New tool to predict polymer properties

An interdisciplinary team of researchers has developed a powerful mathematical modelling tool that will allow researchers to predict the properties of polymer networks before they are even created.

Icarus can fly high and save on wax too

"Don't fly too close to the sun," said Daedalus to Icarus. Flying too high would melt the wax in his wings, while going too low would cause the sea's moisture to create drag.

Transcription elongation checkpoint discovered

Northwestern Medicine scientists have identified a critical checkpoint in transcription elongation, the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA template, according to findings published in Molecular Cell.

History of insects living on the open ocean tracked with the currents they ride

The open oceans are harsh and hostile environments where insects might not be expected to thrive. In fact, only one insect group, ocean skaters, or water striders, has adapted to life on the open seas.

How do swimmers control their front crawl swimming velocity?

A research team led by the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of Tsukuba has reviewed the hydrodynamics literature related to swimming. They identified certain biomechanical aspects, including the relationship between velocity and drag forces, that are not completely understood. This work may help direct future research that could improve the performance of competitive swimmers.

A breakthrough in catalysts: Smaller than nanoscale

For two decades, manipulating materials at the nanoscale to develop efficient catalysts for various applications, including water treatment, has been the gold standard in the field. But a new study goes even smaller—down to a single atom, the theoretical limit in material downsizing. And results show a big improvement in efficiency, with surprising new properties that cannot be achieved by nanomaterials.

Researchers develop novel nontargeted screening method for animal-derived food safety

Animal-derived food is a major food type. Nontargeted screening of both veterinary drugs and their metabolites is important for comprehensive safety evaluation of animal-derived food.

Researchers report biosynthetic pathway of mechercharmycin A

Recently, TANG Gongli's group from the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences reported the biosynthetic pathway of mechercharmycin A (MCM-A), a marine natural product belonging to a family of polyazole cyclopeptides with remarkable bioactivities and unique structures.

New theory for detecting light in the darkness of a vacuum

Black holes are regions of space-time with huge amounts of gravity. Scientists originally thought that nothing could escape the boundaries of these massive objects, including light.

Enhancing photoelectric efficiency

Albert Einstein might have called this research at Michigan State University a much-needed study. Einstein won a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 for explaining the photoelectric effect.

Industry group backs global carbon price for large ships

A major maritime industry association on Monday backed plans for a global surcharge on carbon emissions from shipping to help fund the sector's shift toward climate-friendly fuels.

Researchers obtain new results on knockout reactions at HIRFL-CSR

Researchers from the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and their collaborators have systematically measured the knockout cross sections of neutron-rich carbon isotopes at the intermediate- to high-energy region by using the External Target Facility (ETF) of the Cooler Storage Ring (CSR) at the Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL).

Buttes on Mars may serve as radiation shelters

Mars has a "bad reputation" for its high exposure to radiation and it has neither a magnetic field nor a thick atmosphere to shelter its surface from high energy particles from outer space.

Researchers reveal a novel metal where electrons flow with fluid-like dynamics

A team of researchers from Boston College has created a new metallic specimen where the motion of electrons flows in the same way water flows in a pipe—fundamentally changing from particle-like to fluid-like dynamics, the team reports in Nature Communications.

Hummingbirds can smell their way out of danger

In less time than it takes to read this sentence, hummingbirds can catch a whiff of potential trouble. That's the result of new UC Riverside research showing, contrary to popular belief, the tiny birds do have an active sense of smell.

Scientists discover a mechanism for memory transfer between individuals in C. elegans

When an organism encounters a threat in its environment, it is to the species' advantage to warn others of the peril. The microscopic roundworm C. elegans regularly encounters dangers in its environment such as the pathogenic bacterium P. aeruginosa, which seems like an appealing food source but can sicken worms if eaten. C. elegans isn't equipped to shout out warnings as a human would, but new work by researchers from Princeton researcher Coleen Murphy's laboratory shows that worms who encounter P. aeruginosa can help others avoid the danger, and identifies a crucial part of the mechanism by which this is done.

Climate action cannot wait for pandemic to end, medical journals warn

Global warming is already affecting people's health so much that emergency action on climate change cannot be put on hold while the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, medical journals across the globe warned on Monday.

Social cost of 2019's plastic more than GDP of India

The pollution, emissions and clean-up costs of plastic produced in 2019 alone could be $3.7 trillion, according to a report released Monday by wildlife charity WWF, warning of the environmental and economic burden of this "seemingly cheap" material.

Climate change pushes New Zealand to warmest recorded winter

The southern winter that just ended in New Zealand was the warmest ever recorded, and scientists say that climate change is driving temperatures ever higher.

Treasured US West trout streams wither amid heat, drought

The North Platte River in southern Wyoming has been so low in places lately that a toddler could easily wade across and thick mats of olive-green algae grow in the lazy current.

Baby birds tune in from egg, study finds

Ever wondered why birds are born to peep, chirrup and sing? Surprisingly international avian experts have shown this to be true, literally, after finding fluctuations in bird species' heartbeat responses to their parents' calls—from inside the egg.