Japanese collaborators detected all five nucleobases — building blocks of DNA and RNA — in samples returned from asteroid Bennu by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. Asteroids, small airless bodies within the inner Solar System, are theorized to have contributed water and chemical building blocks of life to Earth billions of years ago. Although meteorites on Earth come from asteroids, the combination of exposure to moisture in the atmosphere and to an uncontrolled biosphere means that interpreting the data from them is challenging. Pristine samples collected from asteroids in space would be the ideal candidates, and successful sample ...

Advances in technology – such as microscopic imaging and molecular techniques – have the potential to transform our understanding of global ocean health, according to the authors of a new study. However, they should not be employed at the expense of long-term plankton monitoring programmes, which continue to provide an essential role in tracking how our seas are shifting in the face of a changing global climate and are essential for informing routine assessments of marine biodiversity required by  ...

Curtin University researchers have gained an unprecedented glimpse into the early history of our solar system through some of the most well-preserved asteroid samples ever collected, potentially transforming our understanding of planetary formation and the origins of life. Experts from Curtin’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences were selected to be amongst the first in the world to inspect samples collected during NASA’s seven-year, OSIRIS-REx mission to the ancient asteroid Bennu.   Asteroid Bennu is thought to be made of rubble fragments from a 4.5-billion-year-old parent body, containing materials that originated ...

“One of the most commonly used diagnostic methods, appendicular lean mass (ALM) measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) has been reported to fail to precisely detect age-related loss of muscle mass […]”   BUFFALO, NY- January 29, 2025 – A new editorial was published in Volume 16, Issue 22 of Aging (Aging-US) on December 11, 2024, titled “ISarcoPRM algorithm for global operationalization of sarcopenia diagnosis.” In this editorial, Pelin ...

“In other words, the pR552* mutant behaves more like a gain-of-function or oncogenic mutant. Indeed, a family carrying this mutation showed complete penetrance and high expressivity.” BUFFALO, NY- January 29, 2025 – A new research paper was published in Volume 16 of Genes & Cancer on January 20, 2025, entitled, “Analysis of pathogenic variants in retinoblastoma reveals a potential gain of function mutation.” Researchers from Instituto de Física Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí and Hospital Central “Ignacio Morones Prieto” have found a new way a gene mutation might contribute ...

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the nonprofit publisher of the Science family of journals, is conducting a pilot with ProRata as part of its commitment to communicate trusted scientific findings broadly. ProRata is an AI company guided by the belief that content creators should receive attribution for their work. Partnering with AAAS will strengthen ProRata’s new AI-driven search engine, Gist.ai, while showing how content that powers AI-driven searches can be sustainably attributed. The pilot – ProRata’s first with a scientific publisher – ...

To store ever more data in electronic devices of the same size, the manufacturing processes for these devices need to be studied in greater detail. By investigating new approaches to making digital memory at the atomic scale, researchers engaged in a public-private partnership are aiming to address the endless demand for denser data storage. One such effort has focused on developing the ideal manufacturing process for a type of digital memory known as 3D NAND flash memory, which stacks data vertically to increase storage density. The narrow, deep holes required for this type of memory can be etched ...

DALLAS, Jan. 29, 2025 — The American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, and the National Football League (NFL), in collaboration with its 32 NFL clubs, are challenging kids to get moving and PLAY 60 in advance of Super Bowl LIX with the latest installment of the NFL PLAY 60 Fitness Break school broadcast series. On Thursday, Feb. 5 at 1 p.m. ET/ 12 p.m. CT/ 10 a.m. PT the Association and the NFL will deliver an action-packed, 15-minute synchronous streaming broadcast to help elementary school students ...

PULLMAN, Wash. — Wandering salamanders are known for gliding high through the canopies of coastal redwood forests, but how the small amphibians stick their landing and take-off with ease remains something of a mystery. A new study in the Journal of Morphology reveals the answer may have a lot to do with a surprising mechanism: blood-powered toes. The Washington State University-led research team discovered that wandering salamanders (Aneides vagrans) can rapidly fill, trap, and drain the blood in their toe tips to optimize attachment, detachment and general locomotion through their arboreal environment. The research not only uncovers a previously ...

Labor and delivery units that are adequately staffed by nurses have lower cesarean birth rates, according to new research published in the journal Nursing Outlook. “Our findings highlight how crucial nurse staffing is for optimal maternal outcomes,” said Audrey Lyndon, the Vernice D. Ferguson Professor in Health Equity and executive vice dean at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing.  C-sections account for nearly a third of births in the US and are the most common surgery performed in hospitals. While C-sections can be lifesaving and some are necessary for the health of the mother and child, the surgery carries more risks and a longer recovery ...

Food allergy, or the aggressive immune system reaction following the consumption of a certain food or food ingredient, typically involves immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies and can be potentially life-threatening. Often, the immune response to a food protein can be rapid and severe, requiring emergency care. In recent years, scientific studies have revealed that mucosal mast cells (MMCs), which are immune cells that arise from bone marrow, are excessively produced and play a key role in the severity and sudden onset ...

Melbourne researchers have discovered crucial new information about how microbes consume huge amounts of carbon monoxide (CO) and help reduce levels of this deadly gas. Over two billion tonnes of carbon monoxide are released into the atmosphere globally each year. Microbes consume about 250 million tonnes of this, reducing CO to safer levels. The Monash University-led Study, published in Nature Chemical Biology, reveals at an atomic level how microbes consume CO present in the atmosphere. They use a special enzyme, called the CO dehydrogenase, ...

