Toybox makes 3D printing fun and easy for kids! Young creators can bring ideas to life with a vast project library, an intuitive Creator Space, and easy one-touch printing.
3D printing sparks creativity and helps kids think like inventors, engineers, and scientists. No experience needed—just imagination!
With ideal conditions and strategic pacing and drafting, Kenyan Faith Kipyegon is on the brink of hitting the fabled track and field milestone, a new study suggests. The authors are now calling for a staged 'Breaking 4' event to help her do it.
New research has revealed how massive ancient glaciers acted like giant bulldozers, reshaping Earth's surface and paving the way for complex life to flourish. By chemically analyzing crystals in ancient rocks, the researchers discovered that as glaciers carved through the landscape, they scraped deep into the Earth's crust, releasing key minerals that altered ocean chemistry. This process had a profound impact on our planet's composition, creating conditions that allowed complex life to evolve.
New observations of 2024 YR4 conducted with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) and facilities around the world have all but ruled out an impact of the asteroid with our planet. The asteroid has been closely monitored in the past couple of months as its odds of impacting Earth in 2032 rose to around 3%, the highest impact probability ever reached for a sizable asteroid. After the latest observations, the odds of impact dropped to nearly zero.
Some animals are capable of cooperating with members of other species. An interdisciplinary team explores the cognitive underpinnings of such cross-species collaborations, opening up a new perspective on the evolution of intelligence and cooperation in the animal kingdom.
The Beatles said it best: Love is all you need. And according to new research, the same may be true in the animal kingdom. Well, at least for mosquitofish -- a matchstick-sized fish endemic to Central America and now found globally. According to the scientists, male mosquitofish possess impressive problem-solving skills and can successfully navigate mazes and other tests. Males that perform better have a higher chance of mating.
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers investigate the extreme weather patterns and atmospheric properties of exoplanet LTT 9779 b. New JWST observations with NIRISS reveal a dynamic atmosphere: powerful winds sweep around the planet, shaping mineral clouds as they condense into a bright, white arc on the slightly cooler western side of the dayside. As these clouds move eastward, they evaporate under the intense heat, leaving the eastern dayside with clear skies.
Astronomers have discovered that the Solar System traversed the Orion star-forming complex, a component of the Radcliffe Wave galactic structure, approximately 14 million years ago. This journey through a dense region of space could have compressed the heliosphere, the protective bubble surrounding our solar system, and increased the influx of interstellar dust, potentially influencing Earth's climate and leaving traces in geological records.
Silicon is the best-known semiconductor material. However, controlled nanostructuring drastically alters the material's properties. Using a specially developed etching apparatus, a team has now produced mesoporous silicon layers with countless tiny pores and investigated their electrical and thermal conductivity. For the first time, the researchers elucidated the electronic transport mechanism in this mesoporous silicon. The material has great potential for applications and could also be used to thermally insulate qubits for quantum computers.
Cadmium selenide nanoplatelets provide a promising foundation for the development of innovative electronic materials. Since the turn of the millennium, researchers around the world have taken a particular interest in these tiny platelets, which are only a few atoms thick, as they offer extraordinary optical and other properties. A team has now taken an important step towards the systematic production of such nanoplatelets.
Researchers have invented an entirely new field of microscopy -- nuclear spin microscopy. The team can visualize magnetic signals of nuclear magnetic resonance with a microscope. Quantum sensors convert the signals into light, enabling extremely high-resolution optical imaging.
An international team of researchers has successfully captured the internal structure of the longest-runout sediment flow ever recorded on Earth. Using seismic measurements, the researchers have for the first time been able to analyze in detail the internal structure of these tens to hundreds of kilometers long turbidity currents -- an oceanographic phenomenon that has been studied for almost a century, but never directly observed. The new insights into the dynamics of these powerful currents will help improve risk assessments for underwater infrastructure, such as submarine cables, and refine models of sediment and carbon transport in the ocean.
How does a tennis player like Carlos Alcaraz decide where to run to return Novak Djokovic's ball by just looking at the ball's initial position? These behaviours, so common in elite athletes, are difficult to explain with current computational models, which assume that the players must continuously follow the ball with their eyes. Now, researchers have developed a model that, by combining optical variables with environmental factors such as gravity, accurately predicts how a person will move to catch a moving object just from an initial glance. These results could have potential applications in fields such as robotics, sports training or even space exploration.
New research suggests that all five subregions of Africa will breach the 1.5 C climate change threshold -- the limit stipulated by the Paris Agreement -- by 2040 even under low emission scenarios.
