Science & Technology
Inefficient building electrification risks prolonging fossil fuels
A new study indicates that decarbonization pathways should incorporate more efficient electric heating technologies and more renewable energy sources to minimize strain on the U.S. electric grid during peaks in electricity usage from heating in the win…
Disparities in United States COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Health care facilities in Black metropolitan counties, Hispanic rural counties and hardest-hit counties were less likely to administer COVID-19 vaccines during initial rollout, a new study finds.
Researchers take first-ever cryo-EM images of nitrogenase in action
Previously, it has been impossible to capture the high-resolution images of nitrogenase, the only enzyme capable of reducing nitrogen into ammonia, during catalytic action. Now researchers report near-atomic-resolution snapshots of nitrogenase during c…
How molecular motor proteins are involved in malaria transmission
Scientists have made a major breakthrough in understanding how malaria parasites divide and transmit the disease, which could be a major step forwards in helping to prevent one of the biggest killer infections in the world.
Teaching computers to predict efficient catalysis
Researchers have developed a machine-learning algorithm that can teach computers to predict how molecules will bind to the surface and how strongly they will bind. The algorithm can assist in predicting efficiently and accurately whether a given materi…
Climate change could be making it harder for seabirds to catch fish
Researchers have found that that cloudier waters, caused in part by climate change, is making it harder for seabirds to catch fish.
A window of opportunity for methane to slip by nature’s filters
Warmer oceans can lead to large amounts of methane being released from the seabeds, which may amplify climate warming. A new study develops a method to understand the role of microorganisms in increasing emissions of methane from seabeds.
Some types of stress could be good for brain functioning
It may feel like an anvil hanging over your head, but that looming deadline stressing you out at work may actually be beneficial for your brain, according to new research. The study found that low to moderate levels of stress can help individuals devel…
New Antarctic study shows levels of ‘forever chemicals’ reaching the remote continent have been increasing
New evidence from Antarctica shows that toxic ‘fluorinated forever chemicals’ have increased markedly in the remote environment in recent decades and scientists believe CFC-replacements could be among likely sources.
Decoding ‘photoplethysmograms’ to broaden the scope of health monitoring technologies
Advancing the potential applications of photoplethysmography, an optical technique used to measure heart rate, in cardiovascular and mental health monitoring requires the analysis of complex nonlinear data from photoplethysmograms (PPGs). Circumventing…
Data from elephant seals reveal new features of marine heatwave ‘the Blob’
The North Pacific Blob, a marine heatwave that began in late 2013 and continued through 2015, was the largest and longest-lasting marine heatwave on record. A new study using data collected by elephant seals reveals that in addition to the well documen…
A small crustacean acts as the sea’s bees
The crucial role of insects in the pollination of flowering plants is well known, but algal fertilization assisted by marine animals was hitherto deemed non-existent. A team has now discovered that small crustaceans known as idoteas contribute to the r…
Specialized brain regions recognize vocal cues that don’t involve speech
New research finds that specific parts of the brain recognize complex cues in human vocal sounds that do not involve speech, such as crying, coughing or gasping. Insights into the organization of the brain voice-recognition system will enable researche…
Engineers develop stickers that can see inside the body
Engineers designed an adhesive patch that produces ultrasound images of the body. The stamp-sized device sticks to skin and can provide continuous ultrasound imaging of internal organs for 48 hours.
New hardware offers faster computation for artificial intelligence, with much less energy
Researchers have created protonic programmable resistors — the building blocks of analog deep learning systems — that can process data 1 million times faster than the synapses in the human brain. These ultrafast, low-energy resistors could enable ana…