Phosphate biosensors could lead to more efficient fertilizer usage
Shiqi Zhang spent many months sitting alone in a dark room, staring intently into the lens of a confocal microscope as she focused a laser beam on plant cells mounted on a glass slide. She was measuring changes in the intensity of fluorescent light e.....»»
Gaps in firearms relinquishment laws may weaken court orders, increase illegal gun possession
State and federal laws across the United States prohibiting firearm possession in cases of domestic violence often lack enforcement mechanisms, which may lead to continued possession of firearms despite court orders, according to a University of Mich.....»»
New technique paves the way for efficient vitamin D3 production
Scientists have developed a method to produce vitamin D3 (VD3), a vital nutrient for bone health and immune function, with greater efficiency and purity. This breakthrough utilizes intricately designed microchannels carved into glass using ultra-fast.....»»
Nanotubes boost: Liquid-phase synthesis unlocks efficient production
Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are known for their remarkable properties, which make them essential in many advanced technologies. Yet, creating these nanotubes efficiently and on a large scale has been a persistent challenge......»»
Closing the RNA loop holds promise for more stable, effective RNA therapies
New methods to shape RNA molecules into circles could lead to more effective and long-lasting therapies, shows a study by researchers at the University of California San Diego. The advance holds promise for a range of diseases, offering a more enduri.....»»
Researchers propose inexpensive 2.2-kilometer telescope that could make exoplanet movies
Can a kilometer-scale telescope help conduct more efficient science, and specifically for the field of optical interferometry? This is what a study recently posted to the preprint server arXiv hopes to address......»»
For metro governments, bigger may not be economically better
When big cities gobble up smaller ones nearby, residents often are told a consolidated government is more efficient, providing improved services and other economic benefits......»»
AI used by police cannot tell Black people apart: Canada"s AI laws need urgent attention, say researchers
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool. In the hands of public police and other criminal justice agencies, AI can lead to injustice. For example, Detroit resident Robert Williams was arrested in front of his children and held in detention fo.....»»
Manganese nanoparticles can more than double availability of world"s potable water, say scientists
Manganese ferrite nanoparticles could lead to a substantial surge in the availability of drinking water globally when used to modify the filtering sheets currently used in water treatment plants, according to scientists......»»
Nontoxic ceramic could replace lead-based electronic components
The ceramic produced in Prof. Igor Lubomirsky's lab at the Weizmann Institute of Science seemed too good to be true. It belongs to a class of materials that are the backbone of many essential technologies but that unfortunately also create an environ.....»»
How is the Anthropocene helping to rethink the contemporary issue of environmental degradation?
The Anthropocene is a proposed geological epoch whereby humans are deemed to be the primary drivers of ecological and environmental change, through activities that lead to environmental degradation. This theory that human activity poses more of a thr.....»»
Scientists discover novel receptor recognition mechanism for alphavirus
Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV), an alphavirus, can cause central nervous system infections that can lead to severe encephalitis with a mortality rate of over 30%......»»
Chemists succeed in upscaling a common reagent for industrial level applications
The metallic element samarium, when bound with other elements, is an incredibly useful chemical reagent for synthesizing molecules that can lead to new pharmaceuticals. Discovered in a Russian mine in 1879, the element was named after the mineral it.....»»
AEB ‘phantom braking’ causes crashes, recalls
Automakers have faced recalls, documented injuries and lawsuits related to these false activations, which can lead to rear-end crashes and spooked drivers......»»
Automatic emergency braking saves lives. It also causes crashes and recalls.
Automakers have faced recalls, documented injuries and lawsuits related to these false activations, which can lead to rear-end crashes and spooked drivers......»»
Hydrogels can learn to play Pong
Work could lead to new "smart" materials that can learn and adapt to their environment. This electroactive polymer hydrogel "learned" to play Pong. Credit: Cell Reports Physical Science/Strong et al......»»
Nitrogen deposition also reduces biodiversity on a larger scale, research shows
It has long been known that nitrogen deposition, where nitrogen is released from the atmosphere into soil or water, can lead to biodiversity loss on a small scale. New research shows that this effect can also be seen in larger areas of several kilome.....»»
Novel carbon nanohorn-based treatment enables efficient delivery of drugs in cancer therapy
Cancer remains one of the most challenging diseases to treat due to its complexity and tendency to metastasize (spread into, or invade, nearby tissues or distant places in the body to form new tumors). Traditional therapies, such as chemotherapy and.....»»
Repurposing pencil lead as an optical material using plasma
Optical materials are essential in many modern applications, but controlling the way a material reflects light on its surface is costly and difficult. Now, in a recent study, researchers from Japan found a simple and low-cost way of tuning the reflec.....»»
AI exhibits racial bias in mortgage underwriting decisions, researchers find
Putting AI to use in mortgage lending decisions could lead to discrimination against Black applicants, according to new research. But researchers say there may be a surprisingly simple solution to mitigate this potential bias......»»
Tissue fluidization during skin repair is crucial for wound healing, study reveals
The ability to repair tissue following injuries is essential for the survival of all animals. Following wounding, the skin is repaired by activating, migrating, and dividing skin stem cells. Defects of wound healing in humans lead to chronic wounds t.....»»