Long-term memory and lack of mental images

When people lack visual imagination, this is known as aphantasia. Researchers investigated how the lack of mental imagery affects long-term memory. They were able to show that changes in two important brain regions, the hippocampus and the occipital lobe, as well as their interaction, have an influence on the impaired recall of personal memories in aphantasia.

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Blindness from some inherited eye diseases may be caused by gut bacteria

Sight loss in certain inherited eye diseases may be caused by gut bacteria, and is potentially treatable by antimicrobials, finds a new study in mice.

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Artificial intelligence matches or outperforms human specialists in retina and glaucoma management

Research shows this tool can strongly support clinicians for patient care.

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Researchers use deep brain stimulation to map therapeutic targets for four brain disorders

A new study demonstrated the use of deep brain stimulation (DBS) to map a 'human dysfunctome' -- a collection of dysfunctional brain circuits associated with different disorders.

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First-in-humans discovery reveals brain chemicals at work influencing social behavior

The idea that people make decisions based on social context is not a new one in neural economic games. But now, for the first time, researchers show the impact of the social context may spring from the dynamic interactions of dopamine and serotonin. Researchers built carbon-fiber electrodes that were implanted in patients receiving Deep Brain Stimulation surgery. The method allows researchers to measure more than one neurotransmitter at a time, revealing a dance that has never been seen before.

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Links between human, canine brain tumors

Researchers have discovered that meningiomas -- the most common type of brain tumor in humans and dogs -- are extremely similar genetically.

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Metal scar found on cannibal star

When a star like our Sun reaches the end of its life, it can ingest the surrounding planets and asteroids that were born with it. Now, researchers have found a unique signature of this process for the first time -- a scar imprinted on the surface of a white dwarf star.

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Side effects of wide scale forestation could reduce carbon removal benefits by up to a third

The side effects of large-scale forestation initiatives could reduce the CO2 removal benefits by up to a third, a pioneering study has found.

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Drug limits dangerous reactions to allergy-triggering foods, Stanford Medicine-led study of kids finds

A drug that binds to allergy-causing antibodies can protect children from dangerous reactions to accidentally eating allergy-triggering foods, a new study found.

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Hearing relaxing words in your sleep slows your heart down

Researchers have investigated whether the body is truly disconnected from the external world during sleep. To do so, they focused on how heartbeat changes when we hear different words during sleep. They found that relaxing words slowed down cardiac activity as a reflection of deeper sleep and in comparison to neutral words that did not have such a slowing effect. This discovery sheds new light on brain-heart interactions during sleep.

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Modifying brain molecule relaxin-3 can potentially reduce side effects in treating anxiety, depression and more

A team of researchers has found a potential way to treat conditions like depression and anxiety with fewer side effects.

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Where neural stem cells feel at home

Researchers have created an artificial cell environment that could promote the regeneration of nerves. Usually, injuries to the brain or spinal cord don't heal easily due to the formation of fluid-filled cavities and scars that prevent tissue regeneration. One starting point for medical research is therefore to fill the cavities with a substance that offers neural stem cells optimal conditions for proliferation and differentiation.

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Terahertz biosensor detects skin cancer with remarkable accuracy, ushering in new era of early detection

Researchers have developed a revolutionary biosensor using terahertz (THz) waves that can detect skin cancer with exceptional sensitivity, potentially paving the way for earlier and easier diagnoses.

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If your TV spoke to you, would you buy it? Study finds people spend more on some 'talking products'

New research used brain scanning technology to understand the effect of advertisements that try to sell products with talking versions of themselves. The work suggests that that anthromorphic displays lead to different cognition, and that buyers are likely to spend up to 20 percent more on more complex products promoted in advertisements that anthropomorphizes the product.

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Does Russia stand to benefit from climate change?

There exists a narrative about climate change that says there are winners and losers -- with Russia being one of the countries that stand to benefit from its effects. In a new study, researchers found that Russia is suffering from a variety of climate change impacts and is ill-prepared to mitigate or adapt to those climate impacts. And, as the rest of the world transitions to renewable energy sources, Russia's fossil-fuel-dependent government is not willing or ready to make alternative plans for the country, changes that could potentially benefit the whole of their society.

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Angle-dependent holograms made possible by metasurfaces

Scientists unveil metasurface technology, allowing for angle-dependent holograms.

