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Science News for January 26, 2014


Engineers teach old chemical new tricks to make cleaner fuels, fertilizers

Researchers from Stanford University and Aarhus University develop a cheap alternative to platinum-based electrolysis for producing hydrogen, a crucial component in fertilizer production. The new method achieves efficiency comparable to platinum-based systems while reducing costs.

SourceStanford University School of Engineering·JournalNature Chemistry·DateJan 26, 2014

Drug to reverse breast cancer spread in development

Researchers at Cardiff University have identified a compound that potently inhibits Bcl3 and completely halts the spread of metastatic tumors in mice. The development aims to create a therapeutic agent capable of blocking metastatic disease in breast cancer and various tumor types.

SourceCardiff University·JournalCancer Research·DateJan 26, 2014

How does the brain create sequences?

Researchers have found that neurons in the basal ganglia can signal the concatenation of individual elements into a behavioural sequence. The study's findings suggest that the brain uses a mechanism called chunking to organize memories and actions.

SourceJLM&A, SA·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateJan 26, 2014
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Getting a charge from changes in humidity

Researchers at Harvard's Wyss Institute have developed a new humidity-driven generator using bacterial spores, which can generate 1000 times more force than human muscle. The prototype captures just a small percentage of the energy released by evaporation, but could provide a new source of renewable energy if scaled up.

SourceWyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateJan 26, 2014

Blue eyes and dark skin, that's how the European hunter-gatherer looked

Researchers have recovered the genome of a 7,000-year-old individual from La Braña-Arintero site in Spain, revealing surprising genetic traits. The ancient European hunter-gatherer had African versions of genes that determine light skin and blue eyes, suggesting he had dark skin and a unique phenotype.

SourceSpanish National Research Council (CSIC)·JournalNature·DateJan 26, 2014

Shortening guide RNA markedly improves specificity of CRISPR-Cas nucleases

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital have found that shortening the guide RNA component of CRISPR-Cas nucleases can substantially reduce off-target DNA mutations. Truncated gRNAs, or tru-gRNAs, are just as efficient as full-length gRNAs in reaching their intended target but with greatly reduced off-target effects.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateJan 26, 2014

Long-lived breast stem cells could retain cancer legacy

Researchers discovered that breast stem cells and their 'daughters' have a much longer lifespan than previously thought, actively maintaining breast tissue throughout life. This finding has implications for identifying the cells of origin of breast cancers and developing new treatment strategies.

SourceWalter and Eliza Hall Institute·JournalNature·DateJan 26, 2014
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Picture of how our climate is affected by greenhouse gases is a 'cloudy' one

The study reveals that greenhouse gas effects on climate are uncertain due to complex interactions between aerosols, cloud cover, and sunlight. Researchers highlight the need for improved observational tools and models to reduce uncertainty in climate forcing and predict future impacts of aerosols on weather and climate.

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalScience·DateJan 26, 2014