Science & Technology
Scientists give new insight into a molecular target of alcohol
By investigating a molecule in the brain tied to cellular communication, scientists uncover important information about the proteins that do — and do not — influence alcohol drinking behavior.
COVID-19 vaccine strongly effective for children and adolescents during delta and omicron, real-world analysis shows
In a real-world setting, analysis showed that risk of infection and severe illness was significantly lower for those who were vaccinated against COVID-19, and cardiac conditions did not increase.
Final supernova results from Dark Energy Survey offer unique insights into the expansion of the universe
In the culmination of a decade’s worth of effort, scientists analyzed an unprecedented sample of more than 1,500 supernovae classified using machine learning. They placed the strongest constraints on the expansion of the universe ever obtained with the…
Life span increases in mice when specific brain cells are activated
A new study identifies, in mice, a critical communication pathway connecting the brain and the body’s fat tissue in a feedback loop that appears central to energy production throughout the body. The research suggests that the gradual deterioration of t…
Solid state battery design charges in minutes, lasts for thousands of cycles
Researchers have developed a new lithium metal battery that can be charged and discharged at least 6,000 times — more than any other pouch battery cell — and can be recharged in a matter of minutes. The research not only describes a new way to make s…
How did the bushpig cross the strait? A great puzzle in African mammal biogeography solved by genomics
Africa has a huge diversity of large mammals, but their evolutionary relationships and movement across the continent over time often remain a mystery. A new scientific study sheds light on longstanding questions about the interplay between evolution an…
Thirdhand smoke may harm children
Researchers tested the surfaces in smoking households where children reside and found troubling results.
New soft robots roll like tires, spin like tops and orbit like moons
Researchers have developed a new soft robot design that engages in three simultaneous behaviors: rolling forward, spinning like a record, and following a path that orbits around a central point. The device, which operates without human or computer cont…
Bottled water can contain hundreds of thousands of previously uncounted tiny plastic bits
In recent years, there has been rising concern that tiny particles known as microplastics are showing up basically everywhere on Earth, from polar ice to soil, drinking water and food. Formed when plastics break down into progressively smaller bits, th…
Global study of extreme drought impacts on grasslands and shrublands
A global study shows that the effects of extreme drought — which is expected to increase in frequency with climate change — has been greatly underestimated for grasslands and shrublands. The findings quantify the impact of extreme short-term drought …
Protecting coral ‘nurseries’ as important as safeguarding established coral reefs
New research in the southwestern part of Hawai’i Island shows that identifying and protecting marine ecosystems both down-current and up-current of coral reefs, specifically areas where coral larvae are more likely to survive and thrive, is crucial to …
Drugs used to treat Type 2 diabetes reduce alcohol cravings, use in individuals with obesity
An analysis of those posts, together with a remote study of individuals with obesity who reported using semaglutide and tirzepatide, found that the drugs decreased cravings and reduced alcohol consumption, according to a new study.
Widespread population collapse of African Raptors
An international team of researchers has found that Africa’s birds of prey are facing an extinction crisis. The report warns of declines among nearly 90% of 42 species examined, and suggests that more than two-thirds may qualify as globally threatened.
About 22 high school age adolescents in U.S. died each week from overdoses in 2022, driven by fentanyl-laced prescription pills
An average of 22 adolescents 14 to 18 years of age died in the U.S. each week in 2022 from drug overdoses, raising the death rate for this group to 5.2 per 100,000 — driven by fentanyl in counterfeit pills. The researchers also found 19 ‘hotspot’ coun…
New AI tool accurately detects COVID-19 from chest X-rays
Researchers have developed a groundbreaking artificial intelligence (AI) system that can rapidly detect COVID-19 from chest X-rays with more than 98 percent accuracy.
Some mosquitoes like it hot
Certain populations of mosquitoes are more heat tolerant and better equipped to survive heat waves than others, according to new research.
Three iron rings in a planet-forming disk
Astronomers have detected a three-ringed structure in the nursery of planets in the inner planet-forming disk of a young star. This configuration suggests two Jupiter-mass planets are forming in the gaps between the rings. The detailed analysis is cons…
Researchers develop algorithm to determine how cellular ‘neighborhoods’ function in tissues
Researchers have developed a new AI-powered algorithm to help understand how different cells organize themselves into particular tissues and communicate with one another.