Showing 20 articles starting at article 301
< Previous 20 articles Next 20 articles >
Categories: Biology: Developmental, Physics: General
Published New compound from blessed thistle promotes functional nerve regeneration



Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus) is a plant in the family Asteraceae. For centuries, it has been used as a medicinal herb as an extract or tea, e.g. to aid the digestive system. Researchers have now found a completely novel use for Cnicin. Animal models as well as human cells have shown that Cnicin significantly accelerates axon (nerve fibers) growth.
Published Compact quantum light processing



An international collaboration of researchers has achieved a significant breakthrough in quantum technology, with the successful demonstration of quantum interference among several single photons using a novel resource-efficient platform. The work represents a notable advancement in optical quantum computing that paves the way for more scalable quantum technologies.
Published Energy scientists unravel the mystery of gold's glow



EPFL researchers have developed the first comprehensive model of the quantum-mechanical effects behind photoluminescence in thin gold films; a discovery that could drive the development of solar fuels and batteries.
Published Light show in living cells



Observing proteins precisely within cells is extremely important for many branches of research but has been a significant technical challenge -- especially in living cells, as the required fluorescent labeling had to be individually attached to each protein. The research group has now overcome this hurdle: With a method called 'vpCells,' it is possible to label many proteins simultaneously, using five different fluorescent colors.
Published Octopus inspires new suction mechanism for robots



A new robotic suction cup which can grasp rough, curved and heavy stone, has been developed by scientists.
Published Atom-by-atom: Imaging structural transformations in 2D materials



Silicon-based electronics are approaching their physical limitations and new materials are needed to keep up with current technological demands. Two-dimensional (2D) materials have a rich array of properties, including superconductivity and magnetism, and are promising candidates for use in electronic systems, such as transistors. However, precisely controlling the properties of these materials is extraordinarily difficult.
Published Solving a mini mystery of cell division



Trying to hit a target size before dividing seems like the best strategy for maintaining a precise cell size, but bacteria don't do that. Now we know why.
Published Two-dimensional nanomaterial sets record for expert-defying, counter-intuitive expansion



Engineers have developed a record-setting nanomaterial which when stretched in one direction, expands perpendicular to the applied force.
Published Researchers uncover human DNA repair by nuclear metamorphosis



Researchers have discovered a DNA repair mechanism that advances understanding of how human cells stay healthy, and which could lead to new treatments for cancer and premature aging.
Published Plastic pollution can kill variety of ocean embryos



High levels of plastic pollution can kill the embryos of a wide range of ocean animals, new research shows.
Published Photonic computation with sound waves



Optical neural networks may provide the high-speed and large-capacity solution necessary to tackle challenging computing tasks. However, tapping their full potential will require further advances. One challenge is the reconfigurability of optical neural networks. A research team has now succeeded in laying the foundation for new reconfigurable neuromorphic building blocks by adding a new dimension to photonic machine learning: sound waves. The researchers use light to create temporary acoustic waves in an optical fiber. The sound waves generated in this way can for instance enable a recurrent functionality in a telecom optical fiber, which is essential to interpreting contextual information such as language.
Published Creating an island paradise in a fusion reactor



In their ongoing quest to develop a range of methods for managing plasma so it can be used to generate electricity in a process known as fusion, researchers have shown how two old methods can be combined to provide greater flexibility.
Published Crucial connection for 'quantum internet' made for the first time



Researchers have produced, stored, and retrieved quantum information for the first time, a critical step in quantum networking.
Published How tardigrades can survive intense radiation



Researchers have discovered that tardigrades -- microscopic animals famed for surviving harsh extremes -- have an unusual response to radiation.
Published Unlocking the 'chain of worms'



An international team of scientists has published a single-cell atlas for Pristina leidyi (Pristina), the water nymph worm, a segmented annelid with extraordinary regenerative abilities that has fascinated biologists for more than a century.
Published Quantum precision: A new kind of resistor



Researchers have developed a method that can improve the performance of quantum resistance standards. It's based on a quantum phenomenon called Quantum Anomalous Hall effect.
Published Cell's 'garbage disposal' may have another role: Helping neurons near skin sense the environment



The typical job of the proteasome, the garbage disposal of the cell, is to grind down proteins into smaller bits and recycle some of those bits and parts. That's still the case, for the most part, but researchers, studying nerve cells grown in the lab and mice, say that the proteasome's role may go well beyond that.
Published How seaweed became multicellular



A deep dive into macroalgae genetics has uncovered the genetic underpinnings that enabled macroalgae, or 'seaweed,' to evolve multicellularity. Three lineages of macroalgae developed multicellularity independently and during very different time periods by acquiring genes that enable cell adhesion, extracellular matrix formation, and cell differentiation, researchers report. Surprisingly, many of these multicellular-enabling genes had viral origins. The study, which increased the total number of sequenced macroalgal genomes from 14 to 124, is the first to investigate macroalgal evolution through the lens of genomics.
Published First step to untangle DNA: Supercoiled DNA captures gyrase like a lasso ropes cattle



Researchers reveal how DNA gyrase resolves DNA entanglements. The findings not only provide novel insights into this fundamental biological mechanism but also have potential practical applications. Gyrases are biomedical targets for the treatment of bacterial infections and the similar human versions of the enzymes are targets for many anti-cancer drugs. Better understanding of how gyrases work at the molecular level can potentially improve clinical treatments.
Published 'Surprising' hidden activity of semiconductor material spotted by researchers



New research suggests that materials commonly overlooked in computer chip design actually play an important role in information processing, a discovery which could lead to faster and more efficient electronics. Using advanced imaging techniques, an international team found that the material that a semiconductor chip device is built on, called the substrate, responds to changes in electricity much like the semiconductor on top of it.