From Italy and the World

Combining satellite technology with machine learning may allow scientists to better track and prepare for climate-induced natural hazards, according to research presented last month at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union. Over the last few decades, rising global temperatures have caused many natural phenomena like hurricanes, snowstorms, floods…

Planetary nebulae form when red giant stars expel their outermost layers as they run out of helium fuel — becoming hot, dense white dwarf stars that are roughly the size of Earth. The material that was shed, enriched in carbon, forms dazzling patterns as it is blown gently into the…

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are important medications that boost the immune system’s response against various cancers, but some patients’ cancer cells are unaffected by the drugs or develop resistance during treatment. Researchers led by a team at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), a founding member of Mass General Brigham, and the Broad…

Mounting evidence suggests that prolonged sitting — a staple of modern-day life — is hazardous to your health, even if you exercise regularly. Based on these findings, doctors advise all adults to sit less and move more. But how often do we need to get up from our chairs? And…

A chemical used in the production of toilet paper and ‘forever chemicals’ have been found in the bodies of orcas in B.C. , including the endangered southern resident killer whales. The Institute for the Ocean and Fisheries at UBC, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and Fisheries and Oceans…

Vital winter ice road infrastructure may be cracking and sinking under the load of an unseasonably warm start to the new year across Europe and North America, a trend York University Associate Professor Sapna Sharma and team have detailed in a recent study. The research warns that ice roads, essential…

Translating electrochemical performance of large format batteries to microscale power sources has been a long-standing technological challenge, limiting the ability of batteries to power microdevices, microrobots and implantable medical devices. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers have created a high-voltage microbattery (> 9 V), with high-energy and -power density, unparalleled by…

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. CNN  —  Almost 40 million years ago a flower bloomed in a Baltic conifer forest. Dripping tree resin encased the petals and pollen, forever showcasing an ephemeral moment in our…

CNN  —  Here’s a look at the life of Nicolas Sarkozy, former president of France. Birth date: January 28, 1955 Birth place: Paris, France Birth name: Nicolas Paul Stéphane Sarkozy de Nagy-Bocsa Father: Pal Sarkozy de Nagy Bocsa Mother: Andrée (Mallah) Sarkozy de Nagy Bocsa Marriages: Carla Bruni (2008-present); Cécilia…

CNN  —  President Joe Biden’s aides located documents with classified markings at two locations inside his home in Wilmington, Delaware, the White House counsel’s office said in a statement Thursday. The documents were located in a storage area in Biden’s garage and an adjacent room, the statement reads. Biden frequently…

A University of Minnesota Twin Cities researcher is part of an international team that has used imaging technology to show, for the first time, the creation and elimination of synapses between neurons in the brains of live mice. The research provides insight into what happens when memories are created and…

A novel technique called Underground Gravity Energy Storage turns decommissioned mines into long-term energy storage solutions, thereby supporting the sustainable energy transition. Renewable energy sources are central to the energy transition toward a more sustainable future. However, as sources like sunshine and wind are inherently variable and inconsistent, finding ways…

One of the most important classes of human enzymes are protein kinases — signaling molecules that regulate nearly all cellular activities, including growth, cell division, and metabolism. Dysfunction in these cellular pathways can lead to a variety of diseases, particularly cancer. Identifying the protein kinases involved in cellular dysfunction and…

In two studies using nationally representative data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study gathered on thousands of Americans, researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health have significantly added to evidence that social isolation is a substantial risk factor for dementia…

Upon further studying using film and sensor cameras, 14 documented cases show these macaques are fishing for sustenance, with an additional six cases of fish capture and feeding being highly likely. These cases were documented amongst at least three different groups of macaques and seem to occur independent of the…

Researchers have developed an optical coating system that combines antifogging and antireflective properties. The new technology could help boost the performance of lidar systems and cameras. “Walking into a warm room from the cold outside can cause glasses to fog up, blinding the user,” said research team leader Anne Gärtner…

Dolphins are social, intelligent animals who rely on whistles and echolocation to hunt and reproduce. This means that noise generated from human activity such as drilling and shipping has the potential to negatively impact the health of wild dolphin populations. A study in the journal Current Biology published on January…

The movement of people across the Bering Sea from North Asia to North America is a well-known phenomenon in early human history. Nevertheless, the genetic makeup of the people who lived in North Asia during this time has remained mysterious due to a limited number of ancient genomes analyzed from…

More than 2,500 genes exhibit significant sex differences in expression in mouse alveolar type II cells (AT2s), important for keeping the lungs functioning, potentially explaining sex biases in the prevalence and severity of lung diseases. In particular, very high numbers of X-linked genes escape transcriptional silencing in lung alveolar type…

Northwestern University-led researchers have created the first highly mature neurons from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), a feat that opens new opportunities for medical research and potential transplantation therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic injuries. Although previous researchers have differentiated stem cells to become neurons, those neurons were functionally…

For men who undergo radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer, the precise targeting capabilities of MRI guidance resulted in fewer toxicities and better quality of life, as judged by patients and the doctors treating them, according to new research from UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Results from the first randomized phase…

Researchers at Linköping University (LiU), Sweden, have created an artificial organic neuron that closely mimics the characteristics of biological nerve cells. This artificial neuron can stimulate natural nerves, making it a promising technology for various medical treatments in the future. Work to develop increasingly functional artificial nerve cells continues at…

A team of researchers led by The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center has developed a novel delivery system for messenger RNA (mRNA) using extracellular vesicles (EVs). The new technique has the potential to overcome many of the delivery hurdles faced by other promising mRNA therapies. In the study,…

The Martian meteorite Tissint contains a huge diversity of organic compounds, found an international team of researchers led by Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Munich’s Philippe Schmitt-Kopplin and including Carnegie’s Andrew Steele. Their work is published in Science Advances. Tissint, which crash landed in Morocco more than 11 years…

Brain structures which could predict an individual’s predisposition to accidental awareness under anaesthetic have been identified for the first time by neuroscientists in Trinity College Dublin. The findings, just published in the journal Human Brain Mapping, could help identify individuals who may require higher than average doses of anaesthetic. Although…

CNN  —  In the village of Tegh, Armenia, stationary vehicles clog the mountainous route to a border crossing where a mysterious diplomatic logjam has brought traffic to a halt. This is the entrance to the only road that links the Armenian-majority breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, in Azerbaijan, to the outside…