ScienceDaily

Researchers have discovered that chimpanzees living in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania employ a degree of engineering when making their tools, deliberately choosing plants that provide materials that produce more flexible tools for termite fishing.

Maintaining a healthy diet rich in plant-based foods, with low to moderate intake of healthy animal-based foods and lower intake of ultra-processed foods, was linked to a higher likelihood of healthy aging — defined as reaching age 70 free of major chronic diseases and with cognitive, physical, and mental health maintained, according to a new study. The study is among the first to examine multiple dietary patterns in midlife in relation to overall healthy aging.

Investigators have developed a long-acting contraceptive implant that can be delivered through tiny needles to minimize patient discomfort and increase the likelihood of medication use. Their findings in preclinical models provide the technological basis to develop self-administrable contraceptive shots that could mimic the long-term drug release of surgically implanted devices.

Scientists used light to control how a starfish egg cell jiggles and moves during its earliest stage of development. Their optical system could guide the design of synthetic, light-activated cells for wound healing or drug delivery.

A comprehensive study shows that people with fatty liver disease have almost twice the mortality rate of the general population. They have an increased risk of dying from both liver diseases and common diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Existing tax policies during the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources will lead to major energy injustices and skewed priorities, new research shows.

Scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking chemical process that could streamline the development of pharmaceutical compounds, chemical building blocks that influence how drugs interact with the body.

Who were our earliest ancestors? The answer could lie in a special group of single-celled organisms with a cytoskeleton similar to that of complex organisms, such as animals and plants.

New research shows how a specially trained population of immune cells keeps the peace by preventing other immune cells from attacking their own. The study provides a better understanding of immune regulation during infection and could provide a foundation for interventions to prevent or reverse autoimmune diseases.

Our blood consists of many cell types that develop through different stages from a precursor type — the blood stem cell. An international research team has now investigated the developmental pathways of blood cells in humans. The results yielded a surprise: Even stem cells possess surface proteins that enable them to suppress the activation of inflammatory and immune responses in the body. This finding is particularly relevant for stem cell transplants, applied for the treatment of e.g. leukemia.