The Palomar Transient Factory successfully observed a supernova exploding in real-time, providing unique spectral features that suggest its progenitor was a nitrogen-rich Wolf-Rayet star. This discovery will aid in understanding massive star evolution and identifying potential supernova precursors.
Researchers at Caltech found a way to sidestep quantum 'noise' that limits precision of ultrasensitive position measurements, enabling detection and avoidance of quantum fluctuations. The study provides a solution for rerouting some of the noise away from the measurement, allowing for increased sensitivity without compromising accuracy.
The Cosmic Web Imager has obtained three-dimensional pictures of the intergalactic medium, revealing the structure of the IGM for the first time. The instrument has detected a possible spiral-galaxy-in-the-making, three times the size of the Milky Way.
Researchers found that internal stress on microtubules guides cell-wall component deposition and influences cell shape. The unusual shape of pavement cells represents a balance between maintaining structural integrity and responding to mechanical stress.
A recent study by Caltech researchers found that fruit flies use their antennae to quickly sense changes in wind speed, helping them maintain a steady groundspeed. The findings suggest the antennae are responsible for initial deceleration in headwinds and provide critical information to help the fly regain its original speed.
Researchers at Caltech discovered that surface plasmons exhibit quantum interference, similar to photons. This finding has potential implications for quantum computing and the development of new materials. The study validated theoretical predictions and demonstrated the coherence of plasmon waves.
Scientists have confirmed that Enceladus has a large subsurface ocean near its south pole using gravity measurements collected by Cassini. The data suggest that the ocean is about 50 kilometers below the surface, and its density could compensate for the absence of material at the surface.
A team of Caltech researchers has developed a mathematical model to describe the competition between genes for regulatory proteins. The model accounts for the limited availability of transcription factors, leading to correlations between gene copies and a regime where some portion glows green all the time.
Gut bacteria help develop immune cells that can fight infections, study finds. The beneficial bugs also increase immune cell populations and enhance survival rates when mice are infected with harmful bacteria.
Researchers at Caltech have developed a silicon chip that can bend light waves electronically, eliminating the need for bulky optics. This technology allows for rapid image projection with a single laser diode and no mechanically moving parts.
Scientists have made the first detection of water in the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter, tau Boötis b, using a novel technique that expands on the radial velocity method. The study confirms the presence of water vapor and also reveals the planet's mass, which was previously difficult to determine.
Researchers created tiny oscillators in oil droplets and found that smaller droplets behaved differently due to partitioning effects, not just stochastic reaction dynamics. This discovery highlights the need for engineers to understand and deal with 'partitioning noise' when designing artificial cells
Researchers at Caltech have shown that bone marrow cells are sensitive to infection-related molecules and respond rapidly. They detect invasion and mount an inflammatory response, producing cytokines that stimulate the differentiation of immune cells.
Researchers at Caltech have created a new laser that can carry vast amounts of information, increasing data transmission rates in optical-fiber networks. The high-coherence laser has a 20 times narrower range of frequencies than previous lasers, enabling faster and more efficient communication.
A Caltech-developed method for delivering HIV-fighting antibodies has been shown to be effective in preventing vaginal transmission of the virus in mice, a breakthrough that could potentially lead to new prevention strategies for humans.
Researchers have pinpointed areas of the brain that act as an 'arbitrator' between habitual and goal-directed systems. This mechanism ensures optimal control over behavior by weighing the reliability of predictions from each system.
A team of researchers at Caltech has identified a new neural circuit in the lateral septum that plays a causal role in promoting anxiety states. Activation of this circuit increases stress hormone levels, suggesting that it acts to increase anxiety rather than reduce it.
Researchers at Caltech used high-resolution electron microscopy to visualize HIV infection in the gut of an infected mouse model. The study revealed novel observations about HIV behavior, including semisynchronous wave patterns of virus release from infected cells and transmission through free pools of virus.
Studies using an artificial watercourse, called a flume, found that steeper streams require more water to move sediment than previously thought. In very steep channels, sediment motion is often triggered by complete bed failure, resulting in catastrophic events.
Researchers found that star radiation can push matter out of galaxies, accounting for the missing galactic mass in previous calculations. The FIRE simulations demonstrate that feedback from stars alters galaxy growth and history in a dramatic way.
A team of researchers from Caltech identified specific brain cells in male fruit flies that release a hormone promoting aggression. These findings suggest that aggression is genetically controlled and may be linked to personality disorders in humans. The study validates the use of fruit flies as a model for studying human aggression.
A team of astronomers discovered a primordial galaxy, Himiko, seen at 800 million years after the Big Bang. The observations using Hubble and ALMA revealed intense star formation, but puzzlingly low metal content, challenging current star formation theories.
Researchers found that subjects' trust in human agents was strongly linked to their accuracy, whereas the value placed on computer algorithms depended on whether or not their predictions matched. The study's findings highlight the brain mechanisms underlying these kinds of evaluations and have implications for decision-making.
Researchers suggest that megafloods created the unique amphitheater-headed canyons in Idaho and on Mars, replacing traditional theories of groundwater sapping. The team analyzed rock samples and scour marks to support their claims, pointing to much larger water discharges and shorter flow durations.
A team of scientists has detected for the first time in an individual object the kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect, a change in the cosmic microwave background caused by massive moving objects. The observation was made using the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory and confirms predictions of cosmological theory.
A new study at Caltech describes a mechanism for bacterial biofilms to induce the transformation of marine invertebrates from larvae to adults. Researchers discovered that phage tail-like structures, similar to those used by viruses to inject genetic material into bacteria, play a crucial role in this process.
