Natural superhero fungi boosts crop yields by 40%

In what is a hugely promising sign for securing and boosting food production, a large-scale field study has demonstrated how treating farmland soil with mycorrhizal fungi can improve crop yields of maize by 40%, without the use of any additional fertil… Continue reading Natural superhero fungi boosts crop yields by 40%

Sight of mouthwatering meals triggers inflammation linked to diabetes

The sight of a mouthwatering dish can certainly be enough to send our senses into overdrive, and a new study has demonstrated how the mechanisms behind this may play an important role in type 2 diabetes. Scientists have shown for the first time how the… Continue reading Sight of mouthwatering meals triggers inflammation linked to diabetes

Promising early results from largest-ever trial testing LSD for anxiety

Biopharmaceutical company MindMed has announced the first topline data from a novel Phase 2 trial testing high doses of LSD as a treatment for anxiety. The results indicate one to two LSD sessions can generate rapid and sustained reductions to anxiety,… Continue reading Promising early results from largest-ever trial testing LSD for anxiety

Smartphone app uses AR to help conquer fear of spiders

A new smartphone app developed by researchers at the University of Basel is using augmented reality to help reduce a person’s fear of spiders. In a study published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders the app was found to significantly reduce feelings o… Continue reading Smartphone app uses AR to help conquer fear of spiders

How nose cartilage cells are being weaponized against osteoarthritis

Injured cartilage can take the body a long time to repair, but back in 2014 we looked at a promising study where scientists created grafts from nasal cartilage cells and deployed them in damaged knees to help things along. The researchers have since ta… Continue reading How nose cartilage cells are being weaponized against osteoarthritis

Caffeine consumption found to alter brain structure

A unique placebo-controlled study has found daily caffeine consumption can significantly reduce the volume of gray matter in the human brain. The researchers stress these findings do not imply caffeine negatively impacts the brain but instead suggest t… Continue reading Caffeine consumption found to alter brain structure

Sleeping brainwaves could point the way to the best antidepressant

Currently, in order to see if an antidepressant works, patients have to take the drug for at least a month. New research, however, suggests that by monitoring a patient’s brainwaves as they sleep, the effectiveness of an antidepressant can be gauged in… Continue reading Sleeping brainwaves could point the way to the best antidepressant