'If you don't have inflammation, then you'll die'

'If you don't have inflammation, then you'll die': How the body's natural superpower can be reprogrammed | Inflammation is a 'mismatch between our evolutionary history and modern environment,' says immunologist | Great Wall of China being held together by 'biocrusts' Created for {EMAIL} | [Web Version]( December 11, 2023 CONNECT WITH LIVESCIENCE  [Facebook]( [X](  [LIVESCIENCE]( Amazing science every day [SIGN UP]( ⋅ [WEBSITE](  [] Top Science News [] ['If you don't have inflammation, then you'll die': How the body's natural superpower can be reprogrammed]( ['If you don't have inflammation, then you'll die': How the body's natural superpower can be reprogrammed]( Inflammation is one of the body's superpowers, a first line of defense that helps us fight infections and heal wounds. Without it, we'd all swiftly die. Yet because of a mismatch between our evolutionary past and our modern lifestyle, inflammation has become chronic, fueling diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, cirrhosis, heart disease and cancer. Historically, scientists tried to silence all inflammation with heavy-hitting drugs, but those medications can have nasty side effects. Now, scientists are trying a subtler approach. By reprogramming the cells involved in misdirected inflammation, they are hoping to tune the inflammatory response — maximizing the [good side of this essential immune response while muting its dark side](. [Read More]( [] [Inflammation is a 'mismatch between our evolutionary history and modern environment,' says immunologist]( Inflammation is a 'mismatch between our evolutionary history and modern environment,' says immunologist (loops7 via Getty Images) In this interview, immunologist Ruslan Medzhitov explains how fundamental inflammation is, why it often goes wrong, and whether there's anything we can do about chronic inflammation. Full Story: [Live Science]( (12/10) [] History & Archaeology [] [Great Wall of China being held together by 'biocrusts']( (Bo Xiao) [Great Wall of China being held together by 'biocrusts']( Ancient workers used a blend of organic materials such as mosses and lichen to build the architectural marvel and help protect it from erosion. [Read More]( [] [Painted saddle in Mongolian tomb is oldest of its kind]( [Painted saddle in Mongolian tomb is oldest of its kind]( (W. Taylor and J. Bayarsaikhan) A fifth century Mongolian saddle is one of the earliest examples of evidence of modern horse riding. Full Story: [Live Science]( (12/11) [] Space [] [How many times has Earth orbited the sun?]( [How many times has Earth orbited the sun?]( We worked out how many trips each of the solar system's eight planets has taken around the sun over the past 4.6 billion years. [Read More]( [] [Astronauts finally find tomato that was 'lost in space']( [Astronauts finally find tomato that was 'lost in space']( (NASA) NASA astronaut Frank Rubio spent hours looking for a tomato that floated away on the International Space Station. Eight months later, his colleagues finally found it. Full Story: [Live Science]( (12/8) [] Daily Quiz [] What drug is thought to cause a new birth defect syndrome identified in children? (Learn the answer [here](.) [Vote]( [Cannabis]( [Vote]( [Psilocybin]( [Vote]( [Ketamine]( [Vote]( [Fentanyl](   [Sign Up]( | [Update Profile]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Privacy Policy]( | [Cookies Policy]( | [Terms and Conditions]( CONTACT US: [FEEDBACK](mailto:livescience@smartbrief.com) | [ADVERTISE]( [Future]( Future US LLC © Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036