News

Researchers have developed a new class of optical nanotweezers that can trap and detect biomolecules, viruses and DNA more rapidly.

Some people respond well to both aerobic exercise and strength training, while others don’t. And some of us respond well to only one of those things, but not both. Scientists at Joslin Diabetes Center now have uncovered a surprising molecular “switch” that may help to explain this lack of response to exercise and to give clues to better treatments against diabetes.

A gene implicated in affecting speech and language, FOXP2, is held up as a “textbook” example of positive selection on a human-specific trait. Now, new analysis of genetic data from a diverse sample of modern people and Neanderthals has seen no evidence for recent, human-specific selection of FOXP2 and revises the history of how we think humans acquired language.

Huge genetic diversity in parasites means humans are often infected with multiple strains, which could make infections worse and increase the prevalence of the parasite over time, according to a new study.

Researchers have found that people exposed to air pollution levels well within UK guidelines have changes in the structure of the heart, similar to those seen in the early stages of heart failure.

Premature birth associated with low levels of Omega-3 blood concentrations in a recent Danish study.

A team of UCLA electrical and computer engineers has created a physical artificial neural network — a device modeled on how the human brain works — that can analyze large volumes of data and identify objects at the actual speed of light.

A new study has identified where the mutation causing glioblastoma starts. According to the study, neural stem cells away from the tumor mass are the cells of origin that contain mutation drivers for glioblastoma.

Inhibiting the Jagged 1 protein in mice prevents the proliferation and growth of colon and rectal tumours. What is more, this approach to the disease permits the removal of existing tumours.

Epigenetic processes affect the expression or activity of genes without changing the underlying DNA sequence and are believed to be one mechanism by which the environment can interact with the genome. Now, a study with a cohort of 700 twin pairs has investigated the factors influencing the epigenome.