ScienceDaily: All - May 25, 2025
Today's top research news
Missing link in early Martian water cycle discovered
Astronomers have filled a large gap in knowledge about Mars' water cycle. Their research on water percolating from surface to aquifer could change the picture of what early Mars was like, suggesting that less of the planet's water may have been available to become rain and refill lakes and oceans.
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How to solve a bottleneck for CO2 capture and conversion
New research could improve the efficiency of electrochemical carbon-dioxide capture and release by six times and cut costs by at least 20 percent. Researchers added nanoscale filtering membranes to a carbon-capture system, separating the ions that carry out the capture and release steps, and enabling both steps to proceed more efficiently.
Common diabetes drug helps chickens lay more eggs
What do chickens and people with a common reproductive disorder have in common? More than one might think -- and a widely-used diabetes medication might just be the surprising link.
Molecules in blood and urine could reveal how much ultra-processed food you eat
Sets of metabolites found in blood and urine reliably correspond with how much energy from ultra-processed food a person consumes, according to a new study.
Our ability to store information about familiar objects depends on the connection between visual and language processing regions in the brain, according to a new study.
How membranes may have brought about the chemistry of life on Earth
A team of researchers studied the properties of membranes to understand how these cellular structures influenced the chemistry of life on Earth as it began.
Scientific breakthrough brings CO2 'breathing' batteries closer to reality
Scientists have made a breakthrough in eco-friendly batteries that not only store more energy but could also help tackle greenhouse gas emissions. Lithium-CO2 'breathing' batteries release power while capturing carbon dioxide, offering a greener alternative that may one day outperform today's lithium-ion batteries.
Forest management can influence health benefits
Forests play a crucial role in promoting health and wellbeing, but not all forests provide the same benefits. A large-scale study demonstrates how specific forest characteristics -- such as canopy density and tree species diversity -- can affect various health outcomes.
Forgotten property of the electron
The orbital angular momentum of electrons has long been considered a minor physical phenomenon, suppressed in most crystals and largely overlooked. Scientists have now discovered that in certain materials it is not only preserved but can even be actively controlled. This is due to a property of the crystal structure called chirality, which also influences many other processes in nature. The discovery has the potential to lead to a new class of electronic components capable of transmitting information with exceptional robustness and energy efficiency.
Household action can play major role in climate change fight
Encouraging people in North America and Sub-Saharan Africa to adopt a low-carbon lifestyle could help to cut global household emissions of planet-warming carbon dioxide by up to two-fifths, a new study reveals.
Advanced genomics study improves detection of hard-to-find diarrheal infections
A study has used advanced genetic and genomic techniques to offer a major step forward in understanding and diagnosing infectious intestinal diseases. The large-scale study analyzed more than 1,000 stool samples from people with diarrheal illness to harness two cutting edge tools. The study used metagenomic (DNA-based) and metatranscriptomic (gene or RNA-based) sequencing. Unlike traditional methods, these techniques do not rely on growing organisms in a lab. Instead, they detect and analyze the genetic material directly from patient samples.
New perspectives for wound healing and the treatment of chronic diseases
Fibroblasts play a central role in maintaining healthy tissue structures, as well as in the development and progression of diseases. For a long time, these specialized connective tissue cells were thought to represent a single, uniform cell type. A recent publication shows that fibroblasts in human tissue actually consist of distinct populations with specialized functions. This heterogeneity is key to developing targeted therapies in regenerative medicine and in the treatment of diseases.
Asian elephants have larger brains than their African relatives
African elephants are the largest land animals on earth and significantly larger than their relatives in Asia, from which they are separated by millions of years of evolution. Nevertheless, Asian elephants have a 20 percent heavier brain, as scientists were able to demonstrate. They also showed that elephant brains triple in weight after birth. These results provide potential explanations for behavioral differences between African and Asian elephants as well as for the pachyderms' long youth, during which they gain enormous experience and learn social skills.
Wild spinach offers path to breed disease resistance into cultivated varieties
Several varieties of wild spinach that originated in Central Asia show resistance to a destructive soil-borne pathogen that beleaguers growers of spinach seed in the Pacific Northwest -- a finding that can be used to breed hardier crops.
'Sharkitecture:' A nanoscale look inside a blacktip shark's skeleton
Using synchrotron X-ray nanotomography with detailed 3D imaging and in-situ mechanical testing, researchers are peering inside shark skeletons at the nanoscale, revealing a microscopic 'sharkitecture' that helps these ancient apex predators withstand extreme physical demands of constant motion. After hundreds of millions of years of evolution, scientists can now finally see how shark cartilage works at the nanoscale -- and learn from them.
