Protein Pilfered from Cancer Cells Thwarts Immune Attack
New research in mice reveals why natural killer cells, normally effective at hunting cancer, are sometimes stopped in their tracks. Natural killer cells, famous for their prowess at wiping out cancer and virus-infected cells, are not always effective, particularly when it comes to fighting tumors. Now, research in mice points to a possible reason: when […]
Cancer Tied to Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
Observational evidence for the connection is solidifying, and some clues are emerging about the mechanisms that may explain it. In recent years, scientists around the world have been probing an unexpected trend: The risk of developing cancer seems to have an inverse relationship with the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Research published earlier this year […]
Why Autism Therapies Have an Evidence Problem
Some experts argue that better trials are needed before putting interventions into practice. Andrew Whitehouse never expected his work as an autism researcher to put him in danger. But that’s exactly what happened soon after he and his colleagues reported in 2020 that few autism interventions used in the clinic are backed by solid evidence. […]
Study Nearly Doubles Known Cancer-Linked Mutational Signatures
Analyzing the whole genome sequences of more than 18,000 tumors, researchers catalog nearly 60 new patterns of mutations that could inform cancer treatment. A massive survey of patient genomes has unveiled dozens of mutational signatures associated with various cancer types. The work, published yesterday (April 21) in Science, also includes a new tool to allow […]
CRACK Method Reveals Novel Neuron Type in Mouse Brain
A new technique reveals cells’ precise locations and functions in the brain. Its developers have already used it to identify a previously unknown neuron type. Neuroscientists examining a brain cell typically have to choose between studying its internal molecular activity or detailing its connections and electrical activation in the brain. But in his lab at […]
Ingenuity Takes Awesome Photos Of Wreckage Of Landing Gear That Delivered It To Mars
It blew our minds that Perseverance actually stumbled across and took pictures of its parachute a couple of weeks ago, but thanks to the little helicopter that could, we now have an aerial view of both the parachute and back shell that protected both robots and delivered them to the surface of Mars over a […]
Video Of Bloody-Belly Comb Jelly Pooping Could Be World-First Footage
The bloody-belly comb jelly is a sight to behold, but spectators at the Monterey Bay Aquarium recently saw a new side to these ctenophores as they witnessed one taking a mesmerizing dump. Sharing the magic in a Twitter post, they said the resulting footage may be “the world’s first-ever video of a bloody-belly comb jelly […]
First Case Of H3N8 Bird Flu In Humans Reported In China
We know it can get overwhelming reading about COVID-19 mutations all the time, so allow us to offer you a brief respite. The Chinese National Health Commission (NHC) yesterday reported the first case of H3N8 bird flu in a human – a four-year-old boy from Henan province who fell sick earlier this month. “[The patient] […]
There May Be A Fast Way To Observe This Never-Before-Seen Quantum Effect
Quantum theory has predicted many phenomena that are difficult, if not impossible, to observe in practice. One particularly tricky example is the Unruh effect, which would take longer than the age of the universe to reveal itself in straightforward experiments. However, a team of physicists have argued it is theoretically possible to shorten this process […]
Smoking On Airplanes May Have Indirectly Saved Lives
Smoking is bad for you, as is second-hand smoking. It is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States, causing more than 480,000 deaths annually. Just something we should probably get out of the way before we tell you the next bit: Before it was banned on airplanes, it may have actually saved […]