You've probably heard that oil spills are bad news. But did you know that cleaning up these spills can also have hidden environmental impacts? A study in Iran's Khuzestan province looked at different ways to clean up old oil in super salty soil. They found that some methods might do more harm than g
Imagine farnesol, a sticky compound that loves water about as much as a cat loves baths. Scientists figured out how to mix it with other molecules (like β-cyclodextrin and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin) to make it more friendly with water. They chose a cool method called freeze-drying to make these m
Have you ever wondered how contact lenses work? Well, someone who has been crucial in figuring that out is Professor Eric Papas. He's one of the top experts in the world when it comes to researching and developing contact lenses. Imagine trying to put a tiny lens on your eye that needs to be comfort
Ever wondered how our brains quickly pick out the average face from a crowd? It turns out, age plays a big role in this trick our minds can do. Scientists discovered that when we see a group of faces, we can easily figure out the average face. But do different ages change how well we do this? Resea
Rice is a crucial food source for many people worldwide. But with climate change bringing extreme weather, farmers face big challenges in keeping their crops watered. That's where technology comes in. Using thermal imaging, we can now get a clear picture of how much water rice plants need. This isn'
Ever wondered how you could sneak large molecules into cells? Well, scientists have found a clever trick using tiny droplets called peptide-based coacervates. These droplets form when two different large molecules, usually with opposite charges, come together and stick to each other. They're like ti
You've probably heard about tiny nanoparticles being used to fight bacteria. But what happens when these nanoparticles, like zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂), end up in our rivers and lakes? Scientists wanted to find out how they might affect rainbow trout. They exposed the fish to these
Ever wondered how tiny nanoparticles behave in our bodies? Scientists have been studying how proteins stick to these tiny particles, forming something called a "protein corona. " This corona changes how the nanoparticles behave and function in biological environments. In a recent study, researchers
Barley, a key crop for animal feed, beer, and food, faces a big challenge: waterlogging. This stress can really slow down seed germination and hurt seedling growth. Scientists wanted to figure out how barley handles this. They studied two types of barley seeds under water stress: one tough (LLZDM) a
Citrus plants face a tough enemy in the form of Huanglongbing (HLB), a severe disease caused by the bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas). These bacteria can manipulate plant immune responses, making infection management crucial. Scientists have been studying three specific bacteria prot
