Science & Technology
‘Spider-like’ mitochondrial structure initiates cell-wide stress response
Scientists discovered the unique molecular structure, which could have implications in age-related diseases like neurodegeneration.
Mineralization of bone matrix regulates tumor cell growth
Tumor cells are known to be fickle sleeper agents, often lying dormant in distant tissues for years before reactivating and forming metastasis. Numerous factors have been studied to understand why the activation occurs, from cells and molecules to othe…
Potential novel breakthrough treatment for fungal infections
Fungal infections are killing thousands of Americans each year, some with a morbidity rate of nearly 80%. To make matters worse, only a handful of antifungal treatments are available, and even those are becoming less effective as fungi become more resi…
Smart devices: Putting a premium on peace of mind
The White House has announced plans to roll out voluntary labeling for internet-connected devices like thermostats and baby monitors that meet certain cybersecurity standards. A new survey of U.S. consumers shows that they are willing to pay a signific…
Uncovering the Auger-Meitner Effect’s crucial role in electron energy loss
Defects often limit the performance of devices such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The mechanisms by which defects annihilate charge carriers are well understood in materials that emit light at red or green wavelengths, but an explanation has been la…
Carbon dioxide — not water — triggers explosive basaltic volcanoes
Geoscientists have long thought that water — along with shallow magma stored in Earth’s crust — drives volcanoes to erupt. Now, thanks to newly developed research tools, scientists have learned that gaseous carbon dioxide can trigger explosive erupti…
Inside job: Finding exposes unexpected killer of immune cells lacking self marker
Researchers discovered an entirely new and unexpected mechanism by which the immune system can get rid of cells lacking molecules that identify them as part of the self in mice. The finding has possible implications for cancer treatment.
Memory, forgetting, and social learning
One of the most actively debated questions about human and non-human culture is this: under what circumstances might we expect culture, in particular the ability to learn from one another, to be favored by natural selection? Researchers have developed …
Key cause of restricted blood flow to the brain in vascular dementia
Researchers have uncovered a potential route to developing the first ever drug treatments for vascular dementia that directly target a cause of the condition. The research has shed light on how high blood pressure causes changes to arteries in the brai…
Latest in body art? ‘Tattoos’ for individual cells
Engineers have developed nanoscale tattoos — dots and wires that adhere to live cells — in a breakthrough that puts researchers one step closer to tracking the health of individual cells.
Current estimates of Lake Erie algae toxicity may miss the mark
A new study analyzing toxins produced by Microcystis, the main type of cyanobacteria that compose the annual harmful algal bloom (HAB) in Lake Erie, suggests that the toxicity of the bloom may be overestimated in earlier warm months and underestimated …
Dogs with less complex facial markings found to be more expressive in their communication with humans
New study explores the relationship between a canine’s facial appearance and how expressive they appear to be when communicating with their human companions.
Human antibody that targets carfentanil, fentanyl and related opioids reverses overdose effects in preclinical study
An antibody therapy appears to have advantages over existing opioid-overdose treatments.
Butterflies can remember where things are over sizeable spaces
Heliconius butterflies are capable of spatial learning, scientists have discovered. The results provide the first experimental evidence of spatial learning in any butterfly or moth species.
Self-supervised AI learns physics to reconstruct microscopic images from holograms
Researchers have unveiled an artificial intelligence-based model for computational imaging and microscopy without training with experimental objects or real data. The team introduced a self-supervised AI model nicknamed GedankenNet that learns from phy…
Using social media to raise awareness of women’s resources
Social media can help women in Egypt identify more resources to help stop domestic violence, according to a study led by MIT researchers.
Wildfires emit potent climate-warming organic particles
Researchers found that wildfires are causing a much greater warming effect than has been accounted for by climate scientists. The work, which focuses on the role of ‘dark brown carbon’ — an abundant but previously unknown class of particles emitted as…