The best semiconductor of them all?

A material known as cubic boron arsenide has two major advantages over silicon, research shows. It provides high mobility to both electrons and holes, and it has excellent thermal conductivity. It is, the researchers say, the best semiconductor materia…

Why some flu viruses cause more severe infections

Research uses computational modeling to try to understand the body’s immune response to avian flu. His latest work finds that the levels of interferon may be responsible for its more severe presentation — and may also be the key to treating it.

An anti-bacterial liaison

Macrophages play a central role in our immune response. They can trap and digest invading pathogens. However, specific bacteria such as Salmonella or Mycobacteria can survive the digestive system of macrophages and escape the control of immune cells. R…