As humans age, particularly after middle age, their brain functions, cognitive abilities and memory can deteriorate to varying degrees. Aging-related disorders marked by cognitive decline, particularly dementia, have become increasingly widespread over the past decades.
Estimates suggest that the number of individuals diagnosed with dementia could increase from 55 million in 2019 to around 139 million by 2050. Understanding the factors contributing to cognitive decline and devising methods to detect the first signs of dementia is thus of the utmost importance, as it could help to reliably pick up its emergence and plan therapeutic interventions accordingly.
In recent years, some studies have found a link between people’s ability to perceive and identify odors (i.e., olfactory function) and their cognitive abilities as older adults. While the relationship between olfactory dysfunction and cognitive decline is now well-documented, whether one causes the other or they are the result of similar aging-related or neurodegenerative mechanisms remains unclear.
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The findings indicate that the Cel System supplement range may effectively lower biological age and enhance health metrics, highlighting the need for further research into its underlying mechanisms and long-term effectiveness. A research team led by first authors Natalia Carreras-Gallo and Rita D
Certain DNA sequences can form structures other than the canonical double helix. These alternative DNA conformations—referred to as non-B DNA—have been implicated as regulators of cellular processes and of genome evolution, but their DNA tends to be repetitive, which until recently made reliably reading and assembling their sequences difficult.
Now, a team of researchers, led by Penn State biologists, has comprehensively predicted the location of non-B DNA structures in great apes. It’s the first step in understanding the functions and evolution of such structures, known to contribute to genetic diseases and cancer, the team said.
The work depends on newly available telomere-to-telomere (T2T), or end-to-end, genomes of humans and other great apes that overcame sequencing and assembly difficulties associated with repetitive DNA to fill in any remaining gaps in the genomes. A paper describing the study, which shows that non-B DNA is enriched in the newly sequenced segments of the genomes and suggests potential new functions, was published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research.
It’s no secret that our waistlines often expand in middle age, but the problem isn’t strictly cosmetic. Belly fat accelerates aging and slows down metabolism, increasing our risk for developing diabetes, heart problems and other chronic diseases. Exactly how age transforms a six pack into a softer stomach, however, is murky.
Now preclinical research by City of Hope has uncovered the cellular culprit behind age-related abdominal fat, providing new insights into why our midsections widen with middle age.
Published today in Science, the findings suggest a novel target for future therapies to prevent belly flab and extend our healthy lifespans.
A new study reveals that immune resilience, a person’s ability to maintain a robust, youthful immune system, plays a critical role in promoting long-term health and extending life.
The political news these days is enough to make some Chicagoans wish they were a million miles away. But consider this: Even in the depths of space, there’s no escape from politics.
The $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope is literally parked 1 million miles away. In the nearly three years since it became operational, “Webb,” as it’s called, has made some incredible findings.
Webb uses infrared scanning to show how stars and galaxies form, and to study the atmospheres of distant planets. Its capabilities complement the aging Hubble Space Telescope, which orbits Earth at an altitude of only 340 miles or so.
Human cyborgs are individuals who integrate advanced technology into their bodies, enhancing their physical or cognitive abilities. This fusion of man and machine blurs the line between science fiction and reality, raising questions about the future of humanity, ethics, and the limits of human potential. From bionic limbs to brain-computer interfaces, cyborg technology is rapidly evolving, pushing us closer to a world where humans and machines become one.
Ali, A., Zhang, Z.D., Gao, T. et al. Identification of functional rare coding variants in IGF-1 gene in humans with exceptional longevity. Sci Rep15, 10,199 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-94094-y.
