Older people reacted more strongly to sad scenes than twentysomethings did in a recent study of emotional receptivity.

Aging cells may seal their fate by keeping worn-out proteins when they sprout offspring.

Millions of Americans start their day with a cup of coffee and then reach for refills when their energy or attention flags. But new research in rats suggests that for the aging brain, coffee may serve as more than a mere stimulant. It can boost memory and the signaling essential to motor coordination.

A new study in dogs finds that antioxidants and enriched lifestyle can ward off symptoms, and suggests brain plaques may not be the cause of the disease.

Three partial proteins may trigger the T cell immune reactions that cause the symptoms of this intestinal ailment, new research shows. (p. 8)

Nano products are all the rage, even in food science. Here at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting, on July 18, scientists described dramatic success in fighting food-poisoning bacteria by doctoring foods or their packaging with microbe-killing nanoparticles – sometimes along with natural anti-bacterial agents.

Testing shows that a complex array of factors can be used to calculate the probability of in vitro fertilization success better than just using woman’s age as a guidepost. (p. 8)

Scientists have developed the first topical treatment that can prevent HIV infection among women. (p. 9)

Adding viruses to foods doesn’t sound appetizing, much less healthy. But it’s a stratagem being explored to knock some of the more virulent food poisoning bacteria out of the U.S. food supply. Scientists described data supporting the tactic July 18 at the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting in Chicago.

People who inherit a particular gene variant may find it more appealing to drink a lot of alcohol when they see others doing so.

Gene variants that offer protection against African sleeping sickness may also put carriers at renal risk, a new study finds. (p. 14)

The viral denizens of a person’s intestines are unique and don’t change much over time, a study suggests.

Among women 65 to 79, big apples performed better than plump pears on tests of memory and reasoning.

An antiaging molecule also helps keep the mind sharp.