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Harvard Medical School researchers have discovered that Staphylococcus aureus directly causes itch by activating nerve cells. This finding, based on mouse and human cell studies, challenges the traditional view that itch in skin conditions arises from inflammation. It opens new possibilities for treating chronic itch and understanding its evolutionary significance.Researchers discover that a common microbe is an unrecognized cause of itching.Researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered that the bacterium…

If, like me, you love scouring instruction manuals just for the enemy pages, you’ll dig the latest preview for Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince.  Some folks get pumped whenever they see a new Pokémon. Others just want to see a few dozen Slimes and a Goonache Goodie, which looks like a little chocolate-stuffed croissant with a secret. Visions of flowery dragons and a bouncing Croc-a-Bugle-Doo —which is literally a crocodile with a bugle for a nose — dance in your mind. A Great Sabrecub snoozes and a Dracky…

The first proper interview I ever conducted was with the late John Wells. The satirist was in the West End performing his Denis Thatcher routine in the smash hit Anyone for Denis? But the subject of our conversation was not the husband of the then prime minister, nothing to do with the UK, nor in fact anything from the 20th century at all. Instead we discussed the events of 1778 and how watchmaker, arms dealer and spy Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais had come to write The Marriage of Figaro.It was a sequel to his…

The internet came alive when it was announced that frenemies Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds would finally be working together as their most well-known and beloved characters, Deadpool and Wolverine. Deadpool 3 will see them teaming up for what appears to be some kind of multiversal hijinks, and fans cannot wait to see what is in store. Despite having said he was done with the character, Jackman is returning to his most well-loved role as Logan a.k.a Wolverine after agreeing to return to the role specifically to play a…

Paras Griffin/Getty Images The premiere of Creed III will mark a significant moment for actor Michael B. Jordan, who not only stars in the upcoming sports drama, but also directs it. During a recent press conference for the film’s third installment attended by We Got This Covered, the Hollywood veteran opened up about making his directorial debut and how longtime friend and collaborator, director Ryan Coogler “definitely had a lot to do with” getting him behind the camera.  Jordan and Coogler’s working…

It's been , but the legendary civilization management sim Dwarf Fortress at last has a and release date. It will be available on both storefronts on December 6th for $30. While that might seem steep for a game that has already been around for 16 years and is available for free elsewhere, the latest version has some major upgrades. For one thing, you won't need to deal with Dwarf Fortress' famously primitive visuals anymore. The ASCII graphics have been upgraded to a pixel art tileset. Other new features include a fresh…

Watching somebody relieve an itch with a delightful old scratch can have you dragging your nails over your skin as quick as you can say, "Aaaaah … that's the spot."Contagious scratching isn't unique to humans, either. Mice have very similar reactions upon seeing their fellow rodents dig in. A recent study on mice scratching themselves has now revealed something unusual about this social phenomenon in the tiny rodents.The physiological process of being inspired to scratch after 'seeing' the action being performed by…

I recently fished my family’s old PlayStation 3 Slim from my dad’s bedroom, set it up in front of my TV, and promptly sampled a smorgasbord of classic PlayStation-era JRPGs from the halcyon days of my childhood. I scampered through Legend of Legaia, Wild Arms 2, Legend of Dragoon, Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, but wait … where was my copy of Final Fantasy Tactics? Absolute horror washed over me as I realized the greatest jewel of my childhood legacy was misplaced or potentially gone for good, like Gollum…

Scientists investigating the cellular basis for itching have made an important discovery, and one that could lead to new treatments of chronic conditions like eczema. The breakthrough centers on what's known as mechanical itching, with the research team behind it demonstrating how a protein can be blocked to alleviate itching sensation in mouse models of the condition.Much of the itching that we experience as humans is driven by activation of the histamine system. This system releases histamine as part of the body's…

After 15 years off the pitch, Mario is once again lacing up his cleats. Mario Strikers: Battle League is coming to Nintendo Switch next month bringing soccer back to the Mushroom Kingdom. The surprising series revival will mark Mario’s third sports outing on the Nintendo Switch, and the stakes are a little high this time. While Mario Golf: Super Rush featured excellent golfing systems, the package itself was thin. There wasn’t much to do outside of its short, shallow RPG story mode. Post-launch DLC brought more…