New research by scientists at The University of Manchester suggests that areas of the ocean that are rich in marine life are having a bigger impact on our ecosystems and the climate than previously thought. The research has identified the primary source of urea, a nitrogen-rich compound vital for the growth and development of living
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Our skin is more than just a protective barrier; it is also a canvas for a unique and intricate pattern that is invisible to the naked eye. These patterns are known as Blaschko lines, and they are believed to trace the paths our cells took during embryonic development to form the skin we have today.
Researchers from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have discovered six additional runaway stars in the Milky Way, including two record-breaking hypervelocity stars, which travel faster than any other runaway star detected in the galaxy. Four of these newly found objects are hypervelocity stars that travel at speeds exceeding the escape velocity of the Milky Way.
Scientists are becoming creative in engineering yeast or bacteria to produce chemicals that are useful. A group of chemists from different universities has a more ambitious goal of retooling the cell’s polypeptide manufacturing plants and modifying the ribosomes that spin amino acids into protein to produce polymer chains that are more elaborate. The goal of
Class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC-I) proteins are crucial in the immune system of all jawed vertebrates. They showcase peptide fragments of proteins present inside the cell on the cell surface, displaying them to the immune system. This allows the immune system to scan the body for foreign or toxic antigens. When foreign peptides are
A group of counterfeiters was recently caught producing fake luxury jewelry items by pouring molten metal into molds produced from the original jewelry. In a similar way, a template scaffold can produce an endless amount of molecular crystals of any shape or form. Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) have used this
Recently, a graph showing a single red line that charts sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic Ocean went viral due to its startling display of unprecedented warming. The warming is nearly 2 degrees (1.09 Celsius) above the mean dating back to 1982, the earliest year with comparable data. Researchers are concerned about the huge
A new study conducted by researchers at Stanford University, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the University of Maryland, and Colorado State University has found a previously unknown reason why foods cooked at high temperatures, such as red meat and deep-fried foods, elevate the risk of cancer. The research discovered that the DNA
According to a study by researchers at the University of California, wildfires in California have consumed five times more area between 1996 and 2020 compared to the period between 1971 and 1995. The study found that nearly all of the increase in scorched terrain could be attributed to human-caused climate change. The researchers used climate
Boreal forests in North America are shifting northwards due to climate change. The shift is happening faster at the southern boreal boundaries than the northern ones, indicating that boreal forests are contracting on a continental scale. An international study led by Wageningen University & Research used 20 years of tree cover data from satellites to
Professor Mathieu Lapointe of the Department of Construction Engineering at École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) has conducted a study which highlights the impact of human activities on natural waters, aquatic biodiversity and the quality of drinking water resources. In the study, published in Nature Water, it was found that certain types of wastewater are not
Rice is a staple food in many parts of Asia and Africa and is also used extensively in dishes all over the world. One question that plagues many cooks is whether or not to wash rice before cooking. Some culinary experts claim that washing rice reduces the amount of starch in it, while others believe
The start of the working week is not enjoyed by many people, and now there is another reason to dread Mondays: it is the day when the most severe type of heart attack is most likely to happen. Based on an analysis of 10,528 patients in Ireland and Northern Ireland admitted to hospital between 2013
One of the most shared ‘science’ posts on the internet is a gif of a protein molecule walking along a filament while carrying a large sphere on its shoulders. The animation has been trending online since at least 2014 and continues to receive attention whenever it is shared again. Many have speculated that the gif
Polymers have become indispensable in our daily lives, from clothing to electronic devices, but their inability to decompose easily has led to long-term environmental challenges. The development of sustainable polymers with a more sustainable life cycle is crucial to help address this environmental crisis. However, the development of biodegradable polymers remains limited by current biodegradation
