The placenta's response to infections from malaria, toxoplasmosis and listeria has been mapped in high resolution, possibly paving the way for new treatment options.
Plants utilize drought stress hormone to block snacking spider mites
Recent findings that plants employ a drought-survival mechanism to also defend against nutrient-sucking pests could inform future crop breeding programs aimed at achieving better broadscale pest control.
Ice shelves fracture under weight of meltwater lakes
Heavy pooling meltwater can fracture ice, potentially leading to ice shelf collapse.
For microscopic organisms, ocean currents act as ‘expressway’ to deeper depths
Some of the ocean's tiniest organisms get swept into underwater currents that act as a conduit that shuttles them from the sunny surface to deeper, darker depths where they play a huge role in affecting the ocean's chemistry and ecosystem, according to new research.
New eco-friendly lubricant additives protect turbine equipment, waterways
Scientists have developed lubricant additives that protect both water turbine equipment and the surrounding environment.
New Nevada experiments will improve monitoring of nuclear explosions
On an October morning in 2023, a chemical explosion detonated in a tunnel under the Nevada desert was the launch of the next set of experiments by the National Nuclear Security Administration, with the goal to improve detection of low-yield nuclear explosions around the world.
Wild orangutan treats wound with pain-relieving plant
A wild orangutan was observed applying a plant with known medicinal properties to a wound, a first for a wild animal.
Malaria may shorten leukocyte telomeres among sub-Saharan Africans
The length of telomeres in white blood cells, known as leukocytes, varies significantly among sub-Saharan African populations, researchers report. Moreover, leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is negatively associated with malaria endemicity and only partly explained by genetic factors.
Activation of innate immunity: Important piece of the puzzle identified
Researchers have deciphered the complex interplay of various enzymes around the innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), which plays an important role in defending our bodies against viruses.
Microneedles and suction cup for blood diagnostics, modeled on leeches
A new device for taking blood samples uses microneedles and a suction cup instead of a large needle. People with a phobia of needles stand to benefit. More blood can be obtained than with the classic finger prick, making diagnostic measurements more reliable. Because the device can be produced at...