Science and discoveries
Fascinating facts, innovations, and the latest discoveries in simple language.
SickKids scientists discover brain signal for lapses in attention and a way to restore focus in children
A team at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto has identified a brain "signature" that predicts lapses in attention milliseconds before they occur and showed that precisely targeted stimulation at that moment can restore focus – a potential breakthrough for ADHD and pediatric neuroscience.
Blood analysis can predict dementia risk years before the first symptoms
A British study shows that "biological aging clocks" in the blood can predict the risk of dementia and vascular dementia years in advance, especially in people with a high genetic risk.
Genetic material extracted from Homo erectus for the first time reveals a connection to Denisovans
Scientists analyzed 400,000-year-old Homo erectus teeth from China, extracted protein markers from the enamel, and discovered evidence of interbreeding with Denisovans, whose genetic variants reach modern humans.
Blood test maps tumor microenvironment and predicts immunotherapy response
Stanford and Mayo Clinic scientists have created the first non-invasive blood test that "sees" the tumor's cellular microenvironment and predicts response to immunotherapy better than existing biomarkers.
4basebio launches new ssDNA platform for genome editing
Cambridge-based 4basebio is launching an enzymatic single-stranded DNA platform that promises to overcome key manufacturing and functional limitations for CRISPR and nucleic acid-based therapies.
Seoul scientists create CRISPR "emergency key" that stops bacteria without cutting DNA
A team from Seoul National University has developed a new CRISPR-based "biocontrol switch" that irreversibly shuts down GMO bacteria through base editing without damaging the DNA helix.
Chinese scientists created a "predatory" material that itself pursues uranium in water
An international team in China has developed light-powered MOF micromotors that swim on their own, capture uranium ions and convert them into a stable mineralized form. The technology could change the extraction of nuclear fuel from seawater and the cleaning of radioactive contamination, but is still in its early stages.
Microplastic in the human brain: new research finds particles in almost all living tissues
New research shows that microplastic is present in almost every sample of living brain tissue studied in humans, including healthy donors. The results reinforce concerns about a potential link between plastic pollution and neurodegenerative diseases, but scientists remain cautious about causal conclusions.
Mice recognize odors in 50 milliseconds: a new discovery overturns the science of smell
A new study by NYU Langone Health shows that mice distinguish odors within the first 50 milliseconds after inhaling and that complex processing of olfactory signals occurs directly in the olfactory bulb, not in the cerebral cortex, as previously thought.
MIT reveals molecules through which gut neurons "sniff out" bacteria
MIT scientists identify which molecules help gut neurons distinguish between beneficial and dangerous bacteria, revealing a mechanism for the influence of the microbiome on the brain and behavior.
Nobel laureate in physics: humanity has a "35-year half-life period"
Physicist David Gross, a 2004 Nobel laureate, warns that humanity's chances of surviving another 50 years are very small and that due to the growing risk of nuclear war, we face a 35-year "half-life period".
Printed artificial neurons managed to activate living brain cells
Engineers from Northwestern University in the USA have created flexible, printed artificial neurons whose electrical impulses are realistic enough to trigger living brain cells - an important step for future neuroprostheses and extremely energy-efficient AI hardware.
Low oxygen triggers hidden limb regeneration programs in mice
A new study in "Science" shows that it's not genes, but how cells sense oxygen, that determines whether regeneration or scarring will occur after amputation - and that changing this oxygen "switch" could activate latent regenerative mechanisms in mice.
Genes may influence weight loss with GLP‑1 drugs, new study shows
A large study in "Nature" links variants in the GLP1R and GIPR genes to how many kilograms patients lose on semaglutide and tirzepatide and how often they experience nausea. The effect is moderate and does not change routine treatment for now, but it is a step towards more personalized obesity therapy.
The "SCORPIO" Model: How a Simple Blood Test Helps Predict the Success of Immunotherapy
The "SCORPIO" model, based solely on routine blood tests and basic clinical data, predicts survival and response to ICI immunotherapy with an accuracy of around 72–76% in various cohorts – better than FDA-approved tests such as TMB and PD-L1.