Bone

Prehistoric daggers long thought to be non-functional ceremonial objects interred in warriors' graves were actually used to slaughter and butcher animals during the early fourth millennium BCE, a new study suggests.  Numerous copper-alloy daggers have been unearthed in Bronze Age warriors' graves across Europe, along with other weapons, and archaeologists previously speculated that the daggers may have served as status symbols.But scientists used a new analysis method on a set of 10 daggers, found in Pragatto, Italy in…

Lisa Ray has the kind of wisdom that comes only to those who have had a close brush with death. The 47-year-old was diagnosed with the cancer of white blood cells—known as multiple myeloma—in 2009. Today, 10 years later, she is invincible—she is acting again, is raising two young daughters and has realised one of her long-standing dreams—that of becoming a writer. I meet her minutes before the release of her debut book Close to the Bone—the story of her eventful life and personal musings—and she confesses that she’s…

A shortcut between the skull and the brain could be a possible way for the human immune system to bypass the blood-brain barrier.Researchers recently discovered a series of tiny channels in mice and human skulls, and in mice at least, these little pathways represent an unexpected source of brain immunity.  Previously, scientists assumed that the immune system connects with the brain by slipping through a kind of neurological customs gate – a barrier separating blood channels from important neural tissue.Now it seems…

A new study has suggested that ‘space lettuce' can help astronauts maintain strong bone health during long trips. The study, carried out by researchers from the University of California, Davis, saw the creation of an experimental strain of lettuce that they say can help those staying in space for long durations to maintain good bone health. Staying in space on long trips is a tough job. Several issues related to physical and mental health are required to be addressed before astronauts make a trip to space.Astronauts…