3D Brain model shows how the herpes virus can trigger Alzheimer’s disease Scientists injected the herpes-simplex virus type 1, the strain that causes cold sores, into brain tissue and found that it caused the brain to look and act like an Alzheimer’s brain. Injecting an antiviral drug was successful in reducing the spread and damage.

July 27, 2020 by Jocelyn Solis-Moreira Read More

Female eggs are picky and can reject a partner’s sperm Having trouble getting pregnant? Scientists have discovered a new reason behind unexplained infertility. After sex, female eggs send out chemical signals for sperm to approach or stay away. Researchers found that female eggs show no preference for their partner’s sperm compared to a random stranger.

June 29, 2020 by Jocelyn Solis-Moreira Read More

The little molecule that repairs your heart after a heart attack Recent experiments in mice have demonstrated how a molecule of circular RNA called circCDYL might be able to help a heart repair itself after a heart attack by acting like a molecular sponge.

June 25, 2020 by Justin Dingman Read More

Mood Swings From Birth Control: Is Oxytocin to Blame? Higher levels of oxytocin, a hormone associated with social behavior and emotional attachment, was detected in the blood of women taking birth control pills. This effect was also associated with higher life satisfaction.

June 19, 2020 by Jocelyn Solis-Moreira Read More

Muscles lost in our adult primate ancestors still appear in humans A review of previous anatomy studies found that some “ancient” muscles that are normally present in other primate species may be more common in humans than previously thought

June 15, 2020 by Eve K. Boyle Read More

Shocking the Brain—A Potential Treatment for Anorexia? Researchers stimulated the reward center of the brain in anorexic women for up to 2 years using an implant. Results showed weight gain in 12/28 women, along with improvements in their mental health

June 1, 2020 by Jocelyn Solis-Moreira Read More

Antibody testing for coronavirus: what does the science say? Antibody-based testing may be able to catch positive cases missed by PCR, but it is still not accurate enough to be used as a standalone test. For best results, it should be combined with PCR testing and doctors' observations.

May 18, 2020 by Tony Jia Read More

How genes taught us about the origin of novel coronavirus A group of scientists collected samples from some of the initially infected COVID-19 patients to show its similarities to other coronavirus infections in humans and animals, allowing them to track where it may have come from.

May 5, 2020 by Sonali Verma Read More

Long Space Flights Cause Fluid Build-up in the Brain On Earth, gravity moves the fluids in our body downward from our head to our feet. But, the lack of gravity in space can cause an increased fluid build-up in our head. Scientists have found that spending a long time in space expands the size and volume of fluid in the brain, leading to long-term health problems.

May 1, 2020 by Jocelyn Solis-Moreira Read More

Hey, pet owners, are you quarantining your cat or dog? Chinese researchers studied which animals are at risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus and if they can pass it on to others. They discovered that at high levels of exposure, cats and ferrets were more likely to become infected with the novel coronavirus. However, dogs showed no evidence of COVID-19 symptoms or viral carriers.

April 27, 2020 by Jocelyn Solis-Moreira Read More