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Science fiction meets reality: New technique to overcome obstructed views

Using a single photograph, researchers created an algorithm that computes highly accurate, full-color three-dimensional reconstructions of areas behind obstacles -- a concept that can not only help prevent car crashes, but help law enforcement experts in hostage situations, search-and-rescue and strategic military efforts.

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Keeping telomerase in check

Study shows how telomerase can run amok, deleteriously capping damaged DNA, were it not for a first responder to DNA damage.

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Keeping telomerase in check

Study shows how telomerase can run amok, deleteriously capping damaged DNA, were it not for a first responder to DNA damage.

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Study finds new inhalable therapy is a big step forward in lung cancer research

Biomedical engineers have developed a technique that uses inhalation of exosomes, or nanobubbles, to directly deliver IL-12 mRNA to the lungs of mice.

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Study finds new inhalable therapy is a big step forward in lung cancer research

Biomedical engineers have developed a technique that uses inhalation of exosomes, or nanobubbles, to directly deliver IL-12 mRNA to the lungs of mice.

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An innovative wearable device for fashionable personal thermal comfort

Traditional wearable thermal control devices use bulky and noisy components. New advancements such as the small electrohydrodynamic pump and soft tubes offer a promising avenue for such devices. However, they require real-time flow-rate monitoring, requiring additional equipment. Now, a team of researchers has developed a novel device that uses self-sensing technology for flow-rate monitoring, resulting in a compact personal thermal control device, marking a significant step in wearable device research.

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Mystery solved: The oldest fossil reptile from the alps is an historical forgery

Palaeontological analysis shows renowned fossil thought to show soft tissue preservation is in fact just paint. Fossil discovered in 1931 was thought to be an important specimen for understanding early reptile evolution. While not all of the celebrated fossil is a forgery, scientists urge caution in how the fossil is utilized in future.

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School uniform policies linked to students getting less exercise, study finds

School uniforms could be restricting young people from being active, particularly primary school-aged girls, according to a new study. The study used data about the physical activity of more than a million five-to-17-year-olds in 135 countries. In countries where a majority of schools require students to wear uniforms, fewer young people are meeting the World Health Organization's recommendations for physical activity (60 minutes per day). Fewer girls are meeting the guidelines than boys -- with a standard gap of 7.6 percentage points between boys and girls.

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Double risk of dementia after mouth ulcer virus

People who have had the herpes virus at some point in their lives are twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those who have never been infected. A new study confirms previous research on whether herpes can be a possible risk factor for dementia.

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School uniform policies linked to students getting less exercise, study finds

School uniforms could be restricting young people from being active, particularly primary school-aged girls, according to a new study. The study used data about the physical activity of more than a million five-to-17-year-olds in 135 countries. In countries where a majority of schools require students to wear uniforms, fewer young people are meeting the World Health Organization's recommendations for physical activity (60 minutes per day). Fewer girls are meeting the guidelines than boys -- with a standard gap of 7.6 percentage points between boys and girls.

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Double risk of dementia after mouth ulcer virus

People who have had the herpes virus at some point in their lives are twice as likely to develop dementia compared to those who have never been infected. A new study confirms previous research on whether herpes can be a possible risk factor for dementia.

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Early-stage subduction invasion

Our planet's lithosphere is broken into several tectonic plates. Their configuration is ever-shifting, as supercontinents are assembled and broken up, and oceans form, grow, and then start to close in what is known as the Wilson cycle.

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New 'time travel' study reveals future impact of climate change on coastal marshes

A new study offers a glimpse into the possible impact of climate change on coastal wetlands 50 years or longer into the future. Scientists are usually forced to rely on computer models to project the long-term effects of rising seas, but an unexpected set of circumstances enabled a real-world experiment along the Gulf Coast.

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Altermagnetism experimentally demonstrated

Ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism have long been known to scientists as two classes of magnetic order of materials. Back in 2019, researchers postulated a third class of magnetism, called altermagnetism. This altermagnetism has been the subject of heated debate among experts ever since, with some expressing doubts about its existence. Recently, a team of experimental researchers was able to measure for the first time at DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron) an effect that is considered to be a signature of altermagnetism, thus providing evidence for the existence of this third type of magnetism.

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The brain is 'programmed' for learning from people we like

Our brains are 'programmed' to learn more from people we like -- and less from those we dislike. This has been shown by researchers in cognitive neuroscience in a series of experiments.

