An extract from a desert berry used in traditional Chinese medicine restored insulin function and stabilized metabolism in diabetic mice. The findings hint at a powerful natural alternative for holistic diabetes treatment.

Scientists have pinpointed a “Big Bang” moment in bowel cancer—when cells first evade the immune system. This early immune escape locks in how the cancer will behave as it grows. The discovery could help predict which patients respond to immunotherapy and lead to new vaccine strategies

Rockefeller scientists uncovered how hair follicle stem cells can switch from growing hair to repairing skin when nutrients run low. The key lies in serine, an amino acid that activates a stress signal telling cells to conserve energy. When both injury and low serine occur, stem cells fully pivot to skin repair. The discovery could lead to dietary or medical ways to boost healing.

Almost 20% of packaged foods and beverages in the US contain synthetic dyes, often paired with excessive sugar to attract children. These additives have been linked to behavioral issues, yet remain widespread among major brands like Mars and PepsiCo. Experts criticize the FDA for relying on voluntary reform, contrasting it with Europe’s stricter labeling laws. Growing state-level action offers hope for meaningful change.

Miniature antibodies from camels and llamas can slip into the brain more easily than conventional drugs, offering a new way to treat disorders like Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. Researchers say these “nanobodies” could reshape the future of brain medicine.

Scientists have discovered a surprising benefit of the acne drug doxycycline: it may lower the risk of schizophrenia. Teens prescribed the antibiotic were about one-third less likely to develop the condition as adults. The effect could stem from the drug’s ability to reduce brain inflammation. Researchers say the findings highlight an unexpected new direction in mental health prevention.

Researchers warn Antarctica is undergoing abrupt changes that could trigger global consequences. Melting ice, collapsing ice shelves, and disrupted ocean circulation threaten sea levels, ecosystems, and climate stability. Wildlife such as penguins and krill face growing extinction risks. Scientists stress that only rapid emission reductions can avert irreversible damage.

Researchers are exploring MXenes, 2D materials that could transform air into ammonia for cleaner fertilizers and fuels. Their atomic structures can be tuned to optimize performance, making them promising alternatives to expensive catalysts.

A newly identified disorder, MINA syndrome, results from a mutation in the NAMPT protein that deprives motor neurons of energy, leading to severe movement problems. The discovery not only deepens understanding of nerve cell metabolism but also points toward potential therapies.

Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide 25 mg achieved up to 16.6% weight loss in a landmark study, rivaling injectable Wegovy. The pill also improved cardiovascular risk factors and physical activity levels. With a safety profile consistent with existing treatments, experts see it as a breakthrough for patients preferring oral options.

A new theory claims dark matter and dark energy don’t exist — they’re just side effects of the universe’s changing forces. By rethinking gravity and cosmic timelines, it could rewrite our understanding of space and time itself.

A team of astrophysicists has unveiled how colossal stars thousands of times more massive than the Sun shaped the earliest star clusters and galaxies. These short-lived giants not only forged the strange chemical fingerprints found in ancient globular clusters but may also have been the seeds of the universe’s first black holes.

Evidence now suggests the universe’s expansion has started to slow, not speed up. The findings imply dark energy is weakening, marking a possible revolution in cosmology.

Astronomers have discovered that aging stars may be devouring their closest giant planets as they swell into red giants. Using NASA’s TESS telescope to study nearly half a million stars, scientists found far fewer close-orbiting planets around older, expanded stars—clear evidence that many have already been destroyed.

Weill Cornell researchers uncovered how free radicals from astrocyte mitochondria can fuel dementia. Using new compounds that target these radicals at their source, they slowed brain inflammation and neuronal damage in mice. The findings reveal a potential breakthrough for treating diseases like Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia by focusing on the precise mechanisms driving degeneration.

Researchers have created a bioinspired gel that can regenerate tooth enamel by mimicking natural growth processes. The fluoride-free material forms a mineral-rich layer that restores enamel’s strength and structure while preventing decay. It can even repair exposed dentine and reduce sensitivity. Early testing shows it performs like natural enamel, with potential for rapid clinical use.

Meditation is widely praised for its mental health benefits, but new research shows that it can also produce unexpected side effects for some people—from anxiety and dissociation to functional impairment. Psychologist Nicholas Van Dam and his team found that nearly 60% of meditators experienced some kind of effect, and about a third found them distressing.

USC researchers built artificial neurons that replicate real brain processes using ion-based diffusive memristors. These devices emulate how neurons use chemicals to transmit and process signals, offering massive energy and size advantages. The technology may enable brain-like, hardware-based learning systems. It could transform AI into something closer to natural intelligence.

Most U.S. adults don’t realize alcohol raises cancer risk, and drinkers themselves are the least aware. Scientists say targeting these misbeliefs could significantly reduce alcohol-related cancer deaths.

Virginia Tech researchers have shown that memory loss in aging may be reversible. Using CRISPR tools, they corrected molecular disruptions in the hippocampus and amygdala, restoring memory in older rats. Another experiment revived a silenced memory gene, IGF2, through targeted DNA methylation editing. These findings highlight that aging brains can regain function through precise molecular intervention.