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Breaking science news and articles on global warming, extrasolar planets, stem cells, bird flu, autism, nanotechnology, dinosaurs, evolution -- the latest discoveries in astronomy, anthropology, biology, chemistry, climate and environment, computers, engineering, health and medicine, math, physics, psychology, technology, and more -- from the world's leading universities and research organizations.
Fish stocks along the West African coast have declined significantly over the past five decades, threatening food security and the livelihoods of the fishing communities that depend on them, according to a new study.
Clinical visits by patients suffering ocular surface eye conditions more than doubled during times when ambient particulate matter from air pollution was in the atmosphere, signaling a possible association between climate change and ocular health, according to a new study.
The Earth's total amount of freshwater dropped abruptly starting in May 2014 and has remained low ever since. The shift could indicate Earth's continents have entered a persistently drier phase.
Quantum-science advances using AI can measure very small surfaces and distances -- opening a world of medical, manufacturing and other applications.
Some of the first human beings to arrive in Tasmania, over 41,000 years ago, used fire to shape and manage the landscape, about 2,000 years earlier than previously thought.
Researchers have discovered that in a foraging ant's search for food, it will leave pheromone trails connecting its colony to multiple food sources when they're available, successfully creating the first model that explains the phenomenon of trail formation to multiple food sources.
A new study shows that the past 30 years of globalization have brought fundamental shifts in some aspects of family interaction among Indigenous people in Guatemala. But families have still maintained a unique level of harmony in their interactions.
A study uncovered how Salmonella, a major cause of food poisoning, can invade the gut despite the presence of protective bacteria.
A novel test enables real-time monitoring of T cells that have been engineered to fight cancer, after re-introduction into the body of a cancer patient. This simple and innovative test provides clinicians with the ability to track the function of these cancer-fighting cells over the course of the treatment.
Attempts to obtain eggs and offspring using oocytes in ovary have been made for keeping desirable traits in livestock, preserving human fertility, etc. Ovarian transplantation, one of those methods, has been established and widely used. Although transplantation to different species is expected to bring benefits, it is still too difficult to produce offspring. Researchers have developed a novel system using xenotransplantation (transplantation of organs from one species to different one), and succeeded in producing offspring.
From the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro to the shoulders of pirates: parrots are synonymous with color for people across the world. In a new study, scientists uncover a 'switch' in the DNA of parrots that controls their wide gamut of colors.
Researchers have discovered a significant association between specific Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) variants and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). NPC is a cancer notably prevalent in southern China, where it is 20 times more common than in non-endemic regions of the world.
A recent study unveiled a key enzyme involved in producing selenoproteins, opening new strategies for treating certain types of cancer in children.
Scientists have created a new 'biocooperative' material based on blood, which has shown to successfully repair bones, paving the way for personalised regenerative blood products that could be used as effective therapies to treat injury and disease.
A sprinkling of magnetic nanoparticles is just enough to power up catalysts, so they can make hydrogen peroxide production more efficient.
Scientists have produced a new route to materials with complex 'disordered' magnetic properties at the quantum level. The material, based on a framework of ruthenium, fulfils the requirements of the 'Kitaev quantum spin liquid state' -- an elusive phenomenon that scientists have been trying to understand for decades.
Researchers discovered an unexpected link between zinc deficiency, the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-13 (IL-13), and Acinetobacter baumannii lung infection and demonstrated that blocking IL-13 prevented infection-associated death in an animal model. The findings suggest that anti-IL-13 antibodies, which are FDA-approved for use in humans, may protect against bacterial pneumonia in patients with zinc deficiency.
Children born to mothers who take antiseizure medications to manage seizures and psychiatric conditions during pregnancy may face increased risks of neurodevelopmental conditions, according to new research.
More time spent sitting, reclining or lying down during the day may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death, according to a new study. More than roughly 10-and-a-half hours of sedentary behavior per day was significantly linked with future heart failure (HF) and cardiovascular (CV) death, even among people meeting recommended levels of exercise.
A study found that people are less likely to consume cannabis if they had an upcoming activity, which is consistent with other studies, and would reduce use the most for job interviews and caring for children. However, people who rated the suitability of using cannabis in each situation more highly also were more likely to consider using the drug.
In a new study, researchers identify the biological processes behind stress-induced aversive memory generalization and highlight an intervention which could help restore appropriate memory specificity for people with PTSD.
Researchers found that spending two hours a week of class time in a natural environment can reduce emotional distress among 10- to 12-year-olds who had the most significant mental health problems before the program began.
Adults exhibit a general tendency to make better decisions than adolescents, and this improvement drives an increase in specific and more sophisticated choice behaviors, according to a new study.
Researchers have developed an optical biosensor that detects the virus that causes mpox. The technology could make diagnosis much faster and cost-effective as the disease continues to spread worldwide.
Researchers have found that under certain conditions, a laser beam can act like an opaque object and cast a shadow, opening new possibilities for technologies that could use a laser beam to control another laser beam.
An asteroid struck Mars 11 million years ago and sent pieces of the red planet hurtling through space. One of these chunks of Mars eventually crashed into the Earth and is one of the few meteorites that can be traced directly to Mars. This meteorite was rediscovered in a drawer at Purdue University in 1931 and therefore named the Lafayette Meteorite. During early investigations of the Lafayette Meteorite, scientists discovered that it had interacted with liquid water while on Mars. Scientists have long wondered when that interaction with liquid water took place. Scientists have recently determined the age of the minerals in the Lafayette Meteorite that formed when there was liquid water.
A recent study shows that switching to an opt-out organ donation policy, where all adults are presumed organ donors unless they explicitly opt out, does not increase donations from deceased donors.
Scientists using observations from NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory have discovered, for the first time, the signal from a pair of monster black holes disrupting a cloud of gas in the center of a galaxy.
Few questions have captivated humankind more than the origin of life on Earth. How did the first living cells come to exist? How did these early protocells develop the structural membranes necessary for cells to thrive and assemble into complex organisms? New research has uncovered a plausible explanation involving the reaction between two simple molecules.
A 'one of a kind' fossil discovery could transform our understanding of how the unique brains and intelligence of modern birds evolved, one of the most enduring mysteries of vertebrate evolution.
Many bacterial-linked illnesses, such as inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer, are associated with an overgrowth of gut bacteria thought to be bad actors. But when researchers used a machine learning algorithm to predict the density of microbes -- called microbial load, from their gut microbiomes, they found that changes in microbial load, rather than the disease, could be a driver behind the presence of disease-associated microbial species.
Astronomers have identified three ultra-massive galaxies -- nearly as massive as the Milky Way -- already in place within the first billion years after the Big Bang. This surprising discovery was made possible by the James Webb Space Telescope's FRESCO program, which uses the NIRCam/grism spectrograph to measure accurate distances and stellar masses of galaxies. The results indicate that the formation of stars in the early Universe was far more efficient than previously thought, challenging existing galaxy formation models.
Wildland firefighters are under significant strain, often overworked and underpaid despite the growing need to respond to larger, more destructive fires. Building a more resilient and effective workforce will require improving pathways for diverse applicants, strengthening commitments to health equity, and investing in workplace culture, according to a new Stanford University report.
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have reached a record high in 2024, according to new research.
Researchers are testing a product commonly used to treat ticks and fleas on pets to target fly and mosquito larvae with the goal of helping reduce the spread of diseases carried by these insects.
Completely artificial proteins that produce bioluminescence can serve as a non-invasive method for bioimaging, diagnostics, drug discovery, and more.
A recent study correlates higher levels of pollutant particulate matter to higher occurrences of head and neck aerodigestive cancer.
A team of archaeologists has excavated the earliest known ancient Maya salt works in southern Belize.
A new study has uncovered important behavior in the flow of electric current through quantum superconductors, potentially advancing the development of future technologies like quantum computing.
Forming memories around shared experiences, whether something fun like grabbing a pizza or as emotionally straining as an employee strike, has a way of binding people together. But it could also motivate those performing different roles within the same company to socialize more and strengthen their working relationships, according to new research.
Coral larvae reduce their metabolism and increase nitrogen uptake to resist bleaching in high temperatures, according to a new study.
The American Heart Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics update recommendations for untrained lay rescuers and trained rescuers resuscitating adults and children who have drowned.
These miniature immune system models -- known as human immune organoids -- mimic the real-life environment where immune cells learn to recognize and attack harmful invaders and respond to vaccines. Not only are these organoids powerful new tools for studying and observing immune function in cancer, their use is likely to accelerate vaccine development, better predict disease treatment response for patients, and even speed up clinical trials.
A research team has succeeded in synthesizing simple, environmentally sensitive cells complete with artificial organelles. For the first time, the researchers have also been able to emulate natural cell-cell communication using these proto-cells -- based on the model of photoreceptors in the eye. This opens up new possibilities for basic research and applications in medicine.
A practical calculator predicts the risk of epilepsy after venous stroke. The aim is to improve care for those affected, which are predominantly young adults.
Researchers have developed PanoRadar, a new tool to give robots superhuman vision by transforming simple radio waves into detailed, 3D views of the environment.
A recent study on Cryptomeria japonica plots shows that trees dissipate wind energy by switching between two swaying behaviors at specific wind speeds, offering insights that may help in improved forest management to minimize damage caused by storms.
A recent study highlights that over one-third of Vietnam's 329 mammal species are threatened with extinction.
When active filaments are exposed to localized illumination, they accumulate into stable structures along the boundaries of the illuminated area. Based on this fact, researchers developed a model that can be used to simulate the self-organization of thread-like living matter. This model provides important insights for potential technical applications in the formation of structures.
Glioblastoma is the most common kind of malignant brain tumor in adults. So far, no treatment has been able to make this aggressive tumor permanently disappear. The tumor cells are too varied, and the microenvironment is too tumor-friendly. Researchers have now developed an immunotherapy that not only attacks the tumor -- it also turns its microenvironment against it.
Contrary to popular belief, children aren't better at learning new skills than adults. Indeed, young adults seem to learn faster than kids -- but also tend to forget more quickly. Here, better sleep seems to advantage children.
Researchers reveal that metabolic enzymes known for their roles in energy production and nucleotide synthesis are taking on unexpected 'second jobs' within the nucleus, orchestrating critical functions like cell division and DNA repair. The discovery not only challenges longstanding biological paradigms in cellular biology but also opens new avenues for cancer therapies, particularly against aggressive tumours like triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
A genomic test developed by researchers to rapidly detect almost any kind of pathogen -- virus, bacteria, fungus or parasite -- has proved successful after a decade of use.
Researchers have developed a groundbreaking coating that could make medical devices safer for millions of patients, reducing the risks associated with blood clots and dangerous bleeding. The new material is designed to mimic the natural behavior of blood vessels so that catheters, stents, blood-oxygenation machines and dialysis machines won't trigger clotting by activating certain proteins in the blood.
Disrupted sleep cycles are a well known concern for human health and function, and now researchers have found similar impacts on insects. A new study has found that artificial light disrupts the circadian rhythms of honey bees and poses a threat to their essential role as pollinators.
Researchers have found evidence that mangrove forests -- which protect tropical and subtropical coastlines -- are drowning in the Maldives. Their finding indicate that rising sea level and a climate phenomenon known as the Indian Ocean Dipole have led to some Maldivian islands losing over half of their mangrove cover since 2020.
An international research team has for the first time designed realistic photonic time crystals ---- exotic materials that exponentially amplify light. The breakthrough opens up exciting possibilities across fields such as communication, imaging and sensing by laying the foundations for faster and more compact lasers, sensors and other optical devices.
Researchers have developed a patch for easier and more effective treatment of psoriasis. The method may also be used in treatment of other inflammatory skin diseases.
An interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a machine learning framework that uses limited water quality samples to predict which inorganic pollutants are likely to be present in a groundwater supply. The new tool allows regulators and public health authorities to prioritize specific aquifers for water quality testing.
Researchers have combined two gene editing methods. This enables them to quickly investigate the significance of many genetic mutations involved in the development and treatment of cancer.
A new study highlights the importance of caribou and muskoxen to the greening Arctic tundra, linking grazing with plant phenology and abundance in the Arctic tundra.
Researchers have identified a potential biomarker of Parkinson's disease progression. According to the new study, patients with a slow progression of the pathology would have a significant increase in the levels of a molecule called ecto-GPR37 in the cerebrospinal fluid.
The standard model for how galaxies formed in the early universe predicted that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) would see dim signals from small, primitive galaxies. But data are not confirming the popular hypothesis that invisible dark matter helped the earliest stars and galaxies clump together.
Small cranial nerve tumors that can cause hearing loss, vertigo and ringing in the ears are often watched rather than treated, but a new study is set to change how the tumors, called vestibular schwannomas, are managed.
Inside cells, there exists an extensive system of canals known as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which consists of membrane-encased tubes that are partially broken down as needed -- for instance in case of a nutrient deficiency. As part of this process, bulges or protrusions form in the membrane, which then pinch off and are recycled by the cell. A study has examined this protrusion process using computer simulations. Its finding: certain structural motifs of proteins in the ER membrane play a central role in this process.
Roughly 90 million years ago, climatic conditions in Antarctica were suitable for resin-producing trees. Researchers have now made the southernmost discovery of amber in the world.
Using data from historic ship measurements and Argo floats, researchers introduced a machine learning technique that improves assessment and analysis of the ocean's declining oxygen levels.
For people who are pregnant or nursing, more use of personal care products is associated with higher detectable levels of synthetic chemicals known to have adverse health effects, a new study found. The study found that using personal care products like nail polish, makeup and hair dye while pregnant or lactating is associated with significantly higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, in blood plasma and breast milk.
A team combined compositional data of primitive bodies like Kuiper Belt objects, asteroids and comets with new solar data sets to develop a revised solar composition that potentially reconciles spectroscopy and helioseismology measurements for the first time. Helioseismology probes the Sun's interior by analyzing the waves that travel through it, while spectroscopy reveals the surface composition based on the spectral signature produced by each chemical element.
Loneliness and cognitive performance were related in the short term for older adults, according to a new study.
Obesity causes insulin resistance by increasing activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the release of the stress hormone norepinephrine, according to a new study.
Research shows that a newly-developed wireless EKG patch is as accurate, if not more accurate, than results from traditional EKG machines. The device is known as the EKG Patch Solution.
A research team has shown that that combining pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy drug, with standard chemotherapy can improve treatment outcomes for patients with small cell bladder cancer and small cell/neuroendocrine prostate cancer.
Researchers have found that the way DNA is packaged in cells can directly impact how fast DNA itself is copied during cell division. They discovered that DNA packaging sends signals through an unusual pathway, affecting the cell's ability to divide and grow. This opens up new doors to study how the copying of the DNA and its packaging are linked. These findings may help scientists to find therapies and medicines for diseases such as cancer in the future.
Researchers have discovered a remarkable new species of sea slug that lives in the deep sea. Nicknamed the 'mystery mollusc,' the nudibranch Bathydevius caudactylus swims through the ocean's midnight zone with a large gelatinous hood and paddle-like tail, and lights up with brilliant bioluminescence.
The sooner a lay rescuer (bystander) starts cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on a person having a cardiac arrest at home or in public, up to 10 minutes after the arrest, the better the chances of survival and brain protection, according to an analysis of nearly 200,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases in the U.S. from 2013 to 2022.
Study findings could serve as a foundation for broader neuro-monitoring applications across intensive care units globally.
Research shows that a non-hallucinogenic marijuana constituent increases both REM and non-REM sleep in rats. Human trials are now under way.
A study described the three-dimensional architecture of turtle genomes, which fold in a configuration unlike any other animal observed so far.
Adolescents who meet the recommended guidelines of nine to 11 hours of sleep per day were shown to have a significantly lower risk of hypertension, according to a study.
Current guidelines recommend that pregnant people receive a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -- which typically causes mild, cold-like symptoms in most adults but can be deadly for infants -- during weeks 32-36 of pregnancy. New research suggests that vaccination earlier in that time-frame, closer to 32 weeks, could provide the best protection for newborns against RSV.
A new finds that heavy drinking among adult Americans increased more than 20 percent during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and continued for the following two years.
Research describes a computational model that captures the intricate muscular architecture of an octopus arm.
Creating sustainable chemicals and developing better waste management will contribute to better sustainability. This research is part of figuring out how to make green hydrogen available for waste management using catalysts. The research uses solvents in low amounts that also act as hydrogen sources to break down a specific class of plastics called condensation polymers, which include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, packaging, textiles, and 3D printing.
Fear of another heart attack was a significant ongoing contributor to how heart attack survivors perceive their health, according to a study. While anxiety and depression are recognized as common conditions after a heart attack, they did not explain the impact of fear of recurrence in this study. The researchers suggest that fear of another heart attack should be evaluated and addressed separately from depression and anxiety.
Adding an extra hour every week of physical activity may lower the chance of developing the most common type of irregular heartbeat (arrythmia) by 11%, a study shows.
Scientists uncovered a previously unrecognized tumor suppression mechanism through the study of condensates and ribosome formation.
A study found large-scale declines of African elephants in the first continent-wide analysis of population survey data. Over 53 years of surveys, forest elephant populations decreased on average by 90%, and savanna elephant populations fell on average by 70%.
Like the Earth, the Sun likely has swirling polar vortices, according to new research. But unlike on Earth, the formation and evolution of these vortices are driven by magnetic fields.
A team of scientists has used a novel approach to identify protein degraders that target Pin1, a protein involved in pancreatic cancer development.
A series of rocks hiding around Colorado's Rocky Mountains may hold clues to a frigid period in Earth's past when glaciers several miles thick covered the entire planet.
To get a good sense of a country's level of development, you need to look at the items people have in their homes, according to economists. Research on low- and middle-income countries often focuses on income, health or education, but that doesn't tell you the full story of a country's situation.
Government subsidies for business practices and processes should be approached with caution, even when they seem to be environmentally friendly, writes a group of scientists and economists. They argue that subsidies can alter market pressures, leading to unintended consequences that not only perpetuate harmful subsidies over time but also diminish the overall effectiveness of those intended to promote environmental sustainability.
Researchers have developed a noninvasive way of using bioluminescent optogenetics to activate parts of the brain.
According to a new study, colonies of ants began farming fungi when an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago. This asteroid impact caused a global mass extinction but also created ideal conditions for fungi to thrive. Innovative ants began cultivating the fungi, creating an evolutionary partnership that became even more tightly intertwined 27 million years ago and continues to this day.
The extinction of hundreds of bird species caused by humans over the last 130,000 years has led to substantial reductions in avian functional diversity -- a measure of the range of different roles and functions that birds undertake within the environment -- and resulted in the loss of approximately 3 billion years of unique evolutionary history, according to a new study.
A research team analyzed how diabetes mellitus and obesity factor into recurrence and survival after surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma, a type of liver cancer.
Oysters once formed extensive reefs along much of Europe's coastline -- but these complex ecosystems were destroyed over a century ago, new research shows.
Psychological distress is common amongst those living with food allergy, but a new study has shown that little support is available to those who are struggling.
Mathematicians have developed a recipe for upgrading quantum computers to simulate complex quantum systems, such as molecules. Their discovery brings us closer to being able to predict how new drugs will behave within our bodies and has the potential to revolutionize pharmaceutical development.
An international team of researchers have made a promising breakthrough in the development of drugs to treat Alzheimer's Disease. For the first time, scientists have developed a drug that works on both major aggregation-promoting 'hotspots' of the Tau protein in the brain -- a key driver of neurodegeneration. The drug, a peptide inhibitor called RI-AG03, was effective at preventing the build-up of Tau proteins in both lab and fruit fly studies.
Plants like Arabidopsis rely on a molecule called DDM1 to pass down accurate chromosome copies to future generations. But if it's so important, why isn't Arabidopsis affected when DDM1 is lost? After 30 years, botanists have found the answer. Arabidopsis has a backup plan known as RNAi.
Overweight is a major contributor to complications during pregnancy and childbirth -- this applies to both women born in Sweden and women who have moved here, something that has not been well researched so far. Interventions that promote a healthy weight have the potential to prevent complications for all women, the researchers conclude. The study was conducted by researchers at Link ping University and Karolinska Institutet and is published in The Lancet Public Health.
Increasingly complex applications such as artificial intelligence require ever more powerful and power-hungry computers to run. Optical computing is a proposed solution to increase speed and power efficiency but has yet to be realized due to constraints and drawbacks. A new design architecture, called diffraction casting, seeks to address these shortcomings. It introduces some concepts to the field of optical computing that might make it more appealing for implementation in next-generation computing devices.
Comamonadacae is a family of bacteria often found growing on plastics in water. New study finds a bacterium in this family can break down the plastic for food. Researchers also identified the enzyme the bacterium use to degrade plastic. The discovery opens new possibilities for developing bacteria-based engineering solutions to help clean up difficult-to-remove plastic waste.
Deposits of ice in lunar dust and rock (regolith) are more extensive than previously thought, according to a new analysis of data from NASA's LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) mission. Ice would be a valuable resource for future lunar expeditions. Water could be used for radiation protection and supporting human explorers, or broken into its hydrogen and oxygen components to make rocket fuel, energy, and breathable air.
Physicists have succeeded in coupling two Andreev qubits coherently over a macroscopic distance for the first time. They achieved this with the help of microwave photons generated in a narrow superconducting resonator. The results lay the foundation for the use of coupled Andreev qubits in quantum communication and quantum computing.
A new study estimates that thousands of lives could have been saved during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic if convalescent plasma had been used more broadly, particularly in outpatients at high risk for severe disease and in hospitalized patients during their first few days of admission.
New findings underscore the importance of further research to enhance our understanding of urban heat dynamics in subtropical and tropical regions, ensuring that heat mitigation efforts are informed by the most accurate data available. A recent study examines the effectiveness of using land surface temperatures (LSTs) as proxies for surface air temperatures (SATs) in subtropical, seasonally wet regions. Scientists used satellite remote sensing data to explore how LST reflects human heat exposure in Miami-Dade County, Florida.
A research team has created the Comorbid Operative Risk Evaluation (CORE) score to better account for the role chronic illness plays in patient's risk of mortality after operation, allowing surgeons to adjust to patients' pre-existing conditions and more easily determine mortality risk.
University of Utah mathematics and climate researchers are building new models for understanding the dynamics of sea ice, which is not as solid as you might think.
A compound found in African wormwood -- a plant used medicinally for thousands of years to treat many types of illness -- could be effective against tuberculosis, according to a new study.
A new theory 'demystifies' the crystallization process and shows that the material that crystallizes is the dominant component within a solution -- which is the solvent, not the solute. The theory could have implications for everything from drug development to understanding climate change.
deepSPACE isn't a futuristic film, a new videogame or the next season of a classic TV series. In fact, the new design software developed by an aerospace engineer isn't about outer space at all. This new tool takes your concept and requirements and rapidly generates design configurations from conventional to out-of-this-world, including a 3D CAD model and performance evaluations.
Spider silk, long prized for its strength and elasticity, has created something of a furor in the biomanufacturing world as businesses look for ways to cheaply scale up production for silks, which can be used in everything from tactical gear to sutures and textiles. However, a comprehensive study shows that there are many challenges facing the spider silk industry.
Researchers collected archival data on more than 3.4 million people living in the United States and United Kingdom. They found evidence that obesity tends to spur lighter medical and psychological harms when those who struggle with the disorder feel less conspicuous.
Researchers discovered a mechanism by which estrogen can trigger fast neuronal responses.
Global evidence has revealed that women's environmental quality of life is key to their overall quality of life and health, according to a new study.
A new analysis assesses the heterogeneity of factors linked with happiness among single Americans who are just entering adulthood, highlighting a particularly strong link between happiness and satisfying friendships.
Climate change-related landslides, storms and floods are associated with intimate partner violence against women two years after the event, according to a new study.
Plants widen microscopic pores on their leaves in response to heat. But scientists lacked an understanding of the mechanisms behind this 'sweating' function. Now, biologists have unlocked the details behind these processes and identified two paths that plants use to handle rising temperatures.
Engineers found a novel path around tedious process of tunneling individual sub-nanometer pores for nanoporous membranes one by one. The team created a new method of pore generation that builds materials with intentional weak spots, then applies a remote electric field to generate multiple nano-scale pores all at once.
Despite growing evidence of the importance of student well-being and an abundance of best practices, most institutions have yet to prioritize it as much as they do enrollment, graduation and grades. A new study provides guidance on how institutions can support and enhance student well-being, and breaks down the various benefits for learners during and beyond their university career. It identifies general student experiences that have resulted in improved well-being later in life, and shares guiding principles for institutions looking to create their own.
Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz which has been used as a gemstone for many centuries and is a key economic resource in northern Uruguay. Geodes are hollow rock formations often with quartz crystals, such as amethyst, inside. Amethyst geodes in Uruguay have been found in cooled lava flows, which date from the original breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana around 134 million years ago. However, their formation has remained a mystery.
Professional and amateur astronomers teamed up with artificial intelligence to find an unmatched stellar trio called TIC 290061484, thanks to cosmic 'strobe lights' captured by NASA's TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite).
Scientists have made an enormous step toward understanding the human brain by building a neuron-by-neuron and synapse-by-synapse roadmap -- scientifically speaking, a 'connectome' -- through the brain of an adult fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster). Previous researchers have mapped the brain of a C. elegans worm, with its 302 neurons, and the brain of a larval fruit fly, which had 3,000 neurons, but the adult fruit fly is several orders of magnitude more complex, with almost 140,000 neurons and 50 million synapses connecting them. The full brain map is the result of a collaboration between cutting-edge artificial intelligence, gamers, professional tracers, and neuroscientists. This connectome is important not only because the adult Drosophila has the most complex brain ever mapped, but also because fruit flies share many behaviors with humans as well as 75% of the genes that cause genetic diseases.
Dolphins are extremely playful, but little is known about how they -- and other marine mammals -- communicate during playtime. New research shows that bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncates) use the 'open mouth' facial expression -- analogous to a smile -- to communicate during social play. The dolphins almost always use the facial expression when they are in their playmate's field of view, and when playmates perceived a 'smile,' they responded in kind 33% of the time.
Ever wish you could stop that fruit fly on your kitchen counter in its tracks? Scientists have created flies that halt under red light. In doing so, they discovered the precise neural mechanisms involved in stopping. Their findings, published this week in Nature, have implications far beyond controlling fly behavior. They demonstrate how the brain engages different neural mechanisms depending on environmental context.
U.S. tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, indirectly cause thousands of deaths for nearly 15 years after a storm. Researchers estimate an average U.S. tropical cyclone indirectly causes 7,000 to 11,000 excess deaths. All told, they estimate tropical storms since 1930 have contributed to between 3.6 million and 5.2 million deaths in the U.S. -- more than all deaths nationwide from motor vehicle accidents, infectious diseases, or battle deaths in wars during the same period.
Inside every cell, inside every nucleus, your continued existence depends on an incredibly complicated dance. Proteins are constantly wrapping and unwrapping DNA, and even minor missteps can lead to cancer. A new study reveals a previously unknown part of this dance -- one with significant implications for human health.
An organism as a tenant in another -- in biology, this often works quite well. Researchers have now shed light on how such a partnership of a cell in a cell can establish itself.
A small clinical trial has found that at low doses, lithium aspartate is ineffective in treating the fatigue and brain fog that is often a persistent feature of long COVID.
A common mutation in the KRAS gene is associated with improved overall survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) compared with other variants, in part because the mutation appears to lead to less invasiveness and weaker biological activity, according to a multicenter study.
A new study documents how Southern Californians are chronically being exposed to toxic airborne chemicals called plasticizers, including one that's been banned from children's items and beauty products.
A research team systematically analyzed 40 empirical studies, the majority of which had found that outdoor air pollution is associated with differences in children's brains. These differences include volumes of white matter, which is associated with cognitive function, connections throughout the brain and even early markers for Alzheimer's.
Clinical study of microscope-integrated system lays groundwork for using OCT to define tumor margins and reveal subsurface brain anatomy.
Researchers developed a technique guaranteeing that data remain secure during multiparty, cloud-based computation. This method, which leverages the quantum properties of light, could enable organizations like hospitals or financial companies to use deep learning to securely analyze confidential patient or customer data.
Scientists have developed six lines of humanized mice that can serve as valuable models for studying human cases of COVID-19.
Humans slow their own speech when talking to their dogs, and this slower tempo matches their pets' receptive abilities, allowing the dogs to better understand their commands, according to a new study.
A new survey of climate experts reveals that a majority believes the Earth to be headed for a rise in global temperatures far higher than the 2015 Paris Agreement targets of 1.5 to well-below 2 degrees Celsius. It also shows that two-thirds of respondents believe we may succeed in achieving net zero CO2 emissions during the second half of this century. This indicates some optimism that mitigation efforts may be starting to bend the emissions curve toward what would be needed to achieve the Paris temperature goal.
Astronomers have discovered an exoplanet orbiting Barnard's star, the closest single star to our Sun. On this newly discovered exoplanet, which has at least half the mass of Venus, a year lasts just over three Earth days. The team's observations also hint at the existence of three more exoplanet candidates, in various orbits around the star.
Researchers explored how infants act purposefully by attaching a colorful mobile to their foot and tracking movements with a Vicon 3D motion capture system. The study tested AI's ability to detect changes in infant movement patterns. Findings showed that AI techniques, especially the deep learning model 2D-CapsNet, effectively classified different stages of behavior. Notably, foot movements varied significantly. Looking at how AI classification accuracy changes for each baby gives researchers a new way to understand when and how they start to engage with the world.
Inspired by the dynamic color-changing properties of squid skin, researchers have developed a method to manufacture a heat-adjusting material that is breathable and washable and can be integrated into flexible fabric. The composite material operates in the infrared spectrum and consists of a polymer covered with copper islands. Stretching the material separates the islands and changes how it transmits and reflects infrared light; this innovation creates the possibility of controlling the temperature of a garment.
Astronomers have detected carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on the frozen surface of Pluto's largest moon, Charon, using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope. These discoveries add to Charon's known chemical inventory, previously identified by ground- and space-based observations, that includes water ice, ammonia-bearing species and the organic materials responsible for Charon's gray and red coloration.
A new study provides compelling evidence that Canada lynx populations in Interior Alaska experience a 'traveling population wave' affecting their reproduction, movement and survival. This discovery could help wildlife managers make better-informed decisions when managing one of the boreal forest's keystone predators.
A Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program provides important flood insurance relief, researchers say. But due to its design, it's used more in communities with greater means to protect themselves, while lower-resourced areas benefit less.
A gene that limits cellular damage could be the key to surviving prolonged cold exposure.
Metabolic syndrome increases many Americans' risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. A new clinical trial finds that 3 months of time-restricted eating improved patients' blood sugar regulation and metabolic function, which could help ward off serious and chronic diseases.
A human rights-based approach to coral reef protection could ensure governments are held to account for safeguarding marine ecosystems.
The Hunga Tonga underwater volcano was one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history, and now, two years later, new research has revealed its main trigger.
To help speed decarbonization, state regulators should reconceive of gas and electric utilities as serving the same purpose, according to a new report. Without coordinated action, the energy transition could become slower, more expensive, and more inequitable, the authors warn.
Instead of ending a group meeting asking if anyone has any questions, a professor suggests asking participants if they can think of anything that can go wrong with the plan discussed.
Researchers have developed a tool that can aid owners and veterinarians in assessing an elderly dog's frailty. The tool -- when coupled with simple assessments of body and muscle condition by the veterinarian -- can predict likelihood of short-term (within six months) mortality and provide important data to owners faced with treatment and quality-of-life decisions for their aging dogs.
Researchers have made a discovery that changes what we know about light and materials. They found that engineered achiral (symmetric) materials, called achiral plasmonic metasurfaces, can absorb light differently depending on the handedness of the wavefront of light. This was surprising because, for years, such materials were found to be indifferent to any optical probes and does not show such selective absorption.
Investigators have found that two genetic variants that confer high risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) together trigger a harmful inflammatory response in the brain's immune cells, particularly in females, in a preclinical model.
Palladium, a rare metallic element, can rapidly generate water from hydrogen and oxygen. Researchers witnessed this process at the nanoscale for the first time with an electron microscope. By viewing the process with extreme precision, researchers discovered how to optimize it to generate water at a faster rate. Process could be used to generate water on-demand in arid environments, including on other planets.
Engineers developed a system that helps robots quickly map a scene and identify items they need to complete a set of tasks.
New findings on how past viral respiratory infections affect future, unrelated ones could lead to therapies for boosting general antiviral immunity -- and potentially pandemic preparedness.
Frequent drinking of fizzy drinks or fruit juice is associated with an increased risk of stroke, according to new findings . The research also found that drinking more than four cups of coffee per day also increases the risk of stroke.
A new hand-held scanner can generate highly detailed 3D photoacoustic images in just seconds, paving the way for their use in a clinical setting for the first time and offering the potential for earlier disease diagnosis.
A team develops an efficient method for synthesizing organic fluorophores using formaldehyde.
New research shows that the Vikings traveled more than 6,000 kilometers to the Arctic to hunt for walrus. DNA analyses reveal that walrus ivory from Greenland was brought to Europe and probably as far as the Middle East [M1] via extensive trade networks.
Asteraceae, a family of flowering plants which includes daisies, sunflowers and asters, are the most diverse group of flowering plants in the world. This plant family comprises around 34,000 species, some of which are well-known, such as artichokes, chamomile, dahlias and lettuce. An international research team has now compiled and analyzed a new global database on the distribution and evolutionary history of all Asteraceae species. The researchers found that an unexpectedly high number of evolutionary events -- known as 'speciation' where a new species of plants evolves from a common ancestor -- occurred in the aster family within relatively short time periods on many islands worldwide.
Continued investment in carbon-intensive industries will drastically increase the amount of 'stranded assets' as the world moves to net-zero emissions, researchers warn.
Engineers have developed an innovative way to make covalent organic frameworks, special materials that can be used to trap gases, filter water and speed up chemical reactions.
Rationing of goods such as meat and fuel can both effectively and fairly reduce consumption with high climate impact. Almost 40 percent of the public say they could accept such measures.
As part of the global effort to harness power from fusing plasma, scientists worked on the computer codes, engineering and physics for a new and unique fusion reactor: the SMall Aspect Ratio Tokamak.
Microplastics which have been used in leave-on cosmetic and personal care products are being overlooked by research and regulators, according to new critical review.
People who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have a significantly lower risk of developing more severe cardiovascular conditions linked to COVID-19 infection, according to a new Swedish study. At the same time, some cardiovascular effects are seen after individual doses of the vaccine.
Researchers found that natural immunity from previous flu infections has a significant impact on how well future influenza vaccinations work.
Researchers have developed a laser-based device that can measure blood flow noninvasively and differentiate stroke risk based on current physiological conditions.
Mount Everest is about 15 to 50 meters taller than it would otherwise be because of uplift caused by a nearby eroding river gorge, and continues to grow because of it.
A new international study has revealed the genetic impact of hunting in northern elephant seals. The research shows that this species narrowly escaped extinction by hunting, resulting in lasting genetic effects in the present population.
A new study suggests that an ordinary old log could help refine strategies to tackle climate change. A team of researchers analyzed a 3,775-year-old log and the soil it was excavated from. Their analysis revealed that the log had lost less than 5% carbon dioxide from its original state.
Rates of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the immediate pre-pandemic period, according to a new study. The pronounced increase in SUID cases correlated with a resurgence of seasonal respiratory viruses, particularly RSV, suggesting that the shift in SUID rates may be associated with altered infectious disease transmission.
Researchers have discovered a widespread mechanism in bacteria that enhances the bacteria's defense against environmental threats. The discovery, which may be important for research into developing new treatments, shows how a specific cross-linking mode in the peptidoglycan cell wall inhibits the activity of certain cell wall degrading enzymes, and thus protects the bacteria.
A study of informal finance finds that in East Africa, money moves in very different patterns depending on whether societies are structured around family units or age-based groups.
The hippocampus has a surprising new role -- linked to the control of skilled actions such as handwriting, typing, and playing music.
More than a dozen bacterial species among the hundreds that live in people's mouths have been linked to a collective 50% increased chance of developing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a new study shows. Some of these microbes had previously been shown to contribute to periodontal disease, serious gum infections that can eat away at the jawbone and the soft tissues that surround teeth.
Sea robins are unusual animals with the body of a fish, wings of a bird, and walking legs of a crab. Now, researchers show that the legs of the sea robin aren't just used for walking. In fact, they are bona fide sensory organs used to find buried prey while digging.
A study shows inbreeding is affecting a small, isolated red fox population in the Lassen Peak region of California. Genetic rescue could be a viable option for the recovery of montane red foxes.
The structural complexity of coral reefs creates a vibrant underwater city populated by a diverse assortment of characters. Ironically, this same complexity can impede coral recovery after disturbances.
Using mathematical modeling, researchers found a way to maintain cooperation without relying on complex norms or institutions.
A 2020 microlensing event was caused by a planetary system with an Earth-like planet and brown dwarf. The star type was uncertain. The team has determined that the star is a white dwarf, a system resembling what our sun-Earth system will look like in 8 billion years. The good news: the planet survived its star's red giant phase, so maybe Earth will too. The bad news: it's still uninhabitable.
Glioblastoma is the most common and most aggressive primary brain tumor, with an average survival after diagnosis of less than two years, and against which current treatments remain ineffective. In recent years, immunotherapies have given patients renewed hope, albeit with relatively modest success. A team has succeeded in identifying a specific marker on the surface of tumour cells, and in generating immune cells carrying an antibody to destroy them. Furthermore, these cells, called CAR-T cells, appear to be capable of targeting diseased cells in the tumor that do not carry this antigen, while sparing healthy cells.
Results from a preclinical study in mice and a collaborative clinical study in patients show that the type 2 immune response -- associated with parasitic infection and thought to play a negative role in cancer immunity -- is positively correlated with long-term cancer remission.
Researchers have studied how nanoplastic affects aquatic organisms in lakes and rivers. The results are surprising and the researchers are the first to show that some species are being wiped out, while others -- such as cyanobacteria that contribute to algal blooms -- are completely unaffected.
Astronomers have published a gigantic infrared map of the Milky Way containing more than 1.5 billion objects -- the most detailed one ever made. Using the European Southern Observatory's VISTA telescope, the team monitored the central regions of our Galaxy over more than 13 years. At 500 terabytes of data, this is the largest observational project ever carried out with an ESO telescope.
Squinting into the treetops won't reveal the tiny organisms up there. But these creatures leave clues, in the form of DNA, on the leaves and branches. Now, researchers report that they have developed a way to collect this genetic material: a drone with a specialized fabric probe. The team flew the drone above the rainforest and, based on DNA collected by the probe, identified the invertebrates in the canopy.
Pregnant women who do not get enough sleep may be at higher risk of having children with neurodevelopmental delays, according to new research.
Scientists successfully tested a new way to produce sustainable jet fuel from lignin-based agricultural waste. The team's research demonstrated a continuous process that directly converts lignin polymers, one of the chief components of plant cells, into a form of jet fuel that could help improve performance of sustainably produced aviation fuels.
Scientists believe the hormone hepcidin, when produced in the skin, may be the root cause of psoriasis -- a chronic and sometimes debilitating skin disease that affects 2-3% of the global population.
The formation of pores by a particular protein, gasdermin D, plays a key role in inflammatory reactions. During its activation, an inhibitory part is split off. More than 30 of the remaining protein fragments then combine to form large pores in the cell membrane, which allow the release of inflammatory messengers. As methods for studying these processes in living cells have so far been inadequate, the sequence of oligomerization, pore formation and membrane incorporation has remained unclear. An international research team has succeeded in answering this question with the help of antibody fragments, so-called nanobodies, which they have identified.
In a surprise finding, astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have discovered that the blowtorch-like jet from a supermassive black hole at the core of a huge galaxy seems to cause stars to erupt along its trajectory. The stars, called novae, are not caught inside the jet, but apparently in a dangerous neighborhood nearby.
Scientists have used pressure with a twisting shear to permanently deform silicon, an important material for electronics. The resulting changes in silicon's microstructure produce material phases that feature different and potentially useful properties.
The key insight with a new strategy for training protein engineering models, called EvoRank, is to harness the natural variations of millions of proteins generated by evolution over deep time and extract the underlying dynamics needed for workable solutions to biotech challenges.
What factors lead to chronic respiratory disease? Researchers investigated this question using health data from about 780 infants. Their analysis shows that children's risk of developing asthma later in life can be more reliably predicted by observing the dynamic development of symptoms during the first year of life.
Amongst women who experience recurrent pregnancy loss, around 20% test positive for a specific antibody that targets the mother's own body. A research team has now found a treatment that drastically increases these women's chances of carrying to full-term without complications.
A research team has developed a new fluorine-free binder and electrolyte designed to advance eco-friendly, high-performance battery technology.
The use of circadian-informed lighting, where artificial lighting is synchronised to the natural biological rhythms or a person's 'body-clock', significantly improves quality of sleep and work performance for night shift workers, a major new trial has found. The trial is amongst the first tightly controlled in-laboratory studies to have simultaneously evaluated circadian-lighting effects on markers of body-clock timing, work-shift cognitive performance, and sleep following an abrupt transition to night shift work.
Women worldwide could see better treatment with new AI technology which enables better detection of damaged cells and more precisely predict the risk of getting breast cancer, shows new research.
In people with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a new study has found no difference in the amount of time before disability worsened between people taking certain medications and those not receiving treatment.
Researchers say that parents and doctors should be mindful of how they talk to and treat children experiencing pain -- no matter how big or small the injury -- knowing that these foundational experiences can be carried forward into adulthood.
Adults with hemophilia B saw their number of bleeding episodes drop by an average of 71 percent after a single infusion of gene therapy, according to the new results of an international Phase III clinical trial.
The SAGA Survey just published three new research articles that provide us with new insights into the uniqueness of our own Milky Way Galaxy after completing the census of 101 satellite systems similar to the Milky Way's.
New research suggests that pigs may function as a transmission vehicle for a strain of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) common in rats that has recently been found to infect humans.
Turn-taking dynamics of social interactions are important for speech and gesture synchronization, enabling conversations to proceed efficiently, according to a new study.
A research team has developed a method to recycle valuable metals from electronic waste more efficiently while significantly reducing the environmental impact typically associated with metal recycling.
Drone footage is offering new insight into the acrobatics undertaken by gray whales foraging in the waters off the coast of Oregon.
Wrist-based activity sensors worn by individuals with depression and those without over the course of two weeks provided evidence for the relationship between daily sunlight exposure and physical activity, according to a new study.
New research suggests Mars' missing atmosphere -- which dramatically diminished 3.5 billion years ago -- could be locked in the planet's clay-covered crust. Water on Mars could have set off a chain reaction that drew CO2 out of the atmosphere and converted it into methane within clay minerals.
Intermittent hypoxia caused by obstructive sleep apnea increased the susceptibility of mice to develop abdominal aortic aneurysms, researchers report in a new study.
Researchers have mapped variation in human stem cells that explains how cells of an individual may shape a unique 'developmental dance' at the molecular level, thereby controlling how the brain and body are created.
A new resource allows for studies of human longevity and resilience that can fuel the discovery and validation of novel therapeutics for aging-related disease.
A new study sheds light on testosterone recovery following androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in men undergoing radiotherapy for prostate cancer, providing key insights for optimizing patient care.
Researchers conducted a survey of 267 households near Mkomazi National Park in northern Tanzania and found that food security was much more important than financial or educational security in motivating people to engage in poaching or illegal grazing in the park.
People with Down syndrome face a higher risk of developing leukemia. Now researchers explain why, by identifying specific changes in blood cells of people with Down syndrome.
The discovery of new cynodont fossils from southern Brazil by a team of palaeontologists has led to a significant breakthrough in understanding the evolution of mammals.
A new study could change the way scientists view microbial processes in the deep ocean. The unexpected findings expand our understanding of the impacts of climate change, including how and where the ocean stores carbon.
Climate change from greenhouse gas emissions could make extreme El Nino events more frequent, according to new research.
Imagine being one cartwheel away from changing your appearance. One flip, and your brunette locks are platinum blond. That's not too far from what happens in some prokaryotes, or single-cell organisms, such as bacteria, that undergo something called inversions. A study has now shown that inversions, which cause a physical flip of a segment of DNA and change an organism's genetic identity, can occur within a single gene, challenging a central dogma of biology -- that one gene can code for only one protein.
Manganese is earth-abundant and cheap. A new process could help make it a contender to replace nickel and cobalt in batteries.
Using shells from the recent fossil record, researchers have determine that interactions between predator and prey in the northern Adriatic Sea have significantly declined due to human activity.
New research explored the exacerbating and attenuating factors of despair-induced climate burnout to learn how people can overcome despair and maintain motivation to fight climate change.
The AWI's citizen science project 'Microplastic Detectives' has analyzed 2.2 tons of sand from German coasts for microplastics.
A research team combined measurements from activity monitors and questionnaires for a new study of impact of aircraft noise on sleep. Higher levels of noise were associated with disturbed sleep quality measured by activity monitors. Noise had little impact on sleep duration but higher likelihood of reporting sleeplessness.
Scientists discovered that ancient reef-building stromatoporoids survived the Late Devonian extinction, contrary to previous beliefs, and continued to thrive. The findings reveal how these organisms adapted to past environmental changes, offering valuable insights into the resilience of marine ecosystems and lessons for modern conservation efforts.
A team has discovered an antibody that specifically binds to the food poisoning bacteria Campylobacter jejuni. It was also found that this antibody inhibits the activity of proteins involved in bacterial energy production.
Almost everyone knows about HIV. Fewer people know about its relative, HTLV-1. However, HTLV-1 can cause serious illnesses, including cancer. To develop ways to combat this virus, understanding its structure is essential.
Exposure to certain pollutants, like fine particles (PM2.5) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), during pregnancy and childhood is associated with differences in the microstructure of the brain s white matter, and some of these effects persist throughout adolescence.
Pesticides, heavy metals, micro- and nanoplastics in the soil, and environmentally harmful chemicals can have a detrimental effect on the cardiovascular system, according to a review paper. The article provides an overview of the effects of soil and water pollution on human health and pathology and discusses the prevalence of soil and water pollutants and how they negatively affect health, particularly the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny bubbles released by cells, acting as cargo vessels through which cells exchange signals and thus communicate. A paper has demonstrated that this form of cellular exchange also plays a key role in the development of the brain.
Large expansion of carbon capture and storage is necessary to fulfill the Paris Climate Agreement. Yet a new study shows that without major efforts, the technology will not expand fast enough to meet the 2 C target and even with major efforts it is unlikely to expand fast enough for the 1.5 C target.
An 'invisible forest' of phytoplankton is thriving in part of our warming ocean, new research shows.
A new article notes that journal articles reporting how well machine learning models solve certain kinds of equations are often overly optimistic. The researchers suggest two rules for reporting results and systemic changes to encourage clarity and accuracy in reporting.
New AI model identifies possible therapies from existing medicines for thousands of diseases, including rare ones with no current treatments. The AI tool generates new insights on its own, applies them to conditions it was not trained for, and offers explanations for its predictions. AI can expedite the development of more precise treatments with fewer side effects at far lower cost than traditional drug discovery.
Researchers have tested a combination of treatments in mice with lung cancer and shown that these allow immunotherapies to target non-responsive tumors.
Researchers examined Neptunian exoplanets -- these planets share similar characteristics to our own Neptune, but orbit outside of our solar system. Scientists discovered a new area called the 'Neptunian Ridge' -- in between the 'Neptunian desert' and the 'Neptunian Savannah'. A new 'map' of distant planets shows a ridge of planets in deep space, separating a desert of planets from a more populated savannah.
New research addresses the fundamental science necessary to increase the efficiency of nuclear energy. Researchers have now documented the unique chemistry dynamics and structure of high-temperature liquid uranium trichloride salt, a potential nuclear fuel source for next-generation reactors.
Around 4 billion years ago, an asteroid hit the Jupiter moon Ganymede. Now, a researcher realized that the Solar System's biggest moon's axis has shifted as a result of the impact, which confirmed that the asteroid was around 20 times larger than the one that ended the age of the dinosaurs on Earth, and caused one of the biggest impacts with clear traces in the Solar System.
Over billions of years, the universe's stars and galaxies shined their light into space, leaving behind an imperceptibly faint night light known as the cosmic optical background. NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has traveled to the edge of Earth's solar system and captured the most accurate measurement of this glow to date.
A UK survey has found huge variation in treatment for ADHD, highlighting the struggle many young adults face once they turn 18. Researchers have warned that the current system is failing many young adults as they transition from children's to adult's services -- suddenly finding themselves unable to access treatment because services do not link up effectively.
Wearable, long-term continuous heart monitors helped identify 52% more cases of atrial fibrillation compared to usual care, but that did not lead to a reduction in hospitalizations due to stroke, according to a new study.
Researchers have uncovered a surprising genetic mechanism that influences the vibrant and complex patterns on butterfly wings. The team discovered that an RNA molecule, rather than a protein as previously thought, plays a pivotal role in determining the distribution of black pigment on butterfly wings.
The appropriate duration of beta-blocker treatment after a heart attack (a myocardial infarction [MI]) is unknown in patients who do not need to take beta-blockers for another reason. In the ABYSS trial, the cardiovascular safety of interrupting beta-blocker could not be shown in comparison with beta-blocker continuation and beta-blocker interruption did not improve quality of life. ABYSS suggests that long-term beta-blocker therapy is recommended after an MI, even in the absence of heart failure, arrhythmia or uncontrolled hypertension.
A recent study finds that hope appears to be more beneficial than mindfulness at helping people manage stress and stay professionally engaged during periods of prolonged stress at work. The study underscores the importance of looking ahead, rather than living 'in the moment,' during hard times.
The study explains why treatments for many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases raise the risk of contracting TB -- and also upends long-held assumptions about what kicks off an immune response.
Researchers have found a new method to increase both speed and success rates in drug discovery. The study offers renewed promise when it comes to discovering new drugs.
Young griffon vultures move frequently between sleeping sites in different locations, interacting with many friends. They get set in their ways as they age and roost in the same spots with the same individuals; older vultures follow the same paths. Roosts act as information hubs; older vultures may have a more thorough knowledge of where to find food resources and less need to learn about them from other vultures.
Facial recognition is a critical part of self-image and social interactions. In an era of advanced digital technology, we face intriguing questions about communication and identity. How does altering our facial identity affect our sense of 'self' and our interactions with others?
Researchers have successfully simulated higher-order topological (HOT) lattices with unprecedented accuracy using digital quantum computers. These complex lattice structures can help us understand advanced quantum materials with robust quantum states that are highly sought after in various technological applications.
Geologists examined a submerged 25-foot bridge to tackle a long-lasting archaeological controversy: When humans settled on the islands in the western Mediterranean. Their findings narrow a historical gap between the settlement timelines of the eastern and western Mediterranean regions.
The Data Provenance Explorer can help machine-learning practitioners make more informed choices about the data they train their models on, which could improve the accuracy of models deployed in the real world.
The invention of a tool capable of unlocking previously impossible organic chemical reactions has opened new pathways in the pharmaceutical industry to create effective drugs more quickly.
While some microbes can make people sick or spoil food, others are critical for survival. These tiny organisms can also be engineered to make specific molecules. Researchers have rewired one such microbe to help tackle greenhouse gases in the atmosphere: It takes in carbon dioxide (CO2) gas and produces mevalonate, a useful building block for pharmaceuticals.
An international team has uncovered surprising details about mosquito mating, which could lead to improved malaria control techniques and even help develop precision drone flight. The team revealed that when a male Anopheles coluzzii mosquito hears the sound of female-specific wingbeats, his eyes 'activate' and he visually scans the immediate vicinity for a potential mate. This strong link between males hearing the female-like buzz and moving toward an object in their field of vision may open up a new route for mosquito control: a new generation of traps specific to the Anopheles mosquitoes that spread malaria.
The public could have days or months of warning about a major earthquake through identification of prior low-level tectonic unrest over large areas, according to research by scientists who analyzed two major quakes in Alaska and California.
Astronomers have spotted a pair of galaxies in the act of merging 12.8 billion years ago. The characteristics of these galaxies indicate that the merger will form a monster galaxy, one of the brightest types of objects in the Universe.
More than half of the global population consumes inadequate levels of several micronutrients essential to health, including calcium, iron, and vitamins C and E, according to a new study. It is the first study to provide global estimates of inadequate consumption of 15 micronutrients critical to human health.
A team of scientists has unlocked the potential of 6G communications with a new polarization multiplexer. This allows multiple data streams to be transmitted simultaneously over the same frequency band, effectively doubling data capacity.
Researchers found significant geographic variations in concussion diagnoses in United States emergency departments -- with the highest rates in the South and lower rates in the Midwest and Northeast.
The surprising discovery of a bacterium in a marine sponge from the Great Barrier Reef with striking similarity to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen responsible for tuberculosis (TB), could unlock and inform future TB research and treatment strategies.
Chemists have developed a method to furnish a range of molecules with a trifluoromethyl group attached to a sulfur, nitrogen or oxygen atom. Their procedure avoids the use of PFAS reagents. It thus provides an environmentally friendly synthesis route for pharmaceutical and agrochemical compounds that rely on the presence of the trifluoromethyl group.
Chemists have developed a catalytic process that turns the largest component of today's plastic waste stream, polyolefin plastic bags and bottles, into gases -- propylene and isobutylene -- that are the building blocks of polypropylene and other types of plastics. The process uses inexpensive solid catalysts that can be scaled to industrial production, making this a potentially viable means of creating a circular economy for these throw-away plastics.
Researchers used real-world clinical data to attempt to emulate a randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of two blood thinners, apixaban and warfarin, to prevent stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. The study provides a method to explore the effects of treatments in patients who are underrepresented or excluded from clinical trials.
Researchers predict that 12.7% of marine teleost fish species are at risk of extinction, up fivefold from the International Union for Conservation of Nature's prior estimate of 2.5%. Their report includes nearly 5,000 species that did not receive an IUCN conservation status due to insufficient data.
An ancient gene is crucial for the development of the distinctive waist that divides the spider body plan in two, according to a new study.
A new study paves the way to understanding biotic recovery after an ecological crisis in the Mediterranean Sea about 5.5 million years ago. Researchers have now been able to quantify how marine biota was impacted by the salinization of the Mediterranean: Only 11 percent of the endemic species survived the crisis, and the biodiversity did not recover for at least another 1.7 million years.
Staphylococcus aureus has the potential to develop durable vancomycin resistance, according to a new study.
Researchers have developed a prototype for a smart mask that can be used to monitor a range of medical conditions, including respiratory ailments, such as asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and post-COVID-19 infections.
Researchers describe the neural processes behind how morphine relieves pain. This is valuable knowledge because the drug has such serious side effects.
Wildfires can damage crops, even if flames come nowhere near the plants. One outcome can be an unpleasant flavor and smell of wine that is made from grapes exposed to smoke. But researchers say that they have developed a way to lessen this smoke taint to improve the palatability of the wine.
Researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery about how sea stars (commonly known as starfish) manage to survive predatory attacks by shedding their own limbs. The team has identified a neurohormone responsible for triggering this remarkable feat of self-preservation.
A new tool for monitoring immune health patterns over time reveals how a pair of checkpoint inhibitor therapies works together to recruit new cancer-fighting T cells with every infusion.
Researchers revealed how certain liver cells contribute to inflammatory responses underlying chronic hepatitis. Using mouse and cell culture models, they observed increased levels of inflammatory genes, including signaling molecules called chemokines, when hepatic stellate cells did not express a protein known as A20. By inhibiting another protein called DCLK1, A20 decreases chemokine levels and thereby suppresses chronic hepatitis. A20 has potential involvement in novel therapeutic development for liver disease.
Entomology professor Esther Ngumbi studies how flooding affects crop plants and the insects that feed on them. She argues in a new review that flooding is a largely overlooked factor in studies meant to climate-proof plants.
Modern lifestyles mean many people are sleep deprived on work or school days, and try to 'catch-up' with compensatory sleep on weekends. A new study of more than 90,000 individuals showed that those who had the most catch-up sleep on weekends had a 20% lower risk of developing heart disease than those with the least.
Researchers are searching for a better way to understand why many men with prostate cancer end up with Alzheimer's disease, and whether it's the standard hormone therapy treatment or an overactive immune response that actually contributes to the problem.
A new study showing how a prehistoric sea cow was preyed upon by not one, but two different carnivores -- a crocodilian and a shark -- is revealing clues into both the predation tactics of ancient creatures and the wider food chain millions of years ago.
A research team has found that compounds in the nucleic acids derived from food can inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells.
Synchronizing periodic excitations of photocatalysts with a Michelson interferometer on operando FT-IR spectroscopy, researchers succeeded in observing and identifying the reactive electron species for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. In contrast to the traditional belief, this study demonstrates that not the free electrons in metal cocatalysts but the electrons trapped in the periphery of cocatalysts directly contribute to the photocatalysis.
A new study examined children's responses during a game where targets could only be achieved by working together. The study's authors say the findings provide valuable insights into how groups of people can work together to overcome communal challenges, and demonstrate the effectiveness of setting clear and unambiguous targets.
A new study provides the first evidence of a direct interaction between kisspeptins, proteins crucial for sexual development, and astrocytes, non-neuronal cells of the nervous system, blazing new trails towards understanding the reproductive system's regulation.
Scientists have made a significant leap forward in the field of chiral molecules. The team achieved near-complete separation in quantum states for these essential components of life.
To understand the mysteries surrounding black holes, researchers at Tohoku University have created a simulation of accretion disk turbulence that possesses the highest-resolution currently available.
Researchers resent a new molecule for visualizing the sphingomyelin metabolism. This offers prospects for innovative therapeutic approaches in infection research.
Immersive virtual reality could open up a whole new world for people with intellectual disability, enabling them to learn practical life skills much faster without relying on caregivers, according to a new study.
Our bodies and organs are shielded from the external environment by tissue barriers like the skin. These barriers must be tightly sealed to prevent unwanted substances from entering. This sealing is achieved through structures called tight junctions. However, how these tight junctions form has long been a mystery. Now, biologists have uncovered that the proteins responsible for these seals form a liquid-like material on the cell surface much like the water that condenses on a cold window.
Blinding diseases lead to permanent vision loss by damaging photoreceptor cells, which humans cannot naturally regenerate. While researchers are working on new methods to replace or regenerate these cells, the crucial question is whether these regenerated photoreceptors can fully restore vision. By studying zebrafish, an animal naturally capable of photoreceptor regeneration, a team showed that regenerated photoreceptors are as good as original ones and regain their normal function, allowing the fish to recover complete vision.
Climate change will move and reduce the land suitable for growing food and timber, putting the production of these two vital resources into direct competition, a new study has found.
Recognizing spoken words is a split-second competition, and a new study defines how people approach that competition and ultimately recognize words. The researchers identified three main approaches by which people of all ages -- including those who use cochlear implants to hear -- recognize spoken language.
A 'tag-team' between the oceans and continents millions of years ago devastated marine life and altered the course of evolution on Earth, according to a new study. Scientists say a string of severe environmental crises which happened between 185 and 85 million years ago triggered mass extinctions among ocean-living species.
Innovative study of DNA's hidden structures may open up new approaches for treatment and diagnosis of diseases, including cancer.
Researchers created a new quantum state of matter, dubbed a higher-order topological magnet, that may address key issues in quantum technology.
Fungi can transform plant and animal products into delicious foods like cheese, miso and beer. A researcher argues that a type of filamentous mold -- Neurospora intermedia -- could also turn food waste into culinary treats. Currently, only Indonesians have discovered this secret; they grow the mold on leftover soy pulp from making tofu to create oncom. A new study suggests that it can transform many types of food waste into novel and tasty foods.
A collaborative research team has identified the world's first multiple Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in a single vortex of the superconducting topological crystalline insulator SnTe and exploited crystal symmetry to control the coupling between the MZMs. This discovery offers a new pathway to realizing fault-tolerant quantum computers.
For decades, scientists have dreamt of a future where genetic diseases, such as the blood clotting disorder hemophilia, could be a thing of the past. Gene therapy, the idea of fixing faulty genes with healthy ones, has held immense promise. But a major hurdle has been finding a safe and efficient way to deliver those genes. Researchers have now made a significant breakthrough in gene editing technology that could revolutionize how we treat genetic diseases.
Countries with greater inequalities -- whether economic, pollution or disease-based -- exhibited older brain ages.
A new study sheds light on the vital role that the mixing of Atlantic and Arctic waters plays in sustaining the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which is crucial for regulating Earth's climate.
It's not easy being green. Scientists for years have made small red and blue lasers, but other colors, including green, have been a challenge. A team has now filled this technology gap by creating orange, yellow and green lasers tiny enough to fit on a chip, opening up a wide range of applications in quantum sensing, communications and information processing.
Scientists who have described in a new study the step-by-step details of a bacterial defense strategy see the mechanism as a promising platform for development of a new genome-editing method.
Researchers report the discovery of a novel mechanism of cardiac inflammation that may expand therapeutic opportunities to prevent heart attacks from becoming heart failure.
Scientists have developed new guidance and tools that could significantly improve the prediction of life-threatening flash flooding.
In a struggle that probably sounds familiar to dieters everywhere, the less a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) worm eats, the more slowly it loses fat. Now, scientists have discovered why: a small molecule produced by the worms' intestines during fasting travels to the brain to block a fat-burning signal during this time.
When you get infected with a virus, some of the first weapons your body deploys to fight it were passed down to us from our microbial ancestors billions of years ago. According to new research, two key elements of our innate immune system came from a group of microbes called Asgard archaea.
In the first 24 hours after a python devours its massive prey, its heart grows bigger, softer and stronger and its metabolism speeds up forty-fold. The extraordinary process could inspire novel treatments for heart disease and metabolic disorders.
Contrary to previous research, a new study of female participants finds no link between migraine and the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
Who are we? Why are we here? We are stardust, the result of chemistry occurring throughout vast clouds of interstellar gas and dust. To better understand how that chemistry could create prebiotic molecules, researchers investigated the role of low-energy electrons created as cosmic radiation traverses through ice particles. Their findings may also inform medical and environmental applications on our home planet.
In the scorching heat of summer, anyone who spends time outside could benefit from a cooling fabric. While there are some textiles that reflect the sun's rays or wick heat away, current options require boutique fibers or complex manufacturing processes. But now, demonstrations of a durable chalk-based coating show it can cool the air underneath treated fabric by up to 8 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tortilla chips and fresh salsa are tasty, but they could be even more appealing if you grow the ingredients yourself. Now, researchers report that some salsa ingredients -- cilantro, bell pepper and jalapeno -- can be more sustainably cultivated with recycled glass. Their pilot study found that partially substituting soil in a planter with recycled glass fragments speeds up plant development and reduces unwanted fungal growth.
Heat waves, droughts, and fires place growing stress on the West's electric grid. New research suggests that more integrated management of electricity resources across the region could significantly reduce the risk of power outages and accelerate the transition to clean energy.
A team of researchers has discovered that an antioxidant found in rosemary extract can reduce volitional intakes of cocaine by moderating the brain's reward response, offering a new therapeutic target for treating addiction.
Researchers have used artificial intelligence tools to accelerate the understanding of the risk of specific cardiac arrhythmias when various parts of the heart are exposed to different thresholds of radiation as part of a treatment plan for lung cancer.
A new fluorescent imaging probe can for the first time objectively and non-invasively measure loss of smell, clinically known as anosmia. Targeting the olfactory nerve, the new tool has potential to eliminate biopsies used to diagnose certain anosmia conditions and to aid in the development of therapeutic interventions.
Researchers suggest a new designation of the humpback whales they study: tool wielders. Researchers have known that humpback whales create "bubble-nets" to hunt, but they have learned that the animals don't just create the bubble-nets; they manipulate this unique tool in a variety of ways to maximize their food intake in Alaskan feeding grounds.
Meat consumption, particularly consumption of processed meat and unprocessed red meat, is associated with a higher type 2 diabetes risk, an analysis of data from 1.97 million participants.
A study in mice has found that the bacteria Bifidobacterium breve in the mother's gut during pregnancy supports healthy brain development in the fetus.
Computer science researchers have developed an approach that matches the performance of expert-scored polysomnography using just a single-lead echocardiogram. In addition to simplifying a typically expensive and cumbersome process, this insight highlights a deeper connection between the heart and the brain than previously understood.
Scientists have developed a model capable of predicting the cycle lives of high-energy-density lithium-metal batteries by applying machine learning methods to battery performance data. The model proved able to accurately estimate batteries' longevity by analyzing their charge, discharge and voltage relaxation process data without relying on any assumption about specific battery degradation mechanisms. The technique is expected to be useful in improving the safety and reliability of devices powered by lithium-metal batteries.
Finding the next groundbreaking polymer is always a challenge, but now researchers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to shape and transform the future of the field.
A recent study found that frail older patients who waited to start dialysis died only nine days earlier on average -- and spent more time at home -- than those who began treatment immediately.
If you've visited a trendy cafe in the past few years, you might have noticed 'golden' turmeric milk on the menu. This fancy drink is caffeine-free, coffee-free and can even be vegan. And now, researchers have developed an efficient method to make a powdered, plant-based, instant version that maintains the beneficial properties of the ingredients while also extending its shelf life.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has exploded in popularity as of late. But just like a human, it's hard to read an AI model's mind. Explainable AI (XAI) could help us do just that by providing justification for a model's decisions. And now, researchers are using XAI to scrutinize predictive AI models more closely, which could help make better antibiotics.
Some of the attractive hues of brightly colored, cloth-bound books from the Victorian era come from dyes that could pose a health risk to readers, collectors or librarians. The latest research on these 'poison books' used three techniques -- including one that hasn't previously been applied to books -- to assess dangerous dyes in a university collection and found some volumes had levels that might be unsafe.
Heart failure is a leading cause of death worldwide and is especially deadly for people who don't have access to medical facilities. A team of researchers aims to bring heart failure screening from the lab to the home with a point-of-care electrochemical biosensor prototype that measures levels of two biomarkers for heart failure in as little as 15 minutes from just a drop of saliva.
Children born with certain heart defects undergo a series of invasive surgeries early in life. The first surgery includes implantation of a shunt to improve blood flow. However, as children grow, the shunt must be replaced to accommodate their changing bodies. Now, researchers report designing a shunt that expands when activated by light. This device could reduce the number of open-chest surgeries these children receive.
A multidisciplinary team has developed an action plan to help patients with respiratory diseases mitigate the consequences of poor air quality from wildfires.
A new study on 'legalese' suggests this convoluted language acts to convey a sense of authority in legal documents. The researchers also found that even non-lawyers use legalese when asked to write laws.
As the world faces the challenges of mitigating climate change and providing resources for a growing population, there is increasing focus on developing circular economies for sustainable production. But to evaluate strategies and impacts, it is necessary to have reliable metrics. Researchers have now developed a Circularity Index that provides a comprehensive method to quantify circularity in bioeconomic systems. In a new paper, they outline the method and apply it to two case studies -- a corn/soybean farming operation and the entire U.S. food and agriculture system.
When a global pandemic forced previous a graduate student out of the lab and onto the computer, he found a world of difference hidden in the long-studied species of Botryoccocus braunii -- and discovered that it isn't one species at all, but three.
Low- and moderate-severity forest wildfires can reduce the intensity of future fires, according to new research on 'reburns.'
A new article provides a narrative review of the relevant similarities and distinctions between nonhumans and humans to assess the causes and consequences of winner and loser effects in humans.
Researchers have found a new way to manage the receptors that control the sense of touch, which could lead to treating chronic pain more effectively. Using phosphatidic acid as a regulator of the sense of touch may lead to better pain relief.
Researchers report that deforestation during the last two decades induced a higher warming and cloud level rise than that caused by climate change, which threatens biodiversity and water supply in African montane forests.
The avian influenza virus needs to mutate to cross the species barrier and to infect and replicate within mammalian cells. Scientists have now deciphered the structure of the avian influenza virus's polymerase when it interacts with a human protein essential for the virus to replicate within the cell. The structure of this replication complex provides important information about the mutations that avian influenza polymerase must undergo to adapt to mammals, including humans. These results can help scientists monitor the evolution and adaptability of bird flu strains, such as H5N1 or H7N9, towards infecting other species.
The design of streets and layout of buildings have an impact on a city's resilience in the face of increasingly severe floods brought on by climate change. Researchers look at buildings and other urban structures as physicists consider elements in complex material systems. With this insight, the researchers have developed a new approach to urban flood modelling and found their results helpful in analyzing city-to-city variations in flood risk globally.
The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis is potentially immortal. Using molecular genetic methods, developmental biologists have now identified possible candidates for multipotent stem cells in the sea anemone for the first time. These stem cells are regulated by evolutionary highly conserved genes.
Embryonic stem (ES) cells are pluripotent stem cells that can produce all cell types of an organism. ES cells proliferate rapidly and have been thought to experience high levels of intrinsic replication stress. However, a recent report challenges this assumption by providing a detailed molecular investigation of replication dynamics in these cells.
The preservation of organic carbon in marine sediments has long been a key question remaining unclear in understanding the long-term carbon cycling on Earth. Recently, scientists have gained new insights into the dynamic cycling of iron-bound organic carbon in subseafloor sediments.
Researchers have uncovered DNA markers associated with retroelements, remnants of ancient viral genetic material, in our genes that act as highly accurate epigenetic clocks predicting chronological age. The results support the idea that certain retroelements in the human genome may be involved in aging.
Swiping through online videos to relieve boredom may actually make people more bored and less satisfied or engaged with the content, according to new research.
A new animal study shows that exposure to immune-stimulating proteins left behind by COVID-19 leads to lower cortisol, brain inflammation and a heightened reaction to subsequent stressors.
Flexibility and personalization were key in optimizing dieters' weight-loss success on the Individualized Diet Improvement Program, created by food scientists.
A new study found that using ChatGPT-4 to read medical notes from Emergency Department admissions to determine whether injured scooter and bicycle riders were wearing a helmet finds that AI can't yet do this reliably.
A new study found that Manuka honey could potentially be an alternative, natural option for breast cancer prevention and treatment -- particularly for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, the most common subtype of breast cancer that accounts for about 70-80% of all breast cancer cases.
Fireflies rely on flashing signals to communicate to other fireflies using light-emitting lanterns on their abdomens. In fireflies of the species Abscondita terminalis, males make multi-pulse flashes with two lanterns to attract females, while females make single-pulse flashes with their one lantern to attract males. Now researchers have evidence that an orb-weaving spider (Araneus ventricosus) manipulates the flashing signals of male fireflies ensnared in its web such that they mimic the typical flashes of a female firefly, thereby luring other males to serve as their next meal.
Two new studies are pointing the way toward round-the-clock personalized care for people with Parkinson's disease through an implanted device that can treat movement problems during the day and insomnia at night.
A small feasibility study found that an implanted device regulated by the body's brain activity could provide continual and improved treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) in certain people with the disorder. This type of treatment, called adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS), is an improvement on a technique that has been used for PD and other brain disorders for many years. The study found aDBS was markedly more effective at controlling PD symptoms compared to conventional DBS treatments.
U.S. pediatric inpatient psychiatric bed capacity did not change 2017 -- 2020, despite increases in pediatric mental health emergency visits, according to a new study . Researchers also found substantial geographic variation in inpatient psychiatric bed capacity per 100,000 children, ranging from zero in Alaska to 75 in Arkansas. Over 90 percent of pediatric inpatient beds are in urban centers, raising concerns for youth living in rural areas.
Researchers surveyed the gut microbiomes of nearly 2,000 people, discovering dozens of potential new antibiotics. The lead candidate, prevotellin-2, demonstrated anti-infective capabilities on par with polymyxin B, an FDA-approved antibiotic used today to treat multidrug-resistant infections, suggesting that the human gut microbiome may contain antibiotics that will someday find clinical application.
A new machine learning model can predict autism in young children from relatively limited information. The model can facilitate early detection of autism, which is important to provide the right support.
People with Down syndrome are likely to develop Alzheimer's disease at a young age, with autopsy studies showing that by age 40 years, the brains of individuals with Down syndrome have amyloid plaques. Yet people with Down syndrome have been excluded from or underrepresented in clinical trials of new therapies for treating AD.
The latest research indicates that 16% to 85% of people recovering from a stroke experience at least one psychosocial symptom, including depression, anxiety, stress, fatigue and/or decreased quality of life. Critical nursing interventions, such as regular mental health screenings, education, symptom management and follow-up care, are key to reducing the negative effects on a patient's mental well-being after a stroke, yet only a small proportion of patients receive treatment.
Researchers have developed new ways to detect sugar syrup adulteration in honey, paving the way for fast and accurate tests to discover fake products.
Previous scientific studies have indicated that North American dog lineages were replaced with European ones between 1492 and the present day. To better understand the timing of this replacement, researchers sequenced mitochondrial DNA from archaeological dogs. Their findings suggest a complex social history of dogs during the early colonial period.
Researchers developed a new method known as flash-within-flash Joule heating (FWF) that could transform the synthesis of high-quality solid-state materials, offering a cleaner, faster and more sustainable manufacturing process.
Two scientists discovered a new type of 'whistler,' an electromagnetic wave that carries a substantial amount of lightning energy to the Earth's magnetosphere.
Researchers developed a novel reagent that enhances the precision of drug synthesis. This innovative method introduces a new sulfur fluoride exchange (SuFEx) reagent that allows for highly controlled production of crucial sulfur-based molecules, including sulfinamides, sulfonimidamides and sulfoximines.
Geophysicists find link between seismic waves called PKP precursors and anomalies in Earth's mantle that are associated with hotspots associated with volcanism on the surface.
The asteroid that led to the extinction of the dinosaurs 66 million years ago probably came from the outer solar system.
Barely audible to human ears, healthy soils produce a cacophony of sounds in many forms -- a bit like an underground rave concert of bubble pops and clicks. Special recordings made by ecologists show this chaotic mixture of soundscapes can be a measure of the diversity of tiny living animals in the soil, which create sounds as they move and interact with their environment.
Researchers are measuring and scanning samples for a global 'hailstone library'. Storm simulations using 3-D modelling of real hailstones -- in all sorts of weird shapes from oblong to flat discs or with spikes coming out -- show it behaves differently than spherical hail shapes. Data from the hail library could lead to more accurate storm forecasts.
A new study assessed the feasibility of recovering phosphorus from municipal wastewater as an alternative sustainable source of this non-renewable mineral.
Microscope images could be obtained much more quickly -- rather than one pixel at a time -- thanks to a new imaging method for neutral atomic beam microscopes. It could ultimately lead to engineers and scientists getting faster results when they are scanning samples.
Researchers have found a better method to recycle polyurethane foam from items like mattresses: They are not only able to break down PUR and separate the two main components -- they can do it in one go. This is great news for the budding industry that aims to chemically recover the original components of the material -- making their products cheaper and better.
With new medications on the market or in the works for Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia, a new study suggests that getting the diagnosis needed to access these new treatments may depend on where you live.
The Colorado River and its tributaries provide water for hydropower, irrigation and drinking water in seven U.S. states and Mexico. But since 2000, water managers have struggled to predict how much water will come from the snowpack. The problem lies with the lack of rainfall in the spring, according to new research.
Society relies heavily on diverse fluidic technologies. The ability to precisely capture and release various chemical and biological fluids plays a fundamental role in many fields. A long-standing challenge is to design a platform that enables the switchable capture and release of liquids with precise spatial and temporal control and accurate volumes of the fluid. Recently, researchers have invented a new method to effectively overcome this challenge.
A zinc-air microbattery could enable the deployment of cell-sized, autonomous robots for drug delivery within in the human body, as well as other applications such as locating leaks in gas pipelines.
The bananas in your supermarket and that you eat for breakfast are facing functional extinction due to the disease Fusarium wilt of banana (FWB) caused by a fungal pathogen called Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc) tropical race 4 (TR4). However, thanks to recent research from an international team of scientists we now know that Foc TR4 did not evolve from the strain that wiped out commercial banana crops in the 1950s and that the virulence of this new strain seems to be caused by some accessory genes that are associated the production of nitric oxide. The research opens the door to treatments and strategies that can slow, if not control, the as-of-yet unchecked spread of Foc TR4.
A biologist studies blind cavefish, a species of fish that dwell in cave ponds in Mexico. He looked at the timeline for when the cavefish develop additional taste buds on the head and chin, finding the taste bud expansion starts at five months and continues into adulthood.
The finding could help future efforts to design superconductors that work at higher temperatures.
In humans, the process of learning is driven by different groups of cells in the brain firing together. For instance, when the neurons associated with the process of recognizing a dog begin to fire in a coordinated manner in response to the cells that encode the features of a dog -- four legs, fur, a tail, etc. -- a young child will eventually be able to identify dogs going forward. But brain wiring begins before humans are born, before they have experiences or senses like sight to guide this cellular circuitry. How does that happen?
A mathematical framework that builds on the economic theory of hidden-action models provides insight into how the unobservable nature of effort and risk shapes investigators' research strategies and the incentive structures within which they work, according to a new study.
While everyone knows that a good night's sleep restores energy, a new study finds it resets another vital function: memory.
A new study reveals that the memory for a specific experience is stored in multiple parallel 'copies'. These are preserved for varying durations, modified to certain degrees, and sometimes deleted over time.
A new study finds that the effects of long COVID have caused many Americans to miss extensive work time, and that 14% of study participants reported not returning to work in the months after their infection. The findings suggest that long COVID may have affected millions of Americans and generated steep economic costs, highlighting the need for policies to support those with the condition, researchers said.
Endometriosis affects more than 11% of women of reproductive age in the U.S. and 190 million women worldwide. The average time to diagnose endometriosis is seven years after the onset of symptoms, which include abdominal pain and cramping before, during and after menstruation, among others. These circumstances may cause life-altering consequences such as chronic pain, infertility and quality of life. Researchers identify promising approaches for early diagnosis of endometriosis to address a major clinical and public health challenge.
A unique influenza vaccine candidate that's inhaled appears safe and could bolster protection against seasonal and pandemic influenza for people vulnerable to severe disease when they receive it in addition to the annual flu shot.
If the U.S. became seafood independent, or meet its entire seafood needs through its own production, it could offer opportunities for improving dietary outcomes as well as individual and national food security, particularly against disruptions in global supply chains. Through analyzing 50 years of regional and national consumption and production data, from 1970-2021, researchers found that the U.S. could achieve seafood independence, although 'achieving greater seafood independence would require shifts in consumer behavior, investments in infrastructure and continual adaptation in the face of climate change.'
Researchers have demonstrated a promising sterilization technique that uses X-ray irradiation to reduce Aspergillus flavus viability in contaminated corn. This method achieves sterilization without degrading the harmful aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) produced by the fungus.
Physicists have uncovered new states of matter by exploring the behavior of flatland electrons in extreme conditions, revealing insights that could impact quantum computing and advanced materials.
A newly compiled list of foods and drinks commonly consumed in the United States hints at why many adults unknowingly overdo it on saturated fat and added sugar in their daily diet, a new study suggests. Beyond the biggest sources of each dietary category -- cheese for saturated fat and soft drinks for added sugar -- the study identifies a longer list of popular sources that helps explain why it's so hard to limit fat and sugar to the recommended 10% of daily calories.
Establishing Key Biodiversity Areas in the Southern Ocean will be vital for safeguarding the ecosystem from the impact of human activities, researchers say.
Over half of people with iron deficiency were found to still have low iron levels three years after diagnosis, and among patients whose condition was effectively treated within that timeframe, they faced longer-than-expected delays, pointing to substantial gaps in appropriate recognition and efficient treatment of the condition, according to a new study.
Researchers have developed a new two-photon fluorescence microscope that captures high-speed images of neural activity at cellular resolution. By imaging much faster and with less harm to brain tissue than traditional two-photon microscopy, the new approach could provide a clearer view of how neurons communicate in real time, leading to new insights into brain function and neurological diseases.
Europe's abandoned farmlands could find new life through rewilding, a movement to restore ravaged landscapes to their wilderness before human intervention. A quarter of the European continent, 117 million hectares, is primed with rewilding opportunities, researchers report.
A new study found in adult power loom weavers, chronic noise exposure not only increased their blood pressure overall, but also each year of exposure increased their odds of having high blood pressure by 10%.
Middle-aged women who experience work-related stress have a significantly increased risk of future sick leave, a new study shows. Lack of influence and conflicts at work are clear stress factors.
Researchers have developed a new theoretical modelling technique that could potentially be used in the development of switches or amplifiers in molecular electronics.
Researchers have uncovered a significant genetic connection between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and several coronary artery disease (CAD) related disorders and lipid classes, offering opportunities to improve health outcomes across two of the more common causes of death in Australia.
Scientists have restored the brain's waste-clearing process in aging mice, offering potential new treatment for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's using existing drugs.
A new study maps out a detailed atlas of all the cells involved in regenerating the zebrafish spinal cord. In an unexpected finding, the researchers showed that survival and adaptability of the severed neurons themselves is required for full spinal cord regeneration. Surprisingly, the study showed that stem cells capable of forming new neurons play a complementary role but don t lead the process.
A new algorithm may make robots safer by making them more aware of human inattentiveness. In computerized simulations of packaging and assembly lines where humans and robots work together, the algorithm developed to account for human carelessness improved safety by about a maximum of 80% and efficiency by about a maximum of 38% compared to existing methods.
Researchers studying bacteria from freshwater lakes and soil say they have determined a protein's essential role in maintaining the germ's shape. Because the integrity of a bacterial cell's 'envelope' or enclosure is key to its survival, the finding could advance the search for new and better antibiotics.
Researchers have produced a genetic analysis of Lyme disease bacteria that may pave the way for improved diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the tick-borne ailment.
As global warming intensifies, people increasingly suffer from extreme heat. For those working in a high-temperature environment indoors or outdoors, keeping thermally comfortable becomes particularly crucial. A team has now developed thermally-insulated and breathable soft robotic clothing that can automatically adapt to changing ambient temperatures, thereby helping to ensure worker safety in hot environments.
Decades after his voyage on the HMS Beagle, Charles Darwin became fascinated by why plants move as they grow -- spinning and twisting into corkscrews. Now, more than 150 years later, a new study may have solved the riddle.
New international research found that food webs are becoming less complex in warmer, nutrient-rich waters.
A team of physicists envisions a modular system for scaling quantum processors with a flexible way of linking qubits over long distances to enable them to work in concert to perform quantum operations. The ability to carry out such correlated or 'entangling' operations between linked qubits is the basis of the enhanced power quantum computing holds compared with current computers.
A new study has identified new genetic variants associated with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). The results provide new insights into the genetic background of NPH and provide a basis for further research into the specific biological mechanisms underlying the condition.
Scientists have made a breakthrough which could help find new treatments for a deadly infection that can affect up to 40% of hospital patients using mechanical ventilators.
Newborn deaths in sub-Saharan Africa could be reduced by nationally scaling up in-country technologies, a review of 32 years' research has found.
A team of researchers has made strides in understanding the formation of massif-type anorthosites, enigmatic rocks that only formed during the middle part of Earth's history. These plagioclase-rich igneous rock formations, which can cover areas as large as 42,000 square kilometers and host titanium ore deposits, have puzzled scientists for decades due to conflicting theories about their origins.
New research found that brain scans can detect consciousness in some patients with brain injury who are unresponsive. In the study, 241 participants with severe brain injury who do not respond when given a simple instruction were assessed with functional MRI (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG), or both tests, while hearing instructions, such as 'imagine opening and closing your hand.' Their brain responses showed that 25 percent of participants repeatedly followed this instruction covertly over minutes.
Millions of patients worldwide suffer from a chronic itching condition with no identifiable cause -- a condition known as chronic pruritus of unknown origin (CPUO) -- that has no targeted therapies approved to treat it. Many of these patients suffer for years with little relief, but a new study may provide hope for future treatments. Patients were found to have lower than normal levels of metabolite biomarkers in the blood plasma that could point to a cause of their excruciating symptoms.
Venting about your frustrations with one friend to another may feel good, but it doesn't necessarily reduce anger. Experiments showed that people who listened to a friend vent liked and supported that person more than those who were vented about -- but only if the person venting didn't derogate or seem aggressive toward the other friend. Venting might be an effective tool of competition for listeners' affections precisely because it is not readily recognized as a tool of competition.
The remarkable affinity of the microbial enzyme iron nitrogenase for the greenhouse gas CO2 makes it promising for future biotechnologies.
A new milestone has been set for levitated optomechanics as a group of scientists observed the Berry phase of electron spins in nano-sized diamonds levitated in vacuum.
A major international study has explained how bread wheat helped to transform the ancient world on its path to becoming the iconic crop that today helps sustain a global population of eight billion.
A study has uncovered significant findings related to the early sensorimotor features and cognitive abilities of toddlers who are later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Researchers found discrepancies between crash reports and hospital data that might paint an incomplete or inaccurate picture of how crashes impact the safety of child passengers. Enhancing the quality of injury data reported in crash reports can aid researchers in assessing the effectiveness of various transportation safety strategies for children.
New York City neighborhoods subject to higher rates of policing during the Stop and Frisk years also experienced higher burdens of psychiatric hospitalization among their adolescent and young adult residents -- independent of underlying neighborhood socio-economic characteristics.
Ancient fossil beans about the size of modern limes, and among the largest seeds in the fossil record, may provide new insight into the evolution of today's diverse Southeast Asian and Australian rainforests, according to researchers who identified the plants.
They're the little digital tools you can download in a few seconds, but despite their literal size, health and fitness apps pack a real punch when it comes to getting results, say researchers.
A new study comparing expected lifespans among six high-income English-speaking countries found that Australians live the longest while American lifespans faltered over the last three decades.
Researchers have discovered that phenylbutazone, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly prescribed in horses, can affect the ability of a mare's egg cells -- called 'oocytes' -- to become viable embryos, which is a crucial step in assisted reproduction in horses.
A new technique for mechanically manipulating stem cells could lead to new stem cell treatments, which have yet to fulfill their therapeutic potential.
A physician scientist is making strides in understanding the molecular origins of fatty liver disease, a leading cause of liver failure in the United States.
Adolescents were more likely to have consumed alcohol or tried marijuana by age 15 if they had later bedtimes and slept fewer hours during the night during childhood and adolescence, according to a new study.
Using data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have confirmed hydroxyl molecules on the surface of the metallic asteroid Psyche. The presence of hydrated minerals suggests a complex history for Psyche, important context for the NASA spacecraft en route to this interesting asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter.
A new study finds that preterm-born children fit into three profiles, with markedly different results on tests that measure cognition and behavior.
Linked to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases in people, nanoplastics continue to build up, largely unnoticed, in the world's bodies of water. The challenge remains to develop a cost-effective solution to get rid of nanoplastics while leaving clean water behind. That's where Mizzou comes in. Recently, researchers created a new liquid-based solution that eliminates more than 98% of these microscopic plastic particles from water.
An unprecedented study reveals strategy to decrease the burden of alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and other autoimmune conditions.
Chemists developed a way to synthesize complex molecules called oligocyclotryptamines, originally found in plants, which could hold potential as antibiotics, analgesics, or anticancer drugs.
A team has reported the first demonstration of selective electrochemical separation driven by halogen bonding. This was achieved by engineering a polymer that modulates the charge density on a halogen atom when electricity is applied. The polymer then attracts only certain targets -- such as halides, oxyanions, and even organic molecules -- from organic solutions, a feature that has important implications for pharmaceuticals and chemical synthesis processes.
A recent study details how trees in New York City and Boston are more negatively impacted by heat waves and drought than trees of the same species in nearby rural forests. The finding highlights the challenges urban trees face in the context of climate change and underscores the importance of tailored urban forestry management as a tool for protecting tree species and reducing urban heat islands.
The atmosphere within a group can influence the outcome of strategic decision-making, according to a new study. Researchers found that different atmospheres led to people speaking and interacting in different ways that changed how they made sense of the strategy.
Martian landers have been able capture measurements of wind speeds -- some gauging the cooling rate of heated materials when winds blow over them, others using cameras to image 'tell-tales' that blow in the wind -- but there's still room for improvement. Researchers now demonstrate a novel sonic anemometric system featuring a pair of narrow-band piezoelectric transducers to measure the travel time of sound pulses through Martian air. The study accounted for variables including transducer diffraction effects and wind direction.
A computer algorithm has achieved a 98% accuracy in predicting different diseases by analyzing the color of the human tongue. The proposed imaging system can diagnose diabetes, stroke, anemia, asthma, liver and gallbladder conditions, COVID-19, and a range of vascular and gastrointestinal issues, according to new research.
A new type of degenerative brain disease, limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy (LATE), was recognized just a decade or so ago, and remains relatively unknown. In the disease, the TDP-43 protein accumulates particularly in the limbic brain regions, which are also affected in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Accordingly, symptoms of LATE are similar to those of early Alzheimer's, but typically progress more slowly and are milder.
Higher intake of heme iron, the type found in red meat and other animal products -- as opposed to non-heme iron, found mostly in plant-based foods -- was associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a new study. While the link between heme iron and T2D has been reported previously, the study's findings more clearly establish and explain the link.
The smaller carbon footprint, or wheel print, of automatic delivery robots can encourage consumers to use them when ordering food, according to a new study. The suitcase-sized, self-driving electric vehicles are much greener than many traditional food delivery methods because they have low, or even zero, carbon emissions. In this study, participants who had more environmental awareness and knowledge about carbon emissions were more likely to choose the robots as a delivery method. The green influence went away though when people perceived the robots as a high-risk choice -- meaning they worried that their food would be late, cold or otherwise spoiled before it arrived.
A chemical process is the first to make it possible to quickly and easily produce modified peptides with boronic acids. These biologically active peptide boronic acids open up new possibilities in the young research field of synthetic immunology and could go on to be used primarily in immunotherapy.
Researchers established a suite of parameters that can be determined using ultrasound to quantitatively measure different physical characteristics of the lung. The researchers also demonstrated that the parameters can be used to accurately diagnose and assess the severity of lung diseases in an animal model.
A new interpretation of the runic inscription on the Forsa Ring (Forsaringen in Swedish), provides fresh insights into the Viking Age monetary system and represents the oldest documented value record in Scandinavia. The inscription describes how the Vikings handled fines in a flexible and practical manner.
Researchers show that the adaptation of antlions to their ecological niche has also changed their venom. They compared the venom system of antlion and closely related green lacewing larvae. Antlions produce a much more complex venom from three different venom glands than lacewing larvae do. All the venom proteins identified come from the insects themselves, not from symbiotic bacteria. Some of the toxins are new and appear to be unique to antlions. Waiting for their victims in pitfall traps in the sand, antlions can use their venom to immobilize larger prey. The venom therefore plays an important ecological role in adapting to their barren habitat.
A study has shown that different plant species tackle the same evolutionary hurdle in different ways, and the findings may give insight into aggressive forms of cancer.
Food, feed, fiber, and bioenergy: The demand for agricultural raw materials is rising. How can additional cultivation areas be reconciled with nature conservation? Researchers have developed a land-use model that provides answers.
Safeguarding places to hang ten and shoot the curl is an opportunity to simultaneously mitigate climate change, fuel tourism and help surrounding ecosystems, research has shown.
Since its discovery by modern researchers a century ago, an ancient structure known as the 'Christian building' has become widely considered the cornerstone of early Christian architecture. Constructed around 232 C.E. in the ancient city of Dura-Europos, a Roman garrison town in what is now eastern Syria, the building is the only example of a 'house church,' or domus ecclesiae, a domestic space that was renovated for worship by Christians at a time when the open practice of their faith is thought to have made them subject to persecution.
A new study has rewritten the conventionally understood evolutionary history of certain ion channels -- proteins critical for electrical signaling in the nervous system. The study shows that the Shaker family of ion channels were present in microscopic single cell organisms well before the common ancestor of all animals and thus before the origin of the nervous system.
Black soldier flies are now commercially used to consume organic waste -- but genetic modifications proposed by bioscientists could see the insects digesting a wider variety of refuse, while also creating raw ingredients for industry.
Targeting glycolysis can help lower neutrophil extracellular trap formation in antiphospholipid syndrome.
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of nanotechnology. They have developed a novel microscopy method that allows for the unprecedented visualization of nanostructures and their optical properties.
Researchers have used silicon photonic microchip components to perform a quantum sensing technique called atom interferometry, an ultra-precise way of measuring acceleration. It is the latest milestone toward developing a kind of quantum compass for navigation when GPS signals are unavailable.
Researchers have started to unravel the mysteries of how near-horizontal bowling in cricket leads to such tough-to-hit balls. The team employed a wake survey rake device made of multiple tubes designed to capture the pressure downstream of the ball and examined the flow dynamics of cricket balls rotating up to 2,500 rpm in a wind tunnel. The group found that low-pressure zones expanded and intensified near the ball when spinning, while these zones shifted and diminished downstream. At higher spin rates, the low-pressure zone begins to change to a persistent bilobed shape. The results lend support to the theory that these newer bowling techniques tap into the Magnus effect.
Researchers used large language models to efficiently detect anomalies in time-series data, without the need for costly and cumbersome training steps. This method could someday help alert technicians to potential problems in equipment like wind turbines or satellites.
Cell-cell adhesion-induced patterning in keratinocytes can be explained by just starvation and strong adhesion researchers find.
New findings document fewer ship tracks, reduced cloud cover, and boosted warming after ship emissions regulations took effect in 2020.
New research explains the mathematics behind how initial predispositions and additional information affect decision making.
A new study has found that routine lab tests may not be useful in making a long COVID diagnosis for people who have symptoms of the condition. The study highlights how challenging it can be to identify and diagnose a novel illness such as long COVID.
New research shows that programming robots to create their own teams and voluntarily wait for their teammates results in faster task completion, with the potential to improve manufacturing, agriculture and warehouse automation.
Common push puppet toys in the shapes of animals and popular figures can move or collapse with the push of a button at the bottom of the toys' base. Now, a team of engineers has created a new class of tunable dynamic material that mimics the inner workings of push puppets, with applications for soft robotics, reconfigurable architectures and space engineering.
Researchers highlight the roles of carbon dioxide and ocean currents as key drivers of temperature fluctuations in the tropical Andes over a 16,000 year period.
Large Language Models (LLMs) are entirely controllable through human prompts and lack 'emergent abilities'; that is, the means to form their own insights or conclusions. Increasing model size does not lead LLMs to gain emergent reasoning abilities, meaning they will not develop hazardous abilities and therefore do not pose an existential threat. A new study sheds light on the (until now unexplained) capabilities and shortcomings of LLMs, including the need for carefully engineered prompts to exhibit good performance.
Scientists have identified novel genetic variations that influence relapse risk in children with standard risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (SR B-ALL), the most common childhood cancer.
Respiratory infections can be severe, even deadly, in some individuals, but not in others. Scientists have gained new understanding of why this is the case by uncovering an early molecular driver that underpins fatal disease. Oleoyl-ACP-hydrolase (OLAH) is an enzyme involved in fatty acid metabolism. A study shows that OLAH drives severe disease outcomes.
Quakes and meteor impacts on Mars generate seismic waves that can help map the interior. A new study analyzed seismic waves detected by the Insight lander and concludes that 11-20 kilometers beneath the surface, a zone of pores and fractures is filled with liquid water -- more than was thought to fill Mars' surface oceans before they disappeared 3 billion years ago. Though too deep to drill, the reservoir is a possible refuge for life.
Anyone who's tried to neatly gather a fitted sheet can tell you: folding is hard. Get it wrong with your laundry and the result can be a crumpled, wrinkled mess of fabric, but when folding fails among the approximately 7,000 proteins with an origami-like complexity that regulate essential cellular functions, the result can lead to one of a multitude of serious diseases ranging from emphysema and cystic fibrosis to Alzheimer's disease. Fortunately, our bodies have a quality-control system that identifies misfolded proteins and marks them either for additional folding work or destruction, but how, exactly, this quality-control process functions is not entirely known. Researchers have now made a major leap forward in our understanding of how this quality-control system works by discovering the 'hot spot' where all the action takes place.
Forest restoration can benefit humans, boost biodiversity and help tackle climate change simultaneously, new research suggests.
Anti-rejection regimens currently in use are broad immunosuppressive agents that make patients susceptible to infections. By using specific antibodies, it may be possible to just block the inflammation that leads to rejection but leave anti-microbial immunity intact.
In work conducted both at UC Santa Barbara and the Physics of Life Excellence Cluster of TU Dresden, biophysicist Otger Camp s and his research group have found that cell nuclei control the architecture and mechanics of eye and brain tissues during embryonic development. These results add a new role for the cell's nucleus in tissue organization, well beyond its established role in genetic regulation.
Nanotubes can serve as biosensors. They change their fluorescence when they bind to certain molecules. Until now, it was unclear why. Researchers have gained new insights into the cause of the fluorescence.
Methane-oxidizing bacteria could play a greater role than previously thought in preventing the release of climate-damaging methane from lakes, researchers from Bremen report. They also show who is behind the process and how it works.
Women whose Fallopian tubes are removed during sterilization via laparoscopy have only marginally more surgical complications than those whose tubes are simply cut, a study shows. The removal, salpingectomy, is a safe procedure that can help protect against future ovarian cancer, according to a new study.
A new study has identified why a diet rich in magnesium is so important for our health, reducing the risk of DNA damage and chronic degenerative disorders.
Memory loss, confusion, speech problems Alzheimer s disease is the most common cause of dementia, affecting about 35 million people worldwide, and the number is growing. The protein amyloid beta, which occurs naturally in the brain, plays a central role in the disease: It accumulates in patients in insoluble clumps that form plaques between neurons in the brain, damaging them. Researchers have now shown that, in addition to neurons, special glial cells in the brain also produce amyloid beta. This finding could open up new avenues for future therapies.
Mature forests have a key role to play in the fight against climate change -- extracting carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and locking it into new wood.
Despite advancements in clean energy, global CO2 emissions continue to rise. IIASA researchers contributed to a new international study that underscores the importance of integrating technological advancements with robust institutional capacities to formulate effective climate policies.
Elephant conservation is a major priority in southern Africa, but habitat loss and urbanization mean the far-ranging pachyderms are increasingly restricted to protected areas like game reserves. The risk? Contained populations could become genetically isolated over time, making elephants more vulnerable to disease and environmental change.
When clams gamble on living with a killer, sometimes their luck may run out, according to a new study.
Scientists use DNA methylation patterns as a roadmap for identifying causes of severe epilepsies in children.
38 scientists from five continents presented an international consensus on fasting terminology and key definitions. The recent study reflects the increasing popularity of diets tied to fasting and a significant increase in scientific studies of fasting. While the application of fasting is rapidly growing, there was previously no globally established terminology.
Researchers are using mayonnaise to study and address the stability challenges of nuclear fusion by examining the phases of Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Their innovative approach aims to inform the design of more stable fusion capsules, contributing to the global effort to harness clean fusion energy. Their most recent paper explores the critical transitions between elastic and plastic phases in these conditions.
In 2023, roughly 60,000 firework shells exploded above Manhattan's East River as part of Macy's Fourth of July show. The resulting air pollutant levels were many times higher in the hours after the display than those seen when smoke from a Canadian wildfire had blanketed the area a month before, according to the results of a new study.
Grab a drink with friends at happy hour and you're likely to feel chatty, friendly and upbeat. But grab a drink alone and you may experience feelings of depression. Researchers think they now know why this happens.
Researchers have discovered new ways of preventing and treating respiratory viruses. In two new papers, the team reports the development and validation of NanoSTING, a nasal spray, as a broad-spectrum immune activator for controlling infection against multiple respiratory viruses; and the development of NanoSTING-SN, a pan-coronavirus nasal vaccine, that can protect against infection and disease by all members of the coronavirus family.
A new psychology study has revealed regular seasonal shifts in people's moral values. The research analyzed survey responses from more than 230,000 people in the U.S. over 10 years and revealed that people's endorsement of moral values that promote group cohesion and conformity is stronger in the spring and fall than it is in the summer and winter. This has potential implications for politics, law and health -- including the timing of elections and court cases.
Working with human stem cells that form a kind of 'mini intestine-in-a-dish,' scientists say they have found several molecular mechanisms for COVID-19-related diarrhea, suggesting potential ways to control it.
An AI-based analysis of over 2 million hospital visits has found that most of the time, a pneumonia diagnosis made in the hospital will change from a patient's entrance to their discharge -- either because someone who was initially diagnosed with pneumonia ended up with a different final diagnosis, or because a final diagnosis of pneumonia was missed when a patient entered the hospital.
Fur is a defining characteristic of mammals, coming in a wide variety of colors and patterns -- thanks to a world-first study, we now know which genes make a marsupial's coat black or grey.
The world is going to need a lot of weird metals in the coming years, according to chemistry professor. But he isn't talking about lithium, cobalt or even beryllium. He's interested in dysprosium, which is so hidden in the periodic table that you'd be forgiven for thinking he made it up.
Gold does not readily lend itself to being turned into long, thin threads. But researchers have now managed to create gold nanowires and develop soft electrodes that can be connected to the nervous system. The electrodes are soft as nerves, stretchable and electrically conductive, and are projected to last for a long time in the body.
A study reveals that ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets can increase cholesterol levels and reduce beneficial gut bacteria, specifically Bifidobacterium.
The brain chemical orexin is crucial when we choose between sport and the tasty temptations that beckon everywhere we turn. This research finding could also help people who find it difficult to motivate themselves to exercise.
To protect the Amazon and support the wellbeing of its people, its economy needs to shift from environmentally harmful production to a model built around the diversity of indigenous and rural communities, and standing forests.
People with higher levels of metals found in their blood and urine may be more likely to be diagnosed with -- and die from -- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, a new study suggests. Investigators also discovered that participants working in occupations with a higher likelihood of metal exposure had increased levels of metal mixtures in their blood and urine. Researchers say by avoiding high risk activities associated with metal exposures, individuals might lower their overall exposure and potentially mitigate risk.
Can plasma be sufficiently heated inside a tokamak using only microwaves? New research suggests it can! Eliminating the central ohmic heating coil normally used in tokamaks will free up much-needed space for a more compact, efficient spherical tokamak.
The first continent-wide mapping study of plant life across Antarctica reveals growth in previously uncharted areas and is set to inform conservation measures across the region. The satellite survey of mosses, lichens and algae across the continent will form a baseline for monitoring how Antarctica's vegetation responds to climate change.
A new study reports the discovery of extremely rare early human fossils from the Indonesian island of Flores, including an astonishingly small adult limb bone. Dated to about 700,000 years old, the new findings shed light on the evolution of Homo floresiensis, the so-called 'Hobbits' of Flores whose remains were uncovered in 2003 at Liang Bua cave in the island's west.
A protein called Meteorin-like (METRNL) in the tumor microenvironment saps energy from T cells, thereby severely limiting their ability to fight cancer.
A study of horses -- which share many important similarities with humans in their chromosomes and pregnancies -- revealed that 42% of miscarriages and spontaneous abortions in the first two months of pregnancy were due to complications from an extra set of chromosomes, a condition called triploidy.
A new tool to track the neurons and molecules activated in the brain by psychedlic drugs could help scientists unlock the benefits of psychedelic treatments for patients with brain disorders.
A groundbreaking study has revealed that red dwarf stars can produce stellar flares that carry far-ultraviolet (far-UV) radiation levels much higher than previously believed.
Seeds, twigs, and insect parts found under two miles of ice confirm Greenland's ice sheet melted in the recent past, the first direct evidence that the center -- not just the edges -- of the two-mile-deep ice melted away in the recent geological past. The new research indicates that the giant ice sheet is more fragile than scientists had realized until the last few years -- and reveals increased risk of sea-level catastrophe in a warmer future.
In Brazil, climate and other human-made environmental changes threaten decades-long efforts to fight schistosomiasis, a widespread and debilitating parasitic disease. Now, researchers have developed models that can predict how the disease risk will shift in response to environmental changes.
Researchers have discovered a new species of sea star (also known as starfish). The discovery came about thanks to collaborative work among researchers, fishers, and aquarium and museum staff. The starfish, which has been named Paragonaster hoeimaruae, belongs to the family Pseudarchasteridae. It is a distinctive red and beige color, with five arms and spans just over 10 centimeters.
Using state of the art techniques, researchers use vibrations from traffic to measure underground soil moisture.
New findings on how sharks achieve drag reduction could inspire the design of riblets for more efficient aircraft and boats. In their investigation of great white shark denticles, researchers found that ridge height and spacing play crucial roles in drag reduction at different swimming speeds. Higher middle ridges aid sharks in efficient cruising at slower speeds, while the lower side ridges become more critical for drag reduction during high-speed hunting bursts. The analysis also suggests that the speeds of an extinct giant shark, megalodon, may not much differ from those of the white shark.
A new study conducted in Canada's two largest cities has linked about 1,100 premature deaths per year to an unregulated air pollutant. Ultrafine particles (UFPs) primarily come from vehicle emissions and industrial activities. Canada's federal and provincial governments have not set concentration limits for UFPs, as they have for larger fine particles known as PM2.5.
Researchers send entangled photons and laser pulses of the same color over a single optical fiber for the first time.
Computational modeling shows that plate tectonics weren't necessary for early continents.
A team developed a new microscopy technique that uses electrical pulses to track the nanosecond dynamics within a material that is known to form charge density waves. Controlling these waves may lead to faster and more energy-efficient electronics.
If you enjoy a bowl of plain yogurt in the morning, adding a spoonful of honey is a delicious way to sweeten your favorite breakfast food. It also supports the probiotic cultures in the popular fermented dairy product, according to two new studies.
A new study reveals that a changing Africa is creating avenues of empowerment for Maasai women.
Investigators identified a chemokine/chemokine receptor mismatch for osteosarcoma (i.e., osteosarcomas secrete chemokines for which CAR T cells do not express receptors). The researchers modified CAR T cells targeting the osteosarcoma antigen B7-H3 to express CXCR2 or CXCR6 receptors, which recognize chemokines (CXCL8 or CXCL16) secreted by osteosarcoma.
Scientists from across academic disciplines are extremely concerned about climate change. Many of them have already changed their own lifestyles or engaged in advocacy and protest, with even more being willing to do so in future. This is evident from a large-scale survey of scientists from all over the world.
Checking whether an avocado is hard or soft by looking at it? This would require recognizing how the plant cells behave behind the skin. The same applies to all other cells on our planet: Despite more than 100 years of intensive research, many of their properties remain hidden inside the cell. Researchers now describe a new approach that can determine the particularly difficult-to-detect mechanical properties of the cell interior by taking a closer look.
A new review article outlines the genetic, neurobiological, and environmental foundations for schizophrenia.
Researchers analyzed dozens of previous studies into long COVID to examine the number and range of people affected, the underlying mechanisms of disease, the many symptoms that patients develop, and current and future treatments.
The rising earth beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet will likely become a major factor in future sea level rise, a new study suggests.
A new study suggests that Earth's natural forces could substantially reduce Antarctica's impact on rising sea levels, but only if carbon emissions are swiftly reduced in the coming decades. By the same token, if emissions continue on the current trajectory, Antarctic ice loss could lead to more future sea level rise than previously thought.
Scientists say they have identified the main process that formed the moon's atmosphere and continues to sustain it today. The team reports that the lunar atmosphere is primarily a product of 'impact vaporization.'
Known for their role in allergic reactions, mast cells have long been recognised as key players in our immune system. When they encounter allergens, they release chemicals that trigger typical allergy symptoms such as tissue swelling and inflammation. Now, researchers have discovered a hidden talent of mast cells: they can capture and use another type of immune cell called neutrophils. This surprising discovery sheds new light on how our immune system works, particularly during allergic reactions.
New research shows that many people believe they may be judged if they share mistaken beliefs with their care team -- and that doctors really do take strongly negative views of patients who disclose incorrect or unreasonable beliefs.
Antarctic dwelling single-celled microorganisms called archaea can behave like parasites, new research shows.
Aerosol particles imbue climate models with uncertainty. New work reveals where in the world and under what conditions new particles are born.
A new study has found that Native Hawaiians experience higher accelerated biological aging in comparison to White and Japanese American residents.
A tiny fossil penguin plays a huge role in the evolutionary history of the bird, an international study shows.
Unravelling the complexities of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in cancer biology has positioned scientists on the cusp of revolutionary breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. A new study predicts remarkable potential for circular RNAs to improve cancer treatment and patient outcomes within the next 5-10 years.
Shifts in the Earth's continental plates that drove long-term changes in sea level set the stage for the evolution of the earliest animals on Earth, a study suggests.
A new study highlights how a combination of environmental stressors -- namely plastic pollution and seawater flooding -- can increase the threats faced by plants in some of the planet's critical ecosystems. It showed that both stressors had some effects on the species tested, but being exposed to both microplastics and flooding together -- a threat likely to increase as a result of climate change and plastic use -- had a more pronounced impact on their resource allocation.
Innovative new research has revealed that the activity of different versions of genes expressed in the brain is associated with the accumulation of the protein tau, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.
A breakthrough lays the foundations for vaccine development and for testing new preventative measures against the neglected tropical disease leishmaniasis.
Despite their famously fancy feathers, flamingos don't spent more time preening than other waterbirds, new research shows.
Scientists confirmed that much of ozone's increase in the upper troposphere is likely due to humans. A team detected a clear signal of human influence on upper tropospheric ozone trends in a 17-year satellite record starting in 2005.
The origins of life remain a major mystery. How were complex molecules able to form and remain intact for prolonged periods without disintegrating? A team has demonstrated a mechanism that could have enabled the first RNA molecules to stabilize in the primordial soup. When two RNA strands combine, their stability and lifespan increase significantly.
Wild boars and red junglefowl gave rise to common pigs and chickens. These animals' genes evolved to express themselves differently, leading to signatures of domestication -- such as weaker bones and better viral resistance -- in pigs and chickens, according to a research team.
Eye-tracking allows studying aspects that cannot be seen, for example, the thinking processes of a student solving a mathematical problem. Researchers have integrated eye-tracking into education and are using the technology to radically improve the teaching of mathematics.
When two people interact, their brain activity becomes synchronized, but it was unclear until now to what extent this 'brain-to-brain coupling' is due to linguistic information or other factors, such as body language or tone of voice. Researchers report that brain-to-brain coupling during conversation can be modeled by considering the words used during that conversation, and the context in which they are used.
Researchers investigated the environmental costs of AI, including energy consumption of AI systems in the medical field, carbon emissions of data centers, and electronic waste issues. Specific solutions to mitigate these environmental impacts were discussed, including the development of energy-efficient AI models, the implementation of green computing, and the use of renewable energy.
Researchers have discovered a new correlation between neural signaling in the brain and dopamine signaling in the striatum. The human brain requires fast neural signal processing in a short period of less than a second. Dopamine is known to have the strongest effect on brain neural signals, but the research team's newly developed 'optical neural chip-based multiple brain signal monitoring technology' shows that changes in dopamine signals within the physiological range do not affect brain neural signal processing.
Researchers have developed new real-time microscopy technology and successfully observed the behavior of 'motor proteins', which may hold the key to unraveling the efficient material transport strategy of cells.
Snacks provide, on average, about one-fourth of most people's daily calories. With nearly one in three adults in the United States overweight and more than two in five with obesity, researchers are investigating how Americans can snack smarter.
A drug that was developed to treat pancreatic cancer has now been shown to increase symptom-free survival in preclinical medulloblastoma models -- all without showing signs of toxicity.
As they are in many places around the globe, glaciers perched high in the Andes Mountains are shrinking. Now, researchers have uncovered evidence that the high-altitude tropical ice fields are likely smaller than they've been at any time since the last ice age ended 11,700 years ago.
Researchers have developed a way to study aged neurons in the lab without a brain biopsy, allowing them to accurately model the effects of aging in the development of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. By studying these cells, the researchers identified aspects of cells' genomes -- called retrotransposable elements, which change their activity as we age -- in the development of late-onset Alzheimer's disease. The findings suggest new treatment strategies targeting these factors.
New research suggests that an El Nino event may have aided the establishment and spread of a novel cholera strain during an early 20th-century pandemic, supporting the idea that climate anomalies could create opportunities for the emergence of new cholera strains.
Humans and baker's yeast have more in common than meets the eye, including an important mechanism that helps ensure DNA is copied correctly, reports a pair of studies. The findings visualize for the first time a molecular complex -- called CTF18-RFC in humans and Ctf18-RFC in yeast -- that loads a 'clamp' onto DNA to keep parts of the replication machinery from falling off the DNA strand.
A new small study has revealed the impact of obesity on muscle structure in patients having a form of heart failure called heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).
Exceptional fossils with preserved soft parts reveal that the earliest mollusks were flat, armored slugs without shells. The new species, Shishania aculeata, was covered with hollow, organic, cone-shaped spines. The fossils preserve exceptionally rare detailed features which reveal that these spines were produced using a sophisticated secretion system that is shared with annelids (earthworms and relatives).
Thermometer, a new calibration technique tailored for large language models, can prevent LLMs from being overconfident or underconfident about their predictions. The technique aims to help users know when a model should be trusted.
A research team has recently demonstrated that analog hardware using ECRAM devices can maximize the computational performance of artificial intelligence, showcasing its potential for commercialization.
Commercially important marine fish and invertebrate species will likely shift northwards under a warmer climate, according to new research.
Scientists have hypothesized that moir excitons -- electron-hole pairs confined in moir interference fringes which overlap with slightly offset patterns -- may function as qubits in next-generation nano-semiconductors. However, due to diffraction limits, it has not been possible to focus light enough in measurements, causing optical interference from many moir excitons. To solve this, researchers have developed a new method of reducing these moir excitons to measure the quantum coherence time and realize quantum functionality.
Controlling the crystal phase of cobalt nanoparticles leads to exceptional catalytic performance in hydrogenation processes, scientists report. Produced via an innovative hydrosilane-assisted synthesis method, these phase-controlled reusable nanoparticles enable the selective hydrogenation of various compounds under mild conditions without the use of harmful gases like ammonia. These efforts could lead to more sustainable and efficient catalytic processes across many industrial fields.
Strokes lead to irreversible damage to the brain and are one of the most common causes of dependency or death. As the cellular reactions to a cerebral infarction are not yet fully understood, there is a lack of possible approaches to promote the regeneration of damaged nerve tissue in the brain. A new study closes crucial gaps in our knowledge and paves the way for research into new, targeted therapeutic strategies.
A new study places the origin of the Imazighen in the Epipaleolithic, more than twenty thousand years ago. The research concludes that the genetic origin of the current Arab population of north Africa is far more recent than previously believed, placing it in the seventh century AD. The team has designed an innovative demographic model that uses artificial intelligence to analyze the complete genomes of the two populations.
A new 3D printing method developed by engineers is so simple that it uses a polymer ink and salt water solution to create solid structures. The work has the potential to make materials manufacturing more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Higher levels of urinary metals such as cadmium, tungsten, uranium, cobalt, copper and zinc are linked to increased cardiovascular disease and mortality in a racially and ethnically diverse U.S. population, according to a new study.
Highly localized TB strains are less infectious in cosmopolitan cities and more likely to infect people from the geographic area that is the strain's natural habitat. The research provides the first controlled evidence that TB strains may evolve with their human hosts, adapting to be more infectious to specific populations. The findings offer new clues for tailoring preventive treatments after exposure to TB based on affinity between strains host populations.
To diagnose heart conditions including heart attacks and heart rhythm disturbances, clinicians typically rely on 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECGs) -- complex arrangements of electrodes and wires placed around the chest and limbs to detect the heart's electrical activity. But these ECGs require specialized equipment and expertise, and not all clinics have the capability to perform them. Scientists showed that, with help from an AI tool, cardiologists can diagnose heart attacks using a simpler, easier and more accessible electrocardiogram technology.
Identifying interventions that could increase vaccine coverage could help save lives. A new paper offers a comprehensive meta-analysis examining what types of vaccination intervention strategies have the greatest effect, and whether different intervention strategies work better in different countries.
Food in hospitals often does not enjoy a good reputation. The proportion of meat on the plate in particular is too high. Clinics can do a lot to motivate patients to choose a healthier menu, as two new studies show.
Photovoltaic (PV) technologies, which convert light into electricity, are increasingly applied worldwide to generate renewable energy. Researchers have now developed a molecular treatment that significantly enhances the efficiency and durability of perovskite solar cells. Their breakthrough will potentially accelerate the large-scale production of this clean energy.
Geosmin is a volatile compound of microbial origin with a distinct 'earthy' to 'musty' odor that can affect the quality of water and food. A research team has now identified and characterized the human odorant receptor for geosmin for the first time.
Researchers develop a nanosensing platform that can assess the quality of individual viral vector particles Viral vectors hold much potential for gene editing and gene therapy, but there is a pressing need to develop quality control methods to minimize potential side effects on patients. Addressing this, researchers from Japan developed a nanosensing-based approach that can differentiate between functional and faulty viral vectors at the single-particle level. This convenient and inexpensive technique will hopefully get us one step closer to advancing treatments for genetic disorders.
Scientists uncover a pivotal enzyme, XccOpgD, and its critical role in synthesizing C G16, a key compound used by Xanthomonas pathogens to enhance their virulence against plants. This breakthrough opens new avenues for developing targeted pesticides that combat plant diseases without harming beneficial organisms. Insights into XccOpgD's enzymatic mechanism and optimal conditions offer promising prospects for sustainable agriculture, bolstering crop resilience and global food security while minimizing environmental impact.
Recently, researchers developed a non-invasive method combining electrical impedance tomography and extracellular voltage activation to evaluate drug effects on ion channels. The resulting printed circuit board sensor allows real-time monitoring of how newly developed drugs can affect ion flow in channels, providing a cost-effective and accurate alternative to traditional methods like patch-clamp techniques and paving the way toward more efficient and shorter preclinical testing in the drug discovery process.
Fewer side effects, improved chances of healing: the goal of precision medicine is to provide patients with the most individualized treatment possible. This requires a precise understanding of what is happening at the cellular level. Researchers have now succeeded in mapping the interactions of 144 active substances with around 8,000 proteins. The results could help to identify previously unknown potential benefits of existing drugs.
Companies and institutes are currently working on biotechnological processes for the production of 'dairy products' without the use of cows: In so-called precision fermentation, egg and milk proteins are produced with the help of bacteria, yeasts or other fungi. This results in foods such as milk or cheese with a familiar flavor and texture. Supporters hope that this will lead to more sustainable food production, as nutrient-rich proteins can be produced using fewer resources. But will consumers accept such products?
Judging how happy you are could backfire and negatively impact life satisfaction and psychological well-being, according to new research.
High blood pressure affects about 45% of U.S. adults. In the 1970s, only about 50% of patients were aware of their hypertension. Today, 54% are aware of their high blood pressure, 40% are actively treated and 21% are actively controlled. As such, researchers alert health care providers that the old 'silent killer' is alive and well. Healthy individuals should have a systolic blood pressure of 130 mmHg or less, and a diastolic blood pressure of 80 mmHg or less.
Researchers offer a new perspective on antifragility, proposing a unified framework for understanding the property across different complex systems.
Researchers have developed a new model to explain the formation of giant planets such as Jupiter, which furnishes deeper insights into the processes of planet formation and could expand our understanding of planetary systems.
What if the 'Market Economy' always existed? Archaeologists tried to answer this question by researching how much Bronze Age people used to spend to sustain their daily lives. Their results show that, starting at least 3,500 years ago, the spending habits of prehistoric Europeans were not substantially different from what they are today.
Hotter conditions prevent two tiny organisms working together for mutual benefit, new research shows.
In a study of more than 100,000 people, researchers found that people with a less healthy lifestyle (higher BMI, greater smoking, greater alcohol consumption, less physical activity, poorer diet quality) had a greater reduction in risk of colorectal cancer associated with aspirin use, compared to participants with a healthier lifestyle. Participants with a healthier lifestyle had a lower baseline risk of colorectal cancer, and their benefit was less pronounced. The study's findings could encourage a more nuanced approach to preventive aspirin use.
Thanks to an accidental discovery, researchers have created a new super-black material that absorbs almost all light, opening potential applications in fine jewelry, solar cells and precision optical devices.
Lung diseases kill millions of people around the world each year. Treatment options are limited, and animal models for studying these illnesses and experimental medications are inadequate. Now, researchers describe their success in creating a mucus-based bioink for 3D printing lung tissue. This advance could one day help study and treat chronic lung conditions.
Researchers have designed a protocol for harnessing the power of quantum sensors. The protocol could give sensor designers the ability to fine-tune quantum systems to sense signals of interest, creating sensors that are vastly more sensitive than traditional sensors.
Scientists have revealed that injury dressings found in first-aid kits can reliably be used to identify shark species involved in bite incidents by deploying medical gauze to gather DNA samples from aquatic equipment, such as surfboards.
Remote and hybrid working may be great for employees' work-life balance, but it may be stifling innovation, according to new research.
Physicists have been exploring the theoretical possibility of spaceships driven by compressing the four-dimensional spacetime for decades. Although this so-called 'warp drive' originates from the realm of science fiction, it is based on concrete descriptions in general relativity. A new study takes things a step further -- simulating the gravitational waves such a drive might emit if it broke down.
Scientists are using new technology to help endangered animals by listening to their sounds.
Modern cutting-edge research generates enormous amounts of data, presenting scientists with the challenge of visualizing and analyzing it. Researchers have developed a tool for visualizing large data sets. The sCIRCLE tool allows users to explore single-cell analysis data in an interactive and user-friendly way.
Companies may unintentionally hurt their sales by including the words 'artificial intelligence' when describing their offerings that use the technology, according to a recent study. Researchers conducted experimental surveys with more than 1,000 adults in the U.S. to evaluate the relationship between AI disclosure and consumer behavior. The findings consistently showed products described as using artificial intelligence were less popular.
'Holiday' or 'vacation', 'to start' or 'to begin', 'my friend's cat' or 'the cat of my friend' -- in our language, there are different ways of expressing the same things and concepts. But can the choice of a particular variant determine whether we prefer to cooperate with certain people rather than with others? A research team investigated this and showed that people are more likely to co-operate with others if they make similar linguistic choices in a conversation. The experiment suggests that the decisive factor is probably the feeling of belonging to the same social group.
The Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ2) was used to investigate how medical interventions influence the individual birth experience. The overall experience was rated positively.
By diving into the sun's corona, NASA's Parker Solar Probe has ruled out S-shaped bends in the sun's magnetic field as a cause of the corona's searing temperatures.
Researchers have modified certain bacteria with UV light so that they produce more cellulose. The basis for this is a new approach with which the researchers generate thousands of bacterial variants and select those that have developed into the most productive.
Which packaging type for a 12-ounce, single-serve container of orange juice would you choose as the most sustainable option: Aluminum/canned, made with recycled material; Carton, described as biodegradable/compostable; Glass, 100% recyclable; or Plastic, described as biodegradable/compostable? If you were like the U.S. consumers surveyed by food scientists you'd prefer glass and believe it was the most sustainable choice. And you all would be mistaken.
MicroRNAs can make plants more capable of withstanding drought, salinity, pathogens and more. However, in a recent study scientists showed just how much we didn't know about the intricate processes plants use to produce them.
July 22, 2024, was the hottest day on record, according to a NASA analysis of global daily temperature data. July 21 and 23 of this year also exceeded the previous daily record, set in July 2023. These record-breaking temperatures are part of a long-term warming trend driven by human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases.
Monarch butterflies in Northern California are adapting to a changing climate by embracing an unexpected strategy: breeding in the winter. The shift could be key to the survival of the iconic insect, according to a new study.
Research shows that the physical activities we do as we go about our lives, at work or in the home, aren't enough to protect us from having a stroke. However, exercising in our free time and using active modes of transport are associated with a decreased risk of stroke.
Sapphires are among the most precious gems, yet they consist solely of chemically 'contaminated' aluminum oxide, or corundum. It is widely assumed that these crystals with their characteristically blue color come from deep crustal rocks and accidentally ended up on the Earth's surface as magma ascended. Geoscientists have now been able to show that the sapphire grains found in the Eifel (Germany) formed in association with volcanism.
An iron-binding drug that is already approved for treatment of other diseases could provide a novel way to attack ovarian tumors, according to a new study. The preclinical study combined the analysis of human ovarian tumors and animal models of the disease.
A canine gallbladder disease that involves the accumulation of abnormal mucus similar to that seen in human cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is caused by improper expression of the gene associated with CF in humans. The finding could have implications for human CF patients as well as for animal models of CF.
New research using live mouse-adapted influenza virus improves upon previous mouse experiments to explain how maternal infection impacts fetal brain development. The study also indicates fetal brain changes are more likely once the severity of the mother's infection meets a specific threshold.
Inspired by the paper-folding art of origami, engineers have discovered a way to make a single plastic cubed structure transform into more than 1,000 configurations using only three active motors.
A team of researchers has designed a molecule that impairs signaling mediated by two key drivers of cancer therapy resistance.
Cotton is woven into the very fabric of our lives, from soft T-shirts to comfortable jeans and cozy bedsheets. It's the world's leading renewable textile fiber and the backbone of a global industry worth billions. As climate change intensifies, cotton farmers face increasing challenges from drought and heat. However, new research offers hope for developing more resilient varieties that can maintain high yields even under water-stressed conditions.
A new study found that adults with chronic pain are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression than people without chronic pain, yet they access mental health care at lower rates and are less likely to have their mental health needs met in treatment.
Researchers have developed a self-powered 'bug' that can skim across the water, and they hope it will revolutionize aquatic robotics.
Emphasizing local food production over imported substitutes can lead to significant cost and carbon savings, according to data from the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the Canadian Arctic. The research shows potential annual savings of more than 3.1 million Canadian dollars and roughly half the carbon emissions when locally harvested food is used instead of imported food. The study underscores the importance of climate change policies that take local food systems into account. Weakening of these local systems could lead to increased emissions and jeopardize the health and food security of remote communities.
California needs urgent and bold measures to adapt its $59 billion agriculture sector to climate change as the amount of water available for crops declines, according to a new report. The report provides a roadmap for more water capture, storage, and distribution systems that are in harmony with climate projections and ecosystems. It further considers how runoff and groundwater can be used repeatedly as it flows generally from mountainsides to coastal lands.
A large trial of strategies to reduce distracted driving showed that those that were 'gamified' yielded a lasting reduction in handheld phone usage while driving.
Researchers have developed a means to realize cold-atom integrated nanophotonic circuits.
Researchers who study belief dynamics often use analogies to understand and model the complex cognitive-social systems that underlie why we believe the things we do and how those beliefs can change over time. Ideas can be transmitted like a virus, for instance, 'infecting' a population as they spread from person to person. We might be drawn -- like magnets -- to others with a similar worldview. A society's beliefs can shift slowly before reaching a tipping point that thrusts society into a new phase. A new article explores the benefits -- and potential pitfalls -- of several common analogies used to model belief dynamics.
The atmosphere, the ocean and life on Earth interacted over the past 500-plus million years in ways that improved conditions for early organisms to thrive. Now, an interdisciplinary team of scientists has produced a perspective article of this co-evolutionary history.
Researchers have found a link between following a diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially one without much added sugar, and having a younger biological age at the cellular level.
A research team has shown that a wearable, non-invasive device can measure activity in human cervical nerves in clinical settings. The results could help medical professionals tailor treatments for inflammatory conditions like sepsis and PTSD.
A study opens new perspectives to better understand how the molecular mechanisms involved in regenerative medicine work. The study focuses on tumor necrosis factor- (TNF- ) and its receptors TNFR, molecules of key interest in biomedicine due to their involvement in multiple diseases such as obesity related to type 2 diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel disease and several types of cancer.
Hair follicle infections are often difficult to treat because bacteria settle in the gap between hair and skin, where it is difficult for active substances to reach them. In order to investigate this scenario more closely in the laboratory, researchers have now developed a model with human hair follicles embedded in a matrix produced using 3D printing. In the future, this model can be used to test the effectiveness of new drug candidates against corresponding pathogens directly on human follicles.
The processes in the brain and body through which physical exercise reduces depressive symptoms have been explored.
Humanity must rethink migration as the climate crisis drives rapid global changes, researchers say.
Researchers uncover a rapid, efficient and environmentally friendly method for selective lithium recovery using microwave radiation and a readily biodegradable solvent.
Losing someone close, like a family member, can make you age faster. The study found that people who lost a parent, partner, sibling, or child, showed signs of older biological age compared to those who hadn't experienced such losses.
Scientists have developed the R-EDByUS score, a new model predicting neurological outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients using prehospital data only. The model allows for rapid decision-making upon hospital arrival, enhancing patient care and resource allocation. This innovation marks a significant advancement in emergency medical treatment.
A new generation of specialty optical fibers has been developed by physicists to cope with the challenges of data transfer expected to arise in the future age of quantum computing.
For people moving through the Bronx at different times, exposure to particulate matter 2.5 microns or bigger rises by about 2.4 percent when daily travel patterns are taken into account, according to a new study.
Researchers argue that, in some situations where machine-learning models are used to allocate scarce resources or opportunities, randomizing decisions in a structured way may lead to fairer outcomes.
Researchers have achieved a significant breakthrough that could lead to better -- and greener -- agricultural chemicals and everyday products. Using a process that combines natural enzymes and light, the team developed an eco-friendly way to precisely mix fluorine, an important additive, into chemicals called olefins -- hydrocarbons used in a vast array of products, from detergents to fuels to medicines. This groundbreaking method offers an efficient new strategy for creating high-value chemicals with potential applications in agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, renewable fuels, and more.
New therapy uses synthetic nanofibers to mimic the natural signaling of a protein that is crucial for cartilage formation and maintenance. Researchers found that intensifying the motion of molecules within the nanofibers led to more components needed for regeneration. After just four hours, the treatment activated the gene expression necessary to generate cartilage. Therapy could be used to treat osteoarthritis, which affects nearly 530 million people worldwide.
Using data from 6,645 camera traps across the United States, researchers mapped populations of 25 mammal species. They determined that climate, not human activity, was the primary factor in mammals deciding where to live.
Scientists have identified an automatic behavior in flies that helps them assess wind conditions -- its presence and direction -- before deploying a strategy to follow a scent to its source. The fact that they can do this is surprising -- can you tell if there's a gentle breeze if you stick your head out of a moving car? Flies aren't just reacting to an odor with a preprogrammed response: they are responding in context-appropriate manner. This knowledge potentially could be applied to train more sophisticated algorithms for scent-detecting drones to find the source of chemical leaks.
The brain contains many cell types, from the prominent neurons to the lesser-known microglia. The latter are integral to the brain's immune system and play a crucial role as the brain's cleanup crew. A recent study highlights that microglia establish connections with neurons through tunneling nanotubes. The researchers observed that microglia utilize these tubes to facilitate the clearance of toxic proteins from neurons and to promote neuronal health.
Researchers explain a new mechanism for ice formation. Ice can form near the free surface of a water droplet via small precursors with a structure resembling ice 0. These are readily formed by negative pressure effects due to surface tension, creating ring-like structures with the same characteristics as ice 0, which act as seeds for nucleation, providing a mechanism for the bulk formation of ice.
Lampreys are one of only two living jawless vertebrates Jaws are formed by a key stem cell population called the neural crest New research reveals the gene regulatory changes that may explain morphological differences between jawed and jawless vertebrates.
Engineering researchers have demonstrated a state-of-the-art hardware device that could reduce energy consumption for artificial intelligent (AI) computing applications by a factor of at least 1,000.
When doctors sit at hospitalized patients' bedsides, it can have a more positive impact than if they stand, a review of data suggests -- but a new study seeks to find out for sure.
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a severe neurological disease for which there is presently no cure, although current therapies can alleviate symptoms. In the search for better treatment options, scientists are now drawing attention to previously unnoticed abnormalities in embryonic development. They base their argument on studies of so-called organoids: Laboratory-grown tissue cultures that can reconstruct disease processes.
Mammals that have evolved more developed brains tend to have a smaller size difference between males and females of that species, according to new research.
A new study finds disproportionate effects of temperature shifts on an icy glacier layer.
A new study adds to evidence which suggests treating breast cancer patients with sodium channel blockers could be a promising future treatment to prevent the spread of cancer during the gap between diagnosis and surgery.
Aerosol scientists quantify the extent of light absorption by black carbon in fire clouds to better model climate impacts of extreme wildfire events.
3D-printed blood vessels, which closely mimic the properties of human veins, could transform the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Strong, flexible, gel-like tubes -- created using a novel 3D printing technology -- could improve outcomes for heart bypass patients by replacing the human and synthetic veins currently used in surgery to re-route blood flow, experts say.
Scientists have discovered a new evasion strategy used by the varicella zoster virus, which causes chickenpox and shingles, that may allow it to affect tissues far from the original site of infection.
A new mathematical method, validated with experimental animal data, provides a fast, reliable and minimally invasive way of determining how to treat critical blood pressure changes during surgery or intensive care.
A gentle rumble ran under a researcher's feet as a rocket carrying her research -- live, human muscle cells grown on scaffolds fixed on tiny chips -- lifted off, climbed, and disappeared into the sky to the International Space Station National Laboratory. These chips would help her better understand muscle impairment, often seen in astronauts and older adults, and test drugs to counter the condition.
Newly announced research examining greenhouse gas emissions from the drying lake bed of Great Salt Lake, Utah, calculates that 4.1 million tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases were released in 2020. This research suggests that drying lake beds are an overlooked but potentially significant source of greenhouse gases, which may further increase due to climate change.
Engineers discovered that when the aluminum in soda cans is purified and mixed with seawater, the solution produces hydrogen -- which can power an engine or fuel cell without generating carbon emissions. The reaction can be sped up by adding caffeine.
In a rigorous medical records study covering tens of thousands of patients, researchers conclude that some patients with preoperative anemia have better outcomes if they get iron infusions before surgery rather than standard red blood cell transfusions.
A new method to measure the continuous spectrum of light is set to improve thermal imaging and infrared thermography.
Coffee beans consumed across the globe come from two species: Coffea arabica and Coffea canephora. By 2050, about 80% of Arabica production is predicted to decrease because of climate change. Researchers are investigating to see if they can find alternative coffee cultivars.
A noninvasive colorectal cancer screening test that can be done at home could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer death by 33%, according to a new study.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is hot right now. Also hot: the data centers that power the technology. And keeping those centers cool requires a tremendous amount of energy. The problem is only going to grow as high-powered AI-based computers and devices become commonplace. That's why researchers are devising a new type of cooling system that promises to dramatically reduce energy demands.
Scientists have discovered that electrical currents may make Natural Killer (NK) cells -- our very own cancer-killing immune cells -- even better killers, which could have significant implications for treating some cancers. The scientists found that Tumour Treating Fields (TTF) in the laboratory (which mimic exposure of brain tumors to electric currents via a simple hat worn by patients) evoked an even more deadly response from NK cells. They hope their promising findings may open the door to new combined therapies for people living with certain brain tumors, such as glioblastoma.
Researchers have developed a material that shows a remarkable ability to convert sunlight and water into clean energy.
Tackling a long-time mystery, scientists have found that the turbulent movements of air in clouds play a key role in the growth of water droplets and the initiation of rain. The research can improve computer model simulations of weather and climate and ultimately lead to better forecasts.
New research shows that a certain bug, Alcaligenes faecalis (A. faecalis), can facilitate healing of hard-to-treat wounds among people with diabetes. While there are many studies done on potentially harmful bacteria in wounds, the researchers discovered that A. faecalis, a bacterium found in many types of chronic wounds, actually boosts healing of diabetic wounds. The researchers found that the beneficial bacterium can promote skin cell movements that are essential for wound closure by inhibiting enzymes that are over-produced in people with diabetes.
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed an array that assesses methylation levels of genes located in imprint control regions (ICRs) within the human genome. The array represents a cost-effective, efficient method for exploring potential links between environmental exposures and epigenetic dysregulation during the early developmental origins of diseases and behavioral disorders.
Over the last century, a once-deadly mosquito-borne virus has evolved so that it no longer sickens humans. New research shows that changes in the virus's ability to target human cells paralleled the decline in illness and death. The findings offer important lessons in virology that may help guide better preparedness for future outbreaks of other viral diseases.
Researchers are proposing a new way to curb industrial emissions, by tapping into the 'atomic intelligence' of liquid metals to deliver greener and more sustainable chemical reactions.
New research shows California's Central Valley, known as America's breadbasket, gets as much as half of its groundwater from the Sierra Nevadas. This is significant for a farming region that, in some parts, relies almost entirely on groundwater for irrigation.
Researchers have developed somersaulting spin qubits for universal quantum logic. This achievement may enable efficient control of large semiconductor qubit arrays. The research group recently published their demonstration of hopping spins and somersaulting spins.
Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in developing a new gene therapy approach that restores full-length dystrophin protein, which could lead to new treatments for people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
The reactivity of zirconium on silicon nitride enhances the conversion of propane into propylene, a key commodity chemical needed to make polypropylene. This finding hints at the reactivity researchers might achieve with other nontraditional catalysts.
For patients with Afib, using a wearable device can lead to higher rates of anxiety about their Afib symptoms and treatment, doctor visits, and use of informal healthcare resources, according to a new study.
A research team is tackling the environmental issue of efficiently recycling lithium ion batteries amid their increasing use.
Government agencies, insurance companies and disaster planners rely on national flood risk models from the private sector that aren't reliable at smaller levels such as neighborhoods and individual properties, according to researchers.
The praying mantis is one of the few insects with compound eyes and the ability to perceive 3D space. Engineers are replicating their visual systems to make machines see better.
New research has found that specific genes may be related to the trajectory of recovery for stroke survivors, providing doctors insights useful for developing targeted therapies.
Engineers have shown that something as simple as the flow of air through open-cell foam can be used to perform digital computation, analog sensing and combined digital-analog control in soft textile-based wearable systems.
The team verified that microbes found in Yellowstone National Park hot springs produce methane to grow.
People with high levels of body fat stored in their belly or arms may be more likely to develop diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's than people with low levels of fat in these areas, according to new research. The study also found that people with a high level of muscle strength were less likely to develop these diseases than people with low muscle strength.
Tweaking the numbers of receptors in a key brain area changes the daily rhythms of rest and wake in mice.
In mice with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), increasing ketone supply to the heart allowed their hearts to utilize more ketones and produce more energy.
Current medical guidelines recommend that people in a preliminary stage of type 2 diabetes lose at least 7 percent of their body weight in order to prevent manifest diabetes. Diabetes experts advocate glycemic remission (normalization of blood sugar regulation) as a prevention goal for people with prediabetes or a high risk of type 2 diabetes. The article's claim is supported by numerous international scientists as well as by the DZD's Prevention Academy.Current medical guidelines recommend that people in a preliminary stage of type 2 diabetes lose at least 7 percent of their body weight in order to prevent manifest diabetes. In an article in 'Nature Reviews Endocrinology,' diabetes experts Prof. Andreas Birkenfeld and Prof. Viswanathan Mohan advocate glycemic remission (normalization of blood sugar regulation) as a prevention goal for people with prediabetes or a high risk of type 2 diabetes. The article's claim is supported by numerous international scientists as well as by the DZD's Prevention Academy.
Researchers reveal there are an estimated 400 billion microplastic fibers on the surface of Frenchman Bay, which borders Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park in Maine, and several connected rivers and estuaries where freshwater from rivers meet salty seawater. The watershed contains an average of 1.8 fibers per liter of water. The team also investigated how microplastics traveled throughout the watershed by sampling water from nine sites on Mount Desert Island, particularly within Bar Harbor.
An interdisciplinary team of physicians and scientists show for the first time that a blood protein called fibrin blocks an essential biological process that drives brain development in early life. They identified a root cause of developmental delays that result from brain bleeds in premature infants, opening a path for new therapeutic strategies to counter long-term health risks.
Astronomers have untangled a messy collision between two massive clusters of galaxies in which the clusters' vast clouds of dark matter have decoupled from the so-called normal matter.
A new machine-learning model can identify the stage of disease in ductal carcinoma in situ, a type of preinvasive tumor that can sometimes progress to a deadly form of breast cancer. This could help clinicians avoid overtreating patients whose disease is unlikely to progress.
Researchers are working to create the first strain of mice that's genetically susceptible to late-onset Alzheimer's, with potentially transformative implications for dementia research.
Researchers offer the first comprehensive ranking of the relative role and significance of every known gene and protein in the development of Alzheimer's Disease.
Hens fluff their head feathers and blush to express different emotions and levels of excitement, according to a new study.
New research underscores the close relationship between dust plumes transported from the Sahara Desert in Africa, and rainfall from tropical cyclones along the U.S. Gulf Coast and Florida.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly widened existing economic and health disparities between wealthy and low-income countries and slowed progress toward health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a new study.
New research has found that the Southern Ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide (CO2) than previously thought. Using direct measurements of CO2 exchange, or fluxes, between the air and sea, the scientists found the ocean around Antarctica absorbs 25% more CO2 than previous indirect estimates based on shipboard data have suggested.
Researchers conducted a breakthrough proof-of-concept study that found an HIV-like virus particle that could cease the need for lifelong medications.
Acute myeloid leukemia is one of the deadliest cancers. Leukemic stem cells responsible for the disease are highly resistant to treatment. A team has made a breakthrough by identifying some of the genetic and energetic characteristics of these stem cells, notably a specific iron utilization process. This process could be blocked, leading to the death or weakening of these stem cells without affecting healthy cells. These results pave the way for new therapeutic strategies.
New insights into the prevalence and mechanisms of gene misexpression in a healthy population could help in diagnosing and developing treatments for complex diseases.
Researchers have discovered a novel pain control pathway that links the cingulate cortex in the front of the brain, through the pons region of the brainstem, to cerebellum in the back of the brain.
Lead levels in moss are as much as 600 times higher in older Portland, Oregon, neighborhoods where lead-sheathed telecommunications cables were once used compared to lead levels in nearby rural areas, a new study of urban moss has found.
Surgeons compared traditional and new fully hydroxyapatite-coated hip replacement stems. They found the new stems offer larger contact areas, while traditional ones preserve bone density long-term. This insight aims to improve patient outcomes and reduce revision surgeries.
There's a lot that goes into an Olympic athlete's quest for gold -- years of training and rigor -- but also, an athlete's age. A team used statistics to figure out when an Olympic track-and-field athletes' peak performance will be.
Baby oysters rely on natural acoustic cues to settle in specific environments, but new research reveals that noise from human activity is interfering with this critical process.
Sometimes less is more. Researchers accurately modeled dynamic fish schooling by incorporating the tendency of fish to focus on a single visual target instead of the whole school, as well as other visual cues.
Researchers have captured what they believe is the first ever video of a shark or any large marine animal being struck by a boat.
A new study shows an average 20-percent spike of nitrogen dioxide polluting the air for communities located near huge warehouses. And people of color are harder hit.
Using trees as a cost-effective tool against climate change is more complicated than simply planting large numbers of them, an international collaboration has shown.
Scientists have discovered that the serrated edges of Komodo dragons' teeth are tipped with iron. The study gives new insight into how Komodo dragons keep their teeth razor-sharp and may provide clues to how dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex killed and ate their prey.
A tunable metasurface can control optical light in space and time, offering a path toward new ways of wirelessly and securely transmitting large amounts of data both on Earth and in space.
Whether or not a person becomes seriously ill with COVID-19 depends, among other things, on genetic factors. With this in mind, researchers investigated a particularly large group of affected individuals. They confirmed the central and already known role of the TLR7 gene in severe courses of the disease in men, but were also able to find evidence for a contribution of the gene in women. In addition, they were able to show that genetic changes in three other genes of the innate immune system contribute to severe COVID-19.
The inaugural reporting guidelines for precision medicine research have just been published.
Ultrafine particles, UFPs, the smallest contributors to air pollution, hinder the function of mitochondria in human olfactory mucosa cells, a new study shows. The study showed that traffic-related UFPs impair mitochondrial functions in primary human olfactory mucosa cells by hampering oxidative phosphorylation and redox balance.
People who speak a language that has multiple words for different shades of colour perceive the shades more quickly.
Chemists have for the first time established how Rembrandt applied special arsenic sulfide pigments to create a 'golden' paint.
Novel porous crystalline solid shows promise as an efficient and durable material for ammonia (NH3) capture and storage, report scientists. Made through a simple reprecipitation process, the proposed organic compound can reversibly adsorb and release NH3 via simple pressurization and decompression at room temperature. Its stability and cost-effectiveness make this material a promising energy carrier for future hydrogen economies.
A study looks at the maximum possible sizes of dinosaurs, using the carnivore, Tyrannosaurus rex, as an example. Using computer modelling, experts produced estimates that T. Rex might have been 70% heavier than what the fossil evidence suggests.
Researchers have been tracking a 26-foot endangered whale shark -- named 'Rio Lady' -- with a satellite transmitter for more than four years -- a record for whale sharks and one of the longest tracking endeavors for any species of shark.
A simple blood test that measures the number of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell in the body, may predict whether people who have relapsed multiple myeloma are going to respond well to CAR-T immunotherapy, according to new research.
New research has advanced our knowledge of multiple roles for PTPRK, a receptor tyrosine phosphatase linked to the regulation of cell-cell adhesion, growth factor signalling and tumor suppression. Through a characterization of the function of PTPRK in human cell lines and mice, the team distinguished catalytic and non-catalytic functions of PTPRK. The findings extend what is known about the signalling mechanisms involving PTPRK as a phosphatase and its role in colorectal health but also shed new light on the extent of its function via non-catalytic signalling mechanisms.
A new analysis of rocks thought to be at least 2.5 billion years old helps clarify the chemical history of Earth's mantle -- the geologic layer beneath the planet's crust. The findings hone scientists' understanding of Earth's earliest geologic processes, and they provide new evidence in a decades-long scientific debate about the geologic history of Earth. Specifically, the results provide evidence that the oxidation state of the vast majority of Earth's mantle has remained stable through geologic time and has not undergone major transitions, contrary to what has been suggested previously by other researchers.
Genomics and lab studies reveal numerous findings, including a key role for Reelin amid neuronal vulnerability, and for choline and antioxidants in sustaining cognition.
Rates of subsequent myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) following an acute illness were roughly the same between people whose acute illness was due to COVID-19 and those who did not have COVID-19, a new study finds.
Resulting atlas of the aging human brain holds molecular insights into the brain's vulnerability and resilience.
Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers imaged a new exoplanet that orbits a star in the nearby triple system Epsilon Indi. The planet is a cold super-Jupiter exhibiting a temperature of around 0 degrees Celsius and a wide orbit comparable to that of Neptune around the Sun. This measurement was only possible thanks to JWST's unprecedented imaging capabilities in the thermal infrared. It exemplifies the potential of finding many more such planets similar to Jupiter in mass, temperature, and orbit. Studying them will improve our knowledge of how gas giants form and evolve in time.
Cell membranes play a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and functionality of cells. However, the mechanisms by which they perform these roles are not yet fully understood. Scientists have used cryo-electron microscopy to observe how lipids and proteins at the plasma membrane interact and react to mechanical stress. This work shows that, depending on conditions, small membrane regions can stabilize various lipids to trigger specific cellular responses. These discoveries confirm the existence of well-organized lipid domains and begin to reveal the role they play in cell survival.
Personalized text messages effectively promoted increased physical activity for patients after significant heart events -- such as a heart attack or surgery -- but those effects later diminished. Researcher say the results show incredible promise for simple, low cost interventions delivered through mobile technology and their potential to help prevent secondary cardiovascular events in patients.
A new study provides evidence that a spillover of avian influenza from birds to dairy cattle across several U.S. states has now led to mammal-to-mammal transmission -- between cows and from cows to cats and a raccoon.
Long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) was safe and well tolerated as HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) before and during pregnancy in the follow-up phase of a global study among cisgender women.
People generalize to form beliefs about a large language model's performance based on what they've seen from past interactions. When an LLM is misaligned with a person's beliefs, even an extremely capable model may fail unexpectedly when deployed in a real-world situation.
An international collaboration seeks to innovate the future of how a mechanical man's best friend interacts with its owner, using a combination of AI and edge computing called edge intelligence. The overarching project goal is to make the dog come 'alive' by adapting wearable-based sensing devices that can detect physiological and emotional stimuli inherent to one's personality and traits, such as introversions, or transient states, including pain and comfort levels.
Researchers have successfully made super-heavy element 116 using a beam of titanium-50. That milestone sets the team up to attempt making the heaviest element yet: 120.
Scientists provide a comprehensive overview of the evolution and potential of TIL therapy. They describe its development and highlight its transformative potential.
The way oil drops break up at the water's surface means some oil may not get cleaned up after a spill.
As the number of major utility-scale ground solar panel installations grows, concerns about their impacts on natural hydrologic processes also have grown. However, a new study by Penn State researchers suggests that excess runoff or increased erosion can be easily mitigated -- if these 'solar farms' are properly built.
A multitude of new genomic sequence data fills major gaps in the fruit fly tree of life, researchers report.
Researchers conduct large-scale studies with diverse groups to better understand the genetic factors that influence health and disease. The Million Veteran Program (MVP), for example, includes people from various backgrounds along with their detailed health records. A new study analyzed genetic data from 635,969 veterans and 2,069 traits and identified a total of 26,049 associations between specific genetic variants and various traits or health conditions.
A new camera could prevent companies from collecting embarrassing and identifiable photos and videos from devices like smart home cameras and robotic vacuums. It's called PrivacyLens.
Persistently unhealthy sleep, either not enough or too much, is associated with a significantly increased risk of Type 2 diabetes in a racially and economically diverse adult population, an international team of researchers has reported.
A meta-analysis of existing research shows exposure to nature, even as little as 10 minutes, could benefit those with diagnosed mental illness.
Europe's next big space mission -- a telescope that will hunt for Earth-like rocky planets outside of our solar system -- is on course to launch at the end of 2026. PLATO, or PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars, is being built to find nearby potentially habitable worlds around Sun-like stars that we can examine in detail.
The key to cooling 'urban heat islands' may lie in the countryside, according to a new study.
A group of small, freshwater animals (bdelloid rotifers) protect themselves from infections using antibiotic recipes 'stolen' from bacteria, according to new research. This raises the potential that rotifers are producing novel antimicrobials that may be less toxic to animals, including humans, than those we develop from bacteria and fungi.
Researchers revealed an unexpected way in which the protein OTX2 drives the progression of medulloblastoma -- the most common aggressive childhood brain cancer. The findings suggest that targeting OTX2 or its effects can have therapeutic relevance.
A new study suggests that the U.S. government's push to increase heavy-duty trucks' energy efficiency could encourage more shipping by truck instead of rail, reducing the policies' anticipated effectiveness by 20%.
Plants and microbes are known to secrete enzymes to transform organic phosphorus into bioavailable inorganic phosphorus. Now, researchers found that iron oxide in soil performs the same transformation. Discovery is important for food security, which requires phosphorus as a crop fertilizer.
So far, only about ten intermediate-mass black holes have been discovered in the entire universe. The newly identified black hole causes surrounding stars in a cluster to move in an unexpectedly orderly way.
The flowless zinc-bromine battery (FLZBB) is a promising alternative to flammable lithium-ion batteries due to its use of non-flammable electrolytes. However, it suffers from self-discharge due to the crossover of active materials, generated at the positive graphite felt (GF) electrode, to the negative electrode, significantly affecting performance. Now, researchers have developed a novel nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon-coated GF electrode that effectively suppresses self-discharge. This breakthrough can lead to practical applications of FLZBB in energy storage systems.
Researchers have developed a new formal description of internal world models, thereby enabling interdisciplinary research. Internal world models help to make predictions about new situations based on previous experience and to help find one's bearings. The new formalized view helps to compare world models of humans, animals and AI and to eliminate deficits.
By harnessing the power of machine learning, researchers have constructed a framework for analyzing what factors most significantly contribute to a species' genetic diversity.
Solar cell, telescope and other optical component manufacturers may be able to design better devices more quickly with AI.
New research is shedding light on how viruses ensure their survival by precisely timing the release of new viruses. The discovery offers a new theoretical framework for understanding these dynamic biological phenomena.
Imagine a small fruit that tastes like a cross between a tomato and a pineapple, wrapped in its own natural paper lantern. That's the groundcherry (Physalis grisea) -- a little-known relative of tomatoes that's been quietly growing in gardens and small farms across North America for centuries. Now, this humble fruit is getting a 21st-century upgrade thanks to some cutting-edge genetic research.
In a new study on the impact of doomscrolling from an existential perspective, researchers warn that habitual checking of disturbing stories on social media is linked with changes to how we view humankind and the meaning of life.
A naturally occurring peptide called PEPITEM could potentially rejuvenate the immune response in older individuals and protect against 'inflammageing', which is widely believed to be the root cause of many age-related diseases. A study raises the exciting possibility of a protective agent that could dampen age-related inflammation and restore normal immune function in older adults.
An environmental engineering team has discovered that specific bacterial species can cleave the strong fluorine-to-carbon bond certain kinds of 'forever chemical' water pollutants, offering promise for low-cost treatments of contaminated drinking water.
As sea ice disappears and grows less reflective, the Arctic has lost around a quarter of its cooling power since 1980, and the world has lost up to 15%, according to new research.
Cut marks on fossils could be evidence of humans exploiting large mammals in Argentina more than 20,000 years ago, according to a new study.
Researchers have developed and validated a new tool for comparing gender inequality among different regions of a country, highlighting links between gender inequality, wellbeing, and participation in the #MeToo movement within the United States.
In a study of several thousand companies in England, mental health training for line managers was associated with organizational-level benefits, including lower levels of long-term mental health-related sickness absence and better business performance, customer service, and staff recruitment and retention.
Have you ever wondered how insects are able to go so far beyond their home and still find their way? The answer to this question is not only relevant to biology but also to making the AI for tiny, autonomous robots. Drone-researchers felt inspired by biological findings on how ants visually recognize their environment and combine it with counting their steps in order to get safely back home. They have used these insights to create an insect-inspired autonomous navigation strategy for tiny, lightweight robots. It allows such robots to come back home after long trajectories, while requiring extremely little computation and memory (0.65 kiloByte per 100 m). In the future, tiny autonomous robots could find a wide range of uses, from monitoring stock in warehouses to finding gas leaks in industrial sites.
The human genome is filled with flecks of DNA left behind by viruses that infected primate ancestors tens of millions of years ago. Scientists used to think they were harmless, but new research shows that, when reawakened, they help cancer survive and thrive.
New research has examined the fossil record going back 66 million years and tracked changes to mammalian ecosystems and species diversity on the North American continent.
In an era when the creation of artificial intelligence (AI) images is at the fingertips of the masses, the ability to detect fake pictures -- particularly deepfakes of people -- is becoming increasingly important. So what if you could tell just by looking into someone's eyes? That's the compelling finding of new research which suggests that AI-generated fakes can be spotted by analyzing human eyes in the same way that astronomers study pictures of galaxies.
High-protein diets, known as 'Paleolithic diets', are popular. Using mouse models, scientists have studied their impact. While effective in regulating weight and stabilizing diabetes, these diets are not without risks. Excess protein greatly increases ammonium production, overwhelming the liver. Excess ammonium can cause neurological disorders and, in severe cases, lead to coma. These results suggest caution when following these diets.
During an event, details like what you saw, smelled, and felt aren't stored as a single memory. Rather, they are encoded and stored in your brain separately. To retrieve that memory, those pieces must get put back together. When that doesn't happen in the right way or details are distorted, it can lead to the creation of false memories. Now researchers have evidence that the common cuttlefish may create false memories, too.
Researchers have identified a new way to make opioids safer, increasing the pain-relieving properties of opioids while decreasing unwanted side effects through the spinal inhibition of a Heat shock protein 90 isoform.
CRISPR-Cas systems, defense systems in bacteria, have become a plentiful source of technologies for molecular diagnostics. Researchers have now expanded this extensive toolbox further. Their novel method, called PUMA, enables the detection of RNA with Cas12 nucleases, which naturally target DNA. PUMA promises a wide range of applications and high accuracy.
Rigorous exercise before bed has long been discouraged, but researchers have now found short bursts of light activity can lead to better sleep.
A new, large study confirms earlier findings that children with an autistic sibling have a 20% chance of being autistic themselves.
The largest neuroimaging study of conduct disorder to date has revealed extensive changes in brain structure among young people with the disorder. The largest difference was a smaller area of the brain's outer layer, known as the cerebral cortex, which is critical for many aspects of behavior, cognition and emotion.
Industrialized farming is often thought to reduce the risk of zoonotic diseases because of better control, biosecurity and separation of livestock. A new study examines the effect of social and economic factors -- which are often overlooked in traditional assessments.
For the first time, scientists have found that sleep can be detected by patterns of neuronal activity just milliseconds long, 1000 times shorter than a second, revealing a new way to study and understand the basic brain wave patterns that govern consciousness.
Researchers have developed a new technique that pairs artificial intelligence and X-ray science.
A new global assessment of scientific literature finds that nature-based solutions (NbS) are an economically effective method to mitigate risks from a range of disasters -- from floods and hurricanes to heatwaves and landslides -- which are only expected to intensify as Earth continues to warm.
Researchers used machine learning to generate highly detailed maps of over 100 million individual trees from 24 sites across the U.S. These maps provide information about individual tree species and conditions, which can greatly aid conservation efforts and other ecological projects.
Tantalizing evidence of potential dark matter objects has been detected with the help of the Universe's 'timekeepers'. These pulsars -- neutron stars which rotate and emit lighthouse-like beams of radio waves that rapidly sweep through space -- were used to identify mysterious hidden masses. Pulsars earned their nickname because they send out electromagnetic radiation at very regular intervals, ranging from milliseconds to seconds, making them extremely accurate timekeepers.
A new technique estimates the reliability of a self-supervised foundation model, like those that power ChatGPT, without the need to know what task that model will be deployed on later.
Researchers examine the specific impacts of microplastics on the geophysics of sea foam formation in the critical zone where water meets air in the top layer of the ocean. They devised two simulations for their work -- a column filled with sea water injected with air and a laboratory-scale breaking wave channel to test the impacts of wave height on sea foam in the surface microlayer -- and tested their effects on sea foam formation, stability, and duration.
A new report highlights a troubling trend: while global adolescent fertility rates have significantly declined, sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing an increase in teen births. This region's share of global adolescent births surged from 12 percent in 1950 to 47 percent in 2020 and is projected to reach a clear majority -- a full 67 percent -- by 2035.
In a new analysis of data, researchers have found that taking a daily supplement containing antioxidant vitamins and minerals slows progression of late-stage dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), potentially helping people with late-stage disease preserve their central vision.
Astronomers have uncovered what appear to be 21 neutron stars in orbit around stars like our Sun. The discovery is surprising because it is not clear how a star that exploded winds up next to a star like our Sun.
Delivery systems in body continuously move materials between cells. Hijacking these systems allowed scientists to improve loading and delivery of therapeutic proteins. Biophysical principles could be used to enable more cost-effective loading of biological cargo into cell-derived delivery systems. Engineered molecules loaded up to 240 times more protein than other loading methods.
Our immune system is always on alert, detecting and eliminating pathogens and cancer cells. Cellular control mechanisms cause diseased cells to present antigens on their surface like signs for the immune system. For analysis of the necessary complex antigen processing and transport processes in real time, researchers have developed a 'cage' that is opened with light to release trapped antigens at a specific place and time.
A new study finds that the proportional allocation of water, and not additional taxes on the resource, is more effective from the point of view of those engaged in agriculture.
Carbon capture is a promising approach for mitigating carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Different materials have been used to capture CO2 from industrial exhaust gases. Scientists developed hybrid CO2 capture materials containing sodium carbonate and nanocarbon prepared at different temperatures, tested their performance, and identified the optimal calcination temperature condition. They found that the hybrid material exhibits and maintains high CO2 capture capacity for multiple regeneration cycles at a lower temperature, making it cost- and energy-effective.
Researchers have developed a strategy to identify new antimicrobial drugs with therapeutic promise from bacterial datasets, providing clues for discovering alternatives to traditional antibiotics.
Researchers studying antimicrobial-resistant E. coli -- the leading cause of human death due to antimicrobial resistance worldwide -- have identified a mechanism in dogs that may render multiple antibiotic classes ineffective.
A new study has unveiled surprising findings about mercury pollution: where it comes from and how it moves through the environment vary significantly depending on the ecosystem. In drier regions, most mercury is deposited through rain and snow. In wetter, forested areas, gaseous mercury from the air sticks to leaves, which then fall and carry the toxin into the ground.
Researchers examined the clinical, lifestyle, and multi-omic data of more than 1,400 healthy adults. How often people poop, they found, can have a large influence on one's physiology and health.
Hormone modulating therapy (HMT) used for the treatment of breast cancer was associated with a 7% lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias later in life, according to a new study.
A new study shows that an AI tool can draft responses to patients' EHR queries as accurately as their human healthcare professionals, and with greater perceived 'empathy.'
A new study of radar experiment data from the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn has yielded fresh insights related to the makeup and activity of the liquid hydrocarbon seas near the north pole of Titan, the largest of Saturn's 146 known moons.
Physicists are developing quantum microscopy which enables them for the first time to record the movement of electrons at the atomic level with both extremely high spatial and temporal resolution. Their method has the potential to enable scientists to develop materials in a much more targeted way than before.
A strange 'garden sprinkler-like' jet coming from a neutron star has been pictured for the first time. The S-shaped structure is created as the jet changes direction due to the wobbling of the disc of hot gas around the star -- a process called precession, which has been observed with black holes but, until now, never with neutron stars.
The evolution of resistance to diseases, from infectious illnesses to cancers, poses a formidable challenge. Despite the expectation that resistance-conferring mutations would dwindle in the absence of treatment due to a reduced growth rate, preexisting resistance is pervasive across diseases that evolve -- like cancer and pathogens -- defying conventional wisdom.
A network of proteins found in the central nervous system could be harnessed to increase the effectiveness and reduce the side effects of popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs, according to new research.
Building upon groundbreaking research demonstrating how the SARS-CoV-2 virus disrupts mitochondrial function in multiple organs, researchers demonstrated that mitochondrially-targeted antioxidants could reduce the effects of the virus while avoiding viral gene mutation resistance, a strategy that may be useful for treating other viruses.
American diets may have gotten healthier and more diverse in the months following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study.
Researchers using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope have finally confirmed what models have previously predicted: An exoplanet has differences between its eternal morning and eternal evening atmosphere. WASP-39 b, a giant planet with a diameter 1.3 times greater than Jupiter, but similar mass to Saturn that orbits a star about 700 light-years away from Earth, is tidally locked to its parent star. This means it has a constant dayside and a constant nightside -- one side of the planet is always exposed to its star, while the other is always shrouded in darkness.
A recent study identified beta frequency neural activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of the brain's frontal lobe as the key neural signature underlying processes associated with recognizing rewards and determining subsequent choices and, thus, shaping future behaviors.
Researchers are training neural networks to make decisions more like humans would. This science of human decision-making is only just being applied to machine learning, but developing a neural network even closer to the actual human brain may make it more reliable, according to the researchers.
An international study reveals the extreme atmospheric conditions on the celestial objects, which are swathed in swirling clouds of hot sand amid temperatures of 950C. Using NASA's powerful James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), researchers set out to capture the weather on a pair of brown dwarfs -- cosmic bodies that are bigger than planets but smaller than stars.
Researchers announced the latest findings from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of the supernova remnant, Cassiopeia A (Cas A). These observations of the youngest known core collapse supernova in the Milky Way provide insights into the conditions that lead to the formation and destruction of molecules and dust within supernova ejecta. The study's findings change our understanding of dust formation in the early universe in the galaxies detected by JWST 300 million years after the Big Bang.
As the planet continues to warm due to human-driven climate change, accurate computer climate models will be key in helping illuminate exactly how the climate will continue to be altered in the years ahead.
Liquid-liquid phase separation is not a precursor to formation of amyloid fibrils, a pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease, shows study. Rather, the formation of protein into liquid droplets may help to dissolve aggregated protein. The study deepens our understanding of neurodegenerative diseases linked to protein aggregation and could help develop new therapies.
This new concept could allow the needs of previously separate industries to be combined: the production of hydrogen and the production of fertilizer.
Humans have been an important driver of vegetation change over thousands of years, and, in some places, had positive impacts on biodiversity, according to a new study.
A new study unveiled a groundbreaking approach to predicting the effectiveness of treatments for patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), a common form of blood cancer.
One of the most important controversies about human evolution and expansion is when and by what route the first hominids arrived in Europe from the African continent. Now, geological dating techniques at the Orce sites (Baza basin, Granada, Spain) place the human remains found in this area as the oldest in Europe, at approximately 1.3 million years old. These results reinforce the hypothesis that humans arrived in Europe through the south of the Iberian Peninsula, through the Strait of Gibraltar, instead of returning to the Mediterranean via the Asian route.
Bioengineering researchers developed ultrasmall, stable gas-filled protein nanostructures that could revolutionize ultrasound imaging and drug delivery for cancers and infectious diseases.
Oxygen is a fundamental requirement of life, and the loss of oxygen in water, referred to as aquatic deoxygenation, is a threat to life at all levels. In fact, researchers describe how ongoing deoxygenation presents a major threat to the stability of the planet as a whole.
Despite treatment-related fertility challenges, female patients can become pregnant and give birth to healthy children after undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT), according to a new study.
Nitrogen fertilizers make it possible to feed the world's growing population, but they are also costly adn harm ecosystems. However, a few plants have evolved the ability to acquire their own nitrogen with the help of bacteria, and a new study helps explain how they did it, not once, but multiple times.
Early exposure to antibiotics can trigger long term susceptibility to asthma, according to new research. Importantly the research team isolated a molecule produced by gut bacteria that in the future could potentially be trialed as a simple treatment, in the form of a dietary supplement, for children at risk of asthma to prevent them developing the disease.
Propofol, a drug commonly used for general anesthesia, induces unconsciousness by disrupting the brain's normal balance between stability and excitability.
The largest study of CTE to date has found a new link between playing contact sports, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and the development of a movement disorder known as parkinsonism.
Our universe is around 13.8 billion years old. Over the vastness of this time, the tiniest of initial asymmetries have grown into the large-scale structures we can see through our telescopes in the night sky: galaxies like our own Milky Way, clusters of galaxies, and even larger aggregations of matter or filaments of gas and dust. How quickly this growth takes place depends, at least in today's universe, on a sort of wrestling match between natural forces: Can dark matter, which holds everything together through its gravity and attracts additional matter, hold its own against dark energy, which pushes the universe ever further apart?
A study helps explain why dairy cows infected by highly pathogenic avian influenza are shedding the virus in their milk. Their findings could help develop biosecurity measures aimed at slowing the spread of the illness.
It's been long established that certain men become aggressive when they see their manhood as being threatened. When does this behavior emerge during development --a nd why? A new study shows that adolescent boys may also respond aggressively when they believe their masculinity is under threat -- especially boys growing up in environments with rigid, stereotypical gender norms.
Forest scientists studying tree regeneration have found that wildfire smoke comes with an unexpected benefit: It has a cooling capacity that can make life easier for vulnerable seedlings.
Researchers have unveiled a pioneering study shedding light on the intricate mechanisms underlying Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Two for two! A duo of interacting galaxies commemorates the second science anniversary of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which takes constant observations, including images and highly detailed data known as spectra. Its operations have led to a 'parade' of discoveries by astronomers around the world.
A new technique enables huge machine-learning models to efficiently generate more accurate quantifications of their uncertainty about certain predictions. This could help practitioners determine whether to trust the model when it is deployed in real-world settings.
After sequencing the genomes of nearly 300 rabbits from Europe, South America, and Oceania, researchers found that all of them had a mix of feral and domestic DNA. They say this was not what they had expected to find.
A recent study has identified a specific neural activity pattern as a novel biomarker to accurately predict and monitor the clinical status of individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who have undergone deep brain stimulation (DBS), a rapidly emerging therapeutic approach for severe psychiatric disorders.
Landslides triggered by intense rainfall can sometimes be predicted along with incoming storms, but dry-season landslides often take people by surprise. The July 2023 Rolling Hills Estates landslide that destroyed 12 homes seemed to come out of nowhere, but new research shows it began as early as December 2022. Researchers are developing a database that will enable scientists to plug in new data to monitor potential landslides in real time and possibly predict them.
Research reveals how brain inflammation triggers extreme muscle weakness across several diseases, including viral infection, bacterial infection and Alzheimer's disease. The study, in fruit flies and mice, also identified ways to block this process, which could have implications for treating or preventing the muscle wasting sometimes associated with inflammatory diseases, including bacterial infections, Alzheimer's disease and long COVID.
In a revelation highlighting the fragile balance of our planet's atmosphere, scientists have uncovered an unexpected link between massive wildfire events and the chemistry of the ozone layer. Using satellite data and numerical modeling, the team discovered that an enormous smoke-charged vortex nearly doubles the southern hemispheric aerosol burden in the middle stratosphere of the Earth and reorders ozone depletion at different heights. This study reveals how wildfires, such as the catastrophic 2019/20 Australian bushfires, impact the stratosphere in previously unseen ways.
Researchers have successfully developed an environmentally friendly, microspherical fluorescent material primarily made from citric acid. These microbeads emit various colors of light depending on the illuminating light and the size of the beads, which suggests a wide range of applications. Furthermore, the use of plant-derived materials allows for low-cost and energy-efficient synthesis.
Scientists have developed a tiny 'claw machine' that is able to pick up and drop a marble-sized ball in response to exposure to chemical vapors. The findings point to a technique that can enable soft actuators--the parts of a machine that make it move--to perform multiple tasks without the need for additional costly materials. While existing soft actuators can be 'one-trick ponies' restricted to one type of movement, this novel composite film contorts itself in different ways depending on the vapor that it is exposed to.
The human brain is remarkably adept at adjusting what we hear based on contexts, like our current environment or priorities, but it's still unknown how exactly the brain helps us detect, filter and react to sounds. Now, biologists are a step closer to solving that mystery. Using an animal model, the researchers found that the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), a brain region associated with decision-making but not typically linked to hearing, plays a central role in helping the auditory cortex (a primary hearing center of the brain) adapt to changing contexts or situations.
Researchers have revealed a novel association between chromosome 18q deletion syndrome and late-onset combined immunodeficiency (LOCID). Their finding challenges the previously held notion that 18q deletion syndrome only involves humoral immunodeficiency affecting B cells and antibody production. Moreover, the study highlights the need for regular immune function testing in 18q deletion syndrome patients for early diagnosis and improved management.
How do people like to interact with robots when navigating a crowded environment? And what algorithms should roboticists use to program robots to interact with humans? These are the questions that a team of mechanical engineers and computer scientists sought to answer in a recent study.
Scientists have released a landmark report on glacial geoengineering -- an emerging field studying whether technology could halt the melting of glaciers and ice sheets as climate change progresses.
The possibility of hydrogen-powered flight means greater opportunities for fossil-free travel, and the technological advances to make this happen are moving fast. New studies show that almost all air travel within a 750-mile radius (1200 km) could be made with hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2045, and with a novel heat exchanger currently in development, this range could be even further.
A study found distinct signatures in CD8-positive T cells in blood samples from children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes and in autoantibody-positive children who later developed type 1 diabetes.
Researchers have found that the key to a quick and cost-effective mapping of biodiversity has been right in front of our eyes all along, but at the same time invisible -- i.e., in the air that surrounds us.
A study has revealed that the earliest Neolithic groups to settle some 7,000 years ago in the Pyrenean site of Coro Trasito (Tella, Huesca) used species selection strategies to manufacture their tools made out of bone and chose deer for the projectile tips. The study applied for the first time in a Neolithic site an innovative combination of methods to obtain these results.
International joint research led by Akihisa Osakabe and Yoshimasa Takizawa of the University of Tokyo has clarified the molecular mechanisms in thale cresses (Arabidopsis thaliana) by which the DDM1 (Decreased in DNA Methylation 1) protein prevents the transcription of 'jumping genes.' DDM1 makes 'jumping genes' more accessible for transcription-suppressing chemical marks to be deposited. Because a variant of this protein exists in humans, the discovery provides insight into genetic conditions caused by such 'jumping gene' mutations.
Pollinators experienced a 39-percent decline in foraging efficiency after being exposed to elevated air pollution levels. In contrast, plant-eating aphids and other pests were not significantly impacted.
Native plants and non-native crops do not fare well in proximity to one another, attracting pests that spread diseases in both directions, according to two new studies.
A small 3-ounce sensor capable of recording 2,400 data points of movement in just one second being tested and refined by researchers could be key in reducing the number of injuries to racehorses. Researchers used the biometric sensors to track thoroughbreds as they raced and trained at some of the top racetracks in the country. Using collected data, the team was able to identify miniscule stride changes associated with increased risk of injury, allowing intervention before a catastrophic breakdown.
Researchers have identified an ion channel that contributes to chronic pain, suggesting a new target for pain medication.
PFAS, the potentially cancer-causing chemicals known as 'forever chemicals', have become an increasing concern in home drinking water. Solutions to reduce the risk of exposure range from mandated municipal-level water treatment to under-the-sink home treatment systems. But are consumers willing to foot the bill for an additional treatment system to help municipalities meet new federal drinking water regulations? Researchers found that they are, if it helps reduce the risk and fits their budget.
A recent study provides new insights into ancient cultures in Canada's Arctic, focusing on Paleo-Inuit and Thule-Inuit peoples over thousands of years. Researchers detected human presence and settlements on Somerset Island, Nunavut, by analyzing sediment samples.
A multi-institutional study found that 1 in 6 youths fill an opioid prescription prior to surgery, and 3% of patients were still filling opioid prescriptions three to six months after surgery, indicating persistent opioid use and possible opioid dependence. The study underscores that more guidance is needed to steer clinicians away from prescribing opioids when they are not likely to be needed and recognizing patient-specific risk factors for persistent opioid use.
The qualities and behavior of dark matter, the invisible 'glue' of the universe, continue to be shrouded in mystery. Though galaxies are mostly made of dark matter, understanding how it is distributed within a galaxy offers clues to what this substance is, and how it's relevant to a galaxy's evolution.
An international research team has assembled the genome and 3D chromosomal structures of a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth -- the first time such a feat has been achieved for any ancient DNA sample. The fossilized chromosomes, which are around a million times longer than most ancient DNA fragments, provide insight into how the mammoth's genome was organized within its living cells and which genes were active within the skin tissue from which the DNA was extracted. This unprecedented level of structural detail was retained because the mammoth underwent freeze-drying shortly after it died, which meant that its DNA was preserved in a glass-like state.
A new study has found a startling disparity in the frequency of liver disease for transgender individuals and highlights the need for more specialized care.
The most complete dinosaur discovered in the UK in the last 100 years, with a pubic hip bone the size of a 'dinner plate', has been described in a new article.
Mosses, liverworts, ferns and algae may offer an exciting new research frontier in the global challenge of protecting crops from the threat of disease.
Up to 60% of near-Earth objects could be dark comets, mysterious asteroids that orbit the sun in our solar system that likely contain or previously contained ice and could have been one route for delivering water to Earth, according to a new study.
New evidence of changes to the Gulf Stream during the last ice age could indicate additional sensitivity to future climatic changes, finds a new study.
An unexpected find has enabled important progress to be made in the battle against harmful bacteria.
Most known black holes are either extremely massive, like the supermassive black holes that lie at the cores of large galaxies, or relatively lightweight, with a mass of under 100 times that of the Sun. Intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) are scarce, however, and are considered rare 'missing links' in black hole evolution.
Unique recordings show that bats can ramp up heart rate from 6 to 900 b.p.m within minutes
A trove of ancient plant remains excavated in Kenya helps explain the history of plant farming in equatorial eastern Africa, a region long thought to be important for early farming but where scant evidence from actual physical crops has been previously uncovered.
A longitudinal study has found that high-intensity interval exercise improves brain function in older adults for up to 5 years.
A international team of astronomers has made an exciting discovery about the temperate exoplanet LHS 1140 b: it could be a promising 'super-Earth' covered in ice or water.
New research shows how stem cell-derived therapy, targeting treatment-resistant liver cancer through genetically modified NK cells, offers promising new avenues for immunotherapy.
Many trees could expand their ranges by more than 25 percent based on their potential temperature tolerances.
A team of researchers has identified and located a population of stem-like cells that initiates and maintains Group 3 medulloblastoma (Gr3-MB) in the developing brain. Gr3-MB is one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer in children and is associated with metastatic spread and poor survival. The researchers showed that eliminating the small population of stem-like cells present in Gr3-MB tumors led to tumor shrinkage in preclinical models. Although more research is needed, this novel approach may lead to new ways to treat children with Gr3-MB.
A study has identified a potential new treatment for food allergies in inulin, a naturally occurring plant fiber commonly used as a supplement, a prebiotic in soda, a replacement for sweeteners and for other products and purposes.
Experience from the deployment of blue hydrogen projects will be helpful in lowering future costs of hydrogen production and will remain cost competitive. Additionally, paired with extended tax incentives for carbon sequestration, costs could be significantly reduced further.
Researchers have developed an easy-to-use tool that enables someone to perform complicated statistical analyses on tabular data using just a few keystrokes. Their method combines probabilistic AI models with the programming language SQL to provide faster and more accurate results than other methods.
Individuals diagnosed with prediabetes can reduce their long-term risk of death and diabetes-related health complications if they delay the onset of diabetes for just four years through diet and exercise, according to new findings.
A team of scientists have developed a new method that enables them to make precise edits in multiple locations within a cell -- all at once. Using molecules called retrons, they created a tool that can efficiently modify DNA in bacteria, yeast, and human cells.
Awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, quantum dots have a wide variety of applications ranging from displays and LED lights to chemical reaction catalysis and bioimaging. These semiconductor nanocrystals are so small -- on the order of nanometers -- that their properties, such as color, are size dependent, and they start to exhibit quantum properties. This technology has been really well developed, but only in the visible spectrum, leaving untapped opportunities for technologies in both the ultraviolet and infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Certain types of light have proven to be an effective, minimally invasive treatment for cancers located on or near the skin when combined with a light-activated drug. But deep-seated cancers have been beyond the reach of light's therapeutic effects. To change this, engineers and scientists have devised a wireless LED device that can be implanted. This device, when combined with a light-sensitive dye, not only destroys cancer cells, but also mobilizes the immune system's cancer-targeting response.
Age data for certain classes of meteorite have made it possible to gain new findings on the origin of small water-rich astronomical bodies in the early solar system. These planetesimals continually supplied building materials for planets -- also for the Earth, whose original material contained little water. The Earth received its actual water through planetesimals, which emerged at low temperatures in the outer solar system, as shown by computational models carried out by an international research teach with participation by earth scientists.
The United States has lost its only stand of the massive Key Largo tree cactus in what researchers believe is the first local extinction of a species caused by sea level rise in the country.
An assessment ranks the feasibility of converting 245 operational coal power plants in the U.S. into advanced nuclear reactors, providing valuable insights for policymakers and utilities to meet decarbonization goals, according to a new study.
Scientists have found that in premature newborns with very low birth weight, salt and water transporters on immature neurons can cause brain tissue to shrink in response to a lack of oxygen, which in turn results in brain bleeding and lifelong neurological damages.
