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Happiness can be shaped by external circumstances or internal states

What is the secret to happiness? Does happiness come from within, or is it shaped by external influences such as our jobs, health, relationships and material circumstances? A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour shows that happiness can come from either within or from external influences, from both, or neither – and which is true differs across people.

5 May 2025

New biomarkers and therapeutic targets identified for abdominal aortic aneurysm

Announcing a new article publication for Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications journal. This article aimed to identify molecular candidates to serve as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).

5 May 2025

Boosting glucose metabolism in glial cells reduces neurodegeneration in fruit flies

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have discovered that impaired glucose metabolism in glial cells, a type of cell in our nervous system, plays a key role in the degeneration caused by Alzheimer's disease.

5 May 2025

Body mass index linked to knee structural changes in 33-year-olds

Mild structural changes visible in knee MRI scans are already common among adults in their thirties - even in those without knee pain or other symptoms.

5 May 2025

Where and why men die younger: global data breaks it down

A global study published in PLOS Medicine examined sex-disaggregated data on hypertension, diabetes, and HIV/AIDS across 204 countries. It revealed significant but context-dependent differences in disease burden, care access, and outcomes between males and females.

4 May 2025

Why having 2.1 kids isn't enough to prevent extinction

A new PLoS ONE study shows that to avoid extinction, small populations may need fertility rates well above the standard 2.1—especially under demographic randomness. A female-biased sex ratio reduces this threshold, offering a potential evolutionary advantage under stress.

4 May 2025

Can your diet affect fertility? Gut-linked dietary score reveals surprising risk pattern

A cross-sectional study of over 3,000 U.S. women found a non-linear link between a gut microbiota-based dietary index (DI-GM) and infertility. Risk decreased with healthier diets but unexpectedly rose beyond a certain threshold score.

4 May 2025

Black coffee improves insulin sensitivity in women, study finds

Two daily cups of coffee, especially black, are linked to lower insulin resistance and fasting insulin levels in Korean women, suggesting coffee may improve glucose metabolism. The effect was not observed with coffee containing sugar or cream.

4 May 2025

Phthalates in plastics linked to over 350,000 heart deaths worldwide

A global modeling study in eBioMedicine links phthalate exposure from plastics, especially DEHP metabolites, to over 356,000 cardiovascular deaths in 2018. Exposure was highest in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, disproportionately affecting lower-income countries.

4 May 2025

New research maps neural overlap in insomnia, depression, and anxiety

New research from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience maps the similarities and differences between the three most common brain disorders.

3 May 2025

New gene editing tool enables precise control of mitochondrial mutation load

Mitochondrial diseases affect approximately 1 in 5,000 people worldwide, causing debilitating symptoms ranging from muscle weakness to stroke-like episodes.

3 May 2025

RNA editing enzyme found to trigger neuroinflammation in Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder in which the α-synuclein protein abnormally aggregates within brain cells, causing neuronal damage.

3 May 2025

New three-part antivenom cocktail protects against the world’s deadliest snakes

Scientists developed a groundbreaking antivenom cocktail using antibodies from a hyperimmune human donor and a small-molecule inhibitor that protected mice from deadly bites of 19 diverse snakes. This approach could lead to a universal antivenom for the world’s most dangerous snakes, overcoming the limitations of current species-specific treatments.

2 May 2025

Are one-year-olds in Australia eating right? New study reveals nutrient gaps

A study from the ORIGINS cohort in Western Australia assessed the diets of one-year-old children, comparing intake to national guidelines. While most nutrient targets were met, key shortfalls in iodine and excessive sodium intake raised concerns, especially for breastfed infants.

2 May 2025

Study shows brain estrogen directly regulates appetite in mice

Researchers in Japan found that estrogen produced within the brain, called neuroestrogen, suppresses appetite and reduces body weight in mice by enhancing MC4R expression. The study also showed that neuroestrogen boosts leptin sensitivity, suggesting new targets for obesity treatment.

2 May 2025

MRI technique reveals the heart's functional age

Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) have developed a revolutionary new way of uncovering the 'true age' of your heart using MRI.

2 May 2025

Heat triggers sperm activation for fertilization in mammals

In mammals - including us humans - sperm are surprisingly picky about temperature, thriving best in conditions a few degrees cooler than normal body temperature.

2 May 2025

New imaging technique reveals live neural activity in deep brain regions

The communication between the brain and bodily organs is fundamental to emotion regulation and overall mental health.

2 May 2025

HO-1 regulates liver fibrosis in NAFLD through the SIRT1 TGF-β Smad3 pathway

Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) has an influential yet insufficiently investigated effect on Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a histone deacetylase activated by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, which may impact the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-ß)/Smad3 pathway in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-related liver fibrosis.

2 May 2025

Hairlike electrodes offer a new era for comfortable EEG monitoring

The future of electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring may soon look like a strand of hair. In place of the traditional metal electrodes, a web of wires and sticky adhesives, a team of researchers from Penn State created a hairlike device for long-term, non-invasive monitoring of the brain's electrical activity.

2 May 2025