Latest science news in Biology & Nature
Albumin nanoparticles could help a rheumatoid arthritis drug work better
The carrier particles help target methotrexate directly to joints in a mouse model
CRISPR-based nucleotide editor randomly changes RNA
Off-target editing remains a concern as scientists optimize CRISPR for human use
Complex polyhedron assembled from proteins
Sulfur-metal bonds bring proteins together to form a cage based on the snub cube
MOFBOTS could carry drugs to specific targets in the body
Swimming corkscrew robots fitted with cargo-carrying crystals
Lab chip models gut microbiome diversity
Intestine-on-a-chip device cultures both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, could help researchers study how drugs interact with gut microbes
Dark chocolate yields its aromatic recipe
Researchers have pinpointed the line-up of about thirty volatile chemicals that determine the smell of two types of dark chocolate
Video: Speeding up odor analysis for food science
Mass spec coupled with a spongy silicone mesh can help researchers rapidly screen food odorants
Pierre Brondeau on navigating a shifting chemical industry landscape
FMC CEO reveals how the ability to embrace change has been a key to his success
Small genetic variations link the activity of odor receptors with the perception of odors
Mutations in single receptors change how people perceive smells
British contract research firms fight to find science talent
As business with drug companies grows, keeping the lab bench full is an increasing challenge
Tiger sharks feast on migratory birds that fall out of the sky
Terrestrial birds that fall from the sky during their migration across the Gulf of Mexico can end up in the bellies of tiger sharks.
Sweaty, vinegary and sweet odors mingle to make dark chocolate’s smell
Scientists have worked out the chemistry of dark chocolate’s smell and reconstructed the aroma.
Shy fish no bigger than a pinkie provide much of the food in coral reefs
More than half of the fish flesh that predators in coral reefs eat comes from tiny, hard-to-spot species.
How bacteria nearly killed by antibiotics can recover — and gain resistance
A pump protein can keep bacteria alive long enough for the microbes to develop antibiotic resistance.
One number can help explain why measles is so contagious
The basic reproduction number, or "R naught," of measles shows how contagious the disease is compared with other pathogens.
U.N. report warns 1 million plants and animals at risk of extinction
A bombshell U.N. report finds 1 million of the Earth's plants and animal species are now at imminent risk of extinction. The report found that humans are causing extinction at...
Million animals, plants at risk of extinction due to human activities, U.N. report says
About one million species of animals and plants around the world are now at risk of extinction, in part due to pollution and over-fishing. A new United Nations report says...
Great white sharks tracked off the Carolina coast
A group of migrating great white sharks are suddenly acting like tourists along the Carolina coast. But apparently there's nothing to fear. Meg Oliver explains.
Africa's elephant poaching rates in decline, but iconic animal still under threat
Elephant poaching rates in Africa have started to decline after reaching a peak in 2011, an international team of scientists have concluded.
Inhibitory neurons have two types of impact on brain oscillations
Studying the brain involves measuring the activity of billions of individual brain cells called neurons. Consequently, many brain measurement techniques produce data that is averaged to reflect the activity of...
Finding a cell's true identity
Scientists have long sorted cells into different varieties based on their appearance under a microscope or, for differences that are more visually subtle, based on the behavior of a handful...
Domino effect of species extinctions also damages biodiversity
The mutual dependencies of many plant species and their pollinators mean that the negative effects of climate change are exacerbated. As UZH researchers show, the total number of species threatened...
Stem cell identity unmasked by single cell sequencing technology
Scientists from The University of Queensland's Diamantina Institute have revealed the difference between a stem cell and other blood vessel cells using gene-sequencing technology.
New snake species in Europe named after a long-forgotten Iron Age kingdom
An international team of scientists identified the snake and its range, which includes Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Iraq, Iran, and Russia including a small region extending into the corner of...
New genetic engineering strategy makes human-made DNA invisible
Bacteria are everywhere. They live in the soil and water, on our skin and in our bodies. Some are pathogenic, meaning they cause disease or infection. To design effective treatments...
AccessLab: New workshops to broaden access to scientific research
A team from the transdisciplinary laboratory FoAM Kernow and the British Science Association detail how to run an innovative approach to understanding evidence called AccessLab in a paper published on...
Coat of proteins makes viruses more infectious and links them to Alzheimer's disease
New research shows that viruses interact with proteins in the biological fluids of their host which results in a layer of proteins on the viral surface. This coat of proteins...
Exploring the origins of the apple
Apples originally evolved in the wild to entice ancient megafauna to disperse their seeds. More recently, humans began spreading the trees along the Silk Road with other familiar crops. Dispersing...