Research News

A neolithic jar from Khramis Didi-Gora, Georgia. The country has long prided itself on its winemaking tradition. A new analysis of ancient Georgian jars confirms that tradition goes back 8,000 years.

Georgian Jars Hold 8,000-Year-Old Winemaking Clues

4:58pm November 13, 2017

by Dan Charles

Scientists have found evidence of ancient winemaking in Georgia, a country which prides itself on its vino. It's the earliest trace of viniculture using wild grapes similar to those used today.

Japanese Wagyu beef has a sweet, coconut-like aroma. Scientists found 16 compounds associated with the smell, 10 of which are newly associated with the meat.

What Makes Wagyu Beef Smell So Good? Science Explains

1:13pm November 13, 2017

by Greta Jochem

The Japanese beef is considered a luxury, with plenty of fat and its super-soft texture. New evidence could explain what's behind its sweet smell.

The search is on for opioid alternatives that can block pain without causing addiction.

Brain Scientists Look Beyond Opioids To Conquer Pain

6:52am November 13, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

The search is on for opioid alternatives that can block pain without causing addiction. One promising candidate: snail venom.

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In D.C., Brain Science Meets Behavioral Science To Shed Light On Mental Disorders

6:16pm November 12, 2017

by Jon Hamilton

The Society for Neuroscience meeting is taking place in Washington, D.C., this weekend. Researchers there are focusing on how to find the biological underpinnings of mental disorders.

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Science

iPTF14hls: The Star That Won't Die

7:52am November 12, 2017

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Iair Arcavi, postdoctoral fellow in astrophysics at UC Santa Barbara, about the strange behavior of supernova iPTF14hls. This star doesn't seem to want to die.

The biological effects of lifelong exposure to racism or other sorts of discrimination can be complicated, scientists say, but likely tap into the same mechanisms as other types of chronic stress.

Scientists Start To Tease Out The Subtler Ways Racism Hurts Health

10:29am November 11, 2017

by Rae Ellen Bichell

The biological effects of lifelong exposure to racism or other sorts of discrimination can be complicated, scientists say, but likely tap into the same mechanisms as other types of chronic stress.

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"Success for me is having a significant impact on dengue disease in communities," says Scott O'Neill, holding a container of mosquitoes.

EPA Approval Of Bacteria To Fight Mosquitoes Caps Long Quest

5:40pm November 08, 2017

by Joe Palca

Scientists have long sought a way to fight mosquito-borne viruses without pesticides. For researchers like Scott O'Neill, the Wolbachia bacteria offered that chance. But they had to prove it.

Researchers grew sheets of genetically altered skin cells in the lab and used them to treat a boy with life-threatening epidermolysis bullosa.

Genetically Altered Skin Saves A Boy Dying Of A Rare Disease

4:31pm November 08, 2017

by Richard Harris

An inherited disease called epidermolysis bullosa destroyed the 7-year-old's skin. Scientists grew new skin in the lab without the genetic flaw, and replaced 80 percent of his skin. He is thriving.

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Pavlovian Conditioning And Marriage

8:11am November 08, 2017

by Shankar Vedantam

A new study finds that people who looked at positive images of things like puppies next to a pictures of their spouses went on to have more positive feelings toward their spouses.

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Patients with Type-1 diabetes don't have enough healthy islets of Langerhans cells — hormone-secreting cells of the pancreas. Granules (orange in this image) inside these cells release insulin and other substances into the blood.

A Quest: Insulin-Releasing Implant For Type-1 Diabetes

5:14pm November 06, 2017

by Joe Palca

People who have Type-1 diabetes would love to be free of insulin injections and pumps. Researchers in San Francisco are now testing in animals an implantable pouch of living, insulin-releasing cells.

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