Scientists reverse reproductive clock in mice

Lab mouse (stock image).Credit: © filin174 / Adobe Stock Researchers have lifted fertility rates in older female mice with small doses of a metabolic compound that reverses the aging process in eggs, offering hope for some women struggling to conceive.advertisement The University of Queensland study found a non-invasive treatment could maintain or restore the quality and […]

Scientists unravel mystery of photosynthesis

Sunlight and leaves (stock image).Credit: © Elena Volkova / Adobe Stock Plants have been harnessing the sun’s energy for hundreds of millions of years.advertisement Algae and photosynthetic bacteria have been doing the same for even longer, all with remarkable efficiency and resiliency. It’s no wonder, then, that scientists have long sought to understand exactly how they […]

Scientists discover how rogue communications between cells lead to leukemia

New research has deciphered how rogue communications in blood stem cells can cause Leukemia.advertisement The discovery could pave the way for new, targeted medical treatments that block this process. Blood cancers like leukemia occur when mutations in stem cells cause them to produce too many blood cells. An international team of scientists, including researchers at […]

Scientists find record warm water in Antarctica, pointing to cause behind troubling glacier melt

Antarctica illustration (stock image).Credit: © conceptcafe / Adobe Stock A team of scientists has observed, for the first time, the presence of warm water at a vital point underneath a glacier in Antarctica — an alarming discovery that points to the cause behind the gradual melting of this ice shelf while also raising concerns about sea-level […]

Scientists find oldest-known fossilized digestive tract — 550 million years

A 550-million-year-old fossilized digestive tract found in the Nevada desert could be a key find in understanding the early history of animals on Earth.advertisement Over a half-billion years ago, life on Earth was composed of simple ocean organisms unlike anything living in today’s oceans. Then, beginning about 540 million years ago, animal structures changed dramatically. […]

Scientists link La Niña climate cycle to increased diarrhea

A study in Botswana by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health scientists finds that spikes in cases of life-threatening diarrhea in young children are associated with La Niña climate conditions. The findings published in the journal Nature Communications could provide the basis for an early-warning system that would allow public health officials to prepare for periods […]

Scientists develop gentle, microscopic hands to study tiny, soft materials

Handling very soft, delicate items without damaging them is hard enough with human hands, let alone doing it at the microscopic scale with laboratory instruments. Three new studies show how scientists have honed a technique for handling tiny, soft particles using precisely controlled fluid flows that act as gentle microscopic hands. The technique allows researchers […]

Cheers! Scientists take big step towards making the perfect head of beer

Drinkers will soon be cheering all the way to the bar thanks to a team of scientists who have taken a big step forward in solving the puzzle of how to make the perfect head of beer.advertisement Lead researcher Dr Richard Campbell from The University of Manchester says his findings solve a long-standing mystery related […]

Scientists find iron ‘snow’ in Earth’s core

Illustration of Earth’s core (stock image; elements furnished by NASA).Credit: © Vadimsadovski / Adobe Stock The Earth’s inner core is hot, under immense pressure and snow-capped, according to new research that could help scientists better understand forces that affect the entire planet.advertisement The snow is made of tiny particles of iron — much heavier than any […]

Taking shape: Scientists propose new structure for shell of HIV-1 virus

The matrix shell of the HIV-1 virus may have a different shape than previously thought, and a newly proposed model has significant implications for understanding how the virus functions, according to a new study by University of Alberta scientists.advertisement The research suggests that the HIV-1 virus is housed within a spherical matrix shell. When it […]