Bats’ Surprising “Supersense” of Time: They Know the Speed of Sound From Birth
A new Tel Aviv University study has revealed, for the first time, that bats know the speed of sound from birth. In order to prove…
Biophysics
Researchers Find Leakage of Airborne Droplets Escaping From COVID Masks – Even When Just Breathing
Curbing coronavirus spread in enclosed spaces means better masks, adequate ventilation. With research increasingly showing the COVID-19 virus is transmissible via smaller droplets suspended in…
Scientists Discover That the Shape of Light Changes Our Vision
Scientists at the UNIGE have shown that the response of the retina to light depends not only on the intensity of the light perceived by…
Identifying Individual Molecules: How to Build a Better “Nanopore” Biosensor
Researchers have spent more than three decades developing and studying miniature biosensors that can identify single molecules. In five to 10 years, when such devices…
Slippery When Wet: New Law of Physics Helps Humans and Robots Grasp the Friction of Touch
Although robotic devices are used in everything from assembly lines to medicine, engineers have a hard time accounting for the friction that occurs when those…
Natural Plant and Animal Surfaces Inspire Infection-Proof Engineered Implants
Some natural surfaces, like insect wings, have evolved to develop bactericidal features, which researchers hope to translate into health care materials. Dragonfly wings, lotus leaves,…
Resilience to Climate Change: Corals Carefully Organize Proteins to Form Rock-Hard Skeletons
Scientists’ findings suggest corals will withstand climate change. Charles Darwin, the British naturalist who championed the theory of evolution, noted that corals form far-reaching structures,…
Scientists Grow Tiny Brains in 3D-Printed Bioreactor
Small device contains wells to let small bits of tissue grow, develop, and be studied in real time. Scientists from MIT and the Indian Institute…
Deep Dive Into Key SARS-CoV-2 Protein Is a Step Toward New COVID-19 Drugs & Vaccines
Researchers in the Oregon State University College of Science have taken a key step toward new drugs and vaccines for combating COVID-19 with a deep…
Artificial Life Forged in a Lab? Scientists Create Synthetic Cell That Grows and Divides Normally
New findings shed light on mechanisms controlling the most basic processes of life. Five years ago, scientists created a single-celled synthetic organism that, with only…
Diffusion in Living Organisms: How Cells Transport Molecules With “Active Carpets”
New research provides insights into the process of diffusion in living systems, with implications from novel active coatings to understanding how pathogens are cleared from…
Shutting the Nano-Gate: Breakthrough May Lead to Single-Molecule Sensors and Cheaper Genomic Sequencing
Researchers at Osaka University create voltage-controlled nanopores that can trap particles as they try to pass through, which may lead to single-molecule sensors, along with…
See How Strategic Air Purifier Placement Reduces COVID Virus Spread Within Music Classrooms
Aerosol simulations show how airborne particles containing SARS-CoV-2 spread within a music classroom and how to use portable HEPA air purifiers to reduce their spread….
First Complete COVID-19 Coronavirus Model Shows Cooperation – “They Work Together”
Frontera, Anton 2 supercomputers simulate holistic model of SARS-CoV-2 virion. The COVID-19 virus holds some mysteries. Scientists remain in the dark on aspects of how…
DNA Origami Used to Monitor CRISPR Gene Targeting
CRISPR gene editing has transformed research, but it is not perfect, and can sometimes target unintended genes. To watch CRISPR enzymes respond to different genes,…
Therapeutic Hypothermia: How Reducing Body Temperature Could Help 10% of All Intensive Care Patients
A new study reveals how lower temperatures improve the activity of surfactant, a molecular mixture that is essential for breathing. This indicates that therapeutic hypothermia…
Sugar-Coated Shield Helps the COVID-19 Virus Become Activated and Infectious
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is coated with sugars called glycans, which help it evade the immune system. New research shows precisely how those…
SARS vs. COVID-19: Why Some Coronavirus Strains Are More Infectious Than Others
The coronaviruses that cause SARS and COVID-19 have spike proteins that move into “active” and “inactive” positions, and new research indicates how those molecular movements…