Ben-Gurion University

Infographic: Macedo Veiga Junior (Valve)

The body as a roadmap: New algorithm unlocks the secrets of our proteins

A woman daydreaming. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Fantasy Overdose: Daydreaming Could Be a Bigger Problem Than You Think

Prof. Nirit Sofer-Dudek from the Department of Psychology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has led the publication of a new paper calling for the recognition of "maladaptive daydreaming" as an official psychiatric disorder. The position paper outlines how the syndrome impairs daily functioning
Intra-abdominal fat. Illustration: depositphotos.com

New study reveals: The link between intra-abdominal fat and metabolic risk

Comprehensive research by Ben-Gurion University and international partners indicates the importance of reducing intra-abdominal fat for improving metabolic health, even with moderate weight loss.
Microscopic image of adipose tissue and identification of unique fat cells. Credit: Prof. Assaf Rodich

New types of fat cells discovered in the human body: a breakthrough in personalized medicine

Leading international research from Ben-Gurion University discovers unique subpopulations of fat cells and provides innovative treatment approaches to prevent obesity complications
A whole and shining sea lily. The green color marks the location where there is enrichment for stem cells. Photo: Shani Talisa

A unique method from the world of medicine will save the corals from bleaching due to the climate crisis

The researchers from the Laboratory of Comparative Immunology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev decided to develop the ability to transplant stem cells between corals, just like bone marrow transplants in humans
Cosmic scene with DNA, stars, solvents and atomic circles in oral flow.

Dr. Shamrit Meman was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Remote Sensing Committee at the International Federation for Astronautics

Dr. Meman, director of the Remote Sensing and Planetary Imaging Laboratory at Ben-Gurion University, is strengthening Israel's position in space exploration with a prestigious international position and a pioneering project to manage emergency situations using artificial intelligence.
memory. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Humans or machine: Who is better at evaluating memories?

Research from Ben-Gurion University reveals that humans can assess the veracity of others' memories at the same level as language processing models, and in some cases even better than them.
Figure demonstrating the interpretation of DISCOVER. Three heatmaps highlighting the embryo features (center) most significant to the AI's prediction of embryo quality. Credit: Oded Rotem

How does artificial intelligence help doctors decipher medical images?

Researchers from Ben-Gurion University have developed a computational method that explains how artificial intelligence systems make clinical decisions by breaking down medical images into meaningful components
Aquaponics, growing fish and vegetables in a circular economy. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Combining fish and vegetables - not only on the plate

A circular economy is becoming a strategic asset in everything related to food security. Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev propose a circular method for recycling water, food and energy that allows fish and vegetables to be grown together efficiently
Link to a photo of the PL 18 derivative after 72 hours with tubes simulating a catheter - photo credit Yael Schlichter Kadosh

A new type of antibiotic: long pepper

Bacteria resistant to antibiotics are increasing, while the number of types of antibiotics under development is decreasing. Now, the research group of Prof. Ariel Kushmaro from the Biotechnology Engineering Laboratory at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and partners from India decided to focus
A close-up photo of the tube's shell openings. Photography by Ayelet Nir

A snail without limits

The 'pipe builder' snail was awarded the title of 'environmental engineer', in light of its contribution to the construction of rocky surfaces on the coastline and reducing their rate of weathering in an effective way. It came to the brink of extinction, but researchers from Ben Gurion University succeeded
Brain cancer cells. On the right: cells in which the gene coding for 4EBP was silenced that failed to grow a tumor, on the left: the control cells in which a tumor is detected. Credit: Dr. Tal Levy

Glucose starvation also as an anti-cancer treatment

A new approach to treating brain cancer forces glucose-starved cancer tumor cells to burn themselves out. The method was developed in the laboratory of Prof. Barak Rothblatt at Ben-Gurion University in the Negev and is based on a decade of research
Link to the image of the spinal cords (photo: Dr. Linor Alfahal, from the journal Cell (Reports Medicine. On the left - a section of the spinal cord of a mouse expressing the disease without treatment, and on the right a section of the spinal cord of a mouse expressing the disease and treated with MIF:

