SCIENCE

Jan 13 2025SCIENCE

The Legacy of Mary Main: A Lifelong Partnership in Attachment Research

Klaus and Mary Main's journey in attachment research spans over 50 years, filled with professional collaborations and personal bonds. The first encounter happened in 1973 at Mary Ainsworth's lab in Baltimore, where their mutual interest in attachment research blossomed. Both launched longitudinal st

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Jan 12 2025SCIENCE

Why Sir George Cayley's Ideas Still Fly High

Ever wondered who first figured out how planes fly? Meet Sir George Cayley, often called the dad of aviation. Unlike others who just tried and hoped for the best, Cayley used science to understand flight. He found three key forces that affect planes: lift, drag, and thrust. By studying these, he cou

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Jan 12 2025SCIENCE

Can Spectra Predict Hybrid Success? A Maize Experiment

Did you know that scientists are using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to predict how well maize hybrids will perform? This method, called phenomic selection, could revolutionize hybrid breeding. Instead of genotyping thousands of parental lines, which is expensive, scientists are using NIR spectra

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Jan 12 2025SCIENCE

When Ash Meets Lead: Changing Rules for Lichens and Mosses

Lichens and mosses are great thermometers for tracking atmospheric deposits, especially the isotope 210 Pb. Scientists often use a method called gamma spectrometric analysis to measure this. But sometimes they need to boost the sensitivity by concentrating 210 Pb. One common way to do this is

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Jan 12 2025SCIENCE

Hunting Explosives: A New Forensic Tool

Crime scenes are full of clues, but finding the right ones can be as tricky as finding a needle in a haystack. Forensic scientists often need help to detect explosives. Enter laser desorption-ion mobility spectrometry (LD-IMS), a cutting-edge technique developed by MaSaTECH. This method zaps samples

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Jan 12 2025SCIENCE

The Role of PP2A in Pollen Wall Construction

Did you know that pollen grains need a strong wall to be fertile? This wall is built with the help of a special tissue called the tapetum. Scientists have found that two proteins, PP2A B'α and B'β, play a crucial role in this process. When these proteins are missing, the pollen grains have sticky re

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Jan 11 2025SCIENCE

How Tonic and Phasic Neuron Activity Affect Dopamine Release

You know how some brain cells, called dopamine neurons, send signals by releasing dopamine? Well, these neurons have two main types of activity: regular, low-frequency signals (tonic) that they produce on their own, and quick bursts (phasic) that happen when they get inputs from other cells. Scienti

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Jan 11 2025SCIENCE

The JPL Stands Strong Amidst LA's Raging Infernos

Imagine a place where the future of space exploration is shaped—the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). This hub, funded by NASA and managed by Caltech, has dodged the wrath of the wildfires plaguing Los Angeles. The Eaton fire, ravaging areas like Altadena near the San Gabriel Mountains, has fortunate

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Jan 11 2025SCIENCE

Exploring Mercury: BepiColombo Reveals Planet's Hidden Side

You know Mercury as the closest planet to the Sun, but what lies hidden on its surface? The tandem spacecraft BepiColombo, a collaboration between Europe and Japan, just flew by Mercury for the last time before settling into orbit. It's like visiting a mysterious place and taking a good look around

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Jan 11 2025SCIENCE

The Changing Role of Astrocyte Mitochondria: A New Angle on Neuronal Injury

Did you know that astrocytes, often seen as the support crew in the brain, have a surprising role in neuronal injury? In Uruguay, research on these glial cells has a long history, dating back almost to the birth of the Uruguayan Society for Neuroscience. Astrocytes, traditionally known for their sup

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