MIT researchers discovered that the genome’s 3D structure doesn’t vanish during cell division as previously thought. Instead, tiny loops called microcompartments remain (and even strengthen) while chromosomes condense. These loops may explain the brief surge of gene activity that occurs during mitosis. The finding redefines how scientists understand the balance...
China’s coastal cities are sinking as seas rise at record speed
Sea levels are rising faster than at any time in 4,000 years, scientists report, with China’s major coastal cities at particular risk. The rapid increase is driven by warming oceans and melting ice, while human activities like groundwater pumping make it worse. In some areas, the land itself is sinking...
North Atlantic Dolphins Are Dying Younger, New Study Shows
Common dolphins are among the ocean’s most abundant mammals, but they are living shorter lives in the North Atlantic, according to a new study published Oct. 10 in Conservation Letters.
Gaia Discovers Our Galaxy’s Great Wave
Our Milky Way galaxy never sits still: it rotates and wobbles. And now, data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia space telescope reveal that our galaxy also has a giant wave rippling outwards from its centre.
Photosynthesis Without the Burn
Marine algae use a unique pigment, siphonein, to shield photosynthesis from excess light.
Climate Whiplash Effects Due to Rapidly Intensifying El Nino Cycles
A powerful climate pattern that dictates weather worldwide is projected to undergo a dramatic transformation due to greenhouse warming, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
Compound Developed at WSU Could Aid Apple Growers and Defeat Superbugs
A microscopic organism that thrives in the most inhospitable environments on the planet could be a serious weapon against costly and dangerous microbes, including one that decimates apple and pear orchards.
ACUASI Adds New Drones for Cargo Trials
Two large-payload unmanned aircraft have joined the fleet of the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ drone industry development program.
They were drilling off Oregon. What they found could shake all of California
Scientists have uncovered evidence that megaquakes in the Pacific Northwest might trigger California’s San Andreas Fault. A research ship’s navigational error revealed paired sediment layers showing both fault systems moved together in the past. This finding hints that the next “Big One” could set off a devastating one-two seismic punch...
How algae learned to harness the Sun without getting burned
Under the sea, green algae have evolved a clever way to handle too much sunlight. Scientists found that a special pigment called siphonein acts like a natural sun shield, protecting the algae’s delicate photosynthetic machinery from burning out. Using advanced imaging and simulations, researchers showed how siphonein helps algae safely...