Researchers Discover a Gut Microbe Metabolite That Supercharges Cancer Immunotherapy
by Ananya Sen, University of Michigan on September 6, 2026 at 2:33 am
A microbial metabolite called 3,4 dihydroxybenzoic acid, derived from dietary fiber, improved antitumor immunity in mice. A compound made by gut bacteria during the breakdown of dietary fiber may offer a way to strengthen cancer immunotherapy. In mouse studies, University of Michigan researchers turned that compound into an oral drug that helped T cells attack […]
How Often You Exercise May Matter More Than How Hard You Work Out for Mental Health
by PLOS on September 6, 2026 at 1:18 am
When it comes to reducing the risk of depression and anxiety, how often students exercise may matter more than how hard they push themselves. A large Norwegian study found that students who exercised infrequently were more likely to develop clinically defined depression, anxiety, or another common mental disorder over the following year. How often they […]
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Discovers a Strange “Honeycomb” Landscape on Mars
by Laurence Tognetti, Universe Today on September 5, 2026 at 9:54 pm
A strange honeycomb landscape on Mars may preserve the scars of ancient cycles of rain, drought, and cracking mud. The surface of Mars is home to some of the most breathtaking and awe-inspiring landscapes in the solar system. This is primarily due to the Red Planet lacking several resurfacing processes that Earth possesses, including plate […]
Mercury Isn’t What Scientists Thought: New Study Reveals a Surprisingly Different Surface
by Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research on September 5, 2026 at 8:39 pm
From tiny glass beads and a map of the Moon to Mercury, a new study uses an indirect method to determine the silicon dioxide content of Mercury’s surface. Mercury’s surface appears to contain substantially less silicon dioxide than researchers previously estimated. A new analysis puts the compound at about 37 percent by mass, up to […]
A New Human Organ Chip Reveals How Cancer Invades the Body
by Meeri Kim, Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science on September 5, 2026 at 4:23 pm
Cancer’s spread to distant organs can now be studied using lab-grown bone, lung, and blood vessel tissues. Cancer becomes far more dangerous when it stops being confined to one place. Most cancer deaths are not caused by the original tumor, but by cells that break away, travel through the bloodstream, and establish new tumors in […]