Scientists discover brain circuit that can switch off chronic pain
Pain may be unpleasant, but in most cases it plays a vital, even lifesaving, role. Short bursts of pain act as warning signals that protect us from harm. When you…
Scientists stunned by wild Martian dust devils racing at hurricane speeds
Although Mars has an extremely thin atmosphere, it still experiences powerful winds that play a major role in shaping the planet’s climate and in distributing its ever-present dust. These winds…
A hidden “backup heater” that helps burn fat and boost metabolism
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have uncovered a new way that brown fat, a type of fat that burns energy, can boost the body’s metabolism.…
Scientists suggest the brain may work best with 7 senses, not just 5
Skoltech scientists have devised a mathematical model of memory. By analyzing its new model, the team came to surprising conclusions that could prove useful for robot design, artificial intelligence, and…
Scientists just proved the moai could walk, solving a 500-year mystery
For years, researchers have puzzled over how the ancient people of Rapa Nui did the seemingly impossible and moved their iconic moai statues. Using a combination of physics, 3D modeling…
Hubble captures a galaxy that glows in blue and gold
Stars of all ages are on display in this new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope Picture of the Week. This sparkling spiral galaxy is called NGC 6000 and it is located…
Bacteria hidden inside tumors could help beat cancer
An international team of scientists led by researchers at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS), Imperial College London and the University of Cologne have discovered that microbes associated with…
A psychedelic surprise: DMT helps the brain heal after stroke
DMT, or dimethyltryptamine is a natural psychoactive molecule found in many plants and mammals. According to an article published in Science Advances, researchers from the HUN-REN BRC Institute of Biophysics…
You don’t have to lose weight to lower your diabetes risk, scientists say
Until now, weight reduction has been the primary therapeutic goal for people with prediabetes. An analysis of a large Tübingen study shows that patients who bring their blood sugar levels…
New research reveals what’s really hiding in bottled water
The sun-drenched paradise of Thailand’s Phi Phi islands isn’t the usual starting point for a PhD. But for Sarah Sajedi, those soft, sandy beaches – or rather, what she found…