Category archives: Science

The geometry of String Theory compactifications (I): the basics.

The geometry of String Theory compactifications (I): the basics.

PhysicsTheoretical physics

By Carlos Shahbazi

This is first of a series of notes on the geometry of String Theory compactifications. The space-time in String Theory is often described by means of a mathematical object called manifold . Manifolds are very important objects from the mathematical and the physics point of view, not only in String Theory. For example, differential geometry […]

Epigenetics of ant size

Epigenetics of ant size

BiologyGenetics

By José Ramón Alonso

The term epigenetics refers to heritable changes in gene expression (active vs. inactive genes) that does not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence. It results in change in phenotype without a change in genotype. An easily comprehensible example are identical twins: since they develop from a single fertilized egg, they have the same genome […]

MI weekly selection #127

MI weekly selection #127

Humanities & Social SciencesScienceTechnologyWeekly Selection

By César Tomé

Cosmic Rays as Thunderstorm Probes Radio waves generated by cosmic rays provide an unprecedented view of the elusive electric fields in thunderstorms. Physics U.S. agencies to develop organs-on-chips The NIH, FDA and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency will collaborate on the development of 3D miniature models of organs and tissues on microchips that will be […]

Critical materials: The missing piece of the “green economy” puzzle

Critical materials: The missing piece of the “green economy” puzzle

EconomicsGeosciencesMaterials

By Silvia Román

It is widely accepted that low carbon technologies will contribute to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mostly those coming from carbon dioxide, and thus slow down the global warming. That’s why most of the largest economies in the world have committed to reduce their gas emissions by supporting an unprecedented transition from the current fossil-fuel based […]

How to measure tiny temperature differences using a Josephson junction

How to measure tiny temperature differences using a Josephson junction

Condensed matterMaterialsPhysicsQuantum physicsTheoretical physics

By DIPC

At low temperatures, the resistivity of a metal (the inverse of its conductivity) is nearly constant. As the temperature of a material is lowered and as we approach absolute zero the resistivity should approach a constant value. Many metals, known as normal metals, behave in this way. The behaviour of another class of metals and […]

Unveiling the origin of the record superconductivity

Unveiling the origin of the record superconductivity

Condensed matterMaterialsPhysicsTheoretical physics

By Ion Errea

Achieving room temperature superconductivity is among the most pursued but elusive goals of scientists. A paper uploaded to the arXiv in December 2014 claims to have observed superconductivity as high as 190 K in hydrogen sulfide at high pressure, breaking all the records thus far. If this observation is confirmed, cuprates will be knocked from […]

Opening the systemic avenue from chemistry to biology

Opening the systemic avenue from chemistry to biology

BiochemistryBiologyChemistryEvolution

By Invited Researcher

A uthor: Kepa Ruiz-Mirazo, Permanent Researcher, University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) Although «cracking the origins-of-life puzzle», regardless of the reputation of the journalist who tells the news, is clearly not within the reach of science quite yet, the article published a few weeks ago by Sutherland and colleagues in the UK , does constitute […]

MI weekly selection #126

MI weekly selection #126

Humanities & Social SciencesScienceTechnologyWeekly Selection

By César Tomé

Diagram shows newly-found giant magma reservoir underneath Yellowstone A huge reservoir of mostly solid hot rock has been found underneath a magma chamber beneath Yellowstone National Park, part of the vast volcanic plumbing of the area diagrammed in a study published in Science. This system has been there for about 17 million years, and scientists […]

The beginning of life, uncracked by cyanide?

The beginning of life, uncracked by cyanide?

BiochemistryBiologyChemistryEvolution

By Isabel Perez Castro

“In the beginning, there was simplicity” Richard Dawkins, “The selfish gene”, chapter 2 The question of how life began on Earth is as old as the human race and has occupied the thoughts and time of scientists and philosophers for centuries, often causing conflict throughout history. From a scientific point of view, the several possibilities […]