|  Electrical control of single atom magnets  | The energy needed to change the magnetic orientation of a single atom -- which determines its magnetic stability and therefore its usefulness in a variety of future device applications -- can be modified by varying the atom's electrical coupling to nearby metals. | Read More » Surprising diversity in aging revealed in nature  | In our youth we are strong and healthy and then we weaken and die -- that's probably how most would describe what aging is all about. But, in nature, the phenomenon of aging shows an unexpected diversity of patterns and is altogether rather strange, conclude researchers. | Read More » Scientists discover quick recipe for producing hydrogen  | Scientists have discovered a quick-cook recipe for copious volumes of hydrogen, a breakthrough suggesting a better way of producing the fuel that propels rockets and energizes battery-like fuel cells. It could eventually even help meet key world energy needs -- without carbon emissions contributing to climate change. | Read More » Tiny drops of hot quark soup -- how small can they be?  | New analyses of deuteron-gold collisions indicate that collisions between gold ions and much smaller deuterons, designed as control experiments, may be serving up miniscule drops of hot quark-gluon plasma. | Read More » Quantum effects help cells capture light, but the details are obscure  | By studying the behavior of light-gathering molecules used by plants, algae, and some bacteria in photosynthesis, researchers have found evidence that quantum coherence eases ultrafast energy transfers among the molecules. | Read More » Flipping a gene switch reactivates fetal hemoglobin, may reverse sickle cell disease  | Hematology researchers have manipulated key biological events in adult blood cells to produce a form of hemoglobin normally absent after the newborn period. Because fetal hemoglobin is unaffected by the genetic defect in sickle cell disease, these cell culture findings may open the door to a new therapy for the debilitating blood disorder. | Read More » Concussion secrets unveiled in mice and people  | There is more than meets the eye following even a mild traumatic brain injury. While the brain may appear to be intact, new findings suggest that the brain's protective coverings may feel the brunt of the impact. | Read More » Coal yields plenty of graphene quantum dots  | Coal is a cost-effective source of abundant graphene quantum dots for photovoltaic, medical, electronic and sensing applications. | Read More » The heat is on...or off: Having the sense to cut office energy bills  | Office buildings have an enormous carbon footprint, but often energy is being wasted maintaining empty rooms and spaces at a comfortable temperature. New research shows how the ubiquity of smart phones connected to the office network could be used to monitor occupancy and reduce heating or air conditioning for unused spaces. | Read More » Tougher dies for automotive manufacturing  | Forming dies are put under immense strain. Yet by using a laser to alloy their surfaces with filler material you can make them more robust and resistant to wear. This process increases the service life of dies used in automotive manufacturing by 150 percent. | Read More » 3-D printing used as a tool to explain theoretical physics  | Students may soon be able to reach out and touch some of the theoretical concepts they are taught in their physics classes thanks to a novel idea. | Read More » No longer stumped: secrets of the skilled batsman  | Though the discovery might have come too late to help Australia win this week's Second Test match, a team of scientists from Down Under has revealed what techniques give skilled batsmen an edge over their less able teammates – and opponents. | Read More » Pioneering path to electrical conductivity in 'Tinker Toy' material  | Researchers have devised a novel way to realize electrical conductivity in metal-organic framework (MOF) materials, a development that could have profound implications for the future of electronics, sensors, energy conversion and energy storage. | Read More » Polymers can behave like insulators, semiconductors and metals -- as well as semimetals  | Polymers can behave like insulators, semiconductors and metals – as well as semimetals. | Read More » Aging out of bounds: New demographic data show how diversely different species age and biologists cannot explain why  | Despite aging being one the hottest topic in the media recently, scientists have no coherent explanation for it. New demographic data on humans, animals and plants for the first time unveil such an extraordinary diversity of aging processes that no existing evolutionary theory can account for. Both life spans and mortalities vary from species to species. The fact that the probability of dying rises with age applies to humans, but is not principally true. This is shown by a catalog of 46 species with their respective mortality and fertility rates. | Read More » Slimy tunicates may be worth billions  | Tunicates that were placed in the sea six months ago have now been harvested. These ocean weeds can become a new aquaculture adventure. | Read More » Fish that work as sentinels of water