There is currently relatively little objective evidence that the much-promoted 'learner-centered' approach to teaching is effective, according to new research.

An international study has identified a gene that plays an important role in the development of the human embryo. If it is altered, malformations of various organ systems can result. The gene emerged very early in evolution. It also exists in zebrafish, for example, and performs a similar function there.

A new study has found that traffic congestion may be linked to lower birthweights. The study found consistent associations between traffic delays and a nine-gram reduction in birthweight among infants born to parents who reside in areas with heavy traffic, such as highways or freeways.

The wide expanse of an ancient lakebed in New Mexico holds the preserved footprints of life that roamed millennia ago. Giant sloths and mammoths left their mark, and alongside them, signs of our human ancestors. Research published in September 2021 claimed that these footprints are 'definitive evidence of human occupation of North America' during the last ice age, dating back to between 23 and 21...

Researchers have identified a novel treatment approach to an aggressive type of pediatric brain cancer, using therapies already approved to treat cancer. The team developed a mouse model of pediatric glioma with a histone mutation called H3.3-G34, which allowed them to study the tumor's biology in the presence of a functional immune system, revealing a promising outlook for long-term survival.

A roadway setup known as the 'bike box,' a painted-off area for bicyclists at the front of an intersection, can help them stay safe at urban, signalized intersections, research indicates.

The method by which a baby was delivered is associated with how its immune system will respond to two key childhood vaccines, research suggests. Babies born naturally were found to have higher antibody levels, compared with those born via Caesarian section after receiving their jabs that protect against bacteria that cause lung infections and meningitis. Experts say the findings could help to...

Part of understanding the underlying causes of autism spectrum disorder relies on figuring out which cells' signaling patterns in the brain are disrupted, and when during nervous system development the disruption occurs. New research findings in mouse models of one genetic risk for autism support the idea that loss of a specific gene interferes with cells in the brain whose role is to inhibit...

Demand for mental health treatment has continued to increase as many psychologists report no longer having the capacity to see new patients, according to a new survey.

One aspect of hormonal contraceptives' effect on the teenage body remains a mystery -- whether and how they modify the developing brain. New research in young rats links synthetic hormones found in birth control pills, patches and injections with disordered signal transmission between cells in the prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain that continues to develop throughout adolescence.

The flood capacity of dams could be at greater risk of being exceeded, due to out-of-date modelling for potential maximum rainfall, according to new research. The study concludes that the rainfall model that engineers use to help design critical infrastructure such as large dams and nuclear power plants needs to be updated to account for climate change. The paper calculates that estimates of the...

A new study finds gold atoms could be key to unlocking organic (carbon-based) reactions, potential building blocks in constructing materials with electronic properties useful in energy-efficient future technologies. Atomic-scale materials control revealed that the addition of a single gold atom allowed controlled reactions of the target organic molecules.

Currently, various classes of drugs are available for the treatment of mental illnesses -- such as depression and anxiety disorders. However, although these drugs confer benefits, they are also associated with adverse side-effects. Conseqeuntly, medical researchers continuously thrive to improve the pharmacological properties of therapeutic agents to optimize the benefit-to-side-effect ratio.

The protein BICAT3 is one of the most important manganese distributors in plants. If defective, this can have devastating effects on a plant's growth; its leaves grow significantly smaller and it produces fewer seeds than usual. A team has recently uncovered a transport pathway for manganese in plants and the role that BICAT3 plays in this process. The results could lay the groundwork for improved...

The behavior of sperm cells is due, in part, to the individual DNA make-up of these cells, rather than only to the genetics of males. The results, which provide a new understanding of the competition among sperm cells to fertilize the egg, have larger implications for the reproductive process.

An analysis of more than 2,400 women who did not have high blood pressure while pregnant found that about 1 in 10 were diagnosed with high blood pressure in the year after childbirth. Almost a quarter of the women who were diagnosed with high blood pressure were found to have elevated blood pressure more than 6 weeks after delivery. Cigarette smoking, being age 35 or older or having a Cesarean...

Through extensive model calculations, physicistshave reached general conclusions about the internal structure of neutron stars, where matter reaches enormous densities: depending on their mass, the stars can have a core that is either very stiff or very soft.

A new study has shown that people in the early stages of their careers were more likely to be impacted by workplace stress during the COVID-19 pandemic than senior colleagues.

Why are there more plant species in some places than in others? Why is diversity highest in the tropics? What is the connection between biodiversity and environmental conditions? To help answer these questions, an international team has reconstructed the distribution of plant diversity around the world and made high-resolution predictions of where and how many plant species there are. This will...

An international team of researchers have discovered a new genetic variant that is responsible for close to 7% of all cases of diabetes in Greenland. People with this form of diabetes, caused by the high-impact genetic variant, may require special treatment, which will be possible through improved genetic screening of patients.

Adults who frequently worry about being rejected or abandoned by those closest to them are more prone to having false memories when they can see who is conveying the information, a new study suggests.

New research found that in utero exposure to certain flame retardant chemicals may be a risk factor for developing anxiety symptoms in early adolescence.

Children with a severe form of epilepsy should be vaccinated against the flu due to the high risk of seizures being triggered by an influenza infection, according to a new study.

While it's anatomically impossible for a human to swallow their tongue, a new study shows that cane toads (Rhinella marina) achieve this feat each time they eat. Cane toads swallow prey using a complex pulley system of cartilage and muscle that travels so far down their throat, it butts up against their heart.