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We believe that science is more than just a subject to study; it is a way of thinking, exploring, and understanding our world. We are passionate about bringing you the latest breakthroughs, innovations, and discoveries in medical science, astronomy, and technology. From mind-bending physics to cutting-edge biotech, we strive to make science accessible, engaging, and exciting for everyone. So wheth

er you're a scientist, student, or simply curious about the world around you, join us on this journey of discovery, and let's explore the wonders of science together!

A recent study identified four key factors that can predict cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients: age, s*x (female)...
22/08/2025

A recent study identified four key factors that can predict cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients: age, s*x (female), atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythms), and daily activity levels.

Researchers followed 500 patients for two years, logging demographic, health, and functional data. These four predictors, recorded at the beginning of the study, accounted for roughly 14% of the variation in cognitive functioning at the study's end. The study also highlighted that caregiver burden increased as cognitive abilities declined. The research emphasizes a comprehensive treatment approach considering both patient and caregiver variables in early-stage Alzheimer's.

While smoking and drinking habits were not accounted for, the findings suggest demographics, medical history, and daily activity can predict cognitive decline caused by Alzheimer's.

In summary, being older, being female, having difficulty with daily activities, and having a history of atrial fibrillation (issues with irregular heart rhythms) were identified by the researchers as predicting the biggest declines in cognitive ability.

🔎 RESEARCH PAPER:

📌 Kaufmann L. et al. (2024) "Predictive value of somatic and functional variables for cognitive deterioration for early-stage patients with Alzheimer’s Disease: Evidence from a prospective registry on dementia" (PLOS One)

Decoding the Sweet Potato’s Genetic Puzzle 🥔 🧬The sweet potato, a staple food for millions in sub-Saharan Africa and bey...
21/08/2025

Decoding the Sweet Potato’s Genetic Puzzle 🥔 🧬

The sweet potato, a staple food for millions in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, has finally had its genetic secrets unraveled. Unlike humans, who carry two sets of chromosomes, sweet potatoes have six—a condition called hexaploidy that has long challenged scientists.

Now, a team led by Professor Zhangjun Fei at the Boyce Thompson Institute has successfully produced the first fully phased genome of the crop’s “Tanzania” variety, as reported in Nature Plants. By untangling its 90 chromosomes into six distinct sets, researchers revealed that the sweet potato’s DNA is a mosaic of multiple wild ancestors, some still unidentified. A major contributor appears to be Ipomoea aequatoriensis, a wild Ecuadorian species closely related to the plant’s progenitor.

This intertwined genetic heritage classifies the sweet potato as a segmental allopolyploid—a hybrid with remarkable resilience. Its multiple gene copies act as genetic “backups,” boosting tolerance to drought, pests, and disease.

The breakthrough provides powerful tools for crop breeders, enabling more precise identification of genes tied to yield, nutrition, and stress resistance. Beyond sweet potatoes, this study highlights how cutting-edge genomics can help decode other complex crops like wheat, cotton, and banana—critical steps for ensuring food security in a changing climate.

📄 RESEARCH PAPER

📌 Wu, S., Sun, H., Zhao, X. et al. Phased chromosome-level assembly provides insight into the genome architecture of hexaploid sweetpotato. Nat. Plants (2025).

🚨 BREAKING: A Man Just Held His Breath for 29 Minutes — Outlasting Dolphins, Whales, and Every Human Before Him! 🐬🌊Croat...
21/08/2025

🚨 BREAKING: A Man Just Held His Breath for 29 Minutes — Outlasting Dolphins, Whales, and Every Human Before Him! 🐬🌊

Croatian freediver Vitomir Maričić has shattered the Guinness World Record for the longest voluntary breath-hold, staying underwater for a mind-blowing 29 minutes and 3 seconds.

To achieve this feat, Maričić inhaled pure oxygen for 10 minutes beforehand—a technique that supercharges oxygen levels in the bloodstream and extends the body’s ability to go without air. His new record beats the previous mark by nearly five minutes and even exceeds the dive durations of many marine mammals.

But Maričić’s mission wasn’t just about personal glory. He used the attempt to highlight the urgent need for ocean conservation, reminding the world how deeply human performance is tied to the health of the planet.

Even without oxygen aid, Maričić boasts a personal best breath-hold of 10 minutes and 8 seconds—a staggering achievement given that the average human can hold their breath for just 30 to 90 seconds. The current unaided world record remains 11 minutes and 35 seconds, set by Serbia’s Branko Petrovic in 2014—but Maričić may soon be aiming for that as well.

