For The Better

A study shows new steps toward more patients getting gene therapy.

A scientific journey decades in the making has found a new antibiotic strategy to defeat gram-negative bacteria like Salmonella, Pseudomonas and E. coli, the culprits in many urinary tract infections. The synthetic molecule works fast and is durable. I…

People who take acid reflux medications called proton pump inhibitors for four-and-a-half years or more may have a higher risk of dementia compared to people who do not take these medications, according to new research. This study does not prove that a…

Promising preclinical results show hematopoietic stem cell therapy was effective in rescuing memory loss, neuroinflammation and beta amyloid build-up in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.

New observations of mud cracks made by the Curiosity Rover show that high-frequency, wet-dry cycling occurred in early Martian surface environments, indicating that the red planet may have once seen seasonal weather patterns or even flash floods.

Scientists have developed a novel way to model whether the populations of more than 500 bird species are increasing or decreasing. The method solves a nagging statistical problem by accounting for year-to-year changes in the behavior of people collecti…

In Parkinson’s disease, growing evidence targets neuroinflammation as essential for brain pathogenesis. But which group of immune cells that reside in the brain direct this inflammatory response? Scientists used a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease to …

What do superheroes Deadpool and Elastigirl have in common? Each was used in a college anatomy class to add relevance to course discussions — Deadpool to illustrate tissue repair and Elastigirl, aka Mrs. Incredible, as an example of hyperflexibility. …

Gray whales that spend their summers feeding off the coast of Oregon are shorter than their counterparts who travel north to the Arctic for food, new research shows.

In a small, exploratory study, levels of certain types of microbes in babies’ guts were shown to be associated with performance in tests of early cognitive development.

Fossilized feces preserve evidence of ancient parasites that infected an aquatic predator over 200 million years ago, according to a new study.

New research suggests that the US municipal bond market systemically misprices risk, as the pricing of municipal debt does not account for local physical climate risk, but does demand larger credit spreads from communities with a larger proportion of B…

While engaging in cell division research, researchers made a surprisingly quiet discovery. When cells express RNA, there is always some fluctuation, or noise, in how much RNA is produced. The scientists found several genes whose noise dips below a prev…

Pesticides are a leading source of chemical hazards in aquatic environments. Researchers have introduced a new tool to help evaluate toxicity at high resolution and suggests that targeting a small number of pesticides in a few watersheds could signific…

A study of 12 species of highly migratory fish predators — including sharks, tuna, and billfish such as marlin and swordfish — finds that most of them will encounter widespread losses of suitable habitat and redistribution from current habitats in th…

Neuroscientists find that key neurons in the front of the brain act as ‘traffic control’ to manage our attention to visual stimuli, and help us focus despite distractions.

Whether it’s work or play that prevents us from getting enough shut-eye during the week, assuming we can make up for it by sleeping in over the weekend is a mistake. New research led by Penn State reveals that cardiovascular health measures, including …

With an innovative approach, scientists are creating new standards for data security in the cache of electronic devices.