A new study reveals that the rare Desertas Petrels (Pterodroma deserta), a wide-ranging seabird in the North Atlantic, exhibit unique foraging behaviors during hurricane season. Contrary to other pelagic seabirds, these petrels do not avoid intense tropical cyclones but instead exploit the dynamic conditions for their benefit, providing new insights into the impact of cyclones on open ocean marine life.
A research team has developed an algorithm that analyses observational data from a plant identification app. The novel approach can be used to derive ecological patterns that could provide valuable information about the effects of climate change on plants.
Researchers have provided new insights into the lasting effects of chronic Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on the immune system, even after the disease has been successfully treated. The research team has discovered that traces of 'epigenetic scars' remain in regulatory T cells and exhibit sustained inflammatory properties long after the virus is cleared from the body.
Many women treated for breast cancer using taxanes, a type of cytostatic drug, often experience side effects in the nervous system. Researchers have developed a tool that can predict the risk level for each individual. The tool could help doctors adapt treatment to avoid persistent side effects in those at the greatest risk.
A small molecule that naturally serves as a binding site for metals in enzymes also proves useful for separating certain rare earth metals from each other. In a proof of concept, the process extracts europium directly from fluorescent powder in used energy-saving lamps in much higher quantities than existing methods. The researchers are now working on expanding their approach to other rare earth metals. They are in the process of founding a start-up to put the recycling of these raw materials into practice.
A type of extinct kangaroo that lived during the Pleistocene around two and a half million to ten thousand years ago, known as the 'giant wallaby', was a poor hopper, a study has found.
The ability to recognize and respond to emotionally-charged situations is essential to a species' evolutionary success. A new study advances our understanding of how the brain responds to emotionally charged objects and scenes.
New research has found a drug that treats insomnia works to prevent the addictive effects of the morphine opioids in mice while still providing effective pain relief.
While not yet on the market, fully autonomous vehicles are promoted as a way to make road travel dramatically safer, but a recent study found that knowing more about them did not improve people's perception of their risk. They needed to have more trust in them too. This study adds to the evidence from other research that knowledge alone is not enough to sway people's attitudes toward complex technology and science, such as gene editing or climate change. In this case, researchers found that trust in the autonomous vehicles' reliability and performance played the strongest role in improving perceptions of the technology's risk.
Researchers were involved in the development of a switch, an essential device in telecommunications, capable of operating at very high frequency with lower power consumption than conventional technologies. The technology has applications in the new 6G mass communication systems and is more sustainable in terms of energy consumption than current devices.
Despite offering a path back to careers, returner programmes leave women vulnerable to wage gaps and limited advancement, according to new research from the University of Surrey.
A newly discovered ancestor of Thescelosaurus shows evidence that these animals spent at least part of their time in underground burrows. The new species contributes to a fuller understanding of life during the mid-Cretaceous -- both above and below ground.
New research offers an enhanced understanding of common defects in transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) -- a potential replacement for silicon in computer chips -- and lays the foundation for etching smaller features.
Material engineers have created a patent-pending process to develop ultrahigh-strength aluminum alloys that are suitable for additive manufacturing because of their plastic deformability. They have produced the alloys by using several transition metals that traditionally have been largely avoided in the manufacture of aluminum alloys.
Ice in nature is surrounded by liquid most of the time, and therefore it is key to understand how ice and liquid interact. A new study has now directly observe the precise shape of ice at the interface between ice and liquid -- by using antifreeze and a refrigerated microscope.
A recent study explored the relationship between corporate climate change mitigation actions and the cost of capital for 2,100 Japanese listed companies from 2017 to 2021. The findings reveal that companies that maintain lower carbon intensity and disclose more climate-related information can reduce their capital costs. Conversely, mere commitments to climate change without actionable measures do not significantly impact costs.
Researchers have identified hexagonal perovskite-related oxides as materials with exceptionally high proton conductivity and thermal stability. Their unique crystal structure and large number of oxygen vacancies enable full hydration and high proton diffusion, making these materials ideal candidates as electrolytes for next-generation protonic ceramic fuel cells that can operate at intermediate temperatures without degradation.
Genotyping techniques can be used to select fruit trees with desired traits at the seedling stage, increasing the efficiency of fruit tree breeding. However, so far, there are multiple different genotyping systems, each generating distinct datasets. In a recent study, Japanese scientists revealed that integrating genomic data obtained with different genotyping systems can effectively combine with historical data, leveraging the accuracy of genomic predictions.
Immobilizing small synthetic molecules inside protein crystals proves to be a promising avenue for studying intermediate compounds formed during chemical reactions, scientists report. By integrating this method with time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography, they successfully visualized reaction dynamics and rapid structural changes occurring within reaction centers immobilized inside protein crystals. This innovative strategy holds significant potential for the intelligent design of drugs, catalysts, and functional materials.
Scientists may have to rethink the relationship between the ocean's circulation and its long-term capacity to store carbon, new research suggests. As the ocean gets weaker, it could release more carbon from the deep ocean into the atmosphere -- rather than less, as some have predicted.
The largest animals do not have proportionally bigger brains -- with humans bucking this trend -- a new study has revealed.
Researchers have developed a discovery platform to probe the function of genes involved in metabolism -- the sum of all life-sustaining chemical reactions. The investigators used the new platform, called GeneMAP (Gene-Metabolite Association Prediction), to identify a gene necessary for mitochondrial choline transport.
Researchers have discovered a new potential drug target for the lethal wasting disease known as cancer cachexia. Their findings illustrate that even small groups of neurons in the brain can have an outsized impact on the body's cancer response.
Why do employees sometimes accept working for an abusive boss? A new study suggests that when a leader is seen as a high performer, employees are more likely to label abuse as just 'tough love.'
A mysterious remnant from a rare type of supernova recorded in 1181 has been explained for the first time. Two white dwarf stars collided, creating a temporary 'guest star,' now labeled supernova (SN) 1181, which was recorded in historical documents in Japan and elsewhere in Asia. However, after the star dimmed, its location and structure remained a mystery until a team pinpointed its location in 2021. Now, through computer modeling and observational analysis, researchers have recreated the structure of the remnant white dwarf, a rare occurrence, explaining its double shock formation. They also discovered that high-speed stellar winds may have started blowing from its surface within just the past 20-30 years. This finding improves our understanding of the diversity of supernova explosions, and highlights the benefits of interdisciplinary research, combining history with modern astronomy to enable new discoveries about our galaxy.
Researchers have now developed a new way to make microbes hardy enough to withstand extreme conditions such as heat and the manufacturing processes used to formulate the microbes into powders or pills for long-term storage.
Young, na ve starlings are looking for their wintering grounds independently of experienced conspecifics. Starlings are highly social birds throughout the year, but this does not mean that they copy the migration route from each other. By revisiting a classic 'displacement' experiment and by adding new data, a team of researchers have settled a long-lasting debate.
A new electrolyte design for lithium metal batteries could significantly boost the range of electric vehicles. Researchers have radically reduced the amount of environmentally harmful fluorine required to stabilize these batteries.
Engineers have created a device that can efficiently convert heat into electrical voltage at temperatures lower than that of outer space. The innovation could help overcome a significant obstacle to the advancement of quantum computing technologies, which require extremely low temperatures to function optimally.
Researchers have discovered several rare types of helper T cells that are associated with immune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and even asthma. The discoveries were made possible by a newly developed technology they call ReapTEC. The new T cell atlas is publicly available and should help in the development of new drug therapies for immune-mediated diseases.
In recent years global warming has left its mark on the Antarctic ice sheets. The 'eternal' ice in Antarctica is melting faster than previously assumed, particularly in West Antarctica more than East Antarctica. The root for this could lie in its formation, as an international research team has now discovered: sediment samples from drill cores combined with complex climate and ice-sheet modelling show that permanent glaciation of Antarctica began around 34 million years ago -- but did not encompass the entire continent as previously assumed, but rather was confined to the eastern region of the continent (East Antarctica).
Certain pieces of DNA have been labeled as 'selfish genetic elements' due to notions that they don't contribute to a host organism's survival. Instead, researchers have now discovered that these elements have been weaponized and play a crucial role by cutting off a competitor's ability to reproduce.
Exposure to wind-blown dust from exposed playa of the Utah lake is worse in Hispanic neighborhoods, according to new research. Findings suggest restoring the lake could ease social inequities associated with air pollution.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa -- an environmental bacteria that can cause devastating multidrug-resistant infections, particularly in people with underlying lung conditions -- evolved rapidly and then spread globally over the last 200 years, probably driven by changes in human behavior, a new study has found.
New findings challenge the idea that academically selective schools are necessary for clever pupils to achieve good outcomes.
Painting roofs white or covering them with a reflective coating would be more effective at cooling cities like London than vegetation-covered 'green roofs,' street-level vegetation or solar panels, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.
Reducing consumption of processed meat by around one-third could prevent more than 350,000 cases of diabetes in the US over 10 years.
Drosophila -- known as fruit flies -- are a valuable model for human heart pathophysiology, including cardiac aging and cardiomyopathy. However, a choke point in evaluating fruit fly hearts is the need for human intervention to measure the heart at moments of its largest expansion or its greatest contraction to calculate cardiac dynamics. Researchers now show a way to significantly cut the time needed for that analysis while utilizing more of the heart region, using deep learning and high-speed video microscopy.
A recent study found that the way cerebellar neurons communicate with other brain regions is different in various movement disorders.
Childhood home temperature and community connectedness can help predict how U.S. residents set their thermostats, offering new ways to encourage energy conservation and combat climate change, according to a new study.
Urban agriculture has the potential to improve food security through local, efficient, and sustainable food production. Examples of urban food systems include hydroponics, where plants grow in a nutrient solution without soil, and aquaponics, which combines hydroponics with raising fish in tanks. A new study examines the use of aquaponics wastewater as a growth medium for lettuce in a hydroponic system. This practice can potentially create a circular ecosystem for organic waste recycling and food production.
New tech reveals findings that address long-standing theories about how bacteria begin the process of making RNA from DNA.
Young adults who have higher levels of inflammation, which is associated with obesity, physical inactivity, chronic illness, stress and smoking, may experience reduced cognitive function in midlife, a new study has found.
Researchers have created a questionnaire test for home use that quickly identifies high risk of heart attack. A study shows that it has the same level of accuracy as blood tests and blood pressure measurements.
Researchers developed molecules, called splice-switching oligonucleotides (SSOs) that bind to the RNA molecules encoding a protein known as REST. In neuroendocrine tumors, these RNAs are incorrectly spliced together, which supports the cancerous phenotype. When injected into tumors in laboratory mice, SSOs could help restore normal REST function, leading to reduced tumor size. This approach is a promising new tool for treating neuroendocrine tumors that do not respond to conventional therapies.
A US nationwide bottle deposit program could increase recycling of PET plastic to 82 percent, with nearly two-thirds of all PET bottles being recycled into new bottles, at a net cost of just a penny a bottle when demand is robust. At the same time, policies would be needed to ensure a sufficient demand for the recycled material.
Mysterious, light-colored swirls on Moon's surface could be rocks magnetized by magma activity underground, laboratory experiments confirm.
Melting Arctic glaciers are in rapid recession, and microscopic pioneers colonize the new exposed landscapes. Researchers revealed that yeasts play an important role in soil formation in the Arctic.
A research team has implemented a novel method to achieve epitaxial growth of 1D metallic materials with a width of less than 1 nm. The group applied this process to develop a new structure for 2D semiconductor logic circuits. Notably, they used the 1D metals as a gate electrode of the ultra-miniaturized transistor.
Scientists have created an anode-free sodium solid-state battery. This brings the reality of inexpensive, fast-charging, high-capacity batteries for electric vehicles and grid storage closer than ever.
A new study shows that already a 30-minute exercise can increase the proportion of tumor-killing white blood cells in the bloodstream of breast cancer patients.
It's no secret that kids aren't crazy about having too many seeds, pulp or chunks in their food. But six-year-olds in particular definitely can't stand lumps, according to a new study. The research sheds new light on children's food preferences across age groups and can serve parents, the health care sector and the food industry.
Post-COVID research has extensively focused on the efficacy of internal travel restrictions and cross-border travel has received less attention due to challenges in accessing quality data. In a major multidisciplinary collaboration effort across Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, a group of researchers -- including mathematicians, physicists and computer scientists -- have published a pioneering study on the spread of infections across Nordic borders from spring until the end of 2020. The report sheds light on the efficacy of cross-border travel restrictions, helping us better understand which measures actually make a difference.
Research could help drug developers improve the safety profiles of medications and reduce side effects.
Physicists have developed a computer program incorporating machine learning that could help identify blobs of plasma in outer space known as plasmoids. In a novel twist, the program has been trained using simulated data.
Combining single-wall carbon nanotubes and poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) nanosheets, researchers developed a novel bioelectrode material for wearable devices. This innovative material is stretchable, permeable to humidity, and conforms closely to the skin, making it ideal for prolonged use. This development addresses critical limitations of current bioelectrode materials, promising more comfortable and effective wearables for healthcare and fitness applications.
Bowel cancer cells have the ability to regulate their growth using a genetic on-off switch to maximise their chances of survival.
Researchers found no infectious virus in the sampled pasteurized milk products tested for H5N1.
The more we discover about the natural world, the more we find that nature is the greatest engineer. Past research implied that liquids can only be transported in fixed direction on species with specific liquid communication properties and cannot switch the transport direction. Recently, researchers have shown that an African plant controls water movement in a previously unknown way -- and this could inspire breakthroughs in a range of technologies in fluid dynamics and nature-inspired materials, including applications that require multistep and repeated reactions, such as microassays, medical diagnosis and solar desalination etc.
Researchers have found that the early onset of El Nino around June leads to warm winter climates in Japan, while the late onset of El Nino is associated with colder winters. By analyzing 100-ensemble member climate simulations over the past 61 years, the team found that the warming of the tropical Indian Ocean was a player in warmer Japanese winters.
A large international and interdisciplinary research team has developed software to measure the objective kinematic features of movements that express emotions.
Blue and great tits recall what they have eaten in the past, where they found the food and when they found it, a new study shows. In the first experiment of its kind to involve wild animals, blue and great tits demonstrated 'episodic-like' memory to cope with changes in food availability when foraging. The same study may suggest that humans leaving out seeds and nuts for garden birds could be contributing to the evolution of these memory traits.
Meet Gaiasia jennyae, the swamp creature with a toilet seat-shaped head. It lived 40 million years before the first dinosaurs, and it was the top predator in its ecosystem.
Researchers have identified a compound that, in mice, makes naloxone much more effective at counteracting a drug overdose.
Dexamethasone is one of the most important drugs in the treatment of severe COVID-19, but patients respond very differently to the therapy. Researchers have now discovered how the cortisone compound influences the impaired inflammatory response and which patients benefit from it. Their method uses so-called single-cell analyses and raises hopes for a precise prediction tool for other therapies and diseases as well.
In the decade since their discovery, the family of two-dimensional materials called MXenes has shown a great deal of promise for applications ranging from water desalination and energy storage to electromagnetic shielding and telecommunications, among others. While researchers have long speculated about the genesis of their versatility, a recent study has provided the first clear look at the surface chemical structure foundational to MXenes' capabilities.
Combining genomic data and human travel patterns over a 14-year period in South Africa reveals key insights into the spread, evolution and resistance patterns of a major bacterium behind pneumonia and meningitis globally.
Bone remains found in a Tibetan cave 3,280 m above sea level indicate an ancient group of humans survived here for many millennia.
Global warming as well as recent droughts and floods threaten large populations along the Nile Valley. Sediment cores off the Nile mouth reveal insights into the effects and causes of heavy rainfall episodes about 9,000 years ago. That will help to prepare for weather extremes in a changing climate.
Everyday clothing may soon be able to capture and record body movements according to new research.
Ever wondered why you performed worse than expected in that final university exam that you sat in a cavernous gymnasium or massive hall, despite countless hours, days and weeks of study? Now you have a genuine reason -- high ceilings.
A world-first study has found low-dose aspirin may treat flu-induced blood vessel inflammation, creating better blood flow to the placenta during pregnancy.
Hydrothermal vents can be found around the world at the junctions of drifting tectonic plates. But there are many hydrothermal fields still to be discovered. During a 2022 expedition of the MARIA S. MERIAN, the first field of hydrothermal vents on the 500-kilometer-long Knipovich Ridge off the coast of Svalbard was discovered.
A recent discovery by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) confirmed that luminous, very red objects previously detected in the early universe upend conventional thinking about the origins and evolution of galaxies and their supermassive black holes.
A team of researchers has developed a soft, stretchy electronic device capable of simulating the feeling of pressure or vibration when worn on the skin. This device represents a step towards creating haptic technologies that can reproduce a more varied and realistic range of touch sensations for applications such as virtual reality, medical prosthetics and wearable technology.
The Coral Triangle, also known as the Indo-Australian Archipelago, is renowned for having the greatest marine biodiversity on our planet. Despite its importance, the detailed evolutionary history of this biodiversity hotspot has remained largely a mystery. An international research team has now shed light on this history, reconstructing how biodiversity in the region has developed over the past 40 million years.
A research team has shown that exposure to air pollution during childhood is directly associated with bronchitis symptoms as an adult. To date, many investigations have established air pollution exposure while young is consistently associated with lung problems during childhood -- and childhood lung problems are consistently associated with lung issues as an adult.
A new study explores waste management systems and reveals that achieving zero waste leakage by 2030 is unlikely, potentially jeopardizing related Sustainable Development Goals. The authors emphasize the need for global cooperation, particularly across four regions, to responsibly manage waste disposal.
Atmospheric scientists predict that unchecked carbon emissions will force tropical rains to shift northward in the coming decades, which would profoundly impact agriculture and economies near the Earth's equator. The northward rain shift would be spurred by carbon emissions that influence the formation of the intertropical convergence zones that are essentially atmospheric engines that drive about a third of the world's precipitation.
Bringing a puppy home is usually a happy event, but sometimes the life change that comes with it can provoke significant negative emotions. Researchers found that almost half of dog owners experience anxiety, weariness or frustration during their dog's puppyhood stage.
A new study has produced supranormal hearing in mice, while also supporting a hypothesis on the cause of hidden hearing loss in people.
Bringing us one step closer to solving the 'missing satellites problem,' researchers have discovered two new satellite galaxies.
An international team of researchers combine orbital imagery with seismological data from NASA's Mars InSight lander to derive a new impact rate for meteorite strikes on Mars. Seismology also offers a new tool for determining the density of Mars' craters and the age of different regions of a planet.
Research creates a framework to better balance the nutritional benefit of fish consumption with the risk of mercury exposure to the developing brain.
Researchers use statistical modeling to estimate infant deaths expected if one of the country's most stringent state abortion laws had not been enacted. The study estimates that infant deaths in Texas increased more than expected in the year following the state's 2021 ban on abortion in early pregnancy, especially among infants with congenital anomalies.
Researchers are reporting progress on the road to more efficient utilization of solar energy: They have developed an innovative light-harvesting system.
Researchers have identified the likeliest timeline of the famous Hellenistic-era Kyrenia shipwreck, discovered and recovered off the north coast of Cyprus in the 1960s.
A new study by a team of international researchers has uncovered a biological explanation for long-term memories. It centers on the discovery of the role of a molecule, KIBRA, that serves as a 'glue' to other molecules, thereby solidifying memory formation.
Researchers have projected future marine heatwaves will cause coral reefs to be at severe risk of bleaching for longer periods than previously seen.
Researchers have found a chemical clue in Italian limestone that explains a mass extinction of marine life in the Early Jurassic period, 183 million years ago. Volcanic activity pumped out CO2, warming oceans and lowering their oxygen levels. The findings may foretell the impact climate change and oxygen depletion might have on today's oceans.
Researchers continue to expand the case for the Younger Dryas Impact hypothesis. The idea proposes that a fragmented comet smashed into the Earth's atmosphere 12,800 years ago, causing a widespread climatic shift that, among other things, led to the abrupt reversal of the Earth's warming trend and into an anomalous near-glacial period called the Younger Dryas.
Made famous in 1995 by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, the Pillars of Creation in the heart of the Eagle Nebula have captured imaginations worldwide with their arresting, ethereal beauty. Now, NASA has released a new 3D visualization of these towering celestial structures using data from NASA's Hubble and James Webb space telescopes. This is the most comprehensive and detailed multiwavelength movie yet of these star-birthing clouds.
Scientists predict from geochemical data that Iceland is entering a new volcanic era that will last for decades, possibly centuries. Under an hour's drive from the country's capital city, the ongoing eruptions pose considerable risks for economic disruption, and they leave evacuated communities uncertain of a possible return.
A research team has developed a small optical lens, only a few millimeters in size, whose refractive behavior changes in the presence of gas. This 'intelligent' behavior of the micro-lens is enabled by the hybrid glass material from which it is made. The molecular structure of the lens consists of a three-dimensional lattice with cavities that can accommodate gas molecules, thereby affecting the optical properties of the material.
Early analysis of the asteroid Bennu sample returned by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has revealed dust rich in carbon, nitrogen, and organic compounds, all of which are essential components for life as we know it. Dominated by clay minerals, particularly serpentine, the sample mirrors the type of rock found at mid-ocean ridges on Earth. The magnesium-sodium phosphate found in the sample hints that the asteroid could have splintered off from an ancient, small, primitive ocean world.
A study has shown that both amateur and professional dancers are less neurotic than people who do not dance. They are also more agreeable, more open, and more extraverted.
A national position statement on emergency action plan development and implementation in sports from an athletic training researcher sets in motion new priorities for responding to catastrophic injuries. The recommendations apply to sports through all levels, from youth to high school to collegiate and professional leagues.
With a new microscope that's as light as a penny, researchers can now observe broad swaths of the brain in action as mice move about and interact with their environments.
The nine-banded armadillo, which ranges all the way from Argentina to Nebraska, is actually four separate species. One of the species, the Guianan long-nosed armadillo, is new to science. Meanwhile, the species that has migrated from Mexico to the United States (and is the official small mammal of Texas) is now called the Mexican long-nosed armadillo.
New research describes how nerve cells and muscle cells communicate through electrical signals during development -- a phenomenon known as bioelectricity. The communication, which takes place via specialized channels between cells, is vital for proper development and behavior. The study identifies specific genes that control the process, and pins down what happens when it goes wrong. The finding offers clues to the genetic origins of muscle disorders in humans.
Even though there is substantial variability in the contents and nutritional profiles of plant-based meat alternatives (PBMAs), the nutritional profiles tend to reflect a heart-healthy dietary pattern. A review article of the available studies directly comparing the impact of plant-based and animal-based meats consistently suggests that the plant-based alternatives improve cardiovascular risk factors.
In October 2013 a researcher made a surprising discovery of Painted Lady Butterflies on the Atlantic beaches of French Guiana -- a species not typically found in South America. This unusual sighting prompted an international study to investigate the origin of these butterflies.
Young people aged 14 to 20 years are nowadays more satisfied with being single than their counterparts ten years ago.
There's a strong chance that last week's scorching temperatures were even hotter than reported for those living in underserved urban areas. New research from environmental engineers has shown that citizen science tools used to gauge heat in these urban areas likely understate the problem of heat islands due to a lack of weather stations. The researchers also suggest a statistical method to improve estimates of urban heat.
Researchers have created a new, cost-effective training technique for artificial intelligence systems that aims to make them less socially biased.
Alfred Hitchcock observed that 'There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.' A common way to build suspense in a movie scene is for the audience to know something bad is going to happen, but not when it is going to happen. But how does uncertainty work to ratchet up our anxiety? Researchers took a deeper look into what builds fear.
Scientists predict the existence of flat electronic bands at the Fermi level, a finding that could enable new forms of quantum computing and electronic devices.
Over a 20-year period people from these sectors changed their behavior -- resonating with one another significantly more than they used to and gearing towards a more engaging style. We talk like others to be more inclusive and 'resonate' with them.
Scientists are helping to develop standards and safety protocols that would allow pharmacies to print drugs onsite at a dosage best for you.
Computers have come so far in terms of their power and potential, rivaling and even eclipsing human brains in their ability to store and crunch data, make predictions and communicate. But there is one domain where human brains continue to dominate: energy efficiency.
More than 100,000 oil and gas wells across the western U.S. are in areas burned by wildfires in recent decades, a new study has found, and some 3 million people live next to wells that in the future could be in the path of fires worsened by climate change.
Fertilizers manufactured from the sludgy leftovers of wastewater treatment processes can contain traces of potentially hazardous organic chemicals, according to a new study. The research provides one of the most comprehensive looks at the chemical composition of so-called biosolids across the country and is the first step toward identifying common chemical contaminants that may need government regulation.
Researchers have succeeded in directing floating objects around an aquatic obstacle course using only soundwaves. Their novel, optics-inspired method holds great promise for biomedical applications such as noninvasive targeted drug delivery.
If aliens modified a planet in their solar system to make it warmer, we'd be able to tell. A new study identifies the artificial greenhouse gases that would be giveaways of a terraformed planet.
Researchers have found a way to bind engineered skin tissue to the complex forms of humanoid robots. This brings with it potential benefits to robotic platforms such as increased mobility, self-healing abilities, embedded sensing capabilities and an increasingly lifelike appearance. Taking inspiration from human skin ligaments, the team included special perforations in a robot face, which helped a layer of skin take hold.
A new study examined the differences in lung transplant graft outcomes from organs recovered from the two types of deceased organ donor care facilities operating in the United States. The research offers insights that could improve the organ donation and transplantation process for patients across the nation.
Researchers have developed a new method for detecting foodborne pathogens that is faster, cheaper, and more effective than existing methods. Their microfluidic chip uses light to detect multiple types of pathogens simultaneously and is created using 3D printing, making it easy to fabricate in large amounts and modify to target specific pathogens. The researchers hope their technique can improve screening processes and keep contaminated food out of the hands of consumers.
Children who report being more empathetic are more likely to show signs of poorer health in the face of more interparental conflict than less empathetic children, according to a new study.
If liquid water exists today on Mars, it may be too deep underground to detect with traditional methods used on Earth. But listening to earthquakes that occur on Mars -- or marsquakes -- could offer a new tool in the search.
Nutritionists generally advise everyone to eat more dietary fiber, but a new study suggests that its effects on health can vary from person to person. The findings indicate that recommendations should be tailored to each individual's gut microbiome.
Do you have trouble recognizing faces, or do you never forget a face? The better you are at facial recognition, the more supportive relationships you are likely to have, regardless of your personality type.
A study of 17 commonly used synthetic 'forever chemicals' has shown that these toxic substances can readily be absorbed through human skin.
Astronomers uncovered that a well-known X-ray binary, whose exact nature has been a mystery to scientists until now, is actually a hidden ultraluminous X-ray source.
The function of non-coding RNA in the cell has long been a mystery to researchers. Unlike coding RNA, non-coding RNA does not produce proteins -- yet it exists in large quantities. A research team has now discovered an important function of antisense RNA (asRNA): the researchers found that asRNA acts as a 'superhighway' in cell transport and thus accelerates gene expression.
A doubling of the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere could cause an increase in the average temperature on earth from 7 to even a maximum of 14 degrees. That is shown in the analysis of sediments from the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.
The history of how stars and galaxies came to be and evolved into the present day remains among the most challenging astrophysical questions to solve yet, but new research brings us closer to understanding it. New insights about young galaxies during the Epoch of Reionization have been revealed. Observations with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) of the galaxy Cosmic Gems arc (SPT0615-JD) have confirmed that the light of the galaxy was emitted 460 million years after the big bang. What makes this galaxy unique is that it is magnified through an effect called gravitational lensing, which has not been observed in other galaxies formed during that age.
Researchers have developed a way to create complex devices with multiple materials -- including plastics, metals and semiconductors -- all with a single machine. The research outlines a novel 3D printing and laser process to manufacture multi-material, multi-layered sensors, circuit boards and even textiles with electronic components.
Type 2 diabetes in young people ages 10 to 19 has more than doubled in the past 20 years, yet it remains difficult for physicians to predict who will be diagnosed and who will improve with treatment. A new study shows that measuring the circulating abundance of microRNAs -- which affect insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas -- is likely as effective as measuring the level of sugar in the blood for determining how a young person with the condition will fare.
Insights from advanced imaging technology show how neurons communicate at the atomic level for the first time.
Researchers found that ChatGPT consistently ranked resumes with disability-related honors and credentials -- such as the 'Tom Wilson Disability Leadership Award' -- lower than the same resumes without those honors and credentials. But when researchers customized the tool with written instructions directing it not to be ableist, the tool reduced this bias for all but one of the disabilities tested.
Our bone marrow the fatty, jelly-like substance inside our bones is an unseen powerhouse quietly producing 500 billion new blood cells every day. That process is driven by hematopoietic stem cells that generate all of the various types of blood cells in our bodies and regenerating themselves to keep the entire assembly line of blood production operating smoothly.
Some 1,000 years ago, a small band of Polynesians sailed thousands of miles across the Pacific to settle one of the world's most isolated places -- a small, previously uninhabited island they named Rapa Nui. Eventually, their numbers ballooned to unsustainable levels, they wrecked the environment, and their civilization collapsed. At least that is the longtime story, told in academic studies and popular books. A new study challenges this narrative of 'ecocide' saying that Rapa Nui's population never spiraled to unsustainable levels.
Menthol sensing appeared long before cold sensing, suggesting distinct activation modes that can be disentangled, paving the way for new pain therapies without adverse thermal side effects.
Protected areas, like nature reserves, can conserve biodiversity without harming local economic growth, countering a common belief that conservation restricts development. A new study outlines what is needed for conservation to benefit both nature and people.
An orange teeming with antioxidants and other health benefits may be a shot in the arm for consumers and citrus growers, if the fruit is stored at cool temperatures, a new study shows.
Researchers have uncovered how specific DNA rearrangements called inverted triplications contribute to the development of various genetic diseases. The study reveals that during DNA repair, segments may switch templates within inverted repeats, leading to structural variations and gene dosage alterations, impacting conditions like MECP2 duplication syndrome. This discovery opens new avenues for understanding and treating rare genetic disorders.
Encapsulating copper nanoparticles within hydrophobic porous silicate crystals has been shown to significantly enhance the catalytic activity of copper-zinc oxide catalysts used in methanol synthesis via CO2 hydrogenation. The innovative encapsulation structure effectively inhibits the thermal aggregation of copper particles, leading to enhanced hydrogenation activity and increased methanol production. This breakthrough paves the way for more efficient methanol synthesis from CO2.
A professor analyzes the conflicting impacts of human activities on extreme spring droughts.
Meet SQUID, a new computational tool. Compared with other genomic AI models, SQUID is more consistent, reduces background noise, and can yield better predictions regarding critical mutations. The new system aims to bring scientists closer to their findings' true medical implications.
A new study has found that resilient people exhibit neural activity in the brain regions associated with improved cognition and regulating of emotions, and were more mindful and better at describing their feelings.
Behavioral analysis can provide a lot of information about the health status or motivations of a living being. A new technology makes it possible for a single deep learning model to detect animal motion across many species and environments. This 'foundational model', called SuperAnimal, can be used for animal conservation, biomedicine, and neuroscience research.
Researchers have created a deep learning pipeline for designing soluble analogues of key protein structures used in pharmaceutical development, sidestepping the prohibitive cost of extracting these proteins from cell membranes.
As part of an investigation to boost agricultural yields and develop crops that are resilient to climate change, Berkeley Lab scientists have introduced RhizoNet, a computational tool that harnesses the power of AI to transform how we study plant roots and root behavior under various environmental conditions. A paper describing their innovative deep-learning approach, combined with a unique hydroponic device that facilitates in-situ plant imaging, was published June 5 in Scientific Reports.
Biomedical engineers have grown muscles in a lab to better understand and test treatments for a group of extremely rare muscle disorders called dysferlinopathy or limb girdle muscular dystrophies 2B (LGMD2B). The research revealed the biological mechanisms underlying the disease and showed that a combination of existing treatments could alleviate its symptoms.
While previous studies suggested an association of the most common cerebral small-vessel disease with dementia risk, new research provides evidence of causal link, identifying it as a major vascular factor.
Inland seas around the world are drying up due to increasing human water use and accelerating climate change, and their desiccation is releasing harmful dust that pollutes the surrounding areas during acute dust storms. Using the Great Salt Lake in Utah as a case study, researchers show that dust exposure was highest among Pacific Islanders and Hispanic people and lower in white people compared to all other racial/ethnic groups, and higher for individuals without a high school diploma. Restoring the lake would benefit everyone in the vicinity by reducing dust exposure, and it would also decrease the disparities in exposure between different racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups.
Researchers have demonstrated that therapeutically restoring 'youthful' levels of a specific subunit of the telomerase enzyme can significantly reduce the signs and symptoms of aging in preclinical models. If these findings are confirmed in clinical studies, there may be therapeutic implications for age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, heart disease and cancer.
Researchers have discovered a new fundamental mechanism governing the rules of ageing in worms. The researchers were able to manipulate the mechanism through genetic interventions which dramatically extend not just the lifespan of the worms, but also their health-span. In other words, trading weak, frail old age with vigorous golden years -- all without altering their diet, environment or other external factors.
Pioneering research highlights the importance of combining neuroscience with traditional entrepreneurial studies to gain a comprehensive understanding of what makes successful entrepreneurs distinct at a neurological level.
A team of researchers has developed an innovative technique for evaluating the performance of quantum circuits. This significant advancement represents a substantial leap forward in the field of quantum computing.
Iron meteorites are remnants of the metallic cores of the earliest asteroids in our solar system. Iron meteorites contain refractory metals, such as iridium and platinum, that formed near the sun but were transported to the outer solar system. New research shows that for this to have happened, the protoplanetary disk of our solar system had to have been doughnut-shaped because the refractory metals could not have crossed the large gaps in a target-shaped disk of concentric rings. The paper suggests that the refractory metals moved outward as the protoplanetary disk rapidly expanded, and were trapped in the outer solar system by Jupiter.
Argonne scientists have used isoporous membranes -- membranes with pores of equal size and shape -- and recirculation to create separations at the nanoscale that overcome previous limitations.
The impacts of climate change are being felt all over the world, but how will it impact how your hometown feels? An interactive web application allows users to search 40,581 places and 5,323 metro areas around the globe to match the expected future climate in each city with the current climate of another location, providing a relatable picture of what is likely in store.
Adults with a history of low back pain went nearly twice as long without a recurrence of their back pain if they walked regularly, a world-first study has found.
Scientists have prototyped a new method for 'rationally engineering' enzymes to deliver improved performance. They have devised an algorithm, which takes into account an enzyme's evolutionary history, to flag where mutations could be introduced with a high likelihood of delivering functional improvements. Their work could have significant, wide-ranging impacts across a suite of industries, from food production to human health.
Your sleep tracker might give you information about more than just your sleep -- specifically, it might give you information about chronic conditions such as diabetes and sleep apnea, and illnesses such as COVID-19. This is one of the findings of a study that analyzed data from 5 million nights of sleep across roughly 33,000 people.
A wearable health monitor can reliably measure levels of important biochemicals in sweat during physical exercise. The 3D-printed monitor could someday provide a simple and non-invasive way to track health conditions and diagnose common diseases, such as diabetes, gout, kidney disease or heart disease. The monitor was able to accurately monitor the levels of volunteers' glucose, lactate and uric acid as well as the rate of sweating during exercise.
Women who have their ovaries removed before menopause, particularly before the age of 40, have reduced white matter integrity in multiple regions of the brain later in life, a new study suggests. White matter refers to the nerve fibers that connect neurons in different areas of the brain.
Scientists have developed a new, more energy-efficient way for AI algorithms to process data. His model may become the basis for a new generation of AI that learns like we do. Notably, these findings may also lend support to neuroscience theories surrounding memory's role in learning.
A new dinosaur has been identified and named. The dinosaur's name, Lokiceratops rangiformis, translates roughly to 'Loki's horned face that looks like a caribou.'
A new study presents video evidence that at least one species of terrestrial leech can jump, behavior that scientists have debated for more than a century.
A team of researchers has developed a gel electret capable of stably retaining a large electrostatic charge. The team then combined this gel with highly flexible electrodes to create a sensor capable of perceiving low-frequency vibrations (e.g., vibrations generated by human motion) and converting them into output voltage signals. This device may potentially be used as a wearable healthcare sensor.
Advances in organoids and embryonic models of human development have the potential to prompt social and existential questions --e.g., what defines human individuality? However, bioethicists say that these models have the potential to strengthen rather than weaken the concept of human individuality when considered within the philosophical frameworks of 'personhood' and sentience.
Scientists have discovered a new cause of why people who lack a specific blood group are genetically predisposed to be overweight or obese.
The carbon stored globally by plants is shorter-lived and more vulnerable to climate change than previously thought, according to a new study.
A devastating hurricane transformed a monkey society by changing the pros and cons of interacting with others, new research shows.
A team of scientists reports a new milestone for the sustainable production of green hydrogen through water electrolysis. Their new catalyst design harnesses so far unexplored properties of water to achieve, for the first time, an alternative to critical raw materials for water electrolysis at industrial-relevant conditions.
Certain drugs commonly used to treat enlarged prostate may also decrease the risk for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), according to a new study. The researchers think that a specific side effect of the drugs targets a biological flaw shared by DLB and other neurodegenerative diseases, raising the possibility that they may have broad potential for treating a wide range of neurodegenerative conditions.
New research finds one copy of a protective genetic variant, APOE3 Christchurch, delayed onset of Alzheimer's disease for 27 members of a ~6,000-person family in Colombia at high risk for early-onset Alzheimer's in their 40s due to carrying the 'Paisa' (Presenilin-1 E280A) mutation. This work builds on a 2019 case report of a woman in this family who had two copies of the Christchurch variant and delayed Alzheimer's into her 70s. The new findings are the first to show that one copy of the variant confers some level of protection and increases the researchers' confidence that this genetic pathway should be targeted for therapeutics.
Researchers have developed a non-chemotherapy treatment regimen that is achieving full remissions for some people with aggressive B-cell lymphoma that has come back or is no longer responding to standard treatments. The five-drug combination targets multiple molecular pathways that diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) tumors use to survive.
Geologists studied Titan's shorelines and showed through simulations that coastlines of the moon's methane- and ethane-filled seas have likely been shaped by waves. Until now, scientists have found indirect and conflicting signs of wave activity, based on Cassini images of Titan's surface.
The international collaboration presented their first results with new data in four years, featuring a new low-energy sample of electron neutrinos and a dataset doubled in size.
Roughly one in four U.S. households have soil exceeding the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's lead screening levels of 200 parts per million (ppm), halved from the previous level of 400 ppm, a new study found. For households with exposure from multiple sources, the EPA lowered the guidance to 100 ppm; nearly 40% of households exceed that level, the study also found.
Jupiter's iconic Great Red Spot has persisted for at least 190 years and is likely a different spot from the one observed by the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini in 1665, a new study reports. The Great Red Spot we see today likely formed because of an instability in the planet's intense atmospheric winds, producing a long, persistent atmospheric cell, the study also finds.
In low- and middle-income countries, anemia reduction efforts are often touted as a way to improve educational outcomes and reduce poverty. A new study evaluates the relationship between anemia and school attendance in India, debunking earlier research that could have misguided policy interventions.
Using sound to stimulate certain brain waves has the potential to help those with dementia or cognitive decline sleep better, reveals a new study. Sleep disturbances are a common feature in dementia and may affect up to half of people living with the condition.
Viruses, including the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, can get passed from person to person via contaminated surfaces. But can some surfaces reduce the risk of this type of transmission without the help of household disinfectants? Wood has natural antiviral properties that can reduce the time viruses persist on its surface -- and some species of wood are more effective than others at reducing infectivity.
An international team of scientists has recently found that non-native species are expanding their ranges many orders of magnitude faster than native ones, in large part due to inadvertent human help. Even seemingly sedentary non-native plants are moving at three times the speed of their native counterparts in a race where, because of the rapid pace of climate change and its effect on habitat, speed matters. To survive, plants and animals need to be shifting their ranges by 3.25 kilometers per year just to keep up with the increasing temperatures and associated climactic shifts -- a speed that native species cannot manage without human help.
Autoimmune diseases cannot currently be cured, only treated, and this is also true for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, which affects the central nervous system. A study of how the treatment acts on the immune system shows that it shifts the balance of types of immune cells. This finding may represent a step toward the development of personalized medicine for autoimmune diseases.
The severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms in the planetary science community is greater than in the general U.S. population, according to a new study.
Gravitational changes experienced by astronauts during space travel can cause fluids within the body to shift. This can cause changes to the cardiovascular system, including vessels in and around the eyes. These fluid shifts may be related to a phenomenon known as Spaceflight Associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome (SANS), which can cause astronauts to experience changes in eye shape and other ocular symptoms.
They're more than a simple clock, and understanding these cells' activity could ultimately aid in early detection of neurodegenerative diseases.
Women diagnosed with perinatal depression are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease in the following 20 years compared to women who have given birth without experiencing perinatal depression. The study is the first of its kind to look at cardiovascular health after perinatal depression and included data on around 600,000 women. It found the strongest links with risks of high blood pressure, ischemic heart disease and heart failure.
Tuberculosis is a serious health threat, and the efficacy of the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis diminishes in adulthood, making booster vaccines a realistic option. Mycobacterial DNA-binding protein 1 (MDP1), a protein found in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, elicits higher protective IFN-gamma responses in individuals who suppress tuberculosis, thus making it a vaccine candidate.
Measuring the heart rate of great apes in captivity is essential for both health management and animal studies. However, existing most methods are either invasive or inaccurate. Now, researchers have investigated the potential of using millimeter-wave radar technology to estimate heart rate from subtle body movements in chimpanzees. Their efforts will hopefully pave the way to better practices and techniques for monitoring heart rates in wild and captive primates.
Researchers discovered that mycoviruses, or oomycete viruses, can increase the sensitivity of plant pathogenic oomycete to fungicides like metalaxyl. Their findings suggest greater potential for mycoviruses in biocontrol and contributing to sustainable agriculture.
An innovative synthesis strategy opened up the way to 2D/3D fused frameworks using inexpensive quinolines as feedstock, report scientists. By leveraging a light-sensitive borate intermediate, the scientists could transform quinoline derivatives into a great variety of 2D/3D fused frameworks in a straightforward and cost-effective manner. Their findings are expected to enable the synthesis of highly customizable drug candidates.
When low doses of cancer drugs are administered continuously near malignant brain tumors using so-called iontronic technology, cancer cell growth drastically decreases. Researchers demonstrated this in experiments with bird embryos. The results are one step closer to new types of effective treatments for severe cancer forms.
Researchers have discovered that plants benefit from a greater variety of interactions with pollinators and herbivores. Plants that are pollinated by insects and have to defend themselves against herbivores have evolved to be better adapted to different types of soil.
Looking under the microscope, a group of cells slowly moves forward in a line, like a train on the tracks. The cells navigate through complex environments. A new approach now shows how they do this and how they interact with each other.
Much of the methane released into the southern Baltic Sea from the Nord Stream gas pipeline has remained in the water. This is shown by measurements taken by researchers from the University of Gothenburg.
A team has invented a technique to study electrochemical processes at the atomic level with unprecedented resolution. They have already used it to discover a surprising phenomena in a popular catalyst material and plan to apply their technology to studying a wide variety of electrochemical systems including batteries, fuel cells, and solar fuel generators. The insights could lead to more efficient and durable devices.
Researchers have created a new class of materials called 'glassy gels' that are very hard and difficult to break despite containing more than 50% liquid. Coupled with the fact that glassy gels are simple to produce, the material holds promise for a variety of applications.
Scientists have achieved a significant research milestone in the field of spinal cord injuries -- mapping out the cellular and molecular dynamics of paralysis in unprecedented detail with their open-source project 'Tabulae Paralytica'. Gr goire Courtine and his team have integrated cutting-edge cell and molecular mapping technologies with artificial intelligence to chart the complex molecular processes that unfold in each cell after spinal cord injuries (SCI). This seminal work not only identifies a specific set of neurons and genes that plays a key role for recovery but also proposes a successful gene therapy derived from its discoveries.
Some areas of the Amazon rainforest are more resilient to drought than others, new research shows. But if not managed carefully, we could 'threaten the integrity of the whole system,' researchers say.
Researchers describe how odors are encoded in the antennal lobe, the olfactory center in the brain of migratory locusts. Using transgenic locusts and imaging techniques, the researchers were able to show a ring-shaped representation of odors in the brain. The pattern of olfactory coding in the antennal lobe is the same at all stages of locust development. A better understanding of olfactory coding in the locust brain should help to learn more about how the behavior of these insects is controlled, especially their swarming.
Researchers have surveyed people under the age of 25 who have had cancer since 1958. The study shows that cancer survivors are at greater risk for cardiovascular diseases, other cancers and other diagnoses later in life. In addition, the researchers saw that socioeconomic factors played a role in survival.
Archipelago case-study shows that removing invasive rats and restoring native vegetation could help bring back hundreds of thousands of breeding pairs of seabirds lost to tropical islands. Calculating that there are enough fish to sustain restored seabird populations should be an important consideration for restoration projects, scientists say. Restored seabird populations also provide huge boost to the health of surrounding coral reef ecosystems through restored nutrient cycles.
Opera singers have to use the extreme limits of their voice range. Many pedagogical and scientific sources suggest that the highest pitches reached in classical singing can only be produced with a so-called 'whistle' voice register, in analogy to ultrasonic vocalizations of mice and rats. An international research team has now rejected this assumption. In their study, the scientists showed that the high-frequency sounds of operatic sopranos are produced with the same principle than speech and most other forms of singing.
A new study shows soot from large wildfires in California traps sunlight, making days warmer and drier than they ought to be.
Osteoporosis or the weakening of bones makes the aging population vulnerable to fractures and a decreased quality of life. The parathyroid hormone (PTH)-derived peptide -- teriparatide has demonstrated strong bone promoting effects. However, it is also to known to exert bone-resorbing effects. A new study uncovers a novel PTH-inducible target gene -- Gprc5a which suppresses the proliferation and differentiation of 'osteoblasts' or bone-forming cells, and may serve as a therapeutic target in the treatment of osteoporosis.
Shooting a movie in the lab requires special equipment. Especially when the actors are molecules -- invisible to the naked eye -- reacting with each other. 'Imagine trying to film tiny lava flows during a volcanic eruption. Your smartphone camera wouldn't be up to the job.
Formation of the body axes is a critical part of embryonic development. They guarantee that all body parts end up where they belong and that no ears grow on our backs. The head-tail axis, for example, determines the orientation of the two ends of the body. It was previously assumed that this axis is largely determined by the interplay between the Nodal and BMP signals. However, there appears to be another player in this system, as researchers have now discovered by using an embryo-like model system they developed. In the absence of BMP, the signalling molecule beta-catenin takes on the role of the Nodal antagonist. This new mechanism could be a flexible solution for axis formation in embryos with different shapes.
In late 2019 the previously unremarkable galaxy SDSS1335+0728 suddenly started shining brighter than ever before. To understand why, astronomers have used data from several space and ground-based observatories, including the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT), to track how the galaxy's brightness has varied. In a study out today, they conclude that they are witnessing changes never seen before in a galaxy -- likely the result of the sudden awakening of the massive black hole at its core.
Cumulative culture -- the accumulation of technological modifications and improvements over generations -- allowed humans to adapt to a diversity of environments and challenges. But, it is unclear when cumulative culture first developed during hominin evolution. A new study concludes that humans began to rapidly accumulate technological knowledge through social learning around 600,000 years ago.
The ketogenic diet has its fanatics and detractors among dieters, but either way, the diet has a scientifically documented impact on memory in mice. While uncovering how the high fat, low carbohydrate diet boosts memory in older mice, scientists identified a new molecular signaling pathway that improves synapse function and helps explain the diet's benefit on brain health and aging.
One in four parents describe getting their young child to bed as difficult -- and these parents are less likely to have a bedtime routine, more likely to leave on a video or TV show, and more likely to stay with their child until they're asleep.
As the world's largest unfrozen freshwater resource, groundwater is crucial for life on Earth. Researchers have investigated how global warming is affecting groundwater temperatures and what that means for humanity and the environment. Their study indicates that by 2100, more than 75 million people are likely to be living in regions where the groundwater temperature exceeds the highest threshold set for drinking water by any country.
Abrupt shifts within complex systems such as the Earth's climate system are extremely hard to predict. Researchers have now succeeded in developing a new method to anticipate such tipping points in advance. They successfully tested the reliability of their method using one of the most severe abrupt climate changes of the past: the shift of the once-green Sahara into a desert.
A new method in spectromicroscopy significantly improves the study of chemical reactions at the nanoscale, both on surfaces and inside layered materials. Scanning X-ray microscopy (SXM) at MAXYMUS beamline of BESSY II enables the investigation of chemical species adsorbed on the top layer (surface) or intercalated within the MXene electrode (bulk) with high chemical sensitivity.
Using computer-assisted neural networks, researchers have been able to accurately identify affective states from the body language of tennis players during games. For the first time, they trained a model based on artificial intelligence (AI) with data from actual games. Their study demonstrates that AI can assess body language and emotions with accuracy similar to that of humans. However, it also points to ethical concerns.
The number of individuals in the U.S. who had chronic hypertension or chronic high blood pressure during pregnancy doubled between 2008 and 2021.
A major earthquake 2,500 years ago caused one of the largest rivers on Earth to abruptly change course, according to a new study. The previously undocumented quake rerouted the main channel of the Ganges River in what is now densely populated Bangladesh, which remains vulnerable to big quakes.
A pioneering study has unveiled significant heterogeneity in the risk factors affecting healthy aging in Latin America and emphasized the limitations of current models of brain health, which are primarily based on data from high-income countries.
A study on the remains of the Chaves and Puyascada caves, both located in the province of Huesca, Spain, yields the first direct proof of the consumption and processing of dairy products in the Pyrenees already at the start of the Neolithic period, approximately 7,500 years ago, as well as the consumption of pig. The results lead to doubts about the belief that these products were first used much later in the Pyrenean mountain range.
Treatment outcomes for breast cancer have become better over the years, but proportion of breast cancers still recur even after long periods without signs of cancer remaining dormant in the body. Cancer researchers discovered a mechanism that wakes up these dormant breast cancer cells and demonstrated that preventing the mechanism can significantly improve treatment outcomes in experimental models.
New research shows when animals are fed a diet high in saturated fat for nine weeks, their gut bacteria change in ways that influence brain chemicals and fuel anxiety.
Current techniques for measuring nano/microplastic (N/MP) concentrations in soil require the soil organic matter content to be separated and have limited resolution for analyzing N/MPs sized <1 m. Therefore, researchers have developed a novel yet simple method to measure N/MP concentration in different soil types using spectroscopy at two wavelengths. This method does not require the soil to be separated in order to detect the N/MPs and can accurately quantify N/MPs regardless of their size.
In a breakthrough discovery that challenges the conventional understanding of cosmology, scientists have unearthed new evidence that could reshape our perception of the cosmos. New research shows that rotation curves of galaxies stay flat indefinitely far out, corroborating predictions of modified gravity theory as an alternative to dark matter.
Researchers have designed a new genetic therapy that could alleviate debilitating giant moles in a rare skin condition.
Researchers hope their DIY machine will help designers around the world experiment with making their own, sustainable fashion and other textiles from a range of natural ingredients -- maybe even the chitin in crab shells or agar-agar from algae.
A new study has highlighted the widespread use of physical restraints among caregivers of older adults with advanced dementia living at home, revealing a need for better guidance and alternative care approaches.
Using a specially designed 3D printed vacuum system, scientists have developed a way to 'trap' dark matter with the aim of detecting domain walls, this will be a significant step forwards in unravelling some of the mysteries of the universe.
Using genome reconstruction, scientists unveiled a once 'invisible' fish parasite present in many marine fish world-wide that belongs to the apicomplexans, one of the most important groups of parasites at a clinical level. However, it had gone unnoticed in previous studies. The parasite is geographically and taxonomically widespread in fish species around the planet, with implications for commercial fishing and oceanic food webs.
A recently published paper on a kinase and its importance in triggering cellular responses caps more than 12 years of research.
An international research team has succeeded in developing a new type of material in the rather young research field of covalent organic frameworks. The new two-dimensional polymer is characterized by the fact that its properties can be controlled in a targeted and reversible manner. This has brought the researchers a step closer to the goal of realizing switchable quantum states.
A group of scientists has released the first comprehensive list of birds that haven't been documented with sound or video in more than a decade.
An international team of scientists has identified the oldest fossil of a sea-going reptile from the Southern Hemisphere -- a nothosaur vertebra found on New Zealand's South Island. 246 million years ago, at the beginning of the Age of Dinosaurs, New Zealand was located on the southern polar coast of a vast super-ocean called Panthalassa. 'The nothosaur found in New Zealand is over 40 million years older than the previously oldest known sauropterygian fossils from the Southern Hemisphere.
Could measuring protein clumps in our cells be a new way to find out our risk of getting age-related diseases? Researchers propose the concept of a 'protein aggregation clock' to measure aging and health.
Early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) -- one of the most fatal malignancies -- is crucial to improve patient survival. In a breakthrough study investigators report on the development of a serum fusion-gene machine-learning model. This important screening tool may increase the five-year survival rate of patients with HCC from 20% to 90% because of its improved accuracy in early diagnosis of HCC and monitoring the impact of treatment.
Brain-computer interfaces or BCIs hold immense potential for individuals with a wide range of neurological conditions, but the road to implementation is long and nuanced for both the invasive and noninvasive versions of the technology. Scientists have now successfully integrated a novel focused ultrasound stimulation to realize bidirectional BCI that both encodes and decodes brain waves using machine learning in a study with 25 human subjects. This work opens up a new avenue to significantly enhance not only the signal quality, but also, overall nonivasive BCI performance by stimulating targeted neural circuits.
Astronomers have discovered a double-record-breaking pair of quasars. Not only are they the most distant pair of merging quasars ever found, but also the only pair confirmed in the bygone era of the Universe's earliest formation.
In studies with genetically engineered mice, researchers say they have identified a potentially new biological target involving Aplp1, a cell surface protein that drives the spread of Parkinson's disease-causing alpha-synuclein.
A new aging atlas gives scientists an in-depth view of how individual cells and tissues in worms age and how different lifespan-extending strategies might stop the clock.
A new method for neuroimaging analysis is shown to work with small groups of participants, opening the door for many studies that don't have access to massive sets of brain images.
The relationship between mother and child may offer clues to the mystery of why humans live longer than expected for their size -- and shed new light on what it means to be human -- according to a new study.
A team of scientists used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to parse the composition of the Crab Nebula, a supernova remnant located 6,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus.
Researchers have consistently shown that prenatal exposure to Di (2-ethyhexyl) phthalate harms the reproductive system in male mice and causes fertility defects. In a new study, scientists have shown that the combination of DEHP and a high-fat diet in pregnant mice can cause more damage to pups than each factor alone.
A new study identifies NLRC5 as an innate immune sensor that plays a crucial role in PANoptotic cell death -- making it a key therapeutic target.
Researchers carried out a pioneering experiment where they measured the effect of the rotation of Earth on quantum entangled photons. The work represents a significant achievement that pushes the boundaries of rotation sensitivity in entanglement-based sensors, potentially setting the stage for further exploration at the intersection between quantum mechanics and general relativity.
A technique can plan a trajectory for a robot using only language-based inputs. While it can't outperform vision-based approaches, it could be useful in settings that lack visual data to use for training.
A new study has shown for the first time that when sandhoppers want to enter a period of deep sleep each winter they have the means through which to increase the magnesium levels in their bodies -- in some instances more than doubling them. Essentially acting as a natural narcotic, the magnesium puts the sandhopper into a torpid state and this enforced rest means that the creatures can stay hidden in burrows up to 30cm beneath the beach surface, to some extent buffered from wintry conditions.
Researchers have developed a new metric from measured blood circulation in our brain. This metric has implications for brain conditions, including Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.
An international team has discovered a spectrum characteristic of an altermagnetic material with X-ray magnetic circular dichroism.
Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), as a source of entangled photons, is of great interest for quantum physics and quantum technology, but so far it could be only implemented in solids. Researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, SPDC in a liquid crystal. The results open a path to a new generation of quantum sources: efficient and electric-field tunable.
Scientists have shown in laboratory experiments that an increase in temperature from 37 to 40 degrees Celsius increased the resistance rate for two antimicrobials, while for a third antimicrobial, the higher temperature reduced the resistance rate. If these results can be replicated in human patients, fever control could be a new way to mitigate the emergence of antibiotic resistance.
A low vitamin B6 level has negative effects on brain performance. A research team has now found a way to delay the degradation of the vitamin.
Layers of carbon atoms in a honeycomb array are a true supermaterial: their unusually high conductivity and favorable mechanical properties could further the development of bendable electronics, new batteries, and innovative composite materials for aeronautics and space flight. However, the development of elastic and tough films remains a challenge. A research team has now introduced a method to overcome this hurdle: they linked graphene nanolayers via 'extendable' bridging structures.
In mammals, only 3% of the genome consists of coding genes which, when transcribed into proteins, ensure the biological functions of the organism and the in-utero development of future individuals. But genes do not function alone. They are controlled by other sequences in the genome, called enhancers, which, like switches, activate or deactivate them as required. A team has now identified and located 2700 enhancers -- among millions of non-coding genetic sequences -- that precisely regulate the genes responsible for bone growth. This discovery sheds light on one of the major factors influencing the size of individuals in adulthood, and explains why their failure could be the cause of certain bone malformations.
Scientists have unraveled the ancestral history of one of the most iconic birds of prey in the current Iberian fauna: the Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata). The study combines evidence from several disciplines, including palaeontology, genetics and ecology, to answer questions about when and why the Bonelli's eagle, a species primarily found in tropical and subtropical areas, colonized the Mediterranean Basin.
Researchers have succeeded in developing a DNA-based molecular controller. Crucially, this controller enables the autonomous assembly and disassembly of molecular robots, as opposed to manually directing it.
An artificial intelligence-powered method for detecting tumor DNA in blood has shown unprecedented sensitivity in predicting cancer recurrence. The new technology has the potential to improve cancer care with the very early detection of recurrence and close monitoring of tumor response during therapy.
Results from a new phase 1 trial indicate that immunotherapy could be used to treat the most common form of colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer. Consistent responses to immunotherapy have been reported in patients with the most common type of colorectal tumors, known as MSS mCRC, with 61% of patients seeing their tumor shrink or remain stable after receiving treatment.
An international research team has uncovered a new insight into human evolution by comparing humans' hearts with those of other great apes.
Scientists are rethinking the evolution of vocal learning in birds. New Zealand's smallest bird, the rifleman or titipounamu, may have a rudimentary version of the talent possessed by parrots, hummingbirds and songbirds.
Adding nitrogen to concrete could significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gases created by the construction industry.
Fatty liver disease (steatotic liver disease, SLD for short) is increasingly causing failure of the liver as a vital organ. A team led by researchers has now discovered that a saturated fatty acid in blood vessels leads to the production of the signalling molecule SEMA3A, which closes the 'windows' in the blood vessels. This hinders the transport of fat from the liver to the adipose tissue. The researchers report that the windows open again and the fat in the liver is reduced when SEMA3A is inhibited.
Researchers have found a new function for an existing protein. They discovered that TIMP-1, a protein traditionally known to prevent damage to the body's cells and tissues, plays a critical role in the immune system's defense against cancer. The findings of the study could improve the effectiveness of current cancer immunotherapies.
Synthetically generated population data can reveal the equity impacts of distributing transportation resources and funding across diverse regions, according to new research.
A team of researchers has shown for the first time that fasting can reprogram the metabolism of natural killer cells, helping them to survive in the harsh environment in and around tumors, while also improving their cancer-fighting ability.
New research has found that sharks retained high levels of functional diversity for most of the last 66 million years, before steadily declining over the last 10 million years to its lowest value in the present day.
The amount of infectious H5N1 influenza viruses in raw milk rapidly declined with heat treatment in laboratory research. However, small, detectable amounts of infectious virus remained in raw milk samples with high virus levels when treated at 72 degrees Celsius (161.6 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 seconds -- one of the standard pasteurization methods used by the dairy industry. The authors of the study stress, however, that their findings reflect experimental conditions in a laboratory setting and are not identical to large-scale industrial pasteurization processes for raw milk.
Scientists address decades-long problem in the field of single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer, paving the way for more accurate experiments.
Critically ill patients are at risk of stress-induced upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Now, a global trial confirms that a widely available drug does prevent upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
Excess sodium intake and a lack of potassium are major contributing factors towards high blood pressure in Indonesia, prompting calls for low-sodium potassium-rich salt substitutes (LSSS) to be readily available to improve health and curb health costs.
A recent study found that hospitalized patients were 43 percent more likely to have their care escalated and significantly less likely to die if their care team received AI-generated alerts signaling adverse changes in their health.
Research suggests exercising in a park or other natural setting is more beneficial than exercising indoors.
The capacity to adjust beliefs about one's actions and their consequences in a constantly changing environment is a defining characteristic of advanced cognition. Disruptions to this ability, however, can negatively affect cognition and behavior, leading to such states of mind as paranoia, or the belief that others intend to harm us. In a new study, scientists uncover how one specific region of the brain might causally provoke these feelings of paranoia. Their novel approach -- which involved aligning data collected from monkeys with human data -- also offers a new cross-species framework through which scientists might better understand human cognition through the study of other species.
Climate change is making it more difficult to raise cattle -- growth and reproduction are affected by heat -- so it's critical to breed cattle better adapted to a hotter and longer summer. A new study shows it's possible to identify the genes within breeds of cattle that would lead to the sweatiest, heat-tolerant offspring.
Researchers have made a significant breakthrough in how to enable and exploit ultra-fast spin behavior in ferromagnets. The research paves the way for ultra-high frequency applications.
Researchers have developed new chemistry to achieve commercially relevant stability and performance for perovskite solar cells.
Researchers detail a new wearable fabric that can help urban residents survive the worst impacts of massive heat caused by global climate change, with applications in clothing, building and car design, and food storage. By addressing both direct solar heating and the thermal radiation emitting from pavement and buildings in urban heat islands, the material kept 2.3 degrees Celsius (4.1 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler than the broadband emitter fabric used for outdoor endurance sports and 8.9 degrees Celsius (16 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler than the commercialized silk commonly used for shirts, dresses and other summer clothing.
Thirty-by-thirty: protect 30% of the planet by 2030. While conservation is popular in principle, the costs of actually enacting it often stall even the most earnest efforts. Researchers have now proposed a market-based approach to achieving the 30x30 targets in the ocean.
New research may help close the nutrition gap between infant formula and human breast milk. The study shows how plants can be programmed to produce a diverse array of beneficial sugars found in human breast milk. The findings could lead to healthier and more affordable formula for babies, or more nutritious non-dairy plant milk for adults.
Researchers have experimentally generated high-density relativistic electron-positron pair-plasma beams by producing two to three orders of magnitude more pairs than previously reported.
With their 'T-REX' method, researchers developed a glassy, amber-like polymer that can be used for long-term storage of DNA, such as entire human genomes or digital files such as photos.
Neuroscientists found that brains display distinct neural activity when experiencing emotions such as bitter-sweetness. The advance could help solve a longstanding scientific debate: whether 'mixed emotions' arise from unique activity in the brain, or if we're just flip-flopping back and forth between positive and negative feelings.
The new study provides unambiguous evidence that the inner core began to decrease its speed around 2010, moving slower than the Earth's surface.
A new type of dart launcher has been developed as a safer and more cost-effective alternative to firearms or air guns to inject animals with drugs or tracking chips.
An analysis of reviews of translational biomedical research reveals that just 5% of therapies tested in animals reach regulatory approval for human use. The umbrella review summarizes other systematic reviews and provides high level evidence that while the rate of translation to human studies is 50%, there is steep drop off before final approval.
A suite of three innovations enables high-resolution, high-throughput imaging of human brain tissue at a full range of scales and mapping connectivity of neurons at single cell resolution. To demonstrate the advance, researchers compared a brain region in an Alzheimer's and a control sample.
Some species of tardigrades are highly and unusually resilient to various extreme conditions fatal to most other forms of life. The genetic basis for these exceptional abilities remains elusive. Researchers have now successfully edited genes using the CRISPR technique in a highly resilient tardigrade species previously impossible to study with genome-editing tools. The successful delivery of CRISPR to an asexual tardigrade species directly produces gene-edited offspring. The design and editing of specific tardigrade genes allow researchers to investigate which are responsible for tardigrade resilience and how such resilience can work.
Most people today would lean towards environmentally friendly life choices, but not at the expense of being clean. When it comes to our washing habits, the fear of being perceived as dirty often wins out over the desire to act in an environmentally friendly way. And the more inclined we are to feel disgusted, the more we wash our clothes. This is shown by a unique study that examines the driving forces behind our laundering behaviours and provides new tools for how people's environmental impact can be reduced.
Researchers are unlocking the mystery of how bacteria harness viruses to wipe out the competition. The answers could help spur the development of alternatives to antibiotics.
Findings indicate that such software can dramatically improve patient safety during surgery.
When people are asked for consent before being touched, they have a more pleasant experience of the interaction, researchers have discovered.
Paleontologists have identified a new genus of fossil goby, revealing evolutionary secrets of a lineage that stretches back millions of years.
Researchers have developed a technique that allows artificial intelligence (AI) programs to better map three-dimensional spaces using two-dimensional images captured by multiple cameras. Because the technique works effectively with limited computational resources, it holds promise for improving the navigation of autonomous vehicles.
A lack of sleep can make it extraordinarily difficult to retain information. Two new studies uncover why this is and what is happening inside the brain during sleep and sleep deprivation to help or harm the formation of memories.
Loneliness may be harmful to our daily health, according to a new study focused on understanding the subtleties of loneliness and how variations in daily feelings of loneliness effect short- and long-term well-being. The researchers said the work provides more evidence in support of the devastating impact of loneliness and isolation on physical health in the country, calling it a public health crisis.
Video footage of Iceland's 2010 Eyjafjallaj kull eruption is providing researchers with rare, up-close observations of volcanic ash clouds -- information that could help better forecast how far explosive eruptions disperse their hazardous ash particles.
The E/I ratio of children decreases with healthy development. Children with a lower E/I ratio were observed to have better performance than their peers in cognitive tests such as memory and intelligence, according to researchers.
Climate change has many widespread and complicated effects on the well-being of people and the planet, and a new study has now added a surprising one to the list. After analyzing the language used in seven million parliamentary speeches around the world, it shows that high temperatures lead to a significant and immediate reduction in politicians' language complexity.
New research points to a potential approach to reducing the risk of diabetes associated with widely prescribed antipsychotic medications. The study presents early evidence in support of co-administering antipsychotic medications that block dopamine receptors in the brain alongside drugs that stop antipsychotics from blocking those same receptors in the pancreas. This approach could limit metabolic side effects, including impaired control over blood sugar, or dysglycemia.
We may go to the woods seeking peace and quiet, but are we taking our noise with us? A recent study indicates that the answer is yes -- and that this noise can trigger a fear response, as if escaping from predators. This new science calls into question whether otherwise high-quality habitat truly provides refugia for wildlife when recreationists are present and underscores the challenges land managers face in balancing outdoor recreational opportunities with wildlife conservation.
A new study found chronic pain among older adults could be significantly reduced through a newly developed psychotherapy that works by confronting past trauma and stress-related emotions that can exacerbate pain symptoms.
One of the most common reasons for bypassing the COVID vaccine is concern about side effects like tiredness, muscle and joint pain, chills, headache, fever, nausea and feeling generally unwell. But a new study has found that the symptoms indicate a robust immune response that is likely to lessen the chances of infection.
Astronomers have discovered a rare hypervelocity L subdwarf star racing through the Milky Way. More remarkably, this star may be on a trajectory that causes it to leave the Milky Way altogether.
Peering deeply into the cosmos, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is giving scientists their first detailed glimpse of supernovae from a time when our universe was just a small fraction of its current age. A team using Webb data has identified 10 times more supernovae in the early universe than were previously known. A few of the newfound exploding stars are the most distant examples of their type, including those used to measure the universe's expansion rate.
Nightmare material or truly man's best friend? A team of researchers equipped a dog-like quadruped robot with a mechanized arm that takes air samples from potentially treacherous situations, such as an abandoned building or fire. The robot dog walks samples to a person who screens them for potentially hazardous compounds.
Juvenile social play predicts adult reproductive success in male bottlenose dolphins, a new study has found.
Researchers have developed -- and shared -- a process for creating brain cortical organoids -- essentially miniature artificial brains with functioning neural networks.
Researchers have demonstrated the first chip-based 3D printer, a tiny device that emits reconfigurable beams of visible light into a well of resin that rapidly cures into a solid shape. The advance could enable a 3D printer small enough to fit in the palm of a person's hand.
Astronomers have captured what appears to be a snapshot of a massive collision of giant asteroids in Beta Pictoris, a neighboring star system known for its early age and tumultuous planet-forming activity.
Scientists have created innovative soft robots equipped with electronic skins and artificial muscles, allowing them to sense their surroundings and adapt their movements in real-time.
People with an optimistic outlook on the future are less likely to be severe procrastinators, according to new research. While procrastinators often admonish themselves for their 'bad habit,' it turns out that their worries for the future are more to blame. Through a survey of nearly 300 young people, researchers found that those who had a positive view about their stress levels decreasing in the future, compared to the past or present, were less likely to experience severe procrastination. Views on personal well-being didn't appear to have an effect. Improving people's outlook and readiness for the future could help them overcome procrastination and achieve a less stressful lifestyle.
Astrophysicists calculate the likelihood that Earth was exposed to cold, harsh interstellar clouds, a phenomenon not previously considered in geologic climate models.
Academics are often accused of 'splitting hairs', but a team has now devised a machine to do just that. We all have a bad hair day from time to time, and split ends are a common problem. However, the science behind this kind of hair damage is poorly understood, which is why scientists are investigating this knotty problem.
People who eat a healthy, sustainable diet may substantially lower their risk of premature death in addition to their environmental impact, according to a new study. This large study directly evaluates the impacts of adherence to recommendations in the landmark 2019 EAT-Lancet report. The researchers have named the dietary pattern outlined in the report -- which emphasizes a variety of minimally processed plant foods but allows for modest consumption of meat and dairy foods -- the Planetary Health Diet (PHD).
The platitude that failure leads to success may be both inaccurate and damaging to society, according to new research.
A new study has found that patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or another psychotic disorder are three times more likely to have Bartonella DNA in their blood than adults without these disorders. The work further supports the idea that pathogens -- particularly vector-borne pathogens -- could play a role in mental illness.
A multi-institutional team has created atomic optical antennas in solids. The team used germanium vacancy centers in diamonds to create an optical energy enhancement of six orders of magnitude, a regime challenging to reach with conventional atomic antenna structures.
New research supports earlier findings that indicate that anesthesia is no more hazardous for the brain at higher doses than at lower doses.
Wild African elephants address each other with name-like calls, a rare ability among nonhuman animals, according to a new study. Researchers used machine learning to confirm that elephant calls contained a name-like component identifying the intended recipient, a behavior they suspected based on observation. The study suggests elephants do not imitate the receiver's call to address one another but instead use arbitrary vocal labels like humans.
An international team of planetary scientists has detected patches of water frost sitting atop the Tharsis volcanoes on Mars, which are not only the tallest volcanic mountains on the Red Planet but in the entire solar system.
Astronomers have deciphered the formation history of young star clusters, some of which we can see with the naked eye at night. The team reports that most nearby young star clusters belong to only three families, which originate from very massive star-forming regions. This research also provides new insights into the effects of supernovae (violent explosions at the end of the life of very massive stars) on the formation of giant gas structures in galaxies like our Milky Way.
By super cooling a molecule on the surface of brain cells down to about minus 180 degrees Celsius -- nearly twice as cold as the coldest places in Antarctica -- scientists say they have determined how a widely-used epilepsy drug works to dampen the excitability of brain cells and help to control, although not cure, seizures.
Astronomers observing exoplanet GJ 3470 b saw evidence of water, carbon dioxide, methane and sulfur dioxide. Astronomers hope the discovery of this exoplanet's sulfurous atmosphere will advance our understanding of how planets forms.
Researchers have for the first time demonstrated that a specific class of oxide membranes can confine, or 'squeeze,' infrared light -- a finding that holds promise for next generation infrared imaging technologies. The thin-film membranes confine infrared light far better than bulk crystals, which are the established technology for infrared light confinement.
The United States has enough biomass potential to produce 35 billion gallons per year of aviation biofuel by 2050, a new report confirms.
Biomedical engineers have developed a silk-based, ultrathin membrane that can be used in organ-on-a-chip models to better mimic the natural environment of cells and tissues within the body. When used in a kidney organ-on-a-chip platform, the membrane helped tissues grow to recreate the functionality of both healthy and diseased kidneys.
What species live in this coral reef, and are they healthy? Chemical clues emitted by marine organisms might hold that information. But in underwater environments, invisible compounds create a complex 'soup' that is hard for scientists to decipher. Now, researchers have demonstrated a way to extract and identify these indicator compounds in seawater. They found metabolites previously undetected on reefs, including three that may represent different reef organisms.
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) remote sensing systems allow researchers to inspect and characterize pavements, retaining walls, and embankments from space and can help determine if there are flaws that should be further inspected for repair.
A breakthrough study changes the way we understand cyanobacteria, which are essential for the sustenance of life. The study shows that these organisms do not operate in isolation, but rather physically interact through membrane-nanotubes, which function as exchange bridges between cells.
Little is yet known about the health effects of nanoparticles on pregnancy. An interdisciplinary team is currently analyzing the risks for babies in the womb. Using a lab model, the researchers were able to determine that certain nanoparticles impair the release of chemical messengers in the placenta and thus the formation of blood vessels.
New research led by Lia Siegelman, a physical oceanographer at UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, shows that the roiling storms at the planet Jupiter's polar regions are powered by processes known to physicists studying Earth's oceans and atmosphere. The geophysical commonalities spanning the 452 million miles between the two planets could even help facilitate an improved understanding of those processes on Earth.
Some say the next step in human evolution will be the integration of technology with flesh. Now, researchers have used virtual reality to test whether humans can feel embodiment -- the sense that something is part of one's body -- toward prosthetic 'hands' that resemble a pair of tweezers. They report that participants felt an equal degree of embodiment for the tweezer-hands and were also faster and more accurate in completing motor tasks in virtual reality than when they were equipped with a virtual human hand.
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, a team of astronomers studied the properties of a planet-forming disk around a young and very low-mass star. The results reveal the richest hydrocarbon composition seen to date in a protoplanetary disk, including the first extrasolar detection of ethane and a relatively low abundance of oxygen-bearing species. By including previous similar detections, this finding confirms a trend of disks around very low-mass stars to be chemically distinct from those around more massive stars like the Sun, influencing the atmospheres of planets forming there.
In a parasitic first, a Baltic amber specimen has revealed that millions of years ago tiny worms known as nematodes were living inside of and feeding on the outer protective layer of pseudoscorpions.
A new study suggests that people who take a few common drugs may have a decreased risk of having a bleeding stroke due to a ruptured brain aneurysm. The results do not prove that these drugs reduce the risk of this type of aneurysm; they only show an association.
They bedeviled ancient Greek navies, helped shipwreck Christopher Columbus, aided in the sinking of the Spanish Armada and caused the wharves in San Francisco Bay to collapse into the sea, but until now, scientists have been unable to pinpoint exactly how shipworms -- a family of mollusks -- are able to cause such damage. A team of researchers has discovered that a population of symbiotic microbes, living in an overlooked sub-organ of the gut called the 'typhlosole,' have the ability to secrete the enzymes needed to digest lignin -- the toughest part of wood.
Healthcare providers should watch out for new and highly contagious forms of ringworm or jock itch, which are emerging as a potential public health threat, according to a pair of reports.
Diabetes rates continue to rise. Scientists have now created a pain-free drug delivery method to help people with diabetes manage the disease and maintain their health more easily. Researchers have developed oral insulin drops that when placed under the tongue are quickly and efficiently absorbed by the body, potentially replacing the need for insulin injections.
Blood stem cells -- key to transplants that are used as life-saving treatments for blood cancers and blood and immune disorders -- have the capacity to self-renew, but quickly lose their ability to do so in a lab dish. Scientists have identified a protein that not only enables blood stem cells to self-renew in a lab dish, but also allows these expanded cells to function effectively after being transplanted into mouse models. The findings could help make blood stem cell transplants available to more people and improve the accessibility and safety of gene therapies that use these cells.
Strong bitterness is the main reason why people all over the world, especially children, avoid taking their medicines, putting their health, and sometimes, their lives at risk. Now, a group of scientists has identified the first temporary, universal taste blocker that works in people.
The U.S. public displays more positive than negative sentiment toward nuclear energy but concerns remain about waste, cost and safety, according to an analysis of 300,000 posts on social media.
Researchers have established a new framework for understanding how classic antidepressants work in treating major depressive disorder (MDD), reemphasizing their importance and aiming to reframe clinical conversation around their role in treatment.
Large Language Models behind popular generative AI platforms like ChatGPT gave different answers when asked to respond to the same reasoning test and didn't improve when given additional context, finds a new study.
Scientists are getting closer to detecting bushfires in record time, thanks to cube satellites with onboard AI now able to detect fires from space 500 times faster than traditional on-ground processing of imagery.
A groundbreaking method of detecting high-frequency gravitational waves (HFGWs) has been proposed. The team's innovative approach may enable the successful detection of HFGWs by utilizing existing and technologically feasible astronomical telescopes in planetary magnetosphere, opening up new possibilities for studying the early universe and violent cosmic events in an effective and technically viable way.
As prostate cancer progresses, it becomes increasingly aggressive and can metastasize. In this form, the tumor is difficult to treat, which is reflected in high mortality rates: Worldwide, the malignant disease of the prostate is the second most common cause of cancer death in men.
The identity of a prehistoric marine reptile has finally been revealed after experts discovered that some of its remains actually belonged to fish.
New research featuring more than 24,000 people has found that having diverse groups of friends improves wellbeing and social cohesion, despite people's tendency to gravitate towards people more similar to them.
Bronze cauldrons were used by the inhabitants of the Mongolian steppe around 2,700 years ago to process animal blood and milk. This is shown by a protein analysis of archaeological finds from this period.
A new clinical trial of five children with inherited deafness found administering gene therapy in both ears led to restored hearing and speech, and additional gains including sound source localization, ability to hear in noisy environments, and for two children, abillity to appreciate music. This is the first trial in the world to treat children with hereditary deafness in both ears with gene therapy. The investigators say their findings warrant larger international trials, and suggest this approach may be beneficial for other genetic and non-genetic causes of deafness.
Scientists have discovered genetic clues to the cause of restless leg syndrome, a condition common among older adults. The discovery could help identify those individuals at greatest risk of the condition and point to potential ways to treat it.
Scientists have detected what they believe to be a neutron star spinning at an unprecedentedly slow rate -- slower than any of the more than 3,000 radio emitting neutron stars measured to date.
Photographs making invisible air pollution visible have sparked discussion around the impact of air pollution on communities ascross the globe.
Car tires contain hundreds of chemical additives that can leach out of them. This is how they end up in crops and subsequently in the food chain. Researchers have now detected these chemical residues in leafy vegetables for the first time. Although the concentrations were low, the evidence was clear, a finding that is also known for drug residues in plant-based foods.
New research has connected warming ocean temperatures to higher Pacific salmon abundance in the Canadian Arctic, an indicator that climate change is creating new corridors for the fish to expand their range. Salmon haven't historically been seen in large numbers in the Arctic Ocean and its watersheds, but in recent years incidental catches by subsistence fishermen have occasionally surged. Researchers working together with communities in the western Canadian Arctic, connected those salmon booms with a sequence of warm, ice-free conditions in the Arctic Ocean north of Alaska.
Babies' brains are not as immature as previously thought, rather they are using the period of postnatal 'helplessness' to learn powerful foundation models similar to those underpinning generative Artificial Intelligence, according to a new study.
Eating a poor quality diet might lead to brain changes that are associated with depression and anxiety. This is according to a first-of-its-kind study into the brain chemistry and structure, and diet quality of 30 volunteers.
A new genetic study found that heavy fishing in the early part of the fishing season may result in younger and smaller Atlantic salmon. This information can help to conserve large fish essential for the diversity and viability of salmon populations.
A collaborative team of researchers has made a cracking discovery with the potential to make a significant impact in the sustainable recovery of rare earth elements (REEs), which are in increasing demand for use in green energy technologies. The team found that humble eggshell waste could recover REES from water, offering a new, environmentally friendly method for their extraction.
Training exercises designed to improve cognitive control in children do not make a significant difference to their ability to delay gratification or to their academic achievement, nor do they lead to any brain changes.
Many managers are currently seeking a balance between digital and face-to-face communication. A recent study shows that top IT industry managers have different views on when and for what purposes face-to-face communication in the workplace is needed.
A team of researchers has developed a new method for target DNA sequence amplification, testing and analysis.
Adolescents with elevated blood pressure and arterial stiffness may experience poorer cognitive functions, according to a recent study. Young people with higher blood pressure performed worse, especially in tasks that measured attention and learning. In addition, arterial stiffness was reflected in weaker working memory. In view of the findings, the importance of preventing high blood pressure and arterial stiffness in childhood and adolescence is emphasized.
A new study finds climate change is likely to make upward spikes of ozone at ground level worse by 2050, which could result in many parts of the United States falling out of compliance with air quality standards and increasing risks to public health.
For many parents, it can feel like curbing kids' screen use is a losing battle. But new research has found the parenting practices that work best to curb screen time and addictive screen behavior: restricting screens in bedrooms and at mealtimes and modeling healthy practices at home.
Fusion researchers have successfully deployed machine learning methods to suppress harmful plasma edge instabilities without sacrificing plasma performance.
An international research team has found almost a million potential sources of antibiotics in the natural world.
Almost a century ago, the discovery of antibiotics like penicillin revolutionized medicine by harnessing the natural bacteria-killing abilities of microbes. A study suggests that natural-product antibiotic discovery is about to accelerate into a new era, powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Researchers are adding a new wrinkle to a long-held belief about what causes earthquakes in the first place.
Scientists have found that the process of adaptive myelination, which helps the brain learn new skills, can also promote addiction to opioids.
Researchers have developed a low-cost, energy-efficient method for making materials that can capture carbon dioxide directly from the air. Researchers used a method similar to charging a battery to instead charge activated charcoal, which is often used in household water filters.
Researchers invented a technique that allows them to observe which genes and enhancers are active in a cell at the same time. This could help them determine which enhancers control which genes and may reveal potential new drug targets for genetic disorders.
Researchers have discovered a new biological pathway that is a principal driver of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and related conditions, and which can be targeted using existing drugs.
Scientists discovered how macrophages, which act as the immune system's first line of defense, tailor their specific responses to various intruders through the independent and cooperative functions of three SWI/SNF protein complex variants: cBAF, ncBAF, and PBAF. The findings provide new insight into macrophage-initiated inflammation, which can potentially be utilized to create therapeutics that modulate excessive and damaging inflammation during disease.
A high sodium diet may increase the risk of eczema, according to researchers, who found that eating just one extra gram of sodium per day increases the likelihood of flares by 22%.
Nearly one in six patients in primary care reported cannabis use, with 35% of those using at levels indicating moderate- to high-risk use disorder. The findings indicate the need for routine cannabis use screening. Currently few healthcare systems offer this screening in primary care settings.
A recent study provides new insights into how fathers' diets and overweight can affect their children's health even before conception. The findings of the study can help develop preventive health measures for men wishing to become fathers: The healthier the father's diet, the lower the risk for their children to develop obesity or diseases such as diabetes later in life.
Antibiotic treatment prior to surgical repair of a pediatric elbow fracture does not reduce the risk for post-operative infection.
A rare exoplanet that should have been stripped down to bare rock by its nearby host star's intense radiation somehow grew a puffy atmosphere instead -- the latest in a string of discoveries forcing scientists to rethink theories about how planets age and die in extreme environments. Nicknamed 'Phoenix' for its ability to survive its red giant star's radiant energy discovered planet illustrates the vast diversity of solar systems and the complexity of planetary evolution -- especially at the end of stars' lives.
New research has linked multiple types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, also known as 'forever chemicals') with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in postmenopausal women. Specifically, the study reveals how PFAS chemicals interact with pro-inflammatory pathways in older women, providing potential explanations for the increased risk.
According to preliminary data from a multi-institution Phase III trial intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) achieved similar clinical outcomes and offered significant patient benefits when compared to traditional intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) as part of chemoradiation treatment for patients with oropharyngeal (head and neck) cancer.
Giant viruses found on the Greenland ice sheet probably regulate the growth of snow algae on the ice by infecting them. Knowing how to control these viruses could help us reduce the rate of ice-melt.
Have you ever wished you could understand what your dog is trying to say to you? Researchers are exploring the possibilities of AI, developing tools that can identify whether a dog's bark conveys playfulness or aggression.
Researchers have discovered sustained hunting by humans prevented the woolly rhinoceros from accessing favourable habitats as Earth warmed following the Last Ice Age.
Declining snowfall is changing the seasonal patterns of streamflow throughout the Northern hemisphere boosting chances of water shortages in the summer, scientists have found.
Floating solar photovoltaic panels could supply all the electricity needs of some countries, new research has shown. The researchers calculated the daily electrical output for floating photovoltaics (FPV) on nearly 68,000 lakes and reservoirs around the world, using available climate data for each location.
Driven by an older, more diverse population, along with a significant increase in risk factors including high blood pressure and obesity, total costs related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) conditions are likely to triple by 2050, according to recent projections. At least 6 in 10 U.S. adults (61%), more than 184 million people, are expected to have some type of CVD within the next 30 years, reflecting a disease prevalence that will have a $1.8 trillion price tag in direct and indirect costs.
A team of palaeontologists has discovered a fossil of a gigantic flying reptile from the Jurassic period with an estimated wingspan of more than three metres -- making it one of the largest pterosaurs ever found from that era.
Scientists have built upon BTE technology to develop new and improved recombinant and synthetic DNA versions of therapeutic antibodies that target CA9, called Persistent Multivalent T Cell Engager (CA9-PMTE), that shows promise in pre-clinical models as a potent, long-lasting treatment against ccRCC.
New research has found a connection between pleasant weather conditions and higher investment in lottery-like stocks.
A study has found that frequent mowing of Solanum elaeagnifolium, also known as silverleaf nightshade, may help create a 'superweed.' A professor of entomology and plant pathology has been studying silverleaf nightshade for more than a decade. New findings have shown that the more silverleaf nightshade was mowed, the more it developed ways to avoid destruction. The taproot went down further, nearly 5 feet deep, in the first generation of mowed plants. More spikes popped out on the stem as a defense against caterpillars feeding on the flowers. The flowers became more toxic to caterpillars, leading to less pressure from natural predators.
A new study indicates that airplane noise may increase one's risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases, a cluster of conditions such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and hypertension. The study found that people who were exposed to airplane noise levels at 45 dB or more were more likely to have higher self-reported body mass index (BMI), with the highest BMI measures linked to aircraft noise levels at 55 dB or above.
MIT researchers developed a technique to combine robotics training data across domains, modalities, and tasks using generative AI models. They create a combined strategy from several different datasets that enables a robot to learn to perform new tasks in unseen environments.
Researchers call for strengthening existing planetary protection policies beyond the space surrounding Earth to include requirements for preserving the Lunar and Martian environments.
Researchers combine AI and mobile health to predict recovery from lumbar spine surgery.
A glacier's flow depends on how microscopic defects move through the ice, according to new research that also yielded a new model for predicting how glaciers will flow, ultimately contributing to sea-level rise.
A new scientific model is giving researchers an unprecedented, global look at the activities of clams, worms, and other invertebrate animals that burrow at the bottom of the ocean.
Researchers conducting a study at a high-traffic intersection in a Jersey Shore town have found that the installation of a bike lane along the road approaching the convergence reduced driving speeds.
Obeldesivir (GS-5245), a novel investigational small molecule oral antiviral, represents a new tool in the ongoing effort to prepare for future pandemics.
The movement of carbon between the atmosphere, oceans and continents -- or carbon cycle -- regulates Earth's climate, with the ocean playing a major role in carbon sequestration. A new study finds that the shape and depth of the ocean floor explain up to 50% of the changes in depth at which carbon has been sequestered there over the past 80 million years. While these changes have been previously attributed to other causes, the new finding could inform ongoing efforts to combat climate change through marine carbon sequestration.
A new computational machine learning method developed by computational biologists can help researchers discover spatial patterns of gene expression in diseased tissue.
Researchers develop a vastly more productive way to convert carbon dioxide into useful materials and compounds.
In times of crisis, effective humanitarian aid depends largely on the fast and efficient allocation of resources and personnel. Accurate data about the locations and movements of affected people in these situations is essential for this. Researchers have now produced a framework to analyze and visualize population mobility data, which could help in such cases.
A recent study suggests that the SIX2 protein may be a possible factor underlying increased plasticity of prostate cancer cells and treatment resistance.
Biological processes depend on puzzle pieces coming together and interacting. Under specific conditions, these interactions can create something new without external input. This is called self-organization, as seen in a school of fish or a flock of birds. Interestingly, the mammalian embryo develops similarly. Scientists now introduce a mathematical framework that analyzes self-organization from a single cell to a multicellular organism.
A humorous remark at just the right time can go a long way. Benevolent humor helps medical assistants (MAs) cope positively with their stressful working day, according to a new study.
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation and ulcers (sores) in the digestive tract. Ulcerative colitis affects the innermost lining of the large intestine, also called the colon and rectum. At least 40,000 people are living with IBD in Ireland, and over 5 million globally.
Snaring -- a non-selective method of poaching using wire traps -- is widespread in tropical forests in Southeast Asia. Snaring decimates wildlife populations and has pushed many larger mammals to local or even global extinction. Eleven years of data from ranger patrols in the Thua Thien Hue and Quang Nam Saola Nature Reserves in Viet Nam show that intensive removal efforts are labour-intensive and costly but brought snaring down by almost 40 percent and therefore reduced imminent threats to wildlife. Further reductions were difficult to achieve despite continued removal efforts. Snare removal is therefore necessary but by itself not sufficient to save the threatened wildlife diversity in tropical forests, scientists conclude.
Urgent action now is needed to tackle the major and growing global issue of invasive alien species, says a team of 88 experts from 47 countries. The paper follows the (IPBES) thematic assessment report on invasive alien species and their control. The experts say co-developing management actions with multiple stakeholders including government and private sector stakeholders, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities will be critical to achieving success in addressing biological invasions.
A team of scientists has combined paleoclimatic data from the last 2,000 years with powerful computer modeling and in-the-field research on lake sediments and tree rings to show that an understudied phenomenon, known as atmospheric blocking, has long influenced temperature swings in the Arctic. As temperatures warm due to climate change, atmospheric blocking will help drive ever-wilder weather events. The study focused on the Norwegian Arctic archipelago, Svalbard, at the edge of the Arctic Ocean.
Permafrost soils store large quantities of organic carbon and are often portrayed as a critical tipping element in the Earth system, which, once global warming has reached a certain level, suddenly and globally collapses. Yet this image of a ticking timebomb, one that remains relatively quiet until, at a certain level of warming, it goes off, is a controversial one among the research community. Based on the scientific data currently available, the image is deceptive, as an international team has shown in a recently released study. According to their findings, there is no single global tipping point; rather, there are numerous local and regional ones, which 'tip' at different times, producing cumulative effects and causing the permafrost to thaw in step with climate change.
An international research team has sparked interest in the scientific community with results in quantum physics. In their current study, the researchers reinterpret the Higgs mechanism, which gives elementary particles mass and triggers phase transitions, using the concept of 'magnetic quivers.'
Researchers have explored how the River Nile evolved over the past 11,500 years and how changes in its geography could have helped shape the fortunes of ancient Egyptian civilization. Research reveals a major shift in the Nile around four thousand years ago, after which the floodplain in the Nile Valley around Luxor greatly expanded.
A fungus living in the sea can break down the plastic polyethylene, provided it has first been exposed to UV radiation from sunlight. Researchers expect that many more plastic degrading fungi are living in deeper parts of the ocean.
The intermediate range order of covalent glasses has been extensively studied in terms of the first sharp diffraction peak (FSDP), but the direct observation of the atomic density fluctuations that give rise to FSDP is still lacking. Addressing this gap, researchers employed a new energy-filtered angstrom-beam electron diffraction technique to provide the direct experimental observation for the origin of FSDP in silica glass, providing important insights into the atomic structure of glasses.
Greenhouse cultivation is booming globally, especially in the Global South -- and across one country in particular. This is revealed in a new study that deploys detailed satellite imagery and AI to map greenhouses across the planet. According to the researchers, the development is a source of both promise and concern.
A team has scaled up the powerful brain-mapping tool BARseq. The technology is now capable of mapping millions of neurons throughout the brain. Identifying how neural connections are wired up over time is key to understanding the brain's perceptual abilities. It may also lead to better treatments for a variety of neurological conditions.
Team develops a flexible and stretchable device capable of omnidirectional color wavelength control.
Blocking a protein known as CDK7 could prevent heart damage associated with a commonly used cancer chemotherapy medication, according to a new study. Importantly, the researchers also found that inhibiting CDK7 could help enhance the medication's cancer-killing capability. Based on an animal model, the study findings could provide a foundation for future treatment strategies to reduce chemotherapy-related heart toxicity and increase treatment effectiveness. This could ultimately help increase the lifespan of people with cancer.
Scientists have employed artificial intelligence techniques to improve the design and production of nanofibers used in wearable nanofiber acoustic energy harvesters (NAEH). These acoustic devices capture sound energy from the environment and convert it into electrical energy, which can then be applied in useful devices, such as hearing aids.
Telemedicine visits for cancer care may not only be more convenient and easier to schedule than in-person appointments, they're also better for the planet. On a national US basis, decentralizing clinical portions of cancer care would produce 33% less greenhouse gas emissions than traditional in-person care.
A new species of blue ant was discovered in Yingku village in Arunachal Pradesh, Northeastern India. It was named Paraparatrechina neela, after the word 'neela' which means blue in various Indian languages. Its unique blue coloration makes it stand out among other ant species.
When white blood cells, meant to protect the body from infection, are overly activated, they eject their DNA into nets, further disrupting the immune system and making patients more likely to develop a potentially severe reaction to immunotherapy.
A study explores body proportions of Masai giraffes, lending insight into why giraffes have such long necks and how this trait might have evolved.
For survivors of strokes, regaining fine motor skills is critical for recovering independence and quality of life. But getting intensive, frequent rehabilitation therapy can be challenging and expensive. Now, researchers are developing a new technology that could allow stroke patients to undergo rehabilitation exercises at home by tracking their wrist movements through a simple setup: a smartphone strapped to the forearm and a low-cost gaming controller called the Novint Falcon.
The Celtic culture of the pre-Roman Iron Age in Western and Central Europe has left numerous traces to this day, not least in the form of enormous burial mounds and spectacular archaeological artifacts. Despite this rich legacy, much about this civilization remains hidden from us.
The sharks we know today as the open ocean's top predators evolved from stubby bottom dwellers during a dramatic episode of global warming millions of years ago.
Using unconventional statistical mechanics to understand fluid dynamics, a professor helped solve a 150 year old physics problem of how turbulent fluids move through a pipe.
Physicists describe the successful creation of a molecular Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). Made up of dipolar sodium-cesium molecules that were cooled with the help of microwave shielding to just 5 nanoKelvin and lasted for up to two seconds, the new molecular BEC will help scientists explore a number of different quantum phenomena, including new types of superfluidity, and enable the creation of quantum simulators to ecreate the enigmatic properties of complex materials, like solid crystals.
A new proposal has emerged in response to the November 2021 floods that swept Sumas Prairie in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia, causing mass evacuations and millions in damages. Instead of rebuilding the dykes to manage water flows and prevent future floods, scientists, along with members of the Sumas First Nation and other research partners, suggest an alternative: let Sumas Lake, which was drained in the early 1920s and converted into the farmland known as Sumas Prairie, return to its natural state. This can be done by buying out properties on the lakebed -- a solution that is projected to cost around $1 billion, less than half of the estimated $2.4 billion cost of repairing the dykes and installing a new pump station.
Under certain conditions, some algae are able to produce hydrogen -- a much sought-after green energy source. Its production takes place in the unique catalytic center of the unicellular algae and is only possible if certain cofactors of the relevant proteins are present. Researchers have identified how such a cofactor, the so-called hydrogen cluster, is assembled. Specifically, they describe the previously unexplained role of the enzyme HydF, which is involved in the final steps of assembly.
Healthy adults under the age of 75 are unlikely to benefit from taking more than the daily intake of vitamin D recommended by the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) and do not require testing for vitamin D levels. For children, pregnant people, adults older than 75 years and adults with high-risk prediabetes, the guideline recommends vitamin D higher than the IOM recommended daily allowance.
One of Earth's most consequential bursts of biodiversity -- a 30-million-year period of explosive evolutionary changes spawning innumerable new species -- may have the most modest of creatures to thank for the vital stage in life's history: worms.
Scientists have discovered a highly effective, nontoxic, and less expensive way to lure hungry termites to their doom.
Mars has a distinct structure in its mantle and crust with discernible reservoirs, and this is known thanks to meteorites that scientists have analyzed. These results are important for understanding not only how Mars formed and evolved, but also for providing precise data that can inform recent NASA missions like Insight and Perseverance and the Mars Sample Return.
A novel, human-inspired approach to training artificial intelligence (AI) systems to identify objects and navigate their surroundings could set the stage for the development of more advanced AI systems to explore extreme environments or distant worlds, according to new research.
This fossil looks like a lumpy, rounded rock with a couple of exposed teeth that are a little worse for wear, having been submerged and tumbled along the floor of the Gulf of Mexico for thousands of years before washing up on a beach. But when it was X-rayed a doctoral student saw there was more to the fossil that met the eye: a hidden canine tooth that had not yet erupted from the jaw bone. It was just what researchers needed to identify the fossil as belonging to a Homotherium, a genus of large cat that roamed much of the Earth for millions of years.
New research demonstrated a possible formation mechanism of intermediate-mass black holes in globular clusters, star clusters that could contain tens of thousands or even millions of tightly packed stars. The first ever star-by-star massive cluster-formation simulations revealed that sufficiently dense molecular clouds, the 'birthing nests' of star clusters, can give birth to very massive stars that evolve into intermediate-mass black holes.
Humans may be accelerating the rate at which organic matter decomposes in rivers and streams on a global scale, according to a new study. That could pose a threat to biodiversity in waterways around the world and increase the amount of carbon in Earth's atmosphere, potentially exacerbating climate change. The study is the first to combine a global experiment and predictive modeling to illustrate how human impacts to waterways may contribute to the global climate crisis.
A great armada entered the North Atlantic, launched from the cold shores of North America. But rather than ships off to war, this force was a fleet of icebergs. And the havoc it wrought was to the ocean current itself. The future of the Atlantic circulation will be determined by a tug-o-war between Greenland's decreasing ice flux and its increasing freshwater runoff.
Scientists studying ultra-processed foods have created a new tool for assessing the rewarding and reinforcing properties of foods that make up 58 percent of calories consumed in the United States. The foods have been linked to a wide range of negative health outcomes.
Over the last two years, scientists have used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to explore what astronomers refer to as Cosmic Dawn -- the period in the first few hundred million years after the big bang where the first galaxies were born.
Fossils found on the shoreline of Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe represent a completely new dinosaur species. This remarkable find, named Musankwa sanyatiensis, marks only the fourth dinosaur species named from Zimbabwe.
Researchers found that mutated mouse embryos showing an abnormal epidermal differentiation and injected with mouse pluripotent stem cells grew large patches of mature epidermis derived from the donor cells that survived transplantation to adult mice and grew natural-looking fur. Injecting the embryos with human keratinoctyes produced sheets of semi-humanized skin, suggesting that this system could be developed further to grow autologous skin grafts for treating severe skin wounds.
New research has determined the spatial structure of various processes of a novel gene-editing tool called 'prime editor.' Functional analysis based on these structures also revealed how a 'prime editor' could achieve reverse transcription, synthesizing DNA from RNA, without 'cutting' both strands of the double helix. Clarifying these molecular mechanisms contributes greatly to designing gene-editing tools accurate enough for gene therapy treatments.
The average age at menarche -- the first menstrual period -- has been decreasing among younger generations in the U.S., especially those belonging to racial minorities and lower socioeconomic statuses, according to a new study. It also found that the average time it takes for the menstrual cycle to become regular is increasing.
Hummingbird flight mechanics have been well studied but far less is known about how their sense of touch helps them sip nectar from a flower without bumping into it. Most of what scientists know about how touch is processed in the brain comes from studies on mammals, but bird brains are very different from mammal brains. New research shows that touch and air pressure on the wings and legs activate specific clusters of neurons in two regions of the forebrain to create a map of their body, which may help hummingbirds make nuanced adjustments to flight.
Newly generated, complete genomes for the sex chromosomes of six primate species may inform conservation of these endangered species and shed light on sex-related genetic diseases in both humans and our closest living relatives.
The moon orbiting the asteroid Dinkinesh is actually two tiny moons stuck together. Collectively called 'Selam,' the two moonlets bring new insight into the complex processes behind planetary formation and evolution.
Researchers have applied the well-understood and highly verified quantum field theory, usually applied to the study of the very small, to a new target, the early universe. Their exploration led to the conclusion that there ought to be far fewer miniature black holes than most models suggest, though observations to confirm this should soon be possible. The specific kind of black hole in question could be a contender for dark matter.
Advances in electrochromic coatings may bring us closer to environmentally friendly ways to keep inside spaces cool. Like eyeglasses that darken to provide sun protection, the optical properties of these transparent films can be tuned with electricity to block out solar heat and light. Now, researchers report demonstrating a new electrochromic film design based on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) that quickly and reliably switch from transparent to glare-diminishing green to thermal-insulating red.
What makes chocolate taste and smell so delicious? Chemistry, of course! A variety of molecules work together to create that unmistakable aroma, but those same molecules might carry some unwanted health effects if there are too many around. While many of the compounds appeared in chocolate in low enough concentrations to be safe, higher amounts were found in some baked sweet treats.
Over the past few decades, there has been a significant increase in the prevalence of depression in adolescents and young adults -- and a simultaneous uptick in the inclusion of technology and social media in everyday life. In a new study, researchers investigated the association among social media use, depression and other health-related behaviors of young adults over time.
Orchid plants nurture their seedlings via an underground fungal network, new research has revealed.
A new study may help redefine how scientists map the surface of the Moon, making the process more streamlined and precise than ever before.
According to a recent study, dogs trained to detect scent may be able to identify significantly lower concentrations of odour molecules than has previously been documented.
The benefits gained with higher lifestyle scores may be associated with the positive influence of heart disease risk factors on the aging of the body and its cells, finds a new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association
Researchers have shown that members of the public have little trouble in learning very quickly how to use a third thumb -- a controllable, prosthetic extra thumb -- to pick up and manipulate objects. The team tested the robotic device on a diverse range of participants, which they say is essential for ensuring new technologies are inclusive and can work for everyone.
Participants following an intermittent fasting and protein-pacing regimen, which involves evenly spaced protein intake throughout the day, saw better gut health, weight loss and metabolic responses. These benefits were notably greater than those seen with simple calorie restriction. The findings could advance our understanding of the relationship between the gut microbiome and metabolism and improve strategies for managing obesity.
A new deep learning model performs a task that biologists have struggled with for centuries -- how to measure the incredibly complex process of embryonic development. Scientists have shown that the AI model, known as Dev-ResNet, can identify what happens and when during embryonic development, from video. While used in pond snail embryos for this study, in future the technique could be used to help accelerate understanding on how climate change, and other external factors, affect humans and animals in the earliest stages of life.
A team of cancer researchers has discovered a new subset of T cells that may improve the outcome for patients treated with T-cell therapies.
A multidisciplinary research team has revealed that the circadian clock -- the biological pacemaker that governs daily rhythms in physiological processes, including immune functions -- can be leveraged to enhance the efficacy of checkpoint inhibitor cancer therapy. Checkpoint inhibitors block different proteins from binding to tumor cells, allowing the immune system's T cells to kill the tumor.
A new article examines the question of what Darwinism is and how its nonscientific uses relate to the scientific theory of evolution. The authors observe that while some people claim Darwinism's meaning should be limited to scientific content, others call for its abolition altogether. The authors propose a unified account of these varieties of Darwinism.
A new study updates guidelines for when you should neuter or spay your dog to prevent increased risk of cancer or joint disorders.
Researchers have demonstrated how B cells infected with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can contribute to a pathogenic, inflammatory phenotype that contributes to multiple sclerosis (MS); the group has also shown how these problematic B cells can be selectively targeted in a way that reduces the damaging autoimmune response of multiple sclerosis.
Scientists have designed a way to 'cloak' proteins in a generalized technique that could lead to repurposing things like antibodies for biological research and therapeutic applications.
Music and speech are among the most frequent types of sounds we hear. But how do we identify what we think are differences between the two? An international team of researchers mapped out this process through a series of experiments -- yielding insights that offer a potential means to optimize therapeutic programs that use music to regain the ability to speak in addressing aphasia.
Researchers have developed a sustainable and controllable strategy to manipulate interfacial heat transfer, paving the way for improving the performance of eco-friendly cooling in various applications such as electronics, buildings and solar panels.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men, and being a father may put men at an even greater risk of poor heart health later in life, reports a new study. The study of 2,814 men between the ages of 45 and 84 found cardiovascular health in older age was worse for fathers compared to non-fathers. Study participants' heart health was rated based on their diet, physical activity, smoking habits, weight, blood pressure, and level of lipids and glucose in their blood.
Low-level light therapy appears to affect healing in the brains of people who suffered significant brain injuries.
The toe tapping behavior of various amphibians has long attracted attention from researchers and pet owners. Despite being widely documented, the underlying functional role is poorly understood. In a new paper, researchers demonstrate that Dyeing poison frogs modulate their taps based on specific stimuli.
A new study concludes that nearly half of the food waste, about 620 million metric tons, could be eliminated by fully refrigerated food supply chains worldwide. At the same time, fully refrigerated supply chains, or 'cold chains,' could cut food waste-related emissions of climate-warming greenhouse gases by 41% globally, according to a new study.
A baby's exposure to air pollution while in the womb is associated with the development of certain mental health problems once the infant reaches adolescence, new research has found. The study examined the long-term mental health impact of early-life exposure to air and noise pollution.
Discovery of an appetite-suppressing protein has doubled the potential for new avenues for treating obesity and metabolic disorders in animals and people.
Thousands of Australians struggle with serious mental health conditions. But when the recommended treatment involves antipsychotic medications, the side effects are excess kilos, which only adds weight to an already complex diagnosis. Now, new research shows that antipsychotics can be reformulated with a strategically engineered coating that not only mitigates unwanted weight gain but also boosts serotonin levels by more than 250%.
New research looked at commonly available teabags made using three different compositions of polylactic acid (PLA), which is derived from sources such as corn starch or sugar cane. The teabags were buried in soil for seven months, and a range of techniques were then used to assess whether -- and to what extent -- they had deteriorated. The results showed that teabags made solely from PLA remained completely intact. However, the two types of teabags made from a combination of cellulose and PLA broke down into smaller pieces, losing between 60% and 80% of their overall mass and with the PLA component remaining.
Researchers developed a computer vision framework for posture estimation and identity tracking which they can use in indoor environments as well as in the wild. They have thus taken an important step towards markerless tracking of animals in the wild using computer vision and machine learning.
Scientists have come a step closer to identifying the mysterious origins of the 'slow' solar wind, using data collected during the Solar Orbiter spacecraft's first close journey to the Sun.
Researchers found that approximately one in 40 human bone marrow cells carry massive chromosomal alterations without causing any apparent disease or abnormality. Even so-called normal cells carry all sorts of genetic mutations, meaning there are more genetic differences between individual cells in our bodies than between different human beings. The discovery was enabled by a single-cell sequencing technology called Strand-seq, a unique DNA sequencing technique that can reveal subtle details of genomes in single cells that are too difficult to detect with other methods.
Greater use of pharmacists to treat minor illnesses could potentially save millions of dollars in health care costs, according to new research. The findings also indicate a way to improve healthcare access by expanding availability of pharmacists' clinical services including prescribing medications, amid an ongoing shortage of primary care providers. The study found that care for a range of minor health issues -- including urinary tract infections, shingles, animal bites and headaches -- costs an average of about $278 less when treated in pharmacies compared to patients with similar conditions treated at 'traditional sites' of primary care, urgent care or emergency room settings. Follow-ups with pharmacy patients showed that almost all their illnesses had resolved after the initial visit with a pharmacist. Notably, if all of the illnesses in the three-year study that were treated at a traditional site of care had been treated by community pharmacists, it would have saved an estimated $23 million in health care expenses.
An international research group succeeded in identifying the probable origin of stuttering in the brain.
New research finds that binge-eating disorder symptoms may persist longer than once believed, finding 61 percent and 45 percent of individuals still experienced binge-eating disorder 2.5 and 5 years after their initial diagnoses, respectively.
Women in leadership are often told to 'Lean In', designed to be motivational messaging demonstrating that they are more confident, strategic and resilient to setback. However, new research indicates that such 'lean in' messaging can hinder women's motivation to protest gender equality.
Regular high caffeine consumption affects dopamine function in patients with Parkinson's disease, shows a new international study. Caffeine consumption before undergoing diagnostic brain dopamine imaging may also affect the imaging results.
Scientists have developed a new method that can manipulate the movement of embryonic cells using short-time attractors.
Researchers have discovered that bank voles in southern Sweden (Sk ne) carry a virus that can cause hemorrhagic fever in humans. This finding was made more than 500 km south of the previously known range. 'We were surprised that such high proportion of the relatively few voles that we caught were actually carrying a hantavirus that makes people ill', says infection disease doctor. The virus strain discovered in Sk ne appears to be more closely related to strains from Finland and Karelia than to the variants found in northern Sweden and Denmark.
The African turquoise killifish lives in ephemeral ponds in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. To survive the annual dry season, the fish's embryos enter a state of extreme suspended animation or 'diapause' for approximately 8 months. Now, researchers have uncovered the mechanisms that enabled the killifish to evolve this extreme survival state.
Plant hydraulics drive the biological process that moves fluids from roots to plant stems and leaves, creating streaming electric potential, or voltage, in the process. A study closely examined the differences in voltage caused by the concentrations of ions, types of ions, and pH of the fluid plants transport, tying the voltage changes to the plant's circadian rhythm that causes adjustments day and night. According to the authors, this consistent, cyclic voltage creation could be harnessed as an energy source.
As the planet has warmed, scientists have long been concerned about the potential for harmful greenhouse gasses to seep out of thawing Arctic permafrost. Recent estimates suggest that by 2100 the amount of carbon dioxide and methane released from these perpetually frozen lands could be on par with emissions from large industrial countries. However, new research led by a team of microbiome scientists suggests those estimates might be too low.
Through a study of 1,002 participants, scientists have found that almost half (45.7 per cent) say they intend to use air taxis when they become available, with over one-third (36.2 per cent) planning to do so regularly. According to the findings, the intention to take autonomous air taxis is associated with factors such as trust in the AI technology deployed in air taxis, hedonic motivation (the fun or pleasure derived from using technology), performance expectancy (the degree to which users expect that using the system will benefit them), and news media attention (the amount of attention paid to news about air taxis).
Switching food and drink purchases to very similar but more environmentally friendly alternatives could reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by more than a quarter (26%), according to a new study.
A team of scientists has used artificial intelligence (AI) to map the activities of seafloor invertebrate animals, such as worms, clams and shrimps, across all the oceans of the world.
Maize is one of the world's most widely grown crops and is essential to global food security. But like other plants, its growth and productivity can be limited by the slow activity of Rubisco, the enzyme responsible for carbon assimilation during photosynthesis. Scientists have now demonstrated a promising approach to enhancing Rubisco production, thus improving photosynthesis and overall plant growth.
A new model for ballooning instabilities in apple-shaped fusion vessels considers the height and width of the plasma's edge.
An exceptionally rare fossilized porcupine skeleton discovered in Florida has allowed researchers to trace the evolutionary history for one of North America's rarest mammals.
Australian researchers have found evidence of the oldest known platypus and a new species, dubbed 'echidnapus', which has a platypus-like anatomy alongside features that more closely resemble an echidna.
Boilers are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. In a recent study, researchers developed a method to convert CO2 emissions from small boilers into methane, which makes use of an optimized reactor design that evenly distributes the CO2 feed. This, in turn, results in significantly lower temperature increments and a boost in methane production. This innovative technique could pave the way for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
While most organisms have biological clocks synchronized with the day-night cycle (circadian rhythms), marine animals in tidal areas have also developed circatidal rhythms to align with the tidal cycle. Comparing the activity and genetic expression of snails from tidal and non-tidal areas, researchers demonstrate that circatidal rhythms develop as snails adapt to tidal environments. These findings highlight the flexibility of biological clocks, enabling organisms to adjust their rhythms according to the environment.
By analyzing the dynamics of 12 back-to-back explosions that happened in 2018, researchers describe a new type of volcanic eruption mechanism. The explosions were driven by sudden pressure increases as the ground collapsed, which blasted plumes of rock fragments and hot gas into the air, much like a classic stomp-rocket toy.
An evolutionary biologist reports evidence of repeatable evolution in populations of stick insects.
Engineers have developed an artificial intelligence system that lets someone wearing headphones look at a person speaking for three to five seconds to 'enroll' them. The system then plays just the enrolled speaker's voice in real time, even as the pair move around in noisy environments.
Entomologists have solved the 250-year-old origin puzzle of the most prevalent indoor urban pest insect on the planet: the German cockroach. The team's research findings, representing the genomic analyses of over 280 specimens from 17 countries and six continents, show that this species evolved some 2,100 years ago from an outdoor-living species in Asia.
Mice administered raw milk samples from dairy cows infected with H5N1 influenza experienced high virus levels in their respiratory organs and lower virus levels in other vital organs, according to new findings. The results suggest that consumption of raw milk by animals poses a risk for H5N1 infection and raises questions about its potential risk in humans.
Researchers have developed a new strain of vaccinia virus, which can replicate in tumor cells while maintaining increased immunogenicity. Specifically, it can to induce so-called immunogenic cell death in tumor cells.
Researchers have outlined a way to manipulate water molecules to make CO2R more efficient, with the ultimate goal of creating a clean energy loop. Through their new method, the team was able to perform CO2R with nearly 100% efficiency under mildly acidic conditions, using either gold or zinc as catalysts.
Researchers have managed to analyze, simultaneously, several families of antibiotics in vegetables and earthworms. Sampling carried out in various locations has yielded data on the existence of antimicrobial agents and their derivatives in vegetables. In this respect, Vergara stresses the need for further research to address the problem of contamination by this type of medication in the environment.
A new study finds that a class of electromechanically active materials called antiferroelectrics may hold the key to overcoming performance limitations due to clamping in miniaturized electromechanical systems.
Researchers have now seen the formation of three of the earliest galaxies in the universe, more than 13 billion years ago. The sensational discovery contributes important knowledge about the universe.
From soil to sequestration, researchers have modeled what a supply chain for second-generation biofuels might look like in the midwestern United States.
New research offers a possible explanation for how the brain learns to identify both color and black-and-white images. The researchers found evidence that early in life, when the retina is unable to process color information, the brain learns to distinguish objects based on luminance, rather than color.
Chemistry researchers are hoping to spark a green battery revolution by showing that iron instead of cobalt and nickel can be used as a cathode material in lithium-ion batteries.
New research provides a map for how the genes known to increase risk of schizophrenia affect specific cells within the brain -- information researchers hope can drive the development of new, effective treatments.
Researchers show in animal models that a novel, non-hormonal sperm-specific approach offers a promising option for reversible human male contraception.
Astronomers have discovered a planet between the sizes of Earth and Venus only 40 light-years away.
While thousands of planets have been discovered around other stars, relatively little is known about them. A NASA catalog featuring 126 exotic, newly discovered worlds includes detailed measurements that allow for comparisons with our own solar system.
A recently completed study demonstrates that mental disorders may be transmitted between individuals within social networks. The finding was the most evident in the case of mood, anxiety and eating disorders.
Water scarcity will intensify with climate and socioeconomic change, disproportionately impacting populations located in the Global South.
Astronomers have made the rare and tantalizing discovery of an Earth-like exoplanet 40 light-years away that may be just a little warmer than our own world. The potentially-habitable planet, named Gliese 12 b, orbits its host star every 12.8 days, is comparable in size to Venus -- so slightly smaller than Earth -- and has an estimated surface temperature of 42 C (107 F), which is lower than most of the 5,000-odd exoplanets confirmed so far. That is assuming it has no atmosphere, however, which is the crucial next step to establishing if it is habitable.
Ants who receive a caffeine-laced sugary reward become more efficient at navigating back to the reward's location compared to ants that only receive sugar. Caffeinated ants move toward the reward via a more direct path but do not increase their speed, suggesting that caffeine improved their ability to learn. The study was conducted on Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), a globally invasive species, and the researchers say that incorporating caffeine into ant baits could aid efforts to control the ants by improving bait uptake.
Animals and fungi predominantly use two different modes of cell division -- called open and closed mitosis, respectively. A new study has shown that different species of Ichthyosporea -- marine protists that are close relatives of both animals and fungi -- use either open and closed mitosis, closely correlated to whether the species has multinucleate life cycle stages. The study demonstrates the way animals do cell division might have evolved long before animals themselves did and how this is linked to an organism's life cycle.
A new study demonstrates that kangaroos, wallabies and other Australian marsupials fear humans far more than any other predator.
On the heels of a shortage of nirsevimab for infant respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) prevention, a new tool may help identify newborns at highest risk for developing serious RSV LRTI, according to new research.
Dozens of Alaska's rivers and streams are turning orange. The staining could be the result of minerals exposed by thawing permafrost and climate change, finds a new study.
Scientists have used breast cancer cells' weakness against themselves by linking a tumor-selective antibody with a cell-killing drug to destroy hard-to-treat tumors.
Currently available flu medications only target the virus after it has already established an infection, but what if a drug could prevent infection in the first place? Now, scientists have designed drug-like molecules to do just that, by thwarting the first stage of influenza infection.
Researchers have for the first time been able to pin down a prehistoric settlement of early farmers in northern Greece dating back more than 7,000 years to the year. For this they combined annual growth ring measurements on wooden building elements with the sudden spike of cosmogenic radiocarbon in 5259 BC. This provides a reliable chronological reference point for many other archaeological sites in Southeast Europe.
Researchers are reporting new findings that demonstrate a link between exposure to per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in males and health issues in their offspring.
University of Copenhagen astrophysicists help explain a mysterious phenomenon, whereby stars suddenly vanish from the night sky. Their study of an unusual binary star system has resulted in convincing evidence that massive stars can completely collapse and become black holes without a supernova explosion.
Researchers have developed a type of chocolate that is more sustainable and nutritious than conventional varieties. Cocoa-fruit chocolate uses cocoa fruit jelly as a replacement for powdered sugar, reducing the sugar content and increasing the product's nutritional value. This new chocolate recipe also has the potential to diversify the income sources of small farmers.
Researchers show that nocturnal heat significantly increases the risk of stroke. The findings can contribute to the development of preventive measures: With them, the population can better protect themselves against the risks of climate change with increasingly frequent hot nights. In addition, knowledge of the consequences of hot nights can improve patient care.
Scientists discover 'zoned development' in dinosaur skin, with zones of reptile-style scales and zones of bird-like skin with feathers. A new dinosaur skin fossil has been found to be composed of silica -- the same as glass.
Sudden, severe dry spells known as flash droughts are rising in intensity around the world, with a notable exception in mountainous Central Asia, where flash drought extent is shrinking, according to new research. Heat and changes to precipitation patterns caused by a warming climate are driving these trends, the study found.
An increase in nightmares and hallucinations -- or 'daymares' -- could herald the onset of autoimmune diseases such as lupus.
Replacing diesel school buses with electric school buses may yield up to $247,600 in climate and health benefits per individual bus, according to a new study. The researchers found that these benefits -- including fewer greenhouse gas emissions and reduced rates of adult mortality and childhood asthma -- and their associated savings are strongest in large cities and among fleets of old (2005 and before) buses.
Glaciologists show evidence of warm ocean water intruding kilometers beneath grounded ice at Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica. The findings suggest that existing climate models are underestimating the impact of ocean and ice interactions in future sea level rise projections.
Artificial neural networks may soon be able to process time-dependent information, such as audio and video data, more efficiently.
A surprisingly low amount of methane and a super-sized core hide within the cotton candy -- like planet WASP-107 b.
A lack of detailed record-keeping in clinics and emergency departments may be getting in the way of reducing the inappropriate use of antibiotics, a pair of new studies suggests. In one of the studies, about 10% of children and 35% of adults who got an antibiotic prescription during an office visit had no specific reason for the antibiotic in their record.
The latest findings forecast that global life expectancy will increase by 4.9 years in males and 4.2 years in females between 2022 and 2050. Increases are expected to be largest in countries where life expectancy is lower, contributing to a convergence of increased life expectancy across geographies. The trend is largely driven by public health measures that have prevented and improved survival rates from cardiovascular diseases, COVID-19, and a range of communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases (CMNNs).
Scientists have discovered that a protein responsible for the synthesis of a key plant material evolved much earlier than suspected. This new research explored the origin and evolution of the biochemical machinery that builds lignin, a structural component of plant cell walls with significant impacts on the clean energy industry.
A recombinant form of human ADAMTS13 approved for a different condition helped to save the life of a young mother with immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
Two-dimensional materials such as graphene promise to form the basis of incredibly small and fast technologies, but this requires a detailed understanding of their electronic properties. New research demonstrates that fast electronic processes can be probed by irradiating the materials with ions first.
Physicists revealed a microscopic phenomenon that could greatly improve the performance of soft devices, such as agile flexible robots or microscopic capsules for drug delivery.
A study has found that repeat vaccination with updated versions of the COVID-19 vaccine promotes the development of antibodies that neutralize a wide range of variants of the virus that causes COVID-19, as well as related coronaviruses.
The sweet-taste receptor might be the first stop in a metabolic surveillance system for sugar. The receptor is also expressed in certain intestinal cells, where it may facilitate glucose absorption and assimilation, as part of this system. A team found that stimulation and inhibition of the sweet receptor helps regulate glucose metabolism in humans and may have implications for managing such metabolic disorders as diabetes.
The basis of the marine food web in the Arctic, the phytoplankton, responds to heatwaves much differently than to constantly elevated temperatures. This has been found by the first targeted experiments on the topic. The phytoplankton's behavior primarily depends on the cooling phases after or between heatwaves.
Recognizing and respecting the different ways nature is valued can enable better environmental decision-making, according to new research.
A new commentary paper puts forth a transformative solution to the unsustainable reliance on fossil resources by the chemical industry: catalysis to leverage sustainable waste resources, ushering the industry from a linear to a circular economy.
Using DNA origami, researchers have built a diamond lattice with a periodicity of hundreds of nanometers -- a new approach for manufacturing semiconductors for visible light.
Marine microbes control the flux of matter and energy essential for life in the oceans. Among them, the bacterial group SAR11 accounts for about a third of all the bacteria found in surface ocean waters. A study now reveals that at times nearly 20% of SAR11 cells are infected by viruses, significantly reducing total cell numbers. The viruses can also transform these once thriving bacteria into zombies, a phenomenon observed for the first time and widespread in the oceans.
Plants have special corrective molecules at their disposal that can make retrospective modifications to copies of genes. However, it would appear that these 'Tipp-Ex proteins' do not have permission to work in all areas of the cell, only being used in chloroplasts and mitochondria. A study has now explained why this is the case. It suggests that the correction mechanism would otherwise modify copies that have nothing wrong with them, with fatal consequences for the cell.
The brain modulates visual signals according to internal states, as a new study by neuroscientists reveals.
The deep-sea Venus flower basket sponge can filter feed using only the faint ambient currents of the ocean depths, no pumping required, new research reveals. This discovery of natural 'zero energy' flow control could help engineers design more efficient chemical reactors, air purification systems, heat exchangers, hydraulic systems, and aerodynamic surfaces.
Stroke is the leading cause of disability worldwide and the second leading cause of death, but the right early intervention can prevent severe consequences. Scientists developed a new test by combining blood-based biomarkers with a clinical score to identify patients experiencing large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke with high accuracy.
If fruit fly wings do not develop into the right shape, the flies will die. Researchers have learned how fly embryo cells develop as they need to, opening a window into human development and possible treatments for birth defects.
The spiny legged 308-million-year-old arachnid Douglassarachne acanthopoda was discovered the famous Mazon Creek locality.
People who use metformin are less likely to develop a myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) over time, indicating that the treatment may help prevent the development of certain types of cancers, according to a new study.
An HIV vaccine candidate triggered low levels of an elusive type of broadly neutralizing HIV antibodies among a small group of people enrolled in a 2019 clinical trial.
Thermoelectric materials could play an important role in the clean energy transition, as they can produce electricity from sources of heat that would otherwise go to waste. Researchers report a new approach to efficiently predict when thermoelectric materials will have improved performance in converting heat into electricity.
The new technique will map the top of the aquifer, called the 'water table,' spanning areas as large as hundreds of kilometers using a radar mounted on a high-altitude aircraft. According to the researchers, Desert-SEA will measure the variabilities in the depth of the water table on a large scale, allowing water scientists to assess the sustainability of these aquifers without the limitations associated with in-situ mapping in harsh and inaccessible environments.
A molecular biologist may have found a new 'rule of biology.' The rule challenges long-held notions that most living organisms prefer stability over instability because stability requires less energy and fewer resources.
Large language model-based chatbots can't effectively recognize users' motivation when they are hesitant about making healthy behavior changes, but they can support those who are committed to take action, say researchers.
In the United States, about 30-40% of donor hearts aren't considered for transplant due to inadequate function in the donor. This leads to a drop in the number of donated hearts that are available to be matched with someone who needs a heart transplant.
In what they believe is a solution to a 30-year biological mystery, neuroscientists say they have used genetically engineered mice to address how one mutation in the gene for the light-sensing protein rhodopsin results in congenital stationary night blindness.
Abnormalities in the shape of the sclera, the white of the eye, can cause various complications and lead to blindness. However, techniques to observe the sclera in detail, such as its fibrous structure, are lacking. Now, researchers have used polarization-sensitive optical computed tomography to accurately visualize the density and orientation of scleral fibers in the eyes of living patients, opening doors to understanding ocular pathologies better and developing effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
Important brain structures that are key for signaling in the brain are narrower and less dense in females, and more likely to be damaged by brain injuries, such as concussion. Long-term cognitive deficits occur when the signals between brain structures weaken due to the injury. The structural differences in male and female brains might explain why females are more prone to concussions and experience longer recovery from the injury than their male counterparts.
B cells can control responses of myeloid cells through the release of particular cytokines (small proteins that control the growth and activity of cells in the immune system), challenging the prevailing view that T cells are the principle orchestrators of immune responses. In individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), abnormally active respiration in B cells drives pro-inflammatory responses of myeloid cells and T cells, leading them to attack the protective sheath (myelin) that covers nerve fibers, and leading to nerve damage that causes symptoms of MS.
Researchers used generative AI to develop a physics-informed technique to classify phase transitions in materials or physical systems that is much more efficient than existing machine-learning approaches.
A new sensor is giving researchers the best look yet at ATP levels inside living cells, enabling scientists to study in greater detail than ever before how fluctuations in this cellular currency affect the cell and contribute to disease.
To date, approaches to treatments for Alzheimer's disease have not addressed the contribution of protein insolubility as a general phenomenon, instead focusing on one or two insoluble proteins. Researchers have recently completed a systematic study in worms that paints an intricate picture of the connections between insoluble proteins in neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Furthermore, the work demonstrated an intervention that could reverse the toxic effects of the aggregates by boosting mitochondrial health.
Being stressed while witnessing injustice may push your brain towards altruism, according to a new study.
Sea otters are one of the few animals that use tools to access their food, and a new study has found that individual sea otters that use tools -- most of whom are female -- are able to eat larger prey and reduce tooth damage when their preferred prey becomes depleted.
Chemotherapy kills cancer cells. But the way these cells die appears to be different than previously understood. Researchers have now uncovered a completely new way in which cancer cells die: due to the Schlafen11 gene. 'This is a very unexpected finding. Cancer patients have been treated with chemotherapy for almost a century, but this route to cell death has never been observed before. Where and when this occurs in patients will need to be further investigated. This discovery could ultimately have implications for the treatment of cancer patients.'
Researchers have determined that a protein prediction technology can yield accurate results in the hunt to efficiently find the best possible drug candidates for many conditions.
A team of chemists has achieved a significant breakthrough in the field of chemical synthesis, developing a novel method for manipulating carbon-hydrogen bonds. This groundbreaking discovery provides new insights into the molecular interactions of positively charged carbon atoms. By selectively targeting a specific C--H bond, they open doors to synthetic pathways that were previously closed -- with potential applications in medicine.
In an important step toward more effective gene therapies for brain diseases, researchers have engineered a gene-delivery vehicle that uses a human protein to efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier and deliver a disease-relevant gene to the brain in mice expressing the human protein. Because the vehicle binds to a well-studied protein in the blood-brain barrier, the scientists say it has a good chance at working in patients.
Researchers have developed a method to investigate sperm whale communication by determining their vocal style, finding that groups living in close proximity can develop similar styles to each other.
In a groundbreaking study an international team of scientists has investigated the evolutionary patterns behind the development of sabre teeth, with some unexpected results along the way.
Researchers have investigated how spiders listen to their environments through webs and found that the webs match the acoustic particle velocity for a wide range of sound frequencies. Playing sound ranging from 1 Hz to 50 kHz for the spiders and measuring the spider silk motion with a laser vibrometer, they found the sound-induced velocity of the silk was the same as the particles in the air surrounding it. This confirmed the mechanism that these spiders use to detect their prey.
Sarcasm is notoriously tricky to convey through text, and the subtle changes in tone that convey sarcasm often confuse computer algorithms as well, limiting virtual assistants and content analysis tools. So researchers have now developed a multimodal algorithm for improved sarcasm detection that examines multiple aspects of audio recordings for increased accuracy. They used two complementary approaches -- sentiment analysis using text and emotion recognition using audio -- for a more complete picture.
Many people are concerned about residues of chemicals, contaminants or microplastics in their food. However, it is less well known that many foods also contain toxins of completely natural origin. These are often chemical compounds that plants use to ward off predators such as insects or microorganisms. These substances are found in beans and potatoes, for example, and can pose potential health risks.
What features does a robotic guide dog need? Ask the blind, say researchers. A new study identifies how to develop robot guide dogs with insights from guide dog users and trainers.
Singing rehabilitates speech production in post-stroke aphasia. Researchers investigated the rehabilitative effect of singing on the brain.
Researchers have found that persimmon tannin, known for its antioxidant properties, improves the growth of yeast in the presence of ethanol.
The treatment of animals rates higher than green issues when consumers choose meat and dairy products. That's according to a new study, which suggests that while consumers consider sustainability important, other factors such as taste, quality, and animal welfare take precedence in their purchasing decisions.
Perceiving something -- anything -- in your surroundings is to become aware of what your senses are detecting. Today, neuroscientists identify, for the first time, brain-cell circuitry in fruit flies that converts raw sensory signals into color perceptions that can guide behavior.
After spinning for under two years, a wind farm can offset the carbon emissions generated across its entire 30-year lifespan, when compared to thermal power plants.
Celiac disease is a chronic autoimmune condition that occurs in around one per cent of the world's population. It is triggered by the consumption of gluten proteins from wheat, barley, rye and some oats. A gluten-free diet protects celiac patients from severe intestinal damage.
AI-generated videos for short messages are only as well received as manually created ones if they are edited by humans.
Early identification of stroke type could be key to harnessing the benefits of very early in-ambulance blood pressure lowering treatment in patients with suspected acute stroke, according to new research.
Perovskite hydrides are promising materials for various emerging energy technologies, but measuring their intrinsic hydride-ion conductivity is difficult. In a recent study, researchers address this issue using a novel laser deposition technique in an H-radical atmosphere. Using this approach, they grew thin-film single crystals of two different perovskite hydrides and characterized their hydride-ion conductivity. These efforts will bolster research on hydrogen-related materials.
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or 'forever chemicals,' have become persistent pollutants in the air, water and soil. Because they are so stable, they can be transported throughout the water cycle, making their way into drinking water sources and precipitation. Precipitation introduces similar amounts of PFAS into each of the Great Lakes; however, the lakes eliminate the chemicals at different rates.
Disc-related back pain may one day meet its therapeutic match: gene therapy delivered by naturally derived nanocarriers that, a new study shows, repairs damaged discs in the spine and lowers pain symptoms in mice.
If you tend to do other things or get distracted while eating dinner, you may be running the risk of over-consuming everyday pleasures later, possibly because the distraction caused you to enjoy yourself less, according to new research.
Vanilla, the most widely used flavoring compound in confectionaries and cosmetics, gets its sweet flavor and aroma from the chemical compound -- 'vanillin'. However, the large-scale production of natural vanillin is impeded by the lack of microbial processes and enzymes which can commercially generate vanillin. Now, researchers have genetically engineered a novel enzyme which can convert ferulic acid from plant waste into vanillin in a one-step sustainable process.
Researchers have found a genetic pathway that facilitates inter-species communication between a marine worm, acoel, and its symbiotic algae.
A groundbreaking article describes a promising new therapy for obesity that leads to greater weight loss in mice than existing medications. The approach smuggles molecules into the brain's appetite center and affects the brain's neuroplasticity.
Introns are perhaps one of our genome's biggest mysteries. They are DNA sequences that interrupt the sensible protein-coding information in your genes, and need to be 'spliced out.'
Melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer that accounts for 75% of all skin-cancer-related deaths, is often detected later in people with darker skin complexions -- and the consequences can be devastating, a new study reveals.
New research into molten rock 20km below the Earth's surface could help save lives by improving the prediction of volcanic activity.
A breakthrough study features a biomedical engineering innovation with the potential to transform trauma care and surgical practices. A scientific research team has developed platelet-like particles that integrate into the body's clotting pathways to stop hemorrhage.
As often as four days a week, Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island fly loops overhead as pilots practice touch-and-go landings. The noise is immense. New research shows that the noise isn't just disruptive -- it presents a substantial risk to public health.
Researchers have identified molecular and genetic pathways that direct the generation and maturation of parietal cells, the only cells in the body that produce acid, from stem cells. The findings can lead to new strategies to regulate parietal cell function in different diseases involving these cells, including autoimmune gastritis and stomach and esophageal cancers.
Many artificial intelligence (AI) systems have already learned how to deceive humans, even systems that have been trained to be helpful and honest. Researchers describe the risks of deception by AI systems and call for governments to develop strong regulations to address this issue as soon as possible.
Mantis shrimp are small creatures known for their superlatives. Their eyes have 12 to 16 different color receptors, versus our own three, and can detect the polarization of light. Their punches are famously fast, accelerating on par with a 22-caliber bullet. They use these strikes on prey, predators and competitors alike.
Scientists reveal how ETV4 controls stem cell differentiation in response to mechanical cues.
Astronomers have proposed a new theory to explain the origin of phosphorus, one of the elements important for life on Earth. The theory suggests a type of stellar explosion known as ONe novae as a major source of phosphorus.
A new approach to transport ticketing offers a step towards an integrated, transparent system that works efficiently for both ticket providers and passengers across all modes of transport.
Employers are significantly more likely to offer job interviews and higher salaries to graduates with experience of artificial intelligence, according to new research.
Researchers have shed new light on the changes in metabolism that occur between birth and the presentation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) later in childhood. The researchers discovered that a small number of biochemical pathways are responsible for the majority of these changes, which could help inform new early detection and prevention strategies for autism.
Many neurons exhibit 'mixed selectivity,' meaning they can integrate multiple inputs and participate in multiple computations. Mechanisms such as oscillations and neuromodulators recruit their participation and tune them to focus on the relevant information.
The tool will help researchers better understand major challenges that afflict undernourished children, such as changes in cognitive development and higher infection rates.
A research team has demonstrated that an iron-based amorphous alloy, widely used as a soft magnetic material in transformers and motors, can be transformed into a 'transverse' thermoelectric conversion material that converts electric and thermal currents in orthogonal directions, with just a short period of heat treatment. This is the first example that highlights the importance of microstructure engineering in the development of transverse thermoelectric conversion materials, and provides new design guidelines for materials development to realize environmentally friendly power generation and thermal management technologies using magnetic materials.
A team has developed a vaccine approach that works like a GPS, guiding the immune system through the specific steps to make broadly neutralizing antibodies against HIV.
Discrimination may speed up the biological processes of aging, according to a new study.
What if your earbuds could do everything your smartphone can, but better? A new class of synthetic materials could allow for smaller devices that use less power.
Most people with early-stage glaucoma don't know they have it, even though early treatment is key to reducing vision loss. While detecting a subtle increase in eye pressure helps doctors to diagnose glaucoma, it's challenging to monitor continuously, especially with the variety of temperatures eyes experience. Now, researchers report a prototype 'smart' contact lens that measures eye pressure accurately, regardless of temperature.
Systems controlled by next-generation computing algorithms could give rise to better and more efficient machine learning products, a new study suggests.
A method has been discovered to treat water heavily contaminated with unhealthful forever chemicals, known by chemists as PFAS or poly- and per-fluoroalkyl substances. It involves treating heavily contaminated water with ultraviolet (UV) light, sulfite, and a process called electrochemical oxidation. It breaks up strong fluorine-to-carbon bonds in the PFAS compounds and other concentrated organic compounds in heavily polluted water. The reaction also occurs at room temperature without a need for additional heat or high pressure. This method is expected to be useful in cleanups of PFAS pollution from decades of fire suppressant foam use at military facilities.
Astrophysicists discovered that an exoplanet is covered with so many active volcanoes that seen from a distance it would take on a fiery, glowing-red hue.
Despite its benefits and recognition as a keystone practice of ocean stewardship and conservation, adoption of ecosystem-based management has been slow to take hold. To support this change in ocean management, a group of researchers and practitioners investigated the global progress of marine EBM initiatives.
A new model for predicting the effects of climate change on malaria transmission in Africa could lead to more targeted interventions to control the disease according to a new study. Previous methods have used rainfall totals to indicate the presence of surface water suitable for breeding mosquitoes, but the new research used several climatic and hydrological models to include real-world processes of evaporation, infiltration and flow through rivers. This groundbreaking approach has created a more in-depth picture of malaria-friendly conditions on the African continent.
Researchers report a new method that reduces the amount of iridium needed to produce hydrogen from water by 95%, without altering the rate of hydrogen production. This breakthrough could revolutionize our ability to produce ecologically friendly hydrogen and help usher in a carbon-neutral hydrogen economy.
Researchers have created the largest synaptic-resolution, 3D reconstruction of a piece of human brain to date, showing in vivid detail each cell and its web of neural connections in a piece of human temporal cortex about half the size of a rice grain.
An international collaboration says the world's largest marine protected areas aren't collectively delivering the biodiversity benefits they could be because of slow implementation of management strategies and a failure to restrict the most impactful human activities.
A study showed that about half of those surveyed in the mid-South could not accurately identify a tornado warning.
Researchers developed a potential new treatment for alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss. The microneedle patch delivers immune-regulating molecules that can teach T cells not to attack hair follicles, helping hair regrow.
An international collaboration recently uncovered a previously overlooked COVID-related syndrome: MDA5-autoimmunity and Interstitial Pneumonitis Contemporaneous with COVID-19, or MIP-C for short.
The Canadian wildfires of June 2023 exposed a large portion of the Northeastern United States to unprecedented levels of smoke. A new model that combines wildfire smoke forecasts and data from ground-based sensors may help public health officials plan targeted interventions in areas most at risk for the negative health effects of unexpected smoke events and air pollution, according to scientists.
A new machine-learning technique can train and control a reconfigurable soft robot that can dynamically change its shape to complete a task. The researchers also built a simulator that can evaluate control algorithms for shape-shifting soft robots.
Scientists have discovered a new partnership between a marine diatom and a bacterium that can account for a large share of nitrogen fixation in vast regions of the ocean. The newly-discovered bacterial symbiont is closely related to the nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia which live in partnership with many crop plants and may open up new avenues to engineer nitrogen-fixing plants.
A 'crazy idea' hatched during a walk in the woods and first tested by a high school student is now an innovative research tool used by scientists worldwide to predict neurotransmitters in fruit fly connectomes.
In a study of a species of African butterfly, researchers have discovered a previously undescribed molecular mechanism of how the sex of an embryo is initially specified.
Just a few days on a night shift schedule throws off protein rhythms related to blood glucose regulation, energy metabolism and inflammation, processes that can influence the development of chronic metabolic conditions. The finding provides new clues as to why night shift workers are more prone to diabetes, obesity and other metabolic disorders. Though more research is needed, the researchers said the study shows that these disrupted rhythms can be seen in as little as three days, which suggests early intervention to prevent diabetes and obesity is possible. Such intervention could also help lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, which is elevated in night shift workers as well.
The division between liberals and conservatives on both climate-change beliefs and related policy support is long-standing. However, the results of a newly released global experiment show that despite these differences, the two camps actually align when it comes to taking certain actions to combat climate change.
Perovskites are among the most researched topics in materials science. Recently, a research team has solved an age-old challenge to synthesize all-organic two-dimensional perovskites, extending the field into the exciting realm of 2D materials. This breakthrough opens up a new field of 2D all-organic perovskites, which holds promise for both fundamental science and potential applications.
Researchers have developed a new 3D printing method called blurred tomography that can rapidly produce microlenses with commercial-level optical quality. The new method may make it easier and faster to design and fabricate a variety of optical devices.
Researchers present Tripath: new, deep learning models that can use 3D pathology datasets to make clinical outcome predictions. The research team imaged curated prostate cancer specimens, using two 3D high-resolution imaging techniques. The models were then trained to predict prostate cancer recurrence risk on volumetric human tissue biopsies. By comprehensively capturing 3D morphologies from the entire tissue volume, Tripath performed better than pathologists and outperformed deep learning models that rely on 2D morphology and thin tissue slices.
Researchers have developed a robotic feeding system that uses computer vision, machine learning and multimodal sensing to safely feed people with severe mobility limitations, including those with spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis.
Walking and running is notoriously difficult to recreate in robots. Now, a group of researchers has overcome some of these challenges by creating an innovative method that employs central pattern generators -- neural circuits located in the spinal cord that generate rhythmic patterns of muscle activity -- with deep reinforcement learning. The method not only imitates walking and running motions but also generates movements for frequencies where motion data is absent, enables smooth transition movements from walking to running, and allows for adapting to environments with unstable surfaces.
After a century of functional extinction on the Australian mainland, a Flat oyster reef has been successfully restored along a metropolitan Adelaide coastline.
New research has looked into the potential effects of increased rainfall in regions being earmarked for expansion of temperate rainforests. Amid global calls for more trees to be planted as part of efforts to combat climate change, this study highlights the importance of factoring in soil conditions when looking at where and how to create the temperate rainforests of the future.
Scientists delve into the composition of nanocomposites for ultraviolet metasurface fabrication.
A recent study has discovered a novel method for detecting the first-generations stars, known as Population III (Pop III) stars, which have never been directly detected. These potential discoveries about Pop III stars hold the promise of unlocking the secrets of the universe's origin and providing a deeper understanding of the remarkable journey from the primordial cosmos to the world we inhabit today.
Nature has consistently inspired engineering applications. Recently, a group of researchers drew new inspirations from the vascular network and developed a new type of fluidic system named VasFluidics.
A recent study led to the development of a powerful epigenetic editing technology. The system unlocks the ability to precisely program chromatin modifications at any specific position in the genome, to understand their causal role in transcription regulation. This innovative approach will help to investigate the role of chromatin modifications in many biological processes, and to program desired gene activity responses, which may prove useful in disease settings.
Aging clocks can measure the biological age of humans with high precision. Biological age can be influenced by environmental factors such as smoking or diet, thus deviating from the chronological age that is calculated using the date of birth. The precision of these aging clocks suggests that the aging process follows a program. Scientists have now discovered that aging clocks actually measure the increase in stochastic changes in cells.
Researchers lay out the need for design safety protocols that prevent the emerging 'digital afterlife industry' causing social and psychological harm.
Chemists created an enzyme with boronic acid at its reactive center. This approach can produce more selective reactions with boron, and allows the use of directed evolution to improve its catalytic power.
Neuropathy, the nerve damage that causes pain and numbness in the feet and hands and can eventually lead to falls, infection and even amputation, is very common and underdiagnosed, according to a new study.
Spina bifida is the most common structural disorder of the human nervous system. The causes are largely unknown, but a new study points to a link involving a chromosomal microdeletion -- and also underscores the value of folic acid as a preventive measure.
A tiny, flexible electronic device that wraps around the spinal cord could represent a new approach to the treatment of spinal injuries, which can cause profound disability and paralysis. A team of engineers, neuroscientists and surgeons developed the devices and used them to record the nerve signals going back and forth between the brain and the spinal cord. Unlike current approaches, the new devices can record 360-degree information, giving a complete picture of spinal cord activity.
Researchers have shown that a breakthrough therapy for treating blood cancers can be adapted to treat solid tumors -- an advance that could transform cancer treatment. The promising findings involve CAR-T cell therapy, which supercharges the immune system to identify and attack cancer cells.
Experts released a new clinical guideline for effectively managing individuals diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The guideline reiterates the importance of collaborative decision-making with patients who have HCM and provides updated recommendations for the most effective treatment pathways for adult and pediatric patients.
Episodes of heavy snowfall and rain likely contributed to a swarm of earthquakes over the past several years in northern Japan, researchers find. Their study shows climate conditions could initiate some earthquakes.
New research shows human activity is significantly altering the ways in which marine organisms are preserved, with lasting effects that can both improve and impair the fossil record.
Adolescents who view their households as more unstructured, disorganized, or hectic than their siblings develop more mental health and behavioral problems in early adulthood, according to new research.
Conversational agents (CAs) such as Alexa and Siri are designed to answer questions, offer suggestions -- and even display empathy. However, new research finds they do poorly compared to humans when interpreting and exploring a user's experience.
Local decision-makers looking for ways to reduce the impact of heat waves on their communities have a valuable new capability at their disposal: a new study on vegetation resilience. Scientists completed a study of how well vegetation survived extreme heat events in both urban and rural communities across the country in recent years. The analysis informs pathways for climate mitigation, including ways to reduce the effect of urban heat islands.
Pore pressure diffusion generated by carbon dioxide injected underground at a carbon storage site in the Illinois Basin is the likely cause of hundreds of microearthquakes that took place at the site between 2011 and 2012, according to a new analysis.
Researchers may have detected atmospheric gases surrounding 55 Cancri e, a hot rocky exoplanet 41 light-years from Earth. This is the best evidence to date for the existence of any rocky planet atmosphere outside our solar system.
Ancient, expansive tracts of continental crust called cratons have helped keep Earth's continents stable for billions of years, even as landmasses shift, mountains rise and oceans form. A new mechanism may explain how the cratons formed some 3 billion years ago, an enduring question in the study of Earth's history.
Psychiatrists and mental health professionals have a new standard for managing major depression, thanks to refreshed clinical guidelines.
After starting science operations in February, Japan-led XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission) studied the monster black hole at the center of galaxy NGC 4151.
Despite the high prevalence of substance abuse and its often devastating outcomes, especially among disadvantaged populations, few Americans receive treatment for substance use disorders. However, the rise of mobile health technologies can make treatments more accessible.
Researchers have found evidence of the molecular causes of the damaging impact heat stress causes on the gut, liver and brain in the elderly. These findings point to the potential of developing precise prognostic and therapeutic interventions.
Even bugs as small as woodlice can disperse seeds they eat, setting a new record for smallest animal recorded to do so. The discovery underscores the crucial yet often overlooked role that small invertebrates play in ecosystems.
Adjuvants make vaccines more effective, though one of the best is an expensive extract from the soap bark tree. To lower the cost and avoid the laborious extraction process from bark, synthetic biologists introduced 38 separate genes into yeast to recreate the synthesis of the active molecule, a complex chemical, QS-21, that has a terpene core and numerous sugars. This may be the longest biosynthetic pathway ever inserted into yeast.
What determines the cycle life of batteries? And, more importantly, how can we extend it? An international research team has discovered that local disorder in the oxide cathode material increases the number of times Li-ion batteries can be charged and discharged.
Investigators discovered that a subset of myeloid and lymphoid leukemias depend on a molecular complex called PI3Kgamma for survival. The study provides both mechanistic and preclinical evidence supporting the rapid initiation of clinical trials for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to test an existing medicine that inhibits the complex, called eganelisib, both alone and in combination with the most used AML chemotherapy, cytarabine.
Starting people with opioid use disorder on extended-release, injectable naltrexone (XR-naltrexone) within five to seven days of seeking treatment is more effective than the standard treatment method of starting within 10-15 days, but requires closer medical supervision, according to results from a clinical trial. The findings suggest that this rapid treatment protocol could make XR-naltrexone more viable as a treatment option for opioid use disorder, which continues to take lives at an alarming rate.
An estimated 321,566 children in the United States lost a parent to drug overdose from 2011 to 2021, according to a new study. The rate of children who experienced this loss more than doubled during this period, from approximately 27 to 63 children per 100,000. The highest number of affected children were those with non-Hispanic white parents, but communities of color and tribal communities were disproportionately affected.
Researchers have discovered a way to stop the quantum dance of atoms 'seen' by electrons in carbon-based organic molecules. This development will help improve the performance of light emitting molecules used in displays and bio-medical imaging.
Scientists have confirmed the identity of an unusual, ancient and Endangered species of fish that is living in the coastal rivers of Queensland, about 1400 km north of where it was previously known to live.
How do city residents feel about animals in their immediate surroundings? A recent study shows how different the acceptance of various wild animals in urban areas is. Important factors are the places where the animals are found and their level of popularity -- squirrels and ladybugs come out on top here. The results have important implications for urban planning and nature conservation.
Is the status of 'perfect parent' attainable? Researchers leading a national dialogue about parental burnout say 'no,' and a new study finds that pressure to try to be 'perfect' leads to unhealthy impacts on both parents and their children.
Freshwater bacteria with small genomes frequently undergo prolonged periods of adaptive stagnation. Based on genomic analyses of samples from European lakes, researchers uncovered specific evolutionary strategies that shape these bacteria's lifestyles. Understanding the evolutionary dynamics of aquatic microbial communities is key to safeguarding ecosystem services.
A gene previously linked to intellectual disability has been found to regulate learning and memory in mice.
Researchers have discovered a mechanism that creates memories while reducing metabolic cost, even during sleep. This efficient memory occurs in a part of the brain that is crucial for learning and memory, and where Alzheimer's disease begins.
When breastfeeding mothers in a recent study used cannabis, its psychoactive component THC showed up in the milk they produced. The research also found that, unlike alcohol, when THC was detected in milk there was no consistent time when its concentration peaked and started to decline. Importantly, the researchers discovered that the amount of THC they detected in milk was low -- they estimated that infants received an average of 0.07 mg of THC per day. For comparison, a common low-dose edible contains 2 mg of THC. The research team stressed that it is unknown whether this amount has any impact on the infant.
When old food packaging, discarded children's toys and other mismanaged plastic waste break down into microplastics, they become even harder to clean up from oceans and waterways. These tiny bits of plastic also attract bacteria, including those that cause disease. Researchers describe swarms of microscale robots (microrobots) that captured bits of plastic and bacteria from water. Afterward, the bots were decontaminated and reused.
Tracking individual enzymes during the breakdown of cellulose for biofuel production has revealed how several roadblocks slow this process when using plant material that might otherwise go to waste. The research may lead to new ways to improve the breakdown process and make the non-edible parts of plants and other plant waste, such as forestry residue, a more competitive source of biofuels.
Researchers developed a silk fabric, which is barely thicker than a human hair, that can suppress unwanted noise and reduce noise transmission in a large room.
In people's early- to mid-20s, they reach what is called peak bone mineral density, which is higher for men than it is for women, according to researchers. This peak is one of the main determinants of fracture risk later in life. After reaching this peak, a person's bone density remains roughly stable for a couple of decades. Then, when women enter the menopausal transition, they experience accelerated bone loss. Men also experience bone density decline as they age. Sleep patterns also evolve over time.
Tipping points in the climate system can be the result of a slow but linear development. However, they can also be accompanied by a 'flickering', with two stable climatic states that alternate before a final transition occurs -- and the climate tips permanently.
Emergency departments nationwide are overcrowded and overtaxed, but a new study suggests artificial intelligence (AI) could one day help prioritize which patients need treatment most urgently.
Using artificial intelligence, scientists have developed a powerful predictive model for identifying the most potent cancer killing immune cells for use in cancer immunotherapies.
Researchers have discovered a protein marker to help identify cells able to repopulate in patients with damaged blood vessels. Their findings could lead to new therapies for people with endothelial dysfunction, a type of disorder that contributes to coronary artery disease that may occlude with plaque and lack ability to carry sufficient blood into the heart tissue causing a heart attack.
Solar energy is a crucial asset in the fight against climate change, and researchers have now devised a smart approach to optimize its effectiveness. Their innovative method includes incorporating artificial ground reflectors, a simple yet powerful enhancement.
According to a recent study, high levels of sedentary behavior and physical inactivity from childhood strain the heart in adolescence. High cardiac workload predicts heart failure and other heart diseases. In light of the findings, increasing moderate and vigorous physical activity from childhood onwards is particularly important in preventing heart diseases.
Recent reproductive research has opened the door for new treatments for solid cancer tumors, including breast cancer, lung cancer and melanoma.
For people with HIV, the risk of anal cancer varies according to their geographic region.
A research group explores how the makeup of rocks, specifically their permeability -- or how easily fluids can flow through them -- affects the frequency and intensity of slow slip events. Slow slips' role in the earthquake cycle may help lead to a better model to predict when earthquakes happen.
Move over, graphene. There's a new, improved two-dimensional material in the lab. Borophene, the atomically thin version of boron first synthesized in 2015, is more conductive, thinner, lighter, stronger and more flexible than graphene, the 2D version of carbon. Now, researchers have made the material potentially more useful by imparting chirality -- or handedness -- on it, which could make for advanced sensors and implantable medical devices.
Fatty liver disease often leads to chronic liver inflammation and can even result in liver cancer. Scientists have now shown in mice that intermittent fasting on a 5:2 schedule can halt this development. The fasting regime reduces the development of liver cancer in mice with pre-existing liver inflammation. The researchers identified two proteins in liver cells that are jointly responsible for the protective effect of fasting. An approved drug can partially mimic this effect.
How well bees tolerate temperature extremes could determine their ability to persist in a changing climate. But heat tolerance varies between and within populations, so entomologists examined bee physical traits to understand how these traits interact with environmental conditions, pathogens and other factors.
Understanding how mucus changes, and what it changes in response to, can help diagnose illnesses and develop treatments. Researchers develop a system to grow mucus-producing intestinal cells and study the characteristics of the mucus in different conditions. The process involves growing a layer of intestinal cells on a laboratory plate exposed to air. These cells produce a layer of mucus that the researchers can easily access for testing. Using a magnetic wire, they can measure the consistency of the mucus without affecting its properties, and the platform can explore the effects of pathogens and help develop medications to combat them.
Researchers used a breast cancer cell line panel and primary tumor explants from breast and cervical cancer patients to examine two different cellular contractility modes: one that generates collective tissue surface tension that keeps cell clusters compact and another, more directional, contractility that enables cells to pull themselves into the extracellular matrix. They found that more aggressive cells pull more strongly on the ECM than on themselves while noninvasive cells pull more strongly on themselves than on the ECM -- and that the different pulling behaviors are attributed to different structures of actin cytoskeleton inside the cells.
Finding reliable, eco-friendly power sources is crucial as our world grapples with increasing energy needs and the urgent call to combat climate change. Solar energy offers one solution, with scientists devising ever more efficient materials for capturing sunlight.
Researchers reveal a new pathway for designing optical materials using the degree of atomic disorder. The researchers anticipate developing crystals that enable advanced infrared imaging in low light conditions, or to enhance medical imaging devices.
A new computational model simulating fruit fly wing development has enabled researchers to identify previously hidden mechanisms behind organ generation. An research team developed a fruit fly model to reverse engineer the mechanisms that generate organ tissue.
In one of the first studies of its kind, UC Santa Barbara researchers have found that the immune status of postpartum mothers shifts with how she feeds her baby. Certain inflammatory proteins -- substances that are secreted as part of an immune response -- peak at different times of day, correlating with whether the mothers breastfeed, pump or formula-feed their babies.
The world's largest study of cerebral palsy (CP) genetics has discovered genetic defects are most likely responsible for more than a quarter of cases in Chinese children, rather than a lack of oxygen at birth as previously thought.
Three ingots from the site of Los Escoriales de Do a Rama (Belmez) and dating from the Roman era demonstrate the importance of lead production and exportation in northern Cordoba.
Researchers have harnessed the technology behind foundation models, which power tools like ChatGPT, to discover new cancer imaging biomarkers that could transform how patterns are identified from radiological images. Improved identification of such patterns can greatly impact the early detection and treatment of cancer.
Engineers created a catapillar-shaped robot that splits into segments and reassembles, hauls cargo, and crawls through twisting courses.
Earth scientists have long turned to minute differences in hydrogen atoms to explore the ancient history of our planet. A new study suggests that these same tiny atoms might also lead to new ways to track the growth of cancer.
Billions of years ago, Venus may have harbored as much water as Earth. Today, almost all of it has disappeared. A new study may help to explain why.
As the region reckons with its toxic history of offshore dumping off the California coast, new findings raise troubling questions about whether the banned pesticide remains a threat to wildlife and human health.
To preserve the important intertidal areas and salt marshes off our coasts for the future, we need more turbid water. That is one of the striking conclusions from a new study.
The toll cancer takes on lives in the U.S. has declined during the last 28 years, but not equitably. Disparities persist in many historically marginalized communities -- including communities disadvantaged by race, socioeconomic status, orientation or gender identity, and geographic location -- despite community outreach and engagement programs designed to address them.
By using experimental electrochemical analyses, mass spectrometry, and computational quantum chemistry modeling, the researchers created an 'atomic-scale storyline' to explain how ozone is generated on NATO electrocatalysts. They identified that some of the nickel in NATO is probably leaching out of the electrodes via corrosion, and these nickel atoms, now floating in the solution near the catalyst, can promote chemical reactions that eventually generate ozone.
Researchers have developed a new AI tool to that generate new drug candidates for cancer, which could help streamline the typically laborious drug discovery process.
Researchers have found a way to enhance and extend LN expansion, and study how this phenomenon affects both the immune system and efficacy of vaccinations against tumors. While the oversized LNs maintained a normal tissue organization, they displayed altered mechanical features and hosted higher numbers of various immune cell types that commonly are involved in immune responses against pathogens and cancers. Importantly, 'jump-starting' lymph node expansion prior to administering a traditional vaccine against a melanoma-specific model antigen led to more effective and sustained anti-tumor responses in mice.
Researchers have achieved the first controllable interaction between two hole spin qubits in a conventional silicon transistor. The breakthrough opens up the possibility of integrating millions of these qubits on a single chip using mature manufacturing processes.
A new study among ninth-graders attending lower secondary school in Swedish-speaking areas of Finland identified four perfectionistic profiles with varying associations with students' psychological well-being.
Substance use disorder treatment in the community is a superior alternative to incarceration for offenders with a substance misuse background, according to a recent study evaluating the effectiveness of the contract treatment sanction in Sweden.
New research finds that, while an increasing number of minors are using virtual reality (VR) apps, not many parents recognize the extent of the security and privacy risks that are specific to VR technologies. The study also found that few parents are taking active steps to address those security and privacy issues, such as using parental controls built into the apps.
About 79% of clinical trial participants experienced measurable improvement after receiving experimental, CRISPR-based gene editing that is designed to fix a rare form of blindness, according to a new article.
A new study provides some of the clearest and most comprehensive evidence to date on what is known about stress physiology and 'epigenetic programming.'
Astronomers observed the elusive starlight surrounding some of the earliest quasars in the universe. The findings may shed light on how the earliest supermassive black holes became so massive despite having a relatively short amount of cosmic time in which to grow.
Drones monitoring fields for weeds and robots targeting and treating crop diseases may sound like science fiction but is actually happening already, at least on some experimental farms. Researchers are working on driving forward the smart digitalization of agriculture and have now published a list of the research questions that will need to be tackled as a priority in the future.
The names might not be familiar -- Cowee Creek, Brabazon Range, Upper Pederson Lagoon -- but they mark the sites of recent lake tsunamis, a phenomenon that is increasingly common in Alaska, British Columbia and other regions with mountain glaciers. Triggered by landslides into small bodies of water, most of these tsunamis have occurred in remote locations so far, but geologists say it may just be a matter of time before a tsunami swamps a more populated place.
Bright, starry spiral arms surround an active galactic center in a new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the galaxy NGC 4951. Located in the Virgo constellation, NGC 4951 is located roughly 50 million light-years away from Earth. It's classified as a Seyfert galaxy, which means that it's an extremely energetic type of galaxy with an active galactic nucleus (AGN).
New discoveries about Jupiter could lead to a better understanding of Earth's own space environment and influence a long-running scientific debate about the solar system's largest planet.
A new study has revealed that areas of age-related damage in the brain relate to motor outcomes after a stroke -- a phenomenon that may be under-recognized in stroke research. The new observational study looked at the relationship between stroke recovery and white matter hyper-intensities (WMHs) -- areas of age-related damage in the brain's white matter, which represent vascular dysfunction and are known to impact cognitive functions.
Motorcycles are designed to accommodate the average-sized rider, leaving taller and shorter riders vulnerable to discomfort.
In the sports industry, player data collection aids in personalized training feedback. Researchers have now gathered a detailed dataset and laid the foundation for delivering coaching assistance and feedback through the same. Utilizing wearable sensors and machine learning, their dataset offers real-time feedback and optimized movement suggestions. With over 7,763 badminton swings analyzed, stroke quality assessment offers valuable insights, making badminton training more accessible and affordable.
Anthropologists suggest in a new study that establishing networks of 'sister cities' dedicated to addressing the impact of natural disasters can mitigate the devastation wrought by climate change.
Researchers have developed peptide-based hydrogels that mimic the aligned structure of muscle and nerve tissues, which could enable the development of functional lab-grown tissue.
A new study of air pollution in U.S. homes reveals how much gas and propane stoves increase people's exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant linked to childhood asthma. Even in bedrooms far from kitchens, concentrations frequently exceed health limits while stoves are on and for hours after burners and ovens are turned off.
The famous axiom 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' is part of Austrian psychologist Fritz Heider's social balance theory, introduced in the 1940s. Previous studies have tried to model social networks based in famous theory but results remained controversial. New model takes into account two key pieces simultaneously: Not everyone knows everyone else in a social network, and some people are friendlier than others. With those two constraints, large-scale social networks consistently align with social balance theory. Model has broad applications for exploring political polarization, neural networks, drug interactions and more.
A new study shows stony coral tissue loss disease is causing drastic changes in the Caribbean's population of corals, which is sure to disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem and threaten marine biodiversity and coastal economies.
Activated T cells that carry a certain marker protein on their surface are controlled by natural killer (NK) cells, another cell type of the immune system. In this way, the body presumably curbs destructive immune reactions. Researchers have now discovered that NK cells can impair the effect of cancer therapies with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in this way. They could also be responsible for the rapid decline of therapeutic CAR-T cells. Interventions in this mechanism could potentially improve the efficacy of these cellular cancer immunotherapies.
The direction in which spin information is injected into chiral materials affects its ability to pass through them. These chiral 'gateways' could be used to design energy-efficient spintronic devices for data storage, communication and computing.
Land plants cover the surface of our planet and often tower over us. They form complex bodies with multiple organs that consist of a broad range of cell types. Developing this morphological complexity is underpinned by intricate networks of genes, whose coordinated action shapes plant bodies through various molecular mechanisms. All of these magnificent forms burst forth from a one-off evolutionary event: when plants conquered Earth's surface, known as plant terrestrialization.
A new study finds people who have nature-based experiences report better well-being and lower psychological distress than those who do not. Birdwatching in particular yielded promising results, with higher gains in subjective well-being and more reduction in distress than more generic nature exposure, such as walks. Because birdwatching is an easily accessible activity, the results are encouraging for college students -- who are among those most likely to suffer from mental health problems.
Researchers uncovered compelling evidence that Earth's magnetic field was in a highly unusual state when the macroscopic animals of the Ediacaran Period -- 635 to 541 million years ago -- diversified and thrived. Their study raises the question of whether these fluctuations in Earth's ancient magnetic field led to shifts in oxygen levels that may have been crucial to the proliferation of life forms millions of years ago.
St. Jude found 156 potential targets for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T--cell immunotherapy. Explore the discovery's promise to improve cancer therapies.
Scientists have discovered how glioblastoma evades the immune system by inducing pro-tumor macrophages via a glucose based epigenetic modification.
Scientists have demonstrated that small changes in the isotopic content of thin semiconductor materials can influence their optical and electronic properties, possibly opening the way to new and advanced designs with the semiconductors.
New research examines how the bacteria Escherichia coli, or E. coli -- responsible for most UTIs -- is able to use host nutrients to reproduce at an extraordinarily rapid pace during infection despite the near sterile environment of fresh urine.
Recent findings that plants employ a drought-survival mechanism to also defend against nutrient-sucking pests could inform future crop breeding programs aimed at achieving better broadscale pest control.
The placenta's response to infections from malaria, toxoplasmosis and listeria has been mapped in high resolution, possibly paving the way for new treatment options.
A stretchy electronic skin could equip robots and other devices with the same softness and touch sensitivity as human skin, opening up new possibilities to perform tasks that require a great deal of precision and control of force.
Researchers have discovered that how a special protein complex called the Mediator moves along genes in DNA may have an impact on how cells divide. The discovery may be important for future research into the treatment of certain diseases.
New research suggests that countries' current plans to remove CO2 from the atmosphere will not be enough to comply with the 1.5 C warming limit set out under the Paris Agreement.
Researchers describe a natural product-like molecule, Tantalosin, that inhibits interaction between two proteins in complexes that reshape membranes inside the cell. The findings lead to a deeper understanding of how membrane remodeling works in human cells and future development of new drugs.
Climate change will cause an increase in extreme winter storms combining strong winds and heavy rainfall over the UK and Ireland, new research has shown.
Evidence from archaeological sites in the medieval English city of Winchester shows that English red squirrels once served as an important host for Mycobacterium leprae strains that caused leprosy in people, researchers report.
Researchers report the development of a durable and transparent antimicrobial surface containing copper nanoparticles. The nanostructured surface was obtained by dewetting ultrathin metal copper films on a glass substrate.
On an October morning in 2023, a chemical explosion detonated in a tunnel under the Nevada desert was the launch of the next set of experiments by the National Nuclear Security Administration, with the goal to improve detection of low-yield nuclear explosions around the world.
A new study sheds light on the complexities of achieving optimal vitamin D status across diverse populations. Despite substantial research on the determinants of vitamin D, levels of vitamin D deficiency remain high. Researchers believe their findings have significant implications for the development of tailored recommendations for vitamin D supplementation.
Scientists have developed lubricant additives that protect both water turbine equipment and the surrounding environment.
Some of the ocean's tiniest organisms get swept into underwater currents that act as a conduit that shuttles them from the sunny surface to deeper, darker depths where they play a huge role in affecting the ocean's chemistry and ecosystem, according to new research.
The global demand for palm oil -- the most widely consumed vegetable oil on the planet, in everything from instant noodles to lipstick -- is driving worldwide tropical deforestation. While many studies have shown the loss of biodiversity when rainforests are converted to oil palm plantations, researchers have now shown the far-reaching and wide-ranging disturbances to the watersheds in which such plantations occur.
Working with human breast and lung cells, scientists say they have charted a molecular pathway that can lure cells down a hazardous path of duplicating their genome too many times, a hallmark of cancer cells.
Physicists developed a technique to arrange atoms in much closer proximity than previously possible, down to 50 nanometers. The group plans to use the method to manipulate atoms into configurations that could generate the first purely magnetic quantum gate -- a key building block for a new type of quantum computer.
Charge-recharge cycling of lithium-superrich iron oxide, a cost-effective and high-capacity cathode for new-generation lithium-ion batteries, can be greatly improved by doping with readily available mineral elements.
A new study provides compelling evidence that genome-matched treatments can provide significant patient benefit.
Human activities account for 20% to more than 60% of toxic thallium entering the Baltic Sea over the past eight decades, according to new research. Currently, the amount of thallium, which is considered the most toxic metal for mammals, remains low in Baltic seawater. Much of the thallium in the Baltic, which is the largest human-induced hypoxic area on Earth, has been accumulated in the sediment thanks to sulfide minerals.
The use of femtosecond lasers to form glass-to-glass welds for solar modules would make the panels easier to recycle, according to a proof-of-concept study.
Researchers have successfully leveraged robotic assistance in the manufacture of wind turbine blades, allowing for the elimination of difficult working conditions for humans and the potential to improve the consistency of the product.
Scented products with relevant images on their packaging and branding, such as flowers or fruit, are more attractive to potential customers and score better in produce evaluations, new research confirms. And such images, the researchers conclude, are particularly effective if manufacturers and marketers choose pictures that are more likely to stimulate a stronger sense of the imagined smell -- for example, cut rather than whole lemons. This, they say, suggests that as well as seducing our eyes, the images are stimulating our sense of smell.
Some neurological disorders can be improved through photobiomodulation, a non-invasive technique based on the application of low-intensity light to stimulate altered functions in specific regions of the body. Now, a study reveals how photobiomodulation applied to the brain-gut axis is effective in recovering some cognitive alterations and sequelae caused by chronic stress. The study opens up new perspectives for applying the technique in future therapies for the treatment of neurological diseases in patients.
Climate change and human activities like deforestation are causing more fires in central and west Africa's wet, tropical forests, according to the first-ever comprehensive survey there. The fires have long been overlooked.
Blood vessels in the lungs aren't like the others in the body. This difference becomes clear in pulmonary hypertension, in which only the lungs' blood vessels stiffen progressively, leading to chronic lung disease, heart failure and death. The underlying reasons for this organ-specific vessel stiffening remained a mystery until researchers made a surprising discovery about these blood vessel cells in patients with pulmonary hypertension -- they're hungry.
An asteroid discovered last November is in fact a solar system toddler -- just 2-3 million years old, a Cornell University-led research team estimates using novel statistical calculations.
Consistent adherence to physical activity guidelines throughout middle-age is associated with a higher health-related quality of life in women, according to a new study.
New catalyst is made from an inexpensive, abundant metal and table sugar. Catalyst converts carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon monoxide, a building block for producing a variety of useful chemicals including syngas. With recent advances in carbon capture technologies, post-combustion carbon capture is becoming a plausible option to help tackle the global climate change crisis. But how to handle the captured carbon remains an open-ended question. The new catalyst potentially could provide one solution for disposing the potent greenhouse gas by converting it into a more valuable product.
Natural malaria infections have been genetically analysed at a higher resolution than ever before, giving insights that could help understand and block transmission.
Two complementary research articles reveal that central and peripheral circadian clocks coordinate to regulate the daily activity of skin and muscles. The coordination between the two clocks (central and peripheral) guarantees 50% of the circadian functions of tissues, including vital processes such as the cell cycle, DNA repair, mitochondrial activity, and metabolism. Synchronization between the central brain clock and peripheral ones prevents premature muscle aging and improves muscle function, suggesting new strategies to tackle age-related decline through circadian rhythm modulation.
Vigorous exercise burns fat more in males than in females, but the benefits of exercise are broad for everyone.
New algorithm encourages robots to move more randomly to collect more diverse data for learning. In tests, robots started with no knowledge and then learned and correctly performed tasks within a single attempt. New model could improve safety and practicality of self-driving cars, delivery drones and more.
Researchers succeeded in conducting an almost perfect quantum teleportation despite the presence of noise that usually disrupts the transfer of quantum state.
Many natural substances possess interesting characteristics, and can form the basis of new active compounds in medicine. Terpenes, for example, are a group of substances, some of which are already used in therapies against cancer, malaria or epilepsy. They are found as fragrances in cosmetics or as flavorings in food, and form the basis of new medications: Terpenes are natural substances that occur in plants, insects and sea sponges. They are difficult to produce synthetically. However, chemists are now introducing a new method of synthesis.
A new prototype sensor is capable of detecting errors in MRI scans using laser light and gas. The new sensor can thereby do what is impossible for current electrical sensors -- and hopefully pave the way for MRI scans that are better, cheaper and faster.
Researchers have developed an AI method that improves the identification of toxic chemicals -- based solely on knowledge of the molecular structure. The method can contribute to better control and understanding of the ever-growing number of chemicals used in society, and can also help reduce the amount of animal tests.
Chemists have created a highly reactive chemical compound that has eluded scientists for more than 120 years. The discovery could lead to new drug treatments, safer agricultural products, and better electronics.
Researchers have developed a compact, single-shot polarization imaging system that can provide a complete picture of polarization. By using just two thin metasurfaces, the imaging system could unlock the vast potential of polarization imaging for a range of existing and new applications, including biomedical imaging, augmented and virtual reality systems and smart phones.
Researchers have deciphered the complex interplay of various enzymes around the innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), which plays an important role in defending our bodies against viruses.
A new study has revealed an association between favorable survival outcomes for melanoma patients and the presence of higher populations of tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM). Data obtained from this study could be used not only for a TRM-based machine learning model with predictive powers for melanoma prognosis but could also elucidate the role TRM cells can play in the tumor immune microenvironment. This could guide the development of more effective and personalized anti-tumor immunotherapeutic treatment regimens for cancer patients.
Scientists report that a gene previously implicated in the development of atherosclerotic lesions in coronary arteries could be key to understanding why many people don't benefit from the most used therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness.
Researchers are on a mission to kill drug-resistant bacteria, and a new study has identified a therapy that can penetrate the slime that such infections use to protect themselves from antibiotics.Researchers have shown that an antimicrobial peptide from cows has potential for treating incurable infections from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. The bacteria, commonly found in the intestines, is usually harmless. It becomes a health hazard when it enters other parts of the body and can cause pneumonia, urinary tract and wound infections. Those at highest risk include seniors and patients with other health problems such as diabetes, cancer, kidney failure and liver disease.
A new device for taking blood samples uses microneedles and a suction cup instead of a large needle. People with a phobia of needles stand to benefit. More blood can be obtained than with the classic finger prick, making diagnostic measurements more reliable. Because the device can be produced at low cost, it is also suitable for developing countries.
Recent reports of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope finding signs of life on a distant planet understandably sparked excitement. A new study challenges this finding, but also outlines how the telescope might verify the presence of the life-produced gas.
A study has identified a therapy that can penetrate the slime that such infections use to protect themselves from antibiotics. Scientists showed that an antimicrobial peptide from cows has potential for treating incurable infections from the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae. The bacteria, commonly found in the intestines, is usually harmless. It becomes a health hazard when it enters other parts of the body and can cause pneumonia, urinary tract and wound infections. Those at highest risk include seniors and patients with other health problems such as diabetes, cancer, kidney failure and liver disease.
A parasite that not only feeds of its host, but also makes the host change its own metabolism and thus biology. Microbiologists have shown this for the very first time in a specific group of parasitic microbes, so-called DPANN archea. Their study shows that these archaea are very 'picky eaters', which might drive their hosts to change the menu.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is underestimating methane emissions from landfills, urban areas and U.S. states, according to a new study. The researchers combined 2019 satellite observations with an atmospheric transport model to generate a high-resolution map of methane emissions, which was then compared to EPA estimates from the same year. The researchers found: Methane emissions from landfills are 51% higher compared to EPA estimates Methane emissions from 95 urban areas are 39% higher than EPA estimates Methane emissions from the 10 states with the highest methane emissions are 27% higher than EPA estimates.
Amazonia is the home of the largest variety of birds in the world. In such a unique environment, craft cultures have flourished by translating the beauty and creativity of environmental materials like feathers into stunning pieces of art. A new article examines artisanal featherwork within the context of early modern colonialism and globalization.
Scientists have dramatically reduced the time and energy required to chill materials to temperatures near absolute zero. Their prototype refrigerator could prove a boon for the burgeoning quantum industry, which widely uses ultracold materials.
A team has identified a molecular cellular mechanism that is linked to microencephaly, a condition in which a baby's head is much smaller than expected.
Researchers uncover why some homes in rural Madagascar where bubonic plague is endemic are infested with fleas. Based on their findings, they recommend ways to reduce the flea populations and their impact on human health.
A team of 19 prominent researchers has published guidelines for the responsible use of machine learning in science. They say it could avert a crisis that's smoldering in every field.
Scientists have adapted a device called a microwave circulator for use in quantum computers, allowing them for the first time to precisely tune the exact degree of nonreciprocity between a qubit, the fundamental unit of quantum computing, and a microwave-resonant cavity. The ability to precisely tune the degree of nonreciprocity is an important tool to have in quantum information processing. In doing so, the team derived a general and widely applicable theory that simplifies and expands upon older understandings of nonreciprocity so that future work on similar topics can take advantage of the team's model, even when using different components and platforms.
A research team has created an innovative method to control tiny magnetic states within ultrathin, two-dimensional van der Waals magnets -- a process akin to how flipping a light switch controls a bulb.
Viruses known as 'jumbo' phages are seen as a potential tool against deadly bacterial infections. But scientists must first decipher the extraordinary makeup of these mysterious viruses. Researchers have now uncovered a key piece of jumbo phage development that helps them counter bacteria.
Researchers have discovered the missing piece of the puzzle behind a rare opening in the sea ice around Antarctica, which was nearly twice the size of Wales and occurred during the winters of 2016 and 2017. A study reveals a key process that had eluded scientists as to how the opening, called a polynya, was able to form and persist for several weeks.
A new study involved high-resolution scans that enabled the researchers to visualize brain connections at submillimeter spatial resolution. Together, these pathways form a 'default ascending arousal network' that sustains wakefulness in the resting, conscious human brain.
During sleep, the brain weakens the new connections between neurons that had been forged while awake -- but only during the first half of a night's sleep, according to a new study.
Reaching net-zero carbon emissions goals requires finding transformative paths to manage carbon in difficult-to-electrify economic sectors.
The brain can direct the immune system to an unexpected degree, capable of detecting, ramping up and tamping down inflammation, shows a new study in mice.
Researchers have discovered a potential 'cosmic glitch' in the universe's gravity, explaining its strange behavior on a cosmic scale.
Early detection has the potential to transform treatment and outcomes in cancer care, especially for cancers like liver cancer, which is typically diagnosed at a late stage with limited options for cure. A new study suggests that proteins detectable in the blood could improve predictions about risk of liver cancer years before typical diagnosis.
