ScienceDaily: All - April 17, 2025
Today's top research news
Strongest hints yet of biological activity outside the solar system
Astronomers have detected the most promising signs yet of a possible biosignature outside the solar system, although they remain cautious.
AntonKhrupinArt/Shutterstock.com
Golden eyes: How gold nanoparticles may one day help to restore people's vision
A team of researchers has identified a promising new approach that may one day help to restore vision in people affected by macular degeneration and other retinal disorders.
How do age, sex, hormones and genetics affect dementia biomarkers in the blood?
A new study has found important clues about the roles age, sex, hormonal changes and genetics play in how certain biomarkers for dementia are expressed in the blood, according to a new study.
Discovery of FOXR2 activation in various brain tumors refines diagnosis to improve care
Scientists have implicated the FOXR2 gene in previously unassociated brain tumor types, with implications for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.
Microbes in Brooklyn Superfund site teach lessons on fighting industrial pollution
Using advanced DNA sequence analysis, a research team has discovered that tiny organisms in Brooklyn's highly contaminated Gowanus Canal have developed a comprehensive collection of pollution-fighting genes. This finding suggests the potential of a cheaper, more sustainable, and less disruptive method for cleaning contaminated waterways than the current oft-used dredging operations.
Researchers report association between urinary incontinence, cardiovascular disease
Researchers report an association between urinary incontinence and cardiovascular disease risk in women. The researcher recommend women should be checked regularly for urinary incontinence.
Ever wonder why some meteor showers are so unpredictable?
Why do comets and their meteoroid streams weave in and out of Earth's orbit and their orbits disperse over time? Researchers show that this is not due to the random pull of the planets, but rather the kick they receive from a moving Sun.
Cosmic twist: The universe could be spinning
A new study suggests the universe may rotate -- just extremely slowly. The finding could help solve one of astronomy's biggest puzzles.
Faster way to solve complex planning problems
Researchers developed a machine-learning-guided technique to solve complex, long-horizon planning problems more efficiently than some traditional approaches, while arriving at an optimal solution that better meets a user's goals.
RoboBee comes in for a landing
A recently created RoboBee is now outfitted with its most reliable landing gear to date, inspired by one of nature's most graceful landers: the crane fly. The team has given their flying robot a set of long, jointed legs that help ease its transition from air to ground. The robot has also received an updated controller that helps it decelerate on approach, resulting in a gentle plop-down.
Sunscreen, clothes and caves may have helped Homo sapiens survive 41,000 years ago
A study suggests that Homo sapiens may have benefited from the use of ochre and tailored clothing during a period of increased UV light 41,000 years ago, during the Laschamps excursion.
'Big surprise': Astronomers find planet in perpendicular orbit around pair of stars
Astronomers have found a planet that orbits at an angle of 90 degrees around a rare pair of peculiar stars. This is the first time we have strong evidence for one of these 'polar planets' orbiting a stellar pair.
Crystal clues on Mars point to watery and possibly life-supporting past
A new study analyzing data from NASA's Perseverance rover has uncovered compelling evidence of multiple mineral-forming events just beneath the Martian surface -- findings that bring scientists one step closer to answering the profound question: Did life ever exist on Mars?
'Do we see colors the same way?' is a fundamentally human question and one of great importance in research into the human mind. While impossible to answer at present, researchers take steps to answering it using a method that can map the experiences of colors between individuals, including those with colorblindness.
Structural images of a tuberculosis-fighting virus
Mycobacteria are the world's most deadly bacteria --c ausing infectious diseases including tuberculosis (TB), which alone kills more than one million people each year. New drugs to fight these infections are desperately needed, as the number of cases of antibiotic-resistant mycobacteria is on the rise. Scientists have now used advanced imaging techniques to provide a detailed look at how a tiny virus, known as a phage, invades Mycobacteria.
