ScienceDaily: All - February 18, 2025
Today's top research news
This research is absolutely nuts -- for better health care
A nut used in herbal tea has become a hydrogel perfect for a variety of biomedical uses in new research. Scientists created a malva nut hydrogel for medical uses ranging from wound care to ECG readings. The research doesn't rely on the rumored health benefits of the nuts -- in China, they're known as the sore throat remedy Pangdahai (PDH) -- but for their ability to swell 20 times their weight in water.
Near-complete skull discovery reveals 'top apex', leopard-sized 'fearsome' carnivore
A rare discovery of a nearly complete skull in the Egyptian desert has led scientists to the 'dream' revelation of a new 30-million-year-old species of the ancient apex predatory carnivore, Hyaenodonta.
Global action needed to solve the medical oxygen crisis
Targets for universal access, national roadmaps and more affordable and accessible care are vital to help fill the medical oxygen gap affecting more than half of the world's population, according to a new global report.
Sweet taste receptors in the heart: A new pathway for cardiac regulation
In a surprising discovery, scientists have found that the heart possesses 'sweet taste' receptors, similar to those on our tongues, and that stimulating these receptors with sweet substances can modulate the heartbeat. This research opens new avenues for understanding heart function and potentially for developing novel treatments for heart failure.
Reintroducing wolves to Scottish Highlands could help address climate emergency
Reintroducing wolves to the Scottish Highlands could lead to an expansion of native woodland which could take in and store one million tons of CO2 annually, according to a new study.
Novel catalyst development for sustainable ammonia synthesis
A groundbreaking study explores Ba-Si orthosilicate oxynitride-hydride (Ba3SiO5 xNyHz) as a sustainable catalyst for ammonia synthesis, offering a potential alternative to traditional transition metal-based systems. Synthesized through low-temperature solid-state reactions and enhanced with ruthenium nanoparticles, these compounds demonstrated improved catalytic performance under milder conditions, providing a more energy-efficient route to ammonia production. This approach also addresses the environmental challenges associated with conventional methods, signaling a shift toward greener industrial practices in ammonia production.
Researchers identify DNA changes, biological pathways associated with inherited cancer risk
Stanford Medicine researchers sifted through thousands of single nucleotide mutations in DNA to identify fewer than 400 that are functionally associated with inherited cancer risk.
Breaking the pattern: How disorder toughens materials
Researchers have found that adding just the right amount of disorder to the structure of certain materials can make them more than twice as resistant to cracking.
Scientists use distant sensor to monitor American Samoa earthquake swarm
In late July to October 2022, residents of the Manu'a Islands in American Samoa felt the earth shake several times a day, raising concerns of an imminent volcanic eruption or tsunami.
Research reveals how Earth got its ice caps
The cool conditions which have allowed ice caps to form on Earth are rare events in the planet's history and require many complex processes working at once, according to new research.
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