There's a large and growing body of evidence pointing to potentially negative impacts of social media on mental health, from its addictive nature to disruptions in sleep patterns to effects on body image. Now, a new study has found that young women who took a social media break for as little as one week had a significant boost in self-esteem and body image -- particularly those most vulnerable to thin-ideal internalization.
Using multiple nicotine products can be associated with higher levels of nicotine dependence among youth and increased mortality in adults, compared with the use of one product alone. Researchers have now uncovered factors that contribute to adolescents using multiple nicotine products. These findings, they say, will help inform efforts to prevent escalation from single to multiple product use.
We all have our own preferred drinking temperatures for different alcoholic beverages, with people commonly enjoying beer or white wine chilled, red wine near room temperature, or baijiu (Chinese whisky) or sake warmed. Now, researchers report that alcoholic beverages may taste more or less 'ethanol-like' at different temperatures, and this may be explained by how water and ethanol form either chain-like or pyramid-shaped clusters at the molecular level.
Human embryo compaction, an essential step in the first days of an embryo's development, is driven by the contractility of its cells. These results contradict the presupposed driving role of cell adhesion in this phenomenon and pave the way for improved assisted reproductive technology (ART).
An mRNA cancer vaccine quickly reprogrammed the immune system to attack the most aggressive type of brain tumor in a first-ever human clinical trial.
Researchers changed the composition of the gut microbiota in male mice through common antibiotics, inducing a condition called dysbiosis, and found that: - Mouse pups sired by a dysbiotic father show significantly lower birth weight, and have increased risk of growth disorders and postnatal mortality.
Researchers have identified a causal genetic variant strongly associated with childhood obesity. The study provides new insight into the importance of the hypothalamus of the brain and its role in common childhood obesity and the target gene may serve as a druggable target for future therapeutic interventions.
The health benefits of exercise are well known but new research shows that the body's response to exercise is more complex and far-reaching than previously thought. In a study on rats, a team of scientists has found that physical activity causes many cellular and molecular changes in all 19 of the organs they studied in the animals.
The team discovered that an essential nutrient called choline is transported into the brain, across the blood-brain barrier, by a protein transporter called FLVCR2. This is discovery will inform future design of drugs for diseases such as Alzheimer's and stroke, mimicking choline so they can be smuggled into the brain.
The mysteries of how memory works are explained in a new book that suggests anyone can boost their powers of recall -- and that losing your keys is normal.
Working with teens, researchers designed RESeT: a snowy virtual world with six activities intended to improve mood. In a 3-week study of 44 teens, researchers found that most of the teens used the technology about twice a week without being prompted and reported lower stress levels after using the environment.
Researchers have found that cells inside clogged arteries have cancer-like properties that aggravate atherosclerosis, and anticancer drugs could be a new treatment.
Better than expected life expectancy in two disadvantaged areas in England is probably due to population change according to local residents and professionals. In the UK, people from the most disadvantaged areas can expect to die nine years earlier compared with people from the least disadvantaged areas while people in the north of England have lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and worse health and wellbeing compared with national averages.
Scientists have discovered that calcium plays a significant role in enhancing the resistance of potato plants to bacterial wilt.
A research team using the ChemCam instrument onboard NASA's Curiosity rover discovered higher-than-usual amounts of manganese in lakebed rocks within Gale Crater on Mars, which indicates that the sediments were formed in a river, delta, or near the shoreline of an ancient lake.
Women are 40% more likely to experience depression in the perimenopause than those who aren't experiencing any menopausal symptoms, finds a new study.
With recent studies having established the presence of nano and microplastic particles in the respiratory systems of both human and bird populations, new research has modeled what happens when people breathe in different kinds of plastic particles and where they end up.
A novel combination of two cancer drugs has shown great potential as a future treatment for patients with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), one of the most common types of blood cancers. A new study has revealed the combination of two existing drugs eradicated AML cancer cells in lab-based tests. The discovery could soon lead to clinical trials.
Researchers have provided new age estimates and revised provenance information for the Liujiang human fossils, shedding light on the presence of Homo sapiens in the region. Using advanced dating techniques including U-series dating on human fossils, and radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating on fossil-bearing sediments, the study revealed new ages ranging from approximately 33,000 to 23,000 years ago. Previously, studies had reported ages of up to 227,000 years of age for the skeleton.
The body clock has a significant impact on the performance of NBA players. Data shows vastly better win ratio for home teams from the Western Time Zone Area (PDT) when playing an EDT team, compared to vice versa.
For the first time since 1914, a new species of the Japanese lily known as sukashiyuri has been identified. A research team analyzed the morphology and DNA of these lilies and has revised the conventional classification from four taxonomic groups to eight.
Researchers have identified a novel Heat Shock Factor (HSF), designated as HSF5, which plays a crucial role in the completion of meiosis and the activation of genes essential for sperm formation. This discovery provides valuable insights into underlying causes of spermatogenic failure, the major contributor to male infertility. Furthermore, unlike other typical Heat Shock Factors, which primarily regulate gene expression in response to stress, such as heat shock, HSF5 plays a specific role in male germ production during meiosis under non-stress conditions.
A simple blood test could allow doctors to determine whether a person may be at higher risk for stroke or cognitive decline during their lifetime, according to a new study.
A new computer model uses a better artificial intelligence process to measure snow and water availability more accurately across vast distances in the West, information that could someday be used to better predict water availability for farmers and others. The researchers predict water availability from areas in the West where snow amounts aren't being physically measured.
Conventional plant regeneration approaches by cell culture require the external application of plant growth regulators, including hormones. However, optimizing culture conditions can be laborious. Now, researchers have developed a novel plant regeneration system that omits the need for hormone application by genetically regulating the expression of genes that control plant cell differentiation. Their work holds significant potential in the development of genetically modified plants in a simpler and cost-effective manner.
Common household products containing nanoparticles -- grains of engineered material so miniscule they are invisible to the eye -- could be contributing to a new form of indoor air pollution, according to a new study.
In an effort to improve delivery of costly medical treatments, a team of researchers in electrical engineering has developed a stimulating method that could make the human body more receptive to certain gene therapies.
Carbon emissions associated with air travel to professional conferences make up a sizable fraction of the emissions produced by researchers in academia.
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic and debilitating pain disorder, typically considered lifelong with limited treatment options. Now, groundbreaking research finds that early detection and effective treatment can lead to significant recovery within 18 months, offering hope to millions of people worldwide.
Researchers have unveiled evidence for ancient human resilience to climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The inventors of a suite of tests that enable food packages to signal if their contents are contaminated are working to bring producers and regulators together to get their inventions into commercial products, with the goal of preventing illness and reducing food waste.
An undergraduate student turns her honor's thesis into a peer-reviewed publication on schizophrenia research.
Researchers have discovered that the enzyme cyclophilin A, which is produced in large amounts in hematopoietic stem cells, is key for these cells to retain their regenerative potential and avert the effects of aging via an unexpected mechanism.
As the world faces the loss of a staggering number of species of animals and plants to endangerment and extinction, one scientist has an urgent message: Chemists and pharmacists should be key players in species conservation efforts.
Evapotranspiration (ET) includes evaporation from soil and open water pools such as lakes, rivers, and ponds, as well as transpiration from plant leaves. The difference between precipitation and ET indicates the water balance available for societal needs, including agricultural and industrial production. However, measuring ET is challenging. A new study presents a computer model that uses artificial intelligence (AI) for ET prediction based on remote sensing estimates.
The link between massive flood basalt volcanism and the end-Triassic (201 million years ago) mass-extinction is commonly accepted. However, exactly how volcanism led to the collapse of ecosystems and the extinction of entire families of organisms is difficult to establish. Extreme climate change from the release of carbon dioxide, degradation of the ozone layer due to the injection of damaging chemicals, and the emissions of toxic pollutants, are all seen as contributing factors. One toxic element stands out: mercury.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured the sharpest infrared images to date of a zoomed-in portion of one of the most distinctive objects in our skies, the Horsehead Nebula. These observations show the top of the 'horse's mane' or edge of this iconic nebula in a whole new light, capturing the region's complexity with unprecedented spatial resolution.
Proteins are the workhorses of life. Organisms use them as building blocks, receptors, processors, couriers and catalysts. A protein's structure is critical to its function. Malformed proteins not only fail to carry out their tasks, they can accumulate and eventually gum up the inner workings of cells. As a result, misfolded proteins cause a variety of degenerative diseases, from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's to the blinding disease retinitis pigmentosa. These disorders are currently incurable.
A research team embarked on a quest to understand the diversity and cellular mechanisms of human Th2 cells. By conducting gene expression analyses of inflamed tissues, they pinpointed a subset of Th2 cells called Th2-MPP cells. Their findings suggested that these cells might serve as precursors to several crucial Th2 cell populations responsible for disease symptoms. These discoveries lay the groundwork for therapeutic interventions targeting these cells, potentially offering relief to patients living with allergic diseases.
Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) allow current to flow in devices like implantable biosensors. But scientists long knew about a quirk of OECTs that no one could explain: When an OECT is switched on, there is a lag before current reaches the desired operational level. When switched off, there is no lag. Current drops immediately. Researchers report that they have discovered the reason for this activation lag, and in the process are paving the way to custom-tailored OECTs for a growing list of applications in biosensing, brain-inspired computation and beyond.
A team of researchers has investigated the motivation and potential incentives for and challenges of low-intensity grazing among farmers and land users in Europe.
Researchers have developed a chemical process using plasma that could create sustainable jet fuel from methane gas emitted from landfills, potentially creating a low-carbon aviation industry.
A new study that looked at nearly 40 million flights in 2019 calculated the greenhouse gas emissions from air travel for essentially every country on the planet. At 911 million tons, the total emissions from aviation are 50 per cent higher than the 604 million tons reported to the United Nations for that year.
An engineer has designed a model to guide better design of thin-walled structures, like planes, cars and submersibles, to avoid catastrophe like sudden collapse due to buckling.
Scientists report significant progress in cultivating nephron progenitor cells (NPCs), the cells destined to form the kidney's filtration system, the nephrons. NPCs hold immense promise for understanding kidney development, modeling diseases, and discovering new treatments. The team improved the chemical cocktail for generating and growing NPCs in the laboratory, enabling the sustained growth of both mouse and human NPCs in a simple 2-dimensional format.
A new type of bioplastic could help reduce the plastic industry's environmental footprint. Researchers have developed a biodegradable form of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filled with bacterial spores that, when exposed to nutrients present in compost, germinate and break down the material at the end of its life cycle.
Loneliness in adulthood follows a U-shaped pattern: it's higher in younger and older adulthood, and lowest during middle adulthood, reports a new study that examined nine longitudinal studies from around the world. The study also identified several risk factors for heightened loneliness across the whole lifespan, including social isolation, education and physical impairment.
A study of body size in leaf-nosed bats of the Solomon Islands has revealed surprising genetic diversity among nearly indistinguishable species on different islands.
Researchers have successfully used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to map the weather on the hot gas-giant exoplanet WASP-43 b.
Researchers have discovered over a hundred new regions of the human genome, also known as genomic loci, that appear to influence a person's blood pressure. In total, over 2,000 independent genetic signals for blood pressure are now reported, demonstrating that blood pressure is a highly complex trait influenced by thousands of different genetic variants.
An estimated 168 billion gallons of wastewater -- or produced water -- is generated annually by the Permian Basin fracking industry, according to a 2022 report. The major waste stream has proved both difficult and costly to treat because of the chemical complexity of the water.
Researchers have found a way to better control the preclinical generation of key neurons depleted in Parkinson's disease, pointing toward a new approach for a disease with no cure and few effective treatments.
Researchers have discovered a new mechanism of oil biosynthesis and found a way to genetically engineer a type of test plant to more efficiently produce different kinds of seed oil that it otherwise wouldn't make. While the engineering is proof-of-concept, this discovery could lead to improved production of valuable oils used in food and by a range of industries. The modified plant overcame metabolic bottlenecks and produced significant amounts of an oil similar to castor oil that it doesn't naturally produce.
3D microscopes are used in applications from the life sciences to semiconductor manufacturing. Now engineers are developing patented and patent-pending innovations making them work faster to capture even more 3D images and less expensive to manufacture.
A four-legged robot trained with machine learning has learned to avoid falls by spontaneously switching between walking, trotting, and pronking -- a milestone for roboticists as well as biologists interested in animal locomotion.
Electric bicycle rebates have exploded in popularity in North America as transportation planners try to get people out of their cars and into healthier, more climate-friendly alternatives. However, questions remain: Are new cycling habits sustainable? Who benefits most from these incentives? And are they worth the cost? Researchers now have some answers.
How did North America's saber-toothed cats hunt without breaking their unwieldy saber-like canines, which are vulnerable to sideways bending stresses? A paleontologist provides mechanical evidence that during adolescence, when young cats were learning to hunt, their baby teeth remained in place for up to 30 months to laterally buttress the emerging permanent sabers. By the time the baby teeth fell out, presumably the adult cat knew how to protect its sabers during attacks.
Scientists have applied a data-driven approach to understanding firefly population dynamics on a continental scale. Key findings from this new study indicate that fireflies, part of the beetle order, are sensitive to various environmental factors, from short-term weather conditions to longer climatic trends, including the number of growing-degree days related to temperature accumulations.
The first study of the use of microarray patches to vaccinate children has shown that the method is safe and induces strong immune responses. The phase 1/2 randomized trial compared results from the measles and rubella vaccine delivered by a microarray patch, a small sticking plaster-like device with an array of microscopic projections that painlessly penetrate the skin and deliver the vaccine, or by conventional injection with a needle and syringe.
A new study shows that school entry requirements are linked to an increase in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations.
Researchers have developed a technique to move objects around with a jet of wind. The new approach makes it possible to manipulate objects at a distance and could be integrated into robots to give machines ethereal fingers.
When hunting for mice in winter, red and arctic fox are known to plunge headfirst at speeds of 2-4 meters per second, but their sharp noses reduce the impact force in snow and protect them from injury, according to a new study.
Researchers have discovered enzymes that remove hindrances that stood in the way of developing universal donor blood.
Astronomers have confirmed that differences in binary stars' composition can originate from chemical variations in the cloud of stellar material from which they formed. The results help explain why stars born from the same molecular cloud can possess different chemical composition and host different planetary systems, as well as pose challenges to current stellar and planet formation models.
Many bacteria produce substances to gain an advantage over competitors in their highly competitive natural environment. Researchers have discovered a new so-called lantibiotic, namely epilancin A37. It is produced by staphylococci that colonize the skin and acts specifically against their main competitors there, the corynebacteria. This specificity is presumably mediated by a very special mechanism of action, which the researchers were able to decipher in detail.
Virtual reality dance made easier with crowd wave technique. Open source code can be downloaded for Quest 2 and 3.
Scientists say that an experimental monoclonal antibody drug called mAb43 appears to prevent and reverse the onset of clinical type 1 diabetes in mice, and in some cases, to lengthen the animals' lifespan.
Researchers tested a research-based intervention with English learners with math difficulty. The intervention proved to boost comprehension and help students synthesize and visualize information, which improved the students' math world problem-solving skills.
It has long been thought that meat played an important role in the diet of hunter-gatherers before the Neolithic transition. However, due to the scarcity of well-preserved human remains from Paleolithic sites, little information exists about the dietary habits of pre-agricultural human groups. A new study challenges this notion by presenting compelling isotopic evidence of a strong preference for plants among 15,000-year-old hunter-gatherers from Morocco. This is the first time a significant amount of plant consumption has been measured for a pre-agricultural population, shedding new light on the dietary practices of ancient human societies.
Researcher discovered that two species in the genus Angelica are pollinated primarily by hornets. This overturns the conventional belief that Angelica species are 'generalists,' meaning that there is not one primary pollinator but a variety of species. As hornets are rarely primary pollinators, the discovery also impacts future ecological research and conservation efforts.
Europe's forests have already been severely affected by climate change. Thousands of hectares of trees have already died due to drought and bark beetles. Scientists have now investigated which trees can be used for reforestation. Their findings: only a few tree species are fit for the future, such as English oak in the UK. However, mixed forests are important for the survival of forests, otherwise the forest ecosystem as a whole could be weakened.
Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a state-of-the-art imaging technique useful for determining the composition of a variety of objects. Specifically, over-thousand-nanometer (OTN) HSI is particularly useful for detecting organic substances and in medical imaging. In a new study, researchers have developed the world's first rigid endoscope for visible-to-OTN HSI, utilizing supercontinuum lighting and an acoustic-opto tunable filter. This innovative system can pave the way for advanced medical imaging, helping both physicians and patients.
Medium-sized dogs have a higher risk of developing cancer than the very largest or smallest breeds, according to a new study.
A modified pacifier and AI algorithms to analyze the data it produces could determine if newborns are learning the proper mechanics of nursing, a recent study shows. Specifically, the researchers measured if babies are generating enough suckling strength to breastfeed and whether they are suckling in a regular pattern based on eight independent parameters.
Using aerial imagery data and LiDAR, a study remotely identified the hardest-hit areas of Southwest Florida's Estero Island in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Researchers estimated the extent of structural damage and compared pre- and post-storm beach structural changes. They identified 2,427 structures that were impacted. The value of the heavily damaged structures was estimated at more than $200 million. The study has applied an advanced multi-faceted approach that links damage assessment to post-storm change in the structure of barrier islands.
Ultrafast laser spectroscopy allows the ascertainment of dynamics over extremely short time scales, making it a very useful tool in many scientific and industrial applications. A major disadvantage is the considerable measuring time this technique usually requires, which often leads to lengthy acquisition times spanning minutes to hours. Researchers have now developed a technique to speed up spectroscopic analysis.
Greening the way we eat needn't mean going vegetarian. A healthy, more realistic solution is to adopt a flexitarian diet where seafoods add umami to 'boring' vegetables. A gastrophysicist puts mathematical equations to work in calculating the umami potential of everything from seaweed and shrimp paste to mussels and mackerel.
Spinocerebellar ataxia 4 is a devastating progressive movement disease that can begin as early as the late teens. Now, a multinational research team has conclusively identified the genetic difference that causes the disease, bringing answers to families and opening the door to future treatments.
Researchers have found a protein that is responsible for turning off brown fat activity. This new discovery could lead to a promising strategy for safely activating brown fat and tackling obesity and related health problems.
Samples reveal evidence of changes experienced by the surface of asteroid Ryugu, some probably due to micrometeoroid bombardment.
Researchers have found two novel types of attacks that target the conditional branch predictor found in high-end Intel processors, which could be exploited to compromise billions of processors currently in use.
Rates of breast cancer in women under the age of 50 are rising in Canada according to a study which showed an increase in breast cancer diagnoses among females in their twenties, thirties, and forties.
Researchers report on the molecular assembly of one of the most common anti-phage systems -- from the family of proteins called Gabija -- that is estimated to be used by at least 8.5%, and up to 18%, of all bacteria species on Earth.
Landslides are one of the most destructive natural disasters on the planet, causing billions of dollars of damage and devastating loss of life every year. A global team of researchers has provided help for those who work to predict landslides and risk evaluations.
A new algorithm can identify the most predictive data points that a tipping point is near.
When did you last go anywhere without your cell phone? From maps and weather apps to social media platforms, we give consent for our phones to trace our footsteps and behavior. These curated mobility data are often used for personalized advertisements. Scientists now argue mobility data can offer so much more -- it is key to understanding human-wildlife interactions for guiding policy decisions on sustainability-related issues and should be free and accessible for research.
Researchers have demonstrated that ferromagnetism, an ordered state of atoms, can be induced by increasing particle motility and that repulsive forces between atoms are sufficient to maintain it. The discovery not only extends the concept of active matter to quantum systems but also contributes to the development of novel technologies that rely on the magnetic properties of particles, such as magnetic memory and quantum computing.
Report details first-ever finding of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in North American dolphin.
Researchers have developed a new PCB that performs on par with traditional materials and can be recycled repeatedly with negligible material loss. Researchers used a solvent that transforms a type of vitrimer -- a cutting-edge class of polymer -- into a jelly-like substance without damage, allowing solid components to be plucked out for reuse or recycling. With these 'vPCBs' (vitrimer printed circuit boards), researchers recovered 98% of the vitrimer and 100% of the glass fiber.
In unincorporated communities in the United States-Mexico borderlands, historically and socially marginalized populations become invisible to the healthcare system, showing that geography acts as a structural determinant of health for low-income populations.
Researchers have created TopicVelo, a powerful new method of using the static snapshots from scRNA-seq to study how cells and genes change over time. This will help researchers better study how embryos develop, cells differentiate, cancers form, and the immune system reacts.
Researchers have constructed a robot that uses machine learning to fully automate a complicated microinjection process used in genetic research.
A study in more than 3,000 US counties, with 315 million residents, has suggested that air pollution is linked with stress and depression, putting under-65-year-olds at increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Fire management lessons from the past could help to improve resilience as the Mediterranean faces increased fire risk from climate change. How traditional land management practices once greatly reduced fuel for wildfires, and how these practices were forgotten, in part due to historical politics of classism and sexism.
Fungal disease Fusarium head blight (FHB) is on the rise due to increasingly humid conditions induced by climate change during the wheat growing season, but a fundamental discovery could help reduce its economic harm.
Successful development of high-performance amorphous P-type oxide semiconductor using tellurium-selenium composite oxide.
The use of pliable soft materials to collaborate with humans and work in disaster areashas drawn much recent attention. However, controlling soft dynamics for practical applications has remained a significant challenge. Researchers developed a method to control pneumatic artificial muscles, which are soft robotic actuators. Rich dynamics of these drive components can be exploited as a computational resource.
Research shows that a certain kind of visual illusion, neon color spreading, works on mice. The study is also the first to combine the use of two investigative techniques called electrophysiology and optogenetics to study this illusion. Results from experiments on mice settle a long-standing debate in neuroscience about which levels of neurons within the brain are responsible for the perception of brightness.
Researchers have developed tiny, flexible devices that can wrap around individual nerve fibers without damaging them. The researchers combined flexible electronics and soft robotics techniques to develop the devices, which could be used for the diagnosis and treatment of a range of disorders, including epilepsy and chronic pain, or the control of prosthetic limbs.
Regenerative heart therapies involve transplanting cardiac muscle cells into damaged areas of the heart to recover lost function. However, the risk of arrhythmias following this procedure is reportedly high. In a recent study, researchers tested a novel approach that involves injecting 'cardiac spheroids,' cultured from human stem cells, directly into damaged ventricles. The highly positive outcomes observed in primate models highlight the potential of this strategy.
Researchers co-led a study that will improve the detection of gravitational waves--ripples in space and time.
Chemical and heat treatment of sewage sludge can recover phosphorus in a process that could help address the problem of diminishing supplies of phosphorus ores.
A multicenter study has identified a potential new treatment for acute heart failure, a leading cause of hospitalization and death.
Life can be tough for young red squirrels living in the Canada's Yukon territory, where frigid winters, food scarcity and predators threaten their long-term survival. Scientists want to know what factors might protect young squirrels, especially as their environment becomes more impacted by climate change.
A team of researchers has identified a mechanism that causes mitochondrial dysfunction in Alzheimer's patients resulting in a reduction of the supply of energy to the brain.
Many surgeons remove the bursa when repairing rotator cuff injuries, but a new animal study suggests that the small tissue helps with healing.
Global biodiversity has declined between 2% and 11% during the 20th century due to land-use change alone, according to a large multi-model study. Projections show climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity decline by the mid-21st century.
The results suggest that internal -- not external -- factors are the primary drivers of variation in the types of carbon yeasts can eat, and the researchers found no evidence that metabolic versatility, or the ability to eat different foods, comes with any trade-offs. In other words, some yeasts are jacks-of-all-trades and masters of each.
Researchers have found that vitamin D encourages the growth of a type of gut bacteria in mice which improves immunity to cancer.
What happens in the body when we are hungry and see and smell food? A team of researchers has now been able to show in mice that adaptations in the liver mitochondria take place after only a few minutes. Stimulated by the activation of a group of nerve cells in the brain, the mitochondria of the liver cells change and prepare the liver for the adaptation of the sugar metabolism. The findings could open up new avenues for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Companies' emissions reduction targets should not be the sole measure of corporate climate ambition, according to a new perspective paper.
Cichlid fishes exhibit differing degrees of curiosity. The cause for this lies in their genes, as reported by researchers. This trait influences the cichlids' ability to adapt to new habitats.
Researchers have developed a compact and lightweight single-photon airborne lidar system that can acquire high-resolution 3D images with a low-power laser. This advance could make single-photon lidar practical for air and space applications such as environmental monitoring, 3D terrain mapping and object identification.
Computer vision can be a valuable tool for anyone tasked with analyzing hours of footage because it can speed up the process of identifying individuals. For example, law enforcement may use it to perform a search for individuals with a simple query, such as 'Locate anyone wearing a red scarf over the past 48 hours.'
The antibiotic vancomycin, recommended as first-line treatment for infection caused by the deadly superbug C. difficile (C. diff), may not be living up to its promise, according to new research.
Due to the changing climate, young herring arrive in the Wadden Sea earlier and earlier in spring.
Mice lacking an olfactory system have had their sense of smell restored with neurons from rats, the first time scientists have successfully integrated the sensory apparatus of one species into another.
Extracting natural gas from shale formations can provide an abundant, lower-carbon footprint fossil fuel, but also creates concerns over increased methane emissions. Researchers have now developed a new tool that can estimate the emission potential of shale wells after they are no longer active.
A newly developed nanomaterial that mimics the behavior of proteins could be an effective tool for treating Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. The nanomaterial alters the interaction between two key proteins in brain cells -- with a potentially powerful therapeutic effect.
A recent study utilized ground-based instruments to measure solar-induced fluorescence (SIF) that reflect plant health and photosynthesis.
Oil is an important natural resource for many industries, but it can lead to serious environmental damage when accidentally spilled. While large oil spills are highly publicized, every year there are many smaller-scale spills into lakes, rivers and oceans. The longer that oil remains in freshwater, the more chemical changes it undergoes, creating products that can persist in the environment.
Dust can have a huge impact on local air quality, food security, energy supply and public health. Previous studies have found that dust levels are decreasing across India, particularly northern India, the Persian Gulf Coast and much of the Middle East, but the reason has remained unclear. Researchers found that the decrease in dust can be attributed to the Arctic warming much faster than the rest of the planet, a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification. This process destabilizes the jet stream and changes storm tracks and wind patterns over the major sources of dust in West and South Asia.
Researchers discovered liver resident macrophages' pivotal role in defending against gut bacteria and related substances entering via the portal vein, particularly under compromised intestinal barrier conditions. Identified as 'sentinel macrophages,' they are activated by isoallo-lithocholic acid. This finding holds promise for developing preventive and therapeutic strategies for liver chronic inflammatory diseases, such as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), by enhancing the function of these macrophages to mitigate inflammation and improve treatment efficacy.
Our bodies are made up of trillions of different cells, each fulfilling their own unique function to keep us alive. How do cells move around inside these extremely complicated systems? How do they know where to go? And how did they get so complicated to begin with? Simple yet profound questions like these are at the heart of curiosity-driven basic research, which focuses on the fundamental principles of natural phenomena.
Scientists have successfully replaced half of the fishmeal protein in the diets of farmed Asian seabass with a 'single cell protein' cultivated from microbes in soybean processing wastewater, paving the way for more sustainable fish farming practices.
A team of researchers has made a significant breakthrough in the field of organic photovoltaics.
An unexpected discovery surprised a scientist: nanometer-sized diamond particles, which were intended for a completely different purpose, shone brightly in a magnetic resonance imaging experiment -- much brighter than the actual contrast agent, the heavy metal gadolinium. Could diamond dust -- in addition to its use in drug delivery to treat tumor cells -- one day become a novel contrast agent used for MRI?
Physical activity in natural environments prevent almost 13,000 cases of non-communicable diseases a year in England and save treatment costs of more than 100 million, new research has found.
A new study found certain genetic variants could help explain how long-term pesticide exposure could increase the risk of Parkinson's disease.
In the boreal forest of Western Canada, researchers have considered that both changing climate and increased habitat alteration have enabled deer to push farther north.
Uveitis is a rare inflammatory eye disease. Posterior and panuveitis in particular are associated with a poor prognosis and a protracted course of the disease. Diagnosis and monitoring can be challenging for healthcare professionals. Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) is a fast and non-invasive imaging technique that supports this. Researchers have drafted a review on how FAF can facilitate the diagnosis and monitoring of posterior uveitis and panuveitis.
Scientists have watched a molecule move across a graphite surface in unprecedented detail. It turns out this particular molecule moves like a Moon lander -- and the insights hold potential for future nanotechnologies.
Freeze casting is an elegant, cost-effective manufacturing technique to produce highly porous materials with custom-designed hierarchical architectures, well-defined pore orientation, and multifunctional surface structures. Freeze-cast materials are suitable for many applications, from biomedicine to environmental engineering and energy technologies.
How do birds fly in a coordinated and seemingly effortless fashion? Part of the answer lies in precise, and previously unknown, aerodynamic interactions, reports a team of mathematicians. Its breakthrough broadens our understanding of wildlife, including fish, who move in schools, and could have applications in transportation and energy.
The IRIS infrared beamline at the BESSY II storage ring now offers a fourth option for characterizing materials, cells and even molecules on different length scales. The team has extended the IRIS beamline with an end station for nanospectroscopy and nanoimaging that enables spatial resolutions down to below 30 nanometers. The instrument is also available to external user groups.
Researchers have pioneered a breakthrough in ferroelectric material development. They've engineered a novel displacement-type ferroelectric material boasting remarkable dielectric properties. Their achievement includes the successful synthesis of rubidium niobate (RbNbO3), a compound previously deemed challenging to produce under pressures exceeding 40,000 atmospheres. Additionally, they characterized how polarization changes across a wide temperature range during phase transitions. This breakthrough can lead to new design guidelines for ferroelectric materials.
Machines can learn not only to make predictions, but also to handle causal relationships. An international research team shows how this could make therapies safer, more efficient, and more individualized.
Two of the biggest challenges faced by new and potential electric vehicle (EV) drivers are range anxiety and speed of charging, but these shouldn't have to be challenges at all. Researchers discovered that a change in refueling mindset, rather than improving the size or performance of the battery, could be the answer to these concerns.
Researchers have developed a web-based platform that offers an unprecedented view of the human body at the cellular level. The aim is to create an invaluable resource for researchers worldwide to increase knowledge about human health and disease.
Researchers have successfully demonstrated that hagfish slime proteins can accurately replicate membranes in the human eye. Scientists were able to properly grow retinal cells on hagfish slime proteins and prove that the protein's behavior changes as the membrane mimics stages of aging and disease.
Researchers have developed small robotic devices that can change how they move through the air by 'snapping' into a folded position during their descent. Each device has an onboard battery-free actuator, a solar power-harvesting circuit and controller to trigger these shape changes in mid-air.
Western University has developed a ground-breaking method for predicting which intensive care unit (ICU) patients will survive a severe brain injury by combining functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with state-of-the art machine learning techniques.
During a bout of influenza, B cells interact with other immune cells and then take different paths to defend the body. One path is the B cells that differentiate into lung-resident memory B cells, or lung-BRMs, that are critical for pulmonary immunity. These long-lived, non-circulating lung-BRMs migrate to the lungs from draining lymph nodes and reside there permanently as the first layer of defense that can quickly react to produce antibodies in a future infection.
If the Chicago region replaced 30% of all on-road combustion-engine vehicles -- including motorcycles, passenger cars and trucks, buses, refuse trucks and short- and long-haul trucks -- with electric versions, it would annually save more than 1,000 lives and over $10 billion, according to a new study.
Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system that has the potential to not only identify sight-threatening eye diseases but also predict general health, including heart attacks, stroke, and Parkinson's disease.
Some crop pathogens use a clever trick to multiply and spread infection: they hijack the plant's cellular plumbing. In a new study, researchers unveil a class of bacterial proteins that fold into a straw-like shape and insert themselves into the plant cell membrane, allowing the inside of the leaf to become waterlogged. The researchers also figured out a possible way to block the water channel proteins and prevent infection.
A research study has found that cerebellar inhibitory interneurons are essential for fear memory, a type of emotional memory formation. Inhibitory interneurons within the cerebellar circuitry act as gatekeepers and control the output of the cerebellar cortex. The formation of fear memory requires the activity of these interneurons. The findings may lead to a novel treatment approach for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Scientists are trying to raise as many urchins as possible because they eat algae that could otherwise smother reef ecosystems and kill corals. Researchers have identified algae on which larval sea urchins grow into juveniles in a lab setting.
A new study finds that a natural compound found in many plants inhibits the growth of drug-resistant Candida fungi -- including its most virulent species, Candida auris, an emerging global health threat.
Maritime archaeologists have studied what might be Europe's oldest shipboard cannon. The cannon was found in the sea off Marstrand on the Swedish west coast and dates back to the 14th century. The findings from the interdisciplinary study contribute new knowledge about the early development of artillery on land and at sea, but also bears witness to a troubled period for seafarers as well as coastal populations.
Scientists have created a process that can upcycle most plastics into chemicals useful for energy storage, using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a commercially available catalyst, all at room temperature. The new process is very energy-efficient and can be easily powered by renewable energy in the future, unlike other heat-driven recycling processes like pyrolysis. Currently, only nine per cent of plastics globally are recycled and the rest are typically discarded in landfills or incinerated.
Scientists identify a new and surprising function of a membrane protein on the surface of cancer cells: It supports and stabilizes an important 'co-stimulatory' factor that enhances the activation of T cells, thus improving the immune response against the tumor.
The benefits of four measures of socioeconomic status (education, income, employment status and health insurance) on ideal heart health were greater for non-Hispanic white adults compared to Black, Hispanic and Asian adults in the U.S.
Reflux disease manifests as acid regurgitation and heartburn and is a known risk factor for esophageal cancer. However, a new study now reports that the majority of patients do not have a higher risk of cancer. A large-scale study from three Nordic countries shows that the cancer risk is only elevated in patients whom gastroscopy reveals to have changes in the esophageal mucosa.
Protected nature areas are considered fundamental for maintaining biodiversity and countering its loss. But how effectively do established protected areas work and prevent negative trends? Research shows mixed effects of protected areas on various species.
Sitting calmly in their webs, many spiders wait for prey to come to them. Arachnids along lakes and rivers eat aquatic insects, such as dragonflies. But, when these insects live in mercury-contaminated waterways, they can pass the metal along to the spiders that feed on them. Now, researchers have demonstrated how some shoreline spiders can move mercury contamination from riverbeds up the food chain to land animals.
One of the most interesting and important questions in cosmology is, 'How much matter exists in the universe?' An international team has now succeeded in measuring the total amount of matter for the second time. The team determined that matter makes up 31% of the total amount of matter and energy in the universe, with the remainder consisting of dark energy.
A new type of analysis suggests that droughts in Ohio were more severe from 2000 to 2019 than standard measurements have suggested.
New research suggests that owls in Texas have high rates of anticoagulant rodenticides (AR) -- blood thinning rat poisons -- in their systems.
Most coastal communities will encounter '100-year floods' annually by the end of the century, even under a moderate scenario where carbon dioxide emissions peak by 2040, according to a new study. And as early as 2050, regions worldwide could experience 100-year floods every nine to fifteen years on average.
A new study offers insights into the ways that education, work and motherhood shape the lives of women in the United States. In a longitudinal study of more than 8,100 women, the researchers found seven 'pathways' that illustrate the way major life events can have long-term ripple effects.
A pioneering study has shed new light on North African humid periods that have occurred over the past 800,000 years and explains why the Sahara Desert was periodically green.
A new study confirms that planting hedges between roadsides and school playgrounds can dramatically reduce children's exposure to traffic-related particle pollution.
Thousands of people could be spared from a hip fracture each year if a new method to identify the risk of osteoporotic fractures were to be introduced in healthcare. This is the view of the researchers who are behind a new 3D-simulation method.
The very first life on earth is thought to have developed from 'protocells' -- liquid mixtures of many different types of molecules. Researchers have now shown that in such mixtures, small imbalances in the number of molecules of different types can have an unexpected effect. A surprising interplay with the complex pattern of interactions strongly amplifies such imbalances -- meaning that a type of molecule that is only slightly in the majority can almost entirely separate out from the others. These fundamental findings point towards a new mechanism that will apply in many complex mixtures. For instance, this would be a way for cells to control the formation of structures by fine-tuning the concentration of different molecules.
HIV anti-retroviral therapy is considered a treatment and not a cure because patients usually carry a reservoir of HIV-infected cells that can re-emerge if treatment stops. These reservoirs have long been thought to be dormant, but two independent groups of researchers report that a subset of these cells spontaneously produce HIV RNA and proteins that may impact patients' HIV-specific immune responses.
By mining X-ray images, researchers have made significant new discoveries about the reactivity of lithium iron phosphate, a material used in batteries for electric cars and in other rechargeable batteries.
A chemist drew inspiration from the natural world, from his experiences scuba diving to studying shellfish in his lab. He has developed a sustainable adhesive system -- an alternative to toxic, permanent, traditional adhesives.
New data gives more evidence to the possibility that developing a pathobiome in the brain could cause some forms of Alzheimer's and related dementias.
These new detections suggest polar ring galaxies might be more common than previously believed.
Fires that raged in the days following the 1 September 1923 magnitude 7.9 Kant earthquake killed roughly 90% of the 105,000 people who perished in and around Tokyo, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in history -- comparable to the number of people killed in the World War II atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The story of the conflagration, not well-known outside of Japan, holds important lessons for earthquake scientists, emergency response teams and city planners, according to a new article.
A standard chemotherapy drug injures surrounding non-cancer cells, which can then awakens dormant cancer cells and promotes cancer growth, according to a new study. The finding is important for understanding cancer recurrence and may point to important new targets to prevent it.
Growing several plant varieties in the same field for disease resistance is a longstanding agricultural practice, but can have unpredictable results. A study suggests that plant-to-plant interactions may confer disease immunity in both wheat and rice.
A team of gastroenterologists and hepatologists examine psychosocial factors in older Americans with gastrointestinal conditions.
Pneumonia is an infection of the lung alveoli caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. It is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, representing a clinical and economic burden and a global public health problem. The microbial ecosystem (or microbiome) of the human respiratory tract colonizes different niches. The respiratory tract microbiome is of interest to scientists as it contributes to human health by stimulating the immune system and protecting against infection by pathogens. Scientists have now demonstrated that the microbiome composition, pathogen load and clinical interventions influence the severity of bacterial pneumonia caused by Legionella pneumophila.
Researchers have developed a non-invasive method for mapping the human auditory pathway, which could potentially be used as a tool to help clinicians decide the best surgical strategy for patients with profound hearing loss.
A resource economist finds mandated in-school Body Mass Index assessments adopted in varying forms by 24 states to combat childhood obesity have the potential to improve the health of some students while introducing body-image issues for others. The research is believed to be the first to assess these policies as a whole, rather than in single states or school districts.
Researchers have produced a comprehensive picture of insulin signalling in mice and suggest that it is shaped by entangled effects of genetics and diet.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neurological disorder characterized by repeated behaviors such as cleaning and checking despite clear objective evidence of cleanliness, orderliness, and correctness. Although the disease is often mischaracterized as a disorder of 'fussiness,' the disorder actually stems from difficulty in processing uncertainty. However, the neural underpinnings of that aberrant processing remains unknown. Now, a new study uses brain imaging to get a closer look at the underpinnings of uncertainty processing in OCD.
Finding the right medication regimen to treat Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex healthcare challenge. Wearable health trackers provide physicians with a detailed window into patients' symptoms, but translating this complex data into useful treatment insights can be difficult. New research accomplishes just that. Researchers found that combining wearable health tracker data with state-of-the-art algorithms results in promising treatment strategies that could improve PD patients' outcomes.
Researchers have uncovered new genetic insights into Staphylococcus aureus, revealing what makes the bacterium so dangerous when it enters the blood.
New research shows that amplified global warming in the Canadian High Arctic drove a profound shift in the structure of a river network carved into a permafrost landscape in only 60 years.
Researchers have invented a nano-thin superbug-slaying material that could one day be integrated into wound dressings and implants to prevent or heal bacterial infections. The innovation -- which has undergone advanced pre-clinical trials -- is effective against a broad range of drug-resistant bacterial cells, including 'golden staph', which are commonly referred to as superbugs.
Accelerometers reading the behavior of wild boars can pick up when animals are infected with a fatal virus.
Physicists begin to shed light on one of the most important questions regarding quantum spin liquids, and they do so by introducing a new phase of matter.
A major study suggests that a possible cause of spontaneous brain haemorrhage could be transmitted via blood transfusion. At the same time, it is very unlikely that anyone should suffer a brain haemorrhage after receiving donated blood.
When you're under stress, your brain may release its own cannabinoid molecules to calm you, activating the same brain receptors as THC derived from cannabis plants. But the brain activity regulated by these cannabinoid molecules were not well known. A new study in mice has discovered a key emotional brain center, the amygdala, releases cannabinoid molecules under stress that dampen the incoming stress alarm from the hippocampus, a memory and emotion center in the brain. The finding may reveal novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of stress-related disorders.
Researchers have used machine learning to explore the links between sedentary behavior and dementia, finding that the total time spent sedentary matters for brain aging.
Replacing 50% of meat and milk products with plant-based alternatives by 2050 can reduce agriculture and land use related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 31% and halt the degradation of forest and natural land, according to new research.
New findings indicate that the type of protein in the diet is not as important as the overall amount of weight loss for those with Type 2 diabetes. 106 adults with T2D were randomly assigned to either the high-protein or normal-protein diet for 52 weeks. Both diets were energy-restricted. The high-protein diet included recommendations to include lean beef in the diet, while the normal-protein diet instructed participants to refrain from eating any red meats. The team of researchers found that both a high-protein diet (40 percent of total calories from protein) and a moderate-protein diet (21 percent of total calories from protein) were effective in improving glucose control, weight loss and body composition in people with Type 2 diabetes.
Exposure to air pollution while in the womb is linked to alterations in proteins that can be detected after a baby is born, and which affect cell processes such as autophagy, the 'self-eating' of damaged cells that occurs in response to stress.
Particular combinations of bacteria found in dust at day care facilities have been linked to wheezing in young children. Wheezing in young children is often an early sign of asthma. The new research offers some clues as to why attending day care can affect children's lung health that could, in turn, point to measures for lowering the risk of asthma.
Researchers have developed a new simulation model, which can predict flooding during an ongoing disaster more quickly and accurately than currently possible.
At the center of every galaxy is a supermassive black hole. Beyond a certain size, these become active, emitting huge amounts of radiation, and are then called quasars. It is thought these are activated by the presence of massive dark matter halos (DMH) surrounding the galaxy, directing matter towards the center, feeding the black hole. A team has now surveyed hundreds of ancient quasars and found this behavior is very consistent throughout history. This is surprising, as many large-scale processes show variation throughout the life of the universe, so the mechanism of quasar activation could have implications for the evolution of the entire universe.
Researchers have developed a measurement technique that rapidly measures the number of viable bacteria in food products. They have succeeded in drastically reducing the inspection time from 2 days to about 1 hour. With this technology, it will be possible to confirm food safety before shipment from factories and prevent food poisoning.
A ground-breaking study has revealed crucial insights into the role of the histone methyltransferase NSD2 and its epigenetic target PKC-alpha in causing t(4;14) translocated multiple myeloma (MM), a high-risk subtype of blood cancer, to be more aggressive and resistant to treatment.
Researchers have demonstrated that a key ingredient for many quantum computation and communication schemes can be performed with an efficiency that exceeds the commonly assumed upper theoretical limit -- thereby opening up new perspectives for a wide range of photonic quantum technologies.
Research has found that hazardous chemicals commonly encountered in aerosols, such as those produced by cooking and cleaning, can be 'protected' in 3D structures formed by surfactants, causing them to last longer in the air.
Climate experts project a decline in the frequency of future tropical storms but an increase in their strength across the Ganges and Mekong basins allowing for better future planning.
Research found that, in some western states, the amount of snow already on the ground by the end of December is a good predictor of how much total snow that area will get.
An international team of researchers has demonstrated that a combination of inhibitors may suppress tumor growth and prevent relapse in patients with certain cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma. Their findings support the future development of innovative therapeutic approaches targeting these cancers.
A new study looks at how college students react to being accused of using ChatGPT to cheat on assignments.
An advanced CT test can identify individuals with stable angina at a reduced risk of three-year adverse outcomes despite their having a high coronary artery calcium score, according to a new study.
Many of today's artificial intelligence systems loosely mimic the human brain. In a new paper, researchers suggest that another branch of biology -- ecology -- could inspire a whole new generation of AI to be more powerful, resilient, and socially responsible. The paper argues for a synergy between AI and ecology that could both strengthen AI and help to solve complex global challenges, such as disease outbreaks, loss of biodiversity, and climate change impacts.
Researchers have focused on the moisture present in the air as a potential source of drinking water for drought-stressed populations. They reached a significant breakthrough in their efforts to create drinkable water out of thin air: a molecularly engineered hydrogel that can create clean water using just the energy from sunlight.
Coffee could be the key to reducing 3D printing waste, according to a new study. Researchers have developed a method for 3D printing using a paste made out of old coffee grounds.
Atmospheric science researchers published findings on Houston's ozone. They found that while local emissions play a role in the rise of Houston's ozone levels, most of the pollutants are carried in from other parts of the country.
Biologists have found evidence for evolutionary 'syndromes'-- sets of traits that occur together -- that help to explain how tomatoes first evolved their distinctive blend of color, sweetness, acidity and aroma. The research not only shines a light on how fruits evolve in the wild, but will also be valuable to crop-improvement efforts aimed at breeding more nutritious and appealing varieties of fruits.
A new study finds that surface soil in parks and playgrounds built on former waste incineration and ash disposal sites may contain levels of lead exceeding EPA safety standards for areas where children play. The contamination, which can persist long after an incinerator is closed, stems from burning paint, pipes and other products that contained lead. Sites in hundreds of U.S. and Canadian cities could be contaminated. Increased monitoring is needed to pinpoint hotspots.
A new material that packs deadly heat for viruses on its outer surface while staying cool on the reverse side could be used to make sustainable, multiuse personal protective equipment.
A machine-learning algorithm demonstrated the capability to process data that exceeds a computer's available memory by identifying a massive data set's key features and dividing them into manageable batches that don't choke computer hardware. The algorithm set a world record for factorizing huge data sets during a test run on the world's fifth-fastest supercomputer. Equally efficient on laptops and supercomputers, the highly scalable algorithm solves hardware bottlenecks that prevent processing information from data-rich applications in cancer research, satellite imagery, social media networks, national security science and earthquake research, to name just a few.
Researchers discovered a new class of iron-targeting compounds that hamper the proliferation of cultured malignant cells in a laboratory setting.
Researchers found that living in an area with high levels of particulate air pollution was associated with an increased incidence of breast cancer. The study is one of the largest studies to date looking at the relationship between outdoor air pollution, specifically fine particulate matter, and breast cancer incidence.
A recent article proposes a new way to understand how materials interact with hydrogen.
More than 400 million years ago, an insect-like animal called the springtail developed a small protein that prevents its cells from freezing.
Increasing energy efficiency in buildings can save money -- and it can also decrease the carbon emissions and air pollution that lead to climate change and health harms. But the climate and health benefits of reducing buildings' energy consumption are rarely quantified. Now, researchers have developed a new method for calculating the health and climate impacts of these energy savings.
Failing to achieve climate mitigation goals puts increasing pressure on climate adaptation strategies. In two new studies, researchers address novel approaches to these issues.
A research team has made a groundbreaking advancement in improving the efficiency of hydrogen fuel cells, which are gaining significant attention as eco-friendly next-generation energy sources.
New research has found that estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer presents differing metabolic signatures in the blood of African American women and non-Hispanic white women.
Researchers are one step closer to making the T cell army stronger. In a recent study, researchers found that by manipulating one molecular signaling pathway in the T cells that participate in clearing influenza virus in the lungs, the strength and longevity of immunological memory produced can be improved.
A healthy lifestyle that involves moderate alcohol consumption, a healthy diet, regular physical activity, healthy sleep and frequent social connection, while avoiding smoking and too much sedentary behavior, reduces the risk of depression, new research has found.
One of the most invasive species in the world is Solenopsis invicta, a red fire ant species with a painful sting. Native to South America, the ant has established itself across the globe. A group of ant experts confirm that the species has made its way to Sicily -- the ant's first official sighting in Europe. The ants could soon spread all over the continent, the researchers warn, which could cause major environmental, health, and economic problems in Italy and beyond.
A new survey of an under-explored aspect of human biology uncovers the many roles of the body's 'greasy molecules.'
An international team of scientists has successfully conducted large-scale helicopter-based observations along the coast of East Antarctica and has identified pathways through which warm ocean water flows from the open ocean into ice shelf cavities for the first time.
Researchers have identified a new pathological mechanism for a familial type of Parkinson's disease caused by a mutation in the CHCHD2 gene. Mutant CHCHD2 protein is mislocalized in cells and leads to alpha-synuclein protein aggregates via interactions with another protein, known as Csnk1e/d. These findings indicate that Csnk1e/d inhibition may slow or halt Parkinson's disease development in patients with CHCHD2 mutations, providing new hope for affected families.
Root hairs represent a low-cost strategy to enhance nutrient uptake because they can significantly increase the nutrient-acquiring surface of plant roots. While primary and lateral roots are stimulated to elongate when plants grow under mild nitrogen deficiency, the existence of such a foraging response for root hairs and its underlying regulatory mechanism remain elusive. Now, researchers have revealed a framework composed of specific molecular players meditating auxin synthesis, transport and signaling that triggers root hair elongation for nitrogen acquisition.
A new study aimed to see if the benefits of hobbies were consistent in different national settings, and looked at data from 93,263 people aged 65 or over who had enrolled in five existing longitudinal studies in England, Japan, United States, China and 12 European countries.
New research suggests that hospital electronic health records (EHRs) that are difficult to use are also less likely to catch medical errors that could harm patients.
As the universe evolves, scientists expect large cosmic structures to grow at a certain rate: dense regions such as galaxy clusters would grow denser, while the void of space would grow emptier.
Researchers have proposed a new foundation that can enable high-quality imaging of still objects with only WiFi signals. Their method uses the Geometrical Theory of Diffraction and the corresponding Keller cones to trace edges of the objects. The technique has also enabled, for the first time, imaging, or reading, the English alphabet through walls with WiFi, a task deemed too difficult for WiFi due to the complex details of the letters.
Genomic surveillance has revealed mutations in malaria-causing parasites that will complicate efforts to eradicate the disease in Africa.
Hadal trenches, with their deepest locations situated in the so-called hadal zone, the deepest parts of the ocean in water depth >6km, are the least-explored environment on Earth, linking the Earth's surface and its deeper interior. An international team conducting deep-subsurface sampling in a hadal trench at high spatial resolution has revealed exciting insights on the carbon cycling in the trench sediment.
As researchers around the world race against time to develop new strategies and technologies to fight climate change, a team of scientists is exploring one possible way to directly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the environment: Negative emissions technologies (NETs).
New research finds that antidepressants may actually reduce negative memories in individuals suffering from depression while improving overall memory function.
Synthetically produced fertilizer urea supports half of global population. Using pure metals, researchers develop hybrid catalyst with capacity to convert waste nitrogen and carbon dioxide to urea. The process could denitrify wastewater and runoff while creating a new revenue stream for water treatment facilities.
A new investigation with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope into K2-18 b, an exoplanet 8.6 times as massive as Earth, has revealed the presence of carbon-bearing molecules including methane and carbon dioxide. Webb's discovery adds to recent studies suggesting that K2-18 b could be a Hycean exoplanet, one which has the potential to possess a hydrogen-rich atmosphere and a water ocean-covered surface.
A herring in the North Sea, a crab in the Wadden Sea or an anemone fish on a coral reef, ... biologists like to think in terms of individual species that all have their own place within food webs in ecosystems across the world. 'But that is surely too simplistic thinking,' researchers warn.
Elusive fundamental particles called neutrinos are predicted to interact unexpectedly with photons under extreme conditions.
The sun and the sea -- both abundant and free -- are being harnessed in a unique project to create vertical sea farms floating on the ocean that can produce fresh water for drinking and agriculture.
Using laser light, researchers have developed the most robust method currently known to control individual qubits made of the chemical element barium. The ability to reliably control a qubit is an important achievement for realizing future functional quantum computers.
Jackdaws ditch old friends and make new ones if it helps them get rewards -- but stick with family through thick and thin, new research shows.
A new study presents genomic evidence of hybridization between two closely related species of sea stars -- Asterias rubens, the common starfish, and Asterias forbesi, known as Forbes' sea star.
Researchers have been able to increase the diffusion of magnetic whirls, so called skyrmions, by a factor of ten.
Tea contains flavonoids such as catechins, which have numerous health benefits. Now, researchers reveal that the glazing on ceramic tea sets plays a crucial role in retaining the beneficial components of tea. By examining the effects of different glazes on the catechin content in green tea, they find that the choice of glaze materials affects the concentration of these compounds, as well as the color and flavor of tea.
Archaeologists have discovered a major Palaeolithic cave art site, arguably the most important found on the Eastern Iberian Coast in Europe.
A new Europe-wide study investigated the prevalence of protozoans, bacteria and viruses potentially pathogenic to humans and domestic animals in birds and bats in varying climatic conditions. The prevalence of many of these pathogens was associated with temperature or rainfall.
Using artificial intelligence applications to help craft a message to a friend is not a good idea -- at least if your friend finds out about the use of AI, a new study suggests.
Antibody treatments may be able to activate the immune system to fight diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and colorectal cancer, but they are less effective when they bind with themselves and other molecules that aren't markers of disease.
Researchers have unveiled an intriguing phenomenon of cellular reprogramming in mature adult organs, shedding light on a novel mechanism of adaptive growth. The study, which was conducted on fruit flies (Drosophila), provides further insights into dedifferentiation -- where specialized cells that have specific functions transform into less specialized, undifferentiated cells like stem cells.
A hydrologist's study provides a global estimate of human destruction of natural floodplains. The study can help guide future development in a way that can restore and conserve vital floodplain habitats that are critical to wildlife, water quality and reducing flood risk for people.
Researchers have shown that table salt outperforms other expensive catalysts being explored for the chemical recycling of polyolefin polymers, which account for 60% of plastic waste. The research shows that sodium chloride could provide a safe, inexpensive and reusable way to make plastics more recyclable. The team also showed that table salt and other catalysts could be used in the recycling of metallized plastic films -- like those used in potato chip bags -- which are currently not recyclable.
Researchers have developed a new imaging technique to observe active gene expression in real time. They found that four molecules work together to control the timing of each stage of the C. elegans worm's development. This timekeeping process could provide important clues about the natural rhythm of development in humans and other animals.
Researchers who created a soft robot that could navigate simple mazes without human or computer direction have now built on that work, creating a 'brainless' soft robot that can navigate more complex and dynamic environments.
A team of researchers has demonstrated that benchtop spectrometers are capable of analyzing pyrolysis bio-oils just as well as far more expensive, high-field spectrometers.
A new article hints at the existence of several black holes in the Hyades cluster -- the closest open cluster to our solar system -- which would make them the closest black holes to Earth ever detected.
Researchers investigated the relationship between historical traumatic events experienced by Alaska Native communities and epigenetic markers on genes that previous studies have linked to trauma. The new study found a similar pattern among Alaska Native participants, with specific epigenetic differences observed in those who reported experiencing the most intense symptoms of distress when reflecting on historic losses.
An emerging system which combines rapid imaging with artificial intelligence could help scientists build a comprehensive picture of present and historic environmental change -- by swiftly and accurately analyzing pollen.
The climate-driven advance of beavers into the Arctic tundra is causing the release of more methane -- a greenhouse gas -- into the atmosphere. Beavers, as everyone knows, like to make dams. Those dams cause flooding, which inundates vegetation and turns Arctic streams and creeks into a series of ponds. Those beaver ponds and surrounding inundated vegetation can be devoid of oxygen and rich with organic sediment, which releases methane as the material decays.
Some patients have experienced incredible recoveries after CAR-T-cell therapy. But they've also endured incredibly strong and scary side effects, in part because of the lymphodepleting chemotherapy that is performed before the CAR-T-cells are reinfused. What if CAR-T-cell therapy could be performed without lymphodepleting chemotherapy?
People who primarily use their own gut feeling to determine what is true and false are more likely to believe conspiracy theories. That is the conclusion of researchers who have investigated the relationship between susceptibility to misleading information and the conviction that the truth is relative.
Patent-pending adhesive formulations developed from fully sustainable, bio-based components establish bonds that grow stronger when underwater or exposed to wet conditions.
In experiments aboard the International Space Station, a surface treatment developed engineers prevented the growth of microbial biofims. These films can damage equipment and potentially cause illness.
Researchers found how carbon dioxide can be captured and converted through a single electrochemical process. A system based on these findings could help cut emissions from the hardest-to-decarbonize industries, such as steel and cement.
Crustaceans, insects and mushrooms are rich sources of the dietary fiber chitin, which activates the immune system and benefits metabolism, according to a new study in mice.
New research explores the historical shifts in mammal traits and biodiversity loss in eastern Africa. The study reveals how environmental changes disrupted mammal communities and highlights the urgent need for targeted conservation efforts to protect vulnerable species.
A new study shows that counter to public perception, positive beliefs about the world are a poor indicator of a person's background.
An international consortium of scientists is using an unprecedentedly large database of canine DNA to take an unbiased look at how our furry friends evolved into the various breeds we know and love.
Researchers have successfully created chimeric embryos containing a combination of human and pig cells. When transferred into surrogate pig mothers, the developing humanized kidneys had normal structure and tubule formation after 28 days. This is the first time that scientists have been able to grow a solid humanized organ inside another species, though previous studies have used similar methods to generate human tissues such as blood or skeletal muscle in pigs.
Massive burst of X-rays detected by astronomers indicates material three times the mass of Earth burning up in a black hole. They observed a star like our own Sun being eaten away every time it orbits close. First time a Sun-like star being repeatedly disrupted by a low mass black hole has been seen, opening the possibility of a range of star and black hole combinations to be discovered.
Treating newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes patients with semaglutide (trade names Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus) may drastically reduce or even eliminate their need for injected insulin.
Though a cornerstone of thermodynamics, entropy remains one of the most vexing concepts to teach budding physicists in the classroom. Physics teachers designed a hand-held model to demonstrate the concept of entropy for students. Using everyday materials, the approach allows students to confront the topic with new intuition -- one that takes specific aim at the confusion between entropy and disorder.
Scientists have identified a key part of a mechanism that annotates genetic information before it is passed from fathers to their offspring. The findings shed new light on genomic imprinting, a fundamental, biological process in which a gene from one parent is switched off while the copy from the other parent remains active. Errors in imprinting are linked to a host of diseases, such as the rare disease Silver-Russell syndrome along with certain cancers and diabetes.
A study of twins shows that having a concussion early in life is tied to having lower scores on tests of thinking and memory skills decades later as well as having more rapid decline in those scores than twins who did not have a concussion, or traumatic brain injury (TBI).
As the Earth's human population grows, greenhouse gas emissions from the world's food system are on track to expand. A new study demonstrates that state-of-the-art agricultural technology and management can not only reduce that growth, but eliminate it altogether by generating net negative emissions -- reducing more greenhouse gas than food systems add.
Not only does a lack of sleep make you feel awful, research has shown it impairs the brain. What's more, sleep loss over long periods can even increase risk for Alzheimer's and other neurological diseases. Researchers want to understand how sleep deprivation causes this harm. In a new study, a team working with mice has identified a protective protein whose level declines with sleep deprivation, leading to neuronal death.
New findings suggest that treating insomnia can stop opioid-seeking behavior, even after ending treatment.
When humans are ill, we tend to be less active. This also applies to wild animals, but so far, it has not been known how long the reduced activity lasts or which activities are affected the most. New research shows that birds' activity decreases for up to three weeks when they become ill -- something that could mean the difference between life and death.
The treadmill exercise test with electrocardiogram (ECG), also known as an exercise stress test, is one of the most familiar tests in medicine. While exercise testing typically is focused on diagnosing coronary artery disease, a recent study finds that exercise test abnormalities, such as low functional aerobic capacity, predicted non-cardiovascular causes of death such as cancer in addition to cardiovascular-related deaths.
A chemist envisions a future where every house is powered by renewable energy stored in batteries. He has created a new battery that could have profound implications for the large-scale energy storage needed by wind and solar farms.
Biomedical scientists have confirmed that newly discovered cells in the thymus are just like M cells, which are mostly known for their presence in the intestinal epithelium.
A new underwater communication and networking technique can achieve kilometer-scale ranges while consuming about one-millionth the power required by current communication methods.
A groundbreaking study has shed new light on the genetic underpinnings of Alzheimer's disease.
New 'hypervirulent' strains of the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae have emerged in healthy people in community settings, prompting a research group to investigate how the human immune system defends against infection. After exposing the strains to components of the human immune system in a laboratory 'test tube' setting, scientists found that some strains were more likely to survive in blood and serum than others, and that neutrophils (white blood cells) are more likely to ingest and kill some strains than others.
Chemists have extended a powerful molecule-building method -- called C-H activation -- to the broad class of chemicals known as alcohols.
Researchers have investigated how the behavior of an individual wheat plant under limiting light conditions influences the performance of the whole community. They assessed morphological and biomass phenotypes of single plants grown in mixtures under sunlight and a simulated canopy shade, and the relevance of these phenotypes for the monoculture community in the field.
A recent study has introduced a groundbreaking milestone in tissue regeneration by developing a technology that utilizes autologous blood to produce three-dimensional microvascular implants.
Human immune cells are capable of coordinating their own movement more independently than previously thought. Researchers discovered that immune cells do not just passively follow the chemical cues in their environment. Quite the contrary, they can also shape these cues and navigate in complex environments in a self-organized manner.
An international study tested transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on 62 patients suffering from consciousness disorders following severe brain injury. These results represent a significant advance in how we care for these patients and will enable us to refine the therapeutic strategies to implement.
Mold and diseases caused by fungi can greatly impact the shelf life of fruit and vegetables. However, some fungi benefit their hosts by aiding plant survival. Colletotrichum tofieldiae (Ct) is a root mold which typically supports continued plant development even when the plant is starved of phosphorus, an important nutrient for photosynthesis and growth. Researchers studied a unique pathogenic strain of the fungi, called Ct3, which conversely inhibits plant growth.
Scientists identified new set of molecules that drive the growth of human pancreatic cancer cell lines, explaining how genetic mutations can activate genetic 'super-enhancers' that promote out-of-control pancreatic cancer growth. They show the efficacy of an experimental drug that targets a super-enhancer related protein, demonstrating the promise of therapeutics that block the effects of super-enhancers.
Researchers scientists have unlocked a new realm of possibilities for non-volatile phase change memory, a type of electronic memory capable of retaining data even without power. Traditionally, researchers have relied on chalcogenides, materials with reversible electrical properties during transitions between crystalline and amorphous states. But an exciting alternative has emerged in the form of layered nickelates, complex oxide materials composed of nickel ions. These nickelates, with their unique layered structure and thermally reversible switching of room-temperature electrical resistivity, offer superior performance and sustainability potential.
Farmers usually plant so-called cover crops after harvesting their main crop in the Fall. This prevents erosion of the soil and nutrient leaching. The roots of these crops also stabilize the structure of the soil. It had been assumed up to now that a mixture of different cover crops would result in particularly intensive rooting. However, a recent study found only limited evidence that this is the case. Instead, mixed cover crops grow thinner roots than when just one single type of cover crop is planted. This result was unexpected. It documents how little is currently understood about the interactions between plant roots.
As drinking water flows through pipes and into a glass, it runs against the rubber seals inside some plumbing devices. These parts contain additives that contribute to their flexibility and durability, but these potentially harmful compounds can leak into drinking water, according to a small-scale study. The authors report that the released compounds, which are typically linked to tire pollution, also transformed into other unwanted byproducts.
Neuroscientists created the first non-human primate model of hereditary Alzheimer's in marmosets to accelerate the pace of drug discovery and rebuild the foundation for future translational studies.
The liver produces bile, which the intestine uses for digestion. For the transport of bile, the liver relies on a network of microscopic tubings, known as bile canaliculi, formed by liver cells called hepatocytes. When the outflow of bile to the intestine is blocked, it collects in the liver and can lead to serious liver disease. Researchers found that high pressure in the bile canaliculi alters the structure of the liver tissue. They found that elevated pressure leads to the obviation of apical bulkheads, structures known to reinforce the canaliculi. Subsequently, bile canaliculi enlarge into liver cell rosettes that are observed in many liver diseases. This study identifies pressure to be a potential common cause of various liver diseases with biliary obstruction and thus contributes to a better understanding of liver diseases.
Pumping liquids may seem like a solved problem but optimizing the process is still an area of active research. Any pumping application -- from industrial scales to heating systems at home -- would benefit from a reduction in energy demands. Researchers now showed how pulsed pumping can reduce both friction from and energy consumption of pumping. For this, they took inspiration from a pumping system intimately familiar to everyone: the human heart.
Although about half of people go through menopause, less than 15% of them receive effective treatment for their symptoms. Treatment options for people experiencing irritating or severe menopause symptoms are often under researched, and some have questionable efficacy, or cause harmful side effects. Menopause experts now summarize what we know about menopause, call for more research into the timeline and treatment of menopause, and encourage individualized, holistic treatment that addresses both menopausal symptoms and other systemic changes happening in the body.
Astronomers have detected the magnetic field of a galaxy so far away that its light has taken more than 11 billion years to reach us: we see it as it was when the Universe was just 2.5 billion years old. The result provides astronomers with vital clues about how the magnetic fields of galaxies like our own Milky Way came to be.
When we determine which communities are more likely to get their water from contaminated supplies, median household income is not the best measure. That's according to a recent study that found social factors -- such as low population density, high housing vacancy, disability and race -- can have a stronger influence than median household income on whether a community's municipal water supply is more likely to have health-based water-quality violations.
The immense bubble is 820 million light years from Earth and believed to be a fossil-like remnant of the birth of the universe.
Right at the bottom of the deep sea, the first very simple forms of life on earth probably emerged a long time ago. Today, the deep sea is known for its bizarre fauna. Intensive research is being conducted into how the number of species living on the sea floor have changed in the meantime. Some theories say that the ecosystems of the deep sea have emerged again and again after multiple mass extinctions and oceanic upheavals. Today's life in the deep sea would thus be comparatively young in the history of the Earth. But there is increasing evidence that parts of this world are much older than previously thought.
Scientists identify ways landowners in rural Brazil can find win-win situations with biodiversity and farming.
In the United States, tens of millions of people live behind levees, but historically disadvantaged groups are more likely to live behind subpar levees and have fewer resources to maintain critical levee infrastructure, a new study reveals. The study is the first to quantify the national disparity of disadvantaged communities living in levee-protected areas, which puts people at increased risk of flooding and other issues.
Researchers have discovered a new avenue of cell death in Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. The study reveals for the first time that a form of cell death known as ferroptosis -- caused by a buildup of iron in cells -- destroys microglia cells in cases of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia.
Plant-based alternatives such as tempeh and bean burgers provide protein-rich options for those who want to reduce their meat consumption. However, replicating meat's flavors and aromas has proven challenging, with companies often relying on synthetic additives. A recent study unveils a potential solution: onions, chives and leeks that produce natural chemicals akin to the savory scents of meat when fermented with common fungi.
An essential protein that acts as a gatekeeper for calcium entering cells promotes the growth of oral cancer and generates pain, according to a new study. Targeting this protein -- the ORAI1 calcium channel -- could provide a new approach to treating oral cancer, which causes persistent pain that worsens as it progresses.
A team of scientists developed a new machine learning model for discovering critical-element-free permanent magnet materials based on the predicted Curie temperature of new material combinations.
Male fruit flies don't usually like each other. Socially, they reject their fellow males and zero in on the females they discern via chemical receptors -- or so scientists thought.
If the region surrounding Chicago -- North America's largest freight hub -- shifted just 30% of its current on-road heavy-duty vehicles to electric versions, it would substantially reduce pollution and save hundreds of lives per year, with the benefits largely concentrated in disadvantaged communities, according to a new study. The study authors highlight that neighborhoods with predominantly Black, Hispanic and Latinx residents would benefit the most -- potentially reducing disproportionate pollution and health burdens in historically marginalized areas.
A major international study, involving 56,968 participants in 65 nations, has found that positive body image is strongly associated with better psychological wellbeing and life satisfaction. It also found that body appreciation is higher in those who are single and those living in rural areas. Amongst the 65 nations, Australia followed by India and then the United Kingdom recorded the lowest scores, while Malta scored highest.
New research shows that being infected with multiple strains of the Chagas-inducing parasite may hinder the disease's progression.
Invasive alien species are animals that may pose a threat to biodiversity, but it's time to deal with that threat in a more ethical way.
Reducing air pollution in kitchens could drastically improve health outcomes for the most vulnerable communities globally, say experts.
Every year, respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV) cause countless respiratory infections worldwide. For infants, young children and people with preexisting conditions, the virus can be life-threatening. The team has explored ways to reduce the risk of infection. Their findings show that -- when used correctly -- alcohol-based hand sanitizers and commercially available surface disinfectants provide good protection against transmission of the virus via surfaces.
Researchers have pushed the limits of the possible in the field of atomic-scale spin-optics, creating a spin-optical laser from monolayer-integrated spin-valley microcavities without requiring magnetic fields or cryogenic temperatures.
Nineteen-month-old toddlers already use natural logical thinking, even before they learn to speak, to deal with uncertainties about the world. This natural logic contributes to their learning process, both in terms of language and in other fields of knowledge, according to a new study.
Scientists profile the mucus of Cornu aspersum -- a snail species used in beauty product formulation and eaten as escargot -- and detail the composition of three unique types of secretions -- one that hydrates and protects its skin, another that works as a glue-like adhesive, and another that lubricates to allow the animal to move freely across surfaces.
Atmospheric scientists have discovered abundant fine sea salt aerosol production from wind-blown snow in the central Arctic, increasing seasonal surface warming.
More than 100 years of observations in nature have revealed a universal pattern of species abundances: Most species are rare but not very rare, and only a few species are very common. These so-called global species abundance distributions have become fully unveiled for some well-monitored species groups, such as birds. For other species groups, such as insects, however, the veil remains partially unlifted. A new study demonstrates how important biodiversity monitoring is for detecting species abundances on planet Earth and for understanding how they change.
Tropical forests in South America lose their ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere when conditions become exceptionally hot and dry, according to new research. For a long time, tropical forests have acted as a carbon sink, taking more carbon out of the air than they release into it, a process that has moderated the impact of climate change. But new research found that in 2015 -- 2016, when an El Niño climate event resulted in drought and the hottest temperatures ever recorded, South American forests were unable to function as a carbon sink.
ChatGPT could help to increase vaccine uptake by debunking myths around jab safety, say the authors of a new study.
Scientists have discovered two new genes that cause head and neck cancer patients to be resistant to chemotherapy, and that silencing either gene can make cancer cells previously unresponsive to chemotherapy subsequently respond to it.
Digital information exchange can be safer, cheaper and more environmentally friendly with the help of a new type of random number generator for encryption. The researchers behind the study believe that the new technology paves the way for a new type of quantum communication.
The Qing Dynasty in China, after over 250 years, crumbled in 1912. An international research team has pinpointed key reasons behind the collapse, revealing parallels to modern instability and offering vital lessons for the future.
Researchers developed a new software tool, SparkMaster 2, that allows scientists to analyze normal and abnormal calcium activity in cells.
A new study finds that farmers in India have adapted to warming temperatures by intensifying the withdrawal of groundwater used for irrigation. If the trend continues, the rate of groundwater loss could triple by 2080, further threatening India's food and water security. Reduced water availability in India due to groundwater depletion and climate change could threaten the livelihoods of more than one-third of the country's 1.4 billion residents and has global implications.
A new study finds that farmers in India have adapted to warming temperatures by intensifying the withdrawal of groundwater used for irrigation. If the trend continues, the rate of groundwater loss could triple by 2080, further threatening India's food and water security. Reduced water availability in India due to groundwater depletion and climate change could threaten the livelihoods of more than one-third of the country's 1.4 billion residents and has global implications.
New research by an international team of scientists explains what's behind a stalled trend in Arctic Ocean sea ice loss since 2007. The findings indicate that stronger declines in sea ice will occur when an atmospheric feature known as the Arctic dipole reverses itself in its recurring cycle. The many environmental responses to the Arctic dipole are described in a recent article. This analysis helps explain how North Atlantic water influences Arctic Ocean climate. Scientists call it Atlantification.
New research by an international team of scientists explains what's behind a stalled trend in Arctic Ocean sea ice loss since 2007. The findings indicate that stronger declines in sea ice will occur when an atmospheric feature known as the Arctic dipole reverses itself in its recurring cycle. The many environmental responses to the Arctic dipole are described in a recent article. This analysis helps explain how North Atlantic water influences Arctic Ocean climate. Scientists call it Atlantification.
A new large-scale research facility allows the complex behavior of animal groups to be studied in unprecedented detail.
A new large-scale research facility allows the complex behavior of animal groups to be studied in unprecedented detail.
When fighting disease, our immune cells need to reach their target quickly. Researchers have now discovered that immune cells actively generate their own guidance system to navigate through complex environments. This challenges earlier notions about these movements. The researchers' findings enhance our knowledge of the immune system and offer potential new approaches to improve human immune response.
When fighting disease, our immune cells need to reach their target quickly. Researchers have now discovered that immune cells actively generate their own guidance system to navigate through complex environments. This challenges earlier notions about these movements. The researchers' findings enhance our knowledge of the immune system and offer potential new approaches to improve human immune response.
Flowering for some plants is a yearly occurrence, for others, it is a once-in-a-lifetime event. A widespread species of bamboo in Japan, Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis, takes this one-time flowering event and pushes it to the extreme: they flower once every 120 years before dying to make way for the next generation. Researchers have realized there might be another issue at hand with this monocarpic species, which is the lack of germination of the seeds from a majority of the flowering specimens. Implications of a once dense field of bamboo, something that serves both as a food source and a source of material for crafts, turning to grassland for several years until the regeneration of bamboo begins to start somehow, can impact the ecology of the area in addition to the country's economy.
Flowering for some plants is a yearly occurrence, for others, it is a once-in-a-lifetime event. A widespread species of bamboo in Japan, Phyllostachys nigra var. henonis, takes this one-time flowering event and pushes it to the extreme: they flower once every 120 years before dying to make way for the next generation. Researchers have realized there might be another issue at hand with this monocarpic species, which is the lack of germination of the seeds from a majority of the flowering specimens. Implications of a once dense field of bamboo, something that serves both as a food source and a source of material for crafts, turning to grassland for several years until the regeneration of bamboo begins to start somehow, can impact the ecology of the area in addition to the country's economy.
As global ice dams begin to weaken due to warming temperatures, a new study suggests that prior attempts to evaluate the mass of the huge floating ice shelves that line the Antarctic ice sheet may have overestimated their thickness.
As global ice dams begin to weaken due to warming temperatures, a new study suggests that prior attempts to evaluate the mass of the huge floating ice shelves that line the Antarctic ice sheet may have overestimated their thickness.
Toxic mold left behind by Hurricane Idalia could initiate chemical intolerance (CI) in some individuals, experts said. In a survey of thousands of Americans, mold exposure was the most frequently cited initiating cause of CI, according to a recently published study.
Toxic mold left behind by Hurricane Idalia could initiate chemical intolerance (CI) in some individuals, experts said. In a survey of thousands of Americans, mold exposure was the most frequently cited initiating cause of CI, according to a recently published study.
A study sheds new light on why tumors that have spread to the brain from other parts of the body respond to immunotherapy while glioblastoma, an aggressive cancer that originates in the brain, does not.
A study sheds new light on why tumors that have spread to the brain from other parts of the body respond to immunotherapy while glioblastoma, an aggressive cancer that originates in the brain, does not.
Red blood cells exposed to oxygen deficiency protect against myocardial infarction, according to a new study. The study also shows that the protective effect is enhanced by a nitrate-rich vegetable diet.
Red blood cells exposed to oxygen deficiency protect against myocardial infarction, according to a new study. The study also shows that the protective effect is enhanced by a nitrate-rich vegetable diet.
People without a secure job contract can likely reduce their risk of premature death by 20 per cent if they gain permanent employment, a study reports.
People without a secure job contract can likely reduce their risk of premature death by 20 per cent if they gain permanent employment, a study reports.
Hydrogen spillover is exactly what it sounds like. Small metal nanoparticles anchored on a thermally stable oxide, like silica, comprise a major class of catalysts, which are substances used to accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed themselves. The catalytic reaction usually occurs on the reactive -- and expensive -- metal, but on some catalysts, hydrogen atom-like equivalents literally spill from the metal to the oxide. These hydrogen-on-oxide species are called 'hydrogen spillover.'
Researchers have determined how Leishmaniasis vaccine candidates, created using mutated disease-causing parasites, prompt molecular-level changes in host cells that have specific roles in helping generate the immune response.
Biochemical researchers have identified a new function of a key protein that leads to cancer -- a finding they believe could lead to more effective treatments for a range of cancers and other diseases.
Researchers have unraveled the complex biological phenomena that enable the sensing of heat and pain.
Researchers have discovered some new and surprising ways that viral RNA and influenza virus are detected by human lung cells, which has potential implications for treating people affected by such viruses.
An international team of marine scientists has studied the DNA of family groups from four different whale species to estimate their mutation rates. Using the newly determined rates, the group found that the number of humpback whales in the North Atlantic before whaling was 86 percent lower than earlier studies suggested.
A broad new strategy could hold hope for treating virtually all blood cancers with CAR T cell therapy, which is currently approved for five subtypes of blood cancer. Scientists have demonstrated the potential efficacy of this approach a preclinical study.
A new technique can synchronize media streams from different networks to multiple devices with less than 10 milliseconds of delay. The technique was demonstrated on cloud gaming, but could also be applied in AR/VR applications.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has begun the study of one of the most renowned supernovae, SN 1987A (Supernova 1987A). Located 168,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud, SN 1987A has been a target of intense observations at wavelengths ranging from gamma rays to radio for nearly 40 years, since its discovery in February of 1987. New observations by Webb's NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) provide a crucial clue to our understanding of how a supernova develops over time to shape its remnant.
Researchers have revealed an innovative approach to track individual molecule dynamics within nanofluidic structures, illuminating their response to molecules in ways never before possible.
An artificial intelligence with the ability to look inward and fine tune its own neural network performs better when it chooses diversity over lack of diversity, a new study finds. The resulting diverse neural networks were particularly effective at solving complex tasks.
A new article examines the use of monoclonal antibody therapies for treating Alzheimer disease and alerts physicians to be on the lookout for a potential side effect: amyloid-related imaging abnormalities.
A new study found that more than half of people who own dogs expressed some level of canine vaccine hesitancy -- i.e. skepticism about vaccinating their pets against rabies and other diseases. An estimated 45 percent of US households own a dog; according to the survey results, nearly 40 percent of dog owners believe that canine vaccines are unsafe, more than 20 percent believe these vaccines are ineffective, and 30 percent consider them to be medically unnecessary.
A new blood test called p-tau217 shows promise as an Alzheimer's disease biomarker, and when used in a two-step workflow very high accuracy to either identify or exclude brain amyloidosis, the most important and earliest pathology.
The mechanism by which breast cancer is formed in the cells of mammalian epithelium has been discovered. Although roughly 20 mutations accumulate annually in each epithelial cell until menopause, the mutation rate significantly decreases after menopause. Accumulation also decreased after childbirth, suggesting the effect of estrogen in mammary epithelium.
Scientists have detected and validated two of the longest-period exoplanets found by TESS to date. These long period large exoplanets orbit a K dwarf star and belong to a class of planets known as warm Jupiters, which have orbital periods of 10-200 days and are at least six times Earth's radius. This recent discovery offers exciting research opportunities for the future of finding long-period planets that resemble those in our own solar system.
A Neptune-sized planet denser than steel has been discovered by an international team of astronomers, who believe its composition could be the result of a giant planetary clash.
At a time of unparalleled rates of biodiversity loss, a new interconnected system to monitor biodiversity around the world is needed to guide action quickly enough to target conservation efforts to where they are most needed.
While astrophysicists previously believed that only supernovae could generate long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), a 2021 observation uncovered evidence that compact-object mergers also can generate the phenomenon. Now, a new simulation confirms and explains this finding. If the accretion disk around the black hole is massive, it launches a jet that lasts several seconds, matching the description of a long GRB from a merger.
This is a significant development that brings hope to the one billion individuals with obesity worldwide. Researchers have discovered new insights into the regulation of fat metabolism. The focus of their study lies within the star-shaped non-neuronal cells in the brain, known as 'astrocytes'. Furthermore, the group announced successful animal experiments using the newly developed drug 'KDS2010', which allowed the mice to lose weigh without dietary restrictions.
The rapid sea level rise and resulting retreat of coastal habitat seen at the end of the last Ice Age could repeat itself if global average temperatures rise beyond certain levels, according to an analysis by an international team of scientists.
A new economic analysis has linked, for the first time, conduct problems among kindergarten students with significant costs to society in terms of crime and associated medical expenses and lost productivity when they are adults.
A clinical trial has tested a potentially curative stem cell gene therapy for sickle cell disease. The results were promising.
The Earth's surface is covered by plants. They make up the majority of biomass on land and exhibit a wide range of diversity, from mosses to trees. This astounding biodiversity came into existence due to a fateful evolutionary event that happened just once: plant terrestrialization. This describes the point where one group of algae, whose modern descendants can still be studied in the lab, evolved into plants and invaded land around the world.
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria get extra nutrients and thrive when the drugs kill 'good' bacteria in the gut.
Researchers have developed a new approach to building quantum repeaters, devices that can link quantum computers over long distances. The new system transmits low-loss signals over optical fiber using light in the telecom band, a longstanding goal in the march toward robust quantum communication networks.
In a milestone for artificial intelligence (AI), the AI system 'Swift' has beaten the world champions in drone racing -- a result that seemed unattainable just a few years ago. The AI-piloted drone was trained in a simulated environment. Real-world applications include environmental monitoring or disaster response.
How much is adequate screen time for a child? It is the question at the forefront of many parents' minds. Now, a recent cohort study has found that the amount of screen time spent by one-year-olds is associated with developmental delays.
Imagine a robot that can wedge itself through the cracks in rubble to search for survivors trapped in the wreckage of a collapsed building. Engineers are working toward to that goal with CLARI, short for Compliant Legged Articulated Robotic Insect.
With a remarkable observational campaign that involved 12 telescopes both on the ground and in space, including three European Southern Observatory (ESO) facilities, astronomers have uncovered the strange behavior of a pulsar, a super-fast-spinning dead star. This mysterious object is known to switch between two brightness modes almost constantly, something that until now has been an enigma. But astronomers have now found that sudden ejections of matter from the pulsar over very short periods are responsible for the peculiar switches.
Scientists believe a huge 14ft smalltooth sand tiger shark, which washed up at Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford, earlier this year, represents the first of its species to have been found in Ireland's waters. Two other individuals of the same species also washed up on the UK coastline, suggesting this species' geographic range has shifted. The scientists believe these rare finds may offer a window into the future, with more and more species traditionally confined to more tropical waters expected to visit Irish and British waters.
Researchers used wireless neural recording and imaging devices to 'listen in' on the hippocampal brain activity of groups of Egyptian fruit bats as they flew freely within a large flight room. The researchers were surprised to find that, in this social setting, the bat's 'place' neurons encoded not only the animal's location, but also information about the presence or absence of other bats, and even the identity of bats in their path.
Astronomers have uncovered a link between Neptune's shifting cloud abundance and the 11-year solar cycle, in which the waxing and waning of the Sun's entangled magnetic fields drives solar activity.
Researchers have shown that the content of diet in yeast, rather than caloric intake, influences yeast health in later stages of their lifecycle. The different diet placed cells on a path to age healthily and avoid aging pathologies, though they did not live longer.
Scientists have developed a fabric-based wearable device that 'taps' a user's wrist with pressurized air, silently helping them navigate to their destination. The study demonstrated that users correctly interpreted which direction the device was telling them to go an average of 87% of the time. Since the wearable embeds most of its control system within the fabric itself, using air instead of electronics, it can be built lighter and more compact than existing designs.
New research, using objective measures of sleep rather than subjective reports, has shown that not only do people in Asia go to sleep later and have shorter sleep, they also have lower sleep quality than those in other parts of the world. Additionally, their sleep during the work week is more variable and they do not extend their sleep as much at the weekend.
Researchers investigated the associations of weight changes later in life with exceptional longevity and found that women who maintained their body weight after age 60 were more likely to reach exceptional longevity.
Engineers aim to revolutionize rechargeable batteries: Their thin-film batteries are not only safer and longer-lasting than conventional lithium-ion batteries, they are also much more environmentally friendly to manufacture and can be charged in just one minute. For now, the battery is very small, but the founders have big plans for it.
It has long been known that graphene has excellent electronic properties. However, it was unclear until now how stable these properties are. Are they destroyed by disturbances and additional effects, which are unavoidable in practice, or do they remain intact? Scientists have now succeeded in developing a comprehensive computer model of realistic graphene structures. It turned out that the desired effects are very stable. Even graphene pieces that are not quite perfect can be used well for technological applications.
Adults at risk for heart disease who participated in produce prescription programs for an average of six months increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables and had reduced blood pressure, body mass index and blood sugar levels.
Nitrogen dioxide levels in remote forest areas are increasing, and wildfire and soil emissions are likely the reasons why, finds a new study.
Scientists are working on a new approach to treating kidney failure that could one day free people from needing dialysis or having to take harsh drugs to suppress their immune system after a transplant.
Several major childhood allergies may all stem from the community of bacteria living in our gut, according to a new study. The research identifies gut microbiome features and early life influences that are associated with children developing any of four common allergies -- eczema, asthma, food allergy and/or hay fever. The findings could lead to methods of predicting whether a child will develop allergies, and ways to prevent them from developing at all.
A new study shows that people suffering from hospital-treated depression may have a high risk of developing conditions such as substance abuse, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and anxiety -- depending on their genetic predisposition to the individual disorder.
Early laboratory results in mice show the drug PXS-5505 increases survival when combined with chemotherapy in the treatment of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas.
Scientists use cutting edge scanning technology to reconstruct 'fossil monster' that lived half a billion years ago. The creature's soft anatomy was well-preserved, allowing it to be imaged almost completely: It fills a gap in our understanding of the evolution of arthropods such as insects and crustaceans.
The global population of people older than 65 years of age is rapidly increasing the need for care. Although care robots are a promising solution to fill in for caregivers, their social implementation has been slow and unsatisfactory. A team of international researchers has now developed the first universal model that can be employed across cultural contexts to explain how ethical perceptions affect the willingness to use care robots.
Experiments promote a curious flipside of decaying monopoles: A reality where particle physics is quite literally turned on its head
Damage associated with Alzheimer's disease begins within hours after a concussion according to results from research that uses a 'mini-brain' lab on a chip device.
Methylcyclohexane is very promising as a hydrogen carrier that can safely and efficiently transport and store hydrogen. However, the dehydrogenation process using catalysts has issues due to its durability and large energy loss. Recently, researchers have succeeded in using solid oxide fuel cells to generate electricity directly from methylcyclohexane and recover toluene for reuse. This research is expected to not only reduce energy requirements but also explore new chemical synthesis by fuel cells.
A new study suggests rough surfaces inspired by the bacteria-killing spikes on insect wings may be more effective at combating drug-resistant superbugs, including fungus, than previously understood.
Scientists have developed a specially formulated bioink, which contains microparticles engineered for sustained delivery of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). This delivery enhances the formation of mature skeletal muscle tissue from muscle precursor cells and facilitates their structural alignment, leading to more efficient regeneration of functional skeletal muscle tissue. This, in turn, can lead to successful therapies for people suffering from muscle loss or injury.
Researchers have isolated a new strain of marine bacteria with unique characteristics from the ocean seabed.
In response to the low-fat craze of the 1990s, many food companies removed saturated fats from their products, only to replace them with sugars to maintain their palatability. Unfortunately, the resulting products were no healthier than the originals, and the average person today consumes too much saturated fat. Now, a team of researchers has figured out how to remove some saturated fat, sugar and salt from popular American foods while maintaining their tastiness. The trick? Replacing these over-consumed nutrients with a dose of healthy herbs and spices.
Could blending of crushed rock with arable soil lower global temperatures? Researchers study global warming events from 40 and 56 million years ago to find answers.
A potential new Alzheimer's drug represses the harmful inflammatory response of the brain's immune cells, reducing disease pathology, preserving neurons and improving cognition in preclinical tests.
A study used innovative markerless motion capture technology to study the biomechanics of proficient free-throw shooters. Results showed the best shooters had more controlled motion, less forward trunk lean and higher release points. Researchers also studied the difference between missed and made shots by better shooters and found overemphasizing release point height could be counterproductive. The results can help coaches and players maximize performance.
Brucellosis is a disease, caused by the members of bacterial Brucella family, that mainly infects cattle, goats and sheep, leading to pregnancy loss, which has caused billions of dollars in economic losses for livestock producers worldwide. The disease can also jump from animals to humans, mainly through consumption of unpasteurized dairy products or inhaling the spores from the tissues of infected animals. While the disease can cause arthritis, inflammation of the heart and flu-like symptoms in humans, the bacteria can also enter the brain and cause neurobrucellosis, which can lead to long-term neurological complications, headaches, nausea, disorientation, swelling of the brain and sometimes death. Now, a new study has highlighted the protective power of both innate lymphoid cells and specific signaling proteins, known as interferons, in reducing the harmful neurological effects of Brucella.
Among the negative impacts of extreme weather events around the world is one that most people may not think of: an increase in child marriages.
Sleep is a critical part of a child's overall health, but it can also be an important factor in the way they behave. According to a new study, getting enough sleep can help children combat the effects of stressful environments.
In northern Yellowstone National Park, saplings of quaking aspen, an ecologically important tree in the American West, are being broken by a historically large bison herd, affecting the comeback of aspen from decades of over-browsing by elk.
After a nearly threefold drop in prescriptions for the antibiotic ciprofloxacin between 2015 and 2021, the rates of ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli bacteria circulating in the community did not decline. In fact, a study of Seattle-area women over age 50 who had not taken any antibiotics for at least a year discovered that the incidence of gut-colonizing ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli actually increased. About 1 in 5 women in the study were affected. The results are consistent with theoretical models indicating that, once a drug-resistant form of E.coli emerges, it will continue to spread by taking up long-term residence in individuals' gut microbiomes. Antibiotic resistant E. coli in the gut is of concern because the bacteria can enter the urinary tract and cause difficult-to-treat infections, particularly in women. Evidence from studies such as this one may be changing paradigms on how to fight the rise in antibiotic resistance.
High-quality sequencing of nearly the entire kakapo population is helping New Zealand to manage the health of this critically endangered species.
An international research team has described seven previously unknown species of leaf insects, also known as walking leaves. The insects belong to the stick and leaf insect order, which are known for their unusual appearance: they look confusingly similar to parts of plants such as twigs, bark or -- in the case of leaf insects -- leaves. This sophisticated camouflage provides excellent protection from predators as well as presenting a challenge to researchers. Genetic analysis enabled the researchers to discover 'cryptic species', which cannot be distinguished by their external appearance alone. The findings are not only important for the systematic study of leaf insects, but also for the protection of their diversity.
A major red tide event occurred in waters off Southern California in the spring of 2020, resulting in dazzling displays of bioluminescence along the coast. Now, for the first time, a study has pinpointed how the plankton species Lingulodinium polyedra -- a dinoflagellate -- was able to create such an exceptionally dense bloom. The answer lies in dinoflagellates' remarkable ability to swim, which lends them a competitive advantage over other species of phytoplankton.
A team of computer scientists recently unveiled a prize-winning Python profiler called Scalene. Programs written with Python are notoriously slow -- up to 60,000 times slower than code written in other programming languages -- and Scalene works to efficiently identify exactly where Python is lagging, allowing programmers to troubleshoot and streamline their code for higher performance.
Researchers have looked beyond biochemistry to publish groundbreaking work on the physics of fat droplets found inside many types of cells, revealing them to be a potential threat to a cell's nucleus.They have discovered fat-filled lipid droplets' surprising capability to indent and puncture the nucleus, the organelle which contains and regulates a cell's DNA. The stakes of their findings are high: a ruptured nucleus can lead to elevated DNA damage that is characteristic of many diseases, including cancer.
Findings can open up new avenues for targeted approaches toward therapeutic strategies against the malaria-causing P. falciparum that are aimed at stopping the parasite's life cycle progression and its sexual differentiation, thus blocking the transmission of the parasite into mosquitoes.
Researchers have discovered that the same cellular mechanism involved in a form of cystic fibrosis is also implicated in a form of a rare disease called cystinosis. The mechanism cleans up mutated proteins. In cystinosis, a genetic disease, this allows cystine crystals to build up in the cell. This disrupts the cell, and eventually, tissues and ultimately organs, particularly the kidneys and the eyes.
A new study focused on neurobehavioral effects and inflammatory response to exposure to microplastics, as well as the accumulation of microplastics in tissues, including the brain. The research team has found that the infiltration of microplastics was as widespread in the body as it is in the environment, leading to behavioral changes, especially in older test subjects.
Researchers have implemented a quantum-based method to observe a quantum effect in the way light-absorbing molecules interact with incoming photons. Known as a conical intersection, the effect puts limitations on the paths molecules can take to change between different configurations. The observation method makes use of a quantum simulator, developed from research in quantum computing, and offers an example of how advances in quantum computing are being used to investigate fundamental science.
Studies show that on any given morning, about 40 percent of the working population recalls its dreams. New research shows that when dreams are first recalled, people often draw connections between their dreams and waking lives, and the connections they draw alter how they think, feel and act at work.
Scientists have successfully transformed rhabdomyosarcoma cells into healthy functioning muscle cells. Could this lab breakthrough help bring differentiation therapy to the clinic? If so, a new and safer way to fight cancer may be on the horizon.
Due to intensifying sea-ice melting in the Arctic, sunlight is now penetrating deeper and deeper into the ocean. Since marine zooplankton respond to the available light, this is also changing their behavior -- especially how the tiny organisms rise and fall within the water column. As an international team of researchers has now shown, in the future this could lead to more frequent food shortages for the zooplankton, and to negative effects for larger species including seals and whales.
Many songbirds use the earth's magnetic field as a guide during their migrations, but radiowaves interfere with this ability. A new study has found an upper bound for the frequency that disrupts the magnetic compass.
Scientists have developed a new method for detecting mid-infrared (MIR) light at room temperature using quantum systems.
Using a trapped-ion quantum computer, the research team witnessed the interference pattern of a single atom caused by a 'conical intersection'. Conical intersections are known throughout chemistry and are vital to rapid photo-chemical processes such as light harvesting in human vision or photosynthesis.
Anyone who's been caught in an unexpected downpour knows that weather forecasting is an imperfect science. Now, researchers are taking aim at one of meteorologists' biggest blind spots: extremely short-term forecasts, or nowcasts, that predict what will happen in a given location over the next few minutes.
Investigators are one step closer to helping individuals catch a sudden cardiac arrest before it happens, thanks to a new study. The study, led by sudden cardiac arrest experts, found that 50% of individuals who experienced a sudden cardiac arrest also experienced a telling symptom 24 hours before their loss of heart function.
A new article describes the 266 fossil species as one of the richest and most diverse groups of three-million-year-old fauna ever found in New Zealand. At least ten previously unknown species will be described and named in future research. Fossils of the world's oldest known flax snails, an extinct sawshark spine, and great white shark teeth have all been found in a mound of sand excavated from beneath Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant in 2020.
A team of researchers is designing novel systems to capture water vapor in the air and turn it into liquid. They have developed sponges or membranes with a large surface area that continually capture moisture from their surrounding environment.
Researchers have developed and demonstrated a new method for high-throughput single-cell sorting that uses stimulated Raman spectroscopy rather than the traditional approach of fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The new approach could offer a label-free, nondestructive way to sort cells for a variety of applications, including microbiology, cancer detection and cell therapy.
A new study has examined how T cells of the immune system are affected by weightlessness. The results could explain why astronauts' T cells become less active and less effective at fighting infection.
Engineers identified an optical signature in a widely used class of magnetic 'Dynabeads' that could be used to quickly detect contaminants in food, water, or the human body.
Middle-aged adults with three or more unhealthy traits including slightly high waist circumference, blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose have heart attacks and strokes two years earlier than their peers, according to new research.
'Eco-friendly' paper drinking straws contain long-lasting and potentially toxic chemicals, a new study has concluded.
Replacing single use plastic cups with paper ones is problematic. Researchers show that a paper cup that ends up in nature can also cause damage as they also contain toxic chemicals.
A new AI technique enables a robot to develop complex plans for manipulating an object using its entire hand, not just fingertips. This model can generate effective plans in about a minute using a standard laptop.
Using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), astronomers have observed a large dark spot in Neptune's atmosphere, with an unexpected smaller bright spot adjacent to it. This is the first time a dark spot on the planet has ever been observed with a telescope on Earth. These occasional features in the blue background of Neptune's atmosphere are a mystery to astronomers, and the new results provide further clues as to their nature and origin.
For many patients, the internet serves as a powerful tool for self-education on medical topics. With ChatGPT now at patients' fingertips, researchers assessed how consistently the artificial intelligence chatbot provides recommendations for cancer treatment that align with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines.
Researchers have uncovered a connection between the topography of the human genome and the presence of mutations in human cancer. Just as different terrains on Earth foster distinct ecosystems, certain regions in the genome seem to provide an environment for specific mutations to thrive.
The first three weeks of July 2023 have been the hottest global three-week period so far. Researchers report that the European population's exposure to heat was highest in Italy.
Parents with children in adolescence know this all too well: one minute 'the little ones' are just up to your shoulder, and all of a sudden, they're growing over your head. Until now, it was assumed that such pubertal growth spurt in body length only occurs in humans, but not in other primates. Researchers have now investigated this widespread hypothesis in bonobos (Pan paniscus). The result: Pronounced, human-like growth in the adolescent years also exists in bonobos and presumably also in other monkeys. Thus, humans are less exceptional in this trait than previously thought.
Emperor penguin colonies experienced unprecedented breeding failure in a region of Antarctica where there was total sea ice loss in 2022. The discovery supports predictions that over 90% of emperor penguin colonies will be quasi-extinct by the end of the century, based on current global warming trends.
Researchers are on the brink of a technological breakthrough in vaccine development with a possible new vaccine modality.
When witch hazel plants are ready to disperse their seeds, the woody seed capsules split open, pressure builds up, and eventually the seeds shoot out like a bullet fired from a rifle, hitting 30 feet per second in less than five milliseconds. In a new study, researchers looked into how witch hazels manage to fling heavier seeds just as fast as lighter ones. The secret lies in their spring-loaded fruits.
A new review argues ever-present microplastics could promote gene transfer among microbes, potentially resulting in greater antibiotic resistance. The review calls for more research on microplastic-microbe interactions where our food is grown.
Alcohol use and subsequent handgun carrying were positively associated during adolescence and young adulthood among individuals who grew up in rural areas, similar to findings in urban areas. Reducing alcohol use may be an important strategy to prevent handgun carrying and firearm-related harm among young people in rural areas.
Highly challenging to sequence and long overlooked, the human Y chromosome's contributions to health and disease remain largely unknown. A new paper that presents, for the first time, the complete sequences of multiple human Y chromosomes from lineages from around the globe provides an essential step forward in understanding the roles of the Y chromosome in human evolution and biology.
Fresh research suggests that national parks enhance bird diversity inside their borders. Large parks also support higher diversity of both birds and mammals in nearby unprotected areas.
Researchers used advanced technology to study a massive aggregation of deep-sea octopus gathered at thermal springs near an extinct underwater volcano off the coast of Central California. Warm water from hydrothermal springs accelerates development of octopus embryos, giving young octopus a better chance of survival. The Octopus Garden is the largest known aggregation of octopus on the planet -- the size of this nursery, and the abundance of other marine life that thrives in this rich community, highlight the need to understand and protect the hotspots of life on the deep seafloor from threats like climate change and seabed mining.
To prepare for extreme heat waves around the world -- particularly in places known for cool summers -- climate-simulation models that include a new computing concept may save tens of thousands of lives.
In a groundbreaking endeavor, researchers have successfully transferred a longevity gene from naked mole rats to mice, resulting in improved health and an extension of the mouse's lifespan. The research opens exciting possibilities for unlocking the secrets of aging and extending human lifespan.
A team has created an artificial quantum magnet featuring a quasiparticle made of entangled electrons, the triplon.
Climate impacts such as dry, hot summers reduce the growth and increase the mortality of trees in the Black Forest because they negatively influence the climatic water balance, i.e., the difference between precipitation and potential evapotranspiration. That is the central finding of a long-term study of the influence of climate and climate change on trees in the Black Forest.
Researchers compared a pair of superficially similar motor neurons in fruit flies to examine how their differing use of the same genome produced distinctions in form and function.
Parents should be taught how to better understand the increasingly volatile social media landscape that is deploying sophisticated algorithms, according to a new study.
Researchers have designed a new type of quantum computer that uses fermionic atoms to simulate complex physical systems. The processor uses programmable neutral atom arrays and is capable of simulating fermionic models in a hardware-efficient manner using fermionic gates. The team demonstrated how the new quantum processor can efficiently simulate fermionic models from quantum chemistry and particle physics.
A discovery about how a common insect acquires a microbe that is essential for its growth may help in the control of an agricultural pest.
Researchers have discovered the fossils of two new abelisaurs in Morocco, showing the diversity of dinosaurs in this region at the end of the Cretaceous period.
The near extinction of the North American bison in the late 1800s caused a devastating, lasting economic shock to Indigenous peoples whose lives depended on the animals, an economic study finds.
Researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of extending cooling strategies for dairy cows throughout the day and night, including how these strategies could be applied to outdoor herds with a more limited physical infrastructure.
Regulatory genes -- genes that control how other genes are used -- are responsible for 69% of the heritability of dairy cattle traits such as milk production and fertility, according to a new study. This contribution is 44% more than expected and much higher than previous studies of regulatory genes in humans. The findings, reported by a team of animal and human geneticists, could improve the efficiency of agricultural breeding programs. The study also helps solve the longstanding mystery of why mammalian genomes contain so much noncoding DNA.
Researchers combined human and ecological factors to analyze the global scale of non-native tree species invasions. Human activity in hotspots of global trade, such as maritime ports, is linked to an increased likelihood of non-native tree species invasions. However, a high diversity of native tree species can help to curb the intensity of such invasions.
A new study has revealed why coral reefs can thrive in seemingly nutrient poor water, a phenomenon that has fascinated scientists since Charles Darwin.
An international team of scientists -- led by two who worked together at Washington University in St. Louis -- found that volcanic eruptions can cause the Pacific Walker Circulation to temporarily weaken, inducing El Niño-like conditions. The results provide important insights into how El Niño and La Niña events may change in the future.
Researchers have developed a brain-computer interface (BCI) that has enabled a woman with severe paralysis from a brainstem stroke to speak through a digital avatar.
What was once the final frontier of the human genome -- the Y chromosome -- has just been mapped out in its entirety. Scientists used advanced sequencing technologies to read out the full DNA sequence of the Y chromosome -- a region of the genome that typically drives male reproductive development. The results demonstrate that this advance improves DNA sequencing accuracy for the chromosome, which could help identify certain genetic disorders and potentially uncover the genetic roots of others.
A study has discovered a new relationship between cancer cells and the immune system, and shows how cancer can selfishly hijack a normally helpful immune pathway.
Researchers have finally solved the long-standing puzzle of why graphene is so much more permeable to protons than expected by theory.
Many plants and crops rely on insects to pollinate them so they can reproduce. A new study has shown that several flowering plants from the group Euonymus are pollinated by fungus gnats, a dipteran insect. Specifically, they pollinate Euonymus plants which have red-petaled flowers with short stamens and yogurt-like scent. Although fungus gnats are known to pollinate hundreds of plant species, this study shows that the particular traits of red Euonymus flowers were likely to have been acquired via pollination syndrome, evolving over a process of natural selection to be pollinated specifically by fungus gnats. This research highlights the important role of Diptera, which are commonly regarded as pests, in plant diversity and evolution.
New algorithms for trajectory planning and control of fixed-wing 'tailsitter' aircraft are faster and more efficient than traditional quadcopter drones. The algorithms can execute challenging maneuvers and are so efficient they can plan complex trajectories in real-time.
Hours of inactivity during childhood could be setting the stage for heart attacks and strokes later in life, according to new research. The study found that sedentary time accumulated from childhood to young adulthood was associated with heart damage -- even in those with normal weight and blood pressure.
A recent study presents an exciting new way to listen to 'the crackling' noise of atoms shifting at nanoscale when materials are deformed, providing potential improved methods for discontinuities in novel, new materials, such as those proposed for future domain-wall electronics. 'Crackling noise microscopy' presents a new opportunity for generating advanced knowledge about nanoscale features across a wide range of applications and material systems.
New Yorkers can apparently breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now. Their exposure to the smoke in June 2023 from Canadian wildfires led to only a slightly higher bump in visits to New York City hospital emergency departments for breathing problems or asthma attacks than what is seen on days when pollen counts are high. However, authors of a new study say other possible health effects, such as possible heart attacks and stroke, still need to be investigated.
Many researchers believe that the neurodegenerative disorder gets started in the gut. Research now suggests that an autoimmune reaction may be driving those early events.
Researchers used kirigami, the art of Japanese paper cutting and folding, to develop ultrastrong, lightweight materials that have tunable mechanical properties, like stiffness and flexibility. These materials could be used in airplanes, automobiles, or spacecraft.
Scientists have discovered a potential target for gastric cancers associated with Epstein-Barr Virus.
Researchers found some bacteria ship cellular cargo by 'surfing' along proteins called ParA/MinD ATPases.
Researchers show mechanics of how drag on a partially submerged object may be several times greater than drag on a fully submerged object made of the same material.
A new study finds rivers and streams at higher latitudes contributing as much methane, a potent greenhouse gas, to the atmosphere as warmer waters in the tropics. The surrounding habitat, not temperature, is the important driver of methane emissions. The findings could improve methane estimates and models of climate change, and point to land-management changes and restoration opportunities that can reduce the amount of methane escaping into the atmosphere.
A new study uses more genetically diverse mouse models to study the accumulation and spread of abnormal tau protein deposits in the brain -- a known sign of Alzheimer's disease and several other neurodegenerative diseases.
It's human nature to be judgmental. But why do we place less blame on someone, or give more praise, if we find out that person had a history of suffering in childhood? In a recent study, researchers discovered why someone's childhood adversity influences how others judge their behavior.
A study in more than 15,000 people has found that physical fitness is linked with a lower likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation and stroke. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder, affecting more than 40 million people worldwide. It is estimated that one in three Europeans will develop atrial fibrillation in their lifetime. Patients with the condition have a five-fold higher risk of stroke than their peers. This study examined whether fitness was related to the likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation.
A new powerful antibiotic, isolated from bacteria that could not be studied before, seems capable of combating harmful bacteria and even multi-resistant 'superbugs'. Named Clovibactin, the antibiotic appears to kill bacteria in an unusual way, making it more difficult for bacteria to develop any resistance against it.
Without a mirror, it can be hard to tell if you're blushing, or have spinach in your teeth. But one color-changing fish has evolved a clever way to keep watch on the parts of itself that lie outside its field of view -- by sensing light with its skin.
The sensory hairs of the Venus flytrap contain a heat sensor that warns the plant of bush fires. It reacts to rapid temperature jumps, as researchers have discovered.
By increasing the diversity of indigenous plants in urban areas, researchers have seen a seven times increase in the number of insect species in just three years, confirming the ecological benefits of urban greening projects.
Everyday symbols like &?!#@$ are highly memorable, according to new research. The new study aimed to investigate how well symbols are remembered compared to words with the same meaning.
'Trimming' the edge-states of a topological insulator yields a new class of material featuring unconventional 'two way' edge transport in a new theoretical study. The new material, a topological crystalline insulator (TCI) forms a promising addition to the family of topological materials and significantly broadens the scope of materials with topologically nontrivial properties, paving the way for novel techniques to manipulate edge transport in future electronics. For example, 'switching' the TCI via an electric field breaking the symmetry supporting the nontrivial band topology, thus suppressing the edge current.
New research has revealed Australia's iconic grasstrees -- known as 'yaccas' -- play a critical role in protecting wildlife from deadly weather extremes, thereby ensuring their survival. But the grasses themselves are under threat due to back burning, clearing and disease.
Researchers have analyzed the genomes of skeletons from an extended family from a Bronze Age necropolis in the Russian steppe. The 3,800-year-old 'Nepluyevsky' burial mound was excavated several years ago and is located on the geographical border between Europe and Asia. Using statistical genomics, the family and marriage relationships of this society have now been deciphered.
Researchers have developed an epoxy resin that can be repaired and recycled, in addition to being flame-retardant and mechanically strong. Potential applications range from coating for wooden flooring to composites in aerospace and railways.
Household fruit and vegetable production, in allotments and gardens, could be key to a healthy and food-secure population, a new study has found.
Efficient and cheap batteries that can also capture harmful emissions could be right around the corner, thanks to a new system that speeds up the development of catalysts for lithium-CO2 (Li-CO2) batteries.
29, 30, 32... -- these are not random numbers, but the efficiency of solar cells, measured by the percentage of incidental sunlight they convert into electrical power. The ellipsis at the end of the line is also not a coincidence, as the efficiency of tandem solar cells has already exceeded 32%.
Birds native to the tropical Andes are threatened by increasing agricultural development in the region. A new study combines a meta-analysis of papers on birds across the Andes with five years of fieldwork in Peru, revealing that open farmlands result in up to a 60% decline in the number of species in an area. The study documents how specific species are affected and provides tailored guidance for conservationists trying to protect them.
Which structures do complex proteins adopt in solution? Biophysicists answer this question using the example of ubiquitin dimers as well as a new combination of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy and sophisticated computer simulations.
Train elementary school students how to be creative and you can help increase their resilience in the face of real-life problems, new research suggests.
A shipping container that can test passive cooling systems could help researchers and builders find carbon-free ways to keep people cool in extreme temperatures. Researchers created the 60 square-foot chamber to test passive systems that use wind towers along with water evaporation instead of electricity to cool spaces.
Researchers have developed a platform that uses artificial neural networks to translate chemical structural formulae into machine-readable form. With this platform, they have created a tool with which this information from scientific publications can be automatically fed into databases. Until now, this had to be done literally by hand and was time-consuming.
A study done on 336 cities in China concludes that heat-retaining buildings and paved surfaces are directly related to a loss in bird diversity. It is likely that the patterns documented in this study are occurring in other large cities across the globe that have abundant asphalt, steel, and concrete with little green vegetation.
The entire contiguous U.S. has experienced massive urban expansions and the Atlantic Coast shows outstandingly high rates. Urban expansion has substantially squeezed the space of tidal flats and affected surrounding environments. In new urban areas, tidal flats have undergone considerable degeneration with more significant patterns as they get closer to new urban locations. Tidal flats protect against the ocean's destructive powers such as hurricanes. Without some inland spaces to move around, they will likely disappear, which will have dire consequences for beachfront communities.
A team of researchers successfully tested a new antifungal therapy to treat fungal meningitis.
Researchers demonstrate that a vast multitude of birds and mammals can be detected by simply swabbing the DNA left behind by animals from leaves. They showcased the power of this approach in an ecosystem that hosts a ton of wildlife and where detecting animals has historically proven extremely challenging -- the tropical rainforest.
Researchers study the impact of hearing loss on subjects' enjoyment of different music mixes. They played different music mixes to listeners with and without hearing loss and found that those with hearing loss preferred louder lead vocals, higher frequencies, and sparser mixes with fewer frequencies overall. Previous research has found that music steadily shifted to quieter vocals and louder instrumentals leading up to 1975, meaning today's music may be less accessible to those with hearing loss.
Early data on activities that will be unsafe to undertake in automated vehicles has been released. From doing work to watching the world, from social media to resting -- preliminary results are in.
The world needs greener ways to make chemicals. In a new study, researchers demonstrate one potential path toward this goal by adapting hydrogen fuel cell technologies.
Physicists use a 350-year-old theorem that explains the workings of pendulums and planets to reveal new properties of light waves.
When a sabertooth tiger called out, what noise did it make -- a mighty roar or a throaty purr? A new study examined the data behind the arguments for each vocalization and found that the answer was more nuanced than they thought -- and that it could depend on the shape of a few small bones.
A new study shows that water underneath glaciers may surge due to thinning ice sheets -- a dangerous feedback cycle that could increase glacial melt, sea level rise, and biological disturbances.
An analysis of a clinical trial of more than 2,500 people with Type 2 diabetes and kidney disease found that high levels of four biomarkers are strongly predictive for the development of heart and kidney issues.
A research team has developed a new approach that integrates a minimally invasive, painless microneedle platform capable of absorbing the cell-surrounding, biomarker-containing fluid from deeper layers of the skin with an ultra-sensitive, single-molecule detection method (Simoa) that detects often rare, yet relevant biomarkers with higher sensitivity than conventional methods.
A new study has demonstrated the ability for gene therapy to repair neural connections for those with the rare genetic brain disorder known as Hurler syndrome.
Researchers model and map how neurons across the tiny brain of a C. elegans worm encode its behaviors, revealing many new insights about the robustness and flexibility of its nervous system.
Applying ground-up silicate rock to Midwestern farm fields can capture significant amounts of carbon dioxide and prevent it from accumulating in the atmosphere, according to a new study that successfully quantified those climate benefits for the first time.
A new study has found that a natural language processing (NLP) system showed excellent performance when ported to a new health system and tested on more than six million clinical notes of patients seen in Florida. Performance was evaluated for generalizability and portability, defined as ease and accuracy when deploying the software in a new environment and of updating its use to meet the needs of new data.
As children head back to school, two issues have climbed higher on their parents' list of concerns: the role of social media and the internet in kids' lives.
Struggling with a teenager who refuses to ditch digital devices at night and wakes up grumpy? Boarding school could be the answer.
Various medical circumstances, including heart attacks and extreme cases of COVID-19, necessitate the use of anticoagulants, medicines that prevent blood clots. But the most commonly used, heparin, can induce potentially fatal side effects by making the blood clots worse rather than better. This only happens in a minority of patients so effective treatments are not commonly explored. Researchers have now proposed a side effect-free anticoagulating treatment that has so far proved effective in test mice and could be ready for human trials in just a few years.
Anti-estrogenic therapies can suppress the growth of cancer that does not express estrogen receptors; when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies, they halt tumor progression in mice models.
Pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) are artificial devices that can simulate the mechanics of human muscles, and have shown great promise in industries requiring human-robot interaction systems. Despite their potential, controlling the trajectory performance of PAM-based systems is challenging owing to their nonlinear characteristics. Now, researchers have developed a novel adaptive sliding mode controller that uses fuzzy logic to estimate PAM-based system's parameters, promising enhanced tracking accuracy and adaptability compared to traditional control methods.
New research has improved the accuracy of the parameters governing the expansion of the Universe. More accurate parameters will help astronomers determine how the Universe grew to its current state, and how it will evolve in the future.
Zinc-air batteries have emerged as a better alternative to lithium in a recent study into the advancement of sustainable battery systems.
Recent research in cell biology highlights groundbreaking results. An international team of researchers have recently established a tool they developed to study the mechanics of the cell. The tool can be used to study the inner forces of the cell, for example, the stretching of the nuclear membrane. The microscopic force sensor, only about 0.00002 mm long, is constructed of exotic ingredients such as spider web protein parts, fluorescent proteins from jellyfish, and antibodies from alpaca. In addition, the multidisciplinary team of researchers has developed further the sensitivity of super-resolution microscopy technique.
Genetic remnants of viruses that are naturally present in the human genome could affect the development of neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers come to this conclusion on the basis of studies on cell cultures.
Researchers have developed a new tool, REBURN, that can simulate large forest landscapes and wildfire dynamics over decades or centuries under different wildfire management strategies. The model can simulate the consequences of extinguishing all wildfires regardless of size, which was done for much of the 20th century and has contributed to a rise in large and severe wildfires, or of allowing certain fires to return to uninhabited areas to help create a more 'patchwork' forest structure that can help lessen fire severity. REBURN can also simulate conditions where more benign forest landscape dynamics have fully recovered in an area.
New research reveals a promising breakthrough in green energy: an electrolyzer device capable of converting carbon dioxide into propane in a manner that is both scalable and economically viable.
Novel stem cell therapy called a CALEC transplant was performed safely in four patients with serious chemical burns tracked in a phase I clinical trial for 12 months. The patients experienced early clinical gains: two were able to undergo a corneal transplant and two reported significant improvements in vision without additional treatment. CALEC procedure takes small amount of stem cells from healthy eye, grows and expands stem cells on a graft, before it is transplanted into the patient's damaged eye.
Researchers have proposed a highly efficient method for detecting molecular chirality using tailored laser fields.
An estimated 1 in 4 older Americans with dementia or mild cognitive impairment lives alone and is at risk of practices like unsafe driving, wandering outside the home, mixing up medications and failing to attend medical appointments.
Scientists have observed novel ergodicity-breaking in C60, a highly symmetric molecule composed of 60 carbon atoms arranged on the vertices of a 'soccer ball' pattern (with 20 hexagon faces and 12 pentagon faces). Their results revealed ergodicity breaking in the rotations of C60. Remarkably, they found that this ergodicity breaking occurs without symmetry breaking and can even turn on and off as the molecule spins faster and faster. Understanding ergodicity breaking can help scientists design better-optimized materials for energy and heat transfer.
Scientists have devised a highly accurate method for creating coatings of biologically active materials for a variety of medical products. Such a technique could pave the way for a new era of transdermal medication, including shot-free vaccinations, the researchers said.
Women with larger breasts tend to exercise less frequently and avoid high-intensity exercise and a new study has found much improved participation in recreational group exercises after breast reduction surgery. The new study further strengthens calls for more accessible, publicly funded breast reduction and other interventions in some cases.
Researchers took a leaf out of nature's book to develop 'eAir' -- a novel pressure sensing technology that promises to transform minimally-invasive surgeries and implantable sensors. This novel invention mirrors the lotus leaf's natural sensitivity to the extremely light touch of a water droplet, to achieve high accuracy and reliability in pressure detection. For example, during a laparoscopic or robotic surgery, graspers enhanced with eAir sensors could provide tactile feedback to help surgeons improve surgical and patient outcomes. eAir may also be used to improve the process of monitoring intracranial pressure -- the pressure within the skull that can influence brain health.
A new study suggests that using big data and machine learning in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance in livestock production methods could help inform interventions and offer protections against germs that are becoming resistant to antibiotics.
A new study has demonstrated that the atlatl (i.e. spear thrower) functions as an 'equalizer', a finding which supports women's potential active role as prehistoric hunters.
Archaeologists have long been drawing conclusions about how ancient tools were used by the people who crafted them based on written records and context clues. But with dietary practices, they have had to make assumptions about what was eaten and how it was prepared. A new study analyzed protein residues from ancient cooking cauldrons and found that the people of Caucasus ate deer, sheep, goats, and members of the cow family during the Maykop period (3700--2900 BCE).
The US has committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. To accomplish this goal, large cuts in emissions are necessary, especially in high-emission sectors like the building industry. Researchers use a computational model to analyze several scenarios of future building energy use in the US. They find that by tackling emissions on multiple fronts and placing focus on 'demand-side measures' that affect how power is drawn from the grid, such as technologies like electric heat pumps and smart thermostats, the US can achieve its climate goals, decrease building emissions by 91% from their 2005 peak, and save over $100 billion each year on energy costs.
In 1956, theoretical physicists predicted that electrons in a solid can do something strange. While they normally have a mass and an electric charge, Pines asserted that they can combine to form a composite particle that is massless, neutral, and does not interact with light. He called this particle a 'demon.' Since then, it has been speculated to play an important role in the behaviors of a wide variety of metals. Unfortunately, the same properties that make it interesting have allowed it to elude detection since its prediction.
Radiocarbon dating on bones in the La Brea Tar Pits lead archaeologists to warn that history may be repeating itself.
Researchers have found an injection of a specific blood factor can replicate the benefits of exercise in the brain. They've discovered that platelets secrete a protein, exerkine CXCL4/Platelet factor 4 or PF4, that rejuvenates neurons in aged mice in a similar way to physical exercise. This protein, which is released from platelets after exercise, results in regenerative and cognitive improvements when injected into aged mice.
Scientists have developed an AI model that accurately estimates a patient's age, using chest radiographs of healthy individuals collected from multiple facilities. Furthermore, they found a positive relationship between differences in the AI-estimated and chronological ages and a variety of chronic diseases, such as hypertension, hyperuricemia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In the future, it is expected that AI biomarkers will be developed to predict life expectancy, estimate the severity of chronic diseases, and forecast surgery-related risks.
An extremely rare collection of 160-million-year-old sea spider fossils from Southern France are closely related to living species, unlike older fossils of their kind.
Magnetars are the strongest magnets in the Universe. These super-dense dead stars with ultra-strong magnetic fields can be found all over our galaxy but astronomers don't know exactly how they form. Now, using multiple telescopes around the world, researchers have uncovered a living star that is likely to become a magnetar. This finding marks the discovery of a new type of astronomical object -- massive magnetic helium stars -- and sheds light on the origin of magnetars.
The in-depth analysis reveals how local tidal currents strongly affect the movement of sea ice in the Arctic ocean and provides an unprecedented look at how the makeup of the seafloor is causing some of the most abrupt changes.
Prior vaccination against tetanus and diphtheria, with or without pertussis (Tdap/Td); herpes zoster (HZ), better known as shingles; and pneumococcus are all associated with a reduced risk for developing Alzheimer's disease, according to new research.
People who adhere to a Mediterranean lifestyle -- which includes a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; healthy eating habits like limiting added salts and sugars; and habits promoting adequate rest, physical activity, and socialization -- have a lower risk of all-cause and cancer mortality, according to a new study. People who adhered to the lifestyle's emphasis on rest, exercise, and socializing with friends had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
A new study shows that trapping light inside magnetic materials may dramatically enhance their intrinsic properties. Strong optical responses of magnets are important for the development of magnetic lasers and magneto-optical memory devices, as well as for emerging quantum transduction applications.
The historically high heat waves that gripped the southwest United States and southern Europe this summer are causing problems for more than just humans. Extreme heat waves affect pollinators and the pathogens that live on them, creating a mutual imbalance that could have major economic and public health consequences.
Many linguists have proposed that languages spoken by numerous non-native speakers tend to have simpler grammars. A new study challenges this claim. By analyzing a global sample of 1,314 languages, they found that speech community size and the proportion of second-language speakers were not associated with simpler grammars.
The sensory receptor PIEZO1 changes shape in response to mechanical stimuli. The super high-resolution microscopy technology used in this discovery is a breakthrough in enabling protein structures to be studied within the cellular environment.
Cranial modification is a form of body alteration where the head is pressed or bound to permanently deform the skull. The practice has been reported across various cultures throughout history. Researchers report that the Hirota people -- who lived on the southern Japanese island of Tanegashima between the 3rd to 7th century CE -- also conducted cranial modification, with indication that both males and females performed the practice.
Over recent decades, there was a large variation in cyclone-related excess deaths by hurricane, state, county, year, and social vulnerability for counties in the United States, with 83 percent of hurricane-related deaths occurring more recently and 94 percent in more socially vulnerable counties.
Medications to treat various chronic diseases may hinder the body's ability to lose heat and regulate its core temperature to optimal levels. The loss of effective thermoregulation has implications for elderly people receiving treatment for illnesses like cancer, cardiovascular, Parkinson's disease/dementia and diabetes, particularly during hot weather, according to a review by a team of scientists.
Human-caused climate change is shortening the snow cover period in the Arctic. But according to new research led by Earth system scientists, some parts of the Arctic are getting deeper snowpack than normal, and that deep snow is driving the thawing of long-frozen permafrost carbon reserves and leading to increased emissions of greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide and methane.
Could plants be the answer to the looming threat of microplastic pollution? Scientists found that if you add tannins (natural plant compounds that make your mouth pucker if you bite into an unripe fruit) to a layer of wood dust, you can create a filter that can trap virtually all microplastic particles present in water. While the experiment remains a lab set-up at this stage, the team is convinced that the solution can be scaled up easily and inexpensively.
Surgeons have transplanted a genetically engineered pig kidney that continues to function well after 32 days in a man declared dead by neurologic criteria and maintained with a beating heart on ventilator support. This represents the longest period that a gene-edited pig kidney has functioned in a human, and the latest step toward the advent of an alternate, sustainable supply of organs for transplant.
Teeth could be capable of preserving antibodies for hundreds of years, allowing scientists to investigate the history of infectious human diseases, a new study has found.
A research team has used advanced sequencing technology to analyze Ötzi's genome to obtain a more accurate picture of the Iceman's appearance and genetic origins.
For those with neurological or developmental disorders compromising speech, brain machine interfaces could help them communicate. But today's interfaces are slow and, from electrodes placed on the scalp, can detect letters only. The speech generated is robotic and affectless. Neuroscientists have now shown that they can reconstruct the song a person is hearing from brain recordings alone, holding out the possibility of reconstructing not only words but the musicality of speech, which also conveys meaning.
Arterial stiffness is a novel cause of premature heart damage among adolescents, according to a new follow-up study.
Humans like to discover. Presented with something we've never seen before, most of us will be compelled to explore and learn more about it. The same can't exactly be said for our closest living relatives--the great apes. Although decades of studies have shown that captive chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans will eagerly explore unfamiliar objects in a laboratory, great apes have rarely been observed in these encounters in the wild.
Graphene nanoribbons have outstanding properties that can be precisely controlled. Researchers have succeeded in attaching electrodes to individual atomically precise nanoribbons, paving the way for precise characterization of the fascinating ribbons and their possible use in quantum technology.
New cancer drugs are being launched at a rapid pace, before their long-term effectiveness for patients can be evaluated. Several years later, most of them still lack scientific evidence for actually increasing life expectancy or improving quality of life.
Chemists have discovered that tiny gold 'seed' particles, a key ingredient in one of the most common nanoparticle recipes, are one and the same as gold buckyballs, 32-atom spheres that are cousins of the Nobel Prize-winning carbon buckyballs discovered in 1985.
Bioengineers have developed a generalizable method to address 'off-target' binding, a significant problem in the field of synthetic biology. Taking a cue from nature, the researchers showed they could all but eliminate off-target gene activation by designing weak transcription factors that cooperatively assemble.
Proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers converts surplus electric energy into transportable hydrogen energy as a clean energy solution. However, slow oxygen evolution reaction rates and high loading levels of expensive metal oxide catalysts limit its practical feasibility. Now, researchers have developed a new tantalum oxide-supported iridium catalyst that significantly boosts the oxygen evolution reaction speed. Additionally, it shows high catalytic activity and long-term stability in prolonged single cell operation.
Life's random rhythms surround us -- from the hypnotic, synchronized blinking of fireflies...to the back-and-forth motion of a child's swing... to slight variations in the otherwise steady lub-dub of the human heart. Now, an international team says it has developed a novel, universal framework for comparing and contrasting oscillations -- regardless of their different underlying mechanisms -- which could become a critical step toward someday fully understanding them.
Scientists have drastically expanded the list of bivalve species, such as clams, oysters, mussels, scallops and their relatives, that humans are known to harvest and identified the traits that make these species prime targets for harvesting. They also discovered that some of these same traits have also made this group of shellfish less prone to extinction in the past and may protect these shellfish in the future. The authors flagged certain ocean regions, such as the east Atlantic and northeast and southeast Pacific, as areas of special concern for management and conservation.
Advanced microscopy techniques give scientists valuable clues for how to fight an enzyme that is leading to a rise in cases of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections worldwide.
Scientists have discovered and documented the largest known single dinosaur track site in Alaska. The site, located in Denali National Park and Preserve, has been dubbed 'The Coliseum' by researchers.
Researchers have identified brain circuits that, when injured, make conscious patients with acute brain injury appear unresponsive, a phenomenon known as hidden consciousness.
Imagine using insects as a source of chemicals to make plastics that can biodegrade later -- with the help of that very same type of bug. That concept is closer to reality than you might expect. Researchers will describe their progress to date, including the isolation and purification of the insect-derived chemicals and their conversion into their bioplastics.
Recent paleogenomic research revealed that interbreeding was common among early human species. However, little was known about when, where, and how often this hominin interbreeding took place. Using paleoanthropological evidence, genetic data, and supercomputer simulations of past climate, a team of international researchers has found that interglacial climates and corresponding shifts in vegetation created common habitats for Neanderthals and Denisovans, increasing their chances for interbreeding and gene flow in parts of Europe and central Asia.
How can the amazing abilities of our memory be explained on the basis of brain anatomy? It is known that different brain functions are anchored in different areas and structures of the brain. For example, we know that certain areas of the cerebral cortex are responsible for perception of the outer world, imagining our future, and thinking about other people. However, little is knowing about connection of the brain regions supporting these important cognitive functions with the human memory system.
Dry lightning can still be disastrous even when conditions aren't so dry, a study has found. These cloud-to-ground strikes during little to no rainfall were previously thought to pose wildfire danger only if occurring with less than 2.5 mm of rain in a day (about 0.10 inches). A new study of lightning-ignited wildfires in the U.S. West found the strikes caused wildfires despite up to 7.7 mm (about 0.3 inches) of precipitation. While still a low amount of rain, the more accurate estimation could help responders detect fires earlier, especially those known as 'holdovers,' which can smolder for many days before exploding into full-blown wildfires.
Unexpected new insights into how COVID-19 infects cells help explain why coronaviruses are so good at jumping from species to species and will help scientists better predict how COVID-19 will evolve.
A form of gene therapy currently used to treat Parkinson's disease may dramatically reduce alcohol use among chronic heavy drinkers, researchers have found.
Expensive noble metals often play a vital role in illuminating screens or converting solar energy into fuels. Now, chemists have succeeded in replacing these rare elements with a significantly cheaper metal. In terms of their properties, the new materials are very similar to those used in the past.
A system of ancient ceramic water pipes, the oldest ever unearthed in China, shows that neolithic people were capable of complex engineering feats without the need for a centralized state authority, finds a new study.
Organoids have now been created from stem cells to secrete the proteins that form dental enamel, the substance that protects teeth from damage and decay. A multi-disciplinary team of scientists led this effort. This is a critical first step to the long-term goal to develop stem cell-based treatments to repair damaged teeth and regenerate those that are lost. Enamel is made during tooth formation by specialized cells called amelobasts. These cells die off after tooth formation is complete. Consequently, the body has no way to repair or regenerate damaged enamel.
A new study reveals findings from over 800 clinical assays performed for kidney patients with MiTF family gene mutations.
Scientists have uncovered new molecular targets on a cell receptor that play a major role in cardiovascular regulation. The findings could lead to improved drugs for heart disease, an unfortunate side effect of some cancer therapies.
Men navigate their intimate partner relationships depending on their masculine style, says new research which drew from in-depth interviews with 92 straight men ages 19 to 43 from diverse cultural backgrounds. The study found three types of masculinities: neo-traditionalists, egalitarian and progressive.
A study uncovers a new mechanism to explain why some prostate tumors switch from a common, treatable form to a more rare and aggressive form of prostate cancer.
A first-in-human trial of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for post-stroke rehabilitation patients has shown that using DBS to target the dentate nucleus -- which regulates fine-control of voluntary movements, cognition, language, and sensory functions in the brain -- is safe and feasible.
More mock seafood options are needed because of unsustainable fishing and aquaculture practices, which can harm the environment. Now, researchers have a new approach for creating desirable vegan seafood mimics that taste good, while maintaining the healthful profile of real fish. They 3D-printed an ink made from microalgae protein and mung bean protein, and their proof-of-concept calamari rings were air-fried into a snack.
Scientists have made a significant advance in developing alternative materials for the high-speed memory chips that let computers access information quickly and that bypass the limitations of existing materials. They have discovered a way that allows them to make sense of previously hard-to-read data stored in these alternative materials, known as antiferromagnets.
Patients with localized prostate cancer have a good chance of survival, but mortality rates among those with advanced, metastatic forms of the condition remain high. Until now, the precise mechanism behind the spread of the tumor has not been fully explained. But an international research team has succeeded in decoding the underlying cellular signal pathway and has carried out research using a common diabetes medication that could provide a new treatment option.
No amount of air pollution is good for the brain, but wildfires and the emissions resulting from agriculture and farming in particular may pose especially toxic threats to cognitive health, according to new research.
Megastorms regularly appear on Saturn, marring the relatively bland surface before disappearing. But radio observations show that the storms have long-lasting effects deeper in the atmosphere, in particular in the distribution of ammonia. Using NRAO's Very Large Array, astronomers see such impacts from storms that happened hundreds of years ago. The findings will help explain the differences between storms on the gas giants Saturn and Jupiter.
Receiving a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine or booster during pregnancy can benefit pregnant people and their newborn infants, according to new findings.
Through a series of innovative experiments, scientists found that a sheet of glass crystal just a few atoms thick could trap and carry light. Not only that, but it was surprisingly efficient and could travel relatively long distances -- up to a centimeter, which is very far in the world of light-based computing.
Wastewater treatment plants are undoubtedly a great achievement. After all, they have made a significant contribution to improving the quality of natural waters. A study shows, however, that substances still manage to enter the water cycle that have an impact on the composition of the organisms living in it.
With 350 million years of evolution culminating in almost two centuries of scientific discourse, a new hypothesis emerges. Researchers propose a new explanation for why ammonoids evolved a highly elaborate, fractal-like geometry within their shells. Their analysis shows that the increasing complexity of shell structures provided a distinct advantage by offering improved protection against predators.
A novel catalysis scheme enables chemical reactions that were previously virtually impossible. The method is also environmentally friendly and does not require rare and precious metals. The researchers recorded the exact course of the catalysis in a kind of high-speed film. They did this using special lasers that can make processes visible that last only fractions of a billionth of a second. The results allow them to further optimize the catalyst.
Specific receptors in the ears of mosquitoes have been revealed to modulate their hearing, finds a new study. Scientists say, this discovery could help develop new insecticides and control the spread of harmful diseases, such as malaria.
Maize roots secrete certain chemicals that affect the quality of soil. In some fields, this effect increases yields of wheat planted subsequent to maize in the same soil by more than 4%. While the findings from several field experiments show that these effects are highly variable, in the long term they may yet help to make the cultivation of grains more sustainable, without the need for additional fertilizers or pesticides.
With methods of so-called geoengineering, the climate could theoretically be artificially influenced and cooled. Researchers have now investigated whether it would be possible to prevent the melting of the West Antarctic ice sheet by artificially 'dimming the sun'. The results show that artificial influence does not work without decarbonization and entails high risks.
The skin, hair and eye color of more than eight billion humans is determined by the light-absorbing pigment known as melanin. New research has identified 135 new genes associated with pigmentation.
An experimental malaria vaccine appears safe and promotes an immune response in African infants, one of the groups most vulnerable to severe malaria disease. There is currently only one malaria vaccine, 'RTS,S' that is approved by the World Health Organization and offers partial disease protection. However, in the results of the early-stage phase Ib trial, researchers find that targeting RH5 -- a protein that the malaria pathogen Plasmodium falciparum uses to invade red blood cells -- can generate a promising immune response that is most pronounced in an infant cohort.
From text-generating ChatGPT to voice-activated Siri, artificial intelligence-powered tools are designed to aid our everyday life -- as long as you speak a language they support. These technologies are out of reach for billions of people who don't use English, French, Spanish or other mainstream languages, but researchers in Africa are looking to change that. Scientists now draw a roadmap to develop better AI-driven tools for African languages.
Scientists have developed a synthetic extracellular matrix (ECM) that can support the growth of a mini endometrium in a dish for at least two weeks. The endometrium -- the mucosal lining of the uterus -- has been historically hard to model in the lab, which has limited scientists' ability to study its role in healthy and diseased states like endometriosis. The matrix allows cells to interact in an environment that recapitulates human physiology which could help researchers better simulate the healthy and pathological response to menstrual cycles.
Scientists discovered that anti-CTLA-4 immunotherapy extended the lives of mice with glioblastoma by causing specialized CD4+ T immune cells to 1) infiltrate the brain and 2) tell brain-resident immune cells called microglia to destroy tumor cells. Their findings show the benefit of harnessing the body's own immune cells to fight brain cancer and could lead to more effective immunotherapies.
Identification of risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD) is essential for early diagnosis. Dating back to the 1920s, Parkinson's disease and parkinsonism -- an umbrella term that refers to motor symptoms found in Parkinson's disease and also other conditions -- have long been described in boxers. Repetitive head impacts from tackle football can also have long-term neurological consequences like chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). But research on the association between participation in tackle football and PD is limited.
Researchers have found that the genes of the mitochondria, the energy producers of our cells, can be negatively impacted by the virus, leading to dysfunction in multiple organs beyond the lungs. These findings suggest new approaches for treating COVID-19.
A new analysis shows that infectious bacteria exposed to the antibiotic albicidin rapidly develop up to a 1,000-fold increase in resistance via a gene amplification mechanism.
A new study finds that past changes in atmospheric CO2 and corresponding shifts in climate and vegetation played a key role in determining when and where early human species interbred.
A new study finds that around 1.12 million years ago a massive cooling event in the North Atlantic and corresponding shifts in climate, vegetation and food resources disrupted early human occupation of Europe.
Plants orient their organs in response to the gravity vector, with roots growing towards gravity and shoots growing in the opposite direction. The movement of statoliths responding to the inclination relative to the gravity vector is employed for gravity sensing in both plants and animals. However, in plants, the statolith takes the form of a high-density organelle, known as an amyloplast, which settles toward gravity within the gravity sensing cell. Despite the significance of this gravity sensing mechanism, the exact process behind it has eluded scientists for over a century.
Long COVID can persist for at least a year after the acute illness has passed, or appear months later, according to the most comprehensive look yet at how symptoms play out over a year.
Creating new technologically advanced sensors, scientists have engineered bacteria that detect the presence of tumor DNA in live organisms. Their innovation could pave the way to new biosensors capable of identifying various infections, cancers and other diseases.
Concealed guns significantly impact homicide rates and public safety, according to a new study that found an increase in homicides based on the number of concealed carry weapons licenses issued.
New research confirms fracking causes slow, small earthquakes or tremors, whose origin was previously a mystery to scientists. The tremors are produced by the same processes that could create large, damaging earthquakes.
New research has successfully reversed hearing loss in mice. Scientists used a genetic approach to fix deafness in mice, restoring their hearing abilities in low and middle frequency ranges.
A new observation suggests that a life-threatening blood clotting disorder can be caused by an infection with adenovirus, one of the most common respiratory viruses in pediatric and adult patients.
A study has identified a new pathway that human immune deficiency virus (HIV) uses to enter the nucleus of a healthy cell, where it can then replicate and go on to invade other cells.
Life is harder for adolescents who are not attractive or athletic. New research shows low attractive and low athletic youth became increasingly unpopular over the course of a school year, leading to subsequent increases in their loneliness and alcohol misuse. As their unpopularity grows, so do their problems. Put simply, the peer group punishes those who do not have highly valued traits such as being good-looking or being good at sports. Results also put to rest stereotypes about sex differences. The findings reveal a transformation in adolescent social culture such that the social penalties attached to being low in attractiveness or low in athleticism are no longer gender specific.
The administration of ranolazine, a drug currently used to treat heart conditions, improves the efficacy of current therapies for melanoma, in mouse models of this disease.
Partial recovery after ischemic stroke is possible, but the mechanisms involved in this process remain unclear. Researchers identified a whole new pathway promoting brain repair. They discovered lipids secreted from neurons surrounding the area of cell death can trigger brain-autonomous neural repair after ischemic brain injury. These findings might contribute to developing new compounds to stimulate the brain's intrinsic repair mechanisms.
A team of global experts have spent a decade creating a guide to clinical assessments which help inform exercise training for people living with cystic fibrosis.
Developing new materials requires significant time and labor, but some chemists are now hopeful that artificial intelligence (AI) could one day shoulder much of this burden. In a new study, a team prompted a popular AI model, ChatGPT, to perform one particularly time-consuming task: searching scientific literature. With that data, they built a second tool, a model to predict experimental results.
Researchers are developing a way to incorporate one of the most human of characteristics -- uncertainty -- into machine learning systems.
A scientific journey decades in the making has found a new antibiotic strategy to defeat gram-negative bacteria like Salmonella, Pseudomonas and E. coli, the culprits in many urinary tract infections. The synthetic molecule works fast and is durable. It interferes with synthesis of the bacterial outer membrane by jamming an enzyme. When tested against a clinical collection of 285 bacterial strains, including some that were highly resistant to commercial antibiotics, it killed them all.
People who take acid reflux medications called proton pump inhibitors for four-and-a-half years or more may have a higher risk of dementia compared to people who do not take these medications, according to new research. This study does not prove that acid reflux drugs cause dementia; it only shows an association.
New observations of mud cracks made by the Curiosity Rover show that high-frequency, wet-dry cycling occurred in early Martian surface environments, indicating that the red planet may have once seen seasonal weather patterns or even flash floods.
A study of 12 species of highly migratory fish predators -- including sharks, tuna, and billfish such as marlin and swordfish -- finds that most of them will encounter widespread losses of suitable habitat and redistribution from current habitats in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean (NWA) and the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) by 2100. These areas are among the fastest warming ocean regions and are projected to increase between 1-6°C (+1-10°F) by the end of the century, a sign of climate-driven changes in marine ecosystems.
Neuroscientists find that key neurons in the front of the brain act as 'traffic control' to manage our attention to visual stimuli, and help us focus despite distractions.
Whether it's work or play that prevents us from getting enough shut-eye during the week, assuming we can make up for it by sleeping in over the weekend is a mistake. New research led by Penn State reveals that cardiovascular health measures, including heart rate and blood pressure, worsen over the course of the week when sleep is restricted to five hours per night, and attempting to catch up on sleep over the weekend is insufficient to return these measures to normal.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has followed up on observations by the Hubble Space Telescope of the farthest star ever detected in the very distant universe, within the first billion years after the big bang. Webb's NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) instrument reveals the star to be a massive B-type star more than twice as hot as our Sun, and about a million times more luminous.
A telecommunications fiber optic cable deployed offshore of Oliktok Point, Alaska recorded ambient seismic noise that can be used to finely track the formation and retreat of sea ice in the area, researchers report.
The latest weapon in the war on robocalls is an automated system that analyzes the content of unsolicited bulk calls to shed light on both the scope of the problem and the type of scams being perpetuated by robocalls. The tool, called SnorCall, is designed to help regulators, phone carriers and other stakeholders better understand and monitor robocall trends -- and take action against related criminal activity.
Researchers have conducted a systematic review of health and wellbeing-related indicators, as well as citizen science initiatives, to explore the potential of citizen science for mobilizing action toward the achievement of health and wellbeing related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the WHO's Triple Billion Targets.
Alzheimer's disease, one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, leads to progressive loss of memory and autonomy. It is characterized by the accumulation of neurotoxic proteins in the brain, namely amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Due to the silent development of pathology over decades, very early diagnosis is of utmost importance to be able to take action as early as possible in the disease process.
Scientists have identified large-scale climate patterns that could be used to predict the co-occurrence of extreme heat and ozone days in China months before they occur. Like predictions for hurricane and wildfire seasons, the forecasts could help the government prepare resources and implement policies to mitigate the severity of the season.
Researchers have created a functional 'humanized' liver in living mice that will help scientists find human-specific mechanisms for regulating cholesterol levels and potentially for treating chronic liver diseases afflicting tens of millions of people in the United States.
New research recommends disclosing a 'true normal price' to protect consumers from deceptive pricing.
Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of conservation educational activities in the Cape Verde Island of Maio.
Concentrations of potentially harmful chemical compounds in dust collected from air filtration systems on the International Space Station (ISS) exceed those found in floor dust from many American homes, a new study reveals.
The number of steps you should walk every day to start seeing benefits to your health is lower than previously thought, according to the largest analysis to investigate this. The study found that walking at least 3967 steps a day started to reduce the risk of dying from any cause, and 2337 steps a day reduced the risk of dying from diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease).
Scientists studied the behavior of the locusts and how the neurons in their brains responded to appealing and unappealing odors to learn more about how the brain encodes for preferences and how it learns.
New research found that inflammation in the body can slow down the development of malaria parasites in the bloodstream -- a discovery that may constitute a potential new strategy for preventing or limiting severe disease.
The proverb 'It takes a village to raise a child' takes on new significance when a mother of a child is experiencing depression.
Scientific findings don't always translate neatly into actions, especially in conservation and resource management. The disconnect can leave academics and practitioners disheartened and a bit frustrated.
In-water monitoring shows hard coral cover across the Great Barrier Reef remains at similar levels to that recorded in 2022, with small decreases in the Northern, Central and Southern regions. AIMS' Annual Summary Report on Coral Reef Condition for 2022/23 found that while some reefs continued to recover, their increased hard coral cover was offset by coral loss on other reefs. Most reefs underwent little change in coral cover.
Developed over the past six years, MINDWATCH is an algorithm that analyzes a person's brain activity from data collected via any wearable device that can monitor electrodermal activity (EDA). This activity reflects changes in electrical conductance triggered by emotional stress, linked to sweat responses.
Poor time management skills, particularly in organization, can lead to poor sleep quality for college students.
Researchers have reported the first 3D measurements acquired with quantum ghost imaging. The new technique enables 3D imaging on a single photon level, yielding the lowest photon dose possible for any measurement.
The world of at-home stroke rehabilitation is growing near, after the development of an EEG headset that connects the brain of stroke patients to powered exoskeletons for rehabilitation purposes.
As climate change progresses, rising temperatures may impact nitrogen runoff from land to lakes and streams more than projected increases in total and extreme precipitation for most of the continental United States, according to new research from a team of climate scientists.
Gait-related disturbances adversely affect the quality of life of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), a condition affecting millions worldwide. Although various pharmacological, surgical, and rehabilitative treatments exist, their effectiveness is limited. Now, a team of researchers has successfully addressed this limitation. Using a novel neuromodulation approach that incorporates gait-combined closed-loop transcranial electrical stimulation, the team demonstrated significant gait improvements in patients with various neurological disorders including PD.
Using ancient DNA, researchers have determined cattle were imported from Africa to the Americas much earlier in the process of European colonization than documented. The first records of African cattle in the Americas date back to the 1800s, leading some historians to conclude that early colonists relied entirely on a small stock of European cattle initially shipped to the Caribbean Islands. DNA from archaeological specimens pushes the introduction of African cattle back by more than 100 years.
City life favors species that are adaptable and not too fussy about what they eat, among other characteristics. A worldwide consortium of scientists calls the resulting collection of traits an 'Urban Trait Syndrome.'
When it comes to college-aged adults who are glued to their smartphones, experts argue over whether texting while walking increases the risk of an accident. Some studies have shown that texting pedestrians are more likely to walk into oncoming traffic, while other studies suggest that young adults have mastered the art of multitasking and are able to text accurately while navigating obstacles. However, few studies have measured how texters respond to unpredictable hazard conditions. By simulating an environment with random slipping threats, researchers report that texting increases the risk of falling in response to walkway hazards.
New research shows that electrical stimuli passed between neighboring electrodes can also affect non-neighboring electrodes. Known as non-locality, this discovery is a crucial milestone toward creating brain-like computers with minimal energy requirements.
Current efforts to protect and restore native biodiversity is being threatened by difficulties in identifying wild and domestic cats, and categorization is likely to remain fraught for the foreseeable future, experts have warned.
Cambridge scientists have shown that the hypothalamus, a key region of the brain involved in controlling appetite, is different in the brains of people who are overweight and people with obesity when compared to people who are a healthy weight.
A remarkable new fossil from China reveals for the first time that a group of reptiles were already using whale-like filter feeding 250 million years ago.
As an engineering plastic having high transparency and impact resistance, polycarbonate (PC) is employed in eyeglass lenses, camera lenses, DVDs, automobile headlights and bulletproof glass. The industrial production thereof is mainly performed by means of interfacial polymerization reacting highly reactive phosgene with alcohol at the interface of water and an organic solvent. However, because phosgene is extremely toxic, a synthesis method not employing it has been actively studied from the perspective of safety.
Researchers invented a novel method to measure the permittivity of insulators 100 times more accurately than before. This technology is expected to contribute to the efficient development of sensitive radio receivers for radio telescopes as well as to the development of devices for the next generation communication networks, 'Beyond 5G/6G.'
Extreme events in Antarctica such as ocean heatwaves and ice loss will almost certainly become more common and more severe, researchers say.
The activity level of six bat species was significantly reduced at solar farm sites, researchers have observed.
Researchers have developed a new explainable artificial intelligence (AI) model to reduce bias and enhance trust and accuracy in machine learning-generated decision-making and knowledge organization.
Russia's war in the Ukraine has severe consequences not only for humans, it also has detrimental effects on populations of urban and semi-urban wildlife in the attacked cities and regions. Scientists recently examined the effects of war-related damages to buildings on urban populations of one important and widespread bat species, the Common Noctule (Nyctalus noctula), in the city of Kharkiv in north-eastern Ukraine. They showed that many buildings used by bats as roosts have been destroyed and approximately 7,000 bats were killed. In addition, partially destroyed buildings have become a death trap for bats, resulting in several thousand more victims.
It has been known for several years that the diagnosis 'multiple sclerosis' conceals a whole range of different illnesses, each requiring customized treatment. Researchers have now described a possible new MS-like disease and explained how to diagnose it.
Some HIV-1 carriers who have received an early antiretroviral treatment during several years are able to control the virus for a long term after treatment interruption. However, the mechanisms enabling this post-treatment control have not been fully elucidated. Scientists have now investigated and revealed how neutralizing antibodies, including those described as broadly neutralizing, contribute to virus control. A clinical trial involving the use of broadly neutralizing antibodies should begin in France before the end of 2023.
Overly active immune cells are often behind lung damage in diseases such as Covid-19. Researchers have developed an RNA agent for a lung spray that slows the activity of these cells, known as macrophages. A new, sugar-based transport mechanism is especially effective in bringing the therapeutic to its target.
Scientists discovered the unique molecular structure, which could have implications in age-related diseases like neurodegeneration.
Tumor cells are known to be fickle sleeper agents, often lying dormant in distant tissues for years before reactivating and forming metastasis. Numerous factors have been studied to understand why the activation occurs, from cells and molecules to other components in the so-called tissue microenvironment.
Fungal infections are killing thousands of Americans each year, some with a morbidity rate of nearly 80%. To make matters worse, only a handful of antifungal treatments are available, and even those are becoming less effective as fungi become more resistant. However, researchers recently published findings indicating that a novel breakthrough treatment may have been discovered.
The White House has announced plans to roll out voluntary labeling for internet-connected devices like thermostats and baby monitors that meet certain cybersecurity standards. A new survey of U.S. consumers shows that they are willing to pay a significant premium to tell which gadgets are safe from security attacks before they buy. But voluntary product labels may not be enough if the program is going to protect consumers in the long run, the findings suggest.
Defects often limit the performance of devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The mechanisms by which defects annihilate charge carriers are well understood in materials that emit light at red or green wavelengths, but an explanation has been lacking for such loss in shorter-wavelength (blue or ultraviolet) emitters.
Geoscientists have long thought that water -- along with shallow magma stored in Earth's crust -- drives volcanoes to erupt. Now, thanks to newly developed research tools, scientists have learned that gaseous carbon dioxide can trigger explosive eruptions.
Researchers discovered an entirely new and unexpected mechanism by which the immune system can get rid of cells lacking molecules that identify them as part of the self in mice. The finding has possible implications for cancer treatment.
One of the most actively debated questions about human and non-human culture is this: under what circumstances might we expect culture, in particular the ability to learn from one another, to be favored by natural selection? Researchers have developed a simulation model of the evolution of social learning. They showed that the interplay between learning, memory and forgetting broadens the conditions under which we expect to see social learning to evolve.
Engineers have developed nanoscale tattoos -- dots and wires that adhere to live cells -- in a breakthrough that puts researchers one step closer to tracking the health of individual cells.
A new study analyzing toxins produced by Microcystis, the main type of cyanobacteria that compose the annual harmful algal bloom (HAB) in Lake Erie, suggests that the toxicity of the bloom may be overestimated in earlier warm months and underestimated later in the summer.
New study explores the relationship between a canine's facial appearance and how expressive they appear to be when communicating with their human companions.
An antibody therapy appears to have advantages over existing opioid-overdose treatments.
Heliconius butterflies are capable of spatial learning, scientists have discovered. The results provide the first experimental evidence of spatial learning in any butterfly or moth species.
Researchers have unveiled an artificial intelligence-based model for computational imaging and microscopy without training with experimental objects or real data. The team introduced a self-supervised AI model nicknamed GedankenNet that learns from physics laws and thought experiments. Informed only by the laws of physics that universally govern the propagation of electromagnetic waves in space, the researchers taught their AI model to reconstruct microscopic images using only random artificial holograms -- synthesized solely from 'imagination' without relying on any real-world experiments, actual sample resemblances or real data.
Social media can help women in Egypt identify more resources to help stop domestic violence, according to a study led by MIT researchers.
Researchers found that wildfires are causing a much greater warming effect than has been accounted for by climate scientists. The work, which focuses on the role of 'dark brown carbon' -- an abundant but previously unknown class of particles emitted as part of wildfire smoke -- highlights an urgent need to revise climate models and update approaches for the changing environment.
As we start to edge out of winter, improving our diet and boosting our exercise start to appear on our agenda. But, when it comes to encouraging a healthier lifestyle, it may surprise you that artificial intelligence could be your best friend.
Researchers have unveiled new information about the anomalous dynamics at play when an electric current is applied to a new class of magnetic materials called non-collinear antiferromagnets.
A research team investigated the electrophysiological benefits of working in the presence of others from the perspectives of brain and autonomic nervous system activity. The researchers found that parasympathetic activity -- which indicates relaxation -- was significantly higher when two individuals were working separately than when one individual was working alone. This suggests that arranging the former condition in occupational therapy for individuals with high levels of tension or anxiety in clinical settings may potentially help alleviate these feelings.
Today in the U.S., a child with risk factors for heart disease (high blood pressure, overweight, etc.) can wait close to a year to see a cardiologist because of high demand and limited resources. This is precious time that could be spent managing their conditions to help them avoid having a heart attack or stroke at a young age. A new study from Northwestern University and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago provides the firstcomprehensive look at the practice of pediatric preventive cardiology in 30 years. It found a high incidence of youth with risk factors for cardiovascular disease but a significant lack of resources and personnel to provide the timely, preventive care they need.
Scientists have worked out how one unusual species of trilobite -- an ancient, sea-dwelling relative of spiders and lobsters -- was able to defend itself against predators and survive a bumpy ride as Earth's oxygen levels fluctuated.
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is known to convert resting B lymphocytes into immortal cells that continuously multiply, leading to posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). Researchers have now uncovered the molecular mechanisms of this growth transformation, demonstrating the crucial role of the cancer-related gene IMPDH2 and nucleolar enlargement. Additionally, the research revealed strong evidence supporting the efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil, an approved immunosuppressant, in inhibiting PTLD, highlighting its therapeutic significance.
New research has found evidence that a Roman road network spanned Devon and Cornwall and connected significant settlements with military forts across the two counties as well as wider Britannia.
Heart rate, an essential indicator of overall health and well-being, is traditionally measured by counting the number of cardiac pulses within a specific timeframe. Existing methods, however, require physical contact with the patient, which can lead to discomfort and skin-related issues. Now, researchers introduce an innovative non-contact approach that analyzes subtle color changes on the face to enable highly accurate heart rate estimation, even in scenes with ambient light fluctuations.
A new study suggests that Cytochromes P450 (CYP450s) enzymes can sense and respond to stimuli, acting like soft robots in living systems.
Chronic pain is often accompanied by depression and anxiety. Experts discuss the relationship between pain, the most common symptom for which individuals visit a physician, and depression and anxiety, the two most prevalent mental health conditions worldwide. Noting the existence of a feedback loop, experts highlight the importance of not neglecting psychological symptoms in patients experiencing pain.
An experiment on coral reefs provides the first evidence that predators use other animals for motion camouflage to approach their prey without detection.
The OncoNPC machine-learning model may help identify sites of origin for cancers whose origins are unknown, which could enable targeted tumor treatments.
The antibiotic cefazolin is an essential drug according to the World Health Organization (WHO). It is usually produced via batch manufacturing, but this multistep process is time-consuming, wasteful and requires very specialized facilities. Now, researchers have manufactured cefazolin using the continuous-flow method. This method is cheaper, quicker, less wasteful and more flexible in terms of how much drug can be produced when it's needed. Improving access to cefazolin is vital for global health and particularly relevant for countries such as Japan, which experienced a shortage in 2019.
Researchers have developed a way to make a promising, sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics more biodegradable. A team has made a bio-based polymer blend that's compostable in both home and industrial settings.
The research team at The University of Texas at Austin created a noninvasive electroencephalogram (EEG) sensor that they installed in a Meta VR headset that can be worn comfortably for long periods. The EEG measures the brain's electrical activity during the immersive VR interactions.
Bacteria make up more than 10% of all living things but until recently we had little realization that, as in humans, soil bacteria have internal clocks that synchronize their activities with the 24-hour cycles of day and night on Earth. New research shows just how complex and sophisticated these bacterial circadian clocks are, clearing the way for an exciting new phase of study.
A new study examined nitrogen fixation among diazotrophs--microorganisms that can convert nitrogen into usable form for other plants and animals -- living among sargassum. Sargassum, a brown macroalgae in the seaweed family, floats on the surface of the open ocean and provides habitat for a colorful array of marine life such as small fish, brine shrimp and other microorganisms. Previous studies have overlooked diazotrophs associated with sargassum, which could mean a historical underestimation of nitrogen fixation in the Atlantic nitrogen budget. The study found that nitrogen fixation in sargassum communities was significant.
Ecologists examined the distribution patterns of canopy soils, and their soil properties, across Costa Rican forests. The researchers suggest canopy soil may store more carbon than previously thought. Consideration of the time needed for reforestation of system with tree canopies should include the time needed for canopy mat regrowth.
Researchers have discovered a previously unknown mechanism by which bacteria share their genetic material through virus parasites. The insights could help scientists to better understand how bacteria rapidly adapt and evolve, and how they become more virulent and resistant to antibiotics.
Geophysicists studied the activity of high energy electrons and clarified the unexpected protective role of the geomagnetic field surrounding the Earth.
New observations and simulations of three spiral arms of gas feeding material to three protostars forming in a trinary system have clarified the formation of multi-star systems.
Scientists tested the antiobesity effects of Mallotus furetianus extract native to Hainan Island, China, using obesity model mice. As a result, body weight and adipose tissue weight of obesity model mice were significantly reduced by the intake of Mallotus furetianus extract. Fatty liver was suppressed and adipocyte size reduction in adipose tissue was observed. Further investigation into the mechanism revealed that fat synthesis is inhibited by suppressing the expression of several transcription factors involved in differentiation into adipocytes.
New study identifies concerning gaps between how human radiologists score the accuracy of AI-generated radiology reports and how automated systems score them. Researchers designed two novel scoring systems that outperform current automated systems that evaluate the accuracy of AI narrative reports. Reliable scoring systems that accurately gauge the performance of AI models are critical for ensuring that AI continues to improve and that clinicians can trust them.
Polyester is the second most used textile in the world and an environmental menace, especially because most of it never gets recycled. The fabric, a blend of plastic and cotton, has been difficult for the industry to separate and therefore recycle. Now, a group of young chemists has invented a green and surprisingly simple solution using a single household ingredient.
Hospital-acquired infections are often hard to treat because the corresponding pathogens become increasingly resistant against antibiotics. The bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii is particularly feared, and there is great pressure to devise novel therapeutic approaches to combat it. Bioinformaticians have now detected an unexpectedly wide diversity of certain cell appendages in A. baumannii that are associated with pathogenicity. This could lead to treatment strategies that are specifically tailored to a particular pathogen.
Catalytic molecules can form metabolically active clusters by creating and following concentration gradients -- this is the result of a new study. Their model predicts the self-organization of molecules involved in metabolic pathways, adding a possible new mechanism to the theory of the origin of life. The results can help to better understand how molecules participating in complex biological networks can form dynamic functional structures, and provide a platform for experiments on the origins of life.
How people feel about their sleep has a greater impact on their well-being than what sleep-tracking technology says about their sleep quality, research has found.
Azides are chemical compounds widely used in synthetic organic chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, and materials chemistry. However, conventional synthesis methods for azide compounds have severe limitations. To this end, a team of researchers has developed an efficient method to prepare chemical intermediates having protected 'azido' groups. The team successfully synthesized several azides by the Grignard reaction, paving the way for the synthesis of a broad range of organonitrogens (amines and triazoles) for industrial applications.
A subpolar species associated with Atlantic water expanded far into the Arctic Ocean during the Last Interglacial, analysis of microfossil content of sediment cores reveals. This implies that summers in the Arctic were ice free during this period.
Poaching of two Critically Endangered Kordofan giraffes per year could result in extinction in just 15 years within Cameroon's Bénoué National Park without intervention.
Researchers have identified one of the key brain circuits for deciding the value of a reward based on the rewards that others have received, known as socially subjective reward valuation. A better understanding of the roles of this circuit, from the medial prefrontal cortex to the lateral hypothalamus, may be helpful for the future diagnosis and treatment of patients with injuries or alterations in these regions.
A research team has identified a novel target responsible for aging-related chronic metabolic disorders.
Deep learning methods have been used to augment existing energy-based physical models in 'do novo' or from-scratch computational protein design, resulting in a 10-fold increase in success rates verified in the lab for binding a designed protein with its target protein. The results will help scientists design better drugs against diseases like cancer and COVID-19.
A new study has identified a pair of genes whose expression by a type of immune cell within tumors is predictive of outcomes for cancer patients and is linked to a vast network of gene expression programs, engaged by multiple cell types in the tumor microenvironment, that control human cancers.
Researchers studied the relationship between dietary intake and cardiovascular disease risk factors.
New research details the discovery of the highest-energy light ever observed from the sun.
Kama?ehuakanaloa (formerly L??ihi Seamount), a submarine Hawaiian volcano located about 20 miles off the south coast of the Big Island of Hawai'i, has erupted at least five times in the last 150 years, according to new research led by Earth scientists at the University of Hawai'i at M?noa.
Research has identified a mechanism through which insulin-like growth factors facilitate brain plasticity. The insulin super-family of hormones, including insulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), and insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), play a crucial role not only in regulating blood sugar, metabolism, and growth, but also in healthy brain development and function, including learning and memory. These hormones can enter the brain through the bloodstream from the liver or can be synthesized directly in neurons and glial cells within the brain. They bind to receptors, including the IGF1-Receptor, activating signals that modulate neuron growth and activity. Disruption of this signaling pathway is involved in cognitive decline and diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Mothers who eat apples and herbs in early pregnancy could be protecting the brain health of their children and grandchildren, a study using genetic models has found. The discovery is part of a project that found a mother's diet can affect not just her child's brain but also those of her grandchildren.
The study investigated why the paths of meandering rivers change over time and is a step toward understanding what the hydroclimate on Mars was like when there was still surface water.
An international team of scientists have discovered an unusual Jupiter-sized planet orbiting a low-mass star called TOI-4860, located in the Corvus constellation.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has recorded breath-taking new images of the iconic Ring Nebula, also known as Messier 57.
CAR-T immune therapies could be effective against solid tumors if the right targets are identified, a new study suggests. The researchers successfully deployed CAR-T in a mouse model of ovarian cancer, a type of aggressive, solid-tumor cancer that has eluded such therapies until now.
A population genetics team recently identified the genetic relationship between over 40,000 23andMe users and a population of enslaved and free African Americans that lived in Catoctin Furnace, Maryland between 1776--1850. Over the course of this study, the researchers considered how best to inform descendants and other genetic relatives of their genetic connection to the site.
Tropical forests can harbor hundreds of species of trees in one square mile. Researchers reveal key factors in the spatial distribution of adult trees.
Chemical structures called cyclopropanes can increase the potency of many drugs, but traditional methods to create this structure require highly reactive -- potentially explosive -- ingredients. Now, a team of researchers has identified and demonstrated a safe, efficient and practical way to create cyclopropanes on a wide variety of molecules.
The immune regulatory protein STING has a previously unknown function: acting as an ion channel that allows protons to leak into cells. This discovery makes it the first human immune sensor that can translate danger signals into ion flow.
The Gulf Stream system plays an important role in climate. The weakening of this system that has been observed over the last two decades is therefore a cause for concern and much debate. The question is whether the measurable changes are already due to human-induced climate change -- model simulations predict such an influence with high probability for the future. A new study concludes that the currently observed weakening can be interpreted, at least in part, as a natural fluctuation following some extremely cold winters in the Labrador Sea in the 1990s.
Researchers have changed the way to look at DNA. They show that DNA is much more than a linear sequence of building blocks; it has a 3D structure that influences the variation of human genome-wide mutation rates meaningfully and consistently, and this is likely conserved among species.
Scientists have developed a better way to recognize denial-of-service internet attacks, improving detection by 90 percent.
Engineers have developed a new kind of membrane that separates chemicals within wastewater so effectively that they can be reused, presenting a new opportunity for industries to improve sustainability, while extracting valuable by-products and chemicals from wastewater.
By analyzing data from nearly 13,000 subjects who participated in a long-term aging study, researchers found that an interviewer's rating of a cognitively healthy person's memory successfully predicted the likelihood of developing dementia over a 15-year period.
Researchers used magnetic imaging to obtain the first direct visualization of how electrons flow in a special type of insulator, and by doing so they discovered that the transport current moves through the interior of the material, rather than at the edges, as scientists had long assumed.
In experiments using neonatal mice, researchers have identified a fatty molecule in breast milk that triggers a process in which stem cells in the brain produce cells that create new white matter, reversing brain injury.
Scientists define five types of colon neurons specialized for sending different signals to the brain.
In prehistoric societies, humans tended to learn from members of our ingroup or from more prestigious individuals, as this information was more likely to be reliable and result in group success. However, with the advent of diverse and complex modern communities -- and especially in social media -- these biases become less effective. For example, a person we are connected to online might not necessarily be trustworthy, and people can easily feign prestige on social media. Now, a group of social scientists describe how the functions of social media algorithms are misaligned with human social instincts meant to foster cooperation, which can lead to large-scale polarization and misinformation.
Although there is a long-standing, common assumption that most -- if not all -- dopamine neurons solely respond to rewards or reward-predicting cues, researchers instead discovered that one genetic subtype fires when the body moves and does not respond to rewards at all. The discovery could help explain why loss of dopamine neurons leads to Parkinson's disease.
An international drilling expedition off the Norwegian coast confirms the theory that methane emissions from hydrothermal vents were responsible for global warming about 55 million years ago. The study shows that the vents were active in very shallow water depth or even above sea level, which would have allowed much larger amounts of methane to enter the atmosphere.
A research team recently developed a stable artificial photocatalytic system that is more efficient than natural photosynthesis. The new system mimics a natural chloroplast to convert carbon dioxide in water into methane, a valuable fuel, very efficiently using light. This is a promising discovery, which could contribute to the goal of carbon neutrality.
New research has achieved a significant breakthrough in color switching for nanocrystals, unlocking exciting possibilities for a simple, energy efficient display design and for tunable light sources needed in numerous technologies. The discovery also has potential applications in sensitive sensors for various substances, including biological and neuroscience uses, as well as advancements in quantum communication technologies. This nanomaterial breakthrough holds the promise of inspiring exciting innovations in the future.
Researchers found a way to tune the spin density in diamond by applying an external laser or microwave beam. The finding could open new possibilities for advanced quantum devices.
Sandwich compounds are special chemical compounds used as basic building blocks in organometallic chemistry. So far, their structure has always been linear. Recently, researchers made stacked sandwich complexes form a nano-sized ring. Physical and other properties of these cyclocene structures will now be further investigated.
New research has revealed the importance of mineral forms of iron in regulating the cycling of this bio-essential nutrient in the ocean. The findings pave the way for new work on the relationship between the iron and carbon cycles and how changing ocean oxygen levels may interact.
Scientists have developed a nanoengineered bioink with improved bonding and cross-linking capabilities for 3D bioprinted tumor models. These capabilities are enabled by the addition of Laponite, highly charged, disk-shaped nanoparticles which enhance and retain the biological signaling that occurs in the tumor microenvironment so that more accurate tumor models can be created for study and anti-tumor drug development.
A research team has published rigorous new research that advances a quest to understand a puzzling -- and heartbreaking -- ultra-rare disease that's found almost exclusively in boys.
A new scientific article shows how the donut model, which examines the overall sustainability of societies, can be applied to transport.
New films inspired by butterfly wings circumvent the heating effect usually experienced by colored objects absorbing light on a hot day. The new films could be used on the outside of buildings, vehicles and equipment to reduce the energy needed for cooling while preserving vivid color properties.
Four years ago, a report that a common species of fungus might fuel pancreatic cancer offered a promising new view of the deadly disease. But in working to validate the finding, researchers have found no such association.
Researchers have found that robots can have a 'U-shaped' effect on profits: causing profit margins to fall at first, before eventually rising again. The researchers studied industry data from the UK and 24 other European countries between 1995 and 2017, and found that at low levels of adoption, robots have a negative effect on profit margins. But at higher levels of adoption, robots can help increase profits.
Treatment with modern antidepressants may help prevent patients with bipolar disorder from relapsing into a depressive episode, according to an international clinical trial. The findings challenge current clinical practice guidelines and could change how bipolar depression is managed globally.
A recent interdisciplinary study used a novel method of data collection -- computer usage metrics -- to show that employees are less active and more prone to mistakes on afternoons and Fridays, with Friday afternoon representing the lowest point of worker productivity.
Northern muriquis, which live in the Atlantic forest of Brazil, are one of the most endangered species of monkey in the world. To better understand what goes on in the mating lives of muriquis, researchers turned to the monkeys' poop to help gain insight into how the primates choose their mates.
In chemical reactions, molecules transform from reactants into reaction products through a critical geometry called a transition state that lasts less than one millionth of one millionth of a second. Scientists recently captured a critical geometry using the ultra-high speed 'electron camera'. The research will help explain why reactions generate only specific reaction products.
Wildfires are an ancient force shaping the environment, but they have grown in frequency, range and intensity in response to a changing climate. Scientists are working on several fronts to better understand and predict these events and what they mean for the carbon cycle and biodiversity.
As global climate change causes weather extremes ranging from heat waves and droughts to heavy rains and flooding, the large amounts of freshwater pouring into nearshore ecosystems are altering habitats. A team of biologists studied the impacts of low salinity and how it alters sea urchins' ability to grip and move within their habitat.
In a potential boon for quantum computing, physicists have shown that topologically protected quantum states can be entangled with other, highly manipulable quantum states in some electronic materials.
New interference radar functions improve the distance resolution between objects using radar waves. The results may have important ramifications in military, construction, archaeology, mineralogy and many other domains of radar applications. It addresses a nine decades-old problem that requires scientists and engineers to sacrifice detail and resolution for observation distance -- underwater, underground, and in the air.
Researchers have published new insights on pelvic floor muscle (PFM) dysfunction, which is one of the key risk factors for pelvic floor disorders, a set of morbid conditions that include pelvic organ prolapse and urinary and fecal incontinence, that impact close to a quarter of women in the U.S. and have a strong association with vaginal childbirth. The work is part of a larger effort to advance understanding, treatment and prevention of pelvic floor muscle dysfunction in humans.
New robotic grippers are flexible enough to handle soft and fragile objects as well as heavier ones.
Research recommends authorities mandate that schools and sports organizations enforce policies to prevent concussions.
A new technique incorporates many different building blocks of cellular metamaterials into one unified graph-based representation. This can be used to make a user-friendly interface that can quickly and easily model metamaterials, edit the structures, and simulate their properties.
A new image of the galaxy cluster known as 'El Gordo' is revealing distant and dusty objects never seen before, and providing a bounty of fresh science. The infrared image displays a variety of unusual, distorted background galaxies that were only hinted at in previous Hubble Space Telescope images.
Researchers have analyzed the shifting patterns of entire dune fields on Earth and Mars, as seen from orbit, and found they are a direct signature of recent environmental change. This new tool can be applied anywhere with dunes, such as Mars, Titan, and Venus.
Antiviral therapies are notoriously difficult to develop, as viruses can quickly mutate to become resistant to drugs. But what if a new generation of antivirals ignores the fast-mutating proteins on the surface of viruses and instead disrupts their protective layers?
An international research team reported the first realization of single-crystalline T-Nb2O5 thin films having two-dimensional (2D) vertical ionic transport channels, which results in a fast and colossal insulator-metal transition via Li ion intercalation through the 2D channels.
Molecules that act as connected wheels can hold long molecular chains together to modify the properties of soft polymers.
Mammography screening supported by artificial intelligence (AI) is a safe alternative to today's conventional double reading by radiologists and can reduce heavy workloads for doctors. This has now been shown in an interim analysis of a prospective, randomised controlled trial, which addressed the clinical safety of using AI in mammography screening.
The first randomized controlled trial of its kind aimed at identifying an effective way to manage myopia was published last week.
A proposed machine learning framework and expanded use of blockchain technology could help counter the spread of fake news by allowing content creators to focus on areas where the misinformation is likely to do the most public harm, according to new research.
Earth's oldest craters could give scientists critical information about the structure of the early Earth and the composition of bodies in the solar system as well as help to interpret crater records on other planets. But geologists can't find them, and they might never be able to, according to a new study.
A newly published study describes the response to sea level rise by the silver rice rat, an endangered species only found in the Florida Keys.
In a breakthrough for bioengineering, researchers have developed organoids that can model the human respiratory tract. The organoids, called AirGels, allow them to uncover the mechanism by which antibiotic-resistant pathogens like Pseudomonas aeruginosa infect the respiratory tract.
The availability, speed and effectiveness of genomic sequencing increased dramatically during the pandemic, as scientists worldwide rushed to find ways to track and predict the virus's movement and evolution. It also was critical in the development of effective vaccines. Biologists argue that building on this momentum is critical in society's response to future pandemics, but it requires significant collaboration and investment now, before the next pathogen is threatening society.
New research reveals a type of monoclonal antibody already tested in certain forms of cancer may be a promising treatment in stopping the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, a fatal neurodegenerative disease.
The public funding of science is responsible for many of the biomedical and other scientific breakthroughs on which our lives depend. However, the process through which funding decisions are made, the peer review of grant proposals, has been historically understudied, and current approaches can lead to undesirable outcomes.
In the peak heat of summer, beachgoers don't want their plans thwarted by harmful algal blooms (HABs). But current methods to remove or kill toxin-producing algae and cyanobacteria aren't efficient or practical for direct applications in waterways. Now, researchers have coated a floating sponge in a charcoal-like powder, and when paired with an oxidizing agent, the technique destroyed over 85% of algal cells from lake and river water samples.
A patch of ocean in the North Atlantic is stubbornly cooling while much of the planet warms. This anomaly -- dubbed the 'cold blob' -- has been linked to changes in ocean circulation, but a new study found changes in large-scale atmospheric patterns may play an equally important role, according to an international research team.
When a fragrance wafted through the bedrooms of older adults for two hours every night for six months, memories skyrocketed. Participants in this study reaped a 226% increase in cognitive capacity compared to the control group. The researchers say the finding transforms the long-known tie between smell and memory into an easy, non-invasive technique for strengthening memory and potentially deterring dementia.
Scientists have demonstrated how mice choose between three different strategies to navigate through their surroundings towards a goal.
The statistical model identifies links between battles in Africa and can be applied to other armed conflicts, according to a new study.
Gems' unique elemental composition and atomic orientation act as a fingerprint, enabling researchers to uncover the stones' past, and with it, historical trade routes. Scientists now employ three modern spectroscopic techniques to rapidly analyze gems found in the Arabian-Nubian Shield and compare them with similar gems from around the world. They have identified elements that influence gems' color, differentiated stones found within and outside the region, and distinguished natural from synthetic.
Birds can be electrocuted if they come into contact with two energized parts of a power line at once -- which can happen when they spread their wings to take off from or land on a power pole. Because of this, energy companies invest substantial time and money into making sure power lines are avian safe, installing safe perches and insulating energized elements. However, a recent study presents a new priority for conservation, as it suggests that electrocution is no longer the only leading cause of death for birds along power lines. Instead, researchers report that 66% of dead birds that were found along power lines -- for which a cause of death could be conclusively determined -- died from being illegally shot.
Researchers have identified plasma protein-based biomarkers capable of identifying adolescents at risk of developing mental health issues.
Ion channels play a crucial role in many cellular processes, including neuronal communication, muscle contraction or cell proliferation. Most multi subunit ion channels exist in two functional states, either closed or open. During gating, one should expect that all subunits undergo conformational changes. The absence of intermediate conduction levels is surprising and asks for an explanation. A team of researchers has created a smart model system to answer this important question.
Para-cresol is an aromatic compound with a strong horse stable-like odor. It contributes to the off-flavor of some foods, but it is also detectable as a characteristic odorant in whiskey and tobacco, as well as in the urine of various mammals. A research team has now discovered which odorant receptor humans use to perceive para-cresol.
Rather than being solely detrimental, cracks in the positive electrode of lithium-ion batteries reduce battery charge time, research shows. This runs counter to the view of many electric vehicle manufacturers, who try to minimize cracking because it decreases battery longevity.
Nature-based solutions (NBS) can help grand challenges, such as climate change and food security, but, as things stand, communities outside of Europe do not stand to benefit from these innovations. New research has found that more than 60% of NBS are located in Europe, with other regions showing poor use of the technologies.
Computer scientists found that queries for medical information about dementia disease on ChatGPT provided more objective results than similar queries on Google, but both services have strengths and weaknesses. Google provided the most current information, but the query results are skewed by service and product providers seeking customers, the researchers found. ChatGPT, meanwhile, provides more objective information, but it can be outdated and lacks the sources of its information in its narrative responses.
With mighty jaws and plate-like teeth, the globally endangered whitespotted eagle ray can pretty much crunch on anything. Yet, little information is available on critical components of their life history in the U.S., such as their diet. A study is the first use DNA barcoding to uncover the finer-scale feeding patterns of this protected species in Florida. The surprising results have important implications for both shellfish enhancement activities and species management.
It's an elegant solution: Remove the habitat of a parasite-carrying aquatic snail and reduce the level of infection in the local community; all while generating more feed and compost for local farmers.
