Scientists uncover fundamental rules for how dengue virus infects its mosquito and human hosts
Mosquito-borne viral infections once confined to tropical regions are spreading. Dengue virus infects up to 400 million people worldwide each year according to World Health Organization estimates, and no available treatments exist for this disease......»»
Tellurium nanowires show potential for room-temperature ferroelectricity and data storage
A discovery by an international team of scientists has revealed room-temperature ferroelectric and resistive switching behaviors in single-element tellurium (Te) nanowires, paving the way for advancements in ultrahigh-density data storage and neuromo.....»»
Biochemists uncover a new enzyme subclass in antimicrobial lanthipeptide biosynthesis
Biochemists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have discovered a new subclass of trifunctional enzymes in gram-positive bacteria, which play a critical role in the biosynthesis of an antimicrobial lanthipeptide......»»
State surveillance: Kenyans have a right to privacy—does the government respect it?
The Kenyan government is using technology to improve governance, service delivery and national security. The progress, while welcome, has brought with it concerns about state surveillance, data protection, and violations of fundamental rights and fre.....»»
New research reveals insights into gender equality in hunter-gatherer societies
A study published in the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour has uncovered fascinating insights into gender roles and cooperation in hunter-gatherer societies. The study, entitled "Bargaining between the sexes: outside options and leisure time in h.....»»
Case study suggests expanded opportunities drew people to mega settlements and spurred innovation 6,000 years ago
The U.N.'s Human Development Index provides new explanations for the success of Europe's first mega settlements......»»
3D fossil scans investigate the origins of bipedal locomotion in human evolution
One of the most fascinating periods in the evolution of the human lineage is the appearance of the first ancestors capable of bipedalism. Knowing the type of locomotion used by many fossil species—walking upright on the ground or climbing from bran.....»»
The Whole Story of How Humans Evolved From Great Apes
The picture of human evolution has changed repeatedly and dramatically over the past half century, shaped by waves of new fossil discovery, technology, and scientific techniques......»»
Fossilized footprints reveal two extinct hominin species living side by side 1.5 million years ago
Human footprints stir the imagination. They invite you to follow, to guess what someone was doing and where they were going. Fossilized footprints preserved in rock do the same—they record instances in the lives of many different extinct organisms,.....»»
Census data analysis shows the South had a much higher mortality rate than the North in the US Civil War
A small team of social scientists at New York University-Abu Dhabi has conducted what they describe as a more accurate assessment of the number of soldiers killed in the U.S. Civil War. In their study published in the Proceedings of the National Acad.....»»
Chemists find alkyl groups are electron-withdrawing, challenging a century-old belief
Scientists are calling for changes to chemistry textbooks after discovering a fundamental aspect of structural organic chemistry has been incorrectly described for almost 100 years......»»
An unexpected delay in a standard quantum optical process generates pairs of photons
Since it was first demonstrated in the 1960s, spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) has been at the center of many quantum optics experiments that test the fundamental laws of physics in quantum mechanics, and in applications like quantum sim.....»»
Plastic in the ocean and on our plates: What are the risks to human health?
It's no secret: when we savor a delicious piece of fish or a platter of seafood, we're not just consuming valuable omega-3s and vitamin D. Alongside these benefits come less appetizing elements—countless micro- and nano-plastics......»»
A fossil first: Scientists find 1.5-million-year-old footprints of two different species of human ancestors at same spot
More than a million years ago, on a hot savanna teeming with wildlife near the shore of what would someday become Lake Turkana in Kenya, two completely different species of hominins may have passed each other as they scavenged for food......»»
Coral adaptation unlikely to keep pace with global warming, warn scientists
Coral adaptation to ocean warming and marine heat waves will likely be overwhelmed without rapid reductions of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to an international team of scientists......»»
Scientists reveal structural link for initiation of protein synthesis in bacteria
Within a cell, DNA carries the genetic code for building proteins. To build proteins, the cell makes a copy of DNA, called mRNA. Then, another molecule called a ribosome reads the mRNA, translating it into protein. But this step has been a visual mys.....»»
Bio-inspired droplet-based systems herald a new era in biocompatible devices
Oxford University researchers have made a significant step toward realizing a form of "biological electricity" that could be used in a variety of bioengineering and biomedical applications, including communication with living human cells. The work wa.....»»
Researchers find a possible solution to the cosmic ray muon puzzle
Scientists have a problem with cosmic rays—they produce too many muons at the Earth's surface. Cascades of muons are byproducts of high-energy cosmic rays as they collide with nuclei in the upper atmosphere, and scientists see more muons at Earth's.....»»
Scientists reveal possible role of iron sulfides in creating life in terrestrial hot springs
An international team of scientists has published a study highlighting the potential role of iron sulfides in the formation of life in early Earth's terrestrial hot springs. According to the researchers, the sulfides may have catalyzed the reduction.....»»
Peru scientists unveil crocodile fossil up to 12 million years old
Paleontologists unveiled on Wednesday the fossil of a young marine crocodile dating back 10 to 12 million years that was discovered in a Peruvian desert......»»
Life found on Ryugu asteroid sample, but it’s not as exciting as it sounds
A recent discovery made by scientists working with a sample of rock from outer space highlights one of the huge challenges that such work involves......»»