Science & Technology
Glimpses of a volcanic world: New telescope images of Jupiter’s moon Io rival those from spacecraft
Combining a new imaging instrument with the powerful adaptive optics capabilities of the Large Binocular Telescope, astronomers have captured a volcanic event on Jupiter’s moon Io at a resolution never before achieved with Earth-based observations.
Novel mobile air monitoring technology yields greater insight into post-disaster pollution levels
A team has found that high resolution mass spectrometry could be a valuable tool for identifying and assessing air-borne contaminants produced by natural and human-made disasters.
Tiny worm helps uncover long-lasting prenatal effects from amphetamines
During pregnancy, the effects of therapeutical doses of amphetamine have been investigated on birth outcomes in humans. However, a thorough investigation of the mechanisms underlying the long-term effects of embryonal exposure to addictive doses of amp…
‘Ugly’ fossil places extinct saber-toothed cat on Texas coast
This fossil looks like a lumpy, rounded rock with a couple of exposed teeth that are a little worse for wear, having been submerged and tumbled along the floor of the Gulf of Mexico for thousands of years before washing up on a beach. But when it was X…
In the brain at rest, neurons rehearse future experience
New research sheds light on how individual neurons in the hippocampus of rats stabilize and tune spatial representations during periods of rest following the animals’ first time running a maze, offering first proof of neuroplasticity during sleep.
Scientists develop most sensitive way to observe single molecules
A technical achievement marks a significant advance in the burgeoning field of observing individual molecules without the aid of fluorescent labels. While these labels are useful in many applications, they alter molecules in ways that can obscure how t…
How does ‘not’ affect what we understand? Scientists find negation mitigates our interpretation of phrases
When we’re told ‘This coffee is hot’ upon being served a familiar caffeinated beverage at our local diner or cafe, the message is clear. But what about when we’re told ‘This coffee is not hot’? Does that mean we think it’s cold? Or room temperature? Or…
Gene variants foretell the biology of future breast cancers
In a finding that vastly expands the understanding of tumor evolution, researchers discover genetic biomarkers that can predict the breast cancer subtype a patient is likely to develop.
Medium and mighty: Intermediate-mass black holes can survive in globular clusters
New research demonstrated a possible formation mechanism of intermediate-mass black holes in globular clusters, star clusters that could contain tens of thousands or even millions of tightly packed stars. The first ever star-by-star massive cluster-for…
People are altering decomposition rates in waterways
Humans may be accelerating the rate at which organic matter decomposes in rivers and streams on a global scale, according to a new study. That could pose a threat to biodiversity in waterways around the world and increase the amount of carbon in Earth’…
Historic iceberg surges offer insights on modern climate change
A great armada entered the North Atlantic, launched from the cold shores of North America. But rather than ships off to war, this force was a fleet of icebergs. And the havoc it wrought was to the ocean current itself. The future of the Atlantic circul…