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Always watching: How ICE’s plan to monitor social media 24/7 threatens privacy and civic participation
ICE’s surveillance gaze is likely to sweep across millions of people’s social media posts. Westend61/Westend61 via Getty Images – By Nicole M. Bennett, Ph.D. Candidate in Geography and Assistant Director at the Center for Refugee Studies, Indiana University Published: 2025 Nov 07 – When …
Alzheimer’s impact on body fat explains its effects beyond the brain
Nerves and blood vessels are normally arranged in tight bundles in adipose tissue. The new study showed that Alzheimer’s disease has the ability to break those bundles appart, separating the neurovascular arrangements and challenging a patient’s metabolism. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2025 Nov …
Breakthrough gel can regenerate tooth enamel within weeks
Novel gel renews teeth that have experienced loss of enamel. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Nov 05 – An innovative gel that forms a layer over teeth and then recruits calcium and phosphate ions from saliva to build new enamel has the potential …
World’s largest web houses 110,000 spiders thriving in total darkness
The colonial spider web in Sulfur Cave, is home to a mixed colony of Tegenaria domestica and Prinerigone vagans spiders, feeding on the chironomids that fill the air. Marek Audy/Subterranean Biology/(CC By 4.0) – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Nov 05 – Deep underground in …
Slowing climate change by using aerosols to block sunlight? Maybe not such a good idea
A proposed method of mitigating climate change, stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) would involve releasing large quantities of tiny particles into the stratosphere in order to block incoming sunlight. Depositphotos – By Malcolm Azania 2025 Nov 04 – Holy sun-repellant spray, Batman! Could injecting billions …
Designer drug targets both heart disease and diabetes
An experimental drug has the potential to tackle both heart disease and diabetes. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2025 Nov 03 – A promising “two-in-one” experimental drug could tackle both type 2 diabetes and heart disease by slashing cholesterol and inflammation, potentially offering a …
Biochips made from mushrooms rival power of manmade semiconductors
Fungal memristors could be ideal interfaces for high-frequency bioelectronics. John LaRocco/Ohio State University – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Nov 02 – They may be better known for stir-fries than supercomputing, but shiitake mushrooms have now been harnessed to function as living processors, storing and …
ADHD brains are more creative – and we might have worked out why
Letting your mind wander might boost creativity, according to researchers. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 31 – While not everyone with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is creative, there are a lot of creative people with neurodivergent brains. Now, new research suggests this could …
What is DNS? A computer engineer explains this foundational piece of the web – and why it’s the internet’s Achilles’ heel
Amazon Web Services, hosted in data centers like this one in Virginia, supports thousands of websites, apps and online services – but not during its recent DNS outage. Nathan Howard/Getty Images – By Doug Jacobson, University Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State …
Atorvastatin recall may affect hundreds of thousands of patients – and reflects FDA’s troubles inspecting medicines manufactured overseas
Several batches of the drug did not dissolve properly, which means the person taking them would receive a lower dose. Chimperil59/iStock via Getty Images – By C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut Published: 2025 Oct 30 – If …
Is cocoa the cure for too much sitting? New study says yes
A cocoa beverage that was high in flavanols showed significant artery-protecting powers when consumed before a two-hour sitting session. Photo by American Heritage Chocolate on Unsplash – By Michael Franco 2025 Oct 29 – Sitting has often been referred to as the new smoking …
Solar storms have influenced our history – an environmental historian explains how they could also threaten our future
Coronal mass ejections from the Sun can cause geomagnetic storms that may damage technology on Earth. NASA/GSFC/SDO – By Dagomar Degroot, Associate Professor of Environmental History, Georgetown University Published: 2025 Oct 28 – In May 2024, part of the Sun exploded. – The …
Music may lower risk of dementia by up to 39% in older adults
New research suggests music can keep the brain sharp in older age. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 27 – Listening to or playing music later in life could do more than lift your spirits – it might also help keep your mind …
The unexpected food proven most effective at relieving constipation
The humble kiwi comes out on top for gut motility. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 26 – For the first time, scientists have used evidence-based research to rewrite the advice on what to consume to relieve constipation, doing away with the broad …
Cardamom extract shows promise as a natural antiviral treatment
An active ingredient in cardamom seeds acts as a natural antiviral. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2025 Oct 25 – A humble kitchen spice could pack a powerful antiviral punch. Researchers have found that compounds in cardamom seeds can trigger the body’s virus-detecting systems, …
Pumpkins’ journey from ancient food staple to spicy fall obsession spans thousands of years
Pumpkin patch excursions have become a fall staple in many U.S. households. Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images – By Shelley Mitchell, Senior Extension Specialist, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Oklahoma State University Published: 2025 Oct 24 – October in much of the U.S. …
Curious kid hospitalized after swallowing nearly 100 high-powered magnets
