Researchers have built a realistic human mini spinal cord in the lab and used it to simulate traumatic injury. The model reproduced key damage seen in real spinal cord injuries, including inflammation and scar formation. After treatment with fast moving “dancing molecules,” nerve fibers began growing again and scar tissue shrank. The results suggest the therapy could eventually help repair spinal

For years, compulsive behaviors have been viewed as bad habits stuck on autopilot. But new research in rats found the opposite: inflammation in a key decision-making brain region actually made behavior more deliberate, not more automatic. The change was linked to astrocytes, brain support cells that multiplied and disrupted nearby circuits. The discovery hints that some compulsive behaviors may ar

A parasite that may already be hiding in your brain has a shocking survival trick: it can infect the very immune cells sent to destroy it. Yet most people never get sick, and new research from UVA Health reveals why. Scientists discovered that when Toxoplasma gondii invades CD8+ T cells — key defenders of the immune system — those cells can trigger a self-destruct mechanism powered by an enzyme ca

For the first time, researchers have shown that self-assembled phosphorus chains can host genuinely one-dimensional electron behavior. Using advanced imaging and spectroscopy techniques, they separated the signals from chains aligned in different directions to reveal their true nature. The findings suggest that squeezing the chains closer together could trigger a dramatic shift from semiconductor

New data from major dark-energy observatories suggest the universe may not expand forever after all. A Cornell physicist calculates that the cosmos is heading toward a dramatic reversal: after reaching its maximum size in about 11 billion years, it could begin collapsing, ultimately ending in a “big crunch” roughly 20 billion years from now.

A sweeping review of global research suggests that exercise—especially aerobic activities like running, swimming, and dancing—can be one of the most powerful ways to ease depression and anxiety. Across tens of thousands of people aged 10 to 90, exercise consistently reduced symptoms, often matching or even outperforming medication and talk therapy.

Researchers have uncovered the enzyme behind chromothripsis, a chaotic chromosome-shattering event seen in about one in four cancers. The enzyme, N4BP2, breaks apart DNA trapped in tiny cellular structures, unleashing a burst of genetic changes that can help tumors rapidly adapt and resist therapy. Blocking the enzyme dramatically reduced this genomic destruction in cancer cells.

More than a century after its discovery, Scandinavia’s oldest plank boat is finally giving up new secrets. By analyzing ancient caulking and cords from the Hjortspring boat, researchers uncovered traces of pine pitch and animal fat — materials that likely came from pine-rich regions east of Denmark along the Baltic Sea. This suggests the vessel, used by a band of Iron Age warriors who attacked the

A major new study suggests that eating the Nordic way could help you live significantly longer—while also helping the planet. Researchers from Aarhus University found that people who closely followed the 2023 Nordic dietary guidelines had a 23% lower risk of death compared to those who didn’t.

A new Stanford study suggests math struggles may be about more than numbers. Children who had difficulty with math were less likely to adjust their thinking after making mistakes during number comparison tasks. Brain imaging showed weaker activity in regions that help monitor errors and guide behavioral changes. These brain patterns could predict which children were more likely to struggle.

Researchers tracked more than 400 toddlers to see whether mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during or just before pregnancy was linked to autism or developmental delays. After detailed assessments of speech, motor skills, behavior, and social development, they found no meaningful differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Experts say the results provide strong reassurance about vaccine safety

Scientists have created the most detailed maps yet of how genes control one another inside the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Using a powerful new AI-based system called SIGNET, the team uncovered cause-and-effect relationships between genes across six major brain cell types, revealing which genes are truly driving harmful changes. The most dramatic disruptions were found in excitatory

A simple shift in your evening routine may give your heart a measurable boost. In a new study, adults who stopped eating and dimmed the lights three hours before bed and extended their overnight fast by about two hours saw improvements in blood pressure, heart rate, and blood-sugar control — without cutting calories.

