The immune status of postpartum mothers shifts with how she feeds her baby, a new study finds. According to the paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, certain inflammatory proteins—substances that are secreted as part of an immune respons

When people are presented with two answers to an ethical question, most will think the answer from artificial intelligence is better than the response from another person. The explosion of ChatGPT and similar AI large language models (LLMs) which cam

Researchers have developed a catalyst material known as cobalt phthalocyanine that converts carbon dioxide—a significant driver of climate change—into renewable fuels such as methanol. Published in the journal ACS Catalysis, the researchers studied u

Competition over love and real estate drives two extreme behaviors in green-rumped parrotlets, a new study finds—either caring for or killing one another’s babies. Infanticide and adoption in the animal kingdom have long puzzled scientists. While bot

Brace for a very active hurricane season this year, warn forecasters. The 2023 hurricane season saw 20 named storms and three major hurricanes from the Atlantic basin, ranking as the fourth most active hurricane season on record. This year’s hurrican

Researchers have developed a method to make high-quality perovskite films at room temperature. Finding reliable, eco-friendly power sources is crucial as our world grapples with increasing energy needs and the urgent call to combat climate change. So

There might be some health benefits to the trend of cold plunging, new research suggests Scores of Instagram influencers claim that a dunk into a frigid bath will boost physical and mental health and help the body recover more quickly from exercise.

A new fentanyl sensor is six orders of magnitude more sensitive than any electrochemical sensor for the drug reported in the past five years. The portable sensor can also tell the difference between fentanyl and other opioids. Fentanyl is a synthetic

Some people assume we forget or outgrow trauma. But the truth is, if someone experiences trauma as a child, it can lead to physical and mental struggles that affect their entire life. Here, Thomas O’Connor, director of the Wynne Center for Family Res

Superradiant atoms could push the boundaries of how precisely time can be measured, researchers report. The second is the most precisely-defined unit of measurement, compared to other base units such as the kilogram, meter, and degree Kelvin. Time is

“Forever chemicals” have made the news recently, with new EPA rules limiting the amount of some types that can be in drinking water. Here, Carla Ng, an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson

A first-ever stretchy electronic skin could equip robots and other devices with the same softness and touch sensitivity as human skin, researchers report. The e-skin opens up new possibilities to perform tasks that require a great deal of precision a

In this episode of the Big Brains podcast, James Doty explains the scientific research on how to train our brain to achieve our goals. We’ve all heard the phrase “Manifest Your Destiny” when it comes to wanting that new promotion, figuring out a new

A new study finds heavy-drinking young adults decreased alcohol intake during the pandemic. The researchers found alcohol use and alcohol-related problems substantially decreased in heavy-drinking young adults during the pandemic, and these decreases

The popular app Twitch, created to livestream video game action, is redefining journalism as it becomes a source for news, research finds. Established news groups and digital-age influencers are competing on Twitch in creative ways to draw users who

Researchers have created a new device for taking blood samples that works like a leech. The new device is less invasive than taking blood from the arm with a needle. It is also easy to handle and can be used by people without medical training. Many p

New research sheds light on neural processing of diverse classes of rewards in mice, with potential implications for understanding substance use disorders in humans. Drugs like morphine and cocaine fundamentally warp the brain’s reward system—creatin

Analysis suggests the baby teeth of saber tooth cats stayed in place for years to stabilize the growing permanent saber tooth, perhaps allowing adolescents to learn how to hunt without breaking them. The fearsome, saber-like teeth of Smilodon fatalis

Black drivers are more frequently searched during traffic stops without finding contraband than white drivers, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed data from 98 million traffic stops, and found that innocent Black drivers were likely to be

Dog aggression can be unsettling, stressful, and even dangerous, not only for the dog but also for other pets, family members, and strangers. Because some forms of aggression are rare and unexpected, such as rage syndrome, Lori Teller, a clinical pro

Experts have answers for you about a new drug that can treat food allergies. When your child is allergic to peanuts, every birthday party or meal out is stressful. Will there be peanuts in the cake or cookies? What menu options are peanut free? What

Computer simulations by astronomers support the idea that dark matter exists, according to researchers. The work addresses a fundamental debate in astrophysics—does invisible dark matter need to exist to explain how the universe works the way it does

An experimental monoclonal antibody drug appears to prevent and reverse the onset of clinical type 1 diabetes in mice, and in some cases, to lengthen the animals’ lifespan. Researchers say the drug, called mAb43, is unique because it targets insulin-

Plants are not simply victims of circumstances, but have helped to shape climate conditions on Earth, researchers report. Over the course of hundreds of millions of years, Earth has lived through a series of climatic shifts, shaping the planet as we

For the first time, scientists have traced an asteroid to its exact place of origin—a particular crater on the moon. Unlike most near-Earth asteroids, which are thought to hail from the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, aster

Adding a pre-ketone supplement, a component of a high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet, to a type of cancer therapy in a laboratory setting was highly effective for treating prostate cancer, researchers report. As reported in the journal Cancer Research,

Researchers have discovered a link between birth mothers who experienced stressful childhood events and their own children’s behavior problem. The finding held true even though the children were adopted as newborns, raised by their adoptive parents,

An expert has tips for you to help your cat breathe easy with feline asthma. Spring is often described as a time of renewal and beauty, with flowers blooming and trees budding. However, spring flowers and budding trees also cause higher pollen counts

New findings deepen our understanding of animal cognition. Are mice clever enough to be strategic? Kishore Kuchibhotla, a Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist who studies learning in humans and animals, and who has long worked with mice, wondered

Researchers have created new circuit boards that can be repeatedly recycled. A recent United Nations report found that the world generated 137 billion pounds of electronic waste in 2022, an 82% increase from 2010. Yet less than a quarter of 2022’s e-