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Categories: Biology: Genetics, Chemistry: Biochemistry

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Biophysicists have demonstrated how heat flows through rock fissures could have created the conditions for the emergence of life.

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Lanthanide elements are important for clean energy and other applications. To use them, industry must separate mixed lanthanide sources into individual elements using costly, time-consuming, and waste-generating procedures. An efficient new method can be tailored to select specific lanthanides. The technique combines two substances that do not mix and that prefer different types of lanthanides. The process would allow for smaller equipment, less use of chemicals, and less waste production.

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Researchers have discovered how certain proteins can attach to special structures in RNA, called G-quadruplexes. Additionally, they have developed computational tools capable of predicting these protein-RNA interactions. The newfound ability to predict these interactions can help future work in understanding molecular pathways in the cell and pave the way for developing drugs targeting these RNA G-quadruplex binding proteins, that are found to be involved in disease such as cancer.

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A new sunflower family tree used skimmed genomes to increase the number of species sampled, revealing that flower symmetry evolved multiple times independently, a process called convergent evolution, among the members of this large plant family.

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Chemical biologists design an early 'proof-of-concept' vaccine that could lead to the first effective treatment of xylazine overdose in people.

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A new study finds that UCYN-A, a species of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, may be evolving organelle-like characteristics.

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Researchers gave nanorobots a trait called adaptive time delay, which allows them to better work together.

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Researchers have used a genetic learning algorithm to identify optimal pitch profiles for the blades of vertical-axis wind turbines, which despite their high energy potential, have until now been vulnerable to strong gusts of wind.

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A newly developed plant-based plastic material releases nine times less microplastics than conventional plastic when exposed to sunlight and seawater, a new study has found.

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Drawing inspiration from the way plants breathe, a group of researchers has created a paper-based magnesium-air battery that can be used in GPS sensors or pulse oximeter sensors. Taking advantage of paper's recyclability and lightweight nature, the engineered battery holds promise for a more environmentally friendly source of energy.

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Researchers have genetically engineered bacteria to grow animal- and plastic-free leather that dyes itself.

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A recent breakthrough sheds light on how the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, invades human red blood cells. The study reveals the role of a sugar called sialic acid in this invasion process. The findings have major implications for malaria vaccine and drug development.

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A genomic study of human and selected nonhuman primate centromeres has revealed their unimaginable diversity and speed of evolutionary change. Although centromeres are vital to proper cell replication by assuring faithful transmision of genetic materials when cells divide, the complexity of their genomic organization had been almost impossible to study. The lack of centromere sequences hindered exploration of how these regions help maintain genetic integrity. Now, advanced technologies have shown scientists how greatly centromeres differ in size and structure.

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Researchers are using semiconductors to harvest and convert the sun's energy into high-energy compounds that have the potential to produce environmentally-friendly fuels.

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Polymer-based hydrogels are used to treat skin ailments and in tissue engineering because of their ability to retain water, deliver drugs into wounds, and biodegrade. However, they are complicated to manufacture and not very resilient to external forces like rubbing against clothing, sheets, or wound dressings. Scientists have now created a hydrogel enhanced with the amino acid polylysine and blood plasma that is easier to synthesize, contains natural antibiotic properties, and promotes cell growth.

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An international team working with single-atom thick crystals found TaIrTe4's transition between the two distinct topological states of insulation and conduction. The material exhibited zero electrical conductivity within its interior, while its boundaries remain conductive. The team's investigation determined that the two topological states stem from disparate origins. The novel properties can serve as a promising platform for exploring exotic quantum phases and electromagnetism.

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Genomic anamolies dating back to the time of the dinosaurs misled scientists about the evolutionary history of birds.

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Nearly every modern cellphone has a built-in compass, or magnetometer, that detects the direction of Earth's magnetic field, providing critical information for navigation. Now a team of researchers has developed a technique that uses an ordinary cellphone magnetometer for an entirely different purpose -- to measure the concentration of glucose, a marker for diabetes, to high accuracy.

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Using state-of-the-art tissue engineering techniques and a 3D printer, researchers have assembled a replica of an adult human ear that looks and feels natural. The study offers the promise of grafts with well-defined anatomy and the correct biomechanical properties for those who are born with a congenital malformation or who lose an ear later in life.

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A research consortium provides evidence that social behavior and social status are reflected at the molecular level of gene activation (epigenome) in juvenile and adult free-ranging spotted hyenas. They analyzed non-invasively collected gut epithelium samples from both high-ranking and low-ranking female hyenas and showed that rank differences were associated with epigenetic signatures of social inequality, i.e., the pattern of activation or switching off of genes that regulate important physiological processes such as energy conversion and immune response in several genome regions.