quality  | Scientists have studied how to use fish farms to detect water quality in our rivers. There is a slight contamination that does not affect product quality and can trigger physiological reactions on fish. The analysis of these changes can be a good biomarker for water quality. | Read More » Quadriplegics at risk for serious sleep breathing disorder  | New findings suggest that where the spinal cord is injured—in the neck, or lower—can affect the likelihood and type of breathing problems during sleep, including central sleep apnea. Understanding how and why patients' nighttime breathing is affected could help doctors better manage these conditions. | Read More » High-powered handheld blue laser toys can cause serious eye injuries  | Exposure for even fractions of a second to high-powered blue handheld laser devices can cause serious eye injuries, according to a study recently released. The researchers have concluded that the wide availability of these devices, which are often marketed as toys, could lead to an epidemic of ocular injuries, and greater public awareness and government intervention should be encouraged. | Read More » Solar cell degradation observed directly for the first time  | Researchers have, for the first time, watched organic solar cells degrade in real time. This work could open new approaches to increasing the stability of this highly promising type of solar cell. | Read More » Laser ablation surgery shows better cognitive results for people with epilepsy  | MRI-Guided Stereotactic Laser Ablation (SLA) of the hippocampus to control seizures in people with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) may result in seizure control that approaches that from anterior temporal lobectory or selective amygdalohippocampectomy and better cognitive outcomes than any of the standard open resections, according to a study. If the SLA continues to prove safe and shows adequate efficacy for seizure control, the technique has the potential to drastically change brain surgery. | Read More » Welcome guests: Added molecules allow metal-organic frameworks to conduct electricity  | Scientists have added something new to a family of engineered, high-tech materials called metal-organic frameworks: the ability to conduct electricity. Conductive MOFs have the potential for use in a variety of applications including sensors for detecting gases and toxic substances. | Read More » Vaccine study reveals link between immunity, cells' starvation response  | Scientists studying immune responses to the yellow fever vaccine have identified a gene whose activation in key immune cells is a sign of a robust response. The results suggest vaccine components that activate the GCN2 gene could provide long-lasting immunity. | Read More » Healthy vs. unhealthy diet costs about $1.50 more per day  | The healthiest diets cost about $1.50 more per day in the United States than the least healthy diets, according to new research. The finding is based on the most comprehensive examination to date comparing prices of healthy foods and diet patterns vs. less healthy ones. | Read More » Better preparedness against Tamiflu-resistant influenza viruses  | Swedish researchers have found that residues of the influenza drug Tamiflu in our environment can make the influenza virus in birds resistant. This can have serious consequences in the event of an influenza pandemic. The research team will now continue their studies with a focus on alternative antiviral drugs. | Read More » Recycled plastic proves effective in killing drug-resistant fungi  | Researchers have discovered a new, potentially life-saving application for polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is widely used to make plastic bottles. They have successfully converted PET into a non-toxic biocompatible material with superior fungal killing properties. | Read More » Leaf beetle larvae secrete defensive compound when feeding  | Scientists have discovered the decisive biological stimulator for the accumulation of defensive substances in leaf beetle larvae used by the insects to fend off predators: ABC transport proteins, which are found in large quantities in glandular cells of the larvae. | Read More » Keep on exercising, researchers advise older breast cancer survivors  | To build and maintain muscle strength, it is best for older breast cancer survivors to follow an ongoing exercise program of resistance and impact training. Research has found that the bone benefit from one year of such training could be maintained, even with less exercise, up to a year later, which could help prevent bone fractures in the long run. | Read More » Resistant against the flu  | A new study published points out that mice lacking a protein called Tmprss2 are no longer affected by certain flu viruses. | Read More » Barriers, molecular trains trap Joubert syndrome protein in cilia  | A cilia disease protein causing Joubert Syndrome, ARL-13, is actively trafficked across the base of cilia and molecular diffusion barriers prevent its exit, according to new research. Primary cilia are hair-like projections extending from the surfaces of most human cell types that serve as important antennae to relay external sensory and signalling