A toxin secreted by cholera bacteria can inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer without causing any measurable damage to the body. This is shown by a new study by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden. Systemic administration of the purified bacterial substance changes the immune microenvironment in tumours, and the results may open the way for research into a new type of cancer treatment. "The substance not only kills cancer cells directly. It reshapes the tumour environment and helps the immune system to work against the tumor without damaging healthy tissue," says Sun Nyunt Wai, professor at Umeå University and one of the lead authors behind ...

A substance poisonous to humans — hydrogen cyanide — may have helped create the seeds of life on Earth. At cold temperatures, hydrogen cyanide forms crystals. And, according to computer models reported in ACS Central Science, some of the facets on these crystals are highly reactive, enabling chemical reactions that are otherwise not possible at low temperatures. The researchers say these reactions could have started a cascade that gave rise to several building blocks of life. “We may never know precisely how life began, but understanding how some of its ingredients take shape is within reach. Hydrogen cyanide is likely one source of this chemical ...

Foams are everywhere: soap suds, shaving cream, whipped toppings and food emulsions like mayonnaise. For decades, scientists believed that foams behave like glass, their microscopic components trapped in static, disordered configurations. Now, engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have found that foams actually flow ceaselessly inside while holding their external shape. More strangely, from a mathematical perspective, this internal motion resembles the process of deep learning, the method typically used to train modern AI systems. The discovery could hint that learning, in a broad mathematical sense, may be a common organizing ...

Fluorophores are chemical compounds or molecules that absorb light energy at one wavelength and re-emit it as light at a longer, lower-energy wavelength, acting as glowing tags or markers. The absorption process is known as excitation, and the re-emission is visible as fluorescent light, which makes these molecules crucial for biological imaging, diagnostics, and tracing cellular molecules like proteins or lipids under normal or various infectious conditions. Fluorophores with red-light absorption properties are ideal for bioimaging. Red light refers ...

Spinal deformities such as scoliosis and kyphosis are among the most serious complications of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a genetic disorder that affects about one in 3,000 people. These deformities often begin in childhood, worsen rapidly, and can lead to chronic pain, reduced mobility, and may require major surgery. Despite their frequency and severity, there are currently no approved drug treatments to prevent NF1-related spinal deformity. In a new study published in Volume 13, Issue 103 of the journal Bone Research on December ...

Genetic disorders occur due to alterations in the primary genetic material, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), of an organism. Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is a progressive disorder involving amyloid deposits of misfolded transthyretin (TTR) proteins. The deposits, mainly affecting the heart and the nerves, can lead to symptoms like heart failure and neuropathy. While one of its two major forms is associated with age, the other one is hereditary, resulting from destabilizing mutations in the TTR gene. The therapeutic efficacy of suppressing TTR production has been clearly demonstrated. Although ribonucleic acid (RNA) interference-based ...

For decades, scientists have investigated the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK1R) as a potential target for treating major depressive disorder. Early studies suggested promise, but enthusiasm faded after clinical trials of drugs such as aprepitant failed to show clear benefits, raising doubts about whether NK1R itself was a viable antidepressant target. Now, researchers from Korea University report that the problem may not lie with the target, but with the chemistry. In a new study led by Professors Hyeijung Yoo, Hong-Rae Kim, and Hyun Kim, published in Experimental & Molecular Medicine on November ...

Traditional techniques of converting fossil fuels for heat and power generation and chemical production increase carbon footprint, harming society and environment. To mitigate this problem, carbon capture and storage technologies aimed at lowering carbon dioxide emissions and encompassing renewable energy utilization, circular economy, and green chemical synthesis are promising. Chemical looping is one such innovative technology. These processes—representing efficient technologies for hydrogen and chemical production applications—involve the cyclic oxidation and reduction of metal oxide particles ...

For decades, scientists have been counting annual growth rings—similar to tree rings—inside fossilized leg bones of Tyrannosaurus rex to estimate how old the giant carnivores were when they died and how quickly they grew to adulthood. The best estimates from previous studies were that T. rex typically stopped growing at around age 25. An extensive new study of 17 tyrannosaur specimens, ranging from early juveniles to massive adults, now concludes that the king of carnivores took 40 years to reach its full-grown size of around eight tons. The new analysis—the most complete life ...

Water dispenser machines in commercial spaces may contain higher levels of microbial contamination if they aren’t cleaned regularly compared to the tap water sources supplying them that contain residual chlorine, according to a new study. Loma Linda University researchers conducted a literature review of 70 published studies from around the world that examined commercial water nozzles and spigots. Their study, Microbiological quality of drinking water from water dispensers, was published in December 2025 by the AIMS Microbiology. Researchers found that many studies identified bacterial growth in commercial ...

Doctors encounter death and dying significantly more than most people. It’s the price of saving lives and helping people.  Medical students in the U.S., however, receive little or no formal training in how to guide patients and their families through end-of-life issues, according to a new review conducted by Washington State University scientists. Researchers analyzed published papers on medical school death and dying education dating back to 2013. They found43 articles, with variation in how death ...

 If trucks ran on hydrogen instead of fossil fuels, carbon dioxide emissions from heavy-duty road transport could be significantly reduced. At the same time, a new study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden shows that differences in how the gas is produced, distributed and used greatly affect its climate benefits. Locally produced green hydrogen is the best option for the climate – with the additional benefit of enabling all countries to become self-sufficient in energy and fuel, even in times of crisis and ...

