Can a Fungus Cause a COVID-Style Pandemic?
The television series “The Last of Us” describes a human pandemic with a mind controlling cordyceps fungus. When asked whether a COVID-19 pandemic with a pathogenic fungus is possible, my answer has generally been some variation of “yes, but it’s unlikely.” Cordyceps fungi turn ants into zombies, establishing the precedent that this group of organisms […]
ADHD and impulsivity: New potential targets to approach the treatment for neuropsychiatric disorders
A study published in the journalPharmacological Research describes the existence of a complex built by dopamine and noradrenergic receptors that could be a therapeutic target of potential interest to tackle the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and impulsivity. The paper, a preclinical study, has been carried out by the Research Group on Molecular Neuropharmacology, under […]
How schools of ‘microswimmers’ can increase their cargo capacity
A new study published in Physical Review Letters describes a way to increase the cargo capacity of microscopic, self-propelled droplets known as “microswimmers.” Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the Max Planck Institutefor Dynamics and Self-Organisation found that when a school of microswimmers move in the same direction inside a narrow channel, they can […]