https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from Lewis & Clark College During embryonic development, cells start out as pluripotent, or have the potential to become many different cell types through differentiation. Naive-state is the name for the earliest stage of development for pluripotent stem cells and is considered totipotential, with the ability to become every kind of cell in a multicellular organism. The expression of a particular gene or set of genes is what determines what kind of cell―a skin cell, for example―a cell will become. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-insight-gene-naive-state-pluripotent.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 15 Oct 2024 14:51:03 EDT news648222661 Lady beetles, also known as ladybugs, are distinct, varied and abundant, with approximately 500 species in North America and 6,000 worldwide. Their oval, dome-shaped bodies can be colorful and decorative, but the "lady" designation has nothing to do with their appearance. https://phys.org/news/2024-07-ladybugs-beneficial-predators.html Plants & Animals Mon, 15 Jul 2024 10:12:53 EDT news640257169 It's summer and time to enjoy the sunshine. But it's also important to do so safely. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States—and it's most commonly caused by sun exposure. Research has shown that skin self-awareness and regular skin self-examinations are strongly linked to better treatment outcomes if you receive a skin cancer diagnosis. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-06-skin-confidence-key-social-media.html Oncology & Cancer Mon, 24 Jun 2024 07:20:25 EDT news638432410 Nanoparticles are super tiny―as small as one nanometer, or one billionth of a meter―and are of keen interest to materials scientists for their unique physical and chemical properties. They cannot be detected by the naked eye and require a highly specialized electron microscope to be seen. https://phys.org/news/2023-12-3d-nanoparticles-palm.html Nanomaterials Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:00:03 EST news620931601 Conditions are ripe for an accelerated transition to electric vehicle (EV) use in the United States. The Biden-Harris administration has set a target that 50 percent of newly purchased cars in 2030 be electric. In addition, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides significant tax incentives for purchasing electric vehicles and for companies that produce them. https://phys.org/news/2023-08-electric-car-revolution-native-communities.html Social Sciences Wed, 09 Aug 2023 10:51:28 EDT news610797083 In 2016, Oregon became the first state to adopt and implement an automatic voter registration (AVR) system. Now, twenty-two states, plus Washington D.C., have such systems in place. Early research on the impacts of this innovation has shown an increase in the number of people registered, and greater diversity among the registrants. https://phys.org/news/2023-05-steep-party-registration-automatic-voter.html Political science Wed, 03 May 2023 13:32:03 EDT news602339521 You've probably heard the urban legend: Daddy long-leg spiders possess extremely toxic venom—so toxic that it would kill a human if only their fangs were long/strong enough to penetrate human skin. https://phys.org/news/2019-08-dont-pholcid-daddy-long-legs-venom.html Plants & Animals Wed, 07 Aug 2019 09:24:50 EDT news484388681