‘Redwoods of the sea’ reveal fundamental growth patterns for photosynthesis
Whatever you do, don’t call kelp a “plant.” The seaweed, which forms underwater forests off the Pacific coast from Baja California in Mexico to Alaska,
Mouse egg cells made entirely in the lab give rise to healthy offspring
In work that raises the prospect of new infertility treatments and designer babies, researchers have used stem cells to grow fertile mouse egg cells for
EEG recordings prove learning foreign languages can sharpen our minds
Scientists from the Higher School of Economics (HSE) together with colleagues from the University of Helsinki have discovered that learning foreign languages enhances the our
NASA’s Juno spacecraft sends first in-orbit view
The JunoCam camera aboard NASA’s Juno mission is operational and sending down data after the spacecraft’s July 4 arrival at Jupiter. Juno’s visible-light camera was
Watch Ocean Acidification in Real Time
The depressing task of monitoring ocean acidification just got a little easier. A collection of scientists from Europe, the U.S. and India have developed a
No sweet surrender: Glucose actually enhances self-control, study shows
In the age of the ‘sugar tax’, good news about glucose is hard to come by. But an Australian scientist has just proposed a new
Zika virus directly infects brain cells and evades immune system detection, study shows
The mosquito-borne Zika virus linked to microcephaly and other neurological problems in newborns of affected mothers directly infects the brain progenitor cells destined to become
Your dog doesn’t trust you when you’re angry, study finds
Though dogs have been hanging out with us humans for at least 16,000 years, we know surprisingly little about them, especially when it comes to
Omega-3 lowers childhood aggression in short term
Incorporating omega-3, vitamins and mineral supplements into the diets of children with extreme aggression can reduce this problem behavior in the short term, especially its
A better hologram for fraud protection and wearable optics
Holograms are a ubiquitous part of our lives. They are in our wallets — protecting credit cards, cash and driver’s licenses from fraud — in
The hormone oxytocin can change how depressed brains process angry and happy faces
Receiving a dose of the hormone oxytocin can change the way emotions are processed in the brains of people suffering from chronic depression, offering promising
From Chrome Plating To Nanotubes: The ‘Modern’ Chemistry First Used In Ancient Times
The ancient Babylonians were the first to use sophisticated geometry – a staggering 1,400 years before it was previously thought to have been developed. Sadly,
Sharks’ electricity-sensing organs are even more powerful than we realized
The most powerful proton conductor in the natural world is a weird, jelly-like substance that lives inside a shark’s head. That’s according to a study published
Scientists Made Transparent Wood That’s Stronger Than Glass
Researchers at the University of Maryland were able pull away color and chemicals from a block of wood to leave it impressively see-through. The result
Scientists Begin Looking at Programmers’ Brains: The Neuroscience of Programming
This Is Your Brain On Code, According To Functional MRI Imaging n order to expose more students to computer science, 17 states have passed legislation
Being Hungry May Affect Your Impulsivity And Decision-Making
Going to the supermarket when you’re hungry can often result in some rather bizarre and reckless purchases, but a new study suggests that food shopping
Protein That Helps Placenta Develop May Also Contribute To Improved Treatments For Recurrent Miscarriage
Despite many advancements in the fertility world, millions of women still suffer miscarriages.Some of these incidents occur before a woman even knows she is pregnant,
REM Sleep Disruptions Can Impair Emotional and Spatial Memory Formation
Getting enough uninterrupted sleep is integral for most bodily functions, and its importance is often understated. Sleep deprivation has been linked to heart problems, increased
What’s in the fast food burger you eat? Ready to be grossed out?
Barbeque season is fast approaching for those of us north of the equator. However, according to a recent report, you might want to take it
Human Embryos Grown In Lab For Record Period Of Time
Researchers have managed to keep a human embryo alive in the lab for a record period of time, moving past the point when they would
Biotech Company Granted Ethical Permission To Attempt To Use Stem Cells To Reactivate The Brains Of The Dead
A biotech company in the U.S. has been granted ethical permission by an Institutional Review Board in the U.S. and India to use 20 brain-dead patients for
What Are Delusions – And How Best Can We Treat Them?
