Because gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), commonly known as a 'date rape drug' is rapidly absorbed and metabolized by the body, it's difficult for law enforcement to tell if someone has been given GHB. Now, scientists report that they have identified a potential biomarker that might lead to tests to detect the compound that could be performed much later than current ones.

In laboratory-grown bacterial communities, the co-administration of probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri and glycerol selectively killed C. difficile.

Through a five-year observational study, researchers found that women with increased levels of cadmium -- a metal commonly found in foods such as kidneys, liver and shellfish as well as tobacco -- also had an increased risk of endometrial cancer. It's an observation the researchers hope could lead to new treatments or interventions to prevent the fourth most common cancer in women.

As the hullabaloo surrounding the Aug. 21 total eclipse of the sun swells by the day, an expert says a petroglyph in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon may represent a total eclipse that occurred there a thousand years ago.

Seas rose in the southeastern US between 2011 and 2015 by more than six times the global average sea level rise that is already happening due to human-induced global warming, new research shows. The combined effects of El Niño (ENSO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), both of which are naturally occurring climate processes, drove this recent sea level rise hot spot, according to the study.

Scientists have made a significant breakthrough in understanding the regulation of immune cells that play a pivotal role in allergic diseases such as asthma and eczema. They have identified a 'checkpoint' manned by these immune cells that, if barred, can halt the development of the lung inflammation associated with allergies.

Researchers have shown that increased levels of inflammatory markers during pregnancy can lead to changes in fetal brain development.

Key features linked to amelanotic melanoma, a form of skin cancer that lacks the brown or black color that stems from the pigment melanin, have been identified by a team of researchers.

Instagram photos can be examined by a computer to successfully detect depressed people, new research shows. The computer results are more reliable (70 percent) than the diagnostic success rate (42 percent) of general-practice doctors. The approach promises a new method for early screening of mental health problems through social media.

Lead in drinking water is a decades-old problem and still poses serious public health risks today. In response, utilities are replacing segments of old lead pipes that are causing the contamination. Surprisingly, researchers report that although partial line replacements can decrease lead levels in tap water, concentrations spike right after line replacement and can remain elevated for months afterward.

It may be possible to eradicate populations of invasive pest animals through the inheritance of a negative gene – a technique known as gene drive – suggest researchers.

For most of us, the flu is just the flu. We suffer through it for several days, and eventually bounce back. But for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neurological diseases, the flu can trigger a cascade of immune responses that result in a full-blown relapse of the disease. In a recent study, researchers shed light on what may be happening in the brains of MS patients during upper respiratory infections. 

A novel new experiment to test how aware babies are of their bodies’ internal signals has been developed by researchers. The ability to consciously sense signals from your body is called interoception, and some people are more aware of these signals than others. These differences between people can influence a wide range of psychological processes, including how strongly you feel emotions, your decision-making, and mental health.

A previously unknown poxvirus causes severe disease in European red squirrels from Germany. Molecular genetic investigations revealed a new virus species in the family of Poxviridae.

The genital gland of a sea urchin, the so-called gonad, is found inside the urchin. This organ stores nutrients, and contains milt and roe during the spawning season in spring. The gonads are very popular in sushi dishes in especially Asia, but also in other parts of the world.