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Famine and Disease Drove the Evolution of Lactose Tolerance in Europe

Prehistoric people in Europe were consuming milk thousands of years before humans evolved the genetic trait allowing us to digest the milk sugar lactose as adults, finds a new study led by UCL and University of Bristol researchers.

Prehistoric Roots of ‘Cold Sore’ Virus Traced Through Ancient Herpes DNA

Ancient genomes from the herpes virus that commonly causes lip sores – and currently infects some 3.7 billion people globally – have been uncovered and sequenced for the first time by an international team involving UCL scientists.

Analysis: Drug Misuse and Suicidal Behaviour More Common on the Anniversary of a Parent’s Death

Writing in The Conversation, Professor Scott Montgomery (UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health) shares his new research finding that young people who lost a parent are most likely to be admitted to hospital for drug use or self-harm around the anniversary of their death.

Using Smartphones Could Help Improve Memory Skills

Using digital devices, such as smartphones, could help improve memory skills rather than causing people to become lazy or forgetful, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

Vaginal Microbiota May Affect the Duration of Gestation

Vaginal microbiota reflects the regulation of the duration of gestation and the onset of labour.

Evolving to Outpace Climate Change, Tiny Marine Animal Provides New Evidence of Long-Theorized Genetic Mechanism

Some copepods, diminutive crustaceans with an outsized place in the aquatic food web, can evolve fast enough to survive in the face of rapid climate change, according to new research that addresses a longstanding question in the field of genetics.

More News, More Worry During Pandemic

Anxiety and fear went hand in hand with trying to learn more about COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic in the United States — and the most distressed people were turning on the television and scrolling through social media, according to research from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Tufts scientists use advance bioelectric signals to repair alcohol-induced defects in embryos

Exposure to nicotine or alcohol and disruptions of a protein necessary for cell communication can cause the malformation of organs and the nervous system of an embryo. It's one reason why pregnant women are urged not to smoke or drink.

New Understanding of ‘Superantigens’ Could Lead to Improved Staph Infection Treatments

The bacterium Staphylococcus aureus has long been known to cause infections in humans, ranging from mild skin infections to pneumonia to more serious infections of the heart.

Brain Imaging Reveals How Mindfulness Program Boosts Pain Regulation

Research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Center for Healthy Minds has isolated the changes in pain-related brain activity that follow mindfulness training — pointing a way toward more targeted and precise pain treatment.

Enzyme, Proteins Work Together to Tidy Up Tail Ends of DNA in Dividing Cells

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have described the way an enzyme and proteins interact to maintain the protective caps, called telomeres, at the end of chromosomes, a new insight into how a human cell preserves the integrity of its DNA through repeated cell division.

Stereotypes Can Be Self-Reinforcing, Stubborn Even Without Any Supporting Evidence

A new study from researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison shows why letting stereotypes inform our judgments of unfamiliar people can be such a hard habit to break.

Global Spread of Powdery Mildew through Migration and Trade

The worldwide distribution of one of the most important cereal pathogens is the result of human activity.

New COVID-19 Rapid-test Technology Performs PCR Faster than Similar Tests on the Market

Researchers at Columbia Engineering and Rover Diagnostics team up to develop a low-cost, portable platform that gives RT-PCR results in 23 minutes that match laboratory-based tests

10 Years On, a Cell Death Discovery Shows Promise for Treating Disease

A new journal article by Columbia professor Brent R. Stockwell marks the ten-year anniversary of the discovery of ferroptosis, a form of cell death that could help treat life-threatening illnesses like cancer.

Rice Engineers Get a Grip with ‘Necrobotic’ Spiders

Lab manipulates dead spiders’ legs with a puff of air to serve as grabbers

VegSense Makes Sense for Forest Studies

Rice bioscientists use mixed-reality headset, custom software to measure vegetation in the field

Most but Not All Texas Coaches Say They’ll Plan for Climate Change

Rice University survey suggests some aren’t considering dangerous conditions to come

NIH Grant to Expand Research into Tick‑borne Diseases

A $2.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health will allow Washington State University researchers to take the next steps toward blocking transmission of Lyme disease and anaplasmosis.

Seated Form of Tai Chi Might Boost Stroke Recovery

A seated form of a traditional martial art can help stroke survivors regain strength and balance and help relieve depression symptoms as well as or better than standard post-stroke exercise programs, according to a new study from China.