ScienceDaily: Featured - March 30, 2025
Featured research news
Is your job making you happy? Insights from job satisfaction data
New research has found that employers and policymakers might want to start paying attention to how workers are feeling, because employee happiness contains critical economic information.
Cold plunges actually change your cells
Cold water immersion for seven days significantly improves cellular resilience and autophagic function, helping cells manage stress better. This adaptation could enhance health and longevity, potentially preventing diseases and slowing aging at a cellular level.
Artificial neurons organize themselves
Novel artificial neurons learn independently and are more strongly modeled on their biological counterparts. A team of researchers has programmed these infomorphic neurons and constructed artificial neural networks from them. The special feature is that the individual artificial neurons learn in a self-organized way and draw the necessary information from their immediate environment in the network.
A genetic tree as a movie: Moving beyond the still portrait of ancestry
Researchers have created a way to see your family tree as a movie rather than a still portrait by tracing where your ancestors moved across the globe over time. The statistical method can also be used to model disease spread and studying how animals move through geographic regions.
Melting ice, more rain drive Southern Ocean cooling
Researchers found increased meltwater and rain explain 60% of a decades-long mismatch between predicted and observed temperatures in the ocean around Antarctica.
Physics of irregular objects on inclined planes probed
How gravity causes a perfectly spherical ball to roll down an inclined plane is part of elementary school physics canon. But the world is messier than a textbook. Scientists have sought to quantitatively describe the much more complex rolling physics of real-world objects. They have now combined theory, simulations, and experiments to understand what happens when an imperfect, spherical object is placed on an inclined plane.
A lighter, smarter magnetoreceptive electronic skin
Imagine navigating a virtual reality with contact lenses or operating your smartphone under water: This and more could soon be a reality thanks to innovative e-skins. A research team has developed an electronic skin that detects and precisely tracks magnetic fields with a single global sensor. This artificial skin is not only light, transparent and permeable, but also mimics the interactions of real skin and the brain.
Is AI the new research scientist? Not so, according to a human-led study
Researchers asked generative AI to write a research paper. While adept at some steps, it wholly failed at others.
First therapy chatbot trial shows AI can provide 'gold-standard' care
Researchers conducted the first clinical trial of an AI-powered therapy chatbot and found that, on average, people with diagnosed mental disorders experienced clinically significant improvements in their symptoms over eight weeks, according to new results. Users engaged with the software, known as Therabot, through a smartphone app and reported that interactions were comparable to working with a mental-health professional. The researchers conclude that while AI-powered therapy is in critical need of clinician oversight, it has the potential to provide real-time support for the many people who lack regular or immediate access to a professional.
Feeling the future: New wearable tech simulates realistic touch
Most haptic devices only deliver feedback as simple vibrations. New device applies dynamic forces in any direction to simulate a more realistic sense of touch. Small, lightweight device can enhance virtual reality, help individuals with visual impairments, provide tactile feedback for remote health visits and more.
Scientists uncover key mechanism in evolution: Whole-genome duplication drives long-term adaptation
Scientists uncovered how whole-genome duplication emerges and remains stable over thousands of generations of evolution in the lab.
A new species of fossil is 444 million years-old with soft insides perfectly preserved. Research 'ultramarathon' saw palaeontologist puzzled by bizarre fossil for 25 years.
Mini rolling robot takes virtual biopsies
A tiny magnetic robot which can take 3D scans from deep within the body, that could revolutionize early cancer detection, has been developed by researchers. The team say this is the first time it has been possible to generate high-resolution three-dimensional ultrasound images taken from a probe deep inside the gastrointestinal tract, or gut.
Earliest days of Earth's formation
New research sheds light on the earliest days of the earth's formation and potentially calls into question some earlier assumptions in planetary science about the early years of rocky planets. Establishing a direct link between the Earth's interior dynamics occurring within the first 100 million years of its history and its present-day structure, the work is one of the first in the field to combine fluid mechanics with chemistry to better understand the Earth's early evolution.
A cleaner future for tires: Scientists pioneer chemical process to repurpose rubber waste
Every year, millions of tires end up in landfills, creating an environmental crisis with far-reaching consequences. In the United States alone, over 274 million tires were scrapped in 2021, with nearly a fifth of them being discarded into landfills. A study has now pioneered a technique for breaking down this rubber waste and transforming it into valuable precursors for epoxy resins. This technique offers an innovative and sustainable alternative to traditional recycling methods while significantly reducing rubber waste in landfills.
