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Energy saving concept. Paper cut of eco on green grass; Shutterstock ID 381769096; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

The 2000-watt energy saving challenge may be hard, but it’s worthwhile

8 February 2023

A Swiss vision of a low-energy society set a goal that is irresistibly simple: consume energy at a rate of just 2000 watts. It’s a great way to push us to use less power - good for the purse and the planet

How understanding a form of broken heart syndrome could save lives

8 February 2023

Better recognition and understanding of a lesser-known form of broken heart syndrome, takotsubo syndrome, could be key to protection from sudden cardiac death, says Sian Harding

Beautiful autumn scene of Hintersee lake. Colorful morning view of Bavarian Alps on the Austrian border, Germany, Europe. Beauty of nature concept background.; Shutterstock ID 747646759; purchase_order: -; job: -; client: -; other: -

The push to grant legal rights to nature is gaining momentum

8 February 2023

The movement to give trees, rivers and ecosystems the legal right to exist, thrive and regenerate has been bubbling under for decades, but it has just scored a very welcome win, says Graham Lawton

The coronavirus is continuing to mutate as it spreads

Millions of coronavirus mutations offer a new insight into evolution

7 February 2023

Using publicly available SARS-CoV-2 sequences, researchers have revealed the genetic sites that must be in a particular state for the coronavirus to survive and which can tolerate changes

Light micrograph of a section through the spleen of a patient with Gaucher's disease. Small lymphocytes and large macrophage cells (Gaucher?s cells, pink, a type of white blood cell) are present. Gaucher's disease is an inherited metabolic disorder in which a fatty substance called glucocerebroside accumulates in the spleen (in macrophages), lungs, liver and bone marrow, and sometimes the brain. This is due to an absence of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GC). The disease appears in childhood, and some forms are fatal in the first few years. Other forms cause enlargement of the affected organs, weak and painful bones and anaemia. Some forms also cause severe nervous system damage. There is no cure, but enzyme replacement therapy using GC can relieve the symptoms. Haematoxylin-eosin saffron (HES) stain. Magnification: x400 at 24x36 mm size.

Genes for Gaucher disease may have protected Jewish people against TB

6 February 2023

Gaucher disease, a genetic condition that is more common in Ashkenazi Jewish people, may confer protection against tuberculosis, according to research in zebrafish

Two images of a women, one generated by AI, look very similar

AI image generators that create close copies could be a legal headache

6 February 2023

Artificial intelligence models trained on millions of images can occasionally reproduce near-perfect copies, researchers have found, which could be significant for ongoing copyright infringement lawsuits

The hippocampus (orange) is a structure in the brain that plays a key role in memory. Less extensive damage to the hippocampus has been linked to worse amnesia than more severe injuries

Mild brain damage may affect memory more than severe injuries

6 February 2023

In a small study, memory recall was better in people with more severe damage to a brain region involved with memory, compared with those with milder damage. With severe damage, other parts of the brain may take on the damaged region's function