War Impacts Child Development, Alters DNA

Summary: War exposure in Syrian refugee children triggered unique DNA methylation changes, marking genes involved in brain development and stress responses. These epigenetic changes suggest potential long-term effects on health…

How AI Could Shape Human Evolution in Subtle Yet Profound Ways

Summary: Artificial intelligence is becoming a pivotal force in human lives, prompting questions about its evolutionary effects. A new study explores how AI may influence human evolution through everyday interactions,…

How Hunter-Gatherer Kids Learn Lifelong Skills by Age Six

Summary: Hunter-gatherer children in the Congo Basin learn critical skills like hunting, gathering, and childcare by age six or seven, thanks to a unique social learning environment. Unlike Western societies,…

Robots Help Unlock the Mystery of Human Sense of Self

Summary: A new study explores how robots can model and test aspects of the human sense of self, offering new insights into this complex phenomenon. Robots can simulate processes like…

New Gene-Editing Tool Targets Mutations with Unmatched Precision

Summary: A breakthrough tool called Helicase-Assisted Continuous Editing (HACE) allows scientists to create precise genetic mutations in specific genes without affecting the rest of the genome. By combining helicase enzymes…

How Depression Alters Stress, Health, and Lifespan

Summary: Depression disrupts the body’s stress systems, causing physical health risks like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, and reducing life expectancy by 7-10 years. The condition triggers brain structure changes,…

Mapping Protein Changes Across Aging

Summary: Researchers have developed the Mouse Aging Proteomic Atlas, a comprehensive database detailing protein changes in major tissues as mice age. By analyzing proteomes and transcriptomes across tissues like the…

How Stressful Events Alter Memories

Summary: Researchers have discovered how stress disrupts memory specificity, leading to generalized aversive memories—a hallmark of PTSD. Stress increases endocannabinoid release, enlarging memory engrams in the brain, which triggers fearful…

How Decision-Making Improves with Age

Summary: Adolescents are known for making less optimal, noisy decisions, but a recent study reveals that these tendencies decrease with age and are linked to improvements in complex decision-making skills.…

Smart Social Media Use Reduces Teen Stress

Summary: How young people use social media impacts their mental health more than how much time they spend on it. Researchers found that reducing harmful comparisons and fostering meaningful connections…