A Princeton-led study reveals that electrons congregate in one valley of bismuth crystals, creating a type of electricity called ferroelectricity. This emergent behavior has the potential to enhance modern electronic devices and inspire new technologies.
Researchers found that modern pygmy genomes showed no evidence of gene flow from the extinct 'hobbit' species, contradicting previous expectations. However, they did find genetic variants associated with short stature and dietary adaptations in genes involved in fatty acid metabolism.
A study suggests that increased Southern Ocean upwelling may be responsible for the Holocene's 20 ppm rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide, which stabilized the climate and facilitated human civilization. This process weakened the biological pump, allowing more carbon dioxide to leak into the atmosphere.
E. coli bacteria adapt to limited nutrients by building up protein-production infrastructure, indicating an 'optimism' for future abundance. The cells optimize resource usage, producing more assembly lines under carbon limitation, but using fewer under phosphorus limitation.
In a breakthrough study, researchers have captured video showing how pieces of non-coding DNA, known as enhancers, find and activate target genes in living cells. The study provides insight into the mechanism of gene regulation and has implications for understanding normal development and disease processes.
A research team from Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania has discovered a new, exotic form of insulating material with a metallic surface. The team used mathematical properties like symmetry to analyze existing chemical compounds and identified a novel topological insulator with a single pair of Dirac cones.
The Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) mission will investigate the heliosphere, surrounding our solar system, and collect data on particle acceleration and interaction with interstellar medium. The $492-million mission includes 10 instruments to resolve scientific questions about the solar wind and cosmic rays.
Researchers have developed genetically humanized mice that can be persistently infected with Hepatitis Delta Virus (HDV), a common cause of liver fibrosis and cancer. The mice were able to rid themselves of the virus before showing any liver damage, making them an ideal model for testing new treatments.
Jessica Irving and her team developed a new model, EPOC, that fits the data better than existing models, providing information about the material properties of the outer core. The outer core is crucial for understanding the history of the magnetic field and providing heat to the mantle.
Researchers at Princeton University have found a way to make a naturally occurring enzyme take on a new role, enabling the catalysis of non-natural reactions. This breakthrough could lead to the development of new enzymatic reactions and potentially more cost-effective chemical catalysis.
Researchers reexamined ocean circulations and river carbon transport, finding the Southern Ocean is a smaller carbon sink than thought. Land in the northern hemisphere absorbs less carbon, but rivers send it to the ocean with increased strength, challenging current estimates.
Researchers found that a protein called NS2B3 cleaves the STING protein in humans, but not in mice, allowing ZIKV to replicate. This study provides a molecular basis for the virus's restricted host tropism and may aid in developing novel drug and vaccine candidates.
Researchers at Princeton University have found a revolutionary approach using cobalt and methanol to produce an epilepsy drug, replacing toxic rhodium and dichloromethane. The new reaction is faster, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly, offering distinct advantages over traditional methods.
Researchers at Princeton University have improved a proteomics method to accurately count proteins in cells under different circumstances. The new approach, TMTc+, uses a combination of cell sample preparation and computer algorithm changes to provide superior measurement accuracy and precision compared to existing methods.
Researchers at Princeton University have created detailed maps of neurons using a quarter-million video game players, discovering six new neuron types. The Eyewire Museum showcases the intricate beauty of neural circuits, providing a valuable resource for neuroscientists worldwide.
A new study reveals that macrophages nurture mammary stem cells through chemical signaling, enabling the precursors of milk-producing cells to mature. The research found that Dll1 signaling is essential for maintaining a healthy mammary gland and may hold clues to preventing breast cancer.
Sabine Petry and her team used novel imaging technique to show that XMAP215 works with gamma-tubulin ring complex to create microtubule nuclei. They found that XMAP215 promotes efficient microtubule nucleation, resolving a long-standing puzzle in cell biology.
Researchers simulated conditions inside a planet three times larger than Earth using high-powered laser beams. The study revealed that the crystal structure of iron-silicon alloys changes with higher silicon content under extreme pressures, providing new insights into the nature of super-Earths and their cores.
Princeton University researchers found that lemurs who solve problems gain more social connections and attention from others. By observing the behavior of successful individuals, other lemurs are more likely to adopt similar skills and strategies.
A 2-billion-year-old chunk of sea salt provides evidence for the transformation of Earth's atmosphere into an oxygenated environment. The study suggests that the Great Oxidation Event was a significant and rapid change in oxygen production, contrary to previous estimates.
A Princeton University historian team analyzed four case studies to understand how societies coped with natural stresses, revealing socioeconomic factors often played a more significant role than environmental changes. Historians' nuanced interpretation adds context to past events, helping policymakers prepare for global climate change.
Researchers propose targeting geoengineering at specific negative consequences of climate change, slowing sea-level rise by preserving continental ice sheets. The engineering costs and scales of these projects are comparable to today's large civil engineering projects, but with extra challenges due to the remote polar environment.
A study published in Environmental Research Letters found that a 1.5C temperature increase could lead to the permanent inundation of lands home to about 5 million people by 2150. The research team used global tide gauges and sea level projection frameworks to explore differences in storm surge events across three scenarios.
Researchers have created a model predicting the velocity and height of jet aerosols produced by bubbles in seawater and sparkling wine. The study found that viscosity is crucial in determining aerosol production, with optimal bubble sizes ranging from 10-20 microns.
A study found that laboratory mice exposed to the outdoors developed a greater number and size of parasitic whipworms than those in the lab. The longer they lived outside, the more susceptible they became to infection. The researchers suggest that the environment's microbiota may contribute to this increased susceptibility.
