More than 100 million Americans are at higher risk for serious illness if they get COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, because of their age or health status.

Read More

High-resolution micro-CT scanning of the skull of the fossil specimen known as “Little Foot” has revealed some aspects of how this Australopithecus species used to live more than 3 million years ago.
Read More

A team has reduced negative side effects of FDA-approved form of Botulinum toxin by enhancing binding to nerve cells.
Read More

Botulinum toxin (BoNT) is used for a range of applications from treating chronic pain to reducing the appearance of wrinkles, but when injected it can diffuse into the surrounding tissue and give rise to adverse effects. A new study publishing March 17 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Linxiang Yin and Min Dong of Boston Children’s Hospital, USA and colleagues shows that a subtle modification of an FDA-approved form of BoNT enhances binding to the nerve cells and improves the drug’s potency and safety.
Read More

Many people dream of comfortably living out their golden years. A new IIASA study, however, shows that older Europeans, and especially women, frequently underestimate how many years they have left, which could lead to costly decisions related to planning for their remaining life course.
Read More

Brazil confirmed its first COVID-19 death Tuesday, as Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro declared a state of emergency over the virus outbreak—though President Jair Bolsonaro condemned what he called “hysteria” over the escalating crisis.
Read More

Italy on Tuesday required anyone entering the country to self-isolate for 14 days unless they are only stopping over for 72 hours or can prove that they must show up for work.
Read More

The World Health Organization called for “aggressive” action in Southeast Asia to combat the fast-spreading coronavirus, warning Tuesday that some countries were heading towards community transmission of the deadly disease.
Read More

Stress, boredom and a natural appreciation for culinary pleasures is sending millions of Italians under home confinement to the same place—the fridge.
Read More

We’ve all experienced the strange memory-jogging power of scents. Perhaps the aroma of fresh pine brings you back to your childhood Christmases, or your heart starts to race when you step into a doctor’s office and the sharp odor of disinfectant fills your nose. Now, researchers from Boston University’s Center for Systems Neuroscience reveal just how much power scents have in triggering the memory of past experiences—and the potential for odor to be used as a tool to treat memory-related mood disorders.
Read More