At seven times the toughness of Kevlar, a silk produced by the Caerostris darwini spider of Madagascar is more robust than any other material—synthetic or natural. Most spider silks are about two times tougher than Kevlar, ...
Materials Science
May 13, 2013
1
1
From gummy bears to silky mousses, gelatin is essential for making some of our favorite sweets. Now scientists are exploring another use for the common food ingredient: spinning it into yarn so it can be made into clothing. ...
Materials Science
Jun 25, 2015
1
15
Like sheets of paper marked with perforated lines, gecko tails have unique structural marks that help them sever their tails to make a quick getaway. Though voluntarily shedding a body part in this manner is a well-known ...
Plants & Animals
Dec 19, 2012
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0
Cell division is an intricately choreographed ballet of proteins and molecules that divide the cell. During mitosis, microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs) assemble the spindle fibers that separate the copying chromosomes ...
Cell & Microbiology
Feb 18, 2018
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9
Researchers have found that a technique used to visualize amyloid fibers in the laboratory might have the potential to destroy them in the clinic. The technique involves zapping the fluorescently-tagged fibers with a laser, ...
Jan 7, 2009
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0
Scientists are reporting development of the first fast and reliable scientific method to determine the age and authenticity of priceless silk tapestries and other treasures -- such as Civil War General Phillip Sheridan's ...
Analytical Chemistry
Oct 12, 2011
0
0
Want a younger, more perfect-looking you? Skin can stay firm and stretchy thanks to protein fibers called collagen and elastin in the tissue beneath the surface.
Other
Jun 13, 2017
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2
For animals as well as people, diet affects what grows in the gut. The gut microbial colonies, also known as the gut microbiome, begin to form at birth. Their composition affects how the immune system develops and is linked ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 22, 2012
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0
Animal scientists in Brazil have found that a small dose of the feed additive ractopamine can boost pork production without changing how pork looks or tastes.
Other
Jan 24, 2013
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0
A visualization made from nearly 100,000 electron microscope images has revealed the ingenious way a protein involved in muscle activity shuts itself down to conserve energy.
Molecular & Computational biology
Dec 2, 2020
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