Anthropology: General Archaeology: General
Published

Discovery of immense fortifications dating back 4,000 years in north-western Arabia      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The North Arabian Desert oases were inhabited by sedentary populations in the 4th and 3rd millennia BCE. A fortification enclosing the Khaybar Oasis -- one of the longest known going back to this period -- was just revealed by a team of scientists. This new walled oasis is, along with that of Tayma, one of the two largest in Saudi Arabia.

Anthropology: General Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: Developmental Biology: Evolutionary Biology: General Biology: Zoology Offbeat: General Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology Offbeat: Plants and Animals
Published

Study on lamprey embryos sheds light on the evolutionary origin of vertebrate head      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have investigated lamprey embryos using cutting-edge microscopic techniques to reveal interesting insights about vertebrate head evolution, clarifying an unresolved mystery in basic science.

Anthropology: General Archaeology: General Ecology: Extinction Environmental: Ecosystems Paleontology: Fossils Paleontology: General
Published

The extinction of the giant ape: Long-standing mystery solved      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The largest ever primate Gigantopithecus blacki went extinct when other Asian great apes were thriving, and its demise has long been a mystery. A massive regional study of 22 caves in southern China explores a species on the brink of extinction between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago. As the environment became more seasonal, forest plant communities changed Primates such as orangutans adapted their eating habits and behaviors in response but G. blacki showed signs of stress, struggled to adapt and their numbers dwindled.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

The reaction mechanism for catalytic ammonia production experimentally determined      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have now been able to study the surface of iron and ruthenium catalysts when ammonia is formed from nitrogen and hydrogen. A better knowledge of the catalytic process and the possibility of finding even more efficient materials opens the door for a green transition in the currently very CO2-intensive chemical industry.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Physics: General
Published

Epic of a molecular ion: With eyes of electrons      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have achieved real-time capture of the ionization process and subsequent structural changes in gas-phase molecules through an enhanced mega-electronvolt ultrafast electron diffraction (MeV-UED) technique, enabling observation of faster and finer movements of ions.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

How black silicon, a prized material used in solar cells, gets its dark, rough edge      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new theoretical model explaining one way to make black silicon. The new etching model precisely explains how fluorine gas breaks certain bonds in the silicon more often than others, depending on the orientation of the bond at the surface. Black silicon is an important material used in solar cells, light sensors, antibacterial surfaces and many other applications.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

The first domino falls for redox reactions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Transmitting an effect known as a domino reaction using redox chemistry has been achieved for the first time.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Computer Science: Quantum Computers Physics: General Physics: Optics Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Researchers demonstrate that quantum entanglement and topology are inextricably linked      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have demonstrated the remarkable ability to perturb pairs of spatially separated yet interconnected quantum entangled particles without altering their shared properties.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Chemists develop new approach to inserting single carbon atoms      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Chemists have presented a new approach in which a single carbon atom is inserted into the carbon skeleton of cyclic compounds in order to adjust the ring size. The method could be relevant, for example, for the production of active ingredients in new pharmaceutical products.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries
Published

Solid state battery design charges in minutes, lasts for thousands of cycles      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a new lithium metal battery that can be charged and discharged at least 6,000 times -- more than any other pouch battery cell -- and can be recharged in a matter of minutes. The research not only describes a new way to make solid state batteries with a lithium metal anode but also offers new understanding into the materials used for these potentially revolutionary batteries.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Bottled water can contain hundreds of thousands of previously uncounted tiny plastic bits      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In recent years, there has been rising concern that tiny particles known as microplastics are showing up basically everywhere on Earth, from polar ice to soil, drinking water and food. Formed when plastics break down into progressively smaller bits, these particles are being consumed by humans and other creatures, with unknown potential health and ecosystem effects. One big focus of research: bottled water, which has been shown to contain tens of thousands of identifiable fragments in each container. Now, using newly refined technology, researchers have entered a whole new plastic world: the poorly known realm of nanoplastics, the spawn of microplastics that have broken down even further. For the first time, they counted and identified these minute particles in bottled water. They found that on average, a liter contained some 240,000 detectable plastic fragments -- 10 to 100 times greater than previous estimates, which were based mainly on larger sizes.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: General Archaeology: General
Published

Cult mentality: Monumental discovery in Italy      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have discovered an ancient Roman temple that adds significant insights into the social change from pagan gods to Christianity within the Roman Empire.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Technology Physics: General
Published

Using berry phase monopole engineering for high-temperature spintronic devices      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Spin-orbit torque (SOT), an important phenomenon for developing ultrafast and low-power spintronic devices, can be enhanced through Berry phase monopole engineering at high temperatures. In a new study, the temperature dependence of the intrinsic spin Hall effect of TaSi2 was investigated. The results suggest that Berry phase monopole engineering is an effective strategy for achieving high-temperature SOT spintronic devices.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry
Published

Asbestos: The size and shape of inhaled nanofibers could be exclusively responsible for the development of pulmonary fibrosis      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The pathogenic potential of inhaling the inert fibrous nanomaterials used in thermal insulation (such as asbestos or fiberglass) is actually connected not to their chemical composition, but instead to their geometrical characteristics and size. This was revealed by a study conducted on glass nanofibers.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Offbeat: General Offbeat: Plants and Animals Physics: Optics
Published

Engineers invent octopus-inspired technology that can deceive and signal      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

With a split-second muscle contraction, the greater blue-ringed octopus can change the size and color of the namesake patterns on its skin for purposes of deception, camouflage and signaling. Researchers have drawn inspiration from this natural wonder to develop a technological platform with similar capabilities for use in a variety of fields, including the military, medicine, robotics and sustainable energy.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology
Published

High-performance stretchable solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers have succeeded in implementing a stretchable organic solar cell by applying a newly developed polymer material that demonstrated the world's highest photovoltaic conversion efficiency (19%) while functioning even when stretched for more than 40% of its original state. This new conductive polymer has high photovoltaic properties that can be stretched like rubber. The newly developed polymer is expected to play a role as a power source for next-generation wearable electronic devices.

Anthropology: Cultures Anthropology: General Biology: Evolutionary Ecology: Animals Ecology: Endangered Species
Published

Early primates likely lived in pairs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Primate social organization is more flexible than previously assumed. According to a new study, the first primates probably lived in pairs, while only around 15 percent of individuals were solitary.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Using electricity, scientists find promising new method of boosting chemical reactions      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Chemists found a way to use electricity to boost a type of chemical reaction often used in synthesizing new candidates for pharmaceutical drugs. The research is an advance in the field of electrochemistry and shows a path forward to designing and controlling reactions -- and making them more sustainable.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Aptamers: lifesavers; ion shields: aptamer guardians      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Aptamers, nucleic acids capable of selectively binding to viruses, proteins, ions, small molecules, and various other targets, are garnering attention in drug development as potential antibody substitutes for their thermal and chemical stability as well as ability to inhibit specific enzymes or target proteins through three-dimensional binding. They also hold promise for swift diagnoses of colon cancer and other challenging diseases by targeting elusive biomarkers. Despite their utility, these aptamers are susceptible to easy degradation by multiple enzymes, presenting a significant challenge.