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Brown University


Is bioluminescence the key to safe, effective brain imaging?

Researchers at Brown University have created a bioluminescence tool that enables the measurement of activity in living brain cells without damaging them. The CaBLAM tool uses bioluminescent light production to capture single-cell and subcellular activity at high speeds, allowing for longer recordings and reducing hardware requirements.

SourceBrown University·JournalNature Methods·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 12, 2025

Nation's first state-level SNAP fresh produce incentive program shows promise and room to grow

A Brown-led study of Rhode Island's Eat Well, Be Well Incentive Program found modest increases in fruit and vegetable consumption among participants, but highlights the need for better awareness and access to the program. The program aims to encourage healthy eating by giving SNAP recipients $0.50 back for every $1 spent on fresh produce.

SourceBrown University·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeObservational study·DateNov 25, 2025

As ‘California sober’ catches on, study suggests cannabis use reduces short-term alcohol consumption

A new study found that smoking marijuana can temporarily cut down how much people drink, with participants reducing their alcohol intake by 19-27% when using cannabis. However, the researchers caution that more study is needed to determine long-term effects and potential risks of cannabis use.

SourceBrown University·JournalAmerican Journal of Psychiatry·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateNov 19, 2025

Brown University neuroscientists help identify a biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease progression

Researchers at Brown University have identified a brain-based biomarker that can predict mild cognitive impairment development into Alzheimer's disease. They used a custom-built tool to analyze electrical activity from neurons and found distinct differences in beta events between patients who developed the disease and those who did not.

SourceBrown University·JournalImaging Neuroscience·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 4, 2025

New research challenges animal dietary classifications in Yellowstone National Park

A new study led by Brown University biologists found that different species of large herbivores have diets that are more diverse and complex than previously known. Researchers analyzed fecal and plant samples to identify the types of plants consumed by each species, revealing smaller dietary differences between species than expected.

SourceBrown University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateJul 14, 2025

Brown University researchers discover how people gossip without getting caught

A study by Brown University researchers found that people tend to gossip less with friends of the subject and more with popular yet distantly connected individuals. The researchers used a computational model to simulate how brains predict gossip movement through social networks, revealing the sophistication of human gossiping abilities.

SourceBrown University·JournalNature Human Behaviour·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 1, 2025

New research uncovers surprising physics of ‘marine snow’

Researchers at Brown University have discovered that particles in the ocean can absorb salt at varying rates, affecting their sinking speed. This finding could aid in understanding the ocean's nutrient cycle and settling of microplastics. The study provides new insights into the physics of 'marine snow' and its role in ocean dynamics.

SourceBrown University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 20, 2025

New study finds surprising way to curb college-aged drinking harms—without cutting alcohol

Researchers developed an intervention called Counter-Attitudinal Advocacy (CAA) to curb college-aged drinking harms by shifting how young adults think. CAA was found to reduce alcohol-related consequences, but not consumption, and is a complementary approach to Personalized Normative Feedback.

SourceBrown University·JournalJournal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology·TypeRandomized controlled/clinical trial·DateApr 14, 2025

New research helps reconstruct sudden, dramatic sea level rise after last ice age

Researchers have reconstructed Meltwater Pulse 1a, a catastrophic sea level rise that occurred around 14,500 years ago. The study suggests that an initial melting of the Laurentide ice sheet over North America triggered a global cascade of ice loss, with surprising linkages between ice sheets across hemispheres.

SourceBrown University·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 24, 2025

Why is Mars red? Scientists may finally have the answer

A new study published in Nature Communications suggests that the water-rich iron mineral ferrihydrite is responsible for Mars' iconic red color. The research, led by Brown University researchers, analyzed data from Martian orbiters and rovers, as well as laboratory simulations, to reach this conclusion.

SourceBrown University·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 25, 2025