Mercury is a sneaky element that comes in three different forms. The most troublesome form is methylmercury. It can easily slip through cellular barriers and build up in the bodies of marine mammals. In fact, over 90 percent of the mercury in these animals is in this form. This is a big deal because
The wrist is a fragile part of the body, and breaks in the distal radius are quite common. This is true for all age groups. The healing process can be tricky to understand. High-resolution scans have given researchers a closer look at how bones mend. However, these scans sometimes miss important
Zinc-based batteries are gaining attention as a safe and reliable way to store energy. These batteries, known as zinc aqueous batteries (ZABs), have a lot of potential, but they have some big problems. Specifically, they struggle with side reactions and dendrite growth, which make it hard to use the
In the dead of winter, Beijing's air quality often takes a nosedive. The city's notorious smog is a complex mix of pollutants. One key player in this mix is sulfur-containing aerosols. These tiny particles come from the chemical reactions happening in the air. But how do they form? Let's dive into t
Peritoneal metastasis is a tough nut to crack. It's hard to treat with standard immunotherapy. The reason? The body's own defenses are weakened in the abdomen, and there's a barrier that stops treatments from working properly. But there's a new player in town: sonodynamic therapy. It's a fancy name
Plants have a remarkable way of protecting themselves. They use a system that involves helper proteins. These proteins play a big role in how plants react to threats. They can either turn on or turn off signals that help plants fight off diseases. To understand this, think about how the human body
Four space travelers are on their way back to Earth after spending nearly a year in orbit. The crew includes NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were originally supposed to return much sooner. They are joined by Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, who launched in September. The group
NASA's Lucy spacecraft is gearing up for an exciting encounter with a very old space rock. This asteroid, named Donaldjohanson, has been floating around for about 150 million years. It is not just any asteroid. It is a key player in Lucy's mission to explore the Trojan asteroids near Jupiter. Lucy'
Bacteria are often seen as simple, single-celled organisms. However, some bacteria, like Streptomyces coelicolor, show complex behaviors. These bacteria divide labor among cells. Some cells focus on growth and reproduction, while others make antibiotics. This division happens because some cells lose
The Parker Probe is gearing up for its second daring encounter with the sun. This isn't just any flyby; it's a mission to get up close and personal with our star. The probe will swoop within 3. 8 million miles of the sun's surface, a distance that might seem far but is actually closer than any other
