Researcher creates more accurate method to study proteins that drive Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of people around the world. To study this condition, researchers must peer inside the distinctive environment of the human brain. but for scientists to get the most accurate picture of the proteins that drive this disease, they must extract them without altering their environment. ⌘ Read more

Wood surface treatment fights harmful bacteria
A University of Helsinki study has investigated bacterial adhesion, survival and transmission on untreated and treated wood surfaces under both laboratory and field conditions. The laboratory work focused on Staphylococcus epidermidis, a bacterium that forms part of the skin’s normal microbiota; and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a potential pathogen. ⌘ Read more

The power of twins: Decoding the unseen biological information flow
The natural world is a rich source of inspiration for developing sophisticated computational systems, and the opposite is also true, with bioinformatics approaches providing keen insight into biological processes. However, to gain an accurate understanding of the instructions that guide biological systems, input quantities are required. This is not always possible, as these systems are quantified by a variety of attributes. ⌘ Read more

Gen Z holds companies to account for greenwashing
Companies increasingly want to talk about sustainability, but not everyone believes equally in their commitments. The focus of corporate communication has shifted towards sustainability in response to increasingly serious environmental issues, international campaigns such as the UN’s 2030 Agenda, regulatory pressures in certain markets, interest in more environmentally friendly investments, and a growing number of environmentally aware consumers. As … ⌘ Read more

Researcher uncovers Zoroastrian ‘ripples’ in Jewish documents from ancient Egypt
In a study published in the journal Iran, researcher Gad Barnea has uncovered new evidence suggesting that Zoroastrian religious practices were more prevalent and left a deeper imprint on surrounding communities than previously recognized. The study complements the current body of knowledge on Achaemenid-era Zoroastrianism (AZ) with data gathered from Jewish sources outside Iran. These include documents refe … ⌘ Read more

We are not alone: Our sun escaped together with stellar ‘twins’ from galaxy center
Researchers have uncovered evidence for our sun joining a mass migration of similar “twins” leaving the core regions of our galaxy, 4 to 6 billion years ago. The team created and studied an unprecedentedly accurate catalog of stars and their properties using data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia satellite. Their discovery sheds light on the evolution of our galaxy, particularly the development of the rotating bar-l … ⌘ Read more

Your cat is likely to live longer if you don’t let them roam—new study
We all know cats represent a major threat to native animals and birds. Australia’s 5.3 million domestic cats kill a total of 546 million animals each year in Australia. What’s less well known is allowing your domestic cat to roam outside exposes them to considerable danger—and the risk of a short life. ⌘ Read more

Uncovering the hidden bacteria often mistaken for cholera
Scientists have created a genomic blueprint for Aeromonas bacteria, which can cause antibiotic-resistant diarrheal disease—with symptoms often misidentified as cholera—in humans and animals. ⌘ Read more

North American heat wave hit wildlife hard, but a few surprising species thrived
Mussels baked by the billions. Insect larvae cooked inside scorched cherries. Baby birds plummeted to their deaths from their overheating nests. But some species did just fine during the 2021 North American heat wave, according to a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. ⌘ Read more

Researchers mix X-rays and optical light to track speedy electrons in materials
To unlock materials of the future, including better photocatalysts or light-switchable superconductors, researchers need to understand how the valence electrons within materials respond to light at the atomic scale. Materials are made of atoms, and an atom’s outer electrons, or valence electrons, are responsible for chemical bonding as well as a material’s thermal, magnetic, and electronic properties. ⌘ Read more

New research shows path to affordable water in fast-growing cities
By 2050, up to half the world’s urban population will face water scarcity. A new model of water supply, demand, and policies in a drought-prone city of 7 million in India shows how policies could prevent the poor from bearing the heaviest burden. ⌘ Read more

Oval orbit casts new light on black hole–neutron star mergers
Scientists have uncovered the first robust evidence of a black hole and neutron star crashing together but orbiting in an oval path rather than a perfect circle just before they merged. This discovery challenges long-standing assumptions about how these cosmic pairs form and evolve. ⌘ Read more

New African species confirms evolutionary origin of magic mushrooms
A long-standing debate about the evolutionary origin of the world’s most widely cultivated “magic mushroom”—Psilocybe cubensis—may now have been settled by scientists from southern Africa and the United States. ⌘ Read more