How did the large brain evolve?
Two specific genes that evolve exclusively in humans jointly influence the development of the cerebrum. Researchers have provided evidence that these genes contribute together to the evolutionary enlargement of the brain.
Cuttlefish 'mesmerize' their prey with a moving skin pattern, study finds
While sneaking up on prey, cuttlefish employ a dynamic skin display to avoid detection in last moments of approach, researchers have found.
Proof-of-concept work uses unique, safe particles to remove microplastics in a single cycle.
A safe nuclear battery that could last a lifetime
Lithium-ion batteries, used in consumer devices and electric vehicles, typically last hours or days between charges. However, with repeated use, they degrade and need to be charged more frequently. Now, researchers are considering radiocarbon as a source for safe, small and affordable nuclear batteries that could last decades or longer without charging.
Making sturdy, semi-transparent wood with cheap, natural materials
Can you imagine having a smartphone with a wooden touchscreen? Or a house with wooden windows? Probably not -- unless you've heard of transparent wood. Made by modifying wood's natural structure, this material has been proposed as a sturdy, eco-friendly alternative for plastic. Researchers have created proof-of-concept transparent woods using almost entirely natural materials, and have explored making them electrically conductive, too.
Artificial intelligence uses less energy by mimicking the human brain
Electrical and computer engineers have developed a 'Super-Turing AI,' which operates more like the human brain. This new AI integrates certain processes instead of separating them and then migrating huge amounts of data like current systems do.
Five minutes a day eccentric exercise can improve your life
As little as five minutes a day of eccentric exercise could offer significant health benefits to those living a stagnant lifestyle.
Tropical marine low clouds play a crucial role in regulating Earth's climate. However, whether they mitigate or exacerbate global warming has long remained a mystery. Now, researchers have developed a groundbreaking method that significantly improves accuracy in climate predictions. This led to a major discovery -- that tropical cloud feedback may have amplified the greenhouse effect by a staggering 71% more than previously known to scientists.
Entangled in self-discovery: Quantum computers analyze their own entanglement
Quantum computers are able to solve complex calculations that would take traditional computers thousands of years in just a few minutes. What if that analytical power is turned inwards towards the computer itself?
How elephants plan their journeys: New study reveals energy-saving strategies
A new study has revealed that African Elephants have an extraordinary ability to meet their colossal food requirements as efficiently as possible. Data from over 150 elephants demonstrated that these giants plan their journeys based on energy costs and resource availability.
People with autism are typically diagnosed by clinical observation and assessment. To deconstruct the clinical decision process, which is often subjective and difficult to describe, researchers used a large language model (LLM) to synthesize the behaviors and observations that are most indicative of an autism diagnosis. Their results show that repetitive behaviors, special interests, and perception-based behaviors are most associated with an autism diagnosis. These findings have potential to improve diagnostic guidelines for autism by decreasing the focus on social factors -- which the established guidelines in the DSM-5 focus on but the model did not classify among the most relevant in diagnosing autism.
Scientists discover why obesity takes away the pleasure of eating
Many obese people report losing pleasure in eating rich foods -- something also seen in obese mice. Scientists have now discovered the reason. Long-term high-fat diets lower levels of neurotensin in the brain, disrupting the dopamine pleasure network and decreasing the desire to eat high-fat foods. Raising neurotensin levels in mice brings back the pleasure and aids weight loss. Bringing back the pleasure could help people break the habit of overeating.
How cells respond to stress is more nuanced than previously believed
The body's cells respond to stress -- toxins, mutations, starvation or other assaults -- by pausing normal functions to focus on conserving energy, repairing damaged components and boosting defenses. If the stress is manageable, cells resume normal activity; if not, they self-destruct. Scientists have believed for decades this response happens as a linear chain of events: sensors in the cell 'sound an alarm' and modify a key protein, which then changes a second protein that slows or shuts down the cell's normal function. But researchers have now discovered a cell's response is more nuanced and compartmentalized -- not fixed or rigid, as previously thought.
A new method to recycle fluoride from long-lived PFAS chemicals
Researchers have developed a method to destroy fluorine-containing PFAS (sometimes labelled 'forever chemicals') while recovering their fluorine content for future use.
The devastating human impact on biodiversity
Humans are having a highly detrimental impact on biodiversity worldwide. Not only is the number of species declining, but the composition of species communities is also changing. This is one of the largest studies ever conducted on this topic.
