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Studies suggest watermelon could be a hidden powerhouse for better health. Researchers found that people who eat watermelon tend to have higher-quality diets packed with more vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants — while consuming less added sugar and saturated fat. Another study showed watermelon juice may help protect blood vessel function and support heart health.

Scientists have discovered that the human body undergoes a dramatic internal transformation during extended fasting, with major changes appearing only after about three days without food. In a seven-day water-only fasting study, researchers tracked thousands of proteins in the blood and found widespread shifts affecting organs throughout the body — including the brain. While the body quickly switches from burning glucose to fat, the most intriguing biological changes linked to potential health benefits didn’t emerge until later in the fast.

A new nanotechnology treatment reversed Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice by restoring the brain’s natural cleanup system. The specially engineered nanoparticles helped clear toxic amyloid proteins from the brain and repair the blood-brain barrier, which normally protects and regulates the brain’s environment. In one striking experiment, elderly mice treated with the therapy later behaved like healthy younger mice.

For years, “yo-yo dieting” has been blamed for wrecking metabolism and causing lasting damage, but a major new review says the fear may be wildly overblown. After analyzing decades of studies in humans and animals, researchers found little convincing evidence that losing weight and regaining it actually causes long-term harm. While regaining weight can erase some health improvements, it doesn’t appear to make people worse off than before.

Scientists have uncovered a surprising new trick used by one of cancer’s most notorious proteins. MYC, already infamous for fueling runaway tumor growth, also appears to help cancer cells survive by repairing their damaged DNA — including damage caused by chemotherapy and radiation. Researchers found that MYC can rush directly to broken DNA and recruit repair machinery, effectively helping tumors recover from treatments meant to destroy them.

Exercise may be training your brain just as much as your body. Researchers discovered that certain brain cells stay highly active even after a workout ends, and those lingering signals appear to help the body build endurance over time. In experiments with mice, blocking these brain cells prevented improvements in stamina, even when the animals still exercised normally.

Researchers have shown for the first time that malfunctioning mitochondria — the cell’s energy generators — may directly cause cognitive decline in neurodegenerative diseases. By creating a new tool that temporarily boosts mitochondrial activity in the brain, scientists restored memory performance in mouse models of dementia. The discovery hints that energy failure inside neurons could happen before brain cells die, potentially offering a new target for future Alzheimer’s treatments.

A major analysis of brain scans found that people with anxiety disorders have noticeably lower levels of choline, a nutrient crucial for healthy brain function. The strongest evidence appeared in the prefrontal cortex, the region tied to emotional control and decision-making. Researchers say the discovery is the first clear chemical brain pattern linked to anxiety and could eventually lead to new nutrition-based treatments.

No vaccines or treatments exist for Ebola Bundibugyo, which has caused hundreds of suspected cases and 80 deaths in Congo and Uganda; WHO warns of "potentially much larger outbreak"

Estrogens are pleiotropic hormones that regulate reproductive and non-reproductive physiological processes in both sexes. Among these, 17α-estradiol (17α-E2), a C17 epimer of the canonical estrogen 17β-estradiol (17β-E2), has emerged as a promising modulator of aging and metabolism with sexual dimorphism. Unlike 17β-E2, which exerts broad estrogenic effects in both sexes, 17α-E2 extends lifespan and preferentially improves metabolic homeostasis in male mice while inducing only mild feminizing...

Age-related cognitive impairment poses a significant public health challenge. Although exercise interventions have been shown to ameliorate cognitive deficits, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This review therefore proposes a novel framework, based on current evidence, integrating exercise interventions with the D-amino acid oxidase (DAO)/D-serine-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) axis. This review explores the potential mechanisms by which exercise...

Electrochemical reactions are generally accompanied by mechanical evolutions, which, in turn, play a critical role in the performance of the electrochemical system. In aqueous Zn||MnO(2) batteries, the intrinsically structural instability of MnO(2) and rampant side reactions create considerable strain/stress changes in operation. However, the electrochemistry-mechanics-performance relationship of the Zn||MnO(2) cell is still missing. Herein, we decode the electrochemomechanical interplay of...

The brain age gap (BAG), the difference between magnetic resonance imaging-predicted brain age and chronological age, is a proposed marker of neurobiological aging, yet its transdiagnostic significance remains uncertain. This meta-analysis evaluated BAG in Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease (PD), schizophrenia (SCZ), stroke, and bipolar disorder (BD) to determine shared and disorder-specific patterns of accelerated brain aging....

Oxylipins, signalling molecules derived from polyunsaturated fatty acids, act as key mediators controlling inflammatory processes. Ageing fuels the disruption of this network, promoting inflammageing. Social isolation, a common feature of ageing, may contribute to the emergence of pro-inflammatory responses, further aggravating conditions like cognitive decline and frailty. Here, we studied how repeated social isolation impacts inflammation-related oxylipin profiles in seven different organs and...

A new study suggests microscopic particles from the gut may actively drive inflammation and chronic diseases associated with aging. Remarkably, gut particles from young animals appeared to counter some aging-related damage in older animals, hinting at new possibilities for future treatments.

Scientists are uncovering a surprising link between hidden tooth infections and blood sugar problems. Deep infections around tooth roots can create chronic inflammation that spreads through the body and may interfere with insulin function. Studies found that people who underwent root canal treatment often experienced better blood sugar control and reduced inflammation afterward. The research suggests that treating an infected tooth could have benefits far beyond the mouth.

You may not need hours at the gym to boost your health after all. Researchers say just 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week — broken into tiny bursts of effort that leave you out of breath — can dramatically improve cardiovascular fitness, lower the risk of dozens of diseases, and even help protect the brain as we age. The key isn’t how long you exercise, but how hard you push yourself.

Cinematic geologists are usually good guys—sometimes gals—but they have a one in three fatality rate, a film analysis show

Hidden chambers may provide Mediterranean monk seals refuge from tourists

Cannabis use among older adults is rising fast, but today’s marijuana is far more potent than many people realize — and experts warn the risks may be underestimated. Stanford Medicine specialists say modern cannabis can increase the chances of heart problems, falls, memory issues, dangerous drug interactions, and even addiction, especially for people over 65.