Scientists have created a new chemical that can boost the activity of a special type of brain receptor called GluN3. These receptors are part of the larger NMDA family, which normally help brain cells talk to each other. Most research has focused on receptors that contain a different part, GluN2, bu
New brain cells are still being made in people as they age, and those who keep producing them seem to remember better. Scientists studied brain tissue from people ranging from young adults to those over 80 who still have great memory. They counted cells that are in the early stages of becoming
A NASA crew left the International Space Station earlier than planned because one member experienced a medical problem. The team that had been working in orbit included Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman, Kimiya Yui and Oleg Platonov. Fincke confirmed that his own health issue prompted the decision to
When we look at the brain, we see a big system made of many small parts that talk to each other. Scientists want to know what happens when a single part is poked or stimulated. Do the changes stay local, or do they ripple through the whole network? Most experiments have focused on average r
People look to science or religion for answers, but do these views steer how we act and feel? A study asked 301 adults in the United States to share how much they trust science or faith. The researchers then examined links between those beliefs and everyday behaviors that help people cope, stay heal
Compassion is often praised for encouraging good deeds and boosting mental well‑being. But what happens inside us when someone shows us care? This question has not been studied much. Researchers plan to gather all available studies on the social and emotional impact of receiving compassion.
The sound that rings out when a player slides on a hardwood floor is not just noise; it’s the result of tiny, rapid changes happening inside the shoe. A scientist from Harvard studied this by sliding sneakers over a glass surface, recording the sounds with a microphone and capturing the motion with
Researchers followed buckwheat plants through their growing season, measuring how much of the healthy compounds rutin and quercitrin they stored in leaves and flowers. They also counted how strong the plant’s antioxidant power was and tracked a pigment called fagopyrin that can become toxic under li
Researchers have tested a method that uses principal component analysis (PCA) to filter unwanted signals from spinal cord fMRI scans. The technique, called SpinalCompCor, picks out noise by looking at a region outside the spinal cord and cerebrospinal fluid. It then keeps only the most important com
NASA’s biggest space plan is facing a fresh snag. After a recent test, engineers discovered that helium – the gas used to keep fuel tanks full and clean – was not flowing properly in the upper section of the Space Launch System (SLS). Because the problem cannot be fixed on the launchpad, the rocket
