Scientists at the University of Utah, including former BYU football player Larry Carr, are researching intranasal transcranial photobiomodulation (itPBM), a red-light therapy aimed at reducing brain inflammation and improving cognition, mood and motor function. A recent study of 26 BYU football players published in the Journal of Neurotrauma found the therapy may help protect neurological health without requiring reduced playing time or contact exposure.
science.slashdot.org
· 2026-09-12
Following Google's release of a detailed 3D map of a male fruit fly's brain and nervous system, developers quickly began using the digital neural model to control video games. Engineers mapped sensory inputs from Doom, Beat Saber, and Super Mario 64 to the fly's simulated neurons, using dopamine-linked reinforcement signals to shape its in-game behavior. A separate female fly brain model from Princeton's Flywire project was similarly repurposed to play Minecraft.
games.slashdot.org
· 2026-09-12
MIT Technology Review's under-35 list highlights several biotech innovators: Paschal Kija built a $70 device that stopped postpartum hemorrhaging in 73% of women within 20 minutes, Xiao Yang designed ultra-thin, neuron-like brain electrodes inspired by kirigami paper art, and Sarah Grandinette helped create a personalized gene-editing therapy that successfully treated an infant with a rare fatal genetic disorder.
technologyreview.com
· 2026-09-11
A compiled overview details several harmless but often puzzling bodily phenomena, including ASMR tingling sensations, benign muscle twitches, vertigo from BPPV, brain freeze, and brain zaps linked to antidepressant withdrawal. Each condition is described with its typical triggers, prevalence estimates, and reassurance that they are not signs of serious disease.
vester.si
· 2026-09-10
Scientists are engineering particle-based delivery systems intended to ferry large molecules such as proteins and messenger RNA past the blood-brain barrier, a membrane that normally blocks such compounds from reaching brain tissue. Small chemicals like paracetamol already pass through naturally, but bigger therapeutic molecules cannot, limiting treatment options for brain disorders.
nature.com
· 2026-09-09
A software engineer reflects on how years of routine coding work and constant smartphone distractions have dulled their thinking and reading habits compared to their more intellectually demanding early career and university years. They describe attempting to counter this decline by deliberately unplugging and cutting back on short-form content, games, and other low-effort entertainment during a recent vacation.
devz.cl
· 2026-09-07
The authors of the mouse brain stereotaxic atlas study published a correction fixing several errors: a mislabeled gene name in a figure (corrected to 'Emx1-Cre'), an inaccurate Dice score and sample size in Extended Data Fig. 4, and an updated voxel resolution value in the methods section describing whole-head dataset acquisition. The HTML and PDF versions of the paper have been updated accordingly, with the original figure included as supplementary material for comparison.
nature.com
· 2026-09-07
Researchers have identified immune cells located in the lymph nodes, outside the brain, as a significant driver of the neurological damage associated with Alzheimer's disease. The findings suggest that the disease's roots may extend beyond the brain itself into the body's broader immune system.
gizmodo.com
· 2026-09-03
At the BRAIN Initiative conference on August 13th, chemogenetics co-inventor Bryan Roth disclosed that seven clinical trials using the technology are already underway in China. Chemogenetics works by inserting genes for synthetic receptors into specific neurons, allowing them to be turned on or off remotely using otherwise inert designer drugs, offering a dial-like control over brain activity.
neuroai.science
· 2026-09-02
Researchers report that as the human brain ages, its resident immune cells known as microglia are increasingly replaced by cells originating from the bloodstream. This shift in the brain's immune population appears to be a natural part of aging rather than a result of disease.
nature.com
· 2026-09-02
Startup Atlas has opened pre-orders for its first product, a small EEG sensor that sticks behind the ear to track brain waves, skin activity, movement and vocal patterns. An iOS app translates that data into scores for presence, performance under pressure and stress recovery, letting users log activities to see what states help them thrive. The device costs $500 upfront plus a $30 monthly fee for replacement sensors and adhesives.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-01
An Entrepreneur contributor recounts how a brain tumor diagnosis at 25, discovered while studying architecture under mentor Thom Mayne at UCLA, forced him to leave his program and face mounting medical debt. He taught himself day trading from scratch, eventually building it into a career now verified as generating seven-figure returns.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-08-29
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