Top Science News

Sep. 5, 2024 — A novel study addresses a critical yet under-explored question in cancer research: Why is aging the biggest risk factor for cancer? The study reveals how an aging immune system spurs tumor growth, offering new insights into cancer prevention and treatment, especially for older adults. In preclinical models, the research team found that anakinra, a ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — A new study shows that when communities experienced the near death of entire insect-eating bat populations, farmers increased their use of pesticides. This in turn increased the infant mortality ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — Forget about retinol night creams, researchers believe travel could be the best way to defy premature aging. An interdisciplinary study has applied the theory of entropy to tourism, finding that travel could have positive health benefits, including slowing down the signs of ...

Sep. 6, 2024 — A team models the atmospheres of distant planets using neural ...

Sep. 6, 2024 — Physicists have created a one-dimensional gas out of light. This has enabled them to test theoretical predictions about the transition into this exotic state of matter for the first time. The method used in the experiment by the researchers could be used for examining quantum ...

Sep. 6, 2024 — Researchers have discovered compelling evidence suggesting that the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy, known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), is likely the result of a past cosmic merger. The study builds on recent observations from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT), which captured the first direct image of Sgr A* in ...

Aug. 29, 2024 — Chemists have developed a catalytic process that turns the largest component of today's plastic waste stream, polyolefin plastic bags and bottles, into gases -- propylene and isobutylene -- that are the building blocks of polypropylene and other types of plastics. The process uses inexpensive solid catalysts that can be scaled to industrial ...

Sep. 6, 2024 — A new filtration material might provide a nature-based solution to water contamination by PFAS chemicals. The material, based on natural silk and cellulose, can remove a wide variety of these 'forever' chemicals as well as heavy metals, and its antimicrobial properties can help keep the filters from ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Fruit flies walking on minature treadmills are helping scientists learn how the nervous system enables animals to move in an unpredictable and complex world. The researchers engineered these small-scale machines from inexpensive parts. The treadmills are used in studies of how fruit flies recognize and deal with unexpected changes underfoot while they are ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — In creating a pair of new robots, researchers cultivated an unlikely component, one found on the forest floor: fungal mycelia. By harnessing mycelia's innate electrical signals, the researchers discovered a new way of controlling 'biohybrid' robots that can potentially react to their environment better than their purely synthetic ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Some of the butterflies most in danger of fluttering out of existence fare better when their habitats are actively managed by humans, a recent study found. Scientists have long warned that insect populations worldwide are falling rapidly due to the combined effects of climate change, habitat loss and pesticides. The study analyzed data on 114 populations of 31 butterfly species in 10 U.S. states. ...

Sep. 6, 2024 — An antibody developed by researchers works against a wide range of COVID-19 variants and related coronaviruses, including past, present and potentially future ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — Over-the-counter blood pressure measuring devices offer a simple, affordable way for people to track hypertension at home, but the standard arm-size ranges for these devices won't appropriately fit millions of U.S. consumers, according to a new ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — Researchers found that flooded rice fields tend to have higher amounts of arsenic and lower amounts of cadmium while drier rice fields have lower amounts of arsenic and higher amounts of cadmium. The findings could help shape policy and make infant food ...

Sep. 6, 2024 — A novel approach to analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data has been unveiled by researchers. This method promises to enhance both the precision and speed of data interpretation, potentially accelerating progress in numerous areas of biomedical investigation, including studies on cancer and Alzheimer's ...

Sep. 6, 2024 — Serotonin in depression is highly relevant in diagnosis, treatment, and drug development. To better study this area, a team has now developed a fluorescent probe for imaging processes that is highly sensitive and selective toward ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — Brain scans reveal that mindfulness meditation engages different neural pathways compared to placebo, demonstrating that pain relief from mindfulness meditation is not the result of the placebo ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Sports-related concussions (SRC) may not be associated with long-term cognitive risks for non-professional athletes, a new study suggests. In fact, study participants who had experienced an SRC had better cognitive performance in some areas than those who had never suffered a concussion, pointing to potential protective effects of sports ...

Sep. 6, 2024 — In the largest genomic analysis of UK infant microbiomes to date, researchers have uncovered a type of bacterium that helps digest breast milk and protects a baby's gut from ...

Sep. 6, 2024 — Using hypertonic saline nasal drops can reduce the length of the common cold in children by two days, according to a new study. They can also reduce the onward transmission of colds to family ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — Women with higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during pregnancy may experience long-term weight gain and heart problems later in life, according to new ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Research shows that super spikes, scientifically described as advanced footwear technology (AFT) spikes, can give runners about a 2% edge in middle-distance track races, like the 800- and ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Research shows how oceans can be used to help address major challenges such as the shortage of antimicrobial medicines, solutions for plastic pollution and novel enzymes for genome ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Much of the nation's stormwater infrastructure, designed decades to a century ago to prevent floods, can exacerbate flooding during the severe weather events that are increasing around the ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — A major step forward toward biosensor devices that can provide fast, high-contrast detection of biomarkers in almost any environment are 'binding-activated fluorescent biosensors.' Now, a research collaboration has developed a synthetic biology platform that streamlines their up-until-now tedious and expensive discovery, as well as their molecular evolution and cost-effective manufacturing, ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — Drought is a widespread concern in the Western U.S., and water managers across the region are developing groundwater management plans to conserve the essential resource. Groundwater is often pumped to the surface to irrigate crops, and meters that measure the flow of pumped water have historically offered the best information on groundwater use. These meters are rare, however, so scientists set ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — A better understanding of the inner workings of neutron stars will lead to a greater knowledge of the dynamics that underpin the workings of the universe and also could help drive future technology. A new study details how new insights into how dissipative tidal forces within double -- or binary -- neutron star systems will inform our understanding of the ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — A research team has discovered a small planet that displays peculiar orbital motion. The shimmying planet, located 455 light-years from Earth, shows that planetary systems can be considerably more complex than researchers have previously ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — It's 7 billion years ago, and the universe's heyday of star formation is beginning to slow. What might our Milky Way galaxy have looked like at that time? Astronomers have found clues in the form of a cosmic question mark, the result of a rare alignment across light-years of ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — A study has found that improved artificial intelligence (AI) training is required when developing nutrition apps that are used to track food intake or manage ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Researchers are designing real-time, intelligent tutors powered by AI. These systems mimic human surgical instructors in brain surgical training. Intelligent tutors help the learner acquire excellent skills by continuously assessing hand movements during simulated brain procedures and providing personalized verbal ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — The new approach marks a major step forward in the design of AI tools to support clinical decisions in cancer diagnosis, therapy. The model uses features of a tumor's microenvironment to forecast how a patient might respond to therapy and to help inform individualized treatments. The model can expedite the identification of patients not likely to benefit from standard treatments used in some ...