An innovative approach to ALS disease: increasing MIF protein levels in nerve cells

An international study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in collaboration with colleagues from Germany, the USA and Canada, delved into the potential of increasing protein levels (MIF) as a new approach to dealing with muscular dystrophy (ALS). The findings of the innovative study have been published
Using artificial intelligence to decipher ancient texts. The image was prepared by DALEE and is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered a scientific image

Artificial intelligence will restore ancient Jewish texts

Fourth-year students in the Department of Software and Information Systems Engineering at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev decided to produce an up-to-date answer to the ancient writings and under the guidance of Prof. Mark Lest, developed an artificial intelligence system that completes the missing sections in the texts
Two pairs of introductory divers and their guide surround the artificial reef Photo: Dr. Jenny Tiniakov

Artificial reefs protect the coral reefs in Eilat

Researchers from Ben Gurion University followed divers in Eilat for 15 years and found that the placement of the artificial reef reduced the pressure of diving on the natural reef
The cover of the magazine ADVANCED SCIENCE and on it a study by Ben Gurion University on increasing the chances of rooting of an in vitro embryo. PR photo

Fetal siblings contribute to predicting the success of IVF

Researchers from Ben Gurion University have developed an artificial intelligence model that predicts the embryo's chances of rooting, based on information from fetal siblings from the same treatment cycle
Nerves. Credit: Mahmoud Ali-Saleh

A mechanism has been discovered that causes sleep apnea in sick children

One of the diseases resulting from such mutations in the PHOX2B gene is the disease CCHS. This is a rare and life-threatening syndrome in which babies, children and adults stop breathing as soon as they fall asleep. Patients must be connected to ventilators to
Illustration: Prof. Shira Knafo using artificial intelligence

The mechanism that dramatically links anxiety and testosterone has been discovered

Krim suggests a close link between low levels of testosterone and anxiety disorder, although the exact nature of this relationship remains unclear. Clinical evidence suggests testosterone's potential in relief
Fairy circles in the Namibrand Reserve in Namibia in the rainy season. The average diameter of the circles is about six meters. Photo: Dr. Stefan Getzin

The fairy circles - how the plants' coping with the dryness led to this phenomenon

Researchers from Ben Gurion University offer an innovative explanation for this unique behavior of the fairy circles phenomenon: a combination of phenotypic adaptation at the level of the individual plant, by deepening the roots of the plants into more moist soil layers,
Teeth Whitening. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Adding a molecule synthesized from broccoli to the toothpaste will help prevent bacteria

An international group of scientists, including researchers from Ben Gurion University, suggest adding a natural molecule that will significantly reduce biological infections in the oral cavity.
David Ben Gurion. Photo: Knesset website

Against the background of the political discourse in Israel: 'The political thought of David Ben-Gurion'

A new book examines the views of the country's founding father
DALEE 2's interpretation of the matter of floating anti-matter atoms.

For the first time, the free fall of antihydrogen atoms was measured and the effect of gravity on antimatter was discovered

"This is the first measurement ever made of the free fall of antimatter (antihydrogen) atoms that directly shows that they really fall down," explained Prof. Eli Sherid from the Physics Department at Ben-Gurion University
machine learning. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Do artificial neural networks understand language like we do?

"As the field of artificial intelligence advances, it is easier for these networks to fool us and pretend to be very similar in their behavior to humans. But when we activate the appropriate tools, we can see that there is another way
Stages in ringworm disease in women. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Pioneering research reveals: baldness due to illness or medical treatment has health, mental and social consequences

The doctoral thesis of Dr. Liat Hooper from the Department of Social Work and the Faculty of Health Sciences revealed for the first time the existence of gender differences in the health and mental consequences of baldness, as a result of radiation against ringworm
An astronaut grows plants on the moon. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The researchers of the Desert Research Institute in Sde Boker are leading an international experiment to grow plants in space in the Beresheet 2 spacecraft

The project is an important step towards proving the ability to grow plants on the moon to produce healthy food for astronauts who will land on it in the future. Finding new ways to maximize sustainable food production on a globe
Smoking rehab. Illustration: depositphotos.com

at the top of their concerns

Significant progress towards personalized medicine in the field of psychiatry, with the help of a helmet that induces electromagnetic stimulation of the brain.
An illustration indicating a connection between a Christian monastic book and various rabbinical traditions on a spatial background

What is the connection between bats and Jews and Christians in antiquity?

