Warwick astronomers discover the first double white dwarf binary, destined to explode as type 1a supernova University of Warwick astronomers have discovered an extremely rare, high mass, compact binary star system only ~150 light years away. These two stars are on a collision course to explode as a type 1a supernova, appearing 10 times brighter than the moon in the night sky. Type 1a supernovae are a special class of cosmic explosion, famously used as ‘standard candles’ to measure distances…
Study shows contrast between wet and dry areas increases rain by up to 30% Storm forecasting is traditionally based on studying atmospheric conditions but ground-breaking research that also looks at land surface conditions is set to transform early warning systems in tropical regions. This will enable communities to better adapt to the destructive impacts of climate change. The new study led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) has shown that a large contrast in soil moisture levels…
A collaboration between chemical engineers and animal scientists has created a system for recovering valuable industrial chemicals from animal waste, representing a major step towards circularity and environmental sustainability. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a nanofiltration system for separating volatile fatty acids (VFAs) – organic molecules that are critical in fine chemical production across many sectors – from cattle manure fermented in bioreactors. Thanks to the incorporation of selective ion-exchange membranes into an electrochemical separation system,…
Months after withdrawal, brain activity during decision-making remained impaired in rats For the first time researchers demonstrate in an animal how heavy alcohol use leads to long-term behavioral issues by damaging brain circuits critical for decision-making. Rats exposed to high amounts of alcohol exhibited poor decision-making during a complex task even after a monthslong withdrawal period. Key areas of their brains had undergone dramatic functional changes compared to healthy rats. The findings, published today in Science Advances, provide a new…
Designed by University of Missouri researchers, the device includes AI technology to detect potential heart problems with over 90% accuracy, making it a promising tool for at-home monitoring When we move, it’s harder for existing wearable devices to accurately track our heart activity. But University of Missouri researchers found that a starfish’s five-arm shape helps solve this problem. Inspired by how a starfish flips itself over — shrinking one of its arms and using the others in a coordinated motion…
New site contains over 130 footprints and trackways up to 12-meters-long Jurassic dinosaurs milled about ancient Scottish lagoons, leaving up to 131 footprints at a newly discovered stomping ground on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, according to a study published April 2, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Tone Blakesley of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and colleagues. In the rocks of the Isle of Skye, dinosaur footprints are abundant, providing insights into dinosaur distribution and behavior…
Open sea trips from Denmark to Norway may have been possible – even if hugging the coast was likely safer People living in Bronze Age-era Denmark may have been able to travel to Norway directly over the open sea, according to a study published April 2, 2025, in the open-access journal PLOS One by Boel Bengtsson from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, and colleagues. To complete this study, the research team developed a new computer modeling tool that could help…
Mayor improvement for particle research at CERN Scientists working together in the “Antihydrogen Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy” (AEgIS) and other experiments at CERN’s Antimatter Factory, such ALPHA and GBAR, are on a mission to measure the free-fall of antihydrogen under Earth’s gravity with high precision, each using a different technique. AEgIS’s approach involves producing a horizontal beam of antihydrogen and measuring its vertical displacement using a device called a moiré deflectometer that reveals tiny deviations in motion and a detector…
Imagine if all the wood waste left over from home construction zones, furniture manufacturing, landscaping projects, or lumber mills could be turned into a substance as strong as steel. That is the goal of a research project at the University of Tennessee led by Art Ragauskas, UT-ORNL governor’s chair for biorefining and acting department head of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. The project—Waste Upcycling for Defense (WUD)—received a $2 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA),…
New machine learning model cuts fluid simulation time from 45 minutes to 3 AI has created a sea change in society; now, it is setting its sights on the sea itself. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a machine learning-powered fluid simulation model that significantly reduces computation time without compromising accuracy. Their fast and precise technique opens up potential applications in offshore power generation, ship design and real-time ocean monitoring. Accurately predicting fluid behavior is crucial for industries relying…
Under the right conditions, duckweed essentially farms itself. Wastewater, ponds, puddles, swamps—you name it. If there’s enough sunlight and carbon dioxide, the aquatic plant can grow freely. But that’s not all that makes it intriguing. Packed inside duckweed’s tiny fronds is enormous potential as a soil enricher, a fuel source, protein-rich foods, and more. New findings at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) could help bring all that potential to life. CSHL Professor and HHMI Investigator Rob Martienssen and Computational Analyst Evan Ernst…
A machine-learning algorithm to study the behavior of proteins within cells and to predict their ability to trigger neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. The study published in Genome Biology A research group led by Gian Gaetano Tartaglia, Principal Investigator at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), developed a machine-learning algorithm to study the behavior of proteins within cells and to predict their ability to trigger neurodegenerative diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson’s,…
Bilayer device can control many forms of polarized light Almost a decade ago, Harvard engineers unveiled the world’s first visible-spectrum metasurfaces – ultra-thin, flat devices patterned with nanoscale structures that could precisely control the behavior of light. A powerful alternative to traditional, bulky optical components, metasurfaces today enable compact, lightweight, multifunctional applications ranging from imaging systems and augmented reality to spectroscopy and communications. Now, researchers in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) are doubling down, literally, on metasurface…
Fruit coated with the material developed by researchers at the University of São Paulo showed 11% less weight loss during storage and took longer to start becoming contaminated by fungi An edible biofilm, obtained from agricultural and fishing waste and developed by researchers at the São Carlos Institute of Chemistry of the University of São Paulo (IQSC-USP) in Brazil, allows the shelf life of strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) to be extended. In laboratory tests, the researchers found that over 12…
West receives AIMBE’s highest honor for transformative contributions to biomedical engineering Jennifer L. West, Dean of the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Saunders Family Professor of Engineering, has been awarded the 2025 Pierre Galletti Award, the highest honor from the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE). West is recognized for her “innovative research in biomaterials and nanomedicine, her leadership in the field, and her dedication to mentoring the next generation of biomedical…
An AI model trained on large amounts of genetic data can predict whether bacteria will become antibiotic-resistant. The new study shows that antibiotic resistance is more easily transmitted between genetically similar bacteria and mainly occurs in wastewater treatment plants and inside the human body. “By understanding how resistance in bacteria arises, we can better combat its spread. This is crucial to protect public health and the healthcare system’s ability to treat infections,” says Erik Kristiansson, Professor at the Department of…
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