Cool science: Researchers craft tiny biological tools using frozen ethanol
Imagine drawing on something as delicate as a living cell -- without damaging it. Researchers have made this groundbreaking discovery using an unexpected combination of tools: frozen ethanol, electron beams and purple-tinted microbes. By advancing a method called ice lithography, the team was able to etch incredibly small, detailed patterns directly onto fragile biological surfaces.
Agrivoltaics enjoys comparatively high acceptance
Photovoltaic systems are increasingly being installed not only on roofs but also on open land. This does not always meet with citizens' approval. What is known as agrivoltaics (Agri-PV), however, is viewed more favorably, as researchers have now been able to show. In this case, the solar cells are installed in spaces used for agriculture -- such as on pastures or as a canopy over grapevines. According to a survey of almost 2,000 people, this form enjoys much higher acceptance than normal solar parks.
New blood test shows superior sensitivity in detecting HPV-associated head and neck cancers
Head and neck cancer researchers are reporting the development and testing of HPV-DeepSeek, a novel liquid biopsy assay. In their new study, HPV-DeepSeek achieved 99% sensitivty and specifity for diagnosing HPV-associated head and neck cancers, outperforming standard of care methods. HPV causes about 70% of oropharyngeal cancers in the U.S., which are increasing in incidence faster than other head and neck cancers.
Why some viral infections appear to trigger autoimmune disease
By studying Chikungunya virus, scientists shed light on how immune responses to viral infections may lead to persistent symptoms of autoimmune disease.
Native turtles return to Yosemite after removal of invasive bullfrogs
After invasive American bullfrogs 'croak,' native turtles return to Yosemite, finds a new study.
Thousands of animal species threatened by climate change
A novel analysis suggests more than 3,500 animal species are threatened by climate change and also sheds light on huge gaps in fully understanding the risk to the animal kingdom.
Controlling these 8 risk factors may eliminate early death risk for those with high blood pressure
Controlling blood pressure is not the only way to treat hypertension. A new study identified eight associated risk factors. Each risk factor addressed was associated with a 13% lower risk of premature death. Patients who addressed at least four of these risk factors had no greater risk of an early death than those without high blood pressure.
Eating craved foods with meals lessens cravings, boosts weight loss
Small clinical study with obese dieters who had chronic health problems found that eating balanced meals and including craved foods with those meals helped dieters manage cravings, even into the yearlong maintenance phase of the program.
Surprise baby whale sightings reveal there's still much to learn about humpbacks
Humpback whales are not always born in tropical waters, new research has shown -- challenging long-held assumptions about their breeding and migration behaviors, while raising new questions for marine conservation.
Research team traces evolutionary history of bacterial circadian clock on ancient Earth
To better understand the circadian clock in modern-day cyanobacteria, a research team has studied ancient timekeeping systems. They examined the oscillation of the clock proteins KaiA, KaiB, and KaiC (Kai-proteins) in modern cyanobacteria, comparing it to the function of ancestral Kai proteins.
Bees facing new threats, putting our survival and theirs at risk
A new report identifies the top 12 emerging threats that could accelerate pollinator losses within the next 5-15 years, according to ten of the world's leading experts.
World's first petahertz-speed phototransistor in ambient conditions
Researchers demonstrated a way to to manipulate electrons using pulses of light that last less than a trillionth of a second to record electrons bypassing a physical barrier almost instantaneously -- a feat that redefines the potential limits of computer processing power.
A head and a hundred tails: How a branching worm manages reproductive complexity
Scientists have uncovered the genetic underpinnings of one of the ocean's most bizarre animals: a branching marine worm named Ramisyllis kingghidorahi that lives inside sea sponges and reproduces in a truly extraordinary way. Living hidden in tropical waters, this worm grows multiple body branches within a host sponge, each tail capable of producing separate living reproductive units called 'stolons'. But how does a single animal coordinate reproduction across so many branches?
The average energy project costs 40% more than expected for construction and takes almost two years longer than planned, finds a new global study. One key insight: The investment risk is highest for nuclear power plant construction and lowest for solar. The researchers analyzed data from 662 energy projects built between 1936 and 2024 in 83 countries, totaling $1.358 trillion in investment.
Genomic data shows widespread mpox transmission in West Africa prior to 2022 global outbreak
Historically, most human mpox infections have resulted from zoonotic transmission --m eaning from animals to humans -- and these spillovers have rarely led to human-to-human transmission. But during the 2022 global outbreak, mpox began spreading readily between people. A new study now shows the virus was circulating long before then.
Empowering robots with human-like perception to navigate unwieldy terrain
Researchers have developed a novel framework named WildFusion that fuses vision, vibration and touch to enable robots to 'sense' and navigate complex outdoor environments much like humans do.