For the first time, astronomers have obtained visual evidence that a star met its end by detonating twice. By studying the centuries-old remains of supernova SNR 0509-67.5 with the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT), they have found patterns that confirm its star suffered a pair of explosive blasts. Published today, this discovery…
New research from UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center has uncovered an evolutionary change that may explain why certain immune cells in humans are less effective at fighting solid tumors compared to non-human primates. This insight could lead to more powerful cancer treatments. The study was published in Nature Communications. It revealed a tiny genetic difference…
A bioplastic container inside a chamber simulating Mars’s environment Wordsworth et al., Sci. Adv. 11, eadp4985 Future plastic habitats on Mars could be created from locally grown algae that could then host more algae-growing operations. The first step of such a circular system has been shown to work in Mars-like conditions in a lab, which…
Artist’s illustration of NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in the outer solar system Joe Olmsted/STScI As it hurtles out of our solar system, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft is so far from Earth that the stars in the Milky Way appear in markedly different positions compared with our own view. Astronomers have now used this change in…
If you find eating some foods makes you sleep badly, you’re not alone — and there may be a physical cause for your bad dreams. Scientists investigating links between diet, sleep problems, and cultural beliefs about diet and sleep have found that healthier evening eating habits lead to better sleep and better recall of dreams,…
Scouring more than a century of studies that explored links between handedness and creativity, new Cornell University research finds the widespread belief that lefties are more creative is not actually true. “The data do not support any advantage in creative thinking for lefties,” said Daniel Casasanto, associate professor of psychology. “In fact, there is some…
Originally developed for children, the diagnosis of ADHD is often difficult to make in adults. This is partly because the diagnostic criteria are based on behaviour in children. When diagnosing adults, however, these criteria are often based on adults’ subjective experiences, e.g., of having difficulty concentrating or being very impulsive. “The rising number of adults…
Liverpool John Moores University. Nature Tests on the skull could give new insights into ancient history A DNA bone test on a man who lived 4,500 years ago in the Nile Valley has shed new light on the rise of the Ancient Egyptian civilisation. An analysis of his skeleton shows he was 60 years old…
A new technology that uses clinical MRI machines to image metabolic activity in the brain could give researchers and clinicians unique insight into brain function and disease, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign report. The non-invasive, high-resolution metabolic imaging of the whole brain revealed differences in metabolic activity and neurotransmitter levels among brain regions;…
A widely-used agricultural chemical sprayed on American and Australian fruits and vegetables to prevent fungal disease is killing beneficial insects critical for pollination and ecosystem health, new Macquarie University research shows. The study, published in Royal Society Open Science, found chlorothalonil – one of the world’s most extensively used fungicides – severely impacts insect reproduction…
