Summary: A new study has identified the TRPC5 gene as a cause of obesity, behavioral issues, and postnatal depression. Researchers found that missing or impaired TRPC5 genes disrupt oxytocin neurons,…
Category: Genetics
Viewpoint: Darwin’s ‘Descent of Man’ is both deeply disturbing and more relevant than ever
Charles Darwin’s Descent of Man is full of unexpected delights — such as the trio of hard drinking, chain-smoking koalas that appear within its first few pages to illustrate our…
What are the prospects of developing a COVID vaccine against all strains and future pandemics?
The arrival of the next pandemic is a matter of when, not if. In order to be prepared for it, we will need government-funded basic science in universities and the…
1 in 5 people have seasonal allergies — up from just 1% at the beginning of the 20th century. What’s the cause?
For around 20 per cent of us, nature’s annual awakening comes with side effects: Runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes. Some are so troubled by pollen allergies that they have…
Horses may have been domesticated twice. Only one attempt stuck
Horse power may have revved up about four millennia ago. Horses were domesticated at least twice, researchers report June 6 in Nature. Genetic data suggest Botai hunter-gatherers in Central Asia…
Learning and Memory Formation’s Molecular Basis
Summary: Researchers developed a new platform to explore dendritic translation’s role in memory formation and its implications for intellectual disorders. By employing a novel method named TurboID, researchers uncovered a…
Powering Brain Repair: Mitochondria Key to Neurogenesis
Summary: Researchers made a groundbreaking discovery about the maturation process of adult-born neurons in the brain, highlighting the critical role of mitochondrial fusion in these cells. Their study shows that…
