Scientists are exploring a new way to turn carbon dioxide (CO₂) into useful chemicals. This process, called electrochemical CO₂ reduction (CO₂RR), uses a special setup called a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The key is to design a good environment for the reaction to happen. This involves a laye
Did you know that the vaccinia virus, part of the poxvirus family, can tweak host cells' metabolism? When it's time to replicate, this tiny invader needs certain nutrients to succeed. Scientists recently found that the vaccinia growth factor, or VGF, plays a big role in this process. VGF is like the
Last summer, something incredible happened near Joe Velaidum's home in Marshfield, Canada. While out for a walk with his dogs, a tiny delay saved him from a close encounter with a meteorite. He had stopped to move a dog leash, which was unusual. Little did he know, a space rock was headed his way. T
SpaceX just pulled off something amazing - they launched two lunar landers on a single rocket! Julianna Scheiman, who oversees NASA science missions for SpaceX, explained that it's all about efficiency. "We found a way to send both Firefly and ispace missions on the same Falcon 9 rocket, " she said.
Tryptophan, an amino acid, plays a big role in our bodies. Its unique structure lets it interact with other proteins in many ways. This makes it a great starting point for new medicines. In a recent study, scientists created a bunch of peptides (tiny proteins) with tryptophan. They used computers an
The Hubble Space Telescope, a staple in astronomy for nearly 35 years, is facing significant budget cuts. NASA's proposed budget for upcoming years has prompted the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) to consider major changes. The institute, which handles Hubble's science operations, might ha
Bringing extinct animals back to life is not just a fantasy anymore. Thanks to advancements in genetic engineering and synthetic biology, companies like Colossal Biosciences are working on resurrecting creatures like the woolly mammoth and dodo. Recently, they secured a massive $200 million investme
Did you know tiny plastic bits, called microplastics, are all over our rivers and streams? Scientists wanted to understand how these microplastics move near the bottom of these waterways. They used a special tool called particle tracking velocimetry to watch four types of microplastics move in a lab
When plants like Arabidopsis encounter L-glutamate at their root tips, it causes significant changes in their root structure. But how they sense this amino acid is a mystery. Scientists know that GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR-LIKE (GLR) proteins act as channels that let calcium in when they detect amino acids,
Picture this: scientists trying to follow tiny dancers on a bustling stage. In this case, the dancers are CB2 receptors, and the stage is the surface of living cells. To make these receptors visible, researchers used a special light-up tag called RO7304924. This tag attaches only to CB2 receptors, m
