Molecules

One of the most profound mysteries facing science is how exactly life arose from non-living matter. Now, scientists have pinpointed a particular peptide that potentially kickstarted life – and it could all be nickelback’s fault.

Scientists at MIT have developed bottlebrush-shaped molecules that can carry groups of different cancer drugs in just the right ratios. Tests in mice showed significantly improved outcomes compared to just giving the drugs loose.

Researchers have created a synthetic “cellular glue” that bonds cells together to different degrees. The technique could speed up wound healing, even in tissues that don’t heal well naturally, and eventually allow scientists to build better organs.

By deploying a newly-developed drug against a key energy source of cancer cells, scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research have developed a new way of eliminating them in mere hours.

Scientists have identified a toxin used by bacteria to kill others through a unique mechanism. It's the first found to directly target RNA in what the team describes as “a total assault on the cell,” which could lead to a new class of antibiotics.

It takes tons of plant matter to make each gram of the cancer drug vinblastine. To find an alternative source, scientists have engineered yeast to produce the precursors of vinblastine, which could help make this vital drug more available and affordable.

Researchers at UNC have discovered that a common lab molecule, used to label DNA, can trigger a runaway process that eventually leads to cell death. But the team says this could have a positive use too, as a potential cancer treatment.

During long-term battles with cancer or infection, immune cells can become exhausted. Now, researchers have identified a specific molecule that helps certain T cells refresh themselves, which could unlock more effective immunotherapy.

Asthma is usually managed by treating symptoms, but new research shows a potential way to target a root cause of the disease. A molecule prevented structural changes in the airways of asthmatic mice and eliminated their symptoms in weeks.

Exactly how non-living molecules sparked life is one of the most puzzling mysteries of science. Scientists have now discovered chemical reactions that can produce the building blocks of life out of materials common in early Earth's primordial soup.

In what's being hailed as an important first for chemistry, scientists have developed a new technology that can selectively rearrange atomic bonds within a single molecule, which could open up exciting possibilities in molecular machinery.

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed the world’s first electric nanomotors made of DNA. The self-assembling structures can be activated by an electric charge to spin a ratcheting rotor arm.