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Biobots arise from the cells of dead organisms − pushing the boundaries of life, death and medicine
Biobots could one day be engineered to deliver drugs and clear up arterial plaque. Kriegman et al. 2020/PNAS, CC BY-SA– By Peter A Noble, Adjunct Associate Professor of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham and by Alex Pozhitkov, Senior Technical Lead of Bioinformatics, Irell …
Butt-breathing mammals and dead fish swimming: The 2024 Ig Nobel Prize
Big ideas lead to … some genuinely absurd science research, celebrated by the Ig Nobel Prize. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2024 Sep 16 – From 350,757 coin flips to prove probability to assessing the swimming abilities of dead trout, the winners of the …
World’s first hydrogen race car passes FIA crash tests
The pioneer has a top speed of 200 kmph. Matt Ben Stone – By Utkarsh Sood 2024 Sep 15 – The Pioneer 25 marks a momentous step in the world of motorsports as it passed the mandatory FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) crash tests. …
Fracking explained: the controversial extraction process that Harris and Trump sparred over
A hydraulic fracturing drill rig near Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, in 2012. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA – Fracking – Explainer – Thanks to hydraulic fracturing, record amounts of oil and gas have been produced in the US in the past six years – Dharna Noor …
Drinking alcohol before conceiving a child could accelerate their aging – new research in mice
When the mom, dad or both parents drink, the health risks of alcohol extends to their future offspring. Robert Daly/OJO Images via Getty Images – By Michael Golding, Professor of Physiology, Texas A&M University Published: 2024 Aug 28 – The conditions within a person’s …
Watch: World’s first private spacewalk
Leaving the Dragon capsule. SpaceX – By David Szondy 2024 Sep 12 – The world’s first private spacewalk has been completed. On 2024 Sep 12 at 7:58 am EDT, two of the four-person crew of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft Resilience returned after a 106-minute …
“World’s first fire-line-in-a-box” blows up to keep brush fires at bay
The Blaze Barrier in fire-extinguishing action. Blaze Barrier – By Ben Coxworth 2024 Sep 11 – If you live on an acreage, there’s a constant risk that your home may be consumed by a brush fire. That’s where the Blaze Barrier comes in, as …
Experimental “Faraday fabric” blocks almost all electromagnetic waves
Cotton and linen dipped in MXene can block 99.9 percent of electromagnetic waves. Drexel University – By Michael Irving 2020 Dec 13 – Researchers at Drexel University have created “Faraday fabrics” that can block almost all electromagnetic waves. The key ingredient is a 2D …
Pathogenic microbes blown vast distances by winds, scientists discover
Living microbes that cause disease in humans and host antibiotic-resistance genes carried 1,200 miles. Clostridium difficile, a bacterium that causes diarrhea, was among pathogens found in airborne dust particles. Photograph: BSIP/Universal Images Group/Getty Images – Microbiology – Damian Carrington Environment editor Last modified …
Night owls have a 46% higher chance of developing diabetes
An occasional night on the town is fine, but new research says that always staying up late can wreak havoc on your body. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2024 Sep 08 – While being a night owl has a certain cachet, a new study …
As Russell M. Nelson turns 100, a look back at one of the words that will define his legacy – and the controversial term’s 200-year history
Russell M. Nelson, with his wife, Wendy Nelson, looks at the audience after speaking at a devotional in 2019 in Orlando, Fla. Paul Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images – By Konden Smith Hansen, Lecturer of Religious Studies, University of Arizona Published: 2024 Sep 05 …
NASA discovers a new global energy field around Earth
An artist’s impression of the polar wind, which is produced by the newly discovered ambipolar electric field. NASA/Conceptual Image Lab/Wes Buchanan/Krystofer Kim – By Michael Irving 2024 Sep 01 – NASA scientists have discovered a third global energy field around Earth. Known as the …
Common food dye turns live mice transparent
