Health & Medicine News

November 9, 2025

Top Headlines

A Simple DNA Test Could Reveal the Right Antidepressant for You

Nov. 9, 2025 — Millions struggle with depression and anxiety, often enduring long waits for effective treatment. Scientists in Sweden, Denmark, and Germany are developing a genetic test to predict which medications will actually work. Using polygenic risk scores, ...

DNA’s Hidden Power Could Transform How We Make Medicines

Nov. 8, 2025 — Scientists found that DNA’s phosphate groups can direct chemical reactions to make the correct mirror-image form of drug molecules. This breakthrough simplifies chiral drug production, reducing waste and energy use. Using a new “PS scanning” ...

Common Antidepressant Found to Work in Just Two Weeks

Nov. 8, 2025 — Sertraline (Zoloft) may relieve emotional symptoms of depression and anxiety within two weeks, while physical side effects stabilize later. The research highlights how antidepressants can act on specific symptom networks rather than uniformly across ...

Scientists Find Brain Cells That Could Stop Alzheimer’s

Nov. 8, 2025 — Researchers have identified special immune cells in the brain that help slow Alzheimer’s. These microglia work to reduce inflammation and block the spread of harmful proteins. They appear to protect memory and brain health, offering a promising ...

New Laser Treatment Could Stop Blindness Before It Starts

Nov. 8, 2025 — Aalto University scientists have created a laser-based treatment that uses gentle heat to stop the progression of dry macular degeneration. The approach stimulates the eye’s natural cleanup and repair systems to protect against ...

Common Pesticides May Cause Testicular Damage and Lower Sperm Counts

Nov. 8, 2025 — A decade-long review by George Mason University researchers reveals growing evidence that neonicotinoid insecticides—the world’s most widely used class of pesticides—may harm male reproductive health. The findings, based on 21 animal studies, ...

COVID Vaccine Linked to Fewer Infections and Allergies in Kids with Eczema

Nov. 8, 2025 — New research suggests the COVID-19 vaccine could help children with eczema stay healthier overall. Vaccinated kids had lower rates of infections and allergies, including asthma and rhinitis, compared with unvaccinated peers. Experts believe the ...

A Hidden Cellular Cleanup Trick Could Reverse Aging

Nov. 7, 2025 — Researchers found that the body’s natural recycling system, the lysosome, plays a vital role in removing the protein that drives premature aging. When this system breaks down, aging speeds up. By reactivating it, scientists were able to help cells ...

Stanford Makes Stem Cell Transplants Safer Without Chemo

Nov. 7, 2025 — A Stanford-led team has replaced toxic pre-transplant chemotherapy with a targeted antibody, allowing children with Fanconi anemia to receive stem cell transplants safely. The antibody, briquilimab, removes diseased stem cells without radiation, ...

Scientists Find Hidden Brain Damage from a Common Pesticide

Nov. 7, 2025 — Prenatal exposure to the insecticide chlorpyrifos causes widespread brain abnormalities and poorer motor skills in children. Even after a residential ban, ongoing agricultural use continues to endanger developing ...

The Hidden “Big Bang” That Decides How Bowel Cancer Grows

Nov. 7, 2025 — Scientists have pinpointed a “Big Bang” moment in bowel cancer—when cells first evade the immune system. This early immune escape locks in how the cancer will behave as it grows. The discovery could help predict which patients respond to ...

Scientists Discover How Hair Cells Can Help Heal Skin Faster

Nov. 7, 2025 — Rockefeller scientists uncovered how hair follicle stem cells can switch from growing hair to repairing skin when nutrients run low. The key lies in serine, an amino acid that activates a stress signal telling cells to conserve energy. When both ...

Latest Headlines

updated 11:23am EST

The Bright Colors in Your Food May Be Harming Your Kids

Nov. 7, 2025 — Almost 20% of packaged foods and beverages in the US contain synthetic dyes, often paired with excessive sugar to attract children. These additives have been linked to behavioral issues, yet remain ...

