Synthetic storm: What’s really in your teen’s vape — and why scientists are alarmed

Novel research has revealed that adolescent vaping of current delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) has increased between 2021 and 2023. Also, adolescents are increasingly unsure about the substances they vaped in their e-cigarettes. A new study appearing in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier,…

Is that really ADHD? Why flawed trials may be misleading millions

Originally developed for children, the diagnosis of ADHD is often difficult to make in adults. This is partly because the diagnostic criteria are based on behaviour in children. When diagnosing adults, however, these criteria are often based on adults’ subjective experiences, e.g., of having difficulty concentrating or being very impulsive.…

Are lefties really more creative? 100 years of data say no

Scouring more than a century of studies that explored links between handedness and creativity, new Cornell University research finds the widespread belief that lefties are more creative is not actually true. “The data do not support any advantage in creative thinking for lefties,” said Daniel Casasanto, associate professor of psychology.…

Citizen scientists spot rare exploding star in real-time

Previously described as playing astronomical ‘spot the difference,’ Kilonova Seekers asks the public to compare the latest images of a section of night sky to an image of the same section of space taken on previous nights. Their goal – to spot new stars or significant changes in light intensity…

Is cheese secretly fueling your nightmares? Science weighs in

If you find eating some foods makes you sleep badly, you’re not alone — and there may be a physical cause for your bad dreams. Scientists investigating links between diet, sleep problems, and cultural beliefs about diet and sleep have found that healthier evening eating habits lead to better sleep…

Scientists just mapped how the body rejects pig organs—and how to stop it

A pioneering study has provided unprecedented insights into the immune response following pig-to-human kidney xenotransplantation.1 The findings, presented today at the ESOT Congress 2025, mark a significant step forward in overcoming the biggest challenge in xenotransplantation: rejection by the human immune system. Using cutting-edge spatial molecular imaging, researchers mapped how…

This virus infects millions—and we just discovered its secret weapon

New research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and La Jolla Institute for Immunology, published today (June 30) in Nature Microbiology, reveals an opportunity for developing a therapy against cytomegalovirus (CMV), the leading infectious cause of birth defects in the United States. Researchers discovered a previously unappreciated mechanism…

Scientists just found a sugar switch that protects your brain from Alzheimer's

A new study from scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging has revealed a surprising player in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia: brain sugar metabolism. Published in Nature Metabolism, the research uncovers how breaking down glycogen — a stored form of glucose —…

This AI tracks lung tumors as you breathe — and it might save lives

In radiation therapy, precision can save lives. Oncologists must carefully map the size and location of a tumor before delivering high-dose radiation to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. But this process, called tumor segmentation, is still done manually, takes time, varies between doctors — and can lead to…

Ancient DNA reveals leprosy hit the Americas long before colonization

Hansen’s Disease (leprosy) is thought to have originated in Eurasia: previous studies on Mycobacterium leprae, the dominant form of leprosy, suggest the disease originated in Eurasia. Ancient pathogen genomes from old bones: a team of scientists from Germany and Argentina have reconstructed two genomes of Mycobacterium lepromatosis in 4000-year-old human…

JWST unlocks 10-billion-year mystery of how galaxies shape themselves

Many galaxies, including our own Milky Way, are characterized by a flat, extended, rotating stellar disk. These disk galaxies commonly contain two main parts: a thin disk and a thick disk. The thin disk contains younger, metal-rich stars, while the thick disk contains older, metal-poor stars. These distinct components hold…

Planets may start forming before stars even finish growing

Signs of planet formation may appear earlier than expected around still-forming baby stars, according to new results of higher resolution images produced using new improved techniques to reanalyze radio astronomy archive data. These newly discovered signs of planet formation will provide a better understanding of when it begins around a…

Fire smoke exposure leaves toxic metals and lasting immune changes

Healthy adults exposed to fire smoke — which can be composed of gases, particulate matter, and toxins — showed alterations to their immune systems, including changes in the regulation of genes associated with asthma and allergies, and in immune cells that play a key role in fighting pathogens, compared to…

