The hidden dna repair system that could transform cancer treatment

When DNA breaks inside the cell, it can spell disaster, especially if the damage occurs in areas of the genome that are difficult to repair. Now, scientists Irene Chiolo and Chiara Merigliano at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences have discovered that a protein called Nup98, long…

This “robot bird” flies at 45 mph through forests—With no GPS or light

Unlike birds, which navigate unknown environments with remarkable speed and agility, drones typically rely on external guidance or pre-mapped routes. However, a groundbreaking development by Professor Fu Zhang and researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), has enabled drones…

Why your diet might be making you sad—Especially if you’re a man

Following a low calorie diet is linked to a heightened risk of depressive symptoms, finds research published in the open access journal, BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health. Men and those who are overweight may be especially vulnerable to the effects of restrictive eating, the findings suggest. A ‘healthy’ diet rich…

Clinical trial finds diabetes pill reduces liver scarring

The sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitor drug dapagliflozin, widely used to treat type 2 diabetes, also shows improvements for patients with progressive liver disease, finds a clinical trial from China published on June 4 by The BMJ. The results show that treatment with dapagliflozin improved metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)…

Extreme weather is wiping out amphibians—Here’s where it’s worst

The fire salamander native to Europe is one of many species that depend on sufficient moisture. Credit: Daniel Rosengren/Frankfurt Zoological Society Habitat loss, diseases, pollution, and climate change are already massively affecting amphibians – frogs, salamanders, and the caecilians native to tropical regions. The new study from the Institute for…

Scientists built a transistor that could leave silicon in the dust

Hailed as one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, transistors are integral components of modern electronics that amplify or switch electrical signals. As electronics become smaller, it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue scaling down silicon-based transistors. Has the development of our electronics hit a wall? Now, a…

Scientists find immune molecule that supercharges plant growth

Within the animal kingdom, a naturally produced molecule known as itaconate serves a prominent role in the immune system as a defensive agent against viruses and inflammation. Itaconate is classified as a metabolite, a natural compound that arises when organisms convert food into energy. While itaconate is well known in…

Scientists uncover 230 giant ocean viruses that hijack photosynthesis

Giant viruses play a role in the survival of single-celled marine organisms called protists. These include algae, amoeba, and flagellates, that form the base of ocean food webs. And since these protists form an important part of the food chain, these large DNA viruses are often responsible for various public…

3,500-year-old graves reveal secrets that rewrite bronze age history

The bioarchaeological investigation of the Bronze Age cemetery of Tiszafüred-Majoroshalom has shed new light on an important period in Central European history. An international research team – led by Tamás Hajdu, associate professor at the Department of Anthropology at ELTE and Claudio Cavazzuti, senior assistant professor at the University of…

Scientists freeze quantum motion using ultrafast laser trick

Quantum materials exhibit remarkable emergent properties when they are excited by external sources. However, these excited states decay rapidly once the excitation is removed, limiting their practical applications. A team of researchers from Harvard University and the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have now demonstrated an approach to stabilize these fleeting…

Telehealth can improve care for cats with chronic health issues

Caring for a cat with chronic health conditions can be challenging for all involved, from the process of getting to a veterinary clinic to the stress of being in a strange environment with new smells and animals. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, worked with pet owners across the…

Researchers develop innovative model to study sense of smell

Using a newly devised, three-dimensional model to study the regeneration of nerve tissue in the nose, researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) and colleagues have discovered that one type of stem cell thought to be dormant may play a more significant…

Collaboration can unlock Australia’s energy transition without sacrificing natural capital

Decarbonizing Australia’s economy and protecting the country’s most critical natural resources are both possible but will require significant collaboration between energy developers, state and local governments, landowners, and interest groups, according to new research led by Princeton and The University of Queensland. The research, published May 29 in Nature Sustainability,…

Decades-old assumptions about brain plasticity upended

A new study from Pitt researchers challenges a decades-old assumption in neuroscience by showing that the brain uses distinct transmission sites — not a shared site — to achieve different types of plasticity. The findings, published in Science Advances, offer a deeper understanding of how the brain balances stability with…

Guardrails, education urged to protect adolescent AI users

The effects of artificial intelligence on adolescents are nuanced and complex, according to a report from the American Psychological Association that calls on developers to prioritize features that protect young people from exploitation, manipulation and the erosion of real-world relationships. “AI offers new efficiencies and opportunities, yet its deeper integration…

Molecular link between air pollution and pregnancy risks

A new study by Emory University researchers, published Thursday in Environmental Science & Technology, found that exposure to the tiny particles in air pollution during pregnancy can disrupt maternal metabolisms, altering key biological pathways. These changes were associated with increased risk of various negative birth outcomes, including premature birth. The…

Pancreatic cancer spreads to liver or lung thanks to this protein

A protein called PCSK9 determines how pancreatic cancer cells metastasize to different parts of the body. Scientists at UC San Francisco have discovered how pancreatic cancer cells thrive in the lungs or liver, environments that are as distinct to cells as the ocean and desert are to animals. The spread…

Epilepsy is more common in patients with frontotemporal dementia than expected

According to a recent study, in patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), epileptic seizures are significantly more common than previously known. The discovery deepens understanding of the symptoms of this memory disorder and emphasises the importance of taking epileptic seizures into account in the treatment and monitoring of patients. Coordinated by…

Atmospheric chemistry keeps pollutants in the air

Nitrates in the atmosphere reduce air quality and play an important role in climate change. An international team led by Hokkaido University researchers has revealed how chemical processes in the atmosphere have led to persistently high nitrate levels despite a reduction in emissions over the past few decades. These findings,…

First direct observation of the trapped waves that shook the world in 2023

In September 2023, a bizarre global seismic signal was observed which appeared every 90 seconds over nine days — and was then repeated a month later. Almost a year later, two scientific studies proposed that the cause of these seismic anomalies were two mega tsunamis which were triggered in a…

New mRNA vaccine is more effective and less costly to develop

A new type of mRNA vaccine is more scalable and adaptable to continuously evolving viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and H5N1, according to a study by researchers at University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health and the Pennsylvania State University. The study was published today in npj Vaccines. Though highly effective…

DNA floating in the air tracks wildlife, viruses — even drugs

Dublin is known as a city where you can enjoy a few pints of Guiness, get a warm welcome from the locals and hear lively traditional music drifting out of pubs and into the city air. But it’s not just music floating on the breeze. The air of Dublin also…

Two plant species invent the same chemically complex and medically interesting substance

The elucidation of the biosynthetic pathway of ipecacuanha alkaloids shows how two distantly related plant species could develop the same substance independently. Plants produce an enormous abundance of natural products. Many plant natural products are ancestry-specific and occur only in certain plant families, sometimes only in a single species. Interestingly,…