Sniffles, snorts and blows of runny noses are the hallmarks of cold and flu season -- and that increase in mucus is exactly what bacteria use to mount a coordinated attack on the immune system, according to a new study. The team found that the thicker the mucus, the better the bacteria are able to swarm. The findings could have implications for treatments that reduce the ability of bacteria to...

Chemists have now come up with a way to make molecules known as acenes more stable, allowing them to synthesize acenes of varying lengths. Using their new approach, they were able to build molecules that emit red, orange, yellow, green, or blue light, which could make acenes easier to deploy in a variety of applications.

A new report equips policymakers with the latest and most pivotal climate science research from the previous 18 months, synthesized to help inform negotiations at COP28 and policy implementation through 2024 and beyond.

A new organoid model of the dopaminergic system sheds lights on its intricate functionality and potential implications for Parkinson's disease. The model replicates the dopaminergic system's structure, connectivity, and functionality.

Artificial hands can be operated via app or with sensors placed in the muscles of the forearm. New research shows: a better understanding of muscle activity patterns in the forearm supports a more intuitive and natural control of artificial limbs. This requires a network of 128 sensors and artificial intelligence based techniques.

Researchers have developed a new, data-driven machine-learning technique that speeds up software programs used to solve complex optimization problems that can have millions of potential solutions. Their approach could be applied to many complex logistical challenges, such as package routing, vaccine distribution, and power grid management.

Researchers have uncovered the intricate molecular mechanism used by parasitic phytoplasma bacteria, known for inducing 'zombie-like' effects in plants.

A new study estimates 152,753 excess infant deaths were attributable to living in flood-prone areas in Bangladesh over the past 30 years. The findings begin to unspool the long term public health impacts of recurring environmental hazards such as flooding, wildfires, or extreme heat, many of which are becoming more common or more severe under climate change.

A study found that in preclinical models, transplanting older organs can trigger senescence in younger recipients. They observed that young and middle-aged mice that received heart transplants from older mice had impaired physical capacity, with reduced running times and grip strengths. Middle-aged mice who received older hearts also showed increased anxiety-related behavior, impaired memory and...

Researchers have developed a promising new solar-powered atmospheric water harvesting technology that could help provide enough drinking water for people to survive in difficult, dryland areas: They synthesized a super hygroscopic gel capable of absorbing and retaining an unparalleled amount of water. One kilogram of dry gel could adsorb 1.18 kilograms of water in arid atmospheric environments and...

An interdisciplinary research team is using artificial intelligence (AI) to identify microplastics faster and more accurately than ever before.

Researchers have developed a light-activatable prodrug nanomedicine for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) therapy. Through the intravenous injection of the nanomedicine and application of light irradiation to diseased eyes, anti-angiogenic and photodynamic combination therapy can be activated, offering a minimally invasive alternative for the treatment of AMD and other ocular disorders...

While anger and aggression are instinctive behaviors found across many species, leaving these emotions unchecked can lead to conflict and violence. In a recent study, researchers demonstrated that neuronal-glial interactions in the cerebellum determine the degree of aggression exhibited by mice. This suggests that future therapeutic methods could adjust glial activity in the cerebellum to help...

3D eye scans can reveal vital clues about kidney health that could help to track the progression of disease, research suggests. The advance could revolutionize monitoring of kidney disease, which often progresses without symptoms in the early stages. Experts say the technology has potential to support early diagnosis as current screening tests cannot detect the condition until half of the kidney...

Researchers have discovered magnetic monopoles -- isolated magnetic charges -- in a material closely related to rust, a result that could be used to power greener and faster computing technologies.

Seeing robots made with soft, flexible parts in action appears to lower people's anxiety about working with them or even being replaced by them. A study found that watching videos of a soft robot working with a person at picking and placing tasks lowered the viewers' safety concerns and feelings of job insecurity. This was true even when the soft robot was shown working in close proximity to the...

Researchers have resolved a long-standing debate surrounding laser additive manufacturing processes with a pioneering approach to defect detection.

There is no shortage of advice for women on what to eat, how to train, or what supplements to take during their menstrual cycles, but a new review by an international team of scientists has found little evidence to support such recommendations. In fact, they found sparse research on women and exercise at all, and even less on the effect of their periods on sports performance, physiology, or...

A collaboration between quantum physicists and astrophysicists has achieved a significant breakthrough in understanding neutron star glitches. They were able to numerically simulate this enigmatic cosmic phenomenon with ultracold dipolar atoms. This research establishes a strong link between quantum mechanics and astrophysics and paves the way for quantum simulation of stellar objects from Earth.

Through analysis of high-resolution data from a ten-meter telescope in Hawaii, researchers have succeeded in generating new knowledge about three stars at the very heart of the Milky Way. The stars proved to be unusually young with a puzzling chemical composition that surprised the researchers.

Researchers have shown unambiguous laboratory evidence that amino acids transported in the ice plumes of Saturn's moon, Eceladus, can survive impact speeds of up to 4.2 km/s, supporting their detection during sampling by spacecraft.

Researchers report that mice display behavior that resembles self-recognition when they see themselves in the mirror. When the researchers marked the foreheads of black-furred mice with a spot of white ink, the mice spent more time grooming their heads in front of the mirror -- presumably to try and wash away the ink spot. However, the mice only showed this self-recognition-like behavior if they...

Aquaporins, which move water through membranes of plant cells, were not thought to be able to permeate sugar molecules, but researchers have observed sucrose transport in plant aquaporins for the first time, challenging this theory.

As humans age, our eyes adjust based on how we use them, growing or shortening to focus where needed, and we now know that blurred input to the eye while the eye is growing causes myopia. It is so specific that the eye grows exactly to compensate for the amount and the direction of blur. Researchers have built a high-frequency ultrasonography system to measure eye size and how quickly eyes grow to...