With Steven Weinberg’s death, physics loses a titan
The Nobel laureate advanced the theory of particles and forces, and wrote insightfully for a wider public. … […]
Tag: science
Five New Species of Flowering Plants Discovered in Bolivia
A team of U.K. botanists has discovered five new species in the plant genus Jacquemontia in the Andes of Bolivia. Jacquemontia is a medium-sized pantropical genus of around 120 species, but the majority of species are Neotropical, the greatest diversity being in Brazil. Most species in the genus are modest, twining… […]
Archaeologists Find Submerged Roman Road in Venice Lagoon
Archaeologists have documented the presence of an about 1,200-m-long segment of an ancient Roman road on a beach ridge now submerged in the Venice Lagoon, the largest lagoon in the Mediterranean Sea, surrounding the historical city of Venice in Italy; its presence confirms the hypothesis of a stable system of Roman… […]
Excessive Coffee Consumption is Associated with Smaller Brain Volumes, Increased Odds of Dementia
Coffee is a highly popular beverage worldwide, containing caffeine which is a central nervous system stimulant. In a study of 398,646 UK Biobank participants, high coffee consumption (more than six cups of coffee a day) was associated with smaller total brain volumes and 53% higher odds of dementia. “Coffee is among… […]
‘Feel good’ brain messenger can be willfully controlled, new study reveals
Researchers have discovered that spontaneous impulses of dopamine, the neurological messenger known as the brain’s ‘feel good’ chemical, occur in the brain of mice. The study found that mice can willfully manipulate these random dopamine pulses for reward. … […]
What experts know so far about COVID-19 boosters for immunocompromised people
Some immunocompromised people remain at risk for severe COVID-19 despite being vaccinated. Studies hint that an additional vaccine dose might help. … […]
Potential role of ‘junk DNA’ sequence in aging, cancer
Researchers have recently identified a DNA region known as VNTR2-1 that appears to drive the activity of the telomerase gene, which has been shown to prevent aging in certain types of cells. Knowing how the telomerase gene is regulated and activated and why it is only active in certain cell types… […]
How do scientists calculate the age of a star?
There are a few different methods to determine the age of a star, but none are perfect. … […]
A partial skeleton reveals the world’s oldest known shark attack
An ancient shark bite victim died quickly, before his body was recovered and buried, a new study finds. … […]
Anatomy of the red planet: Mars-quakes reveal interior
Researchers have been able to use seismic data to look inside Mars for the first time. They measured the crust, mantle and core and narrowed down their composition. … […]