The dye that gives foods, drugs, and cosmetics a lemon yellow color can also make mice transparent, as illustrated in this generative image. – By Michael Franco 2024 Sep 05 – In an effort to enhance the research abilities of biologists, Stanford University researchers …
Do mobile phones cause brain cancer? New study has definitive answers
A new study involving 11 investigators from 10 countries should put the cell phone/cancer debate to rest. Depositphotos/New Atlas – By Michael Franco 2024 Sep 04 – The relationship between mobile phone use and an increased risk of brain cancer is a debate that’s …
20-story-tall megatsunamis pose a real danger, scientists warn
Megatsunamis, could pose an increasing threat, as illustrated here by AI. View 3 Images – By Joe Salas 2024 Sep 03 – Polar icecap melt has been towards the top of the worry list of the climate-conscious for years. Ocean levels have risen an …
Giant gold nuggets could be born from earthquakes and electricity
A replica of the Welcome Nugget, the second largest gold nugget ever discovered. Anatoli Lvov/CC BY-SA 3.0 – By Michael Irving 2024 Sep 02 – Stumbling on a giant gold nugget and never working again is something we’ve all daydreamed about, but how exactly …
5 lessons from ancient civilizations for keeping homes cool in hot, dry climates
Aghazadeh Mansion, a national historic site in Iran, was built with elaborate wind towers and other natural cooling techniques. Amir.Salehkhah via Wikimedia, CC BY-SA – By Adriana Zúñiga-Terán, Assistant Professor of Urban Geography, University of Arizona Published: 2024 Aug 30 – Modern buildings …
Fungus learns to drive in “biohybrid” robots
A spider-shaped biohybrid robot is driven by natural impulses from a fungus. Cornell University – By Michael Irving 2024 Aug 31 – Autonomous vehicles are said to be safer than human drivers – but would you trust a mushroom behind the wheel? A new …
Catching up on sleep at weekends may lower heart disease risk by a fifth – study
The researchers looked at data from 90,903 people who are part of the UK Biobank project. Photograph: Chris Rout/Alamy – Heart disease – People with most compensatory sleep 19% less likely to develop heart disease than those with the least – By Tobi …
Wells Fargo worker found dead at her desk four days after clocking in
A Wells Fargo logo in New York City. Photograph: Stephanie Keith/Reuters – Arizona officials are investigating the death of Denise Prudhomme, 60, who was discovered by a colleague – Maya Yang Last modified on 2024 Aug 29 – Officials in Arizona are investigating …
Avian flu has infected dairy cows in more than a dozen states – a microbiologist explains how the virus is spreading
Although H5N1 typically infects wild birds, the virus has spilled over into domesticated animal populations, like dairy cows. Peter Cade/Stone via Getty Images – By Jenna Guthmiller, Assistant Professor of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Published: 2024 Aug 28 – …
Placebos reduce anxiety even when people know they’re taking fake pills
Even though people knew they were taking placebo pills, they still had a significant effect on mental health. Depositphotos View 4 Images – By Paul McClure 2024 Aug 26 – Taking placebo pills fully aware that they contain no active pharmacological ingredients can still …
Plutonium levels near US atomic site in Los Alamos similar to Chornobyl, study finds
Much of the land near the atomic bomb’s birthplace was converted to recreational areas, but toxic waste remains. Water samples from Acid Canyon in Los Alamos, New Mexico, on 2024 Jul 22. Photograph: Michael Ketterer/AP– New Mexico – Tom Perkins Last modified on …
“Suspended animation” drug could buy time in medical emergencies
A drug already used to treat Alzheimer’s could find a second use in inducing a hibernation-like state, to save lives during medical emergencies. Depositphotos – By Michael Irving 2024 Aug 25 – In a medical emergency, quick treatment is critical. But a widely used …
Official: Starliner crew to hitch ride home on SpaceX Dragon next year
Starliner will be leaving the ISS without its crew. Boeing – By David Szondy 2024 Aug 24 – In a red-faced turn of events, NASA has announced that the two Starliner astronauts “not stranded” on the International Space Station (ISS) will be returning to …
Heaviest-ever clumps of antimatter created in atom smasher
An illustration of the newly discovered antimatter nucleus, antihyperhydrogen-4. Institute of Modern Physics, China – By Michael Irving 2024 Aug 22 – Physicists have created the heaviest clumps of antimatter particles ever seen. Known as antihyperhydrogen-4, this strange stuff could help us solve some …
