The lithium batteries that power our electronic devices and electric vehicles have a number of drawbacks. The electrolyte is a flammable liquid and the lithium they're made of is a limited resource. Specialists have now developed a non-flammable, solid electrolyte that operates at room temperature. It transports sodium - which is found everywhere on earth - instead of lithium.

Scientists have estimated that the age of an individual does not indicate how likely they are to be infected by SARS-CoV-2. However, development of symptoms, progression of the disease, and mortality are age-dependent.

Scientists have engineered powerful new antimicrobial molecules from toxic proteins found in wasp venom. The team hopes to develop the molecules into new bacteria-killing drugs, an important advancement considering increasing numbers of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Ecologists have found that carnivores living near people can get more than half of their diets from human food sources, a major lifestyle disruption that could put North America's carnivore-dominated ecosystems at risk.

Scientists have made a breakthrough in their work to develop semi-autonomous colonoscopy, using a robot to guide a medical device into the body. The milestone brings closer the prospect of an intelligent robotic system being able to guide instruments to precise locations in the body to take biopsies or allow internal tissues to be examined.

Through a simple process of heating and cooling, researchers have created a new crystal form of deltamethrin -- a common insecticide used to control malaria -- resulting in an insecticide that is up to 12 times more effective against mosquitoes than the existing form.

As public interest and expanded research in human genome editing grows, many questions remain about ethical, legal and social implications of the technology. People who are seriously ill may overestimate the benefits of early clinical trials while underestimating the risks. This makes properly understanding informed consent, the full knowledge of risks and benefits of treatments, especially...

Scientists have developed a new approach to stabilizing clay soils. The method involves using a battery-like system to apply electric current to carbonate and calcium ions in order to promote soil consolidation.

The world's economy is feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic with many industries under threat. Researchers have concluded that adopting circular economy strategies would be the best way for the world's economy to recover, whilst enabling the transition to a low-carbon economy.

When an optical fiber is immersed in liquid, a high temperature, high speed jet is discharged. Researchers expect this to be applied to medical treatment in the future. Now, a research team has explored this phenomenon further and revealed the reasons behind the jet formation.

Two-dimensional semiconductors offer a possible solution to the limited potential for further shrinking of traditional silicon-based electronics: the long-predicted end of 'Moore's Law'. 2D-based electronics, which could eliminate wasted dissipation of heat and allow for very fast, ultra-low energy operation, could be enabled by a new liquid-metal deposition technique.

Fewer college-age Americans drink alcohol, compared to nearly 20 years ago, according to a new study.

Virtual reality software which allows researchers to 'walk' inside and analyze individual cells could be used to understand fundamental problems in biology and develop new treatments for disease.

In first-of-their-kind observations in the human brain, an international team of researchers has revealed two well-known neurochemicals -- dopamine and serotonin -- are at work at sub-second speeds to shape how people perceive the world and take action based on their perception.

New paper calls for the consideration of people's diverse needs in order to develop effective nature-based policies and investments in ecosystems.

Moms with COVID-19 who take basic precautions rarely pass the virus to their newborns, even if breastfeeding and rooming together, a new study finds.

The female mosquito has an amazing ability to detect blood using her syringe-like 'tongue.' Now scientists have identified the neurons that give her blood-seeking powers.

Astronomers have spotted a rare blast of light from a star being ripped apart by a supermassive black hole. The phenomenon, known as a tidal disruption event, is the closest such flare recorded to date at just over 215 million light-years from Earth, and has been studied in unprecedented detail.

Researchers have created the first full dynamic map of how cells learn to fight microbes and then preserve a memory of this for future infections, by mapping the activity of tens of thousands of genes in mouse immune cells over the course of an infection. Published in Nature Immunology, this could guide research into T cells that are essential for generating immunity, to help scientists develop...

For every two deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the U.S., a third American dies as a result of the pandemic, according to new data. The study shows that deaths between March 1 and Aug. 1 increased 20 percent compared to previous years -- maybe not surprising in a pandemic. But deaths attributed to COVID-19 only accounted for 67 percent of those deaths.

A team of researchers has discovered that a variety of exotic electronic states, including a rare form of magnetism, can arise in a three-layer graphene structure.

Researchers have identified two factors necessary for the production of memory B cells, the cells of the immune system that allow fast responses to re-infection. Without expression of the protein Bach2 and reduced mTORC1 signaling, B cells cannot become memory B cells, and are instead recycled. These findings could be useful for creating efficient vaccines that remain effective decades after...

New research shows that sunspots and other active regions can change the overall solar emissions. The sunspots cause some emissions to dim and others to brighten; the timing of the changes also varies between different types of emissions. This knowledge will help astronomers characterize the conditions of stars, which has important implications for finding exoplanets around those stars.

A research team has demonstrated that hybrid surface waves called surface phonon-polaritons provide enhanced thermal conductivity in nanoscale membranes. These surface waves can aid in the thermal management of nanostructured devices as conventional cooling methods reach their material-related limits. Surface phonon-polaritons will be particularly useful for heat conduction in silicon-based...