Science

“It was pretty amazing how well the experimental data and numerical simulation matched,” Eckert said. In fact, it matched so closely that Carenza’s first response was that it must be wrong. The team jokingly worried that a peer reviewer might think they’d cheated. “It really was that beautiful,” Carenza said.The observations answer a “long-standing question about the type of order present in tissues,” said Joshua Shaevitz, a physicist at Princeton University who reviewed the paper (and did not think they’d cheated).…

Cornell researchers discovered a “quantum spin-glass” state in quantum computing, offering insights into error correction and revealing hidden orders in quantum algorithms, potentially leading to new quantum state classifications and advances in quantum computing. At the microscopic level, window glass exhibits a curious blend of properties. Its atoms are disordered like a liquid, yet they possess the rigidity of a solid; when a force is applied to one atom, it affects all others. It’s an analogy physicists use to…

There has been increased interest in unidentified flying objects (UFOs) ever since the Pentagon's 2021 report revealed what appears to be anomalous objects in US airspace, dubbed unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP).Fast forward to 2023, and Nasa has already formed a panel to investigate the reports and appointed a director for UAP research.A newly founded Pentagon desk has also released footage of mysterious metallic orbs. What is perhaps most remarkable is that David Grusch, a former intelligence officer, testified…

A groundbreaking study at UMass Amherst has decoded how sugars attached to proteins guide their correct folding, shedding light on potential treatments for diseases caused by protein misfolding. This protein (red) has been glycosolated with glycans (blue and green). Credit: UMass Amherst Team’s approach reveals crucial role played by a specific enzyme in the folding process. While we often think of diseases as caused by foreign bodies—bacteria or viruses—there are hundreds of diseases affecting humans that result from…

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain From the nutritional traffic light system displayed on a box of cereal, to the efficiency ratings we look at when buying a house, ratings and labels help us work out how to spend money responsibly. A new scheme from the UK's financial regulator also aims to use them to help you invest responsibly. The Financial…

Researchers have made a significant advancement in polymer solar cell technology by developing a method to improve molecular interactions using side-chain engineering. This approach eliminates the need for toxic halogenated processing solvents, thereby enhancing the cells’ efficiency and stability. The study, which highlights the benefits of oligoethylene glycol (OEG)-based side chains, marks a crucial step towards more environmentally friendly and efficient solar cells suitable for wearable devices. Credit: SciTechDaily…

New research reveals that female chimpanzees experience menopause and live beyond their reproductive years, challenging previous beliefs and providing new insights into the evolution of menopause in mammals. Above is a female chimpanzee from the Ngogo community in western Uganda. Credit: The Ngogo Chimpanzee Project Research on the Ngogo community in Uganda reveals that humans humans aren’t the only primates with long post-fertile life stage. A team of researchers has been studying the Ngogo community of wild chimpanzees…

Artist’s rendition of the Magellanic Stellar Stream. The Milky Way’s nearest neighboring galaxies — the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds — are shown on the right side of the illustration. As these galaxies move to the right, the gaseous Magellanic Stream billows behind them, intertwining and stretching across the southern sky. The illustration also shows the 13 red giant stars discovered in the Magellanic Stellar Stream. Credit: CfA / Melissa Weiss Astronomers have solved a half-century-old scientific mystery by…

It's becoming increasingly clear that we will fail to meet our climate goals. We were already at 1.26°C of warming in 2022 and are on track to blow through 1.5°C in the mid-2030s. Research even suggests that current climate policy will lead to more than 2.5°C of warming by the end of this century.Warming of this magnitude would devastate vulnerable communities and ecosystems around the world. It's time we consider something radically new that could stop climate change in its tracks.After powerful volcanic eruptions, like…

A new study indicates that two yeasts used in food production, Cyberlindnera jadinii and Kluyveromyces lactis, might have probiotic properties beneficial for gut inflammation, pointing to potential new treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases. The food industry has long utilized various fungal strains for their fermentation, flavor production, and ability to produce heterologous molecules. A recent study highlights the potential probiotic effects of two fungi, commonly used in food production, on gut inflammation. The…