Lithium-ion batteries have remained unrivalled in terms of overall performance for several applications, as evidenced by their widespread use in everything from portable electronics to cellular base stations. However, they suffer from some important disadvantages that are difficult to ignore. For one, lithium is rather expensive, and the fact that it is being mined at […]
Astronomers puzzled by distant planet’s ring Astronomers have discovered a ring around the distant minor planet Quaoar that defies scientific understanding of how and where rings are formed. Quaoar’s ring exists in a location outside of where scientists believe particles should remain in a disk formation, prompting questions about the nature of celestial rings. Full […]
Gel-like materials that can be injected into the body hold great potential to heal injured tissues or manufacture entirely new tissues. Many researchers are working to develop these hydrogels for biomedical uses, but so far very few have made it into the clinic. To help guide in the development of such materials, which are made […]
Human brain tissue successfully implanted in rats A new study shows that balls of human brain neurons can be implanted and integrated into the brains of rats. Researchers reveal that lab-grown “human brain organoids” integrated into the rats’ brains within three months, which may pave the way for repairing injured human brains in the future […]
At the end of 2022, researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory announced they had observed a net energy gain through nuclear fusion for the very first time. This monumental milestone toward fusion energy represents a huge leap forward in powering our homes and businesses with the carbon-neutral energy source. But converting this scientific achievement into […]
Antidepressants may create antibiotic resistance Antidepressants may cause bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics, according to a study exposing the bacterium E. coli to five common antidepressants. Researchers need to further explore the effect, which was found in Petri dishes, to study whether these antidepressants can cultivate superbugs in the human body or natural environment […]
Matter outflows in the form of jets are observed in astronomical systems at fast, medium and slow speeds. The fastest jets are highly relativistic, namely travel very close to the speed of light. The origin, as well as many properties of the jets, is uncertain. One of the puzzles, that jet velocities seem to have […]
Several genes play a role in whales’ enormous size Biologists have identified evolutionary changes in DNA that allowed whales to grow larger over time. The researchers found that despite having bigger bodies with more chances for cancer to develop in cells, whales have genes that not only contribute to body size but reduce the impacts […]
Scientists have successfully demonstrated that autonomous methods can discover new materials. The artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technique led to the discovery of three new nanostructures, including a first-of-its-kind nanoscale “ladder.” The newly discovered structures were formed by a process called self-assembly, in which a material’s molecules organize themselves into unique patterns. Scientists at Brookhaven’s Center for […]
Scientists find aging mechanism — and how to reverse it Biologists have developed a new model for understanding aging based on the degradation in how DNA is organized and regulated, identifying the epigenome as the predominant factor in the aging process. The findings may help scientists develop treatments to reverse aging and delay the onset […]