Uranus and Neptune have long been considered planetary twins, but new research suggests their similarities may conceal surprisingly different origins. Neptune may have formed from material that originated much closer to the young Sun, challenging the long-standing belief that it and Uranus developed from the same reservoir of cosmic ingredients. New research suggests the two […]
Scientists Discover How Dead Stars Could Break One of Physics’ Most Famous Limits
New simulations suggest that powerful internal magnetic fields could allow some white dwarfs to grow far beyond a long-established stellar mass limit. New research suggests that some white dwarfs, the incredibly dense remnants of dead stars, could grow far heavier than a fundamental limit in astrophysics predicts. Computer simulations show that powerful internal magnetic fields […]
Alzheimer’s-Linked Proteins Have a Hidden Role in Human Reproduction
Proteins commonly associated with devastating brain diseases may have an unexpected role in reproduction. Proteins commonly associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease may have a surprising function in human reproduction. Researchers at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute have discovered that amyloid fibrils, tiny protein fibers found in semen, can help transport RNA into sperm cells. The […]
A Natural Compound Found in Everyday Foods Shows Surprising Power Against Lung Cancer
A natural compound found in common foods has shown promising effects against lung cancer cells. Quercetin, a compound found in citrus fruits, onions, and buckwheat, slowed lung cancer cell division and movement in laboratory experiments. At the highest dose tested, cell migration nearly stopped. The findings come from researchers at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen at Friedrich-Alexander Universität […]
A Last Refuge: Australian Waters Could Save a Critically Endangered Ocean Predator
Despite decades of research, major gaps in scientists’ understanding of green sawfish could complicate efforts to save the species. Green sawfish have disappeared from large parts of their former range, but northern Australia still supports some of the last relatively intact populations of this critically endangered species. A new scientific review suggests these waters could […]
Do Spiders Dream? Scientists Discover a Mysterious Sleep State
Scientists have discovered that spiders experience REM-like sleep, complete with twitching muscles and moving eyes, raising the intriguing possibility that they might dream. Spiders may have more in common with sleeping humans than scientists previously realized. Researchers at the University of Bonn have discovered that Australian jumping spiders experience two distinct stages of sleep, including […]
Scientists Uncover Why Breast Cancer Becomes Deadlier As We Age
Scientists have uncovered a biological mechanism that may help explain why breast cancer becomes more dangerous with age. In older mice, breast cancer was far more likely to spread to the lungs, even when the original tumors grew at roughly the same rate as those in younger animals. Researchers at Georgetown’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center […]
Scientists Discover a Surprising New Target for Treating Type 2 Diabetes
A clinical trial has uncovered a molecular change in skeletal muscle that may help explain why exercise improves insulin sensitivity in people with Type 2 diabetes. A protein found in unusually high amounts in the muscles of people with Type 2 diabetes may be interfering with the body’s ability to respond to insulin. Researchers discovered […]
Eating a Handful of Peanuts Could Change Your Blood in a Surprising Way, Study Finds
A handful of peanuts may leave a telltale signature in your blood, and researchers have linked that pattern to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. What happens inside your body after eating a handful of peanuts? Beyond providing protein, fiber, and healthy fats, these popular legumes appear to leave a distinctive chemical fingerprint in […]
Scientists Use Light To Build a New Generation of Drug Molecules
The flat molecular structures commonly found in medicines can limit their properties. A new light-powered chemical technique could give scientists more freedom to design drug molecules with complex three-dimensional shapes. Researchers at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) have developed a way to produce molecular structures that could serve as alternatives to benzene rings, which […]