REFERENCE 📄
Guinness World Records. Longest breath held voluntarily (male). Achieved by Vitomir Maričić, June 14, 2025.

🔸First 24 HoursYour blood sugar stabilizes. Insulin levels drop, reducing energy crashes. Some may feel mild headaches o...
21/08/2025

🔸First 24 Hours
Your blood sugar stabilizes. Insulin levels drop, reducing energy crashes. Some may feel mild headaches or cravings as the body adjusts.

🔸Day 2
Your brain starts noticing the absence of rapid dopamine hits from sugar. This can cause irritability, brain fog, or fatigue as reward pathways recalibrate.

🔸Day 3
Cravings peak. Gut microbiota start shifting—sugar-loving bacteria decline, while fiber-loving ones begin to thrive. This shift can alter serotonin production (since ~90% is made in the gut), affecting mood and digestion.

🔸One Week
Systemic inflammation markers like CRP (C-reactive protein) begin to fall. Blood pressure may drop slightly as vascular endothelial function improves. Sleep quality improves since blood sugar spikes are no longer disrupting melatonin release.

🔸Two Weeks
Insulin sensitivity improves, lowering the risk of prediabetes. Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which damage collagen and accelerate skin aging, start reducing. Taste buds reset, making natural sugars from fruit taste noticeably sweeter.

🔸One Month
Metabolic health improves: insulin sensitivity rises, triglycerides drop, and blood pressure can lower. Cognitive performance steadies as the brain adapts to stable energy supply rather than sugar surges. Many report less bloating and more consistent focus.

🚫🍬 Cutting added sugar isn’t easy, but the biological reset is profound—your metabolism, brain, and skin all thank you. Would you give it a try?

A new study suggests that cycling can help restore neural connections damaged by Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s affect...
21/08/2025

A new study suggests that cycling can help restore neural connections damaged by Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s affects more than 10 million people worldwide, disrupting the central nervous system and impairing movement. While exercise has long been recommended for symptom relief, this study provides direct evidence that cycling can rewire brain activity.

Researchers at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center recruited nine patients with Parkinson’s who had deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices implanted. Over four weeks, participants completed 12 adaptive cycling sessions, where resistance adjusted automatically to their effort. Using the DBS devices, scientists recorded neural signals before and after the intervention.

Remarkably, the team observed measurable changes in brain signals related to motor control and movement. This demonstrated that consistent cycling promoted neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to reorganize and form new connections. Importantly, benefits were only seen with persistent, repeated exercise, suggesting long-term commitment is key.

Experts note that while cycling showed promise, the findings may extend to other physical activities. “If there were a pill that worked as well as exercise for Parkinson’s, it would be a billion-dollar pill,” said Dr. Daniel Daneshvar of Harvard Medical School, emphasizing that exercise remains the most effective therapy.

The study also highlighted that improvements were gradual, reinforcing the need for patients to maintain regular physical activity with long-term goals rather than expecting immediate results. Future research will explore whether other exercise forms, or therapies like music or light stimulation, can provide similar brain benefits.

Follow Science Sphere for regular scientific updates

RESEARCH PAPER 📄
Prajakta Joshi et al, "Electrophysiological correlates of dynamic cycling in Parkinson’s disease.", Clinical Neurophysiology (2025)

🦐 The pistol shrimp may be tiny, but it packs one of the most powerful weapons in the animal kingdom. With a rapid snap ...
21/08/2025

🦐 The pistol shrimp may be tiny, but it packs one of the most powerful weapons in the animal kingdom.

With a rapid snap of its specialized claw, it shoots out a bubble at speeds of nearly 100 km/h (62 mph). This collapsing bubble produces a shockwave as loud as a gunshot, strong enough to stun or kill prey instantly.

What makes it even more astonishing is the physics behind it. As the bubble collapses, it generates a burst of light and heat reaching temperatures of nearly 4,700°C (8,500°F)—almost as hot as the surface of the Sun. This phenomenon, known as sonoluminescence, is invisible to the naked eye but demonstrates just how extreme the shrimp’s strike really is.

Despite being only a few centimeters long, the pistol shrimp wields nature’s equivalent of a sonic weapon, turning sound, pressure, and physics into a hunting tool. It’s proof that in evolution, size doesn’t always determine power.

