Science & Technology

Researchers have developed a new generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool that models the infant microbiome. This ‘digital twin’ of the infant microbiome creates a virtual model that predicts the changing dynamics of microbial species in the gut, a…

The size of an individual snack piece not only influences how fast a person eats it, but also how much of it they eat, according to a new study. With nearly a quarter of daily calorie intake in the United States coming from snacks, these findings may h…

Researchers have created a potential alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastic that is made from carbon dioxide (CO2) and lignin, a component of wood that is a low-cost byproduct of paper manufacturing and biofuel production.

Cortisone and other related glucocorticoids are extremely effective at curbing excessive immune reactions. But previously, astonishingly little was known about how they exactly do that. Researchers have now explored the molecular mechanism of action in…

Findings show a newly created drug can prevent runaway inflammation while still allowing the immune system to handle the virus, even when given late into infection.

A new technique can more effectively perform a safety check on an AI chatbot. Researchers enabled their model to prompt a chatbot to generate toxic responses, which are used to prevent the chatbot from giving hateful or harmful answers when deployed.

CAR T cell therapy has revolutionized the way certain types of cancer are treated, and the longer those CAR T cells live in a patient’s body, the more effectively they respond to cancer. Now, researchers have found that a protein called FOXO1 improves …

Cells contain various specialized structures — such as the nucleus, mitochondria or peroxisomes — known as ‘organelles’. Tracing their genesis and determining their structure is fundamental to understanding cell function and the pathologies linked to…

A new study reveals the detailed protein structure of the TAS2R14, a bitter taste receptor that allows us to perceive bitter taste. In addition to solving the structure of this taste receptor, the researchers were also able to determine where bitter-ta…

The potential of quantum technology is huge but is today largely limited to the extremely cold environments of laboratories. Now, researchers have succeeded in demonstrating for the very first time how laser light can induce quantum behavior at room te…

Forests could also be potential bulwarks against climate change. But, increasingly severe droughts and wildfires, invasive species, and large insect outbreaks — all intensified by climate change — are straining many national forests and surrounding l…

Undertaking the majority of daily physical activity in the evening is linked to the greatest health benefits for people living with obesity, according to researchers who followed the trajectory of 30,000 people over almost 8 years.

Over 12 million people worldwide suffer from a chronic infection with the hepatitis D virus. This most severe viral liver disease is associated with a high risk of dying from liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. It is caused by the hepatitis D virus (HDV)…

New research sheds light on the significance of the glucocorticoid receptor in drug-resistant prostate cancer, showing that the development of drug resistance could be prevented by limiting the activity of coregulator proteins.

Early jawless fish were likely to have used bony projections surrounding their mouths to modify the mouth’s shape while they collected food. Experts have used CT scanning techniques to build up the first 3D pictures of these creatures, which are some o…

Only recently, a new era in medicine began with the first RNA vaccines. These active substances are modified RNAs that trigger immune responses of the human immune system. Another approach in RNA medicine targets the body’s own RNA and its protein modu…

A research team has developed a broadband UV dual-comb spectrometer with which air pollutants can be continually measured and their reaction with the environment can be observed in real time.

Children and young people who are overweight or obese are at significantly higher risk of iron deficiency, according to a study by nutritional scientists.

Researchers applied artificial intelligence (AI) to a technique that produces high-resolution images of cells in the eye. They report that with AI, imaging is 100 times faster and improves image contrast 3.5-fold. The advance, they say, will provide re…

Researchers have discovered the connection between aldehydes, organic compounds produced by cells as part of metabolic processes, and rapid aging. Their findings indicate a potential treatment for diseases that lead to accelerated aging as well as a me…