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.....»»
Researchers engineer skin bacteria that are able to secrete and produce molecules that treat acne
International research led by the Translational Synthetic Biology Laboratory of the Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS) at Pompeu Fabra University has succeeded in efficiently engineering Cutibacterium acnes, a type of skin bacterium, to.....»»
Researchers discover molecular "barcode" used by bacteria to secrete toxins
Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a molecular "barcode" system used by disease-causing bacteria to distinguish between beneficial and toxic molecules......»»
AN Weekend Drive podcast rides again
Every Saturday, we will bring you the weekend version of Daily Drive, digging deeper into the biggest stories of the week......»»
Novel approach uses ionic liquids for diverse aptamer applications
Aptamers, nucleic acids capable of selectively binding to viruses, proteins, ions, small molecules, and various other targets, are garnering attention in drug development as potential antibody substitutes for their thermal and chemical stability as w.....»»
Molecules exhibit non-reciprocal interactions without external forces, new study finds
Researchers from the University of Maine and Penn State discovered that molecules experience non-reciprocal interactions without external forces......»»
Permian marine mass extinction linked to volcanism-induced anoxia
Mass extinctions are rapid global decreases in Earth's biodiversity, with five key events identified over the planet's history, arguably the most famous of which occurred ~66 million years ago during the Cretaceous, which brought the rein of dinosaur.....»»
Oral peptides: A new era in drug development
For decades, a substantial number of proteins, vital for treating various diseases, have remained elusive to oral drug therapy. Traditional small molecules often struggle to bind to proteins with flat surfaces or require specificity for particular pr.....»»
Scientists create chiral polyoxometalate-based frameworks with enhanced stability and catalytic activity
A team of scientists has created a chiral assembly by blending inorganic polyoxometalates and organic cyclodextrin molecules......»»
Location, location, location: Research reveals the hidden power of intracellular neighborhoods
New findings published in Molecular Cell provide details about the hidden organization of the cytoplasm—the soup of liquid, organelles, proteins, and other molecules inside a cell. The research shows it makes a big difference where in that cellular.....»»
"Goldilocks system" boosts efficiency of nickel-catalyzed reactions
In the search for cheaper, greener alternatives to routinely used precious metal catalysts like palladium, nickel has become an increasingly popular choice in the last two decades for organic chemists assembling fragments of molecules for a variety o.....»»
First in situ documentation of a fossilized megalodon tooth in the deep sea
A small team of oceanographers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S., working with a zoologist from the SNSB-Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, in Germany, has documented the first in situ discovery of a fossilized megalodon tooth in th.....»»
Human brain cells put much more energy into signaling
Signaling molecules help modulate the brain's overall activity. Enlarge (credit: Westend61) Indian elephants have larger brains than we do (obviously). Mice have a higher brain-to-body mass ratio, and long-finned pilot w.....»»
First observation of how water molecules move near a metal electrode
A collaborative team of experimental and computational physical chemists from South Korea and the United States has made an important discovery in the field of electrochemistry, shedding light on the movement of water molecules near metal electrodes......»»
New technique could make modeling molecules much easier
Much like the humans that created them, computers find physics hard, but quantum mechanics even harder. But a new technique created by three University of Chicago scientists allows computers to simulate certain challenging quantum mechanical effects.....»»
Study: Physicists create giant trilobite Rydberg molecules
Kaiserslautern physicists in the team of Professor Dr. Herwig Ott have succeeded for the first time in directly observing pure trilobite Rydberg molecules. Particularly interesting is that these molecules have a very peculiar shape, which is reminisc.....»»
Computational model captures the elusive transition states of chemical reactions
During a chemical reaction, molecules gain energy until they reach what's known as the transition state—a point of no return from which the reaction must proceed. This state is so fleeting that it's nearly impossible to observe it experimentally......»»
Webb finds icy complex organic molecules around protostars
In the quest to understand how and where life might arise in the galaxy, astronomers search for its building blocks. Complex Organic Molecules (COMs) are some of those blocks, and they include things like formaldehyde and acetic acid, among many othe.....»»
Computational scientists generate molecular datasets at extreme scale
A team of computational scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has generated and released datasets of unprecedented scale that provide the ultraviolet visible spectral properties of over 10 million organic molecules. U.....»»
Crystal language empowers AI to design novel materials with desired properties
Over the past decade, generative deep learning models have been applied successfully to the design of novel drug molecules, organic synthesis routes, and functional molecules tailored for electronic/optoelectronic devices. This is largely enabled by.....»»
Discovery of magnetic liquid crystal: First direct observation of spin quadrupole moments in a spin-nematic phase
Liquid crystal is a state of matter that exhibits properties of both liquid and solid. It can flow like a liquid, while its constituent molecules are aligned as in a solid. Liquid crystal is widely used nowadays, for example, as a core element of LCD.....»»