Whether they're made from soybeans, almonds, oats, or just sourced straight from the cow, milk products must go through heat treatment to prevent harmful bacterial growth and keep them safe. But understanding how these processes affect new, plant-based milk formulations could make the beverages more pleasant to drink as well. Researchers have discovered how pasteurization and sterilization affects the look and feel of one such drink made from coconut and rice.
Researchers have revealed the unique 'cheating' strategy a New Zealand insect has developed to avoid being eaten -- mimicking a highly toxic species.
Researchers looked at the effects of declawing on larger cat species and found that declawing disproportionately impacts their muscular capabilities as compared to their smaller brethren.
Researchers are delving into the molecular-level details of sperm formation, with a particular focus on how abnormalities in this process might lead to male-factor infertility.
Simply remembering events can trigger brain rhythms, even more so than when people are experiencing the actual event, says a new study. The findings could lay foundations for cognitive impairment therapy and help improve memory.
Researchers have identified two subtypes of human papillomavirus positive head and neck cancers, giving them a better glimpse into why some patients respond better to treatment than others.
A novel method to extract lignin could help spin wheat straw into gold. Lignin produced using the new method was color-neutral, odorless and homogenous, an advance that could make this carbon-neutral material a more viable candidate for development of high-value products. Researchers extracted up to 93% lignin with up to 98% purity from wheat straw, producing a significant amount of material in a uniform way that could make it more attractive for industry use.
Engineers have created a 'supercapacitor' made of ancient, abundant materials, that can store large amounts of energy. Made of just cement, water, and carbon black (which resembles powdered charcoal), the device could form the basis for inexpensive systems that store intermittently renewable energy, such as solar or wind energy.
Earth is rapidly warming and scientists are developing a variety of approaches to reduce the effects of climate change. An astronomer has proposed a novel approach -- a solar shield to reduce the amount of sunlight hitting Earth, combined with a tethered, captured asteroid as a counterweight. Engineering studies using this approach could start now to create a workable design that could mitigate climate change within decades.
Researchers have described a new class of molecules that inhibit efflux pumps so that antiboitics remain effective.
Results of a long-term, federally funded study of cognitively healthy adults -- most with a family history of Alzheimer's disease -- have added to evidence that low spinal fluid levels of a protein linked to learning and memory in mice may serve as an early predictor of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) years before symptoms appear.
Scientists found that trout from lakes stocked decades ago in the Wind River Mountains have higher numbers of gill rakers, which are bony or cartilage structures in the gullets of fish that act as sieves to retain zooplankton and nourish the trout. The difference is likely a result of the trout adapting to the food sources of the once-fishless high-mountain lakes -- a change that has taken place in a relatively short period of time and at a rate that is generally consistent with the historic timing of stocking for each of the lakes.
Everyday life involves the three dimensions or 3D -- along an X, Y and Z axis, or up and down, left and right, and forward and back. But, in recent years scientists have explored a 'fourth dimension' (4D), or synthetic dimension, as an extension of our current physical reality.
In skin, some aberrant adult epidermal stem cells turn on SOX9, kickstarting a process that ultimately activates cancer genes.
Chemists describe a powerful new way to create new-to-nature, 'unnatural' amino acids, which could find use in protein-based therapies and open up novel branches of organic chemistry.
Chemical engineering researchers have overcome the challenge of designing such properly self-aligning structures by using fluid mechanics, chemo-mechanical processes -- and a little stickiness.
Major government and private funding is being invested in planting trees as a powerful tool to fight climate change. But new research shows a troubling bottleneck that could threaten these efforts: U.S. tree nurseries don't grow close to enough trees--nor have the species diversity needed--to meet ambitious planting and restoration goals.
Tuberculosis (TB) disproportionately affects vulnerable populations including those with limited economic resources, HIV patients, those whose diet is deficient in nutrients and others. Resistant TB (MDR TB) does not respond to first line medications and is difficult to treat, requiring long regimens of 15-20 months that are associated with significant side effects and poor outcomes.
A new study finds unsupervised, online exams can provide a valid and reliable assessment of student learning, but instructors should be aware of potential weak spots.
Researchers offer insight into the source of cosmic magnetic fields. The research team used models to show that magnetic fields may spontaneously arise in turbulent plasma. Their simulations showed that, in addition to generating new magnetic fields, the turbulence of those plasmas can also amplify magnetic fields once they've been generated, which helps explain how magnetic fields that originate on small scales can sometimes eventually reach to stretch across vast distances.
An asteroid discovery algorithm -- designed to uncover near-Earth asteroids for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's upcoming 10-year survey of the night sky -- has identified its first 'potentially hazardous' asteroid, a term for space rocks in Earth's vicinity that scientists like to keep an eye on. The roughly 600-foot-long asteroid, designated 2022 SF289, was discovered during a test drive of the algorithm with the ATLAS survey in Hawaii. Finding 2022 SF289, which poses no risk to Earth for the foreseeable future, confirms that the next-generation algorithm, known as HelioLinc3D, can identify near-Earth asteroids with fewer and more dispersed observations than required by today's methods.
Pain experts suggest that scrambler therapy, a noninvasive pain treatment, can yield significant relief for approximately 80% -- 90% of patients with chronic pain, and it may be more effective than another noninvasive therapy: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).
Using hundreds of entries from the New Yorker magazine's Cartoon Caption Contest as a testbed, researchers challenged AI models and humans with three tasks: matching a joke to a cartoon; identifying a winning caption; and explaining why a winning caption is funny.
The artificial intelligence language model GPT-3 performed as well as college students in solving certain logic problems like those that appear on standardized tests. The researchers who conducted the experiment write that the results prompt the question of whether the technology is mimicking human reasoning or using a new type of cognitive process. Solving that question would require access to the software that underpins GPT-3 and other AI software.
Scientists have identified a protein that plays a pivotal role in the action of several emerging cancer therapies. The researchers say the discovery will likely aid efforts to fine-tune the use of immunotherapies against several challenging cancers.
Many substances change their properties when they are cooled below a certain critical temperature. Such a phase transition occurs, for example, when water freezes. However, in certain metals there are phase transitions that do not exist in the macrocosm. They arise because of the special laws of quantum mechanics that apply in the realm of nature's smallest building blocks. It is thought that the concept of electrons as carriers of quantized electric charge no longer applies near these exotic phase transitions. Researchers have now found a way to prove this directly. Their findings allow new insights into the exotic world of quantum physics.
Engineers have designed a new, shape-shifting display that can fit on a card table and allows users to draw 3D designs and more.
The smallest member of the filter-feeding family is one of the only whale species not to embark on seasonal migrations, new research finds.
The dry summer of 2018 hit Swedish forests hard -- and hardest affected were the managed secondary forests.
Bringing protons up to speed with strong laser pulses -- this still young concept promises many advantages over conventional accelerators. For instance, it seems possible to build much more compact facilities. Prototypes to date, however, in which laser pulses are fired at ultra-thin metal foils, show weaknesses -- especially in the frequency with which they can accelerate protons. An international working group has tested a new technique: In this approach, frozen hydrogen acts as a 'target' for the laser pulses.
In past ice ages, the intensity of summer insolation affected the emergence of warm and cold periods and played an important role in triggering abrupt climate changes, a study by climate researchers, geoscientists, and environmental physicists suggests. Using stalagmites in the European Alps, they were able to demonstrate that warm phases appeared primarily when the summer insolation reached maxima in the Northern Hemisphere.
How did the Corona pandemic and the measures taken to get it under control affect the quality of life and mental health of men and women?
An analysis of data from seven studies involving more than 19,000 adults in the United States, Korea and Japan found a clear association between increases in systolic (top-number) blood pressure and the number of alcoholic beverages consumed daily.
Eosiniphilic esophagitis occurs more frequently in children and can prevent food from being swallowed, potentially leading to malnutrition, weight loss and poor growth. A new study has identified the pathway that causes the chronic immune system disease and a novel treatment strategy.
Researchers investigating brain activity in older people say the coordination between neuronal activity and the brain's oxygenation is altered. Non-invasive recording of the function of these neurovascular units in living humans has never been done before, but has now been achieved by using several measurement techniques coupled with novel analysis methods. The results promise a relatively simple and non-invasive method for assessing the state of the brain in healthy aging, and in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.
An unusual discovery is now being developed as an on-demand cooling solution for high-flying military electronics.
Rivers carry vital nutrients and trace metals into the ocean. These elements carry characteristic isotopic signatures that geologists can use to identify where the water in the ocean comes from. As part of the international project, which aims to map trace metals in the global ocean using such signatures, researchers studied the waters of the Amazon estuary. In doing so, they have discovered that the hitherto ignored Pará river system has a major influence on the composition of the water masses there.
The origin of bees is tens of millions of years older than most previous estimates, a new study shows. A team led by Washington State University researchers traced the bee genealogy back more than 120 million years to an ancient supercontinent, Gondwana, which included today's continents of Africa and South America.
Using energy from light to activate natural enzymes can help scientists create new-to-nature enzymatic reactions that support eco-friendly biomanufacturing -- the production of fuels, plastics, and valuable chemicals from plants or other biological systems. Applying this photoenzymatic approach, researchers have developed a clean, efficient way to synthesize crucial chemical building blocks known as chiral amines, solving a longstanding challenge in synthetic chemistry.
Scientists have trained a machine learning model in outer space, on board a satellite. This achievement could revolutionize the capabilities of remote-sensing satellites by enabling real-time monitoring and decision making for a range of applications.
Researchers have developed a multimodal platform to image biohybrids -- microorganisms that use solar energy to convert carbon dioxide into value-added chemical products -- to better understand how they function and how they can be optimized for more efficient energy conversion.
Researchers have developed a new technique that vastly improves readings of protein-to-ligand interactions through Raman spectroscopy.
Four decades of conservation spending totaling more than $9 billion in inflation-adjusted tax dollars has failed to improve stocks of wild salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin.
International team reports on a radio pulsar phase of a Galactic magnetar that emitted a fast radio burst in 2020; observations suggest unique origins for 'bursts' and 'pulses,' which adds to FRB formation theory.
A new study of cadmium in pregnant women yields crucial insights into the placenta's role in regulating toxin exposure.
Scientists have pinpointed a genetic cause for virgin birth for the first time, and once switched on the ability is passed down through generations of females.
Conventional wisdom holds that storing fat around your belly puts you at increased risk for type 2 diabetes. But unexpected new findings suggest that, for some people, conventional wisdom may be wrong.
Researchers have revisited one of the most ancient materials on Earth -- graphite, and discovered new physics that has eluded the field for decades.
Last year, JWST made spectral observations of Ganymede and infrared observations of Io. Absorption lines of hydrogen peroxide at Ganymede's poles indicate radiolysis of water ice by charged particles funneled by the moon's magnetic field. Io had two major eruptions, one associated with a forbidden emission line of sulfur monoxide. The latter supports a theory that SO is produced at volcanic vents in a thin atmosphere that allows forbidden emission before collisions destroy the excited state.
Researchers have developed an L3 F-TOUCH sensor to enhance tactile capabilities in robots, allowing it to 'feel' objects and adjust its grip accordingly.
A young planet whirling around a petulant red dwarf star is changing in unpredictable ways orbit-by-orbit. It is so close to its parent star that it experiences a consistent, torrential blast of energy, which evaporates its hydrogen atmosphere -- causing it to puff off the planet.
Many people know that stars appear to twinkle because our atmosphere bends starlight as it travels to Earth. But stars also have an innate 'twinkle' -- caused by rippling waves of gas on their surfaces -- that is imperceptible to current Earth-bound telescopes. In a new study, researchers developed the first 3D simulations of energy rippling from a massive star's core to its outer surface. Using these new models, the researchers determined, for the first time, how much stars should innately twinkle.
As sea levels rise and flooding becomes more frequent, many countries are considering a controversial strategy: relocation of communities. A Stanford analysis of planned relocations around the world reveals a blueprint for positive outcomes.
An international team of linguists and geneticists has achieved a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the origins of Indo-European, a family of languages spoken by nearly half of the world's population.
Some organisms, such as tardigrades, rotifers, and nematodes, can survive harsh conditions by entering a dormant state known as 'cryptobiosis.' In 2018, researchers found two roundworms (nematode) species in the Siberian Permafrost. Radiocarbon dating indicated that the nematode individuals have remained in cryptobiosis since the late Pleistocene, about 46,000 years ago. Researchers have now used genome sequencing, assembly, and phylogenetic analysis and found that the permafrost nematode belongs to a previously undescribed species, Panagrolaimus kolymaensis.
The planet experienced the hottest day on record earlier this month and climate projections estimate the intensity of heat waves and poor air quality will increase and continue to cause severe impacts. Researchers have refined and expanded a method of data collection to assess their health impacts.
As the next generation of giant, high-powered observatories begin to come online, a new study suggests that their instruments may offer scientists an unparalleled opportunity to discern what weather may be like on far-away exoplanets.
Young stars are rambunctious! NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured the 'antics' of a pair of actively forming young stars, known as Herbig-Haro 46/47, in high-resolution near-infrared light. To find them, trace the bright pink and red diffraction spikes until you hit the center: The stars are within the orange-white splotch. They are buried deeply in a disk of gas and dust that feeds their growth as they continue to gain mass. The disk is not visible, but its shadow can be seen in the two dark, conical regions surrounding the central stars.
A new machine-learning technique can efficiently learn to control a robot, leading to better performance with fewer data.
DNA analysis of 34 individuals buried at Machu Picchu revealed that many traveled alone from throughout the Inca Empire.
Astronomers have discovered new evidence of how planets as massive as Jupiter can form.
An international team of scientists, including astrophysicists, report on a dedicated observational campaign on the Galactic microquasar dubbed GRS 1915+105. The team revealed features of a microquasar system that have never before been seen. Using the massive Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) in China, astronomers discovered a quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) signal in the radio band for the first time from any microquasar systems.
Scientists have unraveled the step-by-step activation process of a protein with a deep evolutionary history in all domains of life, opening the door to harnessing its functions for use as a biotechnology tool.
About 15 years ago, researchers reported that the timing of spring in high-Arctic Greenland had advanced at some of the fastest rates of change ever seen anywhere in the world. But, according to new evidence, that earlier pattern has since been completely erased. Instead of coming earlier and earlier, it seems the timing of Arctic spring is now driven by tremendous climate variability with drastic differences from one year to the next.
The Neolithic burial site of Gurgy 'les Noisats' in France revealed two unprecedentedly large family trees which allowed a Franco-German team to explore the social organization of the 6,700-year-old community. Based on multiple lines of evidence, the team describes a close kin group which practiced monogamy and female exogamy, and experienced generally stable times.
Researchers have described a new species of armored reptile that lived near the time of the first appearance of dinosaurs. With bony plates on its backbone, this archosaur fossil reveals that armor was a boomerang trait in the story of dinosaur and pterosaur evolution: the group's ancestors were armored, but this characteristic was lost and then independently re-evolved multiple times later among specialized dinosaurs like ankylosaurs, stegosaurs, and others.
How high are concentrations of microplastics in the environment, in our drinking water or in foods? Researchers have developed an automated analysis method for the identification and quantification of particles.
Shifting from a high-pressure mindset to a curious one improves people's memory, finds new research. Study participants pre-meditating a robbery in a virtual art museum remembered more paintings than those executing the heist in-the-moment. The new findings may help address many real-world problems such as promoting vaccine uptake and climate change action, as well as inspiring new treatments for psychiatric disorders.
Important ocean currents that redistribute heat, cold and precipitation between the tropics and the northernmost parts of the Atlantic region will shut down around the year 2060 if current greenhouse gas emissions persist. This is the conclusion based on new calculations that contradict the latest report from the IPCC.
Transitions from surfaces, such as moving from gravel or dirt to grass, proved to be the riskiest. Those riders were almost 60 times more likely to have a crash or near-crash experience. This was supported by data showing that riding off a designated path, or off-road, made users nearly 25 times more likely to experience such issues compared to those who rode on a shared-use path.
Astronomers have gained new clues about how planets as massive as Jupiter could form. Researchers have detected large dusty clumps, close to a young star, that could collapse to create giant planets.
Scientists have determined how the Earth responds as it heats up due to climate change. Their study is the first to find the temperature-carbon dioxide release relationship at the landscape level. Plants that currently take up a quarter to a third of humanity's carbon emissions might not be able to maintain the rate of carbon dioxide removal.
Scientists have discovered a new species of marine cryptofauna in the Florida Keys. Cryptofauna are the tiny, hidden, organisms that make up the majority of biodiversity in the ocean. The tiny crustaceans are the first new gnathiid isopod to be discovered from the Floridian ecoregion in 100 years and are named after singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett.
Researchers have developed a drug delivery system that shows promise for greatly enhancing the efficacy of the medicine given to women with the life-threatening condition of ectopic pregnancy.
Researchers have discovered that the sentinels guarding the healthy human cornea from pathogens and inflammation are T cells, and not another type of immune cells called dendritic cells, as previously thought.
The study takes a new approach to answer a long-standing mystery about insulator-to-metal transitions.
Much of central Utah's seismic activity comes in groups of small earthquakes. A study by seismologists examines 2,300 quakes occurring 40 'swarms' dating back to 1981, opening a window into Earth's crust in a geothermally active area.
An analysis of more than 202,000 heart attack deaths between 2015-2020 in a single Chinese province found that days that had extreme heat, extreme cold or high levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution were significantly associated with the risk of death from a heart attack, especially in women and older adults.
Excess heat from electronic or mechanical devices is a sign or cause of inefficient performance. In many cases, embedded sensors to monitor the flow of heat could help engineers alter device behavior or designs to improve their efficiency. For the first time, researchers exploit a novel thermoelectric phenomenon to build a thin sensor that can visualize heat flow in real time. The sensor could be built deep inside devices where other kinds of sensors are impractical. It is also quick, cheap and easy to manufacture using well-established methods.
Water is essential for life as we know it. However, scientists debate how it reached the Earth and whether the same processes could seed rocky exoplanets orbiting distant stars. New insights may come from the planetary system PDS 70, located 370 light-years away. The star hosts both an inner disk and outer disk of gas and dust, separated by a 5 billion-mile-wide (8 billion kilometer) gap, and within that gap are two known gas-giant planets.
A protein that transports lipid into cells reveals clues to treating a major health problem affecting kidneys.
An international team of researchers has uncovered 'unprecedented' snake venom resistance in an unexpected species -- the legless amphibian known as caecilians.
A new study has added weight to the evidence that watching too much television as a child can lead to poor health in adulthood. The research found that children who watched more television were more likely to develop metabolic syndrome as an adult.
Enzymes play a key role in cellular metabolic processes. To enable the quantitative assessment of these processes, researchers need to know the so-called 'turnover number' (for short: kcat) of the enzymes. A team of bioinformaticians now describes a tool for predicting this parameter for various enzymes using AI methods.
Caecilians are an illusive type of snakelike amphibian that live in aquatic and subterranean environments. In some species, mothers produce a special type of nutrient-rich skin that juveniles consume, similar to the way in which humans breastfeed their children. A new study shows this behavior passes on microbes to juvenile caecilians, inoculating them to jump-start a healthy microbiome.
As artificial intelligence expands across more professions, robot preachers and AI programs offer new means of sharing religious beliefs, but they may undermine credibility and reduce donations for religious groups that rely on them.
Taking a significant leap in the field of vaccine development, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry researchers have discovered a potential 'super molecule' that can bolster the effectiveness of several vaccines against viral diseases, including influenza, COVID-19 and smallpox.
Scientists are investigating the use of membrane contactors for direct ocean carbon capture.
Women with a history of endometriosis had higher concentrations of cadmium in their urine compared to those without that diagnosis, according to a new study that suggests the toxic metal could be linked to the development of endometriosis.
Among nearly 10 million US infants born between 2016 and 2018, breastfed babies were 33% less likely to die during the post-perinatal period (day 7-364) than infants who were not breastfed, reports a new study. The findings build on previous US research with smaller datasets, which documented the association between the initiation of breastfeeding and the reduction of post-perinatal infant mortality by a range of 19% to 26%.
New research focuses on optimizing a promising technology called pyrolysis, which can chemically recycle waste plastics into more valuable chemicals.
The discovery of insulin has saved the lives of millions of people with diabetes worldwide, but little is known about the first step of insulin synthesis.
Scientists have found that competition between strains of beneficial bacteria in the soil degrades the service that the bacteria provide to their hosts.
More than 1.4 million times a year, people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia end up in emergency care, a new study shows, accounting for nearly 7% of all emergency visits for any reason by people over age 65. Compared with their peers who don't have dementia, these patients have twice the rate of seeking emergency care after an accident or a behavioral or mental health crisis.
Researchers have discovered the molecular mechanisms by which the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) becomes resistant to Dolutegravir, one of the most effective, clinically used antiviral drugs for treating HIV. Their findings reveal how changes to the 3D structures of integrase, an HIV protein, can lead to Dolutegravir resistance and how other compounds may be able to overcome this resistance.
New mothers can expect sleep deprivation in the first few years of baby's life. But too little sleep can take a toll on the health of both mother and child. A new study looks at maternal and infant sleep patterns, identifying predictors and providing recommendations for instilling healthy habits.
Can biosurfactants increase microbiological oil degradation in North Sea seawater? An international research team has been exploring this question and the results have revealed the potential for a more effective and environmentally friendly oil spill response.
The secret to protecting your memory may be a staple of a bodybuilder's diet. Researchers recently discovered that a muscle-building supplement called beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate, also called HMB, may help protect memory, reduce plaques and ultimately help prevent the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
A team of chemists have developed an entirely new method for generating critically important fluorochemicals that bypasses the hazardous product hydrogen fluoride (HF) gas. The findings could achieve an immense impact in improving the safety and carbon footprint of a growing global industry.
In 2017, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a dramatic reversal in its approach to peanut-allergy prevention, recommending parents expose their infants as young as four months old to peanuts in an effort to prevent peanut allergy. In the five years since, early introduction to peanuts has been gaining traction among U.S. parents and caregivers, but more work must be done to communicate the guidelines more broadly, especially to those with less access to health-related information, reports a new study. Among all surveyed parents and caregivers in the U.S., 13% of parents said they're aware of the guidelines and 48% believed feeding peanuts early prevented peanut allergy, despite knowing about the guidelines or not.
Current evidence suggests that microparticles of cosmic dust collide and stick together to form larger dust aggregates that may eventually combine and develop into planets. Numerical models that accurately characterize the conditions required for colliding microparticle aggregates to stick together, rather than bounce apart, are therefore paramount to understanding the evolution of planets. Recent modeling suggests that dust aggregates are less likely to stick together after a collision as the size of the aggregates increases.
Changes in ocean wave and storm conditions have not caused long-term impacts on sandy coastlines in the past 30 years, a new study has found.
For years, unrecycled plastic bottles have been dumped in landfills. Now, thanks to new research, those bottles may have a second life in that landfill -- stabilizing its earth walls.
Today's catalysts for removing unburnt methane from natural-gas engine exhaust are either inefficient at low, start-up temperatures or break down at higher operating temperatures. A new single-atom catalyst solves both these problems and removes 90% of the methane.
Plastic waste is a problem on our beaches. Hence, it is largely removed in a coordinated manner within a few weeks. However, it can litter other coasts of the world for many months to years due to unregulated waste disposal. Often the garbage on the beach is simply burned and a special form of plastic waste is created: so-called plastiglomerate. This 'rock' is made up of natural components, such as coral fragments, held together by the melted and reconsolidated plastic. A new study has now demonstrated, using field samples from Indonesia, that such rocks pose an increased environmental risk to coastal ecosystems such as seagrass beds, mangroves or coral reefs. The melted plastic decomposes more quickly into microplastics and is also contaminated with organic pollutants.
Experiments showed that microwaving plastic baby food containers can release huge numbers of plastic particles -- in some cases, more than 2 billion nanoplastics and 4 million microplastics for every square centimeter of container.
Approximately 99.9% of fish and shark species are 'cold-blooded', meaning their body tissues generally match the temperature of the water they swim in -- but researchers have just discovered the mighty basking shark is a one-in-a-thousand exception. Instead, these sharks keep the core regions of their bodies warmer than the water like the most athletic swimmers in the sea such as great white sharks, mako sharks and tuna.
Female killer whales live up to ninety years in the wild, and most live an average of twenty-two years after menopause. Scientists have long wondered why humans and some whale species spend a significant portion of their life not reproducing. Previous studies show that, even after having their last calf, killer whale mothers take care of their families by sharing the fish they catch. Now, researchers note that these mothers can also provide social support to their sons by protecting them from being injured by other orcas.
Sabertooth cats make up a diverse group of long-toothed predators that roamed Africa around 6-7 million years ago, around the time that hominins -- the group that includes modern humans -- began to evolve. By examining one of the largest global Pliocene collections of fossils in Langebaanweg, north of Cape Town in South Africa, researchers present two new sabertooth species and the first family tree of the region's ancient sabertooths. Their results suggest that the distribution of sabertooths throughout ancient Africa might have been different than previously assumed, and the study provides important information about Africa's paleoenvironment.
Gastrulation, the process where an embryo reorganizes itself from a hollow sphere into a multilayered structure, is considered a 'black box' of human development. This is because human embryos are typically not cultured for longer than 14 days because of bioethical concerns, and gastrulation occurs between 17- and 21-days post-fertilization. In addition, current stem cell models that mimic gastrulation have not been able to include the necessary extraembryonic tissues that give rise to the yolk sac and the placenta. Researchers now report a new method to develop 'peri-gastruloids,' an embryo-like structure that includes one of the supporting tissues, the yolk sac, missing from previous models.
A catalyst using a single or just a few palladium atoms removed 90% of unburned methane from natural gas engine exhaust at low temperatures in a recent study. While more research needs to be done, the advance in single atom catalysis has the potential to lower exhaust emissions of methane, one of the worst greenhouse gases that traps heat at about 25 times the rate of carbon dioxide. Researchers showed that the single-atom catalyst was able to remove methane from engine exhaust at lower temperatures, less than 350 degrees Celsius (662 degrees Fahrenheit), while maintaining reaction stability at higher temperatures.
A team has modeled the early impact history of Venus to explain how Earth's sister planet has maintained a youthful surface despite lacking plate tectonics. The team compared the early collision histories of the two bodies and determined that Venus likely experienced higher-speed, higher-energy impacts creating a super-heated core that promoted extended volcanism and resurfaced the planet.
Researchers look at water in galaxies, its distribution and in particular its changes of state from ice to vapor, as important markers indicating areas of increased energy, in which black holes and stars are formed. A new study has now revealed the distribution of water within the J1135 galaxy, which is 12 billion light years away and formed when the Universe was a 'teenager', 1.8 billion years after the Big Bang . This water map, with unprecedented resolution, is the first ever to be obtained for such a remote galaxy. The map can help scientists to understand the physical processes taking place within J1135 and shed light on the dynamics, still partially unclear, surrounding the formation of stars, black holes and galaxies themselves.
Researchers have created the first tool to map and visualize the areas where human settlements and nature meet on a global scale. The tool could improve responses to environmental conflicts like wildfires, the spread of zoonotic diseases and loss of ecosystem biodiversity.
A team researchers has discovered molecular crystals capable of capturing iodine -- one of the most common radioactive fission products -- and other pollutants. The versatile crystals could be used for nuclear waste management and other energy-related applications and move the world closer to a net-zero future.
A study explores how ultraviolet radiation can alter the microstructure of human skin. Particularly affected is collagen, the fibrous protein that binds together tissue, tendon, cartilage and bone throughout our bodies.
State-of-the-art analysis of a 300,000 wooden throwing found in Germany three decades ago, shows early humans used advanced woodworking techniques.
Researchers report that it is possible to imbue graphite -- the bulk, 3D material found in No. 2 pencils -- with physical properties similar to graphite's 2D counterpart, graphene. Not only was this breakthrough unexpected, the team also believes its approach could be used to test whether similar types of bulk materials can also take on 2D-like properties. If so, 2D sheets won't be the only source for scientists to fuel technological revolutions. Bulk, 3D materials could be just as useful.
Researchers have discovered a new type of stellar object in space with unique characteristics that has researchers wondering what it could be.
Three new biomarkers for prostate cancer have been identified to help pinpoint potentially aggressive cases of the disease, which kills 300,000 men each year.
Innovative treatment paves the way for reducing antimicrobial resistance in the treatment of a deadly infection in chickens, according to an international team of researchers.
Did the pterosaurs, flying reptiles from the days of the dinosaurs, practice parental care or not? New research shows that pterosaurs were indeed caring parents -- but only the larger species.
As life expectancy increases worldwide, age-associated diseases such as osteoporosis are having an increasing impact. Although early detection could help physicians intervene as soon as possible -- when treatment might offer the greatest benefit -- this type of detection is not yet possible with current osteoporosis diagnostic tests. Now, researchers have developed a biosensor that could someday help identify those most at risk for osteoporosis using less than a drop of blood.
Whether enjoyed on its own or mixed into a latte, Americano or even a martini, espresso provides an ultra-concentrated jolt of caffeine to coffee lovers. But it might do more than just wake you up. Research now shows that, in preliminary in vitro laboratory tests, espresso compounds can inhibit tau protein aggregation -- a process that is believed to be involved in the onset of Alzheimer's disease.
Astronomers have found the possible 'sibling' of a planet orbiting a distant star. The team has detected a cloud of debris that might be sharing this planet's orbit and which, they believe, could be the building blocks of a new planet or the remnants of one already formed. If confirmed, this discovery would be the strongest evidence yet that two exoplanets can share one orbit.
New research has found the first evidence of a massive galaxy with no dark matter. The result is a challenge to the current standard model of cosmology.
People who contract COVID-19 but never develop symptoms -- the so-called super dodgers -- may have a genetic ace up their sleeve. They're more than twice as likely as those who become symptomatic to carry a specific gene variation that helps them obliterate the virus, according to a new study.
Astronomers used the state-of-the-art capability of VERA, a Japanese network of radio telescopes, to uncover valuable clues about how rapidly growing 'young' supermassive black holes form, grow, and possibly evolve into more powerful quasars.
Omega-3 lysolipids are important for protecting the liver from dietary fat, according to researchers.
Early experiments have revealed significant benefits to a dry battery manufacturing process. This eliminates the use of toxic solvents while showing promise for delivering a battery that is durable, less weighed down by inactive elements and able to maintain high energy storage capacity after use. Such improvements could boost wider EV adoption, helping to reduce carbon emissions and achieve U.S. climate goals.
In a new landmark chemistry study, researchers describe how they have achieved the highest level of energy storage -- also known as capacitance -- in a supercapacitor ever recorded.
Researchers created a new audio chatbot, Self-Talk with Superhero Zip, aimed to help children speak positively to themselves. This chatbot is 'a 'Sesame Street' experience for a smart speaker.'
Because the cutting process involves locally shearing or deforming the metal to extreme levels under high rates, the team hypothesized that it could provide fundamental information on the material's strength, resistance to plastic deformation or irreversible shape change.
Membraneless organelles in cells contain high concentrations of semi-extractable RNAs, which could serve as potential biomarkers and drug targets. However, the identification and characterization of these RNAs have been limited. Researchers have now developed a novel bioinformatic pipeline to define and analyze semi-extractable RNAs, which has led to the identification of over 1000 RNAs involved in membraneless organelle formation. This study paves the way for future investigations into RNA-centric phase separations.
AI-guided electrical stimulation in the brains of patients with traumatic brain injury improved memory, a collaborative new study shows. This builds on previous research involving epilepsy patients without traumatic brain injury. Brain injuries can result in profound memory loss, and the current study provides a proof-of-concept for future AI-guided brain stimulation therapies.
A new technique enables a human to efficiently fine-tune a robot that failed to complete a desired task with very little effort on the part of the human. Their system uses algorithms, counterfactual explanations, and feedback from the user to generate synthetic data it uses to quickly fine-tune the robot.
To understand the main determinants behind worldwide antibiotic resistance dynamics, scientists developed a statistical model based on a large-scale spatial-temporal analysis. Using the ATLAS antimicrobial resistance surveillance database, the model revealed significant differences in trends and associated factors depending on bacterial species and resistance to certain antibiotics. For example, countries with high quality health systems were associated with low levels of antibiotic resistance among all the gram-negative bacteria1 investigated, while high temperatures were associated with high levels of antibiotic resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. Surprisingly, national antibiotic consumption levels were not correlated with resistance for the majority of the bacteria tested. The results suggest that antibiotic resistance control measures need to be adapted to the local context and to targeted bacteria-antibiotic combinations.
Parasitic hairworms manipulate the behavior of their hosts in what's sometimes called 'mind control.' A new study reveals another strange trait shared by different hairworm species: they're missing about 30% of the genes that researchers expected them to have. What's more, the missing genes are responsible for the development of cilia, the hair-like structures present in at least some of the cells of every other animal known.
Researchers report achieving self-sustaining and long-term levitation of millimeter-sized droplets of several different liquids without any external forces. To get the droplets to levitate, they use solutocapillary convection, which occurs when a surface tension gradient is formed by nonuniform distribution of vapor molecules from the droplet at the pool surface. Further exploring the effects of various external conditions on self-sustained droplet levitation will reveal whether it can be harnessed and adapted for microbiology and biochemistry applications.
Scientists have described an unusual fossil from around 125 million years ago in China that shows a dramatic moment in time when a carnivorous mammal attacked a larger plant-eating dinosaur. The two animals are locked in mortal combat, and it's among the first evidence to show actual predatory behavior by a mammal on a dinosaur. The fossil's presence challenges the view that dinosaurs had few threats from their mammal contemporaries during the Cretaceous, when dinosaurs were the dominant animals.
Researchers developed a detailed assessment and map of vulnerability to natural disaster of the continental United States.
Lewy body disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. A research group has now shown that the disease can be detected before symptoms appear, using a spinal fluid test. Researchers also demonstrate that reduced sense of smell is strongly linked to Lewy body disease even before other clear symptoms have developed.
A bifacial perovskite solar cell, which allows sunlight to reach both sides of the device, holds the potential to produce higher energy yields at lower overall costs.
Coastal forests are increasingly exposed to the effects of climate change and sea level rise. New experimental research examined how soils change when transplanted between parts of a tidal creek that differed in salinity. Scientists found that soils with a history of salinity and inundation by seawater were more resistant to changes in water conditions, suggesting that soils learn from their history of inundation.
Researchers analyzed more than 500,000 motion-sensor camera trap images taken at a Northern California reserve in the years before and after the Mendocino Complex Fire to understand how the blaze impacted small- and medium-sized mammals. The study is one of the first to compare wildlife observations made before and after a megafire, and is also one of a limited number of studies to focus on the impacts of megafires on California's oak woodlands.
Groundbreaking research is shifting the understanding of human decision-making processes by highlighting the importance of goal-oriented rewards.
Researchers applied genetic and isotopic analyses to jaguar scat to investigate the habitat needs of the big cats in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Preserve of Belize in Central America. The study demonstrates a novel and noninvasive technique for identifying the landscape use and conservation needs of elusive wildlife.
Fertilizer restrictions along Florida's 156-mile-long Indian River Lagoon were intended to reduce nutrient inputs from urban and agricultural land uses. The hope was that water quality would improve by reducing the nitrogen load. While these restrictions were well-intended, a study finds fertilizer use is not the root cause of the lagoon's environmental issues. It's sewage. For decades, fertilizer use was implicated for about 71 percent of the lagoon's environmental impairments. In fact, current estimates show 79 percent of nitrogen loading is from septic systems; 21 percent is from residential fertilizer use.
Researchers find large methane emissions: 'Do not flood low-lying areas with freshwater'. Their studies find that freshwater lakes emit much more methane than saltwater lagoons, bogs and wet meadows.
Researchers have found an anti-aging function in a protein deep within human cells. Researchers have discovered that a protein called ATSF-1 controls a fine balance between the creation of new mitochondria and the repair of damaged mitochondria.
Scientists have recently proposed a workflow that can dramatically accelerate the search for novel materials with improved properties. They demonstrated the power of the approach by identifying more than 50 strongly thermally insulating materials. These can help alleviate the ongoing energy crisis, by allowing for more efficient thermoelectric elements, i.e., devices able to convert otherwise wasted heat into useful electrical voltage.
Eating breakfast after 9 a.m. increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 59% compared to people who eat breakfast before 8 a.m. This is the main conclusion of a study which followed more than 100,000 participants in a French cohort. The results show that we can reduce the risk of diabetes not only by changing what we eat, but also when we eat it.
This robot can swim under the sand and dig itself out too, thanks to two front limbs that mimic the oversized flippers of turtle hatchlings. It's the only robot that is able to travel in sand at a depth of 5 inches. It can also travel at a speed of 1.2 millimeters per second--roughly 4 meters, or 13 feet, per hour. This may seem slow but is comparable to other subterranean animals like worms and clams.
No, oxygen didn't catalyze the swift blossoming of Earth's first multicellular organisms. The result defies a 70-year-old assumption about what caused an explosion of oceanic fauna hundreds of millions of years ago.
Because they are persistent, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are also known as 'chemicals for eternity'. They can lead to liver damage, thyroid disorders, obesity, hormonal disorders, and cancer. A team of researchers has now shown that PFAS can also reduce the activity of human immune cells and thus impair health. The method could also be used to reveal the immunomodulatory effects of other chemicals.
Astronomers have found evidence that some stars boast unexpectedly strong surface magnetic fields, a discovery that challenges current models of how they evolve.
Researchers have shown for the first time how Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV), which causes an aggressive skin cancer called Merkel cell carcinoma, initiates DNA replication in host cells.
During his career, Benjamin Franklin printed nearly 2,500,000 money notes for the American Colonies using what the researchers have identified as highly original techniques.
There is news from the immune system: Dendritic cells migrate in a network along the outside of blood vessels. Local cytokines keep this dynamic network stable.
Columbia researchers have found why babies are susceptible to repeated bouts of common respiratory infections--but also have a unique weapon to fight off new pathogens that healthy adults lack.
A new study found that more than one million US deaths per year -- including many young and working-age adults -- could be avoided if the US had mortality rates similar to its peer nations. In 2021, 1.1 million deaths would have been averted in the United States if the US had mortality rates similar to other wealthy nations, according to a new study.
Scientists once assumed that flooding and mudslides after wildfires were linked to the waxy coating that builds up on charred soil, preventing water absorption. Researchers found that water flow came from absorbed water in both burnt and unburnt areas, suggesting that water was, in fact, being absorbed into burnt ground. The discovery provides valuable insights into where and when potential flooding and mudslides may occur and how landscapes recover after a wildfire.
Data scientists have created an artificial intelligence model that may more accurately predict which existing medicines, not currently classified as harmful, may in fact lead to congenital disabilities. The model, or 'knowledge graph,' also has the potential to predict the involvement of pre-clinical compounds that may harm the developing fetus. The study is the first known of its kind to use knowledge graphs to integrate various data types to investigate the causes of congenital disabilities.
A team has found that NASA's Juno spacecraft orbiting Jupiter frequently encounters giant swirling waves at the boundary between the solar wind and Jupiter's magnetosphere. The waves are an important process for transferring energy and mass from the solar wind, a stream of charged particles emitted by the Sun, to planetary space environments.
Many low-risk patients with a penicillin allergy were able to have their penicillin allergy label removed through a simple procedure known as 'direct oral challenge' as part of a world-first multicenter randomized control trial known as the Penicillin Allergy Clinical Decision Rule (PALACE) study.
Nightingales match the pitch of their whistle songs to those of their rivals in real time.
Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is on the rise worldwide. The benefits of current medications are limited by problematic side effects. A research team has now introduced a new method of treatment. It is based on nanoparticles that mimic a special carbohydrate layer (glycocalyx) located on inflamed bowel cells, and which trigger anti-inflammatory effects in the diseased sites in the intestine.
In the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, alien radio signals would be swamped by interference from radio sources on Earth. To confirm, researchers point away from the source and then back. If it's still there, it may be interesting. Researchers have come up with a new method that looks for evidence the signal has passed through the interstellar medium. The technique will boost confidence in any candidate signal discovered in the future.
Researchers have developed an automatic process for making soft sensors. These universal measurement cells can be attached to almost any kind of object. Applications are envisioned especially in robotics and prosthetics.
A recent study centers around the idea that various anti-inflammatory drugs could be effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease. This study focused on a protein known as p38. Many labs have been working with this protein as a potential target for drug development to treat Alzheimer's disease and other conditions with neuroinflammatory dysfunction.
Researchers have achieved a groundbreaking milestone in studying how vortices move in these quantum fluids. A new study of vortex ring motion in superfluid helium provides crucial evidence supporting a recently developed theoretical model of quantized vortices.
In a new study, researchers have found that the restoration efforts of the critically endangered species elkhorn coral depend largely on the animal's location, microbiome, and the right conditions to provide an abundance of food.
Pharmaceutical scientists and biologists are teaming up to make the next generation of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for drug delivery. Combining structural biology with cutting edge pharmaceutical science, the team is designing LNPs that can precisely deliver vaccines and therapeutics to target tissues while improving the product's shelf life and duration of action.
Researchers are using DNA 'origami' templates to control the way viruses are assembled. The global team behind the research developed a way to direct the assembly of virus capsids -- the protein shell of viruses -- at physiological conditions in a precise and programmable manner. Precise control over the size and shape of virus proteins would have advantages in the development of new vaccines and delivery systems.
Common bone density scans can detect a predictor of cardiovascular health risk -- a process which can now be done a LOT faster.
ChatGPT's responses to people's healthcare-related queries are nearly indistinguishable from those provided by humans, a new study reveals, suggesting the potential for chatbots to be effective allies to healthcare providers' communications with patients.
Giving patients with operable pancreatic cancers a three-pronged combination immunotherapy treatment consisting of the pancreatic cancer vaccine GVAX, the immune checkpoint therapy nivolumab and urelemab, an anti-CD137 agonist antibody treatment, is safe, it increases the amount of cancer-killing immune system T cells in the tumors and it appears effective when given two weeks prior to cancer-removal surgery, according to new research.
Researchers have uncovered the role the thymus gland plays in creating and 'training' specialised anti-cancer white blood cells -- known as gamma delta T cells. This unsung organ produces these amazing cells after we are born -- so they can enter the body and start fighting off disease and infection.
Oceanic islands provide useful models for ecology, biogeography and evolutionary research. Many ground-breaking findings -- including Darwin's theory of evolution -- have emerged from the study of species on islands and their interplay with their living and non-living environment. Now, an international research team has investigated the flora of the Canary Island of Tenerife. The results were surprising: the island's plant-life exhibits a remarkable diversity of forms. But the plants differ little from mainland plants in functional terms. However, unlike the flora of the mainland, the flora of Tenerife is dominated by slow-growing, woody shrubs with a 'low-risk' life strategy.
Mechanical engineering and materials science advancements could revolutionize safety equipment for athletes and more.
Monitoring dairy calves with precision technologies based on the 'internet of things,' or IoT, leads to the earlier diagnosis of calf-killing bovine respiratory disease, according to a new study. The novel approach -- a result of crosscutting -- will offer dairy producers an opportunity to improve the economies of their farms, according to researchers.
Aerobic glycolysis, the process by which cells transform glucose into lactate, is key for eye development in mammals, according to a new study.
Plant diversity in nature is generally highest in tropical regions around the equator, with decreasing diversity closer to the poles. Researchers now show that the plant specimens housed in herbaria in Europe and North America are more comprehensive and diverse than the collections housed in the countries with more natural plant diversity.
Many landscapes in the tropics consist of a mosaic of different types of land use. How people make use of these different ecosystems, with their particular plant communities, was unclear until now. Researchers, many of them from Madagascar, have now investigated this. When considering biodiversity, forests often get the most attention. But this research shows that rural households use a wide range of plant species and services provided by many nearby ecosystem types.
Scientists have discovered that the genes required for learning, memory, aggression and other complex behaviors originated around 650 million years ago.
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a monster in the making in this observation of the exceptional galaxy cluster eMACS J1353.7+4329, which lies about eight billion light-years from Earth in the constellation Canes Venatici. This collection of at least two galaxy clusters is in the process of merging together to create a cosmic monster, a single gargantuan cluster acting as a gravitational lens.
Promising results in a trial of ketamine for severe depression could lead to treatment becoming more affordable.
New observations have distinguished the sites of star formation and a possible site of star death from the surrounding nebula in a galaxy 13.2 billion light-years away. This is the farthest that such structures have been observed.
What should the city we live in look like? How do structural changes affect the people who move around it? Cartographers use virtual reality tools to explore these questions before a great deal of money is spent on building measures. Using the Unity3 game engine, they recreate scenarios in 3D where people can experience potential changes through immersion. They were able to prove that the physical reaction to this experience is measurable.
Antibodies are crucial, not only for treating tumors and infections. Sometimes, however, the immune reaction they trigger can be too strong and end up causing more damage, for example in the case of people infected with Covid-19. Problems such as these can often be avoided by finetuning antibodies, according to new research.
In an exciting scientific development, an international team of researchers have officially named a newly discovered 145-million-year-old pterosaur. The animal had enormous 2-meter wingspan and was nicknamed 'Elvis' when the fossil was first unearthed in Bavaria, Germany because of the giant pompadour-like bony crest on its skull. Now the animal has been given a formal scientific name of Petrodactyle wellnhoferi. The name translates as 'Wellnhofer's stone-finger' honouring legendary German palaeontologist Peter Wellnhofer who spent his career working on German pterosaurs. Petrodactyle is a very complete skeleton with nearly every bone preserved and in remarkable detail.
In 2020, Japan performed the first successful test extracting cobalt crusts from the top of deep-sea mountains to mine cobalt -- a mineral used in electric vehicle batteries. Not only do directly mined areas become less habitable for ocean animals, but mining also creates a plume of sediment that can spread through the surrounding water. An investigation on the environmental impact of this first test reports a decrease in ocean animals both in and around the mining zone.
Tucked into the hillsides of Italy, Portugal, and Spain, some of the world's most famous -- and most difficult to maintain -- vineyards are heralded for their unique flavor profiles and centuries of tradition. But as extreme weather and changing socioeconomic conditions make this so-called 'heroic viticulture' even more challenging, scientists worry these grapes and their cultural histories are at risk. Researchers argue that farmers and scientists must work together to protect some of the world's most celebrated wines.
A new theoretical study provides a framework for understanding nonlocality, a feature that quantum networks must possess to perform operations inaccessible to standard communications technology. By clarifying the concept, researchers determined the conditions necessary to create systems with strong, quantum correlations.
Scientists have discovered a previously unknown 'housekeeping' process in kidney cells that ejects unwanted content, resulting in cells that rejuvenate themselves and remain functioning and healthy. The self-renewal process, which is fundamentally different from how other bodily tissues are thought to regenerate, helps explain how, barring injury or disease, the kidneys can remain healthy for a lifetime.
Brown dwarf stars rarely emit radio waves. Here scientists have found the coldest star yet emitting at these long wave lengths. Understanding the science of 'ultracool brown dwarfs' will help deepen our knowledge of how stars evolve.
Three bright objects initially identified as galaxies in observations from the James Webb Space Telescope might actually represent an exotic new form of star. If confirmed, the discovery would also shed light on the nature of dark matter.
A billowing pair of nearly symmetrical loops of dust and gas mark the death throes of an ancient red-giant star. The resulting structure, said to resemble an old style of English jug, is a rarely seen bipolar reflection nebula. Evidence suggests that this object formed by the interactions between the dying red giant and a now-shredded companion star.
Scientists have found a source for the mysterious alignment of stars near the Galactic Center.
Rising ocean temperatures are sweeping the seas, breaking records and creating problematic conditions for marine life. Unlike heatwaves on land, periods of abrupt ocean warming can surge for months or years. Around the world these 'marine heatwaves' have led to mass species mortality and displacement events, economic declines and habitat loss. New research reveals that even areas of the ocean protected from fishing are still vulnerable to these extreme events fueled by climate change.
A team of scientists has devised a system that replicates the movement of naturally occurring phenomena, such as hurricanes and algae, using laser beams and the spinning of microscopic rotors.
A University of Minnesota Twin Cities team has, for the first time, synthesized a thin film of a unique topological semimetal material that has the potential to generate more computing power and memory storage while using significantly less energy.
As part of ongoing efforts to develop materials that could enable alternative energy sources, researchers have produced a titanium oxide nanofilament material that can harness sunlight to unlock the ubiquitous molecule's potential as a fuel source.
Research finds 'AI-tocracy,' China's increased investments in AI-driven facial-recognition technology, both help the regime repress dissent and may drive the technology forward.
Homelessness has become an increasingly worrisome crisis in our nation over the past several years, but a new study shows that efforts to prevent homelessness work. Researchers found that individuals and families offered emergency financial assistance were 81 percent less likely to become homeless within six months and 73 percent less likely within 12 months. Furthermore, their estimates suggest that the benefits to homelessness prevention exceed the costs as communities get $2.47 back in benefits per net dollar spent on emergency financial assistance.
A new talking therapy for depression has shown encouraging early signs of being more effective and cheaper to deliver than the current best practice of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). A pilot trial has found Augmented Depression Therapy (ADepT) could be a significant advance in depression care.
Heliconius butterflies' brains grew as they adopted a novel foraging behavior, scientists have found.
Scientists have shown it's possible to grow fungi in thin sheets that could be used for fire-retardant cladding or even a new kind of fungal fashion.
Older people who have little social contact with others may be more likely to have loss of overall brain volume, and in areas of the brain affected by dementia, than people with more frequent social contact, according to a new study.
New fossil mammal specimens from Caribbean Panama suggest ongoing marine interchange during the final stages of formation of the isthmus connecting North and South America.
Companion robots enhanced with artificial intelligence may one day help alleviate the loneliness epidemic. A new report maps some of the ethical considerations, and urges stakeholders to come together to rapidly develop guidelines for trust, agency, engagement, and real-world efficacy. The authors also propose a new measure for whether a companion robot is helping someone.
A groundbreaking study reveals the critical yet severely understudied factor of salinity changes in ocean and coastlines caused by climate change.
Like their viral cousins, retrotransposons have been found borrowing the cell's own machinery to achieve their goals. They hijack a little-known piece of the cell's DNA repair function to close themselves into a ring-like shape and then create a matching double strand. The finding upends 40 years of conventional wisdom and may offer new insights into cancer, viral infections and immune responses. It could also offer a new way to insert sequences into the genome.
Researchers reveal the extent of plastic pollution on coral reefs, finding that debris increases with depth, largely stems from fishing activities, and is correlated with proximity to marine protected areas.
The function of mast cells, which are part of the immune system, is still a mystery. Scientists have now shown in mice: mast cells function as a sensor that signals the animals to avoid antigens, including harmful allergens, and thereby protect themselves from health-threatening inflammatory reactions.
Researchers have produced the most detailed and comprehensive human Heart Cell Atlas to date, including the specialized tissue of the cardiac conduction system -- where the heartbeat originates.
A project involving 79 researchers belonging to the international Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) finds that concentrations of plastic found in freshwater environments are actually higher than those found in so-called 'garbage patches' in the ocean.
Researchers made thin films of an exciting new nickel oxide superconductor that are free of extended defects. This improved the material's ability to conduct electricity with no loss and gave them the first clear view of its properties. They discovered that this nickelate is more like the superconducting cuprates than previously thought.
A new radar technique developed by a graduate student allows imaging of the upper few feet of ice sheets on Earth and icy worlds. The technique uses instruments on airplanes or satellites to survey large regions quickly. The upper few feet of ice sheets are important for measuring melt on Earth or looking for habitable environments on icy worlds. Previous airborne or satellite techniques could not image this narrow region in detail.
Simply the smell of seafood can make those with an allergy to it violently ill -- and therefore more likely to avoid it. The same avoidance behavior is exhibited by people who develop food poisoning after eating a certain meal. Scientists have long known that the immune system played a key role in our reactions to allergens and pathogens in the environment, but it was unclear whether it played any role in prompting these types of behaviors towards allergic triggers.
Rates of Chinook salmon bycatch in the Pacific hake fishery rise during years when ocean temperatures are warmer, a signal that climate change and increased frequency of marine heatwaves could lead to higher bycatch rates, new research indicates.
The ocean's color has changed significantly in 20 years, and the trend is likely a consequence of human-induced climate change, report scientists.
Professor Junsuk Rho's research team at POSTECH reveals a physical phenomenon for vibration focusing and energy storage
Using Japan's most powerful supercomputer, researchers reproduced cases of clear air turbulence around Tokyo. They simulated the fine vortices responsible for this dangerous phenomenon. The usefulness of the simulation in predicting turbulence was confirmed by comparing simulation data with data from aircraft recordings. This research should improve the forecasting of turbulence.
Policy-makers are being urged to take notice of a study that confirms that undertaking a short program of high intensity interval training before surgery can substantially help with recovery.
New research has discovered neurons within the brain which detect and respond to changes in the level of sugar within the bloodstream. Understanding how this blood-sugar detection system works and how these neurocircuits operate would give researchers and doctors greater insights into how our brains regulate our blood sugar and, perhaps, how to target them therapeutically to treat metabolic diseases like diabetes and obesity, according to the study authors.
Over the past several years, researchers have been developing soft analogues of traditionally rigid robotic components. In fluid-driven robotic systems, pumps control the pressure or flow of the liquid that powers the robot's movement. Most pumps available today for soft robotics are either too large and rigid to fit onboard, not powerful enough for actuation or only work with specific fluids. Researchers have now developed a compact, soft pump with adjustable pressure flow versatile enough to pump a variety of fluids with varying viscosity, including gin, juice, and coconut milk, and powerful enough to power soft haptic devices and a soft robotic finger.
The inside of a living cell is crowded with large, complex molecules. New research on how these molecules could spontaneously organize themselves could further our understanding of how cells manage their essential biochemistry in the crowded space. This research may also shed light on how the first living systems appeared and how they evolved their complexities.
A new study has evaluated the contribution of various emission sectors and fuels to PM2.5 mass for 29 states in India and six surrounding countries: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
Mars rovers have teams of human experts on Earth telling them what to do. But robots on lander missions to moons orbiting Saturn or Jupiter are too far away to receive timely commands from Earth. Researchers developed a novel learning-based method so robots on extraterrestrial bodies can make decisions on their own about where and how to scoop up terrain samples.
A new national study has found whole genome sequencing (WGS) to be nearly twice as effective as a targeted gene sequencing test at identifying abnormalities responsible for genetic disorders in newborns and infants.
Biomedical engineers have developed an entirely new approach to building point-of-care diagnostic devices that only use gravity to transport, mix and otherwise manipulate the liquid droplets involved. The demonstration requires only commercially available materials and very little power to read results, making it a potentially attractive option for applications in low-resource settings.
Scientists demonstrate it is possible to build a healthy diet with 91 percent of the calories coming from ultra-processed foods (as classified using the NOVA scale) while still following the recommendations from the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). The study highlights the versatility of using DGA recommendations in constructing healthy menus.
Does the brain play a role in blood glucose regulation? Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine found evidence in animal models that glucose-sensing neurons in the brain are important for whole body glucose regulation, including during diabetes.
In 2020, Tufts Wildlife Clinic Director Maureen Murray, V03, published a study that showed 100% of red-tailed hawks tested at the clinic were positive for exposure to anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs). Such exposure occurs when these chemicals are used to kill mice or rats, which eat the poison, and the birds eat the poisoned prey. Now, another type of rodenticide -- a neurotoxicant called bromethalin -- also can bioaccumulate in birds of prey.
Climate change is not only making Georgia hotter but also increasing the likelihood of snake bite, according to a new study. Every degree Celsius of daily temperature increase corresponds with about a 6% increase in snake bites, researchers found.
Structural engineers are familiar with seventeenth-century scientist Robert Hooke's theory that a hanging chain will mirror the shape of an upstanding rigid arch. However, new research now shows that this common-held belief is incorrect because, regardless of the similarities, the hanging chain and the arch are two incompatible mechanical systems.
Researchers have tested the software of three satellites. And they found many standard security mechanisms missing.
In response to major advances in Generative AI technologies -- as well as the significant questions these technologies pose in areas including intellectual property, the future of work, and even human safety -- the Association for Computing Machinery's global Technology Policy Council (ACM TPC) has issued 'Principles for the Development, Deployment, and Use of Generative AI Technologies.'
Group size and mating preferences may have caused male primates, including humans, to evolve deeper voices than females. The findings can help to shed light on social behavior in humans and their closest living relatives.
Algorithms can predict what movies or songs you might like, but they can also predict which species a predator would most likely eat. Researchers have been using machine learning to identify species interactions, and can predict which species are most likely to go extinct, so that intervention can be planned before this happens.
The entire biosynthetic pathway of actinopyridazone has been unveiled, revealing that an unprecedented carrier protein-mediated ring-forming step is key to its synthesis.
Researchers have studied the global trade in highly hazardous chemicals subject to a global treaty -- the Rotterdam Convention. The results are sobering: Nearly half of the total trade volume of these chemicals crosses national borders illegally, calling for strong international and national action.
A 'biological camera' bypasses the constraints of current DNA storage methods, harnessing living cells and their inherent biological mechanisms to encode and store data. This represents a significant breakthrough in encoding and storing images directly within DNA, creating a new model for information storage reminiscent of a digital camera. Led by Principal Investigator Associate Professor Chueh Loo Poh from the College of Design and Engineering at the National University of Singapore, and the NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), the team's findings, which could potentially shake up the data-storage industry, were published in Nature Communications on 3 July 2023.
A team of researchers has discovered that the memory of the immune system relies on characteristic epigenetic features and a specific 3D arrangement of the DNA in the nucleus of memory cells, allowing for a fast activation of these cells. These features are altered in chronic inflammation diseases like asthma and could be important in autoimmune diseases and cancer.
Researchers have made groundbreaking advancements in bionics with the development of a new electric variable-stiffness artificial muscle. This innovative technology possesses self-sensing capabilities and has the potential to revolutionize soft robotics and medical applications. The artificial muscle seamlessly transitions between soft and hard states, while also sensing forces and deformations. With flexibility and stretchability similar to natural muscle, it can be integrated into intricate soft robotic systems and adapt to various shapes. By adjusting voltages, the muscle rapidly changes its stiffness and can monitor its own deformation through resistance changes. The fabrication process is simple and reliable, making it ideal for a range of applications, including aiding individuals with disabilities or patients in rehabilitation training.
The World Health Organization lists bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics as one of the top 10 global health threats. Therefore, researchers are looking for new antibiotics to counter this resistance. Biophysicist have now discovered that the relatively new antibiotic AMC-109 affects the cell membrane of bacteria by disordering its organization. This differs from most other antibiotics and could open up new directions for future treatment and drug development.
Brand new research has revealed that even moderate daily physical activity can reduce the risk of depression.
According to a new study, internet searches indicate a growing prevalence of various biophobias across the world. Countries with larger urban populations show interest in a broader range of nature-related phobias, supporting the idea that urban living may be linked with fear and disgust towards nature.
Experiments at a unique wind tunnel show that laws formulated more than 80 years ago and their extensions only incompletely explain turbulent flows.
Scientists have found a new use for copper in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent design, that could help to create better images which help doctors diagnose patients' conditions more easily and safely.
New research has found that the design of biodegradable fishing gear needs to improve if it is to help address the environmental and economic impacts of 'ghost fishing'.
Humans began altering environments long before records were kept of the things that lived in them, making it difficult for scientists to determine what healthy ecosystems should look like. Researchers show the recent fossil record preserves a reliable snapshot of marine environments as they existed before humans.
Scientists find that the 'feel good' brain chemical dopamine regulates anxious worm behavior in the presence of nipping predators. The findings illuminate how this dopamine-regulated brain pathway may be related to anxiety and could provide insight into human conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A study in mice suggests that inflammation in the brain's barrier, the meninges, may spill over into grey matter and cause changes that can contribute to progressive multiple sclerosis (MS).
New research shows that bacteria in kitchens across 5 European countries is mostly harmless.
That experiences leave their trace in the connectivity of the brain has been known for a while, but a pioneering study now shows how massive these effects really are. The findings in mice provide unprecedented insights into the complexity of large-scale neural networks and brain plasticity. Moreover, they could pave the way for new brain-inspired artificial intelligence methods.
Mania, in which mood and energy level are extremely elevated for at least a week, and hypomania, which is less severe and lasts at least four days, are the defining features of bipolar spectrum disorders (BSD) and can be the most disruptive symptoms. A new study now identifies a signature of risk for developing future mania or hypomania.
Experts address a number of errors and misconceptions regarding the characteristics and practice of hypnosis.
Our universe could be twice as old as current estimates, according to a new study that challenges the dominant cosmological model and sheds new light on the so-called 'impossible early galaxy problem.'
Citizen scientists have set a new record for the SETI Institute and Unistellar, comprising the highest number of observers providing data on a single event. Amateur astronomers conducted a groundbreaking observation of supernova (SN) 2023ixf. The observations, which began just one hour after the supernova's first known appearance, have generated the longest continuous light curve of this supernova gathered by citizen scientists.
Not all carbon emissions are made for the same reason -- they range from more essential purposes like heating a home to nonessential 'luxury' activities like leisure travel. However, proposals for the implementations of carbon taxes tend to apply to all emissions at an equal rate. This can give rise to and exacerbate inequalities. A new analysis suggests taxing luxury carbon emissions at a higher rate instead; if all 88 countries analyzed in this study adopted the luxury-focused policy, this would achieve 75% of the emissions reduction needed to reach the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting climate change to well below 2°C by 2050.
When an electric vehicle is parked outside, its temperature can swing wildly from day to night and season to season, which can lead to deterioration of the battery. To dampen these fluctuations and extend the battery's lifespan, researchers have designed an all-season thermal cloak that can cool an electric vehicle by 8°C on a hot day and warm it by 6.8°C at night. The cloak, made predominantly of silica and aluminum, can do so passively without outside energy input and operates without any modification between hot or cold weather.
In Physics of Fluids, Vega et al. researched human tears at the micron level to reveal new ways of customizing artificial tears to address individual symptoms of dry eye disease. The detailed insights they gained about the composition and behavior of tears could also apply to the study of ocular pathogens as well as other biological fluids. The authors collected healthy human tears and tested 10 different formulations of artificial tears and applied microrheology methods using dynamic light scattering.
Fetuses use a copy of a gene inherited from their dad to force their mum to release as much nutrients as possible during pregnancy, scientists have discovered. The unborn baby 'remote controls' its mother's metabolism so the two are in a nutritional tug of war. The mother's body wants the baby to survive but needs to keep enough glucose and fats circulating in her system for her own health, to be able to deliver the baby, breastfeed and to reproduce again.
An interdisciplinary team presents a study of the dynamics of buoyant spheres at the air-water interface. Their work reveals complex hydrodynamics involved in forming horizontal air cavities and the transition between floating and skipping. One of the team's key findings is that as the pulling force and speed of the spheres increase, their behavior becomes more irregular. They also discovered larger pulling angles result in different air-cavity lengths, larger skipping distances, and earlier water exit behavior.
A new study has linked underground climate change to the shifting ground beneath urban areas. The phenomenon is affecting all major urban areas around the globe, causing civil structures and infrastructures to crack.
Researchers are developing highly efficient biosourced catalysts based on caffeine and theophylline, two natural substances.
A team has identified a protein that modifies the cellular machinery responsible for producing cellulose, which could inform the design of more stable, cellulose-enriched materials for biofuels and other functions.
Researchers have finally settled a decades-long dispute about the evolutionary origins of the pygmy right whale.
Researchers have announced that they have developed the first stand-alone, conformable, fully organic bioelectronic device that can not only acquire and transmit neurophysiologic brain signals, but can also provide power for device operation.
A new flow battery design achieves long life and capacity for grid energy storage from renewable fuels.
Researchers have described a new fish species that's been popular in the aquarium trade since the early 2000s. Wild populations are rare and restricted to a small river basin along the Thailand/Myanmar border, which has made them difficult to study.
A new technique allows scientists to see how intensely rivers used to flow on Mars, and how they currently flow on Titan. The method uses satellite observations to estimate the rate at which rivers move fluid and sediment downstream.
Researchers have found toxins in the venom of asp caterpillars are completely different to anything they have seen before in insects. Toxins in the caterpillar venom punch holes in cells the same way as toxins produced by disease-causing bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. Venoms are rich sources of new molecules that could be developed into medicines of the future, pesticides, or used as scientific tools.
Research shows global cooling of the climate 10 million years ago led to an explosion of diversity in terrestrial orchids.
Unused solar, wind, and hydroelectric power in the U.S. could support the exponential growth of transactions involving non-fungible tokens (NFTs), researchers have found.
The unequal distribution of wildfire risk in our society is influenced by various factors, such as social vulnerabilities and intersecting forms of inequality, including gender, age, ethnicity, or disability. A new article calls for more integrated and inclusive wildfire risk management approaches and proposes a novel framework mapping different justice aspects.
Scientists have used light-activated molecular machines to induce cell-to-cell calcium signaling, revealing a powerful new strategy for drug design. This technology could lead to improved treatments for people with heart problems, digestive issues and more.
America's forests have a tough time in store for them. Climate change is increasing temperatures and decreasing moisture levels across the country, not a winning combination for trees.
A team conducted an in-depth investigation of the magnetism of TbMn6Sn6, a Kagome layered topological magnet. They were surprised to find that the magnetic spin reorientation in TbMn6Sn6 occurs by generating increasing numbers of magnetically isotropic ions as the temperature increases.
Researchers have developed new bioplastics that degrade on the same timescale as a banana peel in a backyard compost bin.
Scientists have unveiled a new mechanism that plants use to sense temperature. This finding could lead to solutions to counteract some of the deleterious changes in plant growth, flowering and seed production due to climate change.
A study has identified genes involved in development of stone cells -- rigid cells that can block a nibbling insect from eating budding branches of the Sitka spruce evergreen tree. The insect's attack has stunted the growth of these forest giants.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a central molecule in the global cycling of nitrogen, and also toxic. Little is known about if and how microbes can use NO as a substrate for growth. Scientists have now managed to grow a microbial community dominated by two, so-far unknown species on NO for more than four years (and counting) and study their metabolism in great detail. Their research provides insight into the physiology of NO-respiring microorganisms, which have pivotal roles in the control of climate active gases, waste removal, and the evolution of nitrate and oxygen respiration.
Observations of a wild colony of macaques over three years show same-sex sexual behavior among males is widespread and may be beneficial.
Researchers show that computer programs commonly used to determine if a text was written by artificial intelligence tend to falsely label articles written by non-native language speakers as AI-generated. The researchers caution against the use of such AI text detectors for their unreliability, which could have negative impacts on individuals including students and those applying for jobs.
The summer of 2022 was the hottest summer ever recorded in Europe and was characterized by an intense series of record-breaking heat waves, droughts and forest fires. A study now estimates 61,672 heat-attributable deaths between 30 May and 4 September 2022. The research team obtained temperature and mortality data for the period 2015-2022 for 823 regions in 35 European countries, whose total population represents more than 543 million people. These data were used to estimate epidemiological models and predict temperature-attributable mortality for each region and week of the summer period.
Scientists have come together to present a new way to observe the brain's structure and dynamics -- in a high resolution and without damaging the tissue.
In-person mindfulness courses help improve mental health for at least six months, study shows. Adults who voluntarily take part in mindfulness courses are less likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression for at least six months after completing the programs, compared to adults who do not take part, a new analysis pooling data from 13 studies has confirmed.
A common childhood injury has been shown to slash school completion rates, adding to evidence that found being hospitalized can have a long-lasting effect on young people.
The free radical theory of aging is back in play after falling out of favor decades ago. (Remember when people were taking massive doses of various vitamins and minerals? Mopping up free radicals with antioxidants compromised beneficial metabolic signaling pathways leading to bad side effects). What brings the theory back? Researchers at the Buck discovered that they could specifically block free radical production in mitochondria. An elegant solution replaces an indiscriminate and messy mop up. These scientists developed a bioavailable compound -- available in a pill form -- that blocks free radical production. The compound both prevented and treated metabolic syndrome in mice. 'We think that mitochondrial radical production drives many chronic diseases of aging, and that blocking the production of free radicals is a viable disease-treating and anti-aging intervention,' said Martin Brand, Ph.D., Buck Professor Emeritus and senior investigator of the study.
Financial payments made by land developers to offset their impacts on threatened species may fall short, according to new research.
Researchers drew inspiration from the spider silk spinning process to fabricate strong, stretchable, and electrically conductive soft fibers. Their novel technique overcomes the challenges of conventional methods, which require complex conditions and systems. Such soft and recyclable fibers have a wide range of potential applications, such as a strain-sensing glove for gaming or a smart mask for monitoring breathing status for conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea.
Robots and artificial intelligence (AI) are expected to play a key role in nursing practice in the future. In this regard, researchers from Japan ask whether intelligent machines can replace humans as nurses. They investigate the potential of current advancements in robotics and AI to replicate the ethical concepts attributed to nurses, including advocacy, accountability, cooperation, and caring. While these technologies hold promise in enhancing healthcare practices, their integration into nursing requires careful consideration.
When unethical behavior is criticized, demands are often met with defensiveness and denial. How can we overcome this reaction? New research demonstrates that criticism is more persuasive when it is expressed with concern for the welfare of those being criticized.
Plant roots have their own thermometer to measure the temperature of the soil around them and they adjust their growth accordingly. Through extensive experiments, a team was able to demonstrate that roots have their own temperature sensing and response system. In a new study, the scientists also provide a new explanation for how roots themselves detect and react to higher temperatures. The results could help develop new approaches for plant breeding.
Research reveals how millions of years of evolution has engineered honey bees to make fast decisions and reduce risk.
Migrant male orangutans on Borneo and Sumatra learn about unfamiliar foods in their new home range by 'peering' at experienced locals: intensely observing them at close range. This is what an international research team found out in a long-term study with 152 male animals observed over a period of 30 years. Peering was most frequently seen when locals consumed foods that were rare or hard to process.
A lollipop might be a sweet reward for a kid who's endured a trip to the doctor's office, but now, this candy could make diagnostic testing during a visit less invasive and more enjoyable. Researchers have shown that a lollipop-based saliva collection system can capture bacteria from adults and remain shelf-stable for up to a year. Study participants also preferred the candies over conventional collection systems.
The findings could benefit efforts to develop new ways to treat and prevent hearing loss, including age-related hearing loss.
A team of scientists has found that an existing cancer drug could be repurposed to target a subset of cancers that currently lack targeted treatment options and is often associated with poor outcomes. This subset of cancers makes up 15 per cent of all cancers and is especially prevalent in aggressive tumors such as osteosarcoma (bone tumor) and glioblastoma (brain tumor).
'Metarecognition' is the ability to objectively monitor, control, and improve one's learning ability. Researchers demonstrated that the human brain exhibits metacognitive abilities that regulate implicit motor learning to maximize monetary rewards. Unlike artificial intelligence, which is perpetually optimal, human metacognition exhibits an asymmetric bias in managing rewards (monetary gain) and punishments (monetary loss).
Seasonal temperature fluctuations only have an indirect influence on the bacterial community in wastewater.
New research provides evidence that electric fields shared among neurons via 'ephaptic coupling' provide the coordination necessary to assemble the multi-region neural ensembles ('engrams') that represent remembered information.
Indonesia, home to the largest tropical rainforest in Southeast Asia and over 17,500 islands, is a country packed with biodiversity and endangered species. However, scientists studying the region's species and ecosystems are getting banned from Indonesia, and conservation plans are being blocked. A team of conservation researchers with long-term experience in Indonesia discuss scientific suppression and other research challenges they have witnessed while working in the region. They offer suggestions for how to promote nature conservation, protect data transparency, and share research with the public in this and other regions of the world.
The material a bird selects for its nest depends on the dimensions of its beak, according to researchers.
Rising temperatures are causing British bees to wake up from hibernation almost a week earlier.
We all discard a huge amount of plastic and other human-made materials into the environment, and these are often picked up by birds. New research has shown that 176 bird species around the world are now known to include a wide range of anthropogenic materials in their nests. This material found in birds' nests can be both beneficial and harmful say researchers.
A new framework uses machine learning to simultaneously predict molecular properties and generate new molecules using only a small amount of data for training.
A new study finds that ticks can harbor transmissible amounts of the protein particle that causes Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), implicating the parasites as possible agents in the disease's spread between deer in Wisconsin.
Researchers investigated how seeing frightening news about climate change day after day may shape the way people feel about the phenomenon and how willing they are to take action to address it.
Human cells evolving in the laboratory undergo a series of predictable, sequential genetic changes that lead to pre-cancer. Blocking these changes may allow intervention before cancer occurs.
Extinct dwarf hippos that once roamed Madagascar lived in forests rather than open grasslands preferred by common hippos on mainland Africa. The findings suggest grasslands that now cover much of the enormous island off the eastern coast of southern Africa were a relatively recent change facilitated by people rather than a natural habitat sustained in part by these famously large vegetarians.
A new study shows that intentionally integrating art with data visualizations can help non-expert audiences more meaningfully engage with climate change while also bridging political divides in ways that data alone cannot.
Researchers have uncovered a potential mechanism in humans that explains how and why deep-sleep brain waves at night are able to regulate the body's sensitivity to insulin, which in turn improves blood sugar control the next day. It's an exciting advance because sleep is a modifiable lifestyle factor that could now be used as part of a therapeutic and painless adjunct treatment for those with high blood sugar or Type 2 diabetes.
A novel molecular pathway to explain how a mutation in the gene ACTA2 can cause individuals in their 30s -- with normal cholesterol levels and no other risk factors -- to develop coronary artery disease has now been identified,.
The prevalence of moderate or severe joint pain due to arthritis varies strikingly across American states, ranging from 6.9% of the population in Minnesota to 23.1% in West Virginia, according to a new study.
Researchers have developed a light-emitting electrochemical cell using dendrimers, a material gaining popularity in the industry. Moreover, the team found that using biomass derived cellulose acetate as the electrolyte retains the cell's long-life span. Combined with a graphene electrode, the cell has the potential to light the way for a future of eco-friendly and flexible light-emitting devices.
Researchers have found that fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) from healthy donors are safe and show promise in improving response to immunotherapy in patients with advanced melanoma.
Organic electronics can make a decisive contribution to decarbonization and, at the same time, help to cut the consumption of rare and valuable raw materials. To do so, it is not only necessary to further develop manufacturing processes, but also to devise technical solutions for recycling as early on as the laboratory phase. Materials scientists are now promoting this circular strategy.
New AI tool enables in-surgery genomic profiling of gliomas, the most aggressive and most common brain tumors. This information offers critical clues about how aggressive a cancer is, its future behavior, and its likely response to treatment. The tool can provide real-time guidance to surgeons on the optimal surgical approach for removal of cancerous tissue.
In males of many species, it pays to identify females that are nearing maturity to be the first in line for mating. Now researchers have found a remarkable example: male spider mites guard and then actively strip off the skin of premature females that are soon to molt and mature to make them accessible for mating sooner.
Animal-based food products often come packaged in a wide array of information labels, including organic, natural, grass-fed, humanely raised and pasture-raised. But it's typically up to the consumer to do their homework and figure out what these different claims mean.
Microbiomes play a key role for plant health and could make agriculture more sustainable -- but the principles behind the assembly of their communities have remained largely unknown. Researchers have shown how bacteria can compete for food, but also cooperate thanks to differences in metabolism -- resulting in stably structured communities. Their models can accurately predict these interactions and can help to design microbiomes for specific applications in the future.
With the goal of advancing biomimetic microscale materials, the research team has developed a new method to create microscale superstructures, called MicroSpine, that possess both soft and hard materials which mimic the spine structure and can act as microactuators with shape-transforming properties. This breakthrough was achieved through colloidal assembly, a simple process in which nano- and microparticles spontaneously organize into ordered spatial patterns.
Researchers found that altered B cell function in children with mitochondrial disorders led to a weaker and less diverse antibody response to viral infections. Researchers analyzed gene activity of immune cells in children with mitochondrial disorders and found that B cells, which produce antibodies to fight viral infections, are less able to survive cellular stress.
The arrangement of electrons in matter, known as the electronic structure, plays a crucial role in fundamental but also applied research such as drug design and energy storage. However, the lack of a simulation technique that offers both high fidelity and scalability across different time and length scales has long been a roadblock for the progress of these technologies. Researchers have now pioneered a machine learning-based simulation method that supersedes traditional electronic structure simulation techniques. Their Materials Learning Algorithms (MALA) software stack enables access to previously unattainable length scales.
The mucus in the airways is not as sticky, inflammation in the lungs significantly reduced: Triple combination therapy can achieve these positive, lasting effects in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). According to new research, this form of medication improves the symptoms of CF in many patients.
Unprocessed red meat and whole grains can be included or left out of a healthy diet, according to a study conducted in 80 countries across all inhabited continents. Diets emphasizing fruit, vegetables, dairy (mainly whole-fat), nuts, legumes and fish were linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and premature death in all world regions. The addition of unprocessed red meat or whole grains had little impact on outcomes.
Many at-risk forest tree species will probably need biotechnology along with traditional tree-breeding approaches to survive, according to new insights.
Research has revealed that Queensland native forestry, including timber harvesting, could actually help conserve biodiversity and mitigate climate risks.
Scientists have successfully developed a model that utilizes AI to accurately classify cardiac functions and valvular heart diseases from chest radiographs. The Area Under the Curve, or AUC, of the AI classification showed a high level of accuracy, exceeding 0.85 for almost all indicators and reaching 0.92 for detecting left ventricular ejection fraction -- an important measure for monitoring cardiac function.
Researchers showed that consuming THC while pregnant could potentially affect development of the fetus and lead to life-long health impacts for offspring.
Discoveries by forensic scientists about how gunshot residue behaves on skin, hair and fabric will allow crime scene investigators to catch up to the proliferation of new, eco-friendly types of ammunition and make faster, more informed decisions at crime scenes and in forensic laboratories.
Physicists captured the first images that directly show the pairing of fermions. The snapshots of particles pairing up in a cloud of atoms can provide clues to how electrons pair up in a superconducting material.
Incorporating animal welfare into policymaking may improve policy and practice, according to new research. The article notes that animal welfare rarely is considered during policymaking, explains why current tools make it difficult to incorporate the well-being of animals into public policy and identifies methods for remedying these issues.
Researchers are using a new model to clarify why millions of years ago more animal species from Asia made the leap to the Australian continent than vice versa. The climate in which the species evolved played an important role.
Cancer cells with extra chromosomes depend on those chromosomes for tumor growth, a new study reveals, and eliminating them prevents the cells from forming tumors. The findings, said the researchers, suggest that selectively targeting extra chromosomes may offer a new route for treating cancer.
How will future climate change affect nitrogen loss, and will cover crops still be effective in removing nitrogen from drainage water? A new study investigating near- and far-term climate change in Illinois suggests cover crops will still be beneficial, but not to the same degree. The report also forecasts major declines in corn production across the state in the future.
A study has demonstrated for the first time that diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) can be significantly improved by additionally measuring the thickness of retinal layers in the eye. Use of the procedure helps to detect the condition at an earlier stage and predict its progression more accurately. This can lead to a decisive increase in the chance of improved patient outcomes.
Researchers describe a 500 million-year-old tunicate fossil species. The study suggests that the modern tunicate body plan was already established soon after the Cambrian Explosion.
We humans can be a scary acquaintance for whales in the wild. This includes marine biologists tagging them with measuring devices to understand them better. These experiences can make whales behave erratically for a while. Such behaviour can affect research quality and highlights an animal ethics dilemma. Now, researchers have figured out how to solve the problems with math.
Researchers have discovered the most distant active supermassive black hole to date with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The galaxy, CEERS 1019, existed about 570 million years after the big bang, and its black hole is less massive than any other yet identified in the early universe.
For those with creative minds, screen-free downtime can be fruitful and entertaining: Creative people use their idle time by letting one idea lead to another.
As the Arctic warms, shrinking glaciers are exposing bubbling groundwater springs which could provide an underestimated source of the potent greenhouse gas methane, finds new research.
A new study looked at cognitive function over 10 years in 8,958 people aged 50 and over in England. The research team investigated how different combinations of sleep and physical activity habits might affect people's cognitive function over time.
Encouraging adolescents to feel capable and purposeful -- rather than just happy -- could improve their academic results as well as their mental health, according to new research which recommends changing how wellbeing is supported in schools. The study involved over 600 teenagers from schools in England and examined two aspects of wellbeing: life satisfaction (which roughly equates to how happy a person is) and 'eudaimonia', which incorporates feelings of competence, motivation, self-esteem and of 'functioning well'. Students with higher eudaimonia consistently outperformed peers in GCSE-level assessments, especially Maths. The study's lead author suggests that attention to these aspects of wellbeing could improve some pupils' Maths scores 'by a couple of grades'. There was no link between academic performance and life satisfaction. Despite this, life satisfaction -- helping children to feel 'happy' and suppress negative thoughts -- remains the focus of wellbeing education in English schools.
In a world-first, 3D holographic images of an embryo have been developed. The images are created using minuscule amounts of light in a fraction of a second.
Understanding when and where ships are entering areas of Arctic sea ice can help better understand the potential impacts of vessel traffic in the region.
Older people who have fluctuating levels of cholesterol and triglycerides may have a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias compared to people who have steady levels, according to new research. While the study found a link, it does not prove that fluctuating levels of cholesterol and triglycerides cause dementia.
Taking good care of your teeth may be linked to better brain health, according to a new study. The study found that gum disease and tooth loss were linked to brain shrinkage in the hippocampus, which plays a role in memory and Alzheimer's disease. The study does not prove that gum disease or tooth loss causes Alzheimer's disease; it only shows an association.
New research suggests artificial intelligence can match the top 1% of human thinkers on a standard test for creativity.
Birds are the only group of dinosaurs that survived the asteroid-induced mass extinction 66 million years ago. But not all the birds alive at the time made it. Why the ancestors of modern birds lived while so many of their relatives died has been a mystery that paleontologists have been trying to solve for decades. Two new studies point to one possible factor: the differences between how modern birds and their ancient cousins molt their feathers.
Using CRISPR technology, scientists have engineered a new way to genetically suppress populations of Anopheles gambiae, the mosquitoes that primarily spread malaria in Africa and contribute to economic poverty in affected regions.
Researchers have developed a soft, flexible, wireless device to monitor and treat heart disease and dysfunction in the days, weeks or months following traumatic heart-related events. And, after the device is no longer needed, it harmlessly dissolves inside the body, bypassing the need for extraction.
We interact with bits and bytes everyday -- whether that's through sending a text message or receiving an email. There's also quantum bits, or qubits, that have critical differences from common bits and bytes. These photons -- particles of light -- can carry quantum information and offer exceptional capabilities that can't be achieved any other way. Unlike binary computing, where bits can only represent a 0 or 1, qubit behavior exists in the realm of quantum mechanics. Through "superpositioning," a qubit can represent a 0, a 1, or any proportion between. This vastly increases a quantum computer's processing speed compared to today's computers. Experts are now investigating the inside of a quantum-dot-based light emitter.
Scientists have found that altering amounts of the nutrient glutamine in the tumor microenvironment could enhance or impair the immune system's anti-cancer response.
Researchers have made major strides in confirming the source of dust in early galaxies. Observations of two Type II supernovae, Supernova 2004et (SN 2004et) and Supernova 2017eaw (SN 2017eaw), have revealed large amounts of dust within the ejecta of each of these objects. The mass found by researchers supports the theory that supernovae played a key role in supplying dust to the early universe.
Osteoarthritis is the most common degenerative joint disease, affecting 22% of adults over 40 globally. Although the condition has been extensively studied through a medical perspective, the molecular changes associated with osteoarthritis remain unclear. In a new study, researchers have used a combination of techniques to track the progression of the disease and the changes associated with it.
Workers feeling a specific form of stress are more likely than others to become the victims of a phishing attack, according to a new study.
New research has helped explain how melanoma evades the immune system and may guide the discovery of future therapies for the disease.
A new study shows that the so-called planetesimals that accreted together to form Earth must have been composed of dry, rocky materials.
Computer scientists recently found that data-visualization experts have no agreed-upon understanding of who makes up one of their largest audiences -- novice users. The work is an important first step in ensuring more inclusive data visualizations, and thus data visualization that works for all users.
A large formation of granite discovered below the lunar surface likely was formed from the cooling of molten lava that fed a volcano or volcanoes that erupted early in the Moon's history -- as long as 3.5 billion years ago.
More than 10 urgent visits to the bathroom a day due to diarrhea can make it virtually impossible to lead a normal life. But new research can help doctors diagnose bile acid diarrhea and find the right treatment.
Kenyan patients who spend more than three days in the nation's hospitals are more likely to harbor a form of bacteria resistant to one of the most widely used antibiotic classes, according to a recent study. The research team found that 66% of hospitalized patients were colonized with bacteria resistant to third-generation cephalosporins, compared to 49% among community residents. Third-generation cephalosporins are typically used for serious infections, and resistance to these antibiotics leaves limited options for treating patients with some bacterial infections. The study was part of a pair of projects in Kenya and a third in Guatemala to determine the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The research also aimed to identify risk factors for colonization with bacteria resistant to important and frequently used classes of antibiotics, including third-generation cephalosporins.
Researchers have developed a metallic gel that is highly electrically conductive and can be used to print three-dimensional (3D) solid objects at room temperature.
Children taking a prescription stimulant to manage ADHD symptoms are not at a higher risk of substance use disorder as adolescents or young adults, according to new research.
A new vaccine boosts the response of engineered CAR-T cells and helps the immune system generate T cells that target other tumor antigens. The researchers found this approach made it more likely that a tumor can be eradicated in mice.
New research could signal a step change in the quest to design the new materials that are needed to meet the challenge of net zero and a sustainable future. Researchers have shown that a mathematical algorithm can guarantee to predict the structure of any material just based on knowledge of the atoms that make it up.
With a new method for examining virus samples researchers have solved an old riddle about how Hepatitis C virus avoids the human body's immune defenses. The result may have an impact on how we track and treat viral diseases in general.
A study of the genetic variation that makes mice more susceptible to bowel inflammation after a high-fat diet has identified candidate genes which may drive inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in humans.
Researchers have found that one method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions is available, affordable, and capable of being implemented right now. Nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas and ozone-depleting substance, could be readily abated with existing technology applied to industrial sources.
A new method for connecting neurons in neuromorphic wetware has been developed. The wetware comprises conductive polymer wires grown in a three-dimensional configuration, done by applying square-wave voltage to electrodes submerged in a precursor solution. The voltage can modify wire conductance, allowing the network to be trained. This fabricated network is able to perform unsupervised Hebbian learning and spike-based learning.
Engineers have developed a new test that can predict the durability of cement in seconds to minutes -- rather than the hours it takes using current methods. The test measures the behavior of water droplets on cement surfaces using computer vision on a device that costs less than $200. The researchers said the new study could help the cement industry move toward rapid and automated quality control of their materials.
Every year, consumers in the United States produce millions of tons of plastic waste, and most of it winds up in landfills. New research from chemists takes a first step toward making all that trash vanish.
Fish consumption has long been associated with numerous health benefits. However, it is also the main dietary source of toxic mercury in humans. A year-round study from a boreal lake shows that mercury concentration in some fishes is significantly higher in winter and near spring spawning and lowest in autumn.
Biomechanical studies on the arachnid-like front 'legs' of an extinct apex predator show that the 2-foot (60-centimeter) marine animal Anomalocaris canadensis was likely much weaker than once assumed. One of the largest animals to live during the Cambrian, it was probably agile and fast, darting after soft prey in the open water rather than pursuing hard-shelled creatures on the ocean floor.
Changes in water conditions interact to affect how Trinidadian guppies protect themselves from predators, scientists have discovered.
Analysis of global tracking data for 77 species of petrel has revealed that a quarter of all plastics potentially encountered in their search for food are in remote international waters -- requiring international collaboration to address.
A study involving more than 745,000 adolescents from 41 countries across Europe and North America identified an increase in the amount of teenagers who underestimate their body weight.
The UK risks a growing divide between organizations who have invested in new, artificial intelligence-enabled digital technologies and those who haven’t, new research suggests.
A research group has used nanosheet technology to develop a dielectric capacitor for advanced electronic and electrical power systems. Innovations in energy storage technology are vital for the effective use of renewable energy and the mass production of electric vehicles. The capacitor has the highest energy storage density recorded. It has a short charging time, high output, long life, and high temperature stability, making it a major advancement in technology.
A reduction in the amount of time spent physically active when adults are over sixty years old is linked to lower quality of life, a new study of almost 1,500 adults has shown. The same was also true for increases in the amount of sedentary time, such as watching TV or reading. The researchers say this highlights the need to encourage older adults to remain active.
A cochlear signal, the exact role of which has been unclear since its discovery around 70 years ago, probably gives the brain information on whether the ear is functioning normally or not. These new findings are an important piece of the puzzle in explaining what happens in the ear in hearing impairment caused by harmful noise, and may in the long run contribute to diagnosing noise-induced hearing injury.
Sulphuric acid is the world's most used chemical. It is an important reagent used in many industries and it is used in the manufacture of everything from paper, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to batteries, detergents and fertilizers. It is therefore a worldwide challenge that sulphuric acid often contains one of the most toxic substances -- mercury. Researchers have now developed a method that can reduce the levels of mercury in sulphuric acid by more than 90 per cent -- even from low levels.
Researchers found that the effects of climate change on the intensity, frequency, and duration of extreme weather events, like wildfires, could lead to massive increases in all three.
A new study of North American songbirds finds that birds can't keep up with the earlier arrival of spring caused by climate change. As a result, they're raising fewer young. By the end of the 21st century, climate change will cause springlike weather to begin 25 days earlier, but birds will only breed about seven days earlier. That change could lead to an average reduction of 12% in breeding productivity for songbird species.
Chemists have measured the energy transfer between photosynthetic light-harvesting proteins. They discovered that the disorganized arrangement of light-harvesting proteins boosts the efficiency of the energy transduction.
Until now, researchers have been unable to model how deceptively simple tubular structures -- called chemical gardens -- work and the patterns and rules that govern their formation. Researchers now lay out a model that explains how these structures grow upward, form different shapes and how they go from a flexible, self-healing material to a more brittle one.
Diet and training go hand in hand if you want to achieve the best results. Most athletes know this, and many of them closely monitor their energy intake and training. However, a new study shows that the bodies of female athletes are negatively affected when the athletes consumes too little energy through their diet in comparison with their training volume.
Taste receptors for bitter substances are not only found on the tongue but also on cells outside the oral cavity. As a new study now shows, extraoral bitter taste receptors could also serve as endogenous sensors for bile acids. This discovery suggests that, in addition to food components, endogenous substances may have influenced the evolution of bitter taste receptors. Furthermore, the study provides new approaches to explore the health effects of food constituents in which extraoral bitter taste receptors are involved.
Scientists have developed a mathematical model to explain how antiresonant hollow-core fibers guide light in a way that keeps data loss ultra-low. Until now, scientists had no complete explanation for this well-observed phenomenon.
A new study has found that maternal mortality rates have worsened from 1999 to 2019, hitting some racial and ethnic groups and states harder than others. The study found rates highest for Black populations and the largest increase was seen in American Indian and Alaskan Native populations. By region, high rates of maternal mortality were found in northern Mountain states and the Midwest in addition to the South, a region traditionally known to have high rates.
The study combines a deep learning model with CRISPR screens to control the expression of human genes in different ways -- such as flicking a light switch to shut them off completely or by using a dimmer knob to partially turn down their activity. These precise gene controls could be used to develop new CRISPR-based therapies.
Adenosine base editing restarted fetal hemoglobin expression in cells from patients with sickle cell disease.
An El Niño event has officially begun. The climate phenomenon, which originates in the tropical Pacific and occurs in intervals of a few years will shape weather across the planet for the next year or more and give rise to various climatic extremes. El Niño-like conditions can also occur on longer time scales of decades or centuries. This has been shown to have occurred in the recent past.
Researchers have identified a strategy that can offset the random and unpredictable nature of weather conditions that threaten carbon emission reduction efforts in the shipping sector.
Researchers have developed new methods to solve a major source of future waste from the automotive, aerospace and renewable industries.
LLM-based generative chat tools, such as ChatGPT or Google's MedPaLM have great medical potential, but there are inherent risks associated with their unregulated use in healthcare. A new article addresses one of the most pressing international issues of our time: How to regulate Large Language Models (LLMs) in general and specifically in health.
An international research team has discovered that a subduction zone's age affects the ability for it to recycle water between the Earth's surface and its inner layers. The more mature the subduction zone, the bigger the water storage capacity.
Transistors that can change properties are important elements in the development of tomorrow's semiconductors. With standard transistors approaching the limit for how small they can be, having more functions on the same number of units becomes increasingly important in enabling the development of small, energy-efficient circuits for improved memory and more powerful computers. Researchers have shown how to create new configurable transistors and exert control on a new, more precise level.
Bluetongue virus, an incurable cattle and sheep-killing disease, is spread by tiny flies once thought to disappear in winter. New research demonstrates that though they are harder to find when it's cold, they remain active.
Pregnant women may be better supported by trained dietitians to control weight gain during pregnancy, according to a new analysis of almost 100 studies.
Saturn's iconic rings seem to glow eerily in this incredible infrared picture, which also unveils unexpected features in Saturn's atmosphere. This image serves as context for an observing program that will test the telescope's capacity to detect faint moons around the planet and its bright rings. Any newly discovered moons could help scientists put together a more complete picture of the current system of Saturn, as well as its past.
For more than a century, scientists have used fruit flies' simple genome and short lifespan to decode mysteries of genetic inheritance. Now a new machine-learning system can track fruit flies and interpret different behaviors.
Flexible displays that can change color, convey information and even send veiled messages via infrared radiation are now possible, thanks to new research. Engineers inspired by the morphing skins of animals like chameleons and octopuses have developed capillary-controlled robotic flapping fins to create switchable optical and infrared light multipixel displays that are 1,000 times more energy efficient than light-emitting devices.
Researchers have identified a potential new immune checkpoint receptor that could lead to treatments for diseases such as lung and bowel cancer and autoimmune conditions including IBD.
A team of scientists from around the globe has gained high-res structural insights into a key bacterial enzyme, which may help chemists design new drugs to inhibit it and thus suppress disease-causing bacteria. Their work is important as fears continue to grow around rising rates of antibiotic resistance.
Scientists have successfully tested a novel way of boosting honey bees' immune systems to help them fend off deadly viruses, which have contributed to the major losses of the critical pollinator globally.
The universe is expanding; we've had evidence of that for about a century. But just how quickly celestial objects are receding from each other is still up for debate.
A new soft robotic glove is lending a 'hand' and providing hope to piano players who have suffered a disabling stroke or other neurotrauma. Combining flexible tactile sensors, soft actuators and AI, this robotic glove is the first to 'feel' the difference between correct and incorrect versions of the same song and to combine these features into a single hand exoskeleton. Unlike prior exoskeletons, this new technology provides precise force and guidance in recovering the fine finger movements required for piano playing and other complex tasks.
Exploding populations of wild pigs and macaque monkeys in Southeast Asia are threatening native forests and disease outbreaks in livestock and people, according to new research.
Scientists have accurately monitored the breathing patterns of cane toads in a proof of principle to develop contactless vital-sign monitoring for humans in a range of settings such as intensive care units, aged-care facilities, for at-risk prisoners, or domestic use to monitor people with sleep apnea or infants at risk of breathing difficulties.
Climbing trees, making mud pies, or simply playing outside, parents and educators know that being in nature is an important part of every childhood. But when it comes to messy or risky play, it's a whole different story according to new research.
Insights into healing and aging by those who studied how a tiny sea creature regenerates an entire new body from only its mouth. The researchers sequenced RNA from Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus, a small, tube-shaped animal that lives on the shells of hermit crabs. Just as the Hydractinia were beginning to regenerate new bodies, the researchers detected a molecular signature associated with the biological process of aging, also known as senescence.
A new study has revealed the most extensive analysis to date on what led to the eventual heart failure in the world's first successful transplant of a genetically-modified pig heart into a human patient.
New research shows consumers' concerns about privacy when trying on clothing virtually can be reduced by making the technology versatile and easy to use.
A system using photonics-based synthetic dimensions could be used to help explain complex natural phenomena.
In light of climate change and the impending transition to clean energy, many long-standing programs to address energy insecurity need to be refreshed. A new paper provides growing documentation of the connections between energy insecurity and poor health. The paper also offers an overview of current policy initiatives and discusses ways that current policies can be improved upon.
A new study that uses rigorous mathematical models and statistical methods and finds declining snow cover in many parts of the northern hemisphere over the last half century.
Scientists have known for decades that genes can be transferred from one species to another, both in animals and plants. However, the mechanism of how such an unlikely event occurs remained unknown. Now, researchers identify a vector of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in worms. The findings could lead to the discovery of further vectors of HGT in eukaryotes and might find applications in pathogen control.
Scientists have revealed a uniquely different image of our galaxy by determining the galactic origin of thousands of neutrinos -- invisible 'ghost particles' which exist in great quantities but normally pass straight through Earth undetected. The neutrino-based image of the Milky Way is the first of its kind: a galactic portrait made with particles of matter rather than electromagnetic energy.
Scientists have found the secret to felines' finesse at sniffing out food, friends and foes. A complex collection of tightly coiled bony airway structures gets the credit, according to the first detailed analysis of the domestic cat's nasal airway.
A study offers new insights into how water from melting ice could have played a recent role in the formation of ravine-like channels that cut down the sides of impact craters on Mars.
In trying to produce artificial chirality in the lab, chemists have found that the distribution of a magnetic field is itself chiral.
Despite being densely packed to fit into the nucleus, chromosomes storing our genetic information are always in motion. This allows specific regions to come into contact and thereby activate a gene. A group of scientists now visualized this dynamic process and give novel insights into the physical characteristics of DNA.
Galaxies are not scattered randomly across the universe. They gather together not only into clusters, but into vast interconnected filamentary structures with gigantic barren voids in between. This 'cosmic web' started out tenuous and became more distinct over time as gravity drew matter together.
Children do better at maths when music is a key part of their lessons, an analysis of almost 50 years of research on the topic has revealed.
The mosquito species Culex modestus has been found in Finland for the first time. In Southern Europe it is known to spread West Nile virus, but it is highly unlikely for the disease to occur in Finland. Culex modestus has become the 44th mosquito species found in Finland, and the northernmost record of the species in Europe. The previous findings closest to Finland, but further south, have been made in the Leningrad Province in Russia and in Skåne in Sweden.
Researchers demonstrate that sponges react to changes in their microbiome with extensive modifications in gene regulation.
A new study suggests young children are more vocal when interacting with toys and household items, highlighting their importance for developing language skills.
Even though our computers are now better than 15 years ago, they still malfunction between 11 and 20 per cent of the time, a new study concludes. The researchers behind the study therefore find that there are major gains to be achieved for society by rethinking the systems and involving users more in their development.
Black holes, some of the most captivating entities in the cosmos, possess an immense gravitational pull so strong that not even light can escape. The groundbreaking detection of gravitational waves in 2015, caused by the coalescence of two black holes, opened a new window into the universe. Since then, dozens of such observations have sparked the quest among astrophysicists to understand their astrophysical origins. Thanks to the POSYDON code's recent major advancements in simulating binary-star populations, a team of scientists predicted the existence of merging massive, 30 solar mass black hole binaries in Milky Way-like galaxies, challenging previous theories.
Scientists have developed a fast and extremely efficient method for transferring huge amounts of data. The technique uses dozens of frequencies of light to transfer several streams of information over a fiber optic cable simultaneously.
Water fasts -- where people consume nothing but water for several days -- might help you lose weight, but it's unclear how long you'll keep it off, according to new research. And the other metabolic benefits of water fasts, such as lower blood pressure and improved cholesterol, seem to disappear soon after the fast ends, the researchers found.
You can't see or feel it, but everything around you -- including your own body -- is slowly shrinking and expanding. It's the weird, spacetime-warping effect of gravitational waves passing through our galaxy. New results are the first evidence of the gravitational wave background -- a sort of soup of spacetime distortions pervading the entire universe and long predicted to exist by scientists.
Researchers created a generic framework that enables an engineer or scientist to evaluate the effectiveness of defense schemes that seek to limit a hacker's ability to learn secret information by observing the behavior of a victim computer program.
Using unoccupied aerial system, or drone, photographs, researchers are now able to determine the age-structure of free-ranging dolphin groups. This work will aid monitoring the health of dolphin populations and inform timely conservation efforts.
Imagine strapping on a virtual reality headset and 'walking' through a long-gone neighborhood in your city -- seeing the streets and buildings as they appeared decades ago. That's a very real possibility now that researchers have developed a method to create 3D digital models of historic neighborhoods using machine learning and historic Sanborn Fire Insurance maps.
Researchers have developed a new method to deliver drugs into the inner ear. The discovery was possible by harnessing the natural flow of fluids in the brain and employing a little understood backdoor into the cochlea. When combined to deliver a gene therapy that repairs inner ear hair cells, the researchers were able to restore hearing in deaf mice.
Engineers have demonstrated full-motion video camera technology that can 'see' through light-scattering media. The research could potentially be used in cameras that peer through fog, smoke, driving rain, murky water and parts of the body that hide tumors and other lesions.
Scientists have wondered what happens to the organic and inorganic carbon that Earth's Pacific Plate carries with it as it slides into the planet's interior along the volcano-studded Ring of Fire. A new study suggests a notable amount of such subducted carbon returns to the atmosphere rather than traveling deep into Earth's mantle.
Dog breeds differ in pain sensitivity, but these differences don't always match up with the beliefs people -- including veterinarians -- hold about breed-specific pain sensitivity.
Researchers have used neutron reflectometry to peer inside a working solid-state battery and monitor its electrochemistry. They discovered that its excellent performance results from an extremely thin layer, across which charged lithium atoms quickly flow as they move from anode to cathode and blend into a solid electrolyte.
A new study has revealed a positive shift in public sentiment towards one aspect of agricultural biotechnology, showing that gene editing consistently receives higher favorability ratings than GMOs in both social and traditional English-language media.
Changes to the flow of the Labrador Current along the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador to Nova Scotia are leading to sudden warmings or drops in the oxygen levels of the waters in several regions including the St. Lawrence Gulf and Estuary. This change has dire consequences for marine ecosystems and fisheries. To better predict what could happen in the future, researchers set out to answer the question: what controls the pathway of the Labrador Current?
Compared to humans, artificial intelligence (AI) language models produce accurate tweets that are easier to understand and tweets containing disinformation that are harder to detect, according to a recent study. While these results can be leveraged to create more effective information campaigns, they also highlight the need to mitigate the risks connected to AI.
Volcanic disasters have been studied since Pompeii was buried in 79 A.D., leading the public to believe that scientists already know why, where, when and how long volcanoes will erupt. But a volcanologist said these fundamental questions remain a mystery.
Many factors influence where a landslide will occur, including the shape of the terrain, its slope and drainage areas, the material properties of soil and bedrock, and environmental conditions like climate, rainfall, hydrology and ground motion resulting from earthquakes. Geologists have developed a new technique that uses artificial intelligence to better predict where and why landslides may occur could bolster efforts to protect lives and property in some of the world's most disaster-prone areas. The new method improves the accuracy and interpretability of AI-based machine-learning techniques, requires far less computing power and is more broadly applicable than traditional predictive models.
Over two years, researchers recorded and analyzed 7,000 songs of wild blue tits breeding in closely monitored nest boxes. They devised an experiment which involved playing song recordings to receptive females and discovered that male vocal consistency -- repeating the same pattern of notes with high precision -- was the key song feature that made females sexually excited.
An international research team has observed disks around 19 protostars with a very high resolution to search for the earliest signs of planet formation. This survey was motivated by the recent findings that planet formation may be well-underway in the more-evolved proto-planetary disks, but until now there had been no systematic study to search for signs of planet formation in younger protostellar systems.
A new study finds that as rising global temperatures shift snow to rain, mountains across the Northern Hemisphere will be hotspots for extreme rainfall events that could trigger floods and landslides -- potentially impacting a quarter of the world's population.
Urea reacts extremely quickly under the conditions that existed when our planet was newly formed. This new insight furthers our understanding of how life on Earth might have begun.
Researchers have closely examined the brain activity and skin patterning in octopuses (Octopus laqueus) during active sleep and discovered that it closely resembles neural activity and skin patterning behavior seen when awake.
Researchers have shown that the way cuttlefish generate their camouflage pattern is much more complex than previously believed.
The star would have inflated up to 1.5 times the planet's orbital distance -- engulfing the planet in the process -- before shrinking to its current size at only one-tenth of that distance.
An analysis of oxygen levels in Earth's oceans may provide some rare, good news about the health of the seas in a future, globally warmed world. A study analyzing ocean sediment shows that ocean oxygen levels in a key area were higher during the Miocene warm period, some 16 million years ago when the Earth's temperature was hotter than it is today.
For the first time, the James Webb Space Telescope has revealed starlight from two massive galaxies hosting actively growing black holes -- quasars -- seen less than a billion years after the Big Bang.
Scientists studying the protoplanetary disk around a young star have discovered the most compelling chemical evidence to date of the formation of protoplanets. The discovery will provide astronomers with an alternate method for detecting and characterizing protoplanets when direct observations or imaging are not possible.
A new study shows that information from body postures plays a similarly important role for dogs as it does for humans. The results offer new insights into how dogs and humans perceive each other and their environment. They confirm that the temporal lobe plays a central role in social communication and perception.
Measuring human brain activity down to the cellular level: until now, this has been possible only to a limited extent. With a new approach it will now be much easier. The method relies on microelectrodes along with the support of brain tumor patients, who participate in studies while undergoing 'awake' brain surgery. This enabled the team to identify how our brain processes numbers.
The specialization in sheep in the early Neolithic populations of Dalmatia, Croatia, may have been related to the rapid expansion of these communities and the spread of agriculture throughout the central and western Mediterranean.
Researchers have presented important first steps in building underwater navigation robots.
Scientists have filled a major gap in the state's fossil record -- describing the first known Jurassic vertebrate fossils in Texas. The weathered bone fragments are from the limbs and backbone of a plesiosaur, an extinct marine reptile.
Scientists and engineers have announced a significant advancement in developing fault-tolerant qubits for quantum computing. In a pair of articles, they report that, in experiments with flakes of semiconductor materials -- each only a single layer of atoms thick -- they detected signatures of 'fractional quantum anomalous Hall' (FQAH) states. The team's discoveries mark a first and promising step in constructing a type of fault-tolerant qubit because FQAH states can host anyons -- strange 'quasiparticles' that have only a fraction of an electron's charge. Some types of anyons can be used to make what are called 'topologically protected' qubits, which are stable against any small, local disturbances.
Researchers have developed a novel two-dimensional electrically conductive metal-organic framework (MOF) that has 10- to 15-times higher conductivity than the parent MOF that lacks such efficient out-of-plane pathways.
As we age, our bodies change and degenerate over time in a process called senescence. Stem cells, which have the unique ability to change into other cell types, also experience senescence, which presents an issue when trying to maintain cell cultures for therapeutic use. The biomolecules produced by these cell cultures are important for various medicines and treatments, but once the cells enter a senescent state they stop producing them, and worse, they instead produce biomolecules antagonistic to these therapeutics. In a recently published study, researchers describe a new method for reversing senescence in stem cells through delivering antioxidants in the form of a crystal.
A new study of a brain region called the rostro-medial prefrontal could potentially advance diagnosis and therapies for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).
DNA barcoding is now being used to identify the plant matter in human feces, revealing what a person has eaten. A reliable genetic marker for plant-based foods can be retrieved from poop, showing not only what was eaten, but in what relative amounts. The technique should improve clinical trials, nutrition studies and more.
A survey finds nearly half of parents who rely on formula for their babies resorted to potentially harmful feeding methods during the infant formula shortage.
In its simplest form, popcorn is pretty uncomplicated. Most supermarket varieties offer the choice of two kernel colors, yellow or white, and two kernel shapes, pointed or pearl. When popped, the flake typically expands into one of two shapes: mushroom or butterfly. But there's more to popcorn than meets the eye. New research reveals a wealth of untapped diversity lurking in popcorn's genetic code.
As human-driven climate change amplifies natural disasters, hurricanes and typhoons stand to increase in intensity. Until now, there existed very few freely available computer models designed to estimate the economic costs of such events, but a team of researchers has recently announced the completion of an open-source model that stands to help countries with high tropical cyclone risks better calculate just how much those storms will impact their people and their economies.
For the first two weeks of life, mice with a hereditary form of deafness have nearly normal neural activity in the auditory system, according to a new study. Previous studies indicate that this early auditory activity -- before the onset of hearing -- provides a kind of training to prepare the brain to process sound when hearing begins.
Tiny bubbles bursting in a drinker's face and the bite of carbonation are all part of the experience when sipping champagne and sparkling wines. But how long can these drinks be stored in sealed bottles before they go flat? According to researchers, the answer depends on the container's size. They estimate a 40-year shelf-life for 750-milliliter (25-ounce) bottles, and 82 and 132 years for 1.5-liter (50-ounce) and 3-liter (101-ounce) bottles, respectively.
Orangutans can make two separate sounds simultaneously, much like songbirds or human beatboxers, according to a new study.
New research from Dartmouth takes a fresh look at game theory to show that being uncooperative can help people on the weaker side of a power dynamic achieve a more equal outcome -- and even inflict some loss on their abusive counterpart. The findings can be applied to help equalize the balance of power in labor negotiations, international relations and everyday interactions, as well as integrate cooperation into interconnected AI systems such as driverless cars.
A Cretaceous origin for placental mammals, the group that includes humans, dogs and bats, has been revealed by in-depth analysis of the fossil record, showing they co-existed with dinosaurs for a short time before the dinosaurs went extinct.
Scientists have created a stem cell-derived model of the human embryo in the lab by reprogramming human stem cells. The breakthrough could help research into genetic disorders and in understanding why and how pregnancies fail.
50 million years ago in what is now northwestern Colorado, a katydid died, sank to the bottom of a lake and was quickly buried in fine sediments, where it remained until its compressed fossil was recovered in recent years. When researchers examined the fossil under a microscope, they saw that not only had many of the insect's hard structures been preserved in the compressed shale, so had several internal organs and tissues, which are not normally fossilized.
Scientists have invented a paper-like, battery-free, AI-enabled sensor patch -- PETAL -- for convenient and effective monitoring of wound recovery. This novel technology provides early warning of complications to improve wound care. The paper-like, battery-free PETAL sensor patch uses five colorimetric sensors to measure biomarkers in the wound within 15 mins. A proprietary AI algorithm quickly analyses the digital image of the sensor patch to determine wound healing status with an accuracy rate of 97%.
People can be prone to believe in conspiracy theories due to a combination of personality traits and motivations, including relying strongly on their intuition, feeling a sense of antagonism and superiority toward others, and perceiving threats in their environment, according to new research.
Taiwan experiences some of the world's fastest rates of mountain building -- they are growing at a faster rate than our fingernails grow in a year. The mountains also see frequent and significant earthquakes, the region experiences about four typhoons per year on average, and in some places, it receives upwards of several meters of rain annually.
In hyena societies, demographic processes -- not status seeking -- account for the majority of hierarchy dynamics and cause an on-average lifetime decline in social hierarchy position.
A team of researchers discover viruses impact the genetic coding of purple (PSB) and green (GSB) sulfur bacteria.
A water purification system separates out salt and other unnecessary particles with an electrified version of dialysis. Successfully applied to wastewater with planned expansion into rivers and seas, the method saves money and saps 90% less energy than its counterparts.
New research reduces uncertainty in future climate change linked to the stratosphere, with important implications for life on Earth. A significant source of uncertainty relates to future changes to water vapor in the stratosphere, an extremely dry region of the atmosphere 15--50 km above the Earth's surface. Future increases in water vapor here risk amplifying climate change and slowing down the recovery of the ozone layer, which protects life on Earth from harmful solar ultraviolet radiation.
Pioneering analysis of deep-sea corals has overturned the idea that ocean currents contributed to increasing global levels of carbon dioxide in the air over the past 11,000 years.
T cells experience different mechanical signals in different tissues. Researchers have engineered a tissue-mimicking hydrogel model to show that more elastic tissues induce T cells to become effector-like T cells with strong tumor-killing potential, while more viscous tissues induce them to become memory-like T cells. This new concept could help advance adaptive T cell therapies by producing desired patient-specific T cell populations in the dish that could provide stronger effects when infused back into the same patient.
Demand for modern biofuels is expected to grow substantially in order to mitigate climate emissions. However, they are far from being a climate neutral alternative to gasoline and diesel. A new study shows that under current land-use regulations, CO2 emission factors for biofuels might even exceed those for fossil diesel combustion due to large-scale land clearing related to growing biomass. Before bioenergy can effectively contribute to achieving carbon neutrality, international agreements need to ensure the effective protection of forests and other natural lands by introducing carbon pricing, the expert team argues.
Scientists detect a new carbon compound in space for the first time. Known as methyl cation (pronounced cat-eye-on) (CH3+), the molecule is important because it aids the formation of more complex carbon-based molecules. Methyl cation was detected in a young star system, with a protoplanetary disk, known as d203-506, which is located about 1,350 light-years away in the Orion Nebula.
Scientists have identified potential new biomarkers that could indicate how someone diagnosed with metastatic melanoma will respond to immunotherapy treatment.
A sense of purpose in life -- whether it's a high-minded quest to make a difference or a simple hobby with personal meaning -- can offer potent protection against loneliness, according to new research.
What good is a powerful computer if you can't read its output? Or readily reprogram it to do different jobs? People who design quantum computers face these challenges, and a new device may make them easier to solve.
Researchers who have unlocked new evolutionary information following the discovery of a 94-million-year-old mosasaur in the gray shale badlands of the National Park Service Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in southern Utah.
Sagebrush reduction strategies, including mowing and herbicide application, are often employed to enhance habitat for the greater sage grouse and other sagebrush-dependent species.
Research links women's lean body mass with how quickly they eliminate alcohol from their system. Women with obesity and those who are older eliminate alcohol from their bloodstreams faster than those of normal weight and those who are younger.
A new study shows that current trends in environmental degradation will lead to large economic losses in the coming decades, hitting the poorest countries hardest. But there is hope: investing in nature can turn those losses into gains.
How the megalodon, a shark that went extinct 3.6 million years ago, stayed warm was a matter of speculation among scientists. Using an analysis of tooth fossils from the megalodon and other sharks of the same period, a study suggests the animal was able to maintain a body temperature well above the temperature of the water in which it lived. The finding could help explain why the megalodon went extinct during the Pliocene Epoch.
Novel research found that apparent resistant hypertension (aRH) prevalence was lower in a real-world sample than previously reported, but still relatively frequent -- affecting nearly 1 in 10 hypertensive patients.
CoSn(OH)6 (CSO) is an effective oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst, necessary for developing next-generation lithium -- air batteries. However, current methods of synthesizing CSO are complicated and slow. Recently, an international research team synthesized CSO in a single step within 20 minutes using solution plasma to generate CSO nanocrystals with excellent OER catalytic properties. Their findings could boost the manufacturing of high energy density batteries.
Similar to the expeditions of a hundred or two hundred years ago, the Tara Pacific expedition lasted over two years. The goal: to research the conditions for life and survival of corals. The ship crossed the entire Pacific Ocean, assembling the largest genetic inventory conducted in any marine system to date. The team's 70 scientists from eight countries took around 58,000 samples from the hundred coral reefs studied.
Researchers have identified the oldest decisive evidence of humans' close evolutionary relatives butchering and likely eating one another.
Scientists have discovered a new molecular signalling pathway, triggered when leaves are exposed to low humidity, that ensures plant roots keep growing towards water. A new study has found that when the leaves of a plant are exposed to dry air (low humidity), they send a shoot-to-root signal, using abscisic acid (ABA), to tell the roots to keep growing. This is a surprising finding as ABA is usually thought to be a growth inhibitor, not a growth promoter.
Guilt. It's a horrible feeling that causes us to question our worth as human beings. But while it's something that induces sleepless nights and stress-related physical symptoms in individuals, for society at large, the tendency toward guilt might have some benefits.
The largest long-term standardized camera-trap survey to date finds that human activity impacts tropical mammals living in protected areas and sheds light on how different species are affected based on their habitat needs and anthropogenic stressors.
Using a combination of satellite data and modeling to study the temperatures and humidity people might feel in urban areas, researchers have pinpointed who in the U.S. is most vulnerable to heat stress.
Warmer temperatures are known to make more turtle eggs become female hatchlings, but new research shows that those females also have a higher capacity for egg production, even before their sex is set. This finding may explain why many animals besides turtles have temperature-dependent sex determination and why the system persists, despite seeming like a risky strategy. It may also provide a troubling glimpse of what could lie ahead in a warming world.
The Bachman's warbler, a songbird that was last seen in North America nearly 40 years ago, was a distinct species and not a hybrid of its two living sister species, according a new study in which the full genomes of seven museum specimens of the bird were sequenced.
Using surveys, cognitive tests and brain imaging, researchers have identified a type of depression that affects about a quarter of patients. The goal is to diagnose and treat the condition more precisely.
The global economy will grow slower in the 21st century than economists have expected, a finding that has implications for our ability to adapt to climate change in the coming decades, according to new research.
Scientists found pairing specific diets with diarrheal disease-causing bacteria can create lasting immunity in mice without a need to ever experience symptoms. The findings pave the way for vaccine development that could reduce symptoms and mortality of diarrheal illness and other diseases in humans.
Researchers report that, in laboratory cultures and animal models, a drug significantly reduces the ability of bacteria to develop antibiotic resistance, which might prolong antibiotic effectiveness.
The El Gigante rockshelter in western Honduras is among only a handful of archaeological sites in the Americas that contain well-preserved botanical remains spanning the last 11,000 years. Considered one of the most important archaeological sites discovered in Central America in the last 40 years, El Gigante was recently nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Over the past two decades, global reservoirs have become increasingly empty despite an overall increase in total storage capacity due to the construction of new reservoirs. Researchers used a new approach with satellite data to estimate the storage variations of 7,245 global reservoirs from 1999 to 2018.
The discovery of new genes linked to IgA nephropathy, a common kidney disease, confirms the idea that the immune system drives the disease.
Air taxis may be coming to our cities in the near future, but a new study warns regulations will need to address dangerous wind gusts around city buildings and other urban infrastructure.
Researchers have developed a metasurface that enables strong coupling effects between light and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs).
Researchers have found that the cooling effect that volcanic eruptions have on Earth's surface temperature is likely underestimated by a factor of two, and potentially as much as a factor of four, in standard climate projections.
Heliconius butterflies' brains grew as they adopted novel foraging behaviors, scientists have found.
A combination of radiotherapy followed by immunotherapy is a promising strategy for the treatment of oral malignant melanomas in dogs.
Researchers invented a new reporting technique to monitor activity of CaMKII while screening the effects of nearly 5,000 FDA approved drugs on human cells that expressed the enzyme. The screen identified five previously unknown CaMKII inhibitors; ruxolitinib, which is used to treat cancers of the blood and bone marrow, along with skin conditions like atopic dermatitis and vitiligo, was the most effective.
Researchers used a computer model to understand how African swine fever (ASF) might spread among swine farms in the southeastern U.S. -- and examined the effectiveness of existing response plans. They found that although control actions would help, an outbreak could still prove persistent and costly.
Just as space holds infinite mysteries, when we zoom in at the level of biomolecules (one trillion times smaller than a meter), there is still so much to learn. Scientists are studying the conformational landscapes of biomolecules and how they modulate cell function. When biomolecules receive certain inputs, it can cause the atoms to rearrange and the biomolecule to change shape. This change in shape affects their function in cells, so understanding conformational dynamics is critical for drug development.
According to a new study, eukaryotes -- complex life forms with nuclei in their cells, including all the world's plants, animals, insects and fungi -- trace their roots to a common Asgard archaean ancestor. That means eukaryotes are, in the parlance of evolutionary biologists, a 'well-nested clade' within Asgard archaea, similar to how birds are one of several groups within a larger group called dinosaurs, sharing a common ancestor.
More than 30 previously unknown RNA viruses in sea lice have been identified. Sea lice are parasitic copepods (small crustaceans) found in many fresh and saltwater habitats, and have been implicated in the decline of wild salmon populations. The research sheds greater light on the types of viruses being carried by sea lice, and how the viruses and host are interacting.
Researchers have deciphered a biochemical mechanism that ensures that newly formed proteins are processed correctly when they leave the cell's own protein factories. This solves a decade-old puzzle in protein sorting.
Chemists discovered a new way to make polymers stronger: introduce a few weaker bonds into the material. Working with polyacrylate elastomers, they could increase the materials' resistance to tearing up to tenfold by using a weaker type of crosslinker to join some of the polymer building blocks.
An obscure aquatic plant has helped to explain how plants avoid cracking up under the stresses and strains of growth.
Animals that eat fruit or sip nectar often ingest alcohol because naturally occurring yeasts turning sugar into ethanol. But how do animals feel about that? A new study details an experiment to determine whether hummingbirds are turned off by alcohol in sugar water. At 1% by volume, no. At 2% by volume, they consume much less. The implication is that hummingbirds have adjusted to small amounts of alcohol likely present in flowers and backyard feeders.
The cosmos is a unique laboratory for testing the laws of physics, in particular those of Euler and Einstein. Euler described the movements of celestial objects, while Einstein described the way in which celestial objects distort the Universe. Since the discovery of dark matter and the acceleration of the Universe's expansion, the validity of their equations has been put to the test: are they capable of explaining these mysterious phenomena? A team has developed the first method to find out. It considers a never-before-used measure: time distortion.
The first ever 3D seismic imaging of a subducting seamount shows a previously unknown sediment trail in Earth's crust off the coast of New Zealand. Scientists think the sediment patches help release tectonic pressure gradually in slow slip earthquakes instead of violent tremors. The findings will help researchers search for similar patterns at other subduction zones like Cascadia in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.
Isotope ratios found in meteorites suggest that a supernova exploded nearby while the Sun and Solar System were still forming. But the blast wave from a supernova that close could have potentially destroyed the nascent Solar System. New calculations shows that a filament of molecular gas, which is the birth cocoon of the Solar System, aided the capture of the isotopes found in the meteorites, while acting as a buffer protecting the young Solar System from the nearby supernova blast.
A new study explored fairness and feasibility in deep mitigation pathways with novel carbon dioxide removal, taking into account institutional capacity to implement mitigation measures.
A study sheds surprising light on how certain superconductors undergo a 'nematic transition' -- unlocking new, superconducting behavior. The results could help identify unconventional superconducting materials.
The herpes simplex virus-1 can sometimes cause a dangerous brain infection. Combining an anti-inflammatory and an antiviral could help in these cases, report scientists.
Astronomers studying a powerful gamma-ray burst, may have detected a never-before-seen way to destroy a star. Unlike most GRBs, which are caused by exploding massive stars or the chance mergers of neutron stars, astronomers have concluded that this GRB came instead from the collision of stars or stellar remnants in the jam-packed environment surrounding a supermassive black hole at the core of an ancient galaxy.
A new survey finds that the American public is ill-informed about RSV, unfamiliar with its most common symptoms, and more hesitant to recommend a vaccine against it to pregnant people than to older adults.
New research has found that a disease-causing fungus -- collected from one of the most remote regions in the world -- is resistant to a common antifungal medicine used to treat infections.
Caribbean seagrasses provide about $255 billion in services to society annually, including $88.3 billion in carbon storage, according to a new study. The study has put a dollar value on the many services -- from storm protection to fish habitat to carbon storage -- provided by seagrasses across the Caribbean, which holds up to half the world's seagrass meadows by surface area and contains about one-third of the carbon stored in seagrasses worldwide.
A study has shown that prazosin, a drug used to treat high blood pressure, can prevent post-traumatic headaches.
Kinesiologists at McMaster University have found ketone supplements, used by some athletes hoping to cross the finish line faster, may in fact worsen performance. The new study tackles contradictory research findings related to the effectiveness of ketone supplements, which have gained popularity among athletes seeking a competitive advantage.
How close can a rocky planet be to a star, and still sustain water and life? A recently discovered exoplanet may be key to solving that mystery.
Collaborators have created 'living-like' bioactive interior architecture designed to one day protect us from hidden airborne threats. This publication establishes that the lab's biomaterial manufacturing process is compatible with the leading-edge cell-free engineering that gives the bioactive sites their life-like properties.
Social influence from phone communications is significant, reaching as far as four degrees of separation from the original caller, according to a new study.
Teaching machine learning tools to detect specific objects in a specific image and discount others is a 'game-changer' that could lead to advancements in cancer detection, according to researchers.
Probiotics can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome or restore populations of 'good bacteria' after a heavy course of antibiotics. But now, they could also be used as an effective treatment strategy for certain intestinal diseases, such as Crohn's disease. Researchers have developed a microgel delivery system for probiotics that keeps 'good' bacteria safe while actively clearing out 'bad' ones. In mice, the system treated intestinal inflammation without side effects.
Tidal range schemes are financially viable and could lower energy bills say researchers. Research combined a tidal range power generation model with its cost model to demonstrate the viability of tidal power. The research demonstrates the benefits of tidal energy, which does not suffer from unpredictable intermittency as power is generated both day and night, and in windy or calm weather. The creation of a tidal barrage could operate for 120 years or more to meet future demand and storage problems.
Engineers are placing low-powered sensors in the reflective raised pavement markers that are already used to help drivers identify lanes. Microchips inside the markers transmit information to passing cars about the road shape to help autonomous driving features function even when vehicle cameras or remote laser sensing, called LiDAR, are unreliable because of fog, snow, glare or other obstructions.
Scientists have written a review to discuss emerging research and evidence of the roles of alternative splicing defects in major neurodegenerative diseases. They also summarize the latest advances in RNA-based therapeutic strategies to target these disorders.
Anything with three hearts, blue blood and skin that can change colors like a display in Times Square is likely to turn heads. Meet Sepia bandensis, known more descriptively as the camouflaging dwarf cuttlefish. Over the past three years, neuroscientists have put together a brain atlas of this captivating cephalopod: a neuroanatomical roadmap depicting for the first time the brain's overall 32-lobed structure as well its cellular organization.
Insulin resistance is usually associated with type 2 diabetes. Now researchers have found it in cancer patients and learned that it can cause cancer to spread faster.
A team of scientists has observed past episodic intraplate magmatism and corroborated the existence of a partial melt channel at the base of the Cocos Plate. Situated 60 kilometers beneath the Pacific Ocean floor, the magma channel covers more than 100,000 square kilometers, and originated from the Galápagos Plume more than 20 million years ago, supplying melt for multiple magmatic events -- and persisting today.
Scientists have uncovered a new quality control system that removes damaged cells from early developing embryos.
Researchers are leading an international team whose goal is to create a framework to help governments in the U.S. and around the world assess and prioritize remediation strategies for orphaned oil and gas wells. These inactive wells represent environmental risks since they have the potential to contaminate water supplies, degrade ecosystems, and emit methane and other air pollutants that are harmful to human health. But plugging the wells also offers various potential environmental opportunities such as underground storage of carbon dioxide and hydrogen, or the development of geothermal energy systems.
Scientists discover a treatment in mice to repair the blood-brain barrier, which is key to brain health.
Scientists have developed a magnetically controlled soft medical robot with a unique, flexible structure inspired by the body of a pangolin. The robot is freely movable despite built-in hard metal components. Thus, depending on the magnetic field, it can adapt its shape to be able to move and can emit heat when needed, allowing for functionalities such as selective cargo transportation and release as well as mitigation of bleeding.
Researchers have used an unprecedented stem cell zoo to compare six different mammalian species and their developmental time.
Some animals release chemical pheromones which can trigger behavioral or hormonal changes in other animals. It is known that calm rats can reduce the fear of nearby rats, but the exact mechanism was unknown. Researchers have found the pheromone responsible and demonstrated its effect both on lab rats and rats in the human environment. Their findings could lead to a new kind of humane pest control.
Research sheds light on human evolution, and demonstrates an approach for identifying significant differences in how genes are used between closely-related species.
The face of a 16-year-old woman buried near Cambridge (UK) in the 7th century with an incredibly rare gold and garnet cross (the 'Trumpington Cross') has been reconstructed following analysis of her skull. The striking image is going on public display for the first time on 21st June, with new scientific evidence showing that she moved to England from Central Europe as a young girl, leading to an intriguing change in her diet.
New work has enabled robots to learn household chores by watching videos of people performing everyday tasks in their homes. Vision-Robotics Bridge, or VRB for short, uses the concept of affordances to teach the robot how to interact with an object. Affordances have their roots in psychology and refer to what an environment offers an individual. The concept has been extended to design and human-computer interaction to refer to potential actions perceived by an individual. With VRB, two robots successfully learned 12 tasks including opening a drawer, oven door and lid; taking a pot off the stove; and picking up a telephone, vegetable or can of soup.
New research has revealed that well-functioning ecosystems are crucial to human health and wellbeing, with human-biodiversity interactions delivering wellbeing gains equating to substantial healthcare cost-savings, when scaled-up across populations.
To conserve precious and fragile biodiversity hotspots, a crucial step is knowing how the fruit eaters are doing. To assist in that, scientists and students have supersized a database to keep track of such animals and birds.
A new study analysing data from the landmark ASPREE trial has found that prolonged daily aspirin use increases the risk of anaemia by 20 per cent in people mostly aged 70 and over. The results have prompted researchers to suggest that regular monitoring for anaemia be considered for older adults who take low-dose aspirin, and if older adults have concerns about their health or medications they should discuss them with their GP.
A study analyzed data from people aged 40 to 69 and found a causal link between habitual napping and larger total brain volume -- a marker of good brain health linked to a lower risk of dementia and other diseases.
A detailed, high-resolution map of the rusty patched bumble bee's genome has been released, offering new approaches for bringing the native pollinator back from the danger of extinction. Putting together the rusty patched bumble bee genome is part of the Beenome 100 project, a first-of-its-kind effort to create a library of high-quality, highly detailed genome maps of 100 or more diverse bee species found in the United States.
Machine learning can help extract important information from the huge numbers of plant specimens stored in herbaria, say scientists.
Quantum technology is expected to fundamentally change many key areas of society. Researchers are convinced that there are many more useful quantum properties and applications to explore than those we know today. A team of researchers has now developed open-source, freely available software that will pave the way for new discoveries in the field and accelerate quantum research significantly.
Trajectory of irrigation water use in many regions is unsustainable, but practice is vital in managing climate change and future agricultural development, researchers conclude.
In the face of the biodiversity crisis, and alarming data showing a 69% decline in global animal populations since 1970, researchers are banking on a cool solution to help save species from extinction. Much like egg-freezing is used to preserve human fertility options for a later date, the cryo-freezing of genetic samples taken from animals may play an essential role in curbing species extinctions. A new study sheds light on the immense potential of living cell banks, also known as cryobanks, to contribute to global conservation priorities.
Adults who live in walkable neighborhoods are more likely to socialize and have a stronger sense of community, report researchers.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report (AR5), released just prior to an international climate convention in 2015, explicitly stated that human-caused greenhouse gas emissions were the highest in history, with clear and widespread impacts on the climate system. Since then, hundreds of cities across the world have published their own climate action plans (CAPs), detailing how their urban areas will handle climate change. How do the plans stack up against one another and against the recommended guidelines established by the United Nations-Habitat Guiding Principles for City Climate Action Planning?
Algorithms that accurately reflect the behavior of road users -- vital for the safe roll out of driverless vehicles -- are still not available, warn scientists. They say there is 'formidable complexity' in developing software that can predict the way people behave and interact on the roads, be they pedestrians, motorists or bike riders. To improve the modelling, a research team has developed a simulation of how people behave on the roads based on key cognitive theories.
How do asset markets work? Which stocks behave similarly? Economists, physicists, and mathematicians work intensively to draw a picture but need to learn what is happening outside their discipline. A new paper now builds a bridge.
Researchers have demonstrated how carbon dioxide can be captured from industrial processes -- or even directly from the air -- and transformed into clean, sustainable fuels using just the energy from the Sun.
Receptor patterns define key organizational principles in the brain, scientists have discovered.
Europa may have a metamorphic origin for the ocean. While some scientists speculated this, a research team shows that if Europa indeed formed from hydrated rocks (i.e., rocks have hydrogen and oxygen), then enough of Europa's interior should get hot enough to release water directly from the hydrated rocks to form the ocean and ice shell.
192 countries and 125 different foods: A recent study reveals interdependencies in the global food supply. Here, the researchers have uncovered the profound -- also indirect -- effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Engineers developed a metal-free, Jelly-like material that is as soft and tough as biological tissue and can conduct electricity similarly to conventional metals. The new material, which is a type of high-performance conducting polymer hydrogel, may one day replace metals in the electrodes of medical devices.
By pumping water out of the ground and moving it elsewhere, humans have shifted such a large mass of water that the Earth tilted nearly 80 centimeters (31.5 inches) east between 1993 and 2010 alone, according to a new study.
Engineers synthesized a superabsorbent material that can soak up a record amount of moisture from the air, even in desert-like conditions.
Numerous visual illusions are caused by limits in the way our eyes and visual neurones work -- rather than more complex psychological processes, new research shows.
Research team predicts Arctic without ice by the end of 2030s if current increasing rate of greenhouse gas emission continues.
Digital modelling of legendary fossil's soft tissue suggests Australopithecus afarensis had powerful leg and pelvic muscles suited to tree dwelling, but knee muscles that allowed fully erect walking.
The search for extraterrestrial life in our solar system just got more exciting. A team of scientists has discovered new evidence that the subsurface ocean of Saturn's moon Enceladus contains a key building block for life. The team directly detected phosphorus in the form of phosphates originating from the moon's ice-covered global ocean using data from NASA's Cassini mission. Cassini explored Saturn and its system of rings and moons for over 13 years.
Despite some of the most successful international vaccination campaigns in history, the poliovirus continues to circulate around the world, posing a threat of neurological damage and even paralysis to anyone who is not vaccinated.
The first image of the structures that power human cilia -- the tiny, hairlike projections that line our airways -- has now been produced and it could lead to much-needed treatments for people with rare cilial diseases.
Computer models confirm that the African Superplume is responsible for the unusual deformations, as well as rift-parallel seismic anisotropy observed beneath the East African Rift System.
New research has found that extreme concentrations of microplastics could increase the temperature of beach sand enough to threaten the development of incubating sea turtles.
Inhaled microplastics can pose serious health risks, so understanding how they travel in the respiratory system is essential for prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases. Researchers develop a computational fluid dynamics model to analyze microplastic transport and deposition in the upper airway. The team explored the movement of microplastics with different shapes and sizes and under slow and fast breathing conditions. Microplastics tended to collect in hot spots in the nasal cavity and oropharynx, or back of the throat.
The first side-necked turtle ever to be found in the UK has been discovered by an amateur fossil collector and palaeontologists.
The discovery of tiny salt grains in a sample from an asteroid provides strong evidence that liquid water may be more common in the solar system than previously thought.
The first batch of data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument is now available for researchers to explore. Taken during the experiment's 'survey validation' phase, the data include distant galaxies and quasars as well as stars in our own Milky Way.
Researchers used four different types of port environments to investigate the levels of contaminants emitted from five different sources. They found that the combined emissions of metals and environmentally hazardous substances is putting the marine environment at risk. Ninety per cent of the harmful emissions came from ships fitted with scrubbers, whose purpose is to clean their exhaust gases.
Researchers tested a new method of diagnosing sleep-disordered breathing in dogs using a neckband developed for human sleep apnea diagnostics. The study revealed that sleep-disordered breathing is more prevalent among short-snouted dogs than those with longer snouts.
In a pioneering study involving serial entrepreneurs and managers, a multidisciplinary research team, combining entrepreneurship researchers and brain specialists, found evidence of increased neuronal connectivity in the brains of entrepreneurs, which may contribute to distinct cognitive attributes.
Researchers have developed a new model that trains four-legged robots to see more clearly in 3D. The advance enabled a robot to autonomously cross challenging terrain with ease -- including stairs, rocky ground and gap-filled paths -- while clearing obstacles in its way.
A new study offers an explanation for why light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may be associated with lower risk of heart disease. For the first time, researchers found that alcohol, in light to moderate quantities, was associated with long-term reductions in stress signaling in the brain.
The seemingly stable regions of the Earth's continental plates -- the so-called stable cratons -- have suffered repetitive deformation below their crust since their formation in the remote past, according to new research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This hypothesis defies decades of conventional plate tectonics theory and begs to answer why most cratons have remained structurally stable while their underbellies have experienced significant change.
Around the world, most people are regularly exposed to low or moderate levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic in the environment, increasing risk of coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease, according to a new statement.
Two major ridesharing companies have promised all-electric fleets by 2030 in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint. To understand additional impacts of this transition, researchers conducted life-cycle comparisons of battery-powered electric vehicle fleets to a gas-powered one, using real-world rideshare data. They found up to a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from full electrification; however, traffic problems and air pollution could increase.
New simulations offer new explanation for star's 85-year flare. In this scenario, a young giant planet is burning up very close to its star, suggesting solar systems may have hosted many of such planets that have since 'evaporated'.
Giraffes in the East African savannahs are adapting surprisingly well to the rising temperatures caused by climate change. However, they are threatened by increasingly heavy rainfall, as researchers have shown.
An international team of astronomers has announced the second-ever discovery of a multiplanetary circumbinary system.
The earliest reptiles, birds and mammals may have borne live young, researchers have revealed.
An international team of scientists recently discovered an exceptionally rare gravitationally lensed supernova, which the team named 'SN Zwicky.' Located more than 4 billion light years away, the supernova was magnified nearly 25 times by a foreground galaxy acting as a lens. The discovery presents a unique opportunity for astronomers to learn more about the inner cores of galaxies, dark matter and the mechanics behind universe expansion.
Researchers have created a new method of studying the smallest bioparticles in the body. The study has considerable scientific potential, such as in the development of more effective vaccines.
Everyday materials such as paper and plastic could be transformed into electronic 'smart devices' by using a simple new method to apply liquid metal to surfaces, according to scientists. The study demonstrates a technique for applying a liquid metal coating to surfaces that do not easily bond with liquid metal. The approach is designed to work at a large scale and may have applications in wearable testing platforms, flexible devices, and soft robotics.
Researchers have shed light on the life of the ancient reptile Rhynchosaur, which walked the earth between 250-225 million years ago, before being replaced by the dinosaurs.
Water from the Pacific Ocean flows into the Indian Ocean via the Indonesia Archipelago thanks to a vast network of currents that act as a conveyor belt, transporting warmth and nutrients. Currents can sometimes form circular motions and these are known as eddies. An international group of researchers has modeled the impacts of eddies on the currents that carry water from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean.
New findings settle the dispute: phonons can be chiral. This fundamental concept, discovered using circular X-ray light, sees phonons twisting like a corkscrew through quartz.
Astronomers challenge longstanding beliefs about the isolation of 'hot Jupiters' and proposes a new mechanism for understanding the exoplanets' evolution.
A new study found that while a piece of legislation designed to foster the sustainability of marine fisheries is sometimes blamed for being too stringent -- leading to what some politicians call 'underfishing' -- the law is not constraining most fisheries, and there are various other reasons that lead to certain fish species being less fished.
Recent scientific discoveries have shown that Neanderthal genes comprise some 1 to 4% of the genome of present-day humans whose ancestors migrated out of Africa, but the question remained open on how much those genes are still actively influencing human traits -- until now.
A study finds that deficiency of taurine, a molecule produced in our bodies, drives aging, and taurine supplements can improve health and increase lifespan in animals.
Without more legally binding and well-planned net-zero policies, the world is highly likely to miss key climate targets.
Scientists have developed synthetic molecules that resemble real organic molecules. A collaboration of researcher can now simulate the behavior of real molecules by using artificial molecules.
A team of scientists has discovered that IL-17 protein plays a central role in skin aging. The study highlights an IL-17-mediated ageing process to an inflammatory state.
Working with live squid hatchlings, scientists find the animals can tune their proteome on the fly in response to changes in ocean temperature via the unique process of RNA recoding. The findings inspire new questions about basic protein function.
Family and loved ones may be conspiring to sabotage your weight loss journey, according to a new study. The study is part of a growing body of evidence which suggests that not all social support results in positive health outcomes.
Socially tolerant species are better at controlling their emotions and behaviors, according to a new study of one of humanity's closest relatives.
Human-induced warming, largely caused by the burning of fossil fuels, reached an average of 1.14°C for the most recent decade (2013 to 2022) above pre-industrial levels. This is up from 1.07°C between 2010 and 2019. Human-induced warming is now increasing at a pace of over 0.2°C per decade. The analysis also found that greenhouse gas emissions were 'at an all-time high', with human activity resulting in the equivalent of 54 (+/-5.3) gigatonnes (or billion metric tonnes) of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere on average every year over the last decade (2012-2021). Given the speed at which the global climate system is changing, the scientists argue that policymakers, climate negotiators and civil society groups need to have access to up-to-date and robust scientific evidence on which to base decisions.
The Daitari greenstone belt shares a similar geologic make-up when compared to the greenstones exposed in the Barberton and Nondweni areas of South Africa and those from the Pilbara Craton of north-western Australia.
Astronomers have clearly identified the existence of four new exoplanets. The four mini-Neptunes are smaller and cooler, and more difficult to find than the so-called Hot Jupiter exoplanets which have been found in abundance.
Keeping track of everything you eat and drink in a day is a tedious task that is tough to keep up with over time. Unfortunately, dutiful tracking is a vital component for successful weight loss, however, a new study finds that perfect tracking is not needed to achieve significant weight loss.
New research shows that clear-air turbulence increased in various regions around the world from 1979 -- 2020.
Nutrition is an important part of any top athlete's training program. And now, a new study proposes that supplementing the diet of athletes with colorful fruits and vegetables could improve their visual range. The paper examines how a group of plant compounds that build up in the retina, known as macular pigments, work to improve eye health and functional vision.
Large study in children reveals Selenomonas sputigena as a key partner of Streptococcus in cavity formation.
Octopuses don't thermoregulate, so their powerful brains are exposed to -- and potentially threatened by -- changes in temperature. Researchers report that two-spot octopuses adapt to seasonal temperature shifts by producing different neural proteins under warm versus cool conditions. The octopuses achieve this by editing their RNA, the messenger molecule between DNA and proteins. This rewiring likely protects their brains, and the researchers suspect that this unusual strategy is used widely amongst octopuses and squid.
Poems, essays and even books -- is there anything the OpenAI platform ChatGPT can't handle? These new AI developments have inspired researchers to dig a little deeper: For instance, can ChatGPT also design a robot? And is this a good thing for the design process, or are there risks?
Researchers have revealed the mechanisms that cause lithium metal solid-state batteries to fail. The new insights could help overcome the technical issues with solid-state batteries, unlocking a game-changing technology for electric vehicles and aviation.
Take a lattice -- a flat section of a grid of uniform cells, like a window screen or a honeycomb -- and lay another, similar lattice above it. But instead of trying to line up the edges or the cells of both lattices, give the top grid a twist so that you can see portions of the lower one through it. This new, third pattern is a moiré, and it's between this type of overlapping arrangement of lattices of tungsten diselenide and tungsten disulfide where physicists found some interesting material behaviors.
A genomic analysis of ancient human remains from Morocco in northwest Africa revealed that food production was introduced by Neolithic European and Levantine migrants and then adopted by local groups.
A newly discovered plant-eating dinosaur may have been a species' 'last gasp' during a period when Earth's warming climate forced massive changes to global dinosaur populations.
Last year, telescopes around the world registered the brightest cosmic explosion of all time. Astrophysicists can now explain what made it so dazzling.
A new paper argues that materials like wood, bacteria, and fungi belong to a newly identified class of matter, 'hydration solids.' The new findings emerged from ongoing research into the strange behavior of spores, dormant bacterial cells.
Newly discovered biomarker signatures point to a whole range of previously unknown organisms that dominated complex life on Earth about a billion years ago. They differed from complex eukaryotic life as we know it, such as animals, plants and algae in their cell structure and likely metabolism, which was adapted to a world that had far less oxygen in the atmosphere than today.
Researchers used data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe to explain how the solar wind is capable of surpassing speeds of 1 million miles per hour. They discovered that the energy released from the magnetic field near the sun's surface is powerful enough to drive the fast solar wind, which is made up of ionized particles -- called plasma -- that flow outward from the sun.
While studying classical novae using the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), a graduate researcher uncovered evidence the objects may have been erroneously typecast as simple. The new observations detected non-thermal emission from a classical nova with a dwarf companion.
Shallow lakes and ponds emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, but emissions from these systems vary considerably and are not well understood.
Researchers have created a new type of wound dressing material using advanced polymers. This new dressing could enhance the healing process for burn patients and have potential applications for drug delivery in cancer treatment as well as in the cosmetic industry.
A new study brings together two schools of thought on the function of the neurotransmitter dopamine: one saying that dopamine provides a learning signal, the other saying that dopamine drives motivation.
Dreams have been considered a hallmark of human sleep for a long time. Latest findings, however, suggest that when pigeons sleep, they might experience visions of flight. Researchers studied brain activation patterns in sleeping pigeons, using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The study revealed that similar to mammals, most of the brain is highly active during REM sleep. However, this wake-like state might come at a cost of reduced waste removal from the brain.
An international team of astronomers observed the second one of the two supermassive black holes circling each other in an active galaxy OJ 287.
A research collaboration between Cornell and the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems has found an efficient way to expand the collective behavior of swarming microrobots: Mixing different sizes of the micron-scale 'bots enables them to self-organize into diverse patterns that can be manipulated when a magnetic field is applied. The technique even allows the swarm to 'cage' passive objects and then expel them.
Burning coal doesn't only pollute the air. The resulting ash can leach toxic chemicals into the local environments where it's kept. New research shows that the toxicity of various ash stockpiles relies heavily on its nanoscale structures, which vary widely between sources. The results will help researchers predict which coal ash is most environmentally dangerous.
A team of experimental neurobiologists and theoretical biologists has managed to solve a mystery that has been baffling scientists for decades. They have been able to determine the nature of the electrical activity in the nervous system of insects that controls their flight. They report on a previously unknown function of electrical synapses employed by fruit flies during flight.
Researchers have demonstrated that a single dose of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) gene therapy can induce long-term contraception in the domestic cat, potentially providing a safe and effective alternative to surgical spaying.
Microscopic algae that corals need for survival harbor a common and possibly disease-causing virus in their genetic material.
Researchers have trained a robotic 'chef' to watch and learn from cooking videos, and recreate the dish itself.
Night-time pollinators such as moths may visit just as many plants as bees, and should also be the focus of conservation and protection efforts, a new study suggests.
Diverting streams and rivers to irrigate crops or provide drinking water may significantly extend the time microplastics spend in river catchments before they flow into our oceans, a new study reveals.
Extreme weather events have affected moth and butterfly activity more than the average increase in global temperature over the last several decades.
Researchers have identified significant differences in the gut microbiome of female southern white rhinos who are reproducing successfully in captivity, as compared to females who have not reproduced successfully in captivity. The work raises questions about the role that a particular genus of gut microbes may be playing in limiting captive breeding of this rhinoceros species.
New research shines light on how parents who talk more to their infants improve their children's brain development. Scientists used imaging and audio recordings to link early language skills to caregiver speech, delivering an affirming message that parents can greatly influence their child's linguistic growth in ways that are trackable in brain scans.
Microbes are by far the most important factor in determining how much carbon is stored in the soil, according to a new study with implications for mitigating climate change and improving soil health for agriculture and food production.
The first gene mapping study on eyebrow thickness in Europeans discovered three previously unreported genetic loci. The study demonstrates that eyebrow appearance has partly the same and partly different underlying genes in people from different parts of the world.
Researchers have demonstrated the principle of using spatial correlations in quantum entangled beams of light to encode information and enable its secure transmission.
Researchers have detected complex organic molecules in a galaxy more than 12 billion light-years away from Earth -- the most distant galaxy in which these molecules are now known to exist. Thanks to the capabilities of the recently launched James Webb Space Telescope and careful analyses from the research team, a new study lends critical insight into the complex chemical interactions that occur in the first galaxies in the early universe.
Mycorrhizal fungi are responsible for holding up to 36 per cent of yearly global fossil fuel emissions below ground -- more than China emits each year.
A double-blind randomized clinical trial of a device aimed at silencing the phantom sounds of tinnitus has yielded promising results.
Researchers show that an evolutionary change in the length of lizards' legs can have a significant impact on vegetation growth and spider populations on small islands in the Bahamas. This is one of the first times, the researchers say, that such dramatic evolution-to-environment effects have been documented in a natural setting.
A delicate tracery of dust and bright star clusters threads across this image from the James Webb Space Telescope. The bright tendrils of gas and stars belong to the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5068, whose bright central bar is visible in the upper left of this image -- a composite from two of Webb's instruments.
Although astrophysicists theoretically should be able to detect gravitational waves from a single, non-binary source, they have yet to uncover these elusive signals. Now researchers suggest looking at a new, unexpected and entirely unexplored place: The turbulent, energetic cocoons of debris that surround dying massive stars.
Among the most fundamental questions in astronomy is: How did the first stars and galaxies form? NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is already providing new insights into this question. One of the largest programs in Webb's first year of science is the JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey, or JADES, which will devote about 32 days of telescope time to uncover and characterize faint, distant galaxies. While the data is still coming in, JADES already has discovered hundreds of galaxies that existed when the universe was less than 600 million years old. The team also has identified galaxies sparkling with a multitude of young, hot stars.
Researchers have found that the ability to visually predict movement may be an important part of the ability to make a great catch -- or grab a moving object.
Would you rather run into a brick wall or into a mattress? For most people, the choice is not difficult. A brick wall is stiff and does not absorb shocks or vibrations well; a mattress is soft and is a good shock absorber. Sometimes, in designing materials, both of these properties are needed. Materials should be good at absorbing vibrations, but should be stiff enough to not collapse under pressure. A team of researchers from the UvA Institute of Physics has now found a way to design materials that manage to do both these things.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a fatal motor neuron disease that causes people to gradually lose control of their muscles. There is no cure, and current treatments focus on reducing symptoms and providing supportive care. Researchers now show in an early clinical trial that the Parkinson's disease drug ropinirole is safe to use in ALS patients and delayed disease progression by 27.9 weeks on average.
Architects have designed a prototype home constructed with flexible wooden partition walls which can be shifted to meet the changing needs of residents. The invention aims to reduce waste and carbon while also improving living conditions for those who cannot afford expensive refurbishments.
A study suggests that the answers to how and why mountains form are buried deeper than once thought. Clues in the landscape of southern Italy allowed researchers to produce a long-term, continuous record of rock uplift, the longest and most complete record of its kind.
Researchers have introduced a next-generation model membrane electrode that promises to revolutionize fundamental electrochemical research.
New theoretical research has shown that Stephen Hawking was likely right about black holes, although not completely. Due to Hawking radiation, black holes will eventually evaporate, but the event horizon is not as crucial as had been believed. Gravity and the curvature of spacetime cause this radiation too. This means that all large objects in the universe, like the remnants of stars, will eventually evaporate.
Researchers from 24 countries have analyzed the genomes of 809 individuals from 233 primate species, generating the most complete catalog of genomic information about our closest relatives to date. The project provides new insights into the evolution of primates, including humans, and their diversity. In baboons, for example, hybridization and gene flow between different species occurred in the past and is still ongoing in several regions of their range. This makes baboons a good model for the evolution of early human lineages within and outside Africa. In addition, using a specially designed AI algorithm, the genomic data enable new insights into the genetic causes of human diseases.
In the early 1980s, astronomers discovered gigantic, one-dimensional filaments dangling vertically near Sagittarius A*, our galaxy's central supermassive black hole. Now, astronomers have discovered a new population of filaments -- but these threads are much shorter and lie horizontally or radially, spreading out like spokes on a wheel from the black hole.
Researchers have achieved a breakthrough power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.31% with organic solar cells (OSCs), also known as polymer solar cells. This remarkable binary OSC efficiency will help enhance applications of these advanced solar energy devices.
Rising temperatures could push ocean plankton and other single-celled creatures toward a carbon tipping point that fuels more warming. The carbon-eaters could become carbon-emitters. But new research shows it's also possible to detect early distress signals before they get there.
Palaeontologists studying a British dinosaur tooth have concluded that several distinct groups of spinosaurs -- dinosaurs with fearsome crocodile-like skulls -- inhabited southern England over 100 million years ago.
New research provides the first physiological evidence from inside the human brain supporting the dominant scientific theory on how the brain consolidates memory during sleep. Further, deep-brain stimulation during a critical time in the sleep cycle appeared to improve memory consolidation.
After the Big Bang, the universe expanded and cooled sufficiently for hydrogen atoms to form. In the absence of light from the first stars and galaxies, the universe entered a period known as the cosmic dark ages. The first stars and galaxies appeared several hundred million years later and began burning away the hydrogen fog left over from the Big Bang, rendering the universe transparent, like it is today. Researchers have now confirmed the existence of a distant, faint galaxy typical of those whose light burned through the hydrogen atoms; the finding should help them understand how the cosmic dark ages ended.
Researchers demonstrated that it's possible to make carbon dioxide capture filters using 3D printing.
Some people live longer than others -- possibly due to a unique combination of bacteria in their intestines, new research concludes.
Rare earth elements, like neodymium and dysprosium, are a critical component to almost all modern technologies, from smartphones to hard drives, but they are notoriously hard to separate from the Earth's crust and from one another. Scientists have discovered a new mechanism by which bacteria can select between different rare earth elements, using the ability of a bacterial protein to bind to another unit of itself, or 'dimerize,' when it is bound to certain rare earths, but prefer to remain a single unit, or 'monomer,' when bound to others.
Scientists have taken the world's first X-ray SIGNAL (or SIGNATURE) of just one atom. This groundbreaking achievement could revolutionize the way scientists detect the materials.
According to new research, the amount of oxygen in one of 10 breaths was made possible thanks to a newly identified cellular mechanism that promotes photosynthesis in marine phytoplankton. The new study identifies how a proton pumping enzyme (known as VHA) aids in global oxygen production and carbon fixation from phytoplankton.
Chess grandmasters are often held up as the epitome of thinking far ahead. But can others, with a modest amount of practice, learn to think further ahead? In addressing this question, a team of cognitive scientists has created a computational model that reveals our ability to plan for future events. The work enhances our understanding of the factors that affect decision-making and shows how we can boost our planning skills through practice.
Links have been reported between schizophrenia and proteins produced by the immune system that can act against one's own body, known as autoantibodies. Researchers have now identified autoantibodies that target a 'synaptic adhesion protein' in a subset of patients with schizophrenia. When injected into mice, the autoantibodies caused many schizophrenia-related changes.
There's an intriguing exoplanet out there -- 400 light-years out there -- that is so tantalizing that astronomers have been studying it since its discovery in 2009. One orbit for WASP-18 b around its star that is slightly larger than our Sun takes just 23 hours. There is nothing like it in our Solar System. A new study about this exoplanet, an ultra-hot gas giant 10 times more massive than Jupiter.
About two-thirds of the risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) is thought to arise from genetic influences, but about a third could be influenced by environment and lifestyle, opening the door for behavioral interventions that could delay or prevent pathophysiological changes that occur with AD. Now a new study in a mouse model of AD examines the effects of environmental enrichment on AD symptom progression and pathology.
Research using the world's most energetic laser has shed light on the properties of highly compressed matter -- essential to understanding the structure of giant planets and stars, and to develop controlled nuclear fusion, a process that could harvest carbon-free energy.
Geneticists have unearthed a major event in the ancient history of sturgeons and paddlefish that has significant implications for the way we understand evolution. They have pinpointed a previously hidden 'whole genome duplication' (WGD) in the common ancestor of these species, which seemingly opened the door to genetic variations that may have conferred an advantage around the time of a major mass extinction some 200 million years ago.
Chemists add another powerful tool to their 'molecular editing' toolkit for crafting pharmaceuticals and other valuable compounds.
Scientists have identified a key chemical associated with lethal bronzing (LB) infected palm trees. LB is a bacterial disease that kills more than 20 species of palm trees in the Southern United States and Caribbean and has been devastating the Florida green industries for nearly two decades.
Researchers suggest a simple tweak to the first meal of the day might help people living with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) better control their blood sugar levels. Switching from a traditional western-style low-fat breakfast, like oatmeal, toast and fruit, to a low-carb meal higher in protein and fat, like eggs with bacon or cheese, can help people with T2D better manage their blood sugar for most of the day.
In the first-ever 'before and after' assessment of the impact of establishing Mexico's Revillagigedo National Park on the fishing industry, a team of US and Mexican researchers found that Mexico's industrial fishing sector did not incur economic losses five years after the park's creation despite a full ban in fishing activity within the MPA.
The ground beneath Antarctica's most vulnerable glacier has now been mapped, helping scientists to better understand how it is being affected by climate change. Analysis of the geology below the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica shows there is less sedimentary rock than expected -- a finding that could affect how the ice slides and melts in the coming decades.
Chemical and environmental engineering scientists have identified two species of bacteria found in soil that break down a class of stubborn 'forever chemicals'-- per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, that have contaminated groundwater below industrial and military sites throughout the nation. The discovery gives hope for low-cost biological cleanup of these pollutants.
Municipal climate action plans often identify equity and justice as goals, but engagement with these concepts is mostly rhetorical. A new study details how planners can bridge the gap and challenge the current state of climate change and social inequity.
Scientists show that a thin layer of plasma, created by ionizing air, could be promising as an active sound absorber, with applications in noise control and room acoustics.
Influenza epidemics, caused by influenza A or B viruses, result in acute respiratory infection. They kill half a million people worldwide every year. These viruses can also wreak havoc on animals, as in the case of avian flu. A team has now identified how the influenza A virus manages to penetrate cells to infect them. By attaching itself to a receptor on the cell surface, it hijacks the iron transport mechanism to start its infection cycle. By blocking the receptor involved, the researchers were also able to significantly reduce its ability to invade cells. These results highlight a vulnerability that could be exploited to combat the virus.
Even without nerves, plants can sense when something touches them and when it lets go, a study has found. In a set of experiments, individual plant cells responded to the touch of a very fine glass rod by sending slow waves of calcium signals to other plant cells, and when that pressure was released, they sent much more rapid waves. While scientists have known that plants can respond to touch, this study shows that plant cells send different signals when touch is initiated and ended.
Some foods and medicines, such as many COVID-19 vaccines, must be kept cold. As a step toward a robust, stable technique that could indicate when these products exceed safe limits, researchers report a class of brilliantly colored microcrystals in materials that become colorless over a wide range of temperatures and response times. As a proof of concept, the team packaged the color-changing materials into a vial lid and QR code.
Consuming nutritious food can improve metabolic health and delay aging. But what are the appropriate quantities of dietary macronutrients that can help achieve this? To answer this, researchers fed isocaloric diets with varying amounts of protein to young and middle-aged male mice. They found that the mice were metabolically healthier when fed moderate-protein diets. These findings could provide valuable insights into developing nutritional interventions and improving metabolic health in people.
A team of researchers has been developing accessible and creative means of communicating sustainability research from the social sciences for policymakers and the wider public. Using fairy tale characters -- mermaids, vampires, and witches -- as metaphors, the team has sought to communicate typically complicated arguments in evocative and engaging terms.
Starting in the 1990s, Island Fox populations began to dwindle due to an outbreak of canine distemper and an increase in attacks by golden eagles. Some islands saw their population drop to as low as 15 individuals, but conservation efforts by the Federal government restored numbers by 2017. A new study reveals a worrying decrease in genetic diversity within the species, signaling a new threat to the Channel Islands foxes' survival. The decrease in genetic diversity reduces the foxes' ability to adapt to future challenges, such as climate change and introduced pathogens, putting their survival at risk once again. Although the foxes have low genetic diversity, they possess diverse gut microbiomes that could help them cope with environmental changes.
Scientists found the virus strains that arrived in 2021 soon acquired genes from viruses in wild birds in North America. The resulting reassortant viruses have spread across the continent and caused more severe disease.
Engineers have developed ultraflexible implantable nanoelectrodes that can administer long-term, fine-grained brain stimulation.
Scientists have spent years trying to develop an effective HIV vaccine, but none have proven successful. Based on findings from a recently published study, a research team may have put science one step closer to that goal.
Researchers shows how information about the quantity of absorbed light passes from the leaves to the roots. Photosynthetic sucrose not only supplies roots with carbohydrates but also acts as a signal transmitter for light-dependent root architecture.
A group of world leading health and scientific experts are calling on the aviation industry to take action to protect passengers and aircrew from dangerous cabin fumes which they say have led to a new emerging disease. Led by former pilot and aviation health researcher, the specialists have released the first medical protocol of its kind to help treat those effected by contamination of the aircraft cabin breathing air supply and collect data on contamination events.
While it can take years for the pharmaceutical industry to create medicines capable of treating or curing human disease, a new study suggests that using generative artificial intelligence could vastly accelerate the drug-development process.
A graduate student is spearheading an extraordinary scientific endeavor -- a groundbreaking mission to uncover periodic signals emanating from the core of the Milky Way called the Breakthrough Listen Investigation for Periodic Spectral Signals (BLIPSS). Such repetitive patterns could be the key to unlocking the mysteries of extraterrestrial intelligence in our galaxy.
Researchers are proposing a novel pathway through which coastal ecosystem restoration can permanently capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Seagrass and mangroves -- known as blue carbon ecosystems -- naturally capture carbon through photosynthesis, which converts carbon dioxide into living tissue.
A team has developed a new catalyst composed of elements abundant in the Earth. It could make possible the low-cost and energy-efficient production of hydrogen for use in transportation and industrial applications.
In a nutritional comparison of plant-based and dairy yogurts, almond milk yogurt came out on top, according to new research.
Insects use odor plumes -- which travel like smoke and form when the wind blows odor molecules from their source -- to track down sources such as flowers or pheromones. But wind tunnels are typically unable to replicate realistic outdoor wind conditions. Researchers decided to explore microscale wind conditions in various outdoor environments to better understand what flying insects might experience while tracking odor plumes.
A detailed plan to transform product packaging and significantly cut plastic production and pollution has been developed by researchers. The study comes as government representatives meet in Paris to negotiate a legally binding global plastics treaty with a mandate to end plastic pollution.
Genetic analysis shows dingo populations have significantly less dog ancestry than previously thought.
An optical fiber about the thickness of a human hair can now carry the equivalent of more than 10 million fast home internet connections running at full capacity.
A survey of philosophers finds they broadly agree with economists on the best way of valuing the environment of the future in policy decisions made now -- although for different reasons.
Low sexual satisfaction in middle age may serve as an early warning sign for future cognitive decline, according to a new study. The study, which tracked associations between erectile function, sexual satisfaction and cognition in hundreds of men aged 56 through 68, found that declines in sexual satisfaction and erectile function were correlated with future memory loss.
Being obese significantly increases the chances of also developing mental disorders. This applies to all age groups, with women at higher risk than men for most diseases.
Acoustic source-shifters make observers mis-perceive the location of sound by reproducing a sound emanating from a location different from the actual location of a sound source. Researchers have now developed a design approach to produce high-performance source-shifters using a common polymer for location camouflage. Utilizing inverse design based on topology optimization, this development could pave the way for advanced augmented reality and holography technology.
With the help of citizen scientists, astronomers discovered what may be the last three planets that the Kepler Space Telescope saw before it was retired.
Proteins are biological molecules that perform almost all biochemical tasks in all forms of life. In doing so, the tiny structures perform ultra-fast movements. In order to investigate these dynamic processes more precisely than before, researchers have developed a new algorithm that can be used to evaluate measurements at X-ray free-electron lasers.
Researchers have identified three 4,000-year-old British cases of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria causing the plague -- the oldest evidence of the plague in Britain to date.
Scientists have managed to image delicate biological structures without damaging them. Their new technique generates high resolution X-ray images of dried biological material that has not been frozen, coated, or otherwise altered beforehand -- all with little to no damage to the sample. This method, which is also used for airport baggage scanning, can generate images of the material at nanometer resolution.
Researchers show how their multilegged walking robot can be steered by inducing a dynamic instability. By making the couplings between segments more flexible, the robot changes from walking straight to moving in a curved path. This work can lead to more energy-efficient and reliable robotic navigation of terrain.
Engineers have developed a simple 3D-printed attachment that clips over a smartphone's camera and flash to measure blood pressure at the user's fingertip. The clip works with a custom smartphone app and currently costs about 80 cents to make. Researchers say it could help make regular blood pressure monitoring easy, affordable and accessible to people in resource-poor communities.
Researchers have published new findings on how our warming climate will affect the frequency of flash droughts and the risk to croplands globally.
Study from researchers at Western's Advanced Facility for Avian Research (AFAR), home to the world's first hypobaric climatic wind tunnel for bird flight, explores a brain region called cluster N that migratory birds use to perceive Earth's magnetic field. The team discovered the region is activated very flexibly, meaning these birds have an ability to process, or ignore, geomagnetic information, just as you may attend to music when you are interested or tune it out when you are not.
The absolute internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of indium gallium nitride (InGaN) based blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at low temperatures is often assumed to be 100%. However, a new study has found that the assumption of always perfect IQE is wrong: the IQE of an LED can be as low as 27.5%.
The first protein-based nano-computing agent that functions as a circuit has been created. The milestone puts them one step closer to developing next-generation cell-based therapies to treat diseases like diabetes and cancer.
As robots assume more roles in the world, a new analysis reviewed research on robot rights, concluding that granting rights to robots is a bad idea. Instead, the article looks to Confucianism to offer an alternative.
New animal research is helping explain why at least five people have become HIV-free after receiving a stem cell transplant, and may bring scientists closer to developing what they hope will be a widespread cure for the virus that causes AIDS. A new study describes how two nonhuman primates were cured of the monkey form of HIV after receiving a stem cell transplant. It also reveals that two circumstances must co-exist for a cure to occur and documents the order in which HIV is cleared from the body.
A study presents the detection of a system of two planets slightly larger than Earth orbiting a cold star in a synchronized dance. Named TOI-2096, the system is located 150 light-years from Earth. This system, located 150 light-years from Earth, is one of the best candidates for a detailed study of their atmosphere with the JWST space telescope.
Analysing up to 100 years' worth of residents' records from various almshouses in England, new research suggests that living in these communities can reduce the negative impact on health and social wellbeing which is commonly experienced by the older population in lower socioeconomic groups, particularly those individuals who are living in isolation.
Cage structures made with nanoparticles could be a route toward making organized nanostructures with mixed materials, and researchers have shown how to achieve this through computer simulations.
Stem cells from the human stomach can be converted into cells that secrete insulin in response to rising blood sugar levels, offering a promising approach to treating diabetes, according to a preclinical study.
Researchers is the largest of its kind that focuses on ancestry correlations with biomedical traits and the first study to examine the role of genetic variants across diverse ancestries in regulating gene expression.
Researchers say they have evidence that an experimental drug may prevent or slow vision loss in people with diabetes. The results are from a study that used mouse as well as human retinal organoids and eye cell lines.
Cancers often release molecules into the bloodstream that pathologically alter the liver, shifting it to an inflammatory state, causing fat buildup and impairing its normal detoxifying functions, according to a study from investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine. This discovery illuminates one of cancer's more insidious survival mechanisms and suggests the possibility of new tests and drugs for detecting and reversing this process.
Experts say medication commonly used to treat insomnia may also be a therapeutic option for the condition known as REM sleep behavior disorder.
New research offers insights into how researchers can use their platforms to help end the use of stigmatizing language.
New research analyzes more than 25 years of climate and biological data. The findings include shorter hibernation periods in arctic ground squirrels, as well as differences between male and female hibernation periods.
A new study of the freshwater greenfin darter fish suggests river erosion can be a driver of biodiversity in tectonically inactive regions.
A research group has found that in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), circulating fructose derived from dietary sugar is needed for enhanced egg production after mating. In this species, circulating fructose is required for an increase in germline stem cells, which divide into reproductive cells. This increase leads to enhanced post-mating egg production. These findings may help to determine whether fructose influences the reproduction of mammals, including humans.
The many types of cells in the human body are produced through the process of differentiation, in which stem cells are converted to more specialized types. Currently, it is challenging for researchers to control the differentiation of stem cells in the lab (in vitro). Of particular interest are oocytes, which are female germ cells that develop into eggs. Understanding their development could have far-ranging impacts, from infertility treatment to conservation of endangered species. A new study has successfully induced meiotic (dividing) oocytes from the embryonic stem cells of cynomolgus monkeys, which share many physiological traits with humans. By establishing a culture method for inducing the differentiation of meiotic oocytes, the researchers aimed to shed light on germ cell development in both humans and other primates.
Researchers found that, in neurons that produced the neuropeptide NMS, the interaction between molecules SIK3 and HDAC4 has a critical role in sleep regulation through both the length of the circadian period and sleep homoeostasis. Given the similarities among different mammals, new information about how the circadian system works in mice could lead to new treatments for sleep and circadian rhythm disorders in humans.
All biological amino acids on Earth appear exclusively in their left-handed form, but the reason underlying this observation is elusive. Recently, scientists uncovered new clues about the cosmic origin of this asymmetry. Based on the optical properties of amino acids found on the Murchison meteorite, they conducted physics-based simulations, revealing that the precursors to the biological amino acids may have determined the amino acid chirality during the early phase of galactic evolution.
The latest observations from Low Earth Orbit with the International Space Station provide further evidence of spectral hardening and softening of cosmic ray particles.
A new tool which could help reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance is showing early promise, through exploiting a bacterial immune system as a gene editing tool.
A team of researchers discovered mutations that occur during normal aging of human tissues that are induced by the jumping gene of 'long interspersed nuclear element-1' (L1).
To overcome global energy challenges and fight the looming environmental crisis, researchers around the world investigate new materials for converting sunlight into electricity. Some of the most promising candidates for high-efficiency low-cost solar cell applications are based on lead halide perovskite (LHP) semiconductors. Despite record-breaking solar cell prototypes, the microscopic origin of the surprisingly excellent optoelectronic performance of this material class is still not completely understood. Now, an international team of physicists and chemists has demonstrated laser-driven control of fundamental motions of the LHP atomic lattice.
Patients with MS show structural abnormalities in their white matter even before MS inflammation develops. Could this finding lead to a target for a new treatment to prevent MS inflammation?
Researchers developed a fully knitted, circuit-embedded knee wearable for wireless sensing of joint motion in real-time. Compared to other knitted electronics, this model has fewer externally integrated components and a more sensitive sensor, making it less error-prone.
Ultrafast laser physicists from the attoworld team have gained new insights into the dynamics of electrons in solids immediately after photoinjection.
Nuclear clocks could allow scientists to probe the fundamental forces of the universe in the future. Researchers have made a crucial advance in this area as part of an international collaboration.
New data from the phase III INTERACT3 study demonstrates that a new combination of treatments for stroke due to intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) significantly improves the chances of surviving without major disability.
A new study uses data from the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) study, a randomized controlled trial that compared an intensive lifestyle intervention with diabetes support and education in patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity to track the development of cardiovascular disease over time.
The mental distress of cognitive dissonance -- encountering information that conflicts with how we act or what we believe -- can lead to added pressure on the neck and low back during lifting and lowering tasks, new research suggests.
The Midwestern United States has lost 57.6 billion tons of topsoil due to farming practices over the past 160 years, and the rate of erosion, even following the U.S. Department of Agriculture's guidelines, is still 25 times higher than the rate at which topsoil forms. Yet, we need not despair: researchers recently reported that no-till farming, which is currently practiced on 40 percent of cropland acres in the Midwest, can extend our current level of soil fertility for the next several centuries. This has implications for everything from food security to climate-change mitigation.
Scientists have developed a nanodevice that can measure the absolute power of microwave radiation down to the femtowatt level at ultra-low temperatures -- a scale trillion times lower than routinely used in verifiable power measurements. The device has the potential to significantly advance microwave measurements in quantum technology.
Some of nature's most diverse pollinators often go unnoticed, even by scientists: long-snouted beetles called weevils. A new study provides a deep dive into the more than 600 species of weevils, including ones whose entire life cycles are interwoven with a specific plant that they help pollinate.
One researcher says we should look beyond the hype to see how virtual reality can make scientists more effective. But to realize the benefits, researchers must also plan well and avoid potential pitfalls.
A new study suggests iron-rich ancient sediments may have helped cause some of the largest volcanic events in the planet's history.
A new study provides novel insight into the benefits of exercise, which should motivate adults to keep moving throughout their lifetime, especially during middle age. Long-term exercise profoundly benefits the aging brain and may prevent aging-related memory function decline by increasing the survival and modifying the network of the adult-born neurons born during early adulthood, and thereby facilitating their participation in cognitive processes.
Scientists have made a significant advancement with quantum technologies that could transform complex systems modelling with an accurate and effective approach that requires significantly re-duced memory.
Regular walks strengthen connections in and between brain networks, according to new research, adding to growing evidence linking exercise with slowing the onset of Alzheimer's disease. The study examined the brains and story recollection abilities of older adults with normal brain function and those diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, which is a slight decline in mental abilities like memory, reasoning and judgment and a risk factor for Alzheimer's.
There is a massive, mineral-rich region in the Pacific Ocean -- about twice the size of India -- called the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ), which has already been divided up and assigned to companies for future deep-sea mining. To better understand what may be at risk once companies start mining, a team of biologists has built the first 'CCZ checklist' by compiling all the species records from previous research expeditions to the region. Their estimates of the species diversity of the CCZ included a total of 5,578 different species, an estimated 88% - 92% of which are entirely new to science.
By comparing the structures of protein complexes from different lineages of the dangerous Lassa virus, a team identified new antibodies and vaccine targets.
Animals using the most of efficient methods of searching for resources may well pay with their lives, scientists have discovered.
Researchers have discovered that the oldest-old, those who live to be 90+ and have superior cognitive skills, have similar levels of brain pathology as Alzheimer's patients, however, they also have less brain pathology of other neurodegenerative diseases that cause memory and thinking problems.
Scientists studied how the epigenetic landscape influences the binding of pioneer transcription factors, affecting access to DNA.
A researcher is cautioning that a person's poor eating habits established during post-secondary studies can contribute to future health issues including obesity, respiratory illnesses and depression.
Researchers have successfully mapped specific regions in the brain that are activated in association with changes in blood sugar -- also known as glucose -- providing fundamental location information that could ultimately lead to more targeted therapies for people who struggle with conditions like diabetes.
Neuroscientists have shown how vitamin D deficiency affects developing neurons in the brain's dopamine circuit, which may lead to the dopamine dysfunction seen in adults with schizophrenia.
We've heard it time and time again -- the Mediterranean diet is great for our health. But despite the significant health benefits of this eating plan, a common deterrent is often the expected costs, especially when budgets are tight.
Weed killers of the future could soon be based on failed antibiotics. Researchers have found a molecule which was initially developed to treat tuberculosis but failed to progress out of the lab as an antibiotic is now showing promise as a powerful foe for weeds that invade our gardens and cost farmers billions of dollars each year.
Researchers developed a new cell culture system for expanding human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in the laboratory. The new system's culture medium is free of cytokines and albumin, once believed to be essential components for HSC growth. Using various molecular techniques, the team identified several chemicals that could activate necessary signaling pathways, stimulate cell proliferation, and support long-term HSC expansion. This work may help advance various HSC-related therapeutics in clinical development.
Species known as marine habitat-forming species -- gorgonians, corals, algae, seaweeds, marine phanerogams, etc.-- are organisms that help generate and structure the underwater landscapes. These are natural refuges for other species, and provide biomass and complexity to the seabeds. But these key species in marine ecosystems are currently threatened by climate change and other perturbations derived from human activity. Now, a study warns that even in the marine protected areas (MPAs) the genetic diversity of structural species is not protected, although it is essential for the response and adaptation of populations to changes that alter the natural environment.
A team of engineers has recently shown that nearly any material can be turned into a device that continuously harvests electricity from humidity in the air. Researchers describe the 'generic Air-gen effect'-- nearly any material can be engineered with nanopores to harvest, cost effective, scalable, interruption-free electricity. The secret lies in being able to pepper the material with nanopores less than 100 nanometers in diameter.
Repeatedly heading a soccer ball has been previously associated with negative long-term brain health for professional players. However, a new study found that a small number of repeated soccer headers equivalent to a throw-in did not cause immediate neurophysiological deficits for teens, suggesting that limited soccer heading exposure in youth sports may not result in irreversible harm if players are properly trained.
Engineers have designed a new class of 'microrobots' several times smaller than the width of a human hair that may be able to treat human illnesses like interstitial cystitis -- a painful bladder disease that affects millions of Americans.
A new study has used global storm-resolving simulations and machine learning to create an algorithm that can deal separately with two different scales of cloud organization: those resolved by a climate model, and those that cannot be resolved as they are too small. This new approach addresses the missing piece of information in traditional climate model parameterizations and provides a way to predict precipitation intensity and variability more precisely.
A new study has shown that human T cells have an important role to play in controlling infection.
Astronomers used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to image the warm dust around a nearby young star, Fomalhaut, in order to study the first asteroid belt ever seen outside of our solar system in infrared light. But to their surprise, the dusty structures are much more complex than the asteroid and Kuiper dust belts of our solar system. Overall, there are three nested belts extending out to 14 billion miles (23 billion kilometers) from the star; that's 150 times the distance of Earth from the Sun. The scale of the outermost belt is roughly twice the scale of our solar system's Kuiper Belt of small bodies and cold dust beyond Neptune. The inner belts -- which had never been seen before -- were revealed by Webb for the first time.
Birds across the Americas are getting smaller and longer-winged as the world warms, and the smallest-bodied species are changing the fastest.
Imagine a cocktail party full of 3D-printed, humanoid robots listening and talking to each other. That seemingly sci-fi scene is the goal of an augmented listening laboratory. With precise control over the simulated subjects, the researchers can adjust the parameters of the experiment and even set the machines in motion to simulate neck movements.
A new study provides the first observational evidence of the stabilization of the anti-cyclonic Beaufort Gyre, which is the dominant circulation of the Canada Basin and the largest freshwater reservoir in the Arctic Ocean.
A limited menu of prey may weave a tangled food web by emboldening wolf spiders of multiple species to dine on each other and even cannibalize their own, says a new study.
Scientists find an auto-signaling mechanism driving the T cell anti-tumor response; findings may inspire new cancer therapeutics and biomarkers.
Scientists have identified new genetic risk factors for two types of non-Alzheimer's dementia. These findings detail how researchers identified large-scale DNA changes, known as structural variants, by analyzing thousands of DNA samples. The team discovered several structural variants that could be risk factors Lewy body dementia (LBD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
New research shows the use of a new cellular probe helped discover new findings about certain cellular processes.
A new study finds that incoming students who participated in an online belonging exercise completed their first year as full-time college students at a higher rate than their peers, but only when their institution had strong strategies and resources in place to support diverse students' belonging.
Scientists find new route in bacteria to decarbonize industry. The discovery could reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the manufacturing of fuels, drugs, and chemicals. A research team has engineered bacteria to produce new-to-nature carbon products that could provide a powerful route to sustainable biochemicals.
