Scientists have discovered a bacterium that can break down toxic "forever chemicals" DepositphotosThe so-called "forever chemicals" (PFAS) are increasingly present in the environment, food, drinking water, and even our bodies. However, researchers may have found a new solution to this problem: a bacterium capable of consuming these compounds and their toxic byproducts.Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances...
Credit: DepositphotosA new therapeutic approach could bring hope to people with vitiligo. An experimental treatment has shown excellent results in mice with the disease and uses a natural substance produced by beneficial gut bacteria.Understanding VitiligoVitiligo is an autoimmune condition that destroys melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing melanin, the pigment that gives skin its...
Blue rings visible in one of the tree samples. (Pawel Matulewski/Liliana Siekacz)A simple blue stain may unlock trees’ memories of cold summers and volcanic winters, offering scientists a precise new tool to reconstruct ancient climates through timber anatomy.By combining the biological stains safranin and astra blue, researchers can highlight areas with low lignin, a compound...
Credit: PixabayElectrons forced through a maze of twisted carbon layers behave in unexpected ways. Researchers from the University of British Columbia, the University of Washington, Johns Hopkins University, and Japan’s National Institute for Materials Science have discovered a strange new state of matter in graphene’s electrical currents.Their findings confirm predictions about electron behavior in...
Credit: PixabayJanuary set a new heat record, defying expectations that La Niña would bring cooling.Copernicus Climate Change Service reported temperatures 1.75°C above pre-industrial levels, extending a historic warming trend. Scientists expected a cooldown after El Niño peaked in early 2024, but extreme heat persists, fueling debate over additional warming factors.Every fraction of a degree...
Credit: PixabayKeeping global warming under 2°C—the fallback goal of the Paris Agreement—is now "impossible," according to a controversial new study by prominent climatologist James Hansen and his team. Published in Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, the paper argues that Earth's climate is more sensitive to greenhouse gas emissions than previously thought.Adding to...
Apple's lamp-bot can depict joy and sadness, and even do a little danceAppleLuxo Jr. has been a charming presence in every Pixar film since 1995, when the animated desk lamp first hopped onto the screen, playfully stomping on the studio's logo in the opening credits. This iconic character has now inspired Apple researchers to...
Credit: PixabayUniversity of Oregon researchers have discovered a sex chromosome in the California two-spot octopus that likely dates back 480 million years—long before octopuses and nautiluses diverged. This makes it one of the oldest known animal sex chromosomes.The finding confirms that octopuses and other cephalopods, including squid and nautiluses, use chromosomes to determine sex,...
Marsupials, like kangaroos, give birth to premature offspring that then develop in the mother's pouchDepositphotosFor the first time, scientists have successfully created kangaroo embryos using in-vitro fertilization (IVF), marking a significant breakthrough in efforts to replicate this process across hundreds of marsupial species increasingly at risk of extinction.A research team from the University of...
A robot dog makes short work of a bombMinistry of DefenceWe've seen robot dogs perform all kinds of unusual tasks, but what about using them to enhance safety? The British Ministry of Defence is deploying these mechanical canines to improve the efficiency and safety of bomb detection and defusal.While bomb disposal robots have been...
