Science & Technology

Can we infer someone’s cultural group from their laugher, even when we do not know what they are laughing at? And what kind of laughter do we find most positive? A new study shows that our laughter gives us away. The study included Dutch and Japanese p…

A new study of brain activity patterns in people doing a memory task finds that the way we make inferences — finding hidden connections between different experiences — changes dramatically as we age. The study’s findings might one day lead to persona…

As climate conditions change, tree species are shifting their ranges. Wildfire is accelerating this process, likely by reducing competition from established species — a finding that raises questions about how to manage land in an era of shifting ecosy…

Fifteen years ago, the African Union decided on an ambitious program: degraded ecosystems in parts of the Sahel are to be successively restored in order to secure food for the people living there and to protect the soil against further degradation. At …

Protein production (translation) is a complex process involving machinery called ribosomes. How do cells counter ribosomal destabilization leading to premature termination of translation? Scientists have uncovered a novel role of nascent protein chains…

After decades of uncertainty, researchers have confirmed the existence of lunar carbon dioxide cold traps that could potentially contain solid carbon dioxide. The discovery will likely have a major influence in shaping future lunar missions and could i…

Investigators found elevated levels of tau and a phosphorylated form of the tau protein in brain tissue from deceased people who had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and carried a mutation in the C9orf72 gene. The team also identified new genetic mu…

Researchers have trained computers to predict the next designer drugs before they are even on the market, technology that could save lives. Identifying these so-called ‘legal highs’ within seized pills or powders can take months, during which time thou…

A large analysis of health records from 87 health care centers across the United States found that people taking a class of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), particularly fluoxetine, were significantly less likely …

A new technique opens a possibility to replace silicon with 2D materials in semiconducting technology.

By mimicking photosynthesis, researchers have designed a new type of photocatalyst that can absorb light and use it to help catalyze a variety of chemical reactions that would otherwise be difficult to perform.

New research has shown the drug losartan, normally used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), is not effective in slowing down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in people with mild-to-moderate disease after 12 months of treatment. Howe…

Researchers have discovered a therapy that targets host cells rather than bacterial cells in treating bacterial pneumonia in rodents. The method involves white blood cells of the immune system called macrophages that eat bacteria, and a group of compou…

In a functional magnetic resonance imaging study of babies ranging in age from two to nine months, researchers have found regions of the infant visual cortex that show strong preferences for either faces, bodies, or scenes, just as they do in adults.

Fat-free chocolate milk processed for the first time with high-pressure jet technology exhibits enhanced viscosity, stabilizing cocoa particles in the fluid and eliminating the need for adding a controversial emulsifier. That’s the conclusion of a team…

An undergraduate leads the discovery of a way to synthesize a rare molecule drawn from poppies. The molecule could become a building block for painkillers and other drugs.

A simple surgical technique during cardiac surgery was associated with a 56 percent reduction in the incidence of an irregular heart rhythm known as atrial fibrillation that can lead to stroke, with no added risks or side effects, according to a new st…