Summary: A study reveals how brain cell interactions influence aging, showing that rare cell types either accelerate or slow brain aging. Neural stem cells provide a rejuvenating effect on neighboring…
Category: Genetics
Viewpoint: 15 explanations for why activists lie and try to scare people about ‘killer’ chemicals, genetically engineered crops and nuclear energy
We always hear NGOs saying that we cannot trust industry, that we have to exclude industry evidence or that industry lobbyists are spreading deception and falsehood. We are constantly reminded…
‘People don’t always realize they are creating a human being and not a piece of furniture’: What’s the psychological health of the first generation of designer babies?
People who have children this way often place too much importance on genes while ignoring the environment. It’s like, “This is what our family is going to look like. We’re…
Twin Dynamics: How Developmental Differences Shape Dominance Roles
Summary: A new study reveals that developmental differences strongly influence dominance roles in twin relationships, with typically developing twins perceived as dominant over their nontypically developing siblings. This dominance imbalance…
Genetic Mechanism Links Emotional Experiences to Behavior Changes
Summary: Researchers have identified a genetic mechanism that regulates behavioral adaptations to emotional experiences by forming R-loops, unique RNA:DNA structures that activate target genes. The study focused on NPAS4, a…
Roadmap for the incoming Trump administration: Friend or foe of US agriculture?
President-elect Trump has promised his second administration will move aggressively to deliver relief from regulatory burdens in a number of areas. Though not widely noted in the current media coverage,…
Are ultra-processed foods ‘addictive’? It depends
Although the problem has, at least lately, been pegged to ultra-processed foods, the siren song of cheap, convenient, ubiquitous food isn’t limited to those. Lots of foods that don’t meet…
The ‘tangled web’ of aging
Aging is far more complex than just an advancing clock. It’s a tangled web of molecular changes that don’t play by linear rules. Recent studies reveal that the risk of…
The hornet has landed: Scientists combat new honeybee killer in US
In early August 2023, a beekeeper near the port of Savannah, Georgia, noticed some odd activity around his hives. Something was hunting his honeybees. It was a flying insect bigger…
New Appetite Regulating Neurons Discovered
Summary: Researchers have identified a previously unknown population of neurons in the hypothalamus that play a critical role in regulating appetite. These neurons express both leptin receptors and the BNC2…
