Life as we know it would not exist without carbon, one of the essential building blocks of all known life forms. From the oxygen in our atmosphere to the iron in the core of Earth, and even the very bodies of life forms—from humans to bacteria—these elements owe their existence to stars. Carbon, along with … Read more
A team of chemical engineers from Deakin University, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Western Australia, the University of Sydney, and Monash University, has uncovered a promising method that may change the way we cool our homes. Their groundbreaking work, published in the renowned journal Science, explores a novel refrigeration technology that could … Read more
In a groundbreaking study published in Physical Review Letters, a team of cosmologists led by Dr. Shi-Fan Chen from the Institute for Advanced Study, New Jersey, delved into the most comprehensive galaxy clustering dataset to date. Their analysis critically tests the ΛCDM model—currently the leading framework that governs cosmological theories about the universe’s evolution—and finds … Read more
A significant and intriguing discovery made by Dr. Balázs Tihanyi and his team, as detailed in their recent study published in PLOS ONE, sheds light on a fascinating aspect of the 10th-century Carpathian Basin in Hungary. For the first time, the remains of a female burial have been positively identified with weaponry, raising both new … Read more
Metastasis, the process by which tumor cells spread to other parts of the body, is often the deadliest aspect of cancer, including breast cancer. Despite significant advancements in early detection and treatment, metastatic breast cancer remains a major challenge for clinicians. Metastatic cells are able to survive initial therapies and evade immune surveillance, causing tumors … Read more
A groundbreaking study conducted by a team of behavioral scientists at University College London (UCL) has revealed a startling statistic: for long-term smokers, a single cigarette can shorten lifespan by approximately 20 minutes. This revelation, published in an editorial in the journal Addiction, sheds new light on the grave and immediate impact of smoking, offering … Read more
The connection between poor sleep and mental health problems has long intrigued scientists, yet understanding the exact mechanisms behind this link has proven challenging. Researchers at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have now shed new light on the subject, identifying specific deficits in brain regions responsible for keeping unwanted thoughts out of mind as … Read more
When children receive their second dose of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine around the time they start kindergarten, they acquire long-lasting protection against all three viruses, often extending for their entire lives. In contrast, the effectiveness of an influenza vaccine administered in October typically wanes by the following spring. This stark difference in the durability of … Read more
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have made significant strides in asthma research by developing a nasal swab test that can identify specific subtypes, or endotypes, of asthma in children. This innovative, non-invasive diagnostic tool has the potential to transform how clinicians treat asthma by enabling more targeted medication prescriptions. It also sets the stage … Read more
A team of scientists from multiple institutions has created a significant new resource designed to streamline the process of classifying patient tumor samples based on molecular features. This initiative, developed from the findings of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Network, is a free and publicly accessible tool aimed at advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment. The … Read more
COVID-19, a disease primarily impacting the respiratory system, is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which was first detected in late 2019. As the pandemic unfolded, doctors and scientists began to observe an unexpected pattern in many COVID-19 patients: the disease wasn’t just affecting the lungs but was also inducing severe vascular complications. These complications, involving … Read more
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have made a significant discovery that could improve the effectiveness of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, a promising immunotherapy for various cancers. This breakthrough focuses on the phenomenon of “memory” within CAR-T cells, showing that some of these cells carry the memory of previous encounters … Read more
An ancient brain circuit, crucial for stabilizing the gaze of vertebrates—including humans—has been found to develop in a surprising way during early life, a study led by researchers from NYU Grossman School of Medicine reveals. This circuit, called the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), is essential for allowing vertebrates to keep their eyes fixed on a target … Read more
Recent studies have revealed that immune cells in the brain, known as microglia, can partially break down the large amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. By attaching themselves to these plaques, microglia form an external digestive mechanism to release enzymes that can digest the amyloid material. The breakthrough study, led by researchers at Weill Cornell … Read more
Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh have uncovered a novel and surprising connection between Alzheimer’s disease and herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1), highlighting a potential viral influence in the development of Alzheimer’s. The new findings, published in Cell Reports, suggest that the progression of Alzheimer’s could be influenced not just by the usual biological factors such … Read more
Scientists at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have made significant progress in understanding the complex factors that drive the development of liver cancer. This condition, the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, remains a major health challenge. Their findings, published in the prestigious … Read more
A groundbreaking study conducted by a team of geologists from the US Geological Survey (USGS), Oregon State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison has provided new insights into the dynamic and evolving nature of the Yellowstone caldera, a volcanic super-volcano located in Yellowstone National Park. This research, which was published in the prestigious journal Nature, … Read more
Genetics has long been an essential cornerstone of biology, deeply influencing our understanding of diseases and how traits are inherited. A common and fundamental principle taught to every biology student revolves around the concept of the genetic blueprint: each of our cells, except sperm and eggs, contains two copies of each gene, one inherited from … Read more
An inter-departmental research team from the LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed) has conducted an innovative and pioneering study that sheds light on the safety of clozapine, a highly effective antipsychotic medication, particularly in relation to the incidence of blood cancer. This world-first analytic real-world cohort study used territory-wide electronic … Read more
A group of astronomers from multiple institutions has recently conducted an in-depth investigation of a newly discovered tidal disruption event (TDE) named ASASSN-22ci, also known as AT2022dbl. This event, observed by astronomers using various telescopes, offers a unique opportunity to study the extreme dynamics surrounding supermassive black holes and their interactions with nearby stars. The … Read more