Weight loss restored healthy metabolism in both young and mid-aged mice, but the brain told a different story. In mid-aged animals, slimming down actually worsened inflammation in a brain region tied to appetite and energy balance. While this inflammation eventually subsided, brain inflammation has been linked to cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disease. The results suggest that weight loss in midlife may not be as straightforward as once thought.

A major new review has put hundreds of alternative autism treatments under the microscope—and most didn’t hold up. Scientists analyzed decades of research and found little reliable evidence that popular approaches like probiotics, acupuncture, or music therapy truly work. Alarmingly, safety was often ignored, with many treatments never properly evaluated for side effects. The researchers stress that looking at the full body of evidence matters far more than trusting a single hopeful study.

Stanford scientists have uncovered how mRNA COVID-19 vaccines can very rarely trigger heart inflammation in young men — and how that risk might be reduced. They found that the vaccines can spark a two-step immune reaction that floods the body with inflammatory signals, drawing aggressive immune cells into the heart and causing temporary injury.

UBC Okanagan researchers have uncovered how plants create mitraphylline, a rare natural compound linked to anti-cancer effects. By identifying two key enzymes that shape and twist molecules into their final form, the team solved a puzzle that had stumped scientists for years. The discovery could make it far easier to produce mitraphylline and related compounds sustainably. It also highlights plants as master chemists with untapped medical potential.

Researchers have discovered how cells activate a last-resort DNA repair system when severe damage strikes. When genetic tangles overwhelm normal repair pathways, cells flip on a fast but error-prone emergency fix that helps them survive. Some cancer cells rely heavily on this backup system, even though it makes their DNA more unstable. Blocking this process could expose a powerful new way to target tumors.