Research Highlights: The risk of pregnancy-related high blood pressure varied markedly among people of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander descent, according to an analysis of California health records. Pacific Islander and Filipino individuals were at two to three times higher risk than Chinese individuals, after adjusting for other factors. Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese individuals were generally at lowest risk. Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 DALLAS, Jan. 14, 2026 — The risk of pregnancy-related high blood pressure varied markedly among subgroups of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander ...

University of Birmingham scientists have developed a new way of measuring and analysing indoor air pollution that - in initial trials - has established a clear link between office occupancy, physical activity, and air quality. Using radar-powered movement detectors and low-cost pollution sensors, researchers equipped office space in central Birmingham to monitor the number of people present and measure the kinetic energy they generated as they went about their work. Researchers say that using the Birmingham approach, ...

Europe and western North America will experience more frequent and severe crop droughts as the planet warms, even in places where yearly rainfall increases. Scientists from the University of Reading studied how climate change affects soil moisture during growing seasons – the times of year when crops need water most. Warmer temperatures dry out soil faster than extra rain can replenish it, leading to agricultural droughts. The research, published today (Wednesday, 14 January) in Nature Geoscience, examined climate data and used computer models to identify ...

Diabetes, a metabolic disease, is on the rise worldwide, and over 90 percent of cases are type 2 diabetes, where the body does not effectively respond to insulin. Researchers from Mass General Brigham and Albert Einstein College of Medicine identified metabolites (small molecules found in blood generated through metabolism) associated with risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future and revealed genetic and lifestyle factors that may influence these metabolites. They also developed a metabolomic signature ...

Nitin Joshi, PhD, and Jingjing Gao, PhD, of the Department of Anesthesiology at Mass General Brigham, are the co-senior authors of a paper published in Nature Nanotechnology, “A disease-severity-responsive nanoparticle enables potent ghrelin mRNA therapy in osteoarthritis.” Mahima Dewani, PhD, is the lead author of this study. Q: How would you summarize your study for a lay audience? Osteoarthritis is a highly prevalent joint disease that leads to cartilage breakdown, pain and disability, yet there are still no FDA-approved treatments that can slow or reverse its progression. RNA-based ...

(BOSTON) — Infection with the pathogenic yeast fungus Candida auris (C. auris) can wreak havoc on the health of hospital patients and residents of nursing homes, especially those who are already weakened by other illnesses. The pathogen easily spreads and colonizes surfaces and objects where it can survive for weeks to months, and is often resistant to standard disinfectants. C. auris infections are especially problematic for patients who receive organ transplants or chemotherapy, and whose immune systems are compromised, ...

Which feels further back in time: the year 2016, or 10 years ago? And which feels closer: 2036, or 10 years from now?  According to new research from the UBC Sauder School of Business, the way time is expressed—as a calendar year or as a length of time—can change how people experience the past and the future, and influence real consumer decisions.  That matters because time-based language is everywhere and could affect how much people are willing to pay. For example, which whiskey would consumers be willing to pay more ...

Cannabidiol (CBD) could become a therapeutic tool to address some of the most frequent and disabling consequences of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a condition caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy. This is one of the main conclusions of a preclinical study conducted in mice by researchers at the Institute for Neurosciences (UMH–CSIC).  Published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, the study shows that CBD treatment normalizes emotional behavior and vulnerability to addiction in animals exposed to alcohol ...

A new study led by researchers from the University of Liverpool has found that spikes in blood sugar after meals may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Whilst research has long suggested that hyperglycaemia, diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance strongly relate to worse brain health, specifically increasing the risk of cognitive decline and dementias, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Using data from the UK Biobank, the team analysed genetic data from over 350000 individuals aged between 40 and 69 years of age. They focused on markers of how ...

Media increasingly portray being single as an expression of people’s lifestyle, self-determination and empowerment, with expressions such as self-partnership, solo living, sologamy and singlehood dominating the discourse. At the same time, more and more young adults are opting not to engage in a committed romantic relationship. A research team led by the University of Zurich (UZH) has now investigated how being single long-term affects people’s well-being. The researchers drew on data from more than 17,000 young people in Germany and the United Kingdom who had no prior relationship experience at the start of the study. Participants were surveyed annually from the ages of ...

Researchers have developed a way to 3D print custom micrometer-sized structures directly into the interior of living cells. As reported in Advanced Materials, the investigators used their method to print complex microstructures in shapes including barcodes, geometric patterns, and even a tiny elephant. The breakthrough involves injecting a cell with a bio-compatible light-sensitive material called photoresist and then treating the cell with a special laser that polymerizes the photoresist into an intracellular structure with submicron resolution. A cell treated with this method not only contains the newly ...

In research published in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, investigators developed a brief, reliable, and valid screening tool to help identify individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (a neuromuscular disorder) who are at increased risk of brain-related comorbidities, such as language disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and anxiety. The research team developed the questionnaire-based screening tool, called the BIND (Brain Involvement iN Dystrophinopathies) screener, by reviewing the medical literature and incorporating expert consensus, ...

Luohan Guo (Siraitia grosvenorii), or monkfruit, is a perennial vine in the gourd family that has substantial antioxidant levels and is native to China. New research published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture provides insights into the active compounds of Luohan Guo and their health-promoting properties. A key characteristic of Luohan Guo is its richness in secondary metabolites, particularly terpenoids, flavonoids, and amino acids. Investigators identified these within the peels and pulps of four Luohan Guo varieties and determined how these metabolites interact with antioxidant receptors and other targets involved in various pathways that ...