Thermal drones boost detection of entangled seals
New research from Monash University and Phillip Island Nature Parks is using thermal and infrared drone technology to spot marine debris entanglements in Australian fur seals. Entanglement is an escalating threat to marine wildlife such as seals and fur seals with well-documented impacts including injury, restricted movement, and increased energy expenditure. ⌘ Read more

Bacteria have a secret engineering trick to keep themselves in shape
Blow up a long balloon and two things happen: it gets longer and it gets wider. Now imagine a living cell that inflates itself under enormous pressure and yet only grows longer, never adding width. That is exactly what rod-shaped bacteria do, every time they divide, with a precision that has baffled scientists for decades. ⌘ Read more

Japanese scientists discover how falling cats almost always make perfect landings
When cats fall, they usually land on their feet. This uncanny ability to right themselves before hitting the ground has long puzzled scientists. Now, a team from Yamaguchi University in Japan has the answer, and it’s all down to the thoracic spine being more flexible than the lumbar spine, as they detail in a study published in the journal The Anatomical Record. ⌘ Read more

A new protein timeline explains plasma membrane repair
In the evolutionary history of life, the ability of a cell to separate its inner world from the external environment was an important turning point. The so-called plasma membrane lets cells control what gets in and out and allows them to communicate and cooperate with one another, creating the conditions for complex, multicellular life. ⌘ Read more

Student serves up fresh solutions to the pancake problem
David Cutler is in the spotlight for his work on a tasty-sounding mathematics problem. In January, the New York Times featured a research paper authored by Cutler and Neil Sloane, the founder of The On-line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences. Titled “Cutting a Pancake with an Exotic Knife,” the paper explores the “lazy caterer problem,” or how to cut a pancake or other circular object into the most pieces with the fewest cuts. ⌘ Read more

Modernization can increase differences between cultures
Does modernization—economic growth, technological advancement, globalization, increased education, and urbanization—reduce cultural differences? Conventional wisdom suggests that as nations get richer and more educated, a globalized, modern culture emerges featuring low birth rates, high divorce rates, and an overall focus on the individual. ⌘ Read more

Subway systems are uncomfortably hot—and worsening, study finds
For millions of commuters, the workday doesn’t just begin with a train ride. It also begins with a blast of heat. In one of the largest studies ever conducted on thermal comfort in metro systems, Northwestern University scientists found that subway riders consistently report feeling uncomfortably hot while underground. ⌘ Read more

How to make farms tree-friendly and boost food production
Farmers could turn more of the UK’s farmland into productive agroforestry systems if they had access to trusted advice and real farm examples, according to new research from the University of Reading. Dr. Amelia Hood, from the Department of Sustainable Land Management at the University of Reading, worked with 220 stakeholders including farmers, policymakers and NGOs to identify why agroforestry is still rare in the UK, despite strong interest fr … ⌘ Read more

Terraforming Mars isn’t a climate problem—it’s an industrial nightmare
Even when the idea of terraforming Mars was originally put forward, the idea was daunting. Changing the environment of an entire planet is not something to do easily. Over the following decades, plenty of scientists and engineers have looked at the problem, and most have come to the same conclusion—we’re not going to be able to make Mars anything like Earth anytime soon. A new paper available in pre-print on arXiv from Slava … ⌘ Read more

A brighter future may not suit everyone: Polar cod face difficulties due to warming
Under the Arctic sea ice, fish and plankton live in complete darkness, even in midsummer. Ice floes stop the sun’s rays, especially if they are covered by snow. As the ocean heats up, the sea ice thaws, and new regions are exposed. A recent study warns that climate change will create trouble for cold water fish species in this century. Paired with higher temperatures, changes in the light conditions will make le … ⌘ Read more

Silicone wristbands can help scientists track people’s exposure to pollutants like ‘forever chemicals’
Every morning, people fasten their watch, slip on a bracelet and head out the door without thinking much about what they might encounter along the way. The air they breathe, the dust on their hands and the surfaces they touch all feel ordinary. Yet many chemical exposures happen quietly, without smell, taste or warning. ⌘ Read more

Cattle grazing boosts nature recovery in Yorkshire Dales
Cattle grazing at a nature reserve in the Yorkshire Dales has increased plant diversity by more than 40%, according to research by the University of Leeds. Allowing native cattle breeds to roam large areas of the landscape at Ingleborough has also led to a five-fold increase in the number of butterflies. ⌘ Read more