Rare Desert Berry Could Transform Diabetes Treatment

Nov. 7, 2025 — An extract from a desert berry used in traditional Chinese medicine restored insulin function and stabilized metabolism in diabetic mice. The findings hint at a powerful natural alternative for ...

Mini Llama Proteins Show Promise for Alzheimer’s Treatment

Nov. 6, 2025 — Miniature antibodies from camels and llamas can slip into the brain more easily than conventional drugs, offering a new way to treat disorders like Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia. Researchers say ...

Common Acne Drug May Protect Against Schizophrenia

Nov. 6, 2025 — Scientists have discovered a surprising benefit of the acne drug doxycycline: it may lower the risk of schizophrenia. Teens prescribed the antibiotic were about one-third less likely to develop the ...

Scientists Just Found a Hidden Genetic Flaw That Slowly Steals Strength

Nov. 6, 2025 — A newly identified disorder, MINA syndrome, results from a mutation in the NAMPT protein that deprives motor neurons of energy, leading to severe movement problems. The discovery not only deepens ...

Wegovy in a Pill? Massive Weight Loss Results Revealed

Nov. 6, 2025 — Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide 25 mg achieved up to 16.6% weight loss in a landmark study, rivaling injectable Wegovy. The pill also improved cardiovascular risk factors and physical activity ...

Scientists Find Hidden Brain Source That Fuels Dementia

Nov. 6, 2025 — Weill Cornell researchers uncovered how free radicals from astrocyte mitochondria can fuel dementia. Using new compounds that target these radicals at their source, they slowed brain inflammation and ...

New Gel Regrows Tooth Enamel and Could Transform Dentistry

Nov. 6, 2025 — Researchers have created a bioinspired gel that can regenerate tooth enamel by mimicking natural growth processes. The fluoride-free material forms a mineral-rich layer that restores enamel’s ...

Nanotech Makes Cancer Drug 20,000x Stronger, Without Side Effects

Nov. 5, 2025 — A Northwestern team transformed a common chemotherapy drug into a powerful, targeted cancer therapy using spherical nucleic acids. The redesign dramatically boosted drug absorption and cancer-killing ...

Scientists May Have Found How to Reverse Memory Loss in Aging Brains

Nov. 5, 2025 — Virginia Tech researchers have shown that memory loss in aging may be reversible. Using CRISPR tools, they corrected molecular disruptions in the hippocampus and amygdala, restoring memory in older ...

A Shapeshifting Protein Explains Rabies’ Deadly Power

Nov. 5, 2025 — Researchers discovered how rabies virus exerts massive control over host cells with very few genes. A key viral protein changes shape and binds RNA, allowing it to infiltrate different cellular ...

Scientists Shocked to Find E. Coli Spreads as Fast as the Swine Flu

Nov. 4, 2025 — Researchers have, for the first time, estimated how quickly E. coli bacteria can spread between people — and one strain moves as fast as swine flu. Using genomic data from the UK and Norway, ...

Walking May Be the Brain’s Best Defense Against Alzheimer’s

Nov. 4, 2025 — Walking a few thousand steps daily may help hold off Alzheimer’s for years, a Mass General Brigham study found. Even moderate physical activity slowed both cognitive decline and the buildup of ...

Think Melatonin Is Safe? New Research Reveals a Hidden Heart Risk

Nov. 4, 2025 — Long-term melatonin use for sleep problems may come with unexpected heart dangers. Researchers found that chronic users were almost twice as likely to die and 3.5 times more likely to be hospitalized ...

Your Bedroom Glow Might Be Quietly Damaging Your Heart

Nov. 3, 2025 — Boston researchers linked nighttime light exposure to greater stress-related brain activity and inflamed arteries, signaling a higher risk of heart disease. The study suggests that artificial light ...

A Groundbreaking Brain Map Could Revolutionize Parkinson’s Treatment

Nov. 3, 2025 — Duke-NUS scientists unveiled BrainSTEM, a revolutionary single-cell map that captures the full cellular diversity of the developing human brain. The project’s focus on dopamine neurons provides ...

