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.....»»
Physical theory improves protein folding prediction
Proteins are important molecules that perform a variety of functions essential to life. To function properly, many proteins must fold into specific structures. However, the way proteins fold into specific structures is still largely unknown. Research.....»»
Dangerous "Superbugs" Are on the Rise. What Can Stop Them?
Traditional antibiotics drive bacteria toward drug resistance, so scientists are looking to viruses, CRISPR, designer molecules and protein swords for better superbug treatments.....»»
Investigating the detection limit of electrochemistry
With recent improvements in instrumentation and confinement techniques, the detection of molecules using electrochemical techniques has become easier than ever before; however, there are still many conditions which restrict the electrochemical detect.....»»
In Colombian jungle, digging up the Americas" colonial past
With brushes and trowels, Indigenous Colombians are unearthing traces in the jungle of a tragic period in history, when their ancestors were violently supplanted by colonists from Spain......»»
Annular distribution of SiC2 in circumstellar envelopes of carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch stars
The circumstellar envelopes (CSE) of asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars contain a large number of molecules, which account for about one-third of all molecules discovered in interstellar space......»»
Unearthing the leaf miners of ancient times: 312-million-year-old fossil sheds light on insect behavior and evolution
Insects are fragile, soft-bodied animals whose remains are difficult to preserve. Wings are often fossilized, but insect bodies, if present, are usually bits and pieces of the original prehistoric animal, making it difficult for scientists to study t.....»»
Paleontologists find first molecular evidence of ginger pigment molecules in fossil frogs
Paleontologists at University College Cork (UCC) have found the first molecular evidence of pheomelanin, the pigment that produces ginger coloration, in the fossil record......»»
Molecular knots, left and right: How molecules form knots
Helical molecules, similarly to a corkscrew, have a spiral shape that can be either left- or right-turning. Such "chiral molecules" can collectively organize (assemble) into large left- or right-handed twisted structures. These exhibit special optica.....»»
Holes in baby dinosaur bones show how football-sized hatchlings grew to 3-ton teens
Despite their public image as torpid, lumbering creatures, many dinosaurs were evidently warm-blooded, highly active animals, capable of prolonged and strenuous aerobic exercise......»»
Researchers investigate role of water molecules in formation of condensates in cells
In order to fulfill their function, biological cells need to be divided into separate reaction compartments. This is sometimes done with membranes, and sometimes without them: the spontaneous segregation of certain types of biomolecules leads to the.....»»
Separating molecules requires a lot of energy. This nanoporous, heat-resistant membrane could change that
Industry has long relied upon energy-intensive processes, such as distillation and crystallization, to separate molecules that ultimately serve as ingredients in medicine, chemicals and other products......»»
Machine learning helps predict drugs" favorite subcellular haunts
Most drugs are small molecules that bind firmly to a specific target—some molecule in human cells that is involved in a disease—in order to work. For example, a cancer drug's target might be a molecule that is abundant inside of cancer cells. The.....»»
Garumbatitan: A new giant dinosaur in the Lower Cretaceous of the Iberian Peninsula
A new study describes a new sauropod dinosaur that lived in the Iberian Peninsula 122 million years ago. This new species of dinosaur, Garumbatitan morellensis, was described from remains discovered in Morella (Castelló, Spain) and made it possible.....»»
An Epic Fight Over What Really Killed the Dinosaurs
A deep learning model has joined a vigorous debate over whether volcanoes began dinosaur doomsday well before the asteroid hit......»»
Researchers revive a chemical synthesis method abandoned a century ago. Why?
Organic synthesis is the art of creating molecules, used for creating essential items like pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and materials for high-tech gadgets such as smartphones. Think of it as playing with LEGO bricks at a microscopic level—chemi.....»»
A better understanding of gene regulation in embryonic stem cells
During the first hours of an embryo's development, specialized molecules called pioneer transcription factors unravel parts of its DNA to activate the encoded genes. Which gene is activated and when has to follow a set schedule so that genes that are.....»»
Powering the quantum revolution: Quantum engines on the horizon
Quantum mechanics is a branch of physics that explores the properties and interactions of particles at very small scale, such as atoms and molecules. This has led to the development of new technologies that are more powerful and efficient compared to.....»»
Thermal magIC: Digging into the details of an ambitious new "thermometry camera"
Thermometers can do a lot of things: Measure the temperature at the center of your perfectly braised chicken or tell you whether to keep your child home from school due to illness. But because of their size, traditional thermometers' uses are still l.....»»
Research team develops new way to target cancer cells
Researchers from the University of Arizona Cancer Center have identified a new method of activating specific molecules to target cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed......»»
Workers uncover eight mummies and pre-Inca objects while expanding the gas network in Peru
Some archaeologists describe Peru's capital as an onion with many layers of history, others consider it a box of surprises. That's what some gas line workers got when their digging uncovered eight pre-Inca funeral bales......»»