Lasso-shaped antibiotic evades standard drug resistance
A small molecule shaped like a lasso may be a powerful tool in the fight against infectious diseases.
A hit of dopamine tells baby birds when their song practice is paying off
By watching the ebb and flow of the brain's chemical signals, researchers are beginning to disentangle the molecular mechanisms underlying the intrinsic motivation to learn. In a new study of zebra finches, researchers show that a hit a dopamine tells baby birds when their song practice is paying off. The findings suggest that dopamine acts like an internal 'compass' to steer their learning when external incentives are absent.
Revolutionizing touch: Researchers explore the future of wearable multi-sensory haptic technology
From virtual reality to rehabilitation and communication, haptic technology has revolutionized the way humans interact with the digital world. While early haptic devices focused on single-sensory cues like vibration-based notifications, modern advancements have paved the way for multisensory haptic devices that integrate various forms of touch-based feedback, including vibration, skin stretch, pressure and temperature. Recently, a team of experts analyzed the current state of wearable multisensory haptic technology, outlining its challenges, advancements and real-world applications.
Postpartum female preference for cooler temperatures linked to brain changes
Mothers experience major metabolic adaptations during pregnancy and lactation to support the development and growth of the new life. Although many metabolic changes have been studied, body temperature regulation and environmental temperature preference during and after pregnancy remain poorly understood. Researchers show that postpartum female mice develop new environmental temperature preferences and reveal brain changes mediating these changes.
'Low-sugar' vaccine can provide broad immunity against coronavirus variants
Early animal studies show that a single vaccine could protect the recipient from different variants of the coronaviruses that cause COVID-19, the flu and the common cold. In addition to creating antibodies that target a specific region of the spike protein that doesn't mutate, the vaccine removes the sugar coat from the virus that allows it to hide in the body.
Fluorescent caves could explain how life persists in extraterrestrial environments
Deep below the Earth's surface, rock and mineral formations lay hidden with a secret brilliance. Under a black light, the chemicals fossilized within shine in brilliant hues of pink, blue and green. Scientists are using these fluorescent features to understand how the caves formed and the conditions for supporting life in extreme, and even extraterrestrial, environments.
Hydrophilic coating makes for unflappable golf balls
The condition of the grass on a golf course can drastically skew the chances of a winning putt regardless of a player's skill. Now, a coating that soaks up water molecules could slow the roll of a golf ball on a lightning-fast, dry course and speed it up on a sluggish, wet course without interfering with the ball when it's airborne.
New Evidence Links Microplastics with Chronic Disease
Tiny fragments of plastic have become ubiquitous in our environment and our bodies. Higher exposure to these microplastics, which can be inadvertently consumed or inhaled, is associated with a heightened prevalence of chronic noncommunicable diseases, according to new research.
Exercise of any kind boosts brainpower at any age
Whether it's an early morning jog, or a touch of Tai Chi, groundbreaking research shows that any form of exercise can significantly boost brain function and memory across children, adults, and older adults.
Biological pathway in the brain could help explain why teenage girls are more depressed than boys
Research has shown that a biological brain mechanism called the 'kynurenine pathway' is imbalanced in adolescents with depression, and this imbalance is more pronounced in teenage girls than boys.
Were large soda lakes the cradle of life?
Life needs sufficient phosphorus. However, the element is scarce, not only today but also at the time of the origin of life. So where was there sufficient phosphorus four billion years ago for life to emerge? A team of origin-of-life researchers has an answer.
These electronics-free robots can walk right off the 3D-printer
This a robot can walk, without electronics, and only with the addition of a cartridge of compressed gas, right off the 3D-printer. It can also be printed in one go, from one material.
Listen to quantum atoms talk together thanks to acoustics
To get around the constraints of quantum physics, researchers have built a new acoustic system to study the way the minuscule atoms of condensed matter talk together. They hope to one day build an acoustic version of a quantum computer.
Making foie gras without force-feeding
Researchers wondered if there was a more ethical way to enjoy foie gras, so they created a process to replicate the dish without force-feeding ducks and geese beyond their normal diets. They treated the fat with the bird's own lipases, mimicking the activities that occur naturally in the duck's body, and the resultant foie gras looked correct with noninvasive laser microscopy. The team confirmed the physical properties with stress-deformation tests and found that the treated foie gras had a similar mouthfeel to the original.
