The misfolded proteins responsible for a fatal neurological illness in deer have a twist. The first detailed structure of an infectious prion that causes chronic wasting disease, or CWD, reveals…
Category: Life
GM crops have greatly enhanced environmental sustainability. As climate change roils farming, we’ll need even more biotech innovation
[dropcapW[/dropcap]hen genetically modified (GM) crops were initially commercialized in the mid to late 1990s, many critics of the new technology predicted the benefits would be minimal and short-lived. These critics…
Astrocytes Play Role in Deciding the Fate of Memories
Summary: Researchers have uncovered a surprising role for astrocytes—cells surrounding neurons—in deciding which memories are kept or forgotten. By manipulating astrocytes in mice using optogenetics, scientists found that acidifying these…
Stable Bedtime Boosts Kids’ Behavior and Emotional Control
Summary: Children with regular bedtimes exhibit better emotional control and behavior than those with irregular sleep patterns. Researchers found that consistency in sleep times helps children handle stress and regulate…
AI Tool Reveals Long COVID May Affect 23% of People
Summary: A new AI tool identified long COVID in 22.8% of patients, a much higher rate than previously diagnosed. By analyzing extensive health records from nearly 300,000 patients, the algorithm…
Childhood Stress Disrupts Attention, Sleep, and Dopamine Balance in Adults
Summary: New research links childhood adversity with later attention deficits, sleep disruptions, and specific dopamine imbalances in the brain. Focusing on critical developmental windows, scientists found that disrupted care early…
Switzerland edges towards embracing gene edited foods
[After a 20-year moratorium on genetically modified crops], the Swiss parliament asked the government to prepare a draft act for consultation [to introduce] a risk-based approval system for plants and…
Brain Struggle with Conflicting Information in Schizophrenia
Summary: Researchers have developed a potential diagnostic tool for schizophrenia by observing how patients process conflicting information. By analyzing neural activity between the cortex and thalamus, they found distinct patterns…
Bees flying near cars are dying by the millions, a roadkill study suggests
Tens of millions of bees are likely being killed each day by vehicles — and that’s just in the western United States, a new study finds. The paper, published online…
