110 articles from FRIDAY 14.1.2022

Genetic strategy reverses insecticide resistance

Insecticides play a central role in efforts to counter global impacts of mosquito-spread malaria and other diseases, which cause an estimated 750,000 deaths each year. These insect-specific chemicals, which cost more than $100 million to develop and bring to market, also are critical to controlling insect-driven crop damage that poses a challenge to food security.

Advances in theoretical modeling of atomic nuclei

The atomic nucleus is a tough nut to crack. The strong interaction between the protons and neutrons that make it up depends on many quantities, and these particles, collectively known as nucleons, are subject to not only two-body forces but also three-body ones. These and other features make the theoretical modeling of atomic nuclei a challenging endeavor.

A catalyst for more efficient green hydrogen production

Researchers have developed a new water-splitting process and material that maximize the efficiency of producing green hydrogen, making it an affordable and accessible option for industrial partners that want to convert to green hydrogen for renewable energy storage instead of conventional, carbon-emitting hydrogen production from natural gas.

Before horses, ass hybrids were bred for warfare

Before the introduction of the domestic horse in Mesopotamia, valuable equids were being harnessed to ceremonial or military four wheeled wagons and used as royal gifts, but their true nature remained unknown. According to a palaeogenetic study, these prestigious animals were the result of a cross between a domestic donkey and a wild ass from Syria, now extinct. This makes them the oldest example...

Genetically engineered E. coli could improve drug development

Whether you are taking a muscle relaxant or a heart medication, you are possibly using a medication that contains a synthetically produced benzoxazole. Although natural benzoxazoles show more significant promise in pharmaceuticals, their time to develop organically and inherent undesired properties impede their usage.

New study sheds light on origins of life on Earth

Addressing one of the most profoundly unanswered questions in biology, a Rutgers-led team has discovered the structures of proteins that may be responsible for the origins of life in the primordial soup of ancient Earth.

Before horses, ass hybrids were bred for warfare

The 4,500-year-old iconography and texts from Mesopotamia show that the elite used equids for travel and warfare; however, the nature of these animals remained mysterious. In Science Advances (January 14, 2022), a team from the Institut Jacques Monod (CNRS/Université de Paris) used ancient DNA to show that these animals were the result of crossing domestic donkeys with wild asses. This makes them...

Where is James Webb Space Telescope?

This data is the live status of the James Webb space telescope provided by NASA. In this NASA Live Tracker, you will get real-time info about the distance covered by JWST, its speed, and the distance that is remaining to reach L2 orbit. Video...

Cloud technologies help corporations achieve carbon neutrality

The past two years of pandemic-related challenges have accelerated the adoption of cloud across industry at an unprecedented rate. This increased investment in cloud can serve to reinvigorate sustainability goals and provide the ability to measure the impact of an investment. The consequences of climate change are no longer theoretical, and corporate leaders are taking responsibility. While many...

Archaeologists discover ancient highways in Arabia

Archeologists from The University of Western Australia have discovered people who lived in north-west Arabia in the Early to Middle Bronze Age built 'funerary avenues'—long-distance corridors linking oases and pastures, bordered by thousands of elaborate burial monuments.

Expect another Omicron wave in early summer, Sage says

But experts are confident worst case scenarios for current Covid wave unlikely to occurCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageScientists advising the government have predicted there will be a fresh wave of Omicron cases in the early summer as people resume social activities and immunity wanes.But experts on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) said they were...

How to make sure digital technology works for the public good

The Internet of Things (IoT) is completely enmeshed in our daily lives, a network of connected laptops, phones, cars, fitness trackers -- even smart toasters and refrigerators -- that are increasingly able to make decisions on their own. But how to ensure that these devices benefit us, rather than exploit us or put us at risk? New work proposes a novel framework, the 'impact universe,' that can...

Being in space destroys more red blood cells

A world-first study has revealed how space travel can cause lower red blood cell counts, known as space anemia. Analysis of 14 astronauts showed their bodies destroyed 54 percent more red blood cells in space than they normally would on Earth, according to a new study.

Creating a reference map to explore the electronic device mimicking brain activity

Just like explorers need maps, scientists require guides to better understand and advance new technology. A neuromorphic device, which can mimic the neural cells in our brain, has lacked such a guideline and created headaches for scientists trying to understand their operational mechanisms. That is until now after a research group created a map that provides rational design guidelines for...

New study shows novel crystal structure for hydrogen under high pressure

Being the first element to form, hydrogen holds clues about the distribution of matter in our universe. Normally a gas, hydrogen exists as a solid under ultra-high-pressure conditions commonly found in the core of giant gaseous planets. However, the structures of solid hydrogen have remained elusive owing to difficulties in replicating such conditions experimentally. Now, a new study sheds light...

A Turkish harem on the Acropolis? It's most likely a Greek myth

The Acropolis of Athens counts among the world's greatest architectural and artistic monuments. Visitors come to admire the marble buildings that testify to the glory of Ancient Greece more than two millennia ago. Typically, only little attention is paid to the site's rich medieval and Ottoman history. But one of the few stories commonly told about this period concerns the temple with six iconic...

Levitating and colliding liquid drops

If you've seen water drops dance and jitter on a hot pan or griddle, you've seen the Leidenfrost effect in action. Or you may have seen the "Mythbusters" episode where Adam and Jamie thrust their wet fingers and hands into molten lead and pulled them out unharmed.

Examining tiny cells surrounding the smallest blood vessels in the brain

One of the laboratories at the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences houses equipment worth many millions of kroners. Few research groups have the resources to buy an electron microscope when conducting scientific research. Using an electron microscope, Professor Mahmood Reza Amiry-Moghaddam and his colleagues can investigate the ultra-small structures in a cell.

How the COVID-19 pandemic impacted global trust in government

In a week when the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has admitted to breaking COVID-19 lockdown rules, a new study has found that impartial, transparent and truthful government communications are fundamental for achieving and maintaining government trust during public health emergencies.

Being in space destroys more red blood cells

A world-first study has revealed how space travel can cause lower red blood cell counts, known as space anemia. Analysis of 14 astronauts showed their bodies destroyed 54 percent more red blood cells in space than they normally would on Earth, according to a study published in Nature Medicine.