In humans, biological sex is determined by the chromosomes X or Y. People having a Y chromosome are typically male, as this small chromosome –which evolution seems to be doing away with– contains a gene which determines the formation of male sexual organs in the embryo. However, despite its small size, the Y chromosome is […]
amorphous Scientists have dedicated their efforts to studying topological materials, focusing on the shape, or topology, of their electronic structures. These materials exhibit unique properties that have the potential to be harnessed for next-generation devices, despite their invisible nature in real space. Initially, it was believed that only crystalline materials, characterized by highly ordered atoms […]
risk The authors of this article are members of The European Lab for Learning & Intelligent Systems (ELLIS) Board: Nuria Oliver, Directora de la Fundación ELLIS Alicante & honorary professor Universidad de Alicante; Bernhard Schölkopf, , Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems; Florence d’Alché-Buc, Professor, Télécom Paris – Institut Mines-Télécom; Nada Lavrač, Research Councillor at […]
Study upends idea that men hunted while women gathered The popular belief that early hunter-gatherer societies were organized around sex roles with men hunting and women gathering is incorrect, according to an analysis of data from academic papers focusing on 63 hunter-gatherer societies from across the world. The new research shows that 79% of communities […]
The isolation and manipulation of atomically-thin crystals have recently enabled the investigation of a wealth of exotic electronic phenomena. A remarkable example is the case of superconductivity in transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers, where the strong spin-orbit coupling, together with the lack of inversion symmetry, triggers the emergence of unconventional superconducting properties. In parallel to the […]
More than genes and upbringing determine animal personalities: There’s a good dose of chance in the mix, too. In the age-old debate about nature versus nurture — whether our characteristics are forged by our genes or our upbringing — I have an answer for you. It is both. And it is neither. I’m a behavioral […]
A novel computer memory design has been created by researchers, offering significant enhancements in performance while simultaneously addressing the pressing need to minimize energy consumption in internet and communications technologies. Projections suggest that these technologies could account for nearly one-third of the world’s electricity consumption within the next decade. A team of researchers has devised […]
How close can a rocky planet be to a star, and still sustain water and life? Where is the edge of habitability? A recently discovered exoplanet may be key to solving that mystery, providing important insights about conditions at the inner edge of a star’s habitable zone and why Earth and Venus developed so differently […]
Stronger earthquakes after cosmic radiation Cosmic radiation touching the Earth’s surface may lead to stronger earthquakes. Using data from the Cosmic Ray Extremely Distributed Observatory, scientists found a link between cosmic radiation and seismic activity that may be due to disruptions in the flow of matter in Earth’s core and magnetosphere. Full Story: Space Air […]
Light emission (fluorescence or phosphorescence) in organic molecules, in the vast majority of cases, proceeds from the lowest energy excited state irrespective of the excitation energy used. This is known as the Kasha’s rule, which states that most of the molecules are emissive from the lowest energy, same (ground state) spin multiplicity, S1 excited state […]