A new study describes the proliferation of alien invasive species and the dangers they pose.

Researchers have developed a new method for producing polymers with different lengths. This paves the way for new classes of polymer materials to be used in previously inconceivable applications.

In the largest study of its kind, an association has been found in living patients exposed to repetitive head impacts and difficulties with cognitive functioning and depression years or decades later.

Reservoirs in the heart of an ancient Maya city were so polluted with mercury and algae that the water likely was undrinkable. Researchers found toxic levels of pollution in two central reservoirs in Tikal, an ancient Maya city that dates back to the third century B.C. in what is now northern Guatemala. New findings suggest droughts in the ninth century likely contributed to the depopulation and...

A team of geochemists has found new evidence that Earth has been consistently churning out crust since its formation 4.5 billion years ago and that some crust is made of ancient, resurfaced chunks.

A multi-institutional research team found the cognitive ability to represent recursive sequences occurs in humans and non-human primates across age, education, culture and species.

An international research team has developed a noninvasive technology platform for gene delivery into breast cancer cells. The technique combines ultrasound with tumor-targeted microbubbles.

Strengthening U.S. air quality standards for fine particulate pollution to be in compliance with current World Health Association (WHO) guidelines could save more than 140,000 lives over the course of a decade, according to a new study.

Chemically engineered peptides could prove valuable in the battle against some of the most persistent human health challenges. New findings demonstrate how researchers can engineer peptides capable of selectively and specifically binding to polysialic acid (PSA) -- a carbohydrate that is present in many human cells and plays a key role in various physiological and pathological processes, including...

In a new study of axion motion, researchers propose a scenario known as ''kinetic misalignment'' that greatly strengthens the case for axion/dark matter equivalence. The novel concept answers key questions related to the origins of dark matter and provides new avenues for ongoing detection efforts.

In biology, phylogenetic trees represent the evolutionary history and diversification of species -- the ''family tree'' of Life. Phylogenetic trees not only describe the evolution of a group of organisms but can also be constructed from the organisms within a particular environment or ecosystem, such as the human microbiome. In this way, they can describe how this ecosystem evolved and what its...

Researchers have developed a new way to quickly find and remove wastewater pollutants, which can reduce their impact on the environment.

Researchers have identified a novel protein complex that regulates Aurora B localization to ensure that chromosomes are correctly separated during cell division. The complex, NWC, is made up of three proteins: NOL11, WDR43, and Cirhin. In the absence of NWC, Aurora B did not accumulate at centromeres, and chromosome movement and alignment were impaired. Together, these results show that NWC is...

A research team has excavated over 1300 eggshell fossils from the Lower Cretaceous Ohyamashimo Formation of Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Over 96% of these fossils, including numerous fragments, four partial and almost complete eggs in an in situ nest, belonged to a new ootaxon the authors named Himeoolithus murakamii, attributed to a small non-avian theropod dinosaur. The remaining eggshell fragments,...

People in what is now Washington State were smoking Rhus glabra, a plant commonly known as smooth sumac, more than 1,400 years ago. The discovery marks the first-time scientists have identified residue from a non-tobacco plant in an archeological pipe.

Scientists have published an extensive review of spin-gapless semiconductors (SGSs), a new class of 'zero bandgap' materials which have fully spin polarised electrons and holes, and first proposed in 2008. The study tightens the search for materials that would allow for ultra-fast, ultra-low energy 'spintronic' electronics with no wasted dissipation of energy from electrical conduction.

UNIGE scientists developed a neuro-computer model which helps explain how the brain identifies syllables in natural speech. The model uses the equivalent of neuronal oscillations produced by brain activity to process the continuous sound flow of connected speech. The model functions according to a theory known as predictive coding, whereby the brain optimizes perception by constantly trying to...

Before the arrival of European colonizers, the Amazonian Indigenous peoples cultivated their food - cassava, corn, pineapple, peppers and squash, among other things. The food of the ancient civilizations of the Amazon also largely consisted of the fruits of palm and Brazilian nut trees. The protection and management of trees across generations have affected the diversity of the rainforest right up...

Indium nitride is a promising material for use in electronics, but difficult to manufacture. Scientists have now developed a new molecule that can be used to create high-quality indium nitride, making it possible to use it in, for example, high-frequency electronics.

New analysis suggests that the economies of countries such as America, the United Kingdom and Germany should prepare for a long slow recovery with prolonged periods of instability.

The thin, slippery layer of cartilage between the bones in the knee is magical stuff: strong enough to withstand a person's weight, but soft and supple enough to cushion the joint against impact, over decades of repeat use. That combination of soft-yet-strong has been hard to reproduce in the lab. But now, researchers say they've created an experimental gel that's the first to match the strength...

Using state-of-the-art ocean robots and scientific sensors attached to seals, researchers have for the first time observed small and energetic ocean currents in the Southern Ocean. The currents are critical at controlling the amount of heat and carbon moving between the ocean and the atmosphere -- information vital for understanding our global climate and how it may change in the future.

A team used a simple process to implant atoms precisely into the top layers of ultra-thin crystals, yielding two-sided structures with different chemical compositions. The resulting materials, known as Janus structures after the two-faced Roman god, may prove useful in developing energy and information technologies.

Traffic density is the most important factor for much the air pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2). However, weather also has an influence, according to a new study, which evaluated the influence of weather conditions on nitrogen dioxide concentrations in Saxony 2015 to 2018. It was shown that wind speed and the height of the lowest air layer are the most important factors that determine how much...