Widespread decline in genetic diversity Genetic diversity is declining among a wide range of species, including some not considered threatened, due to factors such as climate change and habitat loss. Genetic diversity declines were found in two-thirds of 628 species of birds, mammals, bony fish and flowering plants studied, threatening the species’ resilience and ability […]
In a recent study, a team of researchers explores the intriguing electronic behaviours that emerge when two distinct forms of carbon-based materials—nanoporous graphene (NPG) and graphene—are layered together with a twist between them. Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a two-dimensional honeycomb lattice, renowned for its exceptional electrical conductivity, mechanical strength […]
Scientists have long puzzled over how pterosaurs became the first vertebrates to master flight. Some pterosaur species, such as the Quetzalcoatlus were the largest known animals to ever take to the skies, with wingspans of over ten meters (on par with military aircraft like the Spitfire). My team’s new study may help solve the evolutionary […]
Proteins, the pillars of cellular function, often assemble into “complexes” to fulfil their functions. A new study reveals why this assembly often begins during the very process of protein synthesis or “birth.” These early interactions involve proteins whose stability depends on their association. They can be compared to a couple in which each partner supports […]
Two-dimensional (2D) materials have become a centrepiece of modern materials science, captivating researchers with their electronic, mechanical, and optical properties. Since Geim and Novoselov discovered the exfoliation technique in 2004, thousands of 2D materials have been discovered, synthesised, or predicted. In particular, anisotropic 2D materials display direction-dependent characteristics, promising cutting-edge applications in flexible electronics and […]
Universe’s rapid expansion challenges existing physics Scientists have confirmed that the universe is expanding at a rate faster than current physics models can explain, based on precise measurements of the Coma galaxy cluster. This discrepancy, known as the Hubble tension, presents a significant challenge in cosmology as different methods yield conflicting expansion rates. ScienceAlert Coral […]
In the world of nanophotonics, the ability to control light with precision at the nanoscale is a game-changing goal. Recent advancements in materials science have opened up new pathways for achieving this, particularly through the use of van der Waals (vdW) crystals. These ultra-thin materials, composed of layers of atoms held together by weak van […]
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) accumulate somatic mutations during ageing in healthy individuals . Despite most of these mutations are inconsequential, some HSC can acquire specific mutations providing a competitive advantage leading to a process known as “clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminant potential” (CHIP) . The most common CHIP mutations affects to DNMT3A and TET2 genes and […]
The complexity of the human brain—86 billion neurons strong with more than 100 trillion connections—enables abstract thinking, language acquisition, advanced reasoning and problem-solving, and the capacity for creativity and social interaction. Understanding how differences in brain signalling and dynamics produce unique cognition and behaviour in individuals has long been a goal of neuroscience research, yet […]
As we saw in my last entry, Karl Popper suggested around 1960 a way of formalising the idea that science can proceed towards the (full) truth through a series of theories or hypotheses all of which are literally false. Basically, his proposal was to define the relation of ‘theory A being at least as close […]