As the days count down to NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft's Touch-And-Go asteroid sample collection attempt, scientists have determined what the spacecraft can expect to return from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu's surface. Three papers discuss the color, reflectivity, age, composition, origin and distribution of materials that make up the asteroid's rough surface.

New findings from NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission suggest that the interior of the asteroid Bennu could be weaker and less dense than its outer layers -- like a crème-filled chocolate egg flying though space.

Recent work revealed a newfound quality control system in the protein production assembly line with possible implications for understanding neurogenerative disease.

When metallic components in airplanes, bridges and other structures crack, the results are often catastrophic. But researchers have found a way to reliably predict the vulnerabilities earlier than current tests. Researchers detail a new method for testing metals at a microscopic scale that allows them to rapidly inflict repetitive loads on materials while recording how ensuing damage evolves into...

A research team has devised tiny cargo-carrying systems many times smaller than a human hair, made from molecules called peptides that help provide structure for cells and tissues. The team has reported advances in the nanoparticle design that allow them to control the shape of the nanoparticles to allow them to better bind to tissue in the body and stay in a particular location.

Neurobiologists have uncovered how a special receptor can lead to cell death. Their fundamental findings on neurodegenerative processes simultaneously led the researchers to a completely new principle for therapeutic agents. In their experiments on mouse models, they discovered a new class of highly effective inhibitors for protecting nerve cells. This novel class of drugs opens up perspectives to...

States may want to consider the proximity of cannabis retailers and cannabis advertising to neighborhoods to prevent underage use of the drug, according to new research.

Researchers studied the atmosphere of the ultra-hot exoplanet WASP-121b. In it, they found a number of gaseous metals. The results are a next step in the search for potentially habitable worlds.

A new study shows the promise of high-throughput DNA-sequencing technologies to improve prenatal diagnosis and pregnancy outcomes for women who have experienced an abnormal prenatal ultrasound.

Female moles not only have ovarian, but also testicular tissue that produces male sex hormones - which lets them diverge from the categorization into two sexes. A team describes which genetic modifications contribute to this singular development.

Some people carry a mutation in a particular gene that makes the smell of fish less intense. The study, which is the largest genome-wide association study (GWAS) of olfactory genes in humans involving a sniff test and looked at over 9,000 people from Iceland, also shows that people vary in their ability to discern the smell of licorice and cinnamon.

Scientists have discovered two new species of 'stilt mice,' semi-aquatic African rodents with extra-long feet that they stand up on like a kangaroo. The mice wade in streams and dip their whiskers onto the water's surface to detect bugs to eat. The researchers also helped clarify these rodents' family tree, which includes a genus that's only ever been collected once, 93 years ago.

Accomplishing a feat that had been a pipe dream for decades, scientists have recreated in a test tube the first steps of infection by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Doing so has provided up-close access to the virus -- which is otherwise obstructed from view deep within the cell -- and enabled identification of essential...

Biological clocks have sizeable effects on the performance of elite athletes. This conclusion was drawn by chronobiologists after studying the times achieved by swimmers in four different Olympic Games. Shifting the clock to reach peak performance at the right time could make the difference between winning and losing.

Researchers surveyed for an infection caused by an emerging fungal pathogen that afflicts snakes. The research effort found infected snakes in 19 states and Puerto Rico, demonstrating that the fungus is more widely distributed than was previously known.

Researchers have made a breakthrough genetic discovery into the cause of a spectrum of severe neurological conditions.

Researchers employed the gold electrode and attached the target molecules onto the electrode. Just like functional groups generate diverse electronic effects, one electrode fits all reactions as the single electrode can behave like multiple functional groups just with the switch of applied voltage.

As the world undergoes profound environmental change, identifying and protecting 'novel' communities of species can help prevent extinctions within vulnerable ecosystems. Scientists outline a world first method to detect 'novel' communities of species across all ecosystems.

Using radio telescopes observing distant stars, scientists have connected optical atomic clocks on different continents.

Deep-seabed mining is considered a way to address the increasing need of rare metals. However, the environmental impacts are considered to be substantial but remain largely unknown and clear regulatory standards are lacking. Researchers now describe that mining-related disturbances have a long-term impact on carbon flow and the microbial loop at the deep seafloor.

Scientists have revealed in unprecedented detail the genetic instructions immature egg cells go through step by step as they mature into functionality. Their findings improve our understanding of how ovaries maintain a female's fertility.

Researchers used a second-generation pro-drug called MP-Pt(IV) to target the deadly cells of glioblastoma tumors and found mice harboring human glioblastoma tumors in their brains had greatly enhanced survival and weight gain when given the newly developed prodrug. This mitochondrial-targeted prodrug also greatly improves outcomes when coupled with standard therapies of radiation and/or...

Researchers say the breakthrough could lead to the production of thinner, lighter and more flexible solar panels that could be used to power more homes and be used in a wider range of products.

Researchers evaluated a cloud-based product called NAVIFY® Tumor Board that integrates all relevant clinical data for a tumor board into a single digital dashboard accessible to everyone. During a 16-month clinical study of the dashboard, researchers found NAVIFY Tumor Board significantly reduced the amount of time doctors and nurses across multiple specialties spent preparing for tumor board...