- newA surprising brain cleanup reduced epileptic seizures and restored memory
A new study suggests temporal lobe epilepsy may be linked to early aging of certain brain cells. When researchers removed these aging cells in mice, seizures dropped, memory improved, and some animals avoided epilepsy altogether. The treatment used drugs already known to science, raising the possibility of quicker translation to people. The results offer new hope for patients who do not respond to existing medications.
- 3 hours ago 26 Dec 25, 10:25am -
- newThis popular painkiller may do more harm than good
Tramadol, a popular opioid often seen as a “safer” painkiller, may not live up to its reputation. A large analysis of clinical trials found that while it does reduce chronic pain, the relief is modest—so small that many patients likely wouldn’t notice much real-world benefit. At the same time, tramadol was linked to a significantly higher risk of serious side effects, especially heart-related problems like chest pain and heart failure, along with common issues such as nausea, dizziness,…
- 15 hours ago 25 Dec 25, 10:22pm -
- newScientists found a way to restore brain blood flow in dementia
A new study suggests that dementia may be driven in part by faulty blood flow in the brain. Researchers found that losing a key lipid causes blood vessels to become overactive, disrupting circulation and starving brain tissue. When the missing molecule was restored, normal blood flow returned. This discovery opens the door to new treatments aimed at fixing vascular problems in dementia.
- 24 hours ago 25 Dec 25, 2:12pm -
- Scientists reverse Alzheimer’s in mice and restore memory
Alzheimer’s has long been considered irreversible, but new research challenges that assumption. Scientists discovered that severe drops in the brain’s energy supply help drive the disease—and restoring that balance can reverse damage, even in advanced cases. In mouse models, treatment repaired brain pathology, restored cognitive function, and normalized Alzheimer’s biomarkers. The results offer fresh hope that recovery may be possible.
- 2 days ago 24 Dec 25, 8:44pm -
- Why consciousness can’t be reduced to code
The familiar fight between “mind as software” and “mind as biology” may be a false choice. This work proposes biological computationalism: the idea that brains compute, but not in the abstract, symbol-shuffling way we usually imagine. Instead, computation is inseparable from the brain’s physical structure, energy constraints, and continuous dynamics. That reframes consciousness as something that emerges from a special kind of computing matter, not from running the right program.
- 2 days ago 24 Dec 25, 7:42pm -
- This tiny peptide could help stop brain damage after injury
A four–amino acid peptide called CAQK has shown powerful brain-protective effects in animal models of traumatic brain injury. Delivered through a standard IV, it zeroes in on injured brain tissue, calming inflammation and reducing cell death while improving recovery. The peptide worked in both mice and pigs, whose brains are closer to humans in structure. Researchers are now preparing to move toward early human clinical trials.
- 2 days ago 24 Dec 25, 11:13am -
- These nanoparticles kill cancer cells while sparing healthy ones
Researchers have created tiny metal-based particles that push cancer cells over the edge while leaving healthy cells mostly unharmed. The particles work by increasing internal stress in cancer cells until they trigger their own shutdown process. In lab tests, they killed cancer cells far more effectively than healthy ones. The technology is still early-stage, but it opens the door to more precise and gentler cancer treatments.
- 2 days ago 24 Dec 25, 10:40am -
- Your roommate’s genes may be shaping your gut bacteria
Scientists studying thousands of rats discovered that gut bacteria are shaped by both personal genetics and the genetics of social partners. Some genes promote certain microbes that can spread between individuals living together. When researchers accounted for this social sharing, genetic influence on the microbiome turned out to be much stronger than previously thought. The study suggests genes can affect others indirectly, without DNA ever being exchanged.
- 2 days ago 24 Dec 25, 10:01am -
- MIT scientists strip cancer of its sugar shield
Scientists at MIT and Stanford have unveiled a promising new way to help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively. Their strategy targets a hidden “off switch” that tumors use to stay invisible to immune defenses—special sugar molecules on the cancer cell surface that suppress immune activity. Early tests show it can supercharge immune responses and outperform current antibody therapies.
- 3 days ago 23 Dec 25, 7:24pm -
- Scientists find a weak spot in deadly fungus that shut down hospital intensive care units
A deadly hospital fungus that resists nearly every antifungal drug may have an unexpected weakness. Researchers discovered that Candida auris activates specific genes during infection to hunt for nutrients it needs to survive. This insight came from a new living-host model that allowed scientists to watch the fungus in action. The findings could eventually lead to new treatments or allow current drugs to be repurposed.
- 3 days ago 23 Dec 25, 6:30pm -
- This ultra-sensitive imaging system can spot cancer earlier
A new imaging technology can distinguish cancerous tissue from healthy cells by detecting ultra-weak light signals. It relies on nanoparticles that bind to tumor markers, making cancerous areas easier to identify. The system is far more sensitive than existing tools and could speed up cancer screening. Scientists believe it may help detect tumors earlier and reduce delays in diagnosis.
- 3 days ago 23 Dec 25, 5:33pm -
- Hidden brain maps that make empathy feel physical
When we watch someone move, get injured, or express emotion, our brain doesn’t just see it—it partially feels it. Researchers found eight body-like maps in the visual cortex that organize what we see in the same way the brain organizes touch. These maps help us instantly understand actions, emotions, and intentions in others. The discovery sheds light on human empathy and opens doors for new brain-based therapies and AI systems that better understand the body.
- 3 days ago 23 Dec 25, 1:29pm -
- Are they really listening? Watch their blinks
Your eyes may reveal when your brain is working overtime. Researchers found that people blink less when trying to understand speech in noisy environments, especially during the most important moments. The effect stayed the same in bright or dark rooms, showing it’s driven by mental effort, not light. Blinking, it turns out, is a quiet marker of focused listening.
- 3 days ago 23 Dec 25, 11:45am -
- This cancer-fighting molecule took 50 years to build
MIT scientists have achieved the first-ever lab synthesis of verticillin A, a complex fungal compound discovered in 1970. Its delicate structure stalled chemists for decades, despite differing from related molecules by only two atoms. With the synthesis finally complete, researchers created new variants that showed strong activity against a rare pediatric brain cancer. The breakthrough could unlock an entire class of previously unreachable cancer-fighting molecules.
- 4 days ago 22 Dec 25, 9:06pm -
- A new drug could stop Alzheimer’s before memory loss begins
New research suggests Alzheimer’s may start far earlier than previously thought, driven by a hidden toxic protein in the brain. Scientists found that an experimental drug, NU-9, blocks this early damage in mice and reduces inflammation linked to disease progression. The treatment was given before symptoms appeared, targeting the disease at its earliest stage. Researchers say this approach could reshape how Alzheimer’s is prevented and treated.
- 4 days ago 22 Dec 25, 6:41pm -