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851 articles from ScienceDaily

What the rise of oxygen on early Earth tells us about life on other planets

When did the Earth reach oxygen levels sufficient to support animal life? Researchers have discovered that a rise in oxygen levels occurred in step with the evolution and expansion of complex, eukaryotic ecosystems. Their findings represent the strongest evidence to date that extremely low oxygen levels exerted an important limitation on evolution for billions of years.

Safeguarding the cell nucleus

The nucleus is guarded by a highly secure door, the so-called nuclear pore, that controls the transport of substances from the cytoplasm to the cell nucleus and back. A research group has now shown that different shuttle proteins occupy the nuclear pore to prevent unsolicited leakage of molecules. These proteins form an escape-proof, failsafe mechanism by compensating for one another to fortify...

Molecular machine in nano cage

Theoretical chemists have constructed a molecular gyroscope that can be controlled remotely by light. They also succeeded in characterizing the rotational movements of this synthetic nanomachine with computer simulations.

Unveiling the secrets of biofilms

Most bacteria have the ability to form communities, biofilms, that adhere to a wide variety of surfaces and are difficult to remove. This can lead to major problems, for example in hospitals or in the food industry. Now, an international team has studied a model system for biofilms at the synchrotron radiation facilities BESSY II at HZB and the ESRF and found out what role the structures within...

Power at sea: Towards high-performance seawater batteries

Despite the many potential applications of seawater batteries (SWBs), the limited performance of available materials has hindered their commercialization. To tackle this issue, scientists have developed a novel co-doped carbon material for the anode of SWBs. Their straightforward synthesis route and the high performance of the developed anode material will pave the way for the widespread adoption...

Researchers discover how the placenta may be blocking SARS-CoV-2 transmission to babies during pregnancy

While COVID-19 disease significantly impacts many pregnant women, the rates of transmission from mother to baby in pregnancy are very low. A new study has demonstrated that ACE-2, the receptor that allows SARS-CoV-2 to enter cells, is found in lower levels in the placentas of women with COVID-19 in pregnancy compared to women with normal (COVID negative) pregnancies.

The two types of climate coping and what they mean for your health

When it comes to coping with climate change, there may be two types of people: those who take action to try to improve the environment and those who don't bother because they don't believe their actions will make a difference. Knowing who's who could help policymakers communicate more effectively about environmental issues, new research suggests.

Precisely opening a gate to the brain in mice

Researchers developed a technique in laboratory animals to consistently and reproducibly open the blood-brain barrier. This barrier serves as a barricade securing the brain from the external world blocking out certain environmental toxins, but also prevents drug therapies from reaching their intended targets. The new technique is based on a routine procedure for removing clots from the brain's...

Midwestern beef production works just as well off pasture

Beef producers in the upper Midwest know grazing land is in short supply. With more acres being developed or converted to cropland, producers who want to expand their cow-calf operations are looking for alternatives to traditional pasture management. New research shows cow-calf pairs can be managed in drylots throughout the summer grazing period with few negative consequences.

Burst of radiation and vesicles-based immunotherapy suppress brain cancer growth

The priming of glioblastoma with a burst of radiation increased dramatically the uptake of extracellular vesicles-based immunotherapy by the tumor and the surrounding microenvironment, halting tumor growth, inducing anti-tumor immunity, and prolonging survival in animal models. In glioblastomas primed with radiation, extracellular vesicles allowed the immunotherapy to cross the blood-brain...

Towards greener smart cities with machine learning-based 'sleep schedules'

While cellular networks are the foundation of smart cities, they consume a lot of energy, enhancing global warming. Putting base stations (BSs) with low traffic to sleep saves energy but also reduces traffic prediction accuracy. In a new study, researchers address this trade-off using machine learning technique to switch off BSs based on their contribution to prediction accuracy. The new scheme...

Are cities the key to the electric revolution?

A new article argues that cities need to use local policies and incentives to encourage the wider adoption of electric vehicles. The authors outline a number of steps cities can take to support the uptake of electric vehicles, such as leading by example and using fiscal mechanisms. The team also discuss factors that influence the electric revolution, including situational factors, contextual...

A map for the sense of smell

Our sensory systems provide us with immediate information about the world around us. Researchers have created the first sensory map for smell. The map details how the fruit fly's olfactory receptor neurons, the components that sense smell, are organized within the insect's sensory hairs.

First records of killer whales hunting largest animals on Earth

In late March 2019, researchers performing annual whale and dolphin research surveys discovered the first ever record of killer whales hunting and killing an adult blue whale. Just two weeks later a blue whale calf was taken by many of the same individuals. Since then, an additional event of another blue whale calf predation was recorded in 2021.