Researchers are creating a high-resolution atlas that depicts the development of the human retina. One technique they use is a new method that allows them to visualize more than 50 proteins simultaneously. The atlas helps scientists to better understand diseases.
Researchers have developed a zebrafish model that provides new insight into how the brain acquires essential omega-3 fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and linolenic acid (ALA), with the potential to improve understanding of lipid transport across the blood-brain barrier and of disruptions in this process that can lead to birth defects or neurological conditions.
After a stroke, physical activity can be pivotal to successful recovery. People who spend four hours a week exercising after their stroke achieve better functional recovery within six months than those who do not, a new study shows.
Depression is a condition affecting millions across the globe. However, efficient drugs with minimal adverse effects are scarce. Now, researchers have reported how KNT-127, a delta opioid receptor agonist, quickly and efficiently reduces classic parameters of depression in a mouse model. This anti-depressant agent exhibits the dual nature of being a stress reliever and an anti-depressant and could broaden the potential of existing treatments.
Quantum dots in semiconductors such as silicon or gallium arsenide have long been considered hot candidates for hosting quantum bits in future quantum processors. Scientists have now shown that bilayer graphene has even more to offer here than other materials. The double quantum dots they have created are characterized by a nearly perfect electron-hole-symmetry that allows a robust read-out mechanism -- one of the necessary criteria for quantum computing.
As AI becomes increasingly realistic, our trust in those with whom we communicate may be compromised. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg have examined how advanced AI systems impact our trust in the individuals we interact with.
Researchers have made a major breakthrough earlier this year in the field of evolutionary conservation of molecular dynamics in enzymes. Their work points to potential applications in health, including the development of new drugs to treat serious diseases such as cancer or to counter antibiotic resistance.
Half of plant proteins in the EU come from rapeseed plants. Until now, the plant has only been used for oil and animal feed, as it is both bitter and unsafe for human consumption. In a new study, researchers have gotten closer to removing the plant's bitter substances, and in doing so, are paving the way for a new protein source to support the green transition.
Newly developed 'smart' coatings for surgical orthopedic implants can monitor strain on the devices to provide early warning of implant failures while killing infection-causing bacteria, researchers report. The coatings integrate flexible sensors with a nanostructured antibacterial surface inspired by the wings of dragonflies and cicadas.
Photovoltaics, the conversion of light to electricity, is a key technology for sustainable energy. Since the days of Max Planck and Albert Einstein, we know that light as well as electricity are quantized, meaning they come in tiny packets called photons and electrons. In a solar cell, the energy of a single photon is transferred to a single electron of the material, but no more than one. Only a few molecular materials like pentacene are an exception, where one photon is converted to two electrons instead. This excitation doubling, which is called exciton fission, could be extremely useful for high-efficiency photovoltaics, specifically to upgrade the dominant technology based on silicon. Researchers have now deciphered the first step of this process by recording an ultrafast movie of the photon-to-electricity conversion process, resolving a decades-old debate about the mechanism of the process.
Microbiologists have uncovered the evolutionary origins of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria. His studies on the bacterium that causes cholera, Vibrio cholerae, provide insight into deciphering what conditions must occur for infectious agents to become resistant. He studied genetic variants of a protein found in bacterial membranes called OmpU. Using computational and molecular approaches, his team found that several OmpU mutations in the cholera bacteria led to resistance to numerous antimicrobial agents. This resistance included antimicrobial peptides that act as defenses in the human gut.
Using a long-term multifactor experimental field site researchers showed that experimental warming of a tallgrass prairie ecosystem significantly altered the community structure of soil archaea and reduced their taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity.
Because contrasting societal views have created an approach that simultaneously manages horses on the range as wildlife, livestock and pets, current U.S. government programs are incapable of succeeding, according to researchers.
Researchers have captured one of the fastest movements of a molecule called ferricyanide for the first time by combining two ultrafast X-ray spectroscopy techniques. They think their approach could help map more complex chemical reactions like oxygen transportation in blood cells or hydrogen production using artificial photosynthesis.
A new technique eliminates a source of bias in a popular simulation method, which could enable scientists to create new algorithms that are more accurate and boost the performance of applications and networks.
Scientists have used sub-surface imaging and aerial surveys to see through floodplains in the Red Lily Lagoon area of West Arnhem Land in Australia. These ground-breaking methods showed how this important landscape in the Northern Territory was altered as sea levels rose about 8,000 years ago.
Scientists have found a lipid transporter crucial to regulating the cells that make myelin, the nerve-protecting sheath.
A recent study sheds light on online art viewing as a source of pleasure and meaning-making that can boost our well-being.
Researchers have demonstrated a prototype lidar system that uses quantum detection technology to acquire 3D images while submerged underwater. The high sensitivity of this system could allow it to capture detailed information even in extremely low-light conditions found underwater.
A new study that analyzed 60 commonly available beverages found mixed-fruit juices and plant-based milks such as oat and almond were most likely to contain levels of toxic metals above federal drinking water standards.
A major challenge in human genetics is understanding which parts of the genome drive specific traits or contribute to disease risk. This challenge is even greater for genetic variants found in the 98% of the genome that does not encode proteins. A new approach combines genetic association studies, gene editing, and single-cell sequencing to address these challenges and discover causal variants and genetic mechanisms for blood cell traits.
Automation uncovers combinations of amino acids that feed two bacterial species and could tell us much more about the 90% of bacteria that humans have hardly studied. An artificial intelligence system enables robots to conduct autonomous scientific experiments -- as many as 10,000 per day -- potentially driving a drastic leap forward in the pace of discovery in areas from medicine to agriculture to environmental science.
New research deepens the understanding of Earth's crust by testing and ultimately eliminating one popular hypothesis about why continental crust is lower in iron and more oxidized compared to oceanic crust. The iron-poor composition of continental crust is a major reason why vast portions of the Earth's surface stand above sea level as dry land, making terrestrial life possible today. The study uses laboratory experiments to show that the iron-depleted, oxidized chemistry typical of Earth's continental crust likely did not come from crystallization of the mineral garnet, as a popular explanation proposed in 2018.
Phytosterols are good for your health, but humans and other animals are not able to make them themselves, only plants can. To acquire phytosterols, humans are increasingly turning to supplements, green smoothies, or a Mediterranean diet with plenty of plant-based foods. Researchers have now discovered that tiny gutless worms from the Mediterranean can synthesize phytosterols on their own. Their study provides evidence that many other animals also have the genes needed to make their own phytosterols.
New research begins to unravel the role dust plays in nourishing global ocean ecosystems while helping regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide levels.
Proteins that act like air traffic controllers, managing the flow of signals in and out of human cells, have been observed for the first time with unprecedented detail using advanced microscopy techniques. New findings could inform the development of better drugs for pain relief, diabetes or heart failure.
Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence system that can create proteins not found in nature using generative diffusion, the same technology behind popular image-creation platforms such as DALL-E and Midjourney.
Researchers discover a unique two-component molecular motor that uses a kind of renewable chemical energy to pull vesicles toward membrane-bound organelles.
For decades, scientists have used the amount of seaweed at the ocean's surface as a proxy for the health of coral reefs below. However, a new global study of more than 1,200 marine locations over a 16-year period reveals that this approach has been misleading -- and may even have hidden signs of reef stress.
When the seeds of plants such as pea and sunflower are biofortified with zinc, the seedlings they quickly produce -- harvested as microgreens -- could both help to mitigate global malnutrition and boost the odds of people surviving a catastrophe.
Perovskite solar cells (PVSCs) are a promising alternative to traditional silicon-based solar cells because of their high power-conversion efficiency and low cost. However, one of the major challenges in their development has been achieving long-term stability. Recently, a research team made a breakthrough by developing an innovative multifunctional and non-volatile additive which can improve the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells by modulating perovskite film growth. This simple and effective strategy has great potential for facilitating the commercialization of PVSCs.
The Beatles famously sang, 'Money can't buy me love,' but married couples who manage their finances together may love each other longer, according to new research.
Researchers have exposed roundworms (a well-established model organism in biological research) to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of drugs used for treating depression and anxiety. Surprisingly, this treatment improved the quality of aging females' egg cells.
Storing data in DNA sounds like science fiction, yet it lies in the near future. Experts expect the first DNA data center to be up and running within five to ten years. Data won't be stored as zeros and ones in a hard drive but in the base pairs that make up DNA: AT and CG. Such a data center would take the form of a lab, many times smaller than the ones today.
In the first in-human clinical trial, scientists used a novel, skull-implantable ultrasound device to open the blood-brain barrier and repeatedly permeate large, critical regions of the human brain to deliver chemotherapy that was injected intravenously. This is potentially a huge advance for glioblastoma patients because the most potent chemotherapy can't permeate the blood-brain barrier to reach the aggressive and deadly brain tumor.
New guidance may help doctors correctly diagnose hoarding disorder. Hoarding disorder affects around 2% of the population but remains a largely misunderstood mental health condition. It was only added to the International Classification of Diseases in 2019, having previously been classified under Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The guidance is written by experts from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, England, who have also organised a free conference in Cambridge on Wednesday, 10 May to provide the public with more information about the condition.
Researchers find mutations of the Foxp2 gene disrupt the formation of synapses in the brain's striatum, which plays important roles in the control of movement, in mice. A new study sheds light on how Foxp2 controls speech production.
A 'beautiful effect' predicted by quantum electrodynamics (QED) can explain the puzzling first observations of polarized X-rays emitted by a magnetar -- a neutron star featuring a powerful magnetic field, according to an astrophysicist.
The young star TW Hydrae is playing 'shadow puppets' with scientists observing it with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. In 2017, astronomers reported discovering a shadow sweeping across the face of a vast pancake-shaped gas-and-dust disk surrounding the red dwarf star. The shadow isn't from a planet, but from an inner disk slightly inclined relative to the much larger outer disk -- causing it to cast a shadow. One explanation is that an unseen planet's gravity is pulling dust and gas into the planet's inclined orbit. The young star TW Hydrae is playing 'shadow puppets' with scientists observing it with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Now, a second shadow -- playing a game of peek-a-boo -- has emerged in just a few years between observations stored in Hubble's MAST archive. This could be from yet another disk nestled inside the system. The two disks are likely evidence of a pair of planets under construction.
Most chromosomes have been around for millions of years. Now, researchers have revealed the dynamics of a new, very young chromosome in fruit flies that is similar to chromosomes that arise in humans and is associated with treatment-resistant cancer and infertility. The findings may one day lead to developing more targeted therapies for treating these conditions.
Stone tools recovered from near the Senegalese coast extend occupation of the region back to 150 thousand years ago and are comparable to those seen across Africa at this time, but uniquely persist in the region until 10 thousand years ago.
Neuropathic pain -- abnormal hypersensitivity to stimuli -- is associated with impaired quality of life and is often poorly managed. Estimates suggest that 3 percent to 17 percent of adults suffer from neuropathic pain, including a quarter of people with diabetes and a third of people with HIV. Researchers report that a mechanism involving the enzyme Tiam1 in dorsal horn excitatory neurons of the spinal cord both initiates and maintains neuropathic pain. Moreover, they show that targeting spinal Tiam1 with anti-sense oligonucleotides injected into the cerebrospinal fluid effectively alleviated neuropathic pain hypersensitivity.
Large numbers can only be factorized with a great deal of computational effort. Physicists are now providing a blueprint for a new type of quantum computer to solve the factorization problem, which is a cornerstone of modern cryptography.
Deep sleep, also known as non-REM slow-wave sleep, can act as a 'cognitive reserve factor' that may increase resilience against a protein in the brain called beta-amyloid that is linked to memory loss caused by dementia.
Goldenhar syndrome is a rare congenital disease, affecting early fetal development. This syndrome includes malformations of varying severity, affecting different parts of the face. Its causes and modes of transmission are still poorly understood. An international collaboration has discovered that pathogenic variants of the FOXI3 gene -- responsible for the development of the ear -- cause one form of this developmental disorder. The scientists were also able to identify the modes of transmission of the disease when this particular gene is involved.
Similar to humans, chimpanzees combine vocalizations into larger communicatively meaningful structures. UZH researchers suggest that this ability might be evolutionarily more ancient than previously thought.
Depressive symptoms have decreased among older people and they are more satisfied with their lives so far than people at the same age three decades ago.
Normal age-related changes in how we think, perceive and reason may increase the risk of older people viewing themselves through a negative and ageist lens, research suggests.
A study in Florida Bay, one of the largest global contiguous seagrass systems, examined if a phytotoxin that accumulates as seagrass ecosystems become more enriched in nutrients prevents a marine seagrass, turtlegrass, from recruiting into open bare sediment following die-off events. While they do 'bounce back,' long-term monitoring indicates the timeframe for recovery after major die-off events is at least a decade. Turtlegrass can successfully recruit into open bare sediment following die-off events due to biomass partitioning.
How are you sleeping? A new study has found the transition from daylight saving time to standard time, when one hour is gained overnight, was associated with a brief increase in sleep disorders such as difficulty going to sleep or staying asleep, but there was no such association when an hour is lost in the change from standard time to daylight saving time. The study also found a small difference in the amount of sleep people get depending on the season.
A research team outlines how it identified and bestowed a moniker upon a previously unexplored 500 million-year-old Grand Canyon formation: The Frenchman Mountain Dolostone. The newly named rock layer has lain hidden in plain sight throughout the Grand Canyon for millennia, but -- until now -- geologists had not named it or studied it in detail.
Sweat is more than just a sign of a good workout. It holds vital information about our health, providing clues to dehydration, fatigue, blood sugar levels and even serious conditions such as cystic fibrosis, diabetes and heart failure. Researchers have taken a giant leap forward in sweat analysis with an innovative 3D-printed wearable sweat sensor called the 'sweatainer.'
This year and next, Americans will have the extraordinary opportunity to witness two solar eclipses as both will be visible throughout the continental U.S. Both occurrences promise to be remarkable events and teachable moments but preparation is essential. Astronomers provide a practical playbook to help teachers, students, and the general public prepare for the eclipse events.
-Electrocatalyst achieves record-breaking selectivity toward desired product, a key step in expanding production -Acetic acid, found in vinegar, is traditionally extracted from fossil fuels for use in paint and other product feedstock.
Worldwide, growers lose between 10 and 23 per cent of their crops to fungal infection each year, despite widespread use of antifungals. An additional 10-20 per cent is lost post harvest. In a commentary in Nature, academics predict those figures will worsen as global warming means fungal infections are steadily moving polewards, meaning more countries are likely to see a higher prevalence of fungal infections damaging harvests.
ere are some scientific findings worthy of a toast: Researchers have explained why bubbles in Champagne fizz up in a straight line while bubbles in other carbonated drinks, like beer or soda, don’t.
Scientists have observed a star swallowing a planet for the first time. Earth will meet a similar fate in 5 billion years.
An international research team has for the first time successfully isolated ancient human DNA from a Paleolithic artefact: a pierced deer tooth discovered in Denisova Cave in southern Siberia. To preserve the integrity of the artefact, they developed a new, nondestructive method for isolating DNA from ancient bones and teeth. From the DNA retrieved they were able to reconstruct a precise genetic profile of the woman who used or wore the pendant, as well as of the deer from which the tooth was taken. Genetic dates obtained for the DNA from both the woman and the deer show that the pendant was made between 19,000 and 25,000 years ago. The tooth remains fully intact after analysis, providing testimony to a new era in ancient DNA research, in which it may become possible to directly identify the users of ornaments and tools produced in the deep past.
Traces of sex hormones extracted from a woolly mammoth's tusk provide the first direct evidence that adult males experienced musth, a testosterone-driven episode of heightened aggression against rival males, according to a new study.
Scientists have identified a potential pathway to pain relief that neither triggers addiction nor causes hallucinations.
Immunotherapy has redefined cancer treatment, but not all patients experience the same benefit when treated. New research in mice identifies how gut bacteria alter the body's response to a common form of cancer immunotherapy. The animals' gut microbiota lowered the expression of two immune molecules, one previously unknown to play a role in cancer. • Using antibodies to block the activity of either molecule, or the interplay between them, enhanced response to cancer immunotherapy. • The findings can inform the design of treatments that boost the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy among patients with suboptimal response.
A new study has found links at the atomic level between photosynthesis and exciton condensates -- a strange state of physics that allows energy to flow frictionlessly through a material. The finding is scientifically intriguing and may suggest new ways to think about designing electronics, the authors said.
Researchers have developed a new high-speed way to detect the location, size and category of multiple objects without acquiring images or requiring complex scene reconstruction. Because the new approach greatly decreases the computing power necessary for object detection, it could be useful for identifying hazards while driving.
Photosynthesis plays a crucial role in shaping and sustaining life on Earth, yet many aspects of the process remain a mystery. One such mystery is how Photosystem II, a protein complex in plants, algae and cyanobacteria, harvests energy from sunlight and uses it to split water, producing the oxygen we breathe. Now researchers have succeeded in cracking a key secret of Photosystem II.
All human beings are genetically very similar, sharing approx. 99.9% of the DNA code. The remaining 0.1% explains the natural differences between people, including our predisposition to hereditary diseases. Although sequencing of our genetic material is becoming a routine diagnostic analysis, it is unfortunately far from simple to determine whether specific small differences in our DNA affect our risk of developing disease. The usefulness of DNA sequencing is therefore often limited to the few cases where it is already known if a gene variant increases the risk of disease.
A UCLA-led research team created an 'urban association index' that describes how closely bird species are associated with living in urban settings. With more of the planet being consumed by urbanization, the scientists write that a dramatic loss of biodiversity is likely unless there are practical plans to preserve it. Urban bird species tend to be smaller and less territorial and have greater ability to fly long distances than other species; they also tend to have broader dietary and habitat niches and to live at a wider range of elevations.
A research group has succeeded in regulating the flow of single molecules in solution by opening and closing the nanovalve mounted on the nanofluidic device by applying external pressure. The research group fabricated a device with a ribbon-like, thin, soft glass sheet on the top, and at the bottom a hard glass substrate having nanochannels and nanovalve seats. By applying external pressure to the soft glass sheet to open and close the valve, they succeeded in directly manipulating and controlling the flow of individual molecules in solution. They also observed an effect of fluorescence signal amplification when single fluorescent molecules are confined in the tiny nanospace inside the valve. The effect can be ascribed to the nanoconfinement, which suppresses the random motion of the molecules.
In the face of global warming and other environmental changes, corals in the Atlantic Ocean have declined precipitously in recent years, while corals in the Pacific and Indian Oceans are faring better. By describing several species of symbiotic algae that these corals need to grow, an international team has found that these mutualistic relationships from the Indo-Pacific may be more flexible and ultimately resilient to higher ocean temperatures than those in the Atlantic.
Using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), researchers have found for the first time the fingerprints left by the explosion of the first stars in the Universe. They detected three distant gas clouds whose chemical composition matches what we expect from the first stellar explosions. These findings bring us one step closer to understanding the nature of the first stars that formed after the Big Bang.
A new study shows that sleep spindles, brief bursts of brain activity occurring during one phase of sleep and captured by EEG, may regulate anxiety in people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
If you're a fan of arts and crafts, you're likely familiar with the messy, sticky, frustration-inducing nature of liquid glues. But researchers now have a brand-new way to weld squishy stuff together without the need for glue at all. They've demonstrated a universal, 'electroadhesion' technique that can adhere soft materials to each other just by running electricity through them.
A team of researchers develops stem cell adhesive for arthritis treatment using mussel adhesion protein and hyaluronic acid.
Scientists have developed a new extraction protocol for RNA-seq and metabolomic analysis, offering a more complete picture of cellular activity than either technique on its own. The protocol employs a streamlined extraction from a single sample, which reduces variation, improves efficiency, preserves data fidelity and maximizes use of precious biospecimens.
A model sailing boat which represents a key part of a project working to banish single use plastics has embarked on a global tour that will help its message reach thousands more people and communities across the planet.
Engineers have developed a stretchable ultrasonic array capable of serial, non-invasive, three-dimensional imaging of tissues as deep as four centimeters below the surface of human skin, at a spatial resolution of 0.5 millimeters. This new method provides a non-invasive, longer-term alternative to current methods, with improved penetration depth.
New research shows that artificial intelligence (AI) systems can process signals in a way that is remarkably similar to how the brain interprets speech, a finding scientists say might help explain the black box of how AI systems operate.
A recent study found that many of the fossils from Germany's Posidonia shale do not get their gleam from pyrite, commonly known as fool's gold, which was long thought to be the source of the shine. Instead, the golden hue is from a mix of minerals that hints at the conditions in which the fossils formed. The discovery is important for understanding how the fossils -- which are among the world's best-preserved specimens of sea life from the Early Jurassic -- came to form in the first place, and the role that oxygen in the environment had in their formation.
Researchers describe how exposure to ambient air pollution, such as car exhaust and power plant emissions -- is associated with a measurably greater risk of developing dementia over time.
A lab has developed a deep neural network that improves the accuracy of their unique devices for detecting pathogen biomarkers.
It's time to roll up your sleeves for the next advance in wearable technology -- a fabric armband that's actually a touch pad. Researchers say they have devised a way to make playing video games, sketching cartoons and signing documents easier. Their proof-of-concept silk armband turns a person's forearm into a keyboard or sketchpad. The three-layer, touch-responsive material interprets what a user draws or types and converts it into images on a computer.
What would the Earth look like to an alien civilization located light years away? A team of researchers has used crowd-sourced data to simulate radio leakage from mobile towers and predict what an alien civilization might detect from various nearby stars, including Barnard's star, six light years away from Earth.
A team has modeled improving photosynthesis through enzyme modification and simulated soybean growth with realistic climate conditions, determining to what extent the improvements in photosynthesis could result in increased yields.
Using a "spooky" phenomenon of quantum physics, researchers have discovered a way to double the resolution of light microscopes.
A new study that analyzed 17 years of migratory bird-nesting data in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, revealed that nest survival decreased significantly near high-use oil and gas infrastructure and its related noise, dust, traffic, air pollution, and other disturbances.
Applying machine learning models, a type of artificial intelligence (AI), to data collected passively from wearable devices can identify a patient's degree of resilience and well-being, according to investigators. The findings support wearable devices as a way to monitor and assess psychological states remotely without requiring the completion of mental health questionnaires.
A new study analyzing data on over 20,000 U.S. adults links a healthier diet and increased exercise to weight loss that reduces heart disease risk -- while associating skipping meals and taking prescription diet pills with minimal weight loss, weight maintenance or weight gain.
Marine biologists found the feces of fish that were long thought to promote healthy reefs can damage and, in some cases, kill corals in controlled experiments, possibly due to high levels of coral pathogens. Conversely, the feces of coral predators were found to contain high levels of beneficial bacteria and could act like a 'coral probiotic,' the researchers say.
By connecting small self-propelling toys in a chain, researchers have found the key to studying the movement of microscopic organisms and molecular motors inside our cells.
While adding a little water is popularly thought to 'open up' the flavor of whisky, a new study indicates there's a point at which it becomes too much: about 20%. Researchers chemically analyzed how volatile compounds in a set of 25 whiskies responded to the addition of water, including bourbons, ryes, Irish whiskeys and both single malt and blended Scotches. They also had a trained sensory panel assess six of those whiskies, three Scotches and three bourbons. Both tests found that adding a little water could change how the whiskies smelled, but after 20%, they may start to have the same aroma. Since smell and taste are often closely linked, this likely affected the spirit's flavor as well.
New research found that Americans already bearing the brunt of climate change and health inequities are most at risk of impact by a lengthy power outage.
Neuroscientists discovered anatomical changes that occur in the white matter of visual-processing areas of the brain, in children who have congenital cataracts surgically removed.
Couches, tables, sleeves and more can turn into a high-fidelity input device for computers using a new sensing system.
Researchers have characterized two different types of surface water in the hyperarid salars -- or salt flats -- that contain much of the world's lithium deposits. This new characterization represents a leap forward in understanding how water moves through such basins, and will be key to minimizing the environmental impact on such sensitive, critical habitats.
A new study provides early evidence of a surge of activity correlated with consciousness in the dying brain.
Discovery of a new protein complex helps scientists understand how plants interpret changes in temperature over time
The most common stars in the universe are red dwarf stars, which means that rocky exoplanets are most likely to be found orbiting such a star. Red dwarf stars are cool, so a planet has to hug it in a tight orbit to stay warm enough to potentially host liquid water (meaning it lies in the habitable zone). Such stars are also active, particularly when they are young, releasing ultraviolet and X-ray radiation that could destroy planetary atmospheres. As a result, one important open question in astronomy is whether a rocky planet could maintain, or reestablish, an atmosphere in such a harsh environment.
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is melting rapidly, raising concerns it could cross a tipping point of irreversible retreat in the next few decades if global temperatures rise 1.5 to 2.0 degrees Celsius (2.7 to 3.8 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels. New research finds that 6,000 years ago, the grounded edge of the ice sheet may have been as far as 250 kilometers (160 miles) inland from its current location, suggesting the ice retreated deep into the continent after the end of the last ice age and re-advanced before modern retreat began.
As major airline officials predict another record summer air travel season, a new analysis has found that exposure to even moderate levels of airplane noise may disrupt sleep, building upon a growing body of research on the adverse health effects of environmental noise. People who were exposed to airplane noise at levels as low as 45 dB were more likely to sleep less than 7 hours per night. For comparison, the sound of a whisper is 30 dB, a library setting is 40 dB, and a typical conversation at home is 50 dB.
Whenever SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory's linear accelerator is on, packs of around a billion electrons each travel together at nearly the speed of light through metal piping. These electron bunches form the accelerator's particle beam, which is used to study the atomic behavior of molecules, novel materials and many other subjects. But trying to estimate what a particle beam actually looks like as it travels through an accelerator is difficult, leaving scientists often with only a rough approximation of how a beam will behave during an experiment. Now, researchers have developed an algorithm that more precisely predicts a beam's distribution of particle positions and velocities as it zips through an accelerator.
The mechanics behind the collapse of soft materials structure have befuddled researchers for decades. In a new study, researchers uncover a metric that finally correlates microscopic-level processes with what is seen at the macroscopic level.
Researchers have created a photonic device that provides programmable on-chip information processing without lithography, offering the speed of photonics augmented by superior accuracy and flexibility for AI applications. Achieving unparalleled control of light, this device consists of spatially distributed optical gain and loss. Lasers cast light directly on a semiconductor wafer, without the need for defined lithographic pathways.
A new AI-based system called a semantic decoder can translate a person's brain activity -- while listening to a story or silently imagining telling a story -- into a continuous stream of text. Unlike other thought decoding systems in development, this system does not require subjects to have surgical implants, making the process noninvasive.
A new study on herpes infections of the eye helps shed light on the question of viral reinfections by identifying a key protein involved in viral reinfections that could be targeted by antiviral drugs.
A recent study quantified the number of harmful fisheries subsidies that support fishing in the high seas, domestic and foreign waters and found that between 20 and 37 per cent of these subsidies supported fishing in waters outside the jurisdictions of their home nation. Further, these subsidies also primarily originated from developed nations, yet disproportionately impacted developing countries, leading to environmental and societal impacts all around the globe.
Astronomers have discovered 25 new sources of repeating fast radio bursts (FRBs), these explosions in the sky that come from far beyond the Milky Way. This discovery brings the total number of confirmed FRB sources to 50.
It's generally accepted we will lose muscle strength and slow down as we age, making it more difficult to perform simple tasks such as getting up, walking and sitting down. But new research indicates this could also be a signal for another sinister health concern of ageing: late-life dementia.
The way our senses adjust while playing high-intensity virtual reality games plays a critical role in understanding why some people experience severe cybersickness and others don't.
A machine-learning approach can give scientists insight into the environmental preferences of microbes, based only on their genes. The approach has practical research implications: it could help researchers more efficiently grow bacteria in the laboratory. It could also lead to smarter use of microbes in agriculture, ecological restoration, and even probiotics.
Researchers have discovered that the electrical fields and activity that exist through a cell's membrane also exist within and around another type of cellular structure called biological condensates. Like oil droplets floating in water, these structures exist because of differences in density. Their foundational discovery could change the way researchers think about biological chemistry. It could also provide a clue as to how the first life on Earth harnessed the energy needed to arise.
Scientists from around the globe are using the largest mammalian genomic dataset in history to determine the evolutionary history of the human genome in the context of mammalian evolutionary history. Their ultimate goal is to better identify the genetic basis for traits and diseases in people and other species.
A machine-learning method detects internal structures, voids, and cracks inside a material, based on data about the material's surface.
Certain types of fungi can communicate with each other via electrical signals. But much remains unknown about how and when they do so. A group of researchers recently headed to the forest to measure the electrical signals of Laccaria bicolor mushrooms, finding that their electrical signals increased following rainfall.
Ensuring the supply of food to the constantly growing world population and protecting the environment at the same time are often conflicting objectives. Now researchers have successfully developed a method for the synthetic manufacture of a nutritional protein using a type of artificial photosynthesis. The animal feed industry is the primary driver of high demand for large volumes of this nutritional protein L-alanine, which is also suitable for use in meat substitute products.
Innovating, i.e. the ability to find solutions to new problems or innovative solutions to known problems, it provides crucial benefits for the adaptation and the survival of human beings as well as for animals. What are the characteristics that make specific species or animals to be innovative? A study has analyzed this cognitive skill in ungulates, a group of mammals such as dromedaries, horses and goats, characterized by walking on the tip of their toes or hooves. The results show that those individuals that are less integrated in the group and those that are more afraid of new objects were the best at solving a challenge posed by the researchers: opening a food container.
Neuroscientists have uncovered how exploratory actions enable animals to learn their spatial environment more efficiently. Their findings could help build better AI agents that can learn faster and require less experience.
A new method enables 2D-material semiconductor transistors to be directly integrated onto a fully fabricated 8-inch silicon wafer, which could enable a new generation of transistor technology, denser device integration, new circuit architectures, and more powerful chips.
MIT astronomers have discovered a new 'tidal disruption event,' in which the center of a galaxy lights up as its supermassive black hole rips apart a passing star. The outburst is the closest tidal disruption event observed to date, and one of the first to be identified at infrared wavelengths.
New research pushes back the oldest evidence of C4 grass-dominated habitats in Africa -- and globally -- by more than 10 million years, with important implications for primate evolution and the origins of tropical C4 grasslands and savanna ecosystems across the African continent and around the world.
A new study has identified potential broad-spectrum antiviral agents that can target multiple families of RNA viruses that continue to pose a significant threat for future pandemics.
A new study provides an early glimpse into the role that AI assistants could play in medicine. The research compared written responses from physicians with those from ChatGPT to real-world health questions. A panel of licensed healthcare professionals preferred ChatGPT's responses 79% of the time.
A team of Japanese astronomers used simultaneous ground-based and space-based observations to capture a more complete picture of a superflare on a star. The observed flare started with a very massive, high-velocity prominence eruption. These results give us a better idea of how superflares and stellar prominence eruptions occur.
A new study may help explain why people choose to include themselves in some photos -- and it is not vanity. Researchers found that first-person photos (capturing the scene as it looks from one's own eyes) best represent the physical experience of an event for people. But third-person photos like selfies (documenting a moment with themselves in it) better depict the deeper meaning of the event in their lives.
California sea lions have managed to maintain -- and, in the case of males, increase -- their average body size as their population grows and competition for food becomes fiercer. This is in contrast to other marine mammals, whose average body size tends to decrease as their numbers increase. Researchers report that sexual selection was a strong driving force for males to grow bigger and to strengthen muscles in their neck and jaw that help them fight for mates. Both male and female sea lions evaded food shortages by diversifying their diets and, in some cases, foraging further from the shore.
A new study looked at a known binary star (two stars orbiting around a mutual center of gravity), analyzing starlight obtained from a range of ground- and space-based telescopes. The researchers found that the stars, located in a neighboring dwarf galaxy called the Small Magellanic Cloud, are in partial contact and swapping material with each other, with one star currently 'feeding' off the other. They orbit each other every three days and are the most massive touching stars (known as contact binaries) yet observed.
How is 'junk food' defined for food policies like taxes? A combination of food category, processing, and nutrients can determine which foods should be subject to health-related policies, according to a new analysis examining three decades of U.S. food policies by researchers.
Astronomers have observed, in one image, the shadow of the black hole at the center of the galaxy Messier 87 (M87) and the powerful jet expelled from it. Thanks to this new image, astronomers can better understand how black holes can launch such energetic jets.
Knowing how cultural evolution happens also means we can harness it for the larger good, creating a more just and sustainable world, according to a new article.
Even mild concussion can cause long-lasting effects to the brain, according to researchers. Using data from a Europe-wide study, the team has shown that for almost a half of all people who receive a knock to the head, there are changes in how regions of the brain communicate with each other, potentially causing long term symptoms such as fatigue and cognitive impairment.
In new 3D computer simulations, astrophysicists modeled black holes of varying masses and then hurled stars (about the size of our sun) past them to see what might happen. If they exist, intermediate-mass black holes likely devour wayward stars like a messy toddler -- taking a few bites and then flinging the remains across the galaxy.
Astrophysicists have provided the most direct evidence yet that Dark Matter does not constitute ultramassive particles as is commonly thought but instead comprises particles so light that they travel through space like waves. Their work resolves an outstanding problem in astrophysics first raised two decades ago: why do models that adopt ultramassive Dark Matter particles fail to correctly predict the observed positions and the brightness of multiple images of the same galaxy created by gravitational lensing?
Researchers develop an early warning system that combines acoustic technology with AI to immediately classify earthquakes and determine potential tsunami risk. They propose using underwater microphones, called hydrophones, to measure the acoustic radiation produced by the earthquake, which carries information about the tectonic event and travels significantly faster than tsunami waves. The computational model triangulates the source of the earthquake and AI algorithms classify its slip type and magnitude. It then calculates important properties like effective length and width, uplift speed, and duration, which dictate the size of the tsunami.
Researchers develop a model to describe the interaction between a rocket plume and the surface of a planetary body in near-vacuum conditions. The computational framework takes in information about the rocket, its engines, and the surface composition and topography, as well as the atmospheric conditions and gravitational forces at the landing site, and the results can be used to evaluate the safety and feasibility of a proposed landing site and to optimize the design of spacecraft and rocket engines for planetary landings.
A new study has highlighted under-prepared regions across the world most at risk of the devastating effects of scorching temperatures.
Helping your mother make pancakes when you were three...riding your bike without training wheels...your first romantic kiss: How do we retain vivid memories of long-ago events?
New research shows that poor air quality could be causing cognitive problems in babies and toddlers. A new study reveals an association between poor air quality in India and impaired cognition in infants under two. Without action, the negative impact on children's long-term brain development could have consequences for life.
Blinking is crucial for the eye. It's how animals clean their eyes, protect them, and even communicate. But how and why did blinking originate? Researchers have studied the mudskipper, an amphibious fish that spends most of its day on land, to better understand why blinking is a fundamental behavior for life on land.
New NASA InSight research reveals that Mars has a liquid core rich in sulfur and oxygen, leading to new clues about how terrestrial planets form, evolve and potentially sustain life.
Researchers have designed a tabletop-sized vaccine printer that could be scaled up to produce hundreds of vaccine doses in a day and deployed anywhere vaccines are needed. The vaccine doses are contained within microneedle patches that can be stored long-term at room temperature and applied to the skin, avoiding the need for injections.
A team of physicists has illuminated certain properties of quantum systems by observing how their fluctuations spread over time. The research offers an intricate understanding of a complex phenomenon that is foundational to quantum computing.
New findings suggest that Heinrich Events had no discernible impact on temperatures in Greenland, which could have repercussions for scientists' understanding of past climate dynamics.
A research team has shown in early tests that a bioengineered drug candidate can counter infection with Staphylococcus aureus -- a bacterial species widely resistant to antibiotics.
A research team has confirmed evidence of a previously unknown planet outside of our solar system, and they used machine learning tools to detect it. A recent study by the team showed that machine learning can correctly determine if an exoplanet is present by looking in protoplanetary disks, the gas around newly formed stars. The newly published findings represent a first step toward using machine learning to identify previously overlooked exoplanets.
New research suggests the stress levels of knowledge workers, such as researchers or journalists, stays the same with or without deadlines.
The conversion of handwritten weather records into digital information will help weather better understand future weather risks.
A new smart material is activated by both heat and electricity, making it the first ever to respond to two different stimuli.
Despite the promise of new medications that promote cancer cell death in people with acute myeloid leukemia, leukemic cells often adopt features that let them evade the drugs' effects within a year.
The ionosphere -- the region of geospace spanning from 60 to 1000 kilometers above the Earth -- impairs the propagation of radio signals from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) with its electrically charged particles. This is a problem for the ever higher precision required by these systems -- both in research and for applications such as autonomous driving or precise orbit determination of satellites. Models of the ionosphere and its uneven, dynamic charge distribution can help correct the signals for ionospheric delays, which are one of the main error sources in GNSS applications. Researchers have presented a new model of the ionosphere, developed on the basis of neural networks and satellite measurement data from 19 years. In particular, it can reconstruct the topside ionosphere, the upper, electron-rich part of the ionosphere much more precisely than before. It is thus also an important basis for progress in ionospheric research, with applications in studies on the propagation of electromagnetic waves or for the analysis of certain space weather events, for example.
A new age of superconductors may be about to beginn: In the 1980s, many superconducting materials (called cuprates) were based on copper. Then, nickelates were discovered -- a new kind of superconducting materials based on nickel. But now, scientists from Austria and Japan have shown: There is a 'Goldilocks zone' of superconductivity which can neither be reached with cuprates nor with nickelates. Instead, palladium-based materials ('palladates') could be the solution.
By studying green algae in Swedish lakes, a research team has succeeded in identifying which environmental conditions promote multicellularity. The results give us new clues to the amazing paths of evolution.
Conditioning that once worked with Pavlov's dog does also work with an artificially induced change in nerve cell activity.
New research finds there is significant variation in the anatomy of the human digestive system, with pronounced differences possible between healthy individuals. The finding has implications for understanding the role that the digestive tract's anatomy can play in affecting human health, as well as providing potential insights into medical diagnoses and the microbial ecosystem of the gut.
Researchers developed a proof of concept for a superconducting highway that could transport vehicles and electricity, cooling the necessary superconductors with a pipeline of liquid hydrogen. Most magnetic levitation designs feature the superconductor inside the vehicle, which is suspended above a magnetic track. The authors decided to flip that arrangement upside down, putting the superconductor on the ground and giving each vehicle a magnet. The result is a system with multiple uses, placing it within the realm of affordability.
Thanks to a novel combination of cryogenic transmission electron tomography and deep learning, EPFL researchers have provided a first look at the nanostructure of platinum catalyst layers, revealing how they could be optimized for fuel cell efficiency.
A study using data from telescopes on Earth and in the sky resolves a problem plaguing astronomers working in the infrared and could help make better observations of the composition of the universe with the James Webb Space Telescope and other instruments.
Researchers have developed next-generation smart textiles -- incorporating LEDs, sensors, energy harvesting, and storage -- that can be produced inexpensively, in any shape or size, using the same machines used to make the clothing we wear every day.
Researchers have developed next-generation smart textiles -- incorporating LEDs, sensors, energy harvesting, and storage -- that can be produced inexpensively, in any shape or size, using the same machines used to make the clothing we wear every day.
Hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe, is found everywhere from the dust filling most of outer space to the cores of stars to many substances here on Earth. This would be reason enough to study hydrogen, but its individual atoms are also the simplest of any element with just one proton and one electron.
A team showed how both alcohol intake and alcohol withdrawal can lead to increased pain and hypersensitivity.
Researchers describe a key player in the defense mechanism that safeguards against excessive insulin in the body, which can be as harmful as too little.
Recently identified chili pepper fossils from Boulder and Denver museums challenge millions of years of global tomato evolutionary history. Now, that's some spicy science!
Scientists have discovered the oldest evidence of plant self-defense in wood in a 360-million-year-old fossil from south-eastern Ireland. Plants can protect their wood from infection and water loss by forming special structures called 'tyloses'. These prevent bacterial and fungal pathogens from getting into the heartwood of living trees and damaging it. However, it was not previously known how early in the evolution of plants woody species became capable of forming such defenses. Published today in Nature Plants is the oldest evidence of tylosis formation from Late Devonian (360-million-year-old) fossil wood from the Hook Head Peninsula area, Co. Wexford, Ireland.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that destroys the protective myelin covering around nerves. Every five minutes, someone is diagnosed with the disease around the world, adding to about 2.8 million individuals that currently have to live with it. Now researchers have developed a cell therapy that leverages myeloid cells, the very type of immune cells that cause MS-triggering nerve inflammation in patients. By attaching 'backpacks' loaded with anti-inflammatory drugs to the cells, and infusing them into a mouse model of MS, they were able to partially reverse paralysis and restore movement.
Our modern rechargeable batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, are anything but sustainable. One alternative is organic batteries with redox-organic electrode materials (OEMs), which can be synthesized from natural 'green' materials. A team has now introduced a new OEM for aqueous organic high-capacity batteries that can be easily and cheaply recycled.
Despite the increasing use of genomic sequencing in clinical practice, interpreting rare genetic mutations, even among well-studied disease genes, remains difficult. Current predictive models are useful for interpreting those mutations, but they are prone to misclassify those that do not cause diseases, contributing to false positives.
The biological age of humans and mice undergoes a rapid increase in response to diverse forms of stress, which is reversed following recovery from stress, according to a new study. These changes occur over relatively short time periods of days or months, according to multiple independent epigenetic aging clocks.
When spurring action against climate change, NGOs and governmental agencies frequently operate on the assumption that people are unmotivated to act because they view climate change as a problem that affects distant regions far in the future. While this concept, known as psychological distance, seems intuitive, researchers report that most people see climate change as an important and timely issue even if its impacts are not immediately noticeable.
A majority of parents of children diagnosed with Lyme disease reported that their kids recovered within six months of completing antibiotic treatment, according to a new study. The findings, based on Lyme disease treatment outcome data from 102 children in the United States, also revealed that a notably small percentage of children took longer than six months to recover and experienced a significant impact on their daily functioning.
An LMU team has studied the biodiversity of larvae from the insect order neuroptera over the past 100 million years.
Storing donor lungs for transplant at 10 degrees Celsius markedly increases the length of time the organ can live outside the body according to new research.
A new Griffith University study has found that humpback whales will use sandy, shallow bay areas to 'roll' around in sandy substrates to remove dead skin cells on their return journeys south to cooler waters. Using data and footage collected from the tags, whales were observed performing full and side rolls in up to 49m water depth on the sea floor that was lined with fine sand or rubble.
The genomes of two hornet species, the European hornet and the Asian hornet (or yellow-legged hornet) have been sequenced.
The alga Melosira arctica, which grows under Arctic sea ice, contains ten times as many microplastic particles as the surrounding seawater. This concentration at the base of the food web poses a threat to creatures that feed on the algae at the sea surface. Clumps of dead algae also transport the plastic with its pollutants particularly quickly into the deep sea -- and can thus explain the high microplastic concentrations in the sediment there.
Faults in the Ridgecrest, California area were very sensitive to solid earth tidal stresses in the year and a half before the July 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence.
Tsunami deposits identified in a coastal mangrove pond in Northwest Puerto Rico could have come from a megathrust earthquake at the Puerto Rico Trench that occurred between 1470 and 1530, according to new research.
Biologists have discovered that underfed jumping spiders lose light-sensitive cells that are key to their vision.
Using remote sensing, geophysicists have documented the massive Feb. 6 quake that killed more than 50,000 people in Eastern Turkey and toppled more than 100,000 buildings. Alarmingly, researchers found that a section of the fault remains unbroken and locked -- a sign that the plates there may, when friction intensifies, generate another magnitude 6.8 earthquake when it finally gives way.
People with dementia have protein build-up in astrocytes that may trigger abnormal antiviral activity and memory loss, according to a preclinical study.
A new study shows that water arsenic levels are linked to higher urinary arsenic among the U.S. population for users of both private wells and public water systems.
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are considered a promising candidate for next-generation photovoltaic technology with high efficiency and low production cost, potentially revolutionizing the renewable energy industry. However, the existing layer-by-layer manufacturing process presents challenges that have hindered the commercialization of this technology. Recently, researchers have developed an innovative one-step solution-coating approach that simplifies the manufacturing process and lowers the commercialization barriers for PSCs.
Even though most of the economic losses are concentrated in California and along the West Coast due to that region's high seismic hazard levels, significant population, and building exposure, earthquake risk is spread throughout the country. For example, there is a combined $3.1 billion per year in projected losses across the central U.S., Rocky Mountain region, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Mechanically responsive molecular crystals are extremely useful in soft robotics, which requires a versatile actuation technology. Crystals driven by the photothermal effect are particularly promising for achieving high-speed actuation. However, the response (bending) observed in these crystals is usually small. Now, scientists address this issue by inducing large resonated natural vibrations in anisole crystals with UV light illumination at the natural vibration frequency of the crystal.
Scientists have identified a protein-protein interaction that contributes to Parkinson's disease.
New research examines the impact that maternal stress during pregnancy has on the neuro-development of babies.
The new classification system demonstrates the effects wetlands have on water quality at a continental scale -- invaluable data that can be used to better define whether wetlands are federally regulated under the U.S. Clean Water Act.
A new study found that signs of common infections in a sample of middle-aged and older adults were associated with poorer performance on a test of global cognitive function.
Two doses of an FDA-approved sleeping pill reduced levels of Alzheimer's proteins in a small study of healthy volunteers. The study hints at the potential of sleep medications to slow or stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease, although much more work needs to be done to confirm the viability of such an approach.
Scientists hope the new tool could be used to make it easier for GPs and patients to get information on dementia risk factors.
Scientists hope the new tool could be used to make it easier for GPs and patients to get information on dementia risk factors.
A four-year field experiment conducted on the shores of restored Lake Mustijärv in Viljandi, Estonia, has revealed that recycling phosphorus-rich lake sediments back to agriculture could have positive impacts on crop production.
A four-year field experiment conducted on the shores of restored Lake Mustijärv in Viljandi, Estonia, has revealed that recycling phosphorus-rich lake sediments back to agriculture could have positive impacts on crop production.
Conclusive evidence of chicken breeding in the Yayoi period of Japan has been discovered from the Karako-Kagi site.
Conclusive evidence of chicken breeding in the Yayoi period of Japan has been discovered from the Karako-Kagi site.
Imagine the view from the western coastline of southern Africa during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) over twenty thousand years ago: in the distance you would see at least fifteen large islands -- the largest 300 square kilometers in area -- swarming with hundreds of millions of marine birds and penguin colonies.
Imagine the view from the western coastline of southern Africa during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) over twenty thousand years ago: in the distance you would see at least fifteen large islands -- the largest 300 square kilometers in area -- swarming with hundreds of millions of marine birds and penguin colonies.
The seven worst years for polar ice sheets melting and losing ice have occurred during the past decade, according to new research, with 2019 being the worst year on record. The seven worst years for polar ice sheets melting and losing ice have occurred during the past decade, according to new research, with 2019 being the worst year on record. The melting ice sheets now account for a quarter of all sea level rise -- a fivefold increase since the 1990's -- according to researchers who have combined 50 satellite surveys of Antarctica and Greenland taken between 1992 and 2020, funded by NASA and the European Space Agency.
The seven worst years for polar ice sheets melting and losing ice have occurred during the past decade, according to new research, with 2019 being the worst year on record. The seven worst years for polar ice sheets melting and losing ice have occurred during the past decade, according to new research, with 2019 being the worst year on record. The melting ice sheets now account for a quarter of all sea level rise -- a fivefold increase since the 1990's -- according to researchers who have combined 50 satellite surveys of Antarctica and Greenland taken between 1992 and 2020, funded by NASA and the European Space Agency.
There are high expectations that quantum computers may deliver revolutionary new possibilities for simulating chemical processes. This could have a major impact on everything from the development of new pharmaceuticals to new materials. Researchers have now used a quantum computer to undertake calculations within a real-life case in chemistry.
There are high expectations that quantum computers may deliver revolutionary new possibilities for simulating chemical processes. This could have a major impact on everything from the development of new pharmaceuticals to new materials. Researchers have now used a quantum computer to undertake calculations within a real-life case in chemistry.
Investigators have identified a genetic variant that increases people's risk of developing perianal Crohn's disease, the most debilitating manifestation of Crohn's disease. The variant generates changes to DNA that lead to a loss of protein function, which in turn, alters how the body recognizes and handles bacteria, making it less effective at fighting infections.
Investigators have identified a genetic variant that increases people's risk of developing perianal Crohn's disease, the most debilitating manifestation of Crohn's disease. The variant generates changes to DNA that lead to a loss of protein function, which in turn, alters how the body recognizes and handles bacteria, making it less effective at fighting infections.
Oceanographers provide a reality check on the limitations of carbon dioxide removal and a warning that marine heatwaves need clear definitions so communities can adapt.
Oceanographers provide a reality check on the limitations of carbon dioxide removal and a warning that marine heatwaves need clear definitions so communities can adapt.
5G signals known as millimeter-wave carry enormous amounts of information but are very easy to block. A new device helps these signals get around obstacles posed by walls, furniture and people.
5G signals known as millimeter-wave carry enormous amounts of information but are very easy to block. A new device helps these signals get around obstacles posed by walls, furniture and people.
In people with no thinking and memory problems, a simple test may predict the risk of developing cognitive impairment years later, according to a new study.
In people with no thinking and memory problems, a simple test may predict the risk of developing cognitive impairment years later, according to a new study.
In the future, communications networks and computers will use information stored in objects governed by the microscopic laws of quantum mechanics. This capability can potentially underpin communication with greatly enhanced security and computers with unprecedented power. A vital component of these technologies will be memory devices capable of storing quantum information to be retrieved at will.
What are the consequences of mothers consuming alcohol while breastfeeding? A research team at the University of California, Riverside, performed a mouse study to find out.
Study shows better adoption and implementation of company supply chain policies for Brazilian beef and leather could significantly reduce carbon emissions.
A new HIV vaccine has shown a significantly improved ability to neutralize the virus in preclinical tests, and it will soon be studied in healthy people who volunteer to participate in clinical trials.
A new study shows that exposure to ultrafine particles (UFPs) during pregnancy enhances respiratory viral infection risk. According to the researchers, it is imperative that pregnant women in urban cities, where influenza and UFPs are more prevalent, are provided vaccinations and preventive measures limiting UFP exposure to protect maternal health.
A team of researchers has identified a single-celled organism called a ciliate as the cause of a massive die-off event to a marine animal vital to coral reef health.
As climate change causes ocean temperatures to rise, one of Greenland's previously most stable glaciers is now retreating at an unprecedented rate, according to a new study.
Certain stem cells have a unique ability to move between growth compartments in hair follicles, but get stuck as people age and so lose their ability to mature and maintain hair color, a new study shows.
In a unique analysis of experimental data, nuclear physicists have made observations of how lambda particles, so-called 'strange matter,' are produced by a specific process called semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS). What's more, these data hint that the building blocks of protons, quarks and gluons, are capable of marching through the atomic nucleus in pairs called diquarks, at least part of the time.
The diverse swimming techniques of the ancient reptiles that ruled the Mesozoic seas have been revealed.
Seeds and fat balls do more than just fill small birds' stomachs. New research from Lund University in Sweden shows that feeding during the wintertime causes birds to be healthier, since they do not have to expend as much energy fighting infections.
A viable formula for a carbon-negative, environmentally friendly concrete that is nearly as strong as regular concrete has been developed. In a proof-of-concept work, the researchers infused regular cement with environmentally friendly biochar, a type of charcoal made from organic waste, that had been strengthened beforehand with concrete wastewater. The biochar was able to suck up to 23% of its weight in carbon dioxide from the air while still reaching a strength comparable to ordinary cement. The research could significantly reduce carbon emissions of the concrete industry, which is one of the most energy- and carbon-intensive of all manufacturing industries.
Chronic wounds are a major health problem for diabetic patients and the elderly -- in extreme cases they can even lead to amputation. Using electric stimulation, researchers have developed a method that speeds up the healing process, making wounds heal three times faster.
Shining like a brilliant beacon amidst a sea of galaxies, Arp 220 lights up the night sky in this view from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. Actually two spiral galaxies in the process of merging, Arp 220 glows brightest in infrared light, making it an ideal target for Webb. It is an ultra-luminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) with a luminosity of more than a trillion suns. In comparison, our Milky Way galaxy has a much more modest luminosity of about ten billion suns.
Scientists have discovered extensive, ancient deep-sea coral reefs within the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR) -- the first of their kind ever to be documented inside the marine protected area (MPA) since it was established in 1998. The first reef observed was found at 400-600m (1,310-1,970 feet) depth at the summit of a previously unmapped seamount in the central part of the archipelago and supports a breathtaking mix of deep marine life.
Scientists have recently made a surprising discovery, with the help of a wind tunnel and a flock of birds. Songbirds, many of which make twice-yearly, non-stop flights of more than 1,000 miles to get from breeding range to wintering range, fuel themselves by burning lots of fat and a surprising amount of the protein making up lean body mass, including muscle, early in the flight. This flips the conventional wisdom on its head, which had assumed that migrating birds only ramped up protein consumption at the very end of their journeys, because they would need to use every ounce of muscle for wing-flapping, not fuel.
The high seas have been colonized by a surprising number of coastal marine invertebrate species, which can now survive and reproduce in the open ocean, contributing strongly to the floating community composition. Researchers found coastal species, representing diverse taxonomic groups and life history traits, in the eastern North Pacific Subtropical Gyre on over 70 percent of the plastic debris they examined. Further, the debris carried more coastal species than open ocean species.
For more than half a century, the Tully monster (Tullimonstrum gregarium), an enigmatic animal that lived about 300 million years ago, has confounded paleontologists, with its strange anatomy making it difficult to classify. Recently, a group of researchers proposed a hypothesis that Tullimonstrum was a vertebrate similar to cyclostomes (jawless fish like lamprey and hagfish). If it was, then the Tully monster would potentially fill a gap in the evolutionary history of early vertebrates. Studies so far have both supported and rejected this hypothesis. Now, using 3D imaging technology, a team in Japan believes it has found the answer after uncovering detailed characteristics of the Tully monster which strongly suggest that it was not a vertebrate. However, its exact classification and what type of invertebrate it was is still to be decided.
Researchers on a deep-sea expedition have found PCB in sediment samples from the more than 8,000-meter-deep Atacama Trench in the Pacific Ocean.
Normal aging is associated with progressive cognitive decline. But can we train our brain to delay this process? A team has discovered that practicing and listening to music can alter cognitive decline in healthy seniors by stimulating the production of grey matter. To achieve these results, the researchers followed over 100 retired people who had never practiced music before. They were enrolled in piano and music awareness training for six months.
Female monarch butterflies have no trouble finding a mate -- even when a parasite kills most of the males, new research shows.
Discovery of a gene in multiple mammalian species could pave the way for a highly effective, reversible and non-hormonal male contraceptive for humans and animals. Researchers identified expression of the gene, Arrdc5, in the testicular tissue of mice, pigs, cattle and humans. When they knocked out the gene in mice, it created infertility only in the males, impacting their sperm count, movement and shape.
Using a new detection method, scientists found a massive amount of methane, a super-potent greenhouse gas, coming from wildfires -- a source not currently being accounted for by California state air quality managers.
A new method for estimating cliff loss over thousands of years in Del Mar, California, may help reveal some of the long-term drivers of coastal cliff loss in the state.
Researchers have built a pilot-scale solar reactor that produces usable heat and oxygen, in addition to generating hydrogen with unprecedented efficiency for its size.
Research has traced the evolutionary adaptations of octopus and squid sensing capabilities. The researchers describe for the first time the structure of an octopus chemotactile receptor, which octopus arms use for taste-by-touch exploration of the seafloor.
The Xiongnu, contemporaries of Rome and Egypt, built their nomadic empire on the Mongolian steppe 2,000 years ago, emerging as Imperial China's greatest rival and even inspiring the construction of China's Great Wall. In a new study, researchers find that the Xiongnu were a multiethnic empire, with high genetic diversity found across the empire and even within individual extended elite families. At the fringes of the empire, women held the highest positions of power, and the highest genetic diversity was found among low-status male servants, giving clues to the process of empire building that gave rise to Asia's first nomadic imperial power.
Killer whales (also known as orcas) are intelligent predators. While it's known that killer whales in the Pacific Northwest exploit widely different food types, even within the same region, we know much less about the feeding habits of those found throughout the North Atlantic. Thanks to a new technique, it is now possible to quantify the proportion of different prey that killer whales in the North Atlantic are eating by studying the fatty acid patterns in their blubber. As climate change leads to a northward redistribution of killer whales, the results have implications not only for the health and survival of these killer whales, but also in terms of potential impacts on sensitive species within Arctic ecosystems.
Astronomers report the first exoplanet jointly discovered through direct imaging and precision astrometry, a new indirect method that identifies a planet by measuring the position of the star it orbits. Data from the Subaru Telescope in Hawai`i and space telescopes from the European Space Agency (ESA) were integral to the team's discovery.
The iconic image of the supermassive black hole at the center of M87 has gotten its first official makeover based on a new machine learning technique called PRIMO. The team used the data achieved the full resolution of the array.
We are often attracted to others with whom we share an interest, but that attraction may be based on an erroneous belief that such shared interests reflect a deeper and more fundamental similarity -- we share an essence -- according to new research.
A new look at climate data shows that, by the end of the century, the heaviest days of rain and snowfall across much of North America will likely release 20 to 30 percent more moisture than they do now. Much of the increased precipitation will occur in winter, potentially exacerbating flooding in regions such as the upper Midwest and the west coast. Researchers also found that heavy precipitation days historically experienced once in a century will become more frequent -- as often as once every 30 or 40 years in the Pacific Northwest and southeastern United States.
From Earth, giant elliptical galaxies resemble highly symmetric blobs, but what's their real 3D structure? Astronomers have assembled one of the first 3D views of a giant elliptical galaxy, M87, whose central supermassive black hole has already been imaged by the Event Horizon Telescope. M87 turns out to be triaxial, like a potato. The revised view provides a more precise measure of the mass of the central black hole: 5.37 billion solar masses.
Astronomers find that six of the earliest and most massive galaxy candidates observed by the James Webb Space Telescope so far appear to have converted nearly 100% of their available gas into stars, a finding at odds with the reigning model of cosmology.
They've been called 'dream' plastics: polyhydroxyalkanoates, or PHAs. Already the basis of a fledgling industry, they're a class of polymers naturally created by living microorganisms, or synthetically produced from biorenewable feedstocks. They're biodegradable in the ambient environment, including oceans and soil.
A new, inexpensive technology can limit the buildup of algae on the walls of photobioreactors that can help convert carbon dioxide into useful products. Reducing this fouling avoids costly cleanouts and allows more photosynthesis to happen within tanks.
Anthropologists have long thought that our ape ancestors evolved an upright torso in order to pick fruit in forests, but new research from the University of Michigan suggests a life in open woodlands and a diet that included leaves drove apes' upright stature.
Using new observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers looked more than 13 billion years into the past to discover a unique, minuscule galaxy that could help astronomers learn more about galaxies that were present shortly after the Big Bang.
As a four-day work week is trialed in countries across the globe, health researchers say they're 'all in' when it comes to a long weekend, especially as new empirical research shows that the extra time off is good for our health.
Scientists have described a new species of bat based on the oldest bat skeletons ever recovered. The study on the extinct bat, which lived in Wyoming about 52 million years ago, supports the idea that bats diversified rapidly on multiple continents during this time.
In adolescents, sedentary time may increase heart size three times more than moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, a recent article concludes. The researchers explored the associations of sedentary time, light physical activity, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with cardiac structure and function.
Soil stores more carbon than plants and the atmosphere combined, and soil microbes are largely responsible for putting it there. However, the increasing frequency and severity of drought, such as those that have been impacting California, could disrupt this delicate ecosystem. Microbial ecologists warn that soil health and future greenhouse gas levels could be impacted if soil microbes adapt to drought faster than plants do.
Researchers report record-high magnetoresistance that appears in graphene under ambient conditions.
Genes are not the only drivers of evolution. The iconic fins of skates are caused by changes in the non-coding genome and its three-dimensional structure, an international research team reports.
A type of cell usually characterized as the brain's support system appears to play an important role in OCD, providing a surprising new clue about potential therapeutic strategies for the disorder.
Can humans endure long-term living in deep space? The answer is a lukewarm maybe, according to a new theory describing the complexity of maintaining gravity and oxygen, obtaining water, developing agriculture and handling waste far from Earth.
Dopamine, a brain chemical long associated with pleasure, motivation and reward-seeking, also appears to play an important role in why exercise and other physical efforts feel 'easy' to some people and exhausting to others, according to results of a study of people with Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's disease is marked by a loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain over time.
Using satellite-obtained data from 2007-21, researchers mapped the entire East Coast to demonstrate how the inclusion of land subsidence reveals many areas to be more vulnerable to floods and erosion than previously thought.
Throughout the Arctic, fallen trees make their way from forests to the ocean by way of rivers. Those logs can stack up as the river twists and turns, resulting in long-term carbon storage. A new study has mapped the largest known woody deposit, covering 51 square kilometers (20 square miles) of the Mackenzie River Delta in Nunavut, Canada, and calculated that the logs store about 3.4 million tons (about 3.1 million metric tons) of carbon.
Six decades of river gage data gathered from nine rivers in Alaska highlight the cumulative and consequential impacts of climate change for local communities and ecosystems in the Arctic.
An extreme closeup of feathers from a bird with an uncanny ability to hold water while it flies could inspire the next generation of absorbent materials.
Researchers introduce a novel imaging method to detect gold nanoparticles in woodlice. Their method, known as four-wave mixing microscopy, flashes light that the gold nanoparticles absorb. The light flashes again and the subsequent scattering reveals the nanoparticles' locations. With information about the quantity, location, and impact of gold nanoparticles within the organism, scientists can better understand the potential harm other metals may have on nature.
Researchers develop a computational model of stormwater piping to study storm geysers. They used this model to understand why storm geysers form, what conditions tend to make them worse, and what city planners can do to prevent them from occurring. The authors say the best cure for a storm geyser is bigger pipes; however, that advice is little help to cities with existing pipeline infrastructure. In these systems, the focus must be on minimizing the potential damage by reducing the height of the geysers, the volume of expelled water, or the resulting damage to the pipeline.
The exact mechanism of cartilage breakdown in osteoarthritis is unknown, but damage from mechanical stress with insufficient self-repair is believed to be the main culprit. The composition of synovial fluid, or joint lubricant, changes significantly: The concentration and molecular weight of hyaluronic acid tends to decrease. Researchers explore the disease-driven breakdown of hyaluronan and the mechanistic implications of these changes on the lubrication and subsequent wear of joints.
Material left on the seafloor by bronze-age underwater volcanic eruptions is helping researchers better understand the size, hazards and climate impact of their parent eruptions, according to new research.
New research has identified characteristics of aggressive driving -- which impact both road users and the transition to self-driving cars of the future.
A lightning strike in New Port Richey, Florida, led to a chemical reaction creating a new material that is transitional between space minerals and minerals found on Earth. High-energy events, such as lightning, can cause unique chemical reactions. In this instance, the result is a new material -- one that is transitional between space minerals and minerals found on Earth.
A small amount of a perfume component -- nonanal -- added to a traditional blend of sex pheromones captures the attention of male fall armyworm moths looking for a good time.
Research by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope collaboration has culminated in a groundbreaking new image that reveals the most detailed map of dark matter distributed across a quarter of the entire sky, reaching deep into the cosmos. Findings provide further support to Einstein's theory of general relativity, which has been the foundation of the standard model of cosmology for more than a century, and offers new methods to demystify dark matter.
Dense urban areas amplify the effects of higher temperatures, due to the phenomenon of heat islands in cities. This makes cities more vulnerable to extreme climate events. Large investments in the electricity network will be necessary to cool us down during heatwaves and keep us warm during cold snaps, according to a new study.
Oceanographers discovered warm, chemically distinct liquid shooting up from the seafloor about 50 miles off Newport. They named the unique underwater spring 'Pythia's Oasis.' Observations suggest the spring is sourced from water 2.5 miles beneath the seafloor at the plate boundary, regulating stress on the offshore subduction zone fault.
Researchers examined the interplay of environmental change and the internal and external conditions governing a venture's founding. For businesses founded in dynamic environments, they found that assembling more functionally diverse founding teams lead to longer survival when facing increasingly uncertain environments, while functionally homogeneous teams -- those with relatively few distinct roles and viewpoints -- do better when environments become more predictable.
Sliding and twisting of van der Waals layers can produce fascinating physical phenomena. Scientists show that moiré polar domains in bilayer hBN give rise to a topologically non-trivial winding of the polarization field, forming networks of merons and antimerons.
Brain development does not occur uniformly across the brain, but follows a newly identified developmental sequence, according to a new study. Brain regions that support cognitive, social, and emotional functions appear to remain malleable -- or capable of changing, adapting, and remodeling -- longer than other brain regions, rendering youth sensitive to socioeconomic environments through adolescence.
Borrowing a page from what we know about animal behavior, archaeologists say that we should reassess our understanding of the process of plant domestication.
A new drug, a monoclonal antibody known as enoblituzumab, is safe in men with aggressive prostate cancer and may induce clinical activity against cancer throughout the body, according to a phase 2 study. If confirmed in additional studies, enoblituzumab could become the first promising antibody-based immunotherapy agent against prostate cancer.
Most kids know it's wrong to yell or hit someone, but what if that someone is a robot named Alexa? A new study asked kids how smart and sensitive they thought the virtual assistant was compared to a robotic vacuum. Four- to eleven-year-olds rated Alexa as more intelligent than the Roomba but felt neither deserve to be yelled at or otherwise harmed.
An interdisciplinary team of researchers is advocating for convergent research that integrates the fields of biogeography and behavioral ecology to more rapidly respond to challenges associated with climate change and biodiversity loss.
Astronomers have mapped the 'disk winds' associated with the accretion disk around Hercules X-1, a system in which a neutron star is drawing material away from a sun-like star. The findings may offer clues to how supermassive black holes shape entire galaxies.
A new study shows that if U.S. nuclear power plants are retired, the burning of coal, oil, and natural gas to fill the energy gap could cause more than 5,000 premature deaths.
Elephants like to eat bananas, but they don't usually peel them first in the way humans do. A new report however, shows that one very special Asian elephant named Pang Pha picked up banana peeling all on her own while living at the Berlin Zoo. She reserves it for yellow-brown bananas, first breaking the banana before shaking out and collecting the pulp, leaving the thick peel behind.
New instruments and plans for a seventh telescope at Georgia State's CHARA Array will allow scientists to see the stars in greater detail than ever before. The update comes after a group of international scientists gathered in Atlanta to take part in the 2023 CHARA Science Meeting to share the latest developments in high-resolution astronomical imaging using the CHARA Array.
New research identifies genetic cause for hypermobility and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a novel discovery that may also, for the first time, allow medical professionals to diagnose and treat the connective tissue disorders.
A new scientific statement reviews research about racial and ethnic differences in cardiovascular risk factors among women in the U.S. In addition to traditional risk factors, women of underrepresented races or ethnicities experience challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions due to language barriers, discrimination, difficulties in acculturation or assimilation, lack of financial resources or health insurance, or lack of access to health care.
New study shows sea levels along the U.S. Southeast and Gulf coasts have been rapidly accelerating, reaching record-breaking rates over the past 12 years. In the study, researchers detected rates of sea-level rise of about a half an inch per year since 2010 -- three times higher than the global average over the same period. They attribute the acceleration to the compounding effects of man-made climate change and natural climate variability.
Nitrogen is such a crucial nutrient for plants that vast quantities of nitrogen-containing fertilizers are spread on farmlands worldwide. However, excess nitrogen in the soil and in drainage run-off into lakes and rivers causes serious ecological imbalances. A recent study has uncovered the regulatory mechanisms at work when plants utilize nitrogenous fertilizers in their roots, a positive step in the quest to generate crops that require less fertilizer while still producing the yields needed to feed the world.
For more than 100 million Americans who are obese, bariatric surgery may reverse complications related to diabetes, including regenerating damaged nerves, a new study shows. Researchers say the findings suggest that bariatric surgery likely enables the regeneration of the peripheral nerves and, therefore, may be an effective treatment for millions of individuals with obesity who are at risk of developing diabetes and peripheral neuropathy,
Scientists recently discovered that Luna moths use their long tails as decoys to throw bats off their trail. But their tails also make Luna moths might also make them stand out to potential mates and make them more conspicuous to lurking predators. A pair of complementary studies looked to see whether these colorful, bat-deflecting appendages might come with any additional costs or benefitt
Engineers have invented a fabric that concludes the 80-year quest to make a synthetic textile modeled on polar bear fur. The results are already being developed into commercially available products.
As teacher shortages continue to worsen across the United States, a new study gives insight into why so many stressed and burnt-out teachers are leaving the profession. The study found teachers who struggle to cope with the stress of their job report far lower job satisfaction compared to teachers who find ways to manage the pressure.
Most conservation efforts are reactive. Typically, a species must reach threatened status before action is taken to prevent extinction, such as establishing protected areas. A new study shows that we can use existing conservation data to predict which currently unthreatened species could become threatened and take proactive action to prevent their decline before it is too late.
Tobacco plants have been engineered to manufacture an alluring perfume of insect sex pheromones, which could be used to confuse would-be pests looking for love and reduce the need for harmful pesticides.
The explosion of a star is a dramatic event, but the remains the star leaves behind can be even more dramatic. A new mid-infrared image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope provides one stunning example. It shows the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A), created by a stellar explosion seen from Earth 340 years ago. Cas A is the youngest known remnant from an exploding, massive star in our galaxy, which makes it a unique opportunity to learn more about how such supernovae occur.
Astrophysicists have measured a value for the 'clumpiness' of the universe's dark matter (known to cosmologists as 'S8') of 0.776, which does not align with the value derived from the Cosmic Microwave Background, which dates back to the universe's origins. This has intriguing implications for the standard cosmological model.
Researchers have spotted how specific proteins within the chromosomes of roundworms enable their offspring to produce specialized cells generations later, a startling finding that upends classical thinking that hereditary information for cell differentiation is mostly ingrained within DNA and other genetic factors.
A new study could help improve personalized medicine approaches in inflammatory bowel disease by understanding how patients with variants in the PTPN2 gene develop IBD.
Human activities emit many kinds of pollutants into the air, and without a molecule called hydroxide (OH), many of these pollutants would keep aggregating in the atmosphere.
The neural responses of lonely individuals differ from those of other people, suggesting that seeing the world differently may be a risk factor for loneliness regardless of friendships.
Researchers to get a better look at how peroxides on the surface of copper oxide promote the oxidation of hydrogen but inhibit the oxidation of carbon monoxide, allowing them to steer oxidation reactions.
High blood pressure in early adulthood is associated with worse brain health in late life, according to a new study. Men, compared to women, may be more vulnerable to the detrimental effects of high blood pressure on the brain for some brain regions.
A new look at decades of data from museum collections and surveys of leaf-litter ants in Florida reveals a steady decline in native ants and simultaneous increase in nonnative ants -- even in protected natural areas of the state, researchers report.
A team of researchers compared the genomes of woolly mammoths with modern day elephants to find out what made woolly mammoths unique, both as individuals and as a species. The investigators report that many of the woolly mammoth's trademark features -- including their woolly coats and large fat deposits -- were already genetically encoded in the earliest woolly mammoths, but these and other traits became more defined over the species' 700,000+ year existence. They also identified a gene with several mutations that may have been responsible for the woolly mammoth's miniscule ears.
Newly synthesized organic molecules can be tuned to emit different colors depending on their molecular structures in crystal form.
People around the globe are so dependent on the internet to exercise socio-economic human rights such as education, healthcare, work, and housing that online access must now be considered a basic human right, a new study reveals.
A new study identifies the influence of climate change in the greater number of home runs in major league baseball in recent years. The researchers found that more than 500 home runs since 2010 can be attributed to warmer, thinner air caused by global warming, and that rising temperatures could account for 10% or more of home runs by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions continue unabated. The researchers examined how the average number of home runs per year could rise for each major league ballpark with every 1-degree Celsius increase in the global average temperature.
Medical researchers have found that glioblastoma tumor cells are particularly sensitive to ferroptosis -- a type of cell death that can be triggered by removing certain amino acids from the diet.
The U.S. experienced an unprecedented number of group A streptococcal infections in children from October to December of 2022, which should alert physicians to check for the potentially deadly infectious disease as the country moves out of the pandemic.
Researchers say tracking methodology in Southern Nevada fungal outbreak provides blueprint for monitoring and responding to emerging global public health threat.
New research investigates how cells divide, particularly in the fibrous environment of living tissue. Cells are typically studied in a flat environment, and the difference between flat and fibrous landscapes opens new windows into the behavior of cells and the diseases that impact them.
In an advance they consider a breakthrough in computational chemistry research, chemical engineers have developed model of how catalytic reactions work at the atomic scale. This understanding could allow engineers and chemists to develop more efficient catalysts and tune industrial processes -- potentially with enormous energy savings, given that 90% of the products we encounter in our lives are produced, at least partially, via catalysis.
Engineers have produced fully recyclable printed electronics that replace the use of chemicals with water in the fabrication process. By bypassing the need for hazardous chemicals, the demonstration points down a path industry could follow to reduce its environmental footprint and human health risks.
There is extensive research on how a fixed-position flap affects lift in the realm of fluid-structure interaction. So, researchers conducted a bio-inspired study with a novel twist -- variable stiffness over time much like a bird can tense, or stiffen, the musculature and tendons connected to covert feathers -- to learn more about how it affects lift. The results showed a 136 percent benefit.
Broccoli is known to be beneficial to our health. For example, research has shown that increased consumption of the cruciferous vegetable decreases incidence of cancer and type 2 diabetes. In a recent study, researchers found that broccoli contains certain molecules that bind to a receptor within mice and help to protect the lining of the small intestine, thereby inhibiting the development of disease. The findings lend support to the idea that broccoli truly is a 'superfood.'
A team of researchers reconstructed long-extinct proteins of a UV protection system of cyanobacteria. The surprising result: the proteins were already compatible with each other when they first met. This discovery expands the knowledge horizon on the rules of evolution.
To manage atmospheric carbon dioxide and convert the gas into a useful product, scientists have dusted off an archaic -- now 120 years old -- electrochemical equation.
A new study of squirrels in California's Sierra Nevada mountains finds that climate is just one factor impacting where species make their homes in a changing world.
Analysing changes to DNA in the blood can improve the ability to predict a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes within a decade. The findings could lead to preventative measures being put in place earlier, reducing the economic and health burden caused by type 2 diabetes.
Researchers have developed a silent-speech recognition interface that uses acoustic-sensing and artificial intelligence to continuously recognize up to 31 unvocalized commands, based on lip and mouth movements.
Following in the footsteps of the Neptune image released in 2022, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has taken a stunning image of the solar system's other ice giant, the planet Uranus. The new image features dramatic rings as well as bright features in the planet's atmosphere. The Webb data demonstrates the observatory's unprecedented sensitivity for the faintest dusty rings, which have only ever been imaged by two other facilities: the Voyager 2 spacecraft as it flew past the planet in 1986, and the Keck Observatory with advanced adaptive optics.
A research team has discovered how catalysts and many other nanoplatelets can be produced in an environmentally friendly way from readily available materials and in sufficient quantities.
Researchers have developed a new way to create dynamic ultrahigh-density 3D holographic projections. They now describe their new approach, called three-dimensional scattering-assisted dynamic holography (3D-SDH). They show that it can achieve a depth resolution more than three orders of magnitude greater than state-of-the-art methods for multiplane holographic projection.
There's an invisible monster on the loose, barreling through intergalactic space so fast that if it were in our solar system, it could travel from Earth to the Moon in 14 minutes. This supermassive black hole, weighing as much as 20 million Suns, has left behind a never-before-seen 200,000-light-year-long 'contrail' of newborn stars, twice the diameter of our Milky Way galaxy. It's likely the result of a rare, bizarre game of galactic billiards among three massive black holes.
Human embryo development and early organ formation remain largely unexplored due to ethical issues surrounding the use of embryos for research as well as limited availability of materials to study. Investigators now report on the creation of embryo-like structures from monkey embryonic stem cells. The investigators also transferred these embryo-like structures into the uteruses of female monkeys and determined that the structures were able to implant and elicit a hormonal response similar to pregnancy.
People with Alzheimer's disease develop defects in cognitive functions like memory as well as problems with noncognitive functions that can lead to anxiety and depression. Investigators used mice to study a process through which new neurons are generated in adulthood, called adult hippocampus neurogenesis (AHN). The research showed that deep brain stimulation of new neurons helped restore both cognitive and noncognitive functions in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers have developed a system that connects two neurons by using light-emitting enzymes and light-sensitive ion channels.
Climate change might compromise how permanently forests are able to store carbon and keep it out of the air. In a new study, researchers found that the regions most at risk to lose forest carbon through fire, climate stress or insect damage are those regions where many forest carbon offset projects have been set up. The authors assert that there's an urgent need to update these carbon offsets protocols and policies.
Nanocages are tiny artificial containers that can be used to deliver therapeutics to a target destination in the body. But some drug molecules are like gifts that are too big for a standard-sized nanocage 'box'. Now researchers describe how they have built a super-sized nanocage that could be used to deliver larger drug cargoes. They have built a bigger box.
Researchers have developed a new technique that can quickly identify the exact electrochemical mechanisms taking place in batteries and supercapacitors of various compositions -- a breakthrough that could speed the design of higher performing energy storage devices.
Of the many different kinds of stars, asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars, usually slightly larger and older than our own sun, are known producers of interstellar dust. Dusty AGBs are particularly prominent producers of dust, and the light they shine happens to vary widely. For the first time, a long-period survey has found the variable intensity of dusty AGBs coincides with variations in the amount of dust these stars produce. As this dust can lead to the creation of planets, its study can shed light on our own origins.
A fasting diet which focuses on eating early in the day could be the key to reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, following one of the largest study in the world to date.
A new machine learning model that estimates optimal treatment timing for sepsis could pave the way for support tools that help physicians personalize treatment decisions at the patient bedside, researchers say. The model, which uses artificial intelligence to take on the complex question of when to administer antibiotics to patients with a suspected case of sepsis, was designed to take into account uncertainties and time pressures.
Scientists have made significant progress in quantum computing by deriving a formula that predicts the effects of environmental noise. This is crucial for designing and building quantum computers capable of working in our imperfect world.
In mice with melanoma, probiotic bacteria travel from the gut and establish in tumors, where they directly stimulate immune cells to make cancer immunotherapy more effective, according to a new study.
Chemists created a more reliable, robust and efficient way to monitor pesticide exposure and help protect the health and safety of agricultural workers, especially for emerging sectors like the cannabis industry.
A new study finds sex-specific brain signals that appear to confirm that different drivers lead men and women to develop obesity. The study combined data from several modes of MRI with patients' clinical features and personal histories to identify sex-specific mechanisms in the brain underlying obesity.
A new study tests an alternative to external stimulation for measuring when subjects lose and regain responsiveness during sedation and anesthesia.
Researchers have discovered a new single-element ferroelectric material that alters the current understanding of conventional ferroelectric materials and has future applications in data storage devices.
Scientists analyzed each element of the neutrino mass matrix belonging to leptons and showed theoretically that the intergenerational mixing of lepton flavors is large. Furthermore, by using the mathematics of random matrix theory, the research team was able to demonstrate, as much as is possible at this stage, why the calculation of the squared difference of the neutrino masses are in close agreement with the experimental results in the case of the seesaw model with the random Dirac and Majorana matrices. The results of this research are expected to contribute to the further development of particle theory research, which largely remains a mystery.
The risk of developing cardiovascular disease is lower in people with obesity who have a genetic predisposition for high BMI than people with obesity influenced mainly by environmental factors such as lifestyle, researchers report.
Researchers have discovered the first effective bacterial probiotic for treating and preventing stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD), a mysterious ailment that has devastated Florida's coral reefs since 2014 and is rapidly spreading throughout the Caribbean. The probiotic treatment provides an alternative to the use of the broad-spectrum antibiotic amoxicillin, which has so far been the only proven treatment for the disease but which runs the risk of promoting antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Researchers used a computer simulation model to show that the four dementia-care interventions saved between $2,800 and $13,000 in societal costs, depending on the type of intervention, and all reduced nursing home admissions and improved quality of life compared to usual care.
The use of coal power is not decreasing fast enough. The Paris Agreement's target of a maximum of 2 degrees of warming appear to be missed, and the world is moving towards a temperature increase of 2.5 -- 3 degrees. At the same time it is feasible to avoid higher warming.
Exposure to fine particulate air pollutants (PM2.5) may increase the risk of developing dementia, according to a new meta-analysis.
Researchers found childhood cancer survivors have higher mortality than the public, but survivors with a healthy lifestyle and fewer heart disease risk factors had lower risk.
Scientists have developed new technology to help couples undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) due to male fertility problems to increase their chances of success in having a baby.
Ponderosa pine forests in the Sierra Nevada that were wiped out by western pine beetles during the 2012-2015 megadrought won't recover to pre-drought densities, reducing an important storehouse for atmospheric carbon.
Eating lots of fats increases the risk of metabolic disorders, but the mechanisms behind the problem have not been well understood. Now, biologists have made a key finding about how to ward off harmful effects caused by a high-fat diet.
Whether you're afraid of dogs, needles or enclosed spaces, one of the most effective interventions for this type of anxiety disorder is exposure therapy in which you confront your fear in a safe environment. A new study finds that exposure therapy is also a promising treatment for adolescents with eating disorders. They found that exposure to feared foods -- such as candy bars and pizza -- helped kids who were in a partial hospitalization program for eating disorders experience decreased anxiety toward food.
A new study provides a complete design overhaul for IMCs by creating a broadly applicable strategy that solves key challenges in the design of ear tubes and other 'implantable medical conduits.' The approach enables IMCs with predictable and effective uni- and bi-directional fluid transport at the millimeter scale that resist various contaminations.
It's the spines. New research shows that the spiny pollen from plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae) both reduces infection of a common bee parasite by 81 -- 94% and markedly increases the production of queen bumble bees. The research provides much-needed food for thought in one of the most vexing problems facing biologists and ecologists: how to reverse the great die-off of the world's pollinators.
The early universe was a rambunctious place where galaxies often bumped into each other and even merged together. Using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and other space and ground-based observatories, astronomers investigating these developments have made an unexpected and rare discovery: a pair of gravitationally bound quasars, both blazing away inside two merging galaxies. They existed when the universe was just 3 billion years old.
Feeling like we have a degree of control makes us tolerate pain better. In the case of fibromyalgia, however, this simply doesn't work. A study provides clues as to why.
Chemotherapy treatments produce strong side effects. A new agent that accumulates in the tumour tissue and is activated there by ultrasound waves does not have this problem.
Unlocking the secrets of magnetic materials requires the right illumination. Magnetic x-ray circular dichroism makes it possible to decode magnetic order in nanostructures and to assign it to different layers or chemical elements. Researchers have succeeded in implementing this unique measurement technique in the soft-x-ray range in a laser laboratory. With this development, many technologically relevant questions can now be investigated outside of scientific large-scale facilities for the first time.
A recent study sheds light on the mechanisms of neural plasticity induced by the antidepressant fluoxetine.
Researchers have found people have more efficient conversations, use more positive language and perceive each other more positively when using an artificial intelligence-enabled chat tool.
A warmer Arctic has been linked to extreme winter weather in the midlatitude regions. But, it is not clear how global warming affects this link. In a new study, researchers show, using weather data and climate models, that while the 'Warm Arctic-Cold Continent' pattern will continue as the climate continues to warm, Arctic warming will become a less reliable predictor of extreme winter weather in the future.
Ice sheets can retreat up to 600 meters a day during periods of climate warming, 20 times faster than the highest rate of retreat previously measured. An international team of researchers used high-resolution imagery of the seafloor to reveal just how quickly a former ice sheet that extended from Norway retreated at the end of the last Ice Age, about 20,000 years ago.
In a twist on the question, 'Which came first, the chicken or the egg?', scientists have long faced a similar question about how human adenovirus replicates: 'Which comes first, assembly of the viral particle, or packaging of the viral genome?' Now, in a new study, scientists have answered that question, showing that viral proteins use a process called phase separation to coordinate production of viral progeny.
By observing the night sky, medieval monks unwittingly recorded some of history's largest volcanic eruptions. An international team of researchers drew on readings of 12th and 13th century European and Middle Eastern chronicles, along with ice core and tree ring data, to accurately date some of the biggest volcanic eruptions the world has ever seen. Their results uncover new information about one of the most volcanically active periods in Earth's history, which some think helped to trigger the Little Ice Age, a long interval of cooling that saw the advance of European glaciers.
Investigators found AI proved superior in assessing and diagnosing cardiac function when compared with echocardiogram assessments made by sonographers.
Study by civil engineers finds that the history of the Jagersfontein dam deviates from best engineering practice.
Biologists have explored the genetic mechanisms underlying the transition from freezing Antarctic waters to more temperature waters by Antarctic Notothenioid fish.
Bacteria are also able to communicate with each other through chemical signals, a behavior known as quorum signaling (QS). These chemical signals spread through a biofilm that colonies of bacteria form after they reach a certain density, and are used to help the colonies scavenge food, as well as defend against threats, like antibiotics. Researchers examined how different structures affects biofilm growth and QS by the bacteria in the presence of antibiotics. They found structure does have an effect on QS in some strains of the bacteria.
Water in California's Central Valley contains enough manganese to cause cognitive disabilities and motor control issues in children, and Parkinson's-like symptoms in adults.
Humans have a way of understandings others' goals, desires and beliefs, a crucial skill that allows us to anticipate people's actions. Taking bread out of the toaster? You'll need a plate. Sweeping up leaves? I'll grab the green trash can. This skill, often referred to as 'theory of mind,' comes easily to us as humans, but is still challenging for robots. But, if robots are to become truly collaborative helpers in manufacturing and in everyday life, they need to learn the same abilities. Computer science researchers aim to teach robots how to predict human preferences in assembly tasks, so they can one day help out on everything from building a satellite to setting a table.
Researchers created a new way to estimate the abundance of invasive 'sleeper' species in freshwater ecosystems and help guide management strategies.
An international group of researchers has created a mixed magnon state in an organic hybrid perovskite material by utilizing the Dzyaloshinskii--Moriya-Interaction (DMI). The resulting material has potential for processing and storing quantum computing information.
Planners have come up with many innovative ways to prevent flooding caused by heavy downpours -- from planting rain gardens to installing green roofs. But in many cases, nothing works quite as well as a simple hole in the ground -- a detention basin.
In a new study, researchers had 28 high school students create their own machine-learning artificial intelligence (AI) models for analyzing data. The goals of the project were to help students explore the challenges, limitations and promise of AI, and to ensure a future workforce is prepared to make use of AI tools.
In a new study, researchers found that after traumatic brain injury, the brain's immune system cells' internal recycling function slowed dramatically, allowing waste products to build up and interfere with recovery from injury.
Humans use mental shortcuts to estimate the likelihood of events and tend to make a logical error called a conjunction fallacy, in which two events occurring simultaneously is thought to be more likely than one occurring alone. This logical error has long been thought unique to humans, but a new study shows that rats make the same mistakes. This could make rats good research models for studying psychopathological conditions characterized by false beliefs or the perception of nonexistent events, like schizophrenia and certain anxiety disorders.
Researchers used small zircon crystals to unlock information about magmas and plate tectonic activity in early Earth. The research provides chemical evidence that plate tectonics was most likely occurring more than 4.2 billion years ago when life is thought to have first formed on our planet. This finding could prove beneficial in the search for life on other planets.
Earth's magnetic field does more than keep everyone's compass needles pointed in the same direction. It also helps preserve Earth's sliver of life-sustaining atmosphere by deflecting high energy particles and plasma regularly blasted out of the sun. Researchers have now identified a prospective Earth-sized planet in another solar system as a prime candidate for also having a magnetic field -- YZ Ceti b, a rocky planet orbiting a star about 12 light-years away from Earth.
New research in the field of plant sciences has made significant advances towards understanding the underlying reasons behind why certain crops are better at generating more yield than others.
Researchers developed a computational approach to predict which metal-organic framework (MOF) structures will be the most stable, and therefore the best candidates for applications such as capturing greenhouse gases.
Researchers have made a landmark discovery linking iron regulation to a rare blood cancer has led to clinical trials of a potential new treatment for patients with the incurable disease.
What defines the habitat -- the ecological niche -- of a microorganism? It is a combination of environmental factors such as temperature, moisture, and nutrient content. But the exact contribution of each of these factors is difficult to predict. A research team has redefined microbial niches by determining which microorganisms live together.
Absolute zero cannot be reached -- unless you have an infinite amount of energy or an infinite amount of time. Scientists in Vienna (Austria) studying the connection between thermodynamics and quantum physics have now found out that there is a third option: Infinite complexity. It turns out that reaching absolute zero is in a way equivalent to perfectly erasing information in a quantum computer, for which an infinetly complex quantum computer would be required.
A previously underestimated risk lurks in the frozen soil of the Arctic. When the ground thaws and becomes unstable in response to climate change, it can lead to the collapse of industrial infrastructure, and in turn to the increased release of pollutants. Moreover, contaminations already present will be able to more easily spread throughout ecosystems. According to new findings, there are at least 13,000 to 20,000 contaminated sites in the Arctic that could pose a serious risk in the future.
A team has induced stem cells to emulate the development of the human heart. The result is a sort of 'mini-heart' known as an organoid. It will permit the study of the earliest development phase of our heart and facilitate research on diseases.
An illusion involving a hidden thumb confounds capuchin and squirrel monkeys for the same reason it does humans -- it misdirects expected outcomes of actions they can carry out. However, marmosets have five equidistant digits, and were rarely fooled by the magician. The research adds to evidence that animals struggle to predict movements outside of their own 'biomechanical ability'.
Chemical engineers have discovered a 1,000% difference in the storage capacity of metal-free, water-based battery electrodes.
When the human remains found on board the Swedish warship Vasa (1628) were investigated, it was determined that the skeleton designated G was a man. New research now shows that the skeleton is actually from a woman. About thirty people died when Vasa sank on its maiden voyage in Stockholm, 1628. We cannot know who most of them were, only one person is named in the written sources. When the ship was raised in 1961 it was the scene of a comprehensive archaeological excavation, in which numerous human bones were found on board and examined.
When it comes to measuring how fast the Universe is expanding, the result depends on which side of the Universe you start from. A recent study has calibrated the best cosmic yardsticks to unprecedented accuracy, shedding new light on what's known as the Hubble tension.
Researchers have developed a new way to produce and shape large, high-quality mirrors that are much thinner than the primary mirrors previously used for telescopes deployed in space. The resulting mirrors are flexible enough to be rolled up and stored compactly inside a launch vehicle and then reshaped after deployment.
An international research team has determined that Troodon, a dinosaur very close to modern birds, was a warm-blooded animal (an endotherm), but had a reproductive system similar to that of modern reptiles. The scientists applied a new method which allowed for accurate determination of the temperature when the egg's carbonate shell was formed. Furthermore, the researchers showed that Troodon laid 4 to 6 eggs per clutch. As nests with up to 24 Troodon eggs had been found, the scientists conclude that several Troodon females laid their eggs in communal nests.
A multidisciplinary team has created a new fabrication technique for fully foldable robots that can perform a variety of complex tasks without relying on semiconductors.
Women are more likely than men to develop Alzheimer's disease (AD), with women making up two-thirds of the population living with AD. A new study sheds light on the relationship between the risk of Alzheimer's disease and age of menopause and use of hormone therapy (HT).
A groundbreaking three-year study in the South Pacific has found evidence that ocean warming can trigger outbreaks of 'dinoflagellate-infecting RNA viruses' that attack symbiotic algae inside corals. Coral reef viruses have gained greater attention since being implicated in 2021 as a possible cause of stony coral tissue loss disease that has decimated Florida and Caribbean reefs for almost a decade.
Researchers provide open-access tool to capture new data on a global plant destroyer, Phytophthora.
A new study probing the structure and evolution of galaxy clusters shows good agreement with the predictions of standard cosmological models.
In the face of a warming climate that is having a profound effect on global biodiversity and will change the distribution and abundance of many animals, a research team has developed a statistical model that improves estimates of habitat suitability and extinction probability for cold-blooded animals as temperatures climb.
New insight into how the protein calmodulin interacts with an ion channel in the eye could explain how our eyes achieve remarkable sensitivity to dim light.
It is possible to retrieve forensically relevant information from human DNA in household dust.
While pollinator populations of many species have plummeted worldwide, one bee species is blowing up the map with its rapid population expansion. The key to this insect's success? Its passion for pumpkins, zucchinis, and other squashes, and the massive increase in cultivation of these crops across North America over the last 1,000 years. A new study found that the squash bee (Eucera pruinosa) has evolved in response to intensifying agriculture -- namely squashes in the genus Curcurbita. The research has demonstrated the role of agriculture as an evolutionary force acting on a wild insect pollinator and may have implications for food security.
Being a woman or racial minority can help someone stand out and be remembered when few others look like them. But they are more likely to be confused in settings where others share the same attributes.
Bioengineers may have the prescription for a $100 billion global problem: An innovative way to make time-released drugs could allow patients to receive months-worth of medicines or vaccines in a single shot.
A very subtle and seemingly random type of eye movement called ocular drift can be influenced by prior knowledge of the expected visual target, suggesting a surprising level of cognitive control over the eyes, according to a new study.
Newly created soft-rigid robotic fingers incorporate powerful sensors along their entire length, enabling them to produce a robotic hand that could accurately identify objects after only one grasp.
Researchers have discovered, using a recently developed technology, that genetically identical cells within a bacterial community have different functions, with some members behaving more docile and others producing the very toxins that make us feel ill.
Is our brain able to regenerate? And can we harness this regenerative potential during aging or in neurodegenerative conditions? These questions sparked intense controversy within the field of neuroscience for many years. A new study shows why there are conflicting results and proposes a roadmap on how to solve these issues.
For more than 50 years, it has been suspected that fat cells constantly remodel the lipids they store. Researchers have now demonstrated this process directly for the first time using culture cells. Among other things, the study shows that the cells quickly eliminate harmful fatty acids. They refine others into molecules that can be used more effectively. In the long term, this turns the components of palm fat into the building blocks of high-quality olive oil, for example.
Researchers show that rising temperatures in northern regions may damage peatlands: critical ecosystems for storing carbon from the atmosphere -- and could decouple vital processes in microbial support systems.
A study looked at data from 83,000 people who had undergone a 15-second electrocardiogram (ECG) comparable to the kind carried out using smart watches and phone devices. The researchers identified ECG recordings containing extra heart beats which are usually benign but, if they occur frequently, are linked to conditions such as heart failure and arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats). They found that people with an extra beat in this short recording (one in 25 of the total) had a twofold risk of developing heart failure or an irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation) over the next 10 years.
New research zeroes in on the root cause of adverse health effects from disruption of the body's circadian rhythms, which typically occurs from jet lag and rotating work shifts.
Researchers are deploying the latest mapping techniques to identify the most important suburban habitat for North America's largest woodpecker. Wildlife habitat in congested places is becoming increasingly fragmented as forests give way to new construction. Eventually, this could spell trouble to an animal with specific habitat needs like the pileated woodpecker.
Student researchers investigate how intentional robot deception affects trust, examining the effectiveness of apologies after robots lie.
Scientists are developing intelligent materials that are opening up new avenues in sound reproduction technology: lightweight loudspeakers that use far less energy than their conventional counterparts, novel shapes for sound and signal generators and applications involving noise cancelling textiles. The basis for these smart materials are ultrathin silicone films that can act as artificial muscles with their own built-in sensors.
Exposure to female odors and pheromones causes weight loss and extend the life spans of mice, which may have implications for humans, researchers have found. While it was already known that sensory cues in humans and animals influence the release of sex hormones, this study shows that these cues could have more wide-spread physiological effects on metabolism and aging.
Wastewater is a more potent environment for antibiotic resistance to evolve than previously known. A study shows that wastewaters have unique characteristics, allowing resistance genes to start their journey from harmless bacteria to those that cause disease.
A study has detected the presence of large quantities of complex organic molecules in one of the nearest star forming regions to the solar system.
A new study published in Nature Communications uses brain scans to understand how we experience and remember our daily surroundings.
New transistor technology boosts the body's electrochemical signals by 1,000 times, enabling diagnostic and disease-monitoring implants.
Engineering researchers have developed a novel way to capture carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the 'infinite sink' of the ocean. The approach uses an innovative copper-containing polymeric filter and essentially converts CO2 into sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) that can be released harmlessly into the ocean. This new hybrid material, or filter, is called DeCarbonHIX (i.e., decarbonization through hybrid ion exchange material). The research has demonstrated a 300 percent increase in the amount of carbon captured compared with existing direct air capture methods.
In the early 2000s, scientists observed lightning discharge producing X-rays comprising high energy photons -- the same type used for medical imaging. Researchers could recreate this phenomenon in the lab, but they could not fully explain how and why lightning produced X-rays. Now, two decades later, a team has discovered a new physical mechanism explaining naturally occurring X-rays associated with lightning activity in the Earth's atmosphere.
Today, ants are pretty much everywhere. To learn more about how these insects conquered the world, scientists used a combination of fossils, DNA, and data on the habitat preferences of modern species to piece together how ants and plants have been evolving together over the past 60 million years. They found that when flowering plants spread out from forests, the ants followed, kicking off the evolution of the thousands of ant species alive today.
Researchers adapted a well-known computer-vision algorithm used for sharpening photos and, for the first time, applied it to astronomical images from ground-based telescopes. While astrophysicists already use technologies to remove blur, the adapted AI-driven algorithm works faster and produces more realistic images than current technologies. The resulting images are blur-free and truer to life.
Shigella bacteria can infect humans but not mice. A team can now explain why. Their findings may explain the multifariousness of a key weapon of our immune system.
Indigenous peoples as far north as Wyoming and Idaho may have begun to care for horses by the first half of the 17th Century, according to a new study by researchers from 15 countries and multiple Native American groups.
White blood cells called neutrophils have an unappreciated role in eradicating solid tumors, according to a surprise discovery.
White blood cells called neutrophils have an unappreciated role in eradicating solid tumors, according to a surprise discovery.
Planetary scientists Paul Byrne and Rebecca Hahn at Washington University in St. Louis have created the first comprehensive map of volcanoes on Venus, pinpointing 85,000 of them. Their study was posted online in JGR Planets, and the dataset is publicly available.
Planetary scientists Paul Byrne and Rebecca Hahn at Washington University in St. Louis have created the first comprehensive map of volcanoes on Venus, pinpointing 85,000 of them. Their study was posted online in JGR Planets, and the dataset is publicly available.
Astronomers have discovered a large reservoir of hot gas in the still-forming galaxy cluster around the Spiderweb galaxy -- the most distant detection of such hot gas yet. Galaxy clusters are some of the largest objects known in the Universe and this result further reveals just how early these structures begin to form.
Astronomers have discovered a large reservoir of hot gas in the still-forming galaxy cluster around the Spiderweb galaxy -- the most distant detection of such hot gas yet. Galaxy clusters are some of the largest objects known in the Universe and this result further reveals just how early these structures begin to form.
Antarctic circulation could slow by more than 40 per cent over the next three decades, with significant implications for the oceans and the climate.
Antarctic circulation could slow by more than 40 per cent over the next three decades, with significant implications for the oceans and the climate.
Much like how wind plays a key role in life on Earth by sweeping seeds, pollen and more from one place to another, galactic winds -- high-powered streams of charged particles and gases -- can change the chemical make-up of the host galaxies they form in, simply by blowing in a specific direction.
Much like how wind plays a key role in life on Earth by sweeping seeds, pollen and more from one place to another, galactic winds -- high-powered streams of charged particles and gases -- can change the chemical make-up of the host galaxies they form in, simply by blowing in a specific direction.
Scientists often look to the past for clues about how Earth's landscapes might shift under a changing climate, and for insight into the migrations of human communities through time. A new study offers both by providing, for the first time, a reconstruction of prehistoric temperatures for some of the first known North American settlements.
Scientists often look to the past for clues about how Earth's landscapes might shift under a changing climate, and for insight into the migrations of human communities through time. A new study offers both by providing, for the first time, a reconstruction of prehistoric temperatures for some of the first known North American settlements.
Chemists have achieved a new feat in the realm of chemical design and synthesis: They've helped create the first example of a synthetic molecule, with an asymmetric oxygen atom as its centerpiece, that remains stable and nonreactive -- despite this type of molecule's tendency in nature to be touchy and short-lived. What makes this feat unique is that the new molecule is chiral, which means it has a non-superimposable mirror image.
Chemists have achieved a new feat in the realm of chemical design and synthesis: They've helped create the first example of a synthetic molecule, with an asymmetric oxygen atom as its centerpiece, that remains stable and nonreactive -- despite this type of molecule's tendency in nature to be touchy and short-lived. What makes this feat unique is that the new molecule is chiral, which means it has a non-superimposable mirror image.
A group of researchers discovered that the rhodopsin -- a protein in the eye that detects light -- of whale sharks has changed to efficiently detect blue light, which penetrates deep-sea water easily. The amino acid substitutions -- one of which is counterintuitively associated with congenital stationary night blindness in humans -- aid in detecting the low levels of light in the deep-sea. Although these changes make the whale shark rhodopsin less thermally stable the deep-sea temperature, allows their rhodopsin to keep working. This suggests that the unique adaptation evolved to function in the low-light low-temperature environment where whale sharks live.
A group of researchers discovered that the rhodopsin -- a protein in the eye that detects light -- of whale sharks has changed to efficiently detect blue light, which penetrates deep-sea water easily. The amino acid substitutions -- one of which is counterintuitively associated with congenital stationary night blindness in humans -- aid in detecting the low levels of light in the deep-sea. Although these changes make the whale shark rhodopsin less thermally stable the deep-sea temperature, allows their rhodopsin to keep working. This suggests that the unique adaptation evolved to function in the low-light low-temperature environment where whale sharks live.
Scientists believe the gamma-ray emission, which lasted over 300 seconds, is the birth cry of a black hole, formed as the core of a massive and rapidly spinning star collapses under its own weight.
Growing concerns over the potential health effects of exposure to phthalates have led to a search for safer alternatives. Researchers found that the chemical acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) might not be the best replacement.
Sleep scientists' analyses show associations between early classes, less sleep, poor attendance and reduced grade point average. Studies in secondary and junior college students have shown that later start times can have positive impacts on grades.
Weight loss was associated with decreased risk factors for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes for at least five years -- even if some weight was regained, according to a review of research on behavioral weight loss programs. People who lost weight through an intensive behavioral weight loss program had lower systolic blood pressure levels, total cholesterol-to-good cholesterol ratio and HbA1c levels (a diabetes marker), when compared to people who did not participate in a program or participated in a lower-intensity behavioral program.
Asteroids sharing their orbits with the planet Neptune have been observed to exist in a broad spectrum of red color, implying the existence of two populations of asteroids in the region, according to a new study by an international team of researchers.
Researchers found that preschoolers prefer learning from what they perceive as a competent robot over an incompetent human. This study is the first to use both a human speaker and a robot to see if children deem social affiliation and similarity more important than competency when choosing which source to trust and learn from.
Researchers identify the most promising advancements and greatest challenges of artificial mitochondria and chloroplasts. The team describes the components required to construct synthetic mitochondria and chloroplasts and identifies proteins as the most important aspects for molecular rotary machinery, proton transport, and ATP production. The authors believe it is important to create artificial cells with biologically realistic energy-generation methods that mimic natural processes; replicating the entire cell could lead to future biomaterials.
An international team of researchers has used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to measure the temperature of the rocky exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 b. The measurement is based on the planet's thermal emission: heat energy given off in the form of infrared light detected by Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). The result indicates that the planet's dayside has a temperature of about 500 kelvins (roughly 450 degrees Fahrenheit) and suggests that it has no significant atmosphere.
Female giant African pouched rats, used for sniffing out landmines and detecting tuberculosis, can undergo astounding reproductive organ transformations, according to a new study.
A new study using simulations identified two tipping points for the Greenland Ice Sheet: releasing 1000 gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere will cause the southern portion of the ice sheet to melt; about 2500 gigatons of carbon means permanent loss of nearly the entire ice sheet. Having emitted about 500 gigatons of carbon, we're about halfway to the first tipping point.
A nutrition scientist who has spent his career studying breast milk has demonstrated how beneficial microbes in the gut of infants use nitrogen from human milk to support pediatric nutrition and development.
The cold blast of an air conditioner can be a relief as temperatures soar, but 'A/C' units require large amounts of energy and can leak greenhouse gases. Today, scientists report an eco-friendly alternative -- a plant-based film that cools when exposed to sunlight and comes in many textures and bright, iridescent colors. The material could someday keep buildings, cars and other structures cool without requiring power.
Black women and others with curly or kinky hair encounter a confusing array of haircare options. Advice on the best products to use for a certain type of hair is often contradictory, and the results can be highly variable. Now, scientists are bringing order to this chaos by identifying hair properties that could help users pick the perfect product and achieve consistent results.
If you've ever seen a shooting star, you might have seen a meteor on its way to Earth. Those that land here can be used to peek back in time, into the far corners of outer space or at the earliest building blocks of life. Scientists have conducted some of the most detailed analyses yet on the organic material of two meteorites.
Squids and octopuses are masters of camouflage. But some aspects of how they become reversibly transparent are still 'unclear,' because researchers can't culture cephalopod skin cells in the lab. Now, researchers have replicated the tunable transparency of squid skin in mammalian cells, which are more easily cultured.
A research group has discovered that near-infrared absorbing dyes, which had previously been considered to have closed-shell electronic structures, have an intermediate electronic structure, between closed- and open-shell structures. They also found that as the wavelength of near-infrared light that can be absorbed becomes longer the contribution of open-shell forms increases within the dye. These newly discovered characteristics are expected to be utilized to develop new near-infrared absorbing dyes that can absorb longer wavelength near-infrared light.
Most climate models do not yet account for a recent discovery: methane traps a great deal of heat in Earth's atmosphere, but also creates cooling clouds that offset 30% of the heat.
Nuclear physicists have found a new way to see inside nuclei by tracking interactions between particles of light and gluons. The method relies on harnessing a new type of quantum interference between two dissimilar particles. Tracking how these entangled particles emerge from the interactions lets scientists map out the arrangement of gluons. This approach is unusual for making use of entanglement between dissimilar particles -- something rare in quantum studies.
Many people who have dieted are familiar with the yo-yo effect: after the diet, the kilos are quickly put back on. Researchers have now shown in mice that communication in the brain changes during a diet: The nerve cells that mediate the feeling of hunger receive stronger signals, so that the mice eat significantly more after the diet and gain weight more quickly. In the long term, these findings could help developing drugs to prevent this amplification and help to maintain a reduced body weight after dieting.
Volcanic relics scattered throughout the Australian landscape are a map of the northward movement of the continent over a 'hotspot' inside the Earth, during the last 35 million years.
Metabolic pathways consist of a series of biochemical reactions in cells that convert a starting component into other products. There is growing evidence that metabolic pathways coupled with external stress factors influence the health of cells and tissues. Many human diseases, including retinal or neurodegenerative diseases, are associated with imbalances in metabolic pathways.
Research has revealed that diversity in genes coding for immunity may have facilitated adaptation to farming lifestyles in prehistoric periods.
A study explains the unusual radar signatures of icy satellites orbiting Jupiter and Saturn. Their radar signatures, which differ significantly from those of rocky worlds and most ice on Earth, have long been a vexing question for the scientific community.
Astrophysicists have leveraged artificial intelligence to uncover a better way to estimate the mass of colossal clusters of galaxies. The AI discovered that by just adding a simple term to an existing equation, scientists can produce far better mass estimates than they previously had. The improved estimates will enable scientists to calculate the fundamental properties of the universe more accurately, the astrophysicists have reported.
Applying hydrostatic pressure as an external stimulus, researchers demonstrate a new way to regulate singlet fission (SF), a process in which two electrons are generated from a single photon, in chromophores, opening doors to the design of SF-based materials with enhanced (photo)energy conversion. Their method overrides the strict requirements that limit the molecular design of such materials by realizing an alternative control strategy.
Machine learning and state-of-the-art supernova nucleosynthesis has helped researchers find that the majority of observed second-generation stars in the universe were enriched by multiple supernovae.
Scientists have significantly advanced the race to control plant responses to temperature on a rapidly warming planet. Key to this breakthrough is miRNA, a molecule nearly 200,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
Continued warming of the climate would see a rise in the number and spread of potentially fatal infections caused by bacteria found along parts of the coast of the United States. Vibrio vulnificus bacteria grow in warm shallow coastal waters and can infect a cut or insect bite during contact with seawater. The researchers predict that by 2041--2060 infections may spread to encompass major population centers around New York. Combined with a growing and increasingly elderly population, who are more susceptible to infection, annual case numbers could double.
Some plants can survive months without water, only to turn green again after a brief downpour. A recent study shows that this is not due to a 'miracle gene.' Rather, this ability is a consequence of a whole network of genes, almost all of which are also present in more vulnerable varieties.
Existing sensor probes for microelectrical devices can measure only their average electric properties, providing no information on their spatial distribution. Liquid crystal droplets (LCDs) -- microscopic droplets of soft matter that respond to electric field -- are promising in this regard. Accordingly, researchers recently visualized the electric field and electrostatic energy distribution of microstructured electrodes by recording the motion of LCDs under an applied voltage, making for high detection accuracy and spatial resolution.
High fitness levels may reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease in men with high blood pressure, according to a 29-year study.
In an innovative new study, researchers used a series of prompts and questions to encourage ChatGPT to produce the type of content commonly seen in academic publications. Researchers say in their paper's discussion section -- which was written without the software's influence -- that it demonstrates the new levels of sophistication which AI now offers and also the opportunities and challenges it poses for the academic community.
A new study found drought and heat waves could make air pollution worse for communities that already have a high pollution burden in California, and deepen pollution inequalities along racial and ethnic lines. The study also found financial penalties for power plants can significantly reduce people's pollution exposure, except during severe heat waves.
Researchers have developed a temperature-modulating robotic system that can be seamlessly integrated into notoriously sensitive honeybee hives, providing both a never-before-seen view of honeybee behavior and a means to influence it.
Older adults with depression are actually aging faster than their peers, researchers report. They also have poor cardiovascular and brain health.
Imagine a home computer operating 1 million times faster than the most expensive hardware on the market. Now, imagine that being the industry standard. Physicists hope to pave the way for that reality.
The first study into the biological response of the upper ocean in the wake of South Pacific cyclones could help predict the impact of warming ocean temperatures, researchers believe.
Mpox -- previously known as 'monkeypox' -- is currently spreading worldwide. Researchers have now identified a compound that could help fight the disease.
Mpox -- previously known as 'monkeypox' -- is currently spreading worldwide. Researchers have now identified a compound that could help fight the disease.
Changes in the brain caused by Alzheimer's disease are associated with shortening of the telomeres -- the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that shorten as cells age -- according to a new study.
Changes in the brain caused by Alzheimer's disease are associated with shortening of the telomeres -- the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes that shorten as cells age -- according to a new study.
Is nitrate responsible for algae, flowers, and even your neighbors? A team of geoscientists have unearthed evidence that may indicate yes.
Is nitrate responsible for algae, flowers, and even your neighbors? A team of geoscientists have unearthed evidence that may indicate yes.
Researchers have developed a handheld sensor that tests perspiration for cortisol and provides results in eight minutes, a key advance in monitoring a hormone whose levels are a marker for many illnesses including various cancers.
Researchers have developed a handheld sensor that tests perspiration for cortisol and provides results in eight minutes, a key advance in monitoring a hormone whose levels are a marker for many illnesses including various cancers.
An unusually severe form of toxoplasmosis killed four sea otters and could pose a threat to other marine wildlife and humans, finds a new study.
An unusually severe form of toxoplasmosis killed four sea otters and could pose a threat to other marine wildlife and humans, finds a new study.
Chocolate bars, chips and fries - why can't we just ignore them in the supermarket? Researchers have now shown that foods with a high fat and sugar content change our brain: If we regularly eat even small amounts of them, the brain learns to consume precisely these foods in the future.
Chocolate bars, chips and fries - why can't we just ignore them in the supermarket? Researchers have now shown that foods with a high fat and sugar content change our brain: If we regularly eat even small amounts of them, the brain learns to consume precisely these foods in the future.
In 1802, Ludwig van Beethoven asked his brothers to request that his doctor, J.A. Schmidt, describe his malady -- his progressive hearing loss -- to the world upon his death so that 'as far as possible at least the world will be reconciled to me after my death.' Now, more than two centuries later, a team of researchers have partially fulfilled his wish by analyzing DNA they lifted and pieced together from locks of his hair.
In 1802, Ludwig van Beethoven asked his brothers to request that his doctor, J.A. Schmidt, describe his malady -- his progressive hearing loss -- to the world upon his death so that 'as far as possible at least the world will be reconciled to me after my death.' Now, more than two centuries later, a team of researchers have partially fulfilled his wish by analyzing DNA they lifted and pieced together from locks of his hair.
Engineers have developed a new water treatment that removes 'forever chemicals' from drinking water safely, efficiently -- and for good.
Engineers have developed a new water treatment that removes 'forever chemicals' from drinking water safely, efficiently -- and for good.
Urine scent marks are the original social media, allowing animals to advertise their location, status and identity. Now research is shining a new light -- via thermal imaging of mice -- on how this behavior changes depending on shifting social conditions.
Urine scent marks are the original social media, allowing animals to advertise their location, status and identity. Now research is shining a new light -- via thermal imaging of mice -- on how this behavior changes depending on shifting social conditions.
Researchers have 'hacked' the earliest stages of photosynthesis, the natural machine that powers the vast majority of life on Earth, and discovered new ways to extract energy from the process, a finding that could lead to new ways of generating clean fuel and renewable energy.
Researchers have 'hacked' the earliest stages of photosynthesis, the natural machine that powers the vast majority of life on Earth, and discovered new ways to extract energy from the process, a finding that could lead to new ways of generating clean fuel and renewable energy.
The push toward truly autonomous vehicles has been hindered by the cost and time associated with safety testing, but a new system shows that artificial intelligence can reduce the testing miles required by 99.99%.
The push toward truly autonomous vehicles has been hindered by the cost and time associated with safety testing, but a new system shows that artificial intelligence can reduce the testing miles required by 99.99%.
By combing through genomic data of over 1 million people of European or African descent, scientists have identified genes commonly inherited across addiction disorders, regardless of the substance being used. This dataset -- one of largest and most diverse of its kind -- may help reveal new treatment targets across multiple substance use disorders, including for people diagnosed with more than one. The findings also reinforce the role of the dopamine system in addiction, by showing that the combination of genes underlying addiction disorders was also associated with regulation of dopamine signaling.
By combing through genomic data of over 1 million people of European or African descent, scientists have identified genes commonly inherited across addiction disorders, regardless of the substance being used. This dataset -- one of largest and most diverse of its kind -- may help reveal new treatment targets across multiple substance use disorders, including for people diagnosed with more than one. The findings also reinforce the role of the dopamine system in addiction, by showing that the combination of genes underlying addiction disorders was also associated with regulation of dopamine signaling.
When the first interstellar comet ever seen in our solar system was discovered in 2017, one characteristic -- an unexplained acceleration away from the sun -- sparked wild speculation, including that it was an alien spacecraft. An astrochemist found a simpler explanation and tested it with an astronomer: in interstellar space, cosmic rays converted water to hydrogen in the comet's outer layers. Nearing the sun, outgassed hydrogen gave the tiny comet a kick.
When the first interstellar comet ever seen in our solar system was discovered in 2017, one characteristic -- an unexplained acceleration away from the sun -- sparked wild speculation, including that it was an alien spacecraft. An astrochemist found a simpler explanation and tested it with an astronomer: in interstellar space, cosmic rays converted water to hydrogen in the comet's outer layers. Nearing the sun, outgassed hydrogen gave the tiny comet a kick.
Researchers describe why SARS-CoV-2 subvariants spread more rapidly than the original virus strain, and how an early treatment might have made people more susceptible to future infections.
Researchers describe why SARS-CoV-2 subvariants spread more rapidly than the original virus strain, and how an early treatment might have made people more susceptible to future infections.
A model system created by stacking a pair of monolayer semiconductors is giving physicists a simpler way to study confounding quantum behavior, from heavy fermions to exotic quantum phase transitions.
A model system created by stacking a pair of monolayer semiconductors is giving physicists a simpler way to study confounding quantum behavior, from heavy fermions to exotic quantum phase transitions.
In a new study, an international team of researchers warn that the Arctic Sea ice may soon be a thing of the past in the summer months. This may have consequences for both the climate and ecosystems. Ten thousand years ago, the ice melted at temperatures similar to those we have today.
In a new study, an international team of researchers warn that the Arctic Sea ice may soon be a thing of the past in the summer months. This may have consequences for both the climate and ecosystems. Ten thousand years ago, the ice melted at temperatures similar to those we have today.
A global treaty called the Minamata Convention requires gold-mining countries to regularly report the amount of toxic mercury that miners are using to find and extract gold, designed to help nations gauge success toward at least minimizing a practice that produces the world's largest amount of manmade mercury pollution.
A global treaty called the Minamata Convention requires gold-mining countries to regularly report the amount of toxic mercury that miners are using to find and extract gold, designed to help nations gauge success toward at least minimizing a practice that produces the world's largest amount of manmade mercury pollution.
Physicists have built a new technology on a microchip by combining two Nobel Prize-winning techniques. This microchip could measure distances in materials at high precision, for example underwater or for medical imaging. Because the technology uses sound vibrations instead of light, it is useful for high-precision position measurements in opaque materials. There's no need for complex feedback loops or for tuning certain parameters to get it to operate properly. This makes it a very simple and low-power technology, that is much easier to miniaturize on a microchip. What makes it special is that it doesn't need any precision hardware and is therefore easy to produce. It only requires inserting a laser, and nothing else. The instrument could lead to new techniques to monitor the Earth's climate and human health.
Physicists have built a new technology on a microchip by combining two Nobel Prize-winning techniques. This microchip could measure distances in materials at high precision, for example underwater or for medical imaging. Because the technology uses sound vibrations instead of light, it is useful for high-precision position measurements in opaque materials. There's no need for complex feedback loops or for tuning certain parameters to get it to operate properly. This makes it a very simple and low-power technology, that is much easier to miniaturize on a microchip. What makes it special is that it doesn't need any precision hardware and is therefore easy to produce. It only requires inserting a laser, and nothing else. The instrument could lead to new techniques to monitor the Earth's climate and human health.
Researchers behind the UK's first pilot public health surveillance system based on analysis of wastewater say that routine monitoring at sewage treatment works could provide a powerful early warning system for the next flu or norovirus epidemic, alerting hospitals to prepare and providing public health agencies with vital health information.
Researchers behind the UK's first pilot public health surveillance system based on analysis of wastewater say that routine monitoring at sewage treatment works could provide a powerful early warning system for the next flu or norovirus epidemic, alerting hospitals to prepare and providing public health agencies with vital health information.
An oxygen-ion-battery has been invented, based on ceramic materials. If it degrades, it can be regenerated, therefore it potentially has an extremely long lifespan. Also, it does not require any rare elements and it is incombustible. For large energy storage systems, this could be an optimal solution.
An oxygen-ion-battery has been invented, based on ceramic materials. If it degrades, it can be regenerated, therefore it potentially has an extremely long lifespan. Also, it does not require any rare elements and it is incombustible. For large energy storage systems, this could be an optimal solution.
New method to study the movement, behaviour, and environmental context of group-living animals using drones and computer vision.
New method to study the movement, behaviour, and environmental context of group-living animals using drones and computer vision.
New research finds that simply anticipating stress related to political elections causes adverse physical health effects. However, the study also finds there is something people can do to mitigate those negative health effects.
New research finds that simply anticipating stress related to political elections causes adverse physical health effects. However, the study also finds there is something people can do to mitigate those negative health effects.
A mosquito known only by its scientific name, Culex lactator, is the latest to establish in the Sunshine State, according to a new study.
A mosquito known only by its scientific name, Culex lactator, is the latest to establish in the Sunshine State, according to a new study.
Language that is easier to process encourages continued reading, as does language that evokes anxious, exciting, and hopeful emotions.
Language that is easier to process encourages continued reading, as does language that evokes anxious, exciting, and hopeful emotions.
Conditions mapped for the first time of polaron characteristics in 2D materials. TACC's Frontera supercomputer generated quantum mechanical calculations on hexagonal boron nitride system of 30,000 atoms.
Conditions mapped for the first time of polaron characteristics in 2D materials. TACC's Frontera supercomputer generated quantum mechanical calculations on hexagonal boron nitride system of 30,000 atoms.
Physicists have detected neutrinos created by a particle collider. The discovery promises to deepen scientists' understanding of the subatomic particles, which were first spotted in 1956 and play a key role in the process that makes stars burn.
Physicists have detected neutrinos created by a particle collider. The discovery promises to deepen scientists' understanding of the subatomic particles, which were first spotted in 1956 and play a key role in the process that makes stars burn.
Moderate levels of artificial light at night -- like the fixture illuminating your backyard -- bring more caterpillar predators and reduce the chance that these lepidoptera larvae grow up to become moths and serve as food for larger prey.
Moderate levels of artificial light at night -- like the fixture illuminating your backyard -- bring more caterpillar predators and reduce the chance that these lepidoptera larvae grow up to become moths and serve as food for larger prey.
Deleting a gene that promotes magnesium transport into mitochondria (which are cells' power plants) resulted in more efficient metabolism of sugar and fat in the energy centers. The result: skinny, healthy mice. Now the research team, has developed a small-molecule drug that accomplishes the same effect in mice.
Deleting a gene that promotes magnesium transport into mitochondria (which are cells' power plants) resulted in more efficient metabolism of sugar and fat in the energy centers. The result: skinny, healthy mice. Now the research team, has developed a small-molecule drug that accomplishes the same effect in mice.
Collaborative research across the country has shown that strengthening the relationship between the student and advisor can increase retention rates in engineering doctoral studies.
While listening to a favorite song is a known mood booster, researchers have discovered that music-listening interventions also can make medicines more effective.
Scientists have come up with a system of measuring animal welfare that enables reliable comparison across different types of pig farming.
New research has debunked the idea that there is an 'obesity paradox', whereby patients with heart failure who are overweight or obese are thought to be less likely to end up in hospital or die than people of normal weight. The study, which is published in the European Heart Journal, shows that if doctors measure the ratio of waist to height of their patients, rather than looking at their body mass index (BMI), the supposed survival advantage for people with a BMI of 25kg/m2 or more disappears.
Researchers have improved the Faradaic efficiency of the nitrogen reduction reaction into ammonia by straightforward optimization of chemical process parameters. They found that trace water was the probable source of the high selectivity by facilitating incorporation of lithium oxide into the solid electrolyte interphase. These findings will also aid optimization of other analogous reactions, and thus help the chemicals industry optimize the sustainability of one of the most carbon-intensive reactions globally.
Temperature influences how badly pesticides affect bees' behavior, suggesting uncertain impacts under climate change, according to a new study.
Following enormous collisions, such as asteroid impacts, some amount of material from an impacted world may be ejected into space. This material can travel vast distances and for extremely long periods of time. In theory this material could contain direct or indirect signs of life from the host world, such as fossils of microorganisms. And this material could be detectable by humans in the near future, or even now.
With the first paper compiling all known information about planets like Venus beyond our solar system, scientists are the closest they've ever been to finding an analog of Earth's 'twin.'
New research introduces metamaterial concrete for the development of smart civil infrastructure systems. Researchers present a new concept for lightweight and mechanically-tunable concrete systems that have integrated energy harvesting and sensing functionality.
Researchers find stem cells use a surprising system for discarding misfolded proteins. This unique pathway could be the key to maintaining long-term health and preventing age-related blood and immune disorders.
Samples from the asteroid Ryugu collected by the Hayabusa2 mission contain nitrogenous organic compounds, including the nucleobase uracil, which is a part of RNA.
Cooking devices that incorporate three-dimensional (3D) printers, lasers, or other software-driven processes may soon replace conventional cooking appliances such as ovens, stovetops, and microwaves. But will people want to use a 3D printer -- even one as beautifully designed as a high-end coffee maker -- on their kitchen counters to calibrate the exact micro- and macro-nutrients they need to stay healthy? Will 3D food printing improve the ways we nourish ourselves? What sorts of hurdles will need to be overcome to commercialize such a technology? Researchers explore the benefits and drawbacks of 3D-printed food technology, cooking 3D-printed food with lasers as part of the system, how 3D-printed food compares to the 'normal' food we eat, and the future landscape of our kitchens.
Focusing on immediate fixes such as diet and exercise programs alone won't curb the tide of childhood obesity, according to a new study that for the first time maps the complex pathways that lead to obesity in childhood.
Plants use photosynthesis to harvest energy from sunlight. Now researchers have applied this principle as the basis for developing new sustainable processes which in the future may produce syngas (synthetic gas) for the large-scale chemical industry and be able to charge batteries.
An international team has discovered how electrons can slither rapidly to-and-fro across a quantum surface when driven by external forces. The research has enabled the visualization of the motion of electrons on liquid helium.
The interactions of the quarks and gluons that make up protons and neutrons are so strong that the structure of protons and neutrons is difficult to calculate from theory and must be instead measured experimentally. Neutrino experiments use targets that are nuclei made of many protons and neutrons bound together. This complicates interpreting those measurements to infer proton structure. By scattering neutrinos from the protons that are the nuclei of hydrogen atoms in the MINERvA detector, scientists have provided the first measurements of this structure with neutrinos using unbound protons.
Researchers have found positive parenting and family factors were associated with reduced risk for disordered eating behaviors but did not lessen the influence of weight-stigmatizing experiences on disordered eating in young people. Weight stigmatizing experiences -- like weight teasing and hurtful weight-related comments -- were associated with higher prevalence of disordered eating behaviors.
With the growth of the niche adaptive clothing market comes new challenges for retailers, including making the process of online shopping more inclusive for people with varying degrees of disability as well as expanding the functionality and aesthetic appeal of individual garments.
Researchers have found that adolescents who report strong relationships with their parents have better long-term health outcomes. Study findings suggest that investments in improving parent--adolescent relationships could help improve general health, mental health and sexual, health while also reducing substance use in young adulthood.
Scientists have developed a modeling technique to study urban traffic flows and show that their model can be used to find previously unknown bottlenecks. The model uses a modified form of percolation theory, and the investigators considered the existing road network and population distribution in Shanghai. They generated trips between various population centers, assigning those trips to roads that provided the shortest travel distance, and discovered that a massive cascading failure of the urban transportation system occurred in a sudden and discontinuous fashion.
Additive manufacturing of food involves designing, pre-processing, manufacturing, and post-processing, and each step is an opportunity to create innovative foods. Researchers identify factors that affect the print quality and shape complexity of the food created. For example, changing the printing patterns and ingredients of the initial mix or paste can affect the food's matrix and microstructures and therefore its texture. Accounting for these features can increase food quality, improve control, and speed up printing.
Researchers from the fields of healthcare, ocean science, and social science have collaborated to quantify plastic's considerable risks to all life on Earth. The Minderoo-Monaco Commission on Plastics and Human Health report presents a comprehensive analysis showing plastics as a hazard at every stage of their life cycle.
Renewable energy experts have come up with an environmentally-friendly plan to dispose of solar panels at the end of their life.
Pregnancies complicated by preterm delivery, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and gestational diabetes are linked with an increased risk of mortality. Researchers have investigated the question on how having pregnancy complications may inform one's long-term mortality risk, relative to those without the complications.
Scientists investigating a compound called 'Y-ball' -- which belongs to a mysterious class of 'strange metals' viewed as centrally important to next-generation quantum materials -- have found new ways to probe and understand its behavior.
Scientists have calculated that the fastest changing Antarctic region?-?the Amundsen Sea Embayment?-?has lost more than 3,000 billion tonnes of ice over a 25-year?period.??
Two researchers have used a standard laptop computer and a humble piece of rock -- from the 'waste pile' of a diamond mine -- to solve a long-held geological conundrum about how diamonds formed in the deep roots of the earth's ancient continents.
When exotic species such as parrots, snakes, monkeys, or aquarium fishes are kept as pets, this may lead to unsustainable trade and impact negatively the conservation of these species globally. Understanding what drives demand among keepers may help inform adequate conservation strategies to address unsustainable trade.
In our daily lives, lithium-ion batteries have become indispensable. They function only because of a passivation layer that forms during their initial cycle. As researchers found out via simulations, this solid electrolyte interphase develops not directly at the electrode but aggregates in the solution. Their findings allow the optimization of the performance and lifetime of future batteries.
The elimination of daylight-saving time is a frequently -- and heatedly -- discussed topic. Often, only the aspect of electricity consumption due to artificial lighting is considered. In a new study, researchers have now analyzed whether daylight saving also has an impact on the heating and cooling energy required for office buildings, and what role climate change might play in this. The results should delight supporters of daylight-saving time.
Magnetic topological insulators are an exotic class of materials that conduct electrons without any resistance at all and so are regarded as a promising breakthrough in materials science. Researchers have achieved a significant milestone in the pursuit of energy-efficient quantum technologies by designing the ferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi6Te10 from the manganese bismuth telluride family. The amazing thing about this quantum material is that its ferromagnetic properties only occur when some atoms swap places, introducing antisite disorder.
A new study investigates how an extinct, carnivorous marsupial relative with canines so large they extended across the top of its skull could hunt effectively despite having wide-set eyes, like a cow or a horse. The skulls of carnivores typically have forward-facing eye sockets, or orbits, which helps enable stereoscopic (3D) vision, a useful adaptation for judging the position of prey before pouncing. Scientists studied whether the 'marsupial sabertooth' Thylacosmilus atrox could see in 3D at all.
Molecular engineers have triggered a domino-like structural transition in an organic semiconductor. The energy- and time-saving phenomenon may enhance the performance of smartwatches, solar cells, and other organic electronics.
Scientists have created wearable microscopes to enable unprecedented insight into the signaling patterns that occur within the spinal cords of mice. This technological advancement will help researchers better understand the neural basis of sensations and movement in healthy and disease contexts, such as chronic pain, itch, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or multiple sclerosis (MS).
An international team of scientists is developing an inkable nanomaterial that they say could one day become a spray-on electronic component for ultra-thin, lightweight and bendable displays and devices.
Researchers have determined a novel mechanism linking the metabolism of ribonucleic acids, RNA, to the development of leukemia in myelodysplastic syndrome patients, MDS. They explain what makes hematopoietic stem cells acquire malignant traits in cancer.
Researchers have discovered a new intracellular 'smoke detector.' The sensor warns of damage to the mitochondria -- the microscopic power plants that supply the cell with energy. If it does not function properly, chronic skin diseases can result. The sensor may also be important for unimpaired heart and bowel function.
A team of international astronomers have discovered a galaxy that has changed classification due to unique activity within its core. The galaxy, named PBC J2333.9-2343, was previously classified as a radio galaxy, but the new research has revealed otherwise.
The growing period of hardwood forests in eastern North America has increased by an average of one month over the past century as temperatures have steadily risen, a new study has found.
People might be more positive to the removal of fuel subsidies if told where the money would be spent instead. This has been shown in a study which investigated attitudes towards removing fossil fuel subsidies in five developing countries.
A recent study that examined the relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and law enforcement underscores both the need for law enforcement agencies to be involved in the development of public policies regarding AI -- such as regulations governing autonomous vehicles -- and the need for law enforcement officers to better understand the limitations and ethical challenges of AI technologies.
Research shows promise for developing high-energy-density rechargeable lithium-metal batteries and addressing the electrochemical oxidation instability of ether-based electrolytes.
Using ESO's Very Large Telescope (VLT), two teams of astronomers have observed the aftermath of the collision between NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft and the asteroid Dimorphos. The controlled impact was a test of planetary defence, but also gave astronomers a unique opportunity to learn more about the asteroid's composition from the expelled material.
The cellular glitches underlying a rare genetic disorder called activated PI3K Delta syndrome 2 (APDS2) have been identified. The disorder is caused by genetic variations that disrupt immune cell signalling through a protein called PI3K.
New clinical guidance has been developed to help physicians and patients identify if unexplained digestive symptoms are due to alpha-gal syndrome, a food allergy that is caused by lone star tick bites.
A team has experimentally confirmed that nitrate, a compound common in fertilizers and animal waste, can help transport naturally occurring uranium from the underground to groundwater. The new research backs a previous study showing that aquifers contaminated with high levels of nitrate -- including the High Plains Aquifer residing beneath Nebraska -- also contain uranium concentrations far exceeding a threshold set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Uranium concentrations above that EPA threshold have been shown to cause kidney damage in humans, especially when regularly consumed via drinking water.
Atomic nuclei accelerated close to the speed of light become dense walls of gluons known as color glass condensate (CGC). Recent analysis shows that CGC shares features with black holes, enormous conglomerates of gravitons that exert gravitational force across the universe. Both gluons in CGC and gravitons in black holes are organized in the most efficient manner possible for each system's energy and size.
Researchers explore how anatomical variations in a speaker's vocal tract affect speech production. Using MRI, the team recorded the shape of the vocal tract for 41 speakers as the subjects produced a series of representative speech sounds. They averaged these shapes to establish a sound-independent model of the vocal tract. Then they used statistical analysis to extract the main variations between speakers. A handful of factors explained nearly 90% of the differences between speakers.
Research in languages other than English is critically important for biodiversity conservation and is shockingly under-utilized internationally, according to an international research team.
Researchers have built and tested a bushfire safe room that exceeds current Australian standards and could keep people alive or protect valuables when evacuation is no longer an option.
Women with obesity may share risk for the disease with their daughters, but not their sons, according to a new study.
Malaria control programs in Amazonian Peru helped reduce the incidence of the deadly parasitic disease by 78 percent. That is, until the programs ceased to operate. Within four years of the programs being de-funded, malaria rates where right back where they started. The rebound was driven not only by the removal of prevention programs, but also by climate change. Average temperatures in Peru have risen a half-degree Centigrade in the last 20 years.
Increases in mortality among Douglas-fir in the Klamath Mountains are the result of multiple factors that have the iconic tree in a 'decline spiral' in parts of the region.
Shigellosis, a highly contagious diarrheal disease, is caused by Shigella bacteria circulating in industrializing countries but also in industrialized countries. Scientists who have been monitoring Shigella in France for several years have detected the emergence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains of Shigella sonnei.
Fewer parasites in U.S. waters might be seen by many as a good thing, but a biologist says the trend signals potential danger for fish and other wildlife.
Researchers have found that the spread of the spotted lanternfly population is largely due to human-mediated dispersal via transportation. In other words, these expert hitchhikers are catching rides on our cars, trucks and trains.
Researchers have developed a new type of microscope that stitches together video from 54 individual cameras and lenses. Whether recording high-speed, 3D, gigapixel movies of the behavior of dozens of freely swimming zebrafish or the grooming activity of fruit flies at near cellular-level detail across a very wide field of view, the device is opening new possibilities to researchers the world over.
A condition called CD3 delta SCID is caused by a mutation in the CD3D gene, which prevents the production of the CD3 delta protein that is needed for the normal development of T cells from blood stem cells. Researchers showed that a new genome editing technique called base editing can correct the mutation that causes CD3 delta SCID in blood stem cells and restore their ability to produce T cells. Base editing is an ultraprecise form of genome editing that enables scientists to correct single-letter mutations in DNA.
Researchers discovered that a protein called Stathmin-2 is lost in these neurons, which prevents them from regenerating after injury and disrupts their connection with the muscles to control movements.
Scientists have gleaned new insights into how psychedelics alter conscious experience via their action on brain activity.
Cancer treatment routinely involves taking out lymph nodes near the tumor in case they contain metastatic cancer cells. But new findings from a clinical trial show that immunotherapy can activate tumor-fighting T cells in nearby lymph nodes.
Future ocean warming and marine heatwaves could impact the growth and development of clownfish during their earliest life stages, suggests a new study.
Natural and engineered versions of tardigrade proteins can be used to stabilize an important pharmaceutical used to treat people with hemophilia and other conditions without the need for refrigeration -- even amid high temperatures and other difficult conditions.
Researchers found they could separate blended cotton and polyester fabric using enzymes -- nature's tools for speeding chemical reactions. Ultimately, they hope their findings will lead to a more efficient way to recycle the fabric's component materials, thereby reducing textile waste.
In 2020, bulevirtide (BLV) was conditionally approved for treating chronic hepatitis delta (CHD), an inflammation of the liver caused by hepatitis D virus (HDV). Now real-world studies of patients treated outside of clinical trials confirm that long-term suppressive therapy with BLV monotherapy has the potential to reduce viral replication and improve liver tests of these difficult-to-treat patients for the first time in 45 years, report investigators.
n a major breakthrough in the fields of nanophotonics and ultrafast optics, a research team has demonstrated the ability to dynamically steer light pulses from conventional, so-called incoherent light sources.
Researchers confirmed what was already known: jellyfish eat bigger prey as they grow, which means they also occupy a higher position in the food web as they grow. They also found that some of the concentrations of 'healthy fats,' increase as jellyfish grow. These changes might be influenced by their diet, and as they feed on bigger prey with higher levels of fatty acids, the jellyfish accumulate more of these fatty acids.
Researchers have devised a tiny, nano-sized sensor capable of detecting protein biomarkers in a sample at single-molecule precision. Fittingly coined as 'hook and bait,' a tiny protein binder fuses to a small hole created in the membrane of a cell -- known as a nanopore -- which allows ionic solution to flow through it. When the sensor recognizes a targeted molecule, the ionic flow changes. This change in flow serves as the signal from the sensor that the biomarker has been found.
New research aims to increase autonomy for individuals with such motor impairments by introducing a head-worn device that will help them control a mobile manipulator. Teleoperated mobile manipulators can aid individuals in completing daily activities, but many existing technologies like hand-operated joysticks or web interfaces require a user to have substantial fine motor skills to effectively control them. Research led by robotics Ph.D. student Akhil Padmanabha offers a new device equipped with a hands-free microphone and head-worn sensor that allows users to control a mobile robot via head motion and speech recognition.
Researchers have developed biosensor technology that will allow you to operate devices, such as robots and machines, solely through thought control.
IQ scores have substantially increased from 1932 through the 20th century, with differences ranging from three to five IQ points per decade, according to a phenomenon known as the 'Flynn effect.' But a new study has found evidence of a reverse 'Flynn effect' in a large U.S. sample between 2006 and 2018 in every category except one. For the reverse Flynn effect, there were consistent negative slopes for three out of the four cognitive domains.
Parasitic infections in salmonid fish can increase or decrease their vulnerability to angling, depending on their body condition.
Researchers have devised a new concept of superconducting microwave low-noise amplifiers for use in radio wave detectors for radio astronomy observations, and successfully demonstrated a high-performance cooled amplifier with power consumption three orders of magnitude lower than that of conventional cooled semiconductor amplifiers. This result is expected to contribute to the realization of large-scale multi-element radio cameras and error-tolerant quantum computers, both of which require a large number of low-noise microwave amplifiers.
The development of new information and communication technologies poses new challenges to scientists and industry. Designing new quantum materials -- whose exceptional properties stem from quantum physics -- is the most promising way to meet these challenges. An international team has designed a material in which the dynamics of electrons can be controlled by curving the fabric of space in which they evolve. These properties are of interest for next-generation electronic devices, including the optoelectronics of the future.
Most people who ranked high in 'joy of missing out' or JOMO also reported high levels of social anxiety in a recent study. The term JOMO has been popularized as a healthy enjoyment of solitude in almost direct opposition to the negative FOMO, the 'fear of missing out' people may have when seeing others having fun experiences without them. In an analysis of two samples of adults, researchers found mixed results when it comes to JOMO with evidence that there is some anxiety behind the joy.
Hummingbirds use the hibernation-like state of torpor in varying ways, depending on their physical condition and what is happening in their environment, according to new research.
Scientists developing new biomaterials often try to mimic the body's natural proteins, but a chemist shows that simpler polymers -- based on a handful of plastic building blocks -- also work well. Using AI, her team was able to design polymer mixtures that replicate simple protein functions within biological fluids. The random heteropolymers dissolve and stabilize proteins and can support cells' normal protein-making machinery. The technique could speed the design of materials for biomedical applications.
Researchers have detected previously overlooked eyes whose form and function could help to improve the evolutionary classification of archaic arthropods.
Researchers have identified several links between various risk factors and feline litterbox issues. Identifying a range of risk factors makes it possible to modify conditions in the cat's environment, thus preventing and reducing litterbox issues.
A new way of describing the connections in real-world systems such as food webs or social networks could lead to better methods for predicting and controlling them.
The flavor of beer begins to change as soon as it's packaged, prompting a debate among afficionados: Does the beverage stay fresher in a bottle or a can? Now, researchers report that the answer is, well, complicated, and depends on the type of beer. An amber ale stayed fresher in bottles, whereas container choice made much less difference to the stability of an India Pale Ale (IPA).
Synecoculture, a new farming method, involves growing mixed plant species together in high density. However, it requires complex operation since varying species with different growing seasons and growing speeds are planted on the same land. To address this need, researchers have developed a robot that can sow, prune, and harvest plants in dense vegetation growth. Its small, flexible body will help large-scale Synecoculture. This is an important step towards achieving sustainable farming and carbon neutrality.
Certain personality traits are associated with satisfaction in life, and despite the changes people may experience in social roles and responsibilities over the course of their adult lives, that association is stable regardless of age, according to new research.
Gene therapy has been heralded as the new frontier of medicine, but there are still many limitations to current technologies; among them, how to deliver therapeutic genes to specific cells, and only activate them in the right context. A team has created a new RNA-based tool called DART VADAR to bring gene editing out of the 'dark side' of those problems and into the light. Using an engineered form of a naturally occurring enzyme, their sensors can automatically sense the presence of a trigger molecule and initiate the translation of payload genes within cells. The advance broadens the scope of conditions that can be treated with RNA-based therapeutics and enables the development of highly specific treatments for a variety of diseases.
Multiple types of beta cells produce insulin in the pancreas, helping to balance blood sugar levels. Losing a particularly productive type of beta cell may contribute to the development of diabetes, according to a new study.
Researchers created a system that enables makers to incorporate sensors directly into rotational mechanisms with only one pass in a 3D printer. This gives rotational mechanisms like gearboxes the ability to sense their angular position, rotation speed, and direction of rotation.
A new study has revealed FDA-approved trametinib and entinostat (which is currently in clinical trials) can be given in tandem to produce fewer and smaller tumors in mice with LKB1-mutated non-small cell lung cancer.
More than 85% of the world's bird, mammal, and amphibian species live in mountains, particularly in forest habitats, but researchers report that these forests are disappearing at an accelerating rate. Globally, we have lost 78.1 million hectares (7.1%) of mountain forest since 2000 -- an area larger than the size of Texas. Much of the loss occurred in tropical biodiversity hotspots, putting increasing pressure on threatened species.
New research has looked at the long-term environmental impact of different methods to control Japanese knotweed. Different ways of trying to control the invasive species have developed over the years but now, as sustainability becomes increasingly important, understanding the effect of these management methods is vital.This new study examines at the entire life cycle and long-term impacts of different management approaches.
The ability of a cell to divide, to proliferate, is essential for life and gives rise to the formation of complex organisms from a single cell. It also allows the replacement of used cells from a limited number of 'stem' cells, which then proliferate and specialize. In cancer, however, cell proliferation is no longer controlled and becomes chaotic. Researchers have discovered that, in a healthy individual, certain blood immune cells, the monocytes, also have this ability to proliferate, with the aim to replace tissue macrophages, which are essential for the proper functioning of our body.
Without plants, we'd have no air to breathe or food to eat, yet plant science lingers in the shadowy wings while other fields take center stage. With the goal of shining the spotlight on plants, a new study presents the field's top 100 most pressing questions for research to address the greatest challenges facing humanity.
Leading edge technology has uncovered secrets about a world-renowned fossil hoard that could offer vital clues about early life on earth. Researchers who analysed the 400 million-year-old-cache, found in rural north-east Scotland, say their findings reveal better preservation of the fossils at a molecular level than was previously anticipated.
An international research team produced the first large-scale analysis of more than 400 newly sequenced and existing Omnitrophota genomes, uncovering new details about their biology and behavior.
A research team has developed a crocodile-skin-inspired omnidirectionally stretchable pressure sensor.
Researchers uncovered the role of the third intracellular loop in the G protein-coupled receptors' signaling mechanism, which could lead to a more targeted approach to drug discovery and a paradigm shift for new therapeutics.
Researchers use a DNA designer drug to restore key protein levels in motor neurons, delaying paralysis in a mouse model of ALS.
Researchers outline the complexities of young-onset colorectal cancer and the research needed to map out a path toward understanding it.
A new process that lets scientists chemically cut apart and stitch together nanoscopic layers of two-dimensional materials -- like a tailor altering a suit -- could be just the tool for designing the technology of a sustainable energy future. Researchers have developed a method for structurally splitting, editing and reconstituting layered materials, called MAX phases and MXenes, with the potential of producing new materials with very unusual compositions and exceptional properties.
An artificial pancreas improves blood sugar control in children ages 2 to 6 with type 1 diabetes, according to a new study.
More donated hearts could be suitable for transplantation if they are kept functioning within the body for a short time following the death of the donor, new research has concluded.
Most cities don't map their own pedestrian networks. Now, researchers have built the first open-source tool to let planners do just that. Researchers have built TILE2NET, an open-source tool that uses aerial imagery and image-recognition to create complete maps of sidewalks and crosswalks. The tool can help planners, policymakers, and urbanists who want to expand pedestrian infrastructure.
A new approach that delivers a 'one-two punch' to help T cells attack solid tumors is the focus of a preclinical study. The findings showed that targeting two regulators that control gene functions related to inflammation led to at least 10 times greater T cell expansion in models, resulting in increased anti-tumor immune activity and durability.
An increasing number of U.S. interstates are set to try out an invention that could save millions of taxpayer dollars and significantly reduce traffic delays. The invention, a sensor that allows concrete to 'talk,' decreases construction time and how often concrete pavement needs repairs while also improving the road’s sustainability and cutting its carbon footprint. Embedded directly into a concrete pour, the sensor sends engineers more precise and consistent data about the concrete’s strength and need for repair than is possible with currently used tools and methods.
In a Phase II trial, adding ipilimumab to a neoadjuvant, or pre-surgical, combination of nivolumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy, resulted in a major pathologic response (MPR) in half of all treated patients with early-stage, resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). New findings from the NEOSTAR trial, published today in Nature Medicine, provide further support for neoadjuvant immunotherapy-based treatment as an approach to reduce viable tumor at surgery and to improve outcomes in NSCLC. The combination also was associated with an increase in immune cell infiltration and a favorable gut microbiome composition.
Intense fishing and over-exploitation have led to evolutionary changes in fish stocks like cod, reducing both their productivity and value on the market. These changes can be reversed by more sustainable and far-sighted fisheries management. A new study shows that reversal of evolutionary change would only slightly reduce the profit of fishing, but would help regain and conserve natural genetic diversity.
Compass readings that do not show the direction of true north and interference with the operations of satellites are a few of the problems caused by peculiarities of the Earth's magnetic field. The magnetic field radiates around the world and far into space, but it is set by processes that happen deep within the Earth's core, where temperatures exceed 5,000-degrees C. New research from geophysicists suggests that the way this super-hot core is cooled is key to understanding the causes of the peculiarities -- or anomalies, as scientists call them -- of the Earth's magnetic field.
Criteria used by neurologists to assess for multiple sclerosis (MS) in adults may fail to identify the illness in children with imaging suspicious for the disease, an oversight that could delay treatment of the disease at its earliest stages, according to a new study.
Researchers have shown how energy disappears in quantum turbulence, paving the way for a better understanding of turbulence in scales ranging from the microscopic to the planetary. The team's findings demonstrate a new understanding of how wave-like motion transfers energy from macroscopic to microscopic length scales, and their results confirm a theoretical prediction about how the energy is dissipated at small scales. In the future, an improved understanding of turbulence beginning on the quantum level could allow for improved engineering in domains where the flow and behavior of fluids and gases like water and air is a key question. Understanding that in classical fluids will help scientists do things like improve the aerodynamics of vehicles, predict the weather with better accuracy, or control water flow in pipes. There is a huge number of potential real-world uses for understanding macroscopic turbulence.
In a new study, astronomers describe how extraterrestrial life has the potential to exist on distant exoplanets inside a special area called the 'terminator zone,' which is a ring on planets that have one side that always faces its star and one side that is always dark.
Flatburn is an open-source, mobile pollution detector intended to let people measure air quality cheaply.
'Miniature shredders' are at work in each cell, disassembling and recycling cell components that are defective or no longer required. The exact structure of these shredders differs from cell type to cell type, a study now shows. For example, cancer cells have a special variant that can supply them particularly effectively with building blocks for their energy metabolism.
In organic solar cells, carbon-based polymers convert light into charges that are passed to an acceptor. Scientists have now calculated how this happens by combining molecular dynamics simulations with quantum calculations and have provided theoretical insights to interpret experimental data.
There is currently a large dependence on coal for power generation. As coal-fired plants cause environmental and health hazards, technologies such as swirl flow and air staging have been proposed to mitigate the pollutants in their emissions. However, it is unclear how effective these technologies are in reducing the environmental costs of these plants. Now, researchers have provided insights on this front in a new study, delineating their efficacies with experiments and simulations.
There's been a well-documented shift toward earlier springtime flowering in many plants as the world warms. The trend alarms biologists because it has the potential to disrupt carefully choreographed interactions between plants and the creatures -- butterflies, bees, birds, bats and others -- that pollinate them.
The androgen receptor is a key transcriptional factor for the proper sex development -- especially in males -- and the physiological balance of all the tissues that express this receptor. The androgen receptor is involved in several pathologies and syndromes, such as the spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy or androgen insensitivity syndrome, among others, for which there is no specific treatment. Regarded as the main initial and progression factor in prostate cancer -- the second most common malignant disease in men in industrialized countries -- this receptor has been, for decades, the main therapeutical target for the treatment against this disease.
Pushing the MINFLUX technique to higher spatial and temporal precision allows protein dynamics to be observed under physiological conditions.
Steps were taken in Canada to reduce the use of Bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic chemical linked to prostate and breast cancer, commonly found in plastics, the lining of food cans, water bottles, and paper receipts. But in many cases, it has been replaced with similar hormone disrupting chemicals, like Bisphenol S (BPS). A new study shows that every day Canadians are exposed to BPS in the fresh foods they eat, as chemicals migrate from labels on the packaging materials into the food.
While research has long established disparities in health outcomes among individuals living with sickle cell disease (SCD), few studies have quantified these gaps. A new study finds that the average life expectancy of publicly insured patients living with SCD is roughly 52.6 years. In contrast, the CDC reports that the average life expectancy in the United States is 73.5 years for men and 79.3 years for women, demonstrating the considerable burden SCD can have on affected populations.
The western chimpanzees of Guinea are threatened by mining activities. Using a novel genetic approach, researchers have collected information on population size and community structure of the endangered species. These data provide an important baseline to assess the impact of mining.
The future of wireless communications is set to take a giant leap with the advent of sixth-generation (6G) wireless technology. A research team has invented a groundbreaking tunable terahertz (THz) meta-device that can control the radiation direction and coverage area of THz beams. By rotating its metasurface, the device can promptly direct the 6G signal only to a designated recipient, minimizing power leakage and enhancing privacy. It is expected to provide a highly adjustable, directional and secure means for future 6G communications systems.
Geneticists have written new chapters in the reconstruction of pre-colonial Americas history after using DNA from the indigenous Ashaninka people from Amazonian Peru. They have discovered previously unexpected levels of genetic variation in this group and uncovered a strong hint that these people were involved in a South-to-North migration that led to the transition from an archaic to ceramic culture in the Caribbean islands.
Venus appears to have volcanic activity, according to a new research paper that offers strong evidence to answer the lingering question about whether Earth's sister planet currently has eruptions and lava flows. Venus, although similar to Earth in size and mass, differs markedly in that it does not have plate tectonics. The boundaries of Earth's moving surface plates are the primary locations of volcanic activity. New research has revealed a nearly 1-square-mile volcanic vent that changed in shape and grew over eight months in 1991. Changes on such a scale on Earth are associated with volcanic activity, whether through an eruption at the vent or movement of magma beneath the vent that causes the vent walls to collapse and the vent to expand.
Researchers have developed resilient artificial muscles that can enable insect-scale aerial robots to effectively recover flight performance after suffering severe damage.
Researchers are developing a 3D-printed insole with integrated sensors that allows the pressure of the sole to be measured in the shoe and thus during any activity. This helps athletes or patients to determine performance and therapy progress.
Learning, remembering something, and recalling memories is supported by multiple separate groups of neurons connected inside and across key regions in the brain. If these neural assemblies fail to sync together at the right time, the memories are lost, a new study has found.
It may be better to let a mild fever run its course instead of automatically reaching for medication, new University of Alberta research suggests. Researchers found that untreated moderate fever helped fish clear their bodies of infection rapidly, controlled inflammation and repaired damaged tissue. Moderate fever is self-resolving, meaning that the body can both induce it and shut it down naturally without medication. The health advantages of natural fever to humans still have to be confirmed through research, but the researchers say because the mechanisms driving and sustaining fever are shared among animals, it is reasonable to expect similar benefits are going to happen in humans.
Some projections show that widespread adoption of electric vehicles might require costly new power plants to meet peak loads in the evening. A new study shows that placing EV charging stations strategic ways and setting up systems to initiate charging at delayed times could lessen or eliminate the need for new power plants.
New research has established a link between western diets high in fat and sugar and the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the leading cause of chronic liver disease.
Researchers shed light on the neural stem and progenitor cell (NSPC) microenvironment during development. Neurosphere formation from embryonic mouse forebrain NSPCs was significantly increased under low oxygen conditions, and VEGF-A was identified as a factor released by NSPCs to contribute to this effect. This study demonstrates that NSPCs appear to maintain their own niche and population under low oxygen conditions during development.
Proteins are the heavy-lifters of biochemistry. These beefy molecules act as building blocks, receptors, processors, couriers and catalysts. Naturally, scientists have devoted a lot of research to understanding and manipulating proteins.
How mothers and fathers see each other as co-parents of their children plays a key role in how well-adjusted their kids become, a new study suggests.
A new study brings scientists one step closer to answering the question of where Earth's water came from.
Micron-sized 'bow ties,' self-assembled from nanoparticles, form a variety of different curling shapes that can be precisely controlled, a research team has shown.
A new targeted drug has not only sparked remissions in patients with a common form of leukemia but also induced the cancer cells to reveal one of their schemes for resisting the drug, investigators report in a new pair of studies.
A new study represents a first step towards generating highly detailed 3-dimensional maps of lung tumors using genetically engineered mouse models.
A pioneering global study has found deforestation and forests lost or damaged due to human and environmental change, such as fire and logging, are fast outstripping current rates of forest regrowth.
In a step forward for genetic engineering and synthetic biology, researchers have modified a strain of Escherichia coli bacteria to be immune to natural viral infections while also minimizing the potential for the bacteria or their modified genes to escape into the wild.
Using vision to efficiently move through an area by foot uses a unique region of the brain's cortex, according to a small study.
The largest data release of relatively nearby supernovae (colossal explosions of stars), containing three years of data is publicly available via the Young Supernova Experiment (YSE).
Electrification is seen as having an important role to play in the fossil-free aviation of tomorrow. But electric aviation is battling a trade-off dilemma: the more energy-efficient an electric aircraft is, the noisier it gets. Now, researchers have developed a propeller design optimization method that paves the way for quiet, efficient electric aviation.
Despite recent advancements, many highly sensitive diagnostic tests for viral diseases still require complicated techniques to prepare a sample or interpret a result, making them impractical for point-of-care settings or areas with few resources. But now, a team has developed a sensitive method that analyzes viral nucleic acids in as little as 20 minutes and can be completed in one step with 'glow-in-the-dark' proteins.
A new study has found evidence of cheesemaking, using milk from multiple animals in Late Neolithic Poland.
The Walking Oligomeric Robotic Mobility System, or WORMS, is a reconfigurable, modular, multiagent robotics architecture for extreme lunar terrain mobility. The system could be used to assemble autonomous worm-like parts into larger biomimetic robots that could explore lava tubes, steep slopes, and the moon's permanently shadowed regions.
The rare sight of a Wolf-Rayet star -- among the most luminous, most massive, and most briefly detectable stars known -- was one of the first observations made by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope in June 2022. Webb shows the star, WR 124, in unprecedented detail with its powerful infrared instruments. The star is 15,000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius.
Robots can be useful as mental wellbeing coaches in the workplace -- but perception of their effectiveness depends in large part on what the robot looks like.
Since the development of functional magnetic resonance imaging in the 1990s, the reliance on neuroimaging has skyrocketed as researchers investigate how fMRI data from the brain at rest, and anatomical brain structure itself, can be used to predict individual traits, such as depression, cognitive decline, and brain disorders. But how reliable brain imaging is for detecting traits has been a subject of wide debate. Researchers now report that stronger links between brain measures and traits can be obtained when state-of-the-art pattern recognition (or 'machine learning') algorithms are utilized, which can garner high-powered results from moderate sample sizes.
Scientists using the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) to study some of the hottest matter ever created in a laboratory have published their first data showing how three distinct variations of particles called upsilons sequentially 'melt,' or dissociate, in the hot goo.
A researcher has solved a nearly 60-year-old game theory dilemma called the wall pursuit game, with implications for better reasoning about autonomous systems such as driver-less vehicles.
In 2002, an area of ice about the size of Rhode Island dramatically broke away from Antarctica as the Larsen B ice shelf collapsed. A new study of the conditions that led to the collapse may reveal warning signs to watch for future Antarctic ice shelf retreat, according to a new scientists.
Thanks to technological advances in microbial DNA analysis, researchers have discovered that mountaineers' boots aren't the only things leaving footprints on the world's tallest mountain. When someone sneezes on Everest, their germs can last for centuries.
The relatively simple and low-cost procedure could empower laboratories in low-resource areas to generate nanobodies against SARS-CoV-2, as well as other viruses.
A research team demonstrates that increased levels of ozone resulting from anthropogenic air pollution can degrade insect sex pheromones, which are crucial mating signals, and thus prevent successful reproduction. The oxidizing effect of ozone causes the carbon-carbon double bonds found in the molecules of many insect pheromones to break down. Therefore, the specific chemical mating signal is rendered dysfunctional. The researchers show this effect in the vinegar fly Drosophila melanogaster and nine other species of the genus Drosophila. Most remarkably, the disrupted sexual communication also led to male flies exhibiting unusual mating behavior towards ozonated males of their own species.
Researchers have uncovered a novel regulatory mechanism in the brain that is essential for making the right kinds of proteins that promote healthy brain function, and its malfunctioning may be an early contributor of the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers have engineered a material with the potential to dramatically cut the amount of heat power plants release into the atmosphere.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a long-lasting impact on adolescent mental health and substance use, according to a new population-based study based on survey responses from a sample of over 64,000 13- to 18-year-olds assessed prior to and up to two years into the pandemic.
In an unlikely pairing, a chemist and an astrophysicist applied the tools of statistical mechanics to find similarities in spatial patterns across length scales.
Globally, wildfires are becoming more frequent and destructive, generating a significant amount of smoke that can be transported thousands of miles, driving the need for more accurate air pollution forecasts. Researchers have now developed a deep learning model that provides improved predictions of air quality in wildfire-prone areas and can differentiate between wildfires and non-wildfires.
A global maternal immunization program for group B Streptococcus -- strep B -- would save millions in healthcare costs by reducing death and disability, but without tiered pricing, equitable access would likely not be achieved. Several vaccines are currently under development, and an assessment of the impact and value of a global program has now been published.
With the aid of some sea slugs, chemists have discovered that one of the smallest conceivable tweaks to a biomolecule can elicit one of the grandest conceivable consequences: directing the activation of neurons. The team has shown that the orientation of a single amino acid -- in this case, one of dozens found in the neuropeptide of a sea slug -- can dictate the likelihood that the peptide activates one neuron receptor versus another. Because different types of receptors are responsible for different neuronal activities, the finding points to another means by which a brain or nervous system can regulate the labyrinthine, life-sustaining communication among its cells.
Extremely long tail provides structural window into how bacteria-infecting viruses called phages assemble.
Practical carbon capture technologies are still in the early stages of development, with the most promising involving a class of compounds called amines that can chemically bind with carbon dioxide. Researchers now deploy an algorithm to study amine reactions through quantum computing. An existing quantum computer cab run the algorithm to find useful amine compounds for carbon capture more quickly, analyzing larger molecules and more complex reactions than a traditional computer can.
In a world experiencing growing inequality and intolerance, tools borrowed from science and mathematics could be the key to understanding and preventing prejudice. Experts apply evolutionary game theory, which combines techniques from economics and biology, and complex system analysis to investigate the relationship between inequality and intolerance. They found that inequality boosts intolerance and that redistribution of wealth can prevent its infectious spread.
Researchers create a biomimetic model to study wound healing in burn and laceration wounds. The team designed an in vitro model system made of fibroblasts embedded in a collagen hydrogel. Wounds were created in this microtissue using a microdissection knife to mimic laceration or a high-energy laser to simulate a burn. They discovered that fibroblasts clear away damaged tissue before depositing new material. This part of the healing process is slower in burn wounds.
Scientists have found that inhibiting a gene essential to making DNA can significantly reduce the destructive cell proliferation and disease progression in pulmonary hypertension.
The agriculture industry is under pressure to adopt sustainable and precise agricultural practices that enable more efficient use of resources due to worsening environmental conditions resulting from climate change, an ever-expanding human population, limited resources, and a shortage of arable land. As a result, developing delivery systems that efficiently distribute micronutrients, pesticides, and antibiotics in crops is crucial to ensuring high productivity and high-quality produce while minimising resource waste. However, current and standard practices for agrochemical application in plants are inefficient. These practices cause significant detrimental environmental side effects, such as water and soil contamination, biodiversity loss and degraded ecosystems; and public health concerns, such as respiratory problems, chemical exposure and food contamination.
Atopic dermatitis skin lesions and the lesions produced by infectious complications of the disease look so similar that it makes it impossible for patients to spot the difference and know when to visit their doctor for treatment. But an AI-powered mobile app developed by dermatologists now puts the power of diagnosis in the hands of patients.
Bioengineers found that lipid deposition on the surfaces of medical implants can play a mediating role between the body and implants, knowledge that could help scientists develop biomaterials or coatings for implants that could reduce malfunction rates.
Researchers have developed a new imaging tool, called electromyometrial imaging (EMMI), to create real-time, three-dimensional images and maps of contractions during labor. The non-invasive imaging technique generates new types of images and metrics that can help quantify contraction patterns, providing foundational knowledge to improve labor management, particularly for preterm birth.
Technology exists that the BC government could leverage to help small farmers connect directly with consumers and also mitigate climate change impacts, say new findings.
A study of chicken farms in the West found that high winds increased the prevalence of Campylobacter in outdoor flocks, a bacterial pathogen in poultry that is the largest single cause of foodborne illness in the U.S. Researchers found that about 26% of individual chickens had the pathogen at the 'open environment' farms in the study, which included organic and free-range chicken farms. High winds the week prior to sampling and the farms' location in more intensive agricultural settings were linked to a greater prevalence of Campylobacter.
Bald Eagles and dairy farmers exist in a mutually beneficial relationship in parts of northwestern Washington State. According to a new study, this 'win-win' relationship has been a more recent development, driven by the impact of climate change on eagles' traditional winter diet of salmon carcasses, as well as by increased eagle abundance following decades of conservation efforts.
In the event of dry weather and high winds, power system-ignited incidents are more likely to develop into wildfires. The risk is greater if vegetation is nearby. A new study provides the methodology for predicting at what point during a high wind storm, powerline ignition is likely.
Most animals can quickly transition from walking to jumping to crawling to swimming if needed without reconfiguring or making major adjustments. Most robots cannot. But researchers have now created soft robots that can seamlessly shift from walking to swimming, for example, or crawling to rolling using a bistable actuator made of 3D-printed soft rubber containing shape-memory alloy springs that react to electrical currents by contracting, which causes the actuator to bend. The team used this bistable motion to change the actuator or robot's shape. Once the robot changes shape, it is stable until another electrical charge morphs it back to its previous configuration.
Scientists succeeded in directly observing how LECs -- which are attracting attention as one of the post-organic LEDs -- change their electronic state over time during field emission by measuring their optical absorption via lamp light irradiation for the first time. This research method can be applied to all light-emitting devices, including not only LECs but also organic LEDs. This method is expected to reveal detailed electroluminescence processes and lead to the early detection of factors that reduce the efficiency of electroluminescence.
Researchers compared a new genetic animal model of Down syndrome to the standard model and found the updated version to be enhanced. The new mouse model shows milder cognitive traits compared to a previously studied Down syndrome mouse model.
Scientists have developed an osteogenic barrier coating material that maximizes the effect of guided bone regeneration (GBR) for implant placements.
New research finds almost 4000 Australian plant species have not been photographed before in the wild, which may lead to their extinction.
Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly partnering with real patients, or patient influencers, who share their experiences and advice on social media. A new study offers a first glimpse at why and how they do it.
Scientists have done research that opens up a whole new world within our cells. Their study uncovers a vast network of interactions that assist cells in adjusting in real time to withstand stresses on our health.
Hydrogen is often heralded as the clean fuel of the future, but new research suggests that leaky hydrogen infrastructure could end up increasing atmospheric methane levels, which would cause decades-long climate consequences.
Researchers sheds light on a face-off in the intestines between the immune system and a bacterial pathogen whose family members cause gastrointestinal disease and the plague. The team's insights may extend to other chronic infections and could inform the development of immunotherapies capable of fully extinguishing such diseases.
Insect pests which attack crops have extraordinary powers to develop resistance to greener pesticides and a new way to manage resistance risks is needed, according to a recent analysis.
A team of faculty has discovered new technology that will quickly and easily detect active Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) infection antibodies.
Using archaeological findings and survey data on contemporary gender attitudes, political scientists find individuals who live in areas that historically favored men over women display more pro-male bias today than those who live in places where gender relations were more egalitarian centuries ago. Findings speak to the power of cultural transmission of gender norms.
Populations of whooper swans grow 30 times faster inside nature reserves, new research shows.
A new study found that plants and small organisms in Arctic rivers could be responsible for more than half the particulate organic matter flowing to the Arctic Ocean. That's a significantly greater proportion than previously estimated, and it has implications for how much carbon gets sequestered in the ocean and how much moves into the atmosphere.
Word lists are the basis of so much research in so many fields. Researchers have now developed an algorithm that can be applied to different languages and can expand word lists significantly better than others.
Physicists have published an array of experimental evidence showing that the ordered magnetic arrangement of electrons in crystals of iron-germanium plays an integral role in bringing about an ordered electronic arrangement called a charge density wave that the team discovered in the material last year.
Scientists have transformed single-cell algae into functional perovskite materials. The team has converted mineral shells of algae into lead halide perovskites with tunable physical properties. The new perovskites have unique nano-architectures unachievable by conventional synthetic production. The method can be applied to the mass production of perovskites with tunable structural and electro-optical properties from single-celled organisms.
A 'best practice' protocol for researchers developing piezoelectric materials has been developed by scientists. The protocol was developed by an international team led by physicists in response to findings that experimental reports lack consistency. The researchers made the shocking discovery that nine out of 10 scientific papers miss experimental information that is crucial to ensure the reproducibility of the reported work.
The arrival of the new year is a prime time for Antarctic birds like the south polar skua, Antarctic petrel, and snow petrel to build nests and lay their eggs. However, from December 2021 to January 2022, researchers did not find a single skua nest on Svarthamaren, one of the regions where the birds go to raise their young. Similarly, the number of Antarctic petrel and snow petrel nests dropped to almost zero.
Dramatic differences between shallow and mesophotic reefs stress the importance of studying--and conserving--these vital ecosystems along their entire depth gradient.
A whole new world of antibiotics is waiting inside the viruses that infect bacteria. Scientists are making it easier to study them.
Scientists have hypothesized for over six decades the possibility of observing a form of wave reflections known as temporal, or time, reflections. Researchers detail a breakthrough experiment in which they were able to observe time reflections of electromagnetic signals in a tailored metamaterial.
A new study of Antarctic minke whales reveals a minimum size limit for whales employing the highly efficient 'lunge-feeding' strategy that enabled the blue whale to become the largest animal on Earth.
Scientists have discovered why breast cancer cells that have spread to the lungs may 'wake up' following years of sleep -- forming incurable secondary tumors. Their research reveals the mechanism that triggers this breast cancer 'time bomb' -- and suggests a strategy to defuse it.
Researchers have pioneered a technique to observe the 3D internal structure of rechargeable batteries. This opens up a wide range of areas for the new technique from energy storage and chemical engineering to biomedical applications.
Climate models used by the UN's IPCC and others to project climate change are not accurately reflecting what the Arctic's future will be, experts say.
Surprisingly, bitter taste receptors are not only located in the mouth, but also elsewhere in the body, including the airways. Activating those receptors opens up lung passageways, so they're a potential target for treating asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Now, researchers report that they have designed a potent and selective compound that could lead the way to such therapies.
Metal organic frameworks, or MOFs, are kind of like plastic building block toys. The pieces are simple to connect, yet they're capable of building highly sophisticated structures.
Patients with 'blinding' headaches known as Idiopathic Intercranial Hypertension (IIH) could be treated with a GLP-1RA peptide used for type 2 diabetes, a new phase 2 trial has found.
Scientists successfully quantified the total reactive polysulfide content of 22 different types of vegetables, including onions and garlic. They also revealed that reactive polysulfides are not only found in the leek genus (Allium), such as onions and garlic but also in the cruciferous family of vegetables (Brassicaceae), such as broccoli and cabbage.
Physicists are learning more about the bizarre behavior of 'strange metals,' which operate outside the normal rules of electricity.
Researchers have discovered artefacts produced by old world monkeys in Thailand that resemble stone tools, which historically have been identified as intentionally made by early hominins. Until now, sharp-edged stone tools were thought to represent the onset of intentional stone tool production, one of the defining and unique characteristics of hominin evolution. This new study challenges long held beliefs about the origins of intentional tool production in our own lineage.
A team of scientists dedicated to pinpointing the primordial origins of metabolism -- a set of core chemical reactions that first powered life on Earth -- has identified part of a protein that could provide scientists clues to detecting planets on the verge of producing life.
A team of scientists dedicated to pinpointing the primordial origins of metabolism -- a set of core chemical reactions that first powered life on Earth -- has identified part of a protein that could provide scientists clues to detecting planets on the verge of producing life.
Recently, a research team resolved the contradiction between spatial resolution and imaging speed in optical microscopy. They achieved high-speed super-resolution by developing an effective technique termed temporal compressive super-resolution microscopy (TCSRM). TCSRM merges enhanced temporal compressive microscopy with deep-learning-based super-resolution image reconstruction. Enhanced temporal compressive microscopy improves the imaging speed by reconstructing multiple images from one compressed image, and the deep-learning-based image reconstruction achieves the super-resolution effect without reduction in imaging speed. Their iterative image reconstruction algorithm contains motion estimation, merging estimation, scene correction, and super-resolution processing to extract the super-resolution image sequence from compressed and reference measurements.
Recently, a research team resolved the contradiction between spatial resolution and imaging speed in optical microscopy. They achieved high-speed super-resolution by developing an effective technique termed temporal compressive super-resolution microscopy (TCSRM). TCSRM merges enhanced temporal compressive microscopy with deep-learning-based super-resolution image reconstruction. Enhanced temporal compressive microscopy improves the imaging speed by reconstructing multiple images from one compressed image, and the deep-learning-based image reconstruction achieves the super-resolution effect without reduction in imaging speed. Their iterative image reconstruction algorithm contains motion estimation, merging estimation, scene correction, and super-resolution processing to extract the super-resolution image sequence from compressed and reference measurements.
The skeleton, tendons, and glands of a functional jaw all derive from the same population of stem cells, which arise from a cell population known as neural crest. To discover how these neural crest-derived cells know to make the right type of cell in the right location, researchers focused on a particular gene, Nr5a2, that was active in a region of the face that makes tendons and glands, but not skeleton. To understand the role of Nr5a2, the scientists created zebrafish lacking this gene. These mutant zebrafish generated excess cartilage and were missing tendons in their jaws.
The skeleton, tendons, and glands of a functional jaw all derive from the same population of stem cells, which arise from a cell population known as neural crest. To discover how these neural crest-derived cells know to make the right type of cell in the right location, researchers focused on a particular gene, Nr5a2, that was active in a region of the face that makes tendons and glands, but not skeleton. To understand the role of Nr5a2, the scientists created zebrafish lacking this gene. These mutant zebrafish generated excess cartilage and were missing tendons in their jaws.
One in 10 adults suffer from the debilitating effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Research around a new breathing device developed by pulmonologists offers promise for improving their lives. The new device not only improves symptoms of breathlessness and quality of life for people with COPD, it also offers benefits for people dealing with stress and anxiety and those practicing mindfulness, meditation or yoga. The research was published in the journal Respiratory Care.
One in 10 adults suffer from the debilitating effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Research around a new breathing device developed by pulmonologists offers promise for improving their lives. The new device not only improves symptoms of breathlessness and quality of life for people with COPD, it also offers benefits for people dealing with stress and anxiety and those practicing mindfulness, meditation or yoga. The research was published in the journal Respiratory Care.
Jewel beetles are striking insects, easily recognized by their vivid colors and metallic sheen. New research investigated the complex evolutionary history of jewel beetles' vision.
Jewel beetles are striking insects, easily recognized by their vivid colors and metallic sheen. New research investigated the complex evolutionary history of jewel beetles' vision.
Researchers have identified a new therapeutic target that could lead to more effective treatment of glaucoma.
Researchers have identified a new therapeutic target that could lead to more effective treatment of glaucoma.
When astrocyte function is disrupted, neurons in the brain's motor cortex struggle to execute and refine motion, a new study in mice shows.
When astrocyte function is disrupted, neurons in the brain's motor cortex struggle to execute and refine motion, a new study in mice shows.
People with a third copy of chromosome 21, known as trisomy 21, are at high risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive form of blood cancer. Scientists have now identified the cause: although the additional chromosome 21 leads to increased gene dosage of many genes, it is above all the perturbation of the RUNX1 gene -- a gene that regulates many other genes -- that seems to be responsible for AML pathogenesis. Targeting the perturbed regulator could pave the way for new therapies.
People with a third copy of chromosome 21, known as trisomy 21, are at high risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive form of blood cancer. Scientists have now identified the cause: although the additional chromosome 21 leads to increased gene dosage of many genes, it is above all the perturbation of the RUNX1 gene -- a gene that regulates many other genes -- that seems to be responsible for AML pathogenesis. Targeting the perturbed regulator could pave the way for new therapies.
Decades of poor environmental and water management turned the Nile River Delta from a unique ecological habitat in the Sahara to one of the largest polluted areas on the planet, with tens of millions of people and migrating birds at risk of exposure to water-borne contaminants.
Decades of poor environmental and water management turned the Nile River Delta from a unique ecological habitat in the Sahara to one of the largest polluted areas on the planet, with tens of millions of people and migrating birds at risk of exposure to water-borne contaminants.
New evidence shows that exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) ozone limit is associated with substantial increases in hospital admissions for heart attack, heart failure and stroke. Even ozone levels below the WHO maximum were linked with worsened health.
New evidence shows that exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) ozone limit is associated with substantial increases in hospital admissions for heart attack, heart failure and stroke. Even ozone levels below the WHO maximum were linked with worsened health.
A newly developed molecular catalyst specifically tailored for mechanochemical reaction conditions enables high-efficiency transformations at near room temperature.
A newly developed molecular catalyst specifically tailored for mechanochemical reaction conditions enables high-efficiency transformations at near room temperature.
Researchers have discovered that softer gums hinder the development of gingiva fibroblasts -- the cells that help produce the fibers that hold our teeth in place.
Researchers have discovered that softer gums hinder the development of gingiva fibroblasts -- the cells that help produce the fibers that hold our teeth in place.
An analysis extending from southern Portugal to northern Norway highlights the importance of temperature in determining where fish species are found.
An analysis extending from southern Portugal to northern Norway highlights the importance of temperature in determining where fish species are found.
Researchers have developed a super-resolution microscopy method for the rapid differentiation of molecular structures in 3D.
Researchers have developed a super-resolution microscopy method for the rapid differentiation of molecular structures in 3D.
Researchers have developed and demonstrated an efficient and scalable technique that allows them to manufacture soft polymer materials in a dozen different structures, or 'morphologies,' from ribbons and nanoscale sheets to rods and branched particles. The technique allows users to finely tune the morphology of the materials at the micro- and nano-scale.
Researchers have developed and demonstrated an efficient and scalable technique that allows them to manufacture soft polymer materials in a dozen different structures, or 'morphologies,' from ribbons and nanoscale sheets to rods and branched particles. The technique allows users to finely tune the morphology of the materials at the micro- and nano-scale.
Exercising too much and not getting enough rest is likely bad for your health. A new study shows that the same is true for migratory birds. They need to rest not only to renew their energy levels but also in order to boost their immune system.
Exercising too much and not getting enough rest is likely bad for your health. A new study shows that the same is true for migratory birds. They need to rest not only to renew their energy levels but also in order to boost their immune system.
In our modern society huge amounts of data are transmitted every day, mainly as short optical pulses propagating through glass fibers. With the steadily increasing density of such optical signals, their interaction grows, which can lead to data loss. Physicists are now investigating how to control large numbers of optical pulses as precisely as possible to reduce the effect of such interactions. To this end they have monitored an ensemble of optical pulses as they propagated through an optical fiber and have found that it follows fixed rules -- albeit mainly those of thermodynamics.
In our modern society huge amounts of data are transmitted every day, mainly as short optical pulses propagating through glass fibers. With the steadily increasing density of such optical signals, their interaction grows, which can lead to data loss. Physicists are now investigating how to control large numbers of optical pulses as precisely as possible to reduce the effect of such interactions. To this end they have monitored an ensemble of optical pulses as they propagated through an optical fiber and have found that it follows fixed rules -- albeit mainly those of thermodynamics.
In the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, southern resident orcas have experienced no net population growth since the 1970s, with just 73 left at the most recent count. But northern resident orcas, which have a similar diet, territory and social structure, have grown steadily, now numbering more than 300. A new study may help explain why: The two populations differ in how they hunt for salmon, their primary and preferred food source, a key difference that conservationists will have to take into account when designing interventions to help southern residents.
