Futurity

The biological benefits of nature are not the same for all populations, according to a new study. Being around trees is proven to enhance health, from lowering stress to increasing longevity. “The prevailing thought among urban planners and health professionals has been that if we plant trees, everyone’s health will get better,” says Amber Pearson, professor in the public health department in the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. “Our study found that t

A newly discovered type of liver cell may hold clues for treating severe liver disease, according to a recent study. The findings in the Journal of Clinical Investigation reveal a signaling pathway that can protect against metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH. This more severe form of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatitis liver disease, or MASLD, affects 5% to 10% of the US adult population and leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer. The liver is composed of more than a do

Being overweight may lead to accelerated cognitive decline, according to new research. Cognitive decline is a normal process. As people age, it often becomes harder to remember things and think as clearly as when they were younger. In otherwise healthy adults, these changes are gradual and subtle. The new study found higher body mass index over time led to more rapid declines in cognitive functions, memory, and executive functioning than what is typically seen in aging adults. That includes thin

New research shows that existing flu shots may offer protection against bird flu. As potentially deadly avian influenza (H5N1) continues its global spread, moving from birds into mammals and in rare cases into humans, scientists are confronting a difficult reality. If a human pandemic emerges, vaccines designed specifically to protect people against H5N1 may not be ready in time. New international research led by National Taiwan University, in collaboration with University of South Florida Healt

New research may clarify why pancreatic cancer is so difficult to treat. Pancreatic cancer can remain quiet for years, developing undetected before causing symptoms that lead to a diagnosis. Even after a surgeon removes a pancreas tumor, other cells often hide and erupt later. But University of Rochester Medicine researchers made an important laboratory discovery about why and how this happens—with the goal of targeting pancreas cancer with newer immunotherapy drugs. The journal Developmental Ce

Rising oil and gasoline prices have been the center of attention since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. But that immediate effect tells only part of the story. Because oil and gas underpin production, transportation, and logistics, higher energy costs will gradually move through supply chains—meaning the most significant economic consequences may not appear for months. “The effects move slowly and appear in places people do not connect to energy,” says Tibor Besedes, professor in

A new study finds that while both light and vigorous activity can reduce sleep disturbances, high-intensity workouts provide the greatest benefit. Staying active is known to improve sleep, but the research findings are mixed regarding the best workout. Some studies say light walking or stretching is best, others prefer moderate-intensity workouts like jogging—and some even find that vigorous exercise such as swimming makes sleep worse. Resolving this discrepancy is important because good sleep i

People living in areas with fewer resources are less likely to receive cancer screenings from federal clinics, according to a recent study. About one in 11 Americans receive health care from Federally Qualified Health Centers, also known as FQHCs. These clinics provide medical treatment and preventive services to people in low-income areas. They also connect patients with resources to help with housing, food and transportation needs. The researchers found wide gaps in cancer screening rates betw

Researchers have discovered the fossil of a new hamster-sized mammal that lived alongside dinosaurs on the Pacific Coast. Mammals and dinosaurs coexisted on Earth until a catastrophic event 66 million years ago killed 75% of life on the planet. Despite the devastation, some animals survived, including rodent-like mammals in the Cimolodon genus. These creatures are part of the multituberculates, a group that arose during the Jurassic Period and survived over 100 million years before going extinct

In a new podcast episode, a Nobel laureate examines the future of Federal Reserve leadership and independence—and how to address future financial crises. From setting interest rates to keeping inflation in check, the Federal Reserve sits at the center of some of the most important economic decisions shaping our daily lives. As the Fed prepares for new leadership, as Kevin Warsh prepares to follow the tenure of Jerome Powell, many are wondering: What’s next for the Fed, especially when it c

A new study finds goldfish released into the wild can trigger rapid ecological collapse in lakes, threatening native species throughout the food web. Goldfish are a familiar fixture in homes, classrooms, and backyard ponds around the world. But when they are released into lakes and ponds, they can quickly turn healthy freshwater ecosystems into environments that struggle to support native life, new research shows. The study, led by researchers at the University of Missouri and the University of

Scientists have discovered a hidden brain circuit that helps explain how we learn from experience. The finding in Nature solves a long-standing mystery about the cerebellum, a small region at the back of the brain essential for learning and refining movements from walking and reaching to playing a musical instrument. Neuroscientists from Duke and Harvard Medical School collaborated on the study that could also offer new clues to what goes awry in neurological conditions that impair learning and

A new study provides evidence that industrialized lifestyles are changing how people regulate estrogen and other hormones through the gut microbiome—the ecosystem of microbes inside the digestive system. The gut microbiome­ has an important role in regulating estrogen, a hormone that affects many aspects of human health, including fertility, growth and development, and susceptibility to hormone-related conditions, such as breast and ovarian cancer. According to the new study, the gut microbiomes

New evidence challenges the assumption that speech motor learning and the memory of newly learned speech movements are primarily driven by motor regions of the brain Learning a new language or relearning speech after a stroke requires coordinated movements that are controlled by networks in the brain. This includes the orofacial sensory system (input such as touch and position from the lips, tongue, jaw, and face) and the motor system (commands that move the muscles in the correct way at the cor

New research identifies a key biological pathway that could explain how coffee helps protect against aging and chronic disease. For decades, research has linked coffee consumption to longer life and lower risk of chronic disease—but exactly how those benefits occur has remained unclear. Now, new research from the Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) suggests that compounds in coffee may work, in part, by activating a receptor in the body

Artificial intelligence tools can analyze routine electronic health records to accurately estimate a child’s risk of developing ADHD years before a typical diagnosis, researchers report. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects millions of children, yet many go years without a diagnosis, missing the chance for early support that can change long-term outcomes even when early signs are present. According to the new study, by reviewing patterns in everyday medical data, the app

Researchers have created small metal tags that can signal when a door or drawer is opened, count reps in the gym, or even track bathroom use for elderly relatives. Most smart home devices require power one way or another. You have to plug them in, recharge them, or replace their batteries at some point. Georgia Tech researchers think they have a better way. Their new tags are battery-free, quiet, inherently private, and cost only a few cents each. They’re smaller than a penny. Like other k

A new fiber probe delivers two major innovations in health monitoring to help both patients around the world and the clinicians who care for them. The probe can track three key biomarkers simultaneously, enabling faster, minimally invasive patient monitoring. All that in a tiny package–the probe is the smallest of its kind with a diameter of only 1.1 millimeters. “Real-time monitoring of biomarkers like glucose, lactate, and ethanol is essential for understanding metabolic health and guidi

People who suffer from chronic itching in the form of atopic dermatitis are seven times more likely to develop a major depressive disorder. This link is well-established, but the “why” remains elusive. Are the depressive symptoms simply due to inflammation, sleep disruption, and the psychological distress of living with chronic illness? Or is it possible that atopic dermatitis (AD) could be somehow changing the brain itself? In a new opinion piece, Santosh Mishra, associate professor

High in the forests of Hawai’i, songbirds are stealing twigs and moss from one another’s nests. UC Riverside researchers found this quiet canopy crime is surprisingly common and could threaten species already struggling to survive. A new study led by Erin Wilson Rankin, a UCR entomologist, offers a detailed look into nest-material theft among Hawaiian forest birds, a behavior known as kleptoparasitism. While scientists have long noted such theft anecdotally, this is the first time it