Scholars have discovered evidence of a sixth basic taste. The tongue responds to ammonium chloride, a popular ingredient in some Scandinavian candies. The OTOP1 protein receptor, previously linked to sour taste, is activated by ammonium chloride. The ability to taste ammonium chloride may have evolved to help organisms avoid harmful substances.

Becoming tired from hard physical labor is no surprise, but what about hard mental labor? Thinking hard for hours can make one feel worn out, too. Now, researchers have new evidence to explain why this is.

Most infectious bacteria and viruses bind to sugars on the surface of our cells. Now researchers have created a library of tens of thousands of natural cells containing all the sugars found on the surface of our cells. The library may help us understand the role played by sugars and their receptors in the immune system and the brain, the researchers behind the study explain.

Electric stimulation may be able to help blood vessels carry white blood cells and oxygen to wounds, speeding healing, a new study suggests.

In a new study, scientists improved memory of complex, realistic events by applying transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to the brain network responsible for memory. The researchers then had participants watch videos of realistic activities to measure how memory works during everyday tasks. The findings prove it is possible to measure and manipulate realistic types of memory.

Researchers have for the first time identified the way viruses like the poliovirus and the common cold virus 'package up' their genetic code, allowing them to infect cells. The findings open up the possibility that drugs or anti-viral agents can be developed that would stop such infections.

Two new studies shed new light on how the brain encodes time and place into memories. The findings not only add to the body of fundamental research on memory, but could eventually provide the basis for new treatments to combat memory loss from conditions such as traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer's disease.

[KI] Both eczema and psoriasis are inflammatory skin diseases that affect many individuals. Now, researchers have made progress in mapping new candidate genes for these hereditary skin diseases. This may in the long run open up new ways of treating the diseases.