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Scientists once dismissed the theory that traits acquired during life could be inherited, but with new evidence and hypotheses, it’s seeing a resurgence.

An antibody in maternal milk limits an allergy-promoting bacterium in the infant gut microbiome, informing the development of better formula milk.

An acoustic feature of people’s voices, measured by AI from recordings, could indicate a form of throat cancer. 

Metabolic adaptations, air sac-filled bones, and evolutionary pressure likely contributed to dinosaurs’ gigantism.

Transplanting gut bacteria from healthy people reduced pain associated with fibromyalgia in mice and patients, offering a potential therapeutic strategy.

Learning a motor task alters brain activity during a nap, which promotes neural plasticity and can predict how much a person’s ability will improve.

DNA extracted from fossilized tartar helped scientists reconstruct early humans' oral microbiota, shedding light on their health and habits.

Oral wounds heal without a trace, but skin scrapes don’t. Scientists decoded molecular players that drive scarless healing, paving the way for better skin repair therapies.

​​​​​Many animals seem to consume alcohol but likely not for the same reason that humans do. Alcohol metabolism may have evolved as a survival advantage in the wild. 

Bed bug and cockroach genomes reveal how they spread in urban areas and resist insecticides, potentially guiding better pest control strategies.

Lithium levels in human and mouse brains influence Alzheimer’s disease effects, but targeted replacement therapy may hold the key to intervention.

Jen Heemstra’s book summarizes her trial-by-fire experiences and lessons learned in building leadership skills.