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Scientists discover biological mechanism of hearing loss caused by loud noise -- and find a way to prevent it

Drugs that trap excess zinc in the inner ear could help restore lost hearing or, if administered before an expected loud sound exposure, can protect from hearing loss, study suggests.

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Is the Amazon forest approaching a tipping point?

Global warming may be interacting with regional rainfall and deforestation to accelerate forest loss in the Amazon, pushing it towards partial or total collapse. New research has identified the potential thresholds of these stressors, showing where their combined effects could produce a 'tipping point' -- in which the forest is so fragile that just a small disturbance could cause an abrupt shift in the state of the ecosystem.

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Great apes playfully tease each other

Babies playfully tease others as young as eight months of age. Since language is not required for this behavior, similar kinds of playful teasing might be present in non-human animals. Now cognitive biologists and primatologists have documented playful teasing in four species of great apes. Like joking behavior in humans, ape teasing is provocative, persistent, and includes elements of surprise and play. Because all four great ape species used playful teasing, it is likely that the prerequisites for humor evolved in the human lineage at least 13 million years ago.

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Great apes playfully tease each other

Babies playfully tease others as young as eight months of age. Since language is not required for this behavior, similar kinds of playful teasing might be present in non-human animals. Now cognitive biologists and primatologists have documented playful teasing in four species of great apes. Like joking behavior in humans, ape teasing is provocative, persistent, and includes elements of surprise and play. Because all four great ape species used playful teasing, it is likely that the prerequisites for humor evolved in the human lineage at least 13 million years ago.

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A standard blood test can predict a heart attack

Using the results of a standard blood test and an online tool, you can find out if you are at increased risk of having a heart attack within six months.

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Archaeologists discover oldest known bead in the Americas

The bead found at the La Prele Mammoth site in Wyoming's Converse County is about 12,940 years old and made of bone from a hare.

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Researchers studying ocean transform faults, describe a previously unknown part of the geological carbon cycle

This study reports widespread mineral carbonation of mantle rocks in an oceanic transform fueled by magmatic degassing of CO2. The findings describe a previously unknown part of the geological carbon cycle in transform faults that represent one of the three principal plate boundaries on Earth. The confluence of tectonically exhumed mantle rocks and CO2-rich alkaline basalt formed through limited extents of melting characteristic of the St. Paul's transform faults may be a pervasive feature at oceanic transform faults in general. Because transform faults have not been accounted for in previous estimates of global geological CO2 fluxes, the mass transfer of magmatic CO2 to the altered oceanic mantle and seawater may be larger than previously thought.

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Can hydrogels help mend a broken heart?

You can mend a broken heart this valentine s day now that researchers invented a new hydrogel that can be used to heal damaged heart tissue and improve cancer treatments.

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Predicting psychosis before it occurs

The onset of psychosis can be predicted before it occurs, using a machine-learning tool which can classify MRI brain scans into those who are healthy and those at risk of a psychotic episode.

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Protein accumulation on fat droplets implicated in late-onset Alzheimer's disease

In an effort five years in the making, researchers describe the interplay between fats and proteins in brain cells and how their dysfunction contributes to the development of late-onset Alzheimer's disease.

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Patterns of brain connectivity differ between pre-term and term babies

A new scanning study of 390 babies has shown distinct patterns between term and pre-term babies in the moment-to-moment activity and connectivity of brain networks.

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Patterns of brain connectivity differ between pre-term and term babies

A new scanning study of 390 babies has shown distinct patterns between term and pre-term babies in the moment-to-moment activity and connectivity of brain networks.

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Preterm births linked to 'hormone disruptor' chemicals may cost united states billions

Daily exposure to chemicals used in the manufacture of plastic food containers and many cosmetics may be tied to nearly 56,600 preterm births in the U.S. in 2018, a new study shows. The resulting medical costs, the authors of the report say, were estimated to reach a minimum of $1.6 billion and as much as $8.1 billion over the lifetime of the children.

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Mimas' surprise: Tiny moon of Saturn holds young ocean beneath icy shell

Saturn's moon Mimas harbors a global ocean beneath its icy shell, discovered through analysis of its orbit by Cassini spacecraft data. This ocean formed just 5-15 million years ago, making Mimas a prime candidate for studying early ocean formation and potential for life. This discovery suggests life-essential conditions might exist on seemingly inactive moons, expanding our search for life beyond Earth.

