Scientists have developed the first non-invasive technique for controlling targeted brain circuits in behaving animals from a distance. The tool has the potential to solve one of the biggest unmet needs in neuroscience: a way to flexibly test the functions of particular brain cells and circuits deep in the brain...
Studies of endangered animals on border of China and Vietnam stress need for transboundary conservation
A series of studies on endangered species that make their homes on the border of Vietnam and China underscores the growing importance of transboundary conservation efforts in the face of climate change. As the world warms, many plant and animal species migrate from their traditional habitats, increasing the likelihood of...
Getting fuel to an invading cell’s front line
Invading armies need a steady supply of fuel and armaments. That's just as true when the invaders are cells, such as when tumor cells break away and spread to other parts of the body in a process called metastasis -- the most deadly part of cancer. Now, a study in...
New tool to accelerate drug discovery
New technology will accelerate drug development by allowing researchers a better look inside the cell membrane to observe how cells react to drugs.
Seen and ‘herd’: Collective motion in crowds is largely determined by participants’ field of vision
Researchers have developed a new model to predict human flocking behavior based on optics and other sensory data.
Environmentally conscious consumers more likely to buy chicken raised on insects or algae
Eating chicken raised on a diet of bugs or algae may sound downright unappetizing to some, but there are ways to make the idea more palatable to at least one type of food shopper. Consumers who are environmentally aware will likely warm up to the idea of using alternative proteins...
Genomic analysis supports ancient Muwekma Ohlone connection
A research collaboration with the Muwekma Ohlone tribe -- whose ancestral lands include the Stanford campus -- shows a genetic relationship between modern-day Tribe members and individuals buried nearby who lived more than 1,900 years ago.
Finding ways to turn down the heat in cities
Rooftop gardens and greenery can help ease some of the severe heat in cities, according to research from climate scientists.
New enzyme discovery is another leap towards beating plastic waste
Scientists who helped to pioneer the use of enzymes to eat plastic have taken an important next step in developing nature-based solutions to the global plastics crisis. They have characterized an enzyme that has the remarkable capacity to help break down terephthalate (TPA), one of the chemical building blocks of...
How the Chagas pathogen changes the intestinal microbiota of predatory bugs
In Central and South America, predatory blood-sucking bugs transmit the causative agent of the widely prevalent Chagas disease. As the disease can induce severe symptoms and to date there is no vaccine against the Trypanosoma parasites, the main approach at present is to control the bug using insecticides. A research...