Science of smell: The first molecular images of odor receptors at work

Our sense of smell seems to be the most complicated, and as such it’s the least understood. To help shed some light on the system, researchers at Rockefeller University have taken the first cryo-electron microscope images of an olfactory receptor at wo… Continue reading Science of smell: The first molecular images of odor receptors at work→

NASA’s Dragonfly to search for life on Titan

Saturn’s moon Titan is one of the most intriguing places in the solar system, so much so that NASA is planning to send a rotorcraft there in the mid 2030s. Now the science team behind this Dragonfly mission has outlined its science goals and objectives… Continue reading NASA’s Dragonfly to search for life on Titan→

7-meter-wide “spear-mouth” pterosaur was Australia’s largest flying reptile

Paleontologists have discovered the largest known flying reptile that ever took to the Australian skies. Named Thapunngaka shawi, this “fearsome dragon” sported a 7-m (23-ft) wingspan and a jaw full of awful jagged teeth.Continue ReadingCategory: Scien… Continue reading 7-meter-wide “spear-mouth” pterosaur was Australia’s largest flying reptile→

Barnacle-inspired bioglue stops bleeding in as little as 15 seconds

Stemming the bleeding from a traumatic injury can save lives, but it’s hard to get adhesives to stick when blood is making everything wet. Now, MIT researchers have developed a new surgical glue that can halt bleeding within 30 seconds, inspired by the… Continue reading Barnacle-inspired bioglue stops bleeding in as little as 15 seconds→

Concrete microbiome could act as early warning system for collapse

Concrete may not seem like a particularly hospitable environment for life, but bacteria do actually live inside it. A new study led by the University of Delaware has examined this concrete microbiome to find out how they get there, how they change over… Continue reading Concrete microbiome could act as early warning system for collapse→

“Probably the best preserved Ice Age animal ever” found in Siberia

Scientists have discovered two exceptionally well-preserved cave lion cubs in the Siberian permafrost. Despite being tens of thousands of years old, the cubs are among the most complete Ice Age specimens ever recovered, right down to the whiskers, allo… Continue reading “Probably the best preserved Ice Age animal ever” found in Siberia→

Metals merged into amalgam nanocrystals in new manufacturing method

Engineers at ETH Zurich have developed a new, surprisingly simple method for merging two metals into one nanocrystal structure. The team says that this could allow almost any two metals to be combined, creating brand new types of “intermetallic nanocry… Continue reading Metals merged into amalgam nanocrystals in new manufacturing method→

2D quantum crystal sensor could hunt for dark matter particles

Dark matter should be all around us, but the stuff is frustratingly elusive. Now physicists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new sensor that could help us detect certain hypothetical dark matter particles, u… Continue reading 2D quantum crystal sensor could hunt for dark matter particles→

Charged graphene foam acts as “uranium magnet” for water purification

Is there anything graphene can’t do? Researchers at MIT have found yet another use for the over-achieving wonder material, by making a reusable filter out of graphene oxide foam that acts like a magnet for uranium, effectively pulling the radioactive e… Continue reading Charged graphene foam acts as “uranium magnet” for water purification→

Artificial pancreas trialed in patients with type 2 diabetes

An artificial pancreas has been trialed in patients with type 2 diabetes for the first time. The device monitors a person’s blood glucose levels and automatically administers insulin when needed – and the results so far are promising.Continue ReadingCa… Continue reading Artificial pancreas trialed in patients with type 2 diabetes→