New target may help protect bones as we age
Drugs we take like prednisone can weaken our bones and so can aging, and scientists working to prevent both have some of the first evidence that the best target may not be the logical one. They are finding that in aging bone, the mineralocorticoid receptor, better known for its role in blood pressure regulation, is […]
Exotic quantum particles — less magnetic field required: Research paves the way for future quantum devices and applications
Exotic quantum particles and phenomena are like the world’s most daring elite athletes. Like the free solo climbers who scale impossibly steep cliff faces without a rope or harness, only the most extreme conditions will entice them to show up. For exotic phenomena like superconductivity or particles that carry a fraction of the charge of […]
This Is Your Body On Pandemic ‘Whiplash’
The year 2021 has been like a roller coaster. It was supposed to be the year the pandemic fizzled out. Instead, it was a year of intense whiplash. There were multiple points when it seemed like we’d finally gotten a handle on COVID, only to realize later that the virus wasn’t going anywhere, and that […]
Atom laser creates reflective patterns similar to light
Cooled to almost absolute zero, atoms not only move in waves like light but also can be focused into shapes called caustics, similar to the reflecting or refracting patterns light makes on the bottom of a swimming pool or through a curved wine glass. In experiments at Washington State University, scientists have developed a technique […]
Are Indoor Plants Good for Mental Health?
Like many people, you may have spent more time indoors since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Decorating your house with indoor plants not only beautifies your space; it may also have some benefits for your mental health. Indoor plants and mental health The average person spends more than 85% of their time indoors. Houseplants […]
How eating less in early life could help with reproduction later on
Switching from a restricted diet to eating as much as you like could be beneficial for reproduction in later life, according to new research from the University of East Anglia. Researchers studied the eating and mating habits of the small fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. They found that females that consumed less food for their entire […]
Opinion | ‘Being Concerned About a Fingernail’: What We Heard This Week
“It’s kind of like having a major auto accident and namely being concerned about a fingernail when you have multiple broken bones.” — Peter Marks, MD, PhD, director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, on the small risk of vaccine side effects versus the larger risk of COVID. “This is a fight about […]
‘Knocked All Our Assumptions for a Loop’: What We Heard This Week
“We’d all like it to be true. There were similar conjectures before the Delta variant appeared and knocked all our assumptions for a loop.” — Stephen Morse, PhD, of Columbia University Medical Center, on predictions that we’re all but done with the pandemic of the century. “To see a movie in the theater was quite […]
‘It’s Like Quicksand’: What We Heard This Week
“It’s like quicksand, as soon as you start answering more questions, you’re never caught up.” — Natalie Azar, MD, of NYU Grossman School of Medicine, speaking on how the deluge of EHR messaging and electronic communications contributes to physician burnout. “We’re thrilled that there is a law now in Texas that does this.” — Anders […]
Smartphone sensor data has potential to detect cannabis intoxication: New report demonstrates how phone sensor data, such as GPS, can be used to detect cannabis intoxication in young adults.
A smartphone sensor, much like what is used in GPS systems, might be a way to determine whether or not someone is intoxicated after consuming marijuana, according to a new study by the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research. According to the study, published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, which evaluated […]