The vast majority of long covid research has ignored how the condition may affect the menstrual cycle. Now a study suggests it may make periods longer and heavier. www.newscientist.com/article/2496...

Some of our immune cells fend off infections by undergoing an inflammatory form of cell death, but this may come at the cost of chronic inflammation later in life. www.newscientist.com/article/2496...

We’re spending more time on the loo 🚽because of smartphones 📱 - and that substantially increases the risk of getting piles, according to a small study 🧪 www.newscientist.com/article/2494...

Could psychedelics treat anxiety? A landmark trial found a single dose of the mind-altering drug LSD seems to reduce anxiety without lasting side effects. www.newscientist.com/article/2495...

An intriguing study suggests the hepatitis B vaccine may reduce the risk of diabetes, and not just by preventing infections. www.newscientist.com/article/2494...

Mouth-watering news...We've identified microbes that produce fine flavours in chocolate, a discovery that could lead to entirely new kinds of the delectable treat. www.newscientist.com/article/2492...

We already use cancer-killing viruses to treat a few types of tumour. But cloaking the viruses in bacteria could extend this approach to a wider range of cancers. www.newscientist.com/article/2492...

Some respiratory viruses may activate the growth of dormant cancer cells that have spread to the lungs from elsewhere in the body. www.newscientist.com/article/2490...

Some people with irritable bowel syndrome point to gluten as a trigger. But new findings suggest that the protein, found in grains like wheat and barley, may not actually worsen symptoms in many cases. www.newscientist.com/article/2489...

Do we grow new brain cells in adulthood? Yes, according to evidence that provides a "missing link" in one of neuroscience's biggest controversies. www.newscientist.com/article/2486...

A single dose of a long-lasting antiviral has shown promise in protecting against all flu strains for months - and it could even work better than vaccines in some people. www.newscientist.com/article/2486...

Cancer cells steal mitochondria, energy-generating parts, from nerve cells. This theft seems to help cancer cells spread to distant sites - and targeting it could bring new treatments against the deadliest tumours. www.newscientist.com/article/2485...

It's absolutely wild that US government policy is that cows should be protected against bird flu, but people shouldn't - really interesting piece from @gracewade.bsky.social www.newscientist.com/article/2484...

Loved @davidarobson.bsky.social's latest column for @newscientist.com. I only started feeling comfortable in a swimsuit when I began appreciating my body for what it could do rather than how it looked. I am a big fan of the body-neutrality movement! www.newscientist.com/article/mg26...

You're probably familiar with the pain and peeling that comes with spending too much time in the sun, but what exactly is sunburn (hint: inflammation)? How can we treat it? And what are the long-term dangers? www.newscientist.com/article/2485...

It's costly and laborious to make the cells used in CAR T-cell therapy, a transformative treatment for some blood cancers. But a way of generating the therapy inside, rather than outside, the body could cut costs and make the treatment more accessible. www.newscientist.com/article/2485...

The herpes virus that causes cold sores starts reshaping our genome within an hour of infecting cells - targeting this process could help treat severe cases, or even lead to treatments against other viruses. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2484...

Tiny balls of lab-grown blood vessels restored blood flow to injured tissue in mice, suggesting the approach could help to minimise tissue damage that occurs after accidents or blood clots. www.newscientist.com/article/2484...

In my cover story for @newscientist.com this week, I dug into the fascinating new field of "cancer neuroscience". Scientists have found that tumours hack the nervous system to fuel their own growth - and disrupting this interplay could bring new treatments. www.newscientist.com/article/2482...

Gently massaging the face and neck with a device boosted the brain’s waste disposal system in mice, suggesting it could reduce the severity of conditions like Alzheimer’s disease. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2483...

A retinal implant partly restored vision in mice and could one day benefit people with some forms of blindness. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2483...

How do you tell if something is real or just a figment of your imagination? We've now pinpointed a brain pathway that seems to help - and the discovery could help to treat conditions like Parkinson's disease. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2483...

Do ultra-processed foods contain especially high levels of microplastics that worsen mental health? That's the bold question being put forward by @ntfabiano.bsky.social and colleagues. So how plausible is the idea, and is it testable? Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2481...

Microplastics, UPFs and mental health! A triple-whammy in this great analysis from @carissacwwong.bsky.social Given we don't actually know microplastics or UPFs are harmful, there is still a lot more work to do, but I find linking them intriguing www.newscientist.com/article/2481...

Women with dense breast tissue could benefit from an extra round of cancer screening - a large trial found this caught tumours that were missed in standard mammograms. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2481...

