Science & Technology

Scientists have built a compact electron camera that can capture the inner, ultrafast dynamics of matter. The system shoots short bunches of electrons at a sample to take snapshots of its current inner structure and is the first such electron diffracto…

The antiviral agent incorporates RNA-like building blocks into the genome of the virus.

People born blind have never seen that bananas are yellow but researchers find that like any sighted person, they understand two bananas are likely to be the same color and why. Questioning the belief that dates back to philosopher John Locke that peop…

New research pinpoints genomic regions associated with metabolic or non-target-site herbicide resistance in waterhemp, a problematic agricultural weed. Non-target-site resistance has long been considered a black box, but the complete waterhemp genome a…

An MIT-developed inflatable robotic hand gives amputees real-time tactile control. The smart hand is soft and elastic, weighs about half a pound, and costs a fraction of comparable prosthetics.

Scientists have developed a new sample preparation method to detect SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The method bypasses extraction of the virus’ genetic RNA material, simplifying sample purification and potentially reducing test time and co…

Disappearing habitats and use of pesticides are driving the loss of pollinator species around the world, posing a threat to ‘ecosystem services’ that provide food and wellbeing to many millions – particularly in the Global South – as well as billions o…

Researchers find having someone to listen to you when you need to talk is associated with greater cognitive resilience. New study shows social interaction in adulthood can stave off cognitive decline despite brain aging.

A gene called PfAP2-HS allows the malaria parasite to defend itself from adverse conditions in the host, including febrile temperatures, according to new research. The study resolves a long-standing question on how the parasite responds to changes in i…

As the Arctic Ocean warms and sea ice shrinks, will the newly exposed sea surface see a plankton population boom and a burgeoning ecosystem in the open Arctic Ocean? Not likely, say a team of scientists who have examined the history and supply rate of …

A multi-institutional team of chemists harnessed the power of a dangerous gas called SOF4 to create new modifiable polymers useful for drug discovery and material science. The team used a type of rapid and reliable chemistry known as click chemistry to…

A new preclinical study provides the first direct evidence that loss of a placental hormone during pregnancy alters long-term brain development, causing autism-like behaviors in male offspring.

A region of active star formation in the constellation Ophiuchus is giving astronomers new insights into the conditions in which our own solar system was born. In particular, a new study of the Ophiuchus star-forming complex shows how our solar system …

Researchers demonstrated how a fleet of robotic floats can revolutionize our understanding of ocean primary productivity.

Researchers say the time may be right for many industrialized nations to resurrect an idea once thought to be unfeasible: personal carbon allowances (PCAs). The concept, they report, has stronger possibilities due to a worsening climate crisis, changes…

Using data from over 283,600 people in UK Biobank, researchers have found that people who work night shifts are at increased risk of developing an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, and they are also at an incr…

There are a number of simple, practical steps that families can take — including reducing passive screen time and news consumption, having a structured daily schedule and getting enough sleep — that can promote resilience against mental health proble…

What if life evolved not just once, but multiple times independently?  Researchers now argue that in order to recognize life’s full range of forms, we must develop a new theoretical frame that permits ‘multiple paths’ to life.

Carbon nanotubes woven into thread-like fibers and sewn into fabrics become a thermoelectric generator that can turn heat from the sun or other sources into other forms of energy.

Among individuals who survive a trauma that resulted in the loss of a close friend or loved one, symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder can predict complicated grief — a sense of persistent sadness and an inability to cope — years after the traum…