For The Better

New research found that in utero exposure to certain flame retardant chemicals may be a risk factor for developing anxiety symptoms in early adolescence.

Children with a severe form of epilepsy should be vaccinated against the flu due to the high risk of seizures being triggered by an influenza infection, according to a new study.

While it’s anatomically impossible for a human to swallow their tongue, a new study shows that cane toads (Rhinella marina) achieve this feat each time they eat. Cane toads swallow prey using a complex pulley system of cartilage and muscle that travels…

Water — which makes up the majority of every cell in the body — plays a key role in how proteins, including those associated with Parkinson’s disease, fold, misfold, or clump together, according to a new study.

Scientists have made bone marrow ‘organoids’ that capture the key features of human bone marrow.

Unlike humans, turtles, lizards and other reptiles — such as crocodiles — do not have sex chromosomes. Their sex is determined based on the environment, which makes them especially vulnerable to climate change. An increase in incubation temperatures …

Financial stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic took a distinct toll on adolescent mental health and contributed to depressive symptoms, according to new research. The study found the effect was most pronounced in low-income adolescents but also affected…

Researchers found disparities in the completion of follow-up concussion care, particularly among pediatric patients who are publicly insured and identify as Black, suggesting barriers to care exist.

An explanation for why flow batteries using the metal cerium in a sulfuric acid electrolyte fall short on voltage could pave the way for better battery chemistry.

Researchers have created a ring-shaped soft robot capable of crawling across surfaces when exposed to elevated temperatures or infrared light. The researchers have demonstrated that these ‘ringbots’ are capable of pulling a small payload across the sur…

A new study finds that small molecules found in most humans’ breast milk may reduce the likelihood of infants developing allergic conditions like atopic dermatitis and food allergies.

Airway inflammation and emphysema are more common in marijuana smokers than cigarette smokers, according to a new study. Researchers said the difference may be due to the way that marijuana is smoked and the fact that marijuana smoke enters the lungs u…

Error-prone DNA replication and repair may lead to mutations and cancer in individuals who inherit a mutant copy of the BRCA1 gene, according to a new study. The discovery has potential implications for preventing the development of cancer in patients …

Inspired by living systems, researchers have developed a new material that changes its electrical behavior based on previous experience, effectively giving it a basic form of adaptive memory. Such adaptive materials could play a vital role in the next …

The defense mechanisms plants use to recognize and respond to a common pest — the caterpillar — has arisen from a single gene that evolved over millions of years, according to a new report.

An analysis of massive amounts of genetic data on the SARS-CoV-2 virus suggests that COVID-19 variants worldwide are repeatedly evolving the same mutations, according to a new study.

Some commercial earbuds can perform as well as hearing aids. The result could help a large proportion of people with hearing loss access more affordable sound amplification devices.

Leprosy is one of the world’s oldest and most persistent diseases but the bacteria that cause it may also have the surprising ability to grow and regenerate a vital organ. Scientists have discovered that parasites associated with leprosy can reprogram …

Researchers have identified 35 genes that are particularly highly expressed in people with long-term Lyme disease. These genes could potentially be used as biomarkers to diagnose patients with the condition, which is otherwise difficult to diagnose and…

Adolescents who underwent sleeve gastrectomy, a type of weight-loss surgery that involves removing part of the stomach, were less likely to go the emergency room or be admitted to the hospital in the five years after their operations than those who had…