https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Researchers at the universities of Amsterdam and Utrecht have observed the formation of nanocavities in montmorillonite clay under exposure to gamma-aminobutyric acid, a molecule commonly found on meteorites. This hitherto unrecognized phenomenon could be relevant to the origin of life on Earth, by introducing 3D confined nano-environments in clay that might have facilitated life's first chemistry. The findings have been reported in Communications Earth & Environment. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-meteorite-common-amino-acid-formation.html Astrobiology Mon, 23 Jun 2025 13:25:01 EDT news669903897 Depression is a significant challenge to diagnose and treat. Among the factors influencing depression onset and severity, there is growing evidence for chemical imbalances that generate oxidative stress throughout the body. To address this problem, researchers reporting in the journal Langmuir have developed antioxidant carbon dot nanozymes (synthetic enzyme-like substances) that reduced oxidative stress, rebalanced gut microbes and alleviated stress-induced depression in rats. https://phys.org/news/2024-09-antioxidant-carbon-dot-nanozymes-alleviate.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:08:06 EDT news645898081 Our nerve and muscle cells send signals to each other using ions and molecules. Certain substances, such as the neurotransmitter GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid), are important signal substances throughout the central nervous system. Eighteen months ago, researchers at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics demonstrated an ion pump which researchers at the Karolinska Institutet could use to reduce the sensation of pain in awake, freely-moving rats. The ion pump delivered GABA directly to the rat´s spinal cord. The news that researchers could deliver the body's own neurotransmitters was published in Science Advances and garnered intense interest all over the world. https://phys.org/news/2016-11-chemical-delivery-array-millisecond-neurotransmitter.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 02 Nov 2016 14:00:05 EDT news397301798