New research shows how specific odors can turn fat storage on or off

Olfactory signals can switch fat storage mechanisms on and off without having any effect on appetite or eating habits, says a Baylor research team that's traced the way olfactory nerves regulate fat metabolism in C. elegans worms.

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Engineered proteins calm “cytokine storms” caused by severe infections

A “cytokine storm” is a dangerous kind of immune overreaction that can be triggered by infection or other treatments. Now, MIT researchers have engineered proteins that show early promise in mopping up these overzealous immune cells.

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OSIRIS-REx probe rehearses asteroid sampling from lowest altitude yet

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx unmanned probe has ticked off another key milestone on its epic journey, successfully completing a first practice run of a complex sampling sequence in close proximity to its target asteroid’s surface.

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Metastudy says aspirin lowers risk of some cancers, but questions remain

A new metastudy is suggesting aspirin may help prevent digestive cancers, but some experts are questioning how useful this kind of associational study is, particularly when a recent randomized clinical trial came to a very different conclusion.

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Blood pressure drug may prevent spasms caused by spinal cord injury

Scientists may have uncovered an effective new treatment for muscle spasms associated with spinal cord injuries, in the form of an existing blood pressure medication that proved capable of halting their progression in mice.

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US Space Force condemns test launch of Russian anti-satellite weapon

The United States Space Force (USSF) reports that Russia has launched a Direct Ascent Anti-Satellite (ASAT) missile. US Space Command detected and tracked the weapon capable of destroying a satellite in low Earth orbit (LEO) on April 15.

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Hydrogel scaffold may fast-track healing of torn ligaments and tendons

Rupturing tendons or ligaments like an anterior cruciate ligament in the knees can mean long stints on the sidelines, but a new type of synthetic material promises to help things along by acting as a scaffold to accelerate the regeneration of tissue.

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Experimental cancer drug appears more effective, less toxic than others

A new study has shown that an experimental class of cancer drugs has wider potential than previously thought. Researchers have found a new type of BET inhibitor that, in mouse tests, can target solid tumors more effectively and safely than others.

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Landmark hot qubit research promises bigger, cheaper quantum computers

Current-gen quantum computing "qubits" need to be kept incredibly cold – below 0.1 Kelvin (-273.05 °C/-459.5 °F). But new "hot qubits" developed at UNSW can work 15 times hotter, opening the door to radically smaller, cheaper quantum computers.

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Stunning high-res photos of the Sun reveal swirling threads of plasma

In what are described as the highest-resolution images ever taken of the Sun’s atmosphere, scientists have detected previously unsighted threads of magnetic plasma woven throughout, offering new clues as to the makeup of its active outer layers.

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