NASA plans to send crewed missions to Mars over the next decade – but the 140 million-mile (225 million-kilometer) journey to the red planet could take several months to years round trip. This relatively long transit time is a result of the use of traditional chemical rocket fuel. An alternative technology to the chemically propelled […]
Storms’ mysterious gamma rays may trigger lightning Surging flashes of gamma rays emanating from tropical thunderstorms may initiate lightning strikes, a group of physicists writes in a pair of papers in Nature that describe a never-before-seen type of gamma radiation as well as two rarely observed kinds. They write about data, collected from instruments on […]
Chemistry • DIPC Biochemistry • DIPC Computational and Theoretical Chemistry
Protein molecules consist of one or several long chains of aminoacids (usually between and 300 units) called polypeptides – a peptide is an organic compound comprising two or mores aminoacids – linked in a characteristic sequence. This sequence is called the primary structure of the protein. These polypeptides may undergo coiling or pleating, the nature […]
One of the hallmarks of aging is cognitive decline. New research in mice shows that long-term administration with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psicoactive component of marihuana, at low doses can have antiaging-effects, particularly on cognitive decline. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates various bodily and brain functions, including sleep, memory and learning, the immune system and […]
Author: Rachel Gordon, Massachusetts Institute of Technology In 1994, Florida jewelry designer Diana Duyser discovered what she believed to be the Virgin Mary’s image in a grilled cheese sandwich, which she preserved and later auctioned for $28,000. But how much do we really understand about pareidolia, the phenomenon of seeing faces and patterns in objects […]
Many large mammals have lost genetic diversity, often thanks to the actions of people shrinking their populations. The implications can be severe because without genetic diversity, a population does not have a “genetic database” to fall back on to adapt to environmental change. The Iberian lynx (Lynx pardinus) is no stranger to this reduction in […]
One-electron carbon bond observed for first time Chemists have observed for the first time covalent bonds between two carbon atoms with only one electron, a bonding behavior that deepens the understanding of chemical bonds. “We aim to clarify what a covalent bond is — specifically, at what point does a bond qualify as covalent, and […]
A diode is an electronic device with two electrodes. In the obsolescent thermionic diode a heated cathode emits electrons, which flow across the intervening vacuum to the anode when a positive potential is applied to it. The device permits flow of current in one direction only as a negative potential applied to the anode repels […]
The protein “MIPS” changes its internal structure when it becomes active. Its disordered active centre becomes a defined structure with special functions. The protein plays a key role in the production of inositol, which is also known as vitamin B8, and fulfils important tasks in the body. A team of researchers has succeeded for the […]
In my past entry I commented on the problems that Angela Potochnik’s Idealization and the Aims of Science contains regarding her analysis of idealization. Now I will look at the question of truth. My main argument is that neither the widespread use of blatant falsities in science, nor the existence of other goals different from […]