Organic molecules of unprecedented size discovered on Mars
The longest organic molecules identified to date on Mars have recently been detected. These long carbon chains, containing up to 12 consecutive carbon atoms, could exhibit features similar to the fatty acids produced on Earth by biological activity. The lack of geological activity and the cold, arid climate on Mars have helped preserve this invaluable organic matter in a clay-rich sample for the past 3.7 billion years. It therefore dates from the period during which life first emerged on Earth.
Mathematicians uncover the logic behind how people walk in crowds
Mathematicians studied the flow of human crowds and developed a way to predict when pedestrian paths will transition from orderly to entangled. Their findings may help inform the design of public spaces that promote safe and efficient thoroughfares.
Researchers have discovered that chimpanzees living in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania employ a degree of engineering when making their tools, deliberately choosing plants that provide materials that produce more flexible tools for termite fishing.
At-home smell test for early detection of Alzheimer's disease
Researchers developed olfactory tests -- in which participants sniff odor labels that have been placed on a card -- to assess people's ability to discriminate, identify and remember odors. They found that participants could successfully take the test at home and that older adults with cognitive impairment scored lower on the test than cognitively normal adults.
Healthy eating in midlife linked to overall healthy aging
Maintaining a healthy diet rich in plant-based foods, with low to moderate intake of healthy animal-based foods and lower intake of ultra-processed foods, was linked to a higher likelihood of healthy aging -- defined as reaching age 70 free of major chronic diseases and with cognitive, physical, and mental health maintained, according to a new study. The study is among the first to examine multiple dietary patterns in midlife in relation to overall healthy aging.
New non-surgical contraceptive implant is delivered through tiny needles
Investigators have developed a long-acting contraceptive implant that can be delivered through tiny needles to minimize patient discomfort and increase the likelihood of medication use. Their findings in preclinical models provide the technological basis to develop self-administrable contraceptive shots that could mimic the long-term drug release of surgically implanted devices.
3D nanotech blankets offer new path to clean drinking water
Researchers have developed a new material that, by harnessing the power of sunlight, can clear water of dangerous pollutants.
To mitigate global climate change, emissions of the primary culprit, carbon dioxide, must be drastically reduced. A newly developed process helps solve this problem: CO2 is directly split electrochemically into carbon and oxygen. Oxygen could also be produced in this way under water or in space -- without requiring stringent conditions such as pressure and temperature.
Scientists engineer starfish cells to shape-shift in response to light
Scientists used light to control how a starfish egg cell jiggles and moves during its earliest stage of development. Their optical system could guide the design of synthetic, light-activated cells for wound healing or drug delivery.
New research reveals secrets about locust swarm movement
New research is reshaping our understanding of one of nature's most stunning yet destructive phenomena -- massive locust swarms moving together.
Origin of life: How microbes laid the foundation for complex cells
Who were our earliest ancestors? The answer could lie in a special group of single-celled organisms with a cytoskeleton similar to that of complex organisms, such as animals and plants.
New eye drops slow vision loss in animals
Researchers have developed eye drops that extend vision in animal models of a group of inherited diseases that lead to progressive vision loss in humans, known as retinitis pigmentosa.
New DESI results strengthen hints that dark energy may evolve
The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument used millions of galaxies and quasars to build the largest 3D map of our universe to date. Combining their data with other experiments shows signs that the impact of dark energy may be weakening over time -- and the standard model of how the universe works may need an update.
Galapagos birds exhibit 'road rage' due to noise
A new study has discovered that birds in the Galapagos Islands are changing their behavior due to traffic noise, with those frequently exposed to vehicles showing heightened levels of aggression. During trials involving traffic noise, Galapagos yellow warblers (Setophaga petechia aureola) increased the duration of their songs, increased the minimum frequencies of their songs (to reduce overlap with the traffic noise), and birds living close to roads displayed increased physical aggression.
Researchers capture first laser-driven, high-resolution CT scans of dense objects
A research team has achieved a new milestone in 3D X-ray imaging technology. The scientists have captured high-resolution CT scans of the interior of a large, dense object -- a gas turbine blade -- using a compact, laser-driven X-ray source. The work is part of a larger vision to leverage high-intensity lasers for a wide range of uses, from studying inertial fusion energy to generating bright beams of GeV electrons and MeV x-rays.
New AI tool generates high-quality images faster than state-of-the-art approaches
Researchers developed a hybrid AI approach that can generate realistic images with the same or better quality than state-of-the-art diffusion models, but that runs about nine times faster and uses fewer computational resources. The tool uses an autoregressive model to quickly capture the big picture and then a small diffusion model to refine the details of the image.
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