Researchers already knew that insects are an excellent source of protein for humans, but they didn’t expect to learn that they have such a positive impact on plants. Researchers discuss the benefits of using the waste from insect-as-food-and-feed production to promote sustainable crops. The leftovers from insect production come in two main forms: exuviae, the…

Researchers have succeeded in their aim of not only changing the strength but also the nature of the interaction between microscopic quantum magnets, known as spins. Instead of falling into a state of complete disorder, the especially prepared magnets can maintain their original orientation for a long period. With these findings, the physicists have successfully…

Scientists model how the ‘weather’ on a star impacts exoplanets to see if even those thought to be in habitable zones could suffer from solar storms. They expect their work to help narrow the number of exoplanets studied for their potential to harbor life. Rice University astrophysicists are doing just that, building a computer model…

Sheep and dog bones can be whittled into orthopedic pins that stabilize pigeons’ fractured wings, helping the fractures to heal properly without follow-up surgery. Researchers describe the treatment, which is cheaper and more efficient than using metal pins for pigeon rehabilitative surgeries. «There is no need for the implants to be removed because they will…

Scientists have created wearable, stitchable, and sensitive sensors from flexible polymers and bundles of carbon fibre. Like our skin, these sensors respond to pressure and can measure body position and movement. They could be used to measure disease progress in Parkinson’s disease, or sense joint movement in athletes, for example. Sensors can be useful to…

An international research team has revealed that the ‘super-rotation’ on Venus is maintained near the equator by atmospheric tidal waves formed from solar heating on the planet’s dayside and cooling on its nightside. An international research team led by Takeshi Horinouchi of Hokkaido University has revealed that this ‘super-rotation’ is maintained near the equator by…

Researchers have pinpointed the likely origin of a group of meteorites ejected from Mars, using a machine learning algorithm that analyses high-resolution planetary images. The new research, published in Nature Communications, identified meteorites that landed on Earth likely originated from Mars’ Tooting crater, located in the Tharsis region, which is the largest volcanic province in…

Researchers discover a link between human blood cholesterol levels and a gene in the microbiome that could one day help people manage their cholesterol through diet, probiotics, or entirely new types of treatment. Many species are known, like E. coli, but many more, sometimes referred to as «microbial dark matter,» remain elusive. «We know it’s…

Despite the near-universal assumption of individuality in biology, there is little agreement about what individuals are and few rigorous quantitative methods for their identification. A new approach may solve the problem by defining individuals in terms of informational processes. «Despite the near-universal assumption of individuality in biology, there is little agreement about what individuals are…

Elephant sharks offer a novel perspective on how humans evolved. A new study parses some previously unexplained reproductive differences. The findings published in the February 11, 2022 online issue of ACS Pharmacology & Translational Science. The elephant shark (Callorhinchus milii) is an unusual looking and uncommon animal model. Known by several names, such as ghost…