For The Better

A new scoring tool that helps to ‘transparently’ prioritize which countries are in greatest need of COVID-19 vaccines, has been developed by researchers.

Researchers developed a more accurate simulation of the impact that formed Earth’s largest crater — Vredefort crater — nearly two billion years ago. They found the impactor (most likely an asteroid) that formed Vredefort crater is much larger than pr…

Astronomers have assembled the largest-ever compilation of high-precision galaxy distances, called Cosmicflows-4.

Stronger hurricanes that are reenergised by jet stream winds are twice as likely to cross the Atlantic and wreak havoc in Europe than weaker ones, new research has found.

Genetic testing for amyotrophic sclerosis (ALS), also called motor neuron disease, is usually restricted to patients with family members also affected by ALS, or patients who do not have a family history but have symptoms starting early, under the age …

Astronomers believe bright reflections beneath the surface of Mars’ South Pole are not necessarily evidence of liquid water, but instead geological layers.

Researchers are developing new ways to study why an antibiotic causes hair cell death and permanent hearing loss in people.

Rendering the invisible visible is among scientists’ favorite challenges. In their efforts to uncover how the olfactory system makes sense of thousands of otherwise invisible odors, scientists now have uncovered more of the cellular and molecular steps…

Physicists have found an answer to the longstanding physics question: How do interparticle interactions affect dynamical localization?

New research highlights the role of molecules called N-glycans in SARS-CoV-2 infectivity — and as potential drug targets.

Long-term memories rely on both the repetition of events and an intricate neurological learning process in making these memories last, shows a new study by a team of neuroscientists. Its findings provide a more detailed understanding of how these types…

A new study assessing 91 African carnivores to identify gaps in capacity necessary for their conservation found that many species that are currently classified as ‘least concern’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Thr…

What happens belowground in a corn field is easy to overlook, but corn root architecture can play an important role in water and nutrient acquisition, affecting drought tolerance, water use efficiency, and sustainability. If breeders could encourage co…

Heat-related deaths occur across Washington state, even in regions with typically milder climates. This is the most extensive study yet of heat-related mortality in Washington state, and the first to look beyond the major population to and include rura…

Smartphone users will be disappointed if they expect their devices and social media to fill their need for purpose and meaning. In fact, it will probably do the opposite, researchers determined in a new study.

In a discovery with wide-ranging implications, researchers recently announced that uniformly charged macromolecules — or molecules, such as proteins or DNA, that contain a large number of atoms all with the same electrical charge — can self-assemble …

It was the money that grew on trees. Said to be a gift from the gods, cacao for the ancient Maya was considered sacred, used not only as currency, but in special ceremonies and religious rituals. It’s the progenitor plant of chocolate, and notions of l…

A study identifies a molecule behind the runaway growth of bile duct cells inside the liver, which underlies many liver diseases.

The transition zone between the Earth’s upper and lower mantle contains considerable quantities of water, according to an international study. The research team analyzed a rare diamond formed 660 meters below the Earth’s surface using techniques includ…

As electric vehicles grow in popularity, the spotlight shines more brightly on some of their remaining major issues. Researchers are tackling two of the bigger challenges facing electric vehicles: limited range and slow recharging.