Section
Mind
Cognitive performance, focus, and mental clarity.
Health · 3 min read
About 7 million kids live in a home with a loaded and unlocked gun, a study finds
The new study in JAMA Network Open also finds that more parents leave their guns loaded and unlocked when they have teenagers, despite the fact that suicide risk goes up for this age group.
May 12, 2026
Health · 3 min read
FDA commissioner resigns after tumultuous tenure
The resignation ends Dr. Marty Makary's management of the Food and Drug Administration, which was marked by turmoil and controversy.
May 12, 2026
Health · 3 min read
She's trying to outrun pancreatic cancer. Breakthrough treatments give her hope
Pancreatic cancer is notoriously lethal. But new treatments mean that may be changing, and people with the disease now have more reason to hope than ever before.
May 12, 2026
Health · 3 min read
Health experts say cruise ship hantavirus outbreak isn't a risk to public at large
Passengers who were potentially exposed to hantavirus on a cruise are back home and being monitored for symptoms, as scientists maintain that risk to the public is low.
May 12, 2026
Health · 3 min read
Former CDC official on agency's role in cruise ship hantavirus outbreak
NPR's Michel Martin speaks with former CDC Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry about what role the CDC should play in helping Americans exposed to hantavirus.
May 12, 2026
Health · 3 min read
New research may lead to hearing aids with the ability to select one voice among many
Scientists have developed an artificial hearing system that harnesses the brain's ability to amplify certain sounds while suppressing others. It could lead to better hearing aids.
May 11, 2026
Health · 3 min read
Forest therapy: Why a physician wants more doctors to train in nature-based medicine
A Boston hospital fights staff burnout and boosts patient morale with forest bathing — getting people outside for some time in nature.
May 11, 2026
Health · 3 min read
Why cruise ship passengers with possible hantavirus exposure went to Nebraska
The University of Nebraska is home to the only federally funded quarantine unit in the U.S. and a separate biocontainment unit that can treat people exposed to infectious diseases.
May 11, 2026
Health · 3 min read
18 passengers return to U.S. after weeks on cruise ship hit with hantavirus outbreak
Eighteen U.S. passengers have returned stateside after weeks on the cruise ship at the center of a hantavirus outbreak. They're being monitored at specialized medical facilities.
May 11, 2026
Health · 3 min read
Abortion pill by mail allowed for at least 3 more days, the Supreme Court says
Full access to the abortion pill mifepristone, including through telemedicine and the mail, will continue for at least three more days, the high court said on Monday.
May 11, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Researchers say AI chatbots may blur the line between reality and delusion
A new study suggests AI chatbots may do more than spread misinformation — they can actively strengthen a user’s false beliefs. Because conversational AI often validates and builds on what users say, it can make distorted memories, conspiracy theories, or delusions feel more believable and emotionally real. Researchers
May 11, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Brain scans reveal a shocking difference between psychopaths and other people
Scientists have uncovered a striking brain difference linked to psychopathy: people with psychopathic traits were found to have a striatum — a brain region tied to reward, motivation, and decision-making — that was about 10% larger on average than those without such traits. Using MRI scans and psychological assessments
May 10, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Eating eggs could cut Alzheimer’s risk by 27%
Eating eggs might do more than just start your day—it could help protect your brain. Researchers found that people 65 and older who eat eggs regularly have a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, with daily or near-daily consumption linked to up to a 27% reduction. Even modest egg intake showed be
May 7, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Your DNA may predict your future success more than your upbringing
A new twin study suggests your genes may play a bigger role in your future success than your upbringing. Researchers found that IQ, which is largely genetically influenced, strongly predicts education, career, and income. Even twins raised in the same household diverged based on genetic differences. The findings hint t
May 7, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
MIT scientists discover millions of “silent synapses” in the adult brain
