Science
Curved surfaces reshape active materials, localizing vibrations near defects
Many materials, both living and engineered, are powered from within. Scientists have thoroughly investigated how such 'active' materials operate, but so far, mostly in circumstanc…
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers solicits long-term solutions for Juneau's glacial floods
This year's glacial outburst flood event in Juneau was minimally damaging, but residents worry about the future. A permanent solution to drain the glacial lake will be chosen by t…
A single asteroid impact may explain the appearance of Mars' moon Deimos
Deimos, the smaller and outermost of Mars' two moons, is roughly oval in shape and has a deep depression at its south pole. Unlike its heavily scarred sister moon, Phobos, Deimos …
'Hidden stars' suggest that distant galaxies are much more massive than they appear
Astronomers have discovered that the most massive galaxies in the early universe contain far more small stars than expected. As a result, these early galaxies were likely much mor…
Hidden losses of amphibians and dragonflies in Berlin's municipal water supply
A new study led by researchers at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin shows that Berlin's dragonfly populations have declined by more than half since 1963, while populations of frogs…
'Switchable' smart gel may pave way for next-gen drug delivery and sensing tech
University of Birmingham scientists have developed a new material that changes from a gel to a liquid-like state under ultraviolet light and can be rebuilt using heat or dismantle…
Deep-learning approach rapidly predicts where metals bind within proteins
In the living world, roughly a third of all proteins we know rely on metals to function. Zinc helps enzymes break down molecules, iron helps carry oxygen in the blood, calcium hel…
Secrets of a mystery mammal from Patagonia revealed at last
Eight years of painstaking research on the virtually unknown Wolffsohn's viscacha have helped to shine the spotlight on this super-rare South American rodent and catalyze the cons…
Sound-based traps reveal how fragile biomolecular droplets move, merge and change stiffness
Being able to measure something plays a vital role in our ability to understand many phenomena. But measuring can often affect what we are trying to measure. This is particularly …
Moving nitrogen within pyridine opens a new path for molecular editing
A research team has developed a new molecular editing strategy that can directly convert pyridine compounds into their positional isomers. Instead of moving individual substituent…
Forget 'Halo' — the latest 'Futurama' episode has a ring world covered in super-intelligent rats (exclusive)
"A ring-shaped world shaped like a ring! I shall call it Wheel World."
Genome-folding complex reveals a mechanism that helps establish neuron identity
A functional nervous system depends on the cooperation of many kinds of cells. As developing organisms build their nervous systems, their neurons must take on different forms and …
The global race to make a practical quantum computer just took a big leap forward
In the global race to build bigger and better quantum computers, researchers have taken a step forward. A new machine called Helios is radically different from other quantum compu…
NASA astronaut and 1st female French spacewalker remove failed ISS antenna but run out of time for replacement
NASA astronaut Anil Menon and first female French spacewalker Sophie Adenot removed a failed antenna but ran out of time to install its replacement at the International Space Stat…
Physicists entangle quantum memories across a record-breaking 420 km
Optical fibers are already the backbone of global communication systems. Recently, however, physicists have started to explore how their functionality could be boosted further by …
Structural snapshots reveal key steps in switching on DNA replication
Every time a cell divides, it must accurately copy its entire genetic instruction manual. Before this process can begin, cells load their DNA-copying motor—a complex of six subuni…
An African bat overlooked for two centuries is confirmed in Europe
An African bat whose presence in Sicily had remained an unresolved zoological mystery for almost two centuries has now been documented on Pantelleria Island. A study published in …
Most mammal species discovered in the Global South since 1990 end up in Northern collections
According to a study by Brazilian scientists published in the journal npj Biodiversity, most new mammal species described over the past 35 years are housed in institutions in coun…
A new mathematical tool to uncover 'who eats whom' in nature
Understanding "who eats whom" is the key to keeping our oceans alive—and our dinner plates full. However, this invisible network that makes up the food chain can unravel with the …
NASA’s LRO Images Falcon 9 Crater on Moon, Learns New Details
Between Aug. 11 and 12, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) captured a series of images of a new crater on the Moon. The crater formed on Aug. 5, when a SpaceX Falcon 9 uppe…
Building real-time control for engineered biological systems
Scientists can engineer living cells to perform useful tasks, from producing medicines and sustainable chemicals to detecting disease. Unlike traditional engineered systems, livin…
Lost 'botanical hotspot' identified at University of York campus
One of the special plants once found at Heslington Fields, the marsh helleborine orchid. The grounds, now occupied by the University of York's Campus East and parts of Campus West…
From the coasts to the plains, bird flu could threaten not just birds—but their homes
Yesterday, I woke to a cold, damp Canberra morning—and silence. The trees around my home were empty of feathered silhouettes. Even the usual bright-eyed, warble-voiced magpies wer…
End-to-end design creates two low-cost materials to capture methane
Developing new materials to tackle pressing global issues is a gap-filled process that can leave potential climate solutions lost in unread academic papers and forgotten dissertat…