Three scientists have won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries that transformed how researchers can study the brain. Karl Deisseroth of Stanford University, Peter Hegemann of Humboldt University and Georg Nagel of the University of Würzburg were honoured. They were honoured for their work on “light-gated ion channels and optogenetics”. But
People living with severe mental illness are nearly five times more likely to die before 75. This is compared with the wider population, according to an analysis of NHS data. The research by Rethink Mental Illness found that people receiving specialist mental health care die, on average, 15 to 20 years earlier. Many deaths are
Could a common condition during pregnancy affect a baby’s brain before they even begin to grow up? New research suggests it might. A study involving more than 300 mothers and babies in Cape Town found that infants born to mothers with anaemia had on average 4% smaller total brain volumes than those whose mothers were
A personalised cancer vaccine has delivered a potentially major breakthrough. Helping keep high-risk melanoma from returning when combined with an existing immunotherapy drug. Developed by Moderna and Merck/MSD, the vaccine, called Intismeran, was tested alongside Keytruda. It was tested in more than 1,000 patients after surgery. The early results are striking: compared with Keytruda alone,
What if doctors could fix a life-threatening birth defect before a baby was even born? For five-month-old Theo, that remarkable possibility became reality through a pioneering operation that could transform fetal medicine. Theo was diagnosed during pregnancy with complex gastroschisis, a rare condition. The abdominal wall fails to develop properly, leaving the intestines outside the
Just as French President Emmanuel Macron was meeting Syria’s new leadership, two explosions shook central Damascus. At least 18 people were injured, a stark reminder of the country’s fragile security. Syrian state media said security forces discovered two explosive devices near the Four Seasons hotel, where Macron had been staying. One bomb was hidden inside
Slimming jabs like Wegovy and Mounjaro have been hailed as game-changers for weight loss. But here’s the catch — what if you’re losing more than just fat? Researchers say that while GLP-1 drugs are highly effective for shedding weight. Around 25–40% of that loss can come from lean body mass — meaning muscle. And that
What happens when the Sun “throws a tantrum” and hurls charged particles straight at Earth? Scientists are finally getting a closer look — and it just launched into orbit. A joint European–Chinese spacecraft named SMILE has successfully lifted off from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Beginning a mission to study how violent solar
Bangladesh is facing a heartbreaking surge in measles cases, with at least 98 children reportedly dead in the past three weeks. Why now, after years of progress in vaccinations? Officials point to multiple factors, including a vaccine shortage and disruptions from past political unrest. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has sent senior ministers across the country
Could India finally get serious about shedding kilos — and at a fraction of the cost? That might soon be the case. On Friday, the patent for semaglutide — the star molecule behind Novo Nordisk’s weight-loss hits Wegovy and Ozempic — expires in India. This opens the floodgates for cheaper generics. Analysts are calling it
What does dominance look like over 42 kilometers? Just ask Brigid Kosgei — she didn’t just win the Tokyo Marathon, she owned it. Kosgei crossed the line in a stunning 2:14:29, smashing the previous course record by more than a minute and leaving her rivals chasing shadows. Ethiopia’s Bertukan Welde followed over two minutes later,
What happens when help is seen—but never sent? Italy is now being forced to answer that question in court. Six members of Italy’s police and coastguard went on trial on Friday over a 2023 shipwreck that killed at least 94 migrants, including 35 children. A crowded boat smashed into rocks off the resort town of
