Science & Technology

New study shows that microglia cells ‘listen in’ to neighboring neurons and change to match them.

New research has provided the strongest evidence yet that Earth’s continents were formed by giant meteorite impacts that were particularly prevalent during the first billion years or so of our planet’s four-and-a-half-billion year history.

Even relatively modest climate warming and associated precipitation shifts may dramatically alter Earth’s northernmost forests, which constitute one of the planet’s largest nearly intact forested ecosystems and are home to a big chunk of the planet’s t…

Researchers have used the coldest systems in the universe to realize in the laboratory gauge theories, key models of modern physics that describe the fundamental forces of Nature and the behavior of complex quantum materials.

Sneezing out mucus may be one of the oldest ways for organisms to get rid of unwanted waste. A group of researchers found that sponges, one of the oldest multicellular organisms in existence, ‘sneeze’ to unclog their internal filter systems that they u…

Drugs called interferon betas are common treatments for multiple sclerosis (MS), reducing relapses and slowing motor function decline. Interferon beta, a protein known to contain a zinc binding pocket, is thought to reduce proinflammatory molecules and…

Urinary tract infections are common, yet are increasingly tough to treat because the bacteria that cause them are becoming resistant to many antibiotics. Now researchers report a new molecule that inhibits drug-resistant bacteria in lab experiments, as…

A biomedical engineer has developed a way to measure mental activity using electrodermal activity (EDA) — an electrical phenomenon of the skin that is influenced by brain activity related to emotional status. They describe a novel inference engine tha…

Collagen type XII plays a key role in regulating the organisation of the tumor matrix, reveals a new study.

Researchers have identified a new species of Bathonymus, the famed genera of deep-sea isopods whose viral internet fame has made them the most famous aquatic crustaceans since Sebastian of ‘The Little Mermaid’.

Millions of older hospital patients and nursing home residents suffer excruciating bed sores each year, some of which are fatal. Now, new research could put an end to that with the development of tiny smart bed sensors embedded in hospital mattresses.

Climate change has led to warming temperatures in the Pacific Northwest, leading some insect species to expand their range into more northerly oak savannas, according to new research.

Calcium is a very special nutrient. In the cells of most living beings calcium ions function as so-called second messengers to transmit important signals. The same applies equally to animal, plant and fungal cells.

A large, diverse study of over 5,000 older adults in the U.S. found that abnormal size or functioning in the left atrium (one of the two upper heart chambers), even before symptoms are present, may play a role in the development of dementia. The abnorm…

Scientists have explored how to improve the PERSAM model used by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in pesticide regulation. They have analysed the risks posed by four pesticides on two types of soil organisms in northern, central and southern E…

An international collaboration of scientists has created and observed an entirely new class of vortices — the whirling masses of fluid or air. A new article details laboratory studies of these ‘exotic’ whirlpools in an ultracold gas of atoms at temper…

Without bumble bees, a flowering plant that can self-pollinate lost substantial genetic variation within only nine generations, an experimental study found. A group of ‘selfing’ monkeyflower plants lost 13% to 24% of their genetic variation compared to…

Microplastic (MP) contamination is a worldwide concern. Despite this, there is no standard method for assessing MP concentrations in rivers, which are the main entry points of MPs into oceans. This leads to arbitrary sampling and inaccurate assessments…

While scientists have hoped that rechargeable zinc-manganese dioxide batteries could be developed into a viable alternative for grid storage applications, engineers have now identified the atomistic mechanism of charge and discharge in such batteries. …