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Faulty DNA disposal system causes inflammation

Scientists discovered a pathway from mitochondrial DNA replication stress to immune system activation and inflammation, finding that endosomes responsible for disposing of dysfunctional mitochondrial DNA were leaking mitochondrial DNA into the cell and prompting the inflammatory immune response. The pathway provides new targets for therapeutics that disrupt inflammation during aging and disease.

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Faulty DNA disposal system causes inflammation

Scientists discovered a pathway from mitochondrial DNA replication stress to immune system activation and inflammation, finding that endosomes responsible for disposing of dysfunctional mitochondrial DNA were leaking mitochondrial DNA into the cell and prompting the inflammatory immune response. The pathway provides new targets for therapeutics that disrupt inflammation during aging and disease.

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Many excess deaths attributed to natural causes are actually uncounted COVID-19 deaths, new analysis reveals

A new study provides the first concrete data showing that many of these excess deaths were indeed uncounted COVID-19 deaths. The study compared reported COVID-19 deaths to excess deaths due to non-COVID, natural causes, such as diseases and chronic illnesses, and found that increases in non-COVID excess deaths occurred at the same time or in the month prior to increases in reported COVID-19 deaths in most US counties.

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Inexpensive, carbon-neutral biofuels are finally possible

When it comes to making fuel from plants, the first step has always been the hardest -- breaking down the plant matter. A new study finds that introducing a simple, renewable chemical to the pretreatment step can finally make next-generation biofuel production both cost-effective and carbon neutral.

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How ovarian tissue freezing could prevent menopause--possibly forever

Most women agree that menopause has its advantages and disadvantages. Some relish the end of menstruation and concerns about unplanned pregnancies, while others dread the possibililty of hot flashes, moodiness, and other unpleasant symptoms. What some women consider a brief and barely noticeable phase in their lives can evolve into lasting changes and discomfort for others. Now, a new paradigm around the biological processes of menopause is capturing the attention of a small group of scientists around the country. The primary question: can menopause be delayed in healthy women, allowing them to extend their child-bearing years -- and perhaps even forestall some of the health risks and uncomfortable symptoms linked to plummeting estrogen levels?

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How T cells combat tuberculosis

Scientists have uncovered important clues to how human T cells combat Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB.

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Scientist shows focused ultrasound can reach deep into the brain to relieve pain

Scientists have found soundwaves from low-intensity focused ultrasound aimed at a place deep in the brain called the insula can reduce both the perception of pain and other effects of pain, such as heart rate changes.

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Mechanism discovered that protects tissue after faulty gene expression

A study has identified a protein complex that is activated by defects in the spliceosome, the molecular scissors that process genetic information. Future research could lead to new therapeutic approaches to treat diseases caused by faulty splicing.

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Mechanism discovered that protects tissue after faulty gene expression

A study has identified a protein complex that is activated by defects in the spliceosome, the molecular scissors that process genetic information. Future research could lead to new therapeutic approaches to treat diseases caused by faulty splicing.

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Study discovers neurons in the human brain that can predict what we are going to say before we say it

By using advanced brain recording techniques, a new study demonstrates how neurons in the human brain work together to allow people to think about what words they want to say and then produce them aloud through speech.

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Zebrafish navigate to find their comfortable temperature

Zebrafish are smaller than your little finger, with a brain no more than half the size of a pinhead. Yet these animals possess an efficient navigation system that enables them to find their way back to spots in the water where the temperature suits them.

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Gene-editing offers hope for people with hereditary disorder

A group of patients with a hereditary disorder have had their lives transformed by a single treatment of a breakthrough gene-editing therapy, according to the lead researcher.

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Groundbreaking genome editing tools unlock new possibilities for precision medicine

A team of researchers has achieved a major breakthrough in genome editing technology. They've developed a cutting-edge method that combines the power of designer-recombinases with programmable DNA-binding domains to create precise and adaptable genome editing tools.

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Looking for love? Try finding purpose as well

The world of online dating can be overwhelming with the dizzying array of options for attracting a partner but new research shows that those looking for love may have more success if they also seek a sense of purpose in life.

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Researchers find early symptoms of psychosis spectrum disorder in youth higher than expected

A new study has found evidence that Psychosis Spectrum Symptoms (PSS) are often present in youth accessing mental health services.

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