Explore the latest scientific discoveries, science news, breakthroughs and developments from around the world.
RNA vaccines, which have proved effective against COVID-19, are now being developed for many other diseases, including cancer. One drawback is that they require ultracold storage, but MIT researchers have found a promising way to overcome that limitation.
Strengthening the body’s natural daily rhythms helped mice recover after stroke by improving the brain’s waste-clearing system and reducing lingering inflammation. The approach worked even when treatment began three days after the stroke, suggesting circadian-based therapies could eventually offer a new way to support long-term recovery.
Three years after its first test flight, SpaceX's Starship rocket will attempt Monday to enter Earth orbit, a key step in developing the massive launch vehicle for future missions to the moon and Mars.
For weeks, Indonesia has been battling fires that have burned vast swaths of forest and peat ecosystems, causing toxic haze to blanket parts of the country, Malaysia and Singapore.
A polyphenol-rich extract from Cistus salviifolius, a Mediterranean rockrose species traditionally used to treat skin conditions, has shown fungicidal activity against several dermatophytes, the fungi responsible for superficial infections of the skin, hair and nails.
Weather forecasts in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) are generally less accurate than those in the Northern Hemisphere because Antarctica and the surrounding Southern Ocean have relatively few weather observations. With limited information about atmospheric conditions in one of the world's most remote regions, forecasting models often struggle to predict the movement of weather systems. This is especially true for atmospheric rivers that can trigger heavy rain, snowfall, flooding and strong winds across Australia, New Zealand, South America and Antarctica. Improving forecasts of these weather systems is essential for protecting lives and property, supporting aviation and shipping, and helping c...
Bioimaging technologies, such as fluorescence imaging (FI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are powerful tools in basic research and clinical medicine. But they have drawbacks. FI allows researchers to visualize cells and other biological processes at high resolution, but it lacks imaging depth. MRI can capture images deep within the body, but it lacks the single-cell resolution provided by FI. Furthermore, MRI contrast agents contain paramagnetic metals, such as gadolinium, that can potentially cause adverse side effects.
Measurements of ancient light from the cosmic microwave background suggest that the universe is remarkably flat. But that does not prove it is infinite, because the observable cosmos could be only a small patch of a much larger curved universe. Space could even be flat while wrapping around on itself in exotic ways.
Scientists found that immune cells contributing to Alzheimer’s-related brain damage may be activated in lymph nodes outside the brain before traveling into the nervous system. Blocking this pathway in mice dramatically reduced neurodegeneration and preserved cognitive abilities, pointing to a potentially more accessible treatment target.
Farmers used to sniff their soil to gauge how healthy it was. According to ecologist Rosa Boone, you can deduce a great deal from its smell: "The fungi and bacteria present in the soil are important for soil health and are responsible for the soil's smell." Boone discovered that the smell of soil can be captured and analyzed in the lab, providing insights into these microbial communities. "Monitoring soil life is becoming increasingly important, particularly in view of the forthcoming soil monitoring guidelines. My research shows that there is great potential for developing a sensor—an 'electronic nose'—that could be used to analyze microbial soil life directly, based on how it smells."
Even if industry rapidly becomes more sustainable, households will still need to change their lifestyles to meet climate targets. Industrial ecologist Stephanie Cap warns that households cannot do this alone: Businesses and governments must create the conditions to make these changes possible. Cap defends her dissertation titled "Everything Must Change: 1.5°C decarbonisation scenarios across industries and households" on Oct. 1.
How are species boundaries maintained in the face of environmental disturbance? This is not only a fundamental question in evolutionary biology but also an increasingly important one as human activities and climate change alter habitats and bring previously separated species into contact.