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Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, shifting tectonic plates — these are all signs that our planet is alive. But what is revealed deep inside the Earth surprises laymen and scientists alike: Almost 3000 kilometers below the Earth’s surface, solid rock is flowing that is neither liquid, like lava, nor brittle like solid…
One of the current hot research topics is the combination of two of the most recent technological breakthroughs: machine learning and quantum computing. An experimental study shows that already small-scale quantum computers can boost the performance of machine learning algorithms. This was demonstrated on a photonic quantum processor by an…
Using advanced computational modelling, a research team led by the University of Oxford, working in partnership with the Instituto Superior Técnico in the University of Lisbon, has achieved the first-ever real-time, three-dimensional simulations of how intense laser beams alter the ‘quantum vacuum’ — a state once assumed to be empty,…
Each year, more than 1.2 billion smartphones are produced globally. The production of electronic devices is not only energy-intensive but also consumes valuable natural resources. Additionally, the manufacturing and delivery processes release a significant amount of CO2 into the atmosphere. Meanwhile, devices are aging faster than ever — users replace…
Blood clots can form in both arteries and veins. However, the reasons behind them differ, as do the consequences and the chances of preventing blood clots. In Sweden, almost half of all cases of venous thrombosis have a genetic explanation. A team of researchers from Lund University in Sweden has…
Blue-stain fungi constitute a distinctive group of wood-colonizing fungi which lack the ability to decompose wood lignocellulose, yet are capable of causing significant wood discoloration. Though these fungi are generally nonfatal to their hosts, they often accelerate tree mortality when associated with wood-boring insects. Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest that blue-stain…
A team of scientists from the SETI Institute and the University of California at Davis documented, for the first time, humpback whales producing large bubble rings, like a human smoker blowing smoke rings, during friendly interactions with humans. This previously little studied behavior may represent play or communication. Humpback whales…
With its cold climate, short growing season, and dense forests, Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is known as a challenging place for farming. But a new Dartmouth-led study provides evidence of intensive farming by ancestral Native Americans at the Sixty Islands archaeological site along the Menominee River, making it the most complete…
A sweeping new study is helping pinpoint where whales, sharks, turtles, and other ocean giants need the most protection and where current efforts fall short. Led by Ana Sequeira of Australian National University and supported by the United Nations, the research synthesized data from 12,000 satellite-tracked animals across more than…
Researchers have developed a laboratory earthquake model that connects the microscopic real contact area between fault surfaces to the possibility of earthquake occurrences. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this breakthrough demonstrates the connection between microscopic friction and earthquakes, offering new insights into earthquake mechanics and…
In the Mission: Impossible films, superspy Ethan Hunt — played by Tom Cruise — gets orders from his superiors on various devices that self-destruct in five seconds. Could electronics disintegrate into nothing in real life? Binghamton University Professor Seokheun “Sean” Choi has researched disposable “papertronics” over the past 20 years,…
Marijuana use among older adults in the US has reached a new high, with 7 percent of adults aged 65 and over who report using it in the past month, according to an analysis led by researchers with the Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR) at the NYU…
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…
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…
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…
In the name of open science, the multinational scientific collaboration COSMOS on Thursday released the data behind the largest map of the universe. Called the COSMOS-Web field, the project, built with data collected by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), consists of all the imaging and a catalog of nearly…
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)…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
A group of astronomers from across the globe, including a team from the University of Washington and led by Queen’s University Belfast, have revealed new research showing that millions of new solar system objects will be detected by a brand-new facility, which is expected to come online later this year.…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
To satisfy the seafood needs of billions of people, offering them access to a more biodiverse array of fish creates opportunities to mix-and-match species to obtain better nutrition from smaller portions of fish. The right combination of certain species can provide up to 60% more nutrients than if someone ate…
