Study of algae in Acadia National Park lakes shows recovery from acidification
Acadia National Park is known for its beautiful lakes — and they can tell scientists a lot about the health of the environment. New research shows that regulations to reduce human-caused sulfur in the atmosphere have made a difference for lakes in Acadia National Park, though climate change may slow that recovery. Research from the […]
Children eat what they like, but food intake driven more by what they dislike
It is often said that “children eat what they like,” but the results of a new study by Penn State nutritionists and sensory scientists suggests that when it comes to meals, it is more accurate and more relevant to say, “children do not eat what they dislike.” There is an important difference, according to lead […]
Even dying stars can still give birth to planets
Planets are usually not much older than the stars around which they revolve. Take the Sun: it was born 4.6 billion years ago, and not long after that, Earth came into the world. But KU Leuven astronomers have discovered that a completely different scenario is also possible. Even if they are near death, some types […]
Highly eccentric black hole merger discovered
For the first time, scientists believe they have detected a merger of two black holes with eccentric orbits. According to a paper published in Nature Astronomy by researchers from Rochester Institute of Technology’s Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation and the University of Florida, this can help explain how some of the black hole mergers […]
Engineers discover method to create upward water fountain in deep water: Fountain created by lasers, Marangoni Effect is the cause
A pair of University of Houston engineers has discovered that they can create upward fountains in water by shining laser beams on the water’s surface. Jiming Bao, professor of electrical and computer engineering at UH, and his postdoctoral student Feng Lin, attribute the finding to a phenomenon known as the Marangoni effect, which causes convection […]
If I’d Listened To My Doctor, I Would Be Dead Right Now
Most doctors are intelligent, compassionate human beings, but they are human. And medicine is a business, which means doctors can be overworked, pressed for time and dismissive of patient complaints, especially if that patient is a woman. In my case, the casual dismissal of my symptoms almost cost me my life. It was October 2019 […]
Mechanism that helps immune cells to invade tissues
To fight infections and heal injuries, immune cells need to enter tissue. They also need to invade tumors to fight them from within. Scientists have now discovered how immune cells protect their sensitive insides as they squeeze between tissue cells. The team lays the foundation for identifying new targets in cancer treatment. Knowing, when exactly […]
Engineered nanomaterial captures off-target cancer drug to prevent tissue damage: Super-capacity, cellulose-based material may enable high-dose targeted treatments
Standard chemotherapies may efficiently kill cancer cells, but they also pose significant risks to healthy cells, resulting in secondary illness and a diminished quality of life for patients. To prevent the previously unavoidable damage, researchers, led by Penn State, have developed a new class of nanomaterials engineered to capture chemotherapy drugs before they interact with […]
Researchers develop model for treating HIV/AIDS, depression
Today, people living with HIV/AIDS can remain healthy if they are able to engage in routine care and take the medicines that reduce their virus to undetectable levels. But for people with HIV who are also struggling with depression, that’s often an insurmountable challenge, especially in South Africa, home to the highest number of cases […]
Researchers investigate role of gene associated with Alzheimer’s disease in brain’s immune cells
When immune cells move throughout the brain, they act as the first line of defense against viruses, toxic materials and damaged neurons, rushing over to clear out them. Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine have been investigating how these immune cells in the brain — microglia — relate to a gene mutation recently found […]