Feature Channels: Story Ideas: Science

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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for non-invasive disease diagnostics, offering an alternative to conventional biopsies. However, the challenge has been the efficient and pure isolation of EVs from biological fluids, as current methods yield variable results. Recognizing this gap, researchers have focused on developing advanced techniques that can isolate EVs with high efficiency and purity, crucial for the accurate detection and monitoring of diseases.

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A recent study has unveiled a significant advancement in refrigeration technology. This work introduces an optimized Compression-Absorption Cascade Refrigeration Cycle (CACRC) that remarkably reduces electricity consumption and capitalizes on waste heat, setting new benchmarks in refrigeration efficiency and sustainability.

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A pair of research papers reveals that genomic anomalies misled scientists about the true evolutionary history of birds.

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Global production of LED lights, wind turbine generators, EV batteries and more require critical materials that are in high demand. A new report, led by scientists at Argonne National Laboratory, assesses rare materials and their supply.

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Astrophysicists at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, and University of California, Berkeley, used the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility’s Summit supercomputer to compare models of X-ray bursts in 2D and 3D.

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Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants. Exploring sugarcane’s genetic code could help researchers develop more resilient and productive crops, with implications for both sugar production and biofuels.

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Human artificial chromosomes (HACs) capable of working within human cells could power advanced gene therapies, including those addressing some cancers, along with many laboratory applications, though serious technical obstacles have hindered their development.

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Professors at The University of Texas at El Paso have launched a new industrial engineering lab focused on supporting human performance and behavior in various application areas. Projects include supportive exoskeletons for high-strain occupations and virtual reality that simulates high-stress environments.

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The best measurements from Hubble show the universe is now expanding faster than predicted based on observations of how it looked shortly after the big bang. Some scientists suggested that Hubble observations are wrong due to some creeping inaccuracy in its deep-space yardstick. However, Webb’s sharp infrared views of milepost markers known as Cepheids agree with Hubble data.

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SEATTLE — March 1, 2024 — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center announced 12 recipients of the 2024 Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award, which recognizes exceptional achievement in graduate studies in the biological sciences. This year’s recipients come from U.S. and international research institutions with thesis topics that include brain signals related to learning and emotion, bacterial pathogens and health, AI algorithms in rare disease diagnosis and treatment, and immune cells involved in brain tumors.

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With virus cases rising and the holidays nigh, three expert from University of Michigan Health give their top 12 tips for avoiding or reducing the impact of COVID-19, flu, RSV, pneumonia and whooping cough in adults and kids.

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An examination of the impact of image size on measurements from magnetic force microscopy has won the Advances in Magnetism Award, sponsored by AIP Advances. The paper was selected as the winner from nearly 200 papers submitted and Michael Vaka, now a data engineer at Zontal, was awarded a cash prize and a travel stipend to next year’s conference for his work, performed at BYU under the supervision of Karine Chesnel.

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Researchers at Aalto University are investigating how a zombie plague would spread through Finland. It’s a light-hearted project, but it offers serious insights into global challenges, such as containing a pandemic or coping with disinformation.

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In APL Materials, researchers tested a molecular energy harvesting device that captures the energy from the natural motion of molecules in a liquid. Their work showed molecular motion can be used to generate a stable electric current. To create the device, they submerged nanoarrays of piezoelectric material in liquid, allowing the movement of the liquid to move the strands like seaweed waving in the ocean, except in this case the movement is on the molecular scale, and the strands are made of zinc oxide. When the zinc oxide material waves, bends, or deforms under motion, it generates electric potential.

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An automated pain recognition system using artificial intelligence (AI) holds promise as an unbiased method to detect pain in patients before, during and after surgery, according to research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2023 annual meeting.