Science & Technology

Researchers have developed a straightforward questionnaire that older adults can use to assess their ‘attentional performance’ during driving. In proof-of-concept testing, the researchers have demonstrated the tool can predict which drivers are at incr…

A dangerous variant of the deformed wing virus is on the rise worldwide. The virus infects honeybees, causing their wings to atrophy and the animals to die. The new variant, which has already replaced the original strain of the virus in Europe, is spre…

Turns out you’re not the only one who needs a good night’s rest to function well the next day. Researchers found that mosquitoes whose slumber is disrupted are more interested in catching up on their sleep than looking for food the next day. The resear…

High on sunshine, humans often decide when dandelions get to spread their species — but the puffballs have their own ideas on how best to proliferate.

New research suggests that determining evolutionary trees of organisms by comparing anatomy rather than gene sequences is misleading. The study shows that we often need to overturn centuries of scholarly work that classified living things according to …

More than 99% of veterinarians surveyed said they’d encountered useless or non-beneficial veterinary care in their careers, according to a new Cornell-led study that documents the prevalence of futile care for the first time. The authors use a working …

Using NASA’s SOFIA observatory and other data resources, an international team of astronomers has uncovered evidence of metals in local galaxies — found to be deficient in earlier studies — by analyzing infrared data gathered during a multiyear campa…

Researchers have produced the first catalog of genomic diversity for endangered chimpanzees in the wild. The catalog, which includes 828 chimp samples from across their range, offers a detailed reconstruction of chimp population structure and fine-scal…

MIT researchers have found that one key role of the neuromodulator noradrenaline, produced by the locus coeruleus, is to help the brain learn from surprising outcomes.

Researchers discover how leukemia-associated gene mutations steadily commandeer blood cell production over a lifetime, and how these changes relate to aging and cancer development.

A new study has found that plant species are adapted to the altitude where they grow by ‘sensing’ the oxygen levels that surround them.

Researchers have discovered how genetic mutations accumulated slowly over a lifetime lead to dramatic changes in how blood is formed after the age of 70, providing a new theory for aging.

A remarkable discovery and collaborative effort have revealed a new type of triterpenes, a group of organic compounds which are an important source of many medicines. Until now, all triterpenes were believed to be derived from squalene, itself a type o…

Scientists have utilized an objective and simple nutritional indicator called the Nutrition Risk Index (NRI) to unveil a long-suspected yet unverified relationship between sarcopenia and malnutrition in end-stage kidney disease patients. Their findings…

Researchers analyzed the blood of Hikikomori patients and found key biomarkers for the condition included higher ornithine and long-chain acylcarnitine levels and lower levels of bilirubin and arginine. Further analysis was able to distinguish between …

Researchers have successfully developed a biomarker that will enable Parkinson’s disease to be rapidly and inexpensively diagnosed from blood serum samples. Being able to diagnose the disease faster will hopefully lead to the development of new treatme…

New research demonstrates that by killing essential gut bacteria, antibiotics ravage athletes’ motivation and endurance. The mouse study suggests the microbiome is a big factor separating athletes from ‘couch potatoes’.

Protected and rare bats regularly die at wind turbines (WT). This is why the operation of new wind turbines is temporarily curtailed during periods of high bat activity. Old wind turbines run without curtailment, however. A scientific team has now prod…

The study reports a novel neuron type in the hippocampus, defines its functional role in the brain, discloses its connectivity with other nerve cells and brain areas and progresses the understanding of brain circuits underlying fast brain waves that ar…

While there is some evidence that consuming omega-3 fatty acids in food or dietary supplements may reduce the risk of high blood pressure, the optimal amount to consume for this benefit is unclear. A review of dozens of studies suggests that the optima…