Reference Terms
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Gastrointestinal tract
The gastrointestinal tract or digestive tract, also referred to as the GI tract or the alimentary canal or the gut, is the system of organs within multicellular animals which takes in food, digests it to extract energy and nutrients, and expels the remaining waste. The GI tract differs substantially from animal to animal. For instance, some animals have multi-chambered stomachs.
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Health & Medicine News
April 11, 2026
Apr. 11, 2026 Putting on weight earlier in life may be more dangerous than previously thought. Researchers found that early adulthood obesity significantly raises the risk of premature death, especially from major diseases like heart disease and diabetes. The ...
Apr. 11, 2026 A major study suggests that when you eat could play a key role in staying lean. People who fast longer overnight and start their day with an early breakfast were more likely to have a lower BMI years later. Scientists think this is because eating ...
Apr. 11, 2026 Scientists searching for air pollution clues stumbled onto something unexpected: toxic MCCPs drifting through the air for the first time in the Western Hemisphere. The likely source—fertilizer made from sewage sludge—points to a hidden route for ...
Apr. 11, 2026 Scientists have achieved the unthinkable by stabilizing a highly reactive molecule in water, confirming a decades-old theory about vitamin B1’s role in the body. The breakthrough not only solves a scientific mystery but could revolutionize greener ...
Apr. 11, 2026 Losing your sense of smell might signal Alzheimer’s far earlier than expected. Scientists found that immune cells in the brain actively destroy smell-related nerve fibers after detecting abnormal signals on their surfaces. This damage begins in ...
Apr. 10, 2026 Researchers have uncovered why a rare blood clotting disorder can occur after certain COVID-19 vaccines or adenovirus infections. The immune system can mistakenly target a normal blood protein (PF4) after confusing it with a viral protein. This ...
Apr. 10, 2026 Alzheimer’s isn’t just one problem—it’s a tangled mix of biology, aging, and overall health. That’s why drugs targeting a single factor have fallen short, even as new treatments show modest benefits. Scientists are now pushing toward ...
Apr. 10, 2026 A common eye-health nutrient, zeaxanthin, may also help the body fight cancer more effectively. Scientists discovered it strengthens T cells and enhances the impact of immunotherapy treatments. Found in everyday vegetables and supplements, it’s ...
Apr. 9, 2026 Dragonflies may see the world in a way that pushes beyond human limits—and surprisingly, they do it using the same molecular trick we evolved ourselves. Scientists discovered that these insects can detect extremely deep red light, even edging into ...
Apr. 9, 2026 Cancer drugs known as BET inhibitors once looked like a breakthrough, but in real patients they’ve often fallen short. New research reveals a key reason why: two closely related proteins, BRD2 and BRD4, don’t actually do the same job. Instead, ...
Apr. 9, 2026 A breakthrough in microbiome research could change how colorectal cancer is detected—no colonoscopy required. Scientists used AI to map gut bacteria at an unprecedented level of detail, revealing subtle microbial patterns linked to cancer. By ...
Apr. 9, 2026 A hidden waste-removal pathway in the brain has finally been caught in action. Using cutting-edge MRI scans, researchers discovered that fluid flows along the middle meningeal artery in a slow, lymphatic-like pattern—very different from blood. ...
Latest Headlines
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Apr. 9, 2026 Scientists are uncovering a surprising connection between autism and ADHD that goes deeper than labels. Instead of diagnoses, it’s the severity of autism-like traits that seems to shape how the ...
Apr. 9, 2026 A new study reveals that gut bacteria may play a key role in triggering ALS and frontotemporal dementia. Harmful sugars produced by these microbes can spark immune responses that damage the brain. ...
Apr. 9, 2026 Not all parts of our genetic code are equal, even when they appear to say the same thing. Scientists have discovered that cells can detect less ...
Apr. 9, 2026 Weight loss drugs and bariatric surgery may work differently, but they lead to surprisingly similar results inside the body. Both significantly reduce fat while also causing a modest loss of muscle, ...
Apr. 9, 2026 Chronic inflammation often works quietly in the background but can fuel serious diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. New research reveals that everyday plant compounds—like menthol ...
Apr. 8, 2026 Scientists have developed a clever new way to trap “forever chemicals” in water using nano-sized cages that lock onto PFAS molecules. Unlike current methods, this approach can capture short-chain ...
Apr. 8, 2026 Scientists have uncovered a surprising new player in Alzheimer’s disease: a protein called CSE that helps produce tiny amounts of hydrogen sulfide ...
Apr. 8, 2026 A new survey reveals a striking disconnect in how Americans think about autism research. While nearly everyone agrees that studying the autistic brain is essential, most people are unaware that brain ...
Apr. 7, 2026 Researchers have developed a cutting-edge technique that uses RNA “barcodes” to map how neurons connect, capturing thousands of links with ...
Apr. 7, 2026 Scientists at Cornell University may be closing in on the long-sought “holy grail” of male contraception: a safe, reversible, nonhormonal method ...