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Science News for January 13, 2013


Graphene plasmonics beats the drug cheats

Researchers have developed a graphene plasmonics device that can detect even trace amounts of substances in minutes, revolutionizing drug testing for athletes and detecting viruses. The breakthrough uses artificial materials with topological darkness to achieve high sensitivity.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalNature Materials·DateJan 13, 2013

Foot soldiers of the immune system

The IFIT protein recognizes foreign viral RNA and blocks viral infections by acting as a defender molecule. The discovery reveals the molecular mechanism behind how IFIT proteins capture only the viral RNA and distinguish it from normal molecules belonging to the host.

SourceMcGill University·JournalNature·DateJan 13, 2013

What did our ancestors look like?

A new study uses DNA analysis to reconstruct hair and eye color from ancient human remains, confirming the blue eyes and blond hair of a Polish general. The HIrisPlex system was also able to identify details from medieval samples, including a mysterious woman buried in a 12th-14th century crypt.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalInvestigative Genetics·DateJan 13, 2013