Buried for 23,000 years: These footprints are rewriting American history

Vance Holliday jumped at the invitation to go do geology at New Mexico’s White Sands. The landscape, just west of Alamogordo, looks surreal – endless, rolling dunes of fine beige gypsum, left behind by ancient seas. It’s one of the most unique geologic features in the world. But a national…

Scientists just reconstructed half the neanderthal genome—thanks to Indian DNA

India’s population is genetically one of the most diverse in the world, yet it remains underrepresented in global datasets. In a study publishing in the Cell Press journal Cell, researchers analyzed genomic data from more than 2,700 people from across India, capturing genetic variation from most geographic regions, linguistic groups,…

The gene that hijacks fear: How PTEN rewires the brain’s anxiety circuit

PTEN Connection to Autism: Up to 25% of those with brain overgrowth and autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) carry variations in a gene called PTEN; PTEN-deficient mouse models exhibit ASD-like characteristics Cell-type Specific Model: PTEN loss in specific neurons leads to circuit imbalance and altered behavior Excitation-Inhibition Imbalance: Strengthened excitatory drive…

Brain scan breakthrough reveals why Parkinson’s drugs don’t always work

Simon Fraser University researchers are using a new approach to brain imaging that could improve how drugs are prescribed to treat Parkinson’s disease. The new study, published in the journal Movement Disorders, looks at why levodopa – the main drug used in dopamine replacement therapy – is sometimes less effective…

This brain scan sees Alzheimer’s coming—but only in some brains

A team of researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC’s Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) has identified a new brain imaging benchmark that may improve how researchers classify biologically meaningful changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease, especially in Hispanic and non-Hispanic White populations. The…

Scientists reveal a spontaneous reaction that could have started life

Urea is one of the most important industrial chemicals produced worldwide. It is used as a fertiliser, for the production of synthetic resins and explosives and as a fuel additive for cleaning car exhaust gases. Urea is also believed to be a potential key building block for the formation of…

New Orleans is sinking—and so are its $15 billion flood defenses

Parts of New Orleans and its surrounding wetlands are gradually sinking, and while most of the city remains stable, a new study from Tulane University researchers suggests that sections of the region’s $15 billion post-Katrina flood protection system may need regular upgrades to outpace long-term land subsidence. The study, published…

A tiny implant just helped paralyzed rats walk again—is human recovery next?

Spinal cord injuries are currently incurable with devastating effects on people’s lives, but now a trial at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland offers hope for an effective treatment. Spinal cord injuries shatter the signal between the brain and body, often resulting in a loss of function.”Unlike a cut on…

Scientists turn beer yeast into mini factories for smart drugs

Scientists at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, in collaboration with researchers from Japan, China, Switzerland, and Italy, have developed an innovative method to produce and rapidly analyze a vast array of macrocyclic peptides, molecules increasingly used in modern medicine. The research, published in Nature Communications, harnesses the familiar brewer’s yeast,…

Candy colors, THC inside: How cannabis edibles are tricking teen brains

Bright colors, fruit imagery, and labels like “locally made” or “vegan” might seem harmless — but when used on cannabis edibles, they can send misleading messages to teens. That’s according to a new Washington State University-led study examining how adolescents perceive the packaging of cannabis-infused products such as gummies, chocolates…

A mysterious mineral in asteroid Ryugu may rewrite planetary history

The pristine samples from asteroid Ryugu returned by the Hayabusa2 mission on December 6, 2020, have been vital to improving our understanding of primitive asteroids and the formation of the Solar System. The C-type asteroid Ryugu is composed of rocks similar to meteorites called CI chondrites, which contain relatively high…

A giant pulse beneath Africa could split the continent — and form an ocean

Research led by Earth scientists at the University of Southampton has uncovered evidence of rhythmic surges of molten mantle rock rising from deep within the Earth beneath Africa. These pulses are gradually tearing the continent apart and forming a new ocean. The findings, published in Nature Geoscience, reveal that the…

Why asthma often comes back—even with powerful drugs

Biological drugs have improved the lives of many people with severe asthma. However, a new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that some immune cells with high inflammatory potential are not completely eradicated after treatment. Biological drugs (biologics) have become an important tool in the treatment of severe asthma.…