When you’re mentally exhausted, your brain might be doing more behind the scenes than you think. In a new study using functional MRI, researchers uncovered two key brain regions that activate when people feel cognitively fatigued—regions that appear to weigh the cost of continuing mental effort versus giving up. Surprisingly, participants needed high financial incentives …
Scientists have decoded the sea spider’s genome for the first time, revealing how its strangely shaped body—with organs in its legs and barely any abdomen—may be tied to a missing gene. The detailed DNA map shows this ancient creature evolved differently from its spider and scorpion cousins, lacking genome duplications seen in those species. With …
How a lost gene gave the sea spider its bizarre, leggy body Read More »
Imagine printing your Martian home from dust, sunlight, and a bit of biology. A new synthetic lichen system uses fungi and bacteria to grow building materials directly from Martian soil, completely autonomously and without human help. Imagine printing your Martian home from dust, sunlight, and a bit of biology. A new synthetic lichen system uses …
Martian dust to dream homes: How microbes can build on the red planet Read More »
Scientists have developed a groundbreaking technique called RAVEN that can capture the full complexity of an ultra-intense laser pulse in a single shot—something previously thought nearly impossible. These pulses, capable of accelerating particles to near light speed, were once too fast and chaotic to measure precisely in real time. With RAVEN, researchers can now instantly …
People with disrupted access to GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, still seem to lose substantial amounts of weight People with disrupted access to GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, still seem to lose substantial amounts of weight People with disrupted access to GLP-1 drugs, like Ozempic, still seem to lose substantial amounts of weight
Much like hurricanes further south, the strongest storms to pummel the US north-east are getting even stronger as sea surface temperatures rise Much like hurricanes further south, the strongest storms to pummel the US north-east are getting even stronger as sea surface temperatures rise Much like hurricanes further south, the strongest storms to pummel the US …
Nor’easters slamming New England are growing more powerful Read More »
Adding fire-suppressing chemicals into batteries can prevent overheating, fires and explosions, cutting the risks for electric vehicles and portable electronics Adding fire-suppressing chemicals into batteries can prevent overheating, fires and explosions, cutting the risks for electric vehicles and portable electronics Adding fire-suppressing chemicals into batteries can prevent overheating, fires and explosions, cutting the risks for electric …
Built-in fire extinguishers can prevent battery explosions Read More »
A massive spike in young children accidentally ingesting nicotine pouches has alarmed poison control researchers, with a 763% rise reported between 2020 and 2023. Unlike other nicotine products, these pouches have quickly become the most dangerous form ingested, often leading to hospital visits. Experts say appealing packaging and flavors are part of the problem and …
Deadly disguise: How candy-like nicotine pouches caused a 763% spike in child poisonings Read More »
UK company Superdielectrics says its polymer technology could make batteries cheaper and easier to recycle, but its energy density must improve to compete with lithium-ion devices UK company Superdielectrics says its polymer technology could make batteries cheaper and easier to recycle, but its energy density must improve to compete with lithium-ion devices UK company Superdielectrics says …
Are batteries based on contact lenses the future of energy storage? Read More »
Scientists have pioneered a new way to monitor sodium levels in the blood—without drawing a single drop. By combining terahertz radiation and optoacoustic detection, they created a non-invasive system that tracks sodium in real time, even through skin. The approach bypasses traditional barriers like water interference and opens up potential for fast, safe diagnostics in …
New tech tracks blood sodium without a single needle Read More »