People who have a drink or two prior to a traumatic event may suffer from more flashbacks than if they were either sober or drunk, said researchers.

A novel technique to kill parasites uses a combination of gold nanoparticles and lasers, and has been shown to work on Toxoplasmosis gondii - a common parasite that causes cysts in the brain.

In addition to the five tastes already identified lurks another detectable by the palate, fat, and people's weight is linked to their ability to taste it.

A census of microbes in the human digestive tract found at least 1,000 microbes, many previously unknown, and could lead to new cure for gut ailments with the help of personal microbial profiles.

Zinc from sunscreens can penetrate healthy adult skin, according to two Australian studies. The results raise questions over the safety of sunscreens containing zinc oxide nanoparticles – which may be dangerous in the body if still in a nanoparticle form.

The longer and earlier people use cannabis or marijuana, the more likely they are to experience hallucinations or delusions or to suffer psychosis, said Brisbane scientists.

Tiny tubes of boron nitride – similar to biological ion channels – could provide an alternative to desalination plants and may even lead to future treatments for cancer and cystic fibrosis, scientists said.

Using the common painkiller ibuprofen may reduce the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, according to new research.

Healthy bottlenose dolphins appear to turn on and off a diabetes-like state: a trick that may open to door to a treatment for the disease in humans.

The retreat of glaciers and the loss of moisture from soil due to climate change will likely increase the number of large-scale dust storms, such as those that blanketed Sydney in 2009, scientists predict.

Scientists peered into the brain of an adolescent finch as it listened to the warble of an adult brain and saw the cells changing, which may provide insights into the learning process.

Babies who hear two languages regularly when they are in their mother's womb are more open to being bilingual, a study published this week in Psychological Science shows.

Scientists have figured out why people get hooked on a class of prescription drugs that includes Valium, along with other antidepressants, muscle relaxants and sleeping pills.

People who spend their days glued to networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter are more likely to be depressed, a new UK study has revealed.

Australian medical researchers used a pig's lung to oxygenate human blood, a significant advance towards using them for organ transplants.

Some people carry a genetic variant responsible for short telomeres - caps at the end of DNA that control ageing - and it could shave three or four years off their life, according to a new study.

"Up to 75% of successful ex-smokers quit unaided," said a public health expert, who reviewed hundreds of studies into quitting smoking and is now calling for more effective campaigns and policies worldwide.

Could a beer a day keep the osteopath away? American nutritionists found that beer contains large amounts of silicon, which could play an important role in bone health.

Just like in the old Western gunfights, people move faster when reacting to a trigger than if they initiate movement, which shows movement has different brain pathways, scientists said.

Medical journal The Lancet has withdrawn a 1998 study linking autism with inoculation against three childhood illnesses, a paper that caused an uproar and an enduring backlash against vaccination.

Low levels of the mood-regulating brain chemical serotonin in the brainstem may be a cause of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) or cot death, scientists said.

Healthy older adults need less sleep than their younger counterparts and, even with less sleep under their nightcaps, are less likely to feel tired during the day, scientists said.

Researchers transformed mouse skin cells directly into functional nerve cells, skipping the stem cell stage, in a huge step towards treating diseases such as Alzheimer’s or spinal cord injuries.

The size of three specific regions of the brain can predict performance in video games, and may show the way forward for education, said American psychologists.

Elaborate eye make-up worn by Ancient Egyptians not only made for a dramatic look, but also protected against disease, says a new study.