Investigators have conducted a multi-ancestry, whole genome sequencing association study of Alzheimer's disease and found evidence for 16 new susceptibility genes, expanding the study of Alzheimer's disease in underrepresented groups.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known as forever chemicals because of their extreme persistence. These compounds have useful properties including durability and waterproofing, so they're commonly used in consumer products like food packaging and cosmetics, as well as industrial processes. But PFAS' potential negative impacts on human health are driving the search for potentially safer substitutes. Now, researchers propose alternatives for many applications.
Making enemies isn't random. Traits like emotional instability, aggression, and disruptive behavior early in life can lead to antagonistic relationships. Research on students aged 9-14 found that negative behaviors, such as lack of empathy, increase the likelihood of mutual antagonisms, a pattern seen across genders and school levels. Emotionally struggling students were 35% more likely to develop enemies, showing that how we manage emotions and interact with others early on can have lasting social and emotional effects.
A new study suggests that Neanderthals experienced a dramatic loss of genetic variation during the course of their evolution, foreshadowing their eventual extinction. Examination of semicircular canals of ear shows Neanderthals experienced 'bottleneck' event where physical and genetic variation was lost.
Grouting is a widely used construction technique that involves injecting stabilizing materials into soil to ensure structural stability, which is especially beneficial in earthquake-prone regions. Now, scientists have developed an innovative, carbon-neutral grout made from waste fluids of geothermal energy harvesting systems. Their new material shows a 50% increase in liquefaction resistance compared to conventional grouts, while also addressing environmental concerns associated with the construction industry.
A bone marrow transplant process is safe and curative for adults with sickle cell disease, according to results of a trial completed at about 20 cancer centers.
A novel tool for rapidly identifying the genetic 'fingerprints' of cancer cells may enable future surgeons to more accurately remove brain tumors while a patient is in the operating room, new research reveals.
Keeping work surfaces clean during meat processing is a challenge, and now researchers deliver key insights into a solution that could change the current practice altogether: Instead of working to prevent bacteria buildup, they created surfaces that stop bacteria from attaching in the first place. Using lasers to etch and alter the surface of the metal, the team was able to create micro- or nanoscale textures that make it difficult for microbial cells to attach to the surface. The technique, known as laser-induced surface texturing, also alters the metal's water-repellent properties.
A study demonstrates that the 'previous state' of blood stem cells plays a decisive role in the subtype of leukemia that develops. The new technique, called STRACK, allows monitoring of the evolution of each cell before and after acquiring oncogenic mutations.
Researchers have found that specific gut cells, BEST4/CA7+ cells, regulate electrolyte and water balance in response to bacterial toxins that cause diarrhea. Their findings show that these cells greatly increase in number when exposed to the cytokine interferon- (IFN ), presenting a promising target for therapeutic strategies.
For children and teens living with migraine, there may be a new preventive treatment, according to a preliminary study. Researchers found the drug zonisamide, which has been used to treat seizures, may reduce migraine days in this age group. This study does not prove that zonisamide reduces migraine days; it only shows an association.
Springtails, small bugs often found crawling through leaf litter and garden soil, are expert jumpers. Inspired by these hopping hexapods, roboticists have made a walking, jumping robot that pushes the boundaries of what small robots can do. The research glimpses a future where nimble microrobots can crawl through tiny spaces, skitter across dangerous ground, and sense their environments without human intervention.
Researchers are looking underfoot to uncover the mysterious past of Mars: Martian regoliths in the soil. Their water storage capabilities may help us understand the change in water on Mars over time.
A low-energy challenger to the quantum computer also works at room temperature. The researchers have shown that information can be transmitted using magnetic wave motion in complex networks.
Tiny bits of plastic found in the ocean may be tied to a higher risk of disability for people who live in coastal areas with high levels, according to a preliminary study. The study looked at disabilities affecting memory and thinking, mobility and a person's ability to take care of oneself.
A team of scientists has now created a computer model that can represent and generate human-like goals by learning from how people create games. The work could lead to AI systems that better understand human intentions and more faithfully model and align with our goals. It may also lead to AI systems that can help us design more human-like games.
A new study explores the behavior of photons, the elementary particles of light, as they encounter boundaries where material properties change rapidly over time. This research uncovers remarkable quantum optical phenomena which may enhance quantum technology and paves the road for an exciting nascent field: four-dimensional quantum optics.
A research study has analyzed the relation between the genetic risk of having schizophrenia and mild subclinical traits in people of the general population. According to the study, the way the genetic risk of having this disorder affects these subclinical traits is different in men and women.
