Biologists have long hoped to understand the nature of the earliest living organisms on Earth. If they could, they might then be able to say something about how, when, and where life arose on Earth, and perhaps by extension, whether life is common in the Universe.
Previous studies have suggested this information can be obtained by comparing the genes present in modern organisms. New research indicates that only limited information can be derived using this approach.
Semi-transparent solar cells that can be incorporated into window glass are a "game-changer" that could transform architecture, urban planning and electricity generation, Australian scientists say in a paper in Nano Energy.
Washington, D.C. - The rapid spread of COVID-19 and efforts to contain it are generating growing concerns that food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty may escalate, particularly among marginalized people in the developing world.
Cribellate spiders spin thousands of tiny nanofibers into sticky threads. To keep from getting caught in their own webs, these spiders use a nonstick comb on their back legs. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Applied Nano Materials have patterned an antiadhesive nanostructure inspired by this comb onto a foil surface, creating a handy tool to control sticky lab-made nanomaterials for medical, smart textile and other applications. Watch a video of the combs in action here.
A new tool maps the threats to the tropical dry forests in Peru and Ecuador. Bioscience engineers at KU Leuven combined data on possible threats to these forests - including fires and overgrazing - with data on the vulnerability of local tree species to these dangers, which the team estimated on the basis of species traits such as bark thickness and edibility of the leaves. The result is an online tool that local governments and NGOs can use to restore and conserve forests.
Newly published findings about the phylogenetics and systematics of some previously known, but also other yet to be identified species of Old World Leaf-nosed bats, provide the first contribution to a recently launched collection of research articles, whose task is to help scientists fr
A UC Davis Health study found more evidence for the efficacy of telehealth-delivered behavioral intervention in treating language problems in youth with fragile X syndrome (FXS). The authors, however, could not establish efficacy for the drug lovastatin as a treatment for learning or behavior problems in individuals with FXS.
To combat weeds, farmers use a variety of tools and methods. By understanding the strengths and downfalls of each tool, a farmer can make the best decisions for his or her operation to keep pesky weeds out of the field.
One tool farmers can turn to for weed control is applying herbicides. New research is helping us understand a specific herbicide even better: atrazine.
Women who don't survive a rare and aggressive uterine cancer called uterine serous carcinoma, have high expression of a group of 73 genes, a score scientists say can help identify these women and improve their outcome.
"It is a very aggressive cancer," says Lynn Tran, MD/PhD student at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and first author of the study in the journal Gynecologic Oncology.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - New battery technology involving microwaves may provide an avenue for renewable energy conversion and storage.
Purdue University researchers created a technique to turn waste polyethylene terephthalate, one of the most recyclable polymers, into components of batteries.