All posts tagged: protects

Scientists discover natural molecule in the human body that protects against the flu

Scientists discover natural molecule in the human body that protects against the flu

Published by Jenni Sidey

A different purpose has attracted attention for treating skin damage rather than simply preventing it. Dermcidin was previously known as a skin protector. This antimicrobial peptide produced by our bodies may perform additional functions beyond simply acting as an antimicrobial agent against fungi and bacteria. In addition, these functions may include potentially acting on the potential for viruses to enter the body and cause illness. Researchers at Fisabio have demonstrated that dermcidin can also protect against infection with the virus that causes the flu. It does this by interfering with its entry into the cell before it can infect the cell. A very interesting angle to consider is that people with high levels of dermcidin at baseline, as shown in this study, have a lower likelihood of developing flu-like symptoms than do those with low levels. In the participants in this study who had no flu-like symptoms after exposure to the virus, the levels of dermcidin present were at least six times higher. These levels were higher than the levels present in the subjects who …

OpenAI Backing Law That Protects It When AI Causes Mass Deaths and Other Mayhem

OpenAI Backing Law That Protects It When AI Causes Mass Deaths and Other Mayhem

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech On Thursday, Florida’s attorney general James Uthmeier announced his office was investigating OpenAI over a deadly school shooting last year that victims claim was at least partially inspired by conversations with ChatGPT. The shooting, which took place at Florida State University almost exactly a year ago, resulted in the death of two students and seven injuries. “AI should advance mankind, not destroy it,” Uthmeier said in a statement. “We’re demanding answers on OpenAI’s activities that have hurt kids, endangered Americans, and facilitated the recent FSU mass shooting.” As the chatbot continues to be embroiled in controversy — with lawsuits accusing its maker of having the tool play a role in a wave of suicides and murder amid reports of “AI psychosis” — OpenAI is actively seeking to absolve itself of legal responsibility. As Wired reports, the company is backing a bill in Illinois that would shield companies from liability in cases where AI causes “critical harms,” including mass …

Actively open-minded thinking protects against political extremism better than liberal ideology

Actively open-minded thinking protects against political extremism better than liberal ideology

Published by José Betancourt

A recent study published in the journal Thinking & Reasoning has found that a specific type of open-mindedness is a better predictor of healthy reasoning than simply identifying as a political liberal. The research suggests that while open-minded thinking and liberal ideology often overlap, they are fundamentally different psychological traits. The findings help clarify how people process information and resist political extremism, regardless of their political party. Actively open-minded thinking is a cognitive style where a person intentionally seeks out information that contradicts their own beliefs. People who score high in this trait tend to tolerate ambiguity, avoid jumping to conclusions, and willingly revise their opinions when presented with new evidence. It involves temporarily stepping back from your own assumptions to objectively evaluate a complex situation. “This study was conceived after finishing my book on myside bias, The Bias that Divides Us. Writing that book was a reminder about how politicized many areas of psychology had become,” said study author Keith E. Stanovich, emeritus professor of applied psychology and human development at the University of …

Cutting-edge timing technology protects UK’s digital infrastructure

Cutting-edge timing technology protects UK’s digital infrastructure

Published by skeptic

The UK Government has invested in new terrestrial timing technology to ease reliance on satellite systems for digital infrastructure, such as mobile phone networks and online banking. The clocks and timing systems we all rely on every day will be better protected than ever, thanks to investment in the cutting-edge National Timing Centre (NTC). Coinciding with the start of British Science Week, the NTC will work on a new £180m programme to enhance UK resilience and safeguard our economy. “Accurate timekeeping is about more than just keeping the clocks ticking, it is fundamental to keeping the country running – from banking and staying in touch with friends and family through to our emergency services having the information they need,” explained Science Minister Lord Vallance. “This project will give us a safety net that will help protect our national security, safeguard our economy, and give people the confidence they need to go about their daily lives.” Downfalls of traditional timing systems Accurate timekeeping is fundamental to our daily lives – keeping our transport systems moving, allowing us to …

How the U.S. Constitution protects liberty from the powerful’s dark impulses

How the U.S. Constitution protects liberty from the powerful’s dark impulses

Published by Jenni Sidey

Adapted from Separations of Power: How to Preserve Liberty in Troubled Times by Cass R. Sunstein. Published by MIT Press. Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. It is March 27, 1933. Here is a headline in the New York Times: “Hitler Is Supreme Under Enabling Act.” Under that headline: “Chancellor, Preeminent Over Cabinet, Is Now Practically the German Government.” A few lines later, under that: “All Legislative Powers Have Been Transferred to Regime, Free to Refashion National Life.” How might that transfer of powers, making the chancellor “free to refashion national life,” be justified? Is there a theory? To say the least, that is a complicated question, but for a glimpse, turn to the justification by the Nazi legal theorist Carl Schmitt of what happened in Germany on June 30, 1934. That was the Night of the Long Knives, in which Hitler ordered his elite guards to murder hundreds of people, including the leaders of the paramilitary Sturmabteilung (SA). The separation of powers was Schmitt’s central target. He announced, “The real Führer is always a …

