Science
press releases.

Science14 Aug 2025

High triglycerides drive life-threatening aortic aneurysms, study in mice finds

High levels of triglycerides, the most common type of fat in the body and the foods we eat, directly cause abdominal aortic aneurysms, according to a study in mouse models led by Michigan Medicine. Researchers identified triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and proteins that regulate triglyceride metabolism, including APOC3 and ANGPTL3, as causal drivers of abdominal aortic aneurysm. The study challenges the longstanding belief that triglycerides are merely biomarkers of vascular disease and instead demonstrates that they play a direct and pathogenic role in aneurysm development, ...

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Science14 Aug 2025

Back from the brink of extinction

Kyoto, Japan -- For many endangered species, population decline to the brink of extinction leads to inbreeding, exposing a species to deleterious recessive mutations that severely limit its potential to recover. But the red-headed wood pigeon, endemic to the Ogasawara Islands in Japan, followed a different trajectory. Although this pigeon population fell to below 80 individuals in the 2000s, it began to increase markedly after the removal of an introduced predator, the feral cat. Such a remarkable recovery raised questions regarding inbreeding, and why harmful mutations that could cause inbreeding depression, ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

Youth violence prevention program shown to reduce arrests by up to 75%

A CU Boulder-led initiative to reduce youth violence in hard-hit Denver neighborhoods was associated with a 75% decline in arrests for murder, assault, robbery and other youth crimes in recent years, new research shows. “We now have concrete data to show that when communities come together and mobilize, we can prevent youth violence, even in urban settings with a very high burden,” said senior author Beverly Kingston, director of CU’s Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence (CSPV). The study, published ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

People who move to more walkable cities do, in fact, walk significantly more

Study after study shows that walking is very good for those who are able, and generally more is better. A 2023 study found that even 4,000 steps a day improves all-cause mortality risk. (The U.S average is 4,000 to 5,000.) For each 1,000 extra daily steps, risk decreased by 15%. Walk Scores have been used since 2007 to quantify how quickly people can typically walk to amenities like grocery stores and schools in an area. Cities are assigned scores from 0 to 100; for instance, Seattle’s 74 means it’s “very walkable.” It may seem self-evident that in cities ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

One universal antiviral to rule them all?

NEW YORK, NY (Aug. 13, 2025)--For a few dozen people in the world, the downside of living with a rare immune condition comes with a surprising superpower—the ability to fight off all viruses. Columbia immunologist Dusan Bogunovic discovered the individuals’ antiviral powers about 15 years ago, soon after he identified the genetic mutation that causes the condition. At first, the condition only seemed to increase vulnerability to some bacterial infections. But as more patients were identified, its unexpected antiviral benefits became ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

Arginine dentifrices significantly reduce childhood caries

Alexandria, VA – The International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (IADR) and the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) have announced the publication of a new study in JDR Clinical & Translational Research that demonstrates that arginine dentifrices reduce dental caries in children with active caries as much as, or more than, a sodium fluoride dentifrice, depending on the arginine concentration. Dental caries remain a significant oral health burden globally. Scientific evidence has demonstrated the dose-dependent, anticaries action of fluoride; however, ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

NIH-funded study leads to new understanding of how stroke impacts reading

WASHINGTON – A key discovery about the impact of stroke on a person’s ability to read reveals why a deficit occurs – a finding that presents a possible opportunity for new therapeutic strategies to help people recover one of the most important life skills. It’s long been known that people who experience a stroke can struggle with reading, but researchers weren’t clear exactly why. Now, a new study, led by researchers at Georgetown University, reveals that strokes can rob a person’s ability to use the meaning of words to help them recognize the words when reading. “We usually ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

Research Alert: A genetic twist that sets humans apart

Research from scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have shed new light on an age-old question: what makes the human brain unique? The team’s discovery comes from their investigation of human-accelerated regions (HARs) — sections of the human genome that have accumulated an unusually high level of mutations as humans have evolved. There is a lot of scientific interest in HARs, as they are hypothesized to play an essential role in conferring human-specific traits, and ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

