Obese fruit flies are the experimental subjects in a Nature Communications study of the causes of muscle function decline due to obesity. In humans, skeletal muscle plays a crucial role in metabolism, and muscle dysfunction due to human obesity can lead to insulin resistance and reduced energy levels.

Interestingly, studies in various animal models have shown that time-restricted feeding — a natural non-pharmaceutical intervention — protects against obesity, aging and circadian disruption in peripheral tissues such as skeletal muscle. However, the mechanisms underlying those benefits were not known.

In fruit flies — scientifically known as Drosophila melanogaster — obese Drosophila that are subje...

Wearable devices such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, and virtual reality headsets are becoming commonplace. They are powered by flexible electronics that consist of electrodes with plastic or metal foil as substrates. However, both of these come with their own drawbacks...

A research team from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has detected radio recombination lines (RRLs) of ions heavier than helium for the first time, using the TianMa 65-m Radio Telescope (TMRT). These lines were assigned to carbon and/or oxygen ions.

The findings were publis...

For almost 140 years, the origin and behaviour of an enigmatic cell type inside lymph nodes, called a tingible body macrophage, has remained a mystery. Now, for the first time, scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have tracked the cell’s lifecycle and function, with implications for our understanding of autoimmune disorders.

Autoimmune disease, which occurs when the immune system attacks the body, affects 5% of Australians and has a high chronic health burden worldwide, yet its causes are poorly understood.

“In living organisms, death happens all the time — and if you don’t clean up, the contents of the dead cells can trigger autoimmune diseases,” says...