Biomolecules

Researchers seeking to understand how life may have emerged from Earth’s primordial soup have found an interesting behavior of ribonucleic acid (RNA), which they suggest could have given way to RNA-based life.The Epitome of 14 inch Gaming | Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 ReviewThe team’s research, published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, describes a ribozyme that could create an environment in which RNA replicates itself more accurately. Other efforts at self-replicating RNA had resulted in new…

Scientists say they’ve finally answered an age-old question: Just why is our pee yellow? In new research, a team found the enzyme produced by gut bacteria that plays a major role in turning our urine mellow. Curiosity aside, the discovery may actually help scientists better understand the gut microbiome and how it can contribute to certain health conditions, like jaundice in newborns.Let’s Eat a Chocolate Xbox ControllerUrine is the finale of our body’s natural drainage system. It’s made out of excess water and waste…

Scientists are starting to crack the mystery behind one woman’s pain-free life. In new research, a team in the UK dove deep into the genetic make-up of Jo Cameron, a woman in Scotland with a rare mutation that leaves her practically incapable of experiencing physical and emotional pain. Among other things, the team found that her mutation seems to turn on and off a variety of other genes, including those linked to wound healing and mood.A Mononykus Hunts In ‘Prehistoric Planet’Researchers at University College London…

Taking vitamin D supplements was linked to lower rates of attempted suicide and intentional self-harm among former military members, new research found. In the study, scientists looked at data about a large group of U.S. veterans and determined that those given supplemental vitamin D were at lower risk for attempting suicide or self-harming than those who weren’t. However, the study can only show a correlation, not a cause-and-effect relationship, and the research has limitations.The work, published in the journal PLoS…

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)The potential benefits of taking vitamin D supplements may be affected by your weight and height, new research suggests. The study found that overweight and obese people taking these supplements experienced a smaller increase of vitamin levels and other related markers relative to those with a lower body mass index. The study is a reanalysis of the VITAL trial, a large-scale project that tested whether proactively taking vitamin D or marine omega-3 supplements could reduce older people’s…

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)An extra dose of vitamin D probably won’t make the average person’s bones any stronger. New research from a large-scale, placebo-controlled, and randomized clinical trial out Wednesday has found no evidence that taking vitamin D supplements reduces the risk of bone fractures in healthy older adults.The study comes from researchers at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts. The team looked through data from an existing research project:…

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)Doctors in the UK say a man’s intense supplement regimen landed him in the hospital with vitamin D poisoning. In a new case report, they detail how their patient became sick soon after he started to take large doses of vitamins and minerals. Though vitamin D overdose is uncommon, the study authors say, cases seem to be on the rise globally. According to the paper, published in BMJ Case Reports, the middle-aged man was referred to an emergency department by his general practitioner. For…

Image: Shutterstock (Shutterstock)An influential group of experts is recommending that people not take beta carotene or vitamin E supplements in hopes of preventing cancer or cardiovascular disease, arguing that they provide no clear benefits and may actually raise the risk of these health problems. They’ve also concluded that there’s not enough evidence to recommend taking multivitamin supplements for preventing either condition.The new guidance, released Tuesday, comes from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force…