A study by an international research team has found a mechanism that occurs in brown bears and paraplegics, preventing the formation of blood clots. The discovery could lead to new treatments for venous thromboembolism, a life-threatening condition.
A team of scientists created a new, fast, and precise method for analyzing cells in tissue samples from cancer patients without the need for a trained pathologist. The method uses artificial intelligence to evaluate data produced by a technique called real-time deformability cytometry.
Researchers used ancestral sequence reconstruction to study protein interactions in cyanobacteria, finding that they can evolve independently of direct selection pressure. The discovery challenges classical evolutionary theory and suggests that fortuitous compatibility may be the basis for a significant fraction of cellular interactions.
Max Planck scientists explore the possibilities of artificial intelligence in materials science, discussing how combining physics-based modeling with AI can unlock complex material designs. The research focuses on overcoming limitations of traditional methods and handling sparse, noisy data.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute developed an ammonia-based direct reduction process to produce sustainable iron and steel, overcoming logistics and energetic disadvantages of hydrogen. The process yields the same metallization degree as hydrogen-based reduction while forming nitrides that protect the sponge iron from corrosion.
A study by Max-Planck-Gesellschaft researchers found that consuming small amounts of high-fat and high-sugar foods regularly rewires the brain, leading to a preference for these types of food.
Researchers have developed a super-resolution microscope with a spatio-temporal precision of one nanometer per millisecond using the MINFLUX technique. This allows them to observe tiny movements of single proteins, including the stepping motion of kinesin-1 along microtubules while consuming ATP.
Scientists at Max-Planck-Gesellschaft created an interactive atlas of gene expression in the zebrafish brain, revealing hundreds of genes with single-cell resolution. The new map integrates seamlessly with existing data, providing new insights into neural structure and function.
Researchers found that seabird species have unique wind tolerance strategies, with some flying fast to counteract wind drift. Albatrosses can fly in most storm conditions, while tropical species use special avoidance tactics.
GPT-3 performs nearly on par with humans in decision-making but struggles with causal reasoning and information search. The language model's limitations may be due to its passive information-gathering approach, highlighting the need for active interaction with the world to achieve human-like intelligence.
Daurian redstarts move their nests closer to human settlements when cuckoos are around to protect against brood parasitism. This strategy has been observed in a population of Daurian redstarts in northeastern China, illustrating how urbanization affects interspecific interactions.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute and Heidelberg University have developed a technology to assemble matter in 3D using sound waves. They successfully printed microparticles, gel beads, and biological cells into three-dimensional shapes, paving the way for novel 3D cell culture techniques.
A team of researchers discovered that a mutation in the HMGB1 protein causes a rare disorder with severe malformations, suggesting a link between protein droplets and genetic disease. The study's findings could have implications for understanding congenital malformations, common diseases, and cancer.
Researchers found that academic emigration rates decrease with economic development until a certain GDP threshold, then increase. This challenges the assumption that economic growth leads to brain drain in low- and middle-income countries.
Researchers discovered that mitochondria actively transport coenzyme Q to the cell surface to protect cells from cell death. The transport process is crucial for regulating coenzyme Q distribution within the cell.
Scientists at Max Planck Institute discovered that paternal chloroplasts can be transmitted to offspring under cold conditions, allowing for selective breeding of traits from genetic material. This finding may enable plant breeders to use chloroplast genes in new ways.
Laboratory experiments show rapid antibiotic switches can prevent resistance, with collateral-sensitive drug pairs suitable for therapy. However, environmental conditions in patients differ from labs, and natural degradation affects treatment.
Researchers identified a new type of flagellin in the human gut that binds to Toll-like receptor 5 without inducing an inflammatory response. This discovery provides a mechanism for the immune system to tolerate beneficial microbes while remaining responsive to pathogens.
Researchers discovered two ion transport proteins, VCCN1 and KEA3, that dynamically adjust photosynthetic performance in response to light fluctuations. The study found that these proteins play a crucial role in protecting plants from excessive sunlight and optimizing growth under varying light conditions.
Great tits with higher glucocorticoid levels in cold weather have better heat production capabilities, increasing their survival chances.
A new report reveals that animals are key to forest recovery by carrying a wide variety of seeds into deforested areas. Animals disperse over 80% of tree species in the tropics, and their presence near old-growth forests can improve restoration efforts.
Wild geese in Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands experience significant changes in their behavior after fireworks, including flying further and foraging more, even after the disturbances end. The effects persist for up to two weeks, with birds leaving their sleeping sites and flying hundreds of kilometers non-stop.
Researchers at Max-Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology have deciphered the biosynthesis of benzobactins, a class of natural compounds with special biological activity. The study reveals that these compounds are widespread in diverse bacteria and could be excellent candidates for future drug therapy.
A game-theory-based approach explains the emergence of moral norms through the coupling of two games: social dilemma and coordination tasks. Cooperation can pay off when individuals prioritize group benefits over personal interests, leading to a self-sacrificing behavior that benefits all parties.
Researchers have developed a videography-based method to track skeletal kinematics in freely moving rodents, providing insights into animal behavior and brain function. The approach uses an anatomically grounded skeleton model and can be applied to multiple furry species.
