For The Better

Spina bifida is the most common structural disorder of the human nervous system. The causes are largely unknown, but a new study points to a link involving a chromosomal microdeletion — and also underscores the value of folic acid as a preventive meas…

A tiny, flexible electronic device that wraps around the spinal cord could represent a new approach to the treatment of spinal injuries, which can cause profound disability and paralysis. A team of engineers, neuroscientists and surgeons developed the …

Researchers have shown that a breakthrough therapy for treating blood cancers can be adapted to treat solid tumors — an advance that could transform cancer treatment. The promising findings involve CAR-T cell therapy, which supercharges the immune sys…

Experts released a new clinical guideline for effectively managing individuals diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The guideline reiterates the importance of collaborative decision-making with patients who have HCM and provides updated re…

Episodes of heavy snowfall and rain likely contributed to a swarm of earthquakes over the past several years in northern Japan, researchers find. Their study shows climate conditions could initiate some earthquakes.

New research shows human activity is significantly altering the ways in which marine organisms are preserved, with lasting effects that can both improve and impair the fossil record.

Adolescents who view their households as more unstructured, disorganized, or hectic than their siblings develop more mental health and behavioral problems in early adulthood, according to new research.

New research suggests a ‘tailored vaccine’ might hold the key to treating bacteria-driven flares of eczema in children. The team has taken several leaps forward in understanding how the immune response works in cases of eczema driven by the common, tro…

Conversational agents (CAs) such as Alexa and Siri are designed to answer questions, offer suggestions — and even display empathy. However, new research finds they do poorly compared to humans when interpreting and exploring a user’s experience.

Local decision-makers looking for ways to reduce the impact of heat waves on their communities have a valuable new capability at their disposal: a new study on vegetation resilience. Scientists completed a study of how well vegetation survived extreme …

Pore pressure diffusion generated by carbon dioxide injected underground at a carbon storage site in the Illinois Basin is the likely cause of hundreds of microearthquakes that took place at the site between 2011 and 2012, according to a new analysis.