First synthetic embryos: The scientific breakthrough raises serious ethical questions
Children, even some who are too young for school, know you can't make a baby without sperm and an egg. But a team of researchers in Israel have called into question the basics of what we teach children about the birds and the bees, and created a mous.....»»
Discovery of enzyme pathway may lead to lifesaving leishmaniasis treatments
A breakthrough in understanding how a single-cell parasite makes ergosterol (its version of cholesterol) could lead to more effective drugs for human leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease that afflicts about 1 million people and kills about 30,000 peopl.....»»
Cyanobacteria research unlocks potential for renewable plastics from carbon dioxide
Scientists at The University of Manchester have achieved a significant breakthrough in using cyanobacteria—commonly known as "blue-green algae"—to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable bio-based materials......»»
Heterogeneous host populations drive evolution of more virulent pathogens, modeling study shows
The evolution of pathogens has received attention in a wide range of scientific fields, such as epidemiology, demography, and evolutionary ecology. Understanding pathogen evolution is particularly urgent for rapidly evolving pathogens, such as SARS-C.....»»
Programming cells: New RNA tool enhances precision in synthetic genetic circuits
Researchers have successfully developed a modular synthetic translational coupling element (SynTCE), significantly enhancing the precision and integration density of genetic circuits in synthetic biology. Their study was recently published in the jou.....»»
Growing safer spuds: Removing toxins from potatoes
Scientists have discovered a way to remove toxic compounds from potatoes, making them safer to eat and easier to store. The breakthrough could cut food waste and enhance crop farming in space and other extreme environments......»»
Rocket-inspired reaction yields carbon with record surface area
Using a chemical reaction inspired by rocket fuel ignition, Cornell researchers have engineered a nanoporous carbon with the highest surface area ever reported, a breakthrough that is already proving beneficial for carbon-dioxide capture and energy s.....»»
Researchers identify 35 new lizard species on Caribbean islands
A new scientific study from Temple University's College of Science and Technology (CST) has identified 35 new species of forest lizards, all from islands in the Caribbean. However, that same study has also found that these species of lizards won't be.....»»
Report: Ecological crises are interconnected and must be tackled in a coordinated way
Maria J. Santos, a professor at the University of Zurich, is one of the main authors of the comprehensive scientific analysis published this week by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). At a pr.....»»
25 years after Lothar: How the windstorm rebuilt Swiss forests
On the morning of December 26, 1999, the winter storm "Lothar" swept across Switzerland, knocking down around 14 million cubic meters of wood, three times the annual logging volume. WSL experts answer numerous questions about how the forest is doing.....»»
No parachute needed: New typhoon observation device demonstrates high accuracy in field test
Researchers in Japan have demonstrated the high accuracy of their newly developed typhoon observation device, which is designed to drop from an aircraft into the eye of a typhoon. The results are published in the journal Scientific Online Letters on.....»»
Apple’s foldable iPad could be the dream all-in-one I’ve always wanted
Rumors have once again surfaced of Apple developing a large foldable iPad. But now we have some new details, and as a heavy iPad user I’m very excited—though several key questions remain. more….....»»
Women entrepreneurs who take a scientific approach to decision-making find new markets, study suggests
New research co-authored by Bayes Business School suggests that women entrepreneurs who take a scientific approach to decision-making are more likely to find new uses and target markets for their product or service, making them more likely to transla.....»»
Catly promises a photorealistic cat game, but its tech is a mystery
Catly promises to deliver a photorealistic cat game, but its first trailer raises questions about the tech powering it......»»
Are LLMs capable of non-verbal reasoning?
Processing in the "latent space" could help AI with tricky logical questions. Large language models have found great success so far by using their transformer architecture to e.....»»
The origin of genetic code: Study finds textbook version needs revision
Despite awe-inspiring diversity, nearly every lifeform—from bacteria to blue whales—shares the same genetic code. How and when this code came about has been the subject of much scientific controversy......»»
"Mirror bacteria" could pose serious global health risks
A group of researchers has published new findings in Science Policy Forum on potential risks from the development of mirror bacteria—synthetic organisms in which all molecules have reversed chirality (i.e., are "mirrored")......»»
How a piece of plastic shut down DNA testing at crime lab
It was technically a successful scientific discovery when analysts at the Hennepin County, Minnesota, forensic science lab recognized there was a contaminant somewhere in its DNA process. That did not lessen the sense of dread......»»
Scientists examine how roasting affects the perfect brew
A new study in published in Scientific Reports suggests that the perfect cup of coffee is influenced by a complex blend of variables such as bean processing method, brewing time, and grind size, not just the roast level......»»
An interstellar visitor helped shape the orbits of the planets
The orbits of the planets around the sun have been the source for many a scientific debate. Their current orbital properties are well understood but the planetary orbits have evolved and changed since the formation of the solar system......»»
NASA scientific balloon flights to lift off from Antarctica
NASA's Scientific Balloon Program has returned to Antarctica's icy expanse to kick off the annual Antarctic Long-Duration Balloon Campaign, where two balloon flights will carry a total of nine missions to near space. Launch operations will begin mid-.....»»