mass spectrometry

Researchers have examined three letters penned by Vlad III, the ruthless real-life Romanian prince considered to be the inspiration for the fictional Dracula, and found evidence of his overall health, including that he may have cried tears of blood.

Along with its present use in biofuels and fertilizer, algae could potentially be utilized in applications ranging from bioprinted tissue to honeybee feed. That's why a new system is important, as it continuously checks that algae crops are healthy.

The Sun was far more active in its early years, but we only really know this from studying other similar stars. Now, researchers have found the fingerprints of this active young Sun in tiny, bright blue crystals preserved in meteorites from a collection at Chicago’s Field Museum.

A team of scientists may have developed a new method of predicting potentially deadly eruptions, by studying tiny crystals contained in volcanic debris. In the future, the research could provide greater warning, and so more evacuation time to at-risk populations.

​​While there are already portable systems designed to detect cocaine in peoples' systems, they can't tell how much of the drug has been taken. That's where a new test comes in. Not only is it reportedly more reliable than existing technology, but it also measures quantities of cocaine in the body.​

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have created a hybrid optical microscope/mass spectrometry-based imaging system to both visually examine and chemically analyze specimens simultaneously.

In lieu of an effective medical test, physicians rely on assessments of behavioural patterns and social skills to diagnose autism. But new research has identified biomarkers in the saliva of children with the condition, potentially paving the way for earlier, and more reliable, diagnoses.

Swiss researchers are using mass spectrometry to analyze breath samples in human health tests.