Researchers at California Institute of Technology successfully dated a Martian rock using the Sample Analysis on Mars instrument, determining its age to be about 3.86-4.56 billion years old. This experiment provides valuable insights into Mars' geologic history and aids in searching for evidence of ancient life on the planet.
Researchers at Caltech found that altering gut bacteria can improve autism-like behaviors in mice, reducing GI problems and improving communication and social interactions. The probiotic treatment corrected a 'leaky' gut characteristic associated with autism.
Researchers found specific neurons in the amygdala of autistic individuals respond differently to faces, with reduced processing of the eye region compared to control-group individuals. These neurons also responded more strongly to mouths than eyes, shedding light on abnormal face processing in autism.
Scientists at Caltech created a lab-on-a-chip device using SlipChip technology that can accurately measure the concentration of HIV RNA molecules in a sample. The digital approach uses amplification chemistry to produce a fluorescent signal, allowing for precise quantification despite changes in environmental conditions.
Researchers propose a new model for supermassive black hole growth involving 'seed' black holes formed from early stars. A single collapsing star can produce a pair of black holes that merge, resolving the issue of their rapid formation in the young universe.
Researchers at Caltech's intermediate Palomar Transient Factory have detected a rare type of supernova in a nearby galaxy, providing evidence for the theory that it originated from a Wolf-Rayet star. Additionally, they found the afterglow of a gamma-ray burst, precisely locating its position using optical telescopes alone.
Researchers at Caltech developed a new stimulus to study mouse visual behavior, finding that mice respond with immediate reflex-like responses to a looming black disk, freezing or fleeing depending on the environment. The study validates the mouse model for studying visual processing and has implications for understanding animal behavior.
Researchers at Caltech have identified a previously unknown bacterium in the termite gut that may be responsible for most acetogenesis. The bacterium, part of the deltaproteobacteria group, attaches to the surface of a hydrogen-producing protozoan, providing a new understanding of the complex food web in the termite gut.
Researchers at Caltech developed a miniature chip-based resonator that stabilizes electrical currents and optical signals, paving the way for improvements in communications, navigation, and remote sensing. The new technology uses an Archimedean spiral to minimize energy surges and improve frequency stability.
A team of MSL scientists analyzed a martian rock called Jake_M, which is highly enriched in sodium and potassium, making it chemically alkaline. The analysis suggests that parts of Mars may be more like Earth than previously thought, with the rock possibly forming from partial melting of rocks deep inside the planet.
Researchers at Caltech have developed a method to create nanostructured, hollow ceramic scaffolds with remarkable strength and resistance to failure. The small building blocks of the structure exhibit unusually high tensile strength despite being over 85% air.
A team of scientists has discovered a mechanism by which beneficial bacteria reside and thrive in the gastrointestinal tract. By understanding how these microbes colonize, they may be able to correct abnormal changes in bacterial communities linked to disorders like obesity and inflammatory bowel disease.
A Caltech team has engineered a miniature silicon system to produce squeezed light, a type of ultraquiet light useful for precise measurements. The system, which reduces quantum fluctuations, enables the creation of precision microsensors capable of beating standard limits set by quantum mechanics.
Researchers at Caltech have developed a new way to analyze turbulent flow near walls, which can help reduce drag and fuel consumption in aircraft and ships. By breaking down complex equations into smaller blocks, they found that commonly observed features of wall turbulence can be explained by superposing just three response modes.
Researchers create a method to convert conventional microscopes into high-resolution imaging systems that outperform standard microscopes. The new system combines the field-of-view advantage of a 2X lens with the resolution advantage of a 20X lens, producing images with 100 times more information.
Researchers at Caltech have discovered a new mechanism for creating macrophages by increasing the accumulation of regulatory protein PU.1 through slowed cell division. The process involves an unexpected cycle where cell division slows, allowing higher PU.1 levels to accumulate and prompt macrophage generation.
Researchers discovered how lncRNAs use positional information to locate and bind to nearby genes, forming a compartment where multiple genes can be regulated together. This unique mechanism allows lncRNAs to organize key proteins involved in gene expression.
Researchers found that partition dependence, where breaking down possible outcomes into specific intervals, leads people to overestimate the likelihood of certain events. This bias was observed in various prediction markets, including lab experiments and natural markets, such as horse racing.
Researchers found evidence of an early manganese-oxidizing photosystem in ancient South African marine sedimentary rocks, which predates the evolution of oxygenic cyanobacteria. This discovery supports the idea that manganese oxidation provided a stepping-stone for water-oxidizing photosynthesis.
A team of Caltech biologists found that microRNA-146a acts as a critical regulator and protector of blood-forming stem cells during chronic inflammation. Mice lacking miR-146a showed a decline in HSCs, while normal mice maintained their levels despite long-term inflammation.
Astronomers may witness the birth of a black hole for the first time using a new analysis that predicts a distinct burst of light just before the black hole forms. The study suggests that this signature light burst could be detectable in nearby galaxies and provide valuable insights into black-hole formation.
A team of astronomers has discovered a massive galaxy producing stars at an unprecedented rate of 2,000 times greater than the Milky Way. This 'maximum-starburst' galaxy, called HFLS3, is the earliest known starburst galaxy, dating back to 880 million years after the Big Bang.
Caltech chemists have explained one of the remaining mysteries of photosynthesis, the chemical process by which plants convert sunlight into usable energy and generate oxygen. The discovery provides a new way of approaching the design of catalysts that drive water-splitting reactions in artificial photosynthesis.
A new portable device can count all five subtypes of white blood cells within minutes, providing an accurate differential and enabling the detection of rare basophils. This technology could improve outpatient monitoring of patients with chronic conditions and bring medical care to remote areas.