Scientists Discover the Nutrient That Supercharges Cellular Energy

Nov. 3, 2025 — Scientists uncovered how the amino acid leucine enhances mitochondrial efficiency by preserving crucial proteins that drive energy production. By downregulating the protein SEL1L, leucine prevents ...

Most Americans Don’t Know Alcohol Can Cause Cancer

Nov. 5, 2025 — Most U.S. adults don’t realize alcohol raises cancer risk, and drinkers themselves are the least aware. Scientists say targeting these misbeliefs could significantly reduce alcohol-related cancer ...

Your Pumpkin Might Be Hiding a Toxic Secret

Oct. 30, 2025 — Researchers in Japan have revealed how some gourds draw pollutants into their fruits. The secret lies in a protein that carries contaminants through the plant sap. By manipulating this protein’s ...

Ancient Viruses Hidden Inside Bacteria Could Help Defeat Modern Infections

Nov. 3, 2025 — Penn State scientists uncovered an ancient bacterial defense where dormant viral DNA helps bacteria fight new viral threats. The enzyme PinQ flips bacterial genes to create protective proteins that ...

A 25-Year Crohn’s Disease Mystery Finally Cracked by AI

Nov. 3, 2025 — UC San Diego researchers combined artificial intelligence with molecular biology to unravel how immune cells in the gut decide between inflammation and healing, a process gone awry in Crohn’s ...

It Sounds Creepy, but These Scientific Breakthroughs Could Save Lives

Oct. 30, 2025 — From mini-brains to spider-inspired gloves and wolf apple coatings, scientists are turning eerie-sounding experiments into real innovations that could revolutionize health and sustainability. ...

Scientists Find Hidden Antibiotic 100x Stronger Against Deadly Superbugs

Oct. 29, 2025 — A team of scientists discovered a hidden antibiotic 100 times stronger than existing drugs against deadly superbugs like MRSA. The molecule had been overlooked for decades in a familiar bacterium. It ...

This Easy Daily Habit Cuts Heart Risk by Two Thirds

Oct. 28, 2025 — New research reveals that walking in longer, uninterrupted bouts of 10–15 minutes significantly lowers cardiovascular disease risk—by up to two-thirds compared to shorter strolls. Scientists from ...

Cockroaches Are Secretly Poisoning Indoor Air

Nov. 4, 2025 — Cockroach infestations don’t just bring creepy crawlers, they fill homes with allergens and bacterial toxins that can trigger asthma and allergies. NC State researchers found that larger ...

Your Eyes Could Reveal How Fast You’re Aging, Scientists Say

Nov. 3, 2025 — Researchers at McMaster University have discovered that the eyes may offer a powerful, non-invasive way to assess heart health and biological aging. By analyzing retinal scans alongside genetic and ...

Scientists Turn Flower Fragrance Into a Mosquito Killer

Oct. 27, 2025 — A team of researchers has developed a floral-scented fungus that tricks mosquitoes into approaching and dying. The fungus emits longifolene, a natural scent that irresistibly draws them in. It’s ...

Ancient DNA Reveals the Deadly Diseases Behind Napoleon’s Defeat

Oct. 26, 2025 — Researchers have uncovered microbial evidence in the remains of Napoleon’s soldiers from the 1812 Russian retreat. Genetic analysis revealed pathogens behind paratyphoid and relapsing fever, ...

Alzheimer’s Might Be Powered by a Broken Sleep-Wake Cycle

Nov. 3, 2025 — Disrupted sleep patterns in Alzheimer’s disease may be more than a symptom—they could be a driving force. Researchers at Washington University found that the brain’s circadian rhythms are ...

Scientists Say Gluten Isn’t the Problem After All

Oct. 27, 2025 — Groundbreaking research published in The Lancet suggests that most people who believe they’re sensitive to gluten are actually reacting to other factors like FODMAPs or brain-gut dynamics. The ...