Scientists find evidence that overturns theories of the origin of water on Earth
Researchers have helped overturn the popular theory that water on Earth originated from asteroids bombarding its surface; Scientists have analyzed a meteorite analogous to the early Earth to understand the origin of hydrogen on our planet. The research team demonstrated that the material which built our planet was far richer in hydrogen than previously thought. The findings support the theory that the formation of habitable conditions on Earth did not rely on asteroids hitting the Earth.
Menopause at an early age can exacerbate cognitive decline
Why does dementia affect more women than men? To help solve this mystery, researchers uncovered a new risk factor: age of menopause onset.
Secret to crocodylian longevity
Researchers examined teeth and skulls of 99 extinct crocodylomorph species and 20 living crocodylian species to reconstruct their dietary ecology and identify characteristics that helped some groups persist through two mass extinctions. They discovered that one secret tocrocodylian longevity is their remarkably flexible lifestyles, both in what they eat and the habitat in which they get it.
Researchers have isolated a giant virus, which was named Jyvaskylavirus. The discovery shows that giant viruses are more common in northern regions than researchers have thought. It also illustrates that there are still many structures whose origins and functions have not been properly studied.
Farm robot autonomously navigates, harvests among raised beds
A researcher has developed an autonomous driving algorithm for agricultural robots used for greenhouse cultivation and other farm work.
A new super metal stands strong, no matter the temperature
A research team develops a new alloy that maintains tensile properties from -196 degrees Celsius to 600 degrees Celsius.
The most distant twin of the Milky Way ever observed
An international team has discovered the most distant spiral galaxy candidate known to date. This ultra-massive system existed just one billion years after the Big Bang and already shows a remarkably mature structure, with a central old bulge, a large star-forming disk, and well-defined spiral arms. The discovery was made using data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and offers important insights into how galaxies can form and evolve so rapidly in the early Universe.
Researchers introduce a brand-new method to detect gunshot residue at the crime scene
Crime scene investigation may soon become significantly more accurate and efficient thanks to a new method for detecting gunshot residues. Researchers have developed the technique that converts lead particles found in gunshot residue into a light-emitting semiconductor. The method is faster, more sensitive, and easier to use than current alternatives. Forensic experts at the Amsterdam police force are already testing it in actual crime scene investigations.
Our DNA is at risk of hacking, warn scientists
According to new research next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) -- the same technology which is powering the development of tailor-made medicines, cancer diagnostics, infectious disease tracking, and gene research -- could become a prime target for hackers.
Researchers have made significant advancements in understanding the earliest stages of stomach cancer, a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, through two recent innovative studies. With a prevalence rates particularly high in East Asia, including China, this cancer often stems from chronic inflammation caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, which affects approximately 15% of the Hong Kong population. This inflammation can lead to a pre-cancerous stage known as intestinal metaplasia. The innovative studies have uncovered crucial insights into the earliest changes in the stomach that contribute to the development of stomach cancer, laying the foundation for improved prevention and early detection, ultimately saving lives.
Climate-related trauma can have lasting effects on decision-making
A new study suggests that climate trauma -- such as experiencing a devastating wildfire -- can have lasting effects on cognitive function.
Uncovering the relationship between life and sound
There's a sensation that you experience -- near a plane taking off or a speaker bank at a concert -- from a sound so total that you feel it in your very being. When this happens, not only do your brain and ears perceive it, but your cells may also. Technically speaking, sound is a simple phenomenon, consisting of compressional mechanical waves transmitted through substances, which exists universally in the non-equilibrated material world. Sound is also a vital source of environmental information for living beings, while its capacity to induce physiological responses at the cell level is only just beginning to be understood.
Civil engineering team develops innovative solution for tracking antibiotic resistance genes
A research team has developed a computational tool, Argo, designed to accurately track ARGs in environmental samples, providing insights into their dissemination and associated risks.
Mindfulness and step tracking boosts motivation to exercise
Step tracking with mindfulness training delivered via a mobile app boosts people's desire to exercise.