CLEVELAND, Ohio (Jan 29, 2025)—Thanks to advances in treatment options, a COVID-19 diagnosis is no longer as scary as it once was, at least for most people. A new study, however, suggests that it may now be easier to predict who is most likely to suffer with more serious disease symptoms based on leukocyte (white blood cell) count. Results of the study are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society. Millions of people worldwide suffer from the ongoing effects of COVID-19—which is caused by the SARs-CoV-2 ...

A recent study involving researchers at Murdoch University’s Health Futures Institute has revealed that moderate-intensity exercise can significantly influence appetite-related hormones and perceptions in males with obesity. The study, titled “Acute effect of exercise on appetite-related factors in males with obesity,” provides new insights into how exercise can aid appetite control and weight management.  One of the study authors, Associate Professor Timothy Fairchild from Murdoch’s School ...

Worldwide, cancer chemotherapy is linked to persistent severe peripheral nerve pain (neuropathy) for around 4 in every 10 patients treated with these drugs, suggests a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. Notwithstanding wide regional variations, platinum based drugs, taxanes, and lung cancer seem to be associated with the highest rates of persistent painful neuropathy, lasting at least 3 months, the findings suggest, prompting the researchers to call for tailored approaches to pain ...

Micronutrient deficiency, whereby levels of vitamins and minerals essential for healthy bodily function are far too low, is common in people with type 2 diabetes, finds a pooled data analysis of the available evidence, published in the open access journal BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health. A lack of vitamin D is the most common ‘missing’ micronutrient, overall, the findings indicate, with women at greater risk than men of these deficiencies, dubbed 'hidden hunger.' Genetic predisposition, various environmental factors, sedentary ...

Calorie labels on restaurant menus are negatively impacting people with eating disorders, according to a new study published today in the BMJ Public Health. The review, which is the first of its kind, is led by researchers at King’s College London. It found that individuals who have been diagnosed with an eating disorder changed their behaviours if presented with a menu featuring calorie labels. This included avoiding restaurants, triggering eating disorder thoughts and paying more attention to calorie labels as identified by eye tracking research. The research found that some people with eating disorders reported that seeing menu labels reinforced ...

Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic Genome Center have successfully applied advanced artificial intelligence (AI) genetics models to Parkinson’s disease. Researchers identified genetic factors in progression and FDA-approved drugs that can potentially be repurposed for PD treatment.  The npj Parkinson’s Disease report uses an approach called “systems biology,” which uses AI to integrate and analyze multiple different forms of information from genetic, proteomic, pharmaceutical and patient datasets to identify patterns that may not be obvious from analyzing ...

In a groundbreaking achievement for quantum technologies, researchers at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, have created a functional quantum register using the atoms inside a semiconductor quantum dot.   Published in Nature Physics, the work demonstrates the introduction of a new type of optically connected qubits—a critical advance in the development of quantum networks, where stable, scalable, and versatile quantum nodes are essential.  Quantum dots are nanoscale objects with unique optical and electronic properties that come from quantum mechanical effects. These systems are already used in technologies ...

Qubits are the basic building blocks of information processing in quantum technology. An important research question is what material they will actually consist of in technical applications. Molecular spin qubits are considered promising qubit candidates for molecular spintronics, in particular for quantum sensing. The materials studied here can be stimulated by light; this creates a second spin centre and, subsequently, a light-induced quartet state. Until now, research has assumed that the interaction between two spin centres can only be strong enough for ...

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (FL), January 28, 2025 – The International Space Station (ISS) National Laboratory highlighted the rapid growth of space-based R&D in its annual report, released today by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space® (CASIS®). Over the past fiscal year, the ISS National Lab sponsored more than 100 payloads delivered to the orbiting laboratory—the second-highest annual total to date. Also this year, ISS National Lab-related results were published in 51 peer-reviewed articles—the most ever in a year—underscoring the vital role of the ISS National Lab in advancing scientific discovery and innovation. Since 2011, ...

With every bite of food we take, our intestinal immune system must make a big decision. Tasked with defending us from foreign pathogens, these exquisitely sensitive cells somehow distinguish friend from foe—destroying invaders while tolerating food and helpful bacteria. How the gut separates the good from the bad has long puzzled scientists. Now, new research identifies specific gut cell types that communicate with T cells—prompting them to tolerate, attack, or simply ignore—and explains how these opposing responses are triggered. The findings, published in Science, give scientists ...

Cambridge, Mass.— An exciting collaboration between the Ragon Institute and the Jameel Clinic at MIT has achieved a significant milestone in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to aid the development of T cell vaccine candidates. Ragon faculty member Gaurav Gaiha, MD, DPhil, and MIT Professor Regina Barzilay, PhD, AI lead of the Jameel Clinic for AI and Health, have published research in Nature Machine Intelligence introducing MUNIS—a deep learning tool designed to predict CD8+ T cell epitopes with unprecedented accuracy. This advancement has the potential to accelerate vaccine development against various ...

TAMPA, Fla. (Jan. 28, 2025) — A new study led by researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center shows that asymptomatic brain metastasis is more common in stage 4 breast cancer patients than previously believed. The study, published in Neuro-Oncology, suggests that doctors may need to rethink current screening guidelines for detecting brain metastasis in patients without symptoms. Researchers examined 101 asymptomatic patients diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, including triple-negative, HER2-positive and hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative ...

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — A study by researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health shows that nearly half of all primary care providers (PCPs) in the United States are affiliated with hospitals, while the number of PCPs affiliated with private equity firms is growing and concentrated in certain regional markets. Compared with PCPs at independent practices, those affiliated with hospitals or private equity firms charged higher prices for the same services. The findings were published in JAMA Health Forum. Health care consolidation is a driving force behind ...