The landscape of Alzheimer’s treatment is evolving, with recent approvals for next-generation therapies like lecanemab and donanemab igniting hope among patients and families. However, this optimism is often accompanied by a darker reality: while these drugs promise to manage symptoms by clearing sticky amyloid plaques in the brain, the benefits they furnish can be nuanced
Science
As we traverse the journey of life, marked by various stages and transitions, one unsettling revelation stands out: there exists an age when our cognitive vitality begins to wane. According to groundbreaking research from Stony Brook University involving a staggering 19,300 individuals, this pivotal moment occurs at around 44 years of age. It is sobering
The pursuit of cleaner energy solutions has led many nations to embrace nuclear power as a path towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. While this energy source emits almost nil greenhouse gases, it presents its paradox: radioactive waste that lingers long after the energy has been extracted. Researchers are now diving deeper into innovative ways to
Walking into a supermarket’s bread aisle can be an overwhelming experience. Shelves teem with brightly colored labels touting everything from “multigrain” to “organic” breads, making the simple act of purchasing bread feel like navigating a minefield. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that all brown bread is healthy, but this assumption can
In a remarkable twist for planetary science, the Curiosity rover has unveiled a shocking treasure on Mars — pure elemental sulfur embedded within a seemingly ordinary rock. When Curiosity, weighing 899 kilograms (1,982 pounds), inadvertently cracked open the rock during its routine operations in May last year, the scientific community was taken aback. This yellowish-white
Intuitive Machines finds itself in uncharted territory, with its lunar lander Athena making headlines, but not in the way the company had hoped. Just two missions in, and two landers later, this Houston-based company’s lunar aspirations are rapidly yielding a reputation for instability rather than innovation. Athena’s landing, planned meticulously for February 2024, did not
Trauma is often depicted as an isolated wound—one that can fester but ultimately remains confined within the confines of an individual. However, ground-breaking research sheds light on a more terrifying reality: trauma can be etched into our genetic fabric and transmitted across generations. The consequences of violence—the brutalities of war, domestic abuse, and systemic inequalities—can
Recent revelations about the structure of Earth’s lower mantle have prompted a reevaluation of our understanding of the planet’s magnetic field. At depths of up to 3,000 kilometers, locations identified as “large low-velocity provinces”—notably beneath the Pacific Ocean and Africa—pose challenges to our current models of geophysical processes. For decades, scientists have speculated that these
The prospect of awakening from a coma is a heart-wrenching question faced by families and medical professionals alike. The uncertainty surrounding the prognosis for comatose patients fosters a plethora of emotions, from hope to despair. In a world where modern medicine shines brightly, the darkness of indecision remains when it comes to these patients who
The notion that water, the fundamental elixir of life, could have formed as early as 100 million years post-Big Bang challenges long-held astronomical beliefs. Traditionally, scientists speculated that the nascent Universe lacked the necessary conditions—specifically the presence of heavier elements like oxygen—for the creation of H2O. However, groundbreaking simulations conducted by cosmologist Daniel Whalen and