🏃‍♂️ Exercise May Help Halt Cancer ProgressionA new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests t...
21/08/2025

🏃‍♂️ Exercise May Help Halt Cancer Progression

A new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that regular physical activity before a cancer diagnosis could significantly reduce the risk of disease progression and death.

Researchers analyzed health data from over 28,000 South Africans with stage 1 cancer who were part of a wellness program that tracked exercise. They found that patients who logged at least 60 minutes of moderate activity per week before their diagnosis were 27% less likely to experience cancer progression and 47% less likely to die from any cause compared to those who were sedentary. Even lower levels of weekly exercise showed benefits, though to a lesser degree.

The protective effect was seen across cancer types, including breast and prostate cancer. At two years post-diagnosis, participants who had been active had an 80% chance of survival without progression, compared with 74% in the inactive group.

While the study was observational and cannot prove direct causation, the findings add to growing evidence that exercise acts as a powerful, low-cost intervention for cancer prevention and management. Experts stress that even modest amounts of activity—like brisk walking—can make a measurable difference.

Exercise truly is medicine.

Follow Science Sphere for regular scientific updates

📄 RESEARCH PAPER:
Mabena, N., et al. (2025). "Association between recorded physical activity and cancer progression or mortality in individuals diagnosed with cancer in South Africa." British Journal of Sports Medicine.

The Great Barrier Reef Suffers Record Coral LossThe Great Barrier Reef has just recorded its largest annual loss of live...
20/08/2025

The Great Barrier Reef Suffers Record Coral Loss

The Great Barrier Reef has just recorded its largest annual loss of live coral in more than 40 years of monitoring, according to a new report from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). While overall coral cover appears unchanged due to growth in some areas, researchers warn the volume of coral lost is unprecedented—signaling growing instability in the world’s largest reef system.

The reef, stretching 1,500 km (900 miles) along Queensland’s coast, is divided into northern, central, and southern regions. In the past year alone, living coral cover shrank by nearly one-third in the south, one-quarter in the north, and 14% in the central region. AIMS scientists attribute this decline to increasingly frequent bleaching events, triggered by prolonged heat stress.

This crisis is part of the world’s fourth mass coral bleaching event on record, and by far the largest, fueled by record global heat in 2023–2024. According to NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch, nearly 84% of coral reefs worldwide are experiencing heat stress, affecting at least 83 countries. Australia’s aerial surveys earlier this year found that 78 of 281 reefs surveyed showed bleaching across more than 30% of their corals.

When corals overheat, they expel the algae that give them both energy and color, leaving them white and fragile. While bleached corals are not dead, they are far more vulnerable to disease and long-term decline. Scientists warn that coral reefs—already labeled a “unique and threatened system” by the UN—may not survive if global warming exceeds 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Childhood Divorce Linked to Higher Stroke Risk Later in LifeA new study of more than 13,000 older adults in the US has u...
20/08/2025

Childhood Divorce Linked to Higher Stroke Risk Later in Life

A new study of more than 13,000 older adults in the US has uncovered a striking connection: individuals who experienced parental divorce in childhood face a 61% higher likelihood of stroke later in life, even after accounting for other known risk factors.

Researchers from the University of Toronto found that the effect of childhood divorce on stroke risk was comparable to established risk factors such as diabetes and male s*x. While previous research has tied childhood physical and s*xual abuse to cardiovascular disease, this is the first large-scale study to examine the long-term health impact of divorce specifically.

The team suggests several possible explanations. Divorce often brings prolonged stress, household conflict, disrupted routines, and instability, all of which may influence cardiovascular health. Past studies also link childhood separation to higher blood pressure in adulthood and to sleep disturbances, both of which can elevate stroke risk.

Importantly, the results are observational — meaning they reveal correlation, not causation. The researchers caution that societal changes may alter the effect for younger generations, but emphasize the need for further study into how childhood adversity shapes long-term health.

The findings, published in PLOS ONE, highlight that the emotional scars of early family upheaval may leave a deeper biological imprint than previously recognized.

📄 RESEARCH PAPER

📌 Mary Kate Schilke et al, "Parental divorce’s long shadow: Elevated stroke risk among older Americans.", PLOS ONE (2025)

Exercise May Help Reverse Biological Aging, Study Suggests 🧬🏃‍♂️New research from Tohoku University highlights how struc...
20/08/2025

Exercise May Help Reverse Biological Aging, Study Suggests 🧬🏃‍♂️

New research from Tohoku University highlights how structured exercise may slow—or even reverse—the body’s biological aging process at the molecular level, offering a powerful way to extend healthspan. Published in the journal Aging, the perspective paper reviews evidence from human and animal studies linking physical activity with slower “epigenetic aging.”