Cornwall ocean study highlights value of low-cost eDNA tests
Environmental DNA (eDNA) tests can identify genetic material left by organisms in the environment, such as cells and excrement, but surveys of ocean wildlife can be difficult and expensive, and standard eDNA tests are also costly. A new study carried out off Cornwall shows that low-cost DNA tests can reveal the range of wildlife living in our seas. ⌘ Read more

AI disclosure labels may do more harm than good, study warns
The growing use of AI-generated scientific and science-related content, especially on social media, raises important concerns: these texts may contain false or highly persuasive information that is difficult for users to detect, potentially shaping public opinion and decision-making. ⌘ Read more

When silence isn’t an option: Designing green spaces that still relax
Local recreation areas play an important role in reducing stress. In two new publications, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL show how visual impressions and sounds interact in this process—and how this knowledge can be used to increase the attractiveness of green spaces. ⌘ Read more

Quantum entanglement offers route to higher-resolution optical astronomy
Researchers in the US have demonstrated how quantum entanglement could be used to detect optical signals from astronomical sources at the single-photon level. Published in Nature, a team led by Pieter-Jan Stas at Harvard University showed how extremely weak light signals could be detected across a fiber link spanning more than 1.5 km—possibly paving the way for optical telescopes with unprecedented resolution. ⌘ Read more

Heat-tolerant corals may help some reefs persist, but most still erode
A recent report on global tipping points warned that coral reefs face widespread dieback and have reached a point from which they cannot recover. ⌘ Read more

Contraceptive vaccine reduces fertility in animals to address wildlife overpopulation
A Purdue University contraceptive vaccine seeks to address animal overpopulation by markedly reducing fertility in feral horses, deer, swine and other animals. Dr. Harm HogenEsch, distinguished professor of immunopathology in Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Raluca Ostafe, director of Purdue University’s Molecular Evolution Protein Engineering and Production Facility, both … ⌘ Read more

Twenty-nine years of warming linked to soil fungi shift in Colorado plots
Long-term ecosystem warming changes not only plants but the fungi in the soil below, according to a new study including researchers from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. “Hidden mycorrhizal fungi below ground are much more vulnerable to warming winters than we expected before,” said Associate Professor Stephanie Kivlin from UT’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, senior author on a new study published in the P … ⌘ Read more

Large AI models can speed catalyst discovery by predicting performance before synthesis
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way scientists discover and design new materials. In a specially invited review published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Tohoku University researchers highlight how large AI models are redefining catalyst discovery and paving the way for faster, smarter innovation in clean energy and sustainable technologies. ⌘ Read more

‘Superconducting dome’ hints at high-temperature superconductivity in thin nickelate films
Superconductivity is a quantum state of matter characterized by an electrical resistance of zero and the expulsion of magnetic fields at low temperatures below a critical point. Superconductors, materials in which this state occurs, have proved to be highly advantageous for the development of various technologies, including medical imaging devices, particle accelerators and quantum computers. ⌘ Read more

Analysis of 1,000 Tinder profiles reveals nine standard pose types
Choosing a Tinder profile picture may feel like a free, personal and creative act. But how true is that? A new study from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) shows that, far from being unique, most users follow one of a small number of visual strategies. The research, led by Alejandro García Alamán, a member of the CIRCLE Lab and instructor at the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, identifies nine standar … ⌘ Read more

Study finds water oversight failures at California dairies
A Stanford Law report reveals California’s inadequate monitoring of dairies and feedlots, highlighting the need for stronger regulatory enforcement to protect groundwater quality and community health. ⌘ Read more

NASA rules out asteroid smashup on the moon in 2032
Here’s one less thing to worry about—or to look forward to: NASA has ruled out any chance that an asteroid called 2024 YR4 will hit the moon in 2032. Last year, the uncertainty surrounding the space rock’s orbital path held out a slight chance of impact, but fresh observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope confirm that it’ll be a miss. ⌘ Read more

X-raying rocks reveals their carbon-storing capacity
To avoid the worst effects of climate change, many billions of metric tons of industrially generated carbon dioxide will have to be captured and stored away by the end of this century. One place to store such an enormous amount of greenhouse gas is in Earth itself. If carbon dioxide were pumped into the cracks and crevices of certain underground rocks, the fluid would react with the rocks and solidify carbon into minerals. In this way, carbon dioxide … ⌘ Read more

