Laura Sanders
Science News
Washington, DC, United States
Contact Laura
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Past articles by Laura:
A chemical imbalance doesn't explain depression. So what does?
The causes of depression are much more complex than the serotonin hypothesis suggests → Read More
2022 was the year long COVID couldn't be ignored
Long covid’s heavy toll grew clearer as millions of people reported lingering symptoms, and scientists and doctors looked for treatments. → Read More
New brain implants ‘read’ words directly from people’s thoughts
In the lab, brain implants can translate internal speech into external signals, technology that could help people who are unable to speak or type. → Read More
Clumps of human nerve cells thrived in rat brains
New results suggest that environment matters for the development of cerebral organoids, 3-D nerve cell clusters that grow and mimic the human brain. → Read More
Why traumatic brain injuries raise the risk of a second, worse hit
Recent hits to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have reignited discussions of brain safety for professional football players. Brain experts weigh in. → Read More
COVID-19 gave new urgency to the science of restoring smell
With newfound pressure from the pandemic, olfactory training and a host of other newer treatments are now getting a lot more attention. → Read More
An hour after pigs’ deaths, an artificial system restored cellular life
Sensors, pumps and artificial fluid staved off tissue damage in pigs after cardiac arrest. The system may one day preserve organs for transplantation. → Read More
Spinal stimulation gives some people with paralysis more freedom
Methods that stimulate the spine with electrodes promise to improve the lives of people with spinal cord injuries, in ways that go well beyond walking. → Read More
Dogs are great sniffers. A newfound nose-to-brain connection helps explain why
A new anatomical description of how smell works in a dog brain shows why they’re such good sniffers. → Read More
5 misunderstandings of pregnancy biology that cloud the abortion debate
The Supreme Court’s scrapping of Roe v. Wade shifts decisions about related health care to states. Accurate science is often missing in those talks. → Read More
Glial cells may take on big jobs in unexpected parts of the body
Scientists are finding mysterious glia in the heart, spleen and lungs and wonder what they’re doing there. → Read More
Missing COVID-19 data leave us in the dark about the current surge
Yankee Candle reviews and wastewater testing offer indirect hints, but we’re “flying blind,” says data expert Beth Blauer of Johns Hopkins University. → Read More
Headbutts hurt the brain, even for a musk ox
Though musk oxen are built to bash, a study of the headbutters turned up signs of brain damage. But that may not be catastrophic for the bovids. → Read More
A very specific kind of brain cell dies off in people with Parkinson’s
Of out 10 kinds of dopamine-making nerve cells, only one type is extra vulnerable in Parkinson’s disease. → Read More
Mom’s voice holds a special place in kids’ brains. That changes for teens
Unfamiliar voices hold special appeal for teens, a sign of a shift from a focus on mostly family to wider networks, brain scans suggest. → Read More
Where you grew up may shape your navigational skills
People raised in cities with simple, gridlike layouts were worse at navigating in a video game designed for studying the brain. → Read More
What do we mean by ‘COVID-19 changes your brain’?
The events of our lives are reflected in the size, shape and behavior of our constantly changing brains. The effects of COVID-19 changes aren’t clear. → Read More
A hit of dopamine sends mice into REM sleep
New results are some of the first to show a trigger for the mysterious shifts between REM and non-REM sleep in mice. → Read More
A faulty immune response may be behind lingering brain trouble after COVID-19
The immune system’s response to even mild cases of COVID-19 can affect the brain, preliminary studies suggest. → Read More
Omicron forces us to rethink COVID-19 testing and treatments
At-home rapid tests may miss the speedy variant early on, and some treatments, such as some monoclonal antibodies, no longer work. → Read More