Researchers have developed a gene-editing treatment for prion disease that extends lifespan by about 50 percent in a mouse model of the fatal neurodegenerative condition. The treatment, which uses base editing to make a single-letter change in DNA, reduced levels of the disease-causing prion protein in the brain by as...
Beach guardians: How hidden microbes protect coastal waters in a changing climate
Beneath sandy beaches, microbes filter chemicals from groundwater and safeguard ocean health. A new study reveals that sneaker waves provide a lens to explore the impending impacts of sea level rise on beach hydrology, chemistry, and microbiology.
Floating solar panels could support US energy goals
Federal reservoirs could help meet the country's solar energy needs, according to a new study. Geospatial scientists and senior legal and regulatory analyst quantified exactly how much energy could be generated from floating solar panel projects installed on federally owned or regulated reservoirs.
Residents of unburned homes reported health symptoms months after Marshall Fire
Wildfires that burn homes and vehicles could expose people to dangerous airborne compounds through ash and smoke. Research has shown that people returning to their unburned homes may also experience health symptoms months after a nearby fire is extinguished. Through a survey of people affected by the 2021 Marshall Fire...
Great Barrier Reef fish evidence suggests shifts in major global biodiversity patterns
Life on the Great Barrier Reef is undergoing big changes in the face of climate change and other human-caused pressures, a new study reveals. From food security to controlling seaweed and even making sand for beaches, reef fish are a hugely important part of marine ecosystems providing a range of...
Just as Gouda: Improving the quality of cheese alternatives
Scientists are working to produce plant-based cheese with all the characteristics of real cheese, but with better health benefits. To create a cheesy product with the same texture as the real thing, they looked at a variety of physical attributes such as the melting, stretching, and oil-release upon grilling and...
World’s oldest 3D map discovered
Researchers have discovered what may be the world's oldest three-dimensional map, located within a quartzitic sandstone megaclast in the Paris Basin.
Need for standardized measurement methods in gene therapy
Scientists looked at multiple techniques used to measure the modified viruses deployed in some gene therapy research and treatments. One technique, known as SEC-MALS, was the most precise and accurate, while another proved 'problematic.'
Researchers develop breakthrough one-step flame retardant for cotton textiles
Although extremely flammable, cotton is one of the most commonly used textiles due to its comfort and breathable nature. However, in a single step, researchers can reduce the flammability of cotton using a polyelectrolyte complex coating.
A ‘volume dial’ for missed signals produced by our bodies
Scientists have adapted a sensing platform to detect and even measure chemicals at low enough concentrations to have use outside the lab. The system, which is 10 times more sensitive than previous sensors built by the team, opens the door for the system to be applied to disease detection and...