Coronary artery disease (CAD), or the narrowing of the coronary arteries, is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque in the arteries, develops when low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) enters the blood vessel walls through dysfunctional endothelial cells (EC), leading to the formation of plaques. Researchers developed a polygenic risk score that examines genes associated with EC function to identify individuals with higher CAD risk.
For decades researchers have been exploring how to store data in glass because of its potential to hold information for a long time -- eons -- without applying power. A special type of glass that changes color in different wavelengths of light, called photochromic glass, holds promise for stable, reusable data storage. Now, researchers have developed a doped photochromic glass that has the potential to store rewritable data indefinitely.
A new method seeks specific molecules that can target desired tissues through the bloodstream and penetrate tissues by passing through cells. This innovation could help solve issues related to drug treatments for, for example, cancer and brain diseases, particularly as regards to drug efficacy.
Researchers have created a new salt-blocking membrane that allows water to flow eight-times faster making desalination systems more efficient and cost-effective.
Researchers investigating the role of the protein CD44 in obesity and metabolic health found that CD44-deficient mice stayed lean even on a high-fat diet, while the control mice developed obesity. A new study details the unexpected pivotal role of CD44, highlighting how it regulates fat cell formation and metabolic health.
A century of fire suppression, climate change, and drought has worsened wildfires in the Western U.S. While prescribed burns help reduce fuel, a 'fire deficit' increases wildfire risks, with significant health and environmental impacts. Deforestation and pests further limit carbon storage. Emulating Indigenous practices, a new study shows that combining physical harvesting of dead wood with thinning reduces wildfire risks, lowers carbon emissions, and boosts carbon storage through products like biochar.
Fathers who take at least two weeks of leave after their child's birth are significantly more likely to report longer breastfeeding duration by the mother, according to a recent survey.
Cells attach to each other through carefully arranged molecules. A research team has now found that the way they organize to find their proper places is similar to how grease drops self-organize in soup.
Researchers discovered evidence for human habitation of rainforests 150,000 years ago. This pushes back the oldest known evidence of humans in rainforests by more than double the previously known estimate.
It's not what you do, it's how readily you do it. Rapid evolutionary change might have more to do with how easily a key innovation can be gained or lost rather than with the innovation itself, according to new work.
A comprehensive encyclopedia of the known functions of all protein-coding human genes has just been completed and released. Researchers used large-scale evolutionary modeling to integrate data on human genes with genetic data collected from other organisms. This has culminated in a searchable public resource that lists the known functions of more than 20,000 genes using the most accurate and complete evidence available.
Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) approach that accelerates the identification of genes that contribute to neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, epilepsy and developmental delay. This new powerful computational tool can help fully characterize the genetic landscape of neurodevelopmental disorders, which is key to making accurate molecular diagnosis, elucidating disease mechanism and developing targeted therapies.
Researchers use rare-earth ions to achieve the first-ever demonstration of entanglement multiplexing between individual memory qubits in a quantum network.
Immune cells that eat bacteria in the body don't stash them in specialized compartments as once thought, but turn them into critical nutrients that build proteins, create energy and keep the cells alive, according to a new study.
The reason why so many tree species can coexist in species-rich forests has long been a subject of debate in ecology. This question is key to understanding the mechanisms governing the dynamics and stability of forests. An international team of scientists has now discovered unexpected patterns in the spatial distribution of tree species. Their results suggest that tree species in tropical and temperate forests manifest contrasting coexistence strategies as a result of differences in the patterns of tree clustering and the abundances of tree species.
Physicists bring unprecedented levels of predictability to the ancient practice of knitting by developing a mathematical model that could be used to create a new class of lightweight, ultra-strong materials.
A new study details the discovery of rare gene variants that increase the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in multiple generations of Asian Indian people. The unusual finding is a step toward more targeted treatment for all people with Type 2 diabetes, a disease with complex genetic influences.
In a breakthrough that could transform bioelectronic sensing, an interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a new method to dramatically enhance the sensitivity of enzymatic and microbial fuel cells using organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs).
Researchers report on the influence of an endophytic fungus of the genus Cladosporium on the defense of black poplars against herbivorous insects. The fungus, which lives inside the leaves, not only increases the production of defensive substances in the trees, but also produces an alkaloid itself that protects the trees from feeding damage. The research team has also shown in field studies that the presence of the fungus influences the composition of insect communities in young black poplars. For example, aphids living on the trees may excrete the fungus's defense substance in their honeydew and therefore be visited less by ants.