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute have developed a unidirectional device that significantly increases the quality of optical vortex signals. By transmitting selective optical vortex modes exclusively unidirectionally, they largely reduce detrimental backscattering to a minimum.
A study by Max-Planck Researchers found that individuals learn to use rewards specifically to promote good behavior when others also learn about them. The researchers used game theory to explain how reputation affects cooperation and rewarding policies.
A study by Max Planck Researcher Jonas Schöley and colleagues found that life expectancy continued to decline globally in 2021, with differences between Eastern and Western Europe widening. However, vaccination efforts helped mitigate mortality shocks in some countries, particularly those with robust healthcare systems.
Researchers found evidence supporting a new theory on how chromosome recombination is regulated during sexual reproduction. By manipulating protein expressions in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, they discovered that boosting HEI10 levels significantly increased crossovers, while disrupting ZYP1 expression had a similar effect.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute successfully revived ancient enzymes, revealing a novel protein component that increased CO2 specificity in Rubisco. This discovery provides new insights into the evolution of modern photosynthesis and suggests adding new components may improve its efficiency.
A new study reveals that European moles reduce their brains by 11% in winter and regrow them by 4% in summer to conserve energy. This phenomenon, known as Dehnel's phenomenon, is driven by cold conditions rather than food shortage alone.
Researchers found that over 60% of investigated microbial species matched their human host's evolutionary history, indicating a co-evolutionary relationship spanning ~100,000 years. This discovery fundamentally changes how the human gut microbiome is viewed and opens up new possibilities for population-specific therapies.
A team of scientists generated a molecular atlas of the Australian bearded dragon's brain, comparing it to mouse data. The findings suggest that both reptilian and mammalian brains evolved clade-specific neuron types from a common ancestral set, challenging popular views on brain evolution.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute have successfully generated up to 14 entangled photons using a single atom, enabling efficient creation of quantum computer building blocks. This breakthrough could facilitate scalable measurement-based quantum computing and enable secure data transmission over greater distances.
Researchers found that woodpeckers have regained the ability to sense sugar by repurposing their savory receptor. In contrast, wrynecks selectively lost this ability due to a single amino acid change in their receptor, highlighting a novel mechanism of sensory reversion.
Scientists from Göttingen and Lausanne successfully created electron-photon pairs in an electron microscope for the first time. This breakthrough enables researchers to harness free electrons and photons in a controlled manner.
Researchers radio-tracked migrating hawkmoths for up to 80 kilometers, employing sophisticated flight strategies to counter unfavorable wind conditions. The study confirms that insects can accurately maintain straight trajectories over long distances using internal compasses.
The new tuberculosis vaccine candidate VPM1002 shows its safety and efficacy in a study of HIV-exposed and non-HIV-exposed newborns. The vaccine has fewer side effects compared to the existing BCG vaccine, and elicits a similar immune response.
A new platform called MoveApps enables scientists and wildlife managers to explore animal movement data with little more than a device and a browser. The system uses open-source code and allows users to create complex analyses with simple clicks.
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute have discovered a specialized neural circuit in zebrafish that enables recognition of conspecifics. This pathway, which runs from the retina to the thalamus, triggers shoaling behavior and regulates social approach and affiliation.
A team of researchers at Max-Planck-Gesellschaft developed METIS, a modular software system for optimizing biological systems using machine learning. The tool allows users to optimize their already discovered or synthesized biological systems and can be used with different lab equipment.
The Replica Exchange Grand Canonical (REGC) method describes how surfaces change in contact with reactive gas phases under different temperature and pressure conditions. The approach identifies 25 thermodynamically stable surface phases and predicts stability phase diagrams for real systems.
Gut bacteria produce inositol lipids, vital for cellular processes in humans, and these substances impact the symbiosis between bacteria and their hosts. The discovery sheds light on how gut bacteria thrive in their human hosts.
A new statistical method called Association Plot facilitates the determination and analysis of marker genes in single-cell data. This allows researchers to trace back RNA molecules to their cell of origin, providing insights into cell-type specific genes.
Researchers found that zebra finches' short vocalizations during flight are followed by an upward movement of the calling bird, which helps other birds observe its position. The birds also use vision to coordinate horizontal position changes, such as brief shoulder checks, to avoid collisions.
Researchers have discovered a prominent network of silencing interneurons in the human cortex, which could be linked to enhanced working memory and reasoning abilities. This unique network relies on abundant connections between inhibitory interneurons and is distinct from those found in mice.
Researchers discovered a soil microbe's enzyme that converts CO2 into carbon compounds 20 times faster than plant enzymes during photosynthesis. The enzyme uses pairs of molecules working in sync like jugglers, with a spot of molecular glue and twisting motion facilitating the reaction.
A new framework for understanding animal societies emerges from a review of wealth inequality research in humans and animals. Wealth is found to be distributed equally or unequally across species, with material goods, individual attributes, and social connections being critical sources.
A research team from the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology has identified 1,000 biosynthetic gene clusters, over half of which are previously unknown. These natural products have been found to be eukaryotic proteasome inhibitors that suppress the immune system of insects, as well as other virulence factors.
Astronomers have been searching for low-frequency gravitational waves by monitoring pulsar pulses, but now NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope can also be used to detect these waves. The satellite's high-energy light provides a clearer view of pulsars and offers an independent method to detect gravitational waves.