Science & Technology
Ultrasound scan can diagnose prostate cancer
An ultrasound scan can be used to detect cases of prostate cancer, according to new research.
New optical tweezers put on the pressure to change color
Scientists demonstrate an optical trapping technique using nanotextured black silicon that can efficiently trap polymer chains. By adjusting the laser intensity, these ‘optical tweezers’ can control the florescence color emitted through a local concent…
Plastic labelling needs ‘sustainability scale’
Labelling of plastic products needs a drastic overhaul including a new ‘sustainability scale’ to help consumers, researchers say.
New screening system may point the way to clean, renewable hydrogen power
A new, highly sensitive system for detecting the production of hydrogen gas may play an important role in the quest to develop hydrogen as an environmentally friendly and economical alternative to fossil fuels.
Researchers establish first-of-its-kind framework to diagnose 3D-printing errors
Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, can create custom parts for electromagnetic devices on-demand and at a low cost. These devices are highly sensitive, and each component requires precise fabrication. Until recently, though, the only way to diagno…
Immunotherapy drug bolsters head and neck cancer treatment
A clinical trial has shown that the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab increased survival rates for head and neck cancer patients with intermediate risk.
Scientists discover a new molecular pathway shared by two neurodegenerative disorders
Researchers from two independent research teams have discovered how the mislocalization of a protein, known as TDP-43, alters the genetic instructions for UNC13A, providing a possible therapeutic target that could also have implications in treating amy…
Scaling laws in enzymes may help predict life ‘as we don’t know it’
A team of researchers is developing tools to predict the features of life as we don’t know it.
Physicists bring a once-theoretical effect of quantum matter into observable reality
Physicists have experimentally observed a quirky behavior of the quantum world: a ‘quantum boomerang’ effect that occurs when particles in a disordered system are kicked out of their locations. Instead of landing elsewhere as one might expect, they tur…
Under pressure: A new theory lets us predict when soft materials will fail
Researchers recently announced a major theoretical and experimental breakthrough that allows scientists to predict, with an unprecedented precision, when a soft material will crack and fail. The findings have immediate implications for the engineering …
Adaptive HEALEY ALS Platform Trial hopes to bring new treatments to patients faster
A new article describes the approach, structure, and launch of the HEALEY ALS Platform Trial- the first platform trial for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) designed to accelerate the development of effective and breakthrough treatments for people wi…
Overlooked channels influence water flow and flooding along Gulf Coast
An unnoticed network of channels is cutting across the coastal plain landscape along the Gulf Coast and influencing how water flows, according to new research that could help predict flooding from major storms in the future.
Chemical link between wildfire smoke and ozone depletion
Atmospheric chemists have found that the smoke from Australia’s ‘Black Summer’ wildfires set off chemical reactions in the stratosphere that contributed to the destruction of ozone. The study is the first to establish a chemical link between wildfire s…
Climate change: A threat to human wellbeing and health of the planet
Human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature and affecting the lives of billions of people around the world, despite efforts to reduce the risks. People and ecosystems least able to cope are being hardest hit, s…
Physical fitness linked to lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease
People who are more physically fit are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than people who are less physically fit, according to a preliminary study.