From believing that clouds are alien spaceships to thinking that MI6 agents are following you in unmarked cars, delusions are the hallmark of severe mental
Just One Teaspoon Of This Legal Drug Could Kill You
Caffeine is the world’s most widely consumed psychoactive drug. For many of us, the day doesn’t start without a dose. But you’d be wrong to think
An experimental Alzheimer’s drug reverses genetic changes thought to spur the disease
Aging takes its toll on the brain, and the cells of the hippocampus—a brain region with circuitry crucial to learning and memory—are particularly vulnerable to
Theorists perplexed by hints of unexpected new particle
Physicists may soon know if a potential new subatomic particle is something beyond their wildest dreams — or if it exists at all. Hints of
Hubble Captures Incredible Snap Of “Bubble Nebula” To Celebrate 26 Years In Space
This weekend marks the 26th year in orbit for the Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched on April 24, 1990, aboard the Shuttle Discovery. Every year to commemorate the day,
Meet The Nanomachines That Could Drive A Medical Revolution
A group of physicists recently built the smallest engine ever created from just a single atom. Like any other engine it converts heat energy into
New protein injection reverses Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice in just one week
Researchers have discovered that an injection of a protein called IL-33 can reverse Alzheimer’s-like symptoms and cognitive decline in mice, restoring their memory and cognitive
When it comes to brains, size doesn’t matter
Crows, ravens, and other corvids are sometimes called feathered apes. Like primates, these birds form social groups, use tools, solve puzzles, recognize faces, and enjoy
Scientists have found genes that determine the time of the first sex
DNA analysis of over 380 thousand inhabitants of Britain allowed geneticists to identify several genes that determine the speed of the onset of puberty, the
ROOFTOP SOLAR PANELS COULD PROVIDE NEARLY HALF OF OUR POWER
To take advantage of the sun’s energy to satisfy our ever-increasing need for electricity, Americans will have to take a fresh look at their roofs.
Beta cells from your own fat?
Researchers led by Martin Fussenegger, Professor of Biotechnology and Bioengineering at ETH Zurich’s Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering in Basel, have performed a feat
Can Urine be the Final Frontier of Renewable Energy Production?
Scientists have developed a new type of microbial fuel cell that can transform urine into electricity. This innovative technique has the potential to revolutionize the
Solar storms trigger Jupiter’s ‘Northern Lights’
It is the first time that Jupiter’s X-ray aurora has been studied when a giant storm from the Sun has arrived at the planet. The
Newly discovered magnetism is a big boost for quantum computers
Until now, humanity has only known two forms of magnetism: ferromagnetism (the kind you see on your fridge) and antiferromagnetism (a sort of negative magnetism
Novel collagen fingerprinting identifies a Neanderthal bone among 2,000 fragments
Scientists from the universities of Oxford and Manchester have used a new molecular fingerprinting technique to identify one Neanderthal bone from around 2,000 tiny bone
New state of matter detected in a two-dimensional material
An international team of researchers have found evidence of a mysterious new state of matter, first predicted 40 years ago, in a real material. This
Incredible New Image Shows Two Galaxy Clusters Colliding
This kaleidoscopic image of twinkling stars and cosmic hazes shows the site of a colossal collision of two galaxy clusters, coming together to form a
This scientist found a way to make battery parts with bread mold
Geoff GaddNeurospora growing on a plate. Geoff Gadd, a professor of biology at the University of Dundee in Scotland, learned that when he puts the
How Kinect is helping people to breathe
Microsoft’s motion-sensing Kinect peripheral never quite took off as the future of gaming, but it’s proving enduringly popular among scientists as a low-cost imaging device.
Crucial Superconducting Theory Confirmed
Superconductivity promises to revolutionize our world with efficient transport, cheaper electricity, and even hoverboards. Although it’s still a long road to that technology, a crucial
Newest CERN Results Indicate There Is Something Very Wrong With Particle Physics
Science is always pushing the limit of accepted theories until we find that they don’t work anymore. And the latest results from CERN indicate that
Watch What Happens If You Put Molten Salt Into A Water Tank
TheBackyardScientist is back with a super-high-speed camera, a fish tank, and some molten salt. Sodium chloride (salt) can become a molten liquid when it’s heated to over
Suppressing Memories May Cause Amnesia Research Says
Everyone has memories that they prefer not to dwell on, although according to a new study published in the journal Nature Communications, consciously suppressing one’s
Electrical brain stimulation could boost benefits of stroke rehabilitation
To probe the effects of brain stimulation, the researchers chose 24 patients who had experienced a stroke at least six months before, and who had
Oldest Human DNA Ever Sequenced Could Rewrite Human Evolutionary Tree
Researchers have managed to sequence a section of the oldest human DNA ever, taken from the 430,000-year-old teeth and thigh bones of fossils found in northern Spain.
New tyrannosaur bridges gap from medium to monstrous
A fossil from a new species of dinosaur is helping to bridge a crucial 20-million-year gap in tyrannosaur evolution. The key fossil is a 90-million-year-old,
Snake fungal disease spreading in eastern United States
There’s a deadly fungus spreading among snakes in the United States. But don’t cheer. As much as snakes might frighten us, they’re important players in
A European Hyperloop Is Being Built That Will Take You From Vienna To Budapest In 10 Minutes
In the last few months, we’ve seen three companies in the U.S. announce plans to build Hyperloop test tracks, Elon Musk’s proposal for rapid transit
Study Reveals Something Surprising About “Abnormal” Sexual Interests
“Weird” is the norm when it comes to sexual desires, according to a recent study from the University of Montreal. In fact, almost half of