Molecular breeding can make better bitter olives
Olives, well-known for their characteristic bitter taste, are in high demand owing to the popularity of the oil they produce. The health benefits of olive oil are well known, ranging from antiviral, anti-cancer, to even anti-hypertensive effects. The.....»»
Striking gold with molecular mystery solution for potential clean energy
Hydrogen spillover is exactly what it sounds like. Small metal nanoparticles anchored on a thermally stable oxide, like silica, comprise a major class of catalysts, which are substances used to accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed the.....»»
"Suicidal" mechanism discovered in ion channel receptors enables the sensing of heat and pain
The ability to accurately detect heat and pain is critical to human survival, but scientists have struggled to understand on a molecular level exactly how our bodies sense these potential risks......»»
Mapping the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein could provide insight into vaccine development
Although the COVID-19 pandemic was the first time most of humanity learned of the now infamous disease, the family of coronaviruses was first identified in the mid-1960s. In a new study, molecular biologist Steven Van Doren, a scientist in the Univer.....»»
Examining the intersection of thrush nightingales, territoriality and testosterone
Under the Tanzanian skies, some thrush nightingale males reside in close proximity to each other, a striking contrast to their territorial behavior during breeding season in temperate zones. With the end of winter, a dual transformation unfolds in th.....»»
Optimizing molecular photoswitches for solar energy harvesting
Molecular photoswitches that can both convert and store energy could be used to make solar energy harvesting more efficient. A team of researchers has used a quantum computing method to find a particularly efficient molecular structure for this purpo.....»»
Scientists unravel symbiotic secrets of prokaryotic community living in host amoeba
In a new study, researchers from the Faculty of Science of Charles University, in collaboration with researchers from Max-Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and European Molecular Biology Laboratory from Heidelberg, have delved into the in.....»»
Research explores first defense against devastating ToCSV tomato virus at a molecular genetics level
How tomato plants defend themselves against a devastating 'young' Southern African virus has now been investigated at a molecular genetics level for the first time by researchers at the University of Johannesburg (UJ)......»»
Warming decimates Antarctica"s emperor penguin chicks
Helpless emperor penguin chicks perished at multiple breeding grounds in West Antarctica late last year, drowning or freezing to death when sea ice eroded by global warming gave way under their tiny feet, scientists said Thursday......»»
Dramatic images show why emperor penguins were hit with catastrophe
At the bottom of the world, emperor penguins have experienced tragedy.Scientists at the British Antarctic Survey report an "unprecedented breeding failure" in some big, well-observed colonies where sea ice had largely or completely vanished in 2022......»»
New experimental research measures the speed of molecular charge migration for the first time
To discover how light interacts with molecules, the first step is to follow electron dynamics, which evolve at the attosecond timescale. The dynamics of this first step have been called charge migration (CM). CM plays a fundamental role in chemical r.....»»
Study demonstrates immune defense was key for plants conquering land
A new study, led by Hirofumi Nakagami at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Cologne, Germany, demonstrates that one of the two branches of plant immunity was likely to have evolved early during the establishment of plants on dry.....»»
Learning from viruses: Molecular fibers can help to introduce genetic material into cells
Pathogenic viruses that enter the human body can dock onto cells with their tentacle-like extensions, whereupon the cell takes up the viruses. This process, which is already known and occurs in diseases such as HIV, can also be used for therapeutic a.....»»
New research identifies a biotechnology approach to improve hybrid breeding of soybean
Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the most economically and societally impactful crops in the world, providing a significant percentage of all protein for animal consumption on a global scale, and playing key roles in oil production, manufacturing, and.....»»
Deciphering the molecular dynamics of complex proteins
Which structures do complex proteins adopt in solution? Konstanz biophysicists answer this question using the example of ubiquitin dimers as well as a new combination of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy and sophisticated computer simulations......»»
Your Apple Watch band is likely covered in bacteria, new study says
In what will come as wholly unsurprising news for many people, your Apple Watch band is a breeding ground for bacteria. New research published in the Advances in Infectious Diseases journal goes more in-depth on the issue, finding a correlation betwe.....»»
Apple Watch bands harbor dangerous bacteria -- because no one cleans them
As it turns out, wristbands, like the one used with the Apple Watch, are the perfect breeding grounds for bacteria like Staphylococcus and E. coli. Here's why you should start disinfecting them.Apple Watch bandsIf you're like most smartwatch owners,.....»»
Researchers discover mechanism by which cancer cells survive replication stress
Researchers from Karolinska Institutet have discovered a new molecular mechanism by which cancer cells safeguard themselves from oncogene-induced replication stress and propose a strategy to deactivate this protective mechanism. The study is publishe.....»»
Sugars affect brain "plasticity," helping with learning, memory, recovery
Can you recognize someone you haven't seen in years, but forget what you had for breakfast yesterday? Our brains constantly rearrange their circuitry to remember familiar faces or learn new skills, but the molecular basis of this process isn't well u.....»»
Decoding how molecules "talk" to each other to develop new nanotechnologies
Two molecular languages at the origin of life have been successfully recreated and mathematically validated, thanks to pioneering work by Canadian scientists at Université de Montréal......»»
Uncovering the local atomic structure of zeolite using optimum bright-field scanning transmission electron microscopy
Zeolites have unique porous atomic structures and are useful as catalysts, ion exchangers and molecular sieves. It is difficult to directly observe the local atomic structures of the material via electron microscopy due to low electron irradiation re.....»»