Human Quirks: Health & Medicine

November 20, 2024

Top Headlines

Researchers Develop Clinically Validated, Wearable Ultrasound Patch for Continuous Blood Pressure Monitoring

Nov. 20, 2024 — A re-engineered wearable ultrasound patch for continuous and noninvasive blood pressure monitoring has undergone comprehensive clinical validation on over 100 patients, marking a major milestone in ...

Scientists Recreate Mouse from Gene Older Than Animal Life

Nov. 18, 2024 — An international team of researchers has achieved an unprecedented milestone: the creation of mouse stem cells capable of generating a fully developed mouse using genetic tools from a unicellular organism, with which we share a common ancestor that ...

Robotic Shorts Support People When Walking

Nov. 14, 2024 — Researchers have developed robotic trousers that enable people to walk more easily while expending measurably less energy. The aim is to keep frail individuals and in particular the elderly mobile and healthy for ...

Synthetic Cells Emulate Natural Cellular Communication

Nov. 12, 2024 — A research team has succeeded in synthesizing simple, environmentally sensitive cells complete with artificial organelles. For the first time, the researchers have also been able to emulate natural cell-cell communication using these proto-cells -- ...

Latest Headlines

updated 11:31pm EST

Robot That Watched Surgery Videos Performs With Skill of Human Doctor, Researchers Report

Nov. 11, 2024 — A robot, trained for the first time by watching videos of seasoned surgeons, executed the same surgical procedures as skillfully as the human ...

SARS-CoV-2 'Steals' Our Proteins to Protect Itself from the Immune System

Nov. 8, 2024 — Researchers have discovered that SARS-CoV-2 hijacks three important host proteins that dampen the activity of the complement system, a key component of early antiviral immunity. This significantly ...

New Insights Into the Denisovans: New Hominin Group That Interbred With Modern Day Humans

Nov. 8, 2024 — Scientists believe individuals of the most recently discovered 'hominin' group (the Denisovans) that interbred with modern day humans passed on some ...

Memories Are Not Only in the Brain, New Research Finds

Nov. 7, 2024 — It's common knowledge that our brains -- and, specifically, our brain cells -- store memories. But a team of scientists has discovered that cells from other parts of the body also perform a memory ...

Research Shows Caterpillar Fungus Can Slow Down Growth of Cancer Cells

Nov. 7, 2024 — New research into a chemical produced by a caterpillar fungus that has shown promise as a possible cancer treatment has revealed how it interacts with genes to interrupt cell growth signals. The ...

Deaf Male Mosquitoes Don't Mate

Nov. 5, 2024 — Romance is a complex affair in humans. There's personality, appearance, seduction, all manner of physical and social cues. Mosquitoes are much more blunt. Mating occurs for a few seconds in midair. ...

Revolutionary High-Speed 3D Bioprinter Hailed a Game Changer for Drug Discovery

Nov. 1, 2024 — Biomedical engineers have invented a 3D printing system, or bioprinter, capable of fabricating structures that closely mimic the diverse tissues in ...

Bones from Tudor Mary Rose Shipwreck Suggest Handedness Might Affect Collarbone Chemistry

Oct. 30, 2024 — A new study of human skeletal remains from the wreck of the 16th century English warship Mary Rose suggests that whether a person is right- versus ...

Keeping Fewer Friends Protects Aging Monkeys from Diseases

Oct. 28, 2024 — Becoming less sociable protects older monkeys from getting ill, new research ...

Batteries for Miniature Bio-Integrated Devices and Robotics

Oct. 25, 2024 — Researchers have developed a miniature soft lithium-ion battery that could be used as a defibrillator to control heart rhythm during surgery. The flexible lithium-ion battery is constructed by ...

Unnoticeable Electric Currents Could Reduce Skin Infections

Oct. 24, 2024 — Using a few zaps of electricity to the skin, researchers can stop bacterial infections without using any drugs. For the first time, researchers designed a skin patch that uses imperceptible electric ...

Common Drug Shows Promise in Extending Lifespan

Oct. 24, 2024 — Scientists say mifepristone, used in cancer and reproductive care, could pave the way for anti-aging ...

Evolution in Action: How Ethnic Tibetan Women Thrive in Thin Oxygen at High Altitudes

Oct. 21, 2024 — New study reveals link between oxygen delivery and reproductive success among women living on the high Tibetan ...

