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Phys.org / Trees use a 'muscle' to correct their posture—a newly discovered role for tension wood
A research team from INRAE and the University Clermont Auvergne has shown that trees are capable of correcting a curvature they detect in their stems through a specific biological process. In the study, young trees with bent ...
Phys.org / A molecular brake that keeps muscle architecture in check
Every movement we make, from blinking to sprinting, depends on the ability of muscle fibers to contract in a rapid and coordinated way. Achieving this precision requires an intricate internal membrane network known as the ...
Phys.org / New 'devil flower' species discovered in Thai national park
Researchers have described a new species of leafless flowering plant found on the forest floor of a national park in western Thailand, and its otherworldly appearance has earned it a fittingly dramatic name: Thismia daemona, ...
Phys.org / Trapped light generates nanoscale magnetization
Using an engineered metasurface that traps light, Cornell researchers have demonstrated a new way to generate strong static magnetic fields without using external magnets or magnetic materials—an approach that could advance ...
Phys.org / Mammalian genes can combine to make previously unknown mRNAs and proteins
For decades, scientists have understood that each of the roughly 20,000 genes in the human body carries instructions for a single kind of protein. Now, researchers at Harvard Medical School have discovered that instructions ...
Phys.org / 'Pac-Man' enzyme breaks down bioplastics and penicillin in laboratory tests
In the ocean, plastic waste collects to form large garbage patches that endanger marine life. This is partly because the synthetic plastic polymers used today can only be broken down biologically—that is, by microorganisms—at ...
Phys.org / Eight-letter DNA alphabet is accurately transcribed by a natural enzyme
All known life on Earth uses the same genetic alphabet, consisting of four letters. Now, researchers at the University of California San Diego have demonstrated that one of biology's most essential enzymes can accurately ...
Phys.org / Hidden DNA in medieval gospels reveals history of deadly livestock virus
Some of Europe's most well-known historic manuscripts, including the York Gospels, have proven to be biological time capsules for uncovering the 3,500-year history of the sheeppox virus (SPPV).
Medical Xpress / How severe illness during pregnancy sometimes alters neurodevelopment
Neurodevelopmental conditions, which include autism spectrum disorder, ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and more, affect around 10% of the American population. Despite their prevalence, it has remained difficult ...
Phys.org / Light-triggered interface lets adhesive peel cleanly and rebond through 15 cycles
Adhesives are essential in electronics, vehicles and other products, but they can hinder repair and recycling when bonded parts are difficult to separate cleanly. A research team led by The University of Osaka has developed ...
Medical Xpress / Snacking is not as unhealthy as you might think
Snacking, it turns out, is not all about chips, cookies and chocolate. Dutch millennials often consume nutritious foods, such as fruit, bread and yogurt, between their main meals. This is one of the findings from the doctoral ...
Phys.org / New nanostructure makes non-linear light conversion 72,000 times more efficient
Researchers from Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), Harvard and the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) have developed an innovative method for coupling light non-linearly. This opens up new possibilities for ...
