For The Better

Chemists have created a highly reactive chemical compound that has eluded scientists for more than 120 years. The discovery could lead to new drug treatments, safer agricultural products, and better electronics.

Researchers have developed a compact, single-shot polarization imaging system that can provide a complete picture of polarization. By using just two thin metasurfaces, the imaging system could unlock the vast potential of polarization imaging for a ran…

Researchers have deciphered the complex interplay of various enzymes around the innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), which plays an important role in defending our bodies against viruses.

A new study has revealed an association between favorable survival outcomes for melanoma patients and the presence of higher populations of tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM). Data obtained from this study could be used not only for a TRM-based machi…

The alarming rates of biodiversity loss worldwide have made clear that the classical way of governing biodiversity recovery based on protected areas and programs for the protection of endangered species is not enough. To tackle this, almost 200 countri…

Driving at night might be a scary challenge for a new driver, but with hours of practice it soon becomes second nature. For self-driving cars, however, practice may not be enough because the lidar sensors that often act as these vehicles’ ‘eyes’ have d…

The length of telomeres in white blood cells, known as leukocytes, varies significantly among sub-Saharan African populations, researchers report. Moreover, leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is negatively associated with malaria endemicity and only partl…

Genetics can be associated with one’s behavior and health — from the willingness to take risks, and how long one stays in school, to chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer. Although our fate is surely not written in our genes, cor…

A wild orangutan was observed applying a plant with known medicinal properties to a wound, a first for a wild animal.

Neuroscientists have artificially increased neuronal activity in part of the brain by briefly shining light on genetically modified neurons. They saw that this manipulation selectively enhanced performance in non-human primates performing a visual atte…

Artificial intelligence analysis of data gathered by acoustic recording devices is a promising new tool for monitoring the marbled murrelet and other secretive, hard-to-study species.

Scientists report that a gene previously implicated in the development of atherosclerotic lesions in coronary arteries could be key to understanding why many people don’t benefit from the most used therapy for neovascular age-related macular degenerati…

Researchers are on a mission to kill drug-resistant bacteria, and a new study has identified a therapy that can penetrate the slime that such infections use to protect themselves from antibiotics.Researchers have shown that an antimicrobial peptide fro…

A new device for taking blood samples uses microneedles and a suction cup instead of a large needle. People with a phobia of needles stand to benefit. More blood can be obtained than with the classic finger prick, making diagnostic measurements more re…

Recent reports of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope finding signs of life on a distant planet understandably sparked excitement. A new study challenges this finding, but also outlines how the telescope might verify the presence of the life-produced gas.