Anxiety disorders tied to low levels of an essential nutrient in the brain. “This is the first meta-analysis to show a chemical pattern in the brain in anxiety disorders,” said Jason Smucny, co-author and an assistant professor in the Department […]
We induced smells with ultrasound. Researchers targeted the scent-processing region of the brain using an ultrasound probe. “We pointed an ultrasound probe at the scent-processing region of the brain to obtain different sensations,” including “the smell of garbage, like few-day-old […]
Tiny robots swim through blood, deliver drugs – and then dissolve. “A remote-controlled robot the size of a grain of sand can swim through blood vessels to deliver drugs before dissolving into the body.” This technology may enable targeted drug […]
A deep-sea worm uses toxins as armor. In blazing hydrothermal vents, Paralvinella hessleri transforms lethal arsenic into armor. “Inside this deep-sea chemistry lab, the two poisons lock together into solid orpiment (As₂S₃) crystals, transforming them from lethal threats into inert, […]
A trigger for lupus confirmed. Researchers have pinpointed the Epstein-Barr virus as a direct cause of lupus. “For the first time, we have a clear biological explanation of how Epstein-Barr virus can lead to lupus,” says Dr. William Robinson of […]
Nanoparticle vaccine breakthrough. Researchers at MIT have developed a new lipid nanoparticle that “significantly enhances the potency of mRNA vaccines,” making them 100 times more effective in mice and reducing dosage requirements. This could make vaccines cheaper and reduce liver […]
New gel restores dental enamel. “We are very excited because the technology has been designed with the clinician and patient in mind. It is safe, can be easily and rapidly applied, and it is scalable.” This fluoride-free gel mimics natural […]
3D printing’s strength revolution. A new method uses 3D printed resin as a scaffolding to create materials with remarkable strength and complexity. “Our materials could withstand 20 times more pressure compared to those produced with previous methods, while exhibiting only […]
The magic of moiré quantum matter. Though this subject matter is dense and was frankly intimidating to me, this video by Pablo Jarillo-Herrero is a fantastic introduction to “strongly-correlated quantum matter [that] has challenged physicists for decades.” ~ learn more
Why synthetic blood is so challenging. “Developers of synthetic blood of either type will need to overcome economic and manufacturing challenges before they can scale for use in patients.” Despite promising research approaches, scaling up synthetic blood production remains a […]