ScienceDaily: Quirky - September 13, 2023
Top quirky research news
Researchers detail how disorder alters quantum spin liquids, forming a new phase of matter
Physicists begin to shed light on one of the most important questions regarding quantum spin liquids, and they do so by introducing a new phase of matter.
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Your body's own cannabinoid molecules calm you during stress
When you're under stress, your brain may release its own cannabinoid molecules to calm you, activating the same brain receptors as THC derived from cannabis plants. But the brain activity regulated by these cannabinoid molecules were not well known. A new study in mice has discovered a key emotional brain center, the amygdala, releases cannabinoid molecules under stress that dampen the incoming stress alarm from the hippocampus, a memory and emotion center in the brain. The finding may reveal novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of stress-related disorders.
Hot summer air turns into drinking water with new gel device
Researchers have focused on the moisture present in the air as a potential source of drinking water for drought-stressed populations. They reached a significant breakthrough in their efforts to create drinkable water out of thin air: a molecularly engineered hydrogel that can create clean water using just the energy from sunlight.