When I first realized the scale of the challenge posed by neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), I felt simultaneously humbled and motivated. These disorders are not caused by a single malfunction in the system, but rather by a cascade of failures, which includes protein misfolding, synaptic breakdown, [...]

USC engineers have demonstrated a new kind of optical device that lets light organize its own route using the principles of thermodynamics. Instead of relying on switches or digital control, the light finds its own path through the system. This approach could transform data transmission, computing, and communications by making optical technologies more natural and [...]

A new method that improves the accuracy of interpreting blood pressure measurements taken at the ankle could be vital for individuals who are unable to have their blood pressure measured on the arm. A newly developed approach could significantly improve how blood pressure readings taken at the ankle are interpreted, offering a vital solution for people [...]

The drug development pipeline is a costly and lengthy process. Identifying high-quality "hit" compounds—those with high potency, selectivity, and favorable metabolic properties—at the earliest stages is important for reducing cost and accelerating the path to clinical trials. For the last decade, scientists have looked to machine learning to make this initial screening process more [...]

Plastic is ubiquitous in the modern world, and it's notorious for taking a long time to completely break down in the environment - if it ever does. But even without breaking down completely, plastic can shed tiny particles - called nanoplastics because of their extremely small size - that scientists are just now starting [...]

It looks pretty sinister, but it might actually be incredibly helpful When reactor number four in Chernobyl exploded, it triggered the worst nuclear disaster in history, one which the surrounding area still has not yet recovered from. After the disaster at the Ukrainian nuclear power plant, scientists working in the ruined remains of reactor four discovered a strange [...]

Months after recovering from COVID-19, many people continue to feel unwell. They speak of exhaustion that doesn’t fade, difficulty breathing, or an unsettling mental haze. What’s becoming increasingly clear is that recovery from the virus doesn’t always end when the infection clears. For countless survivors, Long COVID continues to affect both body and mind, [...]

A new peptide-based nanotube treatment sneaks chemo into drug-resistant cancer cells, providing a unique workaround to one of oncology’s toughest hurdles. CiQUS researchers have developed a novel molecular strategy that allows a chemotherapy drug to enter the nucleus of tumor cells and exert its therapeutic impact, even in drug-resistant cancers. Their findings were published in ACS [...]

An NIH-supported initiative seeks to unravel how the nervous system tracks and regulates the body’s internal organs. How does your brain recognize when it’s time to take a breath, when your blood pressure has fallen, or when your body is fighting an infection? The key lies in interoception, a little-known process through which the [...]

Researchers at the European XFEL and DESY are investigating unusual forms of ice that can exist at room temperature when subjected to extreme pressure. Ice comes in many forms, even when made of nothing but water molecules. Scientists have now identified more than 20 unique solid structures, or “phases,” of ice, each with its own molecular [...]