Fluorescent imaging reveals how a global parasite develops, opening new paths for drug treatment
It infects nearly one-third of the global population, yet its microscopic size makes the parasite difficult for scientists to study. That parasite is Toxoplasma gondii, a widespread organism that infects humans and animals. To better understand how it functions, infectious disease researchers at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine adapted a fluorescent imaging system typically used to st … ⌘ Read more

Why Large Hadron Collider predictions can miss the mark, and a new way to fix it
Estimating things that exist is generally easy, but when it comes to estimating things that do not exist, it’s more difficult. This is something physicists from Poland and the UK are well aware of. To improve current simulations of high-energy particle collisions, they have developed a more accurate method for estimating the impact of calculations that are not performed. ⌘ Read more

Franconia’s agriculture of the future: Olives and rice instead of barley and sugar beet?
Due to climate change, agriculture is facing an unprecedented transformation. While Germany was hardly affected by massive crop failures for decades, the picture has changed drastically since 2015. Since then, heat waves and dry spells have been responsible for yield losses in half of all cases. ⌘ Read more

Pond-dwelling microalga exposes a parallel track for RNA processing
Biology textbooks explain that cells follow a universal rule when processing gene transcripts to make proteins. Non-coding snippets of RNA are bracketed by a guanine-thymine (GT) nucleotide sequence on one end and an adenine-guanine (AG) sequence on the other—unmistakable signposts telling the cell exactly what sequences to leave out and what should stay in. ⌘ Read more

Too many deer in your area? Birth control could help
Populations of suburban deer have been on the rise across the U.S. for the last 50 years. Suburban landscapes are like buffet tables with their plentiful lawns, shrubs, and gardens that tempt the animals into human territory. But in many places—like Tennessee, Ohio, Maryland, Iowa, North Carolina, and Delaware—deer have become problematic. They cause traffic accidents, disrupt yards and flora, damage crops, and contribute to the spread of Lyme disease by hosting th … ⌘ Read more

Thermogenetics: How proteins are controllable by heat
Protein activity can be precisely regulated via subtle changes in temperature using heat-sensitive switches. Underlying this capability is a novel modular design strategy developed by researchers at the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology of Heidelberg University. The strategy allows the integration of sensory domains in various proteins regardless of function or spatial structure. ⌘ Read more

Less traffic, less noise: Green axes cut noise levels in cities
The implementation of green axes and the reduction of motorized traffic in cities is effectively consolidating itself as a strategy to significantly lower environmental noise levels. A study conducted in the city of Barcelona shows that, one year after pedestrianizing several streets, the average daily sound level decreased by 3.1 decibels (dB). ⌘ Read more

The forest is our pantry: Alaska national forests support abundant wild foods
Rural communities bordering the Tongass National Forest harvest more than 4.5 million pounds of wild food per year, including 100 different species that our public lands help support. Just how much food is this? An average quarter-pound cheeseburger might weigh around 6 oz, depending on your toppings of choice. Assuming a 6-oz weight, the wild food harvests in this region are equivalent to more than 12 million cheesebu … ⌘ Read more

Creating sustainable supply of declining tree species can support floodplain habitat restoration
A number of native black poplar whips—young unbranched trees—were planted at the campus near Southwell as part of a project involving NTU, the Environment Agency, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Trent Rivers Trust, Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group and the Sherwood Forest Trust. Native black poplars thrive in wet floodplains and on riverbanks. They are flood tolerant and an ideal spec … ⌘ Read more

New 4D-STEM method isolates atomic structures from clustered nanocrystals
Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a new way to determine atomic structures from nanocrystals previously considered unusable, a breakthrough that could transform how researchers study materials too small or imperfect for conventional crystallography. ⌘ Read more

First field training officer may set use-of-force habits, study suggests
A field training officer is a special kind of cop. They have to be both patrol officer and mentor, as they teach recruits who are fresh out of the police academy how to put their lessons into practice. Much like mentors in other fields, these training officers (FTOs) hold a tremendous amount of responsibility. But that responsibility takes on more meaning given the nature of the job, and new research reinforces just how influential these gu … ⌘ Read more

The key to attacking ‘undruggable’ proteins: Transient clustering state reveals a moving target
Intrinsically disordered proteins lack a fixed structure, which is why they have been considered “undruggable” targets for drug development for years. However, these proteins play a key role in numerous diseases—ranging from various types of cancer to neurodegenerative disorders—long limiting the therapeutic options available to treat them. ⌘ Read more