Reddit science
1Scientists turned blood cells from donors aged newborn to 101 directly into brain stem cells, and the new cells kept getting biologically younger over time, shedding about 60 years of cell age in 50 days and acting like young cells, which may one day help treat brain diseases like dementia.
- Scientists at the University of Bonn in Germany converted blood precursor cells from donors aged newborn to 101 into induced neural stem cells using a virus that delivered two transcription factors. The converted cells became biologically younger over time, reaching about 5 percent of donor age within 50 to 100 days, and they behaved like young cells. The work may aid studies of brain cell therapies for neurodegeneration.
Safety concerns over c-MYC
A commenter notes that c-MYC, used alongside SOX2, regulates cell proliferation and is linked to cancer when improperly controlled, so rigorous safety controls are needed before clinical use.Rejuvenation claims in the study
The shared article describes converting donor blood progenitor cells into induced neural stem cells using a virus and two transcription factors. Their epigenetic age fell to about 5% of donor age over 50 to 100 days.Moderation and removed comments
A moderator notice allows personal anecdotes only as replies to this comment and asks users to apply for flair. Most other comments in the thread were removed.
2In teenagers (mean age 12.6 years) one additional serve of any type of fruit each day was associated with a 13% lower risk of depression and a 7% lower risk of anxiety over the study period, according to a study on 6537 Australian adolescents followed for 3 years
- University of Sydney research following 6,537 Australian teenagers over four years found that eating more fruit was linked to lower risk of depression and anxiety symptoms, while higher sugary drink consumption was linked to higher risk, especially in boys. Researchers say diet is one changeable factor in youth mental health.
Misleading headline
Commenters found the "mean age 12.6 years" headline confusing, since it suggests most participants aren't teenagers. It actually refers to the starting age over a four-year study, so "starting" should have been included.Confounding factors
Users asked whether wealth and reverse causation were controlled for, since depressed people may eat less healthily. Replies said the study adjusted for physical activity, age, sex, socioeconomic status, and family affluence.Meaning of "one additional serve"
A commenter found the phrase "one additional serve" ambiguous, questioning whether it means one serving total, and suggested reporting intake as an absolute amount.
3A 1970s heart treatment that squeezes your legs with inflatable cuffs improved memory and thinking in 84% of people with early Alzheimer’s in a 190-person trial. Most patients actually got better than where they started, not just slower decline, and 75% still had gains 6 months after treatment ended
- External counterpulsation (ECP), a non-invasive treatment using squeezable leg cuffs, may improve cognition in people with mild cognitive impairment or early Alzheimer's. A trial of 190 patients found benefits over placebo, though the study was company-funded and needs larger, longer confirmation.
Industry funding and bias
Commenters note the device manufacturer designed, ran, and interpreted the trial, and cognitive assessors were not guaranteed to be blinded. Many want independent replication before trusting the results.Why isn't it commonly used
Users point out that similar compression devices are already common in hospitals, and that walking and leg exercise offer comparable circulatory benefits for free. Others note that effectiveness and popularity are different things.Personal experiences with leg compression
Several users with POTS, venous insufficiency, or post-surgery needs describe using compression cuffs and boots such as Normatec, reporting improved comfort and blood flow.
4A new study suggests that the severe brain tissue loss caused by chronic alcohol consumption physically masks or overwrites the structural neural scars left by childhood trauma, though these trauma markers reappear when statistically adjusting for addiction severity.
- Childhood maltreatment alters brain structure in healthy adults, but these patterns vanish in people with alcohol use disorder, likely masked by alcohol's physical damage. After adjusting for addiction severity, trauma linked to thinner cortex in one brain region.
Alcohol may impair trauma memory
A commenter claims any brain damage can dull trauma recall and that drinking blunts memories of severe trauma, citing alcoholics' experiences.Chronic versus occasional drinking
A user asks whether weekly heavy drinking counts as chronic. Replies say it is binge drinking, not chronic use, though any alcohol is officially considered harmful.
5Birds are among Earth’s most important nutrient-movers. A review of nearly 400 scientific papers shows how birds transport nutrients from land, lake and sea through their waste and bodies. This influences everything from soil and water chemistry to plant and animal growth.
- Birds act as efficient global nutrient transporters, moving nitrogen and phosphorus across oceans, forests, and reefs through their waste and bodies. Seabird colonies create nutrient-rich "islands of fertility," while bird declines threaten ecosystem productivity and carbon storage.
Cats are a major threat to birds
Commenters argue outdoor house cats are a major threat to bird populations and say cats should be kept indoors, with one joking that people should simply stop letting them outside.Birds as flying fertilizer
Users describe birds as "flying fertilizer" that spread nutrients to soils and waters. The passenger pigeon's extinction is noted as a major loss to eastern North American soils, and others mention birds carrying seeds and fish or amphibian eggs.Birds versus human land use
A commenter asks whether birds fare better than land animals because flight lets them avoid highways. Replies point out that bees, also fliers, are badly harmed by human land use, so birds are not immune.
