Researchers have developed a new process that makes use of existing industry standard techniques for making III-nitride semiconductor materials, but results in layered materials that will make LEDs and lasers more efficient.

Brain cells called astrocytes play a key role in helping neurons develop and function properly, but there's still a lot scientists don't understand about how astrocytes perform these important jobs. Now, a team of scientists has found one way that neurons and astrocytes work together to form healthy connections called synapses. This insight into normal astrocyte function could help scientists...

Researchers have decoded the genome of the mangrove tree, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, and revealed how this species regulates its genes in order to cope with stress. Their findings could one day be used to help other plants be more tolerant to stress.

Tiny unicellular creatures called protists could keep greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere by gobbling up bacteria that emit CO2, researchers say. Now, a study finds that a few simple measures of a protist's size and shape can be powerful predictors of how they might respond to global warming themselves.

A research team recently discovered a novel kind of topological edge soliton that is independent of magnetic field. The valley Hall edge soliton inherits its topological protection from its linear counterpart and does not require any external magnetic field. The result is a light beam that is robust, localized, and maintains its shape during propagation over distance.

A team of international researchers reported last year that they had uncovered the largest and oldest Maya monument -- Aguada Fénix. That same team has now uncovered nearly 500 smaller ceremonial complexes that are similar in shape and features to Aguada Fénix. The find transforms previous understanding of Mesoamerican civilization origins and the relationship between the Olmec and the Maya...

Contrary to widely held gender stereotypes, women are not more emotional than men, researchers say.

Most elements lighter than iron are forged in the cores of stars, but scientists have puzzled over what could give rise to gold, platinum, and the rest of the universe's heavy elements. study finds that of two long-suspected sources of heavy metals, one of them -- a merger between two neutron stars -- is more of a goldmine than the other.

What are the origins of musical rhythm? Are humans the only mammals that have rhythm? Researchers have studied indris, the 'singing primates' from Madagascar to learn more. Indri songs recorded in the wild have rhythmic categories similar to those found in human music. Finding common musical traits across species may shed light on the biology and evolution of rhythm and music.

Antibiotics are now an accepted first-line treatment for most people with appendicitis, according to final results of the Comparing Outcomes of antibiotic Drugs and Appendectomy (CODA) trial, and an updated treatment guideline for appendicitis from the American College of Surgeons.

Researchers performed genome-wide analysis studies (GWAS) to identify genetic elements associated with various diseases. To address inequities in previous GWAS, the team included 180,000 Japanese people and 220 health-related phenotypes in this analysis. After meta-analyzing the results with biobanks from the UK and Finland, they identified 5,000 novel genomic loci of phenotypic significance. They...

Increased consumption of whole grain foods could significantly reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes and the costs associated with its treatment.

Researchers have found a way to make antibiotics more effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria - also known as 'superbugs.

The cremation process destroys a lot of information that can usually be obtained from the human skeleton. Especially diseases are difficult to observe. Researchers have now found a way to reveal some of the information. For the first time, they have succeeded in detecting vitamin D deficiency in cremated human remains.

Two years ago, a new class of promising superconductors was discovered: so-called layered nickelates. For the first time a theoretical model is now available that can be used to understand the electronic mechanisms of high-temperature superconductivity in these materials.

The degradation of plant defense substances by insect digestive enzymes can influence the insects' preference for certain food plants, a new study now shows for the first time. Scientists studied this phenomenon in larvae of the cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) and their food plant dandelion (Taraxacum officinale).

Researchers have long known that air pollution can increase the risk of disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and fertility, but they did not know the exact mechanism for how it can lead to these health conditions. Now researchers have shown how air pollution reduces sperm count in mice by causing inflammation in the brain.

Molecular targets for therapies that could prevent breast cancer recurrence have been identified by a group of scientists who analyzed tumor cells that proved resistant to the original treatment. Recent advances in early detection and targeted therapy have led to a growing success in treating breast cancer upon first presentation. This often is achieved by silencing tumor driving oncogenes and...

Lipopolysaccharide, a virulence factor produced by bacteria, is a toxin that can cause a systemic inflammation via the circulation. In a recently completed study, genetic markers were discovered which are associated with a heightened lipopolysaccharide level in the blood.

Researchers have created and characterized a novel, three-component cross-coupling reaction that is a 'tremendous leap forward' in developing effective and practical iron-based reactions that could be used to create pharmaceuticals. Unlike palladium, the transition metal catalyst most often used in industry and academic labs, iron is abundant, cheap and relatively nontoxic.

As demand for electric vehicle batteries continues to grow, researchers have developed a method for predicting how changes to manufacturing processes and materials will impact battery life.

Engineers have developed a way to print stretchy LEDs on unconventional surfaces using an inkjet printer.