A friendly fungus protects crops using airborne chemicals

A friendly fungus protects crops using airborne chemicals

Published by Jenni Sidey

Farmers have long fought a quiet war against the fungi that rot crops in fields and storage sheds. Each year, these diseases destroy harvests of lettuce, beans, oilseed rape, wheat, and many other staples. The usual defense relies on synthetic fungicides, but those chemicals face rising costs, tighter rules, and growing concern about environmental harm. Now, new research suggests that help may come from an unexpected ally already living in the soil. Scientists at Rothamsted, working with partners at the Universities of Warwick and Exeter, have discovered that a common soil fungus, Trichoderma hamatum, can release natural airborne chemicals that slow or stop dangerous crop diseases. The study, published this week, shows that these invisible vapors can block the growth of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, a mold that causes severe rot in many crops. The same vapors also affect other major plant pathogens. A Fungus That Fights Back Trichoderma hamatum is not new to science. Farmers and researchers already know it as a helpful fungus that can protect plant roots and improve soil health. What surprised the …

New nasal vaccine protects lungs for months against viruses, bacteria, and allergens

New nasal vaccine protects lungs for months against viruses, bacteria, and allergens

Published by Jenni Sidey

A vaccine usually trains your immune system to recognize one target. Here, the target is basically “anything that doesn’t belong in the lungs.” That is the surprising promise behind a new mouse study from Stanford Medicine researchers and collaborators. The team reports an intranasal vaccine formula that protected mice for months against several respiratory viruses, two bacteria that often cause hospital infections, and even an allergen linked to asthma. The findings are published in Science. “I think what we have is a universal vaccine against diverse respiratory threats,” said Bali Pulendran, PhD, the Violetta L. Horton Professor II and a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford. Haibo Zhang, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar in Pulendran’s lab, is the study’s lead author. Bali Pulendran, Violetta L. Horton Professor, Director, Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology. (CREDIT: Jim Gensheimer) A different bet than “match the antigen” For more than two centuries, vaccine design has leaned on one big idea: antigen specificity. You show the body a harmless version of a pathogen’s …

Stanford’s New “Universal Vaccine Formula” Nasal Spray Protects Mice Against Stunning Range of Diseases

Stanford’s New “Universal Vaccine Formula” Nasal Spray Protects Mice Against Stunning Range of Diseases

Published by José Betancourt

Stanford Medicine researchers claim they’ve invented a “universal vaccine formula” that protects mice against a wide range of allergens, bacteria, and respiratory viruses. And instead of being administered by injection, the potential cure-all can be taken as a simple nasal spray.   If the formula, detailed in a recent study published in Science, could be applied to humans, it would be game-changer for people vulnerable to seasonal respiratory infections, the authors say. No more repeated trips to the doctor to get the jab; just a few whiffs of the stuff, and you’d be immune to all kinds of lung ailments for months at a time. “Imagine getting a nasal spray in the fall months that protects you from all respiratory viruses including COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and the common cold, as well as bacterial pneumonia and early spring allergens,” study senior author Bali Pulendran, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford Medicine, said in a statement about the work. “That would transform medical practice.” Traditionally, vaccines work by mimicking a specific pathogen so that …

Fast-aging fish reveals how kidneys age and how a common drug protects them

Fast-aging fish reveals how kidneys age and how a common drug protects them

Published by Jenni Sidey

Kidney aging rarely draws attention until something goes wrong. Over time, these organs quietly lose strength, filter less efficiently, and struggle to keep the body balanced. A new study now brings kidney aging into sharp focus by turning to an unlikely helper; a tiny fish that lives its entire life in just a few months. Scientists reveal how the African turquoise killifish mirrors the aging process of human kidneys at remarkable speed. The work also uncovers how a widely prescribed drug can protect aging kidneys by preserving their delicate blood vessels and cellular health. Together, these findings may reshape how kidney aging is studied and treated. Why Kidney Aging Is So Hard To Study Kidneys play a constant, demanding role in daily life. They clean waste from the blood, control fluid levels, and help regulate blood pressure. As you age, these tasks become harder. Tiny blood vessels inside the kidneys slowly disappear, a process known as vascular rarefaction. This loss weakens filtration and raises the risk of chronic kidney disease. Aging-associated changes and nephropathy in …