Genetic engineering sheds light on ancient evolutionary questions
Cyanobacteria are single-celled organisms that derive energy from light, using photosynthesis to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and liquid water (H2O) into breathable oxygen and the carbon-based molecules like proteins that make up their ce.....»»
Flow of the future: AI models tackle complex particle drag coefficients
Accurately modeling particle movement through fluids is crucial in fields ranging from chemical engineering to aerospace. The drag coefficient, which influences how particles settle and move in fluid environments, is a core factor in these calculatio.....»»
Testing thousands of RNA enzymes helps find first "twister ribozyme" in mammals
The "RNA world" hypothesis proposes that the earliest life on Earth may have been based on RNA—a single-stranded molecule similar in many ways to DNA—like some modern viruses. This is because, like DNA, RNA can carry genetic information, but, lik.....»»
Scientists shed light on an arms race between barley and a fungal pathogen
Scientists from the Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB), together with partners from the University of Cologne, have discovered a new group of defense substances in barley that are effective against a broad spectrum of fungal pathogens. One.....»»
Survey highlights "publish or perish" culture as key factor in research irreproducibility
An international survey involving over 1,600 biomedical researchers has shed light on the perceived causes of irreproducibility in research results. The survey, which included participants from various countries and research institutions, aimed to id.....»»
Pimax Crystal Light review: a new standard for affordable PC VR
I reviewed the Pimax Crystal Light, an affordable PC VR headset with minimal tradeoffs that boasts high-resolution displays with local dimming for lossless SteamVR gaming and sim racing......»»
Enzyme engineering has the potential to drive more sustainable and efficient drug manufacturing
Researchers have found a new way to use biocatalysis to improve the production of critical raw materials required for essential drugs, making the process quicker, more efficient, and environmentally friendly. Biocatalysis is a process that uses enzym.....»»
Reconstructing plesiosaur swimming styles with a bio-inspired control system
A research group may have unraveled the mystery behind the locomotion of the ancient marine reptile, the plesiosaur, by recreating a bio-inspired control system that accounts for motion adjustment......»»
A single atom can change the directional profile of the light emitted in scanning tunneling microscopes
Researchers from Madrid explain a phenomenon that allows the direction of light emission to be controlled at the atomic scale. The paper provides a detailed explanation of how the profile of the light collected in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM.....»»
Designs on ancient stone cylinders correspond to origin of writing in Mesopotamia, researchers discover
The origins of writing in Mesopotamia lie in the images imprinted by ancient cylinder seals on clay tablets and other artifacts. A research group from the University of Bologna has identified a series of correlations between the designs engraved on t.....»»
Scientists discover all-optical nuclear magnetic resonance analog with quantum fluids of light
Researchers from Skoltech, the University of Warsaw, and the University of Iceland have demonstrated that by optical means it is possible to excite and stir an exciton-polariton condensate, which emits a linearly polarized light with a polarization a.....»»
Biologists reveal the genetic "switch" behind parrot color diversity
From the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro to the shoulders of pirates: parrots are synonymous with color for people across the world. In a study published in the journal Science, scientists from The University of Hong Kong, together with an international t.....»»
Portal to the past: Geologist identifies metamorphic rock as a crucial feature of the ancient Earth"s carbon cycle
If Earth's history were a calendar year, humans would not appear until the last few minutes before midnight on Dec. 31. During the Proterozoic Eon—2.5 billion years to 543 million years ago—the sun was still a young star, much dimmer than today,.....»»
The secrets of baseball"s magic mud: Study quantifies its properties to show it"s not simply a superstition
The unique properties of baseball's famed "magic" mud have never been scientifically quantified—until now. In a paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applie.....»»
Mathematical model illuminates how the environment impacts life choices of salmon
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a mathematical model that models how the evolutionary strategies of organisms are affected by the environment. They studied salmonid fishes which choose either to migrate to the sea then ret.....»»
Not the usual suspects: Research reveals novel genetic basis of pest resistance to biotech crops
If left unchecked, insect pests can devastate crops. To minimize damage and reduce the need for insecticide sprays, crops have been genetically engineered to produce bacterial proteins that kill key pests but are not harmful to people or wildlife. Ho.....»»
Genome sequencing of all four Macadamia species unlocks new potential for crop improvement
A research team has successfully sequenced and assembled the genomes of all four Macadamia species, marking a significant advance in crop improvement efforts for this commercially valuable nut. The findings reveal key genetic traits that could enhanc.....»»
Webb confirms a longstanding galaxy model
Perhaps the greatest tool astronomers have is the ability to look backward in time. Since starlight takes time to reach us, astronomers can observe the history of the cosmos by capturing the light of distant galaxies......»»
Multi-layered site in Tajikistan"s Zeravshan Valley uncovered, offering new insights into human expansion
In an important discovery, archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan have uncovered a multi-layered archaeological site in the Zeravshan Valley, central Tajikistan, shedding rare light o.....»»
Report reveals challenges facing transnational families
A new report from the University of Reading brings to light the unique and often overlooked challenges faced by families living across national borders......»»
Fingerprints on ancient terracotta figurines show men, women and children worked on figurines
A recent preliminary study by Ph.D. student Leonie Hoff of the University of Oxford, published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology, provides insight into how ancient fingerprints left on terracotta figurines reveal the age and sex of their makers......»»