Iceman Ötzi: Dark skin, bald head, Anatolian ancestry

A research team has used advanced sequencing technology to analyze Ötzi’s genome to obtain a more accurate picture of the Iceman’s appearance and genetic origins. Ötzi’s genome was decoded for the first time more than ten years ago. This was also the first time the genome of a mummy had…

Scientists discover external protein network can help stabilize neural connections

The Noelin family of secreted proteins bind to the external portion of AMPA glutamate receptors and stabilize them on the neuronal cellular membrane, a process necessary for transmission of full-strength signals between neurons, according to a study in mice from the National Eye Institute (NEI) and the University of Freiberg,…

Live updates: Russia’s war in Ukraine

Local residents look at a part of a missile as they stand near residential buildings destroyed during a Russian military strike in the village of Stavchany, Lviv region, Ukraine on August 15. Andriy Perun/Reuters Russian missile strikes in Ukraine’s western Lviv region early Tuesday wounded at least 19 people, including a 10-year-old child,…

The moment Ukraine used an experimental drone to attack a Russian bridge | CNN

Dnipro, Ukraine CNN  —  Ukrainian security services have released to CNN exclusive footage showing the moment in July when they used an experimental sea drone to attack Russia’s bridge to annexed Crimea, providing new details on the attack and warning more such assaults will follow. It’s the first time the…

AI models are powerful, but are they biologically plausible? A new study bridging neuroscience and machine learning offers insights into the potential role of astrocytes in the human brain.

Artificial neural networks, ubiquitous machine-learning models that can be trained to complete many tasks, are so called because their architecture is inspired by the way biological neurons process information in the human brain. About six years ago, scientists discovered a new type of more powerful neural network model known as…

‘Resurrecting’ the legendary figure behind Count Dracula

Vlad III, known as Vlad the Impaler, was a 15th century prince and military leader who was so terrifying, he’s thought to have inspired the creation of the literary vampire, Count Dracula. Now, a scientific examination of his letters is giving new insights into his health. Researchers now reporting in…

Researchers use mathematical modeling and dynamic biomarkers to characterize metastatic disease during adaptive therapy: Metastatic tumor characteristics and heterogeneity influence therapy responses

Most cancer deaths are due to the metastatic spread and growth of tumor cells at distant sites. Identifying appropriate treatments for patients with metastatic disease is challenging because of limited biomarkers and detection capabilities, and poor characterization of metastatic tumors. In a new study published and included on the cover…

Decoding how molecules ‘talk’ to each other to develop new nanotechnologies

Two molecular languages at the origin of life have been successfully recreated and mathematically validated, thanks to pioneering work by Canadian scientists at Université de Montréal. Published this week in the Journal of American Chemical Society, the breakthrough opens new doors for the development of nanotechnologies with applications ranging from…

Extreme heat may hasten cognitive decline in vulnerable populations

July 2023 was the hottest month on record, with cities like Phoenix experiencing record-breaking heat waves for weeks on end. A new study finds that ongoing extreme heat can worsen cognitive decline among vulnerable groups — particularly Black older adults and those living in poor neighborhoods. “Our research finds that…

Semaglutide medication may benefit 93 million U.S. adults

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine have just published a study that projects 93 million U.S. adults that are overweight and obese may be suitable for the 2.4 mg dosage of semaglutide, a weight loss medication known under the brand name Wegovy. They projected based on the known weight…

AI method uses transformer models to study human cells

Researchers in Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Computer Science have developed a method that uses artificial intelligence to augment how cells are studied and could help scientists better understand and eventually treat disease. Images of organ or tissue samples contain millions of cells. And while analyzing these cells in situ…

Brain recordings capture musicality of speech — with help from Pink Floyd: Neuroscientists decode song from brain recordings, revealing areas dealing with rhythm and vocals

As the chords of Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1,” filled the surgery suite, neuroscientists at Albany Medical Center diligently recorded the activity of electrodes placed on the brains of patients undergoing epilepsy surgery. The goal? To capture the electrical activity of brain regions tuned to attributes…

Study explains how part of the nucleolus evolved: A single protein can self-assemble to build the scaffold for a biomolecular condensate that makes up a key nucleolar compartment

Inside all living cells, loosely formed assemblies known as biomolecular condensates perform many critical functions. However, it is not well understood how proteins and other biomolecules come together to form these assemblies within cells. MIT biologists have now discovered that a single scaffolding protein is responsible for the formation of…

New algorithm captures complex 3D light scattering information from live specimens: Researchers combine algorithm with intensity diffraction tomography to characterize thick biological samples

Researchers have developed a new algorithm for recovering the 3D refractive index distribution of biological samples that exhibit multiple types of light scattering. The algorithm helps optimize a new imaging approach called intensity diffraction tomography (IDT). Jiabei Zhu from Boston University will present this research at the Optica Imaging Congress.…

how orangutans respond to novelty in the wild

Humans like to discover. Presented with something we’ve never seen before, most of us will be compelled to explore and learn more about it. The same can’t exactly be said for our closest living relatives — the great apes. Although decades of studies have shown that captive chimpanzees, gorillas, and…

Carbon-based quantum technology: Researchers contact single graphene nanoribbons

Quantum technology is promising, but also perplexing. In the coming decades, it is expected to provide us with various technological breakthroughs: smaller and more precise sensors, highly secure communication networks, and powerful computers that can help develop new drugs and materials, control financial markets, and predict the weather much faster…

Many expensive cancer drugs have unclear patient benefit

New cancer drugs are being launched at a rapid pace, before their long-term effectiveness for patients can be evaluated. Several years later, most of them still lack scientific evidence for actually increasing life expectancy or improving quality of life. This has been shown by a study at the University of…

Gold buckyballs, oft-used nanoparticle ‘seeds’ are one and the same

Rice University chemists have discovered that tiny gold “seed” particles, a key ingredient in one of the most common nanoparticle recipes, are one and the same as gold buckyballs, 32-atom spherical molecules that are cousins of the carbon buckyballs discovered at Rice in 1985. Carbon buckyballs are hollow 60-atom molecules…

Weaker transcription factors are better when they work together

Bioengineers can tailor the genomes of cells to create “cellular therapies” that fight disease, but they have found it difficult to design specialized activating proteins called transcription factors that can throw the switch on bioengineered genes without occasionally turning on some of the cell’s naturally occurring genes. In a study…

Researchers design efficient iridium catalyst for hydrogen generation

The energy demands of the world are ever increasing. In our quest for clean and eco-friendly energy solutions, transportable hydrogen energy offers considerable promise. In this regard, proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers (PEMWEs) that convert excess electric energy into transportable hydrogen energy through water electrolysis have garnered remarkable interest. However,…