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New brain computer interface restores simultaneous speech and physical gestures

A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded scientific team has shown that a new brain-computer interface (BCI) can allow people with vocal tract and bodily paralysis to convey both speech and upper-body gestures simultaneously.

15 Sep 2026

Liberian women face long waits for urgent fistula surgery

For more than three years, Lorpu has lived with the constant leakage of urine and faeces caused by obstetric fistula, a debilitating childbirth injury.

11 Sep 2026

Psilocybin microdosing sounds promising, but the strongest studies tell a different story

A systematic review of 11 studies involving 3,262 adults found that psilocybin mushroom and truffle microdosing was associated with reported improvements across areas including mental health, well-being, cognition, creativity, and social functioning. However, the evidence was methodologically weak and highly heterogeneous, the two placebo-controlled trials found no significant improvements, and inadequate adverse-event reporting means efficacy and safety remain uncertain.

7 Sep 2026

ART-conceived children show reassuring long-term health outcomes

The birth of Louise Brown in 1978, the world's first baby conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART), was a major breakthrough that reshaped the field of reproductive medicine.

4 Sep 2026

Multimorbidity linked to shorter lifespans in aging dogs

As dogs age, many develop more than one chronic health condition. New research from the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) shows those conditions can dramatically shorten a dog's lifespan, highlighting the importance of managing multiple diseases together rather than individually.

31 Aug 2026

Precision psychiatry aims to match schizophrenia patients with tailored medicines

Imagine watching a son or daughter begin college during a formative time in life, only to have schizophrenia suddenly alter their reality.

31 Aug 2026

Cell proliferation gene plays a distinct role in cells that no longer proliferate

In a tale of identities as divergent as "The Prince and the Pauper," a well-known cancer-causing gene also influences cells in a zombie-like state meant to prevent cancer.

28 Aug 2026

Researchers tested dozens of clues for long COVID. One finding stood out

A nationwide study of 218 people in the Faroe Islands examined clinical, neurological, and blood-based markers associated with persistent symptoms around six months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Despite extensive testing, researchers found no convincing biomarker for long COVID, while a statistical association with lower INR remained within the normal clinical range and requires replication.

27 Aug 2026

New platform enables large-scale production of custom proteins

Scientists have been hard at work for more than 20 years to instruct biological systems, such as E. coli cells, to produce proteins they don't naturally do.

27 Aug 2026

Study shows traffic noise disrupts health benefits of birdsong

Traffic noise disrupts recognised benefits of bird song and other sounds from nature, a new study from the University of Surrey reports.

26 Aug 2026

Machine learning creates a color wheel for complex odors

If you want to describe a particular color, you could look to the Pantone color wheel to find its exact hue, saturation and brightness, and how it compares to other colors. But nothing like that has existed for complex odors.

20 Aug 2026

Immediate access puts test results in patients’ hands, but the next challenge is making sense of them

A nationally representative US study found that 68.6% of adults with access to medical records viewed immediately released test results before hearing from a healthcare practitioner. Among these viewers, only 34.9% rated their understanding as very good, with comprehension varying by region, digital literacy, patient-centered communication, and experiences of medical care discrimination.

19 Aug 2026

Study: Many patients struggle to understand online test results

You get a message that a test result is available in your online patient portal. Do you look at it right away, or do you wait to hear from your health care provider?

18 Aug 2026

Britons embrace DIY health checks

Most people in the UK already monitor their own health and wellbeing, and an overwhelming majority would be happy to do more if advised by the NHS, according to a new University of Manchester led study.

14 Aug 2026

AI-enabled stethoscope frequently misses heart murmurs in companion animals

Fourth-year veterinary students matched - and experienced clinicians outperformed - an AI-enabled digital stethoscope in diagnosing heart murmurs and arrhythmias in cats and dogs, according to a new study from North Carolina State University.

12 Aug 2026

Healthy lifestyle cuts hearing impairment risk by 14%, metabolism is key driver

Hearing impairment ranks as the third largest contributor to global disability among sensory disorders, with prevalence rising across younger and middle-aged populations alongside older adults.

12 Aug 2026

Harnessing neuroplasticity to improve cochlear implant adaptation

Cochlear implants have transformed what is possible for people with profound hearing loss. But the next major advance may depend less on the device itself than on the brain's ability to learn how to use it.

10 Aug 2026

Medical reassurance often stops patients from seeking treatment

Doctors may think they're saying "Don't panic." But many patients hear "Don't bother" instead.

10 Aug 2026

New review advances understanding of biological mechanisms driving Ménière's disease

A comprehensive new review is bringing together the latest advances in Ménière's disease, offering a clearer picture of the biological mechanisms that may drive this complex inner ear disorder while highlighting new directions for diagnosis, disease modeling, and treatment.

6 Aug 2026

Brain's extracellular matrix controls learning windows and memory stability

For many who have struggled to learn a new language or instrument, it's a familiar pattern: they make rapid progress at first, then hit a plateau that no amount of diligent practice or concentration seems to break.

6 Aug 2026