Unlike chronological age, biological age reflects molecular changes in DNA that reveal how fast tissues and organs are aging. Scientists measure this through “epigenetic clocks,” which track DNA methylation patterns. These markers are strongly influenced by lifestyle, making them useful tools for understanding how habits like exercise affect aging.

The review found that structured exercise routines—planned, repetitive, and goal-oriented—had stronger anti-aging effects than general daily activity. High levels of physical fitness, particularly cardiorespiratory capacity, were consistently associated with slower epigenetic aging. For example, middle-aged sedentary women reduced their biological age by two years after just eight weeks of combined aerobic and strength training. In older men, higher oxygen uptake correlated with slower cellular aging.

Beyond muscle, exercise also appeared to benefit the heart, liver, fat tissue, and even the gut. Olympic athletes, for instance, showed slower epigenetic aging than non-athletes, suggesting long-term training leaves lasting molecular benefits.

Researchers stress the need for personalized exercise programs, since individuals respond differently to training. Still, the message is clear: exercise may be one of the most effective “geroprotectors” available, helping to preserve organ function, delay age-related decline, and extend healthy years of life.

Follow Science Sphere for regular scientific updates

RESEARCH PAPER 📄
“Exercise as a geroprotector: focusing on epigenetic aging” by Takuji Kawamura, Mitsuru Higuchi, Zsolt Radak and Yasuyuki Taki, 8 July 2025, Aging.

👀 The 20-year study tracked over 66,000 women in the United States and revealed that those who reported being stalked we...
20/08/2025

👀 The 20-year study tracked over 66,000 women in the United States and revealed that those who reported being stalked were 41% more likely to develop heart disease compared to those who had never been stalked.

The risk was even greater among women who had obtained a restraining order, showing a 70% higher likelihood of cardiovascular disease. Researchers stress that stalking—often dismissed because it does not always involve physical violence—can cause profound psychological distress, which in turn may have serious physical health consequences.

“Common, non-contact forms of violence against women are health hazards and need to be considered as such, just like smoking or poor diet,” said lead author Professor Karestan Koenen of Harvard University.

Stalking affects around one in three women globally, according to the CDC, yet it is rarely studied in medical research. The study suggests that chronic psychological stress from stalking may disrupt the nervous system, damage blood vessel function, and alter biological pathways linked to heart health.

Although most participants were white, middle-class nurses, limiting generalization, the findings highlight the urgent need for better healthcare screening, support services, and broader public health measures to address stalking and other forms of violence against women.

This research adds to growing evidence that psychological trauma can have lasting cardiovascular consequences.

Follow Science Sphere for regular scientific updates

RESEARCH PAPER 📄
Rebecca B. Lawn et al, "Experiences of Stalking and Obtaining a Restraining Order Are Associated With Onset of Cardiovascular Events in Women: A Prospective Analysis in the Nurses’ Health Study II.", Circulation (2025)

Physical Activity Declines Long Before Heart Disease StrikesA new study has revealed that adults who go on to develop ca...
20/08/2025

Physical Activity Declines Long Before Heart Disease Strikes

A new study has revealed that adults who go on to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD) begin showing signs of reduced physical activity as early as 12 years before diagnosis.

This decline not only precedes conditions like heart failure, coronary heart disease, and stroke, but also persists long after a cardiac event, highlighting the crucial role of consistent exercise across adulthood.

The research comes from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, which tracked 3,068 participants from 1985 to 2022. Participants underwent up to ten assessments of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), measured in exercise units where 300 units equal roughly 150 minutes of weekly activity—the level recommended by health guidelines.

While activity levels naturally declined with age across the cohort, those who later developed CVD showed a steeper, earlier drop in MVPA compared to healthy peers.

Importantly, the study found demographic disparities. Black men experienced a sustained decline in activity, while Black women consistently reported the lowest activity levels throughout adulthood. Following a cardiovascular event, Black women also had the highest likelihood of remaining inactive, with their odds of persistent inactivity more than four times higher than others.

The message is clear: staying active isn’t optional — it’s protective. Exercise directly influences blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol, all critical to heart health.

Follow Science Sphere for regular scientific updates

RESEARCH PAPER 📄
Ge**er Y et al. Trajectories of physical activity before and after cardiovascular disease events in CARDIA participants. JAMA Cardiol. 2025

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