198 articles from THURSDAY 14.10.2021

How highly processed foods harm memory in the aging brain

Four weeks on a diet of highly processed food led to a strong inflammatory response in the brains of aging rats that was accompanied by behavioral signs of memory loss, a new study has found. Researchers also found that supplementing the processed diet with the omega-3 fatty acid DHA prevented memory problems and reduced the inflammatory effects almost entirely in older rats.

Study could pave way for creating safer opioids

Researchers may have an uncovered new answers on how to create safer opioids. Design a new opioid to bypass the part of brain that feels pleasure, but retain the analgesic properties, which make opioids one of the most effective pain relievers. Researchers looked at how opioids may have become so widely abused.

Monitoring glucose levels, no needles required

Noninvasive glucose monitoring devices are not currently commercially available in the United States, so people with diabetes must collect blood samples or use sensors embedded under the skin to measure their blood sugar levels. Now, with a new wearable device less intrusive glucose monitoring could become the norm.

New theories and materials aid the transition to clean energy

Scientists have explored different approaches to catalysis, a chemical process that plays an essential role in biological reactions, as well as many industrial applications. Chemical catalysts have been used in a variety of human applications, ranging from pharmaceutical development to biodegradable plastics and environmentally safe fertilizers. They may also advance the development of green...

‘It Moved Me to Tears.’ William Shatner On Briefly Going Where Some Men Have Gone Before

On Oct. 13, actor William Shatner, 90, best known for his role as Star Trek’s Captain James T. Kirk, went to space for real aboard a Blue Origin New Shepard rocket. He was aloft for only 10 minutes—but they were 10 minutes that forever transformed him. The day after his return, Shatner—now the oldest person to have ever traveled to space—sat down with TIME to talk about...

How bacteria create a piggy bank for the lean times

Bacteria can store extra resources for the lean times. It's a bit like keeping a piggy bank or carrying a backup battery pack. One important reserve is known as cyanophycin granules, which were first noticed by an Italian scientist about 150 years ago. He saw big, dark splotches in the cells of the blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) he was studying without understanding either what they were or...

Early modern human from Southeast Asia adapted to a rainforest environment

Although there has been evidence of our species living in rainforest regions in Southeast Asia from at least 70,000 years ago, the poor preservation of organic material in these regions limits how much we know about their diet and ecological adaptations to these habitats. An international team of scientists led by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig and the Johannes...

Vitamin D supplement may enhance dairy cows' immune health

Known as a crucial component in the body's ability to absorb and retain calcium, essential to processes such as the development and maintenance of healthy bones, vitamin D has also been found to play important roles in immune defense. A new study in the October issue of the Journal of Dairy Science explores the effects of different sources and amounts of vitamin D in dairy cows, revealing...

Imaging technique reveals strains and defects in vanadium oxide

Researchers led by Edwin Fohtung, an associate professor of materials science and engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, have developed a new technique for revealing defects in nanostructured vanadium oxide, a widely used transition metal with many potential applications including electrochemical anodes, optical applications, and supercapacitors. In the research—which was published in...

‘This comforter of blue’: how Shatner’s blast into space became an ode to Earth

Captain Kirk’s profound reflection on our home planet was an ironic outcome for a trip that was meant to boost space travelThere’s nothing like a vacation to make you appreciate home.That seemed to be the sentiment behind William Shatner’s words as he returned from a brief journey to space on Wednesday. In remarks filmed after he landed, the actor described having had “the most profound...

Researchers develop a new model to assess for flood hazards

The widespread flooding that submerged parts of the province's most densely populated regions in 2017 and 2019 exposed important gaps in Quebec's flood preparedness regime. With thousands of people displaced and hundreds of millions of dollars worth of damages incurred, the disasters spurred urgent re-investment in the aging system.