Science & Technology

Bayesian optimization (BO) can help determine the optimal deposition conditions for high-performance passivation films in solar cells. However, simple implementations tend to suggest excessively thick films or infeasible deposition conditions. Recently…

An analysis of health data in the UK Biobank found a 20% higher risk of irregular heart rhythm, known as atrial fibrillation, among people who said they drank two liters or more per week (about 67 ounces) of artificially sweetened drinks. The risk was …

Biosensing technology developed by engineers has made it possible to create gene test strips that rival conventional lab-based tests in quality.

Fossils of a strange new species of marine lizard with dagger-like teeth that lived 66 million years ago, show a dramatically more biodiverse ocean ecosystem to what we see today.

A new mathematical model has shown, with great precision, the impact that physiological and psychological parameters have on running performance and provides tips for optimized training.

An inexpensive measure of obesity in children and adolescents that could replace body mass index (BMI) has been identified in a new study as waist circumference-to-height ratio. This measure detected excess fat mass and distinguished fat mass from musc…

A team of astronomers has shed new light on the fascinating and complex process of planet formation. The research brings together observations of more than 80 young stars that might have planets forming around them, providing astronomers with a wealth …

Scientists are embracing imperfection, using less-than-ideal magnetic fields to make the plasma more manageable.

Bacteria can be tricked into sending death signals to stop the growth of their slimy, protective homes that lead to deadly infections, a new study demonstrates. The discovery could someday be harnessed as an alternative to antibiotics for treating diff…

A group of marine biologists specializing in shark ecology, genetics and fisheries have challenged the findings from a recent study suggesting that South Africa’s white shark population has not decreased, but simply redistributed eastwards to flee pred…

Although several studies have linked smoking during pregnancy with neurodevelopmental disorders, the results of behavioral experiments in mice prenatally exposed to nicotine have been inconsistent. In a recent study, scientists from Japan developed a d…

It takes more than a galaxy merger to make a black hole grow and new stars form: machine learning shows cold gas is needed too to initiate rapid growth — new research finds.

Sprinting ‘like a jet plane taking off’ will help produce Premier League star strikers of tomorrow, new research has revealed. A new study of Tottenham Hotspur’s academy has shown that just a few words can instantly boost sprinting speed by 3 per cent …

NASA’s Juno spacecraft has directly measured charged oxygen and hydrogen molecules from the atmosphere of one of Jupiter’s largest moons, Europa. These observations provide key constraints on the potential oxygenation of its subsurface ocean.

Will ice floating in the Arctic Ocean move faster or slower over the coming decades? The answer to this question will tell us whether marine transportation can be expected to get more or less hazardous. It might also have important implications for the…

Researchers have developed a new catheter-based device that combines two powerful optical techniques to image the dangerous plaques that can build up inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart. By providing new details about plaque, the device …

Each year, approximately 2,000 people die annually of gallbladder cancer (GBC) in the U.S., with only one in five cases diagnosed at an early stage. With GBC rated as the first biliary tract cancer and the 17th most deadly cancer worldwide, pressing at…

Scientists recently combined satellite data, field observations and sophisticated numerical modeling to paint a picture of how 22.45 million square kilometers of the Arctic will change over the next 80 years. As expected, the overall region will be war…

A new fossil, named ‘Attenborough’s strange bird’ after naturalist and documentarian Sir David Attenborough, is the first of its kind to evolve a toothless beak. It’s from a branch of the bird family tree that went extinct in the mass extinction 66 mil…

While summer sea ice loss in the Arctic is inevitable, it can be reversed if the planet cools down, researchers say.