Molecule snapshot by explosion
Exploding a photo subject in order to take its picture? An international research team at the European XFEL, the world's largest X-ray laser, applied this "extreme" method to take pictures of complex molecules. The scientists used the ultra-bright X-.....»»
Fluorescent molecules to illuminate life: Simplified synthesis with formaldehyde
A research team has recently made a breakthrough in synthesizing organic fluorophores more cost-effectively and atom-efficiently than ever before by using formaldehyde, the simplest carbon molecule. Their findings were published in Angewandte Chemie.....»»
Oil pollution in North Sea is "grossly underestimated," suggests new report
Growing up in Aberdeen, Scotland, the shadow of the Piper Alpha disaster loomed large over our community. The tragic explosion of the oil rig platform in 1988 claimed the lives of 167 people. Back then, I was blissfully unaware of the ecological rami.....»»
Exploring the role of hydrogen sulfide in the expression of iron uptake genes in E. coli
Antibiotic resistance and oxidative stress response are important biological mechanisms that help bacteria thrive, especially pathogenic bacteria like Escherichia coli. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a chemical messenger molecule, regulates several intracel.....»»
How a nearby supernova left its mark on Earth life
When a massive star explodes as a supernova, it does more than release an extraordinary amount of energy. Supernovae explosions are responsible for creating some of the heavy elements, including iron, which is blasted out into space by the explosion......»»
New nanoparticle prevents mineral buildup in equipment handling water-oil mixtures
In the process of oil extraction, hard mineral buildup inside the pipes and equipment can cause serious operational damage, safety issues such as pipe explosion and significant economic losses. The current methods for descaling mineral buildup, howev.....»»
Pipeline explosion near Houston erupts in a towering flame, forcing evacuations
Pipeline explosion near Houston erupts in a towering flame, forcing evacuations.....»»
A single peptide helps starfish get rid of a limb when attacked
A signaling molecule that's so potent injected animals may drop more than one limb. Enlarge (credit: Hal Beral) For many creatures, having a limb caught in a predator’s mouth is usually a death sentence. Not starfish,.....»»
Floquet engineering tunes ultracold molecule interactions and produces two-axis twisting dynamics
The interactions between quantum spins underlie some of the universe's most interesting phenomena, such as superconductors and magnets. However, physicists have difficulty engineering controllable systems in the lab that replicate these interactions......»»
Space travel comes with risk—SpaceX"s Polaris Dawn mission will push the envelope further than ever
Space is an unnatural environment for humans. We can't survive unprotected in a pure vacuum for more than two minutes. Getting to space involves being strapped to a barely contained chemical explosion......»»
Chemists create industrially important alkyl amines from dinitrogen and alkenes
A critical chemical bond can be assembled using dinitrogen (N2)—a molecule freely available in the air around us—chemists at RIKEN have shown in a new article published in Nature......»»
NASA"s mini BurstCube mission detects its first gamma-ray burst
The shoebox-sized BurstCube satellite has observed its first gamma-ray burst, the most powerful kind of explosion in the universe, according to a recent analysis of observations collected over the last several months......»»
NASA mission gets its first snapshot of polar heat emissions
NASA's newest climate mission has started collecting data on the amount of heat in the form of far-infrared radiation that the Arctic and Antarctic environments emit to space. These measurements by the Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-Infrared Experim.....»»
Q&A: Astronomers await a once-in-80-year stellar explosion
We sat down with Carnegie Science Observatories theoretical astrophysicist Tony Prio to talk about T Coronae Borealis, the stellar explosion that occurs once every 80 years and is due to light up in the coming months......»»
Study finds RNA molecule controls butterfly wing coloration
A team of international researchers has uncovered a surprising genetic mechanism that influences the vibrant and complex patterns on butterfly wings. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team, led by Luca L.....»»
Chiral molecule research achieves near-complete separation in quantum states
In a study titled "Near-complete chiral selection in rotational quantum states" published in Nature Communications, the Controlled Molecules Group from the Molecular Physics Department of the Fritz Haber Institute has made a significant leap forward.....»»
New research busts the myth that crossbred "designer dogs" are healthier than pedigrees
Labradoodles, puggles, dorgis, cavoodles, cavapoos: Whatever you call them, there's no escaping the explosion of designer crossbreeds parading along our streets and through our dog parks these days......»»
Scientists develop new chemical tool for infection research
Researchers from Würzburg and Berlin present a new molecule for visualizing the sphingomyelin metabolism. This offers prospects for innovative therapeutic approaches in infection research. The work is published in the journal Nature Communications......»»
Discovery explains the chemistry behind the cell"s energy molecule
An international research team led by Professor Magnus Wolf-Watz at Umeå University has discovered how the magnesium atom directs the chemistry that catalyzes the production of the energy molecule ATP in a cell. The study is published in the journal.....»»
New genetic sensor for DNA methylation discovered
DNA methylation is a process in which a methyl group is attached to the cytosine base of the DNA molecule, and is a major way that DNA is epigenetically marked. Epigenetic modifications can act as on–off switches to regulate gene expression and hel.....»»
Ultra-sensitive photothermal microscopy technique detects single nanoparticles as small as 5 nm
The detection of individual particles and molecules has opened new horizons in analytical chemistry, cellular imaging, nanomaterials, and biomedical diagnostics. Traditional single-molecule detection methods rely heavily on fluorescence techniques, w.....»»