In the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, southern resident orcas have experienced no net population growth since the 1970s, with just 73 left at the most recent count. But northern resident orcas, which have a similar diet, territory and social structure, have grown steadily, now numbering more than 300. A new study may help explain why: The two populations differ in how they hunt for salmon, their primary and preferred food source, a key difference that conservationists will have to take into account when designing interventions to help southern residents.
Strong electric fields can be used to create pores in biomembranes. The method is known as electroporation. Inducing such defects in membranes in a targeted manner is an important technique in medicine and biotechnology, but also in the treatment of foodstuffs.
Strong electric fields can be used to create pores in biomembranes. The method is known as electroporation. Inducing such defects in membranes in a targeted manner is an important technique in medicine and biotechnology, but also in the treatment of foodstuffs.
A micro-architected material made from tiny knots proves tougher and more durable than unknotted counterparts.
Tens of thousands of thunderstorms may rumble around the world each day, but accurately predicting the time and location where they will form remains a grand challenge of computer weather modeling. A new technique combining underused satellite and radar data in weather models may improve these predictions, according to a team of scientists.
A team of international researchers have found that the rivers in Arctic Canada and Alaska are not behaving as expected in response to the warming climate. The study focused on large rivers in the region and their movement through permafrost terrain. Their findings highlight the impact of atmospheric warming on these vital waterways.
Scientists report the safe synthesis of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), an oxidizing agent used in multiple industries including semiconductors, using a new rhodium-based catalyst. The catalyst is based on natural enzymes found in extremophile microorganisms, and the reaction meets three chemical ideals for H2O2 production: safe, use of a single vessel, and direct synthesis.
Fast gamers are more intelligent: Intelligence can be predicted through virtual reality games.
A further development in atomic force microscopy now makes it possible to simultaneously image the height profile of nanometer-fine structures as well as the electric current and the frictional force at solid-liquid interfaces. A team has succeeded in analyzing electrocatalytically active materials and gaining insights that will help optimize catalysts. The method is also potentially suitable for studying processes on battery electrodes, in photocatalysis or on active biomaterials.
Researchers found evidence of heart muscle inflammation in a small number of patients with acute myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination, but not in patients without acute myocarditis, according to a new study.
New research shows that men who stick to a predominantly Mediterranean diet are less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This diet also improves their chances of recovery if they have PC and are undergoing radiation treatment.
It makes a big difference whether someone perceives a test as a challenge or a threat. Examiners can have an influence on this.
F-Type ATP synthase, a catalytic complex of proteins, synthesizes adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of living cells. A lot of ambiguity exists over the rotational mechanism of this spinning enzyme. Now, researchers from Japan have demonstrated how each chemical event of ATP metabolism is linked to the 'stepwise' rotational movement of the F1 component of ATPase. Especially, they clarified the angle of shaft rotation before ATP-cleavage, a long-standing enigma, to be 200°.
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is one of the deadliest birth defects. To better understand and treat this condition in the future, researchers designed a new cell model in the laboratory and tested a drug therapy on it.
Using a novel economic-epidemiological model, researchers examine the health and economic impacts that could have occurred if California took a 'business-as-usual' approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A new study suggests the rise in mental health disorders in children and teens is attributed to a decline over decades in opportunities for them to play, roam and engage in activities independent of direct oversight and control by adults. Although well intended, adults' drive to guide and protect children has deprived them of the independence they need for mental health, contributing to record levels of anxiety, depression, and suicide among young people.
A research team has introduced core technology for smart contact lenses that can implement AR-based navigation through a 3D printing process.
A review suggests that the parasitoid Eiphosoma laphygmae is likely to be the best classical biological control from the Americas against the devastating fall armyworm pest.
Researchers have developed an ultra-soft and highly stretchable tissue-adhesive hydrogel-based multifunctional implantable sensor for monitoring of overactive bladder.
Innovative battery researchers have cracked the code to creating real-time 3D images of the promising but temperamental lithium metal battery as it cycles. A team has succeeded in observing how the lithium metal in the cell behaves as it charges and discharges. The new method may contribute to batteries with higher capacity and increased safety in our future cars and devices.
Investigators have developed a technique to help surgeons reconstruct more natural-looking nipples for patients who have undergone breast reconstruction after mastectomy to treat breast cancer.
An international study has discovered a genetic variant that confers resistance to Chagas infection in Amazonian populations. Indigenous people from Amazon show genetic Q1 signatures of pathogen-driven selection.
A research team showed that the smell test SCENTinel 1.1 can successfully discriminate between different types of smell disorders. SCENTinel 1.1 can rapidly identify parosmia, the distorted perception of odors.
A new analysis supports the idea that photons colliding with heavy ions create a fluid of 'strongly interacting' particles. The results indicate that photon-heavy ion collisions can create a strongly interacting fluid that responds to the initial collision geometry and that these collisions can form a quark-gluon plasma. These findings will help guide future experiments at the planned Electron-Ion Collider.
People who eat diets rich in green leafy vegetables as well as other vegetables, fruits, whole grains, olive oil, beans, nuts and fish may have fewer amyloid plaques and tau tangles in their brain -- signs of Alzheimer's disease -- than people who do not consume such diets, according to a new study.
One month after announcing a ferroelectric semiconductor at the nanoscale thinness required for modern computing components, a team has now demonstrated a reconfigurable transistor using that material. Their work paves the way for single amplifiers that can do the work of multiple conventional amplifiers, among other possibilities.
From oil rigs to tar seeps, it's hard to miss the presence of petroleum around the Santa Barbara Channel. Scientists have now investigated the interplay between the two processes releasing oil from underground: human enterprise and regional geology.
People with a recent diagnosis of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common irregular heart rhythm, have a modestly higher risk of developing dementia than people without the condition, according to new research. The research involved nearly 197,000 patient records from Kaiser Permanente health systems in California. Half of the patients had been recently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation; their counterparts in the control group were selected for similar age and health profiles but did not have AF. Both patient groups' medical records were reviewed for three years, on average, to identify subsequent diagnoses of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Overall, people with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation had a 13% higher risk of developing dementia.
Doublet Pool's regular thumping is more than just an interesting tourist attraction. A new study shows that the interval between episodes of thumping reflects the amount of energy heating the pool at the bottom, as well as in indication of how much heat is being lost through the surface. Doublet Pool, the authors found, is Yellowstone's thumping thermometer.
New study finds obstacles can trap rolling microparticles in fluid. Through simulations and experiments, physicists attribute the trapping effect to stagnant pockets of fluid, created by hydrodynamics. Random motions of the molecules within the fluid then 'kick' the microroller into a stagnant pocket, effectively trapping it.
Scientists have shed new light on aging processes in the brain. By linking the increased presence of specialized immune cells to conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury for the first time, they have unearthed a possible new target for therapies aimed at treating age-related neurological diseases.
Researchers have learned that the same molecular pathway is involved in both the infectious and hemorrhagic forms of acquired hydrocephalus, a life-threatening disease that triggers a massive neuroinflammatory response and swelling of the ventricles of the brain.
A new method for predicting the behavior of quantum devices provides a crucial tool for real-world applications of quantum technology.
Ships are the main modes of transport for global trade as they are efficient and effective. Improving the aerodynamic performance of ship could reduce fuel consumption and improve speed, further improving the economics of shipping. Recently, researchers from have demonstrated that flat plate bow covers on ships can reduce overall wind drag in ships by nearly 40%, which could lead to enormous fuel savings.
New research has found that olive fruit water, a by-product typically thrown away during olive oil production, could have exercise benefits. The study tested olive fruit water during exercise and found it had positive effects on several key markers of running performance.
The nitrate ingested over the course of a person's adult lifetime through the consumption of tap water and bottled water could be a risk factor for prostate cancer, particularly in the case of aggressive tumors and in younger men.
Researchers identify potential therapeutic for acute myeloid leukemia that targets a DNA repair protein.
Researchers have identified a way to treat the area surrounding breast tumors that have spread to bone so that such tumors become vulnerable to attack by the body's immune system. When the researchers boosted the activity of certain immune cells, called T cells and macrophages, these immune cells worked together to clear metastatic breast tumors that had spread to the bones of mice.
Imagine for a moment, that we are on a safari watching a giraffe graze. After looking away for a second, we then see the animal lower its head and sit down. But, we wonder, what happened in the meantime? Computer scientists have found a way to encode an animal's pose and appearance in order to show the intermediate motions that are statistically likely to have taken place.
Sarcoma is a rare and complex type of cancer of i.a. the bones and muscles. Now researchers have found a way to predict which sarcoma patients will benefit the most from a potential new treatment.
Juvenile dermatomyositis, a rare but often severe and chronic systemic autoimmune disease, includes a large number of patients who are treatment resistant, requiring long term immunosuppressive therapy. A small study shows promise using a targeted biologic therapy called abatacept to treat such patients.
Do cesarean-born babies miss out on essential microbes? New evidence suggests that the answer may be 'no.' Researchers report that mothers are able to transfer microbes to their babies via alternative, compensatory routes. While cesarean-born babies do receive less of their mother's gut microbiome during birth, they make up for this by drinking their mother's microbes in breastmilk.
In a historic achievement, researchers have created a superconducting material at both a temperature and pressure low enough for practical applications. 'With this material, the dawn of ambient superconductivity and applied technologies has arrived,' according to a team of mechanical engineers and physicists.
A research team has identified and analyzed the steps by which immune cells 'see' and respond to cancer cells, providing insights into reasons some treatments may be effective for certain patients but not others.
Scientists have made an important breakthrough in understanding what goes wrong in our bodies during the progression of inflammatory diseases and -- in doing so -- unearthed a potential new therapeutic target. The scientists have found that an enzyme called fumarate hydratase is repressed in macrophages, a frontline inflammatory cell type implicated in a range of diseases including lupus, arthritis, sepsis and COVID-19.
A new study finds that smoke particles in the stratosphere can trigger chemical reactions that erode the ozone layer -- and that smoke particles from Australian wildfires widened the ozone hole by 10 percent in 2020.
A new global study, which takes a gender-sensitive approach, has found that a mother's educational status plays an increasingly important role in shaping their children's educational status, while the importance of the father's educational status has declined. Education expansion was expected to create greater social mobility around the world, but new global evidence from Lancaster University and the University of British Columbia challenges this assumption and shows how gender really matters.
In Alzheimer's and related neurodegenerative diseases, the brain protein tau is closely linked to brain damage and cognitive decline. A new study indicates that T cells play a key role in tau-related neurodegeneration, a finding that suggests new treatment strategies for Alzheimer's and related diseases.
New insights into the effects of a hormonal treatment on transgender men could have implications for the treatment of breast cancer.
Researchers discovered specific airway neurons in mice that alert the brain about the flu.
Observations of water in the disk forming around protostar V883 Ori have unlocked clues about the formation of comets and planetesimals in our own solar system.
It sounds like a party trick: Add water to the clear, licorice-flavored ouzo liquor, and watch it turn cloudy. This 'ouzo effect' is an example of an easy way to make highly stable emulsions -- or mixtures of liquids that don't like being together, like vinaigrettes -- but nobody has yet fully understood how it works. Now, researchers report that the secret may lie in the unique structure of the emulsion's droplets.
Because the distance remaining to completing a goal plays a role in people's psychological state, their tendency to follow a persuasive message depends heavily on whether the message matches their psychological state of thinking or feeling.
People with chronic back pain may turn to spinal cord stimulation to ease their pain, but a Cochrane Review found no sustained benefits to the surgery that outweigh the costs and risks.
Contracting a lower respiratory tract infection in early childhood is associated with a higher risk of dying from respiratory disease as an adult, according to new research.
Short-distance migration, which accounts for the vast majority of migratory movements in the world, is crucial for climate change adaptation, according to new research. Contrary to common assumptions, most migratory movements are people moving short distances, largely due to economic, social and environmental factors, such as climate change.
Hunter-gatherers can help us understand the conditions that children may be psychologically adapted to because we lived as hunter-gatherers for 95% of our evolutionary history. And paying greater attention to hunter-gatherer childhoods may help economically developed countries improve education and wellbeing.
Having trouble sleeping? A new study examines the link between poor sleep and cardiovascular disease-free life expectancy.
Billions of sea anemones adorn the bottom of the Earth's oceans -- yet they are among the rarest of fossils because their squishy bodies lack easily fossilized hard parts. Now a team of paleontologists has discovered that countless sea anemone fossils have been hiding in plain sight for nearly 50 years. It turns out that fossils long-interpreted as jellyfish were anemones. To do so, a team of scientists has simply turned the ancient animals upside down.
A pilot trial tested the nasal administration of the drug Foralumab, an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. Investigators found evidence that the drug dampened the inflammatory T cell response and decreased lung inflammation in patients with COVID-19. Further analysis showed the same gene expression modulation in patients with multiple sclerosis, who experienced decreased brain inflammation, suggesting that Foralumab could be used to treat other diseases.
Researchers are using glow-in-the-dark materials to enhance and improve rapid COVID-19 home tests.
Researchers have developed a new 'camera' that sees the local disorder in materials. Its key feature is a variable shutter speed: because the disordered atomic clusters are moving, when the team used a slow shutter, the dynamic disorder blurred out, but when they used a fast shutter, they could see it. The method uses neutrons to measure atomic positions with a shutter speed of around one picosecond, a trillion times faster than normal camera shutters.
A research team has shed new light on the importance of plant roots for below-ground life, particularly in the tropics. Millions of small creatures toiling in a single hectare of soil including earthworms, springtails, mites, insects, and other arthropods are crucial for decomposition and soil health. For a long time, it was believed that leaf litter is the primary resource for these animals. However, this recent study is the first to provide proof that resources derived from plant roots drive soil animal communities in the tropics.
Machine learning can be valuable in supporting sustainable development of biomass if it is applied across the entire lifecyle of biomass and biomass-derived products, according to a new study.
A new study has shown that bumblebees pick up new 'trends' in their behavior by watching and learning from other bees, and that one form of a behavior can spread rapidly through a colony even when a different version gets discovered.
The Phlegraean volcanic fields just west of Naples, Italy, are among the top eight emitters of volcanic carbon dioxide in the world. Since 2005, the Solfatara crater -- one of many circular depressions in the landscape left by a long history of eruptions --has been emitting increased volumes of gas. Today it emits 4,000-5,000 tons of carbon dioxide each day, equivalent to the emissions from burning ~500,000 gallons of gasoline. Researchers estimate that as much as 20%--40% of the current carbon dioxide emissions are from the dissolution of calcite in the rocks, while 60%--80% is from underground magma.
Researchers describe a new manner of detecting microbial infection that intercepts pathogen-derived signals of growth to assess the relative threat of virulent bacteria. A nuclear hormone receptor in the nematode C. elegans senses a toxic metabolite produced by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa to activate innate immunity. These data reveal an ancient strategy that informs the origins of pathogen detection and may be among the most primordial forms of immune sensing in animals.
Researchers reveal that cardiomyocytes and skeletal muscle cells replace their existing stock of ribosomes with a different type which can make physical contact with mitochondria, the batteries of the cells, and significantly boost the production of ATP. In the heart, the natural mechanism is triggered in response to myocardial infarction, as well as cardiac hypertrophy. The findings establish ribosomes as a new frontier for therapeutic strategies that prevent or heal damage to the heart.
In analyses of genetic and area-level socioeconomic data for more than 260,000 individuals, researchers found an additive effect of genetic and socioeconomic risk on the prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
New research that may eventually enable far earlier autism diagnoses shows that typically developing infants perceive audio-video synchrony better than high-risk for autism infants.
Reducing the methylation of a key messenger RNA can promote migration of macrophages into the brain and ameliorate symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in a mouse model, according to a new study. The results illuminate one pathway for entrance of peripheral immune cells into the brain, and may provide a new target for treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers have successfully developed a blood test for anxiety. The test examines biomarkers that can help them objectively determine someone’s risk for developing anxiety, the severity of their current anxiety and which therapies would likely treat their anxiety the best.
A hormone called fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) protects mice against ethanol-induced loss of balance and righting reflex, according to a new study.
Materials scientists describe in two papers how complex oxides can be used to create very energy-efficient magneto-electric spin-orbit (MESO) devices and memristive devices with reduced dimensions.
Researchers have created software and hardware for a 4D printer with applications in the biomedical field. In addition to 3D printing, this machine allows for controlling extra functions: programming the material's response so that shape-changing occurs under external magnetic field, or changes in its electric properties develops under mechanical deformation. This opens the door to the design of soft robots or smart sensors and substrates that transmit signals to different cellular systems, among other applications.
Researchers are adding to their list of consumer products that contain PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), a toxic class of fluorine compounds known as 'forever chemicals.' In a new study, fluorinated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic containers -- used for household cleaners, pesticides, personal care products and, potentially, food packaging -- tested positive for PFAS.
Comparing the colors on pieces of ancient Peruvian pottery revealed that potters across the Wari empire all used the same rich black pigment: a sign of the empire's influence.
It's not just humans who enjoy eating shellfish, so do marine rays. They like to 'crunch' on clams, which can sometimes take a big bite out of clammers' profits. Using aerial and underwater videos, researchers assessed the ability of the whitespotted eagle ray to interact with clams housed within a variety anti-predator materials. Whitespotted eagle rays have strong jaws, plate-like teeth and nimble pectoral fins, which make them formidable and highly maneuverable predators of clams.
Space travel has always tested the human body by the effects of the new conditions of altered gravity on biological systems. It has long been known that continuous exposure to microgravity conditions human physiology and causes effects that compromise muscular, sensory, endocrine and cardiovascular functions. But is it also risky to be exposed to altered gravity for short periods of time?
Astronomers and amateurs alike know the bigger the telescope, the more powerful the imaging capability. To keep the power but streamline one of the bulkier components, a research team created the first ultrathin, compact metalens telescope capable of imaging far-away objects, including the moon.
An artificial intelligence (AI) tool can accurately identify normal and abnormal chest X-rays in a clinical setting, according to a new study.
Scientists have developed a polymer coating that could enable longer lasting, more powerful lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. The advance opens up a new approach to developing EV batteries that are more affordable and easy to manufacture.
Milutin Milankovitch hypothesized that the timing of glacial transitions has been controlled by the orbital parameters of the Earth, which suggests that there may be some predictability in the climate, a notoriously complex system. Now researchers propose a new paradigm to simplify the verification of the Milankovitch hypothesis. The new 'deterministic excitation paradigm' combines the physics concepts of relaxation oscillation and excitability to link Earth's orbital parameters and the glacial cycles in a more generic way.
Recent findings point toward a potential new drug target for treating alcohol use disorder.
Annual damage caused by flooding in the UK could increase by more than a fifth over the next century due to climate change unless all international pledges to reduce carbon emissions are met, according to new research.
In a new study of daily ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) across the globe, a new study has found that only 0.18% of the global land area and 0.001% of the global population are exposed to levels of PM2.5 -- the world's leading environmental health risk factor -- below levels of safety recommended by Word Health Organization (WHO). Importantly while daily levels have reduced in Europe and North America in the two decades to 2019, levels have increased Southern Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America and the Caribbean, with more than 70% of days globally seeing levels above what is safe.
Germination is a crucial stage in the life of a plant as it will leave the stage of seed resistant to various environmental constraints (climatic conditions, absence of nutritive elements, etc.) to become a seedling much more vulnerable. The survival of the young plant depends on the timing of this transition. It is therefore essential that this stage be finely controlled. Botanists have now discovered the internal thermometer of seeds that can delay or even block germination if temperatures are too high for the future seedling. This work could help optimize plant growth in a context of global warming.
A terrestrial planet hovering between Mars and Jupiter would be able to push Earth out of the solar system and wipe out life on this planet, according to a recent experiment.
Researchers are looking to small towns in Iowa to understand how some support aging in place better than others. Their findings could help communities plan for the future and preserve a high quality of life for all residents.
Scientists have uncovered a chemical compound that holds potential as a therapeutical for various autoimmune diseases, and they've used it to treat mice.
Reconciling previously contradictory results, researchers find that for most people, there's a steady link between higher happiness and more money. The exception is people who are financially well-off but unhappy; for them, more money does not help.
The first global study to investigate how gender equality may be associated with life expectancy has found that both women and men live longer as it improves.
A team of scientists studying virus-host interactions of a globally abundant, armor-plated marine algae, Emiliania huxleyi, has found that the circular, chalk plates the algae produce can act as catalysts for viral infection, which has vast consequences for trillions of microscopic oceanic creatures and the global carbon cycle.
CTE is a progressive neurodegenerative disease frequently found in contact sports athletes. However, many former contact sports athletes suffer from thinking problems and impulsive behavior in the absence of CTE, or with very mild CTE. This new study suggests that a separate type of brain damage, which can appear earlier than CTE, may underlie some of these symptoms.
New methodology and tools provide an opportunity to watch in unprecedented detail as a phage attacks a bacterium.
Adding to the growing body of evidence on sleep disturbances and cognitive impairment, new research finds significant links between three measures of sleep disturbance and the risk for developing dementia over a 10-year period. The results associate sleep-initiation insomnia (trouble falling asleep within 30 minutes) and sleep medication use with higher risk for developing dementia. The investigators also found that people who reported having sleep-maintenance insomnia (trouble falling back to sleep after waking) were less likely to develop dementia over the course of the study.
Hair analysis could be the key to understanding adolescent drug usage, as a new study uncovers almost double the number of children were found to be using substances than those who admitted to in a US survey.
A new study shows what it will take for the plastics industry to become completely sustainable: lots of recycling combined with the use of CO2 from the air and biomass. It is also the image of plastics that need to change.
Trapped electrons traveling in circular loops at extreme speeds inside graphene quantum dots are highly sensitive to external magnetic fields and could be used as novel magnetic field sensors with unique capabilities, according to a new study.
Mineral particles played a key role in raising oxygen levels in the Earth's atmosphere billions of years ago, with major implications for the way intelligent life later evolved, according to new research.
Researchers have succeeded in simultaneously cooling the motion of a tiny glass sphere in two dimensions to the quantum ground-state. This represents a crucial step towards a 3D ground-state cooling of a massive object and opens up new opportunities for the design of ultra-sensitive sensors.
Growing commercial crops on solar farms can both increase commercial food production and improve solar panel performance and longevity, according to new research.
After an earthquake, it is crucial in the early phase of disaster management to obtain a rapid assessment of the severity of the impact on the affected population in order to be able to initiate adequate emergency measures. A first quick and good assessment of whether an earthquake causes severe or minor damage can often be given after only 10 minutes by information from affected people about the 'felt intensity' of the earthquake.
Researchers have mapped the sparse life hidden away in salt domes, rocks and crystals at Salar de Pajonales at the boundary of the Chilean Atacama Desert and Altiplano. Then they trained a machine learning model to recognize the patterns and rules associated with their distributions so it could learn to predict and find those same distributions in data on which it was not trained. In this case, by combining statistical ecology with AI/ML, the scientists could locate and detect biosignatures up to 87.5 percent of the time and decrease the area needed for search by up to 97 percent.
A cheap charcoal air filter can reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO2) inside vehicles by as much as 90%, compared to levels outside the vehicle.
People who had higher scores for sleep health -- based on regularity, satisfaction, alertness, timing, efficiency and duration -- during a 12-month weight loss program were more likely to follow the caloric intake and exercise components of the program in comparison to peers who scored lower for sleep health.
Cancer cells have an innate randomness in their ability to respond to chemotherapy, which is another tool in their arsenal of resisting treatment, new research shows.
The earliest evidence of horse riders has likely been found by an international team of archaeologists and bioanthropologists.
Researchers have successfully predicted whether children have anemia using only a set of smartphone images.
Sea level rise this century may disproportionately affect certain Asian megacities, according to new research that looks at the effects of natural sea level fluctuations in addition to climate change. The study identified several Asian megacities that may face especially significant risks by 2100, including Chennai, Kolkata, Yangon, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, and Manila.
A study of people ages 70 and older found walking an additional 500 steps per day, or an additional quarter mile of walking, was associated with a 14% lower risk of heart disease, stroke or heart failure.
A study has found that intense global warming could shut down the ocean's ability to soak up carbon dioxide, leading to accelerated global warming as the greenhouse gas accumulates in the atmosphere. The decline happens because of a surface layer of low-alkalinity water that emerges during extreme warming that hinders the ability of the oceans to absorb CO2. The study is based on a climate simulation configured to a worst-case emissions scenario that the researchers say must be avoided at all costs.
Previous models of Earth's recent (100 million years) geomorphology have been patchy at best. For the first time a detailed continuous model of the Earth's landscape evolution is presented, with potential for understanding long-term climate and biological development.
Carbon dioxide emissions from wildfires, which have been gradually increasing since 2000, spiked drastically to a record high in 2021, according to an international team of researchers.
A new study finds that high school students identify more with math if they see their math teacher treating everyone in the class equitably, especially in racially diverse schools. While the relationship between teacher equity and math identity was evident across races, there was an interesting exception. Black students, in general, had strong math identities, regardless of their teacher's actions. Learning about the factors that affect student math identity is important because a student's attitude towards the subject influences the courses that they take as well as their future career selections. This study suggests that teachers may have a larger role to play in helping students develop a positive math identity than previously recognized.
Neglected by government officials and medical professionals, parasitic infections can lead to lifelong health consequences, according to a biological anthropologist.
It's happened to anyone with a cell phone -- dropped calls or dead air because suddenly there is no service available. Or worse, the location pin drops on the navigation app. Researchers are looking at ways to improve cell phone connectivity and localization abilities by examining 'smart' surfaces that can bounce signals from a tower to customers to improve the link. A smart surface involves installing reflective elements on windows or panels on buildings in dense urban environments.
More than 350 former NFL players were studied on average 29 years after their playing careers ended. Retirees who experienced concussion symptoms during their playing careers were found to perform worse on a battery of cognitive tests. When comparing the retired players to more than 5,000 men who did not play football, cognitive performance was generally worse for former players, with older players performing worse.
Moving parts in mechanical come into regular contact, leading to wear and tear. Now, researchers have developed a contact control system, driven by artificial intelligence, to greatly reduce contact between damaged parts.
Changes in our REM sleep patterns could potentially be used to diagnose the severity of epilepsy, a new study has suggested. Researchers showed that astrocytes -- star-shaped glial cells that control the local ionic and metabotropic environment of the brain -- exhibit an acid response with REM sleep in mice. They theorize that the acid response could be the underlying drive for specific information processing and generating plasticity during sleep.
A recent study has uncovered a distinct disorder-driven superconductor-insulator transition. This first electric control of superconductivity and quantum Hall effect in a candidate material for future low-energy electronics has promise to reduce the rising, unsustainable energy cost of computing.
Some cities only last a century or two, while others last for a thousand years or more. Often, there aren't clear records left behind to explain why. Instead, archaeologists piece together clues from the cities' remains to search for patterns that help account for why certain places retained their importance longer than others.
Livestock farming produces large quantities of greenhouse gases, especially methane, which is particularly harmful to the climate. Among other things, it escapes during the storage of animal excrement, the slurry. A study now shows that methane emissions can be reduced by 99 percent through simple and inexpensive means. The method could make an important contribution to the fight against climate change.
Though wildlife trafficking has been effectively disrupted since the first World Wildlife Day -- established 50 years ago today via the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora -- a newly published case study on one of the world's rarest tortoise species, the ploughshare tortoise, highlights how much room for improvement still exists.
Neurons perform numerous complex tasks by communicating with each other via small messenger molecules called neurotransmitters. Accurately detecting them is crucial to understanding the functioning of our brain. To this end, researchers have demonstrated that fluorescent nanoparticles imprinted with the molecular structure of a target neurotransmitter, immobilized on glass beads at a controlled surface density, can detect specific neurotransmitters based on their expansion during interaction with the target transmitters.
An international team of bee researchers has integrated a calcium sensor into honey bees to enable the study of neural information processing including response to odors. This also provides insights into how social behavior is located in the brain.
A sense of fairness has long been considered purely human -- but animals also react with frustration when they are treated unequally by a person. In a study with long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), researchers have now confirmed an alternative explanatory approach. A combination of social disappointment with the human experimenter and some degree of food competition best explains their behavior in an 'inequity aversion' experiment.
New research has confirmed that coastal water pollution transfers to the atmosphere in sea spray aerosol, which can reach people beyond just beachgoers, surfers, and swimmers.
Existing color systems, such as RGB and CYMK, are all text-based and require a large range of values to represent different colors, making them difficult to compute and time-consuming to convert. Recently, researchers made a breakthrough by inventing an innovative color system, called 'C235', based on prime numbers, enabling efficient encoding and effective color compression. It can unify existing color systems and has the potential to be applied in various applications, like designing an energy-saving LCD system and colorizing DNA codons.
For almost 140 years, the origin and behavior of an enigmatic cell type inside lymph nodes, called a tingible body macrophage, has remained a mystery. Now scientists have tracked the cell's lifecycle and function, with implications for our understanding of autoimmune disorders.
Researchers have developed a new drug delivery approach that uses nanoparticles to enable more effective and targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs to treat brain tumors in children.
An international team of researchers analyzed the genomes of 180 indigenous Africans from a dozen ethnically, culturally, linguistically, and geographically diverse populations. The results shed light on the origin of modern humans, historical migrations, linguistic evolution, and local adaptation, and lay the groundwork for more people to benefit from precision medicine.
Researchers have identified a new mutation that leads to the cardiac disease arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM). They assessed the effect of this mutation on heart muscle cells and obtained new insights into the underlying mechanism that causes the disease. The results of this study could contribute to the development of new treatments for ACM.
A team of researchers has made a discovery that may have implications for therapeutic gene editing strategies, cancer diagnostics and therapies and other advancements in biotechnology.
A newly published study of a stalagmite found in Cave of the Mounds reveals previously undetected history of the local climate going back thousands of years. Researchers describe evidence for an ice age punctuated by massive and abrupt warming events across much of the Northern Hemisphere.
Astronomers have discovered a supernova exhibiting unprecedented rebrightening at millimeter wavelengths, providing an intermediate case between two types of supernovae: those of solitary stars and those in close-binary systems.
Cognitive Functional Therapy treats chronic back pain as part of a person's entire pain experience, but more research is needed to assess its effectiveness.
Being overweight in childhood and in early adulthood are discrete risk factors for blood clots later in life, a University of Gothenburg study shows. The study is based on the early BMI history of more than 37,000 men and information about their thrombi, if any, in adulthood.
Animal consciousness should not be thought of as a light switch, which can be on or off, philosophers say. They advocate a different approach.
Researchers have developed an inexpensive method for fabricating multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on a plastic film. The proposed method is simple, can be applied under ambient conditions, reuses MWNTs, and produces flexible wires of tunable resistances without requiring additional steps. It eliminates several drawbacks of current fabrication methods, making it useful for large-scale manufacturing of carbon wiring for flexible all-carbon devices.
With the arrival of spring, bumblebee queens take their first wing beat of the season and set out to find new nesting sites. But they are flying earlier in the year, as a result of a warmer climate and a changing agricultural landscape, according to new research.
Bald eagles are often touted as a massive conservation success story due to their rebound from near extinction in the 1960s. But now a highly infectious virus may put that hard-fought comeback in jeopardy. New research showed highly pathogenic avian influenza, also known as H5N1, is killing off unprecedented numbers of mating pairs of bald eagles.
Scientists have established what could be considered a baseline map of annual avian functional and species diversity patterns in the U.S., finding that functional diversity patterns in the West, where species and functional richness are both highest during the breeding season, are the polar opposite of what is seen in the East, where functional diversity is lowest when species richness is high.
Scientists have developed biodegradable algae-based hydrogels for strain sensing devices -- such as those used in health monitors worn by runners and hospital patients to track heart rate -- using natural elements like rock salt, water and seaweed, combined with graphene. As well as being more environmentally friendly than polymer-based hydrogels, commonly used in health sensor technology, the graphene algae sensors perform strongly in terms of sensitivity.
In early cytological studies chromatids of metaphase chromosomes were suggested to coil into a spiral called chromonema. This assumption was recently supported by chromosomce conformation capture sequencing. Still, the direct visualization of the coiled chromonema confirming the helical model was lacking. Now, an international research team provides the direct proof of the helical coiling of condensed chromatids via super-resolution microscopy of specifically labelled chromonema regions.
Regular physical activity can improve adolescents' mental health and help with behavioral difficulties, research suggests. Engaging in regular moderate to vigorous physical activity at age 11 was associated with better mental health between the ages of 11 and 13, the study found.
Neuroscience research just got a little bit easier, thanks to the release of tens of thousands of images of fruit fly brain neurons.
Future space missions likely will send robots to scout out underground habitats for astronauts. Engineers have now developed a system that would enable autonomous vehicles to explore caves, lava tubes and even oceans on other worlds on their own.
Haptic holography promises to bring virtual reality to life, but a new study reveals a surprising physical obstacle that will need to be overcome.
Astrophysicists have discovered the tightest ultracool dwarf binary system ever observed. The two stars are so close that it takes them less than one Earth day to revolve around each other. In other words, each star's 'year' lasts just 17 hours.
High blood pressure disorders during pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of thinking problems later in life, according to a study. Researchers found that those with these disorders had a higher risk of cognitive problems in later life than those who did not have high blood pressure during pregnancy. They also found that those with preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure that develops halfway through pregnancy and usually involves the kidneys and other organs, may have an even greater risk of cognitive decline later in life, compared to those with gestational high blood pressure, a condition with high blood pressure in pregnancy but without affecting the kidneys or other organs.
Some areas of the adult brain contain quiescent, or dormant, neural stem cells that can potentially be reactivated to form new neurons. However, the transition from quiescence to proliferation is still poorly understood. A team has discovered the importance of cell metabolism in this process and identified how to wake up these neural stem cells and reactivate them. Biologists succeeded in increasing the number of new neurons in the brain of adult and even elderly mice.
In a study of U.S. military veterans, researchers noted that participating in home-based cardiac rehabilitation was associated with a 36% lower risk of death compared to veterans who chose not to participate in cardiac rehabilitation.
Ice-cold electron beams could pave the way to reducing X-ray free-electron lasers (X-FELs) to a fraction of their current size.
In 2022 NASA embarked on a bold experiment to see if they could change an asteroid's velocity by smacking it with a ballistic probe -- kind of like hitting it with a hammer. This experiment was to test a potential technique to someday deflect an asteroid on a collision course to Earth. Perhaps, for the first time in the history of the universe, an intelligent planetary species sought ways to avoid its own potential extinction by threats from outer space (something the dinosaurs, who were wiped out 65 million years ago by a rogue asteroid, never evolved to accomplish).
Midwestern agriculture contributes the vast majority of nitrogen in the Gulf of Mexico, causing an oxygen-starved hypoxic zone and challenging coastal economies. State and federal policies have tried for decades to provide solutions and incentives, but the hypoxic zone keeps coming back. A recent study offers a new way to understand Midwestern nitrogen dynamics and forecasts future nitrogen loads under various management scenarios across the region.
Scientists recently developed an efficient way to transplant pancreatic islets and demonstrated that the method can effectively reverse type 1 diabetes in nonhuman primates.
Researchers have discovered a strong immunological effect of the molecule LecB -- and a way to prevent it.
Researchers have examined how mulching at different times affects insect flower-visitors and larvae.
Astronomers offer new insight into how deflection missions can protect the planet from future Earth-bound asteroids and comets.
Iodized salt helps prevent iodine-deficiency disorders, including goiters and certain birth defects. Yet it's unclear how this seasoning interacts with chloramine-treated drinking water if some of the disinfectant is left behind. Now, researchers have demonstrated that cooking pasta in such water with iodized table salt could produce potentially harmful byproducts. But they also report four simple ways that people can reduce or avoid these unwanted compounds.
Researchers have developed a prototype for coral-reef-friendly sunscreens by using polymerization to create large molecules that still block UV radiation but are too big to penetrate our skin, coral, and algae. The polymeric UV filter was more effective at preventing sunburn in mice than existing sunscreens.
As the planet warms, animals that breed in the Arctic are at particular risk. But a new study offers some encouraging news: in an apparent reaction to pressures along their former migratory route, a population of Arctic geese has rapidly adjusted, forming a new migration route and breeding location almost 1,000 kilometers from their original stomping grounds.
Large-scale genomic analysis documents the migrations of Ice Age hunter-gatherers over a period of 30,000 years -- they took shelter in Western Europe but died out on the Italian peninsula.
Deforestation is resulting in reduced rainfall across large parts of the tropics, according to new research. People living in tropical forest communities have often complained that the climate gets hotter and drier once trees are cleared but until now, scientists have not been able to identify a clear link between the loss of tree cover and a decline in rainfall.
Quantum effects can play an important role in chemical reactions. Physicists have now observed a quantum mechanical tunneling reaction in experiments. The observation can also be described exactly in theory. The scientists provide an important reference for this fundamental effect in chemistry. It is the slowest reaction with charged particles ever observed.
New research in mice shows bacteria hijack communication between nerve and immune cells in the meninges -- the protective layers that shield the brain from infection. The experiments detail step by step how bacteria activate pain receptors and initiate a signaling cascade that disables immune cells and culminates in bacterial invasion of the brain. The findings provide much-needed understanding into a critical window during the early stages of bacterial invasion when intervention could halt the spread of infection. The results point to therapeutic pathways for new treatments of bacterial meningitis, an often-fatal disease that can leave survivors with serious neurologic damage.
A new study reports on genomic data from a 23,000-year-old individual who lived in what was probably the warmest place of Europe at the peak of the last Ice Age. The oldest human genome recovered from the southern tip of Spain adds an important piece of the puzzle to the genetic history of Europe.
A major new study reveals a 'traffic light' mechanism controlling genetic activity within cells -- a system which could potentially be targeted by cancer drugs already in development. The research describes how 'epigenetic' changes to the structure of DNA can act as a stop-go signal in determining whether a gene should be read. Unlike our genetic make-up, which is well understood, the world of epigenetics is still largely unexplored and referred to as the 'dark matter' of the genome.
Submarine landslides have a large tsunami potential and occurred on the central Norwegian shelf more frequently in the past than previously thought. Scientists investigate the Nyegga landslide off the coast of Norway. The submarine landslide occurred in the same area as the well-known Storegga event 8,150 years ago. The new findings suggest that approximately one-third of the seafloor material missing -- previously attributed to the Storegga event -- was removed by the Nyegga event 20,000 years ago. This raises questions about the frequency of large submarine landslides and their associated tsunami hazard.
Decisions on cancer treatment could become better tailored to individual patients with the adoption of a new imaging method that maps the chemical makeup of a patient's tumor.
The most notable trend of new study on urban travel behaviors reveals that although private automobiles continue to be the dominant travel mode in American cities, the share of car trips has slightly and steadily decreased since its peak in 2001. In contrast, the share of transit, non-motorized, and taxicab (including ride-hailing) trips has steadily increased.
A new study focused on defense veterans' mental health has found strong evidence that assistance dogs used in conjunction with traditional therapies provide the most effective treatment outcomes.
Scientists identified about 140,000 molecular clouds in the Milky Way Galaxy from large-scale data of carbon monoxide molecules, observed in detail by the Nobeyama 45-m radio telescope. Using artificial intelligence, the researchers estimated the distance of each of these molecular clouds to determine their size and mass, successfully mapping the distribution of the molecular clouds in the Galaxy in the most detailed manner to date.
Hurricanes are becoming more intense due to the climate crisis. Therefore, researchers have studied the wind speeds that different seabird species can withstand. The team was able to show that the individual species are well adapted to the average wind conditions in their breeding grounds, but use different strategies to avoid flying through the storm. Within their research, one behavior of the albatrosses particularly surprised the scientists.
The mainly brown woodcock uses its bright white tail feathers to communicate in semi-darkness, reflecting 30% more light than any other known bird.
The honeycomb patterns which are often found in salt deserts in Death Valley, US, and Chile, among other places, look like something from another world. Researchers can now explain the origin of the mysterious patterns.
The demand for vanillin vastly outstrips the natural resources of this flavoring agent. A chemical process is thus used to produce the required large quantities of vanillin from petroleum, which is far less expensive than obtaining the substance from fermented genuine vanilla pods. Another alternative is to make vanillin from lignin, a waste product of the wood pulping industry. A team has now managed to further enhance their method of electrochemical production of vanillin from lignin in that they employ a 'green' oxidation method for this purpose.
Understanding how the knee joint environment affects cartilage cells is crucial for joint health. Knowledge of cell-driven cartilage degeneration mechanisms can support the development of effective pharmaceutical interventions for osteoarthritis. Researchers have now incorporated the influence of cells in a new numerical model to discover degeneration processes in mechanically loaded and inflamed cartilage.
Geoscientists have developed a cheap and environmentally friendly method for the synthesis of cerianite, a rare earth mineral which holds promise for the treatment of diseases associated with inflammation, including cancer.
Certain diseases, including Alzheimer's, are currently considered 'undruggable' because traditional small molecule drugs can't interfere with the proteins responsible for the illnesses. But a new technique that specifically targets and breaks apart certain proteins -- rather than just interfering with them -- may offer a pathway toward treatment. Researchers have now designed a compound that targets and breaks down a post-translationally modified protein closely associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Glacier National Park is home to around 50 Canada lynx, more than expected, surprising scientists who recently conducted the first parkwide occupancy survey for the North American cat. The survey reveals the iconic predator resides across most of Glacier's 1,600 square-mile landscape, although at lower densities than in the core of its range further north.
Wastewater can provide clues about a community's infectious disease status, and even its prescription and illicit drug use. But looking at sewage also provides information on persistent and potentially harmful compounds, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), that get released into the environment. Now, researchers report an unexpected source of these substances in wastewater systems -- toilet paper.
One in ten early deaths could be prevented if everyone managed at least half the recommended level of physical activity, say a team. The researchers say that 11 minutes a day (75 minutes a week) of moderate-intensity physical activity -- such as a brisk walk -- would be sufficient to lower the risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke and a number of cancers.
Scientists thought a gold-throated hummingbird was a new species. DNA revealed that it's a hybrid of two different species, each with pink throats. The discovery sheds light on how birds produce feather colors and how hummingbirds evolved their dazzling hues.
Researchers have identified gut bacteria that are associated with dementia with Lewy bodies. Changing the levels of three bacteria, Collinsella, Ruminococcus, and Bifidobacterium, may delay the onset and progression of this neurodegenerative disease.
Centuries-old whaling records show how southern right whales are altering their feeding habits.
Researchers reveal that actual methane emissions from the wastewater treatment sector in the U.S. are nearly double what existing international guidelines would predict.
A study inks precarious work with increases in body mass index and adds to a growing body of evidence that precarious work may contribute to poor health outcomes.
Engineers devised a way to purify protein drugs during manufacturing. Their approach, which uses nanoparticles to rapidly crystallize proteins, could help make protein drugs more affordable and accessible, especially in developing countries.
A new study of New Zealand blue whales' vocalizations indicates the whales are present year-round in the South Taranaki Bight and their behavior is influenced by environmental conditions in the region.
Researchers have discovered what they believe is the earliest use of steel in Europe -- on Iberian stone pillars from the Final Bronze Age.
Cartilaginous fish have changed much more in the course of their evolutionary history than previously believed. Evidence for this thesis has been provided by new fossils of a ray-like shark, Protospinax annectans, which demonstrate that sharks were already highly evolved in the Late Jurassic.
A new device that calms overactive kidney nerves with ultrasound consistently lowered blood pressure in patients with uncontrolled hypertension, researchers have found.
Being a protective parent could set your kids up for a healthier life as an adult, according to new research. The study found that growing up in places where gunshots are common and heat and electricity are unreliable may lead to pain and other physical health limitations in adulthood. But being involved in your child's life, such as knowing their friends or where they're hanging out after school, can help counteract those effects, according to the new research.
From the way that particles scatter light, it is possible to calculate a special light field that can slow these particles down. This is a new and powerful method to cool particles down to extremely low temperatures.
A new study finds the Atlantic coast and eastern Gulf Coast of the United States are likely to see significant increases in nutrient loading in coming decades, putting those areas at heightened risk of experiencing harmful algal blooms.
Scientists have detected the heaviest and youngest infant star ever discovered close to the black hole at the center of our Galaxy. They also identified the region where this 'impossible star' may have formed.
Using whole genome sequencing, researchers identified a single variant in a microRNA gene, MIR145-5p, as the source of multisystemic smooth muscle dysfunction syndrome, which had gone undiagnosed in a child for years.
A research team has shown that, as early as the first days of infection, HIV is able to create reservoirs where it will hide and persist during antiretroviral therapy.
Researchers describe how gut-on-a-chip devices can bridge lab models and human biology. Modeling the microbiome is particularly difficult because of its unique environmental conditions, but through creative design, gut-on-a-chip devices can simulate many of these properties, such as the gut's anaerobic atmosphere, fluid flow, and pulses of contraction/relaxation. Growing intestinal cells in this environment means that they more closely resemble human biology compared to standard laboratory cell cultures.
Inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis have complex disease mechanisms that can differ from patient to patient with the same diagnosis. This means that currently available drugs have little effect on many patients. Using so-called digital twins, researchers have now obtained a deeper understanding of the 'off and on' proteins that control these diseases.
Tiny insects known as sharpshooters excrete by catapulting urine drops at incredible accelerations. By using computational fluid dynamics and biophysical experiments, the researchers studied the fluidic, energetic, and biomechanical principles of excretion, revealing how an insect smaller than the tip of a pinky finger performs a feat of physics and bioengineering -- superpropulsion.
A liquid nitrogen spray can remove almost all of the simulated moon dust from a space suit, potentially solving what is a significant challenge for future moon-landing astronauts.
Using data from the James Webb Space Telescope's first year of interstellar observation, an international team of researchers was able to serendipitously view an exploding supernova in a faraway spiral galaxy.
Leading environmental health experts have called for a comprehensive review of the UK's fire safety regulations, with a focus on the environmental and health risks of current chemical flame retardants.
Loneliness can often contribute to depression in expectant and new mothers, finds a new review of evidence.
Maternal obesity alters the structure of the placenta (a vital organ that nourishes the baby during pregnancy) more than gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM; a condition is diagnosed by poor glucose control in pregnancy). The new insight enhances understanding about the mechanisms underlying poor pregnancy outcomes and the subsequent greater risk of poor neonatal and offspring health. The identification of specific changes in the placenta could lead to the potential development of future placenta-targeted treatments or screening tests that may improve the health outcomes of the mother and offspring, particularly in low-middle income countries.
Australia's rarest bird of prey -- the red goshawk -- is facing extinction, with Cape York Peninsula now the only place in Queensland known to support breeding populations.
A new machine learning model can predict traffic activity in different zones of cities. To do so, a researcher used data from a main car-sharing company in Italy as a proxy for overall city traffic. Understanding how different urban zones interact can help avoid traffic jams, for example, and enable targeted responses of policy makers -- such as local expansion of public transportation.
Not all pollution comes from people. When global temperatures increase by 4 degrees Celsius, harmful plant emissions and dust will also increase by as much as 14 percent, according to new research.
Despite awareness that pain is common in nursing home residents, there has been minimal attention focused on how this pain changes over time. A new study presents compelling evidence of the existence of four distinct pain trajectories in this population. This new understanding of pain over time can help nursing home staff and clinicians better understand, recognize and respond to risk factors associated with persistent pain in individuals living in nursing homes. Ultimately, consideration of pain trajectories may alter courses of care and illness, prevent adverse outcomes and improve quality of life.
Pet and animal-related apps are creating cybersecurity risks to their owners, new research has shown.
Scientists have found that apremilast can reduce alcohol intake by more than half in people with severe alcohol use disorder.
A research team investigated changes in seasonal variability of streamflow over Pakistan from bias-corrected regional climate projections.
Eliminating animal milk alone from the diet of adults with eosinophilic esophagitis, or EoE, is as effective at treating the disease as eliminating animal milk plus five other common foods, a clinical trial has found. For people with EoE whose disease remains active after they forgo animal milk, a more restrictive diet may help them achieve remission, according to the researchers.
Researchers have developed a new device that can detect and analyze cancer cells from blood samples, enabling doctors to avoid invasive biopsy surgeries, and to monitor treatment progress.
Driven by a combination of rising sea levels and climate change, destructive hurricanes and tropical storms could become far more likely to hit coastal areas in quick succession, researchers found. In some areas such double hits could occur as frequently as once every 3 years.
A new brain connection can explain how early-life stress and adversity trigger disrupted operation of the brain's reward circuit, offering a new therapeutic target for treating mental illness. Impaired function of this circuit is thought to underlie several major disorders, such as depression, substance abuse and excessive risk-taking.
While analyzing data from the first images of a well-known early galaxy taken by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers discovered a companion galaxy previously hidden behind the light of the foreground galaxy -- one that surprisingly seems to have already hosted multiple generations of stars despite its young age, estimated at 1.4 billion years old.
What we think of as the classic West Coast climate began just about 4,000 years ago, finds a study on climate trends of the Holocene era.
Previous research estimated that it took hundreds of million years for the ancient Earth's magma ocean to solidify, but new research narrows these large uncertainties down to less than just a couple of million years.
A giant insect found in Arkansas has set historic records. The Polystoechotes punctata or giant lacewing is the first of its kind recorded in eastern North America in over 50 years. The giant lacewing was formerly widespread across North America, but was mysteriously extirpated from eastern North America by the 1950s. This discovery suggests there may be relic populations of this large insect yet to be discovered.
The new method simultaneously monitors the size and shape of the clumps and the mixing intensity in a single step, in real time, allowing for more accurate measurements. The value of the research lies in the fact that mixing is one of the most energy-consuming processes during water and wastewater purification.
Researchers may be able to predict cardiovascular disease -- such as arterial fibrillation and heart failure -- in patients by using artificial intelligence (AI) to examine the genes in their DNA, according to a new study.
Researchers developed an augmented reality headset called X-AR that combines computer vision and wireless perception to find hidden objects in a room and then guide the wearer to retrieve the targeted item.
What is the origin of the ancestors of present-day fish? What species evolved from them? A 50-year-old scientific controversy revolved around the question of which group, the 'bony-tongues' or the 'eels', was the oldest. A study has just put an end to the debate by showing through genomic analysis that these fishes are in fact one and the same group, given the rather peculiar name of 'Eloposteoglossocephala'. These results shed new light on the evolutionary history of fish.
Three years into a five-year pledge to completely phase out lead shot in UK game hunting, a study finds that 94% of pheasants on sale for human consumption were killed using lead.
Research has found the biggest threat to the mental health of people living with chronic pain isn't necessarily how intense their pain is, but the extent to which it interferes with their daily life.
A tiny robot that could one day help doctors perform surgery was inspired by the incredible gripping ability of geckos and the efficient locomotion of inchworms.
Researchers have succeeded in producing very special catalysts, known as 'Lewis superacids', which can be used to break strong chemical bonds and speed up reactions. The production of these substances has, until now, proven extremely difficult. The chemists' discovery enables non-biodegradable fluorinated hydrocarbons, similar to Teflon, and possibly even climate-damaging greenhouse gases, such as sulphur hexafluoride, to be converted back into sustainable chemicals.
New research has uncovered a novel link between the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene and cancer.
Using a new dataset, scientists analyzed the coordinates and surface of 183 million buildings in nearly 6,000 cities across all 52 countries in Africa. With their model, they quantify the shape of cities. Thus, they show that if a city's population doubles, the energy demand associated with commuting triples. These results clearly show how important it will be to plan fast-growing cities in a sustainable way.
A study has investigated the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to address societal mega-trends and analyzed its proposed solutions in dealing with these global challenges. Artificial intelligence can offer understandable insights into the complex and cross-cutting issues of mega-trends, and how they could change and benefit in different areas if AI systems are deployed.
An earlier first birth, a higher number of live births, and starting periods at a younger age are all linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular problems in women, according to new research.
Dinosaur claws had many functions, but now a team has shown some predatory dinosaurs used their claws for digging or even for display.
Biochemists have succeeded in resurrecting the ancestral genes of five detoxifying enzymes which are present in all tetrapods to show how their divergence in function has occurred.
Amphibians worldwide are affected by climate change and potentially one of the most threatened. Biologists found that some species of amphibians are more likely to be sensitive to climate change because they are not protected by state or federal regulations. The team determined that approximately 11 percent of anuran species are sensitive to climate change, but are not currently listed as at-risk either at the state, federal, or international levels.
Scientists reveal that a warming world is increasing human-wildlife conflicts globally. They show that climate shifts can drive conflicts by altering animal habitats, the timing of events, wildlife behaviors and resource availability. It also showed that people are changing their behaviors and locations in response to climate change in ways that increase conflicts.
Keeping queen bees chilled in indoor refrigeration units can make the practice of 'queen banking' -- storing excess queens in the spring to supplement hives in the fall -- more stable and less labor-intensive, a study found. It may also help strengthen honey bee survival in the face of a changing climate. In a paper published in the Journal of Apicultural Research, researchers compared queen banks stored in refrigerated units to those stored in the conventional way outdoors and an 'unbanked' control group. They found that the queens stored at cooler temperatures had a higher survival rate and required less maintenance than those stored outdoors.
Chaotic behavior is typically known from large systems: for example, from weather, from asteroids in space that are simultaneously attracted by several large celestial bodies, or from swinging pendulums that are coupled together. On the atomic scale, however, one does normally not encounter chaos -- other effects predominate. Now scientists have been able to detect clear indications of chaos on the nanometer scale -- in chemical reactions on tiny rhodium crystals.
New research reveals how the relationship between nerves and immune cells in the lungs can contribute to the development of allergic asthma.
While apprehensions about employment and schools dominate headlines, the truth is that the effects of large-scale language models such as ChatGPT will touch virtually every corner of our lives. These new tools raise society-wide concerns about artificial intelligence's role in reinforcing social biases, committing fraud and identity theft, generating fake news, spreading misinformation and more. A team of researchers is seeking to empower tech users to mitigate these risks. The authors demonstrate that people can learn to spot the difference between machine-generated and human-written text.
Have you ever bitten into a plump, red strawberry, only to find it bland and watery? Certain pesticides might be responsible. A team has found that two common strawberry fungicides can impact cellular mechanisms, creating berries with subdued flavor and sweetness, as well as a lower nutritional value.
Researchers have recommended a method to help diagnose preschool age children with Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD).
After more than 30 years, botanists have rediscovered Thismia kobensis, a type of mysterious-looking rare plant commonly referred to as 'fairy lanterns'. Thismia kobensis was presumed extinct and the surprise rediscovery of this Japanese variety has illuminated hidden aspects of fairy lanterns that have puzzled and fascinated botanists for centuries.
By simulating early Earth conditions in the lab, researchers have found that without specific amino acids, ancient proteins would not have known how to evolve into everything alive on the planet today -- including plants, animals, and humans.
A cybersecurity technique that shuffles network addresses like a blackjack dealer shuffles playing cards could effectively befuddle hackers gambling for control of a military jet, commercial airliner or spacecraft, according to new research.
Scientists know that TDP-43, which helps regulate processing of RNA, may be responsible for the death of nerve cells in ALS and frontotemporal dementia. And a study suggests that a common modification to RNA, a methylation event known as m6A, plays a pivotal role in TDP-43-related neurodegeneration in ALS. Through sequencing analysis, investigators showed that methylation strongly influences the binding of TDP-43 to its RNA targets. They also observed highly abundant RNA methylation in the end-stage tissues of patients with ALS.
Physicists report new evidence that production of an exotic state of matter in collisions of gold nuclei at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) can be 'turned off' by lowering the collision energy. The findings will help physicists map out the conditions of temperature and density under which the exotic matter, known as a quark-gluon plasma (QGP), can exist and identify key features of the phases of nuclear matter.
A new form of heterostructure of layered two-dimensional (2D) materials may enable quantum computing to overcome key barriers to its widespread application, according to an international team of researchers.
Researchers have discovered that channeling ions into defined pathways in perovskite materials improves the stability and operational performance of perovskite solar cells. The finding paves the way for a new generation of lighter, more flexible, and more efficient solar cell technologies suitable for practical use.
Glaciers -- giant blocks of moving ice -- along Antarctica's coastline are flowing faster in the summer because of a combination of melting snow and warmer ocean waters, say researchers. On average, the glaciers travel at around one kilometre a year. But a new study has found a seasonal variation to the speed of the ice flow, which speeded up by up to 22 % in summer when temperatures are warmer. This gives an insight into the way climate change could affect the behaviour of glaciers and the role they could play in raising sea levels.
To encourage more active lifestyles, public health agencies recommend mixed-use neighborhoods and 'complete' streets that are friendlier to walkers and bikers, but new research finds that while those strategies increase physical activity, an urban bias limits their applicability in many parts of the country.
By returning to spawn in the Sacramento River at different ages, Chinook salmon lessen the potential impact of a bad year and increase the stability of their population in the face of climate variability, according to a new study. Unfortunately, spawning Chinook salmon are increasingly younger and concentrated within fewer age groups, with the oldest age classes of spawners rarely seen in recent years. The new findings suggest changes in hatchery practices and fishery management could help restore the age structure of the salmon population and make it more resilient to climate change.
Face blindness, a mystifying condition that can trick us into believing we recognize people we've never met or make us fail to recognize those we have, has been previously estimated to affect between 2 and 2.5 percent of people in the world. Now, a new study is providing fresh insights into the disorder, suggesting it may be more common than currently believed.
Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation for the treatment of severe blood cancers is the only medical intervention that has cured two people living with HIV in the past. An international group of physicians and researchers has now identified another case in which HIV infection has been shown to be cured in the same way. The successful healing process of this third patient was for the first time characterized in great detail virologically and immunologically over a time span of ten years.
An object near the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy has drawn the interest of scientists because it has evolved dramatically in a relatively short time. A new study suggests that the object, called X7, could be a cloud of dust and gas that was created when two stars collided. The researchers believe it will eventually be drawn toward the black hole and will disintegrate.
Astronomers have discovered a rapidly growing black hole in one of the most extreme galaxies known in the very early Universe. The discovery of the galaxy and the black hole at its center provides new clues on the formation of the very first supermassive black holes.
Getting good sleep can play a role in supporting your heart and overall health -- and maybe even how long you live -- according to new research.
Modern birds capable of flight all have a specialized wing structure called the propatagium without which they could not fly. The evolutionary origin of this structure has remained a mystery, but new research suggests it evolved in nonavian dinosaurs. The finding comes from statistical analyses of arm joints preserved in fossils and helps fill some gaps in knowledge about the origin of bird flight.
Adverse childhood experiences in mothers can affect their children's mental and physical health, as researchers report. The study found that maltreatment during a mother's childhood is associated with a higher risk of health problems such as asthma, autism, and depression in the next generation. Early intervention to support affected mothers might help to counter this effect.
Six massive galaxies discovered in the early universe are upending what scientists previously understood about the origins of galaxies in the universe.
Scientists summarize the methods used to explore how the Earth's magnetic field influences the behavior of a wide variety of animal species. This review is an ideal starting point for scientists who wish to enter this fascinating but still poorly-understood topic in modern sensory biology.
Bowel leakage, the need for anal incontinence protection and a restricted social life may cause severe, decades-long suffering among women with obstetric injuries to the anal opening, according to a new study.
Researchers have identified a possible new targeted drug for treating acute myeloid leukemia. In the future, the discovery may help patients with certain rare subtypes of the disease.
The endangered Saimaa ringed seal is an Ice Age relict living in the highly labyrinthine Lake Saimaa, Finland. The newly published work shows that although individual seals have greatly reduced genetic variation, the loss of variation has been complementary, preserving the adaptive potential of the whole population.
Researchers show that while strong distractions may automatically capture our attention, the trained brain can rapidly suppress such distractions to help us efficiently reach our goals.
Several studies have predicted that the water splitting reaction could be catalyzed by certain groups of 2D materials -- each measuring just a few atoms thick. New calculations present a new group of four 2D materials whose two sides each feature a different molecular composition, which could be especially well suited to the task.
New research suggests aquatic plants can be utilized as a tool to enhance the co-existence between aquatic invertebrates and their fish predators in urban ponds.
In the very near future, quantum computers are expected to revolutionize the way we compute, with new approaches to database searches, AI systems, simulations and more. But to achieve such novel quantum technology applications, photonic integrated circuits which can effectively control photonic quantum states -- the so-called qubits -- are needed. Physicists have made a breakthrough in this effort: for the first time, they demonstrated the controlled creation of single-photon emitters in silicon at the nanoscale.
An air filter made out of corn protein instead of petroleum products can concurrently capture small particulates as well as toxic chemicals like formaldehyde that current air filters can't. The research could lead to better air purifiers, particularly in regions of the world that suffer from very poor air quality. The more environmentally friendly air filter was able to simultaneously capture 99.5% of small particulate matter, similar to commercial HEPA filters, and 87% of formaldehyde, which is higher than specially designed air filters for those types of toxics.
Theoretical chemists have developed a theory that can predict the threshold at which quantum dynamics switches from 'orderly' to 'random,' as shown through research using large-scale computations on photosynthesis models.
Some universities grapple with difficulties in integrating students from different countries. New research points to a method that both reduces academic and social gaps and increases well-being. The recipe for success is to work in pairs -- as chosen by the teacher.
Scientists have successfully recorded brain activity from freely moving octopuses, a feat made possible by implanting electrodes and a data logger directly into the creatures. The study, published online in Current Biology on February 23, is a critical step forward in figuring out how octopus' brains control their behavior, and could provide clues to the common principles needed for intelligence and cognition to occur.
A new study shows fasting can trigger a negative effect on fighting infection on a cellular level in mouse models.
Researchers have created and preliminarily tested what they believe may be one of the first models for predicting who has the highest probability of being resistant to COVID-19 in spite of exposure to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes it.
Engineers developed a procedure to 3D print a soft and flexible replica of a patient's heart. These models could help doctors tailor treatments, such as aortic valves, to an individual patient.
Geologists doing fieldwork in southeastern Utah's Cedar Mountain Formation found carbon isotope evidence that the site, though on land, experienced the same early Cretaceous carbon-cycle change recorded in marine sedimentary rocks in Europe. This ancient carbon-cycle phenomenon, known as the 'Weissert Event' was driven by large, sustained volcanic eruptions in the Southern Hemisphere that greatly increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and produced significant greenhouse climate effects over a prolonged time.
Astronomers have discovered an unusual planetary system in which a large gas giant planet orbits a small red dwarf star called TOI-5205. Their findings challenge long-held ideas about planet formation.
Researchers have demonstrated a new hands-free approach to convey realistic haptic feedback in virtual reality (VR). Their 'multisensory pseudo-haptics' uses a combination of headset visuals and tactile feedback from a wrist bracelet to convey sensations of touch.
A new study suggests that men who regularly lift heavy objects at work have higher sperm counts.
Scientists have used machine learning to create brand-new enzymes, which are proteins that accelerate chemical reactions. This is an important step in the field of protein design as new enzymes could have many uses across medicine and industrial manufacturing. The research team devised deep-learning, artificial intelligence algorithms that created light-emitting enzymes called luciferases. Laboratory testing confirmed that the new enzymes can recognize specific chemicals and emit light very efficiently.
On average, 39 percent of time currently spent on unpaid domestic work could be automated within the next decade, suggest AI experts.
Blue foods -- those that come from the ocean or freshwater environments -- have tremendous potential to help address several global challenges. With careful implementation of policies that leverage these foods, nations could get a boost on efforts to reduce nutritional deficits, lower disease risk, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and ensure resilience in the face of climate change.
A new study suggests there may be a layer of surprisingly fluid rock ringing the Earth, at the very bottom of the upper mantle.
Countless meteorites have struck Earth in the past and shaped the history of our planet. It is assumed, for example, that meteorites brought with them a large part of its water. The extinction of the dinosaurs might also have been triggered by the impact of a very large meteorite. It turns out that the marketing 'gag' of the 'Domaine du Météore' winery is acutally a real impact crater. Meteorite craters which are still visible today are rare because most traces of the celestial bodies have long since disappeared again.
A research team has engineered a new nanomaterial that can boost the potency of common disinfectants.
A new model offers a possible solution to the scientific question of why neutral sequences, sometimes referred to as 'junk DNA', are not eliminated from the genome of living creatures in nature and continue to exist within it even millions of years later.
A team of international researchers have identified six candidate galaxies that existed roughly 500 to 700 million years after the Big Bang and are about as big as the modern Milky Way Galaxy -- a feat that scientists didn't think was possible.
The world's forests are losing their ability to absorb carbon due to increasingly 'unstable' conditions caused by humans, a landmark study has found.
Physicians have discovered why the immune system of prematurely born babies is not working optimally after birth.
Remdesivir was one of the first medications approved for treatment of COVID-19. Clinical studies evaluated its effectiveness, but did not generate conclusive results. A new analysis of the study data shows that a specific group of patients benefits the most from the drug.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020 with associated travel restrictions, a research group shifted their overseas research projects to instead study the seagrass meadow ecosystem in Waquoit Bay, USA. It's a shallow, micro-tidal estuary on the south side of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.
Missouri is home to an array of natural resources, with forests among the state's most valuable ecosystems. As warmer temperatures fueled by climate change affect ecosystems globally, forests are under stress to adapt to these changes and ensure their survival in a warmer world. Researchers now introduce the 'ecosystem wilting point' concept, which explains how whole forests respond to drought.
Scientists set out to address one of the biggest uncertainties about how carbon-rich permafrost will respond to gradual sinking of the land surface as temperatures rise. Using a high-performance computer simulation, the research team found that soil subsidence is unlikely to cause rampant thawing in the future.
A recent study found that a Medicaid program in Colorado can help address the shortage of home healthcare workers for children with complex medical needs by offering family members certified nursing assistant (CNA) training and paying them for at-home medical care their child requires. Results show that children who received family-CNA care were not more likely to be hospitalized than children cared for by a non-family CNA. Children with family-CNA caregivers also experienced greater care continuity since turnover was not an issue as it tends to be with traditional home healthcare workers.
A common ingredient -- salt -- could have a big role to play in the energy transition to lower carbon energy sources. A study describes how large underground salt deposits could serve as hydrogen holding tanks, conduct heat to geothermal plants, and influence CO2 storage. It also highlights how industries with existing salt expertise, such as solution mining, salt mining, and oil and gas exploration, could help.
In the arid and drought-stricken western Great Basin, sparse surface water means rural communities often rely on private groundwater wells. Unlike municipal water systems, well water quality in private wells is unregulated, and a new study shows that more than 49 thousand well users across the region may be at risk of exposure to unhealthy levels of arsenic in drinking water.
An international research team demonstrates that the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) uses volatile fungal metabolites of plant defense substances as important chemical signals in their attack on spruce trees. The researchers also show that the insects have olfactory sensory neurons specialized for detecting these volatile compounds. The fungal metabolites likely provide important clues to the beetles about the presence of beneficial fungi, the defense status of the trees, and the population density of their conspecifics. The study highlights the importance of chemical communication in maintaining symbiosis between bark beetles and their fungal partners.
About 25 woolly sheep who seasonally -- for the past two years -- leave barns to nibble on lawns at various central campus locations, are doing much more than mowing, fertilizing and improving the ecosystem. The sheep also are improving people's mental health.
In their search for silver ore, the Romans established two military camps in the Bad Ems area near Koblenz in the 1st century AD.
A solar radio burst with a signal pattern, akin to that of a heartbeat, has been pinpointed in the Sun's atmosphere, according to a new study. An international team of researchers has reported uncovering the source location of a radio signal coming from within a C-class solar flare more than 5,000 kilometers above the Sun's surface.
Data captured from seismic waves caused by earthquakes has shed new light on the deepest parts of Earth's inner core, according to seismologists.
A new analysis has modeled black hole collisions in more detail and revealed so-called nonlinear effects within gravitational waves. Nonlinear effects happen 'when waves on the beach crest and crash.'
Researchers design a solar harvester with enhanced energy conversion capabilities. The device employs a quasiperiodic nanoscale pattern, meaning most of it is an alternating and consistent pattern, while the remaining portion contains random defects that do not affect its performance. The fabrication process makes use of self-assembling nanoparticles, which form an organized material structure based on their interactions with nearby particles without any external instructions. Thermal energy harvested by the device can be transformed to electricity using thermoelectric materials.
Research involving 61 UK organizations found a 20% reduction in working time with no loss of pay led to significant drops in workforce stress and sick days, an increase in worker retention, and a much better work-life balance for most employees -- all while 'key business metrics' were met.
Sifting through sewage for SARS-CoV-2 genetic material could help authorities tailor infection control policies.
The metaverse is a technological revolution in the field of virtual reality, with potential benefits to public health research. A new article proposes several new ways in which the metaverse can help us design, test, and experience health-promoting environments to minimize the risk of non-communicable diseases.
Unlike humans and other mammals, which become less fertile with age, naked mole-rats can reproduce throughout their remarkably long lifespans. A new study sheds light on unique processes that bestow the rodents with what seems like eternal fertility, findings that could eventually point to new therapies for people.
Fewer people are dying from cardiovascular disease in the U.S., according to new research. But rural counties and those with a higher percentage of Black residents consistently experienced higher rates of cardiovascular disease than urban and more predominantly white counties. The study showed that deaths from heart disease consistently declined at the county level from 2009 to 2018.
Researcher see the interconnections between the systems in nature and how each component impacts the others. In Connecticut, rich in forests and farmland, experts see the potential that could position the state at the forefront of a climate-smart agriculture (CSA) approach using an emerging sustainable practice called biochar.
New textiles change shape when they heat up, giving designers a wide range of new options. In addition to offering adjustable aesthetics, responsive smart fabrics could also help monitor people’s health, improve thermal insulation, and provide new tools for managing room acoustics and interior design.
If you watched the most recent Super Bowl, you know the importance of a referee's call on the outcome of a game. Slow-motion replays and close-watching eyes help, but a new sensor technology could someday serve as an even more reliable tool for officials. Researchers have developed a self-powered, hybrid nanogenerator sensor that could help make more accurate calls and allow boxers and cricket players to practice more efficiently.
Carrots come in a rainbow of bright colors -- red, orange, yellow and purplish black -- because of compounds called carotenoids. They help support eye health by reacting with potentially harmful UV light. Interestingly, the molecular structures of carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, are similar to the building blocks of some polymers. Now, researchers have incorporated a compound derived from beta-carotene into a polymer that's fully degradable.
A new analysis shows how convalescent plasma can be used to prevent hospitalizations and ultimately save lives, both for COVID-19 and for the next viral pandemic that inevitably arrives.
Climate change is aggravating the impact of droughts -- one of the factors that only affect plant physiology -- on all plant ecosystems worldwide. Although new tools have been developed to detect and assess drought stress in plants -- transcriptomic or metabolomic technologies, etc. -- they are still difficult to apply in natural ecosystems, especially in remote areas and developing countries.
In a bid to understand why mosquitoes may be more attracted to one human than another, researchers say they have mapped specialized receptors on the insects' nerve cells that are able to fine-tune their ability to detect particularly 'welcoming' odors in human skin.
Scientists have published the first record of a noble false widow spider feeding on a pygmy shrew, a species of tiny mammal protected in Ireland. The pygmy shrew -- a protected mammal -- was captured on spider's web on a bedroom window, then paralyzed and hoisted to its doom by the invasive spider.
An effective, stable solid-state electrochemical transistor has been developed, heralding a new era in thermal management technology.
A new study explores 'balancing selection' by analyzing thousands of modern human genomes alongside ancient hominin groups, such as Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes. The research has 'implications for understanding human diversity, the origin of diseases, and biological trade-offs that may have shaped our evolution,' says evolutionary biologists.
Pioneering clinical trial showed that spinal cord stimulation could enable survivors of moderate to severe stroke to conduct their normal daily activities more easily.
Scientists are a step closer to creating a new generation of light-activated cancer treatments. These new treatments would be highly targeted and more effective than current state-of-the-art cancer immunotherapies.
Some parents may not be properly measuring or responding to elevated temperatures in children, a new national poll suggests.
Asking patients to take a short survey on a tablet before their appointments may help mental health providers identify young people at risk of psychosis. A study found that when patients took a 21-question pre-visit survey, more than twice as many were identified at risk of psychosis compared to those who did not complete the survey. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, psychosis often begins when a person is in his or her late teens to mid-twenties. About 100,000 new cases of psychosis are diagnosed each year in the U.S.
World War II-style rationing could be an effective way to reduce carbon emissions, according to new research.
Geckos can use their tongue to differentiate their own odor from that of other members of their species, as researchers have shown in a new experimental study. The findings show that geckos are able to communicate socially, meaning that they are more intelligent than was previously assumed.
Not all Chinook salmon are created equal, and this has a major impact on the energetics for southern resident killer whales. A recent study quantified the lipid content in Fraser River Chinook salmon -- the southern resident's preferred meal -- and found that spring-run Chinook salmon, the earliest to arrive to the Salish Sea are lipid-rich and energy dense; a critical factor for the killer whales who prey on them. Fraser River Chinook salmon that come later in the season have lower energy density.
Not all Chinook salmon are created equal, and this has a major impact on the energetics for southern resident killer whales. A recent study quantified the lipid content in Fraser River Chinook salmon -- the southern resident's preferred meal -- and found that spring-run Chinook salmon, the earliest to arrive to the Salish Sea are lipid-rich and energy dense; a critical factor for the killer whales who prey on them. Fraser River Chinook salmon that come later in the season have lower energy density.
Researchers have identified 26 global warming accelerators known as amplifying feedback loops that the researchers say aren't being properly included in climate models. They note that the findings add urgency to the need to respond to the climate crisis and provide a roadmap for policymakers aiming to avert the most severe consequences of a warming planet.
Physicists have directly measured, for the first time at nanometer resolution, the fluid-like flow of electrons in graphene. The results have applications in developing new, low-resistance materials, where electrical transport would be more efficient.
A research team demonstrates a new way to use quantum sensors to tease out relationships between microscopic magnetic fields.
Language models that generate text in response to user prompts plagiarize content in more ways than one, according to a research team that conducted a study to directly examine the phenomenon.
Researchers may have found the key to a truly efficient and inexpensive mechanism for removing carbon dioxide from seawater. The method could be far more efficient than existing systems for removing the greenhouse gas from the air.
Black and Hispanic Americans appear to experience more symptoms and health problems related to long COVID, a lay term that captures an array of symptoms and health problems, than white people, but are not as likely to be diagnosed with the condition, according to new research.
A peculiar cloud of gas, nicknamed the Tadpole due to its shape, appears to be revolving around a space devoid of any bright objects. This suggests that the Tadpole is orbiting a dark object, most likely a black hole 100,000 times more massive than the Sun. Future observations will help determine what is responsible for the shape and motion of the Tadpole.
A Danish creek has surprised researchers by containing previously unknown virus species.
A new experiment has made it possible to observe the effects of an electron in solution on the surrounding liquid.
Groups of spiders could be used as an environmentally-friendly way to protect crops against agricultural pests. That's according to new research which suggests that web-building groups of spiders can eat a devastating pest moth of commercially important crops like tomato and potato worldwide.
Scientists have figured out a way to engineer wood to trap carbon dioxide through a potentially scalable, energy-efficient process that also makes the material stronger for use in construction.
The 2015--2018 summer droughts have been exceptional in large parts of Western and Central Europe over the last 400 years, in terms of the magnitude of drought conditions. This indicates an influence of human-made global warming. However, multi-year droughts have occurred frequently in the 17th and 18th century, although not as severe.
If you want to build a habitable planet, ice is a key ingredient. The ice can be found in enormous clouds in the Universe and it is the main carrier of the necessary elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur. These elements are part of the atmosphere around planets and part of molecules like sugar, alcohols and simple amino acids as well. The new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has contributed to the discovery of different ices in a molecular cloud, 'Chameleon 1' -- one of the coldest and darkest regions to have ever been explored. Astronomers assume that these types of molecules were also present in the cold cloud of gas and dust forming our own solar system.
Researchers have released their findings on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the interstellar medium of nearby galaxies.
Slipping and sliding on snowy or icy roads is dangerous. Salt and sand help melt ice or provide traction, but excessive use is bad for the environment. And sometimes, a surprise storm can blow through before these materials can be applied. Now, researchers ave filled microcapsules with a chloride-free salt mixture that's added into asphalt before roads are paved, providing long-term snow melting capabilities in a real-world test.
Mars is infamous for its intense dust storms, some of which kick up enough dust to be seen by telescopes on Earth. When dust particles rub against each other, as they do in Martian dust storms, they can become electrified. New research shows that one particularly efficient way to move chlorine from the ground to the air on Mars is by way of reactions set off by electrical discharge generated in dust activities.
Researchers have made real-time movies of copper nanoparticles as they evolve to convert carbon dioxide and water into renewable fuels and chemicals. Their new insights could help advance the next generation of solar fuels.
The United States, the largest importer of wildlife in the world, is not prepared for future spread of animal-borne, or zoonotic, diseases due to gaps among governmental agencies designed to combat these threats, concludes a new analysis.
Researchers have used artificial intelligence to discover a link between alterations in the shape of children's faces and the amount of alcohol their mothers drank, before and during pregnancy. Even small amounts, less than one glass of wine a week, made a difference. Face shapes are an indicator of underlying health and developmental problems.
A research team demonstrates the fabrication of an organic-inorganic hybrid dielectric layer for high-performance solution-processed oxide transistors.
To clarify the mechanism of serial dependence in number perception, a research team conducted two tests, independently asking subjects to estimate the number of coins, or to estimate the value of those coins, shown on-screen for half a second. The results showed that serial dependence was confirmed in both tasks and that the most significant effect on serial dependence was not caused by the last stimuli, but the subjects last response. These results indicate that higher-order cognitive processing has a greater influence on the occurrence of serial dependence.
Using artificial intelligence (AI), researchers can now follow cell movement across time and space. The method could be very helpful for developing more effective cancer medications.
Neuroimaging techniques, like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), are not able to directly measure neuronal activity. To address this knowledge gap, a team has created a novel experimental platform that is able to optically record local neuronal activity during brain-wide fMRI in rodents.
Scientists enlist widely used cancer therapy systems to control gene expression in mammalian cells, a feat of synthetic biology that could change how diseases are treated.
Researchers propose a new approach to making qubits, the basic units in quantum computing, and controlling them to read and write data. The method is based on measuring and controlling the spins of atomic nuclei, using beams of light from two lasers of slightly different colors.
Tenacity has taken a roadblock and turned it into a possible route to the development of quantum computing.
Researchers have developed a cheaper and more energy-efficient way to make hydrogen directly from seawater, in a critical step towards a truly viable green hydrogen industry. The new method splits the seawater directly into hydrogen and oxygen -- skipping the need for desalination and its associated cost, energy consumption and carbon emissions.
The spread of antibiotic resistance, where infectious bacteria are able to defeat the drugs intended to kill them, may not be primarily driven by antibiotic consumption, according to a new study.
Infection with a bacterium that causes gum disease and bad breath may increase the risk of heart disease.
Scientists detect the quantum properties of collective optical-electronic oscillations on the nanoscale. The results could contribute to the development of novel computer chips.
Astronomers have long been aware that planetary systems are not necessarily structured like our solar system. Researchers have now shown that there are in fact four types of planetary systems.
Baby kangaroo feces might help provide an unlikely solution to the environmental problem of cow-produced methane. A microbial culture developed from the kangaroo feces inhibited methane production in a cow stomach simulator. After researchers added the baby kangaroo culture and a known methane inhibitor to the simulated stomach, it produced acetic acid instead of methane. Unlike methane, which cattle discard as flatulence, acetic acid has benefits for cows as it aids muscle growth.
Scientists have provided evidence for the cognitive control of learning in rats, showing they can estimate the long-term value of learning and adapt their decision-making strategy to take advantage of learning opportunities.
An experimental contraceptive drug temporarily stops sperm in their tracks and prevents pregnancies in preclinical models. The study demonstrates that an on-demand male contraceptive is possible.
A scientist has developed a formulation of low-fat chocolate that can be printed on a 3D printer in pretty much any shape a person can conceive, including a heart.
Daily reading improved language development in infants 12 months and younger, according to a recent study.
Ground-penetrating radar from China's Martian rover Zhurong reveals shallow impact craters and other geologic structures in the top five meters of the red planet's surface.
The most common cause of hearing loss is progressive because hair cells -- the primary cells to detect sound waves -- cannot regenerate if damaged or lost. Researchers are now getting closer to identifying the mechanisms that may promote this type of regeneration in mammals.
Could an app tell if a first date is just not that into you? Engineers say the technology might not be far off. They trained a computer to identify the type of conversation two people were having based on their physiological responses alone.
Physical activity at the right time of the day seems able to increase fat metabolism, at least in mice. A new study shows that mice that did exercise in an early active phase, which corresponds to morning exercise in humans, increased their metabolism more than mice that did exercise at a time when they usually rest.
Scientists found that some reefs in the tropical Pacific Ocean could maintain high coral cover into the second half of this century by shuffling the symbiotic algae they host. The findings offer a ray of hope in an often-dire picture of the future of coral reefs worldwide.
For all of the still-indistinguishable-from-magic wizardry packed into the three pounds of the adult human brain, it obeys the same rule as the other living tissue it controls: Oxygen is a must. So it was with a touch of irony that a scientists offered his explanation for a technological wonder -- movable, data-covered walls mere atoms wide -- that may eventually help computers behave more like a brain. 'There was unambiguous evidence that oxygen vacancies are responsible for this,' Tsymbal said.
Feeling a sense of purpose has a significant impact on adolescents' emotional well-being.
Fish, the most biodiverse vertebrates in the animal kingdom, present evolutionary biologists a conundrum: The greatest species richness is found in the world's tropical waters, yet the fish groups that generate new species most rapidly inhabit colder climates at higher latitudes. A new study helps to explain this paradox. The researchers discovered that the ability of fish in temperate and polar ecosystems to transition back and forth from shallow to deep water triggers species diversification. Their findings suggest that as climate change warms the oceans at higher latitudes, it will impede the evolution of fish species.
Traditionally, it has been assumed that cultivating food leads to a loss of biodiversity and negative impacts on an ecosystem. A new study defies this assumption, showing that community gardens and urban farms positively affect biodiversity, local ecosystems and the well-being of humans that work in them.
We love our chicken. We love our salmon. Thanks to how we farm these two popular proteins, their environmental footprints are surprisingly similar.
A new look at da Vinci's papers reveals his insightful attempts to probe the nature of gravity 500 years ago.
Scientists have discovered a new wrinkle in our understanding of how our genes work. The team shed light on a longstanding puzzle involved in a common way our genes are modified that is known as RNA methylation.
Researchers chiral phonons to convert wasted heat into spin information -- without needing magnetic materials. The finding could lead to new classes of less expensive, energy-efficient spintronic devices for use in applications ranging from computational memory to power grids.
As anyone who’s worked in an office, a factory, or any other workplace can attest, sometimes bosses play favorites. Whether it’s assigning the most comfortable cubicles or the best parking spots, or deciding whose opinions take precedence during planning sessions, leaders inevitably wind up treating some employees better than others.
Millions of endurance runners use footwear that has an embedded carbon fiber plate (CFP) in the midsole. While the performance benefits that carbon fiber plate footwear offers have been well documented, little has been published about running injuries related to use of this footwear. In a current opinion piece, authors describe five cases in which runners using carbon fiber plate footwear sustained bone stress injuries.
Santa Barbara Channel's natural oil seeps are a beach-goer's bane, flecking the shores with blobs of tar. But the leaking petroleum also creates fascinating geologic and biologic features. About 10 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara, several jet-black mounds interrupt the featureless sea floor. These asphalt volcanoes, virtually unique in the world, provide a rare habitat in a region known for its underwater biodiversity.
A new study finds that a 200-year-old technique called Fourier analysis can reveal crucial information about how the form of artificial intelligence called deep neural networks (DNN) learn to perform tasks involving complex physics. Researchers discovered the technique can directly connect what a DNN has learned to the physics of the complex system the DNN is modeling.
Scientists provide additional evidence that intracranial pressure plays an important role in normal-tension glaucoma, which accounts for up to 50 per cent of all glaucoma cases. A recent clinical study demonstrates that low intracranial pressure correlates with impaired patient visibility, especially in the nasal zone.
When patients receive care after cardiac arrest, doctors can now -- by entering patient data in a web-based app -- find out how thousands of similar patients have fared. Researchers have developed three such systems of decision support for cardiac arrest that may, in the future, make a major difference to doctors' work.
Bee researchers have identified a new gene in honeybees, which is responsible for the dimorphic eye differentiation between males and females of the species. The researchers have now presented this gene and the evolutionary genetic conclusions they have drawn from it.
In catalytic sciences, as in all scientific fields, we face a rapidly increasing volume and complexity of research data, which are a challenge for analysis and reuse. A team has introduced EnzymeML as a data exchange format. EnzyemML serves as a format to comprehensively report the results of an enzymatic experiment and stores the data in a structured way and makes it traceable and reusable.
Communities of microbes that work together release more carbon dioxide than competitive communities, contributing more to climate change.
In a new approach to security that unites technology and art, E researchers have combined silver nanostructures with polarized light to yield a range of brilliant colors, which can be used to encode messages.
In a new study, researchers discovered an unknown mechanism of how cells 'remember' their identity when they divide -- the cells' so-called epigenetic memory.
Researchers show how stimulating dendritic cells through certain pathways produces strong T cell activity against tumors and works in conjunction with immune checkpoint inhibitors to produce even stronger responses. The article also shares promising early results from a phase 1 clinical study of an oncolytic virus (MEM-288) that activates these pathways in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
New research proposes a funding model for a major rehabilitation of the 27 locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi. It relies on a collective investment from all -- or at least most -- of the shippers, along with government funding. The researcher's model shows the public-private partnership would pay off in the long run.
A study expands the list of known genes with circadian variation and provides the first comprehensive list of genes with seasonal variation in each tissue. Tissues in the thoracic cavity, such as the lung and heart, were most sensitive to day-night cycles, while the brain and testes were most sensitive to seasonal changes. The researchers identified 91 day-night genes and 307 seasonal genes that are known-targets for drugs, including 11 chemotherapies. The drugs could benefit from being administered in a time or season-dependent manner.
A new study has identified a marker in the brain that controls the ability to reach and grasp, a fundamental fine motor skill that is often impaired in motor or neural injuries such as a stroke.
Scientists have solved the 3D structure of a protein in cilia, an organelle important to many diseases at nearly ten times the resolution of previous efforts.
The idea that forest trees can 'talk' to each other, share resources with their seedlings -- and even protect them -- through a connective underground web of delicate fungal filaments tickles the imagination. The concept is so intriguing, it's taken root in popular media -- even being raised in the popular Apple TV show Ted Lasso -- and been dubbed the 'wood-wide web,' but the science behind those ideas is unproven, cautions an expert.
Engineers have developed an ingestible sensor whose location can be monitored as it moves through the digestive tract, an advance that could help doctors more easily diagnose gastrointestinal motility disorders such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and gastroparesis.
Aetosaurs had a small head and a crocodile-like body. The land dwellers were up to six meters long and widely distributed geographically. They died out about 204 million years ago, at the end of the Triassic. In Germany, an assemblage of 24 Aetosaurus ferratus individuals, only between 20 and 82 centimeters long, was discovered in 1877. Since then, scientists have been puzzling over whether they were juveniles or small adults. A team has now solved the mystery: Bone examination of two specimens shows that they are juveniles.
Odds are, you know someone who has been ghosted. And according to a new study, it can be a haunting experience. A recent study found nearly two-thirds of participants have ghosted -- ended a relationship by ignoring the other person, without offering a clear explanation -- and have been ghosted.
An ancient human foraging instinct, fueled by fructose production in the brain, may hold clues to the development and possible treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
The atomic structure of solid substances can often be analysed quickly, easily and very precisely using X-rays. However, this requires that crystals of the corresponding substances exist. Chemists are developing methods to make this possible even for very small crystals that cannot be seen with the naked eye. These include phosphorus oxide nitrides, which consist of phosphorus, nitrogen and oxygen and do not occur in nature. Unusual properties are attributed to this novel class of compounds, which have been difficult to access until now, because of their unusual structures.
New research illuminates the mechanisms at work that prevent the p53 gene from triggering effective cancer cell death.
Orange, starchy sweet potatoes are great mashed, cut into fries or just roasted whole. But you likely haven't considered grinding them into a flour and baking them into your next batch of cookies -- or at least, not yet! Recent research has reported the best method to turn sweet potatoes into gluten-free flours that are packed with antioxidants and perfect for thickening or baking.
Children as young as 4 years old show evidence of a network in the brain found in adults that tackles difficult cognitive problems, a new study found.
Researchers have used an innovative new strategy combining nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and a quantum modeling theory to describe the microscopic structure of Kagome superconductor RbV3Sb5 at 103 degrees Kelvin, which is equivalent to about 275 degrees below 0 degrees Fahrenheit.
Researchers from the University of Rochester and the University of Colorado Boulder used experiments and zircon chemistry to build more accurate computer models of fluids that act as pathways from inner Earth to Earth's surface. The models allow researchers to simulate what metals may have been transported to Earth's surface when life first emerged, about four billion years ago. The research has important implications not only for discovering the origins of life but also in the search for life on other planets.
Computer software can predict what happens to complex gene networks when individual genes are missing or dialed up more than usual. Mapping the roles of single genes in these networks is key to understanding healthy development and finding ways to regrow damaged cells and tissues. Understanding genetic errors could provide insight into birth defects, miscarriage or even cancer.
Biomedical engineers present a robust new method for accurately measuring and identifying eight antidepressants most commonly prescribed to women.
Researchers are using emerging technology to demonstrate a process that will enable more immersive and realistic virtual and augmented reality displays with the world's smallest and thinnest micro-LEDs.
Hydrothermal vents have been identified as a previously undiscovered source of dissolved black carbon in the oceans, furthering the understanding of the role of oceans as a carbon sink.
Researchers have found that the movement of glaciers in Greenland is more complex than previously thought, with deformation in regions of warmer ice containing small amounts of water accounting for motion that had often been assumed to be caused by sliding where the ice meets the bedrock beneath.
In a study of nearly 3,000 schoolchildren, silver diamine fluoride -- a liquid that is brushed onto the surface of teeth to prevent cavities or keep them from worsening -- was as effective against cavities as dental sealants, the standard of care. A single dose of either topical treatment given in elementary schools prevented roughly 80% of cavities and kept 50% of cavities from worsening when children were seen two years later.
Scientists have demonstrated that personalizing CAR-T cell stimulation during manufacturing can significantly enhance the consistency and potency of the resulting CAR-T cell products. By using artificial antigen-presenting cell mimicking scaffolds (APC-ms), the team was able to fine-tune the levels of T cell stimulation to match the phenotype of T cells obtained from leukemia patients, and significantly enhanced their ex vivo and in vivo tumor-clearing abilities.
Regulatory T cells ensure that immune responses happen in a controlled way. But eating too much salt weakens these cells' energy supply, thus rendering them dysfunctional for a while. This may have implications for autoimmunity.
Goffin's cockatoos have been added to the short list of non-human animals that use and transport toolsets. Researchers show that the cockatoos carry multiple tools to their worksite when the job calls for it. This behavior has only been previously reported in chimpanzees, our closest relatives.
There is currently less sea ice in the Antarctic than at any time in the forty years since the beginning of satellite observation: in early February 2023, only 2.20 million square kilometers of the Southern Ocean were covered with sea ice.
Researchers have discovered the active compound from an edible mushroom that boosts nerve growth and enhances memory.
Over 600 CTE cases have been published in the literature from multiple international research groups. And of those over 600 cases, 97 percent have confirmed exposure to RHI, primarily through contact and collision sports. CTE has been diagnosed in amateur and professional athletes, including athletes from American, Canadian, and Australian football, rugby union, rugby league, soccer, ice hockey, bull-riding, wrestling, mixed-martial arts, and boxing.
A team of scientists has discovered a new abiotic pathway for the formation of peptide chains from amino acids -- a key chemical step in the origin of life. The current study provides strong evidence that this crucial step for the emergence of life can indeed occur even in the very inhospitable conditions of space.
Monkeyflowers glow in a rich assortment of colors, from yellow to pink to deep red-orange. But about 5 million years ago, some of them lost their yellow. Botanists now explain what happened genetically to jettison the yellow pigment, and the implications for the evolution of species.
Humans are artificially expanding cities' coastlines by extending industrial ports and creating luxury residential waterfronts. Developers have added over 2,350 square kilometers of land (900 square miles, or about 40 Manhattans) to coastlines in major cities since 2000, according to a new study. The study reports the first global assessment of coastal land reclamation, which is the process of building new land or filling in coastal water bodies, including wetlands, to expand a coastline. The researchers used satellite imagery to analyze land changes in 135 cities with populations of at least 1 million, 106 of which have done some coastline expansion.
About 250 million years ago, the Permian-Triassic mass extinction killed over 80 per cent of the planet's species. In the aftermath, scientists believe that life on earth was dominated by simple species for up to 10 million years before more complex ecosystems could evolve. Now this longstanding theory is being challenged by a team of international researchers.
A new system represents the first time that the capabilities of conventional beam-scanning lidar systems have been combined with those of a newer 3D approach known as flash lidar. The nonmechanical 3D lidar system is compact enough to fit in the palm of the hand and solves issues of detecting and tracking poorly reflective objects.
A large international study has identified 27 loci in the human genome with genetic variants that increase the risk of ADHD. This is more than twice as many as previous studies have found.
In a first of its kind randomized controlled trial an international team of researchers shows that caloric restriction can slow the pace of aging in healthy adults. The CALERIE™ intervention slowed pace of aging measured from participants' blood DNA methylation using the algorithm DunedinPACE (Pace of Aging, Computed from the Epigenome). The intervention effect on DunedinPACE represented a 2-3 percent slowing in the pace of aging, which in other studies translates to a 10-15 percent reduction in mortality risk, an effect similar to a smoking cessation intervention.
Researchers have calculated the carbon footprint for the full life cycle of fertilisers, which are responsible for approximately five percent of total greenhouse gas emissions -- the first time this has been accurately quantified -- and found that carbon emissions could be reduced to one-fifth of current levels by 2050.
Microexons, tiny fragments of genes that are just 3-27 nucleotides long, are known to play a 'tiny but mighty' role in neuronal cells. Through RNA splicing, microexons sculpt the surfaces of proteins in a highly precise manner, performing microsurgery on the nervous system's proteins. According to a new study, microexons are also crucial for pancreatic function and regulating blood glucose levels. The microexons are located on more than a hundred genes, including some critical for insulin secretion and type-2 diabetes risk. The researchers believe the discovery could lead to new high-precision treatments for type-2 diabetes, for example by repurposing existing treatments that already exploit RNA splicing mechanisms to treat other types of diseases.
Engineers report progress toward lithium-metal batteries that charge fast -- as fast as an hour. This fast charging is thanks to lithium metal crystals that can be seeded and grown -- quickly and uniformly -- on a surprising surface. The trick is to use a crystal growing surface that lithium officially doesn't 'like.' From these seed crystals grow dense layers of uniform lithium metal. Uniform layers of lithium metal are of great interest to battery researchers because they lack battery-performance-degrading spikes called dendrites.
Researchers have developed a special type of amplifier that uses a technique known as squeezing to amplify quantum signals by a factor of 100 while reducing the noise that is inherent in quantum systems by an order of magnitude. Their device is the first to demonstrate squeezing over a broad frequency bandwidth of 1.75 gigahertz, nearly two orders of magnitude higher than other architectures.
Since their discovery by NASA's Voyager mission in the 1980s, temporary 'spoke' features across Saturn's rings have fascinated scientists, yet eluded explanation. They have been observed in the years preceding and following the planet's equinox, becoming more prominent as the date approaches. Saturn's upcoming autumnal equinox of the northern hemisphere on May 6, 2025, means that spoke season has come again. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope will be on the job studying the spokes, thanks to time dedicated to Saturn in the mission's ongoing Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program. Are the smudgy features related to Saturn's magnetic field and its interaction with the solar wind, as prevailing theory suggests? Confirmation could come in this spoke season, as scientists combine archival data from NASA's Cassini mission with new Hubble observations.
Bioengineers and experts in tropical medicine have invented a new way of studying mosquito feeding behavior using technology instead of live volunteers. Their open-source design combines automated cameras, artificial intelligence and blood-infused, 3D-printed 'synthetic skin.'
Through DNA analyses, researchers have identified that there are still juvenile coastal cod off the west coast of Sweden. However, it is still difficult to find any mature adult cod in the area.
The body reacts differently to online than to face-to-face teaching. Researchers show just what is required of digital formats in order to compete with face-to-face formats.
New artificial intelligence technology being developed by engineers could significantly cut down on the time and cost that goes into film study for Super Bowl-bound teams (and all NFL and college football teams), while also enhancing game strategy by harnessing the power of big data.
In certain Lake Tanganyika cichlids breeding in empty snail shells, there are two extreme sizes of males: giants and dwarfs. Researchers have analyzed the genomes of these fish and found out how the peculiar sizes of males and females evolved in conjunction with the genetic sex determination mechanism.
Researchers have unlocked one of the secrets as to why some forms of Strep A are associated with severe invasive infection.
The endangered Bahama Warbler may be surviving on just one island following Hurricane Dorian's devastation in 2019, according to researchers. A new study shows the bird's distribution and ecology on Grand Bahama before the hurricane struck. But the team says that the warbler may now only survive on neighboring Abaco island, after hurricane Dorian destroyed the bird's forest habitat on Grand Bahama. The research comes from the same team that found what is thought to have been the last living Bahama Nuthatch, previously thought to have been extinct.
Cornell University researchers have unearthed precise, microscopic clues to where magma is stored, offering a way to better assess the risk of volcanic eruptions.
Simple solutions, such as not leaving out food at night, could help to protect non-human primates in Sub-Saharan Africa -- some of which are already struggling because of threats like climate change and habitat loss.
A study has demonstrated that pet dogs could be trained to sniff out chronic wasting disease, a deadly ailment that affects deer. The proof-of-concept investigation suggests detection dogs could be an asset in the effort to identify, contain, and manage the highly contagious disease.
When it comes to fighting off invaders, bacteria operate in a remarkably similar way to human cells, possessing the same core machinery required to switch immune pathways on and off, according to new research.
Ongoing climate change driven by greenhouse gas emissions is often discussed in terms of global average warming. For example, the landmark Paris Agreement seeks to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C, relative to pre-industrial levels. However, the extent of future warming will not be the same throughout the planet. One of the clearest regional differences in climate change is the faster warming over land than sea. This 'terrestrial amplification' of future warming has real-world implications for understanding and dealing with climate change.
With a big assist from artificial intelligence and a heavy dose of human touch, a lab made a discovery that dramatically speeds up the time-consuming chemical process of building molecules that will be tomorrow's medicines, agrichemicals or materials.
Malfunction of cellular condensates is a disease mechanism relevant for congenital malformations, common diseases, and cancer, new research suggests.
Some defects can be good. A new study shows that laser-induced defects in lithium-ion battery materials improve the performance of the battery.
Common approaches to analyze DNA from a community of microbes, called a microbiome, can yield erroneous results, in large part due to the incomplete databases used to identify microbial DNA sequences, according to a new study.
The risk factors linked to cognitive decline in older adults explain a surprisingly modest amount about the large variation in mental abilities between older people, according to a new national study.
Dust launched from the moon's surface or from a space station positioned between Earth and the sun could reduce enough solar radiation to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Researchers have investigated in detail how BPTA syndrome, an extremely rare hereditary condition, arises. A change in the charge of a protein disrupts cellular self-organization, resulting in a developmental disorder. The team also identified hundreds of comparable genetic changes associated with various conditions, such as brain development disorders and predisposition to cancer. This mechanism could be the cause of numerous unexplained diseases and health conditions.
A research team has demonstrated the use of a novel control method in an aircraft with no tail. The technology allows an aircraft to be as smooth and sleek as possible, making it safer to fly in dangerous areas where radar scans the sky for sharp edges. While conventional aircraft rely on protruding fins to enable steering, a tailless design is controlled by active air flow -- in which jets of air are blown onto different surfaces of the aircraft body, corresponding to which direction the aircraft is moving. This technology could be employed to make commercial airplanes more fuel-efficient by removing existing steering parts that create a lot of drag.
Hydrogen fuel could be a more viable alternative to traditional fossil fuels, according to University of Surrey researchers who have found that a type of metal-free catalysts could contribute to the development of cost-effective and sustainable hydrogen production technologies.
Scientists have discovered a new ring system around a dwarf planet on the edge of the Solar System. The ring system orbits much further out than is typical for other ring systems, calling into question current theories of how ring systems are formed.
Astronomers have uncovered striking new evidence for a mass migration of stars into the Andromeda Galaxy. Intricate patterns in the motions of stars reveal an immigration history very similar to that of the Milky Way.
Caribou have been using the same Arctic calving grounds for more than 3,000 years. Female caribou shed their antlers within days of giving birth, leaving behind a record of their annual travels across Alaska and Canada's Yukon that persists on the cold tundra for hundreds or even thousands of years. Researchers recovered antlers that have sat undisturbed on the arctic tundra since the Bronze Age.
It's not unusual for parents and especially mothers to sacrifice their own future success for the sake of their offspring. Now a new study shows that killer whale mothers take this to a surprising extreme. They sacrifice their own reproductive success to care for their sons, even after those sons are full-fledged adults.
How do you build complex structures for housing cells using a material as soft as jelly? Researchers have the answer with a new 3D-printing ink.
New Zealand is one of only a few island nations that could continue to produce enough food to feed its population in a nuclear winter, researchers have found.
A synthetic biosensor that mimics properties found in cell membranes and provides an electronic readout of activity could lead to a better understanding of cell biology, development of new drugs, and the creation of sensory organs on a chip capable of detecting chemicals, similar to how noses and tongues work.
Despite old fears that bad effects follow excessive video game playing or questionable game choices, researchers found those factors mattered little, if any, in children's brain health. The bad news? Video games assumed to be effective learning tools showed no meaningful effects, either.
Around 100 million years ago, a group of land-dwelling turtles took to the oceans, eventually evolving into the sea turtles that we know today. However, the genetic foundations that have enabled them to thrive in oceans throughout the world have remained largely unknown.
New global modelling predicts the devastating socioeconomic impacts of future extreme coastal flooding for developing nations caused by climate change, with Asia, West Africa and Egypt facing severe costs in the coming decades.
Engineers have developed artificial intelligence (AI) technology to predict if women with breast cancer would benefit from chemotherapy prior to surgery.
FRIDA, a robotic arm with a paintbrush taped to it, uses artificial intelligence to collaborate with humans on works of art. Ask FRIDA to paint a picture, and it gets to work putting brush to canvas. The robot uses AI models similar to those powering tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT and DALL-E 2, which generate text or an image, respectively, in response to a prompt. FRIDA simulates how it would paint an image with brush strokes and uses machine learning to evaluate its progress as it works. FRIDA's final products are impressionistic and whimsical. The brushstrokes are bold. They lack the precision sought so often in robotic endeavors. If FRIDA makes a mistake, it riffs on it, incorporating the errant splotch of paint into the end result.
Researchers have explained how large language models like GPT-3 are able to learn new tasks without updating their parameters, despite not being trained to perform those tasks. They found that these large language models write smaller linear models inside their hidden layers, which the large models can train to complete a new task using simple learning algorithms.
The discovery of an 80-million-year-old fossil plant pushes back the known origins of lamiids to the Cretaceous, extending the record of nearly 40,000 species of flowering plants including modern-day staple crops like coffee, tomatoes, potatoes and mint.
Winter is coming to an end; the last nights of below zero temperatures are here. In the morning, one still spots the occasional icicle on a gutter or car bumper. When you look at these icicles carefully, you may notice that they show a characteristic pattern of ripples -- always around one centimetre wide. What causes these ripples? Using an icicle machine of their own design, physicists and chemists investigated this question, and discovered that salt plays an important part in the formation process of the ripples.
Characterized by antisocial behaviors and low academic achievement, conduct disorder (CD) impacts an estimated 9.5% of individuals in the United States. Childhood maltreatment is a major risk factor for CD. Past CD studies have identified structural alterations in various brain regions, such as those implicated in emotion processing, learning, and social cognition. A new study has now assessed whether youths with CD who experienced childhood maltreatment differ at the brain level from those with CD without a history of maltreatment.
Researchers have developed a new technique that can help create high-quality, accurate 3D models of large-scale landscapes -- essentially, digital replicas of the real world. The framework reconstructs the geometry, structure and appearance of an area using highly detailed images taken by aircraft typically flying higher than 30,000 feet. These large-scale aerial images -- usually more than 200 megapixels each -- are then processed to produce precise 3D models of cityscapes, landscapes or mixed areas. They can model their appearance right down to the structures' colors.
New research reveals that artificial intelligence can be used to find planets outside of our solar system. The recent study demonstrated that machine learning can be used to find exoplanets, information that could reshape how scientists detect and identify new planets very far from Earth.
Can a pigeon match wits with artificial intelligence? Researchers tested pigeons' learning abilities and concluded the birds employ the same basic process, called associative learning, as the most advanced AI technologies.
Fifteen million people around the world are at risk from flooding caused by glacial lakes, with just four countries -- India, Pakistan, China and Peru -- accounting for more than half of those exposed.
In 2015, when NASA's New Horizons spacecraft encountered the Pluto-Charon system, scientists discovered interesting, geologically active objects instead of the inert icy orbs previously envisioned. Scientists have revisited the data to explore the source of cryovolcanic flows and an obvious belt of fractures on Pluto's large moon Charon. These new models suggest that when the moon's internal ocean froze, it may have formed the deep, elongated depressions along its girth but was less likely to lead to cryovolcanoes erupting with ice, water and other materials in its northern hemisphere.
The teeming life in the Southern Ocean, which encircles Antarctica, contributes to brightening the clouds that form there, according to a new study. The clouds are bright because of their high density of water droplets, due in turn to a chain of atmospheric processes that eventually connects back to the Southern Ocean's extraordinary phytoplankton productivity.
A large study looking at the effects of fertility treatment has found no robust difference in blood pressure, heart rate, lipids, and glucose measurements between children conceived naturally and those conceived using assisted reproductive technologies (ART).
In the course of five years, citizens who went on sailing cruises to the Arctic surveyed and collected plastic debris that had washed up on the shores of Svalbard. This has now been analyzed. According to the findings, one third of the plastic debris which still bore imprints or labels allowing an analysis of their origin came from Europe, and much of that number from Germany.
UC Riverside researchers have identified tiny organisms that not only survive but thrive during the first year after a wildfire. The findings could help bring land back to life after fires that are increasing in both size and severity.
A new sodium battery technology shows promise for helping integrate renewable energy into the electric grid. The battery uses Earth-abundant raw materials such as aluminum and sodium.
Researchers have pinpointed two intervals when ice and ocean conditions would have been favorable to support early human migration from Asia to North America late in the last ice age, a new paper shows.
Researchers developed a new approach to building deformable underwater robots, using simple repeating substructures. The team demonstrated the new system in two different example configurations, one like an eel and the other a wing-like hydrofoil.
Young blood may be an elixir for older bodies, rejuvenating aging hearts, muscles, and brains. But how can old blood become young again? Stem cell scientists may have found a way.
New research shows that degraded savanna ecosystems can reap lasting benefits from a single seeding of native understory plants. Once a diverse understory of savanna plants became established, its long-term persistence was relatively unaffected by environmental factors -- with one exception. Higher temperatures during the height of the growing season were associated with poorer long-term survival among some species, indicating one threat posed by a warming climate.
A new examination of ancient and current species of reptiles conducted by paleobiologists reveals the serious impact of the disappearance of even a few species of reptiles in some island areas. The study has startling conclusions about how, on smaller islands in the Caribbean where human impact was greatest, extinctions have led to the loss of up to two-thirds of the supports for the ecosystem that native reptile species once provided there.
In five different types of cancers, researchers found that tumors were successful at proliferating on low-energy budgets in part because they neglect normal tissue functions that healthy organs carry out for the benefit of the body as a whole. The discovery has vast implications for anti-cancer strategies because it directs our attention to slow energy metabolism.
The human brain prepares skilled movements such as playing the piano, competing in athletics, or dancing by 'zipping and unzipping' information about the timing and order of movements ahead of the action being performed, a new study reveals.
While testing how well commercial bumblebees pollinate early spring crops, researchers made a surprising discovery: dead wild bumblebee queens in the hives, an average of 10 per nest box.
For the first time, researchers mapped the metabolic mechanisms in a Comamonas bacterium that digests chemicals from plastic and plant waste. This new information could potentially lead to novel biotechnology platforms that harness the bacteria to help recycle plastic waste.
Women who followed most aspects of a healthy lifestyle, including healthy body weight, not smoking, regular exercise, adequate sleep, high quality diet, and moderate alcohol consumption, had about half the risk of long COVID compared with women without any healthy lifestyle factors, according to a new study.
The number of unprovoked shark attacks worldwide decreased last year, tying with 2020 for the fewest number of reported incidents in the last 10 years. There were a total of 57 unprovoked bites in 2022, most of which occurred in the United States and Australia. Of these, five attacks were fatal, down from nine deaths in 2021 and 10 the year prior.
The UK's laundry releases microfibers weighing the equivalent of up to 1,500 double-decker buses in microfibers every year, according to new research.
Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope's first images of galaxy clusters, researchers have, for the very first time, been able to examine very compact structures of star clusters inside galaxies, so-called clumps.
Performing human-like motions that involve multiple contacts is challenging for robots. In this regard, a researcher has envisioned an interactive cyber-physical human (iCPH) platform with complementary humanoid (physical twin) and simulation (digital twin) elements. iCPH combines human measurement data, musculoskeletal analysis, and machine learning for data collection and augmentation. As a result, iCPH can understand, predict, and synthesize whole-body contact motions.
Roughly 500 million light-years away, near the constellation Delphinus, two galaxies are colliding. Known as merging galaxy IIZw096, the luminous phenomenon is obscured by cosmic dust, but researchers first identified a bright, energetic source of light 12 years ago. Now, with a more advanced telescope, the team has pinpointed the precise location of what they have dubbed the 'engine' of the merging galaxy.
Researchers have expanded the synthetic toolkit for preparing valuable chemical precursors from renewable feedstocks. They used microwave irradiation to dramatically improve the selectivity of the formose reaction, forming a simple six- and seven-carbon mixture that can be readily purified. These findings will help the chemicals industry minimize the use of fossil resources and improve the sustainability of manufacturing processes.
Researchers discovered a new species of frog in Africa that has an unusual trait: it's completely silent. The Ukaguru spiny-throated reed frog does not croak, sing or ribbit. Found in Tanzania's Ukaguru Mountains for which it is named, Hyperolius ukaguruensis is among the few frogs around the world that do not vocalize to other frogs.
Rocks, rain and carbon dioxide help control Earth's climate over thousands of years -- like a thermostat -- through a process called weathering. A new study may improve our understanding of how this thermostat responds as temperatures change.
Humans continue to amplify global warming by emitting billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. A new study reveals that an ocean animal called a salp plays an outsize role in damping the impacts of this greenhouse gas by pumping large amounts of carbon from the ocean surface to the deep sea, where it contributes nothing to current warming.
Snakes and mice don't look alike. But much of what we know about skin coloration and patterning in vertebrates generally, including in snakes, is based on lab mice. However, there are limits to what mice can tell us about other vertebrates because they don't share all of the same types of color-producing cells, known as chromatophores. To gain a better understanding of the genetic basis of colouration in vertebrates, a research team combined a range of techniques (whole gene sequencing, gene-editing, and electron microscopy) to look more closely at color variations and patterning in the skin shed by ball pythons bred in captivity. They were able to identify a particular gene that plays a crucial role in reptile pigmentation generally and more specifically in a classic colour variant found across vertebrates and distinguished by blotches of white, the piebald.
How long people live is less predictable and life expectancy for young people can be as much as 14 years shorter in violent countries, compared to peaceful countries, according to a new study. It reveals a direct link between the uncertainty of living in a violent setting, even for those not directly involved in the violence, and a 'double burden' of shorter and less predictable lives.
New research has revealed that the process of 'peopling' the entire continent of Sahul -- the combined mega continent that joined Australia with New Guinea when sea levels were much lower than today -- took 10,000 years. Sophisticated models show the scale of the challenges faced by the ancestors of Indigenous people making their mass migration across the supercontinent more than 60,000 years ago. This pattern led to a rapid expansion both southward toward the Great Australian Bight, and northward from the Kimberley region to settle all parts of New Guinea and, later, the southwest and southeast of Australia.
There is a correlation between traffic noise and risk of developing tinnitus, researchers have found. They point to a vicious cycle involving stress reactions and sleep disturbance as a potential cause. If you live near a busy road, it may increase your stress levels and affect your sleep. When we are under stress and sleep poorly, we may be at a higher risk of developing tinnitus.
A new study tracked what happens in the brains of rats in real time in the brain when presented with glucose, a type of sugar, labeled with a tracer. The tracer allowed the researchers to measure this new sugar in the brain.
Scientists have discovered a new form of ice that more closely resembles liquid water than any other and may hold the key to understanding this most famous of liquids.
A team of researchers have now begun to document the actual impact of electric vehicle adoption in the first study to use real-world data to link electric cars, air pollution and health. Leveraging publicly available datasets, the researchers analyzed a 'natural experiment' occurring in California as residents in the state rapidly transitioned to electric cars, or light-duty zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs). The team compared data on total ZEV registration, air pollution levels and asthma-related emergency room visits across the state between 2013 to 2019. As ZEV adoption increased within a given zip code, local air pollution levels and emergency room visits dropped.
Around 12,000 years ago, the Neolithic revolution radically changed the economy, diet and structure of the first human societies in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East. With the beginning of the cultivation of cereals -- such as wheat and barley -- and the domestication of animals, the first cities emerged in a new social context marked by a productive economy. Now, a study analyses the evolution of wheat spikes since its cultivation began by the inhabitants of ancient Mesopotamia -- the cradle of agriculture -- between the Tigris and the Euphrates.
Study shows just one quality conversation with a friend during the day makes you happier and less stressed by day's end.
Astronomers have directly measured the mass of a single, isolated white dwarf -- the surviving core of a burned-out, Sun-like star. Researchers found that the white dwarf is 56 percent the mass of our Sun. This agrees with earlier theoretical predictions of the white dwarf's mass and corroborates current theories of how white dwarfs evolve as the end product of a typical star's evolution. The unique observation yields insights into theories of the structure and composition of white dwarfs.
Researchers show that brain organoids -- clumps of lab-grown neurons -- can integrate with rat brains and respond to visual stimulation like flashing lights.
Researchers found that alterations in the gut microbiome that are linked to graft-versus-host disease severity are connected to an increase in oxygen levels in the intestine that follows immune-mediated intestinal damage. Pharmacologically reducing intestinal oxygen levels alleviated the microbial imbalance and reduced the severity of the condition in animal models.
First detailed mapping and modeling of thalamus inputs onto visual cortex neurons show brain leverages 'wisdom of the crowd' to process sensory information.
Researchers have theorized a new mechanism to generate high-energy 'quantum light', which could be used to investigate new properties of matter at the atomic scale.
Not only humans are social, ants are too. Group members are taking care of sick ones by providing collective hygiene measures. This presents germs with a task. They must circumvent the immunity of an individual ant and avoid the group's healthcare. A new study reveals that germs develop a sneaky way to escape the ant colony's defense systems by reducing their detection cues.
New research reveals that decals intended to reduce incidents of bird window strikes -- one of the largest human-made causes of bird mortality -- are only effective if decals are placed on the outside of the window. Researchers found that the patterns on the films and decals placed on the internal surface of windows do not reduce collision because they may not be sufficiently visible to birds.
A new microscopic technique allows for the real-time study of RNA G-quadruplexes in living cells, with implications for the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Potentially life-saving steroids commonly given to preterm babies also increase the risk of long-term cardiovascular problems, but a new study in rats has found that if given in conjunction with statins, their positive effects remain while the potential negative side-effects are 'weeded out'.
Scientists have analyzed data from Mexico's Ministry of Health to identify dengue fever hotspots. Working with epidemiologists at the University of North Texas and Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, the team calculated environmental and socioeconomic risk factors and mapped areas where severe outbreaks occur.
A research team examined what happens to mountain snowpacks when sunny, midwinter dry spells occur in forests impacted by severe wildfire.
New research has found some antidepressants may be effective in treating certain chronic pain conditions, but others lack convincing evidence on their effectiveness.
Scientists have found the secret behind a property of solid materials known as ferroelectrics, showing that quasiparticles moving in wave-like patterns among vibrating atoms carry enough heat to turn the material into a thermal switch when an electrical field is applied externally.
While residents in California are still dealing with damage from last month's floods -- after years of devastating droughts -- engineers are looking at better ways to manage the delivery of safe drinking water to homes. Things to consider include a changing climate, costs and sustainability.
A pair of researchers reports the success of their new, at-home method for early diagnosis and monitoring of lupus nephritis. or inflammation of the kidneys, one of the most severe complications for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, known as lupus.
People with a higher cumulative estrogen exposure throughout their life may have a lower risk of stroke, according to a new study. The lower risk was found for both ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage.
A researcher is one step closer to demonstrating the potential of a brain molecule called fractalkine to halt and even reverse the effects of multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases. Researchers injected fractalkine into mice with chemically induced MS. They found the treatment increased the number of new oligodendrocytes -- vital brain and spinal cord cells that produce myelin in both embryonic and adult brains -- which are damaged during the MS autoimmune attack.
Recent advances in newborn heart surgery have greatly reduced brain injuries in infants with congenital heart disease, according to a 20-year study.
In the search for new forces and interactions beyond the Standard Model, an international team of researchers has now taken a good step forward. The researchers are using an amplification technique based on nuclear magnetic resonance. They use their experimental setup to study a particular exotic interaction between spins: a parity-violating interaction mediated by a new hypothetical exchange particle, called a Z' boson, which exists in addition to the Z boson mediating the weak interaction in the standard Model.
Neuroscientists have compiled extensive interdisciplinary findings from neuroscience, psychology, computer modelling and education on the topic of 'learning' in a recent review article. The results of the interdisciplinary review reveal the mechanisms the brain uses to achieve improved learning outcome by combining multiple senses or movements in learning. This kind of learning outcome applies to a wide variety of domains, such as letter and vocabulary acquisition, reading, mathematics, music, and spatial orientation.
The quail could be the unknown reservoir of the Toscana virus (TOSV) and the Sandfly Fever Sicilian virus (SFSV), mosquito-borne pathogens that can infect domestic animals and also cause disease in humans.
A study found that under more severe climate warming scenarios, the inventory of trees used for timber in the continental United States could decline by as much as 23% by 2100. The largest inventory losses would occur in two of the leading timber regions in the U.S., which are both in the South.
Scientists have identified a previously unknown species of circovirus, provisionally named human circovirus 1 (HCirV-1). Circoviruses are a family of small, highly resistant DNA viruses that were initially identified in 1974 in various animal species, where they can cause respiratory, renal, dermatological and reproductive problems. HCirV-1 is a novel virus that is distant from known animal circoviruses. It was shown to be implicated in damage to the liver of a patient undergoing immunosuppressive treatment.
Insects play crucial roles in almost every ecosystem -- they pollinate more than 80% of plants and are a major source of food for thousands of vertebrate species -- but insect populations are collapsing around the globe, and they continue to be overlooked by conservation efforts. Protected areas can safeguard threatened species but only if these threatened species actually live within the areas we protect. A new study found that 76% of insect species are not adequately covered by protected areas.
The CT-scanned skull of a 319-million-year-old fossilized fish, pulled from a coal mine in England more than a century ago, has revealed the oldest example of a well-preserved vertebrate brain.
MIT physicists have discovered a resonance in colliding ultracold molecules. The findings shed light on the forces that drive molecules to chemically react and suggest scientists could one day harness particles' natural resonances to steer and control certain reactions.
Engineers have developed a new way to make sharper, defect-free displays, which could improve augmented and virtual reality devices. Instead of replacing red, green, and blue light-emitting diodes side by side in a horizontal patchwork, the team stacks the diodes to create vertical, multicolored pixels.
Changing how tightly an antibody binds to a target could improve treatments for cancer.
Astronomers using data from the SMARTS 1.5-meter Telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), have made the first confirmed detection of a star system that will one day form a kilonova -- the ultra-powerful, gold-producing explosion created by merging neutron stars. These systems are so phenomenally rare that only about 10 such systems are thought to exist in the entire Milky Way.
Scientists have discovered a new way to investigate the structure of protons using neutrinos, known as 'ghost particles.'
What happened shortly after the universe was born in the Big Bang and began to expand? Bubbles occurred and a previously unknown phase transition happened, according to particle physicists.
Smart voice assistants are a popular way for people to get quick answers or play their favorite music. That same technology could make the laboratory safer for scientists and technicians who handle potentially infectious samples. Researchers now report a small, voice-activated device that can extract and pretreat bacterial DNA, helping protect those on the front lines of disease outbreaks. The system could also help scientists with disabilities conduct studies more easily.
Computer scientists recently announced a new, predictive model that is capable of accurately forecasting where a migratory bird will go next -- one of the most difficult tasks in biology. The model is called BirdFlow, and while it is still being perfected, it should be available to scientists within the year and will eventually make its way to the general public.
New developments for achieving structural coloring through plasma irradiation of graphite can reduce the reliance upon harmful color dyes. Colors achieved by plasma irradiation are completely erasable and can be manipulated using time exposed to the plasma irradiation, intensity of the irradiation and the thickness of the graphite layer applied. The application of plasma-structural coloring aims to lessen the environmental toll typical adverse dyes have and combat them with the technology surrounding structural colors.
Most cancer diagnostic techniques rely on uncomfortable and invasive procedures, such as biopsies, endoscopies or mammograms. Blood samples could be a less unpleasant option, though only a few forms of the disease can currently be diagnosed this way. But now, researchers have developed an easy-to-use method that can detect small amounts of cancer-related molecules in exosomes in plasma and effectively distinguish between malignant and benign samples.
Researchers have developed and repeatedly tested a procedure that captures more information from eyewitnesses and improves the accuracy of lineups in police investigations.
Researchers have successfully split seawater without pre-treatment to produce green hydrogen.
A genomic study of a sustained, multidrug-resistant Shigellosis outbreak in Seattle from 2017 to 2022 enabled scientists to retrace its origin and spread. Additional analysis of the gut pathogen and its transmission patterns helped direct approaches to testing, treatment, and public health responses. The aim of the study was to better understand the community transmission and spread of antimicrobial resistance and to treat these multi-drug resistant infections more effectively.
A new antimicrobial suture material that glows in medical imaging could provide a promising alternative for mesh implants and internal stitches.
A research group has developed a new learning method for artificial intelligence that combines classification performance for data with multiple labels with the ability to learn continually from data. Numerical experiments on real-world multi-label data indicate that the new method outperforms conventional approaches. The simplicity of this algorithm makes it easy to integrate it with other algorithms to devise new ones.
A new study found people hospitalized for sepsis or who developed it while hospitalized were at an elevated risk for heart failure or rehospitalization within 12 years.
New research suggests nitrogen released by gas-powered machines causes dry soil to let go of carbon and release it back into the atmosphere, where it can contribute to climate change.
Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is currently not plausible, as is shown in a new, central study. Climate policy, protests, and the Ukraine crisis: the participating researchers systematically assessed to what extent social changes are already underway -- while also analyzing certain physical processes frequently discussed as tipping points. Their conclusion: social change is essential to meeting the temperature goals set in Paris. But what has been achieved to date is insufficient.
China's stricter clean heating policies have improved air quality in northern China, particularly in Beijing and surrounding cities -- potentially reducing 23,000 premature deaths due to air pollution in 2021 than in 2015, a new study reveals.
Over four percent of deaths in cities during the summer months are due to urban heat islands, and one third of these deaths could be prevented by reaching a tree cover of 30%, according to a modelling study. The study results, obtained with data from 93 European cities, highlight the substantial benefits of planting more trees in cities to attenuate the impact of climate change.
A new psychology study finds that if people are asked to reflect on their life values before engaging in discussions, debates are more convivial and harmonious.
A new study found that small amounts of silver nanoparticles combined with a low dose of a common antibiotic inhibited the growth of resistant bacteria.
An ultrathin protective coating proves sufficient to protect a perovskite solar cell from the harmful effects of space and harden it against environmental factors on Earth, according to newly published research.
Combating Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases by inserting healthy new immune cells into the brain has taken a leap toward reality. Neuroscientists have found a way to safely thwart the brain's resistance to them, vaulting a key hurdle in the quest.
A new study reveals that having a sense of purpose in daily life can influence college students' decisions on day-to-day alcohol consumption.
A team of researchers has developed a computational pipeline to identify and better understand viroids and viroid-like covalently closed circular RNAs (cccRNAs, also referred to as, simply, circular RNAs).
Bioengineers have developed a way to grow engineered skin in three-dimensional shapes, including a seamless 'glove' of skin that could be slipped onto a severely burned hand.
A new study finds that raised temperatures cause a pathogenic fungus known as Cryptococcus deneoformans to turn its adaptive responses into overdrive. Heat increases its number of genetic changes, some of which might presumably lead to higher heat resistance, and others perhaps toward greater disease-causing potential.
If scaled up successfully, the team's new system could help answer questions about certain kinds of superconductors and other unusual states of matter.
As deserts expanded their range over the past 5-7 million years, many plants invaded the new biome and rapidly diversified, producing amazing adaptations to drought and heat. Can plants continue to adapt to increasing aridity caused by climate change? A new study that addressed the origins of desert adaptation concluded that one group of desert plants, rock daisies, came preadapted to aridity, likely helping them survive desert conditions. Not all plants may be so lucky.
Populations of various species of aquatic insects and other invertebrates respond to flooding and waterway drying due to drought in different ways that can be anticipated, according to a new study that employed a novel method to assess the stability of stream ecosystems.
In a new study, a research team discovered evidence that browsing by white-tailed deer had relatively little long-term impact on two tree species in a northern forest.
The stubborn superbug Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, may have met its match. A esearcher is reporting the first well-controlled study to demonstrate the effectiveness of a new medicine for patients with the debilitating recurrent infection and disease.
When noninvasive sound waves break apart tumors, they trigger an immune response in mice. By breaking down the cell wall 'cloak,' the treatment exposes cancer cell markers that had previously been hidden from the body's defenses, researchers have shown.
Researchers have developed a sustainable, inexpensive two-step process that can upcycle organic carbon waste -- including lignin, a difficult-to-breakdown material that gives plants their structure. By processing waste through a microbe-driven biorefinery, the researchers turned lignin into carbon sources that could be used in high-value, plant-derived pharmaceuticals and antioxidant nutraceuticals as well as carbon-based nanoparticles for drug or chemical delivery.
A group of scientists have released one of the most precise measurements ever made of how matter is distributed across the universe today.
A new computational framework can predict the structures, properties, and performance of granular hydrogels. The new model could one day make it easier to design the right gel for a particular biomedical application.
A new conceptual framework for incorporating the way plants use carbon and water, or plant dynamics, into fine-scale computer models of wildland fire provides a critical first step toward improved global fire forecasting.
A new vaccine could be the first clinically approved immunization to protect against invasive fungal infections, a growing concern as antifungal drug resistance increases. Fungal infections cause more than 1.5 million deaths worldwide each year and cost billions. They also double hospitalization costs, double the length of hospital stays and double the risk of death in hospitalized patients, according to a previous recent study.
A single protein called Gr8a is expressed in different organs in male and female flies and appears to play an inhibitory role in mating decision-making. The findings point to one of the ways that flies could put up behavioral barriers to protect against mating with the wrong kind of partner.
Women are disproportionately affected by migraine, especially during their reproductive years. However, the relationship between migraine and adverse pregnancy outcomes has not been well understood. A new study analyzed data from thousands of women from the Nurses' Health Study II to assess the relationship between migraine and pregnancy complications.
A recent study of 81 babies between 14 and 19 months old found the same outcome: When these babies watched a video where they were shown pictures of toy cars and toy pigs and listened to someone count out loud prior to the toys being hidden in a box -- similar to an earlier study done in person -- the babies looked longer when the box was lifted and some of the objects disappeared. When there was no out loud counting and just pointing in the video, the babies became distracted and looked away, similar to the same earlier study done in person.
A new way to significantly increase the potency of almost any vaccine has been developed. The scientists used chemistry and nanotechnology to change the structural location of adjuvants and antigens on and within a nanoscale vaccine, greatly increasing vaccine performance in seven different types of cancer. The architecture is critical to vaccine effectiveness, the study shows.
Shining light on a water droplet creates effects analogous to what happens in an atom. This can help us understand how atoms work, write researchers.
Proper sleep is critical for the maintenance of good health, and vice versa -- a healthy lifestyle has been found to improve sleep quality. To better examine the relationship between physical activity and sleep, a team of researchers conducted a comprehensive study among middle-aged Japanese people. By outlining the factors improving sleep quality, this line of research can hopefully help in preventing sleep-related disorders.
A research team has developed a novel chemical tool to reveal how bacteria adapt to the host environment and control host cells. This tool can be used to investigate bacterial interactions with the host in real-time during an infection, which cannot be easily achieved by other methods.
First study to show that delivering information at the natural tempo of our neural pulses accelerates our ability to learn. Participants who got a simple 1.5-second visual cue at their personal brainwave frequency were at least three times faster when it came to improving at a cognitive task. When researchers tested participants again the next day, those who had improved faster were still just as good -- the learning stuck.
Memory loss, behavioural changes, cognitive deficits: Alzheimer's disease leads to a dramatic loss of autonomy for those affected and has a heavy impact on health costs. Its prevention has become a real social challenge. An international task force is setting out guidelines for innovative services to prevent Alzheimer's disease. These will soon be an integral part of second generation memory clinics.
An international research team has developed a new method for the efficient coupling of terahertz waves with much shorter wavelengths, so-called spin waves. Their experiments, in combination with theoretical models, clarify the fundamental mechanisms of this process previously thought impossible. The results are an important step for the development of novel, energy-saving spin-based technologies for data processing.
When it comes to the 'evolution' of mobile robots, it may be a long time before legged robots are able to safely interact in the real world, according to a new study.
Researchers have developed an automated driving system based on the concept of 'collaborative steering', which aims to increase transportation safety, efficiency, and comfort by encouraging active interaction between autonomous vehicles and their human drivers.
New research found that using focused-ultrasound-mediated liquid biopsy in a mouse model released more tau proteins and another biomarker into the blood than without the intervention. This noninvasive method could facilitate diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders, the researchers said.
A research team has announced the results of a study on osteoblasts that damage joint bones in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
When a scientist discovered surprising evidence that Saturn's smallest, innermost moon could generate the right amount of heat to support a liquid internal ocean, colleagues began studying Mimas' surface to understand how its interior may have evolved. Numerical simulations of the moon's Herschel impact basin, the most striking feature on its heavily cratered surface, determined that the basin's structure and the lack of tectonics on Mimas are compatible with a thinning ice shell and geologically young ocean.
Predominant stereotypes about eating disorders suggest that it is a condition mainly associated with girls from wealthy backgrounds. However, a new study found that boys living in disadvantaged circumstances are at an increased risk for disordered eating, particularly if they have underlying genetic risk factors.
Popular fireworks should be replaced with cleaner drone and laser light shows to avoid the 'highly damaging' impact on wildlife, domestic pets and the broader environment, new research has found.
Data stored in ice cores dating back 55 years bring new insight into atmospheric levels of a molecule that can significantly affect weather and climate.
Adopting a partner's perspective increases commitment and desire for the partner, while simultaneously decreasing sexual and romantic interest in alternative mates, according to a new study by a team of psychologists. The findings suggest that perspective taking discourages people from engaging in behaviors that may hurt their partners and damage their relationship.
A new biomaterial that can be injected intravenously, reduces inflammation in tissue and promotes cell and tissue repair. The biomaterial was tested and proven effective in treating tissue damage caused by heart attacks in both rodent and large animal models. Researchers also provided proof of concept in a rodent model that the biomaterial could be beneficial to patients with traumatic brain injury and pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Researchers have developed a new method for manipulating information in quantum systems by controlling the spin of electrons in silicon quantum dots. The results provide a promising new mechanism for control of qubits, which could pave the way for the development of a practical, silicon-based quantum computer.
A new article shows that an experimental vaccine against Marburg virus (MARV) was safe and induced an immune response in a small, first-in-human clinical trial. The vaccine could someday be an important tool to respond to Marburg virus outbreaks.
The annual incidence of sports-related sudden cardiac arrest in older adults is rare: 2 to 3 cases per 100,000 people.
Medications like dextromethorphan, used to treat coughs caused by cold and flu, could potentially be repurposed to help people quit smoking cigarettes, according to a new study. Researchers developed a novel machine learning method, where computer programs analyze data sets for patterns and trends, to identify the drugs and said that some of them are already being tested in clinical trials.
A new study has uncovered a new thalattosuchian -- an ancient 'sister' of modern-day crocodiles' ancestors.
Researchers have applied a deep learning technique to a previously studied dataset of nearby stars and uncovered eight previously unidentified signals of interest.
Researchers set up a structure that helps them systematically go through different types of resources and figure out if they meet the aims of diversifying syllabi.
Researchers have synthesized a new material that solves one of the most difficult problems in the quest to create wearable, unobtrusive sensitive sensors: the problem of pressure.
New research is providing a fresh view into the ways a common chemotherapy agent, etoposide, stalls and poisons the essential enzymes that allow cancer cells to flourish.
Researchers are one step closer to making wearable textile technology a reality. Materials scientists have reported a new design of a flexible wearable supercapacitor patch. It uses MXene to create a textile-based supercapacitor that can charge in minutes and power an Arduino microcontroller temperature sensor and radio communication of data for almost two hours.
Engineers have developed a contact lens prototype that is specially designed to prevent contact lens-induced dry eye (CLIDE). The lens alleviates this condition by facilitating tear flow in response to normal eye blinking. This can relieve the discomfort, visual impairment, and risk of inflammation experienced by millions of CLIDE sufferers.
Researchers already knew the atoms in perovskites react favorably to light. Now they've seen precisely how the atoms move when the 2D materials are excited with light. Their study details the first direct measurement of structural dynamics under light-induced excitation in 2D perovskites.
Honey bee colony loss across the United States over the last five years is primarily related to the presence of parasitic mites, nearby pesticides, and extreme weather events as well as challenges with overwintering, according to a new study. The study took advantage of novel statistical methods and is among the first to concurrently consider a variety of potential honey bee stressors at a national scale.
Researchers got into the minds of muskies to learn what personality traits make the fish more likely to strike. In the process, they learned valuable lessons that could help conserve the important aquatic predators.
Researchers combine a hand-held scanner with a neural network based on terahertz spectroscopy that can predict burn healing with 93% accuracy. The research has the potential to significantly improve burn healing outcomes by guiding surgical treatment plans.
An innovative technique finds seminal fluid protein transferred from male to female fruit flies during mating changes the expression of genes related to the fly's circadian clock.
Stem cells have been modified to carry a therapy to treat companion animal patients with late-stage cancer, preserving good quality of life and extending their lives, potentially leading to better understanding of cancer treatments and their use in humans.
The precious metals, such as platinum, palladium and rhodium, in catalytic converters make the vehicle devices attractive to thieves, but researchers are working to reduce the amount of precious metals needed in them -- down to single atoms -- while still maximizing their effectiveness. In recent studies researchers showed that they could, respectively, use atomic platinum to control pollutants and operate the system at lower temperatures, which is crucial to removing harmful chemicals when a vehicle first starts.
If you've ever watched an ant searching for food, you probably assumed that they were just covering ground in a random fashion. But a study now finds that at least one species of rock ant doesn't walk randomly at all. Instead, their search combines systematic meandering with random walks interspersed.
Researchers have combined low-power chip design, machine learning algorithms, and soft implantable electrodes to produce a neural interface that can identify and suppress symptoms of various neurological disorders.
Cooking a delicious risotto and making plastics are actually very similar processes. In both, ingredients come together and are heated to create a product, but current recipes for synthesizing bioplastics often fall flat, producing flimsy materials. So, taking a hint from chefs, researchers now report on a way to 'season' biodegradable plastics to make them stronger. It just takes a 'pinch' of cream of tartar (tartaric acid) or citric acid.
A new study has for the first time predicted which invasive species could pose a future threat to the UK's ecologically unique Overseas Territories.
Having levels of potassium that are too high or too low can be fatal. A new mathematical model sheds light on the often mysterious ways the body regulates this important electrolyte.
The loss of pollinators, such as bees, is a huge challenge for global biodiversity and affects humanity by causing problems in food production. Researchers have now developed the first passively flying robot equipped with artificial muscle. Could this artificial fairy be utilized in pollination?
Can something as simple as a cup of coffee with milk have an anti-inflammatory effect in humans? Apparently so, according to a new study. A combination of proteins and antioxidants doubles the anti-inflammatory properties in immune cells. The researchers hope to be able to study the health effects on humans.
Despite birth control existing for decades, almost none of the options specifically target sperm cells. Researchers are now developing approaches that target testosterone or otherwise interrupt the sperm's ability to fertilize an egg, yet these may not work for everyone. But now, researchers have identified a new candidate molecule that could become an effective non-hormonal contraceptive for many people who produce sperm.
Serotonin can impact the mitral valve of the heart and potentially accelerate a cardiac condition known as degenerative mitral regurgitation, according to a new study.
Patients with myelofibrosis had clinically significant improvement in disease-related symptoms, including anemia and spleen enlargement, when treated with the targeted therapy momelotinib, according to new results.
The world's first international clinical guidelines to help prevent and treat heart complications in children undergoing cancer treatment have been created.
A device provides protection from mosquitoes for an extended period and requires no heat, electricity or skin contact.
In October 2020, a highly magnetic neutron star called SGR 1935+2154 abruptly began spinning more slowly. Astrophysicist now show the magnetar's rotational slowdown could have been caused by a volcano-like rupture near its magnetic pole.
The dairy industry strives to preserve the quality and safety of milk products while maintaining the freshest possible taste for consumers. To date, the industry has largely focused on packaging milk in light-blocking containers to preserve freshness, but little has been understood about how the packaging itself influences milk flavor. However, a new study confirms that packaging affects taste -- and paperboard cartons do not preserve milk freshness as well as glass and plastic containers.
New research has established a blood-based test that could be used to predict the risk of Alzheimer's disease up to 3.5 years before clinical diagnosis.
A giant diffuse tail of stars has been discovered emanating from a large, faint dwarf galaxy. The presence of a tail indicates that the galaxy has experienced recent interaction with another galaxy. This is an important clue for understanding how so called 'ultra-diffuse' galaxies are formed.
A 'back-projection' technique reveals new details of the volcanic eruption in Tonga that literally shook the world.
Scientists are working to understand the cause and how the events of the LPME unfolded by focusing on mercury from Siberian volcanoes that ended up in sediments in Australia and South Africa.
By analyzing meteorites, researchers have uncovered the likely far-flung origin of Earth's volatile chemicals, some of which form the building blocks of life.
Scientists found that most children in the United States use makeup and body products that may contain carcinogens and other toxic chemicals.
In a new breakthrough, researchers have solved a problem that has caused quantum researchers headaches for years. The researchers can now control two quantum light sources rather than one. Trivial as it may seem to those uninitiated in quantum, this colossal breakthrough allows researchers to create a phenomenon known as quantum mechanical entanglement. This in turn, opens new doors for companies and others to exploit the technology commercially.
An artificial intelligence program may enable the first simple production of customizable proteins called zinc fingers to treat diseases by turning genes on and off. The researchers who designed the tool say it promises to accelerate the development of gene therapies on a large scale.
Quasiparticles -- long-lived particle-like excitations -- are a cornerstone of quantum physics, with famous examples such as Cooper pairs in superconductivity and, recently, Dirac quasiparticles in graphene. Now, researchers have discovered quasiparticles in a classical system at room temperature: a two-dimensional crystal of particles driven by viscous flow in a microfluidic channel. Coupled by hydrodynamic forces, the particles form stable pairs -- a first example of classical quasiparticles, revealing deep links between quantum and classical dissipative systems.
Scientists have discovered the first gamma-ray eclipses from a special type of binary star system using data from NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. These so-called spider systems each contain a pulsar -- the superdense, rapidly rotating remains of a star that exploded in a supernova -- that slowly erodes its companion.
Scientists have created an AI system capable of generating artificial enzymes from scratch. In laboratory tests, some of these enzymes worked as well as those found in nature, even when their artificially generated amino acid sequences diverged significantly from any known natural protein.
In a new study, researchers have managed to curb skin cancer. The study was conducted on artificial human skin.
In an observational feat of high precision, scientists used a new technique with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to capture the shadows of starlight cast by the thin rings of Chariklo. Chariklo is an icy, small body, but the largest of the known Centaur population, located more than 2 billion miles away beyond the orbit of Saturn.
Meet the new addition to the robo-dog family, 'RaiBo', that can run along the sandy beach without losing balance and walk through grassy fields and back on the hard-floored tracking fields all on its own -- no further tinkering necessary.
Researchers have demonstrated for the first time a mechanically flexible silver mesh that is visibly transparent, allows high-quality infrared wireless optical communication and efficiently shields electromagnetic interference in the X band portion of the microwave radio region.
Researchers studying body phenotypes -- the observable characteristics like height, behavior, appearance and more measurables -- found that regardless of the muscle they had, high levels of fat mass in an individual were associated with poorer overall health.
Inspired by sea cucumbers, engineers have designed miniature robots that rapidly and reversibly shift between liquid and solid states. On top of being able to shape-shift, the robots are magnetic and can conduct electricity. The researchers put the robots through an obstacle course of mobility and shape-morphing tests.
The study adds to growing evidence that some often-underappreciated, 'non-essential' amino acids play important roles in the nervous system. The findings may provide a new way to identify people at high risk for peripheral neuropathy, as well as a potential treatment option.
Engineers and physicians have developed a wearable ultrasound device that can assess both the structure and function of the human heart. The portable device, which is roughly the size of a postage stamp, can be worn for up to 24 hours and works even during strenuous exercise.
A team of paleontologists have discovered the first 'unmistakable' Triassic-era caecilian fossil -- the oldest-known caecilian fossils -- thus extending the record of this small, burrowing mammal by roughly 35 million years. The find also fills a gap of at least 87 million years in the known historical fossil record of the amphibian-like creature.
Scientific claims that babies harbor live bacteria while still in the womb are inaccurate, and may have impeded research progress, according to new research/
Researchers uncover for the first time the mechanism that likely explains how embryos form either a larva or a miniature version of the adult.
Adults living in rural areas of the United States have a 19% higher risk of developing heart failure compared to their urban counterparts, and Black men living in rural areas have an especially higher risk -- 34%, according to a large observational study.
Researchers have discovered that a certain type of cell that sits on top of the brain's smallest blood vessels senses when their brain region needs energy. When glucose levels are low, these cells signal blood vessels to dilate, increasing the blood flow regionally and allowing more energy to fuel that part of the brain.
What drives crocodile evolution? Is climate a major factor or changes in sea levels? Determined to find answers to these questions, researchers discovered that while changing temperatures and rainfall had little impact on the crocodiles' gene flow over the past three million years, changes to sea levels during the Ice Age had a different effect.
Europe lacks groundwater -- a lot of groundwater. The continent has already been suffering from a severe drought since 2018. This is confirmed by satellite data.
Researchers have discovered that an altered gut microbiome plays a pivotal role in endometriosis disease progression in an animal model.
In a new study using a rat model of Crohn's disease, a biodegradable hydrogel composite loaded with stem cells has shown significant success in treating perianal fistulas (PAF) -- one of the many complications of Crohn's disease.
While communities and governments nationwide have been facing the impact of wildfires on drinking water systems, no national synthesis of scientific and policy needs has been conducted. Now, a study has outlined the scientific and policy needs specific to drinking water systems' resilience to wildfires.
Scientists have taken the first step at estimating the best large-scale uses for food processing waste, first analyzing its contents and, based on those findings, proposing production opportunities ranging from sustainable fuels, biogas and electricity to useful chemicals and organic fertilizer.
Scientists have succeeded in synthesizing fumaric acid, a raw material for plastics, from CO2 powered by solar energy. Typically, fumaric acid is synthesized from petroleum as a raw material to make polybutylene succinate, a biodegradable plastic, but this research shows that it can be synthesized from CO2 and biomass-derived compounds using renewable energy.
Engineers have demonstrated a simple computational approach for supporting the classification performance of neural networks operating on sensor time series. The proposed technique involves feeding the recorded signal as an external forcing into an elementary non-linear dynamical system, and providing its temporal responses to this disturbance to the neural network alongside the original data.
Allocating passenger aircraft emissions using airfares rather than travel class would give a more accurate idea of individual contributions, finds a new study. Including airfares in calculations shows which passengers contribute the most revenue to the airline operating the aircraft, thereby allowing the plane to fly.
Senior women were less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment or dementia if they did more daily walking and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Scientists have been studying a fish sensory organ to understand cues for collective behavior which could be employed on underwater robots.
It was believed that Hall thrusters, an efficient kind of electric propulsion widely used in orbit, need to be large to produce a lot of thrust. Now, a new study suggests that smaller Hall thrusters can generate much more thrust -- potentially making them candidates for interplanetary missions.
Adults who suffered any head injury during a 30-year study period had two times the rate of mortality than those who did not have any head injury, and mortality rates among those with moderate or severe head injuries were nearly three times higher, according to new research.
Understanding the neural interface within the brain is critical to understanding aging, learning, disease progression and more. A newly developed, pop-up electrode device could gather more in-depth information about individual neurons and their interactions with each other while limiting the potential for brain tissue damage.
The most sensitive telescope now searching for radio signals from cosmic dawn, an era around 200 million years after the Big Bang when stars ignited, has doubled its sensitivity, a new paper reports. While not yet detecting this radiation -- the redshifted 21-centimeter line -- they have put new limits on the elemental composition of galaxies during the Epoch of Reionization. Early galaxies seem to be low in metals, fitting the most popular theory of cosmic evolution.
Researchers are finding new clues to how the olfactory sensory system aids in threat assessment and have found neurons that 'learn' if a smell is a threat.
The transport of molecules along the cell's skeleton plays a role in cancer metastasis, researchers show.
New research findings show in detail how self-reactive T cells -- white blood cells dubbed Teffs that mistakenly attack healthy instead of infected cells, thereby causing an autoimmune or an inflammatory response -- are held in check by regulatory T cells, or Tregs. Tregs quickly deploy molecular measures to control rapid proliferation of Teffs, to make sure inflammation is kept in check during an immune response. Tregs biochemically interfere with the protein manufacturing machinery in Teff cells. This hinders their abundant production of proteins, which occurs just before cell division, the researchers found. This rapid Treg intervention reduces the size and number of Teff cells to appropriately manage the magnitude of the immune response.
By flagging disease-associated DNA biomarkers, medical professionals can make early diagnoses and provide personalized treatments, but the typical screening methods can be laborious, expensive or limited in scope. Now, a new biosensor could pave the way to accessible and expansive diagnostics.
A research team has developed a new method to produce X-ray images in color. In the past, the only way to determine the chemical composition of a sample and the position of its components using X-ray fluorescence analysis was to focus the X-rays and scan the whole sample. This is time-consuming and expensive. Scientists have now developed an approach that allows an image of a large area to be produced from a single exposure, without the need for focusing and scanning.
A soldier suffers a serious gunshot wound on a remote battlefield or a machinist has a work accident and gets stuck in traffic on the way to the hospital. Secondary, uncontrolled bleeding from traumatic injury is the leading cause of death of Americans from ages one to 46. Chemical and biomedical engineers plan to change that with a novel microneedle patch that can immediately stop bleeding after injury.
A new study suggests that some patients diagnosed with behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) -- an incurable condition that robs patients of the ability to control their behavior and cope with daily living -- may instead have a cerebrospinal fluid leak, which is often treatable.
Scientists have detailed a lifestyle switch that occurs in marine bacteria, where they change from coexisting with algae hosts in a mutually beneficial interaction to suddenly killing them.
Rapid economic growth has pushed rare species of big carnivores to the brink of extinction, but ecologists have suggested our appetite to once again live alongside big cats is increasing.
Researchers have identified a previously unknown signaling pathway cells use to protect their DNA while it is being copied. Targeting this pathway potentially could boost the potency of cancer therapeutics, the researchers said.
A new study has shown that common levels of traffic pollution can impair human brain function in only a matter of hours. The study was the first to show in a controlled experiment using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that exposure to diesel exhaust disrupts the ability of different areas of the human brain to interact and communicate with each other.
Researchers attempted to identify early symptoms of Parkinson's disease using voice data. In their study, the researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze and assess speech signals, where calculations are done and diagnoses made in seconds rather than hours.
Every year, the United States spends nearly a trillion dollars fighting metallic corrosion, an electrochemical reaction that occurs when metals oxidize and begin to rust.
A camera-trap study of two ecosystems -- one with pumas and one without -- adds to scientists' understanding of the many ways apex predators influence the abundance, diversity and habits of other animals, including smaller carnivores.
A protein that prepares DNA for replication also prevents the replication process from running out of control, according to a new study. The work solves a mystery that has long puzzled biologists.
It's clear that chronic stress can impact our behavior, leading to problems like depression, reduced interest in things that previously brought us pleasure, even PTSD.
A research group has succeeded in measuring spin transport in a thin film of specific molecules -- a material well-known in organic light emitting diodes -- at room temperature. They found that this thin molecular film has a spin diffusion length of approximately 62 nm, a length that could have practical applications in developing spintronics technology. In addition, while electricity has been used to control spin transport in the past, the thin molecular film used in this study is photoconductive, allowing spin transport control using visible light.
When two microscopic systems are entangled, their properties are linked to each other irrespective of the physical distance between the two. Manipulating this uniquely quantum phenomenon is what allows for quantum cryptography, communication, and computation. While parallels have been drawn between quantum entanglement and the classical physics of heat, new research demonstrates the limits of this comparison. Entanglement is even richer than we have given it credit for.
Under cold conditions, not only the mother plant but also the father plant can pass on its chloroplasts to the offspring.
Scientists succeed in boosting the efficiency of CRISPR/Cas9 and related methods and modifying initially inaccessible DNA sequences. They fine-tuned these tools to enable effective genetic screening for modelling specific gene mutations.
Discovering new drugs has become increasingly rare for independent large pharmaceutical companies in recent times. Almost 60% of new drugs are discovered through mergers and acquisitions and drug licensing. Now, researchers shed light on the recent trends of spinouts from academia and investments in the U.S.A and Europe, foreshadowing a promising shift in the industry's interorganizational deal networks to improve research and development productivity in the future.
Researchers have uncovered a gene that is overexpressed in mutated IDH1. Studies in human cells and a novel mouse model both show that this gene, called ZMYND8, plays a critical role in the radiation resistance. When they knocked down the gene, the glioma cells became responsive to radiation treatment.
In the age-old battle against mosquitoes, DEET has proven effective at keeping this nemesis at bay, but the repellent is smelly and its protection is short-lived. Now, researchers report that they have designed safe alternatives that have some advantages over DEET, including a nice smell and much longer protection from bites.
Scientists carve a path to profit from carbon capture by creating a system that efficiently captures CO2 and converts it into one of the world's most widely used chemicals: methanol.
A new study finds that microorganisms live in richly diverse and interdependent communities in high-temperature geothermal environments in the deep sea. By constructing genomes of 3,635 Bacteria and Archaea from 40 different rock communities, researchers discovered at least 500 new genera and have evidence for two new phyla. Samples from the deep-sea Brothers volcano were especially enriched with different kinds of microorganisms, many endemic to the volcano. The genomic data from this study also showed that many of these organisms depend on one another for survival. Some microorganisms cannot metabolize all of the nutrients they need to survive so they rely on nutrients created by other species in a process known as a 'metabolic handoff.'
New research shows hypoxia in rivers and streams is generally much more prevalent across the globe than previously thought. The research compiles over 118 million readings of dissolved oxygen and temperature taken from over 125,000 locations in rivers across six continents and 93 countries and spanning over 100 years, from 1900 to 2018.
Space weather can interfere with spaceflight and the operation of satellites, but the phenomenon is very difficult to study on Earth because of the difference in gravity. Researchers effectively reproduced the type of gravity that exists on or near stars and other planets inside of a glass sphere measuring 3 centimeters in diameter, or about 1.2 inches. The achievement could help scientists overcome the limiting role of gravity in experiments that are intended to model conditions in stars and other planets.
Federal environmental laws are failing to mitigate against Australia's extinction crisis, according to new research.
Scientists show reduced krill supplies lead to fewer pregnancies in humpback whales -- a finding that could have major implications for industrial krill fishing. Data from Antarctica show more humpback whales get pregnant after years with abundant krill than after years when krill were less plentiful.
Microplastics -- tiny particles generated as plastics weather and fragment -- pose a growing threat to ecosystem and human health. A new laboratory study shows these threats extend beyond direct physical or chemical impacts, revealing that the presence of microplastics increases the severity of an important viral fish disease.
Researchers have made a significant leap forward in developing insect-sized jumping robots capable of performing tasks in the small spaces often found in mechanical, agricultural and search-and-rescue settings. A new study demonstrates a series of click beetle-sized robots small enough to fit into tight spaces, powerful enough to maneuver over obstacles and fast enough to match an insect's rapid escape time.
Researchers recently announced that salt marshes, critical habitats threatened by rapid sea-level rise, may in fact thrive despite higher water levels. The key factor that determines whether salt marshes collapse or flourish involves not water, but sediment.
Researchers have developed a new tool and technique that uses 'vortex ultrasound' -- a sort of ultrasonic tornado -- to break down blood clots in the brain. The new approach worked more quickly than existing techniques to eliminate clots formed in an in vitro model of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST).
Bacteria of the genus Enterobacter are among the most dangerous bacteria associated with hospital infections worldwide. Some of their representatives are highly resistant to commonly used antibiotics, so that the reserve antibiotic colistin is increasingly used as a last resort therapy option. To avoid unnecessary reliance on colistin and risk increasing resistance, bacteria are tested for sensitivity or resistance to colistin before recommending treatment. However, commonly used tests for Enterobacter are not reliable.
The transition to agriculture from hunting and gathering in pre-colonial North America led to changes in age-independent mortality, or mortality caused by factors that are not associated with age, according to a new study. The team found that the intensification of crop use occurred in two phases, the first of which led to a decline in human age-independent mortality, while the second is associated with a rise in it. The study is the first to tie patterns of age-independent mortality to food production.
Pheasants are most likely to be killed by predators on unfamiliar ground, new research shows.
The next time you're struggling to remember exactly where you left your keys, parked your car or put down your glasses, don't necessarily give up on your memory completely. Previous research has shown that, if people are shown a large number of objects, they are very good at subsequently remembering which objects they have seen.
A potent plant toxin with a unique way of killing harmful bacteria has emerged as one of the strongest new antibiotic candidates in decades.
Scientists have captured the 3D structure of SPOP, revealing how mutations in previously unappreciated regions fuel cancer.
Astronomers used observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to achieve the darkest ever view of a dense interstellar cloud. These observations have revealed the composition of a virtual treasure chest of ices from the early universe, providing new insights into the chemical processes of one of the coldest, darkest places in the universe as well as the origins of the molecules that make up planetary atmospheres.
Researchers have identified a relatively natural way to increase the numbers and antitumor activities of TILs. A team demonstrates how L-fucose, a nontoxic dietary plant sugar that is enriched in red and brown seaweeds, can increase TILs, promote antitumor immunity and improve the efficacy of immunotherapy.
Many life-saving drugs directly interact with DNA to treat diseases such as cancer, but scientists have struggled to detect how and why they work -- until now.
Protected natural areas of the UK are struggling to halt declines in insects and spiders that have occurred over the past 30 years, according to a new study.
Soybean varieties with greater proportions of the protein B-conglycinin reduce plasma cholesterol levels and promote liver homeostasis, showing potential for preventing fatty liver disease and atherosclerosis, according to research by food scientists.
In a new study, scientists demonstrate a way to accurately map tilled land in real time by integrating ground, airborne, and satellite imagery.
Adolescent chimpanzees share some of the same risk-taking behaviors as human teens, but they may be less impulsive than their human counterparts, according to new research. The study gets at age-old nature/nurture questions about why adolescents take more risks: because of environment or because of biological predispositions?
A new study based on survey data from hundreds of U.S. adults links experiencing childhood trauma to public environmental engagement later in life, such as writing letters to elected officials or donating time and resources to an organization.
A new study has found that consuming dietary nitrate -- the active molecule in beetroot juice -- significantly increased muscle force while exercising. While it is known that dietary nitrate enhances exercise, both boosting endurance and enhancing high-intensity exercise, researchers still have much to learn about why this effect occurs, and how our bodies convert dietary nitrate that we ingest into the nitric oxide that can be used by our cells. To help close this gap, researchers at the University of Exeter and the U.S. National Institutes of Health traced the distribution of ingested nitrate in the saliva, blood, muscle and urine of ten healthy volunteers, who were then asked to perform maximal leg exercise. The team wanted to discover where in the body the dietary nitrate was active, to give clues on the mechanisms at work.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are potentially harmful substances known as 'forever chemicals' because they are so difficult to destroy. One emerging technique to degrade PFAS involves forcefully grinding them with metal balls in a moving container, but this technique can require corrosive additives. Now, researchers report a new type of additive for 'ball milling' that completely breaks down PFAS at ambient temperature and pressure.
Scientists have worked out why common anti-depressants cause around a half of users to feel emotionally 'blunted'. They show that the drugs affect reinforcement learning, an important behavioral process that allows us to learn from our environment.
The unique genetics of the Australian black swan leaves the species vulnerable to viral illnesses such as avian flu, new research has revealed.
Immunogeneticists have discovered a new genetic disorder that causes immunodeficiency and profound susceptibility to opportunistic infections including a life-threatening fungal pneumonia.
Scientists have invented a new 'whipping jet' sprayer that allows for greater control over how aerosols move. The device could benefit pharmaceutical, automotive, food processing, carbon capture and other industries.
High-severity wildfire in California's Sierra Nevada forests has nearly quintupled compared to before Euro-American settlement, rising from less than 10% per year then to up to 43% today, a new study finds.
Researchers have developed a new computational tool that can more accurately discover and quantify RNA molecules from these error-prone long-read RNA sequencing data. The tool, called ESPRESSO (Error Statistics PRomoted Evaluator of Splice Site Options), was reported today.
The sport of orienteering, which draws on athleticism, navigational skills and memory, could be useful as an intervention or preventive measure to fight cognitive decline related to dementia, according to new research.
A new study of red sea urchins, a commercially valuable species, investigated how different populations respond to changes in their environments. The results show that red sea urchin populations in Northern and Southern California are adapted to their local conditions but differ in their vulnerability to the environmental changes expected to occur in the future due to global climate change and ocean acidification. Red sea urchin populations in Southern California may be more vulnerable to climate change than those in Northern California.
Scientists have long sought to better understand the human body's immune responses that occur during various diseases, including cancer and inflammatory diseases. Scientists have now analyzed how immunological memory -- the memory the body's immune system retains after an infection or vaccination that helps protect against reinfection -- gets generated and maintained, as well as the role inflammation plays in shaping that immunological memory.
Female and male hearts respond differently to 'fight or flight' stress hormone, according to a new study in mice. It may help explain sex differences in arrhythmia risk.
College students reporting a higher level of loneliness also reported a higher level of sedentary behavior and low activity.
There are often too few flowering plants in agricultural landscapes, which is one reason for the decline of pollinating insects. Researchers ave now investigated how a mixture of crops of faba beans (broad beans) and wheat affects the number of pollinating insects. They found that areas of mixed crops compared with areas of single crops are visited equally often by foraging bees.
A new study finds that rest, contrary to popular belief, may not always be the best cure after a concussion.
A researcher has created a computer reconstruction of a virus, including its complete native genome. Although other researchers have created similar reconstructions, this is believed to be the first to replicate the exact chemical and 3D structure of a 'live' virus.
Biomedical engineers say interstitial fluid, the watery fluid found between and around cells, tissues or organs in the body, could provide an excellent medium for early disease diagnosis or long-term health monitoring.
Researchers have experimentally detected the structural change of hydration water confined in the tiny nano-scale pores of layered materials such as clays. Their findings potentially open the door to new options for ion separation and energy storage.
Intact forests are important climate regulators and harbors of biodiversity, but they are rapidly disappearing. Agriculture is commonly considered to be the major culprit behind forest loss, but the authors of a new article show that agriculture isn't solely to blame. For forest loss associated with the 2014 world economy, over 60% was related to final consumption of non-agricultural products, such as minerals, metals and wood-related goods, and the authors argue that we must consider international trade markets when designing conservation strategies.
In order to meet climate protection goals, renewable energies are booming -- often wind power. More than 30,000 turbines have already been installed on the German mainland so far, and the industry is currently scrambling to locate increasingly rare suitable sites. Thus, forests are coming into focus as potential sites. A scientific team has now demonstrated that wind turbines in forests impair endangered bat species: Common noctules (Nyctalus noctula), a species with a high risk of colliding with rotor blades, are attracted to forest wind turbines if these are located near their roosts. Far from roosts, common noctules avoid the turbines, essentially resulting in a loss of foraging space and thus habitat for this species.
Physicists have experimentally proven that an important theorem of statistical physics applies to so-called 'Bose-Einstein condensates.' Their results now make it possible to measure certain properties of the quantum 'superparticles' and deduce system characteristics that would otherwise be difficult to observe.
Neuroscientists find two distinct cell populations in the striatum are affected differently by Huntington's disease. They believe neurodegeneration of one of these populations leads to motor impairments, while damage to the other population, located in a structure called the striosome, may account for the mood disorders that are often see in the early stages of the disease.
The natural abilities of squid tissues and the creativity of chemists combine to take hydrogel research in new directions.
Recreating natural molecules in the laboratory as part of the search for potential new drugs for disease can be difficult, costly and slow. The problem? Many chemical processes tend to produce not only a version of the molecule found in nature but also a mirror-image version of the molecule that is potentially useless -- or even dangerous. In synthesizing a new, potentially therapeutic molecule found in a sea sponge, chemists used a reactive compound that helps them create only the desired version of the molecule, making synthesis more efficient and less costly.
Researchers have successfully demonstrated precision gene editing in miscanthus, a promising perennial crop for sustainable bioenergy production. Biologists edited the genomes of three miscanthus species using CRISPR/Cas9 -- a far more targeted and efficient way to develop new varieties than prior methods. The results will accelerate efforts to tap the huge potential of this highly productive but genetically complex grass as a source for biofuels, renewable bioproducts, and carbon sequestration -- and reduce our reliance on petroleum-based energy.
A team of researchers unveils a novel, key aspect of enhancer-mediated regulation of gene expression and proposes a mechanism that explains the tight connection between gene enhancers and promoters.
On the short-lived island of Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha'apai, researchers discovered a unique microbial community that metabolizes sulfur and atmospheric gases, similar to organisms found in deep sea vents or hot springs.
Researchers describe a new family of nano-scale capsules made of silica that can carry genome-editing tools into many organs around the body and then harmlessly dissolve.
Imagine overhearing the Powerball lottery winning numbers, but you didn't know when those numbers would be called -- just that at some point in the next 10 years or so, they would be. Despite the financial cost of playing those numbers daily for that period, the payoff is big enough to make it worthwhile.
Several genes that cause sarcoma have been identified in the first comprehensive genetic map of sarcomas. The research has wide implications for people living with sarcoma and their families -- allowing detection of the cancer earlier and potentially improving survival for patients.
Environmental DNA analysis of microbial communities can help us understand how a particular region's water cycle works. Basel hydrogeologist Oliver Schilling recently used this method to examine the water cycle on Mount Fuji. His results have implications for other regions worldwide.
Research has revealed how supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are feeding off gas clouds which reach them by traveling hundreds of thousands of light years from one galaxy to another.
Researchers describe how pancreatic cancer stem cells leverage a protein in a family of proteins that normally suppress tumors to instead do the opposite, boosting their resistance to conventional treatments and spurring growth.
Researchers developed a faster and simpler way to model the forces needed to push, wiggle, and drill an object through soft, granular material in real-time. The methods could help engineers drive a rover over Martian soil, anchor a ship in rough seas, and walk a robot through sand and mud.
Not every laser color is available with the right properties for a specific job. To fix that, scientists have found a variety of ways to convert one color of laser light into another. In a new study scientists demonstrate a new color-shifting strategy that's simple, efficient, and highly customizable.
The evolutionary secrets that enable the medicinal herb known as barbed skullcap to produce cancer fighting compounds have been unlocked.
Graphene-based olfactory sensors that can detect odor molecules based on the design of peptide sequences were recently demonstrated. The findings indicated that graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) functionalized with designable peptides can be used to develop electronic devices that mimic olfactory receptors and emulate the sense of smell by selectively detecting odor molecules.
People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have lower bacterial diversity in the intestine than do healthy people, according to a team of investigators. The investigators believe that theirs is the first analysis to find a clear association between IBS and reduced diversity in the microbiota of the gut.
Shrunken seashells and unusually dark sediment cores have helped geoscientists better understand the chronology and character of events that led to Ocean Anoxic Event 2, nearly 100 million years ago.
Seeking to better understand more about the origins and movement of bubonic plague, in ancient and contemporary times, researchers have completed a painstaking granular examination of hundreds of modern and ancient genome sequences, creating the largest analysis of its kind.
Scientists have deciphered a comprehensive, continuous genome for a parasite responsible for transmitting Lyme disease and other serious infections to hundreds of thousands of Americans yearly. With their newly described genome for the black-legged tick, or deer tick, the researchers identified thousands of novel genes and new protein functions, including proteins associated with tick immunity, disease transmission and developmental stages.
A class of nonvolatile memory devices, called MRAM, based on quantum magnetic materials, can offer a thousandfold performance beyond current state-of-the-art memory devices. The materials known as antiferromagnets were previously demonstrated to store stable memory states, but were difficult to read from. This new study paves an efficient way for reading the memory states, with the potential to do so incredibly quickly too.
Medical science has not yet been able to explain why the Epstein-Barr virus triggers infectious mononucleosis (IM) in some people with initial infections and not in others. But now, a research team has identified a specific immune response to the virus as the cause, and as a potential target for the development of vaccines.
Violence and warfare were widespread in many Neolithic communities across Northwest Europe, a period associated with the adoption of farming, new research suggests. Of the skeletal remains of more than 2300 early farmers from 180 sites dating from around 8000 -- 4000 years ago to, more than one in ten displayed weapon injuries, bioarchaeologists found.
The electrical potential across the bacterial cell envelope indicates when bacteria no longer operate as individual cells but as a collective. Researchers have discovered this connection between the electrical properties and the lifestyle of bacteria. Although bacteria are single cellular organisms, they form spatially structured communities, so-called biofilms. Within biofilms, bacteria behave as a collective and can protect themselves better against stresses like antibiotics.
African rhino numbers are declining at unsustainable rates in core state-run parks which is why more than half the continent's remaining rhinos are now on private land.
A new study has identified the impact that fleeting natural events, such as sunrises and sunsets, can have on people, and sought to quantify their effects. Researchers used the latest computer graphics to show carefully controlled images of both urban and natural environments to more than 2,500 participants. When these scenes featured elements such as sunrise and sunset, participants considered them to be substantially more beautiful than when seen under sunny conditions at any other time of day. Unexpectedly, the paper revealed that sunrise and sunset could also trigger significant boosts in people's feelings of awe.
Ants are social insects and the Solenopsis invicta species -- known as the fire ant -- is no exception. The social interactions of this invasive insect, which comes from South America, are framed within the context of the theory of Active Matter, which would explain the ants' group behavior as a reaction to the intrinsic mechanisms in the system.
Researchers are building detailed maps of colorectal cancer to better understand the dynamics of the disease.
Scientists reveal how a methane-generating microbe can grow on toxic sulfite without becoming poisoned.
Researchers demonstrate that a bacteria can be modified to act as 'living medicine' in the lung. The treatment significantly reduced acute lung infections in mice and doubled their survival rate. It showed no signs of toxicity in the lungs and once the treatment had finished its course, it was cleared by the immune system in a period of four days. The treatment also cleared biofilms that accumulate on the surface of endotracheal tubes used by patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia, which is one of the leading causes of mortality in intensive care units. The study paves the way for researchers to repurpose the bacteria to treat other types of lung diseases such as cancer, asthma or pulmonary fibrosis.
With rising concerns about energy and water management, microbial electrochemical technologies (METs), such as microbial fuel cells, have emerged as promising solutions. However, actual progress in these technologies have not lived up to the expectations so far. Now, in a new study, researchers have highlighted strategies that can help with the up-scaling of METs, eventually leading to their commercialization and widespread use.
Even without hunting rifles, humans appear to have a strong negative influence on the movement of wildlife. A study of Glacier National Park hiking trails during and after a COVID-19 closure adds evidence to the theory that humans can create a 'landscape of fear' like other apex predators, changing how species use an area simply with their presence. Researchers found that when human hikers were present, 16 out of 22 mammal species, including predators and prey alike, changed where and when they accessed areas. Some completely abandoned places they previously used, others used them less frequently, and some shifted to more nocturnal activities to avoid humans.
Synthetic populations are computer-generated models that mimic real-world populations in terms of characteristics such as age, gender, and occupation; they are useful when conducting social simulations. In a recent study, researchers developed a new approach to assign workplaces to individuals in a synthetic Japanese population with household information, based on ODI (Origin-Destination-Industry) data. Their efforts will enable more accurate, realistic simulations of the day-time distribution of workers in Japan, helping to improve decision-making and planning.
A new scientific statement discusses rapid evaluation for transient ischemic attack (TIA) due to high risk of future stroke.
A team of researchers has finally identified the molecular mechanism by which a key protein regulates LDL cholesterol.
The water-filtering abilities of farmed kelp could help reduce marine pollution in coastal areas, according to a new study. The paper analyzed carbon and nitrogen levels at two mixed-species kelp farms in southcentral and southeast Alaska during the 2020-21 growing season. Tissue and seawater samples showed that seaweed species may have different capabilities to remove nutrients from their surroundings.
Advances in understanding the many different genetic causes of childhood-onset hearing loss indicate that genomic testing could assist in individualizing treatment planning, including the optimal timing of treatment. New findings show that genetic testing is a valuable tool in determining prognosis for a child's hearing loss and in predicting how useful a cochlear implant could be for that child's understanding of speech. With genetic diagnosis, it is possible to anticipate future hearing loss across sound frequencies, progression with age, and severity.
As buzz grows ever louder over the future of quantum, researchers everywhere are working overtime to discover how best to unlock the promise of super-positioned, entangled, tunneling or otherwise ready-for-primetime quantum particles, the ability of which to occur in two states at once could vastly expand power and efficiency in many applications.
Solutions containing solvated electrons are inherently clean chemical reactants, and they could become easier and cheaper to make now that chemists have uncovered the long-sought mechanism of a light-driven process that creates them.
Flexible compounds made with Nobel-winning click chemistry can be used in energy-storing capacitors at high temperatures and electric fields.
Researchers highlight new insights in gene expressions associated with body mass index.
Biomedical engineers have created semi-living 'cyborg cells.' Retaining the capabilities of living cells, but unable to replicate, the cyborg cells could have a wide range of applications, from producing therapeutic drugs to cleaning up pollution.
Catenanes -- materials made of interlocking molecules, similar to medieval chain mail -- have proved laborious to make since their discovery 25 years ago. Now, chemists have found a way to make unlimited quantities of catenanes in one single chemical step. Using reticular chemistry, they modified covalent organic frameworks to create a 3D network that is flexible and tough. These catena-COFs could prove useful wherever flexibility and resilience are needed -- in armor, airplanes or clothing.
Researchers compared two methods of corneal transplant tissue preparation for a procedure that saves sight in patients with Fuchs' dystrophy.
Long-term measurements in the urban area of Innsbruck, Austria, show that the fraction of ozone near the surface tends to be overestimated in atmospheric models. Consequently, a fundamental assumption for air quality forecasting has to be reinterpreted for urban areas. Direct nitrogen dioxide emissions are also likely overestimated.
If you plop these thin wafers, made up of several layers of a stretchy material called 'liquid crystal elastomers,' onto a hot plate, they will begin to warp. Then, suddenly and explosively, they leap into the air.
First, they walked. Then, they saw the light. Now, miniature biological robots have gained a new trick: remote control. The hybrid 'eBiobots' are the first to combine soft materials, living muscle and microelectronics, said researchers.
A new study suggests that athletes who recover more slowly from concussion may be able to return to play with an additional month of recovery beyond the typical recovery time, according to a new study. Slow recovery was defined as taking more than 14 days for symptoms to resolve or taking more than 24 days to return to play, both of which are considered the typical recovery times for about 80% of athletes with concussion.
High blood pressure and diabetes are known risk factors for stroke, but now a new study shows that the amount of risk may decrease as people age.
Astronomers have released a gargantuan survey of the galactic plane of the Milky Way. The new dataset contains a staggering 3.32 billion celestial objects -- arguably the largest such catalog so far. The data for this unprecedented survey were taken with the Dark Energy Camera.
Five years after the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history, researchers document persistent differences in cognitive function among survivors.
Researchers are developing a new biosensor that can be used to screen for Alzheimer's disease and other diseases.
Patients hospitalized with fractures typically receive an injectable blood thinner, low-molecular-weight heparin, to prevent life-threatening blood clots. A new clinical trial, however, found that inexpensive over-the-counter aspirin is just as effective.
Our solar system is estimated to be about 4.57 billion years old. Previous analyses of ancient meteorites have shown that minerals were created through chemical reactions with water as far back as 4.5 billion years ago. New findings from the Ryugu asteroid samples indicate that carbonates were forming from water-rock reactions several million years earlier, even closer to the solar system's beginnings.
An investigational HIV vaccine regimen tested among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people was safe but did not provide protection against HIV acquisition, an independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) has determined. The HPX3002/HVTN 706, or 'Mosaico,' Phase 3 clinical trial began in 2019 and involved 3,900 volunteers ages 18 to 60 years in Europe, North America and South America. Based on the DSMB's recommendation, the study will be discontinued.
Everyone knows that holding two magnets together will lead to one of two results: they stick together, or they push each other apart. From this perspective, magnetism seems simple, but scientists have struggled for decades to really understand how magnetism behaves on the smallest scales. On the near-atomic level, magnetism is made of many ever-shifting kingdoms -- called magnetic domains -- that create the magnetic properties of the material. While scientists know these domains exist, they are still looking for the reasons behind this behavior.
In a study of patients with a history of facial keratinocyte carcinoma, 20.9% of those treated with nonablative fractional lasers experienced a subsequent keratinocyte carcinoma, compared with 40.4% of patients who did not receive laser treatment.
New findings begin to fill major gaps in understanding about how geological faults behave and appear as they deepen, and they could eventually help lead future researchers to develop better earthquake models on strike-slip faults, regions with frequent and major earthquakes.
Seasonal temperature, moisture loss from plants and wind speed are what primarily drive fires that sweep across the same landscape multiple times, a new study reveals. These findings and others could help land managers plan more effective treatments in areas susceptible to fire, particularly in the fire-ravaged wildland-urban interfaces of California.
A team reveals the eventful migration history of planets bordering the Hot Neptune Desert, these extrasolar planets that orbit very close to their star.
Carbon dioxide removal is key to meeting the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement. A new study analyzes what fair and equitable burden-sharing means for nature-based carbon dioxide removal in developing countries.
Old Yellow Enzymes (OYEs) were discovered in the 1930s and have been the subject of much research ever since. This is because these biocatalysts -- coloured yellow by an auxiliary molecule -- are capable of performing reactions that are very valuable for the chemical industry, such as producing drug precursors or fragrances. Even though OYEs are found in many organisms, their natural role for these organisms has hardly been understood so far -- possibly because the research focus has been on their biotechnological application. Researchers have now shown that an OYE of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is vital for this plant microorganism to protect itself from photooxidative stress.
A new electromagnetic device that enables high-precision measurements of a broad range of soft biological tissues, has established a new standard of precision in the mechanobiology field, say researchers. The method allows for the mechanical testing of tissues the size of human biopsy samples, making it particularly relevant for studies of human disease.
Intense, extremely short-wave X-ray pulses in the nanometer wavelength range are difficult to produce, but now a new, simpler method has been developed: the starting point is not a titanium-sapphire laser, which had mostly been used for this purpose, but an ytterbium laser. The crucial trick is that the light is then sent through a gas in order to change its properties.
Scientists and engineers have modeled a hidden mechanism in the inner ear that helps mammals balance via the fastest-known signal in the brain.
Scientists have discovered that the striking orange and black wings of monarch butterflies not only send the message to predators that these butterflies are highly toxic, but that the storage of toxins and development of the colorful wings come at a cost to the butterfly's body. The team reared monarch caterpillars on their milkweed food plants that had different levels of toxins. Monarchs that had ingested high levels of toxins from their food plants as caterpillars, experienced high levels of oxidative damage after storing these toxins in their bodies, and were less conspicuous in their coloration.
The earlier infants begin to taste small samples of solid food, the earlier they eat more food and stop breastfeeding. This is shown in a new study, in which the mothers of 1,251 infants from all over Sweden participated. Almost half of the infants received tastings at the age of four months.
Perseverance has now completed its investigation of the atmosphere throughout the first Martian year (which lasts approximately two Earth years). Specifically, astronomers have studied seasonal and daily cycles of temperature and pressure, as well as their significant variations on other time scales resulting from very different processes.
A temperature reconstruction from ice cores of the past 1,000 years reveals that today's warming in central-north Greenland is surprisingly pronounced. The most recent decade surveyed in a study, the years 2001 to 2011, was the warmest in the past 1,000 years, and the region is now 1.5 °C warmer than during the 20th century, as researchers report. Using a set of ice cores unprecedented in length and quality, they reconstructed past temperatures in central-north Greenland and melting rates of the ice sheet.
Scientists have developed a revolutionary new method for capturing high-resolution images of fluctuations in materials at the nanoscale using powerful X-ray sources. The technique, which they call Coherent Correlation Imaging (CCI), allows for the creation of sharp, detailed movies without damaging the sample by excessive radiation. By using an algorithm to detect patterns in underexposed images, CCI opens paths to previously inaccessible information. The team demonstrated CCI on samples made of thin magnetic layers.
Given the choice of three different 'spin' orientations, certain particles emerging from collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), an atom smasher, appear to have a preference. Recent results reveal a preference in global spin alignment of particles called phi mesons. Conventional mechanisms -- such as the magnetic field strength or the swirliness of the matter generated in the particle collisions -- cannot explain the data. But a new model that includes local fluctuations in the nuclear strong force can.
Engineers fabricated 2D materials that could lead to next-generation transistors and electronic films.
The quantum nature of objects visible to the naked eye is currently a much-discussed research question. A team has now demonstrated a new method in the laboratory that could make the quantum properties of macroscopic objects more accessible than before. With the method, the researchers were able to increase the efficiency of an established cooling method by an order of a magnitude.
