Molecular archaeology: What ancient genes tell us about who we are
Using the latest scientific methods, Tom Higham and Katerina Douka from the University of Vienna want to solve a great mystery of human evolution: Why are we the only humans left? Higham and Douka were the first ones to find a first-generation offspr.....»»
Researchers explore physiological and molecular processes underlying graft healing
Grafting has long been a cornerstone in agriculture and forestry, allowing for the propagation of desirable plant traits and improved resistance to environmental challenges. Despite its widespread application, grafting still encounters obstacles, inc.....»»
New technique zeros in on the genes that snakes use to produce venom
Only about 10% of the world's roughly 4,000 snake species have venom strong enough to seriously hurt a human, but that's enough for snake bites to be an important public health concern. To help better understand how snakes make their venom and how ve.....»»
Ancient sword from the era of Moses, Book of Exodus uncovered in Egypt
Ancient sword from the era of Moses, Book of Exodus uncovered in Egypt.....»»
Bioengineers create new substrate to study wood-decomposing enzyme
Researchers want to transform the natural and abundant resource wood into useful materials, and central to that is a molecular machine found in fungi that decomposes the complex raw material into its basic components......»»
Silencing in action: How cells "repress" genomic remnants of ancient viruses
Researchers have identified key cellular control sites that regulate gene expression and prevent the activation of "cryptic" genomic regions, including ancient viral sequences......»»
DNA origami and fluorescent probes can precisely release molecular cargo
In the world of nanotechnology, the development of dynamic systems that respond to molecular signals is becoming increasingly important. The DNA origami technique, whereby DNA is programmed so as to produce functional nanostructures, plays a key role.....»»
Scientists find new epigenetic switch, revealing how genes are regulated in early development
The team of Professor Christof Niehrs at the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) in Mainz, Germany, has discovered that a DNA modification called 5-formylcytosine (5fC) functions as an activating epigenetic switch that kick-starts genes in early emb.....»»
Unraveling an ancient European extinction mystery: Disappearance of dwarf megafauna on paleolithic Cyprus
Scientists have unraveled a mystery about the disappearance of dwarf hippos and elephants that once roamed the picturesque landscape on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus before paleolithic humans arrived......»»
Do bacteria age?
Any organism that lives, grows and reproduces must also age. People often think of aging in the physical sense—gray hair, slowed movements and wrinkles—but aging fundamentally occurs on a molecular level, inside of cells......»»
Archaeological excavation in ancient Fregellae reveals the end of a cultural landscape
From 22 July to 19 August 2024, a team of researchers from the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA) and the University of Trier investigated the remains of the late Republican city of Fregellae in present-day Italy to better understand the socia.....»»
The stone-eaters that threaten Iran"s ancient Persepolis
Conservationists at Persepolis, Iran's most iconic ancient site, are waging a delicate battle against an unlikely adversary: tiny but persistent lichens eroding the millennia-old monuments......»»
"Ecocide" on Easter Island never took place, studies suggest
Two recent studies have cast doubt on a popular theory that the ancient residents of Easter Island suffered a societal collapse because they overexploited their natural resources, an event often labeled one of history's first "ecocides"......»»
Evidence of “snowball Earth” found in ancient rocks
An outcrop in Scotland has material from when the Earth went into a deep freeze. Enlarge / Artist's conception of the state of the Earth during its global glaciations. (credit: NASA) Earth has gone through many geologic.....»»
New technique boosts mutation rates in fruit flies for genetics research
A new technique, TF-High-Evolutionary (TF-HighEvo), allows large-scale assessment of de-novo mutations in multicellular organisms. Developed in collaboration with researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the Friedrich Mie.....»»
Catalyzing environmental cleanup: A highly active and selective molecular catalyst and electrified membrane
Some chemicals create environmental problems; others, fortunately, can help clean them up. Chemists from Yale University and their colleagues have developed an electrochemical catalyst and membrane that offers an efficient and sustainable way to trea.....»»
Human "molecular map" contributes to the understanding of disease mechanisms
Scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar (WCM-Q) have created an intricate molecular map of the human body and its complex physiological processes based on the analysis of thousands of molecules in blood, urine and saliva samples from 391 volunt.....»»
New classical algorithm enhances understanding of quantum computing"s future
In an exciting development for quantum computing, researchers from the University of Chicago's Department of Computer Science, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, and Argonne National Laboratory have introduced a classical algorithm that simula.....»»
Researchers uncover new infection-fighting molecules through "molecular de-extinction"
A new study led by Cesar de la Fuente, Ph.D., Presidential Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Microbiology, Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania, has uncovered sequences for infection-.....»»
Ancient DNA from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) refutes best-selling population collapse theory
Rapa Nui or Te Pito o Te Henua (the navel of the world), also known as Easter Island, is one of the most isolated inhabited places in the world. Located in the Pacific, it lies over 1,900 km east of the closest inhabited Polynesian island and 3,700 k.....»»
Archaeologists discover an ancient Neanderthal lineage that remained isolated for over 50,000 years
A fossilized Neanderthal discovered in a cave system in the Rhône Valley, France, represents an ancient and previously undescribed lineage that diverged from other currently known Neanderthals around 100,000 years ago and remained genetically isolat.....»»