information back to the cell. Disrupting cilium structure or function leads to a wide range of diseases, termed ciliopathies, linked to multiple symptoms including cystic kidneys, blindness, bone formation defects, mental retardation and obesity. | Read More » IRIS provides unprecedented images of sun  | The region located between the surface of the sun and its atmosphere has been revealed as a more violent place than previously understood, according to images and data from NASA's newest solar observatory, the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, or IRIS. | Read More » How 'good cholesterol' stops inflammation  | High-density lipoprotein (HDL), known colloquially as "good cholesterol," protects against dangerous deposits in the arteries. An important function of HDL is its anti-inflammatory properties. An international research team has identified a central switch by which HDL controls the inflammatory response. | Read More » Peaceful bumblebee becomes invasive  | European bumblebees were introduced into Chile as pollinators. However, these socially living insects have since spread across the southern part of South America -- very much to the detriment of native species. | Read More » Ovarian cancer discovery deepens knowledge of survival outcomes  | Researchers have identified a series of 10 genes that may signify a trifecta of benefits for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer and ultimately reflect improved survival outcomes. The research found that the 10-gene biomarker panel may identify the aggressiveness of a patient's disease, help predict survival outcomes and result in novel therapeutic strategies tailored to patients with the most adverse survival outcomes. | Read More » A stopwatch for electron flashes: duration of energetic electron pulses measured using laser fields  | A stopwatch made of light can determine the duration of extremely brief electron flashes. Scientists have, for the first time, succeeded in measuring the lengths of ultrashort bursts of highly energetic electrons using the electric fields of laser light. Such electron pulses, which behave like ultrashort matter waves, provide time-resolved recordings of processes taking place in molecules and atoms, enabling elementary particles to be "filmed" in four dimensions. | Read More » British living standards tighten as cost of living soars by 25 percent  | The minimum cost of living has soared by a quarter since the start of the economic downturn in the United Kingdom, according to a report, which details the true inflationary pressures facing low income households. | Read More » Life and work: one and the same?  | Flexible workplaces may seem attractive when considering work-life balance but new research being published shows it's not unusual for firms to cash-in, profiting from our "free" time and non-professional aptitudes, experts warn. | Read More » Results from first 59 leukemia patients who received investigational, personalized cellular therapy  | Three and a half years after beginning a clinical trial that demonstrated the first successful and sustained use of genetically engineered T cells to fight leukemia, a research team will today announce the latest results of studies involving both adults and children with advanced blood cancers that have failed to respond to standard therapies. | Read More » Genetic flaw in males triggers onset of liver cancer, diabetes  | Researchers have uncovered a genetic deficiency in males that can trigger the development of one of the most common types of liver cancer and forms of diabetes. | Read More » More light shed on possibility of life on Mars  | Humankind is by nature inquisitive, especially about the prospect of life on other planets and whether or not we are alone. The aptly named Curiosity, a NASA Mars rover, has been scouring that planet's surface as a potential habitat for life, either past or present. Now there are some exciting new findings. | Read More » Math models enhance current therapies for coronary heart disease  | Coronary heart disease accounts for 18 percent of deaths in the United States every year. The disease results from a blockage of one or more arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle due to an inflammatory condition called artherosclerosis, leading to progressive buildup of fatty plaque near the surface of the arterial wall. A paper published proposes a mathematical model to improve currently-employed treatments of coronary heart disease. | Read More » Solar cells made thin, efficient and flexible  | Scientists may be one step closer to tapping into the full potential of solar cells. The team found a way to create large sheets of nanotextured, silicon micro-cell arrays that hold the promise of making solar cells lightweight, more efficient, bendable and easy to mass produce. | Read More » One percent of population responsible for 63% of violent crime, Swedish study reveals  | The majority of all violent crime in Sweden is committed by a small number of people. They are almost all male (92%) who early in life develop violent criminality, substance abuse problems, often diagnosed with personality disorders and commit large number non-violent crimes. | Read More » | |
