New insight into 'training' highly reactive chemical compounds

Highly reactive molecules cannot survive for long in nature. If researchers want to study them more closely, they must produce them under very specific laboratory conditions. Compared to "normal" molecules, many of these ...

A mitochondrial self-preservation mechanism

Mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, convert sustenance into energy, fueling the cell's activities. In addition to power, mitochondria also produce reactive oxygen species, byproduct molecules primed to help facilitate ...

How plant hormones control root growth

Plant roots can grow without limit. To do so, they need to balance the production of new cells via cell division and elongation. Plant hormones known as brassinosteroids play a key role in this balancing act. New work by ...

Eliminating resistant bacteria with nanoparticles

Novel nanoparticles developed by researchers at ETH Zurich and Empa detect multi-resistant bacteria hiding in body cells and kill them. The scientists' goal is to develop an antibacterial agent that is effective where conventional ...

The persistent danger after landscape fires

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) cause oxidative stress at the cellular level. Research shows that this way, amongst others, they inhibit the germination capacity of plants, produce cytotoxins or exert toxic effects on aquatic ...

Particulates are more dangerous than previously thought

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have for the first time observed photochemical processes inside the smallest particles in the air. In doing so, they discovered that additional oxygen radicals that can be harmful ...

page 13 from 37