The craziest things science has learned about the human body in 2024

Why Some Brains Don’t Rot and Other Strange Things We Learned About the Human Body in 2024

By Tanya Lewis

It can sometimes feel like health coverage is a constant drumbeat of bad news – and indeed, this year has had its fair share of negative stories, since the emergence of H5N1 avian influenza in dairy cows in the United States which represents a risk of pandemic for threats to reproductive health care.

But we’ve also learned a lot of fascinating things about the human body this year, on topics ranging from eye and uterus transplants to vitamin D levels and aging. Here are some of the most intriguing stories we’ve covered in physiology and medicine this year.

New pain medications

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Scientists have discovered a new type of painkiller which blocks nerve channels before pain reaches the brain. Called suzetrigine, it acts on peripheral nerves and is therefore not addictive like opioids. Vertex Pharmaceuticals, the company that makes the drug, requested approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration earlier this year. If granted, it could provide another option for treating moderate to severe pain.

Vitamin D Dilemma

Studies carried out in the early 2000s suggested that vitamin D deficiency was a major contributor to cancer, heart disease, dementia and other illnesses, and that taking supplements could help. But more recent studies have failed to demonstrate clear benefits of taking vitamin D and have found that most people have adequate levels of this nutrient.

Aging episodes

A study showed that people feel dramatic changes associated with aging between 40 and 60 years old. Researchers found that the levels of many molecules and microbes in the human body, all of which are important for healthy cell and tissue activity, experienced large changes between the ages of 44 and 60, rather than in a continuous process throughout life. middle age.

Old brains don’t rot

Normally, after we die, our brains turn to sludge in a process called putrefaction. But scientists have discovered human brains that are hundreds or even thousands of years old and do not decay with the rest of the body. These remarkable specimens, found in places ranging from mass graves to ship wrecks, may undergo a process of protein misfolding, similar to what occurs in neurodegenerative diseases, that chemically binds proteins together and preserves them long afterward. death.

Transplant an eye

Aaron James became the first person to receive a transplant of a whole eye or part of the face in 2023. At the end of 2024, the eye was still lacking vision, but it had retained its shape and James was recovering well. “The fact that we achieved this is remarkable,” says Eduardo Rodriguez, one of several doctors involved in James’ care. “What would happen next, no one could say because it had never been done.”

Human lifespan limit

Human longevity may have a theoretical upper limitdiscovered new research. After increasing for much of the 20th century, gains in life expectancy are slowing or reversing in many countries, suggesting that human lifespan may have plateaued.

Uterus transplants are here

People born without a uterus or with severe uterine abnormalities have few options for having children. But in recent years it has become possible to transplant a uterus from a living or deceased donor – often the mother or sister of the recipient – and it can carry a baby to term. Around fifty such babies have now been born from transplanted wombs.

Nobel Prize for microRNAs

This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to two scientists for their discoveries involving microRNA— small fragments of genetic material found in most animal species (including humans) that play an essential role in regulating how genes are expressed. Much of the work was done in the little worm Caenorhabditis elegansbut the results could point to treatments for cancer and other human diseases.