Researchers have discovered artefacts produced by old world monkeys in Thailand that resemble stone tools, which historically have been identified as intentionally made by early hominins. Until now, sharp-edged stone tools were thought to represent the onset of intentional stone tool production, one of the defining and unique characteristics of hominin evolution. This new study challenges long...

A team of scientists dedicated to pinpointing the primordial origins of metabolism -- a set of core chemical reactions that first powered life on Earth -- has identified part of a protein that could provide scientists clues to detecting planets on the verge of producing life.

Recently, a research team resolved the contradiction between spatial resolution and imaging speed in optical microscopy. They achieved high-speed super-resolution by developing an effective technique termed temporal compressive super-resolution microscopy (TCSRM). TCSRM merges enhanced temporal compressive microscopy with deep-learning-based super-resolution image reconstruction. Enhanced temporal...

The skeleton, tendons, and glands of a functional jaw all derive from the same population of stem cells, which arise from a cell population known as neural crest. To discover how these neural crest-derived cells know to make the right type of cell in the right location, researchers focused on a particular gene, Nr5a2, that was active in a region of the face that makes tendons and glands, but not...

One in 10 adults suffer from the debilitating effects of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Research around a new breathing device developed by pulmonologists offers promise for improving their lives. The new device not only improves symptoms of breathlessness and quality of life for people with COPD, it also offers benefits for people dealing with stress and anxiety and those...

Jewel beetles are striking insects, easily recognized by their vivid colors and metallic sheen. New research investigated the complex evolutionary history of jewel beetles' vision.

Researchers have identified a new therapeutic target that could lead to more effective treatment of glaucoma.

When astrocyte function is disrupted, neurons in the brain's motor cortex struggle to execute and refine motion, a new study in mice shows.

People with a third copy of chromosome 21, known as trisomy 21, are at high risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive form of blood cancer. Scientists have now identified the cause: although the additional chromosome 21 leads to increased gene dosage of many genes, it is above all the perturbation of the RUNX1 gene -- a gene that regulates many other genes -- that seems to be...

Decades of poor environmental and water management turned the Nile River Delta from a unique ecological habitat in the Sahara to one of the largest polluted areas on the planet, with tens of millions of people and migrating birds at risk of exposure to water-borne contaminants.

New evidence shows that exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) ozone limit is associated with substantial increases in hospital admissions for heart attack, heart failure and stroke. Even ozone levels below the WHO maximum were linked with worsened health.

A newly developed molecular catalyst specifically tailored for mechanochemical reaction conditions enables high-efficiency transformations at near room temperature.

Researchers have discovered that softer gums hinder the development of gingiva fibroblasts -- the cells that help produce the fibers that hold our teeth in place.

Fluorescence is a fascinating natural phenomenon. It is based on the fact that certain materials can absorb light of a certain wavelength and then emit light of a different wavelength. Fluorescent materials play an important role in our everyday lives, for example in modern screens. Due to the high demand for applications, science is constantly striving to produce new and easily accessible...

An analysis extending from southern Portugal to northern Norway highlights the importance of temperature in determining where fish species are found.

Researchers have developed a super-resolution microscopy method for the rapid differentiation of molecular structures in 3D.

A new ultrasound method that can measure the level of tension in human tissue -- a key indicator of disease -- has been developed.

Pregnant women should dim the lights in their home and turn off or at least dim their screens (computer monitors and smartphones) a few hours before bedtime to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus, a new study shows. Women who developed gestational diabetes in the multisite study had greater light exposure in the three hours before sleep onset. They did not differ in their light...

Researchers have developed and demonstrated an efficient and scalable technique that allows them to manufacture soft polymer materials in a dozen different structures, or 'morphologies,' from ribbons and nanoscale sheets to rods and branched particles. The technique allows users to finely tune the morphology of the materials at the micro- and nano-scale.

Exercising too much and not getting enough rest is likely bad for your health. A new study shows that the same is true for migratory birds. They need to rest not only to renew their energy levels but also in order to boost their immune system.

In our modern society huge amounts of data are transmitted every day, mainly as short optical pulses propagating through glass fibers. With the steadily increasing density of such optical signals, their interaction grows, which can lead to data loss. Physicists are now investigating how to control large numbers of optical pulses as precisely as possible to reduce the effect of such interactions....