Fermentation method transforms unripe fruits into specialty coffees

In the selection of specialty coffees, those that score above 80 points in blind tests are free of physical and sensory defects. Greenish-colored beans are known to give the drink an astringent taste, which is described as harsh, pungent, and dry. These beans are therefore discarded, along with broken, black, burnt, pitted, or undersized beans. However, in a study published in the journal Food and Bioprocess Technology, researchers from the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU) in Patos de Minas (state of Minas Gerais, Brazil) conducted a series of fermentations with ripe and ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

Breakthrough discovery sparks new hope for breathing recovery after spinal cord injuries

Today about 300,000 people nationally living with a spinal cord injury and with respiratory complications being the most common cause of illness and death, according to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. But the results of a new study, led by researchers at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine, show promise that a group of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord—called interneurons—can boost breathing when the body faces certain physiological challenges, such as exercise and environmental conditions associated with altitude. The researchers believe their discovery could ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

United for answers: leading ALS organizations announce ‘Champion Insights’ to unlock why athletes and military members face higher ALS risk

NEW ORLEANS, August 13, 2025 — Answer ALS, in collaboration with ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) and Augie’s Quest, today announced plans to launch Champion Insights, an ambitious research initiative designed to uncover critical genetic and metabolic mechanisms that may explain the significantly higher incidence of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among endurance athletes, military service members, and potentially other high-performing populations. ALS is a devastating neurodegenerative disease with no cure, affecting more than 5,000 Americans annually, and ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

Quitting smoking is associated with recovery from other addictions

Embargoed for Release Wednesday, August 13, 2025 11 a.m. EDT Contact: NIH Office of Communications 301.496.5787 Adults who smoke cigarettes and are addicted to alcohol or other drugs were more likely to achieve sustained remission of their substance use disorder symptoms if they also quit smoking, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Based on their analysis of data from a large U.S. study of smoking and health, researchers believe the results clearly show the benefit of pairing ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

Overhaul global food systems to avert worsening land crisis: Scientists

In Nature, 21 leading scientists today prescribe ways to use food systems to halt and reverse land degradation, underlining that doing so must become a top global priority to mitigate climate change and stop biodiversity loss. The article breaks new ground by quantifying the impact by 2050 of reducing food waste by 75% and maximising sustainable ocean-based food production, measures that alone could spare an area larger than Africa. According to the paper: “Food systems have not yet been fully incorporated into intergovernmental agreements, nor do they receive ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

Would you like that coffee with iron?

Around the world, about 2 billion people suffer from iron deficiency, which can lead to anemia, impaired brain development in children, and increased infant mortality. To combat that problem, MIT researchers have come up with a new way to fortify foods and beverages with iron, using small crystalline particles. These particles, known as metal-organic frameworks, could be sprinkled on food, added to staple foods such as bread, or incorporated into drinks like coffee and tea. “We’re ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

Arabic and Czech translations, more than 4,000 new concepts boost global interoperability in latest LOINC® release

INDIANAPOLIS -- Regenstrief Institute’s latest LOINC® content update on August 12, introduces two new linguistic variants: Arabic, for users in Jordan, and Czech, for users in the Czech Republic. With these additions, LOINC is now available in 22 languages. “Expanding the number of supported languages improves the accessibility and adoption of LOINC around the world,” said Marjorie Rallins, DPM, M.S., executive director of Health Data Standards (HDS) at Regenstrief. “Making LOINC content available in more languages strengthens interoperability by enabling users to work with data in ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

FAU lands $700,000 U.S. EPA grant to monitor water quality in Lake Okeechobee

Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science has been awarded a $700,000 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency Gulf of America Division to support a novel research project aimed at advancing water quality monitoring in one of Florida’s most critical freshwater ecosystems. Led by Natalia Malina, Ph.D., principal investigator and an assistant professor in FAU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, the three-year project titled, “Developing ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