Why gift cards fall into a gap in the 2-tier banking regulation system − and a brief history of why that gap exists
National currency secured by bonds and issued by the First National Bank of Cleveland in 1863. U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency – By Dr. David P. Weber, Professor of the Practice in Fraud and Forensic Accounting, Salisbury University and by Jake …
Manuka honey reduces breast cancer cell growth by 84% in prelim studies
Manuka honey, produced from nectar from the mānuka tree, has potent anticancer properties. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2024 Aug 21 – Manuka honey reduced breast cancer cell growth by 84% without harming healthy cells or causing major side effects, according to preliminary studies. …
New class of fat cells that do pointless busywork show weight-loss promise
Scientists have discovered a new type of fat cell that could open a new path to obesity treatments. Depositphotos – By Michael Irving 2024 Aug 15 – We’ve all done it before – spent time and effort on pointless tasks just so we look …
Constipation linked to significantly elevated risk of cardiac events
According to the CDC, heart disease is the number cause of death, with one person dying every 33 seconds from a cardiac condition. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2024 Aug 19 – Smoking, obesity, and stress. They’re all common causes of damaging cardiac events. …
Rise in DNA tests being used to claim citizenship of other countries
Former Team GB Olympic athlete Sarah Claxton traced her American father through ancestry DNA testing. Photograph: Anselm Ebulue/The Observer – The Observer Genetics – Many people want to uncover their ancestry, but – driven by Brexit – others also hope to regain access …
‘Failure of Roman engineering on industrial scale’: discovery of water wells in England proves trial and error
The site of the newly uncovered wooden-boarded Roman well. Photograph: Mola The Observer – Roman Britain – ‘Astonishingly preserved’ remains in Cambridgeshire give clues to substantial Romano-British industrial settlement – Dalya Alberge 2024 Aug 17 – The Romans were remarkable engineers, thousands of …
Low level of common nutrient linked to disease-causing DNA damage
Nuts, seeds, dark leafy greens, and dark chocolate are all good dietary sources of magnesium. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2024 Aug 14 – If you’re getting plenty of leafy greens, dark chocolate, nuts, and beans, you’re probably doing fine. But if your diet …
Wildfires don’t just burn farmland − they can contaminate the water farmers use to irrigate crops and support livestock
A water pipe that was used to carry water to livestock crosses land burned in the Maui fires in August 2023. Andrew Whelton/Purdue University, CC BY-ND – By Andrew J. Whelton, Professor of Civil, Environmental and Ecological Engineering, Purdue University Published: 2024 Aug 13 …
Mpox cases are soaring in Africa – what must be done to prevent a global pandemic
The palms of a patient during an outbreak of mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997. Getty Images – By Cheryl Walter, Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Science, University of Hull Published: 2024 Aug 13 – Alarmed by the surge in mpox cases, …
The AI doc will see your tongue now – and tell you what’s wrong with you
Your tongue offers a window to your overall health, especially when a machine-trained algorithm is looking. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2024 Aug 13 – Updating an ancient form of health diagnosis with modern machine learning, researchers have developed a remarkable system that can …
Could dinosaurs still exist somewhere in the world? A paleontologist explains
The extinction event that killed the dinosaurs, 66 million years ago. Mark Stevenson/UIG via Getty Images – By Hans Sues, Senior Research Geologist and Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, Smithsonian Institution Published: 2024 Aug 12 Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. …
Why are migraines worse during your period? Research in mice points to a hormone called progesterone, offering a new treatment target
