For The Better

You can’t see it happening. But what goes on below ground in a forest is very important in determining its fate. In a study, scientists conclude that the sideways flow of water through soil can have an important impact on how riparian forests respond t…

Researchers uncovered that reducing levels of the protein tau, which is known for its role in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, changes excitatory and inhibitory cells in ways that make it harder for the brain to burst with ov…

Researchers have discovered a new way to jump-start the immune system to attack tumors, which could allow cancer immunotherapy to be used against more types of cancer.

Most animals sync their body clocks to the daily rhythm of the sun, but what happens during the polar winter when the sun never rises above the horizon? According to a new study, arctic krill can detect tiny changes in light intensity during polar wint…

Enzymes are biological catalysts that facilitate biochemical transformations. An international team of bioinformatics researchers has developed a new process for predicting Michaelis constants, which determine reaction kinetics.

An international team of researchers has broadened and deepened understanding of how inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) affect different populations of people and, in the process, have identified new gene variants that may cause the diseases.

A new study has added numerous previously uncharacterized viral genomes and genes to the ever-increasing worldwide pool of human gut viromes. The study will prove helpful in investigating the role of the gut virome in human health and disease.

When children are overtired, their facial expressions can forecast social problems years later, according to a new report published by a psychologist.

A new study shows that functional sperm cells can be made in a dish using primate embryonic stem cells.

Researchers have new insight into molecules that change their shape in response to light. The researchers studying azobenzene-based polymers found that their free volume — a measure of the space between polymer chains — was strongly linked with the p…

Researchers are applying a new technique to identify defects in silicon solar cells that cause a drop in efficiency. The lessons learned at the atomic level could lead to improvements in the way manufacturers strengthen their products against what is k…

Very young children learn words at a tremendous rate. Now researchers have seen how specific brain regions activate as two-year-olds remember newly learned words — while the children were sleeping.

Men who inherit an increased risk of cancer through ‘Lynch syndrome’ could benefit from regular PSA testing from age 40 to detect early signs of prostate cancer, researchers believe. Annual PSA tests were eight times more likely to spot cancer in men w…

Scientists describe the first-in-human demonstration of a pathway that uses the sugar glucose, a component of table sugar and high fructose corn syrup, to signal the presence of calories, in addition to the well-studied sweet-taste receptor in taste bu…

Researchers have made recommendations for clinicians and patients regarding supplemental screening for women with dense breast tissue.