Science
The latest in science news, from the depths of space to the quantum realm.
Yale study solves mystery of how stress triggers inflammation
June 30, 2020
A new study has solved a long-standing mystery of how acute stress seems to amplify inflammatory disease, despite the fact many stress hormones actually suppress the immune system. It found a specific immune cell is released by fat cells when stressed.
LATEST NEWS
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Moth eyes inspire anti-icing surface for aircraft, and maybe eyewear
The unique arrangement of nanoscale bumps coating a moth’s eye have inspired all kinds of interesting technological advances. Joining them is a new type of anti-icing surface that could make its way onto airplane wings, or possibly eyewear. -
Watch SpaceX's shimmering Starship prototype fly to 500 feet
Development of SpaceX's Starship spacecraft that is hoped to carry humans to Mars continues at the company’s Boca Chica site in Texas, where the team just performed a 150-meter (500-ft) hop test of a full-size prototype. -
Upping the contrast enables daytime laser tracking of space debris
A team of ESA scientists has developed a way to use lasers, special telescopes, detectors, and light filters tuned to specific wavelengths to increase contrast with the sky and accurately track space debris even in broad daylight. -
Magnets and a pinch of skin combine for slow, safe insulin delivery
New research carried out in Singapore demonstrates how magnets can be used to pinch and apply pressure to the skin, which opens up additional pathways for drugs such as insulin to enter the body in safer, more efficient ways. -
New blood thinner prevents clots with less risk of excess bleeding
Treatments for blood clots in the body naturally come with a risk of excessive bleeding from an injury. But a new synthetic blood thinner bypasses this side effect, fighting thrombosis while still allowing blood to clot normally in a wound. -
Floating booms could only clean up 5% of plastic on the ocean surface
A new study has cast doubt over one method of cleaning up ocean plastics in floating trash-collection barriers, finding that these devices are unlikely to put a dent in the overall problem, even if left to run well into next century. -
New Zealand's wireless power transmission: Your questions answered
Yesterday we covered the news that New Zealand's second-largest electricity distributor has signed a deal with startup Emrod to trial long-range wireless power transmission. Today we follow up with an interview with Emrod's founder, Greg Kushnir. -
Ancient Mars may not have been "warm and wet" but covered in ice
Geological evidence shows that ancient Mars had flowing water. It’s long been thought that its climate was warm and wet, but a new study has found evidence that the planet was instead covered in ice sheets, and much of its water glacier run-off. -
Dinosaur diagnosed with late-stage cancer in first-of-its-kind study
Researchers in Canada have diagnosed an advanced, malignant bone cancer – in a dinosaur. Using human diagnostic techniques, a team examined a large growth on the animal’s leg bone, marking the first time such a diagnosis has been made for a dinosaur. -
Common crustacean turns microplastics into "nanoplastics" in days
Scientists have begun to uncover evidence of how the digestive systems of certain animals can play a part in plastic fragmentation, with the latest concerning a small crustacean that can turn microplastics into “nanoplastics” in just four days. -
NZ to trial world-first commercial long-range, wireless power transmission
A New Zealand-based startup has developed a method of safely and wirelessly transmitting electric power across long distances without the use of copper wire, and is working on implementing it with the country's second-largest power distributor. -
Bacteria-eating viruses clear infections in diabetic foot ulcers
Bacteria are fast developing resistance to antibiotics, but we may soon have a new weapon to fight back. Bacteriophages are viruses that prey on bacteria, and now scientists have used them to treat Golden Staph infections in diabetic foot ulcers.
