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Joined May 2026
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A hidden Aloe vera compound takes aim at Alzheimer’s
Scientists have uncovered promising clues that compounds found in Aloe vera could play a role in fighting Alzheimer’s disease. Using advanced computer modeling, researchers discovered that beta-sitosterol—a natural plant compound—strongly interacts with two key enzymes involved in memory loss and co…
Gut bacteria can sense their environment and it’s key to your health
Your gut is home to trillions of bacteria that constantly “sense” their surroundings to survive and thrive. New research shows that beneficial gut microbes, especially common Clostridia bacteria, can detect a surprisingly wide range of chemical signals produced during digestion, including byproducts…
This tiny organism refused to die under Mars-like conditions
Baker’s yeast isn’t just useful in the kitchen — it may also be built for space. Researchers found that yeast cells can survive intense shock waves and toxic chemicals similar to those on Mars. The cells protect themselves by forming special stress-response structures that help them endure extreme c…
NASA scientists say meteorites can’t explain mysterious organic compounds on Mars
Scientists studying a rock sample collected by NASA’s Curiosity rover have uncovered something tantalizing: the largest organic molecules ever detected on Mars. The compounds — decane, undecane, and dodecane — may be fragments of fatty acids, which on Earth are most often linked to life. While non-l…
Frozen for 5,000 years, this ice cave bacterium resists modern antibiotics
Deep inside a Romanian ice cave, locked away in a 5,000-year-old layer of ice, scientists have uncovered a bacterium with a startling secret: it’s resistant to many modern antibiotics. Despite predating the antibiotic era, this cold-loving microbe carries more than 100 resistance-related genes and c…
Ancient microbes may have used oxygen 500 million years before it filled Earth’s atmosphere
Life on Earth may have learned to breathe oxygen long before oxygen filled the skies. MIT researchers traced a key oxygen-processing enzyme back hundreds of millions of years before the Great Oxidation Event. Early microbes living near oxygen-producing cyanobacteria may have quickly used up the gas …
Giant virus discovery could rewrite the origin of complex life
A giant virus discovered in Japan is adding fuel to the provocative idea that viruses helped create complex life. Named ushikuvirus, it infects amoebae and shows unique traits that connect different families of giant DNA viruses. Its unusual way of hijacking and disrupting the host cell’s nucleus of…
Flea and tick treatments for dogs and cats may be harming wildlife
Flea and tick medications trusted by pet owners worldwide may have an unexpected environmental cost. Scientists found that active ingredients from isoxazoline treatments pass into pet feces, exposing dung-feeding insects to toxic chemicals. These insects are essential for nutrient cycling and soil h…
Scientists engineer bacteria to eat cancer tumors from the inside out
Researchers are engineering bacteria to invade tumors and consume them from the inside. Because tumor cores lack oxygen, they’re the perfect breeding ground for these microbes. The team added a genetic tweak that helps the bacteria survive longer near oxygen-exposed edges — but only once enough of t…
Hidden architecture inside cellular droplets opens new targets for cancer and ALS
Biomolecular condensates were long believed to be simple liquid blobs inside cells. Researchers have now uncovered that some are actually supported by fine protein filaments forming an internal scaffold. When this structure is disrupted, cells fail to grow and divide properly. The discovery suggests…
MIT study finds Earth’s first animals were likely ancient sea sponges
Scientists at MIT have found compelling chemical evidence that Earth’s earliest animals were likely ancient sea sponges. Hidden inside rocks over 541 million years old are rare molecular “fingerprints” that match compounds made by modern demosponges. After testing rocks, living sponges, and lab-made…
Scientists discover microbe that breaks a fundamental rule of the genetic code
Scientists at UC Berkeley have discovered a microbe that bends one of biology’s most sacred rules. Instead of treating a specific three-letter DNA code as a clear “stop” signal, this methane-producing archaeon sometimes reads it as a green light—adding an unusual amino acid and continuing to build t…
How the body really ages: 7 million cells mapped across 21 organs
Scientists have built a massive cellular atlas showing how aging reshapes the body across 21 organs. Studying nearly 7 million cells, they found that aging starts earlier than expected and unfolds in a coordinated way throughout the body. About a quarter of cell types change in number over time, and…
Scientists discover a bacterial kill switch and it could change the fight against superbugs
Drug-resistant bacteria are becoming harder to treat, pushing scientists to look for new antibiotic targets. Researchers have now discovered that several unrelated viruses disable a key bacterial protein called MurJ, which is essential for building the bacterial cell wall. High-resolution imaging sh…