WSU team unlocks biological process underlying coho die-offs

For years, scientists at Washington State University’s Puyallup Research & Extension Center have been working to untangle a mystery: Why do coho salmon in Puget Sound creeks seem to suffocate after rainstorms—rising to the surface, gaping, and swimming in circles before dying? In 2018, the die-offs were linked to bits of car tires shed by friction and washed into the stormwater runoff. In 2020, researchers zeroed in on one particular chemical culprit, a tire preservative known as 6PPD. Now, research led by WSU PhD student Stephanie ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

AI-enhanced infrared thermography for reliable detection of temperature patterns in calves

Traditional veterinary practices utilize rectal measurements to assess body temperature, but this method is stressful and does not capture continuous changes in body temperature. Fortunately, recent advancements have introduced infrared thermography, which can non-invasively measure body temperatures. However, it is still difficult to continuously monitor temperature changes over time with this method. Moreso, parts of the image data are set manually, which can cause data variations due to setting positions. These drawbacks ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

Concerns about sexual function persist well beyond midlife

CLEVELAND, Ohio (August 13, 2025)—Adults aged 65 years and older are becoming the fastest-growing demographic, yet, the sexual health of older women is often understudied and untreated. A new study demonstrates their rate of sexual problems is similar to that of midlife women, although they are less likely to report distress related to their sexual problems. Results of the study are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society. Although sexual activity declines with age, sexual health remains relevant throughout life ...

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Science13 Aug 2025

People disregard advice when making tough decisions

An international study surveying people in a dozen countries found that when it comes to making complex decisions, people all over the world tend to reflect on their own, rather than seek advice. Researchers from the University of Waterloo led the new study that surveyed more than 3,500 people from megacities to small Indigenous communities in the Amazon rainforest to learn how they make decisions. This work is the broadest test of decision-style preferences across cultures to date. The researchers ...

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Science12 Aug 2025

Study reveals how small changes in walking technique may help treat knee osteoarthritis

Gait analysis and pain measures show that subtly adjusting the angle of the foot during walking may reduce knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. This approach may also slow progression of the condition, an uncurable disease in which the cartilage cushion inside a joint breaks down. Led by a team of researchers at NYU Langone Health, the University of Utah, and Stanford University, a new study explored whether changing the way patients position their feet when walking could lessen extra loading — stress on the joint during motion — and help treat the disease. For ...

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Science12 Aug 2025

Musicians do not demonstrate long-believed advantage in processing sound

A large-scale study from the University of Michigan and University of Minnesota finds no evidence for a long-believed association between musical training and enhanced neural processing of sounds at the early stages of auditory processing. Researchers attempted to recreate several results from past studies and found no evidence of several key findings. In this latest study, musicians demonstrated no greater ability to process speech in background sounds than non-musicians. Musicians also didn't have superior abilities to process changes in the pitch of speech. The study did find that early brain ...

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Science12 Aug 2025

We’re in the game: Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award to be featured in EA Sports College Football 26

HOUSTON, August 12, 2025 — For the first time, gamers and fans of the celebrated EA SPORTS College Football can compete for the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award — part of a new relationship with the American Heart Association, changing the future of health for all. The relationship between the American Heart Association and EA SPORTS™ allows players taking part in EA SPORTS College Football 26’s “Dynasty Mode” have a chance to win the Paul “Bear” Bryant Award as the game’s ...

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Science12 Aug 2025

We now have the math to describe ‘matrix tides’ and other complex wave patterns seen in Qiantang River

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Last year, onlookers observed a startling site on China’s Qiantang River: waves forming a grid-like pattern. Dubbed the “matrix tide,” this complex wave pattern was caused by the river’s famed tidal bores that surge upstream against the current. Specifically, two shockwave-like tidal bores, known as undular bores, that spread along two different directions like ripples on a pond and collided with each other. This phenomenon is so complex that mathematicians don’t ...

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Science12 Aug 2025

Personalized pricing can backfire on companies, says study

August 12, 2025 Personalized pricing can backfire on companies, says study Toronto - Personalized pricing, where merchants adjust prices according to the pile of data about a consumer’s willingness to pay, has been criticized for its potential to unfairly drive-up prices for certain customers. But new research shows that the practice can also hurt sellers' profits. Consumers commonly experience personalized pricing through digital coupons or other discount offers they receive either as ...

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