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Ultrasound waves that jiggle deep brain structures may relieve delusions in schizophrenia, small trial hints
Science News

Ultrasound waves that jiggle deep brain structures may relieve delusions in schizophrenia, small trial hints

Stimulating the brain with ultrasound could help counter the delusions people experience in schizophrenia, a small trial finds.The trial involved transcranial ultrasound stimulation, in which a device placed on a patient's head delivers ultrasound waves through the skull and into the brain. Its goal is to change the activity in a targeted brain region. Delusions are false beliefs that are very difficult to shake; for example, a person might believe they are being stalked when they aren't or think that a major disaster is about to occur without any evidence to suggest so. In the trial, researchers found that a 10-minute session of the ultrasound treatment reduced the severity of delusions for...

📅 2026-10-20 14:10:00    •    Live Science
Octopus-inspired patch grips skin and reveals pulse through shifting colors
Science News

Octopus-inspired patch grips skin and reveals pulse through shifting colors

It looks like a small, transparent patch with a rainbow on its surface—or for those old enough to remember, the back of a CD. The patch is the first of its kind in the world and, when combined with an ordinary smartphone camera, can measure two things: pulse and blood vessel stiffness.

📅 2026-10-20 14:00:16    •    Phys.org
New analytical method reveals what happens inside tiny molecular frameworks
Science News

New analytical method reveals what happens inside tiny molecular frameworks

Tiny magnetic probes can be used to investigate the chemical forces at work inside the pores of molecular framework compounds, but until now, this had only been possible to a limited degree. A new method developed by a team at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) could help to better understand the properties of these materials and control these properties in the future. The study is published in the journal Small.

📅 2026-10-20 14:00:12    •    Phys.org
Could wood provide a better home for oil-degrading microbes?
Science News

Could wood provide a better home for oil-degrading microbes?

According to a study conducted by researchers at Sultan Qaboos University, the material used to support microbial biofilms could influence their potential role in treating water generated during oil production. The research was led by Ph.D. candidate Arwa Al-Hadhrami under the supervision of Dr. Daniel Blackburn and conducted by a Sultan Qaboos University team representing the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences and the Water Research Center, Oman. The results are published in Environmental Advances.

📅 2026-10-20 13:40:16    •    Phys.org
Octopus and cuttlefish suckers may have evolved by repurposing ancient developmental genes
Science News

Octopus and cuttlefish suckers may have evolved by repurposing ancient developmental genes

Cephalopods, like the octopus, have specialized arms and suckers, but how these structures evolved from the simple bodies of their mollusk ancestors remains a mystery. Researchers from the University of Tokyo compared gene activity during embryonic development of cuttlefish, octopus and snail body parts. They found that several genes associated with appendage patterning showed expression along developing cephalopod arms, but no comparable patterns in developing suckers. Developing suckers instead expressed Ets1, a gene associated with early embryonic development in mollusks. The findings suggest cephalopods evolved suckers by reusing existing genes in new ways.

📅 2026-10-20 13:30:01    •    Phys.org
Giant canyon on Mars is still tectonically active today
Science News

Giant canyon on Mars is still tectonically active today

Scientists at Columbia University and Imperial College London have found that the largest canyon system in the solar system is still active and shaping Mars today, billions of years after it first formed.

📅 2026-10-20 13:20:36    •    Phys.org
Researchers explore the valuable connection between birds, memory and territory in Chile
Science News

Researchers explore the valuable connection between birds, memory and territory in Chile

Black-necked swans, spot-flanked gallinules, southern lapwings, austral thrushes and dozens of other bird species fly across the Río Cruces Wetland, carrying the biocultural memory of the territory. Both resident birds and species that migrate throughout the year bear witness to the many changes this landscape has undergone over time.

📅 2026-10-20 13:20:04    •    Phys.org
Scientists finally uncover why statins can cause muscle pain
Science News

Scientists finally uncover why statins can cause muscle pain

Scientists have uncovered a surprising reason why statins, the widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs that help prevent heart attacks and strokes, can sometimes cause muscle pain, weakness, and even severe muscle damage. Using advanced imaging technology, researchers discovered that statins can attach to a crucial protein in muscle cells and force open a channel that normally controls calcium flow. This causes calcium to leak continuously, potentially damaging muscle tissue.

📅 2026-10-20 13:00:56    •    ScienceDaily
River model reveals how coordinated water sharing could ease drought's unequal effects
Science News

River model reveals how coordinated water sharing could ease drought's unequal effects

Rivers provide water for everything from growing crops and running factories to the taps in our homes, but droughts can leave them struggling to meet all these demands. A new study, published in Water Resources Research, suggests that changing how water is shared could help make limited supplies go further.

📅 2026-10-20 13:00:16    •    Phys.org
Added receptor helps CAR T cells stay in bone marrow in cancer mouse models
Science News

Added receptor helps CAR T cells stay in bone marrow in cancer mouse models

By turning a patient's own immune cells into stronger cancer-fighting cells, CAR T-cell therapy has transformed how some blood cancers are treated. But it's been harder to extend this approach to solid tumors, including cancer that has spread to the bone.

📅 2026-10-20 13:00:01    •    Phys.org
Hurricane warning maps are improving, but a dangerous problem remains
Science News

Hurricane warning maps are improving, but a dangerous problem remains

A new study reveals that improved hurricane forecast graphics may help people identify threatened areas without making them more likely to recognize the danger or take protective action. Researchers also found that a widespread misunderstanding of the hurricane cone persists, highlighting a potentially dangerous gap between accurate forecasts and public preparedness.

📅 2026-10-20 12:49:51    •    ScienceDaily