A new study shows that North American bird communities containing functionally diverse species have changed less under climate change during the past 50 years than functionally simple communities.
Eating disorders are stereotypically associated with adolescents and young adults. Growing evidence, however, suggests that these conditions can occur at any time during a woman's lifespan, including at midlife. A new study finds that body dissatisfaction is a primary cause of eating disorders, especially during perimenopause.
Glioblastoma (GBM) is a WHO grade IV brain tumor with dismal prognosis. Although post-surgical radiation chemotherapy combined with temozolomide is the standard line of treatment, GBM cells surviving radiotherapy contribute to tumor progression and recurrence even more aggressively. Researchers have now unveiled the mechanism of radioresistance in GBM cells, identifying therapeutic targets to overcome radioresistance. Moreover, the team has discovered a clinical drug that sensitizes GBM cells to radiotherapy and could replace temozolomide.
A team of mathematicians and pharmaceutical scientists collaborated to identify the major cause of the low accuracy of the equation in the FDA guidance used to predict drug-drug interaction through an enzyme (cytochrome P450, CYP) induction mediation. To overcome the fundamental limit of the conventional equation, the scientists derived a new equation based on a mathematical theory. This dramatically improved the accuracy of the prediction to determine potential drug-drug interactions, which is critical in preventing drug failure and bringing about new drug development.
Timing from first meal to last meal was not associated with weight loss in a six-year study: Eating less overall and fewer large meals may be a more effective weight management strategy than restricting meals to a narrow time window, such as intermittent fasting, according to a study that analyzed the electronic health records of about 550 adults who were followed for six years. The time interval from first to last meal was not associated with weight change during the six-year study.
A tendency for one or both spouses to avoid or withdraw from tough conversations could set up married couples for emotional distress, bad feelings about their relationship, chronic inflammation and lowered immune function, new research suggests.
With only a small percentage of plastics recycled, determining the best way to recycle and reuse these materials may enable higher adoption of plastics recycling and reduce plastic waste pollution. Researchers examined the benefits and trade-offs of current and emerging technologies for recycling certain types of plastics to determine the most appropriate options.
Choline, an essential nutrient produced in small amounts in the liver and found in foods including eggs, broccoli, beans, meat and poultry, is a vital ingredient for human health. A new study explores deficiency in dietary choline adversely affects the body and may be a missing piece in the puzzle of Alzheimer's disease.
Many genetic diseases are caused by diverse mutations spread across an entire gene, and designing genome editing approaches for each patient's mutation would be impractical and costly.
A trapped mountaineer survived after enduring 16 frigid hours wedged in a crevasse on Denali (Mount McKinley) in Alaska. His long and difficult rescue in frigid conditions and care in the critical aftermath are examined. This compelling case study highlights the distinguishing factors that led to the successful outcome.
Research on fungi has helped transform tough-to-recycle plastic waste from the Pacific Ocean into key components for making pharmaceuticals.
An internal circadian clock controls the distinctive concentric rings of flowering in sunflowers, maximizing visits from pollinators, a new study from plant biologists shows.
The ultraviolet nail polish drying devices used to cure gel manicures may pose more of a public health concern than previously thought. Researchers studied these ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting devices, and found that their use leads to cell death and cancer-causing mutations in human cells.
Researchers have devised a better way to measure how fast sediment flows in rivers -- information that can help scientists and planners better prepare for flooding and weather-related events, understand salmon activity and even restore rivers.
Researchers have developed a new system for developing gene drives for areas ranging from human health to global food supplies. The new 'hacking' system converts split gene drives into full drives, offering new flexibility for safely conducting gene drive experiments in a range of applications.
Researchers compared aging mice that had access to a weighted exercise wheel with mice that had undergone epigenetic reprogramming via the expression of Yamanaka factors. Ultimately, the team determined that exercise promotes a molecular profile consistent with epigenetic partial programming.
A study shows that global atmospheric dust -- microscopic airborne particles from desert dust storms -- has a slight overall cooling effect on the planet that has hidden the full amount of warming caused by greenhouse gases. Climate change could accelerate slightly if dust levels stop climbing.
Researchers find that an antimicrobial molecule modifies T-cell-signalling and thus attenuates overshooting immune reactions.
The largest terrestrial carbon sink on Earth is the planet's soil. One of the big fears is that a warming planet will liberate significant portions of the soil's carbon, turning it into carbon dioxide (CO2) gas, and so further accelerate the pace of planetary warming. A key player in this story is the microbe, the predominant form of life on Earth, and which can either turn organic carbon -- the fallen leaves, rotting tree stumps, dead roots and other organic matter -- into soil, or release it into the atmosphere as CO2. Now, an international team of researchers has helped to untangle one of the knottiest questions involving soil microbes and climate change: what effect does a warming planet have on the microbes' carbon cycling?
Recent research shows that magnetic fields can spontaneously emerge in a plasma if the plasma has a temperature anisotropy. This mechanism is known as the Weibel instability. This new research is the first to unambiguously observe the Weibel instability in the laboratory. It offers a possible solution to the problem of the origin of the microgauss-level magnetic fields that permeate the galaxies.
A new report by artificial intelligence (AI) and foreign policy experts predicts that deepfakes technology is on the brink of being used much more widely, including in targeted military and intelligence operations. The experts make recommendations to security officials and policymakers for how to handle the unsettling new technology, including a call to develop a code of conduct for governments' use of deepfakes.
Physicists have once again gained a deeper understanding of the mechanism behind superconductors. This brings researchers one step closer to their goal of developing the foundations for a theory for superconductors that would allow current to flow without resistance and without energy loss. The researchers found that in superconducting copper-oxygen bonds, called cuprates, there must be a very specific charge distribution between the copper and the oxygen, even under pressure.
A promising approach to control Staphylococcus aureus bacterial colonization in people -- using a probiotic instead of antibiotics -- was safe and highly effective in a Phase 2 clinical trial. The new study found that the probiotic Bacillus subtilis markedly reduced S. aureus colonization in trial participants without harming the gut microbiota, which includes bacteria that can benefit people.
A diverse immune response hinges on naive B cells mingling with high affinity ones in the late-stage germinal center. Whether that helps or hinders, however, depends on the virus.
Tropical forests are crucial for sucking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But they're also subject to intense storms that can cause 'windthrow' -- the uprooting or breaking of trees. A new study finds that more extreme thunderstorms from climate change will likely cause a greater number of large windthrow events in the Amazon, which could impact the rainforest's ability to serve as a carbon sink.
We've all been there. You made a promise you couldn't keep. Or something came up, and you didn't follow through on what you said you'd do. It turns out children pay attention to what we say when we don't deliver. A new study shows that by the time they reach preschool, kids understand that some reasons for reneging are more defensible than others.
Researchers studied human colon cancer tissue samples and animal models and found that exposure to salmonella was linked with colon cancers that developed earlier and grew larger.
Researchers have found new evidence that vitamin D may be metabolized differently in people with an elevated body mass index (BMI). The study is a new analysis of data from the VITAL trial, a large nationwide clinical trial that investigated whether taking vitamin D or marine omega-3 supplements could reduce the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, or stroke.
Studying wolves at the pack level is important because most previous research has focused on population numbers. This study assessed the effects of human-caused mortality on wolf pack social dynamics, a novel approach of analyzing impacts to species based on their group structure.
Is the inside of a plant cell more like a liquid or a solid? While this may sound like an odd question, new research demonstrates it can be either, depending on how much light you shine on it. Chloroplasts within plant cells constitute an active form of matter that undergoes dramatic phase transitions.
Bees may be at risk from exposure to glyphosate -- an active ingredient in some of the EU's most commonly used weedkillers -- via contaminated wildflower nectar, according to new research. Residues of glyphosate have previously been found in nectar and pollen collected by bees foraging on plants that have been selectively targeted with weedkiller, but this time it has been reported in unsprayed wildflowers growing near sprayed fields.
Scientists have discovered a rare lead compound (named lead formate) in Rembrandt's masterpiece The Night Watch. This rare discovery provides new insight into 17th-century painting technique and the conservation history of the painting.
Living in a greener environment has an impact on the composition of oligosaccharides in mother's breastmilk, which in turn may affect the infant's health. A study showed that greater diversity and proportion of green environments in the residential area were associated with increased diversity in the composition of the oligosaccharides in breastmilk.
Chemists have developed a tool for noninvasive brain imaging that can help illuminate hard-to-access structures and processes. Their small-molecule dye is the first of its kind that can cross the blood-brain barrier, allowing researchers to differentiate between healthy brain tissue and a glioblastoma tumor in mice.
Aging and related diseases are associated with alterations in oxidative status and low-grade inflammation, as well as a decreased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) unfolded protein response (UPR). UPR is a functional mechanism by which cells attempt to protect themselves against ER stress. Researchers analyzed these proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of elderly subjects and used computer simulation to predict the key proteins associated with these biomolecules underlying physiological adaptations to exercise. They collected blood samples about five to six days before and after the training period and analyzed various oxidative stress biomarkers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The study takes research one step further in helping to elucidate the benefits of exercise in this population.
Capturing the potential profits and jobs offered by a growing hydrogen industry may need as much innovation in regulatory agencies as it does in the research laboratories, according to new research.
Strict-sounding teachers are worse at inspiring the classroom than their kind colleagues, research has revealed. A ground-breaking psychological study of hundreds of children showed 'controlling sounding voices' didn't gain cooperation from 10-16-year-olds.
Climate change presents a mismatch for some breeding songbirds, finds a new study using a decade of nestbox data.
Separation leads to a significant but temporary increase in gender inequalities in parent-child time, according to new research.
Technology that enables an unprecedented, high-resolution look for all structural variants in our genes that are known to cause cancer can outperform standard tests used today for common blood cancers like leukemia, researchers report.
Despite only about 25% of car travel happening after dark, almost half of fatal accidents occur at night. As our vehicles become more advanced and even autonomous, the ways of detecting and avoiding these collisions must evolve too. Current systems are often complicated, resource-intensive or work poorly in the dark. But now, researchers have designed a simple, power-saving collision detector inspired by the way insects avoid bumping into one another.
Reducing the number of stomata that rice have makes them more tolerant to salt water, according to researchers.
Powered by supermassive black holes swallowing matter in the centers of galaxies, active galactic nuclei are the most powerful compact steady sources of energy in the universe. The brightest active galactic nuclei have long been known to far outshine the combined light of the billions of stars in their host galaxies. A new study indicates that scientists have substantially underestimated the energy output of these objects by not recognizing the extent to which their light is dimmed by dust.
A new study finds that ants are not adjusting their behavior in response to warming temperatures, persisting in sub-optimal microhabitats even when optimal ones were present. The finding suggests ants may not be able to adjust their behavior in response to warming ecosystems.
Researchers have created a computational model to predict the growth of deadly brain tumors more accurately.
New research finds that ice-sheet-wide collapse in West Antarctica isn't inevitable: the pace of ice loss varies according to regional differences in atmosphere and ocean circulation.
On Blue Monday -- supposedly the gloomiest day of the year -- a study shows adults with high levels of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms are more likely to experience anxiety and depression than adults with high levels of autistic traits.
An international team of researchers achieves completely new insights into Bronze Age marriage rules and family structures in Greece. Analyses of ancient genomes show that the choice of marriage partners was determined by one's own kinship.
A new test 'fishes' for multiple respiratory viruses at once using single strands of DNA as 'bait', and gives highly accurate results in under an hour.
Researchers have developed a thin film device, fabricated by spray coating, that can block electromagnetic radiation with the flip of a switch. The breakthrough, enabled by versatile two-dimensional materials called MXenes, could adjust the performance of electronic devices, strengthen wireless connections and secure mobile communications against intrusion.
Doctors have used a new type of CT scan to light up tiny nodules in a hormone gland and cure high blood pressure by their removal. The nodules are discovered in one-in-twenty people with high blood pressure.
A new study shows that smoke particles from human-lit fires are responsible for over 80% of smoke-related deaths each year. The study shows that smoke pollution is on the rise, reducing air quality, and leading to increased illness and premature deaths.
There were no safety events that required removal of the device, no infections of the brain or nervous system, and no adverse events resulting in permanently increased disability related to the investigational device.
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) could help prevent Alzheimer's Dementia among women at risk of developing the disease -- according to new research.
Hundreds of millions of light-years away in a distant galaxy, a star orbiting a supermassive black hole is being violently ripped apart under the black hole's immense gravitational pull. As the star is shredded, its remnants are transformed into a stream of debris that rains back down onto the black hole to form a very hot, very bright disk of material swirling around the black hole, called an accretion disc. This phenomenon -- where a star is destroyed by a supermassive black hole and fuels a luminous accretion flare -- is known as a tidal disruption event (TDE), and it is predicted that TDEs occur roughly once every 10,000 to 100,000 years in a given galaxy.
Participation in environmental education programs can motivate children across diverse language groups to act responsibly toward the environment, a recent study suggests.
Scientists have successfully demonstrated that autonomous methods can discover new materials. The artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technique led to the discovery of three new nanostructures, including a first-of-its-kind nanoscale 'ladder.'
Targeting iron metabolism in immune system cells may offer a new approach for treating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) -- the most common form of the chronic autoimmune disease lupus. A multidisciplinary team of investigators has discovered that blocking an iron uptake receptor reduces disease pathology and promotes the activity of anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells in a mouse model of SLE.
Seemingly spontaneously coordinated swarm behavior exhibited by large groups of animals is a fascinating and striking collective phenomenon. Experiments conducted on laser-controlled synthetic microswimmers now show that supposed swarm intelligence can sometimes also be the result of simple and generic physical mechanisms. A team of physicists found that swarms of synthetically produced Brownian microswimmers appear to spontaneously decide to orbit their target point instead of heading for it directly.
When people are in a negative mood, they may be quicker to spot inconsistencies in things they read, a new study suggests.
When genes are activated and expressed, they show patterns in cells that are similar in type and function across tissues and organs. Discovering these patterns improves our understanding of cells -- which has implications for unveiling disease mechanisms. The advent of spatial transcriptomics technologies has allowed researchers to observe gene expression in their spatial context across entire tissue samples. But new computational methods are needed to make sense of this data and help identify and understand these gene expression patterns. A research team led by Jian Ma, the Ray and Stephanie Lane Professor of Computational Biology in Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science, has developed a machine learning tool to fill this gap. Their paper on the method, called SPICEMIX, appeared as the cover story in the most recent issue of Nature Genetics.
Flow batteries offer a solution. Electrolytes flow through electrochemical cells from storage tanks in this rechargeable battery. The existing flow battery technologies cost more than $200/kilowatt hour and are too expensive for practical application, but engineers have now developed a more compact flow battery cell configuration that reduces the size of the cell by 75%, and correspondingly reduces the size and cost of the entire flow battery. The work could revolutionize how everything from major commercial buildings to residential homes are powered.
Using artificial intelligence, engineers have simplified and reinforced models that accurately calculate the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) -- the soot, dust and exhaust emitted by trucks and cars that get into human lungs -- contained in urban air pollution.
Disturbances to Earth's magnetic field can lead birds astray -- a phenomenon scientists call 'vagrancy' -- even in perfect weather, and especially during fall migration. While other factors such as weather likely play bigger roles in causing vagrancy, researchers found a strong correlation between birds that were captured far outside of their expected range and the geomagnetic disturbances that occurred during both fall and spring migrations.
Understanding how dust grains form in interstellar gas could offer significant insights to astronomers and help materials scientists develop useful nanoparticles.
Scientists have used paleogenomics to trace 10,000 years of human immune system evolution. They analyzed the genomes of more than 2,800 individuals who lived in Europe over the past ten millennia. They were able to date the increase in frequency of most of the mutations that are advantageous in defending against pathogens to after the Bronze Age, 4,500 years ago. The scientists also observed that mutations conferring a higher risk of developing inflammatory disorders have become more frequent over the past 10,000 years.
This laboratory protocol gives researchers a road map to understand the complex traffic system between the gut and the brain and its effects both in health and disease.'
Madagascar is home to a unique biodiversity with a large number of endemic species, among those many lemur species, including the mouse lemurs. This diversity is also found in their retroviruses. Biologists analyzed the mouse lemur genome and identified viruses of two classes that represent ancient infections of the mouse lemur germline. The viruses now behave similarly to lemur genes and are thus called endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). It was surprising that some of the identified retroviruses are closely related to viruses found in other, very different mammals such as polar bears or domestic sheep. This suggests an intriguing and complex pattern of host switching of retroviruses, much more complex than previously thought.
Scientists have decoded the physical process that takes place in the mouth when a piece of chocolate is eaten, as it changes from a solid into a smooth emulsion that many people find totally irresistible. By analyzing each of the steps, the interdisciplinary research team hope it will lead to the development of a new generation of luxury chocolates that will have the same feel and texture but will be healthier to consume. During the moments it is in the mouth, the chocolate sensation arises from the way the chocolate is lubricated, either from ingredients in the chocolate itself or from saliva or a combination of the two. Fat plays a key function almost immediately when a piece of chocolate is in contact with the tongue. After that, solid cocoa particles are released and they become important in terms of the tactile sensation, so fat deeper inside the chocolate plays a rather limited role and could be reduced without having an impact on the feel or sensation of chocolate.
A team has studied the relation between galaxy size and luminosity of some of the earliest galaxies in the universe taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, less than a billion years after the Big Bang.
Until now, microscopic robotic systems have had to make do without arms. Now researchers have developed an ultrasonically actuated glass needle that can be attached to a robotic arm. This lets them pump and mix minuscule amounts of liquid and trap particles.
Birds fly more efficiently by folding their wings during the upstroke, according to a recent study. The results could mean that wing-folding is the next step in increasing the propulsive and aerodynamic efficiency of flapping drones.
Black holes are gatherers, not hunters. They lie in wait until a hapless star wanders by. When the star gets close enough, the black hole's gravitational grasp violently rips it apart and sloppily devours its gasses while belching out intense radiation. Astronomers have recorded a star's final moments in detail as it gets gobbled up by a black hole.
From tiny plankton to massive whales, microplastics have been found throughout the ocean food chain. One major source of this pollution are fibers shed while laundering synthetic fabrics. Although many studies show microfibers are released during machine washing, it's been less clear how hand washing contributes. Now, researchers report that hand washing can drastically cut the amount of fibers shed compared with using a machine.
A study is providing a glimpse into dinosaur and bird diversity in Patagonia during the Late Cretaceous, just before the non-avian dinosaurs went extinct. The fossils represent the first record of theropods -- a dinosaur group that includes both modern birds and their closest non-avian dinosaur relatives -- from the Chilean portion of Patagonia. The researchers' finds include giant megaraptors with large sickle-like claws and birds similar to todays ducks and geese.
Gut bacteria can influence brain health, according to a study of mice genetically predisposed to develop Alzheimer's-like brain damage. The study indicates that gut bacteria produce compounds that influence the behavior of immune cells, including ones in the brain that can cause neurodegeneration. The findings suggest a new approach to treating Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.
A novel technique called Underground Gravity Energy Storage turns decommissioned mines into long-term energy storage solutions, thereby supporting the sustainable energy transition.
A new atlas maps more than 300 protein kinases found in human cells, and identifies which types of protein substrates they target. The atlas could help scientists understand what happens when cells become cancerous or are treated with specific drugs.
In two studies using nationally representative data gathered on thousands of Americans, researchers have significantly added to evidence that social isolation is a substantial risk factor for dementia in community-dwelling (noninstitutionalized) older adults, and identified technology as an effective way to intervene.
Consumption of fish in monkeys has been thought of to be a rare occurrence, potentially even happening accidentally. However, through fecal studies of Japanese macaques in the Kamikochi area, evidence of fish-eating amongst this group of monkeys has been suggested. The frequency in which fish DNA has been detected in feces suggests more intention than simply feeding off of dead or dying fish.
Researchers combine a polymer coating with silicon dioxide nanostructures to create a coating to prevent fogging and unwanted reflections. The technique solves a common problem for sensors such as lidar used in autonomous cars.
Dolphins are social, intelligent animals who rely on whistles and echolocation to hunt and reproduce. This means that noise generated from human activity such as drilling and shipping has the potential to negatively impact the health of wild dolphin populations. A study demonstrates that dolphins 'shout' when trying to work together in response to increasing underwater noise levels.
The movement of people across the Bering Sea from North Asia to North America is a well-known phenomenon in early human history. Nevertheless, the genetic makeup of the people who lived in North Asia during this time has remained mysterious due to a limited number of ancient genomes analyzed from this region. Now, researchers describe genomes from ten individuals up to 7,500 years old that help to fill the gap and show geneflow from people moving in the opposite direction from North America to North Asia.
More than 2,500 genes exhibit significant sex differences in expression in mouse alveolar type II cells (AT2s), important for keeping the lungs functioning, potentially explaining sex biases in the prevalence and severity of lung diseases. In particular, very high numbers of X-linked genes escape transcriptional silencing in lung alveolar type 2 (AT2s) cells, researchers report.
Researchers have created the first highly mature neurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), a feat that opens new opportunities for medical research and potential transplantation therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic injuries.
For men who undergo radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer, the precise targeting capabilities of MRI guidance resulted in fewer toxicities and better quality of life according to new research.
A team of researchers has developed a novel delivery system for messenger RNA (mRNA) using extracellular vesicles (EVs). The new technique has the potential to overcome many of the delivery hurdles faced by other promising mRNA therapies. The researchers use EV-encapsulated mRNA to initiate and sustain collagen production for several months in the cells of photoaged skin in laboratory models. It is the first therapy to demonstrate this ability and represents a proof-of-concept for deploying the EV mRNA therapy.
Unraveling the origin stories of the Tissint meteorite's organic compounds can help scientists understand whether the Red Planet ever hosted life, as well as Earth's geologic history.
Brain structures which could predict an individual's predisposition to accidental awareness under anaesthetic have been identified by neuroscientists.
A new DNA-collection approach allows scientists to capture genetic information from wildlife without disturbing the animals or putting their own safety in jeopardy. The protocol, tested on elephant dung, yielded enough DNA to sequence whole genomes not only of the elephants but also of the associated microbes, plants, parasites and other organisms -- at a fraction of the cost of current approaches.
Scientists delved into the relationship between gait function and knee extension velocity after total knee arthroplasty and compared the effects of various factors on walking. The results reveal that knee extension velocity, measured while seated, on the operated side was the most important determinant of gait function. These findings are expected to contribute to the development of new rehabilitation programs for efficient gait function improvement.
A new study demonstrates that electrodes can be made using just screen printing, creating a stretchable, durable circuit pattern that can be transferred to fabric and worn directly on human skin. Such wearable electronics can be used for health monitoring in hospitals or at home. Current commercial manufacturing of wearable electronics requires expensive processes involving clean rooms. While some use screen printing for parts of the process, this new method relies wholly on screen printing, which can make manufacturing flexible, wearable electronics much easier and less expensive.
A new study has shed light on the many and varied fall-risk factors facing older adults in community-living environments. The research examined a comprehensive set of potential fall-risk factors -- including environmental factors, in addition to health and function -- in older community-living adults in the U.S., both with and without dementia.
While some people are concerned about America's falling birth rate, a new study suggests young people don't need to be convinced to have more children. In fact, young Americans haven't changed the number of children they intend to have in decades.
Guilt is an uncomfortable feeling and can be burdensome. Researchers have shown that placebos can help reduce feelings of guilt, even when the placebo is administered openly.
UVB has utility in processes such as detoxifying pollutants and treating dermatological disorders, but it can only be produced by inefficient and environmentally harmful methods. Research teams have developed a new system using organic molecules to upconvert blue LED light to UVB. Moreover, the system does not use the heavy metals commonly used in such processes, leading the way for a more sustainable approach to UVB production.
Six minutes of high-intensity exercise could extend the lifespan of a healthy brain and delay the onset of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. New research shows that a short but intense bout of cycling increases the production of a specialized protein that is essential for brain formation, learning and memory, and could protect the brain from age-related cognitive decline. This insight on exercise is part of the drive to develop accessible, equitable and affordable non-pharmacological approaches that anyone can adopt to promote healthy aging.
A research group recorded the autonomic nervous system activity in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and healthy subjects using a wearable device and a proprietary smartphone application to record daily life events such as defecation and sleep. As a result, they found that sympathetic nervous system activity was activated in IBS patients from 2 minutes before defecation and continued until 9 minutes after defecation. Further research is expected to improve the quality of life of IBS patients and elucidate the pathophysiology.
Combing computational physics with experimental data, researchers have developed computer models for determining a drug candidate's ability to target and bind to proteins within cells.
Both songbirds and humans suffer from contagious disease outbreaks. Studying what aspects of illness makes a sick animal contagious can help predict whether some pathogens will become more harmful over time.
Scientists have reported something unexpected about the distinct populations of stars that make up the Triangulum galaxy: In this satellite galaxy, a close companion of the much larger Andromeda galaxy, old and new stars occur in separate parts of the galaxy's structure, something not seen in galaxies like our own and so far not reporter for other satellite galaxies.
NGC 346, one of the most dynamic star-forming regions in nearby galaxies, is full of mystery. Now, it is less mysterious with new findings from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has imaged the inner workings of a dusty disk surrounding a nearby red dwarf star. These observations represent the first time the previously known disk has been imaged at these infrared wavelengths of light. They also provide clues to the composition of the disk.
Researchers confirmed an exoplanet, a planet that orbits another star, using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope for the first time. Formally classified as LHS 475 b, the planet is almost exactly the same size as our own, clocking in at 99% of Earth's diameter.
How people perceive their own neighborhoods may have a lot to do with whether they choose to walk and cycle, according to a global study of nearly 40,000 adults. A health sciences professor says those who are most likely to walk more than 150 minutes a week for commuting or leisure purposes reported their neighborhoods had more desirable features. The likelihood of cycling and walking was associated with land use mix-diversity (amenities such as stores or parks within a 20-minute walk), street connectivity (number of three and four-way intersections) and safety from crime.
Water clarity is key to the health and restoration of marine plants and animals worldwide, particularly in shallow coastal systems such as the Chesapeake Bay. But it turns out that measuring water clarity isn't as clear-cut as it might appear. Research reveals that the 'clarity' of a water parcel depends on the method used to measure it, and that different research questions and management decisions merit different clarity-measuring tools and techniques.
Amino acids make up millions of proteins that drive the chemical gears of life, including essential bodily functions in animals. Because of amino acids' relationship to living things scientists are eager to understand the origins of these molecules. After all, amino acids may have helped spawn life on Earth after being delivered here about 4 billion years ago by pieces of asteroids or comets.
About a quarter of the world's electricity currently comes from power plants fired by natural gas. These contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions (amounting to 10% of energy-related emissions according to the most recent figures from 2017) and climate change. By gathering data from 108 countries around the world and quantifying the emissions by country, a team has estimated that total global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the life cycle of gas-fired power is 3.6 billion tonnes each year. They found that this amount could be reduced by as much as 71% if a variety of mitigation options were used around the world.
Researchers combined heparin with a protein fragment, peptide, to slow down the release of the drug and convey the medication directly to the site of a clot.
This migration mode is one of the ways cancer cells navigate tissue during metastasis. In a new study researchers have explored mesenchymal migration through cell simulations and mathematical modeling. Their aim: to learn more about how cancer cells size up surrounding tissue for stiffness and adapt their gecko-like movements in response.
Electric vehicles, powered by macroscopic electric motors, are increasingly prevalent on our streets and highways. Now a multidisciplinary team has made an electric motor you can't see with the naked eye: an electric motor on the molecular scale. This early work -- a motor that can convert electrical energy into unidirectional motion at the molecular level -- has implications for materials science and particularly medicine, where the electric molecular motor could team up with biomolecular motors in the human body.
Researchers demonstrated a new type of optical manipulation: using laser light to pull a macroscopic object. The technology has potential for applications in the continued explorations of Mars.
Plant biochemists have discovered a new level of regulation in the biochemical 'machinery' that plants use to convert organic carbon derived from photosynthesis into a range of ring-shaped aromatic molecules. The research suggests new strategies for controlling plant biochemistry for agricultural and industrial applications.
The opportunistic bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii rarely sickens healthy people but causes serious infections in hospitalized patients. A study in mice suggests that Acinetobacter can hide undetected in bladder cells and then reactivate when stimulated by medical intervention. The findings suggest that patients may bring Acinetobacter into hospitals and that screening patients could supplement current infection-control efforts.
Scientists have demonstrated in animal models the possibility of using lipid nanoparticles and messenger RNA, the technology underpinning COVID-19 vaccines, to treat blindness associated with a rare genetic condition.
CAR T cell therapy may enhance the effectiveness surgery for of solid tumors, according to a preclinical study.
A team of chemical engineering researchers studied the mechanisms of drying the nanocrystals and proposed nanotechnology to render the nanocrystals highly redispersible in aqueous mediums, while retaining their full functionality, to make them easier to store and transport.
Researchers have discovered how to modify the function of an enzyme crucial to fat production in fruit flies, which could lead to more effective treatments of cancer and childhood obesity in humans.
Vaccines that provide long-lasting protection against influenza, coronaviruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have proved exceptionally difficult to develop. Researchers now explore the challenges and outline approaches to improved vaccines.
Neuroimaging technology has been shown to hold great promise in helping clinicians link specific symptoms of mental health disorders to abnormal patterns of brain activity. But a new study shows there are still kinks to be ironed out before doctors can translate images of the brain to psychiatric disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Researchers describe a ridge network on the membrane of B lymphocytes for the first time.
Synthesizing ammonia, the key ingredient in fertilizer, is energy intensive and a significant contributor to greenhouse gas warming of the planet. Chemists designed and synthesized porous materials -- metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs -- that bind and release ammonia at more moderate pressures and temperatures than the standard Haber-Bosch process for making ammonia. The MOF doesn't bind to any of the reactants, making capture and release of ammonia less energy intensive and greener.
The most well-known forms of carbon include graphite and diamond, but there are other more exotic nanoscale allotropes of carbon as well. These include graphene and fullerenes, which are sp2 hybridized carbon with zero (flat-shaped) or positive (sphere-shaped) curvatures. Researchers now report the discovery of a new form of carbon formed by heating fullerenes with lithium nitride.
A team has developed a more accurate formula to calculate how much sediment a fluid can push across a granular bed, which could help engineers manage river restoration and coastal erosion. The key to the new formula comes down to the shape of the sediment grains.
An international team of collaborators have revealed the most detailed look yet at the planet's recent climactic history, including summer and winter temperatures dating back 11,000 years to the beginning of what is known as the Holocene.
Researchers have found that a defect in an enzyme called APT1 interferes with the ability to secrete insulin, contributing to the development of Type 2 diabetes in people who are overweight or obese.
The analysis of ancient DNA allows scientists to trace human evolution and make important discoveries about modern populations. The data revealed by ancient DNA sampling can be valuable, but the human remains that carry this ancient DNA are often those of the ancestors of modern Indigenous groups, and some communities have expressed concerns about the ethics of sampling by outside parties. A group of scientists make the case for involvement of descendant communities in all aspects of the research process.
When it comes to preserving the world's coral reefs, what's going on above the surface is as important as what's going on below it, according to new research.
A material state known as super-lubricity, where friction between two contacting surfaces nearly vanishes, is a phenomenon that materials researchers have studied for years due to the potential for reducing the energy cost and wear and tear on devices, two major drawbacks of friction. However, there are times when friction is needed within the same device, and the ability to turn super-lubricity on and off would be a boon for multiple practical engineering applications.
A new study posits that interstellar cloud conditions may have played a significant role on the presence of key building blocks of life in the solar system.
Researchers are developing a new ultrahigh-speed single-pixel camera. This new device, called single-pixel imaging accelerated via swept aggregate patterns (SPI-ASAP) is capable of streaming video at 12,000 frames per second using light modulation, giving it great flexibility. This work represents a breakthrough in ultra-high-speed single-pixel imaging.
Researchers have developed a low-cost, easy-to-manufacture stabilizer for broken bones to help in regions where such devices are expensive or in short supply and people sometimes resort to homemade options.
How cells shape complex tissues and organs during embryo development, which makes us what we are, has many mysteries. New research has examined one such process which leads to the formation of vertebral column or spinal column. If this process is disrupted, it results in a birth defect called congenital scoliosis, or curvature of the spine. The research not only advanced understanding of how complex biological tissues form, but it could also lead to possible treatments for scoliosis in the future.
Scientists have analyzed the viability of a new nanomolecule as drug delivery vehicle. The results show that liposomes are able to transport and deliver an anticancer drug that has been used as a model inside the cells.
Scientists have successfully trialed an artificial pancreas for use by patients living with type 2 diabetes. The device doubled the amount of time patients were in the target range for glucose compared to standard treatment and halved the time spent experiencing high glucose levels.
Pyroelectric catalysis (pyro-catalysis) can convert environmental temperature fluctuations into clean chemical energy, like hydrogen. However, compared with the more common catalysis strategy, such as photocatalysis, pyro-catalysis is inefficient due to slow temperature changes in the ambient environment. Recently, a team has triggered a significantly faster and more efficient pyro-catalytic reaction using localized plasmonic heat sources to rapidly and efficiently heat up the pyro-catalytic material and allow it to cool down. The findings open up new avenues for efficient catalysis for biological applications, pollutant treatment and clean energy production.
New research suggests coaching overweight or obese pregnant women to improve their ability to plan and make progress toward goals may be key to helping them lower the amount of fat in their diet.
New research has found a better education has a strong genetic correlation and a protective causal association with several gut disorders.
Experiencing abuse or neglect as a child can cause multiple mental health problems, finds a new study.
More than 90% of vehicle-owning households in the United States would see a reduction in the percentage of income spent on transportation energy -- the gasoline or electricity that powers their cars, SUVs and pickups -- if they switched to electric vehicles.
Teens who reported feeling optimism, happiness, self-esteem, belongingness and loved were more likely to reach their 20s and 30s in good cardiometabolic health compared to teens with fewer of these positive psychological assets. The association was especially strong among Black youth.
Despite recent, torrential rains, most of Southern California remains in a drought. Accordingly, many residents plant trees prized for drought tolerance, but a new study shows that these trees lose this tolerance once they're watered.
An update to the Energy Zones Mapping Tool, the Geospatial Energy Mapper is an online tool with an extensive catalog of mapping data for energy planning. It can help identify areas that are suitable for clean energy infrastructure projects.
Astrophysicists have discovered the tightest ultracool dwarf binary system ever observed. The two stars are so close that it takes them less than one Earth day to revolve around each other. In other words, each star's 'year' lasts just 20.5 hours.
Astronomers were on the lookout for 'stars behaving strangely' when an automated alert from pointed them to Gaia17bpp, a star that had gradually brightened over a 2 1/2-year period. But follow-up analyses indicated that Gaia17bpp wasn't changing. Instead, the star is likely part of a rare type of binary system. Its apparent brightening was the end of a years-long eclipse by an unusual, 'dusty' stellar companion.
New research says the gut microbiome is involved in multiple pathways in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. The findings show a wide imbalance in microbiome composition in persons with Parkinson's disease. The investigators employed metagenomics, the study of genetic material recovered directly from the stool microbiome of persons with PD and neurologically healthy control subjects.
Researchers find that being overweight can make the cells of people's immune system destructive to their eyes as they age.
Using a predictive genomics approach called variant-to-gene mapping, Texas A&M biologist Alex Keene and colleagues prove the gene Pig-Q is associated with sleep regulation in humans, flies and zebrafish.
An international team has succeeded in propagating a commercial hybrid rice strain as a clone through seeds with 95 percent efficiency. This could lower the cost of hybrid rice seed, making high-yielding, disease resistant rice strains available to low-income farmers worldwide.
A new study looks at how student expectations of exam grades can exhibit which individuals have an optimistic or pessimistic outlook on life.
A new report and upcoming international virtual event addresses the unequal burden of marine plastics on different communities. The illustrated report includes case studies from around the world and recommends future changes.
Only a fraction of the 7,000 to 8,000 languages spoken around the world benefit from modern language technologies like voice-to-text transcription, automatic captioning, instantaneous translation and voice recognition. Researchers want to expand the number of languages with automatic speech recognition tools available to them from around 200 to potentially 2,000.
Using data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, scientists have identified an Earth-size world, called TOI 700 e, orbiting within the habitable zone of its star -- the range of distances where liquid water could occur on a planet's surface. The world is 95% Earth's size and likely rocky.
To date, nanoparticles as catalysts for green hydrogen have been like rowers in an eight: researchers could only measure their average performance, but couldn't determine which one was the best. Scientists have demonstrated that cube-shaped cobalt oxide nanoparticles are more efficient than spherical ones. This paves the way for the systematic design of cost-effective and efficient catalysts for green hydrogen.
The reaction principle requires no expensive and toxic metals. In addition, it enables the production and subsequent transformation of a chemical reagent that was previously only known as an unstable, fleeting species. Researchers have discovered a new synthetic pathway with which they can produce a specific organic compound from the simple molecule carbon monoxide (CO), namely anionic ketenes.
Reformulating packaged foods available in Australia to contain less sodium may save about 1,700 lives per year, according to a new study. Using the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendations for reducing the population's sodium intake, the researchers estimate following the WHO sodium guidance may also prevent nearly 7,000 annual diagnoses of heart disease, kidney disease and stomach cancer in Australia.
Scientists have successfully tested the use of machine learning models to guide the design of long-acting injectable drug formulations. The potential for machine learning algorithms to accelerate drug formulation could reduce the time and cost associated with drug development, making promising new medicines available faster.
Astronomers have discovered a supernova explosion that expands our understanding of the later life stages of massive stars.
Subway riders waiting in stations near tunnels that run below the city's rivers are exposed to higher levels of hazardous pollutants than are found in other stations. The 'river-tunnel effect,' as researchers call it, may help explain extremely poor air quality in the nation's largest underground transit system and have particular implications for stations close to rivers in general.
A program to increase the use of magnesium sulfate, a inexpensive injection that helps prevent cerebral palsy in premature babies, is effective.
All chlamydiae today live inside the cells of hosts ranging from amoeba to animals. A team of scientists found that the ancestor of chlamydiae likely already lived inside host cells, but that chlamydiae infecting amoeba evolved later in ways unexpected for intracellular bacteria. The study is an important step for understanding the emergence and evolution of endosymbiotic bacteria, including human pathogens.
People suffering from symptoms of depression or anxiety may help heal themselves by doing good deeds for others, new research shows. The study found that performing acts of kindness led to improvements not seen in two other therapeutic techniques used to treat depression or anxiety.
In a study using data from nearly 1,200 older adults, researchers have added to a growing body of evidence that loss of the sense of smell is a predictive marker for an increased risk of frailty as people age.
The chemistry of planet formation has fascinated researchers for decades because the chemical reservoir in protoplanetary discs -- the dust and gas from which planets form -- directly impacts planet composition and potential for life.
Hispaniola once had among the highest diversity of rodents in the Caribbean. Today, only one rodent species remains, and its prospects for survival are uncertain. New carbon dates place the blame squarely on humans.
In June 2021, NASA's Juno spacecraft flew close to Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon, observing evidence of magnetic reconnection. A team has used Juno data to examine the electron and ion particles and magnetic fields as the magnetic field lines of Jupiter and Ganymede merged, snapped and reoriented, heating and accelerating the charged particles in the region.
Cats always land on their feet, but what makes them so agile? Their unique sense of balance has more in common with humans than it may appear. Researchers are studying cat locomotion to better understand how the spinal cord works to help humans with partial spinal cord damage walk and maintain balance.
New data have revealed that the structures of galaxies in the early universe were much more diverse and mature than previously known. JWST's ability to see faint high redshift galaxies in sharper detail than Hubble allowed the team of researchers to resolve more features and see a wide mix of galaxies.
Astronomers have discovered more than 200 distant variable stars known as RR Lyrae stars in the Milky Way's stellar halo. The most distant of these stars is more than a million light years from Earth, almost half the distance to our neighboring galaxy, Andromeda, which is about 2.5 million light years away.
While using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) to study the masers around oddball star MWC 349A scientists discovered something unexpected: a previously unseen jet of material launching from the star's gas disk at impossibly high speeds. What's more, they believe the jet is caused by strong magnetic forces surrounding the star. The discovery could help researchers to understand the nature and evolution of massive stars and how hydrogen masers are formed in space.
While studying a nearby pair of merging galaxies scientists have discovered two supermassive black holes growing simultaneously near the center of the newly coalescing galaxy. These super-hungry giants are the closest together that scientists have ever observed in multiple wavelengths. What's more, the new research reveals that binary black holes and the galaxy mergers that create them may be surprisingly commonplace in the Universe.
Astronomers studying archival observations of powerful explosions called short gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have detected light patterns indicating the brief existence of a superheavy neutron star shortly before it collapsed into a black hole. This fleeting, massive object likely formed from the collision of two neutron stars.
Shockwaves resulting from the violent collision between an intruder galaxy and Stephan's Quintet are helping astronomers to understand how turbulence influences gas in the intergalactic medium. New observations have revealed that a sonic boom several times the size of the Milky Way has kick-started a recycling plant for warm and cold molecular hydrogen gas. What's more, scientists uncovered the break-up of a giant cloud into a fog of warm gas, the possible collision of two clouds forming a splash of warm gas around them, and the formation of a new galaxy.
A newly published study sheds light on the biological underpinnings in sex differences in obesity-related disease, with researchers observing 'striking' differences in the cells that build blood vessels in the fatty tissue of male versus female mice.
As the atmospheric deposition of sulfur has decreased, the use of sulfur fertilizer in Midwestern U.S. agriculture has increased between 1985 and 2015.
Astronomers have used data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Early Release Observations and discovered 87 galaxies that could be the earliest known galaxies in the universe. The finding moves the astronomers one step closer to finding out when galaxies first appeared in the universe -- about 200-400 million years after the Big Bang.
A new analysis of distant galaxies imaged by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope shows that they are extremely young and share some remarkable similarities to 'green peas,' a rare class of small galaxies in our cosmic backyard.
Smallpox was once one of humanity's most devastating diseases, but its origin is shrouded in mystery. For years, scientific estimates of when the smallpox virus first emerged have been at odds with historical records. Now, a new study reveals that the virus dates back 2,000 years further than scientists have previously shown, verifying historical sources and confirming for the first time that the disease has plagued human societies since ancient times.
Women's reproductive needs should be considered holistically by considering pregnancy prevention and pregnancy preparation at the same time, finds a new study.
Students sometimes pull an all-nighter to prepare for an exam. However, research has shown that sleep deprivation is bad for your memory. Now, neuroscientists have discovered that what you learn while being sleep deprived is not necessarily lost, it is just difficult to recall. Together with his team, he has found a way to make this 'hidden knowledge' accessible again.
Parasitologists have shown that a complex of two protein variants plays a significant role in toxoplasmosis infection.
For the millions of people living with diabetes, insulin is a life-saving drug. Unlike many other medicines, though, insulin cannot be easily delivered by swallowing a pill -- it needs to be injected under the skin with a syringe or pump. Researchers have been making steps toward an insulin pill, and now, a team reports that they've delivered insulin to the colons of rats using an orally administered tablet powered by chemical 'micromotors.'
A new approach using functional MRI, an imaging technique that allows you to see and measure brain activity through changes in blood flow over time, provides new insight into how we describe and study conscious states.
A new study found that deleting a gene called KMT2D caused normal (basal) lung cells grown in complex cultures called organoids to transform into lung squamous carcinoma (LUSC) cells.
Recent measurements have shown that Frankfurt International Airport is a major source of ultrafine particles and that these can disperse over long distances across the city. Researchers have now discovered that the ultrafine particles partly consist of synthetic jet oils. The research team has deduced that emissions from lubrication oils must be lowered in addition to those from kerosene in order to reduce the concentration of ultrafine particles and thus improve air quality.
A new study could lead to early diagnosis and treatment of age-related macular degeneration.
Education about gene-by-environment interaction (G X E) causes of eating behaviors can have beneficial downstream effects on attitudes toward people with higher weight. A recent study found that participants who received education about G X E concepts reported higher empathy and held fewer stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with higher weight. G X E is when two different genotypes respond to variations in the environment in two different ways.
The risk for poor glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes can be predicted with confidence by using machine learning methods, a new study finds. The most important factors predicting glycemic control include prior glucose levels, duration of type 2 diabetes, and the patient's existing anti-diabetic medicines.
Researchers have invented a groundbreaking new catalyst technology that converts renewable materials like trees and corn to the key chemicals, acrylic acid, and acrylates used in paints, coatings, and superabsorbent polymers.
Scientists have developed artificial intelligence techniques to track the development of crevasses -- or fractures -- on the Thwaites Glacier Ice Tongue in west Antarctica. A team of scientists has adapted an AI algorithm originally developed to identify cells in microscope images to spot crevasses forming in the ice from satellite images. Crevasses are indicators of stresses building-up in the glacier.
Researchers have developed a system that can transform plastic waste and greenhouse gases into sustainable fuels and other valuable products -- using just the energy from the Sun.
New research has identified a protein that makes melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, more aggressive by giving cancer cells the ability to change the shape of their nucleus -- a characteristic which allows the cells to migrate and spread around the body.
Investigators have created a unique and detailed molecular profile of endometriosis to help improve therapeutic options for the millions of women suffering from the disease.
Afamitresgene autoleucel (afami-cel; formerly ADP-A2M4), an adoptive T cell receptor (TCR) therapy targeting the MAGE-A4 cancer antigen, achieved clinically significant results for patients with multiple solid tumor types in a Phase I clinical trial.
Fewer cases of melanoma were observed among regular users of vitamin D supplements than among non-users, a new study finds. People taking vitamin D supplements regularly also had a considerably lower risk of skin cancer, according to estimates by experienced dermatologists. The study included nearly 500 people with an increased risk of skin cancer.
Chemical and environmental engineers detailed a method to convert plastic waste into a highly porous form of charcoal that has a whopping surface area of about 400 square meters per gram of mass. It could potentially be added to soil to improve water retention and aeration of farmlands.
Researchers have identified a new trigger of brain inflammation in Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, two neurodegenerative disorders.
Researchers have identified a new trigger of brain inflammation in Alzheimer's disease and progressive supranuclear palsy, two neurodegenerative disorders.
New experiments that show that eukaryotic cells can robustly control average fluctuations in organelle size. By demonstrating that organelle sizes obey a universal scaling relationship that scientists can predict theoretically, a new framework suggests that organelles grow in random bursts from a limiting pool of building blocks.
New experiments that show that eukaryotic cells can robustly control average fluctuations in organelle size. By demonstrating that organelle sizes obey a universal scaling relationship that scientists can predict theoretically, a new framework suggests that organelles grow in random bursts from a limiting pool of building blocks.
Energy, environmental and chemical engineers found that nanoplastics facilitate formation of manganese oxide on polystyrene nanoparticles.
Energy, environmental and chemical engineers found that nanoplastics facilitate formation of manganese oxide on polystyrene nanoparticles.
A new study challenges existing ideas of how buildup of a protein called amyloid beta (A?) in the brain is related to Alzheimer's disease.
A new study challenges existing ideas of how buildup of a protein called amyloid beta (A?) in the brain is related to Alzheimer's disease.
Using a new method based upon comparing DNA mutation rates between parents and offspring, evolutionary biologists have revealed the average age of mothers versus fathers over the past 250,000 years, including the discovery that the age gap is shrinking, with women's average age at conception increasing from 23.2 years to 26.4 years, on average, in the past 5,000 years.
Using a new method based upon comparing DNA mutation rates between parents and offspring, evolutionary biologists have revealed the average age of mothers versus fathers over the past 250,000 years, including the discovery that the age gap is shrinking, with women's average age at conception increasing from 23.2 years to 26.4 years, on average, in the past 5,000 years.
New research has uncovered that pollen preserved in 250 million year old rocks contain compounds that function like sunscreen, these are produced by plants to protect them from harmful ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation. The findings suggests that a pulse of UV-B played an important part in the end Permian mass extinction event.
New research has uncovered that pollen preserved in 250 million year old rocks contain compounds that function like sunscreen, these are produced by plants to protect them from harmful ultraviolet (UV-B) radiation. The findings suggests that a pulse of UV-B played an important part in the end Permian mass extinction event.
Researchers can now detect the formation of keyhole pores, one of the most challenging defects common in additive manufacturing, with incredible accuracy.
Researchers can now detect the formation of keyhole pores, one of the most challenging defects common in additive manufacturing, with incredible accuracy.
A randomized, controlled trial of community gardening found that those who started gardening ate more fiber and got more physical activity -- two known ways to reduce risk of cancer and chronic diseases. They also saw their levels of stress and anxiety significantly decrease.
A randomized, controlled trial of community gardening found that those who started gardening ate more fiber and got more physical activity -- two known ways to reduce risk of cancer and chronic diseases. They also saw their levels of stress and anxiety significantly decrease.
A U.S.-Brazilian study using time series satellite images from 2000 to 2021 reveals the vital role of Indigenous territories and protected areas for forest conservation in the Brazilian Amazon, as well as calls attention to the negative impacts of weakened governmental conservation policies in recent years.
Researchers suggest that rising levels of humanmade chemicals, accumulating in marine plankton, might be used to monitor the impact of human activity on ecosystem health and perhaps study links between ocean pollution and land-based rates of childhood and adult chronic illnesses.
Using multiplex base-editing, an approach that simultaneously modifies multiple sites in fungal genomes, chemical and biomolecular engineers coax fungi into revealing their best-kept secrets, ramping up the pace of new drug discovery.
Scientists have developed a photochemical process to simplify the synthesis of drug and chemical precursors known as diamines.
A research team has built and tested a new interlayer to prevent dissolution of the sulfur cathode in lithium-sulfur batteries. This new interlayer increases Li-S cell capacity and maintains it over hundreds of cycles.
An unexpected ancient manufacturing strategy may hold the key to designing concrete that lasts for millennia.
This study, conducted from 2015-19 in the Thunder Basin National Grassland, may be the first to specifically examine the multispecies impacts of a wide-scale plague outbreak, which reduced the area covered by prairie dog colonies from nearly 25,000 acres to only about 125 acres in the study area. The 2017 outbreak was followed by abnormally high precipitation in 2018, which caused vegetation to grow quickly and taller without the presence of prairie dogs. The researchers found that the mountain plover, birds that thrive when vegetation is kept shorter by prairie dogs, almost disappeared from the study area, while migrant songbirds such as the lark bunting, which prefer taller vegetation, increased in number. Meanwhile, species including ferruginous hawks, badgers and swift foxes declined dramatically as their prey base crashed.
Researchers describe a previously unknown component of brain anatomy that acts as both a protective barrier and platform from which immune cells surveil the brain for infection and inflammation.
Exactly 230 years after Capt. William Bligh's voyage on the HMS Providence, a plant biology team has traced five major lineages of Caribbean breadfruit back to that single introduction from Bligh's voyage. Three generation of women solved the centuries-old mystery.
A new study based on 297 ancient Scandinavian genomes analysed together with the genomic data of 16,638 present day Scandinavians resolve the complex relations between geography, ancestry, and gene flow in Scandinavia -- encompassing the Roman Age, the Viking Age and later periods. A surprising increase of variation during the Viking period indicates that gene flow into Scandinavia was especially intense during this period.
New images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) reveal galaxies with stellar bars -- elongated features of stars stretching from the centers of galaxies into their outer disks -- at a time when the universe was a mere 25% of its present age. The finding of so-called barred galaxies, similar to our Milky Way, this early in the universe will require astrophysicists to refine their theories of galaxy evolution.
For some communities, the digital divide remains even after they have access to computers and fast internet, new research shows. A study of the Bhutanese refugee community in Columbus found that even though more than 95% of the population had access to the internet, very few were using it to connect with local resources and online news.
There is new evidence that a 50-year-old blood pressure drug could find new purpose as a treatment to mitigate the often life-altering effects of increasingly prevalent PTSD, scientists say.
Of the nearly 4 million births each year in the United States, roughly 50,000 are marked by life-threatening complications, and up to 900 result in maternal death during delivery. One major, often life-threatening complication is placenta accreta spectrum (PAS), which poses a threat to both the mother and the baby.
Research has shown for the first time that the effects of Alagille syndrome, an incurable genetic disorder that affects the liver, could be reversed with a single drug. The study has the potential to transform treatment for this rare disease and may also have implications for more common diseases.
More than 500 years ago in the midwestern Guatemalan highlands, Maya people bought and sold goods with far less oversight from their rulers than many archeologists previously thought. Overtime, the availability of obsidian resources and the prevalence of craftsmen to shape it resulted in a system that is in many ways suggestive of contemporary market-based economies.
Researchers have revealed the effects of high pathogenicity avian influenza virus infection on an Ezo red fox and a Japanese raccoon dog, linking their infection to a recorded die-off of crows.
While you may be just starting to reap the advantages of 5G wireless technology, researchers throughout the world are already working hard on the future: 6G. One of the most promising breakthroughs in 6G telecommunications is the possibility of Visible Light Communication (VLC), which is like a wireless version of fiberoptics, using flashes of light to transmit information. Now, a team has announced that they have invented a low-cost, innovative way to harvest the waste energy from VLC by using the human body as an antenna. This waste energy can be recycled to power an array of wearable devices, or even, perhaps, larger electronics.
Chemists have discovered more isn't always better when it comes to packing charge-acceptor molecules on the surface of semiconducting nanocrystals.
Tropical cyclone researchers report a warming climate could increase the number of tropical cyclones and their intensity in the North Atlantic, potentially creating more and stronger hurricanes. In a second research paper, researchers examine a possible explanation for the relatively constant number of tropical cyclones around the globe every year.
Scientists have discovered that time spent exploring an environment causes neural representations to grow in surprising ways. This discovery provides valuable methods for analyzing data on neurocognitive disorders involving learning and memory, such as Alzheimer's disease.
Antibiotic residues in wastewater and wastewater treatment plants in the regions around China and India risk contributing to antibiotic resistance, and the drinking water may pose a threat to human health, according to a comprehensive analysis. The researchers also determined the relative contribution of various sources of antibiotic contamination in waterways, such as hospitals, municipals, livestock, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Researchers now have a much better understanding of how climate change can impact and cause sea water temperatures on one side of the Indian Ocean to be so much warmer or cooler than the temperatures on the other -- a phenomenon that can lead to sometimes deadly weather-related events like megadroughts in East Africa and severe flooding in Indonesia.
Moderate levels of two outdoor air pollutants, ozone and fine particulate matter, are associated with non-viral asthma attacks in children and adolescents who live in low-income urban areas. The study also identifies associations between exposure to the two pollutants and molecular changes in the children's airways during non-viral asthma attacks, suggesting potential mechanisms for those attacks.
Climate change will slow down deep overturning ocean circulation in the coming centuries. Using three dozen Earth system models, researchers have concluded that the Southern Meridional Overturning Circulation could completely shut down by 2300, causing disaster to the marine ecosystem on a large portion of the planet.
Investigators have developed a new cell therapy approach to eliminate established tumors and induce long-term immunity, training the immune system so that it can prevent cancer from recurring. Dual-action cell therapy engineered to eliminate established tumors and train the immune system to eradicate primary tumor and prevent cancer's recurrence.
Using the latest technologies --i ncluding both single-nuclear sequencing of mice and human liver tissue and advanced 3D glass imaging of mice to characterize key scar-producing liver cells -- researchers have uncovered novel candidate drug targets for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Nuclear physicists have found a new way to use the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) to see the shape and details inside atomic nuclei. The method relies on particles of light that surround gold ions as they speed around the collider and a new type of quantum entanglement that's never been seen before.
An international team of scientists painstakingly gathered data from more than 50 years of seagoing scientific drilling missions to conduct a first-of-its-kind study of organic carbon that falls to the bottom of the ocean and gets drawn deep inside the planet.
In giant clusters of hundreds or thousands of galaxies, innumerable stars wander among the galaxies like lost souls, emitting a ghostly haze of light. These stars are not gravitationally tied to any one galaxy in a cluster. The nagging question for astronomers has been: how did the stars get so scattered throughout the cluster in the first place? Several competing theories include the possibility that the stars were stripped out of a cluster's galaxies, or they were tossed around after mergers of galaxies, or they were present early in a cluster's formative years many billions of years ago.
Researchers have created a map of oceanic 'dead zones' that existed during the Pliocene epoch, when the Earth's climate was two to three degrees warmer than it is now. The work could provide a glimpse into the locations and potential impacts of future low oxygen zones in a warmer Earth's oceans.
The delicate fragrance of jasmine is a delight to the senses. The sweet scent is popular in teas, perfumes and potpourri. But take a whiff of the concentrated essential oil, and the pleasant aroma becomes almost cloying. Indeed, part of the flower's smell comes from the compound skatole, a prominent component of fecal odor.
Researchers have found that immune systems of men who had recovered from mild cases of COVID-19 responded more robustly to flu vaccines than women who had had mild cases or men and women who had never been infected. In essence, the baseline immune statuses in men previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 was altered in ways that changed the response to an exposure different from SARS-CoV-2, the researchers report.
Researchers have found that testing for the presence of a single immune system molecule on nasal swabs can help detect stealthy viruses not identified in standard tests.
All of the previously known CRISPR immune systems protect bacteria by deactivating genes from an invading virus. Now, a recently discovered CRISPR protein, called Cas12a2, has been found to act as a kind of multi-purpose self-destruct system for bacteria, capable of degrading single-stranded RNA, single-stranded DNA and double-stranded DNA. This ability could lead to a new approach to developing diagnostics for diseases such as COVID-19 and the flu.
A new study has found that individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to experience disaster-related home loss, and they are also more likely to develop functional limitations following the disaster.
An unmanned semi-submersible vehicle may prove that the best way to travel in water undetected and efficiently is not on top, or below, but in-between. The roughly 1.5-foot-long semi-sub prototype, built with off-the-shelf and 3D-printed parts, showed its seaworthiness in water tests, moving quickly with low drag and a low profile. This vessel-type isn't new. Authorities have discovered crudely made semi-subs being used for illicit purposes in recent years, but the project aims to demonstrate how engineer-developed half-submerged vessels can efficiently serve military, commercial and research purposes.
Chemical engineers have invented a solar-powered artificial leaf, built on a novel electrode which is transparent and porous, capable of harvesting water from the air for conversion into hydrogen fuel. The semiconductor-based technology is scalable and easy to prepare.
A clinical trial has resulted in the first approval of a treatment for advanced alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS). The immunotherapy drug atezolizumab (Tecentriq) was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of adults and children 2 years and older with ASPS that has spread to other parts of the body or cannot be removed by surgery. ASPS is an extremely rare cancer that affects mostly adolescents and young adults.
The launch represents the first in-situ test of the technology to harvest solar energy in space and transmit it to Earth.
A common fatty acid found in the Western diet breaks down into compounds that contribute to increased temperature and pain -- but not itch -- sensitivity in psoriatic lesions.
A team of researchers has discovered that the protein Grb10 promotes leptin activity in the brain, opening the possibility of developing Grb10-based new approaches to treat obesity.
Researchers have developed a new kind of heating and cooling method that they have named the ionocaloric refrigeration cycle. They hope the technique will someday help phase out refrigerants that contribute to global warming and provide safe, efficient cooling and heating for homes.
In recent years, humans have built wildlife crossings in high-traffic areas to prevent road accidents and give animals access to expanded habitats for mating and resources. A new study shows that in certain circumstances, elk and deer can be wary of using these crossings. The findings suggest that further research on species-specific reactions to crossings could help make them more effective.
Being on parental leave is protective against poorer mental health particularly among mothers, with evidence of this beneficial effect continuing in later life, according to a systematic review.
New research leads the discovery of applying amniotic fluid cells obtained during 16-24 weeks of pregnancy as a novel sample type for RNA-sequencing in prenatal diagnosis to help more families with tailored clinical management. This is a proof-of-concept study to demonstrate the potential clinical utility of amniotic fluid cells RNA-sequencing in the literature.
Mass coral bleaching events are making it harder for some species of reef fish to identify competitors, new research reveals. Scientists studying reefs across five Indo-Pacific regions found that the ability of butterflyfish individuals to identify competitor species and respond appropriately was compromised after widespread loss of coral caused by bleaching. This change means they make poorer decisions that leave them less able to avoid unnecessary fights, using up precious limited energy.
Researchers have developed a stretchable strain sensor that has an unprecedented combination of sensitivity and range, allowing it to detect even minor changes in strain with greater range of motion than previous technologies. The researchers demonstrated the sensor's utility by creating new health monitoring and human-machine interface devices.
Creating smart sensors to embed in our everyday objects and environments for the Internet of Things (IoT) would vastly improve daily life -- but requires trillions of such small devices. A professor believes that emerging alternative semiconductors that are printable, low-cost and eco-friendly could lead the way to a cheaper and more sustainable IoT.
While conducting an otherwise straightforward investigation into the assembly mechanism of calcium-phosphate clusters, researchers made a surprising discovery: Phosphate ions in water have a curious habit of spontaneously alternating between their commonly encountered hydrated state and a mysterious, previously unreported 'dark' state. This recently uncovered behavior, they say, has implications for understanding the role of phosphate species in biocatalysis, cellular energy balance and the formation of biomaterials.
In a new paper, researchers have investigated the role of small RNAs that help Salmonella express their virulence genes.
Researchers hypothesized that AMD and COVID-19 share common genetic risk factors and carried out a study that identified a novel association of the two diseases with variants in the PDGFB gene. This gene encodes a platelet derived growth factor (Pdgf) which has a role in the formation of new blood vessels and is involved in the abnormal blood vessel changes that occur in AMD. They also found that more severe COVID-19 outcomes were associated with AMD likely arising from genetic predisposition to dysfunction involving complement proteins, as well as with a higher level of Pdgf in blood serum.
A study of children and adolescents who received a COVID-19 vaccination following multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) found that there were no reports of serious complications including myocarditis or MIS-C reoccurrence. About half of participants experienced mild and typical reactions, including arm soreness and fatigue. The study demonstrates that it is safe to get a vaccine after having MIS-C.
Scientists have discovered that both brown and white fat is filled with thousands of previously unknown microproteins, and show that one of these microproteins, called Gm8773, can increase appetite in mice. These findings could lead to the development of a therapeutic to help people gain weight in certain disease situations, such as during chemotherapy for cancer.
Scientists show in mice how time-restricted eating influences gene expression across more than 22 regions of the body and brain. The findings have implications for a wide range of health conditions where time-restricted eating has shown potential benefits, including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and cancer.
If your alertness and reaction time is see-sawing more than usual, you may be more at risk of a viral illness. That's the key finding of a recent experiment.
Radiation, used to treat half of all cancer patients, can be measured during treatment for the first time with precise 3D imaging. By capturing and amplifying tiny sound waves created when X-rays heat tissues in the body, medical professionals can map the radiation dose within the body, giving them new data to guide treatments in real time. It's a first-of-its-kind view of an interaction doctors have previously been unable to 'see.'
A new study suggests that voice and face recognition are linked even more intimately than previously thought.
'Single-cell profiling' is helping neuroscientists see how disease affects major brain cell types and identify common, potentially targetable pathways.
Researchers have shown that zebrafish can provide genetic baz1b clues to the evolution of social behaviors in humans and domesticated species.
In dual-earner couples, working from home may be a better deal for husbands than wives in some ways, according to two related studies of workers in China and South Korea.
In the far north of the planet, climate change is clearly noticeable. A new study now shows that in parallel there have been dramatic changes in pollinating insects. Researchers have discovered that the network of plants and their pollinators there has changed considerably since the end of the 19th century. Scientists warn this could lead to plants being pollinated less effectively. This, in turn, would adversely affect their reproduction.
Studying mice, researchers have found that proteins made by stem cells to help regenerate the cornea may become new targets for treating and preventing injuries to the cornea related to dry eye disease. When eyes are dry, the cornea is more susceptible to injury.
A team has developed a new method for making nano-membranes of 'smart' materials, which will allow scientists to harness their unique properties for use in devices such as sensors and flexible electronics.
Unprecedented views of the interior of cells and other nanoscale structures are now possible thanks to innovations in expansion microscopy. The advancements could help provide future insight into neuroscience, pathology, and many other biological and medical fields.
A new method can illuminate the identities and activities of cells throughout an organ or a tumor at unprecedented resolution, according to a new study.
Engineers have devised a way to induce cells to inscribe the history of cellular events in a long protein structure that can be imaged using a light microscope.
Adults who stay well-hydrated appear to be healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions, such as heart and lung disease, and live longer than those who may not get sufficient fluids, according to a new study.
Researchers have discovered a novel immunotherapy combination, targeting checkpoints in both T cells and myeloid suppressor cells, that successfully reprogrammed the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and significantly improved anti-tumor responses in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer.
It is an exciting question why the internal clock runs almost unchanged at the same rate despite fluctuating temperatures. A team has now found an piece of the puzzle to answer this question.
Comparing models of working memory with real-world data, researchers found that information resides not in persistent neural activity, but in the pattern of their connections.
To find out how many scientists a region needs to become a leader in a discipline, researchers tracked millions of scientists moving across the globe. Their result: there is no critical mass, but you have to be a pioneer. Regions can catch up later, but this costs a lot.
Language function and the psychosocial wellbeing of patients and their families can be promoted with singing-based rehabilitation. Group intervention provides opportunities for peer support while being simultaneously cost effective.
A team of engineers and neuroscientists has demonstrated for the first time that human brain organoids implanted in mice have established functional connectivity to the animals' cortex and responded to external sensory stimuli. The implanted organoids reacted to visual stimuli in the same way as surrounding tissues, an observation that researchers were able to make in real time over several months thanks to an innovative experimental setup that combines transparent graphene microelectrode arrays and two-photon imaging.
Researchers are bridging mouse and human data to reveal the biology of senescent cells. Senescent cells stop dividing in response to stressors and seemingly have a role to play in human health and the aging process. Recent research with mice suggests that clearing senescent cells delays the onset of age-related dysfunction and disease as well as all-cause mortality.
A new paper presents a mathematical model for the motion of bacteria that includes cell division and death, the basic ingredients of the cell cycle.
Scientists have now been able to unravel a mystery surrounding the question of how cells use their sense of touch to make vital decisions during embryogenesis.
A new study reveals critical insights into the complex biology of tissue-specific T cells, paving the way for a new branch of precision therapeutics in immunity, autoimmunity, and cancer.
Researchers have found that antigen-specific killer T cells (CD8+ T cells) rapidly expand in the lungs when primed by antigen-presenting lung-resident alveolar macrophages (AMs). This interaction helps protect against viral infection and could form the basis for developing 'cell transplant'-type vaccines in the future.
Taking Hong Kong's famous Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak offers stunning views of its central business district, Victoria Harbor, and the surrounding islands. But a team of international scientists has recently discovered that the trams winding journey provides a previously unrecognized situation where our vertical perception gets distorted.
New insights into the opposing actions of serotonin-producing nerve fibers in mice could lead to drugs for treating addictions and major depression.
An enzyme that defends human cells against viruses can help drive cancer evolution towards greater malignancy by causing myriad mutations in cancer cells, according to a new study. The finding suggests that the enzyme may be a potential target for future cancer treatments.
The biomarker, called 'brain-derived tau,' or BD-tau, outperforms current blood diagnostic tests used to detect Alzheimer's-related neurodegeneration clinically. It is specific to Alzheimer's disease and correlates well with Alzheimer's neurodegeneration biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid. Scientists hope that monitoring blood levels of BD-tau could facilitate screening and enrollment of patients from populations that historically haven't been included in research cohorts.
For many people, holidays in the snow are as much a part of the end of the year as Christmas trees and fireworks. As global warming progresses, however, white slopes are becoming increasingly rare. Researchers have calculated how well one of Switzerland's largest ski resorts will remain snow reliable with technical snow-making by the year 2100, and how much water this snow will consume.
It was thought that there was only one species of the ghost-like Monotropastrum humile plant found in woodlands across East and Southeast Asia. In a major new discovery, botanists reveal that a rosy pink colored variant is actually a distinct new species, shaking up our understanding of this unusual-looking genus of plants. This 20-year study emphasizes the importance of combining various analytical methods to fully understand and protect biodiversity.
A quarter-sized device could drastically alter the course of treatment for Type 1 diabetes, a chronic condition that impacts millions of Americans and does not have a cure.
A research group has revealed that the checkerboard-like arrangement of cells in the inner ear's organ of Corti is vital for hearing. The discovery gives a new insight into how hearing works from the perspective of cell self-organization and will also enable various hearing loss disorders to be better understood.
Finding where your family came from is as simple as a home DNA test. Determining ancestry from tumors alone is trickier, but could hold the key to cancer's origins. Now, researchers have software that accurately infers continental ancestry from tumor genomes. Their work may lead to a better understanding of the links between cancer and ethnicity, as well as future strategies for early detection and personalized treatment.
Researchers uncover the long-hidden process that helps explain why the Sun's corona can be vastly hotter than the solar surface that emits it.
While most germinal centers shut down after a few weeks, some stay in business for more than six months. A new study helps explain why.
Researchers have identified key neurons that regulate body temperature at 37°C in mammals. This finding could pave the way for developing a technology that artificially adjusts body temperature to help treat heat stroke, hypothermia, and even obesity.
Archaeologists have uncovered projectile points in Idaho that are thousands of years older than any previously found in the Americas, helping to fill in the history of how early humans crafted and used stone weapons.
Marvel at the tiny nanoscale structures emerging from labs, and it's easy to imagine you're browsing a catalog of the world's smallest pottery: itty-bitty vases, bowls, and spheres. But instead of making them from clay, the researchers designed these objects out of threadlike molecules of DNA, bent and folded into complex three-dimensional objects. These creations demonstrate the possibilities of a new open-source software program.
Researchers report that they have developed a new experimental pipeline to combine bacterial therapy with current cancer drugs. Their study, which explores resistance to bacterial therapy at the molecular level, has achieved better treatment efficacy without additional toxicity in laboratory models.
A remote fear memory is a memory of traumatic events that occurred in the distant past -- a few months to decades ago. A mouse study has now spelled out the fundamental mechanisms by which the brain consolidates remote fear memories. The study demonstrates that remote fear memories formed in the distant past are permanently stored in connections between memory neurons in the prefrontal cortex.
New research suggests that a portion of the Danish population has a composition of gut microbes that, on average, extracts more energy from food than do the microbes in the guts of their fellow Danes. The research is a step towards understanding why some people gain more weight than others, even when they eat the same.
A research group has revealed that a transcription cofactor gene called CREB-Regulated Transcription Coactivator 1 (CRTC1) mediates the obesity-suppressing effects of melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) by regulating appetite for fats and oils, high-fat diet metabolism, and blood sugar. They found that there was no difference in weight gain between mice without CRTC1 in their MC4R-expressing neurons and control mice when they were reared on a standard diet. However, when given a high-fat diet, the CRTC1-deficient mice overate, becoming significantly obese and developing diabetes.
Climate change could overexpose rare underwater 'marimo' algae balls to sunlight, killing them off according to a new study. Marimo are living fluffy balls of green algae. The world's largest marimo can be found in Lake Akan in Hokkaido, Japan's northern main island. Here they are sheltered from too much winter sunlight by a thick layer of ice and snow, but the ice is thinning due to global warming. Researchers found that the algae could survive bright light for up to four hours and would recover if then placed under a moderate light for 30 minutes. However, the algae died when exposed to bright light for six hours or more. The team hopes this discovery will highlight the threat of climate change to this endangered species and the urgent need to protect their habitat.
A research team has developed a display which projects holographic images that change color and brightness in response to humidity. A single imprint is enough, and holographic images can be replicated infinitely.
People sleep less in mid-adulthood than they do in early and late adulthood, finds a new study.
A research group is studying how plants 'breathe'. They have gained new insights into how grasses develop efficient 'breathing pores' on their leaves. If important landmark components in this development process are missing, the gas exchange between plant and atmosphere is impaired. The findings are also important regarding climate change.
A study found that inexpensive, easy-to-assemble Corsi-Rosenthal boxes can help reduce exposure to indoor air pollutants. The air filters have already been shown to reduce particles carrying the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Targeting a receptor responsible for our sense of touch and temperature, which researchers have now found to be present in our colon, could provide a new avenue for treating chronic pain associated with gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. A team examining the colon identified the presence of Piezo2, the subject of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, now known to be responsible for sensing light touch on our skin.
Researchers have developed a method of imprinting a hidden magnetic tag, encoded with authentication information, within manufactured hardware during the part fabrication process. The revolutionary process holds the potential to expose counterfeit goods more easily by replacing physical tags -- such as barcodes or quick response (QR) codes -- with these hidden magnetic tags, which serve as permanent and unique identifiers.
Researchers have developed accurate nation-wide mapping of the carbon content of trees based on aerial images.
Looking for answers about how the brain works amid age-related hearing loss, researchers say they found that old mice were less capable than young mice of 'turning off' certain actively firing brain cells in the midst of ambient noise. The result, they say, creates a 'fuzzy' sound stage that makes it difficult for the brain to focus on one type of sound -- such as spoken words -- and filter out surrounding 'noise.'
Existing conservation efforts are insufficient to protect Antarctic ecosystems, and population declines are likely for 65% of the continent's plants and wildlife by the year 2100, according to a new study.
Researchers have demonstrated that people suffering from blood cancer have a good immune response to COVID-19 vaccinations. Vaccination protects patients with B-cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma against severe illness from COVID-19. Some patients even form highly potent antibodies.
A booster, researchers report, made for longer-lasting antibodies for all recipients, even those who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection.
By adding a gender dimension to the theory of 'affordance perception' and applying it to the home, a new hypothesis may help answer questions of why women still shoulder most housework, and why men never seem to notice.
Researchers describe the impact of epigenetics on cancer treatment and how it has become a crucial tool to improve early detection, predict disease progression and become a target for new treatments.
Pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 and pneumococcus can cause severe pneumonia. If the airways then fill with fluid, the patient risks developing acute respiratory distress syndrome. Researchers have now discovered the molecular mechanisms that trigger fluid accumulation in the lungs. This also led them to discover a potential new therapy: A cystic fibrosis drug proved effective in their laboratory experiments, raising hope that this could be used to treat pneumonia regardless of the pathogen that caused it.
As the supersonic solar wind surges towards Earth, its interaction with our planet's magnetic field creates a shock to deflect its flow, and a foreshock filled with electromagnetic waves. How these waves can propagate to the other side of the shock has long remained a mystery.
People with liver disease caused by eating too much sugar and fat could be at increased risk of developing serious neurological conditions like depression or dementia.
Sedentary behavior, a large waist circumference, and advanced age: These factors are clearly associated with inferior physical fitness among people aged 50 to 64. In a study with over 5,000 participants, investigating the correlations in detail, major fitness disparities are shown.
Children exhale significantly fewer potentially infectious particles than adults -- at least this is true for the small respiratory droplets that are predominantly produced in the lungs.
A team of medical researchers has analyzed damage by focused high energetic X-rays in bone samples from fish and mammals at BESSY II. With a combination of microscopy techniques, the scientists could document the destruction of collagen fibers induced by electrons emitted from the mineral crystals. X-ray methods might impact bone samples when measured for a long time they conclude.
Researchers concluded that PTSD, TBI, and a specific variant of the APOE gene showed strong associations with Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias (ADRD).
Researchers have discovered a process that can contribute to the melting of ice shelves in the Antarctic. An international team of scientists found that adjacent ice shelves play a role in causing instability in others downstream. The study also identified that a small ocean gyre -- a system of circulating ocean currents -- next to the Thwaites Ice Shelf can impact the amount of glacial-meltwater flowing beneath it. When that gyre is weaker, more warm water can access the areas beneath the ice shelf, causing it to melt.
Humans displaying positive emotions in customer service interactions have long been known to improve customer experience, but researchers wanted to see if this also applied to AI. They conducted experimental studies to determine if positive emotional displays improved customer service and found that emotive AI is only appreciated if the customer expects it, and it may not be the best avenue for companies to invest in.
Ten young children born without functioning immune systems and lacking the ability to fight infections are on track for healthier lives thanks to a new gene therapy treatment.
In people with active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), hematopoietic stem cell transplants may delay disability longer than some other MS medications, according to a new study. The study involved autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplants, which use healthy blood stem cells from a person's own body to replace diseased cells.
While cluster headache is more common in men than in women, a new study suggests that the disorder may be more severe for women.
U.S. firms rarely report their wildfire risks in required federal filings and instead bury such risks in nonspecific risk disclosures, according to new research.
A new study finds biology textbooks have done a poor job of incorporating material related to climate change. For example, the study found that most textbooks published in the 2010s included less information about climate change than they did in the previous decade -- despite significant advances in our understanding of how climate change is influencing ecosystems and the environment.
Scientists provide clear evidence that marine phytoplankton are much more resilient to future climate change than previously thought.
The evidence-based health benefits of walking continue to accumulate, according to ongoing research by a physical activity epidemiologist.
Researchers developed a new graphene-based nanoelectronics platform compatible with conventional microelectronics manufacturing, paving the way for a successor to silicon.
What keeps bones able to remodel themselves and stay healthy? A team has discovered clues to the key function of non-collagen protein compounds and how they help bone cells react to external load. The scientists used fish models to examine bone samples with and without bone cells to elucidate differences in microstructures and the incorporation of water. Using 3D neutron tomography they succeeded for the first time in precisely measuring the water diffusion across bone material -- with a surprising result.
A research team has linked the mutation that causes Huntington's disease to developmental deficits in the brain's oligodendrocyte cells that are caused by changes in metabolism. They found that high doses of thiamine and biotin can restore normal processes.
A perplexing range of neurodegenerative diseases are known to attack distinct regions of the brain, causing severe cognitive and motor deficit. The combined impact of these (generally fatal) diseases has inflicted a devastating toll on society. New insights suggest many of these afflictions have their origin in a constellation of common processes, which play out in different ways as each disease develops.
Researchers took inspiration from ants to design a team of relatively simple robots that can work collectively to perform complex tasks using only a few basic parameters.
Nerve cells need a lot of energy and oxygen. They receive both through the blood. This is why nerve tissue is usually crisscrossed by a large number of blood vessels. But what prevents neurons and vascular cells from getting in each other's way as they grow? Researchers have identified a mechanism that takes care of this.
Microraptor was an opportunistic predator, feeding on fish, birds, lizards -- and now small mammals. The discovery of a rare fossil reveals the creature was a generalist carnivore in the ancient ecosystem of dinosaurs.
Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are a promising, economical, next-generation solar cell technology for scalable clean energy and wearable electronics. But the energy conversion loss due to the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers in OPVs has hindered further enhancement of their power conversion efficiency (PCE). Recently, researchers from City University of Hong Kong (CityU) overcame this obstacle by inventing a novel device-engineering strategy to successfully suppress the energy conversion loss, resulting in record-breaking efficiency.
An artificial intelligence tool called DystoniaBoTXNet predicted which patients with dystonia would benefit from botulinum toxin injections with 96.3% accuracy. DystoniaBoTXNet could be a tool to aid clinical decision-making and address some of the issues patients with dystonia face with overtreatment and undertreatment with this first-line therapy.
Researchers have developed new software that integrates a variety of information from a single cell, allowing researchers to see how one change in a cell can lead to several others and providing important clues for pinpointing the exact causes of genetic-based diseases.
When it comes to kitchen spills, paper towels and rags do the job. But using a hydrogel -- a gelatin-like material in the form of a dry sheet -- researchers have crafted a better picker-upper that absorbs and holds about three times more water-based liquid. The method produces an absorbent, foldable, and cuttable 'gel sheet' that may one day find use in our kitchens or operating rooms to soak up liquids.
Glioblastoma is a deadly brain cancer with a grim prognosis. Unlike most cancers, it still grows in the presence of the P53 protein. For decades, scientists have been unable to crack the case . . . until now. Scientists have discovered a protein known as BRD8 has gone rogue in glioblastoma, crippling P53. The finding could help turn this deadly cancer into a treatable disease.
Researchers have revealed a brain mechanism that mice use to instinctively escape to shelter when faced with a threat. This is the first time that neuroscientists have been able to find such a clear link between spatial goals and actions.
Damage to the paternal genome of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans cannot be repaired and is instead passed on to its offspring, while the female egg repairs or limits the damage.
Evolutionary pressure across male mammals to guarantee the procreation of their own offspring led to a rapid evolution of the testicle. Bioinformatic studies show that this pressure particularly accelerated the evolution of later stages of sperm formation.
Researchers have genetically profiled nearly 200,000 cells from lungs, mapping their precise locations in tissue to discover an unexpected new immune niche in our airways
New research shows that disproportionately large amounts of carbon accumulate at the bottom of deep-sea trenches. The trenches may thus play an important role for deep-sea storage of organic material -- and thus for the atmospheric Co2 balance.
Researchers found that after multiple hybridization events between two wood ant species distinct hybrid populations evolved independently towards the same direction, suggesting hybridization is predictable.
New research reveals how microorganisms in our guts can worsen dangerous C. difficile infections. The discovery could help doctors identify patients at risk for severe illness and open the door to new treatments.
Making an intentional effort to recognize positive life events and achievements while gathering for food and drink will leave you feeling more socially supported, new research shows.
Since 1931, researchers have been investigating the therapeutic effects of Japanese hot springs, also known as 'onsen.' In 2011, the hospital conducted a massive survey of Beppu residents over 65 on their 'onsen' habits and health. One result they found was that onsen bathing after 19:00 is linked to a lower prevalence of hypertension. The research team hypothesizes two reasons for such results: lower stress and faster sleep onset.
A new pathway to creating durable, efficient perovskite photovoltaics at industrial scale has been demonstrated through the first effective use of lead acetate as a precursor in making formamidinium-caesium perovskite solar cells.
Researchers have used artificial DNA to target and kill cancer cells in a completely new way. The method was effective in lab tests against human cervical cancer- and breast cancer-derived cells, and against malignant melanoma cells from mice. The team created a pair of chemically synthesized, hairpin-shaped, cancer-killing DNA. When the DNA pairs were injected into cancer cells, they connected to microRNA (miRNA) molecules that are overproduced in certain cancers. Once connected to the miRNA, they unraveled and joined together, forming longer chains of DNA which triggered an immune response. This response not only killed the cancer cells but prevented further growth of cancerous tissue. This method is different from conventional anticancer drug treatments and is hoped to bring about a new era of drug development.
Researchers developed a cheap and simple process to create nanoscale structures on the surface of galvanized steel, which is commonly used in the automotive industry, that provided a more conducive interface for attaching injection-molded polymers. This method may lead to lower-cost industrial production of lightweight and durable polymer-metal composite materials.
An international team of researchers has mapped out the values and benefits of elephants to help overcome conservation challenges and conflict.
For decades, scientists have been stumped by the signals plants send themselves to initiate photosynthesis, the process of turning sunlight into sugars. Researchers have now decoded those previously opaque signals.
Did you know that silk fabric is made from ... well, worm spit? The way that silkworms wind their cocoons from fibers in their slimy saliva is now helping scientists more easily make new biomedical materials. Researchers have mimicked the seemingly simple head bobbing of silkworms to create more consistent micro- and nanofibers with less equipment than other approaches.
A small tax on robots, as well as on trade generally, will help reduce income inequality in the U.S., according to economists.
Using satellite monitoring data, researchers have developed a deep learning algorithm that could provide real-time monthly land use and land cover maps for parts of India.
Biodegradable medical gowns, designed to be greener than conventional counterparts, actually produce harmful greenhouse gases, according to new research.
No matter how egotistical, power hungry or greedy the person is, many of us are still attracted to their dark side -- in part because we suspect some may have a redeeming quality. A recent study found that both adults and children more often reported that villains were inwardly good than that heroes were inwardly bad.
Researchers have developed a new method for discovering and making new crystalline materials with two or more elements. Such materials would be applicable to developing next-generation superconductors, microelectronics, batteries, magnets and more.
Cleaning up greenhouse gases after they have been emitted should be incentivized by subsidies. New evidence from an economic analysis considering international markets suggests an important reason why subsidies should be higher than the price put on carbon emissions to incentivize their reduction. Researchers analyze policies for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it underground or in products. The suggested different pricing is not due to technological challenges, but linked to an economic effect called leakage.
Antidepressant use during pregnancy may combine with inflammation to heighten the risk of lifelong neurodevelopmental changes in babies' brains, new research suggests.
3D Patient Tumor Avatar technology has great potential to enable optimum, precision treatment selections for cancer patients in a clinical setting. The benefits and challenges, as well as the future steps needed to implement this technology are described here.
New research reveals that the animals that perceive time the fastest are those that are small, can fly, or are marine predators.
A team is collecting data that will be used to create models that can help improve lava flow forecasting tools that are useful in determining how hazards impact populations. One such tool, known as MOLASSES, is a simulation engine that forecasts inundation areas of lava flow.
A new study finds that antibodies produced in the nose decline nine months after COVID-19 infection, while antibodies found in the blood last at least a year.
An artificial intelligence algorithm can determine non-invasively, with about 70 percent accuracy, if an in vitro fertilized embryo has a normal or abnormal number of chromosomes, according to a new study.
UK forests could store almost double the amount of carbon than previous calculations suggest, with consequences for our understanding of carbon stocks and humanity's response to climate change, according to a new study.
Consumers told that not recycling their batteries 'risked polluting the equivalent of 140 Olympic swimming pools every year' were more likely to participate in an electronic waste recycling scheme, a new study has found.
ESA's novel Aeolus satellite reliably measures wind speed also in higher air layers and thus in a region of the atmosphere where other direct global wind measurements are relatively sparse. This is the result of a study for which data from the satellite were compared with wind observations from stratospheric balloons. Stratospheric balloons would provide highly accurate data on the horizontal wind speed and are therefore also suitable for the validation of future satellite missions.
New research shows that a third of long COVID patients suffer persistent smell loss, and almost a fifth suffer loss of taste. Researchers say that Christmas in particular can be a difficult time for people who have lost their sense of smell and taste -- who will be missing out smells like the Christmas tree and mulled wine, or being able to taste their Christmas dinner, mince pies and chocolates.
Researchers have designed and synthesized analogs of a new antibiotic that is effective against multidrug-resistant bacteria, opening a new front in the fight against these infections.
A large-scale study has found that rectal artesunate (RAS) has no beneficial effect on the survival of young children with severe malaria when used as an emergency treatment in resource-constrained settings. The study, which took place under real-world conditions in three African countries, concludes that the use of RAS is unlikely to reduce malaria deaths unless underlying health system weaknesses are addressed.
New signal-processing algorithms have been shown to help mitigate the impact of turbulence in free-space optical experiments, potentially bringing 'free space' internet a step closer to reality.
A new study has found that wandering albatrosses with older partners spend less time on foraging trips than those with more sprightly partners presumably so that their mate has a shorter wait without food.
A probiotic bacterium called Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HA-114 prevents neurodegeneration in the C. elegans worm, an animal model used to study amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Both hot and cold environments trigger a stress response in the human body and can lead to cardiovascular problems. Physiologists have recently investigated both factors in scientific studies. The results are especially interesting in light of the current multiple global crises.
In our bones, specialized cells called osteoblasts are responsible for building up bone substance. A team of researchers has now identified an enzyme that controls the activity of osteoblasts. An agent that inhibits the activity of this enzyme reduced cancer-related bone loss and the number of bone metastases in multiple myeloma and in lung and breast cancer models in mice.
The main gases released by volcanoes are water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Analyzing these gases is one of the best ways of obtaining information on volcanic systems and the magmatic processes that are underway. The ratio of carbon dioxide levels to those of sulfur dioxide can even reveal the likelihood of an impending eruption. Drones are employed to carry the necessary analytical systems to the site of activity.
Experimental data is often not only highly dimensional, but also noisy and full of artefacts. This makes it difficult to interpret the data. Now a team has designed software that uses self-learning neural networks to compress the data in a smart way and reconstruct a low-noise version in the next step. This enables it to recognize correlations that would otherwise not be discernible. The software has now been successfully used in photon diagnostics at the FLASH free electron laser at DESY. But it is suitable for very different applications in science.
Mothers drank alcohol less frequently as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, according to a small study of Ohio women, but another result was more concerning to researchers. Findings showed that the number of drinks per day increased for moms later in the pandemic, raising concerns that mothers may have been more likely to binge when they did drink.
Experts are investigating how cells called Muller glial cells, responsible for regenerating a damaged zebrafish retina, acquire stem cell properties with the hope of eventually developing techniques to encourage human retinas to regenerate.
Scientists have labored for decades to understand how brain structure and functional connectivity drive intelligence. A new analysis offers the clearest picture yet of how various brain regions and neural networks contribute to a person's problem-solving ability in a variety of contexts, a trait known as general intelligence, researchers report.
Childhood body mass index is unlikely to have a big impact on children's mood or behavioural disorders, according to a new study.
New research findings have revealed an underlying genetic cause for why some children who have had COVID-19 infection develop Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), a rare but potentially life-threatening disease.
Research finds orangutans communicate using a complex repertoire of consonant-like calls, more so than African apes. Previous research has only linked the evolution of human language with the voiced-vowel sounds produced by non-human primates, despite human language being composed of vowel and consonant sounds. Orangutans' tree-dwelling nature means they use their mouth, lips and jaw as a 'fifth hand', unlike ground-dwelling African apes. Their sophisticated use of their mouths, mean orangutans communicate using a rich variety of consonant sounds.
Modern humans evolutionarily split from our chimpanzee ancestors nearly 7 million years ago, yet we are continuing to evolve. 155 new genes have been identified within the human lineage that spontaneously arose from tiny sections of our DNA. Some of these new genes date back to the ancient origin of mammals, with a few of these 'microgenes' predicted to be associated with human-specific diseases.
Scientists have discovered that the atmosphere contained far less CO2 than previously thought when forests emerged on our planet, the new study has important implications for understanding how land plants affect the climate.
There's something about test driving an electric vehicle that boosts some potential buyers' personal identity as being early adopters of the latest technologies, a new study has found. And that strengthened sense of being a timely user of new gadgetry was linked to a higher likelihood that the test-driver would show interest in buying the car, the study suggested.
Spread across vast distances, the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean are thought to have been populated by humans in two distinct migrations beginning approximately 3,330 years ago. The first followed a northern route out of what is today the Philippines and the second followed a southern route from Taiwan and New Guinea. People arrived on the islands between these routes -- now making up the Federated States of Micronesia -- about 1,000 years later. But a new finding by sea-level researchers suggests that the islands in Micronesia were possibly settled much earlier than supposed and that voyagers on the two routes may have interacted with one another.
Traction is important. Humans have been continually interested in discovering how to better move across wet or frozen surfaces safely -- whether to improve shoes for walking on sidewalks or tires to maneuver the roadways. But what makes it possible for some Arctic animals to walk and run across the ice so effortlessly and gracefully without slipping and falling? Researchers took a deep dive into the paws of polar bears to find out. What the team discovered was that all bears (except sun bears) have papillae on their paw pads, but that the papillae on polar bears were taller -- up to 1.5 times. And, that the taller papillae of polar bears help to increase traction on snow relative to shorter ones. Even though polar bears have smaller paw pads compared to the other species (likely because of greater fur coverage for heat conservation), the taller papillae of polar bears compensate for their smaller paw pads, giving them a 30-50% increase in frictional shear stress.
A collaborative study reveals a new gene associated with obesity and maladaptive behavior. The evidence shows that rare mutations in the gene for the serotonin 2C receptor play a role in the development of obesity and dysfunctional behaviors in humans and animal models.
Comparing the genetics and relocation patterns of habitat 'haves' and 'have-nots' among two populations of threatened rattlesnakes has produced a new way to use scientific landscape data to guide conservation planning that would give the 'have-nots' a better chance of surviving.
Engineers compare wastewater 'snapshots' to daylong composite samples and find snapshots lead to bias in testing for the presence of antibiotic-resistant genes.
Scientists have published a comprehensive analysis aimed at determining which factors most influence fluctuations in the flow of particles from heavy ion collisions. The results will help the scientists zero in on key properties of a unique form of matter that mimics the early universe.
When stars die out, they emit gamma-ray bursts. Although scientist can calculate the explosion energy from dying stars, it is difficult to do when the conversion efficiency is low or unknown. Using light polarization, a research group has found a workaround for this, enabling astronomers to calculate the hidden energy of gamma-ray bursts.
Diving birds like penguins, puffins and cormorants may be more prone to extinction than non-diving birds, according to a new study. The authors suggest this is because they are highly specialized and therefore less able to adapt to changing environments than other birds.
Researchers have developed a method that allows a flapping-wing robot to land autonomously on a horizontal perch using a claw-like mechanism. The innovation could significantly expand the scope of robot-assisted tasks.
An international research team examines a rich fossil bed in the renowned Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park in Nevada's Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, where many 50-foot-long ichthyosaurs (Shonisaurus popularis) lay petrified in stone. The study offers a plausible explanation as to how at least 37 of these marine reptiles came to meet their ends in the same locality -- a question that has vexed paleontologists for more than half a century. The research presents evidence that these ichthyosaurs died at the site in large numbers because they were migrating to this area to give birth for many generations across hundreds of thousands of years.
The UK's national synchrotron facility, Diamond Light Source, was used by a large, international collaboration to study grains collected from a near-Earth asteroid to further our understanding of the evolution of our solar system. Researchers brought a fragment of the Ryugu asteroid to Diamond's Nanoprobe beamline I14 where a special technique called X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) was used to map out the chemical states of the elements within the asteroid material, to examine its composition in fine detail.
The condemned planet could help answer questions about the fate of other worlds as their solar systems evolve.
An animal experiment demonstrates what big data analysis previously indicated: high doses of statins likely increase osteoporosis risk.
People with chronic epilepsy often experience impaired memory. Researchers have now found a mechanism in mice that could explain these deficits.
Cryo-electron microscopy has exposed the structure of a bacterial virus with unprecedented detail. This is the first structure of a virus able to infect Staphylococcus epidermidis, and high-resolution knowledge of structure is a key link between viral biology and potential therapeutic use of the virus to quell bacterial infections.
New research uses machine learning models to better understand water's phase changes, opening more avenues for a better theoretical understanding of various substances. With this technique, the researchers found strong computational evidence in support of water's liquid-liquid transition that can be applied to real-world systems that use water to operate.
Avoiding mosquitoes to protect against bites is always a good idea. But a new study shows that the bacteria-ridden exteriors of mosquitoes may be another reason to arm yourself with a swatter.
Doctors and their family members are less likely than other people to comply with guidelines for taking medication, according to a new study.
Astronomers took a 'deep dive' into one of the first images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and were rewarded with a surprising discovery: telltale signs of two dozen previously unseen young stars about 7,500 light years from Earth.
The earliest dinosaurs included carnivorous, omnivorous and herbivorous species, according to a team of palaeobiologists.
A grammatical problem which has defeated Sanskrit scholars since the 5th Century BC has finally been solved by a PhD student.
A research team is mapping out new modeling strategies so that proposed energy development and the management of rare plants don't necessarily have to be mutually exclusive endeavors.
Lipstick can be a confidence booster, enhance a costume and keep lips from chapping. But sharing a tube with a friend or family member can also spread infections. To develop a version with antimicrobial properties, researchers have added cranberry extract to the formulation. Their deep red cream quickly inactivates disease-causing viruses, bacteria and a fungus that come in contact with it.
Researchers hope their genome-assembly tool will spur the development of new treatments for bacterial infections.
Astronomers have found a way to peer into the physics of some of the brightest stars in the sky.
A new study examined the combination of the common immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a chemotherapy drug that targets myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Researchers found that the drug combination is effective, with an overall response rate of 71%. Fifty percent of patients experienced a complete response, and the one-year overall survival rate was 80%.
Scientists analyzed new measurements showing that the light emitted by stars outside our galaxy is two to three times brighter than the light from known populations of galaxies, challenging assumptions about the number and environment of stars are in the universe.
Tris(ortho-carboranyl)borane is a state-of-art Lewis superacid that is more reactive than competing compounds, efficient to access and safer for the environment.
The quake lasted four hours and identified layering in the crust that could indicate a meteoroid impact. The 4.7 magnitude temblor happened in May 2022 and released five times more energy than any previously recorded quake on Mars. Mapping the seismic activity on Mars will help inform scientists where and how to build structures to ensure the safety of future human explorers.
Past research has suggested that people's cultural differences may result in differences in basic visual perception. New research found no evidence that these differences play a significant role in how participants performed a basic visual task. The findings lend support to the idea that basic mechanisms of visual perception are universal.
Psychologists had people learn words from two phonetically similar languages in virtual reality environments. Those who learned each language in its own unique context mixed up fewer words and were able to recall 92% of the words they had learned. In contrast, participants who had learned both sets of words in the same VR context were more likely to confuse terms between the two languages and retained only 76% of the words. Regardless of group, those participants who felt immersed in the VR world remembered more than those who did not feel immersed.
Researchers didn't know what to make of sunken pieces of wood that were so thoroughly chewed-up by clams that the wood crumbled in their hands. It turns out, the super-chewer wood-eating clams had a secret weapon for forcing out other species. The clams, who have special adaptations that let them survive in dirty, low-oxygen water, built chimneys out of their own feces, making the wood a 'crappy' home for any animal except them.
When droplets glide along a specially engineered wire, they gain speed as they coalesce. When the water-attracting wire is inclined, the droplets propel themselves to zip along the line. But the surprise occurs when two water droplets slide into one another and coalesce. By joining together, the droplets' speed increases by up to 270% more than before the coalescence.
Researchers have developed an AI based neural network to detect an early knee osteoarthritis from x-ray images. AI was able to match a doctors' diagnosis in 87% of cases. The result is important because x-rays are the primary diagnostic method for early knee osteoarthritis. An early diagnosis can save the patient from unnecessary examinations, treatments and even knee joint replacement surgery.
Researchers have uncovered an altogether new type of fractal appearing in a class of magnets called spin ices. The discovery was surprising because the fractals were seen in a clean three-dimensional crystal, where they conventionally would not be expected. Even more remarkably, the fractals are visible in dynamical properties of the crystal, and hidden in static ones. These features motivated the appellation of 'emergent dynamical fractal'.
Thanks to a new study, the official turfgrass of the 2022 World Cup may soon assist another goal: growing crops that yield more food with less of the fertilizer that imposes costs on farmers, ecosystems and drinking water.
Researchers reported that octopuses are the first known invertebrates to show an increase over evolutionary time in microRNAs, which are gene-regulating molecules linked to the development of advanced cells and cognition in humans, mammals and other vertebrates. When combined with the known intelligence of octopuses, the findings provide crucial support for the theory that microRNAs are key to the evolution of intelligent life.
Researchers provide new insights into the pathology of limbic predominate age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, which mimics Alzheimer's, making it very difficult to identify in living patients.
Scientists have designed and fabricated a simple device capable of imaging a gas injected into it in multiple colors in accordance with its gaseous properties, enabling chromatic discrimination of different gases. This user-friendly device converts the pressure generated by an injected gas into structural colors, thereby imaging it. This technology may potentially have a wide range of applications, such as environmental monitoring, safety assurance and healthcare.
Researchers found there is often a disconnect between the medical language used by doctors and patient understanding.
Since the 1960s, researchers have postulated that major depression stems from disruptions in the serotonin neurotransmitter system, but the evidence for that idea, though plentiful, was indirect. In fact, a recent comprehensive analysis of existing studies concluded that there was not strong evidence to support the 'serotonin hypothesis.' In its wake, some in the field have called for a reexamination of the hypothesis. Not so fast, says a new study that provides direct evidence of disrupted serotonin release in the brains of individuals with depression.
Nature-based solutions to fight climate change take a holistic approach that promotes biodiversity and ecosystem preservation. While many efforts have focused on planting trees or restoring wetlands, researchers now also advocate for the importance of understanding the carbon sequestration potential of the planet's largest animals -- whales. Researchers explore how these marine giants can influence the amount of carbon in our air and waters and potentially contribute to the overall reduction of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Wheat -- the most widely cultivated crop in the world -- is under growing attack from harmful toxins. Across Europe, almost half of wheat crops are impacted by the fungal infection that gives rise to these toxins, according to a new study.
The London Underground is polluted with ultrafine metallic particles small enough to end up in the human bloodstream, according to researchers. These particles are so small that they are likely being underestimated in surveys of pollution in the world's oldest metro system.
Astronomers have found evidence that two exoplanets orbiting a red dwarf star are 'water worlds,' planets where water makes up a large fraction of the volume.
Researchers are devising a way to track and measure how fish -- one of the world's most-traded commodities -- moves from the water to the plate within a country.
In an effort to identify a more universal treatment for drug overdose, a team of scientists tested a chemical compound -- Pillar[6]MaxQ (P6AS) -- as an antidote for methamphetamine and fentanyl. Their findings were highly promising.
In baseball, even the smallest detail can tip the scales in favor of the batter or the pitcher. A recent publication has highlighted how rosin powder helps maintain a more constant friction when pitching, something that could bring about a fairer playing field in Major League Baseball.
A clinical trial found that two first-line treatments for high blood pressure were equally effective.
For decades, the Hubble Space Telescope provided us with the most spectacular images of galaxies. This all changed when the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) launched and successfully completed commissioning. For astronomers, the universe is now revealed in a new way never imagined by the telescope's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) instrument.
Black holes are surrounded by an invisible layer that swallows every bit of evidence about their past. Researchers are now using machine learning and supercomputers to reconstruct the growth histories of black holes.
A new study demonstrates a new, counterintuitive way to protect atomically-thin electronics -- adding vibrations, to reduce vibrations. By squeezing a liquid-metal gallium droplet, graphene devices are painted with a protective coating of gallium-oxide that can cover millimeter-wide scales, making it potentially applicable for industrial large-scale fabrication. The new technique improves device performance as well as protecting 2D materials from thermal vibration in neighboring materials.
Moving is considered stressful, but just how stressful is it? Researchers have developed an original method of investigation.
Researchers have built a tiny butterfly-shaped optical resonator to improve the sensitivity of ultrafast measurements of electron beam pulses. They found that the enhancement allows less intense electric fields to be used in material science experiments, which can help in characterization of structural dynamics of atoms in the samples.
Researchers led by Osaka University report the development of INCIDER, a fluorescent sensor system that enables high-contrast microscopic imaging of temporal changes in cellular interactions mediated by the N-cadherin molecule. This sensor system, which emits much brighter fluorescence than the currently used system while detecting these interactions, is expected to have a wide range of applications in developmental biology, neuroscience, and other fields.
A serendipitous discovery in the lab has the potential to revolutionize embryo models and targeted drug therapies.
Hunnic peoples migrated westward across Eurasia, switched between farming and herding, and became violent raiders in response to severe drought in the Danube frontier provinces of the Roman empire, a new study argues.
Researchers have clarified the chemical compatibility between high temperature liquid metal tin (Sn) and reduced activation ferritic martensitic, a candidate structural material for fusion reactors. This discovery has paved the way for the development of a liquid metal tin divertor, which is an advanced heat-removal component of fusion reactors. A device called a divertor is installed in the fusion reactors to maintain the purity of the plasma. For divertors, there has been demand for liquid metals that can withstand extremely large heat loads from high-temperature plasma.
Sea urchin larvae raised in high levels of plastic pollution die due to developmental abnormalities, new research shows.
Dementia is a growing global public health concern currently affecting 50 million people and is expected to rise dramatically to more than 150 million cases worldwide by 2050. Obesity, commonly measured by body mass index (BMI), continues to be a global epidemic and earlier studies suggested that obesity at midlife may lead to increased risk for dementia. But the association between BMI and the risk of dementia remains unclear. Now, researchers have found that different patterns of BMI changes over one's life course may be an indicator of a person's risk for dementia.
Researchers have uncovered a protein produced by the immune system, suPAR, that causes atherosclerosis . Investigators say it's the first immune target to treat cardiovascular disease, which affects over 1 billion people worldwide. Researchers believe treatment could be developed within five years.
Kinesin proteins eat away at microtubules, shortening them and pulling chromosomes to opposite spindle poles during cell division in most organisms. However, fission yeast lacks these proteins, and yet undergoes the same process. A recent study indicated that in fission yeast, non-kinesin proteins of the TOG/XMAP215 family promote microtubule shortening through a process known as microtubule catastrophe.
Millions of people across the globe regularly consume arsenic-contaminated water. Exposure to arsenic has previously been associated with the development of various cancers including skin cancer. Research on the underlying molecular mechanisms regulating arsenic-mediated carcinogenesis remains sparse. Using in vitro studies, researchers demonstrate how calcitriol, or activated vitamin D3, inhibits arsenic-mediated carcinogenesis in certain types of skin cells known as 'keratinocytes.'
Researchers have developed a new all-optical method for driving multiple highly dense nanolaser arrays. As described in Optica, the approach could enable chip-based optical communication links that process and move data faster than today's electronic-based devices.
Enhancing the virtual experience with the touch sensation has become a hot topic, but today's haptic devices remain typically bulky and tangled with wires. Researchers have now developed an advanced wireless haptic interface system, called WeTac, worn on the hand, which has soft, ultrathin soft features, and collects personalized tactile sensation data to provide a vivid touch experience in the metaverse.
A new gelatinous robot that crawls, powered by nothing more than temperature change and clever design, brings 'a kind of intelligence' to the field of soft robotics.
Scientists find that a modified immune protein harming brain connections is much more common in the brains of women with Alzheimer's, compared to men.
People with cluster headaches may be more than three times more likely to have other medical conditions such as heart disease, mental disorders and other neurologic diseases, according to a new study.
Two randomized, placebo-controlled trials evaluating three Ebola vaccine administration strategies in adults and children found that all the regimens were safe in both age groups, according to new results. Antibodies were produced in response to the vaccine regimens beginning at 14 days after the first vaccination and continued to be detectable at varying levels -- depending on the vaccine and regimen used -- in both children and adults for one year. The study enrolled volunteers at sites in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Mali to identify optimal vaccination strategies to curtail outbreaks of Ebola virus disease.
Researchers have found a method using molecular profiling and machine learning to develop blood-based dietary signatures that more accurately assess diet and predict the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. They say the metabolic snapshot could allow those studying food science to better understand the implications of diet and nutrition on health.
Two seemingly different areas of physics are related in subtle ways: Quantum theory and thermodynamics. How can the laws of thermodynamics arise from the laws of quantum physics? This question has now been pursued with computer simulations, which showed that chaos plays a crucial role: Only where chaos prevails do the well-known rules of thermodynamics follow from quantum physics.
Researchers have developed a strategy for assessing the toxicity of chemicals using machine learning. The models developed in this study can lead to substantial improvements when compared to conventional 'in silico' assessments based on Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) modelling.
Viruses can inflame and disrupt connections between the olfactory system, which governs the sense of smell, and the part of the brain associated with memory and learning, possibly accelerating the onset of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study.
Researchers found that treating patients who have resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma, meaning that their tumor can be removed with surgery, with immunotherapy ahead of surgery resulted in favorable clinical outcomes.
Scientists have developed a machine learning model that uses the assortment of microbes found in wastewater to tease out how many individual people they represent.
Patients with treatment resistant depression have a 23 per cent higher risk of death than other depressed patients. They also have twice as much outpatient care and spend three times the number of days in inpatient care.
Some species of gut-dwelling bacteria activate nerves in the gut to promote the desire to exercise, according to a study in mice. The study reveals the gut-to-brain pathway that explains why some bacteria boost exercise performance.
Using cryogenic electron microscopy, a research team has revealed, for the first time, the structures and binding environments of pigments bound to a protein called a photosynthetic antenna of the marine green macroalga Codium fragile. The team's results extend our knowledge about the molecular mechanism by which blue-green light -- the only light available in deep seawater -- is efficiently utilized for photosynthesis.
Three approaches with a reputation for slowing aging processes have proven largely ineffective. For their study, researchers developed a new method to measure aging, which accounts for the complexity of aging in organisms.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the fifth leading cause of death in adults over 65 years old. While many potential treatments for the neurodegenerative disease focus on developing drugs to target key culprits, a relatively new approach aims to more directly treat the brain. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical technique of electrically exciting brain circuits to alleviate symptoms of disorders such as Parkinson's disease and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
After an intermittent fasting diet intervention, patients achieved complete diabetes remission, defined as an HbA1c (average blood sugar) level of less than 6.5% at least one year after stopping diabetes medication, according to a new study.
Humans are living further and further away from nature, leading to a decline in the number of our interactions with nature. The researchers highlight that human experience of nature is crucial for developing pro-environmental behavior and thus facing the global environmental crisis.
A single bout of exercise has been shown to elevate anti-cancer proteins called myokines in people with advanced prostate cancer, to levels which can significantly suppress tumour growth.
Inadequate pollination has led to a 3-5% loss of fruit, vegetable, and nut production and an estimated 427,000 excess deaths annually from lost healthy food consumption and associated diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers, according to new research. It is the first study to quantify the human health toll of insufficient wild (animal) pollinators on human health.
Quantum dots are normally made in industrial settings with high temperatures and toxic, expensive solvents -- a process that is neither economical nor environmentally friendly. But researchers have now pulled off the process at the bench using water as a solvent, making a stable end-product at room temperature. Their work opens the door to making nanomaterials in a more sustainable way by demonstrating that protein sequences not derived from nature can be used to synthesize functional materials.
Changes in Earth's orbit that favored hotter conditions may have helped trigger a rapid global warming event 56 million years ago. Researchers found the shape of Earth's orbit, or eccentricity, and the wobble in its rotation, or precession, favored hotter conditions at the onset of the PETM and that these orbital configurations together may have played a role in triggering the event.
A new computational analysis supports the idea that photons (a.k.a. particles of light) colliding with heavy ions can create a fluid of 'strongly interacting' particles. In a new paper, they show that calculations describing such a system match up with data collected by the ATLAS detector at Europe's Large Hadron Collider (LHC).
Antibiotic resistance, when infection-causing bacteria evolve so they are no longer affected by typical antibiotics, is a global concern. New research has mapped the evolution and process of natural selection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria in the lab. These maps, called fitness landscapes, help us better understand the step-by-step development and characteristics of E. coli resistance to eight different drugs, including antibiotics. Researchers hope their results and methods will be useful for predicting and controlling E. coli and other bacteria in the future.
Researchers have characterised prostate cancer cell dynamics at a single-cell resolution across the timespan of the disease -- from its beginning to the point of androgen independence, where the tumour no longer responds to hormone deprivation therapy.
Scientists identify a new molecular model and potential therapeutic target for gout, the most common form of inflammatory arthritis.
A new study has found that young Brits would be willing to change to a more sustainable diet, but a lack of understanding about what that actually means is preventing many from doing so.
In a global study, researchers have identified that most reservoirs of rodent-borne diseases tend to live exclusively or occasionally in or near human dwellings, show large fluctuations in their numbers, and/or are hunted for meat or fur.
Structures made out of building blocks can shift their shape and autonomously self-organize to a new configuration. The physicists revealed this mechanism which may be used to actively manipulate molecular organization. A seed of the novel desired configuration is sufficient to trigger reorganization. This principle can be applied on to biological building blocks which are constantly recycled to form new structures in living systems.
The first global analysis of larval orientation studies found that millimeter-size fish babies consistently use external cues to find their way in the open ocean. There are many external cues available to marine fish including the Sun, Earth's magnetic field, and sounds. The new study offers important insight into understanding this perilous phase of marine fish.
Wearable fitness devices offer new insights into the relationship between physical activity and type 2 diabetes, according to a new analysis.
Short-term, heavy feeding by adult spotted lanternflies on young maple trees inhibits photosynthesis, potentially impairing the tree's growth by up to 50 percent, according to a new study.
A new model describes how biological or technical systems form complex structures equipped with signal-processing capabilities that allow the systems to respond to stimulus and perform functional tasks without external guidance.
VLA teams up with Juno spacecraft to study Jupiter's atmosphere, and ALMA reveals new details about Io's volcanoes.
When the rover Perseverance landed on Mars, it was equipped with the first working microphone on the planet's surface. Scientists have used it to make the first-ever audio recording of an extraterrestrial whirlwind.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOE's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has announced the achievement of fusion ignition at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) -- a major scientific breakthrough decades in the making. On Dec. 5, a team at LLNL's National Ignition Facility (NIF) conducted the first controlled fusion experiment in history to reach this milestone, also known as scientific energy breakeven, meaning it produced more energy from fusion than the laser energy used to drive it.
Morphology of galaxies contain important information about the process of galaxy formation and evolution. With its state-of-the-art resolution, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has now captured several red spiral galaxies in its first image at an unprecedented resolution. Researchers have now analyzed these galaxies, revealing that these are among the furthest known spiral galaxies till date. The analysis further detected a passive red spiral galaxy in the early universe, a surprising discovery.
Females' propensity to deposit more fat in places like their hips, buttocks and the backs of their arms, so-called subcutaneous fat, is protective against brain inflammation, which can result in problems like dementia and stroke, at least until menopause, scientists report.
A new study suggests lipoprotein(a) cholesterol may affect relationship between hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk.
Discoveries at a major new fossil site in Morocco suggest giant arthropods -- relatives of modern creatures including shrimps, insects and spiders -- dominated the seas 470 million years ago.
A new drug acts like a master reset switch in the intestines. The compound, called FexD, has previously been found to lower cholesterol, burn fat, and ward off colorectal cancer in mice. Now, the team reports that FexD can also prevent and reverse intestinal inflammation in mouse models of inflammatory bowel disease.
Researchers have developed a new way to fortify foods with vitamin A, which they hope could help to improve the health of millions of people around the world. In a new study, they showed that encapsulating vitamin A in a protective polymer prevents the nutrient from being broken down during cooking or storage.
Researchers report that larvae of the cabbage white butterfly use two gut enzymes to effectively disarm the mustard oil bomb, the major chemical defense system of their host plants. Cabbage white butterflies appear to be able to target the various glucosinolates, defense compounds of cabbage and related plants, and render them harmless by a finely tuned use of their detoxification enzymes. Using genome editing techniques, the researchers were able to demonstrate the function of the individual enzymes and confirm their effectiveness.
An ancient fish called a 'living fossil' has helped researchers understand the basics of stem cells. This will further stem cell research and be a step in the direction of creating artificial organs.
Analysis of teeth of extinct lemurs has revealed fascinating clues to the evolution of humans, a new study has found.
Using a novel modeling method, a team of researchers gained new insights into how hummingbirds produce wing movement, which could lead to design improvements in flying robots.
While the Diprotodon -- the extinct megafauna species that is distantly related to wombats but was the size of a small car -- is commonly (but incorrectly) thought of as Australia's 'giant wombat', researchers have shed light on a large species that does belong in the modern-day wombat family. The complete skull of this true fossil giant wombat, found in a Rockhampton cave in Queensland, Australia and estimated to be around 80,000 years old, has been described for the first time.
Researchers calculated that 74 metric tons of microplastics are dropping out of the atmosphere onto the city annually, the equivalent of more than 3 million plastic bottles falling from the sky.
More heart failure deaths were linked with extreme temperatures than other heart conditions, from an international study.
Wildlife researchers have completed a study that may settle the question of why, in October 2009, a group of coyotes launched an unprovoked fatal attack on a young woman who was hiking in a Canadian park. Researchers concluded that the coyotes were forced to rely on moose instead of smaller mammals for the bulk of their diet -- and as a result of adapting to that unusually large food source, perceived a lone hiker as potential prey.
Researchers have discovered web-like plasma structures in the Sun's middle corona. The researchers describe their innovative new observation method, imaging the middled corona in ultraviolet (UV) wavelength. The findings could lead to a better understanding of the solar wind's origins and its interactions with the rest of the solar system.
Zoologists have described and classified previously unknown species of scorpionflies from Nepal. These species belong to a completely new genus.
Researchers have answered a 100-year-old question in diabetes research: can a molecule different to insulin have the same effect? The findings provide important insights for the future development of an oral insulin pill.
A new therapy that makes the immune system kill bone marrow cancer cells was successful in as many as 73 percent of patients in two clinical trials.
Patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis who participated in a clinical trial of rocatinlimab -- a novel, patient-tailored monoclonal antibody therapy -- showed promising results both while taking the drug and up to 20 weeks after the therapy was stopped.
Imagine walking into a room at night, turning out all the lights and closing the shades. Yet an eerie glow comes from the walls, ceiling, and floor. The faint light is barely enough to see your hands before your face, but it persists. Sounds like a scene out of a scary movie?" No, for astronomers this is the real deal. But looking for something that's close to nothing is not easy.
The past decade has seen a global surge in adolescent use of e-cigarettes/vaping, cannabis, and prescription opioids not-taken-as-prescribed. Relying on detection through informal observation is quickly becoming a thing of the past. A new article provides health care professionals and parents concrete steps for screening, detection and intervention.
A study finds that, for now, the catalog of known black hole binaries does not reveal anything fundamental about how black holes form. More data will be needed to determine whether the invisible giants arose from a quiet galactic disk or a more dynamic cluster of stars.
In a laboratory experiment, researchers have succeeded in realizing an effective spacetime that can be manipulated. In their research on ultracold quantum gases, they were able to simulate an entire family of curved universes to investigate different cosmological scenarios and compare them with the predictions of a quantum field theoretical model.
Scientists in New Zealand and Australia working at the level of atoms created something unexpected: tiny metallic snowflakes.
The biochemical process by which cyanobacteria acquire nutrients from rocks in Chile's Atacama Desert has inspired engineers at the University of California, Irvine to think of new ways microbes might help humans build colonies on the moon and Mars.
Scratches on dinosaur teeth could reveal what they really ate. Dental microwear texture analysis (DMTA) has now been used to infer the feeding habits of large theropods, including Allosaurus and T. rex. By taking 3D images of individual teeth and analyzing the pattern of marks scratched into them, researchers could reason which dinosaurs may have frequently crunched on hard bone and which may have regularly eaten softer foods and prey. This technique opens up a new avenue of research for paleontology, helping us to better understand not only dinosaurs themselves but also the environment and communities in which they lived.
Modern Papuans' immune system likely evolved with a little help from the Denisovans, a mysterious human ancestor who interbred with ancient humans, according to a new study.
In rural Bangladesh, areas with high levels of arsenic contamination in drinking water, compared to areas with less contamination, have a higher prevalence of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli in both water and child stool samples, according to a new study.
Researchers have been studying the effects of the sudden decrease in global temperatures that occurred about 8,200 years ago, the so-called 8.2-kiloyear event, with the help of mineral deposits present in White Moon Cave in Northern California. New indications show that oscillations between extreme wetness and aridity in California were closely linked with the occurrence of wildfires. The researchers have concluded that such events are likely to become more common in the face of human-induced climate change.
Argentine ants have been able to displace native ant species in large part because of their aggressive foraging for sugar and other carbohydrates. However, when they've been deprived of food and competitors are present, they significantly limit their foraging activity instead of vigorously pursuing food. On the whole, this strategy may provide a benefit to their colonies, researchers say.
The group with the world's simplest animals -- tiny blob-like life forms with no organs and just a few cell types -- finally has a fleshed-out family tree. The study comes more than 100 years after the discovery of these ameboid animals called placozoans and represents the first -- and potentially only -- time in the 21st century that a backbone Linnaean taxonomy is constructed for an entire animal phylum.
Americans are leaving many of the U.S. counties hit hardest by hurricanes and heatwaves -- and moving towards dangerous wildfires and warmer temperatures, says one of the largest studies of U.S. migration and natural disasters. These results are concerning, as wildfire and rising temperatures are projected to worsen with climate change. The study was inspired by the increasing number of headlines of record-breaking natural disasters.
A new study analyzing stone tools from southern China provides the earliest evidence of rice harvesting, dating to as early as 10,000 years ago. The researchers identified two methods of harvesting rice, which helped initiate rice domestication.
Researchers have devised a way to achieve long-term changes in neuron activity. With their new strategy, they can use light exposure to change the electrical capacitance of the neurons' membranes, which alters their excitability (how strongly or weakly they respond to electrical signals).
Engineers have created a soft robot capable of detecting when and where it was damaged -- and then healing itself on the spot.
Researchers showed participants videos of human, dog, and macaque pairs to determine how well humans assess social interactions.
A new paper shows that when first-year female STEM students are mentored by student peers, the positive ripple effect lasts throughout their undergraduate years and into their postgraduate lives, enhancing the mentee's subjective experience as well as objective academic outcomes.
When winter chill strikes, people stay indoors more often, giving airborne pathogens -- such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza -- prime opportunities to spread. Germicidal ultraviolet (GUV) lamps can help disinfect circulating air, but their UVC wavelengths could also transform airborne compounds into potentially harmful substances. Now, researchers have modeled the reactions initiated by UVC sanitizing light and find that there's a trade-off between removing viruses and producing air pollutants.
Audio cues can not only help us to recognize objects more quickly but can even alter our visual perception. That is, pair birdsong with a bird and we see a bird -- but replace that birdsong with a squirrel's chatter, and we're not quite so sure what we're looking at.
Two-million-year-old DNA has been identified -- opening a 'game-changing' new chapter in the history of evolution. Microscopic fragments of environmental DNA were found in Ice Age sediment in northern Greenland. Using cutting-edge technology, researchers discovered the fragments are one million years older than the previous record for DNA sampled from a Siberian mammoth bone. The ancient DNA has been used to map a two-million-year-old ecosystem which weathered extreme climate change.
On Dec. 11, 2021, astronomers detected a blast of high-energy light from the outskirts of a galaxy around 1 billion light-years away. The event has rattled scientists' understanding of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the most powerful events in the universe.
Devastating megafires are becoming more common, in part, because the planet is warming. But a new study suggests bringing 'good fire' back to the U.S. and other wildfire fire-prone areas, as Native Americans once did, could potentially blunt the role of climate in triggering today's wildfires.
The Alongshan virus was discovered in China only five years ago. Now researchers have found the novel virus for the first time in Swiss ticks. It appears to be at least as widespread as the tickborne encephalitis virus and causes similar symptoms. The team is working on a diagnostic test to assess the epidemiological situation.
Scientists have developed a novel antenna that allows manipulation of the direction, frequency and amplitude of the radiated beam, and is expected to play an important role in the integration of sensing and communications (ISAC) for 6th-generation (6G) wireless communications.
Researchers are hoping that a new, low-cost battery which holds four times the energy capacity of lithium-ion batteries and is far cheaper to produce will significantly reduce the cost of transitioning to a decarbonized economy.
Magnetic nozzle plasma thrusters are thought of as the future of space travel. But one problem has hampered their development -- plasma detachment. A recent study has shown that spontaneously excited plasma waves help magnetic nozzles overcome the plasma detachment problem, a rare instance of plasma instabilities having a positive effect on engineering.
New research highlights the risks of countries relying on nature-based solutions to achieve net-zero. National climate strategies set out how countries plan to reduce emissions, for example by phasing out fossil-fuel use, to get to net-zero in 2050. The study found, once the bulk of emissions have been reduced, countries plan to 'cancel out' the left-over difficult to decarbonise emissions, such as those from agriculture, by using forests and soils to remove carbon from the atmosphere.
Even as detailed images of distant galaxies from the James Webb Space Telescope show us more of the greater universe, scientists still disagree about how life began here on Earth. One hypothesis is that meteorites delivered amino acids -- life's building blocks -- to our planet. Now, researchers have experimentally shown that amino acids could have formed in these early meteorites from reactions driven by gamma rays produced inside the space rocks.
Researchers have demonstrated a new way to create stable perovskite solar cells, with fewer defects and the potential to finally rival silicon's durability.
One of the major challenges in microbiome science has been distinguishing what is a potential environmental contaminant from a true, bona fide microbiome signal in low biomass studies -- studies that contain little microbial DNA like breastmilk, placenta or amniotic fluid. For instance, it can be challenging to differentiate between the DNA of a microbe in a sample from remnant contaminant DNA from a sampling kit or extraction kit or the environment.
For over a century, one of the earliest human fossils ever discovered in Spain has been long considered a Neanderthal. However, new analysis from an international research team dismantles this century-long interpretation, demonstrating that this fossil is not a Neanderthal; rather, it may actually represent the earliest presence of Homo sapiens ever documented in Europe.
A chance find of an unstudied Antarctic sediment core has led researchers to flip our understanding of how often ice ages occurred in Antarctica.
Physicists have developed a completely new class of materials for transporting spin waves: antiferromagnets with tilted magnetic moments.
New research shows a continually warming world is leading to extended, late-summer weeks of water stratification in lakes, which prompts oxygen deprivation in the water -- provoking conditions called hypoxia (low oxygen) and anoxia (no oxygen) -- and negative consequences for fish and other species.
Nerve cells can regulate their sensitivity to incoming signals autonomously. A new study has now discovered a mechanism that does just that.
Mitotic chromosomes are pivotal for the inheritance of genetic material. Now, it is already known that chromosomes vary in dimensions among organisms. But what governs mitotic chromosomal size and degree of DNA compaction? Scientists investigated mitotic chromosome formation to find answers and have revealed that within a species, the chromosomal arm length determines its width. These new insights challenge the current perspectives of chromosome formation.
Peeking out from behind the glare of a bright foreground star, astronomers have uncovered the most extraordinary example yet of a nearby galaxy with characteristics that are more like galaxies in the distant, early universe. Only 1,200 light-years across, the tiny galaxy HIPASS J1131-31 has been nicknamed "Peekaboo" because of its emergence in the past 50-100 years from behind the fast-moving star that was obscuring astronomers' ability to detect it.
For the first cell to develop into an entire organism, genes, RNA molecules and proteins have to work together in a complex way. At first, this process is indirectly controlled by the mother. At a certain point in time, the protein GRIF-1 ensures that the offspring cut themselves off from this influence and start their own course of development. A research team now details how this process works.
At the heart of every CRISPR reaction, whether naturally occurring in bacteria or harnessed by CRIPSR-Cas gene editing technology, is a strong molecular bond of a Cas protein via a guide RNA to its target site on DNA. It's like a nanoscale ski binding.
A small molecule inhibitor that attacks the difficult to target, cancer-causing gene mutation KRAS, found in nearly 30 percent of all human tumors, successfully shrunk tumors or stopped cancer growth in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer, researchers showed.
A large percentage of energy used today is consumed in the form of electrical power for processing and storing data and for running the relevant terminal equipment and devices. Innovative concepts, such as neuromorphic computing, employ energy-saving approaches to solve this problem.
A new antimalarial drug is being introduced at a dose that is too low to be effective for all patients who need it, according to a new report.
A human factors engineer and health services researcher is developing and testing user-friendly health information tools and technology designed to enhance accessibility and value to older adults with both diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, and their caregivers. Without numerous finger sticks, these tools and technology will be designed to provide patients, caregivers, and clinicians with glucose metrics needed to diagnose hypoglycemia and identify treatment options.
As hurricane Michael churned through the Gulf of Mexico to make landfall near Florida's Apalachicola River in 2018, it left a sea of destruction in its wake. The path was easy to follow on land, but debris and infrastructure failures also diminished the river's water quality and led to the death of roughly half the gulf sturgeon population there. A study reveals new details in how a decrease in oxygen levels affected the river's ability to sustain life in the days following the historic Category 5 storm.
Researchers have discovered a new method to move objects using ultrasound waves, opening the door for using contactless manipulation in industries such as robotics and manufacturing.
Teens with Type 1 diabetes who took bromocriptine, a medication usually prescribed to treat Parkinson's disease, had lower blood pressure after one month of treatment compared to those who did not take the medicine. Participants taking the medication for one month also experienced significant improvements in aortic stiffness, a measure of vascular health. Larger, longer-term studies are needed to determine if bromocriptine may be recommended to adolescents with Type 1 diabetes.
An almost limitless supply of fresh water exists in the form of water vapor above Earth's oceans, yet remains untapped, researchers said. A new study suggests an investment in new infrastructure capable of harvesting oceanic water vapor as a solution to limited supplies of fresh water in various locations around the world.
A recent study details the neuronal response to excessive iron accumulation, which is associated with age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
A recent study details the neuronal response to excessive iron accumulation, which is associated with age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers have shown that the cancer therapy known as CAR-T can be applied to multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease of the nervous system. The findings extend the powerful tool of immunotherapy to autoimmune diseases, a class of diseases that are often debilitating and difficult to treat.
Researchers have shown that the cancer therapy known as CAR-T can be applied to multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease of the nervous system. The findings extend the powerful tool of immunotherapy to autoimmune diseases, a class of diseases that are often debilitating and difficult to treat.
A new study has found that 39 out of 43 coastal airports in California have assets exposed to projected flooding that could disrupt their operations in the next 20 to 40 years.
A new study has found that 39 out of 43 coastal airports in California have assets exposed to projected flooding that could disrupt their operations in the next 20 to 40 years.
Biomedical and genetic engineers have designed a small fluorescent protein that emits and absorbs light that penetrates deep into biological tissue. Tailored to wavelengths in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum, this protein can help researchers capture deeper, cleaner, more precise biomedical images.
Biomedical and genetic engineers have designed a small fluorescent protein that emits and absorbs light that penetrates deep into biological tissue. Tailored to wavelengths in the near-infrared (NIR) spectrum, this protein can help researchers capture deeper, cleaner, more precise biomedical images.
Experimental physicists growing icicles are closer to understanding why some form with ripples up and down their outsides, while others form with smooth, slick, even surfaces. By growing icicles from water samples with different contaminants like sodium chloride (salt), dextrose (sugar) and fluorescent dye, they discovered that water impurities become entrapped within icicles as they form and subsequently create chevron patterns that contribute to a ripple effect around their circumferences.
Experimental physicists growing icicles are closer to understanding why some form with ripples up and down their outsides, while others form with smooth, slick, even surfaces. By growing icicles from water samples with different contaminants like sodium chloride (salt), dextrose (sugar) and fluorescent dye, they discovered that water impurities become entrapped within icicles as they form and subsequently create chevron patterns that contribute to a ripple effect around their circumferences.
Researchers report the synthesis of semiconductor 'giant' core-shell quantum dots with record-breaking emissive lifetimes. In addition, the lifetimes can be tuned by making a simple alteration to the material's internal structure.
Researchers report the synthesis of semiconductor 'giant' core-shell quantum dots with record-breaking emissive lifetimes. In addition, the lifetimes can be tuned by making a simple alteration to the material's internal structure.
A new tool could one day help clinicians better predict resistance to immunoglobulin therapy among children with Kawasaki disease in the United States. Compared to the Kobayashi score -- the most widely used method in Japan for predicting resistance to the antibody, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), in Kawasaki disease -- the newly developed tool is twice as accurate for Western New York children, achieving a sensitivity (detection) rate of 54%.
A new tool could one day help clinicians better predict resistance to immunoglobulin therapy among children with Kawasaki disease in the United States. Compared to the Kobayashi score -- the most widely used method in Japan for predicting resistance to the antibody, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), in Kawasaki disease -- the newly developed tool is twice as accurate for Western New York children, achieving a sensitivity (detection) rate of 54%.
While it has long been recognized that drugs that block the cancer-promoting activity of estrogen reduce risk of developing new breast cancers, a new computer modeling study has shown that these treatments could also reduce the risk of dying from the disease in women who are at high risk.
While it has long been recognized that drugs that block the cancer-promoting activity of estrogen reduce risk of developing new breast cancers, a new computer modeling study has shown that these treatments could also reduce the risk of dying from the disease in women who are at high risk.
A forest's resilience, or ability to absorb environmental disturbances, has long been thought to be a boost for its odds of survival against the looming threat of climate change. But a new study suggests that for some Western U.S. forests, it's quite the opposite. The results of one of the first large-scale studies of its kind show that while high ecosystem resilience correlates with low mortality in eastern forests, it is linked to high mortality in western regions.
A forest's resilience, or ability to absorb environmental disturbances, has long been thought to be a boost for its odds of survival against the looming threat of climate change. But a new study suggests that for some Western U.S. forests, it's quite the opposite. The results of one of the first large-scale studies of its kind show that while high ecosystem resilience correlates with low mortality in eastern forests, it is linked to high mortality in western regions.
Efforts to promote the future health of both wild bees and managed honeybee colonies need to consider specific habitat needs, such as the density of wildflowers. At the same time, improving other habitat measures -- such as the amount of natural habitat surrounding croplands -- may increase bee diversity while having mixed effects on overall bee health. Those are the key findings from a new analysis of several thousand Michigan bees from 60 species. The study looked at how the quality and quantity of bee habitat surrounding small farm fields affects the levels of common viral pathogens in bee communities.
Efforts to promote the future health of both wild bees and managed honeybee colonies need to consider specific habitat needs, such as the density of wildflowers. At the same time, improving other habitat measures -- such as the amount of natural habitat surrounding croplands -- may increase bee diversity while having mixed effects on overall bee health. Those are the key findings from a new analysis of several thousand Michigan bees from 60 species. The study looked at how the quality and quantity of bee habitat surrounding small farm fields affects the levels of common viral pathogens in bee communities.
An extreme-scale nanoscope is beginning to collect data about how pulses of light at trillions of cycles per second can control supercurrents in materials. The instrument could one day help optimize superconducting quantum bits, which are at the heart of quantum computing, a new and developing technology.
An extreme-scale nanoscope is beginning to collect data about how pulses of light at trillions of cycles per second can control supercurrents in materials. The instrument could one day help optimize superconducting quantum bits, which are at the heart of quantum computing, a new and developing technology.
A new study finds the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery is a promising option for measuring cognitive change in people with intellectual disability.
A new study finds the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery is a promising option for measuring cognitive change in people with intellectual disability.
New science can benefit conservation, but a group of biologists emphasizes how species have adapted to local habitats is crucial to success.
New science can benefit conservation, but a group of biologists emphasizes how species have adapted to local habitats is crucial to success.
An interdisciplinary research team has found important clues about the functioning of the sensorimotor cortex. The new findings on neuronal activities in this brain area could be helpful for the further development and use of so-called neuroprostheses. These have an interface with the nervous system and are intended to help compensate for neuronal dysfunctions.
An interdisciplinary research team has found important clues about the functioning of the sensorimotor cortex. The new findings on neuronal activities in this brain area could be helpful for the further development and use of so-called neuroprostheses. These have an interface with the nervous system and are intended to help compensate for neuronal dysfunctions.
Healthy diets are rich in antioxidants like amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C, but exactly how beneficial these micronutrients are for cardiovascular health has long been controversial. Now a new meta-analysis provides some clarity.
Healthy diets are rich in antioxidants like amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C, but exactly how beneficial these micronutrients are for cardiovascular health has long been controversial. Now a new meta-analysis provides some clarity.
Scientists used high energy x-rays to investigate the solid-electrolyte interphase, a chemical layer in batteries that's key to stabilizing lithium metal anodes. Chemists unraveled this complex chemical mechanisms that is crucial for boosting energy density.
Scientists used high energy x-rays to investigate the solid-electrolyte interphase, a chemical layer in batteries that's key to stabilizing lithium metal anodes. Chemists unraveled this complex chemical mechanisms that is crucial for boosting energy density.
The Southern Hemisphere is stormier than the Northern -- but no one knew why. A new study lays out the first concrete explanation for this phenomenon. Researchers found two major culprits: ocean circulation and the large mountain ranges in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Southern Hemisphere is stormier than the Northern -- but no one knew why. A new study lays out the first concrete explanation for this phenomenon. Researchers found two major culprits: ocean circulation and the large mountain ranges in the Northern Hemisphere.
More and more trees are suffering the consequences of decades of human-made climate change. The growth of the European beech has so far suffered decline mainly in southern Europe. European beech is Germany's most important native forest tree species and it is most commonly found in Central Europe. A research team has now been able to show that the European beech is suffering from increasing drought stress in summer in northern Germany as well. This climate stress is particularly pronounced at warmer sites, when there is a higher density of these trees together, and on very sandy soils.
More and more trees are suffering the consequences of decades of human-made climate change. The growth of the European beech has so far suffered decline mainly in southern Europe. European beech is Germany's most important native forest tree species and it is most commonly found in Central Europe. A research team has now been able to show that the European beech is suffering from increasing drought stress in summer in northern Germany as well. This climate stress is particularly pronounced at warmer sites, when there is a higher density of these trees together, and on very sandy soils.
New research suggests that a common parasite associated with cats turns Yellowstone National Park wolves into risk takers, who when infected are much more likely to disperse across the landscape and become pack leaders.
New research suggests that a common parasite associated with cats turns Yellowstone National Park wolves into risk takers, who when infected are much more likely to disperse across the landscape and become pack leaders.
An international team of researchers has uncovered a new mechanism that enables cancer cells to move throughout the body, providing a potential new target to stop metastasis, which is responsible for 90 per cent of cancer deaths. The team identifies that cancer cells move faster when they are surrounded by thicker fluids, a change that occurs when lymph drainage is compromised by a primary tumor.
An international team of researchers has uncovered a new mechanism that enables cancer cells to move throughout the body, providing a potential new target to stop metastasis, which is responsible for 90 per cent of cancer deaths. The team identifies that cancer cells move faster when they are surrounded by thicker fluids, a change that occurs when lymph drainage is compromised by a primary tumor.
Nearly 10,000 years ago, humans settling in the Fertile Crescent, the areas of the Middle East surrounding the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, made the first switch from hunter-gatherers to farmers. They developed close bonds with the rodent-eating cats that conveniently served as ancient pest-control in society's first civilizations. A new study found this lifestyle transition for humans was the catalyst that sparked the world's first domestication of cats, and as humans began to travel the world, they brought their new feline friends along with them.
Nearly 10,000 years ago, humans settling in the Fertile Crescent, the areas of the Middle East surrounding the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, made the first switch from hunter-gatherers to farmers. They developed close bonds with the rodent-eating cats that conveniently served as ancient pest-control in society's first civilizations. A new study found this lifestyle transition for humans was the catalyst that sparked the world's first domestication of cats, and as humans began to travel the world, they brought their new feline friends along with them.
Scientists have identified an off-patent drug that can be repurposed to prevent COVID-19 -- and may be capable of protecting against future variants of the virus -- in research involving a unique mix of 'mini-organs', donor organs, animal studies and patients. The research showed that an existing drug used to treat a type of liver disease is able to 'lock' the doorway by which SARS-CoV-2 enters our cells, a receptor on the cell surface known as ACE2. Because this drug targets the host cells and not the virus, it should protect against future new variants of the virus as well as other coronaviruses that might emerge.
Scientists have identified an off-patent drug that can be repurposed to prevent COVID-19 -- and may be capable of protecting against future variants of the virus -- in research involving a unique mix of 'mini-organs', donor organs, animal studies and patients. The research showed that an existing drug used to treat a type of liver disease is able to 'lock' the doorway by which SARS-CoV-2 enters our cells, a receptor on the cell surface known as ACE2. Because this drug targets the host cells and not the virus, it should protect against future new variants of the virus as well as other coronaviruses that might emerge.
Major ice streams can shut down, shifting rapid ice transport to other parts of the ice sheet, within a few thousand years. This was determined in reconstructions of two ice streams, based on ice-penetrating radar scans of the Greenland ice sheet.
Major ice streams can shut down, shifting rapid ice transport to other parts of the ice sheet, within a few thousand years. This was determined in reconstructions of two ice streams, based on ice-penetrating radar scans of the Greenland ice sheet.
New modeling shows how synonymous mutations -- those that change the DNA sequence of a gene but not the sequence of the encoded protein -- can still impact protein production and function.
New modeling shows how synonymous mutations -- those that change the DNA sequence of a gene but not the sequence of the encoded protein -- can still impact protein production and function.
Paying cash to people with obesity for losing a specific amount of weight or completing weight-reducing activities works better than offering stand-alone free tools, such as weight-loss programs, diet books, and wearable fitness trackers, a new study shows.
Paying cash to people with obesity for losing a specific amount of weight or completing weight-reducing activities works better than offering stand-alone free tools, such as weight-loss programs, diet books, and wearable fitness trackers, a new study shows.
Researchers have uncovered inflammatory markers that may predict which COVID-19 patients are more likely to respond to therapies like the anti-cancer drug pacritinib, according to phase 2 trial results.
Researchers have uncovered inflammatory markers that may predict which COVID-19 patients are more likely to respond to therapies like the anti-cancer drug pacritinib, according to phase 2 trial results.
Orbital observations unveil the presence of an enormous mantle plume pushing the surface of Mars upward and driving intense volcanic and seismic activity. The discovery reveals that Mars, like Earth and Venus, possesses an active interior, which challenges current views on the evolution of the red planet.
Orbital observations unveil the presence of an enormous mantle plume pushing the surface of Mars upward and driving intense volcanic and seismic activity. The discovery reveals that Mars, like Earth and Venus, possesses an active interior, which challenges current views on the evolution of the red planet.
Extremely intense light pulses generated by free-electron lasers (FELs) are versatile tools in research. Particularly in the X-ray range, they can be deployed to analyze the details of atomic structures of a wide variety of materials and to follow fundamental ultrafast processes with great precision. Until now, FELs such as the European XFEL in Germany are based on conventional electron accelerators, which make them long and expensive. An international team has now achieved a breakthrough on the way to an affordable alternative solution: they were able to demonstrate seeded FEL lasing in the ultraviolet regime based on a still young technology -- laser-plasma acceleration. In the future, this might allow to build more compact systems, which would considerably expand the possible applications of FELs.
Extremely intense light pulses generated by free-electron lasers (FELs) are versatile tools in research. Particularly in the X-ray range, they can be deployed to analyze the details of atomic structures of a wide variety of materials and to follow fundamental ultrafast processes with great precision. Until now, FELs such as the European XFEL in Germany are based on conventional electron accelerators, which make them long and expensive. An international team has now achieved a breakthrough on the way to an affordable alternative solution: they were able to demonstrate seeded FEL lasing in the ultraviolet regime based on a still young technology -- laser-plasma acceleration. In the future, this might allow to build more compact systems, which would considerably expand the possible applications of FELs.
Studying an atomic clock on-board a spacecraft inside the orbit of Mercury and very near to the Sun could be the trick to uncovering the nature of dark matter.
Studying an atomic clock on-board a spacecraft inside the orbit of Mercury and very near to the Sun could be the trick to uncovering the nature of dark matter.
AI is a powerful tool for studying the human genome. But its recent popularity has inundated the field with innovation. With so many options, it's hard to know which AI algorithms work best. Computational scientists have now come up with a solution called GOPHER, which systematically compares AI algorithms and evaluates their reliability, accuracy, and performance.
AI is a powerful tool for studying the human genome. But its recent popularity has inundated the field with innovation. With so many options, it's hard to know which AI algorithms work best. Computational scientists have now come up with a solution called GOPHER, which systematically compares AI algorithms and evaluates their reliability, accuracy, and performance.
Women with prolonged mental health problems up to three years after childbirth may be suffering from irregular immune system responses, according to new research.
Women with prolonged mental health problems up to three years after childbirth may be suffering from irregular immune system responses, according to new research.
Researchers have developed a new method for producing a key component of lithium-ion batteries. The result is a more affordable battery from a faster, less wasteful process that uses less toxic material.
Researchers have developed a new method for producing a key component of lithium-ion batteries. The result is a more affordable battery from a faster, less wasteful process that uses less toxic material.
Researchers have found that growing human intestine-like spheroids in suspension and transferring them to a bioreactor for maturation results in the generation of differentiated human intestinal organoids (HIOs) suitable for subsequent transplantation into experimental mice. This technique is simpler than existing approaches and reliably produces healthy HIOs of predictable size, which could make it invaluable for translational research and regenerative medicine in the future.
Researchers have found that growing human intestine-like spheroids in suspension and transferring them to a bioreactor for maturation results in the generation of differentiated human intestinal organoids (HIOs) suitable for subsequent transplantation into experimental mice. This technique is simpler than existing approaches and reliably produces healthy HIOs of predictable size, which could make it invaluable for translational research and regenerative medicine in the future.
A six-month study oncludes that the use of portable home air purifiers can improve some markers of cardiovascular health in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD
A six-month study oncludes that the use of portable home air purifiers can improve some markers of cardiovascular health in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD
CRISPR, the Nobel Prize-winning gene editing technology, is poised to have a profound impact on the fields of microbiology and medicine yet again. A team has developed a tool to edit the genomes of bacteria-infecting viruses called bacteriophages using a rare form of CRISPR. The ability to easily engineer custom-designed phages will help researchers treat dangerous drug-resistant infections and control microbiomes without antibiotics or harsh chemicals.
CRISPR, the Nobel Prize-winning gene editing technology, is poised to have a profound impact on the fields of microbiology and medicine yet again. A team has developed a tool to edit the genomes of bacteria-infecting viruses called bacteriophages using a rare form of CRISPR. The ability to easily engineer custom-designed phages will help researchers treat dangerous drug-resistant infections and control microbiomes without antibiotics or harsh chemicals.
Research has provided new insights into the mechanism behind how our circadian 24-hour body clock influences our immune response to vaccines, depending on the time of day.
Research has provided new insights into the mechanism behind how our circadian 24-hour body clock influences our immune response to vaccines, depending on the time of day.
Engineers have designed a system to remotely measure blood pressure by filming a person's forehead and extracting cardiac signals using artificial intelligence algorithms.
Engineers have designed a system to remotely measure blood pressure by filming a person's forehead and extracting cardiac signals using artificial intelligence algorithms.
Up to 78% of walkers would take a more challenging route featuring obstacles such as balancing beams, stepping stones and high steps, research has found. The findings suggest that providing 'Active Landscape' routes in urban areas could help tackle an 'inactivity pandemic' and improve health outcomes.
Up to 78% of walkers would take a more challenging route featuring obstacles such as balancing beams, stepping stones and high steps, research has found. The findings suggest that providing 'Active Landscape' routes in urban areas could help tackle an 'inactivity pandemic' and improve health outcomes.
Scientists have developed a novel interferometric technique capable of measuring time delays with zeptosecond (a trillionth of a billionth of a second) resolution. They have used this technique to measure the time delay between extreme ultraviolet light pulses emitted by two different isotopes of hydrogen molecules -- H2 and D2 -- interacting with intense infrared laser pulses. This delay was found to be less than three attoseconds (one quintillionth of a second long) and is caused by slightly different motions of the lighter and heavier nuclei.
Scientists have developed a novel interferometric technique capable of measuring time delays with zeptosecond (a trillionth of a billionth of a second) resolution. They have used this technique to measure the time delay between extreme ultraviolet light pulses emitted by two different isotopes of hydrogen molecules -- H2 and D2 -- interacting with intense infrared laser pulses. This delay was found to be less than three attoseconds (one quintillionth of a second long) and is caused by slightly different motions of the lighter and heavier nuclei.
Researchers are using a natural material derived from seaweed to promote vascular cell growth, prevent blood clots and improve the performance of synthetic vascular grafts used in heart bypass surgery.
Researchers are using a natural material derived from seaweed to promote vascular cell growth, prevent blood clots and improve the performance of synthetic vascular grafts used in heart bypass surgery.
The neurotransmitter serotonin plays a key role in both the onset and in the unlearning of fear and anxiety. A research team has been investigating the underlying mechanisms. The researchers showed that mice lacking a specific serotonin receptor unlearn fear much faster than the wild type. The results of the study provide a viable explanation how drugs that are typically used for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) alter our brain activity. The ability to unlearn fear is often impaired in PTSD patients, making it more difficult to carry out therapies.
The neurotransmitter serotonin plays a key role in both the onset and in the unlearning of fear and anxiety. A research team has been investigating the underlying mechanisms. The researchers showed that mice lacking a specific serotonin receptor unlearn fear much faster than the wild type. The results of the study provide a viable explanation how drugs that are typically used for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) alter our brain activity. The ability to unlearn fear is often impaired in PTSD patients, making it more difficult to carry out therapies.
The energy and health challenges of the human population require the development of advanced materials. In this regard, 3D COFs with their net-like structures and unprecedented porosity show promise. But their synthesis from pre-designed building units is extremely challenging. To this end, researchers have now developed TUS-84, the first 3D COF with a unique scu-c network structure, with enormous potential in drug delivery and clean energy.
The energy and health challenges of the human population require the development of advanced materials. In this regard, 3D COFs with their net-like structures and unprecedented porosity show promise. But their synthesis from pre-designed building units is extremely challenging. To this end, researchers have now developed TUS-84, the first 3D COF with a unique scu-c network structure, with enormous potential in drug delivery and clean energy.
Years of research show that climate change signals are amplified in the Arctic, and that sea ice in this region is sensitive to increases in Arctic warming. Sea ice greatly modifies the exchanges of heat, momentum and mass between the atmosphere and the ocean. So, the timings of the sea ice melt and freeze onsets, as well as the length of the melt and freeze seasons, play a key role in the 'heat budget' of the atmosphere-ice-ocean system.
Years of research show that climate change signals are amplified in the Arctic, and that sea ice in this region is sensitive to increases in Arctic warming. Sea ice greatly modifies the exchanges of heat, momentum and mass between the atmosphere and the ocean. So, the timings of the sea ice melt and freeze onsets, as well as the length of the melt and freeze seasons, play a key role in the 'heat budget' of the atmosphere-ice-ocean system.
Researchers led a large-scale global machine learning effort to securely aggregate knowledge from brain scans of 6,314 glioblastoma (GBM) patients at 71 sites around the globe and develop a model that can enhance identification and prediction of boundaries in three tumor sub-compartments, without compromising patient privacy.
Researchers led a large-scale global machine learning effort to securely aggregate knowledge from brain scans of 6,314 glioblastoma (GBM) patients at 71 sites around the globe and develop a model that can enhance identification and prediction of boundaries in three tumor sub-compartments, without compromising patient privacy.
Researchers have published a new study examining factors behind the decision to begin or decline medication treatment for childhood anxiety disorders after cognitive behavioral therapy did not lead to improvement.
Researchers have published a new study examining factors behind the decision to begin or decline medication treatment for childhood anxiety disorders after cognitive behavioral therapy did not lead to improvement.
Scientists have discovered a novel low-cost method of testing for cancers. Called the Heatrich-BS assay, this new test sequences clinical samples that have been heated in order to isolate cancer-specific signatures found in a patient's blood. The new method provides a promising non-invasive alternative to tissue biopsies. It costs around US$35 from start to finish, compared to other sequencing methods that can cost up to US$740 to conduct. The research team is now exploring industry partnerships to bring their technology to market.
Scientists have discovered a novel low-cost method of testing for cancers. Called the Heatrich-BS assay, this new test sequences clinical samples that have been heated in order to isolate cancer-specific signatures found in a patient's blood. The new method provides a promising non-invasive alternative to tissue biopsies. It costs around US$35 from start to finish, compared to other sequencing methods that can cost up to US$740 to conduct. The research team is now exploring industry partnerships to bring their technology to market.
Less than 10 aquaculture farms in the U.S. have been successful in commercially raising and distributing the popular Florida pompano fish. A new study has determined the optimal salinity required to culture fingerlings (juvenile fish) from hatch to weaning under on-farm conditions. Researchers have shown it's possible to grow this warm water marine species in salinities a low as 10 parts per thousand, which makes it more economic and easier for producers far from the coast to attempt Florida pompano commercial growth.
Less than 10 aquaculture farms in the U.S. have been successful in commercially raising and distributing the popular Florida pompano fish. A new study has determined the optimal salinity required to culture fingerlings (juvenile fish) from hatch to weaning under on-farm conditions. Researchers have shown it's possible to grow this warm water marine species in salinities a low as 10 parts per thousand, which makes it more economic and easier for producers far from the coast to attempt Florida pompano commercial growth.
It's well established that experiencing stress can hurt our physical health. Now two new studies find that younger adults who take preemptive steps to respond to stress are better able to avoid those negative health outcomes.
It's well established that experiencing stress can hurt our physical health. Now two new studies find that younger adults who take preemptive steps to respond to stress are better able to avoid those negative health outcomes.
Scientists have a new way to demonstrate which neighborhoods are most affected by air pollution from vehicle emissions: analyzing wild grass for radiocarbon content, which is a proxy for fossil fuel emissions.
Scientists have a new way to demonstrate which neighborhoods are most affected by air pollution from vehicle emissions: analyzing wild grass for radiocarbon content, which is a proxy for fossil fuel emissions.
A collaborative team has re-engineered the process of microbial pathogen identification in blood samples from pediatric sepsis patients using broad-spectrum pathogen capture technology. The advance enables accurate pathogen detection with a combination of unprecedented sensitivity and speed, and could significantly improve clinical outcomes for pediatric and older patients with bloodstream infections (BSIs) and sepsis.
Engineers have developed a device that uses sound waves to separate and sort the tiniest particles found in blood, in a matter of minutes. The technology is based on a concept called 'virtual pillars' and could be a boon to both scientific research and medical applications.
The Kibble-Zurek (KZ) mechanism, confirmed experimentally only for equilibrium phase transitions, is also applicable for non-equilibrium phase transitions, as is now shown in a landmark study. The KZ mechanism is characterized by the formation of topological defects during continuous phase transition away from the adiabatic limit. This breakthrough finding could open the doors to investigation of the mechanism for other nonequilibrium phase transitions.
Scientists believe bats first transmitted SARS-CoV-2 to humans in December 2019, and while the virus has since evolved into several variants such as delta and omicron, a new study indicates the virus is still highly transmissible between mammals.
A new study finds that the health benefits associated with wind power could more than quadruple if operators turned down output from the most polluting fossil-fuel-based power plants when energy from wind is available. However, compared to wealthier communities, disadvantaged communities would reap a smaller share of these benefits.
A randomized control trial led by psychologists shows the positive effects learning to play music for just a few weeks has on cognitive abilities.
Researchers have applied emerging electronic tattoo (e-tattoo) technology to the tricky task of measuring stress levels by attaching a device to people's palms.
As the Christmas season starts to ramp up, researchers are reminding people to prioritize a good night's sleep as new research shows that a troubled sleep may be associated with risk factors for type 2 diabetes.
Exposure to traffic related air pollution is associated with an increased likelihood of having multiple long-term physical and mental health conditions according to a new study of more than 364,000 people in England.
Gamers who buy 'loot boxes' are up to two times more likely to gamble, shows new research.
About 80% of people with cancer suffer from significant muscle wasting, or loss of muscle tissue, and 30% of these patients die from this condition. New research in mice finds that the severity of muscle wasting is related to the type, size and location of the tumor.
A newly published follow-up study has found that the Moderna mRNA vaccine and a protein-based vaccine candidate containing an adjuvant, a substance that enhances immune responses, still provide protection against lung disease in rhesus macaques one year after they had been vaccinated as infants.
First discovered a year ago in South Africa, the SARS-CoV-2 variant later dubbed 'Omicron' spread across the globe at incredible speed. It is still unclear exactly how, when and where this virus originated. A new study shows that Omicron's predecessors existed on the African continent long before cases were first identified, suggesting that Omicron emerged gradually over several months in different countries across Africa.
A study that examined bias in the workplace has found that those in management positions demonstrate explicit and implicit bias toward others from marginalized groups and often express more implicit bias than people who are not in management.
mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are less effective against Omicron infections than other variants. A study suggests that the additional protection offered by the initial booster shot may be reduced among people with a previous COVID-19 infection.
Opioid-related overdose is now a leading cause of accidental death in the United States and Canada. A study suggests discontinuing prescribed opioids was associated with increased overdose risk.
A new analysis of more than 20,000 trees on five continents shows that old-growth trees are more drought tolerant than younger trees in the forest canopy and may be better able to withstand future climate extremes. The findings highlight the importance of preserving the world's remaining old-growth forests, which are biodiversity strongholds that store vast amounts of planet-warming carbon, according to forest ecologists.
Early life experiences can impact the activity of our genes much later on and even affect longevity, finds a new study in fruit flies.
Immune T cells are continuing to target the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, although mutations are making some T cells less effective, according to new research.
Long COVID patients can experience many of the same lingering negative effects on their physical, mental, and social well-being as those experienced by people who become ill with other, non-COVID illnesses. Researchers found that 40 percent of the COVID-positive and 54 percent of the COVID-negative group reported moderate-to-severe residual symptoms three months after enrolling in the study.
Researchers invent new method to treat obesity by using cationic nanomaterials that can target specific areas of fat and inhibit the unhealthy storage of enlarged fat cells.
Scientists have taken a key step toward better understanding neurodegenerative diseases by using a suite of biophysical techniques to learn more about a motor protein whose malfunction is associated with many disorders.
While a beekeeper puffing clouds of carbon dioxide into a hive to calm the insects is a familiar image to many, less is known about its other effects on bees. A recent study revealed clues about how the chemical compound affects bee physiology, including reproduction.
A study into the impact of global warming on the biodiversity of the Antarctic has identified how predicted expansion of ice-free areas will impact native animals and plants, paving the way for the invasion of non-native species in Antarctica.
Automated reaction path search method predicts accurate stereochemistry of pericyclic reactions using only target molecule structure.
A plant common to Japan, Causonis japonica, is the first to show a newly discovered trait. Its flowers can change color depending on the stage of its maturation cycle, and then change back to its original color. Although many flowers have been shown to change color depending on their maturation phase, Causonis japonica is the only known example of bidirectional color change. The pigments involved in the colors are related to nutrient-rich colorful vegetables, so understanding the flowers' color-changing tricks could have downstream applications in improving nutrient yields in certain food crops.
Many successful drugs have their origins in natural sources such as plants, fungi, and bacteria, but screening natural products to identify potential drugs remains a difficult undertaking. A new approach using molecular biology, analytical chemistry, and bioinformatics to integrate information from different screening platforms addresses some of the biggest challenges in natural products drug discovery.
Existing methods of identifying job burnout are lengthy and sometimes proprietary, but new research offers a faster and easier way.
An innovative protocol called PepSeq is changing the way researchers test for contagious diseases -- and this knowledge should change the way humanity responds to future pandemics. Researchers just published a comprehensive study about PepSeq that lays out the process, the tool and how to interpret the results, with the goal of more, better and faster information for the next outbreak.
A program that combines computer-based and driving simulator training may reduce the proportion of crashes and near crashes among teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a small study. Teens who took the training, which aims to reduce the number of long glances away from the roadway, had a nearly 40% lower risk for crash or near crash, compared to a similar group who did not undergo the training.
A lightweight, ultra-shock-absorbing foam made from carbon nanotubes is so good at absorbing and dissipating the energy of an impact, it could vastly improve helmets and prevent concussions and other traumatic brain injuries.
New research findings help explain the progression of Alzheimer-related dementia in each patient. The findings outline a biological classification system that predicts disease severity.
Orb-weaving spiders cooperate for more peaceful colonies, a surprising revelation given that most spiders live solitarily. In the colonies that researchers observed, male spiders fought less with one another when there were more female spiders in a colony. But colonies with large numbers of larger and medium-sized female spiders tended to have more aggressive environments.
Using advanced geochemical analyses, a team of scientists has uncovered new answers to decades-old questions about trade of tin throughout Eurasia during the Late Bronze Age.
Satellite observations have revealed that weak seismic ground shaking can trigger powerful landslide acceleration -- even several years after a significant earthquake.
Scientists have developed a quantum experiment that allows them to study the dynamics, or behavior, of a special kind of theoretical wormhole.
Several of great gray owls' physical features, especially parts of their wings and face, help them correct for sonic distortions caused by snow, enabling them to find hidden, moving food with astonishing accuracy, according to a new study.
Researchers have discovered a way to chemically recycle PVC into usable material, finding a way to use the phthalates in the plasticizers -- one of PVC's most noxious components -- as the mediator for the chemical reaction.
The impact experiment conducted on the asteroid Ryugu by the Japanese Hayabusa2 mission which took place two years ago resulted in an unexpectedly large crater. With the use of simulations, a team has recently succeeded in gaining new insights from the experiment regarding the formation and development of asteroids.
Astronomers discover a bright optical flare caused by a dying star's encounter with a supermassive black hole.
Fossilized fragments of a skeleton, hidden within a rock the size of a grapefruit, have helped upend one of the longest-standing assumptions about the origins of modern birds.
Astronomers have determined the source of an incredibly bright X-ray, optical and radio signal appearing from halfway across the Universe.
Life in an ant colony is a symphony of subtle interactions between insects acting in concert, more like cells in tissue than independent organisms bunking in a colony. Now, researchers have discovered a previously unknown social interaction that unites the colony, linking ants across developmental stages -- adults, larvae, and pupae, an immobile stage, not unlike a butterfly's chrysalis, during which ants transition from larvae to adults.
Neuroscientists discovered that the adult brain contains millions of 'silent synapses' -- immature connections between neurons that remain inactive until they're recruited to help form new memories.
Past social trauma is encoded by a population of stress/threat-responsive brain cells that become hyperactivated during subsequent interaction with non-threatening social targets. As a consequence, previously rewarding social targets are now perceived as social threats, which promotes generalized social avoidance and impaired social reward processing that can contribute to psychiatric disorders.
New research demonstrates a 20x improvement in resetting a quantum bit to its '0' state, using a modern version of the 'Maxwell's demon'.
Greater atmospheric demand for water means a dramatic increase in the risk of major fires in global forests unless we take urgent and effective climate action, new research finds. Researchers have examined global climate and fire records in all of the world's forests over the last 20 years.
Iron-based fertilizer may stimulate plankton to pull carbon dioxide from the ocean, driving a carbon-negative process.
Scientists have devised a transparent coating for windows that could help cool the room, use no energy and preserve the view.
A new analysis finds that while 72 percent of the top 300 companies on the Fortune 500 list have made voluntary pledges to reduce their plastic footprints, most are overwhelmingly focused on downstream waste-reduction strategies centered on recycling and packaging rather than on finding ways to reduce their use of virgin plastic, which is a main cause of the global plastic pollution problem.
A massive study of rainforest species across three regions of the world finds striking similarities in how animals spend their days.
The strongest Arctic cyclone ever observed struck in January 2022. A new analysis shows that while forecasts accurately predicted the massive storm, models seriously underestimated its effect on sea ice. Results suggest where forecast models for a changing Arctic Ocean could improve.
Bats use distinct structures in the larynx to produce high-frequency echolocation calls and lower-frequency social calls, according to a new study. The structures used to make the low-pitched calls are analogous to those used by death metal vocalists in their growls.
A simple breeding experiment, combined with genetic analysis, can rapidly uncover genes that promote cooperation and higher yields of plant populations, according to a new study. The results have the potential to quickly increase crop productivity through conventional breeding methods.
If you're blaming your genes for morning sluggishness, think again. A new study finds that genetics plays a minor role in morning alertness. Instead, test subjects were most alert after sleeping longer and later than typical for them, exercising the previous day, and eating a low sugar breakfast high in complex carbohydrates, with only moderate amounts of protein. It's also important to pay attention to how your blood glucose levels respond after a meal.
The 1930s Dust Bowl affected heat extremes across much of North America and as far away as Europe and East Asia, according to new research. The study found that the extreme heating of the Great Plains triggered motions of air around the Northern Hemisphere in ways that suppressed cloud formation in some regions and contributed to record heat thousands of miles away.
A new study reveals that the relationship between work demands and a good night's rest is nuanced. Conventional wisdom that suggests that people with the most demanding jobs would have the most trouble sleeping isn't necessarily true.
About one third of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) develop diabetic retinopathy (DR), a leading cause of blindness in working-age individuals. DR typically develops after many years of DM, and some patients do not develop DR for more than 50 years. New research suggests that an endogenous system that protects human retinal endothelial cells from harmful effects of the hyperglycemia (an excess of blood sugar) may be responsible for the delayed onset of DR. Furthermore, degradation of this protective system over time may set the stage for development of DR.
How picky should females and males be when they choose a mate? How fiercely should they compete for mates? And how much should they engage in raising their offspring? The answers to these questions largely depend on the ratio of adult females to males in the social group, population or species.
New research yields a novel method to use ultrasound to enhance machine learning's ability to accurately diagnose -- or rule out -- ovarian cancer.
Researchers are introducing a better way to perform mosquito-tracking for disease applications. Their new method, which involves getting larval mosquitoes to eat harmless particles made entirely of DNA and proteins, has the potential to revolutionize how people study mosquito-borne diseases.
Unique new material has shown significant promise in the treatment of spinal cord injury. The new hybrid biomaterials, in the form of nanoparticles and building on existing practice in the tissue engineering field, were successfully synthesized to promote repair and regeneration following spinal cord injury, according to the researchers.
Understanding how cancer cells evolve from healthy brain cells and evade treatment could open up potential new drug therapies for glioblastomas, one of the most common and lethal brain cancers, new research has revealed. By bringing together neuroscience and oncology, the team is hopeful of finding a new method to treat the deadly disease.
Too much sun and too much heat can reduce the efficiency of photovoltaics. A solar farm with optimally spaced panels facing the correct direction could cool itself through convection using the surrounding wind. Researchers explored how to exploit the geometry of solar farms to enhance natural cooling mechanisms.
They are the salt-tolerant shrubs that thrive in the toughest of conditions, but according to new UniSA research, mangroves are also avid coastal protectors, capable of surviving in heavy metal contaminated environments.
Researchers have found that cells in the rat hippocampus -- a brain region that is essential for making memories -- are specifically organized into small clusters when fear-based memories are formed. Furthermore, when rats slept after a learning period, they had improved memory and stabilized cluster formation in the hippocampus. A better understanding of memory formation at the cellular level may contribute to improvements in the care of patients with memory-related disorders.
Soon after cholesterol and fat start depositing on the lining of the blood vessels that supply your heart, the smooth muscle cells that give the blood vessels strength and flexibility start to get bigger and multiply. While scientists studying the phenomenon suspect these vascular smooth muscle cells are trying to help, this atypical behavior for these strong cells instead contributes to coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease in the United States.
Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising semiconductor material for power electronic devices, but it suffers from bipolar degradation, which severely limits its lifespan. To address this long-standing issue in a cost-effective manner, researchers have developed a proton implantation-based suppression method that can prevent the expansion of stacking faults, which lie at the root of bipolar degradation. This development could pave the way for reliable, economical, and power efficient SiC semiconductor devices.
Pregnant women living in U.S. states where cannabis is legal must be screened for the drug, for the health of both mother and baby, claim scientists who in a new national study have found that they are far more likely to use the substance.
A research team has developed a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) piezoelectric vibration energy harvester, which is only about 2 cm in diameter with a U-shaped metal vibration amplification component. The device allows for an increase of approximately 90 times in the power generation performance from impulsive vibration. Since the power generation performance can be improved without increasing the device size, the technology is expected to generate power to drive small wearable devices from non-steady vibrations, such as walking motion.
Researchers demonstrate in a zebrafish model that two proteins prevent scar formation in the brain, thereby improving the ability of tissue to regenerate.
As a noninvasive neuromodulation method, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) shows great potential to treat a range of mental and psychiatric diseases, including major depression. Current methods don't go quite deep enough and are largely restricted to superficial targets within the brain, but a new TMS array with a special geometrical-shaped magnet structure will help stimulate deeper tissue.
Researchers have developed a method for classifying difficult-to-diagnose nasal cavity tumors.
A new technique greatly reduces the error in an optical neural network, which uses light to process data instead of electrical signals. With their technique, the larger an optical neural network becomes, the lower the error in its computations. This could enable them to scale these devices up so they would be large enough for commercial uses.
Online gaming behavior can encourage gamers to gain a variety of soft skills which could assist them with training to support their career aspirations, according to new research.
Creating campaigns that tap the diverse community around many of the UK's schools could help to keep air pollution low, especially as much of the country experiences the cost-of-living crisis, according to a new study.
Scientists have discovered a new material that can be applied to diabetic wounds to heal them faster with just one application.
Dormant strains of bacteria that have previously adapted to cope with certain temperatures are switched back on during climatic change, according to a new report.
Reforestation projects should include a variety of tree species and ensure genetic diversity within each species to maximize new forests' health and productivity.
The Wadden Sea is an extremely productive ecosystem whose food web is supported by benthic organisms, feeding on primary producers. Marine biogeochemists show where (part of) this exceptional productivity may come from.
Researchers have found an innovative way to rapidly remove hazardous microplastics from water using magnets.
The brain's big-eating immune cells can slow down the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Two new models could solve a problem that's long frustrated millions of people with epilepsy and the doctors who treat them: how to find precisely where seizures originate to treat exactly that part of the brain. By helping surgeons decide if and where to operate, the tools could help patients avoid risky and often-ineffective surgeries as well as prolonged hospital stays.
Differences in sharks' olfactory systems are of interest not only because of their reputation for having an incredible sense of smell but also because they have been around since before the dinosaurs. They managed to thrive in every known marine habitat for millions of years -- their sense of smell may have been key. A study is the first to quantify olfactory organ morphology by examining rosette shape and other internal structures among a diverse set of shark species using dissections, phylogenetic comparisons, and a fairly new technique, called diffusible iodine?based contrast-enhanced computed tomography imaging. Results reveal that the organs did not change in shape or number of lamellae throughout the life stages, suggesting that olfaction is a key sensory modality throughout the life of elasmobranch fishes.
An interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a potential breakthrough in green aviation: a recipe for a net-zero fuel for planes that will pull carbon dioxide (CO2) out of the air.
Humans accomplish a phenomenal amount of tasks by combining pieces of information. We perceive objects by combining edges, categorize scenes by combining objects, interpret events by combining actions, and understand sentences by combining words. But researchers don't yet have a clear understanding of how the brain forms and maintains the meaning of the whole -- such as a sentence -- from its parts. Researchers have now shed new light on the brain processes that support the emergent meaning of combined words.
Research has found for the first time that spending time in snowy surroundings can improve how you feel about your body. The study, published this month, found that walking in a snow-covered woodland results in greater body appreciation.
A scientific study exploring the appropriate interval for colorectal cancer screening via non-invasive multi-target stool DNA testing for individuals with average risk for the disease reported finding no colorectal cancers three years after an initial negative multi-target stool DNA test. These results suggest that at least a three-year interval between screenings using this method is clinically appropriate.
Two common drugs used by veterinarians to combat parasites may be effective against bed bugs, with one showing especially strong potential, according to a new study that examined the drugs in the context of controlling resurgent bed bug populations on poultry farms.
In 2018, researchers developed the 'Hikikomori Questionnaire (HQ-25)' to assess and identify hikikomori, a condition of pathological social withdrawal lasting more than six months. Now, the team has developed a new questionnaire they call HQ-25M in hopes of identifying the condition within just one month. Their initial analysis showed validation of the questionnaire as a possible tool for early detection of hikikomori.
Scientists have demonstrated a new technique, modeled after a metabolic process found in some bacteria, to convert carbon dioxide into solar fuels through artificial photosynthesis.
At the end of a bad day, how do you feel about yourself? The answer could indicate not only how your self-perception formed, but also how it renews, according to experimental results.
An initiative improves the timeliness of treatment for women with severe pregnancy-related hypertension, one of the leading causes of pregnancy-related death.
A new study finds that bird species with extreme or uncommon combinations of traits face the highest risk of extinction.
With the help of an AI, researchers have succeeded in designing synthetic DNA that controls the cells' protein production. The technology can contribute to the development and production of vaccines, drugs for severe diseases, as well as alternative food proteins much faster and at significantly lower costs than today.
According to a new study, fossils of a tiny sea creature with a delicately preserved nervous system solve a century-old debate over how the brain evolved in arthropods, the most species-rich group in the animal kingdom. Combining detailed anatomical studies of the fossilized nervous system with analyses of gene expression patterns in living descendants, they conclude that a shared blueprint of brain organization has been maintained from the Cambrian until today.
A light-activated catalyst efficiently converts ammonia into clean-burning hydrogen using only inexpensive raw materials.
A new study of thousands of people reveals a wide range in the amount of water people consume around the globe and over their lifespans, definitively spilling the oft-repeated idea that eight, 8-ounce glasses meet the human body's daily needs. Differences in environment, body composition and activity level contribute to daily water turnover of as little as 1 liter and as much as 10 liters.
Researchers have shown -- for the first time -- that less intensively managed British grazed grasslands have on average 50% more plant species and better soil health than intensively managed grassland. The new study could help farmers increase both biodiversity and soil health, including the amount of carbon in the soil of the British countryside.
Pioneering a new technique, researchers have peered into the extremely faint light that exists between galaxies to describe the history and state of orphan stars.
Researchers examining the characteristics of picky eaters have found the color of the bowl food is served in has an influence on taste.
Scientists have measured how unpaired electrons in atoms at one end of a molecule can drive chemical reactivity on the molecule's opposite side. This work shows how molecules containing these so-called free radicals could be used in a whole new class of reactions.
A newly compiled dataset quantitatively captures witchcraft beliefs in countries around the world, enabling investigation of key factors associated with such beliefs.
A new animal study points to a gene that is important for the earliest development of basic social behaviors. The work also suggests that exposure to certain drugs and environmental risk factors during embryonic development can cause changes to this gene, leading to alterations in social behavior that are similar to those found in individuals who have autism.
Scientists have discovered why some coronaviruses are more likely to cause severe disease, which has remained a mystery, until now. Researchers say their findings could lead to the development of a pan-coronavirus treatment to defeat all coronaviruses -- from the 2002 SARS-CoV outbreak to Omicron, the current variant of SARS-CoV-2, as well as dangerous variants that may emerge in future.
A gold coin long dismissed as a forgery appears to be authentic and depicts a long-lost Roman emperor named Sponsian, according to a new study.
Research finds using a large collection of simple, un-curated synthetic image generation programs to pretrain a computer vision model for image classification yields greater accuracy than employing other pretraining methods that are more costly and time consuming, and less scalable.
Researchers have found that patients who said they used vaping devices were more likely to have a higher risk of developing cavities.
Investigators have reported highly promising early results for CAR T therapy in a small set of patients with the autoimmune disease lupus.
About 600 seemingly disparate fungi that had resisted categorization have been shown to have a common ancestor, according to a a research team that used genome sequencing to give these peculiar creatures a new classification home.
Soil erosion is a significant problem for agricultural production, impacting soil quality and causing pollutants to enter waterways. Among all stages of soil erosion, gully erosion is the most severe phase, where large channels are carved through the field. Once gullies develop, they are challenging to manage through tiling; they require a more comprehensive approach along the impacted area. Researchers have now developed a modeling framework that uses remote sensing environmental data to predict gully erosion susceptibility more accurately. This predictive model allows landowners and conservation agencies to direct management resources to the most vulnerable areas.
A team of researchers has identified a group of human DNA sequences driving changes in brain development, digestion and immunity that seem to have evolved rapidly after our family line split from that of the chimpanzees, but before we split with the Neanderthals.
New research suggests spinal cord and brainstem are essential for processing touch signals as they travel to the brain
Some clinicians have recommended vitamin D supplements to ease the muscle aches of patients taking a statin, but a new study shows the vitamin appears to have no substantial impact.
Scientists have revealed the inner workings of a key protein involved in a wide range of cellular processes -- potentially paving the way for better and less toxic cancer drugs. Using Nobel Prize-winning microscopy techniques, the researchers revealed how the tankyrase protein switches itself on and off by self-assembling into 3D chain-like structures.
Researchers have developed a method that allows the water level of rivers to be monitored around the clock. The cost-effective sensor is for instance suitable for area-wide flood warning systems.
Research based on data from 11,000 students in the UK charted an across-the-board fall in well-being, regardless of circumstances, between ages 11 and 14. This decline is probably linked to the transition to secondary school.
A single drug compound simultaneously attacks hard-to-treat prostate cancer on several fronts, according to a new study in mice and human cells. It triggers immune cells to attack, helps the immune cells penetrate the tumor, and cuts off the tumor's ability to burn testosterone as fuel, according to new research.
Scientists have reported a new route for measuring blood sugar levels (BGLs) without drawing blood.
By measuring immune cells in the cerebrospinal fluid when diagnosing ALS, it is possible to predict how fast the disease may progress, according to a new study.
A nanoscale view of bubble formation: Using computer simulation, a research team succeeded in modeling the behavior of molecules at the liquid -- gas interface at the nanometer scale, enabling them to describe the boiling process with extreme precision. The findings could be applied to future cooling systems for microprocessors, or to the production of carbon-neutral hydrogen, known as green hydrogen.
Researchers have successfully demonstrated the transport of two-photon quantum states of light through a phase-separated Anderson localization optical fiber.
A new study suggests individuals with persistent asthma have higher levels of inflammation and artery plaque, which may increase heart attack or stroke risk. An analysis of data for more than 5,000 adults has found that those with persistent asthma appeared to be at increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Individuals with persistent asthma had nearly twice the odds of having plaque in their carotid arteries as those without asthma, after adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, weight, other health conditions, prescription medication use and smoking. Study participants with persistent asthma also had higher levels of inflammatory biomarkers as compared to those without asthma.
The number of green turtles breeding in Cyprus has risen in recent years -- but this bounce-back depends heavily on an Egyptian lagoon where many turtles feed, new research shows.
Sometimes healthcare professionals treat patients with opioids such as morphine to relieve symptoms, but there has been a lack of evidence as to whether this helps with severe chronic breathlessness. A randomized Phase 3 study now finds that morphine does not reduce worst breathlessness.
The movement patterns of microscopic algae can be mapped in greater detail than ever before, giving new insights into ocean health.
Are the currently approved antibody therapies used to treat individuals at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease also effective against currently circulating viral variants? A recent study shows that the Omicron sub-lineage BQ.1.1, currently on the rise worldwide, is resistant to all approved antibody therapies.
Competing at elite level in sport is linked with an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis and joint pain in later life, a study suggests. One in four retired Olympians reported a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, the form of arthritis that causes changes in the joint and can lead to discomfort, pain and disability, the research found.
A new study assesses the number of lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia and introduces a novel methodology that will help to get a clearer view of pandemics in the future.
People who eat or drink more foods with antioxidant flavonols, which are found in several fruits and vegetables as well as tea and wine, may have a slower rate of memory decline, according to a new study.
A multi-institution research team has developed an optical chip that can train machine learning hardware.
A decline in the element molybdenum across the planet's oceans preceded a significant extinction event approximately 183 million years ago, new research shows.
Researchers have used satellites with radar imaging sensors to see through clouds and map flooding and say the technique could provide faster, more detailed information to keep communities safe.
Their nomadic lifestyle and ravenous raiding have taken army ants (Dorylinae) to most continents on Earth, but a rare fossil discovery is now offering first evidence that the infamous predators once swarmed a land they are strikingly absent from today -- Europe.
Scientists have developed a technique to convert waste paper, from single-use packaging and bags, and cardboard boxes, into a crucial component of lithium-ion batteries. Through a process called carbonisation which converts paper into pure carbon, the researchers turned the paper's fibers into electrodes, which can be made into rechargeable batteries that power mobile phones, medical equipment, and electric vehicles.
Quantum computers promise significantly shorter computing times for complex problems. But there are still only a few quantum computers worldwide with a limited number of so-called qubits. However, quantum computer algorithms can already run on conventional servers that simulate a quantum computer. A team has succeeded in calculating the electron orbitals and their dynamic development using an example of a small molecule after a laser pulse excitation. In principle, the method is also suitable for investigating larger molecules that cannot be calculated using conventional methods.
A new study has found that organelle-like transcriptional condensates are an ancient and flexible tool used by cells to drive rapid gene expression.
Individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, still benefit from vaccination, gaining 60% to 94% protection against reinfection, depending on the variant, according to a new study.
