Peering Inside Deadly Pathogen’s Burglary Kit to Find Ways to Block It
Structural insights about a deadly bacterium’s toolbox point to ways to block it. The bacterium that causes the tick-borne disease tularemia is a lean, mean…
Duke University
“Silent” Mutations Identified That Give the COVID-19 Coronavirus an Evolutionary Edge
RNA folding may help explain how the coronavirus became so hard to stop after it spilled over from wildlife to humans. We know that the…
Cold Neutrons Uncover “Floppy” Atomic Dynamics That Help Turn Heat Into Electricity
‘Cold neutrons’ uncover atomic dynamics that give thermoelectric materials low-heat conductivity. Materials scientists at Duke University have uncovered an atomic mechanism that makes certain thermoelectric…
Male Baboons With Female Friends Live Longer: Strong Opposite-Sex Bonds Linked to Better Chances of Survival
Close bonds with the opposite sex can have non-romantic benefits. And not just for people, but for our primate cousins, too. Drawing on 35 years…
“Acoustic Tweezers” – Human Hands Replaced by Sound Waves in Petri Dish Experiments
Three proof-of-concept prototypes seek to make contactless ‘acoustic tweezer’ technology available to a wide array of laboratories. Mechanical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated a…
Simple COVID-19 Tips for Wearing a Face Mask: It’s Not Enough to Wear a Mask, You Have to Wear It Right
Getting through the day with your mask Use these helpful tips to properly wear and store your mask throughout your day. How to wear your…
Strategic Networking: Young Dolphins Pick Their Friends Wisely
Dolphins choose childhood friends that set them up for success as adults. Strategic networking is key to career success, and not just for humans. A…
Exploring the Fundamental Mysteries of the Universe by Seeing the Invisible
Michael Troxel has always liked puzzles, especially challenging ones. Which is fortunate, since his job is solving some of the most perplexing, fundamental mysteries of…
Scientists Learn Secrets From Ultra-Black Skin That Allows Deep-Sea Fish to Lurk Unseen
Packed pigment granules help them blend in without blowing their cover. If there were a stagehand of the sea, wearing black to disappear into the…
New Algorithm Coordinates Complex Behaviors Between Hundreds of Robots in a Fraction of the Time
A new approach to designing motion plans for multiple robots grows “trees” in the search space to solve complex problems in a fraction of the…
Artificial Intelligence Turns Blurry Pixelated Photos Into Hyper-Realistic Portraits – Try It Yourself
This AI turns even the blurriest photo into realistic computer-generated faces in HD. Duke University researchers have developed an AI tool that can turn blurry,…
Breakthrough Could Lead to Cameras That Can Capture Images Using Ambient Radio Waves
Passive method for locating and characterizing radio waves could lead to cameras that can capture images using ambient radio waves. Electrical engineers at Duke University…
Investigation Into Novel Physics in Troilite Could Enable Spintronic Computing
The magnetic transition of troilite causes instabilities in the ‘space metal’s’ structure that transforms it from a conductor to an insulator. Materials scientists at Duke…
Optical Illusion Created by Butterflies’ Wing Scales Is Secret to Ultra-Black, Lightweight Materials
Some butterflies have ultra-black wings that rival the blackest materials made by humans, using wing scales that are only a fraction as thick — here’s…
Innovative Biocompatible Microparticles Created With Nothing More Than Heat and Light
Innovative manufacturing technique can create new types of microparticles for applications such as drug delivery, diagnostics, and tissue engineering. Biomedical engineers at Duke University have…
“Shocking” Results When WWI Helmets Were Compared to Modern Military Designs
WWI helmets protect against shock waves just as well as modern design. French Adrian helmet suggests simple geometry may save brains from overhead blasts. Biomedical…
Engineers Melt Rock Under Intense Pressure – For Science! [Video]
‘Melting rock’ models predict mechanical origins of earthquakes with friction dropping as rocks slide past one another with greater speed. Engineers at Duke University have…
Plants Harness ‘Bad’ Molecules for Good Ends – Here’s How
Identifying the complex molecular interactions that regulate root growth could lead to more productive crops. When most people think of a plant, they picture stems,…