For The Better

A research team has documented a new type of earthquake in an injection environment in British Columbia, Canada. The seismic events are slower than conventional earthquakes. Their existence supports a scientific theory that until now had not been suffi…

Prokaryotic viruses (phages) existing in activated sludge (AS), a biological treatment process widely used in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), act to regulate the composition of microbial community in the activated sludge. Phages are major bacteria…

Global warming makes long lasting weather situations in the Northern hemisphere’s summer months more likely — which in turn leads to more extreme weather events, a novel analysis of atmospheric images and data finds. These events include heatwaves, dr…

A research team has succeeded in producing two molecules that are otherwise only formed by microorganisms from extremely contaminated wastewater in an abandoned mine in South Korea. The method, which took four years to develop, could pave the way for n…

A special form of four-stranded DNA, recently seen in human cells, has been found to interact with a gene that causes Cockayne Syndrome when faulty.

An international team has investigated a newly synthesized liquid-crystalline material that promises applications in optoelectronics. Simple rod-shaped molecules with a single center of chirality self-assemble into helical structures at room temperatur…

The tiny male golden orb-weaving spider faces a considerable challenge when searching for a mate. He is a fraction of the size of the massive female, but must carefully enter her web and approach her without being noticed, because the cannibalistic fem…

A new protein variant underlies the ability of gastric cancers to resist an otherwise effective family of chemotherapy drugs, according to a study by a multidisciplinary team. The results suggest a treatment strategy that could improve the prognoses of…

Researchers found that as little as ten minutes of moderate-intensity running could benefit mental health. In study participants, both mood and cognitive functions improved, and the activation of bilateral prefrontal subregions associated with cognitiv…

Free from the sun, vitamin D delivers a natural source for one of the hormones essential to our bodies, especially the bones. But when you’re down on this essential nutrient, it’s not only your bones that could suffer, but also your cardio health, acco…

Researchers have demonstrated that microgravity and other environmental factors in space play different roles in inducing oxidative stress, which, in turn, alters the metabolism of sulfur-containing compounds in the liver of mice. The study highlighted…

Researchers are working to improve remote sensing technology’s ability to detect subtle changes in real-time across the landscape, namely to diagnose insect infestations in forests before irreparable damage is done.

Good glucose control is important for reduction of cancer risk in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Large durable weight loss, as such, appears to afford protection against cancer, but with good glucose control the number of cancer cases also drops radicall…

Migratory birds are specially adapted to find their way over extreme distances that represent remarkable tests of endurance. Now, researchers have discovered an unexpected way that migratory birds keep their cool during such arduous journeys: lighter-c…

Based on the longitudinal data of over 3,000 study participants, researchers found that subjects who underwent cataract surgery had nearly 30% lower risk of developing dementia from any cause compared with those who did not. This lowered risk persisted…

A new study has identified sildenafil — an FDA-approved therapy for erectile dysfunction (Viagra) and pulmonary hypertension (Ravatio) — as a promising drug candidate to help prevent and treat Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers determined that sildenaf…

Our body must constantly defend itself against bacteria and viruses. It generates millions of different antibodies, which are selected to recognise the enemy and trigger the best possible immune response. Scientists use these antibodies to for therapeu…

Chemists have put a new spin on an old catalyst called ‘Barton’s base’ to invent a faster, ‘greener’ chemical reaction. Their new chemistry speeds up molecule synthesis used for discovering new materials and drugs.

Researchers compile a dataset of over 200,000 plant species worldwide to demonstrate the extent to which species extinctions and non-native invasive plants reorganize plant communities in the Anthropocene revealing biotic homogenization results from hu…