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Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for depression, likely working by increasing aperiodic activity in the brain. Recent research provides insights into its mechanism, paving the way for improved mental health treatments and a better understanding of brain activity.Scientists from UC San Diego may have solved the century-old mystery of why this controversial treatment works.Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as electroshock therapy, involves triggering a short seizure in the brain using…

For two million years, a 10-feet-tall (305-cm), 660-pound (330-kg) ape towered over other fauna and thrived in its lush forest habitat, until it mysteriously vanished during the late middle Pleistocene. And until now, the extinction of Gigantopithecus blacki, the largest primate to ever walk the Earth, has defied scientific explanation.In a new study, more than 10 years of research and diverse analysis methods, including the use of lasers to date 600,000-year-old soil, researchers from Australia, the US and China have…

When the Cassini spacecraft returned radar scans of the surface of Saturn's moon Titan, the results were mind-blowing.It revealed giant lakes or seas of liquid methane, a complete absence of waves, and what seemed to be islands in the giant bodies of water. Now a team of scientists think they may be blobs of organic molecules that form in the atmosphere, collect in the lakes and float around!The bus-sized space probe Cassini was launched in October of 1997. The journey took the craft 3.5 billion km using gravitational…

It’s not often that space throws something entirely new at you, but in 2019 that’s exactly what happened when astronomers discovered a completely unknown phenomenon they called odd radio circles (ORCs). Now, more data may have revealed just how these rare objects form.Everything you need to know about ORCs is in the name: they’re circular blobs of radio emissions, and they’re odd because exactly what causes them was unknown. The first few were discovered in data from the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder…

A team at the University of Cologne has successfully observed the elusive Kondo effect in an artificial atom, employing a novel approach with a scanning tunneling microscope. This significant advancement in condensed matter physics, validating theoretical predictions, opens new avenues for exploring exotic states of matter.A team of physicists at the University of Cologne has solved a long-standing problem of condensed matter physics: they have directly observed the Kondo effect (the re-grouping of electrons in a metal…

An antique dress bought a decade ago with coded messages dating back from the 19th century was unveiled, revealing it was a U.S. Army Signal Corps weather observation, providing a glimpse into historical meteorological practices.In 2013, a certain Sara Rivers Cofield spotted a brown dress for sale at an antique mall in Maine. As an archeologist who also collects old dresses and handbags for fun, Sara fell in love with the dress’ metal buttons and elaborate bustle.Upon bringing the intriguing gown back to her home, Sara…

Researchers have advanced the understanding of dark matter through simulations supporting the self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) theory. This theory potentially resolves inconsistencies in dark matter densities observed in different galaxies, posing a challenge to the traditional cold dark matter (CDM) model and highlighting the dynamic nature of dark matter. Credit: SciTechDaily.comDark matter may be more vibrant than previously thought, UC Riverside study reports.Thought to make up 85% of matter in the universe, dark…

The curious case of the conspicuously absent cherry tomato has finally been put to rest eight months after the lab-grown edible went missing.Zillow Says You’ll Buy Your Next House With… AI? | AI UnlockedIn space, no one can hear a tomato scream, even when it’s lost. NASA’s Veg-05 experiment, a project focusing on growing fruits and vegetables in space, experienced an unusual turn of events when a Red Robin dwarf tomato vanished shortly after being harvested in March. This tomato, part of a study to explore the feasibility…

Two days ago, Dan Marfisi, a longtime musician and songwriter in the L.A. area, received a text from a composer friend. “He wrote, ‘Did you write this song on The X-Files?’” Marfisi says. “He said, ‘You should go to Twitter and check out these threads. You’ll be a hero.’” Marfisi had no idea what his friend was talking about, but when he went online, he learned that more than a few people have been trying to unearth information about a piece of music he co-wrote 25 years ago — and had barely thought about since.…

The mystery of what created a pair of craters on the far side of the Moon has been put to rest after a new study from the University of Arizona confirmed that the most likely cause was a spent rocket booster from China's Chang'e 5-T1 lunar mission.On March 4, 2022, a new pair of craters suddenly appeared near the Hertzsprung crater on the far side of the Moon. Discovered by NASA's Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) spacecraft, where they came from was something of a head-scratcher. Because amateur astronomers had spotted what…