3D-printed muscle-tendon units can mimic real movement and last longer, opening doors for robotics and medical use. Scientists have created a new type of “living” robotic muscle by 3D bioprinting muscle and tendon cells together. This breakthrough makes tiny muscle–tendon units (MTUs) that can contract, move, and even stay active for months. These bioactuators could one day power soft robots, help test medicines, or even repair damaged human tissues (1✔ ✔Trusted SourceMulticellular muscle-tendon bioprinting of mechanically optimized musculoskeletal bioactuators with enhanced force transmission Go to source ). Advertisement More Powerful and Smooth Movements Older forms of bioengineered muscles lacked strength…

A heart attack might not just be about cholesterol. It could start with a virus waking hidden bacteria inside your arteries. Highlights: Atherosclerotic plaques may contain hidden bacterial biofilms protected from the immune system Viral infections can activate these biofilms, leading to inflammation, plaque rupture, and heart attack This discovery may transform diagnostics and enable heart disease vaccines in the future Heart attacks may not be caused solely by cholesterol, but also by hidden bacterial biofilms that emerge following viral infections. This discovery has the potential to alter prevention and therapy, including the development of heart disease…

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain An AI algorithm based only on routine mammogram images plus age can predict a woman’s risk of major cardiovascular disease as well as standard risk assessment methods, finds research published online in the journal Heart. And because it uses existing health infrastructure, routine mammography may offer a cost-effective ‘two for one’ effective screening option for women, suggest the researchers. Cardiovascular disease and its risk factors are underrecognized and undertreated in women, and risk prediction algorithms have underperformed in them, point out the researchers. And while newer risk scores perform better in women than in men, they…

While makeup can help boost confidence and aid in self-expression, it can also expose you to potential health hazards associated with certain ingredients and applications. 1. Heavy Metal Contamination Makeup products can become contaminated with substances including arsenic, chromium, lead, cadmium, and mercury, sometimes exceeding established safe thresholds. However, even low-level repeated exposure to these substances can cause negative effects on your health when you are exposed to them in excess of the recommended amount. When used in cosmetics, these metals can be absorbed by your skin and travel through your bloodstream, causing the following problems: Developmental delays Cognitive and…

September 12, 2025 3 min read Add topic to email alerts Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . “ data-action=”subscribe”> Subscribe We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio Key takeaways: The outbreak has spread within Kasai province, raising fears of cross-border spillover into Angola. Foreign aid cuts have likely limited the U.S.’s participation in the response. An Ebola virus…

An unusual mummified head discovered in Bolivia more than a century ago isn’t what it seems, a new study finds. Originally thought to be the remains of an Inca man, the mummified head is actually from someone from a different culture who had incisions cut into their skull, possibly as part of a ritual, the research reveals. The new analysis is an attempt to place the individual in their archaeological context and to “give them back their local history,” according to the researchers. You may like “These remains are not just bones in an anthropological collection,” museologist and art historian…

Scanning electron micrograph of a human T lymphocyte (also called a T cell) from the immune system of a healthy donor. Credit: NIAID A UCLA research team has found a new way to prompt the immune system to kill cells infected with cytomegalovirus (CMV), a life-threatening infection that is particularly deadly in immunocompromised people. They did this by engineering antibodies that direct the immune system’s T-cells to kill cells infected with the virus, which poses a danger for people such as those who have undergone organ transplants or who have AIDS. Infection with CMV can also lead to deafness in…

September 12, 2025 1 min read Add topic to email alerts Receive an email when new articles are posted on Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . “ data-action=”subscribe”> Subscribe We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio Key takeaways: SAR402663 is a one-time intravitreal gene therapy designed to reduce treatment burden. It is currently being investigated in a phase 1/2 trial. Editor’s note: This is a developing news…

In the 1960s, saltwater intrusion in a southeast Louisiana swamp killed the trees and plants that lived there. Now restored with freshwater, the swamp has become the perfect place for revegetation projects — particularly because healthy swamps can serve as a speed bump to slow hurricanes.  That’s one reason why the open water of Bayou Bienvenue, once home to cypress and tupelo trees, now hosts an island of native trees, grasses — and recycled glass. The artificial island is helping researchers understand a new approach to coastal restoration. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week’s scientific breakthroughs every…

A major study has investigated the relationship between walking and the risk of developing chronic lower back problems. The findings could save the healthcare system significant amounts of money while also alleviating many people’s back pain – if we just follow the simple advice provided. The results are clear: People who walk a lot have less back pain than people who do not walk much – and the volume is what matters most, not the intensity.. It is better to walk a lot than to walk fast. “People who walk more than 100 minutes every day have a 23 per…