Scientists just created chocolate honey packed with surprising health perks
Scientists in Brazil have transformed cocoa waste into a functional chocolate-infused honey packed with antioxidants and natural stimulants. Using ultrasound waves, they enhanced honey’s ability to pull beneficial compounds from cocoa shells—no synthetic solvents required. The process is considered …
Blasted off Mars and still alive
A famously resilient bacterium may be tough enough to survive one of the most violent events imaginable on Mars. In laboratory experiments designed to mimic the crushing shock of a massive asteroid impact, researchers squeezed Deinococcus radiodurans between steel plates and blasted it with pressure…
Scientists discover the protein that malaria parasites can’t live without
Scientists have uncovered a crucial weakness in the malaria parasite that could open the door to new treatments. Researchers identified a protein called Aurora-related kinase 1 (ARK1) that acts like a traffic controller during the parasite’s unusual cell division process, ensuring its genetic materi…
Scientists discover oxygen tug of war inside plant cells
Plants constantly juggle oxygen inside their cells, but scientists have now discovered a surprising twist in how that balance works. Researchers at the University of Helsinki found that mitochondria—the cell’s energy generators—can actively pull oxygen away from chloroplasts, the structures responsi…
Senior NIH scientist, research fellow charged with bringing deactivated mpox virus into U.S.
A senior NIH scientist and his research fellow were charged with smuggling vials of deactivated mpox virus into the country from Africa and lying about it.
Light-guided evolution creates proteins that can switch, sense, and compute
Researchers have created a method called optovolution that uses light to guide the evolution of proteins with dynamic behaviors. By engineering yeast cells so their survival depended on proteins switching states at the right time, scientists could rapidly select the best-performing variants. The tec…
Scientists discover tiny plant trick that could supercharge crop yields
Researchers have uncovered a molecular trick used by hornwort plants that could help future crops capture carbon dioxide more efficiently. A unique protein feature called RbcS-STAR causes the key photosynthesis enzyme Rubisco to cluster into dense compartments, helping it work more effectively. When…
The surprising new ways bacteria spread without propellers
Scientists at Arizona State University have uncovered surprising new ways bacteria move, even without their usual whip-like propellers called flagella. In one study, E. coli and salmonella were found to spread across moist surfaces by fermenting sugars and creating tiny fluid currents that carry the…
Scientists discover ancient DNA “switches” hidden in plants for 400 million years
Scientists have uncovered an enormous hidden archive of plant DNA that has endured for more than 400 million years. By comparing hundreds of plant genomes, researchers identified more than 2.3 million regulatory DNA sequences that act like genetic switches, controlling when and how genes are activat…
A donut-shaped protein breaks apart to start bacterial cell division
Researchers have revealed how bacteria precisely control the genes that trigger cell division. The study shows that the MraZ protein, which normally forms a donut-shaped structure, must bend and partially break apart to bind key DNA sequences that activate division genes. Using cryo-electron microsc…
Crops irrigated with wastewater store drugs in their leaves
Scientists studying crops irrigated with treated wastewater discovered that trace pharmaceuticals often collect in plant leaves. Tomatoes, carrots, and lettuce absorbed medications such as antidepressants and seizure drugs during the experiment. However, the edible portions of tomatoes and carrots c…
Scientists just discovered bull sharks have friends
Bull sharks may have a reputation as lone hunters, but new research reveals they actually form social bonds and even have preferred “friends.” After six years of observing 184 sharks in Fiji, scientists discovered these animals don’t just mix randomly—they choose companions, swim together, and even …
Scientists discover tiny rocket engines inside malaria parasites
Malaria parasites contain tiny spinning crystals that have puzzled scientists for years. New research reveals they’re powered by a rocket-like reaction that breaks down hydrogen peroxide, releasing energy. This motion may help the parasite detoxify harmful chemicals and manage iron more efficiently.…
Scientists recreated a dinosaur nest to solve a 70-million-year-old mystery
Scientists recreated a life-size oviraptor nest to understand how these dinosaurs hatched their eggs. Their experiments showed the parent likely couldn’t heat all the eggs directly, meaning sunlight played a key role. This uneven heating could cause eggs in the same nest to hatch at different times.…
Hidden antibiotics in river fish spark new food safety fears
