Protein region on COVID"s viral spike senses temperature, drives seasonal mutation patterns
Not to pile on, but winter is coming and the COVID-19 pandemic is about to get worse. Not necessarily because of omicron—scientists are still working that one out—but because there's more evidence than ever that COVID-19 is a seasonal disease......»»
Global temperature analysis reveals deep ocean marine heat waves are underreported
While marine heat waves (MHWs) have been studied at the sea surface for more than a decade, new research published today in Nature has found 80% of MHWs below 100 meters are independent of surface events, highlighting a previously overlooked aspect o.....»»
In a fusion device plasma, a steep ion temperature gradient slows the growth of magnetic islands
Future fusion power plants will require good plasma confinement to sustain reactions and generate energy. One way to contain plasma for fusion reactions is to use a tokamak, a device that applies magnetic fields to "bottle" plasma. However, magnetic.....»»
From Northern Germany to Italy in five days: Tiny transmitters provide insights into precise migration routes of bats
Some bat species are among the world champions of seasonal migration in the animal kingdom. Leisler's bat, for example, which weighs between 12 and 22 grams, flies from central or Eastern Europe to the Mediterranean every late summer—and back in sp.....»»
Global study shows causes for the dominance of woody plants in drylands
Precipitation, temperature, and grazing have the greatest influence on whether woody or herbaceous species grow in dryland areas. This has been shown by a large global study that includes Potsdam researchers......»»
Scientists discover chemical probes for previously "undruggable" cancer target
Hormone-driven cancers, like those of the breast and prostate, often rely on a tricky-to-target protein called Forkhead box protein 1 (FOXA1). FOXA1 mutations can enable these types of cancers to grow and proliferate. Today, FOXA1 is notoriously diff.....»»
A unified theory for predicting pathogen competition: Exploring how emerging new strains replace previous ones
The COVID-19 pandemic showed that predicting the invasion of a novel pathogen into the human population and its evolutionary potential to generate new variants is crucial for preventing future outbreaks. New research conducted at Princeton University.....»»
Why autumn 2024 is your best chance to see lots of weird and wonderful fungi
The UK and north-western Europe have had a particularly wet 2024. Extreme weather patterns caused by climate change are nothing to celebrate, but there is one group of organisms that will have appreciated all the rain......»»
The government spent twice what it needed to on economic support during COVID, modeling shows
The independent inquiry into the government's COVID response is due to report on October 25......»»
El Niño Southern Oscillation caused spike in 2023 temperatures, study finds
A study by scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science identified El Niño–Southern Oscillation as the primary cause of the spike in global surface temperature in 2023, not human-induced climate.....»»
New temperature conditions found in two thirds of key tropical forests
Two thirds of Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in tropical forests are experiencing new temperature conditions as our climate changes, research shows......»»
EU must cancel ICE ban to reduce reliance on China, BMW"s Zipse says
The BMW CEO said the mood in Europe was "trending towards one of pessimism" and the region needed a new regulatory framework to remain competitive......»»
Traces of ancient immigration patterns to Japan found in 2,000-year-old genome
A joint research group led by Jonghyun Kim and Jun Ohashi of the University of Tokyo has demonstrated that the majority of immigration to the Japanese Archipelago in the Yayoi and Kofun periods (between 3000 BCE and 538 CE) came from the Korean Penin.....»»
This 14-year-old PC standard is finally dying for good
The decline of PCIe Gen 3 M.2 SSDs is largely driven by the widespread adoption of PCIe 4 drives......»»
Social media as a teaching tool: South African teachers talk about the new reality
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a shift towards the use of social media platforms in teaching. The South African Department of Basic Education, for one, instructed all schools to adopt online teaching and learning to save the 2020 school year, disr.....»»
Glowing proteins enable real-time, 3-D study of essential enzymes
Working in organoid models, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have developed a new tool to study protein-kinase C (PKC) enzymes, which play a critical role in cell growth, differentiation and survival. Malfunction o.....»»
Calcium transport protein in bacteria offers insights for drug development and food safety
Researchers at Umeå University have revealed details on how bacteria use calcium to regulate vital processes in a way that differs from human cells. This breakthrough is significant in the fight against antibiotic resistance and for increasing safet.....»»
Protein USP50 identified as key in DNA replication balance
A protein that is involved in determining which enzymes cut or unwind DNA during the replication process has been identified in a new study......»»
Expansion in situ genome sequencing innovation makes hidden DNA-protein interactions visible
Harvard scientists have unveiled a new technique called expansion in situ genome sequencing (ExIGS) that combines existing in situ genome sequencing (IGS) with expansion microscopy (ExM). The innovation allowed researchers to link nucleus abnormaliti.....»»
Q&A: How climate change fuels extreme weather events like hurricanes
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida's west coast Wednesday night. The region has experienced extreme flooding, deadly tornadoes and millions have been left without power. At least 14 people have died as a result of the storm......»»
Atmospheric rivers are shifting poleward, reshaping global weather patterns
Atmospheric rivers—those long, narrow bands of water vapor in the sky that bring heavy rain and storms to the U.S. West Coast and many other regions—are shifting toward higher latitudes, and that's changing weather patterns around the world......»»