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Categories: Biology: Cell Biology, Offbeat: General
Published Robot, can you say 'cheese'?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source What would you do if you walked up to a robot with a human-like head and it smiled at you first? You'd likely smile back and perhaps feel the two of you were genuinely interacting. But how does a robot know how to do this? Or a better question, how does it know to get you to smile back?
Published A solar cell you can bend and soak in water
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed an organic photovoltaic film that is both waterproof and flexible, allowing a solar cell to be put onto clothes and still function correctly after being rained on or even washed.
Published Rock-wallaby bite size ‘packs a punch’
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Australian rock-wallabies are 'little Napoleons' when it comes to compensating for small size, packing much more punch into their bite than larger relatives. Researchers made the discovery while investigating how two dwarf species of rock-wallaby are able to feed themselves on the same kinds of foods as their much larger cousins.
Published Scientists extract genetic secrets from 4,000-year-old teeth to illuminate the impact of changing human diets over the centuries
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have recovered remarkably preserved microbiomes from two teeth dating back 4,000 years, found in an Irish limestone cave. Genetic analyses of these microbiomes reveal major changes in the oral microenvironment from the Bronze Age to today. The teeth both belonged to the same male individual and also provided a snapshot of his oral health.
Published Did you know that physical activity can protect you from chronic pain?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Reserachers found that people who were more active in their free time had a lower chance of having various types of chronic pain 7-8 years later. For example, being just a little more active, such as going from light to moderate activity, was associated with a 5% lower risk of reporting some form of chronic pain later. For severe chronic pain in several places in the body, higher activity was associated with a 16% reduced risk. The researchers found that the ability to tolerate pain played a role in this apparent protective effect. That explains why being active could lower the risk of having severe chronic pain, whether or not it was widespread throughout the body.
Published Secrets of the naked mole-rat: new study reveals how their unique metabolism protects them from heart attacks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source This unusual, subterranean mammal with extreme longevity shows genetic adaptations to low oxygen environments which could offer opportunities for advancing other areas of physiological and medical research in humans, including the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
Published New technique for predicting protein dynamics may prove big breakthrough for drug discovery
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Understanding the structure of proteins is critical for demystifying their functions and developing drugs that target them. To that end, a team of researchers has developed a way of using machine learning to rapidly predict multiple protein configurations to advance understanding of protein dynamics and functions.
Published New enzymatic cocktail can kill tuberculosis-causing mycobacteria
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An enzymatic cocktail can kill a variety of mycobacterial species of bacteria, including those that cause tuberculosis.
Published Astronomers unveil strong magnetic fields spiraling at the edge of Milky Way's central black hole
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new image from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration has uncovered strong and organized magnetic fields spiraling from the edge of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Seen in polarized light for the first time, this new view of the monster lurking at the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy has revealed a magnetic field structure strikingly similar to that of the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy, suggesting that strong magnetic fields may be common to all black holes.
Published Distant 'space snowman' unlocks mystery of how some dormant deep space objects become 'ice bombs'
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers found that the double-lobed object, which is officially named Kuiper Belt Object 486958 Arrokoth and resembles a snowman, may have ancient ices stored deep within it from when the object first formed billions of years ago.
Published A decade of aphantasia research: what we've learned about people who can't visualize
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source People who can't visualize an image in their mind's eye are less likely to remember the details of important past personal events or to recognize faces, according to a review of nearly ten years of research. People who cannot bring to mind visual imagery are also less likely to experience imagery of other kinds, like imagining music, according to new research by the academic who first discovered the phenomenon.
Published Milk on ice: Antarctic time capsule of whole milk powder sheds light on the enduring qualities--and evolution--of dairy products past and present
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In a remarkable discovery, whole milk powder manufactured in New Zealand in 1907 and transported to Antarctica with explorers seeking the South Pole was unveiled after more than a century. The find has allowed dairy researchers to answer the question: Is the milk we enjoy today different from the milk consumed in previous generations? Now, a new comparative study has peered back in time to demonstrate that -- despite advancements in selective breeding and changes to farm practices -- milk of the past and milk today share more similarities than differences and are still crucial building blocks of human nutrition.
Published Old immune systems revitalized in mouse study, improving vaccine response
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Those with aging immune systems struggle to fight off novel viruses and respond weakly to vaccination. Researchers were able to revitalize the immune system in mice.
Published 'Cosmic cannibals' expel jets into space at 40 percent the speed of light
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers have measured the speed of fast-moving jets in space, crucial to star formation and the distribution of elements needed for life. The jets of matter, expelled by stars deemed 'cosmic cannibals', were measured to travel at over one-third of the speed of light -- thanks to a groundbreaking new experiment.
Published Super permeable wearable electronics developed for stable, long-term biosignal monitoring
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Super wearable electronics that are lightweight, stretchable and increase sweat permeability by 400-fold have been developed by scientists, enabling reliable long-term monitoring of biosignals for biomedical devices.
Published Sleeping supermassive black holes awakened briefly by shredded stars
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Astronomers have concluded that an obscure class of galaxies known as Compact Symmetric Objects, or CSOs, are not young as previously thought but rather lead relatively short lives.
Published New testing approach improves detection of rare but emerging Powassan virus spread by deer ticks
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have come up with a new, more accurate method for detecting in ticks the emerging Powassan virus, which can cause life-threatening neuroinvasive disease, including encephalitis and meningitis.
Published Researchers show that introduced tardigrade proteins can slow metabolism in human cells
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Tardigrade proteins are potential candidates in technologies centered on slowing the aging process and in long-term storage of human cells.
Published Beethoven's genes reveal low predisposition for beat synchronization
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most celebrated musicians in human history, has a rather low genetic predisposition for beat synchronization, according to a new study.
Published Discovery of amino acid unveils how light makes plants open
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have uncovered a unique mechanism that regulates the opening of stomata in plants. Phosphorylation of the amino acid Thr881 on the plasma membrane proton pump plays a key role in this process. The study paves the way for the targeted manipulation of plant physiology, with potential applications in agriculture and environmental sustainability.