Antibiotics are accumulating in a major Brazilian river, especially during the dry season when pollution becomes more concentrated. Scientists even detected a banned drug inside fish sold for food, raising concerns about human exposure. A common aquatic plant showed promise in removing these chemica…
What you do in midlife could reveal how long you’ll live
By closely monitoring fish throughout their lives, researchers found that simple behaviors in midlife—like movement and sleep—can predict lifespan. Fish that stayed active and slept mostly at night tended to live longer, while those slowing down earlier lived shorter lives. Surprisingly, aging didn’…
Scientists found a bug that generates its own heat in freezing cold
Snow flies have an unexpected way of surviving freezing temperatures. They produce antifreeze proteins to block ice formation and can even generate their own heat. Scientists also found that their genes are unusually unique, and they feel less cold-related pain than other insects. These combined tra…
Why you need to future proof your brain in middle age and how to start
Ages 40 to 65 see a period of turmoil in the brain that has previously been overlooked. But identifying problems during this time can protect your cognitive health for decades to come
Cross-Reactive T Cells Could Point to Broad Vaccines or Treatments for Measles, Nipah Virus
Scientists identified "cross-reactive" T cells that can recognize different paramyxovirus pathogens, which may point to the development of vaccines and therapies that can target measles, Nipah, and other paramyxovirus infections at once. The post Cross-Reactive T Cells Could Point to Broad Vaccines…
Fulcrum Halts Development of SCD Candidate Pociredir, Sets Strategic Review
The FDA's concerns, which the agency raised with Fulcrum executives at a recent end-of-phase meeting, stemmed from an unexpectedly high rate of secondary blood cancers seen with another PRC2 inhibitor—Ipsen’s Tazverik® (tazemetostat), indicated to treat follicular lymphoma and epithelioid sarcoma, t…
Disease Detection Gets Boost from Keck’s New Brain Reference Map
A research team used diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans from more than 54,000 people to chart how the brain’s communication pathways develop, mature, and decline across the lifespan. The post Disease Detection Gets Boost from Keck’s New Brain Reference Map appeared first on GEN - Genet…
Scribe clears first human trial for cholesterol CRISPR
Australian regulators clear Scribe Therapeutics to begin testing a one-time CRISPR therapy designed to lower “bad” cholesterol for years. Cardiovascular disease remains the world’s biggest killer, yet one of its main drivers – elevated LDL cholesterol – is often treated with therapies people must ta…
Hearing loss is bad for the whole body – but new treatments are coming
From dementia to heart attacks, hearing loss has been linked to a wide range of effects across the body, and the condition is on the rise. Fortunately, we're learning how best to safeguard this crucial sense and how we might be able to reverse the damage
China’s longevity sector comes of age in Shanghai
TimePie’s 7th longevity forum will bring together researchers, clinicians and investors as China expands its role in healthy aging innovation. China’s longevity sector is quietly growing up, and its next major reality check happens this September in Shanghai. The 7th TimePie Longevity Forum wi…
Can Muse cells overcome limits of traditional stem cell therapies?
Muse cells show promise across a range of early clinical studies, but can they help regenerative medicine deliver on decades of expectation? Stem cells have occupied a strange place in medicine, a place full of promise, yet often frustratingly difficult to translate into reliable clinical outcomes. …
STAT+: Longevity startup NewLimit raises $435 million ahead of first clinical trial
Longevity startup NewLimit plans to launch its first clinical trial of a liver medicine after raising a staggering $435 million in new funding.
Fractyl Health’s new diabetes approach is beyond GLP-1s
The company’s gene therapy candidate aims to shift Type 2 diabetes treatment from lifelong management to a potential one-time intervention. What if managing Type 2 diabetes no longer meant building your life around medications, injections, escalating prescriptions and constant glucose monitoring? Wh…
STAT+: Radiopharmaceutical shows promise in post-Pluvicto setting
Abivax's ulcerative colitis data, Fulcrum's scrapped sickle cell drug, and more biotech news from The Readout
Scientists uncovered the nutrients bees were missing — Colonies surged 15-fold
Scientists have developed a breakthrough “superfood” for honeybees by engineering yeast to produce the essential nutrients normally found in pollen. In controlled trials, colonies fed this specially designed diet produced up to 15 times more young, showing a dramatic boost in reproduction and overal…
Scientists discover hidden “winds” inside cells that could explain cancer spread
Cells aren’t as passive as scientists once thought—they actively create internal currents to move proteins quickly and efficiently. These “cellular winds” push materials to the front of the cell, enabling faster movement and repair. Discovered by chance and confirmed with advanced imaging, this syst…