MIT neuroscientists have uncovered a surprising secret hidden in the adult brain: millions of “silent synapses,” dormant connections that lie in wait until new learning calls them into action. Once thought to exist only in early development, these inactive links make up about 30% of synapses in the adult cortex and can
May 6, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Scientists say travel could slow aging and boost your health
A new study suggests travel could be a surprisingly powerful anti-aging tool. By viewing tourism through the lens of entropy, researchers found that positive travel experiences may help the body stay balanced and resilient. Activities like exploring new places, staying active, and connecting with others can boost immun
May 5, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
This simple amino acid supplement greatly reduces Alzheimer’s damage
A new study suggests a surprisingly simple compound could help fight Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that arginine—an inexpensive amino acid already considered safe—can reduce the buildup of toxic amyloid proteins in the brain, a hallmark of the disease. In animal models, oral arginine not only lowered harmful p
May 4, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Scientists reveal creatine’s hidden power beyond muscle gains
Creatine might be famous in the gym, but its real story is far more interesting. Naturally produced in the body, it helps power cells by rapidly regenerating ATP—the fuel that keeps muscles, the brain, and even the heart running during intense activity. Supplementing with creatine can boost short bursts of physical per
May 4, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
This simple blood test might detect depression before symptoms appear
A new study suggests depression may soon be detectable through a simple blood test—by tracking how certain immune cells age. Researchers found that accelerated aging in monocytes, a type of white blood cell, is closely tied to the emotional and cognitive symptoms of depression, like hopelessness and loss of pleasure, r
May 4, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Weight loss drug Ozempic linked to lower depression and anxiety risk
GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide—best known for treating diabetes and driving weight loss under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy—may also deliver a surprising mental health boost. In a massive study tracking nearly 100,000 people over more than a decade, researchers found that these medications were linked to significant
May 4, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Alzheimer’s drugs may not work and could raise brain risks
Drugs designed to clear amyloid beta from the brain—once seen as a promising path to slowing Alzheimer’s—may not actually help patients in any meaningful way, according to a major review of over 20,000 participants. Even more concerning, they may increase the risk of brain swelling and bleeding, sometimes without obvio
May 4, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Scientists just discovered what coffee is really doing to your gut and brain
Coffee doesn’t just energize—it actively reshapes the gut and mind. Researchers found that both caffeinated and decaf coffee altered gut bacteria in ways linked to better mood and lower stress. Decaf even improved learning and memory, while caffeine boosted focus and reduced anxiety. Together, they show coffee works th
May 3, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
The creepy feeling in old buildings might have a surprising cause
A hidden force may be quietly shaping how you feel—and you’d never even know it. Infrasound, an ultra-low-frequency vibration below the range of human hearing, is everywhere from traffic to old buildings. In a small experiment, people exposed to it became more irritable, less engaged, and even showed higher levels of t
May 3, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Scientists found the brain doesn’t start blank, it starts full
The brain’s memory center may begin life more like a crowded web than an empty canvas. Researchers discovered that early neural networks in the hippocampus are dense and seemingly random, then become more organized by shedding connections over time. This pruning process creates a faster, more efficient system for linki
May 3, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Are your memories real? Physicists revisit the Boltzmann brain paradox
A new analysis of the “Boltzmann brain” paradox suggests our memories and sense of reality could, in theory, be random illusions born from cosmic chaos. By uncovering circular reasoning in how physicists think about time and entropy, the study raises fresh doubts about what we can truly know about the past.
