The on-and-off affair in DNA

Researchers have discovered that in thale cresses histone H3 lysine-9 (H3K9) methylation, conventionally thought to be a mark of turning off gene transcription, can also turn on gene expression via the interactions of two other proteins and histone mar…

Iceland’s volcano eruptions may last decades

Scientists predict from geochemical data that Iceland is entering a new volcanic era that will last for decades, possibly centuries. Under an hour’s drive from the country’s capital city, the ongoing eruptions pose considerable risks for economic disru…

An optical lens that senses gas

A research team has developed a small optical lens, only a few millimeters in size, whose refractive behavior changes in the presence of gas. This ‘intelligent’ behavior of the micro-lens is enabled by the hybrid glass material from which it is made. T…

Dancers are less neurotic

A study has shown that both amateur and professional dancers are less neurotic than people who do not dance. They are also more agreeable, more open, and more extraverted.