Boston University

Earth’s seasons change as we orbit the Sun – but can the climate also be affected by the solar system’s changing position in the Milky Way? A new study suggests an ice age about two million years ago may have been triggered by an interstellar winter.

Researchers have identified an accurate ‘signature’ that may signal a person’s risk of dementia five to 10 years before symptoms appear. The biomarker could provide an early diagnosis, allowing therapeutic interventions to slow the disease’s progress.

People with Parkinson's disease often develop a problem known as "gait freeze," in which their legs simply stop stepping forward as they're walking. A new exoskeleton, however, has proven to be very effective at keeping such individuals' legs going.

As a less invasive alternative to open-heart surgery, cardiac surgeons are increasingly accessing the heart from within using central venous catheters. An experimental new catheter could soon make such procedures quicker and easier than ever before.

Not only are colonoscopies invasive and uncomfortable, they may also miss gut-problem-related biomarkers that are only present in the body for a short time. A new "smart pill" is designed to address such shortcomings, using live light-up bacteria.

Parkinson’s disease is growing rapidly, which makes its early detection so important. Researchers have developed a new machine-learning algorithm than analyzes metabolites and shows promise as a way of detecting the disease early.

When conducting cardiac research, it would be ideal if experiments could be performed on actual living human hearts. Scientists have developed what may be the next-best thing, in the form of a tiny mechanical heart powered by real cardiac cells.

In 2017, researchers demonstrated a soft robotic exosuit designed to help stroke patients improve their mobility. Now an untethered version of the lightweight ankle-assisting device has been shown to increase walking speed and distance.

While it's good that there are plastics which biodegrade, the glue used to join pieces of those or other materials together isn't as eco-friendly. Scientists have set about addressing that problem, however, by developing a biodegradable adhesive.

MRI is a great tool for diagnosing disease, but it can be costly and cumbersome. Now, engineers at Boston University have developed a new device, small enough for a patient to wear inside the machine, that could boost the signal and provide higher-resolution images at lower magnetic strengths.

A new study conducted by scientists at Boston University has outlined a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that was able to restore working memory in 70-year-old subjects, so much so they functioned like a healthy 20-year-old.

In our increasingly noisy world, it can be hard to find some quiet time. Now, a team of mechanical engineers at Boston University has developed a new device that is specially designed to block up to 94 percent of incoming sound waves, while still letting air pass through.