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Categories: Chemistry: Organic Chemistry, Offbeat: Paleontology and Archeology
Published Aromatic compounds: A ring made up solely of metal atoms



The term aromaticity is a basic, long-standing concept in chemistry that is well established for ring-shaped carbon compounds. Aromatic rings consisting solely of metal atoms were, however, heretofore unknown. A research team recently succeeded in isolating such a metal ring and describing it in full.
Published Last surviving woolly mammoths were inbred but not doomed to extinction



The last population of woolly mammoths was isolated on Wrangel Island off the coast of Siberia 10,000 years ago, when sea levels rose and cut the mountainous island off from the mainland. A new genomic analysis reveals that the isolated mammoths, who lived on the island for the subsequent 6,000 years, originated from at most 8 individuals but grew to 200--300 individuals within 20 generations. The researchers report that the Wrangel Island mammoths' genomes showed signs of inbreeding and low genetic diversity but not to the extent that it can explain their ultimate (and mysterious) extinction.
Published Prehistoric 'Pompeii' discovered: Most pristine trilobite fossils ever found shake up scientific understanding of the long extinct group



Researchers have described some of the best-preserved three-dimensional trilobite fossils ever discovered. The fossils, which are more than 500 million years old, were collected in the High Atlas of Morocco and are being referred to by scientists as 'Pompeii' trilobites due to their remarkable preservation in ash.
Published Scientists use computational modeling to guide a difficult chemical synthesis



Researchers have discovered a new way to drive chemical reactions that could generate a wide variety of azetidines -- four-membered nitrogen heterocycles that have desirable pharmaceutical properties.
Published New, holistic way to teach synthetic biology



Synthetic biology combines principles from science, engineering and social science, creating emerging technologies such as alternative meats and mRNA vaccines; Deconstructing synthetic biology across scales gives rise to new approach to uniting traditional disciplines; Case studies offer a modular, accessible approach to teaching at different institutions.
Published Researchers find genetic stability in a long-term Panamanian hybrid zone of manakin birds



We often think of species as separate and distinct, but sometimes they can interbreed and create hybrids. When this happens consistently in a specific area, it forms what's known as a hybrid zone. These zones can be highly dynamic or remarkably stable, and studying them can reveal key insights into how species boundaries evolve -- or sometimes blur. Researchers now describe a hybrid zone between two manakin species in Panama that has overall remained relatively stable over the past 30 years.
Published Solar technology: Innovative light-harvesting system works very efficiently



Researchers are reporting progress on the road to more efficient utilization of solar energy: They have developed an innovative light-harvesting system.
Published New tool enables faster, more cost-effective genome editing of traits to improve agriculture sustainability



New research had the goal of reducing the time and cost it takes to bring an improved crop to the marketplace to improve agriculture sustainability.
Published Almonds, pottery, wood help date famed Kyrenia shipwreck



Researchers have identified the likeliest timeline of the famous Hellenistic-era Kyrenia shipwreck, discovered and recovered off the north coast of Cyprus in the 1960s.
Published Shocked quartz reveals evidence of historical cosmic airburst



Researchers continue to expand the case for the Younger Dryas Impact hypothesis. The idea proposes that a fragmented comet smashed into the Earth's atmosphere 12,800 years ago, causing a widespread climatic shift that, among other things, led to the abrupt reversal of the Earth's warming trend and into an anomalous near-glacial period called the Younger Dryas.
Published Towards non-toxic antifouling agents: A novel method for total synthesis of scabrolide F



Norcembranolide diterpenes, isolated from the soft corals of the genus Sinularia, are important compounds for the development of new drugs, owing to their diverse biological activities. However, total synthesis methods for these compounds are scarce. Now, a team of researchers has achieved the total synthesis of scabrolide F, a norcembranolide diterpene. They also revealed its non-toxic antifouling properties. This novel method can lead to the development of new drugs and antifouling agents.
Published Researchers develop RNA-targeting technology for precisely manipulating parts of human genes



Researchers have harnessed a bacterial immune defense system, known as CRISPR, to efficiently and precisely control the process of RNA splicing. The technology opens the door to new applications, including systematically interrogating the functions of parts of genes and correcting splicing deficiencies that underlie numerous diseases and disorders.
Published Study challenges popular idea that Easter islanders committed 'ecocide'



Some 1,000 years ago, a small band of Polynesians sailed thousands of miles across the Pacific to settle one of the world's most isolated places -- a small, previously uninhabited island they named Rapa Nui. Eventually, their numbers ballooned to unsustainable levels, they wrecked the environment, and their civilization collapsed. At least that is the longtime story, told in academic studies and popular books. A new study challenges this narrative of 'ecocide' saying that Rapa Nui's population never spiraled to unsustainable levels.
Published Membrane protein analogues could accelerate drug discovery



Researchers have created a deep learning pipeline for designing soluble analogues of key protein structures used in pharmaceutical development, sidestepping the prohibitive cost of extracting these proteins from cell membranes.
Published New study finds dinosaur fossils did not inspire the mythological griffin



For centuries, scientists thought they knew where the griffin legend came from. A new study takes a closer look at the data and folklore's influence on science.
Published Newly discovered dinosaur boasts big, blade-like horns



A new dinosaur has been identified and named. The dinosaur's name, Lokiceratops rangiformis, translates roughly to 'Loki's horned face that looks like a caribou.'
Published Mirror-image chemicals may revolutionize drug delivery



More than 130 years after cyclodextrins were first discovered and reported, a team of scientists has created chemical mirror images of these complex carbohydrates in the laboratory. This discovery may revolutionize how medications are delivered to patients.
Published The world's oldest wine discovered



A white wine over 2,000 years old, of Andalusian origin, is the oldest wine ever discovered.
Published New material puts eco-friendly methanol conversion within reach



Researchers have developed innovative, eco-friendly quantum materials that can drive the transformation of methanol into ethylene glycol. This discovery opens up new possibilities for using eco-friendly materials in photocatalysis, paving the way for sustainable chemical production.
Published Custom-made molecules designed to be invisible while absorbing near-infrared light



Researchers used theoretical calculations assessing electron orbital symmetry to synthesize new molecule designed to be both transparent and colorless while absorbing near-infrared light. This compound demonstrates the first systematic approach to producing such materials and have applications in advanced electronics. This compound also shows semiconducting properties.