NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite was built to search for new planets, but astronomers at Ohio State found it could also observe supernovas created by exploding white dwarf stars. This means we might soon have a better idea about why they explode, and what they leave behind.
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Bacteria are rapidly developing resistance to our best drugs, hurtling us towards a future where antibiotics simply don’t work anymore. Now researchers have uncovered a potentially exploitable chink in the armor of a particularly troublesome group of bacteria.
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Researchers have created a portable device they say can determine the efficacy of patient-specific cancer drugs with an accuracy of almost 96 percent. Teaming sensors with machine learning, the device provides rapid results, aiding the selection of better drugs while reducing potential side effects.
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The LIGO detector uses 4-km-long (2.5-mi) arms. But now, a Northwestern University team is aiming to build a gravitational wave detector small enough to fit on a tabletop, which could detect signals the larger facilities miss.
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A compelling new study has described a novel association between viral infections, neurodegenerative disease, the gut microbiome, and our immune system. The research suggests gut bacteria disruptions can allow harmful viruses to trigger neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
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A few months ago, the asteroid 2006 QV89 grabbed headlines thanks to a slim chance of striking Earth this September. But now the potentially-hazardous space rock has missed its appointment. ESA has confirmed that the asteroid hasn’t appeared in the sky yet, ruling out an impact any time soon.
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Two new studies are shedding light on the mystery of why women suffer from Alzheimer’s at higher rates than men. As well as discovering sex-specific genes associated with Alzheimer’s risk, the researchers describe how toxic dementia-causing proteins spread differently through female brains.
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We've already heard how electrical pulses have been shown to help heal wounds, by promoting tissue growth. An experimental new implant uses that same principle to aid in the regeneration of cardiac tissue, potentially postponing or even eliminating the need for heart transplants.
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Modern Mars is a desolate husk of a planet, as far as life is concerned. But it’s not completely uninhabitable, since microbes could be hiding in the cracks of rocks and dirt. And now a new study has found a possible food source for these organisms – space dust.
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A patient’s immune system can often react badly to bone marrow transplants. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) may help, but they too can be cleared out by immune cells. Now, a Harvard team has shown that coating MSCs in a thin hydrogel can protect them, making bone marrow transplants more successful.
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