Category archives: Technology

Birds’ small brains pack big neuron punch Birds’ brains may be small, but they pack more neurons related to intelligence than many mammals with larger brains Researchers used an isotropic fractionator to measure the number of neurons in regions of birds’ brains and found that many songbirds and parrots packed more neurons in their brains […]

Newly found form of CRISPR can break apart RNA Researchers have found that a mouth bacterium can make a form of CRISPR that breaks apart RNA rather than DNA. The finding could have applications for adjusting proteins in cells or targeting cancer cells. The New York Times Photons’ quantum properties could be used to send […]

Laboratory mice are one of the most valuable tools scientists rely on to understand how pathologies work. In order to find a cure for a disease, we need to have comprehensive knowledge of the physiological processes which are impaired. For instance, we can manipulate mice genetically to assess the effect of either the deletion, overexpression […]

Unusual underwater structures are geological, not ancient city Uniquely shaped structures found underwater near the Greek island of Zakynthos are naturally occurring geological forms and not the ruins of an ancient city lost to the sea. The circular structures reminiscent of columns, floors and courtyards likely formed about 5 million years ago during the Pliocene […]

Ancient Phoenician’s genome sequenced A Phoenician who lived 2,500 years ago near Carthage had European ancestors, according to researchers who sequenced his mitochondrial genome after collecting DNA from his remains. The Phoenician’s ancestry was traced back to the European haplogroup U5b2cl, connected to the North Mediterranean and possibly the Iberian Peninsula. Seeker Protein linked to […]

Hubble image offers detailed view of Mars A detailed image of Mars has been taken by the Hubble Space Telescope as the Red Planet moves into opposition with Earth. The image depicts many of Mars’ geological features, such as mountains, plains and ice caps. Mars is in opposition today! Space.com Urban bees mostly dine on […]

Prion diseases are a group of severe conditions that affect the nervous system of many animals, including humans. Although their causes were highly controversial, there is a widespread agreement nowadays that they are originated and transmitted by prions, infectious agents with a normal and an abnormal structure. The abnormal prion protein infects the host animal […]

Blood from donations is separated into three components: red cells, platelets and plasma, and one component or another is then transfused into patients according to their needs. The conditions for storage differ for each component: red cell concentrates can be kept for up to 42 days at temperatures of 1-6ºC. Platelet concentrates (PC) are stored […]

Earth-sun magnetic field interactions seen by NASA space probes Explosive storms spawned by interactions between the magnetic fields of Earth and the sun can endanger satellites, spacecraft and astronauts in space, as well as power grids on Earth. Now, a fleet of NASA spacecraft has for the first time directly witnessed the mysterious way in […]

Silicon surfaces of crystalline solids are part of conventional electronics, but their exploitation in novel materials combining two-dimensional electron states (2DESs) and magnetism, which play an important role in the development of next-generation electronics, still remains elusive. The appearance of 2DESs at surfaces or interfaces and their interplay with magnetic degrees of freedom may open […]