Researchers use GIRI to deconstruct rock samples and create three-dimensional digital versions of fossils, allowing for accurate analysis without human bias. This technology has enabled scientists to reevaluate the role of ancient organisms in shaping early ecosystems.
Researchers at Princeton University have identified a drug that can extend egg viability in worms, which could theoretically increase women's reproductive lifespan. The study suggests that the drug could help slow age-related decline in egg quality and potentially extend fertility by three to six years.
A new theory proposes that underground adaptations, such as efficient roots and reduced reliance on fungi, enabled plants to thrive in diverse environments. This finding has significant implications for conservation and understanding plant evolution.
A team of geophysicists and atmospheric scientists has discovered a new way to identify the movement and intensity of hurricanes, typhoons, and other tropical cyclones using seismometers. By analyzing 13 years of data from the northwest Pacific Ocean, they found statistically significant correlations between seismic data and storms.
Researchers at Princeton University have developed a software tool using machine learning to predict reaction yields, reducing time and cost for synthesizing new medicines. The tool, which can handle up to four reaction components, uses random forest models to accurately forecast yields for thousands of reactions.
Researchers at Princeton University have successfully linked silicon spin qubits using light, enabling long-distance communication and opening the door to more complex systems. This breakthrough increases flexibility in device design and could lead to the creation of quantum computing devices from silicon.
Researchers found that removing worms allows malaria to grow denser, while worm presence reduces malaria density. Ecological thinking revealed the key to understanding co-infections, offering insights into treating malaria and worm infections.
An international team of astrophysicists has provided the first clue to the speed of dark matter, finding that it matches the movement of the least heavy metal-rich stars. This breakthrough could help shed light on why direct detection experiments have failed to detect dark matter particles.
A team of scientists at Princeton University has successfully created a protein that can catalyze biological reactions, functioning as a genuine enzyme. The artificial protein, Syn-F4, was designed entirely from scratch and can sustain life in E. coli bacteria by replacing the natural enzyme Fes.
A recent study found that conflict in Africa's protected areas has led to a consistent decline in large mammal populations. Despite severe impacts, these populations rarely collapse and can recover with the right policies and resources. The research suggests that avoiding even low-level conflicts is crucial for conservation efforts.
Princeton University researchers found that climate models overestimate the sun's daily heat, resulting in warmer and drier conditions. The study used satellite images to calculate diurnal cycles of clouds worldwide and compared them to nine climate models, revealing a significant error in timing.
A recent study published in eLife found that a maternally inherited gene is essential for proper zebrafish embryonic development, and its absence leads to fatal defects. The research reveals the critical role of this gene in regulating cell signaling pathways, including Nodal signaling, which plays a key role in left-right patterning.
Researchers developed an antibody called 15D11 that blocks Jagged1, a molecule making it easier for breast cancer cells to metastasize to bone. The antibody allows chemotherapy to keep cancer at bay by eliminating the protective effect of rebuilders in bone tissue.
Researchers at Princeton University have created a key piece of silicon hardware that controls quantum behavior between two electrons with extremely high precision. The demonstration of this nearly error-free gate opens the door to larger scale experiments and has the potential to scale to more qubits with even lower error rates.
Researchers at Princeton University used optogenetics to study social behavior in mice, revealing a neural substrate for social learning that could lead to new treatments for autism. The study also highlights the importance of spatial learning in social interactions, which are essential for humans.
Researchers from Princeton University and NOAA found that the Arabian Sea's extreme cyclone activity increased significantly since 2014, with a 27% rise in 2015. The study validated climate model projections by showing that global warming and fossil fuel burning led to the formation of these storms.
Researchers from Princeton University and Uppsala University report a new species of bird developed on Daphne Major island after interbreeding between two distinct species. The study reveals that the emergence of this new species occurred in just two generations, highlighting a critical step in speciation through hybridization.
A new technique using blue LED lights and catalysts reduces the time to create radioactive molecules from months to hours, accelerating the arrival of new drugs to the marketplace. This innovation has the potential to bring medicines to patients much faster than before.
Two Princeton astrophysicists have received funding to investigate the physics of merging neutron stars, which produce heavy elements found in our bodies. The project aims to improve our understanding of these events and their observable signatures.
Researchers have developed a three-compartment system to culture neurons preserving the nerve's structure. They found that viruses can escape silencing through stress-mediated slow and fast processes. The slow process is triggered by neuron stress, while the fast process involves viral tegument proteins.
Scientists at Princeton University have enhanced scanning tunneling microscopy to capture signals from the elusive Majorana fermion in iron wires on a lead crystal. The study detects a unique quantum property called spin, which distinguishes the particle from other quasi-particles and provides a signature of its existence.
Princeton researchers identify a new cue in mother's speech to support babies' language learning: a shift in vocal timbre. This finding is consistent across women who speak 10 languages and can be reliably picked out by machine learning algorithms.
A new study by Princeton University researchers reveals that the North American monsoon is facing a dramatic reduction in precipitation, with significant implications for regional water resources and hazards. The study corrects for sea surface temperature biases and suggests that the region's famous thunderstorms may become less common.
A new study reveals that amorphous ice, formed when water is cooled to low temperatures, exhibits a previously undetected internal pattern known as disordered hyperuniformity. This finding may help explain water's unique properties and challenge the definition of glass.
The NSF-funded Center for the Physics of Biological Function aims to bridge the gap between physics and biology by facilitating collaboration among theorists and experimentalists. The center will host a summer school for advanced undergraduates to introduce them to the field.