An extraordinary study by a researcher in the field of Talmud at Ben Gurion University and a bat researcher at Tel Aviv University has resulted in the development of an innovative tool for analyzing the social connections created between the sages of Judaism and Christianity in the first centuries
Artificial intelligence in medical services. Illustration: depositphotos.com

what is your real age Biological age may be more important than chronological age, but how can it be assessed?

Ben-Gurion University in the Negev answered the question with two studies that suggest using machine learning for common laboratory tests. These studies were recently presented at the Medical Informatics Europe​ (MIE) conference in Nice, France.
The impact of artificial intelligence on the social sciences. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Artificial intelligence also analyzes the violation of social norms

Prof. Yair Neuman from Ben Gurion University responded to DARPA's challenge and succeeded in developing an artificial intelligence that would recognize social norms and the Fartan. The research findings were published in the prestigious journal Scientific Reports
immunotherapy. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Development of new biological sensors to assess cancer patients' responses to treatments

A team of researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has developed a breakthrough technology that includes a revolutionary new test that will predict the response of cancer patients to immunotherapy with a higher percentage of accuracy than existing technologies. The results of the study have been published
The white cells in the shrimp tail. Photo: Ben Gurion University

The shrimp redefines the laws of optics

The shrimp has a particularly bright white color on its back and limbs that are intended to attract fish, which it 'cleanses' of pests it feeds on. A thorough examination of the white matter using special electron microscopes revealed
Young crabs from the laboratory of Prof. Amir Sagi at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. The yellow-green eye shine characteristic of young crabs whose natural environment is yellow-green river water. Credit - Comet rainbow using a stereomicroscope:

The mechanism of light reflection in the eyes of young crabs was discovered

An international research group led by scientists from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev discovered among a species of crabs a mechanism that produces a unique eye shine that reflects light in a color adapted to the color of the water in their natural environment and thus enables camouflage
An amphibious robot that swims with the fish. Photo: Yoad Guetta and the Biorobotics Laboratory at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

The unique robot that swims with the fish

In the Biorobotics Laboratory of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev under the direction of Dr. David Zaruk, they presented the AmphiSAW robot, which draws inspiration from the worlds of biology and nature and is friendly to fish and the environment. It works both in water and on land, is used
Link to the figure with a diagram showing the pathophysiological changes of Alzheimer's disease which the VBIT-4 molecule prevents by binding to the VDAC1 protein

A new approach to treating Alzheimer's

The research carried out at Ben Gurion University focused on the VDAC1 protein that controls mitochondrial activity and controls cell life and death
Face recognition technology. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The facial recognition systems fake in estimating the age of the person photographed

According to Prof. Zvi Ganel of Ben Gurion University, one of the researchers involved in the study, the growing interest in age estimation using artificial intelligence (AI) technology raises the question of how AI compares to human performance and whether it is
A wombat survives a forest fire in Australia. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Extreme climatic events are no longer rare. The result: a real threat to the animal world

Climate change and its devastating impact are well known. However, in the last two years we are increasingly witnessing the threatening consequences of extreme climatic events, as was the case last summer in England when a temperature of 40 degrees was measured for the first time.
A system of shopping malls in Nahal Peretz. Photo: Matanya Hamaoui

The collapse of caves created an impressive system of canyons in the Dead Sea region

The desert landscape brings with it an extensive field of research. This time, a research group from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Geological Institute analyzed the shape of the landscape in the popular hiking area and pointed to the model for the development of Nahal Peretzim in its shape
Aphids on bread wheat / Photo: Professor Vared Tzin.

