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Phys.org / Bacterial defense system builds DNA in unexpected new way to stop viruses

Scientists at Stanford University have discovered that DRT3, a unique defense system found in bacteria, creates DNA to protect against viral infections. DRT3 is made up of two different enzymes called reverse transcriptases, ...

Apr 27, 2026
Phys.org / Rare Tyrian purple reveals elite Roman infant burials in York

Two infants buried in Roman York were laid to rest in costly purple cloth normally reserved for emperors and members of the aristocracy, new research reveals. The babies were wrapped in a fine textile of Tyrian purple embellished ...

Apr 30, 2026
Phys.org / Medieval images may have triggered imagined soundscapes, reshaping how viewers experienced saints

In cathedrals, such as Canterbury Cathedral in England, colorful stained glass and illustrated hagiographies tell the stories of saints through vivid visual narratives, inviting viewers into richly detailed scenes. Sometimes, ...

Apr 30, 2026
Tech Xplore / FingerEye bridges touch and vision to improve robot handling before and after contact

To reliably complete various manual tasks, robots should be able to handle a variety of objects, ranging from items found in households to tools used in specific professional settings. While many existing robotic systems ...

Apr 28, 2026
Medical Xpress / Brazilian tree compounds block SARS-CoV-2 at multiple stages, lab tests show

A study has revealed that galloylquinic acids extracted from the leaves of Copaifera lucens Dwyer, a tree endemic to Brazil primarily found in the Atlantic Forest, have a multi-targeted effect against SARS-CoV-2, the virus ...

Apr 30, 2026
Phys.org / One overlooked mineral may have quietly powered a crucial step toward life on early Earth

Manganese dioxide can convert amino acids into hydrogen cyanide (HCN) without requiring methane, a finding that solves a long-standing puzzle about the origin of this key prebiotic molecule on early Earth. Although HCN is ...

Apr 30, 2026
Medical Xpress / AI surpasses physicians on clinical reasoning tasks, raising the bar for more serious testing

In one of the largest studies to compare artificial intelligence and physicians on a wide array of clinical reasoning tasks including real emergency department data, a team of physicians and computer scientists at Harvard ...

Apr 30, 2026
Phys.org / Fungi utilize ancient antimicrobial proteins to attack hosts and their microbiomes, plant researchers discover

An international research team led by Cologne-based plant scientist Professor Dr. Bart Thomma from the Institute for Plant Sciences, the Collaborative Research Center MiBiNet and the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence for Plant ...

Apr 30, 2026
Medical Xpress / T cells secrete DNA to boost the immune system's cancer-fighting ability

Activated immune cells secrete tiny capsules bearing DNA that can enter other immune and tumor cells to stimulate the body's defense systems, according to a study led by investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine. The discovery ...

Apr 30, 2026
Medical Xpress / Excessive cholesterol in astrocytes linked to cognitive decline in Alzheimer's mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that leads to progressive memory loss and a decline in mental functions. Several past studies have linked this disease to the accumulation of the protein amyloid-β ...

Apr 28, 2026
Medical Xpress / Genetic discovery may explain why pancreatic cancer is so difficult to treat

Pancreatic cancer can remain quiet for years, developing undetected before causing symptoms that lead to a diagnosis. Even after a surgeon removes a pancreas tumor, other cells often hide and erupt later. But University of ...

Apr 30, 2026
Phys.org / Light-activated protein illuminates when embryos can cope with disruptions to cell division

Cell division during the early stage of embryo development is a trade-off between speed and accuracy; the cells need to divide quickly to enable rapid growth, but it's important not to introduce errors that could be fatal ...

Apr 30, 2026