In a surprising discovery, scientists have found that the heart possesses ‘sweet taste’ receptors, similar to those on our tongues, and that stimulating these receptors with sweet substances can modulate the heartbeat. This research opens new avenues for understanding heart function and potentially for developing novel treatments for heart failure. …read more
A rare discovery of a nearly complete skull in the Egyptian desert has led scientists to the ‘dream’ revelation of a new 30-million-year-old species of the ancient apex predatory carnivore, Hyaenodonta. …read more
Reintroducing wolves to the Scottish Highlands could lead to an expansion of native woodland which could take in and store one million tons of CO2 annually, according to a new study. …read more
Reintroducing wolves to the Scottish Highlands could lead to an expansion of native woodland which could take in and store one million tons of CO2 annually, according to a new study. …read more
A groundbreaking study explores Ba-Si orthosilicate oxynitride-hydride (Ba3SiO5 xNyHz) as a sustainable catalyst for ammonia synthesis, offering a potential alternative to traditional transition metal-based systems. Synthesized through low-temperature solid-state reactions and enhanced with ruthenium nanoparticles, these compounds demonstrated improved catalytic performance under milder conditions, providing a more energy-efficient route to ammonia production. This approach also addresses the environmental challenges associated with conventional methods, signaling a shift toward greener industrial practices in ammonia production. …read more
Physicists and biomedical engineers unlocked new properties in capillary waves thanks to superhydrophobicity. …read more
Jumping workouts could help astronauts prevent the type of cartilage damage they are likely to endure during lengthy missions to Mars and the Moon, a new study suggests. The researchers found that mice in a nine-week program of reduced movement experienced cartilage thinning and cellular clustering, both early indicators of arthritis. But mice that performed jump training three times a week showed the opposite effect — thicker, healthier cartilage with normal cellular structure. …read more
Researchers have made a breakthrough in the development of ‘life-like’ synthetic materials which are able to move by themselves like worms. Scientists have been investigating a new class of materials called ‘active matter’, which could be used for various applications from drug delivery to self-healing materials. …read more
Who hasn’t been there? The big meal is over, you’re full, but the craving for sweets remains. Researchers have now discovered that what we call the ‘dessert stomach’ is rooted in the brain. The same nerve cells that make us feel full after a meal are also responsible for our craving for sweets afterwards. …read more
Global warming is producing a rapid loss of plant species — according to estimates, roughly 600 plant species have died out since 1750 — twice the number of animal species lost. But which species are hit hardest? And how does altered biodiversity actually affect interactions between plants? Experts have tackled these questions and, in two recent studies, presented the answers they found buried in the past: using fragments of plant genetic material (DNA) deposited in lake sediments, they were able to gain new insights into how the composition of flora changed 15,000 to 11,000 years ago during the warming at the end of the last ice age, which is considered to be the last major mass extinction event before today. This comparison can offer an inkling of what might await us in the future. …read more
