In Greta Gerwig’s much-anticipated “Barbie” movie — which opens in theaters on Friday — “Insecure” actress Issa Rae brings some black power to the iconic doll’s pink world as President Barbie. But it was another African-American woman, Louvenia “Kitty” Black Perkins, who designed the first black Barbie — released in 1980 in a box that … Read more
In the battle against Alzheimer’s disease, experts are excited about a new weapon. A drug called donanemab, developed by Eli Lilly, had a successful clinical trial and is expected to receive FDA approval in the fall. People who took donanemab had a 40% lower risk of progressing from mild cognitive impairment to mild dementia, or … Read more
After months of anticipation, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finally granted traditional approval to lecemab, a drug that’s been shown to significantly slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. Sold under the the brand name Leqembi, the medicine received an accelerated approval in January but the designation was made official on Thursday, per an … Read more
Brace yourself — a new “miracle” drug that could regrow your own teeth is in the works. Researchers in Japan are currently working on a medication that would allow people to grow a new set of teeth, with a clinical trial slated for July 2024, the country’s national daily, The Mainichi, recently reported. “The idea … Read more
Doctors and scientists in the UK have reached a major breakthrough in fast-tracking cancer detection — all with the help of AI. The new artificially-intelligent algorithm — in development since 2020 — has the means to determine whether or not abnormal growths found on CT scans are cancerous, the Guardian reported. “In the future, we … Read more
For decades, there has been scant progress in treating one of the leading causes of death and disability for Americans — stroke. But that may be about to change with a groundbreaking procedure called endovascular thrombectomy. In the US, more than 795,000 people a year have a stroke. Consequences of the disease include long-term disability, … Read more
Lock it in. Scientists are buzzing about new tech that could help diagnose autism in children earlier than ever before. New York-based LinusBio has created a test that analyzes a single strand of hair for levels of mercury, lead, and aluminum — all of which are higher in autistic children. Researchers put the tech to … Read more
Neuron generation trajectories. Credit: BGI Genomics The first-ever axolotl stereo-seq gives new insights into brain regeneration. Because of its distinctive and adorable look, the axolotl Ambystoma mexicanum is a popular pet. Unlike other metamorphosing salamanders, axolotls (pronounced ACK-suh-LAH-tuhl) never outgrow their larval, juvenile stage, a trait known as neoteny. It’s also recognized for its ability … Read more