For The Better

Researchers have identified a previously unknown function for the fragile X protein, the loss of which is the leading inherited cause of intellectual disability. The researchers showed that the protein modulates how neurons in the brain’s memory center…

New research describes a ‘chaperone’ protein that delivers zinc, a trace element essential for survival in all living things, to where it’s needed. The chaperone could be especially important when access to zinc is limited — for example in nutrient de…

Based on similar technology to night-vision goggles, researchers have developed a device that can generate electricity from thermal radiation.

People who practice intensive meditation report memories of states in which their sense of self dissolves. Is this at all possible?

Adolescent athletes with high motivation for school also have high motivation for sports. Male students tend to be less interested in school than their female peers, a new study shows.

An algorithm can accurately predict which hospitalized patients are at the highest risk of death and require critical care, regardless of immune protection status and virus variant.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) secreted from sensory neuron-interneuron crosstalk is key to the spreading of inflammation across joints, acting as a neurotransmitter and inflammation enhancer.

A research team has demonstrated an ultrathin silicon nanowire that conducts heat 150% more efficiently than conventional materials used in advanced chip technologies. The device could enable smaller, faster, energy-efficient microelectronics.

Researchers assessed the potential impact of a rocket launch on atmospheric pollution by investigating the heat and mass transfer and rapid mixing of the combustion byproducts. The team modeled the exhaust gases and developing plume at several altitude…

Scientists determined that by increasing the accuracy of weather forecasts over the last decade, consumers netted at least $384 million in energy savings. The researchers based their predictions on NOAA’s High Resolution Rapid Refresh model, which prov…

A team has described and characterized the first zinc metallochaperone: a protein that puts zinc into other ‘client’ proteins. The findings shed light on the public health issue of zinc deficiency and open an entirely new area of biology for exploration.

Researchers have developed a desktop air curtain system that blocks all incoming aerosol particles. An air curtain, or air door, is a fan-powered ventilation system that creates an air seal over an entryway, but one challenge in developing smaller air …

Antibiotic resistance represents a major public health challenge, associated with a high mortality rate. While bacteriophages — viruses that kill bacteria — could be a solution for fighting antibiotic-resistant pathogens, various obstacles stand in t…

Oral health is a public health issue that significantly affects people’s overall health. A ground-breaking study of root canal longevity using electronic dental record data from 46,000 root canal patients treated in community dental practices found geo…

Australia has suffered a significant drop in teenage maths proficiency in the past 20 years — sliding from 11th in the OECD rankings to 29th place out of 38 countries, prompting widespread debate over potential curriculum changes. One researcher says …

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a malignant disease associated with a particularly high mortality rate. According to a new multicenter study, SCLC can be divided into several subgroups in terms of clinical behavior. These subtypes respond differently …

Human beings, like most organisms, are constantly exposed to alternating colder or warmer temperatures. These environmental variations cause striking metabolic effects and require constant adaptations. While some of these adaptations confer certain ben…

The capabilities of complex microbial communities are used for numerous biotechnological processes. This requires special compositions of the microbial communities. However, these are often unstable and susceptible to disruption. Researchers have now d…

Scientists have demonstrated that a new geochemical archive — 182Tungsten in banded iron formations — can be used to simultaneously trace both the evolution of the Earth’s mantle and continents throughout Earth’s history. This offers new opportunitie…

Compared to the complex use of human language, the way animals communicate with each other appears quite simple. How our language evolved from such a simple system, remains unclear. A group of researchers has now recorded thousands of vocalizations fro…