From chaos to structure: How a bunch of seemingly disorganized cells go on to form a robust embryo
Pipetting liquids into tiny test tubes, analyzing huge datasets, poring over research publications—all these tasks are part of being a scientist. But breaking this routine is essential. Time away from the usual work environment can spark creative i.....»»
Android will soon instantly log you in to your apps on new devices
New phone day for Android users should get a whole bunch easier. If you lose your iPhone or buy an upgrade, you could reasonably expect to be up and running after an hour, presumi.....»»
Transparent worms with glowing proteins may help fertility treatments
The development of maternal egg cells is pivotal for survival—but also precarious. During meiosis, the DNA-containing chromosomes can easily be broken or lost, causing infertility, miscarriage or genetic disorders like Down syndrome. Scientists hav.....»»
New structure gives insight into mRNA export and cancers, and how viruses hijack the process to infect their host
The central dogma of biology defines the flow of genetic information: It describes how proteins are made from mRNA templates, which are in turn made from DNA. Exporting the mRNA from inside the nucleus to the site of protein translation in the cytopl.....»»
Spatial interactomics tool maps protein interactions to fight lung cancer
As Ahmet F. Coskun and his team of researchers continue their mission to create a 3D atlas of the human body, mapping cells and tissues, they're making discoveries that could lead to better treatments for the most common type of lung cancer......»»
DNA repair by cooperation between proteins: A look inside the cell"s repair hub
New research from the Kind Group at the Hubrecht Institute sheds light on how cells repair damaged DNA. For the first time, the team has mapped the activity of repair proteins in individual human cells......»»
Plant biologists show how two genes work together to trigger embryo formation in rice
Rice is a staple food crop for more than half the world's population, but most farmers don't grow high-yielding varieties because the seeds are too expensive. Researchers from the University of California's Davis and Berkeley campuses have identified.....»»
Low-cost phenotyping system unveils key insights into quantitative disease resistance in wild tomatoes
Quantitative disease resistance (QDR) is a complex but durable form of plant disease resistance that provides partial protection against a broad range of pathogens. Unlike qualitative resistance, driven by major resistance (R) genes, QDR is polygenic.....»»
Decontaminating toxic tires: Researchers show ability to remove toxic particles from end-of-life tires
Tires are an indispensable part of daily life. Without them, our vehicles would just be a bunch of assembled parts—convenient to sit in, but not effective for getting where you are going......»»
Researchers discover the essential role of light in the organization of retinal cells
New work from the laboratory of Michel Cayouette, Director of the Cellular Neurobiology Research Unit at the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM) and Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the Université de Montréal, reveals for the first t.....»»
Human Cell Atlas achieves leap in the understanding of the human body
Researchers with the global Human Cell Atlas (HCA) consortium report significant progress in their quest for a better understanding of the cells of the human body in health and disease, with the publication on 20 November of a collection of more than.....»»
New language encodes shape and structure to help machine learning models predict nanopore properties
A large number of 2D materials like graphene can have nanopores—small holes formed by missing atoms through which foreign substances can pass. The properties of these nanopores dictate many of the materials' properties, enabling the latter to sense.....»»
Predicting the next supernova explosion: New simulations reveal the physics of supernova shock breakout
Stars with masses between 10 and 30 times that of the sun, in their final evolutionary stages, form an iron core that ultimately collapses into a neutron star. This collapse releases a tremendous amount of gravitational potential energy through neutr.....»»
The Milky Way represents an outlier among similar galaxies, universe survey data shows
For decades, scientists have used the Milky Way as a model for understanding how galaxies form. But three new studies raise questions about whether the Milky Way is truly representative of other galaxies in the universe......»»
2D graphene spin valve leverages van der Waals magnet proximity for efficient spintronics
Graphene, particularly in its purest form, has long been considered a promising material for developing spintronic devices. These devices leverage the intrinsic angular momentum (i.e., spin), as opposed to the charge, of electrons to transmit and pro.....»»
Nanofibers made of copper-binding peptides disrupt cancer cells
While toxic in high concentrations, copper is essential to life as a trace element. Many tumors require significantly more copper than healthy cells for growth—a possible new point of attack for cancer treatment......»»
Advancements in genomic research reveal alternative transcription initiation sites in thousands of soybean genes
Rosalind Franklin, James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the structure of DNA—that molecular blueprint for life—over 70 years ago. Today, scientists are still uncovering new ways to read it......»»
Can going to a haunted house boost the immune system?
Study found marked decrease in inflammatory markers and white blood cells after visiting a haunted house. Spooky season has come and gone, but those Halloween revelers who took in.....»»
Seemingly "broken" genes in coronaviruses may be essential for viral survival
Viruses are lean, mean, infection machines. Their genomes are tiny, limited to a handful of absolutely essential genes, and they shed extra genomic deadweight extremely fast... usually......»»
Research reveals even single-cell organisms exhibit habituation, a simple form of learning
A dog learns to sit on command, a person hears and eventually tunes out the hum of a washing machine while reading … The capacity to learn and adapt is central to evolution and, indeed, survival......»»
Adulting, nerdiness and the importance of single-panel comics
While comics have become a culturally popular and widely studied art form in recent decades, one format remains overlooked: the single-panel comic......»»