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Polyamines are naturally produced molecules present in all living cells. They play a vital role in basic biological functions, including cell growth and specialization. In recent years, scientists have focused on these compounds, especially spermidine, for their potential to support healthy aging. Often described as ‘geroprotectors,’ they have been shown…
The outer planets are surrounded by dozens of moons locked in thick shells of ice. Some of these frozen worlds, including Saturn’s moon Enceladus, are believed to contain vast oceans of liquid water trapped between their icy crust and rocky interiors. Because liquid water is essential for life as we…
In the fast moving field of two dimensional materials, even a slight rotational shift between layers can dramatically change how a material behaves. Scientists previously discovered that when atom thin crystals are stacked with a small angular mismatch, their electronic properties can transform. This approach, known as moiré engineering, has…
Scientists at NYU have developed a way to use light to guide how microscopic particles arrange themselves into crystals. The work, reported in the Cell Press journal Chem, describes a straightforward and reversible technique for building crystals that could support the creation of a new class of responsive, adaptable materials.…
Scientists at the University of Liège have identified a crucial genetic regulator that allows macrophages to fully mature and help maintain organ health. This regulator, called MafB, acts as a “molecular switch” that turns specific genes on or off at precise moments and in specific cells. By controlling this genetic…
Conventional perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are structured with the electron transport layer underneath the perovskite light absorbing layer and the hole transport layer on top. Although this layout has delivered strong lab performance, it faces obstacles when scaled for large area manufacturing and long term stability. Inverted PSCs swap the…
Scientists have identified Brazil’s first known field of tektites, the glassy material created when an asteroid or other extraterrestrial object strikes Earth with extreme force. These newly recognized specimens, called geraisites after the state of Minas Gerais where they were first found, form a previously unknown strewn field. The discovery…
Researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in São Paulo, Brazil, have created a new product that blends native bee honey with cocoa bean shells. The result can be eaten on its own or added to foods and cosmetic formulations. The findings were published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry &…
Researchers at Rice University have produced the first comprehensive, label free molecular atlas of the Alzheimer’s brain in an animal model. The work offers a deeper look at how the disease begins and spreads. Alzheimer’s claims more lives each year than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined, underscoring the urgency…
Bubble tea shops are now nearly as common on British high streets as coffee chains, drawing crowds with colorful, photo friendly drinks in endless flavor combinations. The Taiwanese beverage, which blends black tea, milk, sugar, and chewy tapioca pearls, has spread worldwide since it first appeared in the 1980s. Yet…
Researchers at Oregon State University have created a new nanomaterial designed to destroy cancer cells from the inside. The material activates two separate chemical reactions once inside a tumor cell, overwhelming it with oxidative stress while leaving surrounding healthy tissue unharmed. The work, led by Oleh Taratula, Olena Taratula, and…
In the late 1800s, physicists discovered what is now called the Hall effect. It occurs when an electric current flows through a material while a magnetic field is applied at a right angle. Under those conditions, a voltage appears across the material in the sideways direction. In simple terms, the…
For decades, astronomers have known that the universe is expanding. To determine how fast it is growing today, scientists calculate a value called the Hubble constant. Multiple independent techniques are used to measure it, and because they rely on the same underlying physics, they should produce matching results. Instead, measurements…
An international team that included Southwest Research Institute has shown how complex organic molecules (COMs), considered essential chemical precursors to life, may have become part of Jupiter’s four largest moons as they formed. The results appear in companion papers published in The Planetary Science Journal and Monthly Notices of the…
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine (YSM) are drawing attention to a powerful and preventable factor in cardiovascular disease. Their findings suggest that improving sleep may play a much larger role in protecting heart health than many people realize. In a study published in the Journal of the American Heart…
Researchers at Adelaide University are taking a closer look at the pill versions of popular weight loss medications. Their new findings suggest that salcaprozate sodium (SNAC), the compound that helps the drug get absorbed in tablet form, may have biological effects that extend beyond its intended role. This is the…
Growing older brings a higher risk of serious illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, and dementia. For years, researchers have tackled these conditions individually. Now, many scientists are stepping back to ask a broader question. Instead of treating diseases one by one, could slowing the aging process reduce the risk…
For years, researchers studying the Southern Ocean have pointed to one possible upside in an otherwise troubling climate outlook. A widely discussed idea known as iron fertilization proposed that as Antarctica warms and glaciers melt, iron trapped in the ice would be released into nearby waters. That iron would fuel…
Sponges rank among the oldest known animals on Earth, yet scientists have struggled to pinpoint exactly when they first appeared. DNA from living sponges and chemical traces preserved in ancient rocks indicate they emerged at least 650 million years ago. The findings are reported in Science Advances. That early date…
Cell division is fundamental to life, yet scientists have struggled to fully explain how it works in the earliest stages of embryonic development, especially in egg laying animals. Researchers from the Brugués group at the Cluster of Excellence Physics of Life (PoL) at TUD Dresden University of Technology have now…
Scientists have revealed how viruses that infect bacteria shut down MurJ, a protein essential for building the bacterial cell wall. Remarkably, different viruses evolved separate proteins that all block MurJ in the same way, highlighting it as a promising new antibiotic target. The findings appear in the February 26 issue…
Could something as common as coffee play a role in treating cancer? Scientists at the Texas A&M Health Institute of Biosciences and Technology believe it might. Their research combines caffeine with CRISPR, a powerful gene editing tool known as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats, to explore new ways to…
As concerns grow about the environmental and health impacts of plastic waste, scientists are accelerating efforts to develop safer, biodegradable alternatives. At Flinders University in South Australia, several research teams are working on new materials designed to reduce pollution from single use plastics. In a recent study published in Polymers,…
One of the most remarkable features of DNA is its precision. Cells read genetic instructions in sets of three letters called codons, and each codon corresponds to a specific amino acid. Those amino acids are linked together in a defined order to build proteins, the molecules that carry out most…
Shivering in the cold is uncomfortable, but it does force the body to burn extra calories to stay warm. Research has consistently shown that cold exposure increases energy use in both mice and humans. This calorie burning through heat production is known as thermogenesis. Many scientists and drug companies are…
A research team led by Daniel Ivanov, a physics and astronomy graduate student in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences at Pitt, has identified a strong candidate for one of the earliest known spiral galaxies with a stellar bar. These bright, elongated structures can strongly influence how…
New research suggests that Saturn’s brilliant rings and its largest moon, Titan, may share a violent past shaped by collisions between moons. Although NASA’s Cassini spacecraft transformed our understanding of Saturn during its 13 year mission, it also uncovered new puzzles, including the surprisingly young age of Saturn’s rings and…
Photocatalysts are materials that absorb light and use that energy to drive chemical reactions. In organic synthesis, metal based photocatalysts are especially valuable because they are durable and can be customized. By adjusting the ligands attached to the central metal atom, chemists can fine tune how the catalyst behaves. Many…
Natural gas is one of the most plentiful energy resources on Earth. It is made mostly of methane, along with ethane and propane. Today, it is primarily burned for heat and electricity, a process that releases greenhouse gases. For years, researchers and industry leaders have tried to find ways to…
Researchers at MIT have uncovered new chemical clues in extremely old rocks that suggest some of the earliest animals on Earth were likely ancestors of modern sea sponges. Reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes the discovery of “chemical fossils” preserved in rocks more…
