University of Copenhagen News - SciTechDaily

Scientists Uncover How Cocaine Tricks the Brain Into Feeling Good – Breakthrough Could Lead to New Substance Abuse Treatments

University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 01:20:45 +0000

A new study reveals how cocaine interferes with the brain’s dopamine regulation by binding to the dopamine transporter, offering insights crucial for developing treatments for cocaine and other addictions. You’ve likely heard of dopamine, often referred to as the “feel-good hormone.” Drugs like cocaine trigger a spike in dopamine levels in the brain. Under normal [...]

Life’s Origins on Mars? NASA’s Curiosity Rover Finds “Smoking Gun” in Organic Material

University of Copenhagen — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 10:16:22 +0000

Two samples from Mars together deliver the “smoking gun” in a new study showing the origin of Martian organic material. The study presents solid evidence for a prediction made over a decade ago that could be key to understanding how organic molecules, the foundation of life, were first formed here on Earth. Curiosity rover’s findings [...]

This Incredibly Common Practice Could Be Hurting Your Athletic Performance

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 05:18:43 +0000

Elite athletes often reduce dietary intake to enhance performance, particularly in endurance sports. However, this can significantly impair performance and health, as shown by a 7.7% performance drop and increased stress markers in female athletes consuming only 50% of their energy needs for 14 days. Whether they are preparing to compete in swimming, rowing, or [...]

Europe’s First Farmers Mysteriously Disappeared 5,000 Years Ago – Scientists May Have Figured Out Why

University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 12:02:42 +0000

Ancient DNA extracted from bones and teeth suggests that the plague contributed to a decline in Stone Age populations. New research challenges earlier assumptions, indicating that the plague impacted Europe’s populations well before the significant outbreaks in the Middle Ages. In 14th-century Europe, the so-called ‘Black Death’ devastated the population, wiping out nearly a third [...]

Breakthrough Study Reveals Hidden Mechanism Behind Migraines

University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 05:48:55 +0000

A study reveals a new mechanism where proteins released during migraine auras are transported to sensory nerves, triggering migraines, which could lead to innovative treatments. This discovery explains the one-sided nature of migraines and identifies potential new protein targets for therapies. A new study has uncovered a previously unidentified process where proteins from the brain [...]

Urgent Action Is Needed: Natural Hazards Threaten Over 3000 Species

University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 17:05:43 +0000

A study identifies over 3,700 species at risk of extinction due to natural disasters, with urgent conservation actions needed to preserve ecosystem functions and prevent species loss. Many people understand that climate change is changing our world. However, it can also increase the likelihood of natural disasters, such as hurricanes, in areas where vulnerable species [...]

500 Million Years Later: Lessons on Oceanic Oxygen Collapse From the Cambrian SPICE Event

University of Copenhagen — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 15:00:32 +0000

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have revealed how the Cambrian ‘SPICE’ event caused significant oxygen depletion in the oceans due to a chain reaction involving phosphorus recycling from ocean sediments. The study emphasizes the relevance of these ancient mechanisms to today’s marine systems, urging the need for understanding nutrient dynamics to manage and protect [...]

Challenging Modern Climate Narratives: Forgotten 1937 Aerial Photos Expose Antarctic Anomaly

University of Copenhagen – Faculty of Science — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 02:11:48 +0000

A study using a whaler’s forgotten aerial photos from 1937 shows East Antarctica’s ice has been stable and even grown, despite some early signs of weakening. Extreme weather, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels are all indicators that the climate and the world’s ice masses are in a critical state. However, a new study from [...]

Witnessing Cosmic Dawn: Webb Captures Birth of Universe’s Earliest Galaxies for First Time

University of Copenhagen — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 03:44:17 +0000

Using the James Webb Space Telescope, University of Copenhagen researchers have become the first to see the formation of three of the earliest galaxies in the universe, more than 13 billion years ago. For the first time in the history of astronomy, researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have witnessed the birth of three of [...]

Dementia Breakthrough: New AI Solves in Minutes a Challenge That Would Take Neuroscientists Weeks

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Thu, 30 May 2024 22:36:05 +0000

Protein aggregation underlies many neurodegenerative diseases affecting the brain, including Alzheimer’s and dementia. Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have created a new instrument to detect and analyze these small protein clusters. This breakthrough offers deeper insights into the body’s fundamental components and enhances the potential for improved treatments for conditions such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, [...]

Vanishing Without a Trace: Why Stars Mysteriously Disappear From the Night Sky

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Wed, 29 May 2024 03:23:50 +0000

Astrophysicists at the University of Copenhagen help explain a mysterious phenomenon, whereby stars suddenly vanish from the night sky. Their study of an unusual binary star system has resulted in convincing evidence that massive stars can completely collapse and become black holes without a supernova explosion. One day, the star at the center of our [...]