Scientists have uncovered a hidden partnership between pancreatic cancer and the nervous system. Support cells in the pancreas lure nerve fibers, which then release signals that accelerate early cancer growth. This creates a self-sustaining loop that helps tumors take hold. Blocking the nerve activity significantly reduced tumor growth in experiments, suggesting a new treatment strategy.

Scientists have developed a powerful new way to trace the journey of water across the planet by reading tiny atomic clues hidden inside it. Slightly heavier versions of hydrogen and oxygen, called isotopes, shift in predictable ways as water evaporates and moves through the atmosphere. By combining eight advanced climate models into a single ensemble, researchers created the most accurate large-sc

Sleeping on a problem might be more powerful than we ever imagined. Neuroscientists at Northwestern University have shown that dreams can actually be nudged in specific directions — and those dream tweaks may boost creativity. By playing subtle sound cues during REM sleep, researchers prompted people to dream about unsolved brain teasers they had struggled with earlier. An astonishing 75% of parti

Psychedelics can quiet the brain’s visual input system, pushing it to replace missing details with vivid fragments from memory. Scientists found that slow, rhythmic brain waves help shift perception away from the outside world and toward internal recall — almost like dreaming while awake. By imaging glowing brain cells in mice, researchers watched this process unfold in real time.

A massive review of 23 randomized trials found that statins do not cause the vast majority of side effects listed on their labels. Memory problems, depression, sleep issues, weight gain, and many other symptoms appeared just as often in people taking a placebo. Only a few side effects showed any link to statins — and even those were rare.

Scientists at Michigan State University have uncovered the molecular “switch” that powers sperm for their final, high-speed dash toward an egg. By tracking how sperm use glucose as fuel, the team discovered how dormant cells suddenly flip into overdrive, burning energy in a carefully controlled, multi-step process. A key enzyme, aldolase, helps convert sugar into the burst of power needed for fert

Neuromorphic computers modeled after the human brain can now solve the complex equations behind physics simulations — something once thought possible only with energy-hungry supercomputers. The breakthrough could lead to powerful, low-energy supercomputers while revealing new secrets about how our brains process information.

A new study shows that dogs and cats may be helping an invasive flatworm spread. Researchers analyzing over a decade of reports discovered the worm attached to pet fur. Its sticky mucus and ability to reproduce alone make it highly adaptable. Pets could be giving this slow-moving invader a major boost.

Couples who intentionally slow down and soak in their happy moments together may be building a powerful shield for their relationship. Researchers at the University of Illinois found that partners who regularly savor shared experiences—whether reminiscing about a favorite memory, enjoying a dinner together, or looking forward to something exciting—report greater relationship satisfaction, less con

Scientists are launching an ambitious global effort to map the “human exposome” — the lifelong mix of environmental and chemical exposures that drive most diseases. Backed by new partnerships with governments, UNESCO, and international science advisory bodies, the initiative is rapidly expanding across continents. Powered by AI and advanced data tools, the movement seeks to shift medicine beyond g

A global study has uncovered a mysterious group of gut bacteria that shows up again and again in healthy people. Known as CAG-170, these microbes were found at lower levels in people with a range of chronic diseases. Genetic clues suggest they help digest food and support the broader gut ecosystem. Researchers say the discovery could reshape how we measure and maintain gut health.

Astronomers have uncovered a distant planetary system that flips a long-standing rule of planet formation on its head. Around the small red dwarf star LHS 1903, scientists expected to find rocky planets close in and gas giants farther out — the same pattern seen in our own Solar System and hundreds of others. And at first, that’s exactly what they saw. But new observations revealed a surprise: the

A massive star 2.5 million light-years away simply vanished — and astronomers now know why. Instead of exploding in a supernova, it quietly collapsed into a black hole, shedding its outer layers in a slow-motion cosmic fade-out. The leftover debris continues to glow in infrared light, offering a long-lasting signal of the black hole’s birth. The finding reshapes our understanding of how some of th

A new study suggests that generosity may be more than a moral lesson—it could be shaped by how different parts of the brain work together. By gently stimulating two brain regions and syncing their activity, researchers found that people became more willing to share money with others, even when it meant earning less themselves.