Rice bran compound may help ease irritable bowel symptoms

A compound in rice bran may help calm an overactive gut by reducing the calcium signals that cause intestinal muscles to contract. Ferulic acid suppressed contractions triggered by several chemical messengers in laboratory experiments. The discovery could eventually support new dietary approaches for diarrhea-related digestive disorders, although it may make constipation worse.

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4 in 5 toddler foods are ultra-processed

A grocery-store audit found that many foods marketed for toddlers may be far less healthy than parents expect. Of nearly 2,800 products examined in Texas, 81% were ultra-processed, and almost half failed at least one World Health Organization nutrient standard, often because they contained too much sugar, sodium, fat, or too many calories.

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Exercise may not help hip arthritis as much as patients expect

A major review found that exercise produces only small average improvements in hip osteoarthritis pain and physical function. It may still help some people, but researchers warn that current evidence is too limited to know which exercises work best.

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Your dreams aren’t random. Your brain is rewriting reality

Dreams are not random mental noise. A large study of more than 3,700 dream and waking reports found that what we experience during sleep is shaped by both our personalities and the world around us. Rather than simply replaying daily events, the dreaming brain mixes memories, emotions, imagined possibilities, and familiar settings into vivid new scenarios.

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Your AI calorie-tracking app may be off by 345 calories

Popular AI-powered food apps may make calorie counting easier, but they may also leave out a surprisingly large part of the meal. Four apps underestimated calories and fat by about one-third when tested against carefully prepared meals. High-fat ketogenic dishes appeared to cause the most trouble, while carbohydrates were measured more consistently.

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Inside the Backrooms: The internet’s creepiest place is becoming a tourist attraction

The Backrooms began as a single eerie image of empty yellow rooms, but internet users transformed it into a vast fictional world that feels disturbingly real. Through videos, games, maps, survival guides and social media stories, audiences do more than watch the horror unfold. They help build and explore it. Researchers suggest this popularity reflects a new kind of digital tourism, where people emotionally enter imaginary places filled with mystery, nostalgia and unease.

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Coffee may help shield the liver from fat, scarring, and cancer

A major long-term study linked coffee consumption with lower risks of cirrhosis, liver cancer, and death from liver disease. Coffee drinkers also showed healthier liver scans and blood protein patterns, with less fat, inflammation, and scarring. Benefits appeared even at one or two cups daily and were strongest around three to four cups.

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Major genetic breakthrough reveals hidden causes of severe morning sickness in pregnancy

A massive genetic study has identified nine new genes linked to hyperemesis gravidarum, the most severe form of pregnancy sickness, bringing the total number of known risk genes to ten. The discoveries provide fresh insight into why some women experience debilitating nausea and vomiting during pregnancy while others do not. Several of the newly identified genes are involved in appetite, nausea, metabolism, and brain function, opening the door to more targeted treatments.

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A healthier global diet could cut farm emissions by 85%

A global shift toward healthier diets could sharply reduce livestock farming, free up agricultural land, and cut emissions from land-use change by 85% by 2050. At the same time, fruit, vegetable, nut, and legume production could soar, creating a sweeping transformation of what the world grows and eats.

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Colorectal cancer warning signs younger adults should never ignore

Colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death among people under 50, and cases in younger adults continue to rise. Warning signs can include persistent bowel changes, recurring rectal bleeding, dark or narrow stools, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue. These symptoms often have harmless causes, but they should not be dismissed, especially when they are new or ongoing. Early detection can greatly improve treatment outcomes.

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