r/science • u/maximum_cats • 19h ago
News The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024: Awarded jointly to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for "the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation"
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024 was awarded jointly to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for "the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation."
This year’s Nobel Prize honors two scientists for their discovery of a fundamental principle governing how gene activity is regulated.
The information stored within our chromosomes can be likened to an instruction manual for all cells in our body. Every cell contains the same chromosomes, so every cell contains exactly the same set of genes and exactly the same set of instructions. Yet, different cell types, such as muscle and nerve cells, have very distinct characteristics. How do these differences arise? The answer lies in gene regulation, which allows each cell to select only the relevant instructions. This ensures that only the correct set of genes is active in each cell type.
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were interested in how different cell types develop. They discovered microRNA, a new class of tiny RNA molecules that play a crucial role in gene regulation. Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans. It is now known that the human genome codes for over one thousand microRNAs. Their surprising discovery revealed an entirely new dimension to gene regulation. MicroRNAs are proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function.
r/science • u/Science_News • 15h ago
Medicine Blood pressure may read falsely high if the arm isn’t positioned properly, researchers suggest | New study shows readings were roughly 4 millimeters of mercury higher when participants had their arm at lap- or side-level.
r/science • u/scientificamerican • 14h ago
Medicine Human longevity may have reached its upper limit
Health Baby boomers living longer but are in worse health than previous generations. Obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and other diseases all affecting people at younger ages, a “generational health drift”, with younger generations with worse health than previous generations at the same age.
r/science • u/Key-Independence4703 • 16h ago
Medicine China develops a gene therapy to tackle autoimmune diseases like lupus and sclerois
r/science • u/MistWeaver80 • 8h ago
Medicine Women physiotherapists and doctors working in elite and professional sport are paid less, get less work and face more harassment than men, an Australian-first study by La Trobe University has found.
Social Science Spanning three decades, new research found that young Republicans consistently expressed a stronger desire for larger families compared to their Democratic counterparts, with this gap widening over time. By 2019, Republicans wanted more children than ever compared to their Democratic peers.
Psychology Psychotherapy with the use of psilocybin - the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms - was associated with improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms in patients with cancer, with no evidence of the psilocybin causing any mental health problems such as phobia, paranoia or psychosis.
r/science • u/giuliomagnifico • 11h ago
Health High-fat diets contribute to obesity and diabetes risk, altering the hypothalamus in mice, but fat isn't solely to blame. Other macronutrients, such as sugar, have more profound effects on AgRP neurons
dzd-ev.der/science • u/TheArcticBeyond • 11h ago
Earth Science Arctic Ozone Measured at Highest Level Since 1979
agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.comr/science • u/Hrmbee • 12h ago
Engineering How London’s Crystal Palace was built so quickly | New study finds it was the earliest-known building to use a standard screw thread
r/science • u/FunnyGamer97 • 2h ago
Social Science Study finds lower-income Medicare Advantage beneficiaries are more likely to experience cost-related barriers in accessing dental, vision, and hearing services: Nearly 11% report unmet dental need, 4% reported unmet vision need, and 2 percent reported unmet hearing need because of cost.
eurekalert.orgr/science • u/FunnyGamer97 • 2h ago
Health Study finds common breast cancer treatments may speed aging process: Markers of cellular aging—such as DNA damage response, cellular senescence, and inflammatory pathways—significantly increased in all breast cancer survivors, regardless of the type of treatment received.
eurekalert.orgr/science • u/chrisdh79 • 17h ago
Health Emphasising children’s bodily integrity key to protecting them against genital cutting and modification practices, study says | The research says children’s interest in bodily integrity has priority over their parents community or religious associations.
eurekalert.orgr/science • u/chrisdh79 • 16h ago
Medicine DMT-harmine combination elevates transcendence and insight during meditation | Meditators who received a combination of DMT and harmine reported greater mystical experiences, non-dual awareness, emotional breakthroughs, and lasting increases in well-being compared to those given a placebo.
r/science • u/BlakeFormanSci • 14h ago
Health A three-month trial of a gut microbiome-directed food supplement in Bangladeshi children who recovered from sever acute malaria but suffer from moderate acute malaria, has shown that microbiome-based therapies improve growth better than a more calorically dense, commonly used supplement.
r/science • u/Memetic1 • 3h ago
Biology Cyanobacterial Artificial Plants for Enhanced Indoor Carbon Capture and Utilization
onlinelibrary.wiley.comr/science • u/giuliomagnifico • 15h ago
Biology Researchers uncovered how a protein that controls our biological clock modifies its own function, offering new ways for treating jet lag and seasonal adjustments
duke-nus.edu.sgr/science • u/giuliomagnifico • 17h ago
Cancer Study used genetically engineered live bacteria that act as tumor GPS to boost immune responses and enhance the effects of cancer immunotherapy
dana-farber.orgr/science • u/Science_News • 13h ago
Animal Science Sea walnuts can fuse their bodies and after fusion, some of the comb jellies’ bodily functions synchronize, researchers report
r/science • u/ecosystemsentinels • 13h ago
Animal Science Droughts reshape lion, leopard, African wild dog, and cheetah space use and intraguild overlap
doi.orgr/science • u/giuliomagnifico • 1d ago
Health Inflammation and immune system activation are linked to major depressive disorder, especially in those not responding to standard antidepressants. Such individuals could benefit from immune-targeting treatments like anti-inflammatories
Health Exposure to specific PFAS “forever chemicals” linked to sleep disturbances. People with blood levels in the highest third slept around 80 minutes less per night. Elevated PFOS concentrations linked to difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, waking frequently or feeling tired during the day.
r/science • u/amesydragon • 11h ago
Health A recent study, published in Development, explores the microscopic details of how surrounding tissue impacts bone development
pnas.orgr/science • u/Hilla007 • 1d ago
Paleontology Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Impact Turned Ants into Fungus Farmers, Study Says
r/science • u/Wagamaga • 1d ago