Editor in chief Nancy Shute considers the role that people suffering from a variety of chronic conditions are starting to play in medical research.
A taste for toxins Researchers have identified a protein that may help a poison dart frog collect toxins from food and transport them to the frog’s skin, Erin Garcia de Jesús reported in “How poison dart frogs hoard toxins in their skin” (SN: 2/10/24, p. 4). Poison dart frogs eat toxic insects. Reader Robert Schier […]
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Engineers designed an 'architected' reef that can mimic the wave-buffering effects of natural reefs while providing pockets for marine life. The sustainable and cost-saving structure could dissipate more than 95 percent of incoming wave energy using a small fraction of the material normally needed.
Astronomers have found that a previously quiet black hole, which sits at the center of a galaxy about 800 million light years away, has suddenly erupted, giving off plumes of gas every 8.5 days before settling back to its normal, quiet state.
What would you do if you walked up to a robot with a human-like head and it smiled at you first? You'd likely smile back and perhaps feel the two of you were genuinely interacting. But how does a robot know how to do this? Or a better question, how does it know to get you to smile back?
Scientists reversed an aggressive cancer, reverting malignant cells towards a more normal state. Rhabdoid tumors are an aggressive cancer which is missing a key tumor suppressor protein. Scientists discovered that removing a second protein from cancer cells already experiencing tumor suppressor loss can reverse cancer cell identity.
Just as you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs, scientists have found that you can't make long-term memories without DNA damage and brain inflammation.
New multidisciplinary research could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting.
Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants. Exploring sugarcane's genetic code could help researchers develop more resilient and productive crops, with implications for both sugar production and biofuels.
Researchers have developed an organic photovoltaic film that is both waterproof and flexible, allowing a solar cell to be put onto clothes and still function correctly after being rained on or even washed.
Researchers have recovered remarkably preserved microbiomes from two teeth dating back 4,000 years, found in an Irish limestone cave. Genetic analyses of these microbiomes reveal major changes in the oral microenvironment from the Bronze Age to today. The teeth both belonged to the same male individual and also provided a snapshot of his oral health.
Do you ever find yourself longing for the energy and vitality of your younger years? Feeling young is not just a matter of perception it is actually related to objective health outcomes. Previous studies have shown that feeling younger than one s actual age is associated with longer, healthier lives. There is even support for subjective age to predict actual brain age, with those feeling younger having younger brains. Feeling…
Researchers have used data from UK Biobank participants to reveal that diabetes, traffic-related air pollution and alcohol intake are the most harmful out of 15 modifiable risk factors for dementia.
A new image from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration has uncovered strong and organized magnetic fields spiraling from the edge of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Seen in polarized light for the first time, this new view of the monster lurking at the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy has revealed a magnetic field structure strikingly similar to that of the black hole at the center…
Researchers found that the double-lobed object, which is officially named Kuiper Belt Object 486958 Arrokoth and resembles a snowman, may have ancient ices stored deep within it from when the object first formed billions of years ago.
Engineers have uncovered an unexpected pattern in how neural networks -- the systems leading today's AI revolution -- learn, suggesting an answer to one of the most important unanswered questions in AI: why these methods work so well. The result not only illuminates the inner workings of neural networks, but gestures toward the possibility of developing hyper-efficient algorithms that could classify images in a fraction of the time, at a…
In a remarkable discovery, whole milk powder manufactured in New Zealand in 1907 and transported to Antarctica with explorers seeking the South Pole was unveiled after more than a century. The find has allowed dairy researchers to answer the question: Is the milk we enjoy today different from the milk consumed in previous generations? Now, a new comparative study has peered back in time to demonstrate that -- despite advancements…
Those with aging immune systems struggle to fight off novel viruses and respond weakly to vaccination. Researchers were able to revitalize the immune system in mice.
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica's ice sheets. An international research team has now used sediments taken from the South Pacific to reconstruct the flow speed in the last 5.3 million years. Their data show that during glacial periods, the current slowed; during interglacials, it accelerated. Consequently, if…
Astronomers have concluded that an obscure class of galaxies known as Compact Symmetric Objects, or CSOs, are not young as previously thought but rather lead relatively short lives.
