Health & Medicine

1. Can a diet really ease lipoedema? Sunniva’s journey to pain relief and weight loss

   Sunniva Kwapeng struggled with lipoedema, a painful condition causing disproportionate fat accumulation, until finally being diagnosed in her 40s. An NTNU study found that a low-carb diet helped alleviate pain and resulted in more weight loss than a low-fat diet. Though compression garments provided relief, the overall treatment options for this poorly understood condition remain scarce.

2. Scientists uncover hidden brain shortcut to weight loss without the nausea

   Scientists have uncovered a way to promote weight loss and improve blood sugar control without the unpleasant side effects of current GLP-1 drugs. By shifting focus from neurons to brain support cells that produce appetite-suppressing molecules, they developed a modified compound, TDN, that worked in animal tests without causing nausea or vomiting.

3. How much damage are ultraprocessed foods really doing to your health?

   Many foods we consume today are ultraprocessed, packed with unhealthy ingredients, and linked to major health risks. As consumption of these foods rises, so do chronic health issues, especially among lower-income groups. Experts are calling for clearer guidelines, better research, and systemic changes to reduce the impact of ultraprocessed foods on public health.

4. Losing weight but gaining weakness? What Ozempic might be doing to your muscles

   Ozempic’s weight loss benefits might come at the cost of muscle strength, even if muscle size remains relatively stable. This raises significant concerns for older adults, who are already at risk for muscle loss and reduced mobility. Researchers stress the urgent need for human clinical trials to understand these effects fully.

5. Scientists just found a tiny molecule that could change how we lose weight

   Researchers at the Salk Institute have used CRISPR to uncover hidden microproteins that control fat cell growth and lipid storage, identifying one confirmed target, Adipocyte-smORF-1183. This breakthrough could lead to more effective obesity treatments, surpassing the limitations of current drugs like GLP-1.

6. What really happens to your body when you stop weight loss drugs like Ozempic

   Stopping prescription weight loss drugs often leads to significant weight regain, according to a large-scale analysis of 11 global studies. Researchers found that although these medications, including GLP-1-based treatments like semaglutide and tirzepatide, help patients lose substantial weight while in use, gains tend to return within weeks of stopping.

7. Scientists find brain cell switch that could reverse obesity’s effects

   High-fat diets and obesity reshape astrocytes—star-shaped brain cells in the striatum that help regulate pleasure from eating. French researchers discovered that tweaking these cells in mice not only impacts metabolism but can also restore cognitive abilities impaired by obesity, such as relearning tasks. This breakthrough highlights astrocytes as powerful players in brain function and energy control, opening fresh possibilities for targeted obesity treatments.

8. Scientists discover amino acid switch that turns fat into a calorie-burning furnace

   Cutting calories doesn’t just slim you down—it also reduces cysteine, an amino acid that flips fat cells from storage mode to fat-burning mode. Researchers found that lowering cysteine sparks the conversion of white fat into heat-producing brown fat, boosting metabolism and promoting weight loss in both humans and animal models.

9. Scientists crack the mystery of brain cell clumps, and make them vanish

   Scientists have discovered how harmful clumps inside brain cells—linked to diseases like ALS and Huntington’s—form, and found a way to break them apart. These sticky tangles of RNA develop inside tiny liquid-like droplets in cells and can linger long after their surroundings vanish. By introducing a special protein, the team could stop the clumps from forming, and with a custom-designed piece of RNA, they could even dissolve them.

10. The hidden ways light at night damages your brain, mood, and metabolism

    Neuroscientist Dr. Randy J. Nelson explores how artificial light at night disrupts our bodies, from immune health to mood. His work bridges lab research, clinical trials, and everyday solutions while mentoring future scientists.

11. New “evolution engine” creates super-proteins 100,000x faster

    Researchers at Scripps have created T7-ORACLE, a powerful new tool that speeds up evolution, allowing scientists to design and improve proteins thousands of times faster than nature. Using engineered bacteria and a modified viral replication system, this method can create new protein versions in days instead of months. In tests, it quickly produced enzymes that could survive extreme doses of antibiotics, showing how it could help develop better medicines, cancer treatments, and other breakthroughs far more quickly than ever before.

12. Breakthrough “smart” gel restores blood flow and heals diabetic wounds in days

    A new gel-based treatment could change the way diabetic wounds heal. By combining tiny healing messengers called vesicles with a special hydrogel, scientists have created a dressing that restores blood flow and helps wounds close much faster. In tests, the treatment healed diabetic wounds far quicker than normal, while also encouraging the growth of new blood vessels. Researchers believe this innovation could one day help millions of people with slow-healing wounds caused by diabetes and possibly other conditions.

13. Nature’s anti-aging hack? Jewel wasp larvae slow their biological clock

    Scientists discovered that jewel wasp larvae that undergo a developmental "pause" live longer and age more slowly at the molecular level by nearly 30%. This slowdown is tied to conserved biological pathways, hinting at possible applications for human aging.

14. Scientists found the gene that makes Aussie skinks immune to deadly snake venom

    Australian skinks have developed a remarkable genetic defense against venomous snake bites by mutating a key muscle receptor, making them resistant to neurotoxins. These tiny but powerful molecular changes mirror those found in cobra-resistant mammals like mongooses and honey badgers. This evolutionary arms race not only shows how adaptable life can be but also offers exciting possibilities for creating new antivenoms and therapies in human medicine.

15. Scientists uncover hidden gut ‘sense’ that talks to your brain

    Your gut may be talking to your brain in ways we never imagined. Scientists have discovered a “neurobiotic sense” — a rapid-response system where colon cells detect microbial proteins and instantly send appetite-suppressing messages to the brain. This breakthrough reveals how our gut microbes might shape not just digestion, but behavior, mood, and even mental health.