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New pain-relief opioid could be much less addictive than morphine, rodent study findsA new and potentially safer opioid has been tested in lab rats, and the results suggest it relieves pain with a lower risk of addiction than other drugs in its class.
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A gut microbe linked to the Mediterranean diet boosts muscle strength in miceResearchers are exploring the prospect of using gut bacteria to boost muscle strength, after zeroing in on a microbe that does this in mice
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Microplastics that accumulate in the body may 'clog up' immune cellsMicroplastics that break off polystyrene food containers might prevent immune cells from fighting infections and clearing away dead cells, as well as reducing sperm counts, a mouse study hints.
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In people with epilepsy, sleeping after a seizure may trigger more seizuresEpileptic seizures alter sleep by prolonging the stage that's central to memory formation, potentially predisposing the brain to "remember" how to trigger subsequent seizures more easily, a small human study suggests.
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A doctor discovered the gene mutation behind his family's mysterious missing-teeth conditionA doctor who had a genetic condition that prevents teeth from forming searched for the DNA mutation that had affected his family for over 150 years.
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Only certain types of brain-training exercises reduce dementia risk, large trial revealsA large, 20-year trial showed that speedy cognitive exercises could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia. The question is, could these tasks be adapted into video games?
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Liquid-nitrogen-infused cocktail popped a man's stomach like a balloonLiquid nitrogen can be used safely in food preparation — but one man's stomach burst after he threw back a cocktail that had been cooled with the substance.
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A man's bladder looked like a Christmas treeIn an unusual case, a man's bladder swelled dramatically at its base, taking the shape of a Christmas tree.
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Insomnia and anxiety come with a weaker immune system — a new study starts to unravel whyPeople with anxiety or insomnia tend to have weaker immunity. The decline of a key immune cell may be a culprit.
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Tiny 'brains' grown in the lab could become conscious and feel pain — and we're not readyLab-grown brain tissue is too simple to experience consciousness, but as innovation progresses, neuroscientists question whether it's time to revisit the ethics of this line of research.
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Mysterious migraines after heart surgery may finally be explainedShort-lived lesions sometimes appear in the brain following heart surgery — and now, a new trial hints that they might be linked to migraines and visual auras. More work is needed to know if they signal more serious risks, like stroke.
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Weird lump in woman's hip was sponge left behind during C-sectionA woman had a swollen and painful hip for years following an emergency cesarean section. When doctors finally took a look, they found something surprising.
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New blood test detects cancers 3 years before typical diagnosis, study hintsFree-floating DNA carrying cancerous mutations was detected in blood three years before any other signs of cancer appeared. If approved as a test, doctors might detect cancers sooner and treat them before they spread.
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Immune system genes are linked to bigger brains and longer lifespans in mammalsThe genomes of long-living, big-brained mammal species reveal that they carry more copies of immunity genes. Experts speculate that these genes may affect longevity.
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Largest-ever brain 'connectome' built by having a mouse watch 'The Matrix' and 'Star Wars'Using advanced microscopes that capture brain cell anatomy and activity, a portion of a mouse's brain was mapped and rendered into a 3D atlas that creates new possibilities for neuroscience.
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Diagnostic dilemma: A scientist caught plague from bacteria thought to be 'noninfectious'A scientist who was working on plague-causing bacteria caught the disease despite using weakened strains that were deemed noninfectious.
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Brain aging accelerates dramatically around age 44 — could ketone supplements help?A study of thousands of people finds that neural connections in the brain start to break down quickly around age 44, but the research hints that ketone supplements could potentially help slow that brain aging.
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We may finally understand how metformin lowers blood sugar, animal study findsThe common diabetes drug metformin works partly by excreting sugar from the bloodstream into the intestines, where gut bacteria then convert it into chemicals that improve the insulin response.
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How many more calories does muscle burn than fat?There's an idea that larger muscles burn a lot more energy while at rest. But is that true?
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H5N1 bird flu is evolving to better infect mammals, CDC study suggestsRising H5N1 bird flu cases in the U.S. prompted the CDC to study the virus in ferrets, revealing it may have the potential to spread and cause severe symptoms in other mammals.
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Bird flu could become deadlier if it mixes with seasonal flu viruses, experts warnAs of now, 17 states have reported H5N1 bird flu cases in humans, but there is still no evidence for transmission between people. Could that change?
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Source of person's recent bird flu case remains a mystery — and experts say that's concerningThe latest human case of bird flu in the U.S. occurred in a patient with no reported exposure to affected animals, sparking questions over whether the virus is spreading between people. Experts say that's unlikely but argue the case raises other concerns.
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Human aging accelerates dramatically at age 44 and 60A small study suggests that people in their 40s and 60s undergo sizable physiological changes that may be connected to age-related illnesses.
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Will Olympic athletes ever stop breaking records?Physically, athletes might reach a point where they can no longer beat sports records — however, innovative techniques and sportswear breakthroughs could potentially help athletes perform better in the future.
