SciGlow | All Science News In One Place
SciGlow is a newsletter of science stories from the major research labs. Headlines link to in-depth articles and editorials. SciGlow keeps scientists and others up-to-date on current research.
Viruses get a bad rap as potential cancer-causers, but at least one class of viruses that commonly live on human skin – so-called “low-risk” human papillomaviruses – appear to play an unwitting role in protecting us against skin cancer according to a new study published in Nature. Patients who have immune systems that are suppressed from … Read more
Inspired by a sticky substance that spiders use to catch their prey, MIT engineers have designed a double-sided tape that can rapidly seal tissues together. In tests in rats and pig tissues, the researchers showed that their new tape can tightly bind tissues such as the lungs and intestines within just five seconds. They hope … Read more
Movement is a part of daily life that most people rarely spend time contemplating, but changes in such movements can portend disease and decline. Watch-like devices known as actimetry sensors, which can be worn on the wrist or ankle, allow researchers to collect information about a subject’s motor activity. In a study led by investigators … Read more
The human brain can recognise a familiar song within 100 to 300 milliseconds, highlighting the deep hold favourite tunes have on our memory, a UCL study finds. Anecdotally the ability to recall popular songs is exemplified in game shows such as ‘Name That Tune’, where contestants can often identify a piece of music in just … Read more
People with mental disorders have a life expectancy up to a decade shorter than the general population, University of Queensland researchers discovered in a joint international study. Professor John McGrath from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute and Dr Oleguer Plana-Ripoll from Denmark’s Aarhus University led the study, which found that on average mental disorders shortened life … Read more
Tau can quickly spread between neurons but is not immediately harmful, according to research in mouse neurons published in JNeurosci. Intervening during the initial accumulation of tau could potentially halt the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. A hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease is the accumulation of tau protein in neurons, which leads to their death. A diseased version … Read more
Working with model mice, post-mortem human brains, and people with schizophrenia, researchers at the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Japan have discovered that a subtype of schizophrenia is related to abnormally high levels hydrogen sulfide in the brain. Experiments showed that this abnormality likely results from a DNA-modifying reaction during development that lasts throughout … Read more
A new blood test will enable health workers to identify tuberculosis in adults in remote locations in less than an hour. The University of Queensland’s Emeritus Professor Ian Riley worked with other researchers in Tanzania, India, Mexico and the Philippines on the new test procedure. “Tuberculosis (TB) has been difficult to control because its symptoms … Read more
Could drones be used someday to deliver life-saving medications or interventions in the case of a child’s emergency, a drug overdose or in response to a mass casualty scene? According to new research presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2019 National Conference & Exhibition, it’s an idea worth exploring. Researchers found that drones – … Read more
A new study, led by researchers at the University of Chicago, provides an answer to why cancer cells consume and use nutrients differently than their healthy counterparts and how that difference contributes to their survival and growth. All cells need to generate energy to keep living, but cancer cells have an increased demand for energy … Read more