Deadly attraction: Powerful neodymium magnets are sending children to the emergency department. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 23 – A 13-year-old boy was admitted to hospital after four days of abdominal pain – when he then admitted to doctors that he’d swallowed …
Bowel cancer’s “sugar shield” removed to reawaken immune defenses
Scientists have cracked the sugary shield that allows bowel cancer to hide itself in the body. Depositphotos original, extended using Firefly – By Paul McClure 2025 Oct 22 – In a world-first breakthrough, scientists have discovered how a sugary “cloak” helps bowel cancer hide …
Prehistoric ‘road signs’ guided ancient humans to rare desert water
One of the impressive camel paintings, believed to indicate to passing humans that water was nearby. Maria Guagnin – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Sep 30 – Large rock-face murals scattered across the desert in northern Saudi Arabia represent one of the most ambitious – …
Cancer drug combo slashes risk of death by more than 40%
New hope for cancer patients with a combo of existing treatments delivering robust long-term results. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 20 – A new drug combination to treat advanced recurring prostate cancer has shown remarkable results in a long-term trial, lowering the …
Archaeologists finally decode the age of Egypt’s ancient Karnak temple
The new research offers some of the strongest evidence to date proving the origins of Egypt’s Karnak temple complex. Depositphotos – By Pranjal Malewar 2025 Oct 18 – The ancient site of Karnak is one of the most impressive places to visit in Egypt. …
Popular hair loss drug linked to higher suicide risk
Building on several years of study, the new research calls for more controls over access to this popular hair loss remedy. Depositphotos – By Pranjal Malewar 2025 Oct 18 – Finasteride has long been a popular choice for millions of people seeking to achieve …
Protein powders and shakes contain high amounts of lead, new report says – a pharmacologist explains the data
If consumed in high doses, lead and other heavy metals have serious, well-documented health risks. whitebalance.space/E+ via Getty Images – By C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut Published: 2025 Oct 17 – Powder and ready-to-drink protein sales have …
First long-acting hair regrowth pill hailed as ‘new benchmark’
This drug has been in the pipeline since 2021, and could soon get FDA approval for treating pattern hair loss. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 16 – A new oral drug stands to become the first prescription pill specifically designed to regrow …
Focused sound energy holds promise for treating cancer, Alzheimer’s and other diseases
Focused ultrasound directs powerful beams of energy to specific disease targets in the body. Andriy Onufriyenko/Moment via Getty Images – By Richard J. Price, Professor of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia Published: 2025 Oct 15 – Sound waves at frequencies above the threshold …
Beached dolphins show signs of Alzheimer’s due to polluted waters
Studying the remains of several beached dolphins the research found significant signs of neurodegeneration. Public Domain – By Pranjal Malewar 2025 Oct 14 – In 2022, scientists examined the brains of 22 stranded marine mammals and found something astonishing: Alzheimer’s-like pathology in dolphins. And …
COVID-19 infection may alter sperm in ways that shape offspring behavior
SARS-CoV-2 infection in fathers affected sperm, leading to changes in offspring behavior. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2025 Oct 13 – A new study suggests that a father’s COVID-19 infection could do more than make him sick – it may leave marks on his …
Naked mole-rat DNA repair could unlock natural human longevity
These animals live underground for around 37 years. John Brighenti/Wikimedia Commons/(CC BY 2.0) – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 12 – What naked mole-rats lack in the looks department they make up for it in longevity, living healthily for nearly four decades. Now scientists …
Calcium supplements found not to raise dementia risk
The suggestion that calcium supplements contribute to dementia has been debunked. beyza yurtkuran on Unsplash – By Paul McClure 2025 Oct 11 – A large study has found that calcium supplements, long recommended for bone health, particularly in older women, don’t increase dementia risk, …
Mom and dad’s DNA team up to shape aging and disease from conception
Parental DNA actively affect an offspring’s telomere length during embryonic development. Depositphotos original extended using Firefly – By Paul McClure 2025 Oct 02 – A groundbreaking study has revealed that your mom and dad’s DNA don’t just pass on telomere length, they actively reshape …
Why free speech rights got left out of the Constitution – and added in later via the First Amendment
Supporters of free speech gather in September 2025 to protest the suspension of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’, across the street from the theater where the show is produced in Hollywood. Mario Tama/Getty Images – By Donald Nieman, Professor of History and Provost Emeritus, Binghamton University, …
Next-gen vaccine prevents up to 88% of multiple aggressive cancers
A new vaccine bolsters the immune system to prevent cancer growth and spread. ChatGPT 5 – By Paul McClure 2025 Oct 09 – A next-generation cancer vaccine has shown stunning results in mice, preventing up to 88% of aggressive and difficult-to-treat cancers by harnessing …
‘Breakthrough’ blood test detects chronic fatigue in 92% of cases
People with ME/CFS can wait years for a diagnosis. Photo by Marco Bianchetti/Unsplash – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 07 – Researchers believe they have developed the first dedicated blood test to diagnose chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), which …
Federal shutdown deals blow to already hobbled cybersecurity agency
The federal cybersecurity agency is crippled by layoffs and shutdown furloughs. The Conversation, CC BY-ND – By Richard Forno, Teaching Professor of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, and Associate Director, UMBC Cybersecurity Institute, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Published: 2025 Oct 07 – …
