Science Trends

  What If Neurons Could Regenerate? Imagine a world where your brain could heal and renew itself like your skin or liver. How would that change your life? Would you still be the same person, or would you evolve into someone entirely different? Let’s dive into this mind-bending idea together. The top image shows fluorescently labeled cells in the spinal cord of a zebrafish recovering one week after an injury, and the bottom image shows recovery four weeks after an injury. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis describe the dramatic changes within nerve cells that make regeneration possible. Such findings could inspire the development of new therapies for spinal cord injuries in people. (Image: Mokalled lab) A New Era for Memory and Learning Think about the last time you struggled to remember something important. What if your brain had the ability to replace lost or damaged neurons? Learning could become faster and more efficient, making knowledge ret...

SYDNEY – An Australian man lived for 105 days with a titanium heart that uses magnetic levitation technology before receiving a donated human heart, the longest period for a patient with the device implanted, an Australian research group has said. The device was invented by Dr Daniel Timms, founder and chief technology officer of US-Australian medical company BiVacor. It uses a magnetically levitated rotor to pump blood to the body and lungs, employing technology used in maglev trains such as Japan’s Linear Chuo Shinkansen line under construction to link Tokyo and Nagoya. BiVacor worked with international experts, including Professor Toru Masuzawa of Ibaraki University in Japan and an expert in magnetic levitation technology, during the early stages of development, according to the company. The Australian patient in his 40s with severe heart failure underwent a six-hour procedure to implant the artificial heart at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney on Nov 22, 2024, according to the researc...

The Invisible Coordinate: Exploring the Fourth Dimension in Time and Space  - Arya Bandyopadhyay We experience the world in three dimensions—height, width, and depth. Yet, there exists another fundamental coordinate shaping our reality: time. Traditionally, time is considered the fourth dimension, but another perspective suggests the presence of a mirror universe —a hidden realm that we cannot perceive but that may still influence us. This blog explores both possibilities, examining how science and logic shape our understanding of the unseen dimensions of reality. Photo by Lucas Sandor on Unsplash Aspect 1: Time as the Fourth Dimension Einstein’s theory of relativity reshaped our understanding of time, demonstrating that it is not an independent entity but rather intertwined with space, forming the space-time continuum. Unlike the straightforward flow we perceive, time behaves in complex ways depending on speed, gravity, and quantum mechanics. Time Dilation & Relativ...

Holi Colors to Hair Woes: Why Does Hair Fall After the Festival? Holi brings joy, laughter, and vibrant colors—but for many, it also brings an unexpected problem: hair fall. If you’ve noticed more strands on your pillow or in the shower after Holi, you’re not alone. But why does this happen, and how can you prevent it? Let’s find out. 1. The Harsh Effects of Colors Most Holi colors contain chemicals, heavy metals, and artificial dyes that weaken hair strands. These toxins strip away the hair’s natural moisture, making it dry, brittle, and prone to breakage. What you can do: ✔️ Choose organic or herbal colors to avoid chemical damage. ✔️ Apply coconut or olive oil to your hair before playing to create a protective shield. 2. Excessive Shampooing and Dryness After Holi, most people wash their hair multiple times to remove stubborn colors. But over-washing strips away essential oils, leaving the scalp dry and leading to increased hair fall. How to fix it: ✔️ Use a sulfate-free, mild shamp...

Engineers developed a planning tool that can help independent entities decide when they should invest in joint projects. Date: February 27, 2025 Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Summary: A framework helps rail system operators or other planners identify the best joint infrastructure projects to collaborate on with other firms. Their tool can tell an operator how much to invest, the proper time to collaborate, and how the shared profits should be distributed. One large metropolis might have several different train systems, from local intercity lines to commuter trains to longer regional lines. When designing a system of train tracks, stations, and schedules in this network, should rail operators assume each entity operates independently, seeking only to maximize its own revenue? Or that they fully cooperate all the time with a joint plan, putting their own interest aside? In the real world, neither assumption is very realistic. Researchers from MIT and ETH Zurich have devel...

