Science & Technology
Scientists piece together DNA repair pathway implicated in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers
Medical researchers have learned more about an enzyme found to be overly expressed in patients with hereditary breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer.
Hemp cannabinoids may have evolved to deter insect pests
Cannabinoids, naturally occurring compounds found in hemp plants, may have evolved to deter pests from chewing on them, according to new research that showed higher cannabinoid concentrations in hemp leaves led to proportionately less damage from insec…
Ice cores from Earth’s highest tropical peak provide insight into climate variability
A new study examines ice cores from the summit of the highest tropical mountain in the world, and finds unique insight into the climate record of the Amazon Basin over the last six decades.
Scientists identify T-cell differentiation nodes to improve cancer-killing
Scientists mapped the gene regulatory networks responsible for progressive differentiation states of tumor-infiltrating T cells, using a technology known as single-cell CRISPR screening to knock out or genetically perturb multiple genes potentially inv…
How bacteria recognize viral invasion and activate immune defenses
Bacteria have an array of strategies to counter viral invasion, but how they first spot a stranger in their midst has long been a mystery.
People with obesity burn less energy during day
A study found people who have a healthy weight use more energy during the day, when most people are active and eat, while those who have obesity spend more energy during the night, when most people sleep. Researchers also found that, during the day, th…
Exposure to air pollution in utero may affect reproductive system development
From invisible wafts of diesel exhaust to sun-choking plumes of orange smoke, air pollution is known to damage respiratory well-being. Now, research suggests another reason to hold our breath: Polluted air also may hurt reproductive health. In a stud…
With unprecedented flares, stellar corpse shows signs of life
After a distant star’s explosive death, an active stellar corpse was the likely source of repeated energetic flares observed over several months — a phenomenon astronomers had never seen before, astronomers report.
Printed robots with bones, ligaments, and tendons
For the first time, researchers have succeeded in printing a robotic hand with bones, ligaments and tendons made of different polymers using a new laser scanning technique. The new technology makes it possible to 3D print special plastics with elastic …
Novel C. diff structures are required for infection, offer new therapeutic targets
Newly discovered iron storage ‘ferrosomes’ inside the bacterium C. diff — the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections — are important for infection in an animal model and could offer new targets for antibacterial drugs. They also represent a ra…
James Webb Space Telescope detects water vapor, sulfur dioxide and sand clouds in the atmosphere of a nearby exoplanet
Astronomers have used recent observations made with the James Webb Space Telescope to study the atmosphere of the nearby exoplanet WASP-107b. Peering deep into the fluffy atmosphere of WASP-107b they discovered not only water vapor and sulfur dioxide, …
New laser setup probes metamaterial structures with ultrafast pulses
A new technique offers a safe, reliable, and high-throughput way to dynamically characterize microscale metamaterials. The method could speed up the development of acoustic lenses, impact-resistant films, and other futuristic materials.
Roaming seabirds need ocean-wide protection
Seabirds roam far and wide in the Indian Ocean — so they need ocean-wide protection, new research shows.
This 3D printer can watch itself fabricate objects
Engineers have developed a high-throughput, multimaterial 3D inkjet printer that uses computer vision to rapidly and automatically control the amount of material being deposited during the printing process in real time. This enables the use of a wide r…
New deep learning AI tool helps ecologists monitor rare birds through their songs
Researchers have developed a new deep learning AI tool that generates life-like birdsongs to train bird identification tools, helping ecologists to monitor rare species in the wild.
Not so silver lining: Microplastics found in clouds could affect the weather
From the depths of the seas to snow on mountains and even the air above cities, microplastics are turning up increasingly often. Now, researchers have analyzed microplastics in clouds above mountains. They suggest that these tiny particles could play a…