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.....»»
Highly efficient carbon dioxide photoreduction guided by machine learning and first-principles calculation
Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to high-value carbon-based fuels holds tremendous potential in addressing the growing energy crisis. However, the high C=O bond energy of CO2 molecules (750 kJ·mol-1) makes it challenging to activate and reduce CO2......»»
Catalyst makes drugs inside the body to minimize side effects
A highly active catalyst capable of synthesizing drug molecules within the body has been developed by RIKEN chemists. In mice, an anticancer drug assembled near tumors using the injected catalyst suppressed tumor growth......»»
Modified caffeine molecules help medical research move forward
Before researchers can develop targeted drugs, they need to know exactly how a disease works. Biochemist Bert Beerkens created molecules that allow them to find out. He used caffeine as the basis for new molecules that enable research into certain re.....»»
Novel insights into antibody aggregation expected to open up new avenues for research and therapeutic applications
Antibodies (immunoglobulins) are Y-shaped proteins that recognize and neutralize specific pathogens. Their ability to target specific molecules or cells has made them promising candidates for future drug development. However, their light chains—par.....»»
Physicists "entangle" individual molecules for the first time, hastening possibilities for quantum computing
For the first time, a team of Princeton physicists have been able to link together individual molecules into special states that are quantum mechanically "entangled." In these bizarre states, the molecules remain correlated with each other—and can.....»»
Digging deeper to find life on ocean worlds
In February 2023, researchers from around the country gathered at a NASA-sponsored workshop to discuss the latest developments and a roadmap for a cryobot mission concept to drill through the icy crusts of Europa and Enceladus and search for life......»»
Daily Telescope: A super-hot jet 1,000 light-years from Earth
Molecules in the outflows from the young stars are excited by the turbulent conditions. Enlarge / This image reveals intricate details of the Herbig Haro object number 797 (HH 797). (credit: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, T. Ray (Dublin I.....»»
Chemists create organic molecules in a rainbow of colors that could be useful as organic light-emitting diodes
Chains of fused carbon-containing rings have unique optoelectronic properties that make them useful as semiconductors. These chains, known as acenes, can also be tuned to emit different colors of light, which makes them good candidates for use in org.....»»
AI model directly compares properties of potential new drugs
Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed an AI platform that autonomously compares molecules and learns from their variations to anticipate property differences critical to discovering new pharmaceuticals. The platform provides research.....»»
Breakthroughs in nanosized contrast agents and drug carriers through self-folding molecules
Self-folding polymers containing gadolinium forming nanosized complexes could be the key to enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and next-generation drug delivery, as demonstrated by scientists at Tokyo Tech. Thanks to their small size, low toxicity,.....»»
Nature inspires a new wave of biotechnology
Biological molecules called peptides play a key role in many biological activities, including the transport of oxygen and electrons. Peptides consist of short chains of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. They are also the inspiration for n.....»»
Shedding light on the synthesis of sugars before the origin of life
Pentoses are essential carbohydrates in the metabolism of modern lifeforms, but their availability during early Earth is unclear since these molecules are unstable......»»
Floral time travel: Flowers were more diverse 100 million years ago than they are today
An international team of researchers led by botanists at the University of Vienna, Austria, has analyzed the morphological diversity of fossilized flowers and compared it with the diversity of living species. They found that flowering plants had alre.....»»
Scientists propose new method to search for deviations from the Standard Model of physics
In the search for new particles and forces in nature, physicists are on the hunt for behaviors within atoms and molecules that are forbidden by the tried-and-true Standard Model of particle physics. Any deviations from this model could indicate what.....»»
Study shows the ability of some molecules to modify the surface of nanoparticles
Nanoparticles have unique properties that make them exceptional tools with a variety of applications, from medicine to electronics. One of the lesser-known facts about them is that their surface plays a crucial role in their behavior and functionalit.....»»
More than a meteorite: New clues about the demise of dinosaurs
What wiped out the dinosaurs? A meteorite plummeting to Earth is only part of the story, a new study suggests. Climate change triggered by massive volcanic eruptions may have ultimately set the stage for the dinosaur extinction, challenging the tradi.....»»
Fossil unearthed in Mongolia"s Gobi Desert suggests some dinosaurs slept in same position as modern birds
A team of paleontologists and biologists from Hokkaido University, Hokkaido University Museum, North Carolina State University and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, has uncovered a previously unknown species of dinosaur that appears to have slept in.....»»
Combining extreme-ultraviolet light sources to resolve a quantum mechanical dissociation mechanism in oxygen molecules
For the first time, researchers have succeeded in selectively exciting a molecule using a combination of two extreme-ultraviolet light sources and causing the molecule to dissociate while tracking it over time. This is another step towards specific q.....»»
An effective approach for preparing supramolecular polymers at high concentration
Supramolecular polymers (SPs) are molecular assemblies composed of non-covalently bonded small molecules. They show high recyclability originating from their dynamic nature of monomer binding, which is different from covalent polymers with non-biodeg.....»»
Study looks at RNA"s solo act on the ever-changing stage of cellular dynamics
RNA has been in the limelight for its starring role in cutting-edge vaccine technology, but RNA molecules are also key players in the inner workings of cells......»»