6Scientists found that indoor air contains significantly higher concentrations of microplastics than outdoor air, mostly shedding from our clothes and carpets. Outside, cloud formation is being altered by microplastics in the air.
Everyday ways to cut microplastic exposure
Users suggest glass food containers, natural fibers over synthetics, gentler driving to reduce tire wear, and cutting back on single-use plastics, though some find the changes daunting.Air filters and HVAC upgrades
Commenters recommend HEPA purifiers and MERV 13 HVAC filters to capture microplastics, with regular replacement to avoid airflow problems. One user reports fewer allergy symptoms with clean filters.Need for more research and regulation
Users say the lack of research on health effects makes it hard to counter skeptics, and others call for scrutiny of the FDA and EPA. Replacing plastics would take massive government-funded science.
7A new study suggests that physically petting your own dog prepares the body to handle subsequent stressors with calmer brain and heart responses, whereas simply sitting near, talking to, or making eye contact with the pet does not provide the same protective buffer.
- Petting a dog after a stressful task appears to leave people calmer when facing a second stressor, with lower heart rate, higher heart rate variability, and steadier brainwaves. Simply sitting near or looking at the dog did not show the same protective effect.
Oxytocin timing coincidence
Commenters note that oxytocin release timing is nearly identical in humans and dogs, calling it a lucky coincidence. One joked about confusing oxytocin with OxyContin.Skepticism toward the study's pro-petting tone
Some accuse the article of fabricating results to push a pro-petting agenda, and others call it dog propaganda, asking whether their dogs wrote it.Personal petting anecdotes and jokes
Users share lighthearted experiences, like petting their dog while reading the post or burying their face in it, and ask whether petting random dogs has the same effect.
8Water May Play a Hidden Role in the Spread of Alzheimer’s Disease. The Movement of Toxic Amyloid-Beta Proteins Found That Water-Related Processes May Help Explain How Alzheimer’s Pathology Spreads Between Brain Cells, Potentially Revealing a New Mechanism Behind Disease Progression.
- Researchers found that in Alzheimer's and related dementias, misfolded tau proteins spread through the brain by joining together at a water-repelling "hotspot," which releases energy that triggers neighboring tau to misfold. Blocking this hotspot stopped fibril growth, suggesting a possible drug target.
Title grammar error
A commenter says the title wrongly credits amyloid proteins with the movement the researchers studied. Another notes the post and article titles differ, so the error doesn't imply flaws in the paper.Amyloid research controversy
A user asks whether amyloid research was faked. A reply says the controversy is mostly a Reddit topic, while amyloid remains a major focus of Alzheimer's research and drug trials.Jokes about drinks
Users joke about beer, sugary drinks, and banning water, with quips that everyone who drank water eventually died, and that drinking too much of it quickly is also fatal.
9Telling people online they eat meat because they don't care about the planet mostly makes them defensive, not ready to change. Saying they just don't know how to cook plant-based meals got less pushback. And a private DM from a stranger made people even angrier than the same comment posted publicly.
- Online criticism of meat-eating framed as a moral failing provokes more defensiveness than framing it as a lack of cooking skill. Private messages from strangers also drew more hostility than public comments. Neither critique persuaded people to eat less meat.
Moral versus competence framing
Commenters contrast the two framings: accusing someone of not knowing how to cook plant-based meals is more constructive than accusing them of not caring, which implies they are a bad person.Effectiveness of online meat-shaming
Research summary says moral criticism of meat eating provokes defensiveness and backfires, especially via private messages. One reply questions why online meat-shaming was seen as effective in the first place.Private messages from strangers
A commenter jokingly says they dislike positive direct messages from strangers, a light reaction to the finding that private criticism from strangers feels more personally threatening.
10Study finds proposed US policy changes for vaccination through "shared decision making" are projected to result in an 83% increase in childhood HBV infections, and between 50% and 70% of children entering adulthood annually would be susceptible to HBV infection.
Projected rise in childhood hepatitis B infections
The study models proposed U.S. changes to hepatitis B vaccination and projects an 83% rise in childhood infections under shared decision-making, with the authors urging a return to universal birth-dose vaccination.Anger over parental decisions and harm to children
A commenter says the policy is infuriating because hepatitis B spreads easily. They note liver disease and pediatric cancer rates fell after vaccination and blame parents' negligence for harming children.Simple explanation of vaccine declines and anti-vaccine motives
In an ELI5 thread, users explain that fewer vaccinations mean more illness. They say anti-vaccine advocates want vaccination requirements loosened, which would lead to fewer people being vaccinated.