Evolution

Scientists find plausible geological setting that may have sparked life on Earth

Researchers have discovered a plausible evolutionary setting in which nucleic acids—the fundamental genetic building blocks of life—could enable their own replication, possibly leading to life on Earth.

Astronomy

Webb researchers discover lensed supernova, confirm Hubble tension

Measuring the Hubble constant, the rate at which the universe is expanding, is an active area of research among astronomers around the world who analyze data from both ground- and space- based observatories. NASA's James ...

Seeing double: Designing drugs that target 'twin' cancer proteins

Some proteins in the human body are easy to block with a drug; they have an obvious spot in their structure where a drug can fit, like a key in a lock. But other proteins are more difficult to target, with no clear drug-binding ...

Scientists explore microbial diversity in sourdough starters

When millions of people went into lockdown during the pandemic, they went in search of new at-home hobbies to help cure their boredom. Among them was making sourdough bread. In addition to being sustainable for its use of ...

High-resolution images of RSV may expose stubborn virus's weak points

The complex shape of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one hurdle limiting the development of treatments for an infection that leads to hospitalization or worse for hundreds of thousands of people in the United States ...

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Tech Xplore

New study maps Congo's bai ecosystems in unprecedented detail

"Tropical rainforest" might conjure images of close-packed trees, dense humidity, and the din of animal calls. But rainforests host landscapes beyond that archetypal one, including vast, treeless clearings that seemingly ...

Scientists develop a new model of electric double layer

A new model accounts for a wide range of ion-electrode interactions and predicts a device's ability to store electric charge. The model's theoretical predictions align with the experimental results. Data on the behavior of ...

Want to solve a complex problem? Applied math can help

You can probably think of a time when you've used math to solve an everyday problem, such as calculating a tip at a restaurant or determining the square footage of a room. But what role does math play in solving complex problems ...

AI model detects impervious surfaces in aerial images

In accordance with the German Sustainability Strategy, new impervious surfaces are to be limited to less than 30 hectares per day nationwide. In order to verify whether this target is met, it must be possible to monitor soil ...

Solar-powered system extracts drinkable water from 'dry' air

Researchers at MIT and elsewhere have significantly boosted the output from a system that can extract drinkable water directly from the air even in dry regions, using heat from the sun or another source.

Barren no more: study finds millions of trees dot deserts

At first glance the apparently barren expanses of the Sahel and Sahara deserts feature little greenery, but detailed satellite imagery combined with computer deep learning has revealed a different picture.

Modern humans took detours on their way to Europe

Favorable climatic conditions influenced the sequence of settlement movements of Homo sapiens in the Levant on their way from Africa to Europe. In a first step, modern humans settled along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. ...

Pandemic caused 'unprecedented' emissions drop: study

Pandemic restrictions saw an unprecedented fall in greenhouse gas emissions in the first half of 2020—larger than during the 2008 financial crisis and even World War II—experts said Wednesday.

Preservation for the (digital) ages

When Deborah Beck was preparing her book, Speech Presentation in Homeric Epic, her publisher suggested she make the database she had started in 2008—a searchable catalogue of features from every speech in the Homeric poems—available ...

Icarus lifts off

After the launch of a Soyuz 2 rocket scheduled for October 12 was postponed by two days, the carrier rocket yesterday docked with the ISS. On board: the Icarus board computer, the future brain of the German-Russian animal ...

Matchmaking with consequences

Most human tumours have one thing in common: They harbour drastically increased amounts of the so-called Myc proteins. Animal experiments show that such high Myc concentrations contribute to causing cancer. But Myc proteins ...

Researchers make the slipperiest surfaces adhesive

The convenience of non-stick, Teflon-coated cookware is appreciated in kitchens worldwide, particularly by anyone doing the washing up. The chemical making up Teflon, polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE, is one of the slipperiest ...