Last update:

What powered the Earth's earliest life?

Early biological systems likely relied on RNA molecules to copy themselves and drive simple chemical reactions. Any system that could generate guanosine-triphosphate (GTP)—which is necessary for RNA synthesis—from prebiotic ...

More news

Biochemistry
Water molecule unlocks faster interfacial polymerization by lowering energy barrier
Biochemistry
One photon, two reactions—new catalyst converts CO₂ and biowaste simultaneously
Biochemistry
A pectin and chitosan film to protect bioactive compounds in foods and therapies
Biochemistry
Chemists unlock first total synthesis of rare plant alkaloid tied to anticancer activity
Biochemistry
Secondary silylium ion drives one-pot ketone sulfonamidation, reaching 95% yields
Biochemistry
AI brews a caffeine-powered safety switch for future cell therapies
Biochemistry
New gold-palladium catalysis mechanism could advance bio-based chemical manufacturing
Biochemistry
Polyphenol structures reveal why tea, cocoa and fruit compounds taste so different
Biochemistry
Why doesn't coffee taste like caffeine?
Biochemistry
Programmable chemistry unlocks drugs only in target cells, aiming to cut side effects
Biochemistry
Biomaterial made from jackfruit latex is a promising treatment for periodontitis
Biochemistry
Fifty-year protein mystery breaks open as acid-driven water loss comes into view
Biochemistry
Microbes turn biodiesel byproduct into three nylon building blocks, opening greener route
Biochemistry
Bridged or not? Scientists uncover a key step in hydrogenase assembly
Biochemistry
Synthesized peptides can slip into cells to block hard-to-target protein interactions
Biochemistry
'Molecular movie' technology reveals a better way to thwart environmental pollutant
Biochemistry
'Bio-stickers' speed up plastic breakdown in marine environments
Biochemistry
Revised mushroom toxin pathway could improve poisoning detection
Biochemistry
New biosynthesis platform could enable bioactive compounds to be labeled, targeted and released on demand
Biochemistry
Spider silk-inspired process turns corn protein into tougher plastic-like material

Other news

Evolution
Primate evolution kept aging rates stable for 25 million years despite lifespan gaps
General Physics
World's largest particle smasher halts for upgrade to boost hunt for dark matter
Astronomy
New millisecond pulsar discovered with the Murchison Widefield Array
Plants & Animals
The bond between humans and dogs remains remarkably consistent across societies, cross-cultural study reveals
Earth Sciences
Coastal and estuarine carbon removal technique may backfire when pushed too far
Cell & Microbiology
Peptide alternative to antibiotics could combat antimicrobial resistance crisis
Evolution
Newly identified fossil sheds light on evolutionary history of saber-toothed cats
Environment
Burned-home soils showed uneven lead, arsenic contamination after Los Angeles wildfires
General Physics
Non-Hermitian geometry reveals when quantum amplification depends only on start and end points
Evolution
Lamprey brain atlas reveals 450-million-year blueprint of vertebrate brains
Other
Saturday Citations: Predicting earthquakes; two types of water; observing event horizons
Planetary Sciences
A large, harmless asteroid will zip past Earth this weekend
Plants & Animals
Two humpback whales set records swimming between Australia and Brazil
Astronomy
May 2024 superstorm drew most ring current ions from Earth, not solar wind, research reveals
Earth Sciences
Coal pollution reaches one of Earth's most remote mountain regions
General Physics
Metal hydride molecule trapped with laser light opens path to ultracold hydrogen
Ecology
An iron-driven chain reaction may trigger mass death of harmful algae blooms
Astronomy
A single origin story for the Milky Way's most mysterious stars
Astronomy
Ultraluminous X-ray source in Whale galaxy investigated for spectral and timing variability
Ecology
Beetle-like borings in 70-million-year-old titanosaur fossils reshape Lo Hueco fossil story

Phosphoric acid dimers reveal nature's proton highway

Whether in our bodies or in fuel cells, phosphoric acid plays an important role in many chemical processes because it is exceptionally good at transporting charges. Researchers from the Department of Molecular Physics at ...