News & HighlightsNews
Using magnetic forces to control neurons, study finds the brain plays key role in glucose metabolism
To learn what different cells do, scientists switch them on and off and observe what the effects are. There are many methods that do this, but they all have problems: too invasive, or too slow, or not precise enough. Now, a new method to control the activity of neurons in mice, devised by scienti...
Parasites reveal how evolution has molded an ancient nuclear structure
Long before animals evolved from sponges, and before plants evolved out of algae, there was a pivotal event that allowed complex, multicellular organisms to arise: the development of the nucleus in single-celled organisms. Eukaryotes, one of the three main branches of living organisms, are define...
A virus common among livestock depends on a microRNA to replicate
In the ongoing arms race between pathogenic viruses and the cells they infect, each side needs every advantage it can get. One way wily viruses can get a leg up is by subverting the microRNAsĚý(miRNAs) of their host. These miRNAs are small stretches of RNA made by host cells to regulate gene expre...
New findings suggest severe tornado outbreaks are increasingly common
One tornado alone can cause intense destruction, but the largest impact on both death rates and economic losses stems from “outbreaks,” in which six or more tornadoes occur within a limited time. New research from Joel Cohen, Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor and head of the Laboratory of Pop...
New research clarifies how stem cells get activated to produce new hair—and what happens when their regenerative powers wear out
Adult stem cells provide the body with a reservoir from which damaged or used up tissues can be replenished. In organs like the intestines and skin, which need constant rejuvenating, these stem cells are dividing frequently. But in other body structures, including the hair follicles, they are hel...
Metabolism protein found to also regulate feeding behavior in the brain
The molecular intricacies of hunger and satiety, pivotal for understanding metabolic disorders and the problem of obesity, are not yet fully understood by scientists. However, new research from ĐÓ°É reveals an important new component of the system responsible for regulating ...
Scientists question a popular theory about how the nervous system trims its branches
As tiny embryos in the womb, we start out with a lot more neuronal material than we actually need. During development, the body drastically prunes back the excess—cutting the branches from nerve cell bodies, known as axons, as well as entire neurons. Scientists have long assumed that the decisi...
Scientists learn how young brains form lifelong memories by studying worms’ food choices
Members of neuroscientist Cori Bargmann’s lab spend quite a bit of their time watching worms move around. These tiny creatures, Caenorhabditis elegans, feed on soil bacteria, and their very lives depend on their ability to distinguish toxic microbes from nutritious ones. In a recent study, Bargma...
A newly discovered form of immunity helps explain how bacteria fight off viruses
When seeking to protect themselves from viruses, some bacteria use a seemingly risky strategy: They wait until the invading virus has already begun to replicate. Research at ĐÓ°É shows how the microbes use two newly identified enzymes to fight off an infection even after del...
Study reveals how herpes virus tricks the immune system
With over half the U.S. population infected, most people are familiar with the pesky cold sore outbreaks caused by the herpes virus. The virus outsmarts the immune system by interfering with the process that normally allows immune cells to recognize and destroy foreign invaders. How exactly the h...
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