ScienceDaily

Scientists in South Korea have discovered that one of the most common malignant brain tumors in young adults may begin years before a tumor can be seen. IDH-mutant glioma, long treated by removing visible tumor tissue, actually starts when normal-looking brain cells quietly acquire a cancer-linked mutation and spread through the brain’s cortex. Using advanced genetic mapping and animal models, re…

Helping care for grandchildren may offer an unexpected boost to brain health later in life. Researchers found that grandparents who provided childcare scored higher on memory and verbal skills than those who did not. The effect did not depend on how often they helped or the type of care they provided. Being involved as a caregiver itself appeared to matter most.

Drinking heavily over many years is linked to a higher risk of colorectal cancer, especially rectal cancer, according to new research tracking U.S. adults for two decades. People who drank heavily throughout adulthood faced sharply higher risks than light drinkers. Former drinkers did not show increased cancer risk and had fewer precancerous tumors. The results suggest that quitting alcohol may h…

Scientists have created a device that captures carbon dioxide and transforms it into a useful chemical in a single step. The new electrode works with realistic exhaust gases rather than requiring purified CO2. It converts the captured gas into formic acid, which is used in energy and manufacturing. The system even functions at CO2 levels found in normal air.

Ozempic, Mounjaro, and Zepbound can drive impressive weight loss, but stopping them is often followed by rapid weight regain. Researchers found that people regain weight faster after quitting these drugs than after diet and exercise alone. Improvements in heart health and diabetes risk also tend to reverse within a few years. The results suggest long-term success may require more than medication …

Small mammals are early warning systems for environmental damage, but many species look almost identical, making them hard to track. Scientists have developed a new footprint-based method that can tell apart nearly indistinguishable species with remarkable accuracy. Tested on two types of sengi, the system correctly identified them up to 96% of the time. It offers a simple, ethical way to monitor…

JWST has revealed a strange early universe filled with ultra-bright “blue monster” galaxies, mysterious “little red dots,” and black holes that seem far too massive for their age. A new study proposes that dark stars—hypothetical stars powered by dark matter—could tie all these surprises together. These exotic objects may have grown huge very quickly, lighting up the early cosmos and planting the…

Low-Earth orbit is more crowded—and fragile—than it looks. Satellites constantly weave past each other, burning fuel and making dozens of evasive maneuvers every year just to stay safe. A major solar storm could disable navigation and communications, turning that careful dance into chaos. According to new calculations, it may take just days—not decades—for a catastrophic chain reaction to begin, …

Scientists at KAIST have found a way to turn a tumor’s own immune cells into powerful cancer fighters—right inside the body. Tumors are packed with macrophages, immune cells that should attack cancer but are usually silenced by the tumor environment. By injecting a specially designed drug directly into tumors, researchers were able to “reprogram” these dormant cells to recognize and destroy cance…

Researchers have developed smart nanoparticles that can seek out and destroy disease-causing proteins the body can’t normally eliminate. Unlike traditional drugs, these particles can reach hard-to-access tissues, including the brain, and precisely target problem proteins without widespread side effects. Early results show promise against major cancer drivers, and the platform is designed to be ea…

Cancer immunotherapy has been a game-changer, but many tumors still find ways to slip past the immune system. New research reveals a hidden trick: cancer cells can package the immune-blocking protein PD-L1 into tiny particles that circulate through the body and weaken immunotherapy’s impact. Scientists in Japan discovered that a little-known protein, UBL3, controls this process—and surprisingly, …

A massive international study of more than 3,100 long COVID patients uncovered a striking divide in how brain-related symptoms are reported around the world. In the U.S., the vast majority of non-hospitalized patients described brain fog, depression, and anxiety, while far fewer patients in countries like India and Nigeria reported the same issues. The difference doesn’t appear to be about the vi…

Where your body stores fat may matter just as much as how much you carry—especially for your brain. Using advanced MRI scans and data from nearly 26,000 people, researchers identified two surprising fat patterns tied to faster brain aging, cognitive decline, and higher neurological disease risk. One involves unusually high fat buildup in the pancreas, even without much liver fat, while the other—…

Drinking tea, particularly green tea, is linked to better heart health, improved metabolism, and lower risks of chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer. It may also help protect the brain and preserve muscle strength as people age. However, processed teas—such as bottled and bubble varieties—often contain sugars and additives that may cancel out these benefits. Moderation and choosing freshly b…

AI may learn better when it’s allowed to talk to itself. Researchers showed that internal “mumbling,” combined with short-term memory, helps AI adapt to new tasks, switch goals, and handle complex challenges more easily. This approach boosts learning efficiency while using far less training data. It could pave the way for more flexible, human-like AI systems.