Science and Health News

Anti-cancer drug prevented weight gain and caused mice to burn more calories thanks to higher levels of metabolism-boosting brown fat

In a study published today, scientists at deCODE genetics use genomic and genealogical data from across the population of Iceland over many decades to show that people who carry sequence variations linked to higher levels of education have fewer children than average.

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine offers a rigorous review of scientific research published since 1999 about what is known about the health impacts of cannabis and cannabis-derived products — such as marijuana and active chemical compounds known as cannabinoids — ranging from their therapeutic effects to their risks for causing certain cancers, diseases, mental health disorders, and injuries.

A process using human stem cells can generate the cells that cover the external surface of a human heart — epicardium cells — according to a multidisciplinary team of researchers.

With the help of a new microscope which is attached to a regular mobile, doctors can diagnose for example cancer tumours, infections and tuberculosis. The invention could become a weapon in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Settling a persistent scientific controversy, a long-awaited report shows that restricting calories does indeed help rhesus monkeys live longer, healthier lives.

Harvard University researchers have developed a multiregional brain-on-a-chip that models the connectivity between three distinct regions of the brain. The in vitro model was used to extensively characterize the differences between neurons from different regions of the brain and to mimic the system’s connectivity.

A clever new tuberculosis vaccine has shown promise in trials in mice. If it succeeds, it will be the first new TB vaccine in a century. With the rise of multidrug resistant tuberculosis, the difficulty of curing the disease, and the large annual death toll, a successful vaccine could be a huge benefit to public health-especially in low- and middle income countries.