How disturbed signaling pathways could promote epileptic seizures
Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) type 2 is a congenital malformation of the cerebral cortex that is often associated with difficult-to-treat epilepsy. In the affected areas, nerve cells and their layer structures are arranged in an atypical manner, which often makes drug therapy more difficult. A research team has now found evidence of profound changes in the dopamine system in FCD type 2.
Holiday flights could carry fewer passengers as world warms
By the 2060s, some airports with shorter runways may need to reduce their maximum take-off weight by the equivalent of approximately 10 passengers per flight during summer months.
Microorganisms employ a secret weapon during metabolism
In the global carbon cycle microorganisms have evolved a variety of methods for fixing carbon. Researchers have investigated the methods that are utilized at extremely hot, acidic and sulfur-rich hydrothermal vents in shallow waters off the island of Kueishantao, Taiwan.
Simulating protein structures involved in memory formation
Complex protein interactions at synapses are essential for memory formation in our brains, but the mechanisms behind these processes remain poorly understood. Now, researchers have developed a computational model revealing new insights into the unique droplet-inside-droplet structures that memory-related proteins form at synapses. They discovered that the shape characteristics of a memory-related protein are crucial for the formation of these structures, which could shed light on the nature of various neurological disorders.
Forward genetics approach reveals the factor responsible for carbon trade-off in leaves
Starch and oils are known as storehouses of carbon in plants. However, the way in which carbon resources are allocated during metabolism in plants remained unknown. Now, however, using a forward genetics approach, researchers have identified that a gene named LIRI1 regulates this process, significantly increasing oil storage in leaves while reducing starch levels. Their findings provide insights into carbon allocation mechanisms, offering the potential for the development of renewable biofuel resources or low-starch foods.
Towards gene-targeting drugs capable of targeting brain diseases
Getting therapeutic drugs past the blood-brain barrier has long been a major challenge in treating brain diseases. Now, researchers have explored how cholesterol-modified heteroduplex oligonucleotides (Chol-HDOs) enhance drug delivery to the brain. Their study reveals that Chol-HDOs bind tightly to serum proteins, allowing them to persist in the bloodstream and cross into brain tissue. These findings offer insights into gene-targeting therapies and could help develop treatments for conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
Favorite music sets the brain's opioids in motion
A new imaging study showed that listening to favorite music affects the function of the brain's opioid system.
Viewing art can boost wellbeing by giving meaning to life
The simple act of looking at a piece of visual art can boost your wellbeing, a new research study has found, and this benefit can be gained in a hospital setting as well as an art gallery.
A step toward harnessing clean energy from falling rainwater
When two materials come into contact, charged entities on their surfaces get a little nudge. This is how rubbing a balloon on the skin creates static electricity. Likewise, water flowing over some surfaces can gain or lose charge. Now, researchers have harnessed the phenomenon to generate electricity from rain-like droplets moving through a tube. They demonstrate a new kind of flow that makes enough power to light 12 LEDs.
Hereditary Alzheimer's: Blood marker for defective neuronal connections rises early
Individuals with a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer's disease show altered blood levels indicating damaged neuronal contacts as early as 11 years before the expected onset of dementia symptoms. This is evident in the levels of the protein 'beta-synuclein'.
Novel machine learning model can predict material failure before it happens
A team of researchers has successfully predicted abnormal grain growth in simulated polycrystalline materials for the first time -- a development that could lead to the creation of stronger, more reliable materials for high-stress environments, such as combustion engines.
Nature-based activity is effective therapy for anxiety and depression, study shows
Researchers evaluating a nature-based program of activities for patients with mild to moderate mental health conditions have shown that improvements in mood and anxiety levels can be seen in as little as 12 weeks.
Experiment in floodplain forest: Using tree mortality to support oak regeneration
The pedunculate oaks typical of Leipzig's floodplain forest and other German oak forests are struggling to regenerate in the understorey due to a lack of light. One reason for this is the absence of flooding in floodplain forests. In a two-year oak experiment in Leipzig's floodplain forest, researchers found that the current tree dieback -- caused by drought and pest outbreaks -- combined with the thinning of certain understorey species, can actually support oak regeneration.
