Researchers may have developed long-lived biological computers that could potentially persist inside cells. Researchers forgo the traditional DNA-based approach, opting instead to use the nucleic acid RNA to build computers. The results demonstrate that the RNA circuits are as dependable and versatile as their DNA-based counterparts. What's more, living cells...
Older wildfire smoke plumes can affect climate
Aerosols carried in wildfire smoke plumes that are hundreds of hours old can still affect climate, according to a new study.
New potentially painkilling compound found in deep-water cone snails
In a new study, researchers report that a group of cone snails produces a venom compound similar to the protein somatostatin. While they continue to learn more about this venom compound and its possible pharmaceutical applications, the results show the wide variety of drug leads that venomous animals produce, which...
Going door-to-door to save Egypt’s pumpkins and address global food insecurity
How does one help save an iconic, nutritious Egyptian crop that will help meet the food security challenges resulting from climate change? An international team of researchers discovered that the best way to start is to drive throughout central and northeastern Egypt, knock on the doors of small farmers, and...
Chemical found in leafy greens shown to slow growth of COVID-19 and common cold viruses
A study in mice and lab-grown cells finds sulforaphane could help prevent and treat illnesses caused by certain coronaviruses, including COVID-19.
Atossa – The protein queen commanding cell invasion
Immune cells are our body's police force, but how can they reach the crime scene fast? Researchers have now discovered a new protein that boosts energy production inside immune cells and thus increases their power to invade. Apart from improving immune responses, the results could revolutionize our understanding of energy...
Modern animal life could have origins in delta
The ancestors of many animal species alive today may have lived in a delta in what is now China, new research suggests.
Predatory bacteria
Tiny predatory bacteria attack microorganisms. These ultramicrobacteria are widely distributed, for example, in sewage treatment plants and in the seafloor.
Firefighters’ risk of irregular heartbeat linked to number of on-the-job fire exposures
The more fires they respond to, the higher the risk of atrial fibrillation or AFib -- a common irregular heart rhythm -- among firefighters, according to a survey of more than 10,000 active U.S. firefighters. After adjusting for atrial fibrillation risk factors, such as high blood pressure and smoking, researchers...
Correcting night blindness in dogs
Researchers have developed a gene therapy that restores dim-light vision in dogs with a congenital form of night blindness, offering hope for treating a similar condition in people.