memory tagged posts

New memory survives temperatures hotter than lava

Novel memory chip survives temperatures hotter than lava
Gra/HfOx/W device and cross-section image. a, optical image of a single device with ~1 um ×1 um device size. b, cross-section TEM image and EELS mapping of W, Hf and C elements. Credit: Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aeb9934

The electronics inside your phone, your car, and every satellite currently orbiting Earth share one critical weakness: heat. Push them past about 200 degrees Celsius and they start to fail. For decades, that thermal ceiling has been one of the hardest walls in engineering. Now a team at the University of Southern California may have just found a way around it.

In a study published in Science, researchers led by Joshua Yang, Arthur B...

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Why Some 80-Year-Olds Have the Memory of 50-Year-Olds

This shows an older woman and a brain.
SuperAgers score at least 9 out of 15 on a delayed word recall test — on par with individuals in their 50s and 60s. Credit: Neuroscience News

For 25 years, scientists have studied “SuperAgers”—people aged 80 and above whose memory rivals those decades younger. Research reveals that their brains either resist Alzheimer’s-related plaques and tangles or remain resilient despite having them.

These individuals maintain a youthful brain structure, with a thicker cortex and unique neurons linked to memory and social skills. Insights from their biology and behavior could inspire new strategies to protect cognitive health into late life.

For the past 25 years, researchers at Northwestern Medicine have been examining people aged 80 and older, known as “SuperAgers,” to uncover why...

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Newly discovered ‘Ovoid’ brain cells reshape understanding of how memory works

Meet the newly discovered brain cell that allows you to remember objects

Take a look around your home and you’ll find yourself surrounded by familiar comforts—photos of family and friends on the wall, well-worn sneakers by the door, a shelf adorned with travel mementos. Objects like these are etched into our memory, shaping who we are and helping us navigate environments and daily life with ease. But how do these memories form? And what if we could stop them from slipping away under a devastating condition like Alzheimer’s disease?

Scientists at UBC’s faculty of medicine have just uncovered a crucial piece of the puzzle. In a study published in Nature Communications, the researchers have discovered a new type of brain cell that plays a central role in our ability to remember and recognize objects.

Called “ovoid cells,” these highly-specialized neur...

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Serotonin 2C Receptor Regulates Memory in Mice and Humans: Implications for Alzheimer’s Disease

Artists rendition of a brain and neuron activity in a gold color.

Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Cambridge in the U.K. and collaborating institutions have shown that serotonin 2C receptor in the brain regulates memory in people and animal models. The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, not only provide new insights into the factors involved in healthy memory but also in conditions associated with memory loss, like Alzheimer’s disease, and suggest novel avenues for treatment.

“Serotonin, a compound produced by neurons in the midbrain, acts as a neurotransmitter, passing messages between brain cells,” said co-corresponding author Dr. Yong Xu, professor of pediatrics—nutrition and associate director for basic sciences at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor.

“Serotonin-produc...

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