Corals convert sunscreen chemical into a toxin that kills them
The chemical in the sunblock is fine until the coral alters it. Enlarge (credit: Justin Lewis) Medical authorities have spent years convincing people to use sunscreen to limit their exposure to UV light. But that effort has ha.....»»
Discovery of key protein for biosynthesis of plant defense steroids could enhance pest control strategies
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology have identified GAME15 as a key protein that regulates the biosynthesis of both steroidal glycoalkaloids and steroidal saponins in plants of the genus Solanum......»»
Plant fungus provides new drug target for colorectal cancer therapy
Novel chemical compounds from a fungus could provide new perspectives for treating colorectal cancer, one of the most common and deadliest cancers worldwide......»»
Protein signaling pathway provides insights into cell migration and cancer metastasis
The innate immune response is the body's first line of defense against infection, and a successful immune defense takes a village: a combination of physical barriers, chemical attacks, and an army of specialized white blood cells. But maintaining and.....»»
Microbiome studies in humans and zoo animals pave the way for new drug development
Microorganisms do not just colonize the body of mammals during infections. Billions of microbes can be found on and in healthy humans and animals at any given time, communicating with each other via chemical signals and thus influencing their health......»»
Plate tectonics drive compositional evolution of the upper mantle, study finds
On present-day Earth, plate subduction continuously modifies the chemical composition of the convecting mantle, and various mantle sources linked to these processes have been widely studied. However, when did global chemical heterogeneity of the conv.....»»
Electrophysiology study shows how ant toxin causes extreme pain
University of Queensland researchers have uncovered the workings of ant venom by measuring electric currents through individual channels in cells to understand how it causes pain......»»
mRNA vaccines for disease outbreaks can be synthesized in less time with new technique
In an era where viral outbreaks can escalate into global pandemics with alarming speed, the ability to quickly develop new vaccines has become crucial. However, the speed of vaccine production is limited because the mRNA used in it is partly chemical.....»»
Biological control generates "desirable outcomes" within all One Health dimensions, research reveals
New CABI-led research has revealed that biological control generates "desirable outcomes" within all One Health dimensions—mitigating global change issues such as chemical pollution, biocide resistance, biodiversity loss, and habitat destruction......»»
Scientists discover chemical probes for previously "undruggable" cancer target
Hormone-driven cancers, like those of the breast and prostate, often rely on a tricky-to-target protein called Forkhead box protein 1 (FOXA1). FOXA1 mutations can enable these types of cancers to grow and proliferate. Today, FOXA1 is notoriously diff.....»»
How profits from big pharma"s use of genetic information could revolutionize nature conservation
The blue blood of threatened horseshoe crabs contains a chemical essential for testing the safety of vaccines. So these ancient creatures are highly sought after by pharmaceutical companies worldwide, contributing to declines in their populations......»»
State backs environmentalists after water shutoff kills thousands of fish in Kern River
California officials have joined a legal effort to restore water to the Kern River after an abrupt shutoff of water dried up the river and killed thousands of fish in Bakersfield......»»
Light broadens the scope of alkene synthesis
Chemists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a straightforward method to convert common chemicals like carboxylic acids, alcohols, and alkanes directly into valuable alkenes......»»
Digital quantum simulation of nuclear magnetic resonance experiments
Programmable quantum computers have the potential to efficiently simulate increasingly complex molecular structures, electronic structures, chemical reactions, and quantum mechanical states in chemistry that classical computers cannot. As the molecul.....»»
Scientists successfully breed corals to improve their heat tolerance
A new study has shown that selective breeding can lead to a modest rise in coral heat tolerance......»»
Engineering perovskite materials at the atomic level paves way for new lasers, LEDs
Researchers have developed and demonstrated a technique that allows them to engineer a class of materials called layered hybrid perovskites (LHPs) down to the atomic level, which dictates precisely how the materials convert electrical charge into lig.....»»
How did the building blocks of life arrive on Earth? Zinc fingerprints in meteorites offer clues
Researchers have used the chemical fingerprints of zinc contained in meteorites to determine the origin of volatile elements on Earth. The results suggest that without 'unmelted' asteroids, there may not have been enough of these compounds on Earth f.....»»
Darpa Thinks Walls of Oysters Could Protect Shores Against Hurricanes
The US defense research agency is funding three universities to engineer reef structures that will be colonized by corals and bivalves and absorb the power of future storms......»»
Study unveils cobalt(III) reaction mechanism with nitriles, opening pathways for drug development
A research team led by Professor Jaeheung Cho from the Department of Chemistry at UNIST has published a study in the Journal of the American Chemical Society reporting the reaction mechanism of cobalt(III)-based metal complexes with nitrile substance.....»»
DARPA Thinks Walls of Oysters Could Protect Shores Against Hurricanes
The US defense research agency is funding three universities to engineer reef structures that will be colonized by corals and bivalves and absorb the power of future storms......»»
A look into "mirror molecules" may lead to new medicines
A University of Texas at Dallas chemist and his colleagues have developed a new chemical reaction that will allow researchers to synthesize selectively the left-handed or right-handed versions of "mirror molecules" found in nature and assess them for.....»»