Tardigrade proteins are potential candidates in technologies centered on slowing the aging process and in long-term storage of human cells.
Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most celebrated musicians in human history, has a rather low genetic predisposition for beat synchronization, according to a new study.
An orange dwarf star has yielded the tiniest 'starquakes' ever recorded, measured by an international team of scientists.
Air pollution and night-time outdoor light each were associated with harmful effects on brain health, finds new study.
Researchers have provided fresh insight into the dangers some common household chemicals pose to brain health. They suggest that chemicals found in a wide range of items, from furniture to hair products, may be linked to neurological conditions.
Researchers have brought together two Nobel prize-winning research concepts to advance the field of quantum communication. Scientists can now efficiently produce nearly perfect entangled photon pairs from quantum dot sources.
A real-world study has shown that the use of cool paint coatings in cities can help pedestrians feel up to 1.5 degrees Celsius cooler, making the urban area more comfortable for work and play.
Beautiful white wall paint does not stay beautiful and white forever. Often, various substances from the air accumulate on its surface. This can be a desired effect because it makes the air cleaner for a while -- but over time, the color changes and needs to be renewed. Now, special titanium oxide nanoparticles have been developed that can be added to ordinary, commercially available wall paint to establish self-cleaning power:…
A new study combining genetic, palaeoecological, and archaeological evidence has unveiled the Persian Plateau as a pivotal geographic location serving as a hub for Homo sapiens during the early stages of their migration out of Africa. It highlights the period between 70,000 to 45,000 years ago when human populations did not uniformly spread across Eurasia, leaving a gap in our understanding of their whereabouts during this time frame.
New work aimed to study the star-forming gas in a single radio galaxy. Although the team didn't find any star-forming gas in the galaxy they were studying, they instead discovered other galaxies while inspecting the data. In total, the gas of 49 galaxies was detected.
A new study reveals how fire suppression ensures that wildfires will burn under extreme conditions at high severity, exacerbating the impacts of climate change and fuel accumulation.
A small-bird species, the Japanese tit (Parus minor), uses wing movements as a gesture to convey the message 'after you,' according to new research. When a mating pair arrives at their nest box with food, they will wait outside on perches. One will then often flutter its wings toward the other, apparently indicating for the latter to enter first. The researchers say that this discovery challenges the previous belief that…
The new platform's ethically grounded approach promises to reveal much about how human embryos form during the earliest stages of pregnancy.
New mathematical modeling of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation -- a system of ocean currents -- shows greater complexity than previously thought. Researchers have revealed a hierarchy of irreversible 'tipping points.'
Engineers have discovered a new way to manufacture solar cells using perovskite semiconductors. It could lead to lower-cost, more efficient systems for powering homes, cars, boats and drones.
Imagine if every time you saw a face, it appeared distorted. Well, for those who have a very rare condition known as prosopometamorphopsia (PMO), which causes facial features to appear distorted, that is reality. A new study reports on a unique case of a patient with PMO. The research is the first to provide accurate and photorealistic visualizations of the facial distortions experienced by an individual with PMO.
How much time do planets have to form from a swirling disk of gas and dust around a star? A new study gives scientists a better idea of how our own solar system came to be.
Ground-based measuring devices and aircraft radar operated in the far northeast of Greenland show how much ice the 79 N-Glacier is losing. According to recent measurements, the thickness of the glacier has decreased by more than 160 meters since 1998. Warm ocean water flowing under the glacier tongue is melting the ice from below. High air temperatures cause lakes to form on the surface, whose water flows through huge channels…
It's no surprise that your dog can learn to sit when you say 'sit' and come when called. But a new study has made the unexpected discovery that dogs generally also know that certain words 'stand for' certain objects. When dogs hear those words, brain activity recordings suggest they activate a matching mental representation in their minds.
Academics are proposing a new and improved way to help researchers discover when consciousness emerges in human infancy.
Spiders that disguise themselves as ants live in many locations around the globe but until now most had been able to avoid detection from fossil researchers as well as predators.
Could life be found in frozen sea spray from moons orbiting Saturn or Jupiter? New research finds that life can be detected in a single ice grain containing one bacterial cell or portions of a cell. The results suggest that if life similar to that on Earth exists on these planetary bodies, that this life should be detectable by instruments launching in the fall.
