A recent study found that tropical tree species exhibit substantial variation in their hydraulic traits to match local water availability, making them more drought-resistant. This adaptation could sharpen our understanding of forest resilience and carbon storage.
A new design for microscopes and microscope lenses, called HySIL, addresses both problems by pairing a simple solid lens with a precisely matched immersion liquid. This enables inexpensive air lenses to deliver high-resolution images across centimeter-scale tissues.
Researchers found that mosquitoes' rectal cells interact with their nervous system, influencing appetite and behavior. The study suggests the gut plays a key role in regulating behavior across species, with implications for understanding mosquito feeding habits and potential treatments.
Scientists at Columbia University have experimentally confirmed that quantum fluctuations in a 2D material can alter the properties of a nearby crystal. The team placed a nanometer-sized flake of hexagonal Boron nitride on top of a superconducting material, where the vibrations matched and interacted, suppressing superconductivity.
A team led by Columbia University professor Kishalay De observed a massive star in the Andromeda galaxy collapse directly into a black hole without exploding as a supernova. This event challenges long-held assumptions about stellar deaths, suggesting that stars with similar mass may or may not successfully explode.
Researchers at Columbia University have observed a superfluid transitioning into an insulating phase, exhibiting properties of both liquid-like and solid-like behavior. The finding suggests that the low-temperature phase may be a highly unusual exciton solid, leaving room for further exploration and potential observation of supersolids.
Columbia physicists develop new method to scale neutral-atom arrays using metasurfaces, enabling creation of 2D arrays with thousands of trapped atoms. The technology has the potential to benefit quantum computing and other neutral-atom quantum technologies.
Researchers at Columbia University found that people form stronger memories when in familiar locations, as the brain creates a deeper and richer memory for events. The study also suggests that prior knowledge is crucial in learning and that neuro-imaging can identify gaps in knowledge that need to be repaired.
Researchers at Columbia University found that mosquitoes are more persistent in their response to humans at dawn and dusk due to their internal clocks. By mutating a gene that controls these clocks, scientists can alter the behavior of mosquitoes to reduce biting rates.
Using a new terahertz spectroscopic technique, researchers have revealed that tiny stacks of 2D materials can naturally form cavities, confining light and electrons in even tinier spaces. This discovery could help control quantum phases and ultimately harness them for future quantum technologies.
Researchers at Columbia University have identified the rules for creating perfect polaritons, which are hybrid quasiparticles combining light and matter. The guiding rules include large optical absorption, low disorder, and inherent exciton delocalization, enabling polaritons to preserve coherence despite strong interactions and disorder.
Researchers have recorded a signal from a nearly identical black hole collision, confirming two important predictions about merging black holes. The study provides further evidence that the surface area of a merged black hole is never less than the sum of the initial black holes, supporting Stephen Hawking's theory.
A new study from Columbia University found that racial stereotypes can temporarily distort the brain's visual system, prompting people to see harmless objects as weapons. The study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and neural decoding techniques to investigate this phenomenon.
The team created Pd5AlI2, a metallic material that exhibits frustration of electron motion due to its chemistry, rather than geometry. This discovery opens up new possibilities for flat bands and unique electronic structures that could lead to breakthroughs in quantum technologies like superconductors and rare-earth-free magnets.
African starlings form reciprocal helping relationships that last over many years, similar to human friendships. The birds preferentially aid relatives but also help specific non-relatives, suggesting a complex social structure.
Researchers at Columbia University have discovered over a dozen new quantum states in twisted molybdenum ditelluride, which can be created without an external magnet. These states hold promise for building topological quantum computers with unique properties that could reduce errors and improve performance.
A groundbreaking study resolves the disordered molecular structure and ultrahigh electrostatic fields at oil-water mesoscopic interfaces, opening new avenues for catalysis, biomedicine, and green energy. The discovery of disordered interfaces and colossal electric fields transforms understanding of oil droplet behavior.
A new study found that the brain's cerebral cortex acts like a memory machine, encoding new experiences and predicting the near future. Novelty detection is a critical function for humans and animals, allowing them to adapt and improve their predictions of future events.
A new study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters finds that ultra-high energy cosmic rays are accelerated by magnetic turbulence, rather than shocks. This breakthrough discovery offers insights into the origin of these powerful particles and their role in astrophysics.
Researchers found that the hippocampal CA2 region helps mice distinguish between safe and threatening social interactions, with implications for understanding social anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. The study suggests targeting this brain region could aid in diagnosing or treating disorders linked to a fear of others.
A new study published in Current Biology found that our brains organize experiences into individual events based on what we currently care about and are paying attention to. The researchers used audio narratives to test this hypothesis, finding that people's brain activity creates new chapters depending on their perspective.
Researchers have captured data from thousands of neurons in the brains of volunteers with epilepsy to reveal how a person's brain abstractly represents acts of reasoning. The study shows that the hippocampus constructs cognitive maps linked to brain functions like making inferences and learning.
A research team at Columbia University used brain imaging to show that certain brain areas are activated when people feel curious about ambiguous visual situations. The more uncertain a person is, the more activity in these areas, which can drive exploration and creativity.
Researchers at Columbia University have successfully created a unique quantum state of matter called a Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) out of molecules. The breakthrough, achieved by cooling sodium-cesium molecules to just five nanoKelvin, has the potential to advance powerful quantum simulations and unlock new areas of research.
A new study by Columbia University researchers identifies ferroptosis as the major cell death mechanism underlying COVID-19 lung disease. This discovery offers hope for improving treatment outcomes and combating life-threatening cases of the disease.
