ScienceDaily: All - September 06, 2024
Today's top research news
Scientists make tissue of living animals see-through
In a pioneering new study, researchers made the skin on the skulls and abdomens of live mice transparent by applying to the areas a mixture of water and a common yellow food coloring called tartrazine.
Gravitational waves unveil previously unseen properties of neutron stars
A better understanding of the inner workings of neutron stars will lead to a greater knowledge of the dynamics that underpin the workings of the universe and also could help drive future technology. A new study details how new insights into how dissipative tidal forces within double -- or binary -- neutron star systems will inform our understanding of the universe.
Travel could be the best defense against aging
Forget about retinol night creams, researchers believe travel could be the best way to defy premature aging. An interdisciplinary study has applied the theory of entropy to tourism, finding that travel could have positive health benefits, including slowing down the signs of aging.
Image: Akarawut/Shutterstock.com
Researchers discover a space oddity -- an exoplanet moving in mysterious ways
A research team has discovered a small planet that displays peculiar orbital motion. The shimmying planet, located 455 light-years from Earth, shows that planetary systems can be considerably more complex than researchers have previously thought.
New research on anesthesia unlocks important clues about the nature of consciousness
New research on anesthesia has yielded important results about the physical basis of consciousness in the brain.
Skin fungus colonization accelerates breast cancer tumor growth
A new study shows that skin fungus colonization of Malassezia globosa speeds up breast cancer tumor growth.
How fish guts might play a role in future skin care products
There are some pretty strange ingredients in cosmetics and skin care products. One example is snail mucin -- also known as snail slime -- which is used for its moisturizing and antioxidant properties. But researchers might have found something even weirder to put on your face: molecules made by fish gut bacteria. In cultured cells, the compounds had skin-brightening and anti-wrinkle properties, making them potential ingredients for your future skin care routine.
Starting a fluorescent biosensor revolution
A major step forward toward biosensor devices that can provide fast, high-contrast detection of biomarkers in almost any environment are 'binding-activated fluorescent biosensors.' Now, a research collaboration has developed a synthetic biology platform that streamlines their up-until-now tedious and expensive discovery, as well as their molecular evolution and cost-effective manufacturing, opening a plethora of new biomedical and environmental opportunities.
For many animals sleep is a social activity, but it's usually studied as an individual process
Group sleeping can impact when animals sleep, how long they sleep for, and how deeply they sleep. For example, groups of meerkats time their sleep according to 'sleep traditions'; olive baboons sleep less when their group size increases; bumblebees suppress sleep in the presence of offspring; and co-sleeping mice can experience synchronized REM sleep. To fully understand both sleep and animal social structures, we need to pay more attention to the 'social side' of sleep, animal behaviorists argue.
Researcher have uncovered a new cell type in the human brain that fires electrical impulses. The cells are hybrids, part neuron and part glia, and are present in both glioma, a type of brain tumor, and in normal brain. The newly discovered hybrid cells support the groundbreaking idea that neurons are not the only cells that can generate electric signals in the brain. In glioma, the higher the firing activity of the hybrid cells, the better the patient's outcome, suggesting a prognostic value.
Pancreatic cancer: Study finds most early staging inaccurate
Staging of patients with early pancreatic cancer is inaccurate as much as 80% of the time, according to a new study. The finding underscores the urgent need for advancements in diagnostic technology and staging, which could significantly alter early pancreatic cancer treatment and research.