Immediately after the Big Bang, which occurred around 13.8 billion years ago, the universe was dominated by unimaginably high temperatures and densities. However, after just a few seconds, it had cooled down enough for the first elements to form, primarily hydrogen and helium. These were still completely ionized at this point, as it took almost…
A new study from NYU Abu Dhabi has found that high-energy particles from space, known as cosmic rays, could create the energy needed to support life underground on planets and moons in our solar system. The research shows that cosmic rays may not only be harmless in certain environments but could actually help microscopic life…
A frog croaks from a walking trail. A hiker snaps a photo and uploads it to iNaturalist. That single act — one person, one amphibian and one click — feeds into a growing global dataset that scientists now use to map shifting species ranges, detect invasive threats and even discover new species. An international study…
Engineers from RMIT University, Australia, have produced a new type of 3D-printed titanium that’s about a third cheaper than commonly used titanium alloys. The team used readily available and cheaper alternative materials to replace the increasingly expensive vanadium. RMIT has filed a provisional patent on their innovative approach, which has also been outlined in Nature…
There is broad consensus that the overall body of evidence shows lowering LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol provides both statistically significant and clinically meaningful benefits in treating and preventing cardiovascular disease. Often referred to as the “bad” cholesterol, elevated levels of LDL can clog arteries and significantly increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In…
Researchers at the University of Michigan have illuminated a complete sensory pathway showing how the skin communicates the temperature of its surroundings to the brain. This discovery, believed to be the first of its kind, reveals that cool temperatures get their own pathway, indicating that evolution has created different circuits for hot and cold temperatures….
Scientists at UC San Francisco and Gladstone Institutes have identified cancer drugs that promise to reverse the changes that occur in the brain during Alzheimer’s, potentially slowing or even reversing its symptoms. The study first analyzed how Alzheimer’s disease altered gene expression in single cells in the human brain. Then, researchers looked for existing drugs…
A University of Florida research team has developed a more accurate way to count wildlife using drones — an innovation that helped confirm the world’s largest known nesting site for a threatened turtle species. By combining aerial imagery with statistical modeling, the researchers documented more than 41,000 Giant South American River Turtles gathered along the…
