Human gut study questions probiotic health benefits
New research suggests that probiotics might not be as effective as we think. Through a series of experiments looking inside the human gut, researchers show that many people's digestive tracts pre..
Adaptable lizards illustrate key evolutionary process proposed a century ago
The 'Baldwin effect' has now been demonstrated at the genetic level in a population of dark-colored lizards adapted to live on a lava flow in the desert.
Forecasting risk of deadly vascular condition from genome sequence
A new approach that distills deluges of genetic data and patient health records has identified a set of telltale patterns that can predict a person's risk for a common, and often fatal, cardiovas..
Stray proteins cause genetic disorders
A tiny change in the very flexible segments of some proteins is enough to trigger rare disorders such as Glut1 deficiency syndrome. A study found that other genetic disorders might be traced back to t..
Cracking the code to soot formation
The longstanding mystery of soot formation, which combustion scientists have been trying to explain for decades, appears to be finally solved, thanks to new research.
Big game animals must learn to migrate and pass knowledge across generations
A team of scientists has provided the first empirical evidence that ungulates (hooved mammals) must learn where and when to migrate, and that they maintain their seasonal migrations by passing cultura..
How exercise generates new neurons, improves cognition in Alzheimer’s mouse
A study finds that neurogenesis — inducing the production of new neurons — in the brain structure in which memories are encoded can improve cognitive function in a mouse model of Alzheimer's di..
Large wind and solar farms in the Sahara would increase heat, rain, vegetation
Wind and solar farms are known to have local effects on heat, humidity and other factors that may be beneficial — or detrimental — to the regions in which they are situated. A new climate-modeling s..
Facial plastic surgeons call for reduction of opioid prescriptions after rhinoplasty
A team of surgeons found that, of 173 patients undergoing rhinoplasty, a common procedure performed in the facial plastic and reconstructive surgery field, only two refilled their opioid prescriptions..
How a hormone helps plants build leaves’ ventilation system
Researchers have shown how one hormone pathway in plants regulates the way leaves build their epidermal layer with the right number of breathing pores, giving plants a strategy to optimize their produ..