Vaginal birth after a previous cesarean section is associated with an increased risk of pelvic floor surgery compared with planning another cesarean, according to a new study. The findings provide useful information to help women who have had a previous cesarean section when planning how to give birth in their next pregnancy.
Conception within three months of a miscarriage or an abortion is not associated with increased risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes, according to new research. The study suggests that, contrary to current advice, women could attempt pregnancy after a previous miscarriage or induced abortion without elevated perinatal risks and reassures those who want to try again sooner than guidelines recommend.
Three currently circulating omicron subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 are better at evading vaccine- and infection-generated neutralizing antibodies than earlier versions of omicron, new research suggests.
Adolescence is a time of significant skeletal development. In a new report, researchers showed that long-term use of minocycline, an antibiotic used for the systemic treatment of adolescent acne, disrupts the normal gut microbiome, leading to poor bone maturation. Surprisingly, these effects were caused by a change in the gut microbiome, leading to an altered profile of bile acids -- molecules that aid digestion and communicate with many organs -- that suppressed the activity of bone-forming cells called osteoblasts, even after treatment stopped.
Few things say summer in America more than buttery corn on the cob, but as summer temperatures climb to unprecedented levels, the future of sweet corn may not be so sweet. New research shows sweet corn yields drop significantly with extreme heat during flowering, especially in rain-fed fields in the Midwest.
A new study has revealed how the glass-like shells of diatoms help these microscopic organisms perform photosynthesis in dim conditions. A better understanding of how these phytoplankton harvest and interact with light could lead to improved solar cells, sensing devices and optical components.
Researchers tested embroidery as a low-cost technique for making power-generating yarns.
A new MRI study revealed that consumption of alcohol even in low to moderate amounts during pregnancy can change the baby's brain structure and delay brain development.
Scientists have observed the narrowing of a quasar jet for the first time by using a network of radio telescopes across the world. The results suggest that the narrowing of the jet is independent of the activity level of the galaxy which launched it.
A daily cup of tea could help you to enjoy better health late in life -- however if you're not a tea drinker, there are other things you can add to your diet. The key is flavonoids, which are naturally occurring substances found in many common foods and beverages such as black and green tea, apples, nuts, citrus fruit, berries and more.
Earth is currently in the midst of a mass extinction, losing thousands of species each year. New research suggests environmental changes caused the first such event in history, which occurred millions of years earlier than scientists previously realized.
The warming during the summer months in Europe has been much faster than the global average, shows a new study. As a consequence of human emissions of greenhouse gases, the climate across the continent has also become drier, particularly in southern Europe, leading to worse heat waves and an increased risk of fires.
A form of blood cancer known as mantle cell lymphoma is critically dependent on a protein that coordinates gene expression, such that blocking its activity with an experimental drug dramatically slows the growth of this lymphoma in preclinical tests.
Though antiretroviral therapy has made HIV a manageable disease, people living with HIV often suffer from chronic inflammation. This can put them at an increased risk of developing comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive dysfunction, impacting the longevity and quality of their lives. Now, a new study explains why chronic inflammation may be happening and how suppression or even eradication of HIV in the body may not resolve it.
New observations of WASP-39 b reveal a never-before-seen molecule in the atmosphere of a planet -- sulfur dioxide -- among other details.
A new study has found that the North Atlantic gyre contains higher levels of polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic, and polyamide, whereas other offshore locations are more associated with PVC and polystyrene.
A research team has found that the Andean region of Chile could face noticeable snow loss and roughly 10% less mountain water runoff with a global warming of approximately 2.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels over the next three decades. The study also shows that what happens in the Andes could be a harbinger of what is to come for the California Sierra Nevada mountain range, and highlights the importance of carbon-mitigation strategies to prevent this from occurring.
With only two levels of superposition, the qubits used in today's quantum communication technologies have limited storage space and low tolerance for interference. Engineering's hyperdimensional microlaser generates 'qudits,' photons with four simultaneous levels of information. The increase in dimension makes for robust quantum communication technology better suited for real-world applications.
Differences among the collection of bacteria and other microorganisms that live within birds' digestive tracts -- their gut microbiomes -- are not primarily driven by diet diversity, contrary to a recently proposed hypothesis. Instead, a team of researchers found that evolution may play a larger role in explaining these differences, which could potentially have implications for how these species adapt to new habitats.
A study found that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, often called the 'good cholesterol,' may not be as effective as scientists once believed in uniformly predicting cardiovascular disease risk among adults of different racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Scientists have found a new and better way to use remote sensing to understand where coastal dead zones are and predict changes.
Intestinal bacteria composition is crucial to driving the recovery of neutrophils counts in the blood of mice following treatments such as stem cell transplants or chemotherapy.
A new study says that moving the world energy system away from fossil fuels and into renewable sources will generate carbon emissions by itself, as construction of wind turbines, solar panels and other new infrastructure consumes energy -- some of it necessarily coming from the fossil fuels we are trying to get rid of. But if this infrastructure can be put on line quickly, the study asserts, those emissions would dramatically decrease, because far more renewable energy early on will mean far less fossil fuel needed to power the changeover.
The complete skeletal remains of a spider monkey -- seen as an exotic curiosity in pre-Hispanic Mexico -- grants researchers new evidence regarding social-political ties between two ancient powerhouses: Teotihuacán and Maya Indigenous rulers. The remains of other animals were also discovered, as well as thousands of Maya-style mural fragments and over 14,000 ceramic sherds from a grand feast. These pieces are more than 1,700 years old.
Corals resistant to disease can rescue more vulnerable corals, UC Davis found. Raising corals with diverse genotypes builds resilience amid disease and climate changes in reefs.
Infectious diseases experts warn of the rising threat and apparent spread of disease-causing fungi outside their traditional hot spots. Fungal lung infections are commonly misdiagnosed, leading to delays in treatment and increase in antimicrobial resistance in the community.
Researchers use CRISPR to make large scale genetic changes to bacteria by co-opting a natural process.
Scientists discovery reveals 'brain-like computing' at molecular level is possible. New research shows organic molecular switch 'emulates synaptic behavior.'
Researchers have discovered new properties of tiny magnetic whirlpools called skyrmions. Their pivotal discovery could lead to a new generation of microelectronics for memory storage with vastly improved energy efficiency.
Tick bites can transmit Lyme disease. But even knowing where these ticks live doesn't necessarily mean you can predict the disease in humans. It's only one part of a broader picture which includes human behavior and the habits of the parasite's carriers.
A study has investigated the spread of Klebsiella bacteria between humans and the environment.
A team coaxed stem cells to take on the characteristics and functions of a human adrenal gland, progress that could lead to new therapies for adrenal insufficiencies and a deeper understanding of the genetics of such disorders.
For sharks living in the open ocean, longline fishing is the number-one threat, with an estimated 20 million pelagic sharks caught annually by fishers looking for tuna and other desired species. Now, a new studyshows that a new technology, known as 'SharkGuard,' could allow longline fishing to continue while reversing the dramatic decline of endangered sharks around the world.
Every year, the cross-shelf transport of carbon-rich particles from the Barents and Kara Seas could bind up to 3.6 million metric tons of CO2 in the Arctic deep sea for millennia. In this region alone, a previously unknown transport route uses the biological carbon pump and ocean currents to absorb atmospheric CO2 on the scale of Iceland's total annual emissions, as researchers report.
Organs in the human body have complex networks of fluid-filled tubes and loops. They come in different shapes and their three-dimensional structures are differently connected to each other, depending on the organ. During the development of an embryo, organs develop their shape and tissue architecture out of a simple group of cells. Due to a lack of concepts and tools, it is challenging to understand how shape and the complex tissue network arise during organ development. Metrics for organ development have now been defined.
Astronomers have developed the most extensive inventory to date of the galaxies where short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs) originate. Using several highly sensitive instruments and sophisticated galaxy modeling, the researchers pinpointed the galactic homes of 84 SGRBs and probed the characteristics of 69 of the identified host galaxies.
Researchers have developed a novel method for measuring the earth's crust on the seafloor. A lightweight geodetic measurement device was mounted on a sea-surface landing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The mobility of this new system will enable rapid, efficient collection of real-time deep seafloor information, which is critical for understanding earthquake risk, as well as various other oceanographic observations.
Small modular nuclear reactors, which offer greater flexibility and lower upfront cost than large nuclear reactors, have both some advantages and disadvantages when it comes to nuclear waste generation.
Radiotherapy has emerged as an important component of breast cancer treatment but can lead to cancer-related fatigue and negatively impact patients' health-related quality of life. Research has revealed exercise may make the treatment more tolerable for patients.
Food scientists from the National University of Singapore developed a method to synthesize bioactive bi- and tri-flavones using molecular oxygen and food-grade alkaline water.
In groundbreaking research, scientists have created a device that generates twisted neutrons with well-defined orbital angular momentum.
Researchers at the University of Gothenburg recently identified a water channel in a fish with what appears to be a unique quick-closing valve. Ultimately, this discovery could be significant in the development of drugs to treat cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Theory-guided development of an easier, more versatile process for synthesizing unsymmetric ligands provides new avenues of exploration in transitional metal catalysis.
Volcanic eruptions are dangerous and difficult to predict. A team has found that the ratio of atoms in specific gases released from volcanic fumaroles (gaps in the Earth's surface) can provide an indicator of what is happening to the magma deep below -- similar to taking a blood test to check your health. This can indicate when things might be 'heating up.' Specifically, changes in the ratio of argon-40 and helium-3 can indicate how frothy the magma is, which signals the risk of different types of eruption. Understanding which ratios of which gases indicate a certain type of magma activity is a big step. Next, the team hopes to develop portable equipment which can provide on-site, real-time measurements for a 24/7 volcanic activity monitoring and early warning system.
Toxins released by a type of bacteria that cause diarrheal disease hijack cell processes and force important proteins to assemble into 'roads to nowhere,' redirecting the proteins away from other jobs that are key to proper cell function, a new study has found.
Researchers discuss how mimicking sleep patterns of the human brain in artificial neural networks may help mitigate the threat of catastrophic forgetting in the latter, boosting their utility across a spectrum of research interests.
Rapid changes in marine oxygen levels may have played a significant role in driving Earth's first mass extinction, according to a new study.
A study has found that anti-hyperglycemic medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes resulted in an increased risk of multiple sclerosis for people older than 45, particularly among women.
Fruit flies can quickly compensate for catastrophic wing injuries, researchers found, maintaining the same stability after losing up to 40% of a wing. This finding could inform the design of versatile robots, which face the similar challenge of having to quickly adapt to mishaps in the field.
Researchers developed a technique to effectively measure the thermal expansion coefficient of two-dimensional materials. With this information, engineers could more effectively and efficiently use these atomically-thin materials to develop next-generation electronic devices that can perform better and run faster than those built with conventional materials.
The flash Joule heating process turns asphaltenes, a byproduct of crude oil production, into graphene for use in composite materials.
A research team showed how drugs can reduce alcohol preference in animal models of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Inspired by the biomechanics of the manta ray, researchers have developed an energy-efficient soft robot that can swim more than four times faster than previous swimming soft robots. The robots are called 'butterfly bots,' because their swimming motion resembles the way a person's arms move when they are swimming the butterfly stroke.
A dietary change could be a key to enhancing colon cancer treatment, a new study finds. Researchers found in cells and in mice that a low-protein diet blocked the nutrient signaling pathway that fires up a master regulator of cancer growth.
No amount of alcohol consumption is safe for a developing fetus. A new study presents in molecular detail how alcohol harms growth and functioning of developing brain organoids.
A novel artificial intelligence blood testing technology has been used to successfully detect lung cancer in a 2021 study has now detected more than 80% of liver cancers in a new study of 724 people.
Researchers mapping a molecular atlas for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) have made a major advance toward distinguishing whether the early pre-cancers in the breast will develop into invasive cancers or remain stable.
Scientists have developed a new way to guide the self-assembly of a wide range of novel nanoscale structures using simple layered block copolymers as starting materials. The work could help guide the design of custom surface coatings with tailored optical, electronic, and mechanical properties for use in sensors, batteries, filters, and more.
Physicists explains how the theoretical chemist Martin Karplus and his team applied the approach of molecular dynamics simulation to a large biological molecule, a protein, deeply impacting biology and the physical sciences in the 20th and 21st centuries.
A mind-controlled wheelchair can help a paralyzed person gain new mobility by translating users' thoughts into mechanical commands. Researchers now demonstrate that tetraplegic users can operate mind-controlled wheelchairs in a natural, cluttered environment after training for an extended period.
A new method for describing energy loss in organic solar cells has paved the way for building better and more efficient devices.
A new discovery could finally usher the development of solid-state lithium batteries, which would be more lightweight, compact, and safe than current lithium batteries. The growth of metallic filaments called dendrites within the solid electrolyte has been a longstanding obstacle, but the new study explains how dendrites form and how to divert them.
The wastewater draining from massive pools of sewage sludge has the potential to play a role in more sustainable agriculture, according to environmental engineering researchers.
An unusual type of antibody that even at miniscule levels neutralizes the Zika virus and renders the virus infection undetectable in preclinical models has been identified.
An innovative proposal to tackle the global plastic pollution crisis with a combination of DNA-like encoding of plastics and international law has been put forward by a transdisciplinary team.
Genome mining uncovers a widespread class of natural products that could be excellent candidates for future drugs.
Genetic background has an effect on the metabolism of the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid, a recent study shows.
Rock coasts, which make up over half the world's coastlines, could retreat more rapidly in the future due to accelerating sea level rise.
So far, there no uniform guidelines have existed for the treatment of arthritis of the jaw, a potentially debilitating consequence of juvenile arthritis.
A research team has reconstructed the origin of an unusual gravitational wave signal. The signal GW190521 may result from the merger of two massive black holes that captured each other in their gravitational field and then collided while spinning around each other in a rapid, eccentric motion.
A genetic survey of porcini mushrooms across the Northern Hemisphere found that these delicious fungi evolved in surprising ways -- contrary to the expectations of many who think that geographic isolation would be the primary driver for species diversity. In fact, there are regions in the world where porcini maintain their genetic distinctiveness in local ecological niches, even if they are not isolated geographically from other genetic lineages.
Scientists have developed a strategy that could give a boost to the development of pyridine-containing drugs and organic functional materials.
A new study has revealed a single protein expressed at high levels by cancer cells across a broad range of malignancies that erects a multifaceted barrier to anti-cancer immune responses in mouse models of cancer and so shields tumors from immune detection and destruction.
Researchers have developed an innovative way to 'see' the fine structure and chemical composition of human cells with unmatched clarity and precision. Their technique takes a creative approach to signal detection.
Personal sensing data could help monitor and alleviate stress among resident physicians, although privacy concerns over who sees the information and for what purposes must be addressed, according to collaborative research.
Researchers have developed a method for using remote-controlled, internet-connected microscopes to enable students anywhere in the world to participate in designing and carrying out biology experiments.
Your entire medical journey lives in digital health records, but how do you know if those records are wrong, incomplete or missing important information? That's the focus of new research.
Researchers have created grids of tiny clumps of atoms known as quantum dots and studied what happens when electrons dive into these archipelagos of atomic islands. Measuring the behavior of electrons in these relatively simple setups promises deep insights into how electrons behave in complex real-world materials and could help researchers engineer devices that make possible powerful quantum computers and other innovative technologies.
An international team of scientists has achieved the milestone of directly observing the long-sought, innermost dusty ring around a supermassive black hole, at a right angle to its emerging jet. Such a structure was thought to exist in the nucleus of galaxies but had been difficult to observe directly because intervening material obscured our line of sight.
The brains of people with Down syndrome develop the same neurodegenerative tangles and plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease and frequently demonstrate signs of the neurodegenerative disorder in their forties or fifties. A new study shows that these tangles and plaques are driven by the same amyloid beta and tau prions that researchers showed are behind Alzheimer's disease in 2019.
After statins, the next leading class of medications for managing cholesterol are PCSK9 inhibitors. These highly effective agents help the body pull excess cholesterol from the blood, but unlike statins, which are available as oral agents, PCSK9 inhibitors can only be administered as shots, creating barriers to their use. Now, a new study describes an orally administered small-molecule drug that reduces PCSK9 levels and lowers cholesterol in animal models by 70%. The findings represent a previously unrecognized strategy for managing cholesterol and may also impact cancer treatments.
Researchers have identified five genetic variants that increasingly raise a person's risk of becoming nearsighted the longer they stay in school.
Genetic correlation estimates typically assume that mating is random. But in the real world, partners tend to pair up because of many shared interests and social structures.
A new study has identified that heart attack, stroke and heart failure are linked to a specific type of age-related macular degeneration.
A new study helps inform the current negotiations at COP27 while keeping fairness at the forefront.
Chemists sought to answer was whether polariton modes and dark modes (the molecular byproduct of polariton creation) both modify chemical reactions. The article shows unambiguously that chemical reactions only occur with polaritons.
Scientists have identified a key protein that helps tumors evade attacks by the immune system, contributing to poor responses to immunotherapy in the clinic.
A research team has developed a method for easily synthesizing a self-healing polymer gel made of ultrahigh molecular weight polymers (polymers with a molecular weight greater than 106 g/mol) and non-volatile ionic liquids. This recyclable and self-healable polymer gel is compatible with circular economy principles. In addition, it may potentially be used as a durable, ionically conductive material for flexible IoT devices.
A promising new study suggests that recurrence of certain cancers can be significantly decreased by irradiating only a select set of lymph nodes near a tumor rather than all of them.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has revealed the once-hidden features of the protostar within the dark cloud L1527, providing insight into the beginnings of a new star. These blazing clouds within the Taurus star-forming region are only visible in infrared light, making it an ideal target for Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam).
A few days after officially starting science operations, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope propelled astronomers into a realm of early galaxies, previously hidden beyond the grasp of all other telescopes until now.
Researchers have discovered how plant roots adapt their shape to maximize their uptake of water, pausing branching when they lose contact with water and only resuming once they reconnect with moisture, ensuring they can survive even in the driest conditions.
Race- and ethnicity-based discrepancies in exposure to air pollution, especially regarding proximity to roadways and industrial zones, are well-established. A new study reports the first nationwide patterns in atmospheric fine particulate pollution and nitrogen dioxide exposure at U.S. public schools.
A new study shows that data gathered from wearable activity trackers can be used to obtain several metrics associated with the user's general physical health and cardiovascular health status.
Researchers have developed a new method of protecting organs during heart and aortic surgery when blood circulation has to be blocked. Rather than relying on cold temperatures to induce hypometabolism and reduce the need for oxygen, the technique works by stimulating Q neurons in the brain, which slows metabolism down to a hibernation-like state. The findings could lead to new ways of performing similar surgeries in people.
Researchers used electrical pulses to watch nickel oxide undergo two responses, habituation and sensitization, bolstering the case for brain-inspired computing.
Researchers have identified a protein that interacts and enhances the spread of neurotoxic species of tau -- which is primarily found in neurons that appear abnormal in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients.
Researchers have discovered a new mechanism that explains why only some of the cells in a colon tumor respond to chemotherapy. The research team was able to establish that tumor cells dying off during chemotherapy communicate one last time with neighboring tumor cells to give them instructions on how to resist the therapy. The dying cells re-program the signalling cascades in the neighboring tumor cells in such a way that these are no longer vulnerable to chemotherapy. By doing so, the dying cells literally ensure that the tumor survives.
Researchers have developed modified alginate hydrogels that can endure the growth of bacteria, allowing them to synthesize important enzymes.
Simulations reveal details about the magnetic interactions between gadolinium contrast agents used in MRI scans and their environment.
Animals can adapt quickly to survive adverse environmental conditions. Evidence is mounting to show that plants can, too. An article details how plants are rapidly adapting to the adverse effects of climate change, and how they are passing down these adaptations to their offspring.
Social bees such as honeybees and bumblebees have larger foraging ranges, according to researchers.
A new study found that about 45 percent of patients who visit the emergency department for physical injuries and ailments also have mental health and substance use problems that are often overlooked.
New research finds that the number of U.S. adult handgun owners carrying a loaded handgun on their person doubled from 2015 to 2019, and that a larger proportion of handgun owners carried handguns in states with less restrictive carrying regulations.
Researchers have developed a high-performance, on-chip femtosecond pulse source using a time lens.
Researchers have revamped an anti-cancer drug to better target cancer cells and leave healthy tissues unharmed.
Researchers have discovered new waves with picometer-scale spatial variations of electromagnetic fields which can propagate in semiconductors like silicon.
Ecologists have shown that efforts to restore prairies can have vastly different outcomes in terms of their biodiversity and functionality when the only variable is the year a prairie is planted.
Scientists shows that human proximity is the best indicator of microplastics being found in the Meramec River in Missouri.
Environmental DNA left behind by ocean animals can be measured to inventory the marine life in a particular area.
People with neurologic diseases like headache, dementia, multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease may experience worsening symptoms due to climate change, according to a scoping review of research. The review also found that stroke may become more prevalent due to climate change.
People who have a COVID-19 infection are more likely to develop seizures or epilepsy within the next six months than people who have an influenza infection, according to a new study.
A study yields clues to why certain parts of the brain are particularly vulnerable to Alzheimer's damage. It comes down to the gene APOE, the greatest genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. The parts of the brain where APOE is most active are the areas that sustain the most damage, they found.
Researchers have designed a robotic system that enables a low-cost and relatively small legged robot to climb and descend stairs nearly its height; traverse rocky, slippery, uneven, steep and varied terrain; walk across gaps; scale rocks and curbs; and even operate in the dark.
Researchers built a prototype social media platform to study the effects of giving users more agency to assess content for accuracy and control the posts they see based on accuracy assessments from others. Users were able to make accurate assessments, despite having no prior training, and they valued and utilized the assessment and filtering tools they designed.
A new study of 13,000 people from seven countries find that when people take a moment to reflect on the consequences of their actions, they err on the side of reducing others' health risks.
A new study suggests that ships may be spreading a deadly coral disease across Florida and the Caribbean. The findings could help establish testing and treatment methods to mitigate the risk of further disease spread.
There is a high rate of adverse physical effects and challenging psychological effects from using the plant-based psychoactive ayahuasca, though they are generally not severe, according to a new study.
Less than half of mums meet the recommended levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity -- and mothers of younger children manage to do the least, researchers have found.
A new study confirms that the planet harbors a 'stabilizing feedback' mechanism that acts over hundreds of thousands of years to keep global temperatures within a steady, habitable range.
Researchers are developing skin-like electronics paired with artificial intelligence for health monitoring and diagnosis.
The nearshore rocky reefs of the Santa Barbara Channel are dynamic places, with populations of fish, mollusks, algae and other assorted sea life shifting in response to currents, storms and a variety of other conditions. They wax and wane, typically returning to some sort of baseline composition -- a kind of standard demographic -- after disturbances temporarily disrupt the neighborhood, and then subside.
A research team has verified that gossypetin activates immune cells in the brain that clear A beta, which triggers Alzheimer's disease.
An international team of research scientists has documented the central role of vegetation for Arctic warming. The new results allow us to make more precise climate predictions, with the researchers pointing out that current models remain flawed.
New research presents a versatile method for the synthesis of primary, secondary, and tertiary amines containing two stereogenic centers.
Female putty-nosed monkeys deliberately use alarm calls to recruit males to defend the group. This is the conclusion reached by evolutionary biologists after conducting observations in the Republic of the Congo. The females kept up their chirping calls until the male took action to defend the group against the predator. Researchers say that this is the first time that intentional vocalization such as this has been observed in the animal kingdom.
High-intensity isometric training is considered to be important in achieving greater strength gain. Recent study has shown that training volume is more important for strength gain than training intensity. Against this backdrop, researchers explore the association between interpersonal variability in training volume and strength gain. Their results suggest that training volume is an important factor in strength adaptations for people with a relatively high strength-to-weight ratio.
A diet containing lots of salt can contribute to increased levels of stress, a new study shows. Scientists found in studies of mice that a high-salt diet increased the levels of a stress hormone by 75 per cent.
A research team has identified a molecular target that could open up new therapeutic options to treat aging-associated diseases like Parkinson's.
The workplace can encourage a more wholesome lifestyle in employees regarding the consumption of healthy foods like fruit and vegetables, but it does not prompt them to exercise more, according to a new study.
Researchers have successfully identified differences in gene activity in the brains of people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The study found that individuals diagnosed with ADHD had differences in genes that code for known chemicals that brain cells use to communicate. The results show how genomic differences might contribute to symptoms.
Neuroscientists find that brain signatures of reading difficulties in students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are, on average, different from those of students from higher socioeconomic backgrounds who struggle with reading.
A new study has shown how the flight of birds can offer a meteorological insight into fine scale environmental conditions.
Although the complement system forms part of the innate immune system, it can cause damage to the body in some cases. This is because unwanted complement activation contributes to many autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. Now, researchers have described molecular details of a recently approved class of drugs that can inhibit the complement system. These findings pave the way for further optimization of such inhibitors.
Researchers review the state of marine pollution from container ship accidents. The study investigates the risks they pose, the current policies and strategies around them and the regulations that cover reporting and cleanups. They found that despite the existence of international protocols, risks are often overlooked, and existing regulations around maritime cargo have significant deficiencies.
Don't spank your kids. That's the conventional wisdom that has emerged from decades of research linking corporal punishment to a decline in adolescent health and negative effects on behavior, including an increased risk for anxiety and depression. Now, a new study explores how corporal punishment might impact neural systems to produce those adverse effects.
Experts in materials science, chemical engineering and biomedical engineering have perfected a voxelated approach to bio-print 3D structures that mimic the geometry, texture and function of human tissues and organs. They quantify the dynamics of the whole bioprinting process and identify parameters to precisely deposit viscoelastic droplets of good roundness at prescribed locations in a 3D space with a transparent yield-stress fluid supporting matrix.
Changing weather patterns have profound impacts on agricultural production around the world. Higher temperatures, severe drought, and other weather events may decrease output in some regions but effects are often volatile and unpredictable. Yet, many countries rely on agricultural and food trade to help alleviate the consequences of local, weather-induced production shifts, a new article suggests.
The use of cannabis may have a negative impact on outcomes for a common bypass surgery, a study suggests. Patients who used cannabis prior to lower extremity bypass had decreased patency, meaning the graft had a higher chance of becoming blocked or occluded, higher rate of amputation and opioid use after discharge.
Recognizing someone may be more difficult when you are wearing a face mask -- even if the person you are looking at is maskless, according to new research.
In people carrying the APOE4 risk variant, a key brain cell type mismanages cholesterol needed to insulate neurons properly --another sign that APOE4 contributes to disease by disrupting lipids in the brain.
Two new studies reveal how bacteria infiltrate tumors and could be helping tumors progress and spread and suggest a link between oral health and cancer, as microbes in the mouth are associated with cancers elsewhere in the body. The two articles focus on an oral bacterium called Fusobacterium nucleatum, which has been linked to colorectal cancer.
The ADHD medication lisdexamfetamine was associated with the lowest risk of hospitalization and death in people with amphetamine addiction, when medications generally used among persons with substance use disorders were compared, according to a new study.
Myocarditis is a complication that can occur in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Although the adverse event is rare -- affecting less than 1% of patients given the immunotherapy -- the mortality rate is nearly 50%. Now, researchers have identified the mechanism for the deadly heart inflammation.
Researchers have found that Enterococcus -- an antibiotic-resistant, opportunistic pathogen -- works together with C. difficile, reshaping and enhancing the metabolic environment in the gut so that C. difficile can thrive.
Researchers have developed an alternative positioning system that is more robust and accurate than GPS, especially in urban settings. The working prototype that demonstrated this new mobile network infrastructure achieved an accuracy of 10 centimeter. This new technology is important for the implementation of a range of location-based applications, including automated vehicles, quantum communication and next-generation mobile communication systems.
Preserving and restoring natural habitats could prevent pathogens that originate in wildlife from spilling over into domesticated animals and humans, according to two new companion studies.
In a real-world test of a new tool to better evaluate anti-poverty policies, a new study shows the economic benefits of expanding electricity access.
For millennia, caves have served as shelters for prehistoric humans. Caves have also intrigued scholars from early Chinese naturalists to Charles Darwin. A cave ecologist has been in and out of these subterranean ecosystems, examining the unique life forms -- and unique living conditions -- that exist in Earth's many caves. But what does that suggest about caves on other planetary bodies? In two connected studies, engineers, astrophysicists, astrobiologists and astronauts lay out the research that needs to be done to get us closer to answering the old-age question about life beyond Earth.
The first ever systematic review of its kind confirms that taking probiotics alongside antibiotics can protect against some of the negative impacts of antibiotics on the human gut microbiome.
Data from 53 countries shows that men in those regions share the significant decline in total sperm counts (TSC) and sperm concentration (SC) seen previously in North America, Europe and Australia. Furthermore, this study shows an accelerated post-2000 decline in TSC and SC globally.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as Keytruda and Opdivo work by unleashing the immune system's T cells to attack tumor cells. Their introduction a decade ago marked a major advance in cancer therapy, but only 10% to 30% of treated patients experience long-term improvement. New findings could now bolster the effectiveness of immune-checkpoint therapy.
Employees who perceive managerial controls to be restrictive and punitive will develop dysfunctional and negative responses to the organization where they work, according to a new study. These responses might be observed through what the researchers call 'workplace deviance' -- for example absenteeism, reducing effort, daydreaming, taking longer breaks -- and turning a blind eye, also referred to as 'deliberate ignorance.'
New research finds indoor relative humidity between 40 and 60 percent is associated with relatively lower rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths, while indoor conditions outside this range are associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes.
A radio telescope in remote Western Australia is helping to build a 3-dimensional map of the night sky, mapping nearby galaxies up to a billion light years away.
New research has found no evidence that cannabidiol (CBD) reduces the negative effects of cannabis.
In contrast to what many believe, Swedish men and women with higher incomes have more children, new research shows. This pattern is particularly clear for men and grows stronger over time: the more money, the more children. But after four children, things change.
Enzymes, which are crucial to controlling how cells replicate in the human body, could be the very ingredient that encourages DNA to spontaneously mutate -- causing potentially permanent genetic errors, according to new research.
Scientists have used synthetic biology to create artificial enzymes programmed to target the genetic code of SARS-CoV-2 and destroy the virus, an approach that could be used to develop a new generation of antiviral drugs.
Following a successful launch of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS), the most powerful rocket in the world, the agency's Orion spacecraft is on its way to the Moon as part of the Artemis program. Carrying an uncrewed Orion, SLS lifted off for its flight test debut at 1:47 a.m. EST Wednesday from Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The study showed that over the entire year the influenza vaccine reduced pneumonia by 40 per cent and hospitalization by 15 per cent in patients with heart failure. During influenza season in the fall and winter, the influenza vaccine reduced deaths by 20 per cent in these patients.
Researchers have assembled the first reference genome for the Nile rat -- a kind of genetic template of this species that may be used for laboratory and clinical studies. The hope is that it will be useful for those who investigate Type 2 diabetes and neurological disorders associated with a disrupted diurnal rhythm. The Nile rat is prone to diet-induced diabetes, and exhibits a clear diurnal pattern, unusual in rodents.
New research shows that the flavoring of various soft cheeses is due in part to the bacteria that colonize them during the ripening process.
Night owls may be looking forward to falling back into autumn standard time but a new study has found Daylight Saving Time may also suit morning types just fine.
Night owls may be looking forward to falling back into autumn standard time but a new study has found Daylight Saving Time may also suit morning types just fine.
Night owls may be looking forward to falling back into autumn standard time but a new study has found Daylight Saving Time may also suit morning types just fine.
A research team found higher death rates among people in prisons without air conditioning compared to those in climate-controlled institutions.
A research team found higher death rates among people in prisons without air conditioning compared to those in climate-controlled institutions.
A research team found higher death rates among people in prisons without air conditioning compared to those in climate-controlled institutions.
Scientists have unearthed a secret that may explain why some people are able to resist viral infections, having screened the immune systems of women exposed to hepatitis C (HCV) through contaminated anti-D transfusions given over 40 years ago in Ireland. The extraordinary work has wide-ranging implications from improving our fundamental understanding of viral resistance to the potential design of therapies to treat infected people.
Scientists have unearthed a secret that may explain why some people are able to resist viral infections, having screened the immune systems of women exposed to hepatitis C (HCV) through contaminated anti-D transfusions given over 40 years ago in Ireland. The extraordinary work has wide-ranging implications from improving our fundamental understanding of viral resistance to the potential design of therapies to treat infected people.
Scientists have unearthed a secret that may explain why some people are able to resist viral infections, having screened the immune systems of women exposed to hepatitis C (HCV) through contaminated anti-D transfusions given over 40 years ago in Ireland. The extraordinary work has wide-ranging implications from improving our fundamental understanding of viral resistance to the potential design of therapies to treat infected people.
Plant-derived materials such as cellulose often exhibit thermally insulating properties. A new material made from nanoscale cellulose fibers shows the reverse, high thermal conductivity. This makes it useful in areas previously dominated by synthetic polymer materials. Materials based on cellulose have environmental benefits over polymers, so research on this could lead to greener technological applications where thermal conductivity is needed.
Plant-derived materials such as cellulose often exhibit thermally insulating properties. A new material made from nanoscale cellulose fibers shows the reverse, high thermal conductivity. This makes it useful in areas previously dominated by synthetic polymer materials. Materials based on cellulose have environmental benefits over polymers, so research on this could lead to greener technological applications where thermal conductivity is needed.
Plant-derived materials such as cellulose often exhibit thermally insulating properties. A new material made from nanoscale cellulose fibers shows the reverse, high thermal conductivity. This makes it useful in areas previously dominated by synthetic polymer materials. Materials based on cellulose have environmental benefits over polymers, so research on this could lead to greener technological applications where thermal conductivity is needed.
The unreasonable use of antibiotics has pushed bacteria to develop resistance mechanisms to this type of treatment. This phenomenon, known as antibiotic resistance, is now considered by the WHO as one of the greatest threats to health. The lack of treatment against multi-resistant bacteria could bring us back to a time when millions of people died of pneumonia or salmonella.
The unreasonable use of antibiotics has pushed bacteria to develop resistance mechanisms to this type of treatment. This phenomenon, known as antibiotic resistance, is now considered by the WHO as one of the greatest threats to health. The lack of treatment against multi-resistant bacteria could bring us back to a time when millions of people died of pneumonia or salmonella.
The unreasonable use of antibiotics has pushed bacteria to develop resistance mechanisms to this type of treatment. This phenomenon, known as antibiotic resistance, is now considered by the WHO as one of the greatest threats to health. The lack of treatment against multi-resistant bacteria could bring us back to a time when millions of people died of pneumonia or salmonella.
A new study has shown that Psychological First Aid, training originally created for people to support others, can help healthcare workers in care homes improve their own mental wellbeing.
A new study has shown that Psychological First Aid, training originally created for people to support others, can help healthcare workers in care homes improve their own mental wellbeing.
A new study has shown that Psychological First Aid, training originally created for people to support others, can help healthcare workers in care homes improve their own mental wellbeing.
In 1842, the famous British researcher Michael Faraday made an amazing observation by chance: A thin layer of water forms on the surface of ice, even though it is well below zero degrees. So the temperature is below the melting point of ice, yet the surface of the ice has melted. This liquid layer on ice crystals is also why snowballs stick together.
In 1842, the famous British researcher Michael Faraday made an amazing observation by chance: A thin layer of water forms on the surface of ice, even though it is well below zero degrees. So the temperature is below the melting point of ice, yet the surface of the ice has melted. This liquid layer on ice crystals is also why snowballs stick together.
In 1842, the famous British researcher Michael Faraday made an amazing observation by chance: A thin layer of water forms on the surface of ice, even though it is well below zero degrees. So the temperature is below the melting point of ice, yet the surface of the ice has melted. This liquid layer on ice crystals is also why snowballs stick together.
Astronomers have discovered the closest-known black hole to Earth. This is the first unambiguous detection of a dormant stellar-mass black hole in the Milky Way. Its close proximity to Earth, a mere 1600 light-years away, offers an intriguing target of study to advance our understanding of the evolution of binary systems.
Astronomers have discovered the closest-known black hole to Earth. This is the first unambiguous detection of a dormant stellar-mass black hole in the Milky Way. Its close proximity to Earth, a mere 1600 light-years away, offers an intriguing target of study to advance our understanding of the evolution of binary systems.
Astronomers have discovered the closest-known black hole to Earth. This is the first unambiguous detection of a dormant stellar-mass black hole in the Milky Way. Its close proximity to Earth, a mere 1600 light-years away, offers an intriguing target of study to advance our understanding of the evolution of binary systems.
New research shows how click chemistry can be used to more efficiently deliver drugs to treat tumors in large dogs with bone cancer -- a process that had previously only been successful in small mice.
New research shows how click chemistry can be used to more efficiently deliver drugs to treat tumors in large dogs with bone cancer -- a process that had previously only been successful in small mice.
New research shows how click chemistry can be used to more efficiently deliver drugs to treat tumors in large dogs with bone cancer -- a process that had previously only been successful in small mice.
A signature in the X-ray light emitted by a highly magnetized dead star known as a magnetar suggests the star has a solid surface with no atmosphere.
A signature in the X-ray light emitted by a highly magnetized dead star known as a magnetar suggests the star has a solid surface with no atmosphere.
A signature in the X-ray light emitted by a highly magnetized dead star known as a magnetar suggests the star has a solid surface with no atmosphere.
People with elevated blood pressure saw improvement after 12 weeks of a telehealth support program, with or without support from a dietitian, a new study found.
People with elevated blood pressure saw improvement after 12 weeks of a telehealth support program, with or without support from a dietitian, a new study found.
People with elevated blood pressure saw improvement after 12 weeks of a telehealth support program, with or without support from a dietitian, a new study found.
Given a 3D piece of origami, can you flatten it without damaging it? Just by looking at the design, the answer is hard to predict, because each and every fold in the design has to be compatible with flattening. This is an example of a combinatorial problem. New research has demonstrated that machine learning algorithms can accurately and efficiently answer these kinds of questions. This is expected to give a boost to the artificial intelligence-assisted design of complex and functional (meta)materials.
Given a 3D piece of origami, can you flatten it without damaging it? Just by looking at the design, the answer is hard to predict, because each and every fold in the design has to be compatible with flattening. This is an example of a combinatorial problem. New research has demonstrated that machine learning algorithms can accurately and efficiently answer these kinds of questions. This is expected to give a boost to the artificial intelligence-assisted design of complex and functional (meta)materials.
Given a 3D piece of origami, can you flatten it without damaging it? Just by looking at the design, the answer is hard to predict, because each and every fold in the design has to be compatible with flattening. This is an example of a combinatorial problem. New research has demonstrated that machine learning algorithms can accurately and efficiently answer these kinds of questions. This is expected to give a boost to the artificial intelligence-assisted design of complex and functional (meta)materials.
The island of Madagascar -- one of the last large land masses colonized by humans - -sits about 250 miles (400 kilometers) off the coast of East Africa. While it's still regarded as a place of unique biodiversity, Madagascar long ago lost all its large-bodied vertebrates, including giant lemurs, elephant birds, turtles, and hippopotami. A human genetic study now links these losses in time with the first major expansion of humans on the island, around 1,000 years ago.
The island of Madagascar -- one of the last large land masses colonized by humans - -sits about 250 miles (400 kilometers) off the coast of East Africa. While it's still regarded as a place of unique biodiversity, Madagascar long ago lost all its large-bodied vertebrates, including giant lemurs, elephant birds, turtles, and hippopotami. A human genetic study now links these losses in time with the first major expansion of humans on the island, around 1,000 years ago.
The island of Madagascar -- one of the last large land masses colonized by humans - -sits about 250 miles (400 kilometers) off the coast of East Africa. While it's still regarded as a place of unique biodiversity, Madagascar long ago lost all its large-bodied vertebrates, including giant lemurs, elephant birds, turtles, and hippopotami. A human genetic study now links these losses in time with the first major expansion of humans on the island, around 1,000 years ago.
Life on land may have quieted down during the height of the pandemic, but far offshore the Atlantic Ocean was just as active as ever according to a new study. Researchers found that there was no significant change in the continental shelf's underwater soundscape during the year 2020 -- a surprising contrast to earlier reports of quieter coastal waters during that same timeframe.
Life on land may have quieted down during the height of the pandemic, but far offshore the Atlantic Ocean was just as active as ever according to a new study. Researchers found that there was no significant change in the continental shelf's underwater soundscape during the year 2020 -- a surprising contrast to earlier reports of quieter coastal waters during that same timeframe.
Life on land may have quieted down during the height of the pandemic, but far offshore the Atlantic Ocean was just as active as ever according to a new study. Researchers found that there was no significant change in the continental shelf's underwater soundscape during the year 2020 -- a surprising contrast to earlier reports of quieter coastal waters during that same timeframe.
Researchers have developed a new machine-learning technique that applies the Goldilocks principle to road compaction quality.
Researchers have developed a new machine-learning technique that applies the Goldilocks principle to road compaction quality.
Researchers have developed a new machine-learning technique that applies the Goldilocks principle to road compaction quality.
Researchers have identified therapies that can help patients with the blood cancer multiple myeloma who try an immunotherapy known as CAR-T only to find their cancer coming back afterwards.
Researchers have identified therapies that can help patients with the blood cancer multiple myeloma who try an immunotherapy known as CAR-T only to find their cancer coming back afterwards.
Researchers have identified therapies that can help patients with the blood cancer multiple myeloma who try an immunotherapy known as CAR-T only to find their cancer coming back afterwards.
Sex differences in the aging brain may offer an enticing clue for developing more effective neuroprotective treatments, according to a new research strategy.
Sex differences in the aging brain may offer an enticing clue for developing more effective neuroprotective treatments, according to a new research strategy.
Sex differences in the aging brain may offer an enticing clue for developing more effective neuroprotective treatments, according to a new research strategy.
Researchers have identified the specific mutations in the monkeypox virus that contribute to its continued infectiousness. The findings could lead to several outcomes: modified versions of existing drugs used to treat people suffering from monkeypox or the development of new drugs that account for the current mutations to increase their effectiveness at reducing symptoms and the spread of the virus.
Researchers have identified the specific mutations in the monkeypox virus that contribute to its continued infectiousness. The findings could lead to several outcomes: modified versions of existing drugs used to treat people suffering from monkeypox or the development of new drugs that account for the current mutations to increase their effectiveness at reducing symptoms and the spread of the virus.
Researchers have identified the specific mutations in the monkeypox virus that contribute to its continued infectiousness. The findings could lead to several outcomes: modified versions of existing drugs used to treat people suffering from monkeypox or the development of new drugs that account for the current mutations to increase their effectiveness at reducing symptoms and the spread of the virus.
The number of new diagnoses of rheumatoid arthritis fell by 20 percent in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, new research suggests.
The number of new diagnoses of rheumatoid arthritis fell by 20 percent in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, new research suggests.
The number of new diagnoses of rheumatoid arthritis fell by 20 percent in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, new research suggests.
A new study found that the risk of stomach bleeding caused by using aspirin long-term, can be reduced with a short course of antibiotics, potentially improving the safety of aspirin when used to prevent heart attacks, strokes and possibly some cancers.
A new study found that the risk of stomach bleeding caused by using aspirin long-term, can be reduced with a short course of antibiotics, potentially improving the safety of aspirin when used to prevent heart attacks, strokes and possibly some cancers.
A new study found that the risk of stomach bleeding caused by using aspirin long-term, can be reduced with a short course of antibiotics, potentially improving the safety of aspirin when used to prevent heart attacks, strokes and possibly some cancers.
A new study finds the original crust on Mars is more complex, and evolved, than previously thought. Researchers have determined the Martian crust has greater concentrations of the chemical element silicon, which may mean Mars' original surface may have been similar to Earth's first crust.
A new study finds the original crust on Mars is more complex, and evolved, than previously thought. Researchers have determined the Martian crust has greater concentrations of the chemical element silicon, which may mean Mars' original surface may have been similar to Earth's first crust.
A new study finds the original crust on Mars is more complex, and evolved, than previously thought. Researchers have determined the Martian crust has greater concentrations of the chemical element silicon, which may mean Mars' original surface may have been similar to Earth's first crust.
Groundwater is considered both an environmental and industrial resource, but a new study indicates it is also an important resource in disaster prevention. Researchers conducted research surveys of 91 well owners and 328 welfare facilities affected by the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. The surveys clarified groundwater use following the earthquake and policy issues that could make the use of emergency wells more effective in the wake of future disasters. The surveys' findings provide useful data for city governments that have installed or are considering installing emergency wells.
Groundwater is considered both an environmental and industrial resource, but a new study indicates it is also an important resource in disaster prevention. Researchers conducted research surveys of 91 well owners and 328 welfare facilities affected by the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. The surveys clarified groundwater use following the earthquake and policy issues that could make the use of emergency wells more effective in the wake of future disasters. The surveys' findings provide useful data for city governments that have installed or are considering installing emergency wells.
Groundwater is considered both an environmental and industrial resource, but a new study indicates it is also an important resource in disaster prevention. Researchers conducted research surveys of 91 well owners and 328 welfare facilities affected by the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake. The surveys clarified groundwater use following the earthquake and policy issues that could make the use of emergency wells more effective in the wake of future disasters. The surveys' findings provide useful data for city governments that have installed or are considering installing emergency wells.
A recent study has proposed a strategy to synthesize single-crystalline graphite films orders of magnitude large, up to inch scale.
A recent study has proposed a strategy to synthesize single-crystalline graphite films orders of magnitude large, up to inch scale.
A recent study has proposed a strategy to synthesize single-crystalline graphite films orders of magnitude large, up to inch scale.
COVID-19 infections can result in long-lasting neurological symptoms. New research suggests an already approved anti-viral may inhibit viral replication and rescue impaired neurons.
COVID-19 infections can result in long-lasting neurological symptoms. New research suggests an already approved anti-viral may inhibit viral replication and rescue impaired neurons.
COVID-19 infections can result in long-lasting neurological symptoms. New research suggests an already approved anti-viral may inhibit viral replication and rescue impaired neurons.
Researchers have discovered the mechanistic steps underlying a new type of synaptic plasticity called behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity (BTSP). The study reveals how the entorhinal cortex (EC) sends instructive signals to the hippocampus -- the brain region critical for spatial navigation, memory encoding, and consolidation -- and directs it to specifically re-organize the location and activity of a specific subset of its neurons to achieve altered behavior in response to its changing environment and spatial cues.
Researchers have discovered the mechanistic steps underlying a new type of synaptic plasticity called behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity (BTSP). The study reveals how the entorhinal cortex (EC) sends instructive signals to the hippocampus -- the brain region critical for spatial navigation, memory encoding, and consolidation -- and directs it to specifically re-organize the location and activity of a specific subset of its neurons to achieve altered behavior in response to its changing environment and spatial cues.
Researchers have discovered the mechanistic steps underlying a new type of synaptic plasticity called behavioral timescale synaptic plasticity (BTSP). The study reveals how the entorhinal cortex (EC) sends instructive signals to the hippocampus -- the brain region critical for spatial navigation, memory encoding, and consolidation -- and directs it to specifically re-organize the location and activity of a specific subset of its neurons to achieve altered behavior in response to its changing environment and spatial cues.
Scientists illuminated the molecular events underlying an inherited movement and neurodegenerative disorder known as ARSACS -- Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay, named for two Quebec valleys where the first cases were found.
Scientists illuminated the molecular events underlying an inherited movement and neurodegenerative disorder known as ARSACS -- Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay, named for two Quebec valleys where the first cases were found.
Scientists illuminated the molecular events underlying an inherited movement and neurodegenerative disorder known as ARSACS -- Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay, named for two Quebec valleys where the first cases were found.
Maternal consumption of a Western-style diet alters the transcriptional landscape of fetal blood stem cells in rhesus macaques, researchers report.
Maternal consumption of a Western-style diet alters the transcriptional landscape of fetal blood stem cells in rhesus macaques, researchers report.
Maternal consumption of a Western-style diet alters the transcriptional landscape of fetal blood stem cells in rhesus macaques, researchers report.
A new collaborative study shows how blood vessel genes play a critical role in motor neuron development by telling blood vessels to get out of the way. The discovery has implications for understanding diseases in which motor neuron connections are destroyed, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
A new collaborative study shows how blood vessel genes play a critical role in motor neuron development by telling blood vessels to get out of the way. The discovery has implications for understanding diseases in which motor neuron connections are destroyed, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
A new collaborative study shows how blood vessel genes play a critical role in motor neuron development by telling blood vessels to get out of the way. The discovery has implications for understanding diseases in which motor neuron connections are destroyed, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
A new global COVID-19 study provides actionable recommendations to end the public health threat without exacerbating socio-economic burdens or putting the most vulnerable at greater risk.
A new global COVID-19 study provides actionable recommendations to end the public health threat without exacerbating socio-economic burdens or putting the most vulnerable at greater risk.
A new global COVID-19 study provides actionable recommendations to end the public health threat without exacerbating socio-economic burdens or putting the most vulnerable at greater risk.
Researchers find data collected by mobile phones could be used to evaluate the structural integrity of bridges.
Researchers find data collected by mobile phones could be used to evaluate the structural integrity of bridges.
Researchers find data collected by mobile phones could be used to evaluate the structural integrity of bridges.
A new genetic study finds large dams restrict platypus movement, with significant implications for their conservation.
A new genetic study finds large dams restrict platypus movement, with significant implications for their conservation.
A new genetic study finds large dams restrict platypus movement, with significant implications for their conservation.
In a study of nearly 100 women, participants with certain dissociative symptoms had increased connections within some brain networks and decreased connections within others. The new findings shed light on the brain connectivity associated with these debilitating symptoms and ultimately may help clinicians diagnose and treat affected patients.
In a study of nearly 100 women, participants with certain dissociative symptoms had increased connections within some brain networks and decreased connections within others. The new findings shed light on the brain connectivity associated with these debilitating symptoms and ultimately may help clinicians diagnose and treat affected patients.
In a study of nearly 100 women, participants with certain dissociative symptoms had increased connections within some brain networks and decreased connections within others. The new findings shed light on the brain connectivity associated with these debilitating symptoms and ultimately may help clinicians diagnose and treat affected patients.
Plants need light to grow. However, due to excess nutrients and/or the absence of herbivores less light can reach lower vegetation layers in grasslands. Consequently, few fast-growing species dominate and plant diversity declines. So far, this relationship has been established indirectly through experiments, but never directly by means of experimentally adding light in the field. Now biologists have been able to experimentally demonstrate the dominant role of light competition.
Plants need light to grow. However, due to excess nutrients and/or the absence of herbivores less light can reach lower vegetation layers in grasslands. Consequently, few fast-growing species dominate and plant diversity declines. So far, this relationship has been established indirectly through experiments, but never directly by means of experimentally adding light in the field. Now biologists have been able to experimentally demonstrate the dominant role of light competition.
Plants need light to grow. However, due to excess nutrients and/or the absence of herbivores less light can reach lower vegetation layers in grasslands. Consequently, few fast-growing species dominate and plant diversity declines. So far, this relationship has been established indirectly through experiments, but never directly by means of experimentally adding light in the field. Now biologists have been able to experimentally demonstrate the dominant role of light competition.
Researchers have provided the first demonstration of a progressive increase in epileptic spasms along with learning and memory deficits in an animal model of this disorder.
Researchers have provided the first demonstration of a progressive increase in epileptic spasms along with learning and memory deficits in an animal model of this disorder.
Researchers have provided the first demonstration of a progressive increase in epileptic spasms along with learning and memory deficits in an animal model of this disorder.
It's not the individual brain regions but rather their connections that matter: neuroscientists propose a new model of how the brain works. This new view enables us to understand better why and how our brains vary between individuals.
It's not the individual brain regions but rather their connections that matter: neuroscientists propose a new model of how the brain works. This new view enables us to understand better why and how our brains vary between individuals.
It's not the individual brain regions but rather their connections that matter: neuroscientists propose a new model of how the brain works. This new view enables us to understand better why and how our brains vary between individuals.
Some genetic variants may put people at risk of autoimmune diseases while conferring protection against the outcome of viral infection. A new study suggests that genetic predisposition for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be protective against severe COVID-19 infection.
Some genetic variants may put people at risk of autoimmune diseases while conferring protection against the outcome of viral infection. A new study suggests that genetic predisposition for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be protective against severe COVID-19 infection.
Some genetic variants may put people at risk of autoimmune diseases while conferring protection against the outcome of viral infection. A new study suggests that genetic predisposition for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may be protective against severe COVID-19 infection.
Using images captured by satellites, researchers have confirmed that the January 2022 eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano produced the highest-ever recorded plume. The colossal eruption is also the first to have been directly observed to have broken through to the mesosphere layer of the atmosphere.
Using images captured by satellites, researchers have confirmed that the January 2022 eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano produced the highest-ever recorded plume. The colossal eruption is also the first to have been directly observed to have broken through to the mesosphere layer of the atmosphere.
Using images captured by satellites, researchers have confirmed that the January 2022 eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano produced the highest-ever recorded plume. The colossal eruption is also the first to have been directly observed to have broken through to the mesosphere layer of the atmosphere.
A new treatment for neurological and psychiatric diseases, that works by reducing the excitability of overactive brain cells, has been developed.
A new treatment for neurological and psychiatric diseases, that works by reducing the excitability of overactive brain cells, has been developed.
A new treatment for neurological and psychiatric diseases, that works by reducing the excitability of overactive brain cells, has been developed.
The first observations of a mass-accreting black hole from the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission reveal new details about the configuration of extremely hot matter in the region immediately surrounding it. Researchers are using measurements of the polarization of X-rays to test and refine models that describe how black holes swallow matter, becoming some of the most luminous sources of light -- including X-rays -- in the universe.
The first observations of a mass-accreting black hole from the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission reveal new details about the configuration of extremely hot matter in the region immediately surrounding it. Researchers are using measurements of the polarization of X-rays to test and refine models that describe how black holes swallow matter, becoming some of the most luminous sources of light -- including X-rays -- in the universe.
The first observations of a mass-accreting black hole from the Imaging X-Ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission reveal new details about the configuration of extremely hot matter in the region immediately surrounding it. Researchers are using measurements of the polarization of X-rays to test and refine models that describe how black holes swallow matter, becoming some of the most luminous sources of light -- including X-rays -- in the universe.
Scientists have found evidence of high-energy neutrino emission from NGC 1068, also known as Messier 77, an active galaxy in the constellation Cetus and one of the most familiar and well-studied galaxies to date.
Scientists have found evidence of high-energy neutrino emission from NGC 1068, also known as Messier 77, an active galaxy in the constellation Cetus and one of the most familiar and well-studied galaxies to date.
Scientists have found evidence of high-energy neutrino emission from NGC 1068, also known as Messier 77, an active galaxy in the constellation Cetus and one of the most familiar and well-studied galaxies to date.
A new study finds the microbial ecosystem in the guts of wild marten (Martes americana) that live in relatively pristine natural habitat is distinct from the gut microbiome of wild marten that live in areas that are more heavily impacted by human activity. The finding highlights an emerging tool that will allow researchers and wildlife managers to assess the health of wild ecosystems.
A new study finds the microbial ecosystem in the guts of wild marten (Martes americana) that live in relatively pristine natural habitat is distinct from the gut microbiome of wild marten that live in areas that are more heavily impacted by human activity. The finding highlights an emerging tool that will allow researchers and wildlife managers to assess the health of wild ecosystems.
A new study finds the microbial ecosystem in the guts of wild marten (Martes americana) that live in relatively pristine natural habitat is distinct from the gut microbiome of wild marten that live in areas that are more heavily impacted by human activity. The finding highlights an emerging tool that will allow researchers and wildlife managers to assess the health of wild ecosystems.
Finding uncovers a key property needed for CELMoD drugs, a type of protein degrader, to work effectively.
Finding uncovers a key property needed for CELMoD drugs, a type of protein degrader, to work effectively.
Finding uncovers a key property needed for CELMoD drugs, a type of protein degrader, to work effectively.
A new study compares the self-esteem and social activities of teens with no or poor home Internet access to teens who are the heaviest users of screens as well as teens with parents who tightly control or limit their screen use.
A new study compares the self-esteem and social activities of teens with no or poor home Internet access to teens who are the heaviest users of screens as well as teens with parents who tightly control or limit their screen use.
A new study compares the self-esteem and social activities of teens with no or poor home Internet access to teens who are the heaviest users of screens as well as teens with parents who tightly control or limit their screen use.
In the U.S. Geological Survey's Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species database, these so-called 'native transplant' fish are almost twice as common as fish introduced from outside the country. But a new review says native transplant fish, especially those that don't qualify as game fish, are rarely studied and their impacts poorly understood.
In the U.S. Geological Survey's Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species database, these so-called 'native transplant' fish are almost twice as common as fish introduced from outside the country. But a new review says native transplant fish, especially those that don't qualify as game fish, are rarely studied and their impacts poorly understood.
In the U.S. Geological Survey's Non-Indigenous Aquatic Species database, these so-called 'native transplant' fish are almost twice as common as fish introduced from outside the country. But a new review says native transplant fish, especially those that don't qualify as game fish, are rarely studied and their impacts poorly understood.
A new method to treat sewage can efficiently convert leftover sludge to biogas, an advance that could help communities lower their waste treatment costs while helping the environment.
A new method to treat sewage can efficiently convert leftover sludge to biogas, an advance that could help communities lower their waste treatment costs while helping the environment.
A new method to treat sewage can efficiently convert leftover sludge to biogas, an advance that could help communities lower their waste treatment costs while helping the environment.
For years, scientists have seen enhanced photosynthesis as one of the only possible bright sides of increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) -- since plants use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, it is anticipated that higher levels of the gas will lead to more productive plants. Scientists now explain why this effect may be less than expected because elevated levels of CO2 make it difficult for plants to obtain minerals necessary to grow and provide nutritious food.
For years, scientists have seen enhanced photosynthesis as one of the only possible bright sides of increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) -- since plants use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, it is anticipated that higher levels of the gas will lead to more productive plants. Scientists now explain why this effect may be less than expected because elevated levels of CO2 make it difficult for plants to obtain minerals necessary to grow and provide nutritious food.
For years, scientists have seen enhanced photosynthesis as one of the only possible bright sides of increasing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) -- since plants use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, it is anticipated that higher levels of the gas will lead to more productive plants. Scientists now explain why this effect may be less than expected because elevated levels of CO2 make it difficult for plants to obtain minerals necessary to grow and provide nutritious food.
Patients with cancer and a weakened immune system who are treated with immunotherapies tend to fare far worse from COVID-19 than those who haven't received such therapies in the three months before their COVID diagnosis, show findings in a new study. Researchers found worse outcomes in both the disease itself as well as the fierce immune response that sometimes accompanies it.
Patients with cancer and a weakened immune system who are treated with immunotherapies tend to fare far worse from COVID-19 than those who haven't received such therapies in the three months before their COVID diagnosis, show findings in a new study. Researchers found worse outcomes in both the disease itself as well as the fierce immune response that sometimes accompanies it.
Patients with cancer and a weakened immune system who are treated with immunotherapies tend to fare far worse from COVID-19 than those who haven't received such therapies in the three months before their COVID diagnosis, show findings in a new study. Researchers found worse outcomes in both the disease itself as well as the fierce immune response that sometimes accompanies it.
Researchers have developed a fast and cost-effective method to test liquids for a ubiquitous family of chemical compounds known as amphiphiles, which are used to detect diseases such as early-stage tuberculosis and cancer as well as to detect toxins in drugs, food, medical devices and water supplies.
Researchers have developed a fast and cost-effective method to test liquids for a ubiquitous family of chemical compounds known as amphiphiles, which are used to detect diseases such as early-stage tuberculosis and cancer as well as to detect toxins in drugs, food, medical devices and water supplies.
Researchers have developed a fast and cost-effective method to test liquids for a ubiquitous family of chemical compounds known as amphiphiles, which are used to detect diseases such as early-stage tuberculosis and cancer as well as to detect toxins in drugs, food, medical devices and water supplies.
Therapeutic community gardening helped reduce loneliness as the pandemic paralyzed the United Kingdom, research has revealed. As people sowed, planted and tended to vegetables and flowers, their self-reported life satisfaction and mental well-being increased by 9 percent.
Therapeutic community gardening helped reduce loneliness as the pandemic paralyzed the United Kingdom, research has revealed. As people sowed, planted and tended to vegetables and flowers, their self-reported life satisfaction and mental well-being increased by 9 percent.
Therapeutic community gardening helped reduce loneliness as the pandemic paralyzed the United Kingdom, research has revealed. As people sowed, planted and tended to vegetables and flowers, their self-reported life satisfaction and mental well-being increased by 9 percent.
A research team has developed a drone-powered device that can use WiFi networks to see through walls.
A research team has developed a drone-powered device that can use WiFi networks to see through walls.
A research team has developed a drone-powered device that can use WiFi networks to see through walls.
Chemists and engineers have discovered a fundamental friction law that is leading to a deeper understanding of energy dissipation in friction and the design of two-dimensional materials capable of minimizing energy loss.
Chemists and engineers have discovered a fundamental friction law that is leading to a deeper understanding of energy dissipation in friction and the design of two-dimensional materials capable of minimizing energy loss.
Chemists and engineers have discovered a fundamental friction law that is leading to a deeper understanding of energy dissipation in friction and the design of two-dimensional materials capable of minimizing energy loss.
A drug called semaglutide, which is approved for adults with obesity or overweight, also helps adolescents shed pounds and have healthier hearts, according to a new study.
A drug called semaglutide, which is approved for adults with obesity or overweight, also helps adolescents shed pounds and have healthier hearts, according to a new study.
A drug called semaglutide, which is approved for adults with obesity or overweight, also helps adolescents shed pounds and have healthier hearts, according to a new study.
When a child with RSV requires intensive care, parents often ask about how long it will take before their child can go home. Currently, there is no reliable way to answer this question. Results of a new study, however, offer important insights.
When a child with RSV requires intensive care, parents often ask about how long it will take before their child can go home. Currently, there is no reliable way to answer this question. Results of a new study, however, offer important insights.
When a child with RSV requires intensive care, parents often ask about how long it will take before their child can go home. Currently, there is no reliable way to answer this question. Results of a new study, however, offer important insights.
The Royal Hawaiian Beach in Waikiki is a popular beach at the center of Hawai'i's tourism hub, with a valuation of $2.2 billion, according to a 2016 study. Two recently published studies provide new understanding of how and why this iconic beach is chronically eroding -- enabling coastal managers and policymakers to more effectively manage the coastline.
The Royal Hawaiian Beach in Waikiki is a popular beach at the center of Hawai'i's tourism hub, with a valuation of $2.2 billion, according to a 2016 study. Two recently published studies provide new understanding of how and why this iconic beach is chronically eroding -- enabling coastal managers and policymakers to more effectively manage the coastline.
The Royal Hawaiian Beach in Waikiki is a popular beach at the center of Hawai'i's tourism hub, with a valuation of $2.2 billion, according to a 2016 study. Two recently published studies provide new understanding of how and why this iconic beach is chronically eroding -- enabling coastal managers and policymakers to more effectively manage the coastline.
A peculiar property of the Earth's magnetic field could help us to work out how our planet was created 4.5 billion years ago, according to a new scientific assessment.
A peculiar property of the Earth's magnetic field could help us to work out how our planet was created 4.5 billion years ago, according to a new scientific assessment.
A peculiar property of the Earth's magnetic field could help us to work out how our planet was created 4.5 billion years ago, according to a new scientific assessment.
New research has shown one type of muscle contraction is most effective at increasing muscle strength and muscle size -- and rather than lifting weights, the emphasis should be on lowering them.
New research has shown one type of muscle contraction is most effective at increasing muscle strength and muscle size -- and rather than lifting weights, the emphasis should be on lowering them.
New research has shown one type of muscle contraction is most effective at increasing muscle strength and muscle size -- and rather than lifting weights, the emphasis should be on lowering them.
A study shows there are 2.5 times as many breast cancer survivors in Canada today as there were in 2007 -- a success story that brings some new health challenges.
A study shows there are 2.5 times as many breast cancer survivors in Canada today as there were in 2007 -- a success story that brings some new health challenges.
A study shows there are 2.5 times as many breast cancer survivors in Canada today as there were in 2007 -- a success story that brings some new health challenges.
A new study links psychological trauma in childhood with an increased risk of developing some kind of mental disorder years later.
A new study links psychological trauma in childhood with an increased risk of developing some kind of mental disorder years later.
A new study links psychological trauma in childhood with an increased risk of developing some kind of mental disorder years later.
Researchers have identified new ways for retailers to use Artificial Intelligence in concert with in-store cameras to better service consumer behavior and tailor store layouts to maximize sales.
Researchers have identified new ways for retailers to use Artificial Intelligence in concert with in-store cameras to better service consumer behavior and tailor store layouts to maximize sales.
Researchers have identified new ways for retailers to use Artificial Intelligence in concert with in-store cameras to better service consumer behavior and tailor store layouts to maximize sales.
A simple material can separate carbon dioxide from other gases that fly out of the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. It lacks the shortcomings that other proposed carbon filtration materials have, rivaling designer compounds in its simplicity, overall stability and ease of preparation.
A simple material can separate carbon dioxide from other gases that fly out of the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. It lacks the shortcomings that other proposed carbon filtration materials have, rivaling designer compounds in its simplicity, overall stability and ease of preparation.
A simple material can separate carbon dioxide from other gases that fly out of the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. It lacks the shortcomings that other proposed carbon filtration materials have, rivaling designer compounds in its simplicity, overall stability and ease of preparation.
Data from the shipboard Automatic Identification System (AIS) can provide information about global fishing activity, including illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Fishing vessels may disable their AIS devices, but a new analysis identifies intentional disabling events in commercial fisheries and shows that, while some disabling events may be for legitimate reasons, others appear to be attempts to conceal illegal activities.
Data from the shipboard Automatic Identification System (AIS) can provide information about global fishing activity, including illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Fishing vessels may disable their AIS devices, but a new analysis identifies intentional disabling events in commercial fisheries and shows that, while some disabling events may be for legitimate reasons, others appear to be attempts to conceal illegal activities.
Data from the shipboard Automatic Identification System (AIS) can provide information about global fishing activity, including illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Fishing vessels may disable their AIS devices, but a new analysis identifies intentional disabling events in commercial fisheries and shows that, while some disabling events may be for legitimate reasons, others appear to be attempts to conceal illegal activities.
Inflammation and increased mucus production are typical symptoms of worm infections and allergies. This immune response involves our innate immune cells, but their exact functions are not yet fully understood. A research team has now shed light on the key tasks that these cells perform. In the study the researchers also identify potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of allergies.
Inflammation and increased mucus production are typical symptoms of worm infections and allergies. This immune response involves our innate immune cells, but their exact functions are not yet fully understood. A research team has now shed light on the key tasks that these cells perform. In the study the researchers also identify potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of allergies.
Inflammation and increased mucus production are typical symptoms of worm infections and allergies. This immune response involves our innate immune cells, but their exact functions are not yet fully understood. A research team has now shed light on the key tasks that these cells perform. In the study the researchers also identify potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of allergies.
In a recent trial, nine patients whose tumors were resistant to androgen-blocking therapy continued that therapy but were also given a CD105 inhibitor called carotuximab. Forty percent of those patients experienced progression-free survival, based on radiographic imaging
In a recent trial, nine patients whose tumors were resistant to androgen-blocking therapy continued that therapy but were also given a CD105 inhibitor called carotuximab. Forty percent of those patients experienced progression-free survival, based on radiographic imaging
In a recent trial, nine patients whose tumors were resistant to androgen-blocking therapy continued that therapy but were also given a CD105 inhibitor called carotuximab. Forty percent of those patients experienced progression-free survival, based on radiographic imaging
Scientists have used a mathematical model to reveal how toxic proteins cluster together inside the brain during the early stages of Alzheimer's. The researchers say the discovery could have important implications for future treatments.
Scientists have used a mathematical model to reveal how toxic proteins cluster together inside the brain during the early stages of Alzheimer's. The researchers say the discovery could have important implications for future treatments.
Scientists have used a mathematical model to reveal how toxic proteins cluster together inside the brain during the early stages of Alzheimer's. The researchers say the discovery could have important implications for future treatments.
Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine are looking for ways to heal wounds by using a healing protein that is active in fetuses, but largely inactive in adults and absent in diabetic adults.
Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine are looking for ways to heal wounds by using a healing protein that is active in fetuses, but largely inactive in adults and absent in diabetic adults.
Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine are looking for ways to heal wounds by using a healing protein that is active in fetuses, but largely inactive in adults and absent in diabetic adults.
New research reveals that the world's largest tropical peatland turned from being a major store of carbon to a source of damaging carbon dioxide emissions as a result of climate change thousands of years ago. Around the time that Stonehenge was built, 5,000 years ago, the climate of central Congo began to dry leading to the peatlands emitting carbon dioxide. The peatlands only stopped releasing carbon and reverted back to taking carbon out of the atmosphere when the climate got wetter again in the past 2,000 years, according to a major international study Scientists involved in the study are warning that if modern-day global heating produces droughts in the Congo region, history could repeat itself, dangerously accelerating climate change.
New research reveals that the world's largest tropical peatland turned from being a major store of carbon to a source of damaging carbon dioxide emissions as a result of climate change thousands of years ago. Around the time that Stonehenge was built, 5,000 years ago, the climate of central Congo began to dry leading to the peatlands emitting carbon dioxide. The peatlands only stopped releasing carbon and reverted back to taking carbon out of the atmosphere when the climate got wetter again in the past 2,000 years, according to a major international study Scientists involved in the study are warning that if modern-day global heating produces droughts in the Congo region, history could repeat itself, dangerously accelerating climate change.
New research reveals that the world's largest tropical peatland turned from being a major store of carbon to a source of damaging carbon dioxide emissions as a result of climate change thousands of years ago. Around the time that Stonehenge was built, 5,000 years ago, the climate of central Congo began to dry leading to the peatlands emitting carbon dioxide. The peatlands only stopped releasing carbon and reverted back to taking carbon out of the atmosphere when the climate got wetter again in the past 2,000 years, according to a major international study Scientists involved in the study are warning that if modern-day global heating produces droughts in the Congo region, history could repeat itself, dangerously accelerating climate change.
Scientists and engineers have developed programmable bacteria that sense contaminants and release an electronic signal in real time.
Scientists and engineers have developed programmable bacteria that sense contaminants and release an electronic signal in real time.
Scientists and engineers have developed programmable bacteria that sense contaminants and release an electronic signal in real time.
A research team have discovered a mechanism of flowering plant sperm compaction and gathered clues as to why it is required.
A research team have discovered a mechanism of flowering plant sperm compaction and gathered clues as to why it is required.
A research team have discovered a mechanism of flowering plant sperm compaction and gathered clues as to why it is required.
New research findings show how higher viscosity, or resistance to flow, of the extracellular fluid that surrounds cells enables cancer cells to migrate more rapidly from a primary tumor to other sites in the body.
New research findings show how higher viscosity, or resistance to flow, of the extracellular fluid that surrounds cells enables cancer cells to migrate more rapidly from a primary tumor to other sites in the body.
New research findings show how higher viscosity, or resistance to flow, of the extracellular fluid that surrounds cells enables cancer cells to migrate more rapidly from a primary tumor to other sites in the body.
Researchers have recently shown that vitamin C improves the immunogenic properties of dendritic cells, in vitro. Results recently made public show that treating the cells with vitamin C leads to a more consistent activation of genes involved in the immune response, mainly through DNA demethylation, a kind of epigenetic reprogramming. This discovery may be useful to generate more potent dendritic cell-based therapies in the future.
Researchers have recently shown that vitamin C improves the immunogenic properties of dendritic cells, in vitro. Results recently made public show that treating the cells with vitamin C leads to a more consistent activation of genes involved in the immune response, mainly through DNA demethylation, a kind of epigenetic reprogramming. This discovery may be useful to generate more potent dendritic cell-based therapies in the future.
Researchers have recently shown that vitamin C improves the immunogenic properties of dendritic cells, in vitro. Results recently made public show that treating the cells with vitamin C leads to a more consistent activation of genes involved in the immune response, mainly through DNA demethylation, a kind of epigenetic reprogramming. This discovery may be useful to generate more potent dendritic cell-based therapies in the future.
Computer science researchers have demonstrated that a widely used technique called neural network pruning can adversely affect the performance of deep learning models, detailed what causes these performance problems, and demonstrated a technique for addressing the challenge.
Computer science researchers have demonstrated that a widely used technique called neural network pruning can adversely affect the performance of deep learning models, detailed what causes these performance problems, and demonstrated a technique for addressing the challenge.
Computer science researchers have demonstrated that a widely used technique called neural network pruning can adversely affect the performance of deep learning models, detailed what causes these performance problems, and demonstrated a technique for addressing the challenge.
Biologists demonstrate how the auxiliary factor CGL160 contributes to the synthesis of crucial parts of the photosynthetic machinery.
Biologists demonstrate how the auxiliary factor CGL160 contributes to the synthesis of crucial parts of the photosynthetic machinery.
Biologists demonstrate how the auxiliary factor CGL160 contributes to the synthesis of crucial parts of the photosynthetic machinery.
New simulations show that fish look downward when they swim because the stable riverbed below them provides more reliable information about their swimming direction and speed.
New simulations show that fish look downward when they swim because the stable riverbed below them provides more reliable information about their swimming direction and speed.
New simulations show that fish look downward when they swim because the stable riverbed below them provides more reliable information about their swimming direction and speed.
Researchers have discovered that the affinity between cells can control complex developmental processes.
Researchers have discovered that the affinity between cells can control complex developmental processes.
Researchers have discovered that the affinity between cells can control complex developmental processes.
As our brains develop, cells within it 'eat' neuronal elements to clear out debris, pathogens and help improve efficiency. A recent study showed that motor learning in mice helped enhance the engulfing of synapses by Bergmann glial cells. The discovery could have possible implications for explaining why synaptic shrinkage and loss occur in depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease.
As our brains develop, cells within it 'eat' neuronal elements to clear out debris, pathogens and help improve efficiency. A recent study showed that motor learning in mice helped enhance the engulfing of synapses by Bergmann glial cells. The discovery could have possible implications for explaining why synaptic shrinkage and loss occur in depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease.
As our brains develop, cells within it 'eat' neuronal elements to clear out debris, pathogens and help improve efficiency. A recent study showed that motor learning in mice helped enhance the engulfing of synapses by Bergmann glial cells. The discovery could have possible implications for explaining why synaptic shrinkage and loss occur in depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's disease.
In the field of molecular magnetism, the design of devices with technological applications at the nanoscale --quantum computing, molecular spintronics, magnetic cooling, nanomedicine, high-density information storage, etc.-- requires those magnetic molecules that are placed on the surface to preserve their structure, functionality and properties. Now, an article analyses the most updated knowledge on the processes of deposition and organization of magnetic molecules on surfaces (nanostructuring), a determining process for the progress of technologies that involve a miniaturization of engines and a more efficient functioning in nanometric dimensions.
In the field of molecular magnetism, the design of devices with technological applications at the nanoscale --quantum computing, molecular spintronics, magnetic cooling, nanomedicine, high-density information storage, etc.-- requires those magnetic molecules that are placed on the surface to preserve their structure, functionality and properties. Now, an article analyses the most updated knowledge on the processes of deposition and organization of magnetic molecules on surfaces (nanostructuring), a determining process for the progress of technologies that involve a miniaturization of engines and a more efficient functioning in nanometric dimensions.
In the field of molecular magnetism, the design of devices with technological applications at the nanoscale --quantum computing, molecular spintronics, magnetic cooling, nanomedicine, high-density information storage, etc.-- requires those magnetic molecules that are placed on the surface to preserve their structure, functionality and properties. Now, an article analyses the most updated knowledge on the processes of deposition and organization of magnetic molecules on surfaces (nanostructuring), a determining process for the progress of technologies that involve a miniaturization of engines and a more efficient functioning in nanometric dimensions.
Researchers have developed a three-dimensional model that shows how exposure to cadmium might lead to congenital heart disease. Affecting nearly 40,000 newborns a year, congenital heart disease is the most common type of birth defect in the United States.
Researchers have developed a three-dimensional model that shows how exposure to cadmium might lead to congenital heart disease. Affecting nearly 40,000 newborns a year, congenital heart disease is the most common type of birth defect in the United States.
Researchers have developed a three-dimensional model that shows how exposure to cadmium might lead to congenital heart disease. Affecting nearly 40,000 newborns a year, congenital heart disease is the most common type of birth defect in the United States.
Diabetes, which affects millions of people worldwide, develops when the body either generates insufficient amounts of the hormone insulin -- a hormone that maintains healthy blood sugar -- or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. When the number of beta cells is too low or they aren't functioning properly, there isn't enough insulin getting released. Beta cells communicate with each other to secrete insulin in a coordinated manner. Scientists now show that the gene Wnt4 in beta cells enables them to sense glucose and release the hormone insulin that enables other cells in the body to store glucose. These insights could help to create replacement beta cells for diabetes therapy in the future.
Diabetes, which affects millions of people worldwide, develops when the body either generates insufficient amounts of the hormone insulin -- a hormone that maintains healthy blood sugar -- or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. When the number of beta cells is too low or they aren't functioning properly, there isn't enough insulin getting released. Beta cells communicate with each other to secrete insulin in a coordinated manner. Scientists now show that the gene Wnt4 in beta cells enables them to sense glucose and release the hormone insulin that enables other cells in the body to store glucose. These insights could help to create replacement beta cells for diabetes therapy in the future.
Diabetes, which affects millions of people worldwide, develops when the body either generates insufficient amounts of the hormone insulin -- a hormone that maintains healthy blood sugar -- or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. When the number of beta cells is too low or they aren't functioning properly, there isn't enough insulin getting released. Beta cells communicate with each other to secrete insulin in a coordinated manner. Scientists now show that the gene Wnt4 in beta cells enables them to sense glucose and release the hormone insulin that enables other cells in the body to store glucose. These insights could help to create replacement beta cells for diabetes therapy in the future.
A recent experiment provides evidence of a bark beetle species' agricultural capability. The fruit-tree pinhole borer can suppress the growth of weed fungi and promote food fungi.
A recent experiment provides evidence of a bark beetle species' agricultural capability. The fruit-tree pinhole borer can suppress the growth of weed fungi and promote food fungi.
A recent experiment provides evidence of a bark beetle species' agricultural capability. The fruit-tree pinhole borer can suppress the growth of weed fungi and promote food fungi.
Researchers have found that adopting permanent Daylight Savings Time in the United States would reduce deer-vehicle collisions.
Researchers have found that adopting permanent Daylight Savings Time in the United States would reduce deer-vehicle collisions.
Researchers have found that adopting permanent Daylight Savings Time in the United States would reduce deer-vehicle collisions.
Toxicologists have found that the protein p53 continuously protects our cells from tumorigenesis by coordinating important metabolic processes that stabilize their genomes.
Toxicologists have found that the protein p53 continuously protects our cells from tumorigenesis by coordinating important metabolic processes that stabilize their genomes.
Toxicologists have found that the protein p53 continuously protects our cells from tumorigenesis by coordinating important metabolic processes that stabilize their genomes.
Inflammatory reactions in the skin can reduce damage from UV radiation or infections, but can also result in painful symptoms such as sunburn. A recent study has now identified a molecular control which integrates these stress signals.
Inflammatory reactions in the skin can reduce damage from UV radiation or infections, but can also result in painful symptoms such as sunburn. A recent study has now identified a molecular control which integrates these stress signals.
Inflammatory reactions in the skin can reduce damage from UV radiation or infections, but can also result in painful symptoms such as sunburn. A recent study has now identified a molecular control which integrates these stress signals.
Researchers have published a comprehensive study on the significance of species differences for the most central cell maintenance mechanisms. The researchers used the brown hare (Lepus europaeus) and the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) as model organisms in their study.
Researchers have published a comprehensive study on the significance of species differences for the most central cell maintenance mechanisms. The researchers used the brown hare (Lepus europaeus) and the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) as model organisms in their study.
Researchers have published a comprehensive study on the significance of species differences for the most central cell maintenance mechanisms. The researchers used the brown hare (Lepus europaeus) and the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) as model organisms in their study.
To avoid salt in soil, plants can change their root direction and grow away from saline areas. Researchers helped find out what makes this possible. The discovery changes our understanding of how plants change their shape and direction of growth and may help alleviate the accelerating global problem of high soil salinity on farmland.
To avoid salt in soil, plants can change their root direction and grow away from saline areas. Researchers helped find out what makes this possible. The discovery changes our understanding of how plants change their shape and direction of growth and may help alleviate the accelerating global problem of high soil salinity on farmland.
To avoid salt in soil, plants can change their root direction and grow away from saline areas. Researchers helped find out what makes this possible. The discovery changes our understanding of how plants change their shape and direction of growth and may help alleviate the accelerating global problem of high soil salinity on farmland.
As climate change intensifies summer heat, demand is growing for technologies to cool buildings. Now, researchers report that they have used advanced computing technology and artificial intelligence to design a transparent window coating that could lower the temperature inside buildings, without expending a single watt of energy.
As climate change intensifies summer heat, demand is growing for technologies to cool buildings. Now, researchers report that they have used advanced computing technology and artificial intelligence to design a transparent window coating that could lower the temperature inside buildings, without expending a single watt of energy.
As climate change intensifies summer heat, demand is growing for technologies to cool buildings. Now, researchers report that they have used advanced computing technology and artificial intelligence to design a transparent window coating that could lower the temperature inside buildings, without expending a single watt of energy.
An exceptionally well-preserved collection of fossils discovered in eastern Yunnan Province, China, has enabled scientists to solve a centuries-old riddle in the evolution of life on earth, revealing what the first animals to make skeletons looked like.
An exceptionally well-preserved collection of fossils discovered in eastern Yunnan Province, China, has enabled scientists to solve a centuries-old riddle in the evolution of life on earth, revealing what the first animals to make skeletons looked like.
An exceptionally well-preserved collection of fossils discovered in eastern Yunnan Province, China, has enabled scientists to solve a centuries-old riddle in the evolution of life on earth, revealing what the first animals to make skeletons looked like.
A research team develops aqueous rechargeable batteries based on zinc anodes. Polymeric artificial interphase to improve battery stability.
A research team develops aqueous rechargeable batteries based on zinc anodes. Polymeric artificial interphase to improve battery stability.
A research team develops aqueous rechargeable batteries based on zinc anodes. Polymeric artificial interphase to improve battery stability.
A novel metric that estimates our 'burden,' or cumulative exposure, to a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals that we encounter in everyday life with potentially adverse health impacts, has been created.
A novel metric that estimates our 'burden,' or cumulative exposure, to a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals that we encounter in everyday life with potentially adverse health impacts, has been created.
A novel metric that estimates our 'burden,' or cumulative exposure, to a family of thousands of synthetic chemicals that we encounter in everyday life with potentially adverse health impacts, has been created.
Chemists specializing in nanotechnology draw inspiration from nature to create molecular transporters that optimize the release of therapeutic drugs.
Chemists specializing in nanotechnology draw inspiration from nature to create molecular transporters that optimize the release of therapeutic drugs.
Chemists specializing in nanotechnology draw inspiration from nature to create molecular transporters that optimize the release of therapeutic drugs.
Researchers explore a noninvasive, drug-free treatment that offers hope for healing from the severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Researchers explore a noninvasive, drug-free treatment that offers hope for healing from the severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Researchers explore a noninvasive, drug-free treatment that offers hope for healing from the severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
A new study has revealed men and women experience change while travelling in similar ways. Consumers are increasingly seeking activities that help them achieve new levels of enrichment and since the lift of COVID-19 travel restrictions, they are more conscious of the value they want to gain from their holidays.
A new study has revealed men and women experience change while travelling in similar ways. Consumers are increasingly seeking activities that help them achieve new levels of enrichment and since the lift of COVID-19 travel restrictions, they are more conscious of the value they want to gain from their holidays.
A new study has revealed men and women experience change while travelling in similar ways. Consumers are increasingly seeking activities that help them achieve new levels of enrichment and since the lift of COVID-19 travel restrictions, they are more conscious of the value they want to gain from their holidays.
For a species of flycatcher in the remote Solomon Islands, scientists have so far found at least two genetic pathways leading to the same physical outcome: all-black feathers. This change was no random accident. It was a result of nature specifically selecting for this trait.
For a species of flycatcher in the remote Solomon Islands, scientists have so far found at least two genetic pathways leading to the same physical outcome: all-black feathers. This change was no random accident. It was a result of nature specifically selecting for this trait.
For a species of flycatcher in the remote Solomon Islands, scientists have so far found at least two genetic pathways leading to the same physical outcome: all-black feathers. This change was no random accident. It was a result of nature specifically selecting for this trait.
A multi-institution study has identified that iron drives the formation of fatty tissue in the heart and leads to chronic heart failure in about fifty percent of heart attack survivors.
A multi-institution study has identified that iron drives the formation of fatty tissue in the heart and leads to chronic heart failure in about fifty percent of heart attack survivors.
A multi-institution study has identified that iron drives the formation of fatty tissue in the heart and leads to chronic heart failure in about fifty percent of heart attack survivors.
Using an approach based on the CRISPR gene-editing system, researchers developed a way to precisely control the amount of a particular protein that is produced in mammalian cells.
Using an approach based on the CRISPR gene-editing system, researchers developed a way to precisely control the amount of a particular protein that is produced in mammalian cells.
Using an approach based on the CRISPR gene-editing system, researchers developed a way to precisely control the amount of a particular protein that is produced in mammalian cells.
A new study helps bring the incredible color and pattern variation in butterflies into focus. The results align with a growing body of evidence that suggests butterfly-wing diversity really boils down to just a few simple ingredients in an ancient recipe that's stood the test of time.
A new study helps bring the incredible color and pattern variation in butterflies into focus. The results align with a growing body of evidence that suggests butterfly-wing diversity really boils down to just a few simple ingredients in an ancient recipe that's stood the test of time.
A new study helps bring the incredible color and pattern variation in butterflies into focus. The results align with a growing body of evidence that suggests butterfly-wing diversity really boils down to just a few simple ingredients in an ancient recipe that's stood the test of time.
Reproduction permanently alters females' bones in ways not previously known, a team of anthropologists has found. Its discovery, based on an analysis of primates, sheds new light on how giving birth can permanently change the body.
Reproduction permanently alters females' bones in ways not previously known, a team of anthropologists has found. Its discovery, based on an analysis of primates, sheds new light on how giving birth can permanently change the body.
Reproduction permanently alters females' bones in ways not previously known, a team of anthropologists has found. Its discovery, based on an analysis of primates, sheds new light on how giving birth can permanently change the body.
Scientists report a method for stable attachment of peptides to tRNAs, which has allowed them to gain new fundamental insights into ribosome function by determining the atomic-level structures of ribosomes and the shapes that peptides take inside the ribosome.
Scientists report a method for stable attachment of peptides to tRNAs, which has allowed them to gain new fundamental insights into ribosome function by determining the atomic-level structures of ribosomes and the shapes that peptides take inside the ribosome.
Scientists report a method for stable attachment of peptides to tRNAs, which has allowed them to gain new fundamental insights into ribosome function by determining the atomic-level structures of ribosomes and the shapes that peptides take inside the ribosome.
Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, a lab has captured functional brain activity as humans collaborated with robots on a manufacturing task.
Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, a lab has captured functional brain activity as humans collaborated with robots on a manufacturing task.
Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, a lab has captured functional brain activity as humans collaborated with robots on a manufacturing task.
Researchers have developed a machine-learning technique that captures and models the underlying acoustics of a scene from a limited number of sound recordings. The system can accurately simulate what any sound, like a song, would sound like if a person were to walk around to different locations in a scene.
Researchers have developed a machine-learning technique that captures and models the underlying acoustics of a scene from a limited number of sound recordings. The system can accurately simulate what any sound, like a song, would sound like if a person were to walk around to different locations in a scene.
Researchers have developed a machine-learning technique that captures and models the underlying acoustics of a scene from a limited number of sound recordings. The system can accurately simulate what any sound, like a song, would sound like if a person were to walk around to different locations in a scene.
The protein kinase CK2 is involved in a wide range of biological processes and cellular functions, including inflammatory responses and pathologies associated with inflammation. CD8+ T cells, also known as killer T cells, are critical to maintain health by controlling infections by intracellular pathogens, including viruses and intracellular bacteria. Researchers now report that protein kinase CK2 controls CD8+ T cell effector and memory functions during infection. These experiments were done in mouse CD8+ T cells and a mouse model of infection by the intracellular pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
The protein kinase CK2 is involved in a wide range of biological processes and cellular functions, including inflammatory responses and pathologies associated with inflammation. CD8+ T cells, also known as killer T cells, are critical to maintain health by controlling infections by intracellular pathogens, including viruses and intracellular bacteria. Researchers now report that protein kinase CK2 controls CD8+ T cell effector and memory functions during infection. These experiments were done in mouse CD8+ T cells and a mouse model of infection by the intracellular pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
The protein kinase CK2 is involved in a wide range of biological processes and cellular functions, including inflammatory responses and pathologies associated with inflammation. CD8+ T cells, also known as killer T cells, are critical to maintain health by controlling infections by intracellular pathogens, including viruses and intracellular bacteria. Researchers now report that protein kinase CK2 controls CD8+ T cell effector and memory functions during infection. These experiments were done in mouse CD8+ T cells and a mouse model of infection by the intracellular pathogenic bacteria Listeria monocytogenes.
Bacteria in the small intestine adapt dynamically to our nutritional state, with individual species disappearing and reappearing. Researchers have now been able to comprehensively study the bacteria of the small intestine and their unique adaptability for the first time. The findings contribute to a better understanding of intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease or Celiac disease and to the development of new therapeutic approaches.
Bacteria in the small intestine adapt dynamically to our nutritional state, with individual species disappearing and reappearing. Researchers have now been able to comprehensively study the bacteria of the small intestine and their unique adaptability for the first time. The findings contribute to a better understanding of intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease or Celiac disease and to the development of new therapeutic approaches.
Bacteria in the small intestine adapt dynamically to our nutritional state, with individual species disappearing and reappearing. Researchers have now been able to comprehensively study the bacteria of the small intestine and their unique adaptability for the first time. The findings contribute to a better understanding of intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease or Celiac disease and to the development of new therapeutic approaches.
A devastating fire followed by an intense rainstorm triggered mudslides in Southern California in 2018 that claimed 23 lives. New findings elucidate the physics behind the deadly disaster that may inform predictive models of future mudslides.
A devastating fire followed by an intense rainstorm triggered mudslides in Southern California in 2018 that claimed 23 lives. New findings elucidate the physics behind the deadly disaster that may inform predictive models of future mudslides.
A devastating fire followed by an intense rainstorm triggered mudslides in Southern California in 2018 that claimed 23 lives. New findings elucidate the physics behind the deadly disaster that may inform predictive models of future mudslides.
Wildfires may seem unpredictable, leaving random ruin in their wake. Engineers have now developed a model that can predict how wildfire will impact a community down to which buildings will burn. They say predicting damage to the built environment is essential to developing fire mitigation strategies and steps for recovery.
Wildfires may seem unpredictable, leaving random ruin in their wake. Engineers have now developed a model that can predict how wildfire will impact a community down to which buildings will burn. They say predicting damage to the built environment is essential to developing fire mitigation strategies and steps for recovery.
Wildfires may seem unpredictable, leaving random ruin in their wake. Engineers have now developed a model that can predict how wildfire will impact a community down to which buildings will burn. They say predicting damage to the built environment is essential to developing fire mitigation strategies and steps for recovery.
Researchers have produced high-quality biodiesel after 'feeding' and growing microalgae on leftover coffee grounds.
Researchers have produced high-quality biodiesel after 'feeding' and growing microalgae on leftover coffee grounds.
Researchers have produced high-quality biodiesel after 'feeding' and growing microalgae on leftover coffee grounds.
UV light makes it possible to see intricate structures of fossils that are barely visible in normal daylight. This method has often been used on the fossilized seashells from the Earth's current geological era to reveal patterns of color that had long since faded away. Now, scientists show that fluorescent color patterns can even be found in shells that are around 240 million years old, from the Earth's Mesozoic Era.
UV light makes it possible to see intricate structures of fossils that are barely visible in normal daylight. This method has often been used on the fossilized seashells from the Earth's current geological era to reveal patterns of color that had long since faded away. Now, scientists show that fluorescent color patterns can even be found in shells that are around 240 million years old, from the Earth's Mesozoic Era.
UV light makes it possible to see intricate structures of fossils that are barely visible in normal daylight. This method has often been used on the fossilized seashells from the Earth's current geological era to reveal patterns of color that had long since faded away. Now, scientists show that fluorescent color patterns can even be found in shells that are around 240 million years old, from the Earth's Mesozoic Era.
Peering inside common atmospheric particles is providing important clues to their climate and health effects, according to a new study by chemists. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and play an important role in air quality and climate. They can add to air pollution and damage the lungs, as well as help deflect solar radiation or aid cloud formation. Different types of SOA can mix together in a single particle and their environmental impacts are governed by the new particles' physical and chemical properties, particularly the number of phases --or states-- it can exist in. In a new research letter published in the European Geosciences Union's open access journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, an international team of researchers found that particles with two phases can form when different types of SOA mix. The finding could help improve current models that predict SOA climate and health effects.
Peering inside common atmospheric particles is providing important clues to their climate and health effects, according to a new study by chemists. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and play an important role in air quality and climate. They can add to air pollution and damage the lungs, as well as help deflect solar radiation or aid cloud formation. Different types of SOA can mix together in a single particle and their environmental impacts are governed by the new particles' physical and chemical properties, particularly the number of phases --or states-- it can exist in. In a new research letter published in the European Geosciences Union's open access journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, an international team of researchers found that particles with two phases can form when different types of SOA mix. The finding could help improve current models that predict SOA climate and health effects.
Peering inside common atmospheric particles is providing important clues to their climate and health effects, according to a new study by chemists. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles are ubiquitous in the atmosphere and play an important role in air quality and climate. They can add to air pollution and damage the lungs, as well as help deflect solar radiation or aid cloud formation. Different types of SOA can mix together in a single particle and their environmental impacts are governed by the new particles' physical and chemical properties, particularly the number of phases --or states-- it can exist in. In a new research letter published in the European Geosciences Union's open access journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, an international team of researchers found that particles with two phases can form when different types of SOA mix. The finding could help improve current models that predict SOA climate and health effects.
Adults who were making lifestyle changes to lose weight tended to overestimate how healthy their diet was, according to a new study. In addition, self-perceptions of how much their diet improved over the course of the 12- month study were often inaccurate -- most thought they improved the quality of their diet, yet there actually was not much change based on researchers' assessment. Future research focused on perceptions vs. reality about nutrition may lead to healthier eating patterns.
Adults who were making lifestyle changes to lose weight tended to overestimate how healthy their diet was, according to a new study. In addition, self-perceptions of how much their diet improved over the course of the 12- month study were often inaccurate -- most thought they improved the quality of their diet, yet there actually was not much change based on researchers' assessment. Future research focused on perceptions vs. reality about nutrition may lead to healthier eating patterns.
Adults who were making lifestyle changes to lose weight tended to overestimate how healthy their diet was, according to a new study. In addition, self-perceptions of how much their diet improved over the course of the 12- month study were often inaccurate -- most thought they improved the quality of their diet, yet there actually was not much change based on researchers' assessment. Future research focused on perceptions vs. reality about nutrition may lead to healthier eating patterns.
Common gut bacteria can enhance the effects of cocaine in mice, researchers report. Their study demonstrates how cocaine use supports the growth of the bacteria, which in turn eat up a chemical, glycine, that contributes to normal brain function. As levels of glycine become depleted, mice exhibit a higher response to the drug with behavior abnormalities, such as significantly increasing drug-induced locomotion and seeking behaviors.
Common gut bacteria can enhance the effects of cocaine in mice, researchers report. Their study demonstrates how cocaine use supports the growth of the bacteria, which in turn eat up a chemical, glycine, that contributes to normal brain function. As levels of glycine become depleted, mice exhibit a higher response to the drug with behavior abnormalities, such as significantly increasing drug-induced locomotion and seeking behaviors.
Common gut bacteria can enhance the effects of cocaine in mice, researchers report. Their study demonstrates how cocaine use supports the growth of the bacteria, which in turn eat up a chemical, glycine, that contributes to normal brain function. As levels of glycine become depleted, mice exhibit a higher response to the drug with behavior abnormalities, such as significantly increasing drug-induced locomotion and seeking behaviors.
The urge to vomit after eating contaminated food is the body's natural defensive response to get rid of bacterial toxins. However, the process of how our brain initiates this biological reaction upon detecting the germs remains elusive. For the first time, researchers mapped out the detailed neural pathway of the defensive responses from the gut to the brain in mice.
The urge to vomit after eating contaminated food is the body's natural defensive response to get rid of bacterial toxins. However, the process of how our brain initiates this biological reaction upon detecting the germs remains elusive. For the first time, researchers mapped out the detailed neural pathway of the defensive responses from the gut to the brain in mice.
The urge to vomit after eating contaminated food is the body's natural defensive response to get rid of bacterial toxins. However, the process of how our brain initiates this biological reaction upon detecting the germs remains elusive. For the first time, researchers mapped out the detailed neural pathway of the defensive responses from the gut to the brain in mice.
When two musical notes are played simultaneously, the human ear can perceive weak additional tones called combination tones. While less perceivable, objective combination tones are also generated by some musical instruments. Researchers have now used violins to explore these rarely studied objective combination tones. They found that the combination tones produced by higher-quality violins were much stronger and clearly audible and powerful air resonance and violin sound quality are linked. The higher-quality violins produced a stronger air resonance due to several factors, including structural material and crafting techniques.
When two musical notes are played simultaneously, the human ear can perceive weak additional tones called combination tones. While less perceivable, objective combination tones are also generated by some musical instruments. Researchers have now used violins to explore these rarely studied objective combination tones. They found that the combination tones produced by higher-quality violins were much stronger and clearly audible and powerful air resonance and violin sound quality are linked. The higher-quality violins produced a stronger air resonance due to several factors, including structural material and crafting techniques.
When two musical notes are played simultaneously, the human ear can perceive weak additional tones called combination tones. While less perceivable, objective combination tones are also generated by some musical instruments. Researchers have now used violins to explore these rarely studied objective combination tones. They found that the combination tones produced by higher-quality violins were much stronger and clearly audible and powerful air resonance and violin sound quality are linked. The higher-quality violins produced a stronger air resonance due to several factors, including structural material and crafting techniques.
The destruction of red blood cells, or mechanical hemolysis, is an inevitable complication of interventional devices, so scientists want to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon. Researchers develop a red blood cell destruction model based on simulations of dissipative particle dynamics within a high shear flow. The team discovered that acceleration during shearing is a major factor in red blood cell destruction, beyond exposure time and shear stress. They recommend adding a flow buffer structure to the structural design of ventricular assist devices to reduce part of the hemolysis caused by shear acceleration.
The destruction of red blood cells, or mechanical hemolysis, is an inevitable complication of interventional devices, so scientists want to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon. Researchers develop a red blood cell destruction model based on simulations of dissipative particle dynamics within a high shear flow. The team discovered that acceleration during shearing is a major factor in red blood cell destruction, beyond exposure time and shear stress. They recommend adding a flow buffer structure to the structural design of ventricular assist devices to reduce part of the hemolysis caused by shear acceleration.
The destruction of red blood cells, or mechanical hemolysis, is an inevitable complication of interventional devices, so scientists want to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon. Researchers develop a red blood cell destruction model based on simulations of dissipative particle dynamics within a high shear flow. The team discovered that acceleration during shearing is a major factor in red blood cell destruction, beyond exposure time and shear stress. They recommend adding a flow buffer structure to the structural design of ventricular assist devices to reduce part of the hemolysis caused by shear acceleration.
Researchers have catalogued thousands of sites in the brain where RNA is modified throughout the human lifespan in a process known as adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) editing, offering important new avenues for understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of brain development and how they factor into both health and disease.
Researchers have catalogued thousands of sites in the brain where RNA is modified throughout the human lifespan in a process known as adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) editing, offering important new avenues for understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of brain development and how they factor into both health and disease.
Researchers have catalogued thousands of sites in the brain where RNA is modified throughout the human lifespan in a process known as adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) editing, offering important new avenues for understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms of brain development and how they factor into both health and disease.
On September 26, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft crashed into Dimorphos, a moonlet of the near-Earth asteroid Didymos, at 14,000 miles per hour. Prior to the impact, engineers and scientists performed an experiment to study the cratering process that produces the mass of ejected materials and measures the subsequent momentum enhancement of the impact.
On September 26, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft crashed into Dimorphos, a moonlet of the near-Earth asteroid Didymos, at 14,000 miles per hour. Prior to the impact, engineers and scientists performed an experiment to study the cratering process that produces the mass of ejected materials and measures the subsequent momentum enhancement of the impact.
On September 26, NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) spacecraft crashed into Dimorphos, a moonlet of the near-Earth asteroid Didymos, at 14,000 miles per hour. Prior to the impact, engineers and scientists performed an experiment to study the cratering process that produces the mass of ejected materials and measures the subsequent momentum enhancement of the impact.
Surgical care experts have today unveiled two studies that will help to provide safer surgery for thousands of patients around the world -- particularly in Low- and Middle-income Countries (LMIC).
Surgical care experts have today unveiled two studies that will help to provide safer surgery for thousands of patients around the world -- particularly in Low- and Middle-income Countries (LMIC).
Surgical care experts have today unveiled two studies that will help to provide safer surgery for thousands of patients around the world -- particularly in Low- and Middle-income Countries (LMIC).
One dose of an antibody drug safely protected healthy, non-pregnant adults from malaria infection during an intense six-month malaria season in Mali, Africa, a National Institutes of Health clinical trial has found. The antibody was up to 88.2% effective at preventing infection over a 24-week period, demonstrating for the first time that a monoclonal antibody can prevent malaria infection in an endemic region.
One dose of an antibody drug safely protected healthy, non-pregnant adults from malaria infection during an intense six-month malaria season in Mali, Africa, a National Institutes of Health clinical trial has found. The antibody was up to 88.2% effective at preventing infection over a 24-week period, demonstrating for the first time that a monoclonal antibody can prevent malaria infection in an endemic region.
One dose of an antibody drug safely protected healthy, non-pregnant adults from malaria infection during an intense six-month malaria season in Mali, Africa, a National Institutes of Health clinical trial has found. The antibody was up to 88.2% effective at preventing infection over a 24-week period, demonstrating for the first time that a monoclonal antibody can prevent malaria infection in an endemic region.
Researchers have found that COVID-19 activates the same inflammatory response in the brain as Parkinson's disease. The discovery identified a potential future risk for neurodegenerative conditions in people who've had COVID-19, but also a possible treatment.
Researchers have found that COVID-19 activates the same inflammatory response in the brain as Parkinson's disease. The discovery identified a potential future risk for neurodegenerative conditions in people who've had COVID-19, but also a possible treatment.
Researchers have found that COVID-19 activates the same inflammatory response in the brain as Parkinson's disease. The discovery identified a potential future risk for neurodegenerative conditions in people who've had COVID-19, but also a possible treatment.
In the tough war against glioblastoma, scientists are taking a cue from viruses on how to make the aggressive cancer more vulnerable to treatment. Their target is SAMHD1, a protein which can protect us from viral infections by destroying an essential building block of DNA that viruses and cancer need to replicate.
In the tough war against glioblastoma, scientists are taking a cue from viruses on how to make the aggressive cancer more vulnerable to treatment. Their target is SAMHD1, a protein which can protect us from viral infections by destroying an essential building block of DNA that viruses and cancer need to replicate.
In the tough war against glioblastoma, scientists are taking a cue from viruses on how to make the aggressive cancer more vulnerable to treatment. Their target is SAMHD1, a protein which can protect us from viral infections by destroying an essential building block of DNA that viruses and cancer need to replicate.
By scrutinizing over a century's worth of photos, University of Cambridge researchers have made the first ever measurements that show rhinoceros horns have gradually decreased in size over time.
By scrutinizing over a century's worth of photos, University of Cambridge researchers have made the first ever measurements that show rhinoceros horns have gradually decreased in size over time.
By scrutinizing over a century's worth of photos, University of Cambridge researchers have made the first ever measurements that show rhinoceros horns have gradually decreased in size over time.
Using holograms created in digital microscopes and interpreted using artificial intelligence (AI), for the first time researchers can now follow the lives of microplankton at the individual level.
Using holograms created in digital microscopes and interpreted using artificial intelligence (AI), for the first time researchers can now follow the lives of microplankton at the individual level.
Using holograms created in digital microscopes and interpreted using artificial intelligence (AI), for the first time researchers can now follow the lives of microplankton at the individual level.
Piecing together the crushed skull of a fossil bird that lived alongside the dinosaurs helped researchers extrapolate what its brain would have looked like: big olfactory bulbs would have meant that this bird, the earliest known animal to eat fruit, had a better sense of smell than most modern birds. And the bones around its eye sockets revealed that it would have been better at seeing by day than at night.
Piecing together the crushed skull of a fossil bird that lived alongside the dinosaurs helped researchers extrapolate what its brain would have looked like: big olfactory bulbs would have meant that this bird, the earliest known animal to eat fruit, had a better sense of smell than most modern birds. And the bones around its eye sockets revealed that it would have been better at seeing by day than at night.
Piecing together the crushed skull of a fossil bird that lived alongside the dinosaurs helped researchers extrapolate what its brain would have looked like: big olfactory bulbs would have meant that this bird, the earliest known animal to eat fruit, had a better sense of smell than most modern birds. And the bones around its eye sockets revealed that it would have been better at seeing by day than at night.
A new study looks deep inside the brain, where previous learning was reactivated during sleep, resulting in improved memory. Neuroscientists teamed up with clinicians to study the brain electrical activity in five of the center's patients in response to sounds administered by the research team as part of a learning exercise. While prior studies have used EEG recordings captured by electrodes on the head to measure memory processing during sleep, in this study electrical activity was recorded from inside the brain.
A new study looks deep inside the brain, where previous learning was reactivated during sleep, resulting in improved memory. Neuroscientists teamed up with clinicians to study the brain electrical activity in five of the center's patients in response to sounds administered by the research team as part of a learning exercise. While prior studies have used EEG recordings captured by electrodes on the head to measure memory processing during sleep, in this study electrical activity was recorded from inside the brain.
A new study looks deep inside the brain, where previous learning was reactivated during sleep, resulting in improved memory. Neuroscientists teamed up with clinicians to study the brain electrical activity in five of the center's patients in response to sounds administered by the research team as part of a learning exercise. While prior studies have used EEG recordings captured by electrodes on the head to measure memory processing during sleep, in this study electrical activity was recorded from inside the brain.
Researchers wanted to know if the Clean Air Act is capable of reducing air pollution disparities or if a new approach would be needed. The team compared two approaches that mirror main aspects of the Clean Air Act and a third approach that is not commonly used to see if it would be better at addressing disparities across the contiguous U.S.
Researchers wanted to know if the Clean Air Act is capable of reducing air pollution disparities or if a new approach would be needed. The team compared two approaches that mirror main aspects of the Clean Air Act and a third approach that is not commonly used to see if it would be better at addressing disparities across the contiguous U.S.
Researchers wanted to know if the Clean Air Act is capable of reducing air pollution disparities or if a new approach would be needed. The team compared two approaches that mirror main aspects of the Clean Air Act and a third approach that is not commonly used to see if it would be better at addressing disparities across the contiguous U.S.
Why do some 4- and 5-year-olds still nap like clockwork every afternoon, while other preschoolers start giving up habitual napping at age 3? It's a question many parents no doubt ponder and one that a sleep scientist has been considering for years. Now, sleep scientists describe a new theory about why and when young children transition out of naps. It's not about age as much as the brain.
Why do some 4- and 5-year-olds still nap like clockwork every afternoon, while other preschoolers start giving up habitual napping at age 3? It's a question many parents no doubt ponder and one that a sleep scientist has been considering for years. Now, sleep scientists describe a new theory about why and when young children transition out of naps. It's not about age as much as the brain.
Why do some 4- and 5-year-olds still nap like clockwork every afternoon, while other preschoolers start giving up habitual napping at age 3? It's a question many parents no doubt ponder and one that a sleep scientist has been considering for years. Now, sleep scientists describe a new theory about why and when young children transition out of naps. It's not about age as much as the brain.
Research has found sharing real-time air quality readings in developing countries can reduce air pollution and lead to lower mortality rates.
Research has found sharing real-time air quality readings in developing countries can reduce air pollution and lead to lower mortality rates.
Research has found sharing real-time air quality readings in developing countries can reduce air pollution and lead to lower mortality rates.
Using a neural network model, neuroscientists have found that, as the brain moves between REM and slow-wave sleep cycles, the hippocampus teaches the neocortex what it learned. This process seems to convert novel, fleeting data into enduring memories.
Using a neural network model, neuroscientists have found that, as the brain moves between REM and slow-wave sleep cycles, the hippocampus teaches the neocortex what it learned. This process seems to convert novel, fleeting data into enduring memories.
Using a neural network model, neuroscientists have found that, as the brain moves between REM and slow-wave sleep cycles, the hippocampus teaches the neocortex what it learned. This process seems to convert novel, fleeting data into enduring memories.
New research analyzing pieces of the most ancient rocks on the planet adds some of the sharpest evidence yet that Earth's crust was pushing and pulling in a manner similar to modern plate tectonics at least 3.25 billion years ago. The study also provides the earliest proof of when the planet's magnetic north and south poles swapped places.
New research analyzing pieces of the most ancient rocks on the planet adds some of the sharpest evidence yet that Earth's crust was pushing and pulling in a manner similar to modern plate tectonics at least 3.25 billion years ago. The study also provides the earliest proof of when the planet's magnetic north and south poles swapped places.
New research analyzing pieces of the most ancient rocks on the planet adds some of the sharpest evidence yet that Earth's crust was pushing and pulling in a manner similar to modern plate tectonics at least 3.25 billion years ago. The study also provides the earliest proof of when the planet's magnetic north and south poles swapped places.
New findings suggest an explanation for the century-old mystery of how chromosome recombination is regulated during sexual reproduction.
New findings suggest an explanation for the century-old mystery of how chromosome recombination is regulated during sexual reproduction.
New findings suggest an explanation for the century-old mystery of how chromosome recombination is regulated during sexual reproduction.
Whether it's a car door not properly closed, a shanked kick in football, or a misplaced note in music, our ears tell us when something doesn't sound right. A team of neuroscientists has recently uncovered how the brain works to make distinctions between 'right' and 'wrong' sounds -- research that provides a deeper understanding of how we learn complex audio-motor tasks like speaking or playing music.
Whether it's a car door not properly closed, a shanked kick in football, or a misplaced note in music, our ears tell us when something doesn't sound right. A team of neuroscientists has recently uncovered how the brain works to make distinctions between 'right' and 'wrong' sounds -- research that provides a deeper understanding of how we learn complex audio-motor tasks like speaking or playing music.
Whether it's a car door not properly closed, a shanked kick in football, or a misplaced note in music, our ears tell us when something doesn't sound right. A team of neuroscientists has recently uncovered how the brain works to make distinctions between 'right' and 'wrong' sounds -- research that provides a deeper understanding of how we learn complex audio-motor tasks like speaking or playing music.
As heart cells mature in mice, the number of communication pathways called nuclear pores dramatically decreases, according to new research. While this might protect the organ from damaging signals, it could also prevent adult heart cells from regenerating, the researchers found.
As heart cells mature in mice, the number of communication pathways called nuclear pores dramatically decreases, according to new research. While this might protect the organ from damaging signals, it could also prevent adult heart cells from regenerating, the researchers found.
As heart cells mature in mice, the number of communication pathways called nuclear pores dramatically decreases, according to new research. While this might protect the organ from damaging signals, it could also prevent adult heart cells from regenerating, the researchers found.
By measuring the electrical fields near swarming honeybees, researchers have discovered that insects can produce as much atmospheric electric charge as a thunderstorm cloud. This type of electricity helps shape weather events, aids insects in finding food, and lifts spiders up in the air to migrate over large distances. The research demonstrates that living things can have an impact on atmospheric electricity.
By measuring the electrical fields near swarming honeybees, researchers have discovered that insects can produce as much atmospheric electric charge as a thunderstorm cloud. This type of electricity helps shape weather events, aids insects in finding food, and lifts spiders up in the air to migrate over large distances. The research demonstrates that living things can have an impact on atmospheric electricity.
By measuring the electrical fields near swarming honeybees, researchers have discovered that insects can produce as much atmospheric electric charge as a thunderstorm cloud. This type of electricity helps shape weather events, aids insects in finding food, and lifts spiders up in the air to migrate over large distances. The research demonstrates that living things can have an impact on atmospheric electricity.
In the first nationally representative study of cognitive impairment prevalence in more than 20 years, researchers found almost 10% of older adults have dementia and 22% have mild cognitive impairment.
In the first nationally representative study of cognitive impairment prevalence in more than 20 years, researchers found almost 10% of older adults have dementia and 22% have mild cognitive impairment.
In the first nationally representative study of cognitive impairment prevalence in more than 20 years, researchers found almost 10% of older adults have dementia and 22% have mild cognitive impairment.
The first genetic data from Palaeolithic human individuals in the UK -- the oldest human DNA obtained from the British Isles so far -- indicates the presence of two distinct groups that migrated to Britain at the end of the last ice age, according to new research. Published today in Nature Ecology and Evolution, the new study by UCL Institute of Archaeology, the Natural History Museum and the Francis Crick Institute researchers reveals for the first time that the recolonisation of Britain consisted of at least two groups with distinct origins and cultures.
The first genetic data from Palaeolithic human individuals in the UK -- the oldest human DNA obtained from the British Isles so far -- indicates the presence of two distinct groups that migrated to Britain at the end of the last ice age, according to new research. Published today in Nature Ecology and Evolution, the new study by UCL Institute of Archaeology, the Natural History Museum and the Francis Crick Institute researchers reveals for the first time that the recolonisation of Britain consisted of at least two groups with distinct origins and cultures.
The first genetic data from Palaeolithic human individuals in the UK -- the oldest human DNA obtained from the British Isles so far -- indicates the presence of two distinct groups that migrated to Britain at the end of the last ice age, according to new research. Published today in Nature Ecology and Evolution, the new study by UCL Institute of Archaeology, the Natural History Museum and the Francis Crick Institute researchers reveals for the first time that the recolonisation of Britain consisted of at least two groups with distinct origins and cultures.
By the end of 2021, scientists had presented perovskite silicon tandem solar cells with an efficiency close to 30 percent. This value was a world record for eight months, a long time for this hotly contested field of research. Scientists now describe how they achieved this record value with nanooptical structuring and reflective coatings.
By the end of 2021, scientists had presented perovskite silicon tandem solar cells with an efficiency close to 30 percent. This value was a world record for eight months, a long time for this hotly contested field of research. Scientists now describe how they achieved this record value with nanooptical structuring and reflective coatings.
By the end of 2021, scientists had presented perovskite silicon tandem solar cells with an efficiency close to 30 percent. This value was a world record for eight months, a long time for this hotly contested field of research. Scientists now describe how they achieved this record value with nanooptical structuring and reflective coatings.
An improvement to a Nobel Prize-winning technology called a frequency comb enables it to measure light pulse arrival times with greater sensitivity than was previously possible -- potentially improving measurements of distance along with applications such as precision timing and atmospheric sensing.
An improvement to a Nobel Prize-winning technology called a frequency comb enables it to measure light pulse arrival times with greater sensitivity than was previously possible -- potentially improving measurements of distance along with applications such as precision timing and atmospheric sensing.
An improvement to a Nobel Prize-winning technology called a frequency comb enables it to measure light pulse arrival times with greater sensitivity than was previously possible -- potentially improving measurements of distance along with applications such as precision timing and atmospheric sensing.
Prescribed fire -- a tool increasingly used by forest managers and landowners to combat invasive species, improve wildlife habitat and restore ecosystem health -- also could play a role in reducing the abundance of ticks and the transmission of disease pathogens they carry, according to a team of scientists.
Prescribed fire -- a tool increasingly used by forest managers and landowners to combat invasive species, improve wildlife habitat and restore ecosystem health -- also could play a role in reducing the abundance of ticks and the transmission of disease pathogens they carry, according to a team of scientists.
Prescribed fire -- a tool increasingly used by forest managers and landowners to combat invasive species, improve wildlife habitat and restore ecosystem health -- also could play a role in reducing the abundance of ticks and the transmission of disease pathogens they carry, according to a team of scientists.
In an age of industrialized farming and complex supply chains, the true environmental pressures of our global food system are often obscure and difficult to assess.
In an age of industrialized farming and complex supply chains, the true environmental pressures of our global food system are often obscure and difficult to assess.
In an age of industrialized farming and complex supply chains, the true environmental pressures of our global food system are often obscure and difficult to assess.
Including the lightness of water vapor in climate models can improve cloud simulations and the accuracy of climate change forecasts, scientists found.
Including the lightness of water vapor in climate models can improve cloud simulations and the accuracy of climate change forecasts, scientists found.
Including the lightness of water vapor in climate models can improve cloud simulations and the accuracy of climate change forecasts, scientists found.
Researchers found thousands of seedlings growing after recent fires in Montana, especially at sites with cooler, damper conditions -- often found in the shade of the dead trees and upper canopy, as well as on the north side of mountains with higher elevations and more undergrowth. Researchers found fewer seedlings at sites with less shade and drier, hotter conditions.
Researchers found thousands of seedlings growing after recent fires in Montana, especially at sites with cooler, damper conditions -- often found in the shade of the dead trees and upper canopy, as well as on the north side of mountains with higher elevations and more undergrowth. Researchers found fewer seedlings at sites with less shade and drier, hotter conditions.
Researchers found thousands of seedlings growing after recent fires in Montana, especially at sites with cooler, damper conditions -- often found in the shade of the dead trees and upper canopy, as well as on the north side of mountains with higher elevations and more undergrowth. Researchers found fewer seedlings at sites with less shade and drier, hotter conditions.
Exposure in utero to a specific flame retardant, or to its individual brominated (BFR) or organophosphate ester (OPFR) components, resulted in altered brain development in newborn rats.
Exposure in utero to a specific flame retardant, or to its individual brominated (BFR) or organophosphate ester (OPFR) components, resulted in altered brain development in newborn rats.
Exposure in utero to a specific flame retardant, or to its individual brominated (BFR) or organophosphate ester (OPFR) components, resulted in altered brain development in newborn rats.
The mystery of the origin of hydrocarbons found in extraterrestrial environment may finally be resolved, thanks to a technique based on a 13C-13C abundance analysis. By measuring the abundance of clumped 13C-13C isotope in the hydrocarbons, it can be inferred if a hydrocarbon was produced via biological processes. This could open doors to distinguishing such hydrocarbons from abiotic ones, aiding our search for extra-terrestrial life.
The mystery of the origin of hydrocarbons found in extraterrestrial environment may finally be resolved, thanks to a technique based on a 13C-13C abundance analysis. By measuring the abundance of clumped 13C-13C isotope in the hydrocarbons, it can be inferred if a hydrocarbon was produced via biological processes. This could open doors to distinguishing such hydrocarbons from abiotic ones, aiding our search for extra-terrestrial life.
The mystery of the origin of hydrocarbons found in extraterrestrial environment may finally be resolved, thanks to a technique based on a 13C-13C abundance analysis. By measuring the abundance of clumped 13C-13C isotope in the hydrocarbons, it can be inferred if a hydrocarbon was produced via biological processes. This could open doors to distinguishing such hydrocarbons from abiotic ones, aiding our search for extra-terrestrial life.
In a new study, researchers found more people shifted blame for shark bites away from the animals after watching positive YouTube videos about them.
In a new study, researchers found more people shifted blame for shark bites away from the animals after watching positive YouTube videos about them.
In a new study, researchers found more people shifted blame for shark bites away from the animals after watching positive YouTube videos about them.
An intranasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 could quickly get to the respiratory tract, where the virus most commonly causes symptoms. And a spray or droplets could be a more palatable option for people who fear needles. But so far, only a few countries have approved COVID nasal vaccines. Now researchers report that they've developed one that can fight off the original virus and two variants in hamsters.
An intranasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 could quickly get to the respiratory tract, where the virus most commonly causes symptoms. And a spray or droplets could be a more palatable option for people who fear needles. But so far, only a few countries have approved COVID nasal vaccines. Now researchers report that they've developed one that can fight off the original virus and two variants in hamsters.
An intranasal vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 could quickly get to the respiratory tract, where the virus most commonly causes symptoms. And a spray or droplets could be a more palatable option for people who fear needles. But so far, only a few countries have approved COVID nasal vaccines. Now researchers report that they've developed one that can fight off the original virus and two variants in hamsters.
A study of nearly 2,000 children found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games.
A study of nearly 2,000 children found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games.
A study of nearly 2,000 children found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games.
A lifestyle intervention of diet and exercise in pregnancy protects against cardiovascular risk in infants, a new study has found.
A lifestyle intervention of diet and exercise in pregnancy protects against cardiovascular risk in infants, a new study has found.
A lifestyle intervention of diet and exercise in pregnancy protects against cardiovascular risk in infants, a new study has found.
Research has shown that the Skaftö wreck had probably taken on cargo in Gdansk in Poland and was heading towards Belgium when it foundered in the Lysekil archipelago around 1440. Modern methods of analysis of the cargo are now providing completely new answers about the way trade was conducted in the Middle Ages.
Research has shown that the Skaftö wreck had probably taken on cargo in Gdansk in Poland and was heading towards Belgium when it foundered in the Lysekil archipelago around 1440. Modern methods of analysis of the cargo are now providing completely new answers about the way trade was conducted in the Middle Ages.
Research has shown that the Skaftö wreck had probably taken on cargo in Gdansk in Poland and was heading towards Belgium when it foundered in the Lysekil archipelago around 1440. Modern methods of analysis of the cargo are now providing completely new answers about the way trade was conducted in the Middle Ages.
A computer scientist has used artificial intelligence (AI) to show that we are not as individual as we may like to think.
A computer scientist has used artificial intelligence (AI) to show that we are not as individual as we may like to think.
A computer scientist has used artificial intelligence (AI) to show that we are not as individual as we may like to think.
Researchers are working to reveal potential threats to the efficacy of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, even when it appears to be working as planned.
Researchers are working to reveal potential threats to the efficacy of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, even when it appears to be working as planned.
Researchers are working to reveal potential threats to the efficacy of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, even when it appears to be working as planned.
Researchers have developed new tools and approaches to image, monitor, and probe heme in biological systems to study how organisms handle this essential but potentially cytotoxic metabolite.
Researchers have developed new tools and approaches to image, monitor, and probe heme in biological systems to study how organisms handle this essential but potentially cytotoxic metabolite.
Researchers have developed new tools and approaches to image, monitor, and probe heme in biological systems to study how organisms handle this essential but potentially cytotoxic metabolite.
Investigations in Japan have uncovered some molecular mechanisms behind mitochondrial dysfunction in chronic heart failure.
Investigations in Japan have uncovered some molecular mechanisms behind mitochondrial dysfunction in chronic heart failure.
Investigations in Japan have uncovered some molecular mechanisms behind mitochondrial dysfunction in chronic heart failure.
An international consortium of researchers has developed technology to enable the manufacturing of materials that mimic the structure of living blood vessels, with significant implications for the future of surgery.
An international consortium of researchers has developed technology to enable the manufacturing of materials that mimic the structure of living blood vessels, with significant implications for the future of surgery.
An international consortium of researchers has developed technology to enable the manufacturing of materials that mimic the structure of living blood vessels, with significant implications for the future of surgery.
Membrane proteins are key targets for many drugs. They are located between the outside and inside of our cells. Some of them, called 'transporters', move certain substances in and out of the cellular environment. Yet, extracting and storing them for observation is particularly complex. A team has now developed an innovative method to study their structure in their native environment: the cell. The technique is based on electron spin resonance spectroscopy. These results may facilitate future development of new drugs.
Membrane proteins are key targets for many drugs. They are located between the outside and inside of our cells. Some of them, called 'transporters', move certain substances in and out of the cellular environment. Yet, extracting and storing them for observation is particularly complex. A team has now developed an innovative method to study their structure in their native environment: the cell. The technique is based on electron spin resonance spectroscopy. These results may facilitate future development of new drugs.
Membrane proteins are key targets for many drugs. They are located between the outside and inside of our cells. Some of them, called 'transporters', move certain substances in and out of the cellular environment. Yet, extracting and storing them for observation is particularly complex. A team has now developed an innovative method to study their structure in their native environment: the cell. The technique is based on electron spin resonance spectroscopy. These results may facilitate future development of new drugs.
Medical researchers have identified a new type of microglia associated with stroke in the ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injured brain.
Medical researchers have identified a new type of microglia associated with stroke in the ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injured brain.
Medical researchers have identified a new type of microglia associated with stroke in the ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injured brain.
Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by an accumulation of beta-amyloid protein in brain tissue, is a leading cause of dementia. Researchers now show that an oxytocin derivative with modifications to enhance brain perfusion can reverse cognitive impairment in mice.
Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by an accumulation of beta-amyloid protein in brain tissue, is a leading cause of dementia. Researchers now show that an oxytocin derivative with modifications to enhance brain perfusion can reverse cognitive impairment in mice.
Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by an accumulation of beta-amyloid protein in brain tissue, is a leading cause of dementia. Researchers now show that an oxytocin derivative with modifications to enhance brain perfusion can reverse cognitive impairment in mice.
A lack of fresh air was found in a deep London Underground station, and air pollution is at its worst during the evening rush hour, according to new research.
A lack of fresh air was found in a deep London Underground station, and air pollution is at its worst during the evening rush hour, according to new research.
A lack of fresh air was found in a deep London Underground station, and air pollution is at its worst during the evening rush hour, according to new research.
Engineered particles of purified sand could be the next anti-obesity therapy as new research shows that porous silica can prevent fats and carbohydrates from being adsorbed in the body.
Engineered particles of purified sand could be the next anti-obesity therapy as new research shows that porous silica can prevent fats and carbohydrates from being adsorbed in the body.
Engineered particles of purified sand could be the next anti-obesity therapy as new research shows that porous silica can prevent fats and carbohydrates from being adsorbed in the body.
A big part of evolution is competition -- when there are limited resources to go around, plants and animals have to duke it out for nutrients, mates, and places to live. To figure out how China's mountain meadows can support dozens of closely-related flowers without the plants out-competing each other, scientists spent a summer carefully documenting the flowering patterns of 34 Rhododendron species, and they discovered the reason why the plants were able to coexist: they burst into bloom at different points in the season so they don't have to compete for pollinators.
A big part of evolution is competition -- when there are limited resources to go around, plants and animals have to duke it out for nutrients, mates, and places to live. To figure out how China's mountain meadows can support dozens of closely-related flowers without the plants out-competing each other, scientists spent a summer carefully documenting the flowering patterns of 34 Rhododendron species, and they discovered the reason why the plants were able to coexist: they burst into bloom at different points in the season so they don't have to compete for pollinators.
A big part of evolution is competition -- when there are limited resources to go around, plants and animals have to duke it out for nutrients, mates, and places to live. To figure out how China's mountain meadows can support dozens of closely-related flowers without the plants out-competing each other, scientists spent a summer carefully documenting the flowering patterns of 34 Rhododendron species, and they discovered the reason why the plants were able to coexist: they burst into bloom at different points in the season so they don't have to compete for pollinators.
Engineers have achieved a power conversion efficiency of 23.50% in a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell built with a special textured anti-reflective coating (ARC) polymeric film.
Engineers have achieved a power conversion efficiency of 23.50% in a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell built with a special textured anti-reflective coating (ARC) polymeric film.
Engineers have achieved a power conversion efficiency of 23.50% in a perovskite-silicon tandem solar cell built with a special textured anti-reflective coating (ARC) polymeric film.
A new study on early human migration shows that semi-arid and desert zones of Central Asia may have served as key areas for the dispersal of hominins into Eurasia during the Middle Pleistocene. Central Asia is positioned at a crossroads linking several zones important to hominin dispersal during this period, however much evidence from this region lacks context for dating and climate conditions, making it difficult to understand these dynamics.
A new study on early human migration shows that semi-arid and desert zones of Central Asia may have served as key areas for the dispersal of hominins into Eurasia during the Middle Pleistocene. Central Asia is positioned at a crossroads linking several zones important to hominin dispersal during this period, however much evidence from this region lacks context for dating and climate conditions, making it difficult to understand these dynamics.
A new study on early human migration shows that semi-arid and desert zones of Central Asia may have served as key areas for the dispersal of hominins into Eurasia during the Middle Pleistocene. Central Asia is positioned at a crossroads linking several zones important to hominin dispersal during this period, however much evidence from this region lacks context for dating and climate conditions, making it difficult to understand these dynamics.
Scientists have uncovered the mechanism behind why eating late at night is linked to weight gain and diabetes. The connection between eating time, sleep and obesity is well-known but poorly understood, with research showing that over-nutrition can disrupt circadian rhythms and change fat tissue.
Scientists have uncovered the mechanism behind why eating late at night is linked to weight gain and diabetes. The connection between eating time, sleep and obesity is well-known but poorly understood, with research showing that over-nutrition can disrupt circadian rhythms and change fat tissue.
Scientists have uncovered the mechanism behind why eating late at night is linked to weight gain and diabetes. The connection between eating time, sleep and obesity is well-known but poorly understood, with research showing that over-nutrition can disrupt circadian rhythms and change fat tissue.
Taking inspiration from nature, researchers designed a new type of soft, robotic gripper that uses a collection of thin tentacles to entangle and ensnare objects, similar to how jellyfish collect stunned prey. Alone, individual tentacles, or filaments, are weak. But together, the collection of filaments can grasp and securely hold heavy and oddly shaped objects. The gripper relies on simple inflation to wrap around objects and doesn't require sensing, planning, or feedback control.
Taking inspiration from nature, researchers designed a new type of soft, robotic gripper that uses a collection of thin tentacles to entangle and ensnare objects, similar to how jellyfish collect stunned prey. Alone, individual tentacles, or filaments, are weak. But together, the collection of filaments can grasp and securely hold heavy and oddly shaped objects. The gripper relies on simple inflation to wrap around objects and doesn't require sensing, planning, or feedback control.
Taking inspiration from nature, researchers designed a new type of soft, robotic gripper that uses a collection of thin tentacles to entangle and ensnare objects, similar to how jellyfish collect stunned prey. Alone, individual tentacles, or filaments, are weak. But together, the collection of filaments can grasp and securely hold heavy and oddly shaped objects. The gripper relies on simple inflation to wrap around objects and doesn't require sensing, planning, or feedback control.
Butterfly wing patterns have a basic plan to them, which is manipulated by non-coding regulatory DNA to create the diversity of wings seen in different species, according to new research.
Butterfly wing patterns have a basic plan to them, which is manipulated by non-coding regulatory DNA to create the diversity of wings seen in different species, according to new research.
Butterfly wing patterns have a basic plan to them, which is manipulated by non-coding regulatory DNA to create the diversity of wings seen in different species, according to new research.
If jet lag, nighttime snacking, lack of sleep, or irregular work schedules factor into your life, a recent study adds to the evidence of cancer risk.
If jet lag, nighttime snacking, lack of sleep, or irregular work schedules factor into your life, a recent study adds to the evidence of cancer risk.
If jet lag, nighttime snacking, lack of sleep, or irregular work schedules factor into your life, a recent study adds to the evidence of cancer risk.
Some of Asia's largest animals, including tigers and elephants, are defying 12,000 years of extinction trends by thriving alongside humans, a new study has revealed.
Some of Asia's largest animals, including tigers and elephants, are defying 12,000 years of extinction trends by thriving alongside humans, a new study has revealed.
Some of Asia's largest animals, including tigers and elephants, are defying 12,000 years of extinction trends by thriving alongside humans, a new study has revealed.
Longstanding theories of how plants rely on calcium waves to respond systemically to wounding and other stresses have been given fresh perspective.
Longstanding theories of how plants rely on calcium waves to respond systemically to wounding and other stresses have been given fresh perspective.
Longstanding theories of how plants rely on calcium waves to respond systemically to wounding and other stresses have been given fresh perspective.
An innovative program to support children with reading difficulties helped them make significant progress when used online, new analysis shows.
An innovative program to support children with reading difficulties helped them make significant progress when used online, new analysis shows.
An innovative program to support children with reading difficulties helped them make significant progress when used online, new analysis shows.
A new study may prompt medical experts to rethink when to start mammograms for women who have a mother, sister or daughter diagnosed with breast cancer.
A new study may prompt medical experts to rethink when to start mammograms for women who have a mother, sister or daughter diagnosed with breast cancer.
A new study may prompt medical experts to rethink when to start mammograms for women who have a mother, sister or daughter diagnosed with breast cancer.
A mouse study provides new ways to determine how maternal and paternal exercise improve metabolic health of offspring. This study used mice to evaluate how their lifestyles -- eating fatty foods vs. healthy and exercising vs. not -- affected the metabolites of their offspring.
A mouse study provides new ways to determine how maternal and paternal exercise improve metabolic health of offspring. This study used mice to evaluate how their lifestyles -- eating fatty foods vs. healthy and exercising vs. not -- affected the metabolites of their offspring.
A mouse study provides new ways to determine how maternal and paternal exercise improve metabolic health of offspring. This study used mice to evaluate how their lifestyles -- eating fatty foods vs. healthy and exercising vs. not -- affected the metabolites of their offspring.
A decade-long study into unique rocks near a Derbyshire village has been uncovering the secrets of what the county and the Peak District might have looked like under a much warmer and wetter past.
A decade-long study into unique rocks near a Derbyshire village has been uncovering the secrets of what the county and the Peak District might have looked like under a much warmer and wetter past.
A decade-long study into unique rocks near a Derbyshire village has been uncovering the secrets of what the county and the Peak District might have looked like under a much warmer and wetter past.
Starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) early in the course of HIV infection when the immune system is stronger results in better long-term health outcomes compared with delaying ART, according to new findings.
Starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) early in the course of HIV infection when the immune system is stronger results in better long-term health outcomes compared with delaying ART, according to new findings.
Starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) early in the course of HIV infection when the immune system is stronger results in better long-term health outcomes compared with delaying ART, according to new findings.
Researchers have found evidence of a previously undescribed ecosystem -- 'The Trapping Zone' -- that is creating an oasis of life 500 metres down in the depths of the Indian Ocean. The discovery has been hailed as highly significant by the Maldives Government.
Researchers have found evidence of a previously undescribed ecosystem -- 'The Trapping Zone' -- that is creating an oasis of life 500 metres down in the depths of the Indian Ocean. The discovery has been hailed as highly significant by the Maldives Government.
Researchers have found evidence of a previously undescribed ecosystem -- 'The Trapping Zone' -- that is creating an oasis of life 500 metres down in the depths of the Indian Ocean. The discovery has been hailed as highly significant by the Maldives Government.
Researchers identified possible solutions to some of the limitations of qubits for quantum computing. They looked at two different hybrid quantum systems: an electron-superconducting circuit and an electron-ion coupled system. Both systems were able to control the temperature and the movement of the electron.
Researchers identified possible solutions to some of the limitations of qubits for quantum computing. They looked at two different hybrid quantum systems: an electron-superconducting circuit and an electron-ion coupled system. Both systems were able to control the temperature and the movement of the electron.
Researchers identified possible solutions to some of the limitations of qubits for quantum computing. They looked at two different hybrid quantum systems: an electron-superconducting circuit and an electron-ion coupled system. Both systems were able to control the temperature and the movement of the electron.
A new study has found that a large number of chimpanzees living in Europe suffer from inadequate vitamin D levels, and the widespread problem could have a major impact on their health.
A new study has found that a large number of chimpanzees living in Europe suffer from inadequate vitamin D levels, and the widespread problem could have a major impact on their health.
A new study has found that a large number of chimpanzees living in Europe suffer from inadequate vitamin D levels, and the widespread problem could have a major impact on their health.
Scientists have successfully placed a bioinspired steerable catheter into the brain of an animal.
Scientists have successfully placed a bioinspired steerable catheter into the brain of an animal.
Scientists have successfully placed a bioinspired steerable catheter into the brain of an animal.
One natural disaster can knock out electric service to millions. A new study suggests that back-to-back disasters could cause catastrophic damage, but the research also identifies new ways to monitor and maintain power grids.
One natural disaster can knock out electric service to millions. A new study suggests that back-to-back disasters could cause catastrophic damage, but the research also identifies new ways to monitor and maintain power grids.
One natural disaster can knock out electric service to millions. A new study suggests that back-to-back disasters could cause catastrophic damage, but the research also identifies new ways to monitor and maintain power grids.
By embracing a broader definition of learning that includes any behavioral adaption developed in response to regular features of an environment, researchers could better collaborate across the fields of psychology, computer science, sociology, and genetics, according to a new Perspectives on Psychological Science article.
By embracing a broader definition of learning that includes any behavioral adaption developed in response to regular features of an environment, researchers could better collaborate across the fields of psychology, computer science, sociology, and genetics, according to a new Perspectives on Psychological Science article.
By embracing a broader definition of learning that includes any behavioral adaption developed in response to regular features of an environment, researchers could better collaborate across the fields of psychology, computer science, sociology, and genetics, according to a new Perspectives on Psychological Science article.
One promising strategy to remuscularize the injured heart is the direct cardiac reprogramming of heart fibroblast cells into cardiomyocytes. Researchers have identified TBX20 as the key missing transcription factor in existing cocktails for direct cardiac reprogramming of human fibroblasts. Adding TBX20 to the reprogramming cocktail MGT 133, they report, promoted cardiac reprogramming and activated genes associated with cardiac contractility, maturation and a ventricular location of the heart muscle cell.
One promising strategy to remuscularize the injured heart is the direct cardiac reprogramming of heart fibroblast cells into cardiomyocytes. Researchers have identified TBX20 as the key missing transcription factor in existing cocktails for direct cardiac reprogramming of human fibroblasts. Adding TBX20 to the reprogramming cocktail MGT 133, they report, promoted cardiac reprogramming and activated genes associated with cardiac contractility, maturation and a ventricular location of the heart muscle cell.
One promising strategy to remuscularize the injured heart is the direct cardiac reprogramming of heart fibroblast cells into cardiomyocytes. Researchers have identified TBX20 as the key missing transcription factor in existing cocktails for direct cardiac reprogramming of human fibroblasts. Adding TBX20 to the reprogramming cocktail MGT 133, they report, promoted cardiac reprogramming and activated genes associated with cardiac contractility, maturation and a ventricular location of the heart muscle cell.
Marine protected areas act as a safeguard for oceans, seas, and estuaries. These zones help to preserve the plants and animals that call these waters home, but the benefits of protected areas extend far beyond their boundaries. Researchers explain how marine protected areas help to sequester carbon and foster ecological and social adaption to climate change.
Marine protected areas act as a safeguard for oceans, seas, and estuaries. These zones help to preserve the plants and animals that call these waters home, but the benefits of protected areas extend far beyond their boundaries. Researchers explain how marine protected areas help to sequester carbon and foster ecological and social adaption to climate change.
Marine protected areas act as a safeguard for oceans, seas, and estuaries. These zones help to preserve the plants and animals that call these waters home, but the benefits of protected areas extend far beyond their boundaries. Researchers explain how marine protected areas help to sequester carbon and foster ecological and social adaption to climate change.
A three-dose course of the hepatitis B vaccine HEPLISAV-B fully protected adults living with HIV who had never been vaccinated against or infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), according to new study.
A three-dose course of the hepatitis B vaccine HEPLISAV-B fully protected adults living with HIV who had never been vaccinated against or infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), according to new study.
A three-dose course of the hepatitis B vaccine HEPLISAV-B fully protected adults living with HIV who had never been vaccinated against or infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), according to new study.
Researchers have shown that pain experienced by patients during medical treatments can be considerably alleviated by holding and experiencing the motions of a soft furry robot. Based on measures of pain, fear, and biomarker collection, the researchers believe that the robot can improve patient experience.
Researchers have shown that pain experienced by patients during medical treatments can be considerably alleviated by holding and experiencing the motions of a soft furry robot. Based on measures of pain, fear, and biomarker collection, the researchers believe that the robot can improve patient experience.
Researchers have shown that pain experienced by patients during medical treatments can be considerably alleviated by holding and experiencing the motions of a soft furry robot. Based on measures of pain, fear, and biomarker collection, the researchers believe that the robot can improve patient experience.
A new technique which combines the use of two ultrasound technologies may offer an option to move kidney stones out of the ureter with minimal pain and no anesthesia, according to a new feasibility study.
A new technique which combines the use of two ultrasound technologies may offer an option to move kidney stones out of the ureter with minimal pain and no anesthesia, according to a new feasibility study.
An important new clue for preventing and treating brain tumors known as gliomas has been identified. The study provides a rare window into the biological changes behind glioma development.
An important new clue for preventing and treating brain tumors known as gliomas has been identified. The study provides a rare window into the biological changes behind glioma development.
High temperatures, fuelled by climate change, dried out soils across Europe and the Northern Hemisphere this summer, finds a team of climate scientists.
High temperatures, fuelled by climate change, dried out soils across Europe and the Northern Hemisphere this summer, finds a team of climate scientists.
Our genetics, the environment and our age all play important roles in our health, but which of these is the most important? A new study suggests that in many cases, age plays a more important role than genetics in determining which genes in our bodies are turned on or off, influencing our susceptibility to disease.
Our genetics, the environment and our age all play important roles in our health, but which of these is the most important? A new study suggests that in many cases, age plays a more important role than genetics in determining which genes in our bodies are turned on or off, influencing our susceptibility to disease.
Autonomous optimal navigation of microswimmers is in fact possible, as researchers have recently shown. In contrast to the targeted navigation of boats, the motion of swimmers at the microscale is strongly disturbed by fluctuations. The researchers now described a navigation strategy for microswimmers that does not need an external interpreter. Their findings may contribute to the understanding of transport mechanisms in the microcosm as well as to applications such as targeted drug delivery.
Autonomous optimal navigation of microswimmers is in fact possible, as researchers have recently shown. In contrast to the targeted navigation of boats, the motion of swimmers at the microscale is strongly disturbed by fluctuations. The researchers now described a navigation strategy for microswimmers that does not need an external interpreter. Their findings may contribute to the understanding of transport mechanisms in the microcosm as well as to applications such as targeted drug delivery.
Communicating with babies in infant-directed-speech is considered an essential prerequisite for successful language development of the little ones. Researchers have now investigated how the mood of mothers in the postpartum period affects their child's development. They found that even children whose mothers suffer from mild depressive mood that do not yet require medical treatment show early signs of delayed language development. The reason for this could be the way the women talk to the newborns. The findings could help prevent potential deficits early on.
Communicating with babies in infant-directed-speech is considered an essential prerequisite for successful language development of the little ones. Researchers have now investigated how the mood of mothers in the postpartum period affects their child's development. They found that even children whose mothers suffer from mild depressive mood that do not yet require medical treatment show early signs of delayed language development. The reason for this could be the way the women talk to the newborns. The findings could help prevent potential deficits early on.
Despite being considered well established, the physics of optical waves have some fundamental aspects, which are still under debate. One of these effects, the anomalous behavior of focused light fields, has now been investigated in a new light, a quantum light. Researchers have shown that quantum light with a well-defined photon number behaves differently to standard focused laser beams. This finding both deepens understanding of the phenomena and enables super-sensitive distance measurements.
Despite being considered well established, the physics of optical waves have some fundamental aspects, which are still under debate. One of these effects, the anomalous behavior of focused light fields, has now been investigated in a new light, a quantum light. Researchers have shown that quantum light with a well-defined photon number behaves differently to standard focused laser beams. This finding both deepens understanding of the phenomena and enables super-sensitive distance measurements.
A research team shows in a new study how leaf beetles could successfully use new and previously indigestible food sources in the course of evolution. The insects acquired enzymes from microorganisms via horizontal gene transfer that enabled them to degrade pectins, solid components of the plant cell wall. Since the degradation products resulting from pectin digestion are not per se crucial for the growth and development of the beetles, the researchers conclude that the beetles disrupt the cell wall to access the protein-rich cytoplasm of plant cells, which they need for their nutrition.
A research team shows in a new study how leaf beetles could successfully use new and previously indigestible food sources in the course of evolution. The insects acquired enzymes from microorganisms via horizontal gene transfer that enabled them to degrade pectins, solid components of the plant cell wall. Since the degradation products resulting from pectin digestion are not per se crucial for the growth and development of the beetles, the researchers conclude that the beetles disrupt the cell wall to access the protein-rich cytoplasm of plant cells, which they need for their nutrition.
In fossil leaves, puzzling structures are often visible under the microscope. Researchers have now been able to show for the first time that they originate from calcium oxalate crystals. On the one hand, their discovery facilitates the identification of the ancient plant remains. But it also provides answers as to how the ability to form such crystals arose and what function they presumably perform.
In fossil leaves, puzzling structures are often visible under the microscope. Researchers have now been able to show for the first time that they originate from calcium oxalate crystals. On the one hand, their discovery facilitates the identification of the ancient plant remains. But it also provides answers as to how the ability to form such crystals arose and what function they presumably perform.
Researchers mapped the organization of human retinal cell chromatin, the fibers that package 3 billion nucleotide-long DNA molecules into compact structures that fit into chromosomes within each cell's nucleus. The resulting comprehensive gene regulatory network provides insights into regulation of gene expression in general, and in retinal function, in both rare and common eye diseases.
Researchers mapped the organization of human retinal cell chromatin, the fibers that package 3 billion nucleotide-long DNA molecules into compact structures that fit into chromosomes within each cell's nucleus. The resulting comprehensive gene regulatory network provides insights into regulation of gene expression in general, and in retinal function, in both rare and common eye diseases.
In order to produce green hydrogen, water can be split up via electrocatalysis, powered by renewable sources such as sun or wind. A review article shows how modern X-ray sources such as BESSY II can advance the development of suitable electrocatalysts. In particular, X-ray absorption spectroscopy can be used to determine the active states of catalytically active materials for the oxygen evolution reaction. This is an important contribution to developing efficient catalysts from inexpensive and widely available elements.
In order to produce green hydrogen, water can be split up via electrocatalysis, powered by renewable sources such as sun or wind. A review article shows how modern X-ray sources such as BESSY II can advance the development of suitable electrocatalysts. In particular, X-ray absorption spectroscopy can be used to determine the active states of catalytically active materials for the oxygen evolution reaction. This is an important contribution to developing efficient catalysts from inexpensive and widely available elements.
Researchers have observed that the length of daylight hours impacts opioid receptor levels in brown fat. When daylight hours shorten, the receptor activity levels elevate. A similar phenomenon also takes place in the brain. Both phenomena help people and animals in the adaptation to seasonal changes.
Researchers have observed that the length of daylight hours impacts opioid receptor levels in brown fat. When daylight hours shorten, the receptor activity levels elevate. A similar phenomenon also takes place in the brain. Both phenomena help people and animals in the adaptation to seasonal changes.
Using state of the art techniques, researchers have shown that the metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes was much more disturbed than previously known, and that it varied between organs and severity of the disease.
Using state of the art techniques, researchers have shown that the metabolism in patients with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes was much more disturbed than previously known, and that it varied between organs and severity of the disease.
A new study has revealed that global warming has at least doubled the occurrence probability of extreme ocean warming events near Japan since the 2000s, which rarely occur in the preindustrial era. This study suggests that limiting global warming below 1.5°C is efficient to prevent record-high sea surface temperatures to be the new normal climate around Japan in the future.
A new study has revealed that global warming has at least doubled the occurrence probability of extreme ocean warming events near Japan since the 2000s, which rarely occur in the preindustrial era. This study suggests that limiting global warming below 1.5°C is efficient to prevent record-high sea surface temperatures to be the new normal climate around Japan in the future.
By analyzing movie reviews from Rotten Tomatoes, a film and TV review website, new research proposes a 'topic consistency' measure to capture the degree of overlap between critic and user review content and finds that it does impact movie sales.
By analyzing movie reviews from Rotten Tomatoes, a film and TV review website, new research proposes a 'topic consistency' measure to capture the degree of overlap between critic and user review content and finds that it does impact movie sales.
Jazz must swing -- jazz musicians agree on that. However, even 100 years after the beginnings of jazz, it is still unclear what exactly constitutes the swing feel. With a sophisticated experiment and data analyses on more than 450 well-known jazz solos, physicists together with psychologists have unraveled a secret of swing. They were able to demonstrate that certain systematic deviations in timing are a key component of swing. These microtiming deviations are so small that they are not perceived as such even by professional jazz musicians, who nonetheless are using them unconsciously.
Jazz must swing -- jazz musicians agree on that. However, even 100 years after the beginnings of jazz, it is still unclear what exactly constitutes the swing feel. With a sophisticated experiment and data analyses on more than 450 well-known jazz solos, physicists together with psychologists have unraveled a secret of swing. They were able to demonstrate that certain systematic deviations in timing are a key component of swing. These microtiming deviations are so small that they are not perceived as such even by professional jazz musicians, who nonetheless are using them unconsciously.
Researchers have detected methane levels that were up to 1,000 times higher than normal in the Nord stream leak area.
Researchers have detected methane levels that were up to 1,000 times higher than normal in the Nord stream leak area.
Standing electric scooters, commonly referred to as e-scooters, have been increasing in popularity across the country over the past decade. According to a new research, e-scooter injuries are becoming much more common and increasingly severe.
Standing electric scooters, commonly referred to as e-scooters, have been increasing in popularity across the country over the past decade. According to a new research, e-scooter injuries are becoming much more common and increasingly severe.
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in adolescents, and risky driving behaviors like speeding, rapid accelerations, and cellphone use can contribute to crashes. New research finds many teens struggle to abide the rules of the road.
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in adolescents, and risky driving behaviors like speeding, rapid accelerations, and cellphone use can contribute to crashes. New research finds many teens struggle to abide the rules of the road.
Agricultural producers around the world must adapt to changing weather patterns. Much research has focused on mitigation strategies for crop production, but livestock producers face unique challenges. A new study looks at how cattle ranchers in Brazil respond to climate change in the Amazon. Previous research shows the dry season is increasing up to 0.6 days per year. This puts more stress on animals, and ranchers are more likely to sell their cattle early.
Agricultural producers around the world must adapt to changing weather patterns. Much research has focused on mitigation strategies for crop production, but livestock producers face unique challenges. A new study looks at how cattle ranchers in Brazil respond to climate change in the Amazon. Previous research shows the dry season is increasing up to 0.6 days per year. This puts more stress on animals, and ranchers are more likely to sell their cattle early.
Researchers have developed a method to detect build-up of amyloid beta in the brain, a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, from biomarkers in blood samples.
Researchers have developed a method to detect build-up of amyloid beta in the brain, a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, from biomarkers in blood samples.
High-energy muon particles created in the atmosphere have allowed researchers to explore the structures of storms in a way that traditional visualization techniques, such as satellite imaging, cannot. The detail offered by this new technique could aid researchers modeling storms and related weather effects. This could also lead to more accurate early warning systems.
High-energy muon particles created in the atmosphere have allowed researchers to explore the structures of storms in a way that traditional visualization techniques, such as satellite imaging, cannot. The detail offered by this new technique could aid researchers modeling storms and related weather effects. This could also lead to more accurate early warning systems.
More than one million U.S. children fractured a bone while riding a bicycle over the past 20 years, and most of them were boys between ages 10 to 15 years old, according to new research.
More than one million U.S. children fractured a bone while riding a bicycle over the past 20 years, and most of them were boys between ages 10 to 15 years old, according to new research.
Researchers found that the bacteria and fungi responsible for a severe form of childhood tooth decay together form 'superorganisms' with unexpected properties. The cross-kingdom groupings were more resistant to antimicrobials and physical removal than either species alone, sprouting 'limbs' to move as a group and spread rapidly on teeth.
Researchers found that the bacteria and fungi responsible for a severe form of childhood tooth decay together form 'superorganisms' with unexpected properties. The cross-kingdom groupings were more resistant to antimicrobials and physical removal than either species alone, sprouting 'limbs' to move as a group and spread rapidly on teeth.
The new study shows how development disrupts deer movements, resulting in deer losing their ability to match their foraging with the wave of the most-nutritious springtime plants.
The new study shows how development disrupts deer movements, resulting in deer losing their ability to match their foraging with the wave of the most-nutritious springtime plants.
Researchers find the behavior of complex ecosystems can be predicted based on just two pieces of information: the number of species in the community and how strongly they interact with each other.
Researchers find the behavior of complex ecosystems can be predicted based on just two pieces of information: the number of species in the community and how strongly they interact with each other.
Three babies have been born after receiving the world's first spina bifida treatment combining surgery with stem cells.
Three babies have been born after receiving the world's first spina bifida treatment combining surgery with stem cells.
Scientists have long looked to the brain as an inspiration for designing computing systems. Some researchers have recently gone even further by making computer hardware with a brainlike structure. These 'neuromorphic chips' have already shown great promise, but they have used conventional digital electronics, limiting their complexity and speed.
Scientists have long looked to the brain as an inspiration for designing computing systems. Some researchers have recently gone even further by making computer hardware with a brainlike structure. These 'neuromorphic chips' have already shown great promise, but they have used conventional digital electronics, limiting their complexity and speed.
A new scientific review article captures the unique and dynamic characteristics of coastal lagoon ecosystems in the Arctic Beringia Region, and discusses how climate change effects and human development could alter these habitats.
A new scientific review article captures the unique and dynamic characteristics of coastal lagoon ecosystems in the Arctic Beringia Region, and discusses how climate change effects and human development could alter these habitats.
The key to a new cardiomyocyte-making technique is a gene activity-controlling protein called Ascl1, which is known to be a crucial protein involved in turning fibroblasts into neurons. Researchers had thought Ascl1 was neuron-specific.
The key to a new cardiomyocyte-making technique is a gene activity-controlling protein called Ascl1, which is known to be a crucial protein involved in turning fibroblasts into neurons. Researchers had thought Ascl1 was neuron-specific.
Growing nutritious, protein-dense microalgae in onshore, seawater-fed aquaculture systems -- particularly along the coasts of the Global South -- could help increase food production by more than 50% and feed a projected 10 billion people by 2050.
Growing nutritious, protein-dense microalgae in onshore, seawater-fed aquaculture systems -- particularly along the coasts of the Global South -- could help increase food production by more than 50% and feed a projected 10 billion people by 2050.
Researchers have developed a screening method to discover new drug targets for cancer treatment in the so-called 'Dark Matter' of the genome. They applied their method to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the greatest cancer killer for which effective therapies are urgently sought. They could show that inhibiting identified targets could greatly slow down cancer growth, and their method is adaptable to other cancers.
Researchers have developed a screening method to discover new drug targets for cancer treatment in the so-called 'Dark Matter' of the genome. They applied their method to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the greatest cancer killer for which effective therapies are urgently sought. They could show that inhibiting identified targets could greatly slow down cancer growth, and their method is adaptable to other cancers.
In a new review article, biology researchers make the case for reevaluating maligned non-native species to consider benefits as well as costs.
In a new review article, biology researchers make the case for reevaluating maligned non-native species to consider benefits as well as costs.
An opinion piece urgently calls for more research into the specific pathways by which civilization could potentially collapse due to climate change. Scientists have warned that climate change threatens the habitability of large regions of the Earth and even civilization itself, but surprisingly little research exists about how that collapse could happen and what can be done to prevent it.
An opinion piece urgently calls for more research into the specific pathways by which civilization could potentially collapse due to climate change. Scientists have warned that climate change threatens the habitability of large regions of the Earth and even civilization itself, but surprisingly little research exists about how that collapse could happen and what can be done to prevent it.
The drug tofacitinib was well tolerated among patients with early scleroderma, primarily affecting the protein interferon both in fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Researchers say the drug is safe and can possibly be repurposed for systemic sclerosis treatment.
The drug tofacitinib was well tolerated among patients with early scleroderma, primarily affecting the protein interferon both in fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Researchers say the drug is safe and can possibly be repurposed for systemic sclerosis treatment.
Engineers utilize signaling chemicals that replicate 'cell communication' to form capsule clusters.
Engineers utilize signaling chemicals that replicate 'cell communication' to form capsule clusters.
Synthetic fuels produced from renewable sources, so-called refuels, are deemed potential game changers in fighting climate change. Refuels promise to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional fuels and they allow for the continued use of existing vehicle fleets with combustion engines and of the refueling infrastructure, from fuel production to transport to sales. Researchers carried out extensive fleet tests in a large-scale project with industry partners and proved that refuels can be used in all vehicles and produced in large quantities in the foreseeable future.
Synthetic fuels produced from renewable sources, so-called refuels, are deemed potential game changers in fighting climate change. Refuels promise to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional fuels and they allow for the continued use of existing vehicle fleets with combustion engines and of the refueling infrastructure, from fuel production to transport to sales. Researchers carried out extensive fleet tests in a large-scale project with industry partners and proved that refuels can be used in all vehicles and produced in large quantities in the foreseeable future.
66 million years ago, a 10-kilometer asteroid hit Earth, triggering the extinction of the dinosaurs. New evidence suggests that the Chicxulub impact also triggered an earthquake so massive that it shook the planet for weeks to months after the collision. The amount of energy released in this 'mega-earthquake' is estimated at 1023 joules, which is about 50,000 times more energy than was released in the magnitude 9.1 Sumatra earthquake in 2004.
66 million years ago, a 10-kilometer asteroid hit Earth, triggering the extinction of the dinosaurs. New evidence suggests that the Chicxulub impact also triggered an earthquake so massive that it shook the planet for weeks to months after the collision. The amount of energy released in this 'mega-earthquake' is estimated at 1023 joules, which is about 50,000 times more energy than was released in the magnitude 9.1 Sumatra earthquake in 2004.
A new study sheds new light on what is happening in pinyon-juniper woodlands across the West. The research is unique, in that it looks at both tree mortality, as well as recruitment, or new seedlings and saplings, to calculate a 'net effect.' And, the news isn't necessarily good, particularly in warmer, drier locations.
A new study sheds new light on what is happening in pinyon-juniper woodlands across the West. The research is unique, in that it looks at both tree mortality, as well as recruitment, or new seedlings and saplings, to calculate a 'net effect.' And, the news isn't necessarily good, particularly in warmer, drier locations.
Researchers have developed an imaging agent for demyelination and evaluated its use in healthy human volunteers.
Researchers have developed an imaging agent for demyelination and evaluated its use in healthy human volunteers.
Scientists have made a significant genetic discovery that sheds light on the use of the drug caspofungin to treat a deadly fungal infection, Aspergillus fumigatus, which kills some 100,000 severely immunocompromised people each year.
Scientists have made a significant genetic discovery that sheds light on the use of the drug caspofungin to treat a deadly fungal infection, Aspergillus fumigatus, which kills some 100,000 severely immunocompromised people each year.
In a rare disease called mucolipidosis type II, people's hearts and abdomens swell, and their bones grow malformed.
In a rare disease called mucolipidosis type II, people's hearts and abdomens swell, and their bones grow malformed.
This year, about 200,000 people will be diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer, the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease. Researchers are working to improve the odds for these patients in two recently published studies that combine novel multiplex cellular imaging methods with artificial intelligence to learn why and how patients respond differently to disease and treatments.
This year, about 200,000 people will be diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer, the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease. Researchers are working to improve the odds for these patients in two recently published studies that combine novel multiplex cellular imaging methods with artificial intelligence to learn why and how patients respond differently to disease and treatments.
Using chemical design and synthesis, scientists brought together the Nobel-prize winning technology with therapeutic technology to overcome a critical limitation of CRISPR. Specifically, the groundbreaking work provides a system to deliver the cargo required for generating the gene editing machine known as CRISPR-Cas9.
Using chemical design and synthesis, scientists brought together the Nobel-prize winning technology with therapeutic technology to overcome a critical limitation of CRISPR. Specifically, the groundbreaking work provides a system to deliver the cargo required for generating the gene editing machine known as CRISPR-Cas9.
Using a new power sector model, a team of researchers has proposed a method for Europe to eliminate natural gas imports from Russia.
Using a new power sector model, a team of researchers has proposed a method for Europe to eliminate natural gas imports from Russia.
Researchers have identified the gene TDRD7 as a key regulator against influenza A virus (IAV), which causes respiratory tract infections in 5 to 20 percent of the human population.
Researchers have identified the gene TDRD7 as a key regulator against influenza A virus (IAV), which causes respiratory tract infections in 5 to 20 percent of the human population.
Algorithms can predict the in-game actions of volleyball players with more than 80% accuracy, and now the lab is collaborating with the Big Red hockey team to expand the research project's applications.
Algorithms can predict the in-game actions of volleyball players with more than 80% accuracy, and now the lab is collaborating with the Big Red hockey team to expand the research project's applications.
Ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea are on pace to surpass critical thresholds for coral health by mid-century, but rapid action to significantly reduce emissions could slow warming, giving corals and coral conservation programs as much as 20 more years to adapt, according to new research.
Ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea are on pace to surpass critical thresholds for coral health by mid-century, but rapid action to significantly reduce emissions could slow warming, giving corals and coral conservation programs as much as 20 more years to adapt, according to new research.
Researchers have discovered that the organization of different types of immune cells within pancreatic tumors is associated with how well patients with pancreatic cancer respond to treatment and how long they survive.
Researchers have discovered that the organization of different types of immune cells within pancreatic tumors is associated with how well patients with pancreatic cancer respond to treatment and how long they survive.
Facing extreme conditions such as starvation and stress, some bacteria enter a dormant state in which life processes stop. Biologists have discovered how they assess environmental conditions for a return to life, carrying implications for evaluating life on Earth as well as other planets.
Facing extreme conditions such as starvation and stress, some bacteria enter a dormant state in which life processes stop. Biologists have discovered how they assess environmental conditions for a return to life, carrying implications for evaluating life on Earth as well as other planets.
A new study identifies the political factors that allow some countries to lead in adopting cleaner sources of energy while others lag behind. By analyzing how different countries responded to the current energy crisis and to the oil crisis of the 1970s, the study reveals how the structure of political institutions can help or hinder the shift to clean energy. The findings offer important lessons as governments race to limit the impacts of climate change.
A new study identifies the political factors that allow some countries to lead in adopting cleaner sources of energy while others lag behind. By analyzing how different countries responded to the current energy crisis and to the oil crisis of the 1970s, the study reveals how the structure of political institutions can help or hinder the shift to clean energy. The findings offer important lessons as governments race to limit the impacts of climate change.
A discovery about how some visually impaired adults could start to see offers a new vision of the brain's possibilities. The adult brain has the potential to partially recover from inherited blindness, according to new research.
A discovery about how some visually impaired adults could start to see offers a new vision of the brain's possibilities. The adult brain has the potential to partially recover from inherited blindness, according to new research.
Researchers have developed a low-cost imaging system that can provide quantitative information about how deep within tissue a cancer cell resides. The system can help surgeons distinguish healthy tissue from tumors and could minimize health disparities in low-resource clinical centers.
Researchers have developed a low-cost imaging system that can provide quantitative information about how deep within tissue a cancer cell resides. The system can help surgeons distinguish healthy tissue from tumors and could minimize health disparities in low-resource clinical centers.
Targeting a condition suffered by nearly a billion people worldwide, a new study has shown a drug previously used to treat depression can reduce obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. While not yet identifying a cure, the authors say the study opens up further avenues for the development of future drug treatments targeted at the huge number of people unable to tolerate current sleep apnea therapies, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.
Targeting a condition suffered by nearly a billion people worldwide, a new study has shown a drug previously used to treat depression can reduce obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. While not yet identifying a cure, the authors say the study opens up further avenues for the development of future drug treatments targeted at the huge number of people unable to tolerate current sleep apnea therapies, such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines.
A research team succeeds in developing anode-free Li batteries with maximized energy density, improving energy density by 40%.
A research team succeeds in developing anode-free Li batteries with maximized energy density, improving energy density by 40%.
Researchers have revealed that common liver diseases are not driven by inflammatory cell death as previously thought, resolving a long-standing controversy in gastroenterology and pointing to a new direction for treatment.
Researchers have revealed that common liver diseases are not driven by inflammatory cell death as previously thought, resolving a long-standing controversy in gastroenterology and pointing to a new direction for treatment.
Entangled systems containing multiple quantum particles offer significant benefits in implementing quantum algorithms, which have the potential to be used in communications, data security or quantum computing. Researchers have been working to develop the first programmable optical quantum memory.
Entangled systems containing multiple quantum particles offer significant benefits in implementing quantum algorithms, which have the potential to be used in communications, data security or quantum computing. Researchers have been working to develop the first programmable optical quantum memory.
Two proteins ensure that cells can take up iron when needed. If both control proteins are switched off in mice, the animals develop severe anemia, as expected. Surprisingly, at the same time a cell type of the innate immune defense, the neutrophils, also dramatically decreases. Iron deficiency, a known defense mechanism against infectious pathogens, is a double edged sword, as it simultaneously curbs the defensive power of an important arm of the innate immune system.
Two proteins ensure that cells can take up iron when needed. If both control proteins are switched off in mice, the animals develop severe anemia, as expected. Surprisingly, at the same time a cell type of the innate immune defense, the neutrophils, also dramatically decreases. Iron deficiency, a known defense mechanism against infectious pathogens, is a double edged sword, as it simultaneously curbs the defensive power of an important arm of the innate immune system.
Wear and tear in engines contributes to a lot of wasted fuel and can be dangerous for operators. Now, a collaborative group has created a way to computationally predict wear and tear in piston engines, allowing for enhanced safety measures in automobiles and industrial machinery.
Wear and tear in engines contributes to a lot of wasted fuel and can be dangerous for operators. Now, a collaborative group has created a way to computationally predict wear and tear in piston engines, allowing for enhanced safety measures in automobiles and industrial machinery.
A sustainable energy supply requires the expansion of power grids. However, new transmission lines can also lead to grids becoming more unstable rather than more stable, as would be expected. This phenomenon is referred to as the Braess paradox. Researchers have now simulated this phenomenon in detail for power grids, demonstrated it on a larger scale, and developed a prediction tool, which is to support grid operators in decision-making.
A sustainable energy supply requires the expansion of power grids. However, new transmission lines can also lead to grids becoming more unstable rather than more stable, as would be expected. This phenomenon is referred to as the Braess paradox. Researchers have now simulated this phenomenon in detail for power grids, demonstrated it on a larger scale, and developed a prediction tool, which is to support grid operators in decision-making.
Engineering researchers have created new high-power electronic devices that are more energy efficient than previous technologies. The devices are made possible by a unique technique for 'doping' gallium nitride (GaN) in a controlled way.
A new study has found that older people with insomnia are at greater risk of developing memory decline and long-term cognitive impairment such as dementia.
A team of scientists has uncovered intriguing new insights into the diet of people living in Neolithic Britain and found evidence that cereals, including wheat, were cooked in pots.
Some species of tardigrades, or water bears as the tiny aquatic creatures are also known, can survive in different environments often hostile or even fatal to most forms of life. For the first time, researchers describe a new mechanism that explains how some tardigrades can endure extreme dehydration without dying. They explored proteins that form a gel during cellular dehydration. This gel stiffens to support and protect the cells from mechanical stress that would otherwise kill them. These proteins have also been shown to work in insect cells and even show limited functionality in human cultured cells.
Healthy young people with just a mild COVID infection can sometimes suffer temporary post-infection consequences such as tiredness, loss of smell and taste or reduced fertility. These symptoms usually improve with time. But a new conducted with Swiss Armed Forces personnel shows that young people post Covid are likely to have increased cholesterol, a high BMI, and a reduced level of physical stamina. As a result, they may be more likely to develop metabolic disorders and cardiovascular complications in the long term.
Due to the uncertainty of the timing of vaccine approval at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, policymakers struggled to find the best mitigation measures. In a new study, researchers analyzed how the expectation of a vaccine influences optimal lockdown measures.
After a 60-minute walk in nature, activity in brain regions involved in stress processing decreases.
Physicists have succeeded in coupling different types of electron-hole pairs (excitons) in the van der Waals material molybdenum disulfide. This successful coupling allows them to utilize and control the different properties of the two types of electron-hole pairs -- and could pave the way for the production of a novel source of individual particles of light (photons).
Honeybees rely heavily on flower patterns -- not just colors -- when searching for food, new research shows.
A woman's mercury level during pregnancy is unlikely to have an adverse effect on the development of the child provided that the mother eats fish, according to a new study.
The Gunflint Formation, which straddles Lake Superior's northwestern shore, contains a treasure trove of geological clues about the evolution of life. After a recent geological reassessment of this area, a research team has unearthed new types of microfossils dating 1.9 billion years. The landmark discovery will help scientists pinpoint the timing and factors that ushered in the evolution of prokaryotes to eukaryotes.
Researchers test the efficacy of a soft, bioresorbable, implantable device to block pain signals from sciatic nerves of rat models.
Physicists and astronomers have studied gamma rays caused by the Sagittarius Dwarf, a small neighboring galaxy of our Milky Way. They showed that all the observed gamma radiation can be explained by millisecond pulsars, and can therefore not be interpreted as a smoking gun signature for the presence of dark matter.
Unprecedented and societally disruptive extreme weather events, including heat waves, droughts, dust storms and torrential rains, will soon become a reality unless immediate, ambitious, and transboundary climate action is taken, according to a new report.
Scientists have developed a novel approach for dynamic difficulty adjustment where the players' emotions are estimated using in-game data, and the difficulty level is tweaked accordingly to maximize player satisfaction. Their efforts could contribute to balancing the difficulty of games and making them more appealing to all types of players.
When holding information in mind, neural activity is more focused when and where there are bursts of gamma frequency rhythms, according to a new study.
A new study shows that the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, known to cause hospital-acquired infections such as pneumonia, secretes a toxin that has evolved to kill other species of bacteria.
Scientists have created a model alveolar system that mimics the breathing action of the human lung and allows visualization of flow patterns within the alveoli. The chip they designed includes tubes arranged like the structure of a bifurcation point in the bronchial network. The upper layer of the chip is made of a flexible polymer molded into small tubes that mimic the alveolar structure. The lower layer is glass, which allows the authors to visualize fluid flow through the tubes.
New CT technology paired with artificial intelligence (AI)-based noise reduction offers superior detection of bone disease associated with multiple myeloma at lower radiation doses than conventional CT, according to a new study.
In a study of both socioeconomically disadvantaged and socioeconomically advantaged neighborhoods, better access to primary health care was associated with improved high blood pressure awareness and control. These associations existed whether residents lived in socioeconomically disadvantaged or socioeconomically advantaged neighborhoods. The study's findings suggest that regardless of where people live, they may benefit from blood pressure control programs that increase access to primary health care.
Exposure to air pollution in the first six months impacts a child's inner world of gut bacteria, or microbiome, in ways that could increase risk of allergies, obesity and diabetes, and influence brain development, suggests new research.
A small amount of simulated crushed Martian rock mixed with a titanium alloy made a stronger, high-performance material in a 3D-printing process that could one day be used on Mars to make tools or rocket parts. The parts were made by researchers with as little as 5% up to 100% Martian regolith, a black powdery substance meant to mimic the rocky, inorganic material found on the surface of the red planet. While the parts with 5% Martian regolith were strong, the 100% regolith parts proved brittle and cracked easily. Still, even high-Martian content materials would be useful in making coatings to protect equipment from rust or radiation damage.
Premenstrual mood swings and anxiety are so common -- experienced by more than 64% of women -- that they represent a 'key public health issue globally,' according to a new study.
A new study finds that whilst climate anxiety is low amongst the UK public, it may be an important driver of climate action such as cutting down on waste.
An examination of data of people who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in Israel found males 14 to 30 years of age were the most susceptible to myocarditis after a second or third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, however, the overall risk remains relatively low. Among males ages 16 to 19 years, approximately 1 in 15,000 developed myocarditis after a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. All confirmed cases of myocarditis were mild and resolved after a short hospital stay (average of 3.5 days), and no hospital readmissions were reported in the following 90 days.
Investigators have developed an investigational therapy using support cells and a protective protein that can be delivered past the blood-brain barrier. This combined stem cell and gene therapy can potentially protect diseased motor neurons in the spinal cord of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a fatal neurological disorder known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.
The Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica has been an elephant in the room for scientists trying to make global sea level rise predictions. This massive ice stream is already in a phase of fast retreat; a total loss of the glacier and surrounding icy basins could raise sea level from three to 10 feet.
A new approach, which mimics the physical forces exerted by immune cells as they crawl over host cells, could help scientists develop more effective cancer immunotherapies.
Researchers have found that dual bronchodilators -- long-lasting inhalers that relax the airways and make it easier to breathe -- do little to help people who do not have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but who do have respiratory symptoms and a history of smoking.
Most UK primary schools experience levels of pollution which exceed the safe levels set out by the World Health Organization, yet simple measures can cut outdoor and indoor exposure of toxins by almost half, according to a new study.
Though many of us may seek a quiet place in which to study, 'noise' may play a key role in helping some people improve their learning potential.
Researchers are protecting great apes from diseases by studying the behavior and expectations of tourists who visit them.
Can we use machine learning methods to predict the sensing data of odor mixtures and design new smells? A new study does just that. The novel method is bound to have applications in the food, health, beauty, and wellness industries, where odors and fragrances are of keen interest.
Even a small temperature drop in the tropical climate of Singapore increases the risk of heart attack among people aged 65 and above.
An updated analysis of American COVID-19 deaths throughout 2021 highlights a continued drop in overall life expectancy as well as persistent disparities by race and ethnicity.
What goes on inside planets like Neptune and Uranus? To find out, an international team conducted a novel experiment. They fired a laser at a thin film of simple PET plastic and investigated what happened using intensive laser flashes. One result was that the researchers were able to confirm their earlier thesis that it really does rain diamonds inside the ice giants at the periphery of our solar system. And another was that this method could establish a new way of producing nanodiamonds, which are needed, for example, for highly-sensitive quantum sensors.
Researchers have developed a novel method of using artificial intelligence and machine learning to make monitoring soil moisture more energy and cost efficient. The software learns over time how to make the best use of available network resources, which helps produce power efficient systems at a lower cost for large scale monitoring compared to the existing industry standards.
An unusual protein structure known as a 'rippled beta sheet,' first predicted in 1953, has now been created in the laboratory and characterized in detail using x-ray crystallography. The new findings may enable the rational design of unique materials based on the rippled sheet architecture.
A comprehensive historical assessment of knowledge and beliefs about disease transmission sheds light on why influential institutions worldwide took too long to recognize that COVID-19 is primarily airborne. The authors trace this deadly resistance one hundred years back in history, to the rejection of sickly air called 'miasma,' the rise of germ theory and our own stubborn tendency to retain beliefs in spite of accumulating evidence to the contrary.
Researchers have discovered that the motion of chromatin, the material that DNA is made of, can help facilitate effective repair of DNA damage in the human nucleus -- a finding that could lead to improved cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Many transgender parents with children between one-and-a-half and six years of age hesitate to label their child's gender identity, according to new research. In addition, the results suggest that many children with transgender parents play in ways that conform to gendered societal expectations, while others play in more gender-expansive ways.
The phenomenon of regeneration was discovered over 200 years ago in the freshwater polyp Hydra. Until now, however, it was largely unclear how the orderly regeneration of lost tissues or organs is activated after injury. In its investigations of Hydra, an interdisciplinary research team was able to show how wound healing signals released upon injury are converted into specific signals of pattern formation and cell differentiation.
Men with low testosterone who develop COVID-19 are at elevated risk of becoming seriously ill and ending up in the hospital, according to a new study.
New research reveals private equity firms that acquire physician-owned medical practices appear to be imposing measures to squeeze out more profits. It's not clear whether these practices hurt clinical outcomes for patients. However, the findings raise concerning parallels with the rapid growth of private equity acquisition of nursing homes and hospital systems.
New research has mapped the DNA from more than 150 species of native rodents from across Australia, New Guinea and Melanesian islands, painting a clearer picture of how they're related and how they ended up spreading across the Pacific.
Be it magnets or superconductors: materials are known for their various properties. However, these properties may change spontaneously under extreme conditions. Researchers have discovered an entirely new type of such phase transitions. They display the phenomenon of quantum entanglement involving many atoms, which previously has only been observed in the realm of few atoms.
Today, when an algorithm identifies a tumor in a tissue sample, it doesn't reveal how it arrived at this result. And that does not inspire trust. Researchers are therefore pursuing a new approach.
Did the first ancestors of whales pick up where the mosasaurs left off 66 million years ago, after the extinction of all the large predatory marine reptiles? A study has looked into the possible convergences in morphology and behavior that may exist between these two groups of large marine predatory animals.
A large amount of lungs donated cannot be used for transplantation. Researchers have conducted an animal study bringing hope that more donor lungs could be used in the future. The researchers have launched a pilot study to investigate whether the treatment will have the same positive effects on human beings.
Scientists use genomic data to resolve the phylogeny of zygnematophyte algae and pinpoint several emergences of multicellularity in the closest known relatives of terrestrial plants.
The pandemic has impacted our lives in a multitude of ways, many of which will no doubt be felt for years to come. While many of those effects are clearly negative, researchers have identified at least one positive impact -- our perception of natural spaces changed.
A molecular atlas of an Australian dragon's brain sheds new light on over 300 million years of brain evolution.
Computer scientists have succeeded in developing a method for systematically finding the optimal quantum operation sequence for a quantum computer. They have developed a systematic method that applies optimal control theory (GRAPE algorithm) to identify the theoretically optimal sequence from among all conceivable quantum operation sequences. This method is expected to become a useful tool for medium-scale quantum computers and is expected to contribute to improving the performance of quantum computers and reducing environmental impact in the near future.
In the young population, arterial stiffness, an emerging risk factor for hypertension, indirectly raises blood pressure via an increase in insulin resistance but not via an increase in body fat, a new article concludes.
Researchers have partners detected unique fluorescence blinking patterns in experiments of electron transfer to single DNA molecules. They used these patterns to identify mRNA glioma point mutations in cell culture. The results of this work could help simplify surgical biopsies, enable real-time targeted therapy, and advance scientific understanding of cancer progression.
Researchers have characterized the new omicron variant BA.2.75, comparing its ability to evade antibodies against current and previous variants. The study suggests that BA.2.75 is not more resistant to antibodies than the currently dominating BA.5, which is positive news.
Rsearchers who conducted their experiment in a Brisbane backyard have found an unprecedented methodology for the production of microspheres.
When researchers tested a large number of old toys and dress-up items made of plastic, 84 per cent of the items were found to contain toxins that can disrupt growth and development and reproductive capacities in children. These toxins are an obstacle for the circular economy in the future involving reuse and recycling, the researchers explain.
Researchers have used computer simulations to show that stable aromatic molecules can become reactive after absorbing light. The results may have long-term applications in such areas as the storage of solar energy, pharmacology, and molecular machines.