The researcher from Sde Boker continues in the footsteps of Aharon Aharonson

Professor Vared Tzin from Ben-Gurion University's desert research institutes isolated the genes that help wheat defend itself against pests. The discovery has enormous significance for wheat crops in the world
An oil pipeline stands on stilts because it cannot be driven into the frozen ground in Alaska. Image: depositphotos.com

Climate scientists are investigating the acceleration of methane greenhouse gas emissions in the Arctic

A comprehensive study examines the methane gas, one of the main greenhouse gases, under the frozen ground in Alaska. A collaboration of environmental and climate change scientists from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the University of Fairbanks in Alaska produced a database
Cosmic scene with DNA, stars, solvents and atomic circles in oral flow.

A chip to create a seed

A research group led by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev succeeded in producing an innovative device for the process of creating sperm in culture by using a micro-flow system.
Dr. Gad Vatin. Photo: Danny Machlis, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev:

Improving motor and cognitive abilities for rare syndrome patients

AHDS patients are unable to walk or sit independently and do not even develop the ability to speak. So far, about 300 patients have been diagnosed in the world, but due to the fact that it is a rare syndrome that was recently identified, it can be estimated that a number
The four color map problem. Illustration: depositphotos.com

A research group has solved a mathematical problem that has been open for 63 years, proving an extension of the 'Four Color Theorem'

If it is possible to color a geographic map so that any two countries with a common border line are colored in a different color, using four colors at most? Regarding the maps, the answer is positive, but what about circles
In the picture you see a large collection of the "quantum trajectories" of the polaritons, where the distance from a certain reference point (the end of the tail seen in the upper right picture, the starting point of the simulation) is a measure of the number of polaritons. Additional polaritons are injected from outside and others disappear randomly (escape from the resonance cavity). The "tracks" start from the same point but then separate from each other due to the random occurrences, which differ from track to track. The frequency of the injected photons varies from image to image. Chaos appears in the upper right image, and in the lower left (the large bright area).

Shedding light on the chaos with a quantum chip

Physicists at Ben-Gurion University are the first to try to understand the properties of chaos using a quantum chip. They mobilized light particles to simulate chaos and were able to predict correlations that indicate it
A chain reaction of tectonic plates. Courtesy of the researchers

The movement of the tectonic plates works according to a chain reaction

An international group of geologists, including researchers from Ben Gurion and Tel Aviv University, discovered a connection between earthquakes in different parts of the world
Ultrasound imaging of a four-month-old fetus. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Early signs of autism can be detected already in prenatal ultrasound

This is according to a study at the National Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research at Ben Gurion University
DNA computing. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Researchers have developed an algorithm that reads our DNA as human language

Scientists from Ben-Gurion University have developed an algorithm that locates sequences in DNA, with the help of which the hereditary material can be replicated in the cell. This multidisciplinary method will enable the design of personalized innovative drugs in the future
A fish drives out of water on the paths of Ben Gurion University. Photo: Shahar Givon and Mattan Semina, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Researchers managed to prove: a goldfish can drive on land

A research group from the field of life sciences and computer science challenged goldfish to navigate in a terrestrial environment. The results change everything we thought about fish
A sealed chip used to create a magnet-based informer. Photography: Yair Margalit

A device that will make it possible to answer one of the central questions in physics that remain unanswered

More than 70 years ago, scientists in the field of physics came up with an idea to use magnetic fields and an atomic property called spin in order to put a body in two places at the same time. Now, a research group from Ben-Gurion University in the Negev
Palm weevil larvae inside an infected tree. Photo: depositphotos.com

Identification of biological damage to trees through satellite data analysis

The palm weevil beetle destroys trees and palm plantations around the world, which may collapse the attacked trees. Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have developed an algorithm that can be used to detect damage to a tree, based on photographs