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The secret to good tomato chemistry

There is nothing better than a ripe, red, homegrown tomato, and now researchers reporting online on May 24 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, have figured out just what it is that makes some of them so awfully good...

CSHL researchers solve structure of human protein critical for silencing genes

In a study published in the journal Cell on May 24, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) scientists describe the three-dimensional atomic structure of a human protein bound to a piece...

Gene study could pave way for non-hormonal male contraceptive

A new type of male contraceptive could be created thanks to the discovery of a key gene essential for sperm development.

Tiny planet-finding mirrors borrow from Webb Telescope playbook

NASA's next flagship mission -- the James Webb Space Telescope -- will carry the largest primary mirror ever deployed. This segmented behemoth will unfold to 21.3 feet in diameter once...

Like curry? New biological role identified for compound used in ancient medicine

Oregon State University scientists just identified a new reason why some curry dishes, made with spices humans have used for thousands of years, might be good for you.

Asteroid nudged by sunlight: Most precise measurement of Yarkovsky effect

Scientists on NASA's asteroid sample return mission, Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security, Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx), have measured the orbit of their destination asteroid, 1999 RQ36, with such accuracy they...

Autopsy of a eruption: Linking crystal growth to volcano seismicity

A forensic approach that links changes deep below a volcano to signals at the surface is described by scientists from the University of Bristol in a paper published May 24...

Pivotal role for proteins -- from helping turn carbs into energy to causing devastating disease

Research into how carbohydrates are converted into energy has led to a surprising discovery with implications for the treatment of a perplexing and potentially fatal neuromuscular disorder and possibly even...

Discarded data may hold the key to a sharper view of molecules

There's nothing like a new pair of eyeglasses to bring fine details into sharp relief. For scientists who study the large molecules of life from proteins to DNA, the equivalent...

Nanoparticles seen as artificial atoms

In the growth of crystals, do nanoparticles act as "artificial atoms" forming molecular-type building blocks that can assemble into complex structures? This is the contention of a major but controversial...

Nuisance seaweed found to produce compounds with biomedical potential

A seaweed considered a threat to the healthy growth of coral reefs in Hawaii may possess the ability to produce substances that could one day treat human diseases, a new...

High-speed method to aid search for solar energy storage catalysts

Eons ago, nature solved the problem of converting solar energy to fuels by inventing the process of photosynthesis.

Math predicts size of clot-forming cells

UC Davis mathematicians have helped biologists figure out why platelets, the cells that form blood clots, are the size and shape that they are. Because platelets are important both for...

Gene discovery points towards new type of male contraceptive

A new type of male contraceptive could be created thanks to the discovery of a key gene essential for sperm development.

UMass Amherst wildlife researcher photographs rare Sumatran rabbit

Using camera traps, wildlife researchers including doctoral candidate Jennifer McCarthy and environmental conservation professor Todd Fuller of the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently captured photographs of one of the rarest...

Thousands of invisibility cloaks trap a rainbow

Many people anticipating the creation of an invisibility cloak might be surprised to learn that a group of American researchers has created 25,000 individual cloaks.

Gourmet butterflies speed north

A new study led by scientists in the Department of Biology at the University of York has shown how a butterfly has changed its diet, and consequently has sped northwards...

Relatively speaking: Researchers identify principles that shape kinship categories across languages

Different languages refer to family relationships in different ways. For example, English speakers use two terms -- grandmother and grandfather -- to refer to grandparents, while Mandarin Chinese uses four...

Organic carbon from Mars, but not biological

Molecules containing large chains of carbon and hydrogen--the building blocks of all life on Earth--have been the targets of missions to Mars from Viking to the present day. While these...

'Metamaterials,' quantum dots show promise for new technologies

Researchers are edging toward the creation of new optical technologies using "nanostructured metamaterials" capable of ultra-efficient transmission of light, with potential applications including advanced solar cells and quantum computing.

DNA evidence shows that marine reserves help to sustain fisheries

Researchers reporting online on May 24 in the Cell Press journal Current Biology present the first evidence that areas closed to all fishing are helping to sustain valuable Australian fisheries....

Chronic pain is relieved by cell transplantation in lab study

Chronic pain, by definition, is difficult to manage, but a new study by UCSF scientists shows how a cell therapy might one day be used not only to quell some...