Nature: An implant developed by neuroscientists at the New York University School of Medicine was able to reduce the duration of petit mal epileptic seizures in rats by 60%. The implant, which uses transcranial electrical stimulation, targets the brain’s outermost layer of neurons, which is highly excited during seizures. The implant differs in two respects from similar devices that are already coming to market. First, its electrodes do not penetrate the brain. Second, by monitoring brain and muscle activity, the implant does not have to apply therapeutic stimulation continually; it intervenes only when it detects a seizure.
The finding that the Saturnian moon may host layers of icy slush instead of a global ocean could change how planetary scientists think about other icy moons as well.
Modeling the shapes of tree branches, neurons, and blood vessels is a thorny problem, but researchers have just discovered that much of the math has already been done.
January 29, 2026 12:52 PM
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