Living fungus-based building material repairs itself for over a month
Engineers have developed a building material that uses the root-like mycelium of a fungus and bacteria cells. Their results show that this material -- which is manufactured with living cells at low temperatures -- is capable of self-repairing and could eventually offer a sustainable alternative for high-emission building materials like concrete.
Bite-sized chunks of chicken with the texture of whole meat can be grown in the lab
A bioreactor that mimics a circulatory system can deliver nutrients and oxygen to artificial tissue, enabling the production of over 10 grams of chicken muscle for cultured meat applications.
A compact, mid-infrared pulse generator
Physicists have created a compact laser that emits extremely bright, short pulses of light in a useful but difficult-to-achieve wavelength range, packing the performance of larger photonic devices onto a single chip.
New research shows Glycolysis -- the process of converting sugar into energy -- plays a key role in early development. More than fuel, Glycolysis doesn't just power cells -- it helps steer them toward specific tissue types at critical moments in development.
'Cosmic radio' could find dark matter in 15 years
Scientists have designed a 'cosmic radio' detector which could discover dark matter in 15 years.
Study finds dramatic boost in air quality from electrifying railways
Switching from diesel to electric trains dramatically improved the air quality aboard the San Francisco Bay Area's Caltrain commuter rail line, reducing riders' exposure to the carcinogen black carbon by an average of 89%, finds a new study. The electrification of the system also significantly reduced the ambient black carbon concentrations within and around the San Francisco station.
Beneath the steaming geysers and bubbling mud pots of Yellowstone National Park lies one of the world's most closely watched volcanic systems. Now a team of geoscientists has uncovered new evidence that sheds light on how this mighty system may behave in the future -- and what might keep it from erupting.
Scientists create a 'brilliantly luminous' nanoscale chemical tool
Imagine tiny building toy pieces that automatically snap together to form a strong, flat sheet. Then, scientists add special chemical 'hooks' to these sheets to attach glowing molecules called fluorophores. Researchers have created these tiny, clay-based materials -- called fluorescent polyionic nanoclays. They can be customized for many uses, including advancing energy and sensor technology, improving medical treatments and protecting the environment.
Supercharged mitochondria spark aging-related blood disorders
Scientists have discovered how aging blood stem cells acquire mutations that give them a growth edge, creating fertile ground for the development of clonol hematopoiesis, a condition that dramatically increases the risk of heart disease, blood cancers, and other illnesses. Importantly, they've also identified a method to halt this abnormal growth. This breakthrough provides crucial insight into age-related blood disorders and opens the door to new therapeutic strategies targeting the root cause of these conditions.
New human 'multi-zonal' liver organoids improve injury survival in rodents
'Multi-zonal' liver organoids represent a significant step forward in developing lab-grown liver tissues.
Reprogramming cancer cells to treat an aggressive type of leukemia
A new study has identified a novel strategy for treating acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), an aggressive blood cancer for which the median survival time following diagnosis remains just 8.5 months.
Popular diabetes medications, including GLP-1 drugs, may protect against Alzheimer's disease
Drugs like Ozempic, other blood sugar-reducing medications, may stave off dementia.
Little birds' personalities shine through their song -- and may help find a mate
In birds, singing behaviors play a critical role in mating and territory defense. Although birdsong can signal individual quality and personality, very few studies have explored the relationship between individual personality and song complexity, and none has investigated this in females, say animal behavior experts.
Primate mothers display different bereavement response to humans
Macaque mothers experience a short period of physical restlessness after the death of an infant, but do not show typical human signs of grief, such as lethargy and appetite loss, finds a new study by anthropologists.
New pollen-replacing food for honey bees brings new hope for survival
Scientists have unveiled a new food source designed to sustain honey bee colonies indefinitely without natural pollen. The research details successful trials where nutritionally stressed colonies, deployed for commercial crop pollination in Washington state, thrived on the new food source.