Stanford researchers discovered that dialing down an overactive enzyme, LRRK2, can regrow lost cellular “antennae” in key brain cells, restoring vital dopamine communication and neuroprotective signals in a mouse model of genetic Parkinson’s. After three months on the LRRK2-blocking drug MLi-2, damaged circuits revived and early signs of neuronal recovery emerged, hinting that timely treatment …

Parkinson’s reversal? One drug brings dying brain cells back to life Read More »

Our brains may work best when teetering on the edge of chaos. A new theory suggests that criticality a sweet spot between order and randomness is the secret to learning, memory, and adaptability. When brains drift from this state, diseases like Alzheimer s can take hold. Detecting and restoring criticality could transform diagnosis and treatment. …

The brain’s sweet spot: How criticality could unlock learning, memory—and prevent Alzheimer’s Read More »

Small, 3D-printed devices, designed to be implanted directly under the skin, could allow people with type 1 diabetes to produce their own insulin ​Small, 3D-printed devices, designed to be implanted directly under the skin, could allow people with type 1 diabetes to produce their own insulin Small, 3D-printed devices, designed to be implanted directly under the …

3D printing could enable a long-term treatment for type 1 diabetes Read More »

The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in June to stop recommending certain kinds of flu vaccines, a notable shift in vaccine guidance ​The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in June to stop recommending certain kinds of flu vaccines, a notable shift in vaccine guidance The US Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted …

How vaccine recommendations have changed in the US Read More »

Scientists have found evidence of new brain cells sprouting in adults – a process that many thought only occurred in children ​Scientists have found evidence of new brain cells sprouting in adults – a process that many thought only occurred in children Scientists have found evidence of new brain cells sprouting in adults – a process …

Do we grow new brain cells as adults? The answer seems to be yes Read More »

While randomising a deck of cards gets more difficult as you add more cards, it turns out that the same isn’t true for the qubits of quantum computers, which may prove surprisingly useful ​While randomising a deck of cards gets more difficult as you add more cards, it turns out that the same isn’t true …

Quantum computers are surprisingly random – but that’s a good thing Read More »

Single-celled organisms called archaea aren’t generally thought to cause human disease, but one species has been implicated in colorectal cancer ​Single-celled organisms called archaea aren’t generally thought to cause human disease, but one species has been implicated in colorectal cancer Single-celled organisms called archaea aren’t generally thought to cause human disease, but one species has been …

Weird ‘harmless’ microbes may play a pivotal role in colorectal cancer Read More »

Americans spend a lot of time on their screens. The images on those screens are made of pixels — tiny dots that represent a single point of color. Scientists from Penn State, including NSF Graduate Research Fellow Nicholas Trainer, recently… ​Americans spend a lot of time on their screens. The images on those screens are …

NSF-funded researchers’ work on light contributes to nanodot breakthrough  Read More »

In a leap toward sustainable desalination, researchers have created a solar-powered sponge-like aerogel that turns seawater into drinkable water using just sunlight and a plastic cover. Unlike previous materials, this new 3D-printed aerogel maintains its efficiency at larger sizes, solving a key scalability issue. In outdoor tests, it produced clean water directly from the ocean …

This sun-powered sponge pulls drinking water straight from the ocean Read More »