The European Union has just ruled that gene-edited plants and crops are subject to the same tough regulations as genetically modified organisms. The ruling stands apart from a recent US government statement claiming gene-edited plants are notably different from more comprehensively altered GMOs.
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In order to be an entrepreneur, it helps if you're not afraid of taking a risk or two. Well, a University of Colorado Boulder study indicates that if you lack the entrepreneurial spirit, it might help to become infected with a parasite known as Toxoplasma gondii.
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Scientists have created the most lifelike artificial embryos ever, guiding them through “the most important event in life” – a key development stage known as gastrulation. The researchers combined three types of mouse stem cells into an embryo that was just about ready to be implanted into a womb.
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A new study from the University of Waterloo has revealed that cravings for high-calorie foods can be increased by suppressing activity in a part of the brain responsible for self-control. The research offers key insights into how neurocognitive mechanisms can be modulated to alter food consumption.
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The brain is a complex tangle of neurons that allow us to process lots of different stimuli at once. A Duke University team has found evidence that individual neurons can process multiple signals simultaneously, by rapidly alternating between them.
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We've all heard about ancient insects getting preserved in amber (fossilized tree resin), with similarly-preserved items including dinosaur feathers, mammalian red blood cells and a bizarre spider. Now, for the first time, scientists have found an amber-encased prehistoric snake.
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To investigate how gut bacteria can affect overall health, researchers at Harvard Medical School have deleted a single gene from one gut bacteria species and found that it alters the metabolism of the host, reducing their weight gain.
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Researchers at Washington University in St Louis have isolated a small cluster of “grandmother” neurons that tell the rest of the brain when to go to bed, and found that stimulating those could help combat jet lag.
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The way genes are expressed can be changed by environmental or lifestyle factors and these changes may be inherited from parents. A new study has found that male mice who spend time in cold environments may pass down this “experience” to their kids, in the form of higher levels of warming brown fat.
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It’s long been believed that cytomegalovirus (CMV) probably weakens the immune system in older people, but now mice tests have shown that the opposite is true – somehow, the virus gives the immune system a bit of a late-stage boost.
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