Articles by Sanjukta Mondal
Phys.org / Gene mutations help flowers mimic foul odor to attract carcass-loving pollinators
A wild ginger has a clever trick up its sleeve to lure in pollinators. No, it's not a sweet fragrance that fills the air, but the foul stench of rotting flesh and dung. To attract carrion-loving flies and beetles, the flowers ...
Phys.org / Nanoplastics generated from real-world plastic waste readily adsorb heavy metal ions, study reveals
Some 460 million metric tons of plastic are produced globally each year, out of which a staggering 91% of plastic waste is never recycled—with 12% incinerated and 79% left to end up in landfills and oceans and linger in our ...
Phys.org / Previously unknown accordion worm discovered off the coasts of Spain
What lives off the Northwest coasts of Spain and shrinks to one-fifth of its size when alarmed? Enter the accordion worm. This recently identified marine ribbon worm, colored brown to dark green, measures 110–250 mm long ...
Medical Xpress / Natural short sleepers have a genetic mutation, finds new study
Not everyone needs 8 hours of sleep to function properly. Some people can feel well-rested and show no negative effects of sleep deprivation, even after just 4 hours of sleep, which is likely the result of a genetic mutation.
Phys.org / Tandem heat-wave-drought events across Eurasia amplified by global warming, new study finds
Summers are getting hotter and drier in the Eurasian landmass due to an atmospheric circulation pattern further aggravated by anthropogenic factors. The recent tandem heat-wave-drought events in the region stretching from ...
Phys.org / Innovative synthesis technique unlocks new class of planar organometallic compounds
With six Nobel Prizes in the category, organometallic chemistry has been a widely explored field since the 1950s. Yet, the discovery of new classes of organometallic compounds remains a rare occurrence.
Phys.org / Compact catenane with tunable mechanical chirality created from achiral rings
Catenanes are organic compounds with ring-like molecules that are mechanically interlocked. The mechanical locking system in such molecules is so robust that they can only be disentangled via covalent bond cleavage. A recent ...
Phys.org / New study discovers unexpected role of 4f-orbital covalency in driving chemical reactivity
The willingness of the 4f orbitals of lanthanide metals to participate in chemical reactions is as rare as their presence in Earth's crust. A recent study, however, witnessed the 4f orbital in a cerium-based compound actively ...
Medical Xpress / Medical marijuana can help cancer patients, finds a large meta-analysis
The use of medical cannabis or marijuana for managing cancer-related symptoms such as pain, appetite loss and nausea has long been contested. The path to reaching a scientific consensus was obstructed by research restrictions ...
Phys.org / Red, pink or white, all roses were once yellow says genomic analysis
Red roses, the symbol of love, were likely yellow in the past, indicates a large genomic analysis by researchers from Beijing Forestry University, China. Roses of all colors, including white, red, pink, and peach, belong ...
Phys.org / Reusable moss-based adsorbent can help clean up oil spills
Hidden within sphagnum moss, commonly known as peat moss, is an adsorbent material that can help us combat oil spills. A study by researchers from China presents a new bio-based oil adsorbent derived from sphagnum moss that ...
Medical Xpress / Yoga is as effective as strengthening exercises for knee osteoarthritis pain relief, study finds
Exercise therapy is suggested as a first-line treatment to improve joint pain and loss of function caused by osteoarthritis (OA), a musculoskeletal disorder that affects more than 595 million people worldwide. Yoga and strengthening ...
Medical Xpress / Treatment-resistant depression responds better to esketamine with SNRI than SSRI, study finds
Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects approximately 280 million people globally and is one of the leading causes of disability and low quality of life. One in every three people suffering from MDD also has to deal with ...
Medical Xpress / Exposure to antibiotics as a newborn can impair immune response to vaccines, study finds
Immunization programs save millions of lives every year by protecting against preventable diseases. The immune response to vaccines, however, varies significantly between individuals, and the results can be suboptimal in ...
Medical Xpress / Dopamine neurons that fuel overeating may weaken effectiveness of obesity medication
Delicious and extremely palatable food can increase the tendency of hedonic eating, where one consumes food for the sole purpose of deriving pleasure instead of the body's energy needs. Hedonic eating often leads to eating ...
