A team led by researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, has succeeded in identifying biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease in its earliest stages, before extensive brain damage has occurred. The biological processes leave measurable traces in the blood, but only for a limited period. The discovery thus reveals a window of opportunity that could be crucial for future treatment, but also for early diagnosis via blood tests, which could begin to be tested in healthcare within five years.

Scientists have developed a 3D, AI-based tool for viewing hearing cells. To understand hearing damage from noise and aging, and develop new treatments, scientists need detailed images of hair cells. The new VASCilia tool uses deep learning to accelerate sensory cell image processing and analysis.

No ears, no problem! The tobacco hornworm caterpillar, a common garden pest, can actually detect airborne sound via microscopic hairs on its body, according to a team of faculty and graduate students at Binghamton University, State University of New York. The research could have implications for improving microphone technology.