Archaeological analysis of a near unique animal cemetery discovered in London nearly 30 years ago has revealed there was an international horse trading network, orchestrated by the elites of late medieval and Tudor England, which brought superior physical specimens to the UK for jousting and for use as status symbols.
Astronomers have identified what could be two of the Milky Way's earliest building blocks: Named 'Shakti' and 'Shiva', these appear to be the remnants of two galaxies that merged between 12 and 13 billion years ago with an early version of the Milky Way, contributing to our home galaxy's initial growth. The new find is the astronomical equivalent of archeologists identifying traces of an initial settlement that grew into a…
Finding viable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics and microplastics has never been more important. New research shows that their plant-based polymers biodegrade -- even at the microplastic level -- in under seven months.
Scientists have explored the puzzling world of rays that lived 150 million years ago and discovered a previously hidden diversity -- including a new ray species. This study significantly expands the understanding of these ancient cartilaginous fish and provides further insights into a past marine ecosystem.
A challenge to space scientists to better understand our hazardous near-Earth space environment has been set in a new study.
A research team has begun translating the complex molecular language of petunias. Their grammar and vocabulary are well hidden, however, within the countless proteins and other compounds that fill floral cells. Being rooted to the ground, plants can't run away from insects, pathogens or other threats to their survival. But plant scientists have long known that they do send warnings to each other via scent chemicals called volatile organic compounds.
More than 7,000 years ago, people navigated the Mediterranean Sea using technologically sophisticated boats, according to a new study.
A team of researchers has developed a universal approach to controlling robotic exoskeletons that requires no training, no calibration, and no adjustments to complicated algorithms. Instead, users can don the 'exo' and go. Their system uses a kind of artificial intelligence called deep learning to autonomously adjust how the exoskeleton provides assistance, and they've shown it works seamlessly to support walking, standing, and climbing stairs or ramps.
New study reveals that Europa's ice shell is at least 20 kilometers thick.
Measuring between 3 to 3.5 meters, 16 million years old: Paleontologists have announced the discovery of a new species of freshwater dolphin in the Peruvian Amazon region. Surprisingly, its closest living relatives can be found in the river dolphins of South Asia.
Paleontologists have found a partial body fossil of an ancient tapeworm preserved in mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber from Myanmar. The post Ancient Marine Tapeworm Found Encased in 99-Million-Year-Old Amber appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
According to astronomers’ best models of black hole evolution, the magnetic fields in the accretion disk need to be strong enough to push the accreting plasma around. The post Event Horizon Telescope Observes Twisted Magnetic Field around Milky Way’s Central Black Hole appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Scientists aboard the research vessel Atlantis have discovered five new deep-sea hydrothermal vent sites on the seafloor at 2,550 m (1.6 miles) depth. The post Researchers Discover Five New Hydrothermal Vents in Pacific Ocean appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
New research provides additional evidence that tardigrade proteins eventually could be used to make life-saving treatments available to people where refrigeration is not possible and enhance storage of cell-based therapies. The post Study: Introduced Tardigrade Proteins Slow Metabolism in Human Cells appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Planetary scientists have created the 1:30000 scale geological map of Oxia Planum, the landing site for ESA’s ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover mission. The post Scientists Create High-Resolution Geological Map of Oxia Planum appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
A team of paleontologists from California State Polytechnic University and elsewhere has described a new genus and species of shark-like fish from the Late Mississippian Fayetteville Shale of Arkansas, United States. The post Devonian Shark Fossil Found in Arkansas appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
According to physicists from the CMS Collaboration at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), it is the first time that this process has been seen in proton-proton collisions. The post CERN Physicists Observe Two Photons Producing Two Tau-Leptons in Proton-Proton Collisions appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Using the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) at ESO’s Paranal Observatory, astronomers have produced a spectacular image of GN 16.43.7.01, a cometary globule located 5,000 light-years away in the constellation of Scorpius. The post VST Observes Mysterious Cometary Globule appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