Targeting progesterone receptors in the brain may be a route to migraine relief for some people. We Are/DigitalVision via Getty Images – By Suchitra Joshi, Research Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Virginia and by Jaideep Kapur, Professor of Neuroscience and Neurology, University …
Luridly irresponsible Nilu27 hypercar is the one we all want
The Nilu in all its glory. Nilu27 View 33 Images – By Joe Salas 2024 Aug 10 – In an automotive era where safety, sanity, sustainability, and responsible eco-friendliness have taken center stage, enter Nilu27, stage far-right. America’s newest V12 hypercar is designed explicitly …
The real ‘Big Bang’ of country music: How Vernon Dalhart’s 1924 breakthrough recordings launched a genre
Vernon Dalhart was a widely recorded singer in the early 20th century. The Library of Congress – By Ted Olson, Professor of Appalachian Studies and Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music Studies, East Tennessee State University Published: 2024 Aug 09 – Country music’s origin story …
Biobots arise from the cells of dead organisms − pushing the boundaries of life, death and medicine
Biobots could one day be engineered to deliver drugs and clear up arterial plaque. Kriegman et al. 2020/PNAS, CC BY-SA– By Peter A Noble, Adjunct Associate Professor of Microbiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham and by Alex Pozhitkov, Senior Technical Lead of Bioinformatics, Irell …
Butt-breathing mammals and dead fish swimming: The 2024 Ig Nobel Prize
Big ideas lead to … some genuinely absurd science research, celebrated by the Ig Nobel Prize. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2024 Sep 16 – From 350,757 coin flips to prove probability to assessing the swimming abilities of dead trout, the winners of the …
World’s first hydrogen race car passes FIA crash tests
The pioneer has a top speed of 200 kmph. Matt Ben Stone – By Utkarsh Sood 2024 Sep 15 – The Pioneer 25 marks a momentous step in the world of motorsports as it passed the mandatory FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) crash tests. …
Fracking explained: the controversial extraction process that Harris and Trump sparred over
A hydraulic fracturing drill rig near Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, in 2012. Photograph: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA – Fracking – Explainer – Thanks to hydraulic fracturing, record amounts of oil and gas have been produced in the US in the past six years – Dharna Noor …
Drinking alcohol before conceiving a child could accelerate their aging – new research in mice
When the mom, dad or both parents drink, the health risks of alcohol extends to their future offspring. Robert Daly/OJO Images via Getty Images – By Michael Golding, Professor of Physiology, Texas A&M University Published: 2024 Aug 28 – The conditions within a person’s …
Watch: World’s first private spacewalk
Leaving the Dragon capsule. SpaceX – By David Szondy 2024 Sep 12 – The world’s first private spacewalk has been completed. On 2024 Sep 12 at 7:58 am EDT, two of the four-person crew of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft Resilience returned after a 106-minute …
“World’s first fire-line-in-a-box” blows up to keep brush fires at bay
The Blaze Barrier in fire-extinguishing action. Blaze Barrier – By Ben Coxworth 2024 Sep 11 – If you live on an acreage, there’s a constant risk that your home may be consumed by a brush fire. That’s where the Blaze Barrier comes in, as …
Experimental “Faraday fabric” blocks almost all electromagnetic waves
Cotton and linen dipped in MXene can block 99.9 percent of electromagnetic waves. Drexel University – By Michael Irving 2020 Dec 13 – Researchers at Drexel University have created “Faraday fabrics” that can block almost all electromagnetic waves. The key ingredient is a 2D …
Pathogenic microbes blown vast distances by winds, scientists discover
Living microbes that cause disease in humans and host antibiotic-resistance genes carried 1,200 miles. Clostridium difficile, a bacterium that causes diarrhea, was among pathogens found in airborne dust particles. Photograph: BSIP/Universal Images Group/Getty Images – Microbiology – Damian Carrington Environment editor Last modified …
Night owls have a 46% higher chance of developing diabetes
An occasional night on the town is fine, but new research says that always staying up late can wreak havoc on your body. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2024 Sep 08 – While being a night owl has a certain cachet, a new study …