What are solar storms and the solar wind? 3 astrophysicists explain how particles coming from the Sun interact with Earth
The Sun occasionally ejects large amounts of energy and particles that can smash into Earth. NASA/GSFC/SDO via WikimediaCommons – By Yeimy J. Rivera, Researcher in Astrophysics, Smithsonian Institution And by Rosa Tatiana Niembro Hernández, Astrophysicist, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Smithsonian Institution And by Samuel Badman, …
We choose ignorance as we age – even when knowledge is more useful
Study finds the age at which we decide to turn our brains off more frequently. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 05 – Whether it’s avoiding the news or checking a bank account, adults often deal with uncertainty by switching off and not …
Virtual particles: How physicists’ clever bookkeeping trick could underlie reality
Scientists imagine virtual particles popping in and out of existence to explain how forces transfer between particles. koto_feja/iStock via Getty Images – By Dipangkar Dutta, Professor of Nuclear Physics, Mississippi State University Published: 2025 Oct 03 – A clever mathematical tool known as virtual …
Massive expanding chasms are eating cities alive from below
For the first time, scientists have documented the extent of the urban gully crisis. Matthias Vanmaercke – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 02 – Nearly 3,000 growing chasms have opened up in dozens of towns, swallowing up roads and houses in their path. Known …
Meet Irène Curie, the Nobel-winning atomic physicist who changed the course of modern cancer treatment
Irène and Frederic Joliot-Curie shared the Nobel Prize in 1935. Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images – By Artemis Spyrou, Professor of Nuclear Physics, Michigan State University And by Andrea Richard, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy, Ohio University Published: 2025 Oct 02 – The adage …
Jane Goodall, the gentle disrupter whose research on chimpanzees redefined what it meant to be human
Jane Goodall appears on stage at 92NY in New York on 2023 Oct 01. Charles Sykes/Invision/AP – By Mireya Mayor, Director of Exploration and Science Communication, Florida International University Published: 2025 Oct 01 – Anyone proposing to offer a master class on changing the …
Always watching: How ICE’s plan to monitor social media 24/7 threatens privacy and civic participation
ICE’s surveillance gaze is likely to sweep across millions of people’s social media posts. Westend61/Westend61 via Getty Images – By Nicole M. Bennett, Ph.D. Candidate in Geography and Assistant Director at the Center for Refugee Studies, Indiana University Published: 2025 Nov 07 – When …
Alzheimer’s impact on body fat explains its effects beyond the brain
Nerves and blood vessels are normally arranged in tight bundles in adipose tissue. The new study showed that Alzheimer’s disease has the ability to break those bundles appart, separating the neurovascular arrangements and challenging a patient’s metabolism. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2025 Nov …
Breakthrough gel can regenerate tooth enamel within weeks
Novel gel renews teeth that have experienced loss of enamel. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Nov 05 – An innovative gel that forms a layer over teeth and then recruits calcium and phosphate ions from saliva to build new enamel has the potential …
World’s largest web houses 110,000 spiders thriving in total darkness
The colonial spider web in Sulfur Cave, is home to a mixed colony of Tegenaria domestica and Prinerigone vagans spiders, feeding on the chironomids that fill the air. Marek Audy/Subterranean Biology/(CC By 4.0) – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Nov 05 – Deep underground in …
Slowing climate change by using aerosols to block sunlight? Maybe not such a good idea
A proposed method of mitigating climate change, stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) would involve releasing large quantities of tiny particles into the stratosphere in order to block incoming sunlight. Depositphotos – By Malcolm Azania 2025 Nov 04 – Holy sun-repellant spray, Batman! Could injecting billions …
Designer drug targets both heart disease and diabetes
An experimental drug has the potential to tackle both heart disease and diabetes. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2025 Nov 03 – A promising “two-in-one” experimental drug could tackle both type 2 diabetes and heart disease by slashing cholesterol and inflammation, potentially offering a …
Biochips made from mushrooms rival power of manmade semiconductors
Fungal memristors could be ideal interfaces for high-frequency bioelectronics. John LaRocco/Ohio State University – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Nov 02 – They may be better known for stir-fries than supercomputing, but shiitake mushrooms have now been harnessed to function as living processors, storing and …
ADHD brains are more creative – and we might have worked out why
Letting your mind wander might boost creativity, according to researchers. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2025 Oct 31 – While not everyone with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is creative, there are a lot of creative people with neurodivergent brains. Now, new research suggests this could …
What is DNS? A computer engineer explains this foundational piece of the web – and why it’s the internet’s Achilles’ heel
Amazon Web Services, hosted in data centers like this one in Virginia, supports thousands of websites, apps and online services – but not during its recent DNS outage. Nathan Howard/Getty Images – By Doug Jacobson, University Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State …
Atorvastatin recall may affect hundreds of thousands of patients – and reflects FDA’s troubles inspecting medicines manufactured overseas
Several batches of the drug did not dissolve properly, which means the person taking them would receive a lower dose. Chimperil59/iStock via Getty Images – By C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy Practice, University of Connecticut Published: 2025 Oct 30 – If …