From Star Trek’s Romulans, who could cloak their spaceships, to Harry Potter’s magical garment, the power to turn someone or something invisible has intrigued mankind. Now one researcher is doing it for real. She has found ways to use magnetic resonance to capture rays of visible light and route them around objects, rendering those objects [...]
Continue reading about Now you see it, now you don’t: An infrared invisibility cloak made of glass
Scientists have identified the three protein fragments that make gluten — the main protein in wheat, rye and barley — toxic to people with celiac disease.
Continue reading about Toxic trio identified as the basis of celiac disease
Government scientists are reporting that eight of the most commonly used oil dispersants used to fight oil spills, such as the massive episode in the Gulf of Mexico, appear unlikely to act as endocrine disruptors — hormone-like substances that can interfere with reproduction, development, and other biological processes. The tested dispersants also had a relatively [...]
How species form and what keeps them distinct from each other, even though they can interbreed, is a key question in evolution. Researchers have recently identified genes in three closely related yeast species that cause sterility, increasing our understanding of how species can remain distinct.
Continue reading about Genetic mismatch keeps yeast species distinct
Surface tension isn’t a very powerful force, but it matters for small things — water bugs, paint, and, it turns out, nanowires.
Continue reading about Engineering researchers simplify process to make world’s tiniest wires
The brain undergoes rapid growth and development in the early years of life and then degenerates as we progress into old age, yet little is known about the biological processes that distinguish brain development and aging. In a new study, researchers have identified a gene regulatory link between changes in the young and aging brain, [...]
Continue reading about ‘Runaway’ development implicated in loss of function of the aging brain
That dry, dusty moon overhead? Seems it isn’t quite as dry as it’s long been thought to be. Although you won’t find oceans, lakes, or even a shallow puddle on its surface, a team of geologists has found structurally bound hydroxyl groups (i.e., water) in a mineral in a lunar rock returned to Earth by [...]
Scientists have uncovered a novel mechanism that dramatically increases insulin sensitivity and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Splashing around in a swimming pool on a hot summer day may not be as safe as you think. A recent study links the application of disinfectants in recreational pools to previously published adverse health outcomes such as asthma and bladder cancer.
Continue reading about Recreational pool disinfectants linked to health problems
Patients with chronic gum disease who quit smoking in addition to undergoing nonsurgical therapy not only demonstrated a lower abundance of harmful oral pathogens, but also an increase in health-associated bacteria.
Continue reading about Quitting smoking may minimize harmful bacteria and replenish healthy bacteria