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Scientists Discover Key Brain Differences in Suicidal Youth

The ENIGMA Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors working group aims to identify neurobiological variations associated with suicidal ideations and behaviors, to ultimately leverage information from brain structure and function, along with clinical and demographic factors, to predict the likelihood of a future suicidal attempt. Credit: USC Stevens INI A new study has discovered subtle structural brain changes in young people with suicidal behaviors. Suicide is the second greatest cause of mortality among young people aged 10 to 33 in the United States. Tragically, despite local, national, and worldwide preventative efforts, the number of attempts at suicide among kids and teenagers has…

Explosive Neutron Star Merger Captured in Millimeter Light for the First Time

Lead Image: In a first for radio astronomy, scientists have detected millimeter-wavelength light from a short-duration gamma-ray burst. This artist’s conception shows the merger between a neutron star and another star (seen as a disk, lower left) which caused an explosion resulting in the short-duration gamma-ray burst, GRB 211106A (white jet, middle), and left behind what scientists now know to be one of the most luminous afterglows on record (semi-spherical shock wave mid-right). While dust in the host galaxy obscured most of the visible light (shown as colors), millimeter light from the event (depicted in green) was able to escape…

Does Marijuana Make You Lazy? Scientists Find That Cannabis Users Are Just As Likely To Be Motivated

Lead Image: Marijuana users are typically depicted as lazy. Could this stereotype be false? The study demonstrated that cannabis users are no less likely to be motivated or able to enjoy life’s pleasure. According to a new study, cannabis users of all ages are no more likely than non-users to lack motivation or be unable to appreciate life’s pleasures, showing that the stereotype often depicted in the media has no scientific basis. Additionally, compared to non-users, cannabis users exhibit no differences in reward-seeking motivation, enjoyment from rewards, or the brain’s response to rewards. After alcohol and nicotine, cannabis is the…

50 Years of Searching – Promising Treatment for Chagas Disease Discovered

Lead Image: Chagas disease is a potentially fatal illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Tens of millions of people in the Americas are affected by the condition, yet there are no effective treatments. Researchers at the University of Georgia have identified a potential treatment for Chagas disease, marking the first medicine with the potential to effectively and safely target the parasite infection in more than 50 years. AN15368, a medication with antiparasitic properties, will start human clinical trials over the next several years. “I’m very optimistic,” said Rick Tarleton, corresponding author of the study and a UGA Athletic…

Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes Capture Detailed Views of DART Asteroid Impact

These images, Hubble on left and Webb on the right, show observations of the Didymos-Dimorphos system several hours after NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) intentionally impacted the moonlet asteroid. It was the world’s first test of the kinetic impact technique using a spacecraft to deflect an asteroid by modifying its orbit. Both Webb and Hubble observed the asteroid before and after the collision took place. Credit: Science: NASA, ESA, CSA, Jian-Yang Li (PSI), Cristina Thomas (Northern Arizona University), Ian Wong (NASA-GSFC), Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI) First Time Webb and Hubble Make Simultaneous Observations of the…