colorectal cancer. New evidence now shows that the total amount of alcohol consumed over a person’s lifetime also plays an important role. Higher lifetime intake is tied to greater cancer risk, with rectal cancer showing…
Exhaust gases from home furnaces, fireplaces, and industrial facilities release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air, contributing to pollution. Scientists reporting in ACS Energy Letters have developed a new type of electrode designed to address this problem by capturing CO2 directly from the air and turning it into a useful…
The phrase “House of Cards” is often linked today with a popular Netflix political series, but its original meaning describes something far more literal: a structure that can collapse easily. That idea is exactly how Sarah Thiele, formerly a PhD student at the University of British Columbia and now a…
A new study led by Colgate Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Cosmin Ilie, working with Jillian Paulin ’23 of the University of Pennsylvania, Andreea Petric of the Space Telescope Science Institute, and Katherine Freese of the University of Texas at Austin, proposes a single idea that could address three…
Tumors in the human body contain immune cells called macrophages that are naturally capable of attacking cancer. However, tumors suppress these cells, preventing them from carrying out their cancer-fighting role. Researchers at KAIST have now developed a new therapeutic strategy that bypasses this suppression by turning immune cells already inside…
A newly released perspective article in Nature Nanotechnology describes an innovative nanoparticle-based approach designed to remove harmful proteins from the body. This advance could dramatically expand the ability to treat so-called “undruggable” proteins, opening new possibilities for diseases such as dementia and brain cancer. The work was led by Chair…
Cancer immunotherapy has reshaped cancer treatment by training the body’s immune system to recognize and attack tumors. Drugs known as immune checkpoint inhibitors, which target the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway, have led to long-lasting responses in some patients and fueled optimism about durable cancer control. Yet for most people, these therapies do…
An international study found that U.S. long COVID patients report far more brain fog and psychological symptoms than patients in lower-income countries. Researchers believe the gap is driven by culture and healthcare access, not biology — hinting that millions worldwide may be struggling unseen. A large study of more than…
People who stop taking prescription weight loss medications often regain weight and lose many of the health improvements they achieved, according to a study published by The BMJ. The analysis found that benefits tied to heart and metabolic health, including improvements in cholesterol levels and blood pressure, tend to fade…
IDH-mutant glioma, driven by changes in a specific gene (IDH), is the most common malignant brain tumor affecting adults under 50. It is especially challenging to treat because it often returns after therapy. For years, treatment has focused mainly on removing the visible tumor seen on imaging. New research from…
How obesity affects the brain may depend on more than overall body weight. New research published on January 27 in Radiology, the flagship journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), suggests that the location of fat in the body plays a major role in brain health and cognitive…
A comprehensive review finds that tea, especially green tea, is strongly associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), obesity, diabetes, and several forms of cancer. Beyond these well known benefits, tea consumption is also linked to brain protection, reduced muscle loss in older adults, and anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial…
Talking to yourself may feel uniquely human, but it turns out this habit can also help machines learn. Internal dialogue helps people organize ideas, weigh choices, and make sense of emotions. New research shows that a similar process can improve how artificial intelligence learns and adapts. In a study published…
Astronomers from an international research team, including scientists from the Department of Physics at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), have found the clearest evidence so far that some fast radio bursts originate in binary star systems. Fast radio bursts, or FRBs, are extremely powerful flashes of radio waves that…
Astronomers have, for the first time, detected radio waves coming from an unusually rare kind of exploding star. This breakthrough gives scientists a unique way to examine the final years of a massive star’s life before it ends in a violent supernova. The results, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters,…
Researchers examining spiders and scorpions at the Zoological Collections Laboratory of the Butantan Institute in São Paulo, Brazil, noticed something unusual on a spider only a few millimeters long. The animal appeared to be wearing a delicate pearl necklace. Unsure of what they were seeing, the team turned to a…
A newly published scientific review brings together decades of research examining how wild blueberries may influence cardiometabolic health. This area of health includes key measures such as blood vessel function, blood pressure, blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides), and blood sugar (glucose). The review appears in Critical Reviews in Food Science…
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have discovered that Toxoplasma gondii, a widespread parasite estimated to infect up to one-third of the world’s population, is far more intricate than scientists once believed. The study, published in Nature Communications, sheds new light on how the parasite causes disease and why…
Researchers from the Department of Medicine at the School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) have identified a biological process that explains how physical activity helps maintain strong bones. The discovery could lead to new treatments for osteoporosis and bone loss, particularly for people…
For many years, scientists believed they had a clear picture of what causes asthma. The condition has been linked to inflammation in the lungs that narrows the airways and makes breathing difficult. That inflammation was widely attributed to molecules known as “leukotrienes.” These chemicals are released by white blood cells…
Researchers from University of Utah Health have published new findings in Science Advances that examine the long-term effects of the ketogenic diet. The results raise fresh questions about whether the diet is safe or effective for improving metabolic health over extended periods. Although the ketogenic diet was first developed as…
Most cells in the human body can replace themselves after damage. Neurons, the cells that power the nervous system, usually cannot. Once injured, they rarely generate healthy replacements. Following events such as strokes, concussions, or neurodegenerative diseases, neurons and their axons are much more likely to deteriorate than to repair…
Quantum technology is rapidly moving beyond controlled laboratory experiments and into practical use. According to a new paper published in Science, the field has reached a critical phase that mirrors the early era of classical computing before the invention of the transistor reshaped modern technology. The paper was written by…
Small, pale rocks scattered across Mars’ reddish surface are offering fresh clues that parts of the planet may once have been far wetter than they are today. These light-colored spots stand out sharply against the surrounding terrain and suggest that some regions of Mars once hosted humid environments with frequent…
