Science & Technology
A cocoa bean’s ‘fingerprint’ could help trace chocolate bars back to their farm of origin, finds a new study
A new study has revealed that biotechnology could be the missing ingredient in helping cocoa farmers get a better deal for their beans.
Rare earth elements and old mines spell trouble for Western water supplies
Rare earth elements are finding their way into Colorado water supplies, driven by changes in climate, finds new research.
This rainbow-making tech could help autonomous vehicles read signs
A new study explains the science behind microscale concave interfaces (MCI) — structures that reflect light to produce beautiful and potentially useful optical phenomena. Future applications of these effects could include aiding autonomous vehicles in…
Machine learning algorithm revolutionizes how scientists study behavior
B-SOiD is an open source, unsupervised algorithm that can discover and identify behaviors without user input.
Evidence mounts that MMR and Tdap vaccines strengthen protection against severe COVID-19
Laboratory and retrospective analyses suggest that MMR and Tdap memory T cells are activated by SARS-CoV-2 and decrease COVID-19 severity.
Ferroelectrics everywhere?
A new family of materials that could result in improved digital information storage and uses less energy may be possible thanks to a team of researchers who demonstrated ferroelectricity in magnesium-substituted zinc oxide.
Researchers discover way to switch on and speed up tendon healing
A research team investigated whether electrical therapy, coupled with exercise, would show promise in treating tendon disease or ruptures. They found that tendon cell function and repair can be controlled through electrical stimulation from an implanta…
In a common genetic disorder, blood test reveals when benign tumors turn cancerous
Researchers have developed a blood test that, they believe, could one day offer a highly sensitive and inexpensive approach to detect cancer early in people with NF1. The blood test could also help doctors monitor how well patients are responding to tr…
Model of SARS-CoV-2 dynamics reveals opportunity to prevent COVID-19 transmission
A structural model of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as the virus fuses with host human cells reveals an opportunity to disrupt dynamics and halt transmission.
Fighting brain cancer at its root
Researchers identify proteins that drive cancer stem cells. Targeting and suppressing a particular protein called galectin1 could provide a more effective treatment for glioblastoma, in combination with radiation therapy.
Biomarkers found for COVID-19 condition in children
A rare but serious inflammatory condition that affects children who contract COVID-19 produces a distinctive pattern of biomarkers that may help physicians predict disease severity and also aid researchers in developing new treatments, according to a n…
Oxygen-delivering hydrogel accelerates diabetic wound healing
A professor of mechanical engineering and materials science has developed a hydrogel that delivers oxygen to a wound, which decreases inflammation, helps remodel tissue and accelerates healing.
Using evolutionary principles could prevent antibiotic resistance
Sequential treatment using antibiotics that are similar but swapped around frequently is an effective way to kill bacteria and reduce drug resistance.
‘Tipping points’ in Earth’s system triggered rapid climate change 55 million years ago
Scientists have uncovered a fascinating new insight into what caused one of the most rapid and dramatic instances of climate change in the history of the Earth.
The right mixture of salts to get life started
A new study shows how a blend of salts in the presence of heat flows may have contributed to the formation of the first self-replicating biomolecules.
Using liquid metal to turn motion into electricity, even underwater
Researchers have created a soft, stretchable device that converts movement into electricity and works in both dry and wet environments.
Hidden factors that affect solar farms during severe weather
Researchers combined large sets of real-world solar data and advanced machine learning to study the impacts of severe weather on U.S. solar farms, and sort out what factors affect energy generation.
Cancer treatment with built-in light
Therapies should be highly effective and as free as possible of side effects — a big challenge, particularly in the case of cancer. A research team has now developed a novel form of photodynamic tumor therapy for the treatment of deep tumors that work…