Fibroblasts, cells that repair heart damage, might end up causing a vicious cycle of stiffening and scarring in certain heart conditions. Mechanical cues might be driving the problem. As the heart weakens and expands, the fibroblasts might be trying to prevent overexpansion. Researcher found that shutting down a signaling pathway in the rogue fibroblasts restored heart functioning in laboratory animal models. The finding could have therapeutic implications for developing new treatments.  

Researchers at UC Davis have created a miniaturized microscope for real-time, high-resolution, non-invasive imaging of brain activity in mice. The device is a significant step toward revolutionizing how neuroscientists study the brain.

Biologists discover mechanisms of evolutionary change in a cheese fungus. The discovery may point to more robust domestication of fungi for greater diversity in cheese products, avoiding industry threats like the "Camembert extinction"

A novel strategy developed at Rice University allows scientists to zoom in on tiny segments of proteins inside living cells, revealing localized environmental changes that could indicate the earliest stages of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and cancer. The study, published in Nature Chemical Biology on Sept. 10, also shows promise for drug screening that targets protein aggregation diseases.

Scientists from Auburn University have proposed a new mechanism to control some of the thinnest electronic memory devices ever made. Their study uncovers how tiny crystals only a few atoms thick may switch between insulating and metallic states, paving the way for low-power memory, flexible electronics, and brain-inspired computers.

While the early Mars climate remains an open question, a new study suggests its atmosphere may have been hospitable to life due to volcanic activity which emitted sulfur gases that contributed to a greenhouse warming effect.

Scientists have discovered how to create circuits that are so small they’re invisible to the naked eye using a process that is both precise and economical for manufacturing. 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is often linked to supercomputers and massive data centers, but Kennesaw State University assistant professor of computer science Bobin Deng is looking at ways to reduce that reliance and make AI easier and faster to access.

The University of Pennsylvania's Bo Zhen and postdoctoral researcher Li He developed a system for guiding light through tiny crystals in ways that allow it to navigate undeterred by bumps and defects. Their work could lead to sturdier lasers, faster data links, and light-based chips that don’t get tripped up by imperfections.

LIGO's improved sensitivity is showcased in a discovery of a black hole merger detected in January of this year. Scientists analyzing this signal were able to provide the best observational evidence yet for what is known as the black hole area theorem, an idea put forth by Stephen Hawking in 1971 that says the total surface areas of black holes cannot decrease.