Article archives

Heterogeneous sorroundings are critical in the analysis of nerve ablation for treating chronic pains

Heterogeneous sorroundings are critical in the analysis of nerve ablation for treating chronic pains

Computer scienceMathematicsMedicine

By BCAM

Chronic pain is one of the most common problems of advanced age. Even though the combination of physical therapy and analgesics such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is effective in chronic pain treatments, it only confers short-term benefits. On the other hand, it could be quite expensive and may have significant adverse side effects. Effective, lasting […]

Living with half a brain

Living with half a brain

Neurobiology

By José Ramón Alonso

Many people think of their brain as a computer full of microchips and wires, as a storehouse full of memories and learned things, as a clock with millions of mechanisms intimately intertwined with each other, so it is incredible to think that someone can live with much less than that, with only one brain hemisphere […]

MI weekly selection #364

MI weekly selection #364

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Earth may have formed in just 5M years The Earth formed in only about 5 million years, a much shorter amount of time than previously thought. Researchers developed this new timeline based on a study of iron isotopes collected from meteorites. ScienceAlert These fish can pause cell, organ growth as embryos African turquoise killifish can […]

An additional contribution to the spin Hall effect induced by an electric current

An additional contribution to the spin Hall effect induced by an electric current

Condensed matterMaterialsPhysicsTheoretical physics

By DIPC

The interactions between moving charges and magnetic fields can be quite complicated; more if we consider the quantum effects. One example is the collection of Hall effects. Imagine that we have a conductor or a semiconductor through which a current is flowing. Then we apply a strong transverse magnetic field. As a result, we can […]

Habituation and autism

Habituation and autism

Neurobiology

By José Ramón Alonso

Some people with autism do not get used to certain stimuli as normotypical people seem to do without problem. This would fit in with what in neuroscience, particularly in learning and memory issues, is called habituation. Habituation is a process by which, when faced with a repeated stimulus, the response is less and less intense […]

MI weekly selection #363

MI weekly selection #363

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Faraway object offers clues about planet formation The Kuiper Belt Arrokoth, the farthest object ever visited by a spacecraft, is helping astronomers better understand how planets are formed, according to a trio of papers published in Science. “[W]e believe the result marks a significant advance in understanding overall planetesimal and planet formation,” said Alan Stern […]

Huisgenases, new protein catalysts which are not enzymes

Huisgenases, new protein catalysts which are not enzymes

ChemistryDIPC BiochemistryMaterials

By DIPC

Proteins can perform a huge number of biological functions with amazing efficiency. In order to achieve these different functions, proteins rely on the precise 3D arrangement of functional groups which are referred to as the protein fold. Some of these functions include acting as a catalyst in biochemical reactions; in these cases proteins are called […]

T cells could be key for early Alzheimer’s detection

T cells could be key for early Alzheimer’s detection

BiomedicineMedicineNeurobiology

By Rosa García-Verdugo

For a long time Alzheimer disease has been studied mostly as a neuronal disease. However, recently the role of the immune system is getting more attention and its involvement more clear. Recent research has shown that a subpopulation of T cells could be key to early Alzheimer’s detection. How were these T cells discovered? Firstly […]

The marketization of science and the ‘marketization’ of science studies (& 2)

The marketization of science and the ‘marketization’ of science studies (& 2)

Philosophy of science

By Jesús Zamora Bonilla

In the previous entry, I presented some critical thesis by historian Ylva Hasselberg regarding the applicability of economic theoretic tools to the study of the social construction of scientific knowledge. To those claims, I think we can respond with the following arguments. In the first place, we have to make a clear and emphatic distinction […]