Digging into the molecules of fossilized dinosaur eggshells
Dinosaurs roamed the Earth more than 65 million years ago, and paleontologists and amateur fossil hunters are still unearthing traces of them today. The minerals in fossilized eggs and shell fragments provide snapshots into these creatures' early liv.....»»
Scientists develop technique to analyze RNA structures in ultra-high definition
Scientists at the University of Nottingham have developed a technique to analyze the atomic-level structure of RNA molecules with exceptional precision and speed, and are the first in the world to use the method to examine structural changes in RNA w.....»»
Abelisauroid, a dinosaur with very tiny arms, identified in Argentina
A team of paleontologists from Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, has identified a new species of abelisauroid dinosaur. Th.....»»
Study reveals key role of plant-bacteria communication for assembly of a healthy plant microbiome
In an interdisciplinary study, researchers have discovered that symbiotic bacteria communicate with legume plants through specific molecules and that this communication influences which bacteria grow near the plant roots. The findings provide insight.....»»
Unlocking complex sulfur molecules: A novel approach for synthesis of functionalized benzenethiol equivalents
Organosulfur compounds, organic compounds containing sulfur, are vital in biological processes and research fields like pharmaceuticals, biomedical imaging, agriculture, and electronics. Compounds like phenothiazine, thianthrene and thienothiophene,.....»»
Repurposed protease controls important signaling molecule-activating protein
Efficient communication between cells is vital for many biological processes, such as recruiting immune cells to combat disease. The rapid release of at least 80 signaling molecules, including tumor necrosis factor and epidermal growth factor, is con.....»»
Shining a light on molecules: L-shaped metamaterials can control light direction
Polarized light waves spin clockwise or counterclockwise as they travel, with one direction behaving differently than the other as it interacts with molecules. This directionality, called chirality or handedness, could provide a way to identify and s.....»»
Probing small molecule-RNA interactions by looking through the FOREST
A team of researchers has recently demonstrated the utility of employing a previously established screening system to probe the interactions between small molecules and RNA. Their study is published in Communications Chemistry......»»
Researchers discover hidden step in dinosaur feather evolution
Paleontologists at University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland have discovered that some feathered dinosaurs had scaly skin like reptiles today, thus shedding new light on the evolutionary transition from scales to feathers......»»
Study shows alkyl-aromatic hybrid micelles can form from emergent umbrella-shaped molecules
Micelles assemble in water from amphiphilic molecules, composed of hydrophilic and hydrophobic frameworks. They can be found all around us, for example in soaps, detergents, and shampoos. Their main application is the water-solubilization of insolubl.....»»
Seeing the color of entangled photons in molecular systems
Spectroscopy is the study of how matter absorbs and emits light and other radiation. It allows scientists to study the structure of atoms and molecules, including the energy levels of their electrons. Classical optical spectroscopy relies on the way.....»»
Slack users horrified to discover messages used for AI training
Slack says policy changes are imminent amid backlash. Enlarge (credit: Tim Robberts | DigitalVision) After launching Slack AI in February, Slack appears to be digging its heels in, defending its vague policy that by defa.....»»
Scientists demonstrate the survival of quantum coherence in a chemical reaction involving ultracold molecules
If you zoom in on a chemical reaction to the quantum level, you'll notice that particles behave like waves that can ripple and collide. Scientists have long sought to understand quantum coherence, the ability of particles to maintain phase relationsh.....»»
Researchers shed light on how key ingredient for life may form in space
A team led by University of Maryland chemists discovered a new way to create carbenes, a class of highly reactive yet notoriously short-lived and unstable molecules. Involved in many high-energy chemical reactions such as the creation of carbohydrate.....»»
New research employs shutter speed analogies to validate 55-year-old theory about chemical reaction rates
Chemical reactions are commonly depicted as transitions from reactants to products. However, such reactions involve many molecules, and the individual molecules themselves undergo frequently-occurring structural changes as they transform from the rea.....»»
Discovery of biomarkers in space—conditions on Saturn"s moon Enceladus simulated in the laboratory
In 2018, very large organic molecules were discovered in ice particles on Saturn's moon Enceladus. It is still unclear whether they indicate the existence of life or were created in some other way. A recent study could help to answer this question. I.....»»
Is it a bird or a dinosaur? Fossils from Teylers Museum in Netherlands secretly visit UK"s synchrotron
The feathered limbs, sharp teeth and claws of the oldest known bird-like dinosaurs, the Archaeopteryx have fascinated naturalists and paleontologists including Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin who propelled the species to fame especially following pu.....»»
A multi-stream network for retrosynthesis prediction
Retrosynthesis aims to predict a set of reactants for producing given molecules, which plays a significant part in the biochemistry field, such as molecular pathway design and drug discovery. Most existing methods only benefit from one kind of inform.....»»
Strictly no dancing: Researchers discover "new molecular design rules"
Since the discovery of quantum mechanics more than a hundred years ago, it has been known that electrons in molecules can be coupled to the motion of the atoms that make up the molecules. Often referred to as molecular vibrations, the motion of atoms.....»»
Catalyst search shows how computing can take the guesswork out of chemistry
Imagine synthesizing and then testing over 50 different complex molecules to identify the most effective catalyst for a particular chemical reaction. The traditional approach to developing new catalysts for chemical reactions in this "try it and see".....»»
US restorationist solves 60-million-year-old dinosaur fossil "puzzles"
Before a T. rex can tower over museum visitors or a Triceratops can show off its huge horns, dinosaur fossils must first be painstakingly reconstructed—cleaned, fit together and even painted......»»