Scientists have been exploring how silicon, a crucial element for plants, can aid oilseed rape (Brassica napus) in surviving drought conditions. They were particularly interested in how silicon influences callose, a substance found in plant roots, and how it alters the cell walls when the going gets
Ever wondered how to spot if something's off with the hidden traits in your data? Researchers have come up with a neat way to do just that. They've created what they call the "generalized Hausman test. " This isn't your average test; it's designed specifically for those tricky unidimensional latent
Three-dimensional printing has revolutionized the way we think about creating tissue replacements. What makes this technique so versatile is the ink used to print the tissues. Ideally, this ink should be safe to use in the body, stable, and capable of maintaining its shape, size, and function after
Soft actuators today often rely on a single driving method, making it tough to handle complex, multi-directional movements. Scientists have crafted a new type of actuator using MXene, a special material, combined with a unique wrinkling structure. By adding n-hexane and letting it evaporate quickly,
Astronauts on the International Space Station, 260 miles (420 kilometers) above Earth, sent holiday cheer to those below with a festive video message. Commander Sunita "Suni" Williams, sporting reindeer antlers, joined NASA astronaut colleagues Barry "Butch" Wilmore, Don Pettit, and Nick Hague, plus
Have you ever thought about how molecules hang out together? In the world of computational chemistry, figuring out these molecular friendships, especially with big, circular molecules called macrocycles, is a real puzzle. One of these macrocycles is called pillararene. Understanding how pillararene
Photoiniferter (PI) polymerization offers a smart way to make polymers, but it usually needs powerful UV light. This isn’t very practical or safe. Researchers have found a clever solution by using visible light instead. They added a tiny bit of citric acid, which boosted the process. This simple add
Scientists have long known that nickel-iron catalysts are great at producing oxygen from water, especially in alkaline conditions. But how they do it so well was a mystery—until now. A recent study looked at a special catalyst, nickel-iron phosphide (NiFeP), which is super active and stable. It only
Imagine taking a trip back in time to see how plants adapted to life on land. One key player in this story is the NAC transcription factor. NAC genes are like the conductors of an orchestra, directing how plants grow, develop, and respond to stress. We looked at plants from green algae to today's cr
Ever heard of gold nanoclusters? They're tiny gold particles, wrapped in protective layers called ligands. These clusters are made up of smaller gold units, often triangular or tetrahedral in shape. Think of them as miniature building blocks. Scientists have been trying to figure out how these block