Columbia University neuroscientists have identified brain-cell circuitry in fruit flies that converts raw sensory signals into color perceptions, which could underlie how creatures large and small see wavelengths of light as information-rich hues. The discovery reveals a complex neural mechanism responsible for hue selectivity, allowin...
Scientists discovered a new type of cell that promotes nurturing behavior in mice, which is also present in humans and has been linked to increased parental care. The study suggests that this newly evolved cell type may be responsible for the monogamous behavior of oldfield mice.
Researchers at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute have identified a new brain circuit in mice that regulates the body's inflammatory reactions. The discovery reveals a previously unknown pathway between the brain and body, which may lead to innovative treatments for various immune disorders.
Researchers at Columbia University found that black-capped chickadees use unique patterns of electrical activity in their hippocampus to encode episodic memories, such as hiding and retrieving food. This 'barcode-like' mechanism may be a common tactic in animal brains, including humans.
Researchers at Columbia University discovered that a single motor neuron in flies can control complex head movements by activating different neurons based on sensory data. This finding sheds light on the neural mechanisms underlying movement and may help understand diseases like ALS.
Researchers at Columbia University found evidence for collective sensing in African weakly electric fish, which allows them to extend their perceptual reach up to 3 times. This phenomenon enables the fish to locate objects more effectively, potentially providing survival benefits.
A new study found that unconscious reminders can strengthen memory, particularly when recalling associations between words and images. Unlike conscious reminders, which can lead to retrieval-induced forgetting, unconscious prompts facilitate a more nuanced process of memory consolidation.
Researchers discovered a single population of neurons in the CA2 area of the hippocampus can use different codes to represent familiar and unfamiliar individuals. This finding may shed light on disorders affecting memory such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's.
Researchers have discovered that a rare type of lipid, with two polyunsaturated fatty acyl tails, promotes ferroptosis, a form of cell death. This finding could lead to new treatments for neurodegenerative diseases and induce cancer cell death.
Researchers from Columbia University found that bacteria in biofilms have a highly structured arrangement, allowing them to control physiological states and survive during antibiotic treatment. This discovery could lead to developing new drugs targeting antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Researchers analyzing data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope found that most early galaxies were flat and elongated, resembling breadsticks. These galaxies were less massive than nearby spirals and ellipticals, and are thought to be precursors to more massive galaxies like our own.
Researchers at Columbia University have synthesized the first 2D heavy fermion material, CeSiI, a layered intermetallic crystal composed of cerium, silicon, and iodine. The material has electrons that are up to 1000x heavier than usual, enabling exploration of quantum phenomena such as superconductivity.
Researchers discover a previously undetected mechanism in mice that explains how each sensory cell in mammalian noses becomes tailored to detect a specific odor chemical. The study reveals the genetic molecule RNA plays a crucial role in this process, with RNA winnowing down receptor genes to a single winner.
Researchers found that people with untrustworthy facial features were more likely to be sentenced to death. A new training intervention was developed to eliminate this bias, which successfully reduced both conscious and unconscious judgments.
A new study published in Cell Reports mapped ketamine's effects on the brains of mice, revealing widespread structural changes in the dopamine system after repeated use. The findings suggest that targeting specific areas of the brain with ketamine therapy could minimize unintended effects.
Researchers at Columbia University have created the fastest and most efficient semiconductor yet, a superatomic material called Re6Se8Cl2. Excitons in this material can bind with phonons to create acoustic exciton-polarons that move faster than electrons in silicon, potentially leading to devices with speeds of femtoseconds.
Researchers at Columbia University found that when courtship is involved, dopamine-based error signals are suppressed and replaced by reward signals for performing well. This suggests a socially driven shift in the brain's self-evaluation system during courtship, potentially applicable to learning other behaviors.
Researchers found that even top-performing AI models can mistake nonsense sentences for natural language, highlighting the need for improvement. The study suggests that comparing human language processing to AI's could provide new perspectives on how we think.
Researchers at Columbia University have developed a new fabrication technique to create devices with uniform twist angles and strain profiles in graphene. This allows for the systematic exploration of the material's properties and behavior, potentially leading to breakthroughs in quantum materials science.
Scientists have long debated the source of magnetic fields in the universe. New research by Columbia University researchers suggests that turbulent plasma can spontaneously generate these fields, which then amplify and spread across vast distances.
A team of scientists has created the first-ever brain atlas of the dwarf cuttlefish, a master of camouflage. The atlas maps the animal's 32-lobed brain structure and cellular organization, providing valuable insights into its remarkable ability to change skin color in response to visual stimuli.
A new paper argues that biological materials are defined by the water that permeates them, creating a class of 'hydration solids' with unique properties. The research resolves long-standing mysteries and predicts exciting phenomena in materials.
Researchers at Columbia University found that increased access to mental health care is associated with lower suicide rates in the US. The study used a new method to measure access to care and found that areas with shorter travel times to providers had significantly lower suicide rates.
Researchers at Columbia University discovered how neurons connect into functional brains in fruit flies, revealing crucial axon-axon interactions that enable sensory differentiation. These interactions determine the correct wiring of neurons, which is essential for the fly's ability to discern and respond to different types of stimuli.
A new model developed by researchers at Columbia University and the University of Mississippi improves the accuracy of gravitational wave analysis by including nonlinear interactions. This enhanced modeling method will help scientists better understand the structure of merging black holes and test Einstein's theory of general relativity.