Sep. 3, 2024 — A pen which can transform Braille into English text has been ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — Researchers have discovered they can consistently measure reptiles' pulse rate in an easy-to-reach spot on the back of the head, and that pulse rate corresponds to the heart rate in healthy ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — New data summaries will help state wildlife planners assess the status of bird populations that live in or pass through their state -- a crucial tool in protecting ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — Just as many ecosystems rely on the infrastructure provided by termites, so too does the study of termites require a solid foundation. And now, a new system for termite classification has been created thanks to the effort of no less than 46 researchers from around the ...

Sep. 5, 2024 — An International study has analyzed methane gas fluxes in over a hundred tidal wetlands and marshes in the USA. The analysis has identified key environmental factors affecting methane emissions and has allowed a larger set of standardized data on greenhouse gas emissions in those ecosystems to be produced. These data can be used to account for greenhouse gases with greater precision and improve ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Photosynthesis can take place in nature even at extremely low light levels. This is the result of a study that investigated the development of Arctic microalgae at the end of the polar night. The study shows that photosynthesis in the ocean is possible under much lower light conditions, and can therefore take place at much greater depths, than previously ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Special features of the Arctic climate, such as the strong reflection of the sun's rays off the light snow or the low position of the sun, amplify global warming in the Arctic. However, researchers are often faced with the challenge of modelling the underlying climatic processes in order to be able to provide reliable weather forecasts. Scientists ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — The impact of embodied carbon in the built environment has been difficult to assess, due to a lack of data. To address that knowledge gap civil and environmental engineers have created a new tool to analyze the embodied carbon in more than 1 million buildings in Chicago. Their recently published research identifies 157 different architectural ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Scientists have suspected that modern humans have more genes to digest starch than our hunter-gatherer ancestors, but the amylase locus of the genome is hard to study. Researchers have now developed new methods to isolate the multiple amylase genes and compare the locus to ancient genomes. They found that amylase gene number has increased from an ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Researchers have developed a model that captures the dynamics of human dispersal across the continent during the last Ice Age in unprecedented ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Chemists offer a new explanation for how collagen in dinosaur bones may have survived millions of years: An atomic-level interaction prevents its bonds from being broken down by ...

Aug. 30, 2024 — Researchers have uncovered a surprising genetic mechanism that influences the vibrant and complex patterns on butterfly wings. The team discovered that an RNA molecule, rather than a protein as previously thought, plays a pivotal role in determining the distribution of black pigment on butterfly ...

Sep. 4, 2024 — Bad behavior often occurs away from home, leading parents to blame and limit contact with peers. However, a new study shows that banning friendships can backfire, worsening behavior instead of improving it. When moms disapprove of their kids' friends in an effort to curb misbehavior, it often alienates the child from their peers, exacerbating the very issues they aimed to prevent. Meddling in ...

Sep. 3, 2024 — New research has revealed that informing tourists visiting the Great Barrier Reef about climate impact doesn't negatively affect their experience and can help encourage climate ...

Sep. 3, 2024 — In the coming years, AI is poised to transform the writing of scientific manuscripts, assist in reviewing them, and help editors select the most impactful ...

Sep. 3, 2024 — In a study involving 11-year-olds, researchers have concluded that greater behavioral problems are linked to higher hair cortisol levels. The study also concluded that exposure to certain factors that can simultaneously cause chronic stress may determine the concentration of cortisol in the ...

Sep. 3, 2024 — When young adults first go off to college, more communication with parents generally leads to better relationships, but parents should avoid always initiating it, according to a new study. Researchers found that phone, text, video or in-person communication made first-year students feel better about the relationship with their parents. Students ...

Aug. 29, 2024 — Immersive virtual reality could open up a whole new world for people with intellectual disability, enabling them to learn practical life skills much faster without relying on caregivers, according to a new ...

Aug. 29, 2024 — A new study examined children's responses during a game where targets could only be achieved by working together. The study's authors say the findings provide valuable insights into how groups of people can work together to overcome communal challenges, and demonstrate the effectiveness of setting clear and unambiguous ...

Aug. 16, 2024 — Researchers developed a new method known as flash-within-flash Joule heating (FWF) that could transform the synthesis of high-quality solid-state materials, offering a cleaner, faster and more sustainable manufacturing ...

Aug. 14, 2024 — A new article concludes that current climate standards are not sufficiently incentivizing the big picture innovations necessary to deliver net zero, and must be expanded to include a company's broader influence on climate ...

Aug. 14, 2024 — Researchers reveal that individuals who finish their PhD in situations where the average team in their field is larger have worse academic career ...

Aug. 14, 2024 — Job strain and effort-reward imbalance at work were associated with a greater chance of developing an abnormal heart rhythm condition, finds a new ...