A phenotypic screen in C. elegans identifies lci-1 as a facilitator of lysosomal Ca2+ import. Credit: Science Advances (2024). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adk2317 Lysosomes, often reductively referred to as the “garbage disposals” of cells, play a pivotal role in our cells’ digestive systems by getting rid of unwanted materials. Now in a groundbreaking study, researchers from the … Read more
Anvil clouds. Image number ISS042-E-215303 from the International Space Station. Credit: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center A new analysis based on simple equations has reduced uncertainty about how clouds will affect future climate change. Clouds have two main effects on global temperature—cooling the planet by reflecting sunlight, and warming it … Read more
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Japan’s valiant moon lander was put to sleep again after unexpectedly surviving its second ultra-chilly long lunar night, the space agency said Monday. The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM)—dubbed the “Moon Sniper” for its landing precision—touched down in January, making Japan only the fifth nation to achieve a soft lunar … Read more
Artist Refik Anadol uses generative AI to produce images, seen here as part of the “Echoes of the Earth: Living Archive” exhibition at Serpentine North, London. Hugo Glendinning | Courtesy Refik Anadol Studio and Serpentine. The art world — like many industries — is grappling with how best to use artificial intelligence, especially in its … Read more
Many African Americans descended from enslaved ancestors are working to trace their family histories by combining genealogical records and historical documents. Such efforts can connect them to living relatives and forge new sense of identity rooted in specific ancestral lineages and homelands, says University of Illinois anthropology professor LaKisha David. Credit: Fred Zwicky Some political … Read more
The Romania research center houses the world’s most powerful laser beam. “Ready? Signal sent!” In the control room of a research center in Romania, engineer Antonia Toma activates the world’s most powerful laser, which promises revolutionary advances in everything from the health sector to space. The laser at the center, near the Romanian capital Bucharest, … Read more
This image was taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft on Jan. 1, 2019 during a flyby of Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute A new study is shaking up what scientists thought they knew about distant objects in the far reaches of the solar system, starting with … Read more
Researcher Marianna Boros attaches electrodes to the head of Cuki, with during an experiment at the department of Ethology of the Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary, on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. A new study in Hungary has found that beyond being able to learn how to perform commands, dogs can learn to associate words … Read more
Credit: CC0 Public Domain You’re not just getting older. Song lyrics really are becoming simpler and more repetitive, according to a study published on Thursday. Lyrics have also become angrier and more self-obsessed over the last 40 years, the study found, reinforcing the opinions of cranky aging music fans everywhere. A team of European researchers … Read more
Healthy corals like these on Australia’s Lady Elliot Reef could disappear by the 2030s if climate change is not curbed. Credit: Rebecca Spindler, CC BY-ND Coral reefs are some of the oldest, most diverse ecosystems on Earth, and among the most valuable. They nurture 25% of all ocean life, protect coasts from storms and add … Read more