May 3, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Boosting one protein helps the brain fight Alzheimer’s
Scientists have discovered a way to help the brain clean itself of harmful Alzheimer’s plaques by activating its own support cells. By increasing a protein called Sox9, researchers were able to boost the activity of astrocytes, star shaped cells that help maintain brain health. In mice that already showed memory proble
May 2, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Scientists discover a hidden brain “cleaning” effect triggered by movement
Scientists have uncovered a surprising link between simple body movement and brain health: every time you tighten your abdominal muscles—even slightly—your brain may gently sway inside your skull. This subtle motion, triggered by pressure changes in connected blood vessels, appears to help circulate cerebrospinal fluid
May 2, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Scientists restore memory by blocking a single Alzheimer’s protein
Researchers have identified a new potential weapon against Alzheimer’s: blocking a protein called PTP1B. In mice, this approach boosted memory and helped brain immune cells clear harmful plaque buildup. Since PTP1B is also linked to diabetes and obesity—both risk factors for Alzheimer’s—it could offer a broader treatme
Apr 30, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
This hidden kind of stress may be damaging your memory as you age
A new study reveals that internalizing stress—especially feelings of hopelessness—may significantly speed up memory decline in older Chinese Americans. Surprisingly, factors like community support didn’t show the same impact. Researchers say cultural pressures and stereotypes may cause emotional struggles to go unnotic
Apr 27, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Fish oil may be hurting your brain, new study finds
Fish oil has long been praised as brain-boosting, but new research suggests the story may be more complicated. Scientists found that in people with repeated mild head injuries, a key omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil—EPA—may actually interfere with the brain’s ability to repair itself. Instead of helping recovery, it appe
Apr 26, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
These 80-year-olds have the memory of 50-year-olds. Scientists now know why
A rare group of adults over 80, known as SuperAgers, are rewriting what we thought was possible for the aging brain. With memory abilities comparable to people decades younger, their brains either resist or withstand the damage typically linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Decades of research reveal that their social lifest
Apr 23, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
The surprising reason you’re so productive one day and not the next
Feeling mentally “on” isn’t just in your head—it can significantly boost what you accomplish. Researchers found that sharper thinking on a given day leads people to set bigger goals and actually follow through. That edge can equal up to 40 extra minutes of productivity. But push too hard for too long, and the effect re
Apr 15, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Doing this throughout life may cut Alzheimer’s risk by 38%
A lifetime of mental stimulation—like reading, writing, and learning new skills—may help protect the brain as we age. People with the highest levels of cognitive enrichment had a much lower risk of Alzheimer’s and experienced symptoms years later than those with the lowest levels.
Apr 15, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Lonely people have worse memory but don’t decline faster, study finds
Loneliness may quietly affect how well older adults remember things—but it might not be speeding up mental decline after all. A large European study tracking over 10,000 people for seven years found that those who felt lonelier started off with weaker memory, yet their memory didn’t deteriorate any faster than those wh
Apr 14, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
This “rotten egg” brain gas could be the key to fighting Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists have uncovered a surprising new player in Alzheimer’s disease: a protein called CSE that helps produce tiny amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas in the brain. In experiments with genetically engineered mice, removing this protein led to memory loss, brain damage, and other hallmarks of Alzheimer’s, including weak
Apr 9, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Scientists just solved a major mystery about how your brain stores memories
Scientists have found that your brain separates memories into “what” and “where/when” using two different groups of neurons. One set responds to specific objects or people, while another tracks the context or situation. When you remember something correctly, these groups briefly connect and reconstruct the full memory.
Mar 25, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
ADHD brains show sleep-like activity even while awake
Researchers have identified a surprising brain pattern that may help explain why people with ADHD often struggle to stay focused. Even while awake, their brains can slip into brief episodes of “sleep-like” activity during demanding tasks. These moments are linked to more mistakes, slower reaction times, and lapses in a
Mar 17, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Cannabis study finds THC can create false memories
THC doesn’t just blur memories—it can create new ones that never happened. In a controlled experiment, cannabis users were much more likely to recall words that were never shown and struggled with tasks like remembering to do something later. Researchers found that THC disrupted many different memory systems at once. S
Mar 11, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Intelligence emerges when the whole brain works as one
For decades, scientists have mapped attention, memory, language, and reasoning to separate brain networks — yet one big mystery remained: why does the mind feel like a single, unified system? Researchers at the University of Notre Dame now suggest that intelligence doesn’t live in one “smart” region of the brain at all
Mar 3, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
ChatGPT as a therapist? New study reveals serious ethical risks
As millions turn to ChatGPT and other AI chatbots for therapy-style advice, new research from Brown University raises a serious red flag: even when instructed to act like trained therapists, these systems routinely break core ethical standards of mental health care. In side-by-side evaluations with peer counselors and
Mar 2, 2026
Mind · 5 min read
Psychedelics may work by shutting down reality and unlocking memory
Psychedelics can quiet the brain’s visual input system, pushing it to replace missing details with vivid fragments from memory. Scientists found that slow, rhythmic brain waves help shift perception away from the outside world and toward internal recall — almost like dreaming while awake. By imaging glowing brain cells
Feb 15, 2026