Unexpected Beauty, Major Antimicrobial Power Boost as Phages Form Into Surprising Flower Shapes

Oct. 21, 2024 — Researchers who work with bacteriophages -- viruses that eat bacteria -- had a pleasant and potentially very important surprise after treating samples to view under an electron microscope: they had ...

Scan Based on Lizard Saliva Detects Rare Tumor

Oct. 21, 2024 — A new PET scan reliably detects benign tumors in the pancreas, according to new research. Current scans often fail to detect these insulinomas, even though they cause symptoms due to low blood sugar ...

Marine Bacterium: Catching Prey With Grappling Hooks and Cannons

Oct. 17, 2024 — Researchers have analyzed down to the smallest detail the unusual arsenal of weapons that a predatory marine bacterium has at its disposal. Perhaps one day these weapons could also be put to use in ...

Life-Saving Spongelike 'Bandage' Rapidly Stops Hemorrhaging and Mitigates Risk of Infection

Oct. 17, 2024 — Researchers created a liquid gel that quickly transforms into a spongelike antimicrobial foam to stymie severe bleeding and ultimately preserve ...

Human Skin Map Gives 'Recipe' to Build Skin and Could Help Prevent Scarring

Oct. 16, 2024 — Prenatal human skin atlas and organoid will accelerate research into congenital diseases and lead to clinical applications for regenerative ...

Genomic Study Identifies Human, Animal Hair in 'Man-Eater' Lions' Teeth

Oct. 11, 2024 — Scientists analyzed hairs extracted from the broken teeth of two 19th century 'man-eater' lions. Their analysis revealed DNA from giraffe, human, oryx, waterbuck, wildebeest and zebra as ...

Viruses Are Teeming on Your Toothbrush, Showerhead

Oct. 9, 2024 — Microbiologists found that showerheads and toothbrushes are teeming with an extremely diverse collection of viruses -- most of which have never been seen ...

Toddlers Show Increased Physical Activity With a Robot Playmate Moving Around the Room

Oct. 9, 2024 — Parents seeking help in encouraging toddlers to be physically active may soon need to look no further than an inexpensive robotic buddy for their kids, a new study ...

Ultra-Sensitive Robotic 'Finger' Can Take Patient Pulses, Check for Lumps

Oct. 9, 2024 — Researchers have developed a soft robotic 'finger' with a sophisticated sense of touch that can perform routine doctor office examinations, including taking a patient's pulse and ...

Hoarding Disorder: 'Sensory CBT' Treatment Strategy Shows Promise

Oct. 3, 2024 — Rehearsing alternative outcomes of discarding through imagery rescripting shows promise as a treatment strategy for people who hoard, a study by psychology researchers has ...

Stronger Together: Miniature Robots in Convoy for Endoscopic Surgery

Oct. 1, 2024 — Miniature robots on the millimeter scale often lack the strength to transport instruments for endoscopic microsurgery through the body. Scientists are now combining several millimeter-sized TrainBots ...

Increased Antioxidants and Phenolic Compounds Produced in Salted Red Perilla Leaves During Japanese Apricot Pickling

Sep. 26, 2024 — Antioxidant content and activity are increased during the processing and digestion of Japanese apricots pickled with salted red perilla leaves, new research ...

Scientists Uncover a Critical Component That Helps Killifish Regenerate Their Fins

Sep. 26, 2024 — Spontaneous injuries like the loss of a limb or damage to the spinal cord are impossible for humans to repair. Yet, some animals have an extraordinary capacity to regenerate after injury, a response ...

Managing Stress Could Be the Key to Helping Highly Impulsive People Act Rashly When Bored

Sep. 25, 2024 — Research has explored the relationship between high impulsivity and boredom, in an effort to find out what drives rash and sometimes unhealthy ...

New Testing System Using Janus Particles Rapidly and Accurately Detects COVID-19

Sep. 20, 2024 — A research group has developed a new COVID-19 testing system using Janus particles -- microparticles with two sides possessing distinctive molecular properties. These particles are engineered to bind ...

Homemade 'Play-Putty' Can Read the Body's Electric Signals

Sep. 18, 2024 — Researchers demonstrates the effectiveness of homemade play putty at reading brain, heart, muscle and eye activity. The research outlines the conductive properties of this material, so-named ...

First Academic Study on Slap Fighting Highlights Risks to Participants' Neurological Health

Sep. 18, 2024 — The first academic study to provide quantitative assessment of the possible dangers of competitive slap fighting offers a starting point for conversations about ensuring participants' long-term ...