 🌏 The Hidden Side of Retiring Abroad: Social Loneliness Among Expats 💭 Retirement is often seen as the golden period of life—a time to explore new places, embrace different cultures, and finally live free of professional obligations. Many retirees dream of settling in a scenic foreign country, but is the reality as blissful as it seems? A recent study by the American Psychological Association reveals a hidden challenge: social loneliness among expats. 😞💔 While retiring abroad can bring excitement, lower living costs, and a dream lifestyle, it also comes with emotional hurdles. The process of adapting to a new environment can be overwhelming, and not everyone finds it easy to build meaningful relationships in a foreign land. Would You Feel Lonely If You Retired Abroad? 🤔 Imagine packing your bags and moving to your dream country. The beaches, the food, the adventure—it sounds perfect! But have you ever thought about how you'd feel being away from lifelong friends, famil...

TOPIC: The Silent Battle: Body-Brain Communication Diseases That Are Often Misdiagnosed Introduction Have you ever experienced persistent physical symptoms, visited multiple doctors, undergone countless tests—only to be told, “Everything looks normal”? If so, you’re not alone. Many conditions affecting millions worldwide are not just body diseases or mental illnesses , but a complex interplay between the brain and body . The human body operates as an integrated system, with the brain acting as a control center for vital functions, pain perception, immune response, and even digestion. When this delicate communication system is disrupted, it can manifest as physical symptoms that are frequently misdiagnosed or oversimplified as bodily issues . These conditions, often dismissed or misunderstood, require a more holistic perspective for proper recognition and treatment. Let’s explore some of the most misunderstood body-brain communication diseases and uncover the true nature of these co...

Physicists uncover evidence of two arrows of time emerging from the quantum realm Date: February 13, 2025 Source: University of Surrey Summary: What if time is not as fixed as we thought? Imagine that instead of flowing in one direction -- from past to future -- time could flow forward or backward due to processes taking place at the quantum level. This is the thought-provoking discovery made by researchers, as a new study reveals that opposing arrows of time can theoretically emerge from certain quantum systems. Imagine that instead of flowing in one direction -- from past to future -- time could flow forward or backwards due to processes taking place at the quantum level. This is the thought-provoking discovery made by researchers at the University of Surrey, as a new study reveals that opposing arrows of time can theoretically emerge from certain quantum systems. For centuries, scientists have puzzled over the arrow of time – the idea that time flows irreversibly from past to future...

New treatment may offer quick cure for common cause of high blood pressure Date: February 10, 2025 Source: Queen Mary University of London Summary: A revolutionary new treatment called Targeted Thermal Therapy (Tripel T) offers a safer, faster alternative to surgery for patients with high blood pressure caused by Primary Aldosteronism, a hormonal disorder. Development of Triple T for Hypertension Treatment: Innovation : Doctors at Queen Mary University of London, Barts Health NHS Trust, and UCL developed Triple T (Targeted Thermal Therapy) for treating primary aldosteronism, a common yet overlooked cause of high blood pressure. Minimally invasive, faster, and safer than adrenal gland surgery. Breakthrough Study : Published in The Lancet . Potential to aid millions worldwide after further testing. High Blood Pressure & Primary Aldosteronism: Prevalence : Affects 1 in 3 adults; primary aldosteronism accounts for 1 in 20 cases. Less than 1% diagnosed due to challenges...

Just a few minutes of vigorous movement per day offers cardiovascular benefits Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash A dash of vigorous activity a day could keep the heart troubles away. Women who included short bursts of intense physical activity in their daily routines saw their  risk of major cardiovascular problems drop 45 percent  compared with women who did none, scientists reported December 3 in the  British Journal of Sports Medicine . And those short bursts of activity can be  really  short, says Emmanuel Stamatakis, a physical activity epidemiologist at the University of Sydney — just 20 to 30 seconds of intense physical exertion sprinkled multiple times throughout the day. In his team’s study, a few minutes total of these bursts was enough to see hefty heart benefits. It’s not a new idea for Stamatakis, who has been working in the field for decades. He’s previously shown that short bouts of vigorous activity  cut the risk of death from any ...