A new paper explores the problems with physics culture and provides a road map for making departments in the field more equitable. Physics has long suffered from the perception that the most cutting-edge work is done by lone geniuses, usually white m

For the first time in more than 200 years, two broods of cicadas—Brood XIX, known as the Great Southern Brood, and Brood XIII, known as the Northern Illinois Brood—will emerge from the ground simultaneously this year. Hannah Burrack, professor and ch

Life cycle diagrams are ubiquitous in science textbooks, and they may be due for some updates, according to a new study. The findings show that simple design changes in science textbook diagrams can have a dramatic impact on the ability of undergradu

On this episode of the Big Brains podcast, Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan digs into why humans die—and how we can live longer. They’re perhaps the oldest questions in the science: Why do we die? And could we find a way to live forever? But for dec

A new mathematical model offers hope for better prediction and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers report. Most mathematical models of Alzheimer’s are theoretical, focusing on short term molecular and cellular-level changes that cannot be m

Monitoring and treating multiple sclerosis requires reliable and long-term data on how the disease is progressing. A new study finds fitness trackers and smartphones can supply the needed data. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an insidious disease. Patient

New research is uncovering how the juice from red cabbage can alleviate inflammation-associated digestive health conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease in mice. The findings offer hope to the estimated 3 million Americans who suffer from infla

The key to growing coffee plants that can better resist climate change in the decades to come may lie in the ancient past, researchers report. Researchers have created what they say is the highest-quality reference genome to date of the world’s most

Traumatic experiences during childhood may get “under the skin” later in life, impairing the muscle function of people as they age, a new study shows. The study examined the function of skeletal muscle of older adults paired with surveys of adverse e

With immigration dominating politics and voter concerns, new research shows immigration boosts local wages and that having neighbors of foreign descent can reduce prejudice. When Americans mark their presidential election ballots later this year, imm

A new study found that children improved their diet quality when they ate school-prepared lunches following the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act nutritional guidelines instead of home-prepared lunches. Lower-income and non-Hispanic Black students saw th

An expert has answers for you about the recent discovery of the bird flu virus in dairy cows. The H5N1 strain of avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has been circulating among wild migratory birds for the past two years, with substantial spi

Adolescence is the prime time to help young women who’ve had repeated run-ins with the US juvenile justice system find a different path, a new study shows. In one of the longest ongoing intervention studies focused on delinquency in women, researcher

Researchers have identified elusive cells in the eye that could explain how humans see red, green, blue, and yellow. Scientists have long wondered how the eye’s three cone photoreceptor types work together to allow humans to perceive color. In the ne

New research that clarifies how bacteria-infecting viruses disarm pathogens could lead to new treatment methods for bacterial infections. Bacterial infections pose significant challenges to agriculture and medicine, especially as cases of antibiotic-

Iowa offers a successful model for serving youth exiting foster care, according to a new study. “Youth are typically in foster care for what most people would consider a traumatic experience, such as being taken out of their home for abuse or neglect

Researchers have discovered that eye blinks aren’t just a mechanism to keep our eyes moist: blinks also play an important role in allowing our brains to process visual information. The ordinary act of blinking takes up a surprising amount of our waki

New research digs into the mysteries behind the huge eyes of the Vanadis bristle worm. The worm’s eyes weigh about twenty times as much as the rest of the animal’s head and seem grotesquely out of place on this tiny and transparent marine critter. It

A new study has found that adults exposed to high levels of air pollution were at an increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. In a study of 1,113 participants between the ages of 45-75 from the Emory Healthy Brain Study, all of whom were fro

Researchers have developed synthetic platelets that can be used to stop bleeding and enhance healing at the site of an injury. The researchers have demonstrated that the synthetic platelets work well in animal models but have not yet begun clinical t

Researchers have uncovered a previously unknown source of two key brain waves crucial for deep sleep: slow waves and sleep spindles. Traditionally believed to originate from one brain circuit linking the thalamus and cortex, the team’s findings, publ

A new study finds that storing chemicals in a garage at home may be linked with an increased risk of ALS. Over the last decade, researchers at University of Michigan continue to find that exposure to environmental toxins—from pesticides used in agric

New research may explain why some people with rheumatoid arthritis have pain without inflammation. Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has come a long way in recent years. In many cases, a battery of medications can now successfully stymy the inf

People who work irregular job schedules staring at 22 are more likely to report sleep issues, poor health, and depressive symptoms by age 50, according to a new study. With the rise of the US service economy and technological progress, researchers ar

Researchers have a new theory about the origins and spread of Parkinson’s disease. The nose or the gut? For the past two decades, the scientific community has debated the wellspring of the toxic proteins at the source of Parkinson’s disease. In 2003,

Using artificial intelligence to supplement radiologists’ evaluations of mammograms may improve breast cancer screening by reducing false positives without missing cases of cancer, according to a new study. The researchers developed an algorithm that

A new study shows seafood food loss and waste in the United States is approximately 22.7%, a drastic decrease from previous estimates of between 43% and 47%. The study, conducted in part by researchers from the University of Florida Institute of Food

Individual ice grains ejected from some of the moons orbiting Saturn and Jupiter may contain enough material for instruments headed there in the fall to detect signs of life, if such life exists. The ice-encrusted oceans of these planetary bodies are

Swimming in schools makes fish surprisingly stealthy underwater, with a group able to sound like a single fish, researchers report. The study offers new insight into why fish swim in schools and holds promise for the design and operation of much quie

Aside from retirements, poor working conditions are the leading reasons nurses leave health care employment, according to a new study. The findings come at a time when hospital executives cite staffing problems as their most pressing concern. “Prior