There's little good-quality evidence to support the viral social media trend of taping your mouth closed at night to alleviate breathing difficulties. Scientists warn it could even make things worse. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2480...

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder can cause monthly cycles of rage, depression, anxiety and self-harm. Treatments are limited, but new ideas about the condition could change that

For the first time, a person has been given a gene-editing treatment to correct their specific mutation - the treatment won't work for anyone else #CRISPR 🧪 The challenge now is making such treatments affordable to the millions who need them www.newscientist.com/article/2480...

A norovirus vaccine pill that cuts the risk of infection could be available in a few years, after it showed promise in a trial where people were intentionally exposed to the virus. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2480...

Parents could one day track how much breast milk their baby is drinking in real time, thanks to a device that sends this data to their smartphones. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2480...

Adults with peanut allergy reduced their risk of reactions by eating a little peanut protein every day as part of a trial. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2477...

An antibiotic that's used to treat pneumonia has shown promise against Lyme disease at a dose 100 times lower than the standard antibiotic therapy - and it doesn't seem to harm the gut microbiome. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2477...

Gonorrhoea, an increasingly common sexually transmitted infection, is resistant to nearly all antibiotics, but one used for urinary tract infections (UTIs) may help to treat drug-resistant cases. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2476...

A highly automated form of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) has led to a successful birth, raising hopes that this approach could cut the risk of human error during such procedures. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2475...

We now have our most detailed picture yet of how pregnancy affects the body on a weekly basis from 20 weeks pre-conception to 1.5 years after delivery. Fab work from @urialonlab.bsky.social Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2473...

Fascinating. Women with premenstrual syndrome seem to benefit from the placebo effect even when they know they're taking sham pills, suggesting this could provide a cheap and easy treatment. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2473...

Bacterial vaginosis affects about a quarter of women of reproductive age - it's a recurrent condition that raises the risk of pregnancy complications. Now scientists have found that treating male sexual partners with antibiotics could cut recurrence rates. www.newscientist.com/article/2470...

Extreme heat seems to speed up biological ageing in older people, suggesting that it could raise the risk of age-related diseases. Read @newscientist.com, with comments from @austinargen.bsky.social. www.newscientist.com/article/2470...

Does your lifestyle play the biggest role in determining your risk of age-related conditions, or does the influence of your genes dominate? The largest study of its kind explored this for 22 conditions, such as cancer and dementia. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2469...

A cancer therapy that uses genetically engineered immune cells, called CAR T-cells, has kept a person free of a potentially fatal nerve tumour for a record-breaking 18 years. Read more @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2468...

Genetically engineered immune cells that produce anti-inflammatory proteins could help reduce the clogging of arteries. Read more @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2467...

A daily omega-3 supplement seems to slow biological ageing in older people. Read more @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2466...

Trump threw public health infrastructure into disarray his first week back in office, withdrawing the US from the WHO and imposing a gag order on public health agencies. If RFK Jr. becomes Secretary of Health, it could further destabilise the situtation. www.newscientist.com/article/2465...

Could creatine treat depression? A daily dose of the supplement combined with talking therapy seems to ease symptoms. Read @newscientist.com. www.newscientist.com/article/2466...

Injecting blood cells called platelets into the nose eased smell loss caused by covid-19, enabling people to once again enjoy the scent of their favourite flower or that of freshly baked bread. Read @newscientist.bsky.social. www.newscientist.com/article/2465...

Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, called GLP-1 agonists, carry more benefits than risks when taken for their approved uses, according to a huge analysis of their effects on 175 conditions. Read about the study by @zalaly.bsky.social at @newscientist.bsky.social. www.newscientist.com/article/2464...

Two people with hand paralysis transiently regained the ability to feel the shape of objects, thanks to electrical brain stimulation. This means people with paralysis could one day use robotic arms that feel like their own. Read @newscientist.bsky.social. www.newscientist.com/article/2464...

Rethinking the way we define obesity could improve how doctors treat millions of people worldwide, argue a team of researchers who are calling for a new category of “preclinical” obesity. Read more @newscientist.bsky.social. www.newscientist.com/article/2463...

Eight healthy habits seem to slow ageing of your brain's white matter, which is crucial for memory and learning. Read more @newscientist.bsky.social, with thoughts from @claudiasuemoto.bsky.social. 🧠 www.newscientist.com/article/2460....

Mpox became a global health emergency for the second time this year - I looked back on how the outbreak has unfolded for @newscientist.bsky.social, with helpful insights from Piero Olliaro and @kindrachukjason.bsky.social. www.newscientist.com/article/2459...