A new study has found that women over the age of 50 who had breastfed their babies performed better on cognitive tests compared to women who had never breastfed. The findings suggest that breastfeeding may have a positive impact on postmenopausal women's cognitive performance and could have long-term benefits for the mother's brain.

A pharmaceutical product called TT-10, which spurs proliferation of heart muscle cells, was thought to offer promise to treat heart attacks. In a mouse heart-attack model several years ago, intraperitoneal injection of TT-10 at first promoted proliferation of heart muscle cells and showed declines in the size of the dead area of heart muscle. However, these early improvements were followed by...

One of the youngest planets ever found around a distant infant star has been discovered by an international team of scientists.

Genes aren't only inherited through birth. Bacteria have the ability to pass genes to each other, or pick them up from their environment, through a process called horizonal gene transfer, which is a major culprit in the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Scientists are probing topological insulators with circularly polarized light to reveal their many secrets. These exotic materials have potential for quantum computing and other technologies. They discovered that high harmonic generation produces a unique signature from the topological surface.

Thin structures made of black phosphorus can tune the properties of light, with implications for science and technology.

A new study reveals the specific molecular mechanism that controls the transition from acute to chronic pain, and identifies this mechanism as a critical target for disease-modifying medicines.

Protein intake is known to be vital for maintaining brain function in older individuals. Now, using a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, researchers have shown that the intake of a specific set of amino acids can inhibit the death of brain cells, protect the connections between them, and reduce inflammation, preserving brain function. Their research suggests that this amino acid combination...

Interleukin-12 -- a messenger molecule of immune cells -- was long considered to trigger the development of psoriasis. Now, researchers have shown that interleukin-12 does not actually cause the skin disease but protects against it. This also explains why common psoriasis drugs that block the messenger show insufficient treatment efficacy.

Researchers have harnessed the strength of bagworm silk to produce a strong conductive fiber. To obtain this novel fiber, the research team combined bagworm silk with polyaniline as a conducting polymer. The composite fibers act as an optical waveguide and are suitable for use in textile transistors. This production of a bagworm silk/polyaniline composite will enable the use of biocompatible...

Eight hundred years of settlement history with land reforms, epidemics and repeated wars are preserved in the sediments of Lake Czechowskie in Poland. The key role was played by the so-called Margrave's Road, the 'Via Marchionis', between the Prussian heartland and the Teutonic Order's castle Marienburg (today Malbork in Poland). The road remained significant for centuries.

CO2 emissions from electricity in the UK fell by two thirds in the last decade due to several factors working together, rather than a single panacea.

The field of attoscience has been kickstarted by new advances in laser technology. Research began with studies of three particular processes. First, 'above-threshold ionization' (ATI), describing atoms which are ionized by more than the required number of photons. Second, 'high harmonic generation' (HHG) occurs when a target is illuminated by an intense laser pulse, causing it to emit...

An analysis sheds new light on the motivations and methods of Roger Penrose, and explores their historical influence on the groundbreaking discovery of Hawking radiation.

Inspired by a concept for discovering exoplanets with a giant space telescope, a team of researchers is developing holographic lenses that render visible and infrared starlight into either a focused image or a spectrum.

Using a novel technology, researchers uncovered shape-shifting properties of a common respiratory virus.

Limiting climate change to the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Climate Agreement will likely require coal and gas power use to decline at rates that are unprecedented for any large country, finds an analysis of decadal episodes of fossil fuel decline in 105 countries between 1960 and 2018. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the most rapid historical cases of fossil fuel decline occurred when...

In evolutionary biology, the 'Life History Theory,' first proposed in the 1950s, postulates that when the environment is favorable, the resources used by any organism are devoted for growth and reproduction. Conversely, in a hostile environment, resources are transferred to so-called maintenance programs, such as energy conservation and defense against external attacks. Scientists developed this...

Scientists have probed the molecular origins of recombination in RNA viruses. Hiccups during the copying process of viruses cause recombination to take place: the exchange of segments of viral RNA. While this can lead to the emergence of new virus variants, the mechanism can also be exploited to induce non-viable defective viruses

Scientists have reported encouraging early tests of a gene therapy strategy against Angelman syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder that features poor muscle control and balance, hard-to-treat epilepsy, and intellectual disabilities.

In the past few years, suitably engineered stacks of two-dimensional materials have emerged as a powerful platform for studying quantum correlations between electronic states. Physicists now demonstrate how key properties of such systems can be conveniently tuned by changing an applied electrical field.

A new study provides deep insights into how the brain's hippocampus works, involving networks of millions of neurons. That knowledge could be an important step toward the development of treatments for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and epilepsy, all of which are related to dysfunction in the hippocampus.