During brain development, neurons extend long processes called axons. Axons link different areas of the brain and carry signals within it and to the rest of the body. Growing axons “wire up” the brain by following precise paths through the tissue. Their navigation depends on chemical signals and the physical properties of their surroundings. How these signals work together has remained largely unknown. An international team of scientists has now shown that tissue stiffness controls the production of key signalling molecules in the brain. This discovery, recently published in Nature Materials, reveals a fundamental link between mechanical forces and chemical signalling. It could help scientists understand how other organs and body systems develop and may inform new medical approaches. 

A new review reveals that Polygonum multiflorum (a traditional Chinese herbal medicine) can effectively combat androgenetic alopecia through multiple mechanisms: inhibiting the production of dihydrotestosterone, activating hair follicle regeneration pathways (Wnt/β-catenin, Shh), and improving scalp blood flow. Unlike existing drugs such as finasteride or minoxidil, it adopts a comprehensive multi-target approach, with fewer side effects and higher patient acceptance, supporting its development as a natural alternative for hair loss treatment.

New research reveals why understanding these social networks is critical for predicting and managing disease outbreaks in oceans already under siege with pressures from climate change, pollution and human activities. 

In a new global study, marine mammal experts from Flinders University and the US warn of the potential of pandemics in marine environments, with some species more vulnerable than others.

A research team presents an overview of how luminescence-based tracing technologies are reshaping the way scientists visualize biological processes in real time.

A research team reports that advances in protein design—especially when combined with artificial intelligence—are rapidly transforming the synthetic biology of plant natural products, enabling enzymes to be discovered, understood, and optimized with unprecedented precision.

An international team of scientists, led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore), has discovered a new way that could speed up the healing of chronic wounds infected by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Published in Science Advances, the study done with collaborators at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, shows how a common bacterium, Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), actively prevents wound healing. The team also demonstrated how neutralising this biological process can allow skin cells to recover and close wounds.

Histamine is widely known for its role in allergic reactions but also functions as a key neurotransmitter in the brain, where its activity is tightly regulated by the histamine H₃ receptor (H₃R). In a recent study, researchers from Japan investigated the intricacies of how specific amino acid mutations alter H₃R signaling. Their findings reveal a close link between spontaneous receptor activation and structural destabilization, offering key insights for designing drugs for various brain disorders.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and the University of Kiel have provided experimental evidence showing that reducing plant species diversity alters plant chemical signals across whole communities and within individual plants. Through grassland field experiments conducted across a diversity gradient, the researchers demonstrated that plant communities comprising a greater variety of species emit richer and more complex odor signals. When diversity declines, these chemical signals shift, reshaping interactions in the entire community and indirectly influencing individual plants, such as ribwort plantain, through the odors emitted by their neighbors. These results demonstrate that biodiversity encompasses more than just species richness; it controls the invisible chemical communication networks within ecosystems. The loss of biodiversity can disrupt these natural signaling systems.