Scientists discover the enzymes responsible for the production of one of the most toxic and fast-acting neurotoxins associated with freshwater harmful algal blooms in lakes and ponds. The discovery revealed that guanitoxin-producing cyanobacteria are more prevalent than originally known in the United States, opening the possibility for new molecular diagnostic testing to better inform and protect...

A groundbreaking study has found the underlying cause and a potential treatment for infantile spasms -- intractable epilepsy common in babies and with limited treatment options.

Once dubbed 'forever chemicals,' per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, might be in the market for a new nickname. Adding iodide to a water treatment reactor that uses ultraviolet (UV) light and sulfite destroys up to 90% of carbon-fluorine atoms in PFAS forever chemicals in just a few hours, reports a new study led by environmental engineers. The addition of iodide accelerates the speed of...

Detecting these T cells may lead to diagnostics to better detect heart disease--and disease severity--through a blood sample. The knowledge also brings researchers closer to developing a vaccine that dampens this dangerous immune cell activity to prevent atherosclerosis.

Children who spend more time playing adventurously have lower symptoms of anxiety and depression, and were happier over the first Covid-19 lockdown, according to new research.

Biologists say nighttime light pollution can interfere with the remarkable navigational abilities of monarchs, which travel as far as Canada to Mexico and back during their multi-generational migration. Researchers found that butterflies roosting at night near artificial illumination such as a porch or streetlight can become disoriented the next day because the light interferes with their...

Unlike fictional laser swords, real laser beams do not interact with each other when they cross -- unless the beams meet within a suitable material allowing for nonlinear light-matter interaction. In such a case, wave mixing can give rise to beams with changed colors and directions.

A team found flaws in previous research that purported to show meditation could alter the brain's structure.

New research could lead to better treatment options for a rare but very lethal type of bacterial infection.

Researchers have reported a nano-sized neuromorphic memory device that emulates neurons and synapses simultaneously in a unit cell, another step toward completing the goal of neuromorphic computing designed to rigorously mimic the human brain with semiconductor devices.

Difficult social and legal conditions are stress factors for same-sex families, but do not affect the behavior of children and young people with same-sex parents, new research suggests.

Researchers have reported new evidence that cognitive abnormalities seen in neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia may be traceable to altered activity in the thalamus during adolescence, a time window of heightened vulnerability for schizophrenia.

Two recent discoveries may help lead to new ways to treat patients with Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome (AHDS), a brain development disorder that causes severe intellectual disability and problems with movement.

A research project provides a new understanding of what can be defined as normal and excessive crying among infants.

Most research looking at the impact of climate change on human life has focused on how extreme weather events affect economic and societal health outcomes on a broad scale. Yet climate change may also have a strong influence on fundamental daily human activities -- including a host of behavioral, psychological, and physiological outcomes that are essential to wellbeing. Investigators now report...

Scientists have discovered a novel biochemical mechanism explaining how immune proteins defend plants against invading microorganisms.

Scientists have uncovered how one type of T cell creates two genetically identical, but functionally different, daughter cells.

The study from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital presents a new understanding of how a VGIC, crucial for the communication of neurons and muscle cells, can become unresponsive.

Scientists discover superconductivity and charge density waves are intrinsically interconnected at the nanoscopic level, a new understanding that could help lead to the next generation of electronics and computers.

Scientists have described a novel preclinical drug that could have the potential to combat depression, brain injury and diseases that impair cognition. The drug, which notably is brain-permeable, acts to inhibit the kinase enzyme Cdk5.

Some metals are in liquid form, the prime example being mercury. But there are also enormous quantities of liquid metal in the Earth's core, where temperatures are so high that part of the iron is molten and undergoes complex flows. A team has now simulated a similar process in the laboratory and made a surprising discovery: Under certain circumstances, the flow of liquid metal is far more...

A research team has mapped out the development and genetic trajectory of previously understudied macrophages associated with the central nervous system. Among other things, the team found that meningeal macrophages are formed during gestation and develop in the same way as microglia, while perivascular macrophages develop after birth. Their new insights could pave the way for better understanding...

According to a new study, long-term insomnia symptoms can pose a risk of poorer cognitive functioning later in life. This is another reason why insomnia should be treated as early as possible.

Satellites and drones can provide key information to protect pollinators. A new study examines new ways of using these technologies to track the availability of flowers, and says this could be combined with behavioral studies to see the world through the eyes of insects.