A Post Medieval silver thimble was found by Robert Edwards while metal detecting in Pembrokeshire, a county in the south-west of Wales. The post Ancient Silver Thimble with Romantic Inscription Found in Wales appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have captured a detailed image of NGC 1651, a globular cluster located in the constellation of Mensa. The post Hubble Spots Large Globular Cluster in Large Magellanic Cloud appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Paleontologists have unearthed two fossilized phalanges of an ancient carnivorous bird on Seymour Island, Antarctica. The post Giant Terror Birds Were Apex Predators of Eocene-Period Antarctica appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
In a new paper in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence, leading computer scientists from around the world review recent machine learning advances converging towards creating a collective machine-learned intelligence. The post AI’s Future is Similar to that of Star Trek’s Borg, Scientists Say appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Dubbed Shakti and Shiva, the newly-identified structures are between 12 and billion years old -- so ancient they likely formed before even the oldest parts of the present-day Milky Way’s spiral arms and disk. The post Astronomers Find Two Ancient Substructures in Inner Milky Way appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Astronomers have found that H1821+643 -- the nearest quasar hosted by a galaxy cluster, at a distance of about 3.4 billion light-years -- is less influential than many giant black holes in other galaxy clusters. The post Astronomers Find Underachieving Quasar in Distant Galaxy Cluster appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Berries of the sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) grown in Canada showed promising health benefits induced by their rich and diverse polyphenolic profile and need to be considered for further commercial expansion as a bioactive-loaded superfruit. The post Sea Buckthorn Berries are Rich Source of Natural Antioxidants, New Study Shows appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Pebanista yacuruna is the closest relative of living South Asian river dolphins (genus Platanista). The post Giant Freshwater Dolphins Once Lived in Proto-Amazonia appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Entomologists have discovered a remarkable new genus and species of longhorn beetle living in the subtropical rainforests of southeastern Queensland, Australia. The post New Species of Fluffy Beetle Discovered in Australia appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Astronomers using the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array have observed long-lasting aurora-like radio bursts above a sunspot. The post Solar Astronomers Detect Aurora-Like Radio Emission above Sunspot appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
More than 7,000 years ago, Neolithic people navigated the Mediterranean Sea using technologically sophisticated boats, according to new research. The post 7,000-Year-Old Canoes Reveal Early Development of Nautical Technology appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
Planetary scientists have long speculated about the potential habitability of Venus, not at its hot surface, but in the cloud layers located at 48-60 km altitudes, where temperatures match those found on Earth’s surface. The post Clouds of Venus Could Be Hospitable for Some Forms of Life, New Research Suggests appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.
A leading-edge project led by University of Missouri researchers aims to equip drones with autonomous visual navigation capabilities,
The Russians have problems with infantry fighting vehicles, used for armoured assaults against Ukrainian positions. This is evident,
The Russian S-400 is a reasonably effective air defence missile system. It may be somewhat inferior to the
APT31, identified as the Chinese cyber espionage entity, has drawn attention from both the United States and Britain
Good camouflage is one of those military arts that doesn’t lose relevance through ages. Hiding your assets from
It takes two to tango, but in the case of brown dwarfs that were once paired as binary
Jets emerge from the cocoon of a newly forming star to blast across space, slicing through the gas
A team of Northwestern University scientists has developed the first wireless, implantable temperature sensor to detect inflammatory flareups
Officials have reported that Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, stretching 1.6 miles (2.57 km) in Maryland, collapsed in
Denmark has ordered the defence contractor BAE Systems to upgrade its fleet of CV9035DK infantry fighting vehicles. These
The Bitcoin “halving” event is driving the relocation of outdated US mining computers overseas. In Bitcoin mining, specialized
A Romanian state agency overseeing rural investments has adopted artificial intelligence to aid farmers in accessing European Union
Russia is using its advantage in military aviation to inflict devastation on the positions of the defenders of
Results suggest the clouds of Venus could be hospitable for some forms of life. If there is life
FeatUp, developed by MIT CSAIL researchers, boosts the resolution of any deep network or visual foundation for computer
In 1783, John Michell, a rector in northern England, “proposed that the mass of a star could reach
According to researchers, individuals could potentially disrupt the accuracy of AI chatbots by intentionally contaminating the datasets upon
According to a report from the Financial Times on Sunday, China has implemented directives aimed at phasing out