A step towards new "beyond lithium" rechargeable batteries with superior performance has been made by researchers at the University of Bath. We increasingly rely on rechargeable batteries for a host of essential uses; from mobile phones and electric cars to electrical grid storage. At present this demand is taken up by lithium-ion batteries. As we … Continue reading Will tomorrow’s batteries be made of titanium dioxide?
Bacteria found to hamper cancer treatments
To the reasons that chemotherapy sometimes does not work, we can now add one more: bacteria. In a study published in Science, researchers describe findings that certain bacteria can be found inside human pancreatic tumors. The findings further showed that some of these bacteria contain an enzyme that inactivates a common drug used to treat … Continue reading Bacteria found to hamper cancer treatments
A gene is responsible for the wonderful patterns on butterfly wings
An international team of scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding how genetics and evolution work in concert to shape biodiversity by investigating the complex color patterns of butterfly wings. Dr. Arnaud Martin, an assistant professor of biology in the George Washington University's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, used CRISPR gene-editing technology to study … Continue reading A gene is responsible for the wonderful patterns on butterfly wings
A gene is responsible for the wonderful patterns on butterfly wings
An international team of scientists have made a breakthrough in understanding how genetics and evolution work in concert to shape biodiversity by investigating the complex color patterns of butterfly wings. Dr. Arnaud Martin, an assistant professor of biology in the George Washington University's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, used CRISPR gene-editing technology to study … Continue reading A gene is responsible for the wonderful patterns on butterfly wings
Turns out, genes aren’t so silent during replication
Prior to cell division, chromosomes are seemingly a jumbled mess. During cell division, parent cell chromosomes and their duplicates sort themselves out by condensing, becoming thousands of times more compact than at any other time. Researchers have long assumed that genes become "silent" during cell division, not being transcribed into proteins or regulatory molecules. This … Continue reading Turns out, genes aren’t so silent during replication
Were DNA’s original building blocks interstellar molecules?
Researchers at the University of York have shown that molecules brought to earth in meteorite strikes could potentially be converted into the building blocks of DNA. They found that organic compounds, called amino nitriles, the molecular precursors to amino acids, were able to use molecules present in interstellar ice to trigger the formation of the … Continue reading Were DNA’s original building blocks interstellar molecules?
Increased time outdoors leads to more Zika infections
Whether a community is made up of people who spend their days entirely outside or those who rarely see sunshine, the amount of time residents spend outdoors can affect how Zika virus spreads throughout the population. That's the conclusion of a new study conducted in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and published this week in PLOS Neglected … Continue reading Increased time outdoors leads to more Zika infections
Exercise and stress help reduce Lupus inflammation, study
Waking up in the morning with the joint pain, swelling and stiffness that accompanies lupus doesn't exactly inspire a workout. But research in mice and a related pilot study in humans are showing how regular activity and stress reduction could lead to better health in the long run. In the mouse model of lupus, researchers … Continue reading Exercise and stress help reduce Lupus inflammation, study
Monkey metacognition is strikingly similar to humans
When asked a question, a human being can decline to answer if he knows that he does not know the answer. Although non-human animals cannot verbally declare any sort of metacognitive judgments, Jessica Cantlon, an assistant professor of brain and cognitive sciences at Rochester, and PhD candidate Stephen Ferrigno, have found that non-human primates exhibit … Continue reading Monkey metacognition is strikingly similar to humans
Malaria drug shows promise preventing transmission and resistance
Significant headway has been made in controlling malaria. However, two vexing problems remain: currently available treatments are unable to block transmission of the parasite that causes the disease, and the parasite often becomes resistant to drugs. According to a new study led by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC), there is a class of … Continue reading Malaria drug shows promise preventing transmission and resistance
