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People suffering from brain tumors often have surgery to remove them. But surgery is traumatic and once a surgeon gets to the brain it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish between the tumor and healthy brain matter. A potential solution has come from an unlikely source - scorpion venom. The venom is the base of a new substance called tumor paint, which can be used to make a brain tumor glow, thus making it easy to find during surgery. Listen to learn more tumor paint and how it can help surgeons when removing brain tumors.
Story Length: 5:02
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April 1, 2015
4:17
The stereotypical teenager is moody, reckless and known for risky behavior. A new study of 12-year-olds playing a driving game has shed light on how the teenage brain works and why adolescents make the decisions they do. From brain development to the impact of an audience - this audio story will change the way you understand how the teenage brain works.
Read MoreFebruary 25, 2015
7:04
When the human body gets a cold, the immune system goes into action, killing the invading cells that are making you sick. However, when a cancerous tumor begins to grow, the immune system cannot detect it. A new cancer treatment, known as immunotherapy, is working to change this invisibility so that the immune system can fight off cancer itself, without the help of surgery and chemotherapy. Listen to learn how cancer cells work and how this groundbreaking treatment is fighting them.
Read MoreNovember 4, 2014
8:48
Human embryonic stem cells are able to become any kind of tissue in the body. Because of this, many researchers see huge potential for curing and preventing disease. Up until now this has been theory, but a new study has had early success in using stem cells to improve the eyesight of the blind. This sound-rich story takes you into the operating room to hear the eye surgery and meet someone whose life was changed by the procedure.
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