Science News

Researchers have developed a powerful new way to map how brain cells connect by tagging neurons with molecular "barcodes." We are approaching the brain the same way," said study leader Boxuan Zhao, a professor of cell and developmental biology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Potential To Transform Alzheimer's and Brain Disease Research Because it is both fast and scalable, Connectome-seq could significantly accelerate research into neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric conditions and other brain disorders.

Mars may look like a quiet, dusty world, but it’s actually buzzing with hidden electrical activity.

A new study shows that gene therapy can significantly improve hearing in people born with congenital deafness or severe hearing loss. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet, working with hospitals and universities in China, treated ten patients and saw hearing improve in every case. "We and other researchers are expanding our work to other, more common genes that cause deafness, such as GJB2 and TMC1.

Fried foods are widely enjoyed, but their high fat content is linked to health issues such as obesity and hypertension. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are studying how microwave frying can improve the way French fries are made. In one study, the team partnered with researchers at Washington State University to use a specially designed microwave fryer.

NPR's science podcast Short Wave brings us stories on food fortification, why some people don't seem to get the flu, and a study on how much vigorous exercise you really need.

This juvenile warty frogfish was raised in captivity at the Shedd Aquarium. Brenna Hernandez/Shedd Aquarium hide.