An illustration of the intron endonuclease cutting the DNA of a competing virus and disrupting its reproduction. Credit: Pogliano Labs, UC San Diego Strange bits of DNA hidden in the genomes of all living things have historically been ignored because they seemed to play no role in the fight for survival, researchers thought. These bits … Read more
Illustration of the diffraction problems with particle-photon beams, and how a “self-guided” combined beam continues to provide pushing force even to distant probes. Credit: Limbach & Hara Getting to Proxima Centauri b will require a lot of new technologies, but there are increasingly exciting reasons to do so. Both public and private efforts have been … Read more
Light curve of nova V1716 Sco observed with NICER with epochs of 10 seconds, from July 25, 2023 to August 30, 2023. Source: Wang et al., 2024. Astronomers from China and Taiwan have observed the nova outburst of V1716 Sco that occurred last year using several X-ray and gamma-ray space observatories. Results of the observation … Read more
Blue-spotted ribbontail ray. Credit: Morgan Bennet Smith Researchers have discovered the unique nanostructures responsible for the electric blue spots of the blue-spotted ribbontail ray (Taeniura lymma), with potential applications for developing chemical-free coloration. The team also has ongoing research into the equally enigmatic blue coloration of the blue shark (Prionace glauca). This research, titled “Ribbontail … Read more
Chemical structure of the molecule and photos of phosphorescence taken under UV irradiation. Credit: Osaka University A research team led by Osaka University found that the new organic molecule thienyldiketone exhibits high-efficiency phosphorescence. It achieved phosphorescence more than ten times faster than traditional materials, allowing the team to clarify this mechanism. The article was published … Read more
Michigan State University combined terahertz laser light, shown as a red wavy arrow, with a scanning tunneling microscope, or STM, tip — the dark pyramid shape that exchanges a red electron with a sample shown with a blue surface. Credit: Eve Ammerman One of the challenges of cramming smarter, more powerful electronics into ever-shrinking devices … Read more
The experiment takes place at about one 10,000th of a degree above absolute zero in a special refrigerator; Dr Autti (right). Credit: Lancaster University One of science’s greatest mysteries may be one step closer to being solved. About 80% of the matter in the universe is dark, meaning it can’t be seen. In fact, dark … Read more
Schematic representation of the surface instability considered, with the reference and the real configurations, and with a detailed description of the nature of the boundary conditions. Source: Physical assessment letters (2024). DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.248202 A new theory has finally deciphered the physical mechanisms of fracture in soft materials. This discovery could soon lead to new, defect-free … Read more
Source: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Childhood temperatures and community connectedness can help predict how U.S. residents set their thermostats, offering new ways to promote energy conservation and combat climate change, according to a study published July 3 in the journal PLOS Climate by Dritjon Gruda of the National University of Ireland Maynooth and Paul Hanges of … Read more
Credit: McGill University Understanding how gold is formed is crucial to knowing where to find it and how to extract it sustainably. McGill researchers have answered a long-standing question in geology that could lead to new ore discoveries. Researchers traveled to the remote Brucejack gold deposit in northwestern British Columbia to study and collect ancient … Read more