Ordinary Fruits, Extraordinary Benefits: Naturally Occurring Substance in Pomegranates Can Improve Alzheimer’s Symptoms

University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — Tue, 28 May 2024 19:56:47 +0000

A substance naturally occurring in i.e. pomegranates, strawberries, and walnuts can improve memory and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study conducted at the University of Copenhagen concludes. Forgetfulness, difficulty finding words, and confusion about time and place are all common symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Now researchers at the University of Copenhagen have discovered that [...]

Beyond Traditional Diet Pills: Groundbreaking New Weight Loss Drug Is More Effective Than Current Treatments

University of Copenhagen - The Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences — Sun, 19 May 2024 15:30:37 +0000

A revolutionary study published in Nature introduces a new obesity treatment that surpasses the weight loss results of current drugs in mice. This method involves delivering molecules directly to the brain’s appetite control center, influencing neuroplasticity. A new weight-loss drug utilizes the hormone GLP-1 to target brain areas controlling appetite, potentially reducing side effects and [...]

Advancing Atomic Clocks: Unlocking Precision With Quantum Superradiance

University of Copenhagen — Tue, 07 May 2024 11:16:18 +0000

Superradiant atoms offer a groundbreaking method for measuring time with an unprecedented level of precision. In a recent study published by the scientific journal Nature Communications, researchers from the University of Copenhagen present a new method for measuring the time interval, seconds, that overcomes some of the limitations that even today’s most advanced atomic clocks [...]

How a Quantum Drum Could Change Everything About the Internet

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 18:03:32 +0000

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen’s Niels Bohr Institute have developed a new way to create quantum memory: A small drum can store data sent with light in its sonic vibrations, and then forward the data with new light sources when needed again. The results demonstrate that mechanical memory for quantum data could be the [...]

Discovery of Unusual Worm With Mammal-Like Vision Stuns Scientists

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 02:05:23 +0000

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and Lund University are amazed by the discovery of a bristle worm that possesses eyesight as acute as that of mammals. They suspect that they may have a secretive language, only seen by their own species. The Vanadis bristle worm has eyes as big as millstones – relatively speaking. [...]

Neutrinos Whisper Quantum Gravity Secrets From the South Pole

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 17:12:33 +0000

University of Copenhagen team contributes to an Antarctic large-scale experiment striving to find out if gravity also exists at the quantum level; An extraordinary particle able to travel undisturbed through space seems to hold the answer. Several thousand sensors distributed over a square kilometer near the South Pole are tasked with answering one of the [...]

Revolutionizing AI With the Power of Energy Efficiency

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 12:22:58 +0000

The development of AI models is an overlooked climate culprit. Computer scientists at the University of Copenhagen have created a recipe book for designing AI models that use much less energy without compromising performance. They argue that a model’s energy consumption and carbon footprint should be a fixed criterion when designing and training AI models. [...]

“Much More Widespread Than We Thought” – Unexpected Methane Emissions Challenge Climate Change Models

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 03:56:49 +0000

Global warming is unlocking methane reserves, the size of which remains uncertain. A young researcher at the University of Copenhagen found significant amounts of this potent greenhouse gas in meltwater from three Canadian mountain glaciers, previously thought to be methane-free zones. This discovery introduces new uncertainties into our knowledge of methane emissions from the world’s [...]

3.75 Billion Year Old – Scientists Discover Evidence of an Ancient Segment of Earth’s Crust

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 11:29:29 +0000

A new geological study from the University of Copenhagen has revealed that the oldest Scandinavian bedrock originated in Greenland. This discovery sheds light on the formation of continents and the unique presence of life on Earth compared to other planets in our solar system. In a secluded Finnish outcrop, tucked away among some of the [...]

Molecular Majesty: This Is How the Body’s Building Blocks Are Made

University of Copenhagen — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 06:55:58 +0000

Human cells contain ribosomes, a complex machine that produces proteins for the rest of the body. Now the researchers have come closer to understanding how the ribosome works. “It is amazing that we can visualize the atomic details of the ribosome. Because they are tiny – around 20-30 nanometers.” So says Associate Professor Eva Kummer [...]

Unveiling the Molecular Conspiracy: COVID-19’s Exploitation of Fragile X

University of Copenhagen — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 23:08:14 +0000

Researchers have found an unexpected connection between coronavirus and Fragile X Syndrome, which is the most common hereditary cause of intellectual disability. How does coronavirus spread through the body? A new study can help us answer that question. Professor Jakob Nilsson from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research is one of the researchers [...]

Peeling Back Time With 5,000 Ancient Human Genomes

University of Copenhagen — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 05:52:10 +0000

Four research articles in Nature follow the genetic traces and geographical origins of human diseases far back in time. The analyses provide detailed pictures of prehistoric human diversity and migration, while proposing an explanation for a rise in the genetic risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). By analyzing data from the world’s largest data set to [...]

Weight Loss Drug From Highly Toxic Plant Can Now Be Produced Simply and Sustainably

University of Copenhagen — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 17:05:13 +0000

A traditional Chinese medicinal plant has huge potential as a weight loss drug. However, due to the plant’s notorious toxicity, no one has yet succeeded in exploiting it effectively. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have not only found the formula for the synthetic production of the compound – they have even found a simple [...]