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New legislation would loosen regulations and reduce the role of an environmental research body in decisions affecting wildlife

At least 3200 scientific publications refer to the Fab Four’s music—by far the most of any top-selling artist

New evidence suggests Gondwana was far larger than previously thought, challenging models of continental cycling

The staple format also warrants a deeper rethink, some researchers say

Scientists found that caffeine activates an ancient cellular energy system involved in stress resistance, DNA repair, and growth. The discovery could help explain caffeine’s links to healthier aging and may point toward new ways to target the same pathway.

Researchers discovered that combinations of toxin-blocking proteins naturally found in rattlesnake blood can powerfully neutralize venom from several dangerous snake species. In lab tests, the mixtures were about 10 times more potent than a current commercial antivenom, pointing toward a new generation of nature-inspired snakebite treatments.

More than 1,200 genetic variants have been linked to the Big Five personality traits, and many of the same variants are also associated with health, longevity, careers, income, and everyday habits. The findings reveal a surprisingly wide genetic connection between personality and life outcomes while showing that environment still plays a powerful role.

Semaglutide, the drug behind Ozempic and Wegovy, may have benefits that extend well beyond weight loss and diabetes. In a large Swedish study of nearly 15,000 people with bipolar disorder, its use was linked to a 21% lower risk of psychiatric hospitalization. Researchers think effects on inflammation and brain-related biological pathways could help stabilize mood, though other GLP-1 drugs did not show the same association.

Physicists have directly observed a long-predicted quantum effect of gravity, putting one of Einstein’s foundational ideas to a striking new test. Using ultracold atoms, researchers split an atom’s quantum wave so that one part was held in place while the other fell freely under gravity, then reunited the two to measure the tiny difference that emerged.

Researchers have found a potential way to attack prostate cancers that evade treatment by changing their cellular identity. Combining two types of drugs reversed many of these changes and sharply slowed tumor growth in preclinical experiments, offering a possible new strategy for aggressive, treatment-resistant disease.

The female brain undergoes substantial reorganization during major hormonal transitions, yet whether puberty, pregnancy, and menopause engage shared or distinct neuroplastic mechanisms remains unknown. We compared longitudinal structural brain changes across all three major hormonal life events using identical analytical methods within a single cohort framework (n = 1095), with stable control groups to control for normative developmental and aging trajectories. Both pre-to-post menarche and...

Primary cultures from fetal or postnatal rodent brain are widely used to study alpha-synuclein (aSyn)-associated mechanisms but poorly reflect age-dependent neurodegenerative processes. We established primary whole-brain cultures from adult Thy1-aSyn (Line 61) mice overexpressing human aSyn and compared them with postnatal and wild-type cultures. Cultures were maintained for 21 days and characterized by electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry, gene expression analysis, and protein biochemistry....