Engineers describe how fluid suspensions exhibit different behaviors at different scales
Honey is already a thick liquid, but let it begin to crystalize and it can become downright clumpy. The sugar crystals in suspension seem to increase its viscosity. This phenomenon occurs throughout the natural and constructed world: From mudflows to.....»»
Synthetic chemistry approach yields new compounds with potential biomedical applications
Researchers at Rice University have successfully synthesized a group of natural compounds known as fusicoccanes. The molecules found in various living organisms exhibit diverse biological activities, including the ability to modulate protein-protein.....»»
Engineers solve "catalysis vs corrosion" mystery in electrochemical ozone production
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Drexel University in Philadelphia, along with Brookhaven National Laboratory, are working to solve a multipart mystery to make water disinfection treatments more sustainable......»»
Making sure ESA"s cloud and aerosol satellite is aerosol-free
A few weeks ago, a team of engineers carefully extracted ESA's EarthCARE satellite from its protective transport container, initiating a meticulous process of inspection, testing and preparation for its liftoff later this month from the Vandenberg la.....»»
Physicists pioneer new quantum sensing platform
Quantum sensors detect the smallest of environmental changes—for example, an atom reacting to a magnetic field. As these sensors "read" the unique behaviors of subatomic particles, they also dramatically improve scientists' ability to measure and d.....»»
Novel chemical tool for understanding membrane remodeling in the cell
In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Umeå researchers describe a natural product-like molecule, Tantalosin, that inhibits interaction between two proteins in complexes that reshape membranes inside the cell......»»
Lahar detection system upgraded for Mount Rainier
In the shadow of Washington State's Mount Rainier, about 90,000 people live in the path of a potential large lahar—a destructive, fluid and fast-moving debris flow associated with volcanic slopes......»»
The COVID-19 pandemic changed our patterns and behaviors, which in turn affected wildlife
The Earth now supports over eight billion people who collectively have transformed three-quarters of the planet's land surface for food, energy, shelter and other aspects of the human enterprise......»»
First report of wound treatment by a wild animal using a pain-relieving plant
Even though there is evidence of certain self-medication behaviors in animals, so far it has never been known that animals treat their wounds with healing plants......»»
Stellantis hires engineers in Brazil, India for $53,000 a year to save costs
Stellantis is pursuing an aggressive cost-cutting program and is said to want to have roughly two-thirds of the company’s engineers in lower-cost countries over the longer term......»»
New computer algorithm supercharges climate models and could lead to better predictions of future climate change
Earth System Models—complex computer models that describe Earth processes and how they interact—are critical for predicting future climate change. By simulating the response of our land, oceans and atmosphere to manmade greenhouse gas emissions,.....»»
Study is first to describe and recreate lemurs" one-of-a-kind vocal structure
New research has discovered that lemurs, the small primates native to Madagascar, are capable of exaggerating their size thanks to the unique structure of their larynx......»»
Human activities have an intense impact on Earth"s deep subsurface fluid flow
The impact of human activities—such as greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation—on Earth's surface have been well-studied. Now, hydrology researchers from the University of Arizona have investigated how humans impact Earth's deep subsurface, a.....»»
Recovering phosphorus from sewage sludge ash to address problem of diminishing supplies of phosphorus ores
Valuable supplies of phosphorus could be recovered from sewage sludge ash, which remains after the sludge has been burned for electric power generation. The method has been developed by chemical engineers Yuuki Mochizuki and Naoto Tsubouchi at Hokkai.....»»
Cichlid fishes" curiosity promotes biodiversity: How exploratory behavior aids in ecological adaptation
Cichlid fishes exhibit differing degrees of curiosity. The cause for this lies in their genes, as reported by researchers from the University of Basel in the journal Science. This trait influences the cichlids' ability to adapt to new habitats......»»
IRIS beamline at BESSY II gets a new nanospectroscopy end station
The IRIS infrared beamline at the BESSY II storage ring now offers a fourth option for characterizing materials, cells and even molecules on different length scales. The team has extended the IRIS beamline with an end station for nanospectroscopy and.....»»
Scientists discover method to prevent coalescence in immiscible liquids
A team of chemical engineers from Université PSL, CNRS, Harvard University and chemical company Calyxia, has discovered a way to prevent or delay coalescence in some immiscible liquids......»»
Imaging technique shows new details of peptide structures
A new imaging technique developed by engineers at Washington University in St. Louis can give scientists a much closer look at fibril assemblies—stacks of peptides that include amyloid beta, most notably associated with Alzheimer's disease......»»
Engineers muffle invading pathogens with a "molecular mask"
Vaccines remain the gold standard of protection against dangerous pathogens, but take considerable time and vast resources to develop. Rapidly mutating viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 can blunt their effectiveness and even render them obsolete......»»
A key gene helps explain how the ability to glide has emerged over-and-over during marsupial evolution
People say "When pigs fly" to describe the impossible. But even if most mammals are landlubbers, the ability to glide or fly has evolved again and again during mammalian evolution, in species ranging from bats to flying squirrels. How did that come a.....»»
Recoding Voyager 1—NASA’s interstellar explorer is finally making sense again
"We're pretty much seeing everything we had hoped for, and that's always good news.” Engineers have partially restored a 1970s-era computer on NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft after five months of long-distance troubleshooting, building.....»»