The role of carbon dioxide in airborne disease transmission: A hidden key to safer indoor spaces

We’ve long known that environmental factors—from humidity and temperature to trace chemical vapors—can influence how pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria and fungi, behave once released into the air. These tiny droplets of respiratory fluid, or aerosols, carry viruses and bacteria and can float for minutes or even hours. But while we’ve been busy focusing on physical distancing and surface cleaning, a quieter factor may have been playing a much bigger role in airborne disease transmission all along: carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚).

Menopause at an early age can exacerbate cognitive decline

A team of researchers from the Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine and Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science found that women who entered menopause before the age of 40 had worse cognitive outcomes than women who entered menopause after the age of 50. This finding may be useful for clinicians when assessing their patient’s risk of developing dementia. These findings were published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia on April 15, 2025.

Favorite music sets the brain’s opioids in motion, imaging study reveals

Music can evoke intense pleasure, sometimes experienced physically as pleasant “chills.” While the effect of music on pleasure is clear, the brain mechanisms behind musical enjoyment are not yet fully understood. The brain’s opioid system is known to be involved in pleasurable experiences related to survival-critical behaviors, such as eating and sex.

Supercharged mitochondria spark aging-related blood disorders

As we age, blood stem cells, the essential source of new blood cells in the body, can accumulate genetic mutations. These mutations can give the cells a growth advantage, laying the foundation for developing serious health conditions. Now, scientists at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) have not only discovered the mechanism that fuels their unchecked growth but have also found a way to stop it.