Science

Proglacial icing formed in the bed of a glacial river during the Arctic winter. Credit: Gabrielle KleberShrinking Arctic glaciers are uncovering bubbling groundwater springs that release large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, according to a study in <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div class=glossaryItemTitle>Nature Geoscience</div><div class=glossaryItemBody>&lt;span class=&quot;st&quot;&gt; Nature Geoscience is a…

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Board games based on numbers, like Monopoly, Othello and Chutes and Ladders, make young children better at math, according to a comprehensive review of research published on the topic over the last 23 years. Board games are already known to enhance learning and development including reading and…

Using microwave instruments to peer deep beneath the surface of the far side of the Moon, researchers have detected a ‘hotspot’ they say is a large subsurface granite mass, suggesting the Moon is more "Earth-like" than we thought.Granite rocks are common on Earth due to our planet’s abundant water and tectonic plates, which help to melt and recycle materials in the planet’s crust. They’re almost absent elsewhere in the solar system, though. But now, a new study has made an unexpected discovery: a large granite mass on the…

An international team of astrophysicists and cosmologists have submitted five papers suggesting the “clumpiness” (S8 value) of the universe’s dark matter is 0.76, a figure that aligns with other gravitational lensing surveys but not with the 0.83 value derived from the Cosmic Microwave Background.An international team of scientists used advanced techniques and the Hyper Suprime-Cam to study dark matter’s “clumpiness,” finding an S8 value of 0.76, conflicting with the 0.83 value from the Cosmic Microwave Background. This…

Plate tectonics involves the horizontal movement and interaction of large plates on Earth’s surface. New research indicates that mobile plate tectonics—thought to be necessary for the creation of a habitable planet—was not occurring on Earth 3.9 billion years ago. Credit: University of Rochester illustration / Michael OsadciwA multi-institution team found evidence that the Earth’s magnetic field was stable 3.9 to 3.4 billion years ago when life is thought to have emerged, suggesting that continents were fixed rather than…

Researchers have discovered that a cell’s nucleus is metabolically active, with cellular enzymes moving to protect DNA integrity upon damage. This shift in understanding of cellular metabolism can inform new strategies in cancer treatment, as cancer cells often hijack metabolic processes for their growth.In crisis, the nucleus calls antioxidant enzymes to the rescue. The nucleus being metabolically active is a profound paradigm shift with implications for cancer research.The human nucleus is metabolically active,…

Robot sponge. Credit: Tianqi YueScientists at the University of Bristol have discovered that a simple sponge can enhance the way robots grasp objects.This easy-to-make sponge-jamming device can assist stiff robots handle delicate items carefully by mimicking the nuanced touch, or variable stiffness, of a human.Robots can skip, jump and do somersaults, but they’re too rigid to hold an egg easily. Variable-stiffness devices are potential solutions for contact compliance on hard robots to reduce damage, or for improving the…

Scientists at RIKEN in Japan have developed a technique that treats various cancers by inducing alpha radiation within cancer cells, killing them while leaving healthy tissue unharmed. This approach, tested on mice, significantly reduced tumor growth and achieved a 100% survival rate. It exploits the propensity of cancer cells to accumulate a compound called acrolein and introduces a molecule, astatine-211, that emits alpha radiation when it decays. The next step involves advancing to clinical trials in humans.Researchers…

Highlighting a study on a mechanism of photoelectrochemical water splitting on Si photoanode passivated with TiOx layer with various defect density from the laboratories of Dr. Ansoon Kim at Korea Research Institute of Standards & Science (KRISS). Credit: Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS)KRISS showcased the carrier transport mechanism of a photoanode with a protective film to enhance the production of green hydrogen. This advancement can aid in achieving carbon-free green hydrogen production…

Nylon can be found everywhere in modern life, from the clothes we wear to the seatbelts in our cars. The problem is that producing it can be a dirty business, but researchers say a new method can make nylon production significantly greener.Ever since the 1930s when the term Nylon was used to describe fibers made from two polyamides, the material has steadily worked its way into our lives in a myriad of ways. It's light but strong, making it an ideal candidate for everything from engine components and machine parts to…