Paving the way for hydrogen from algae enzymes

Under certain conditions, some algae are able to produce hydrogen -- a much sought-after green energy source. Its production takes place in the unique catalytic center of the unicellular algae and is only possible if certain cofactors of the relevant proteins are present. Researchers have identified how such a cofactor, the so-called hydrogen cluster, is assembled. Specifically, they describe the previously unexplained role of the enzyme HydF, which is involved in the final steps of assembly.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240603113734.htm

A greener, more effective way to kill termites

Scientists have discovered a highly effective, nontoxic, and less expensive way to lure hungry termites to their doom.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240531182855.htm

Martian meteorites deliver a trove of information on Red Planet's structure

Mars has a distinct structure in its mantle and crust with discernible reservoirs, and this is known thanks to meteorites that scientists have analyzed. These results are important for understanding not only how Mars formed and evolved, but also for providing precise data that can inform recent NASA missions like Insight and Perseverance and the Mars Sample Return.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240531182852.htm

Children's visual experience may hold key to better computer vision training

A novel, human-inspired approach to training artificial intelligence (AI) systems to identify objects and navigate their surroundings could set the stage for the development of more advanced AI systems to explore extreme environments or distant worlds, according to new research.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240531145021.htm

Glimpses of a volcanic world: New telescope images of Jupiter's moon Io rival those from spacecraft

Combining a new imaging instrument with the powerful adaptive optics capabilities of the Large Binocular Telescope, astronomers have captured a volcanic event on Jupiter's moon Io at a resolution never before achieved with Earth-based observations.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240530182217.htm

'Ugly' fossil places extinct saber-toothed cat on Texas coast

This fossil looks like a lumpy, rounded rock with a couple of exposed teeth that are a little worse for wear, having been submerged and tumbled along the floor of the Gulf of Mexico for thousands of years before washing up on a beach. But when it was X-rayed a doctoral student saw there was more to the fossil that met the eye: a hidden canine tooth that had not yet erupted from the jaw bone. It was just what researchers needed to identify the fossil as belonging to a Homotherium, a genus of large cat that roamed much of the Earth for millions of years.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240530182207.htm

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope finds most distant known galaxy

Over the last two years, scientists have used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to explore what astronomers refer to as Cosmic Dawn -- the period in the first few hundred million years after the big bang where the first galaxies were born.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240530132704.htm

Musankwa sanyatiensis, a new dinosaur from Zimbabwe

Fossils found on the shoreline of Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe represent a completely new dinosaur species. This remarkable find, named Musankwa sanyatiensis, marks only the fourth dinosaur species named from Zimbabwe.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240530132349.htm

Grow the skin you're in: In vivo generation of chimeric skin grafts

Researchers found that mutated mouse embryos showing an abnormal epidermal differentiation and injected with mouse pluripotent stem cells grew large patches of mature epidermis derived from the donor cells that survived transplantation to adult mice and grew natural-looking fur. Injecting the embryos with human keratinoctyes produced sheets of semi-humanized skin, suggesting that this system could be developed further to grow autologous skin grafts for treating severe skin wounds.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240529144248.htm

Menstrual periods are arriving earlier for younger generations, especially among racial minority and lower-income individuals

The average age at menarche -- the first menstrual period -- has been decreasing among younger generations in the U.S., especially those belonging to racial minorities and lower socioeconomic statuses, according to a new study. It also found that the average time it takes for the menstrual cycle to become regular is increasing.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240529144225.htm

Orchids support seedlings through 'parental nurture' via shared underground fungal networks

Orchid plants nurture their seedlings via an underground fungal network, new research has revealed.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240529144112.htm

Bird flu: Diverse range of vaccines platforms 'crucial' for enhancing human pandemic preparedness

Review of research to-date suggests vaccination remains the most effective strategy for avian influenza prevention and control in humans, despite varying vaccine efficacy across strains.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240529031235.htm

Intermittent fasting shows promise in improving gut health, weight management

Participants following an intermittent fasting and protein-pacing regimen, which involves evenly spaced protein intake throughout the day, saw better gut health, weight loss and metabolic responses. These benefits were notably greater than those seen with simple calorie restriction. The findings could advance our understanding of the relationship between the gut microbiome and metabolism and improve strategies for managing obesity.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240528192103.htm

Improved refrigeration could save nearly half of the 1.3 billion tons of food wasted each year globally

A new study concludes that nearly half of the food waste, about 620 million metric tons, could be eliminated by fully refrigerated food supply chains worldwide. At the same time, fully refrigerated supply chains, or 'cold chains,' could cut food waste-related emissions of climate-warming greenhouse gases by 41% globally, according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240528134230.htm

Weight gain is kicked to the curb in antipsychotic drug breakthrough

Thousands of Australians struggle with serious mental health conditions. But when the recommended treatment involves antipsychotic medications, the side effects are excess kilos, which only adds weight to an already complex diagnosis. Now, new research shows that antipsychotics can be reformulated with a strategically engineered coating that not only mitigates unwanted weight gain but also boosts serotonin levels by more than 250%.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240528115050.htm

Pharmacists prove effective, less costly care option for minor illnesses

Greater use of pharmacists to treat minor illnesses could potentially save millions of dollars in health care costs, according to new research. The findings also indicate a way to improve healthcare access by expanding availability of pharmacists' clinical services including prescribing medications, amid an ongoing shortage of primary care providers. The study found that care for a range of minor health issues -- including urinary tract infections, shingles, animal bites and headaches -- costs an average of about $278 less when treated in pharmacies compared to patients with similar conditions treated at 'traditional sites' of primary care, urgent care or emergency room settings. Follow-ups with pharmacy patients showed that almost all their illnesses had resolved after the initial visit with a pharmacist. Notably, if all of the illnesses in the three-year study that were treated at a traditional site of care had been treated by community pharmacists, it would have saved an estimated $23 million in health care expenses.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240528115023.htm

Simple food swaps could cut greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by a quarter

Switching food and drink purchases to very similar but more environmentally friendly alternatives could reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from household groceries by more than a quarter (26%), according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240528114503.htm

Florida fossil porcupine solves a prickly dilemma 10-million years in the making

An exceptionally rare fossilized porcupine skeleton discovered in Florida has allowed researchers to trace the evolutionary history for one of North America's rarest mammals.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240528114315.htm

Echidnapus identified from an 'Age of Monotremes'

Australian researchers have found evidence of the oldest known platypus and a new species, dubbed 'echidnapus', which has a platypus-like anatomy alongside features that more closely resemble an echidna.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240527115905.htm

Combating carbon footprint: Novel reactor system converts carbon dioxide into usable fuel

Boilers are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. In a recent study, researchers developed a method to convert CO2 emissions from small boilers into methane, which makes use of an optimized reactor design that evenly distributes the CO2 feed. This, in turn, results in significantly lower temperature increments and a boost in methane production. This innovative technique could pave the way for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240527115855.htm