Science & Technology

Researchers have found a species of worm with an appetite for polystyrene could be the key to plastic recycling on a mass scale.

Researchers have identified the role of transcription factors Runx1 and Runx2 in the inhibition of fibrosis, the abnormal build-up of connective tissue with severe hematopoietic defects, in the bone marrow. Mice lacking both Runx1 and Runx2 in CAR cell…

People who systematically underestimate themselves and their own performance suffer from so-called Impostor Phenomenon. They think that any success is due to external circumstances or just luck and chance. Those people live in constant fear that their …

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important chemical, with a wide variety of applications. However, the current method used to manufacture H2O2 is expensive and generates a considerable amount of waste, making it an unsustainable approach. In this study, …

A new study combining archaeological, historical and bioarchaeological data provides new insights into the early Islamic period in modern-day Syria. The research team was planning to focus on a much older time period but came across what they believe t…

Intestinal flora plays an important role in health — including mental health. Researchers have shown that probiotics can support the effect of antidepressants and help to alleviate depression.

The makers of climate policy should rethink how people think: Researchers show that abiding by climate-friendly policies actually changes the way people think about what they do. People’s preferences are more dynamic than textbook economics often assum…

When a plant community is exposed to drought, the different species undergo evolutionary changes. An international study with UZH participation now shows that this leads to improved resilience to future drought stress over time.

Why are we so sure that the way we see people, situations and politics is accurate, and the way other people see them is foolishly wrong? The answer, according to new research lies in a region of the brain he calls the ‘gestalt cortex,’ which helps peo…

A new study links SARS-CoV-2 specific T cells to lung function and those who suffer from long-term COVID symptoms (PASC).

Researchers have developed a tiny, flexible neural probe that can be implanted for longer time periods to record and stimulate neural activity, while minimizing injury to the surrounding tissue. The probe would be ideal for studying small and dynamic a…

Scientists have refined the use of magnetic fields to improve the performance of doughnut-shaped fusion facilities known as tokamaks. The improved technique protects internal parts from damage by instabilities and allows tokamaks to operate for longer …

Brown dwarfs, mysterious objects that straddle the line between stars and planets, are essential to our understanding of both stellar and planetary populations. However, only 40 brown dwarfs could be imaged around stars in almost three decades of searc…

Extensively used grassland is host to a high degree of biodiversity, and performs an important climate protection function as a carbon sink and also serves for fodder and food production. However, these ecosystem services are jeopardized if productivit…

Researchers have discovered that the interferon gamma receptor (IFNgR) signaling pathway is critical for susceptibility of glioblastoma tumors to killing by CAR T-cell immunotherapy.

Those who are among the heaviest drinkers in England are four times more likely to smoke than the general population and should be prioritized by the government in its plans to achieve ‘smoke-free’ status by 2030, experts say.

From action heroes to villainous assassins, biohybrid robots made of both living and artificial materials have been at the center of many sci-fi fantasies, inspiring today’s robotic innovations. It’s still a long way until human-like robots walk among …

A genetic variant that is present in nearly 30% of Greenlanders is linked to high cholesterol and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a new study.

Researchers now reveal that nature’s storage solution first evolved in ancient microbes living on Earth between one and two billion years ago.

The Wallacean islands of present-day Eastern Indonesia have a long history of occupation by modern humans. Notably, the maritime expansion of Austronesian speakers into Wallacea left archaeological traces of a Neolithic lifestyle and a genetic imprint …