New Atlas

Robotics Audio available

Bee+ micro-scale robot flyer gets four wings flapping

Matt Kennedy May 16, 2019

The potential for micro flying-robots in areas like search and rescue, agriculture and hazard detection is huge, but so are the hurdles. Researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) have been working on these problems with their Bee+, drawing inspiration from the insect world.

The Bee+ in flight-test mode, showing all four wings operating

Medical Audio available

Green tea and carrot compounds found to reverse Alzheimer's symptoms in mice

Nick Lavars March 7, 2019

Researchers pondering the potential of compounds found in green tea and carrots to treat Alzheimer's have conducted a study with some promising results, with the engineered mice demonstrating unimpaired cognitive function following a carefully designed bout of treatment.

A new study in mice has shown the compounds in green tea and carrot could have ...

Environment Audio available

Carbon reservoirs in the ocean floor may have ended the last ice age – and could bubble up again

Michael Irving February 14, 2019

A study has found a huge new potential source of carbon emissions: reservoirs of gases trapped at the seafloor, which could be released as the oceans warm up. And the team suggests that these gases belched up from the deep thousands of years ago and put an end to the last ice age.

Researchers have found that deep sea gas reservoirs could be a huge source of carbon dioxide ...

Medical

Freeze-dried vaccine may help eradicate polio once and for all

Ben Coxworth November 27, 2018

Although polio is now rarely heard of in First World countries, it still occurs in developing nations which lack facilities for refrigerating the vaccine. That may soon no longer be a problem, however, as scientists have developed a freeze-dried vaccine which can be stored at room temperature.

A computer rendering of the human polio virus

Biology Audio available

Tracking brain waves to decode mood could help fight depression

Michael Irving September 10, 2018

Neuroscience is stumped by what’s going on in the brain when we feel joy or sadness. In an effort to peek inside our moody minds, researchers have developed a technique to read brain signals and infer what mood a patient may be in, which could lead to new treatments for depression and anxiety.

A new technique may be able to decode brain waves to infer what mood a patient ...

Science

Reptilian-mammal fossil changes the timeline of supercontinent breakup

Michael Irving May 25, 2018

If you feel like you’ve had some drawn-out breakups, think of the supercontinent of Pangaea, which took tens of millions of years to split up. Now a unique fossil skull might readjust the timeline, with a strange creature turning up on a different continent to its previously-discovered relatives.

An artist's rendition of Cifelliodon wahkarmoosuch, a transitional creature between reptiles and mammals that may readjust ...

Medical

Scientists developing a possible treatment for hearing loss

Ben Coxworth April 4, 2018

There may be new hope for people who are losing their hearing, thanks to research being conducted by scientists from the University of Southern California and Harvard University. They've developed a solution intended to stay put in the inner ear, where it will help repair cells.

Animal trials are planned to take place next, with a possible application to humans in the ...

Health & Wellbeing

Comprehensive study suggests biological aging is slowing down

Michael Irving March 15, 2018

How well are our anti-aging efforts paying off? A comprehensive new study from Yale University and the University of Southern California (USC) has found that Americans seem to be aging more slowly now than they were 20 years ago.

A comprehensive new study shows that Americans are biologically aging more slowly now than 20 years ...

Science

AI-based system designed to spot poachers

Ben Coxworth February 9, 2018

Poachers typically hunt at night, which is why drone-mounted infrared cameras are being used to spot them. The problem is, it can be difficult to tell humans from animals in the videos. Scientists from USC are making the job easier, using artificial intelligence.

A still from some of the video used to train SPOT

Health & Wellbeing

Molecule could grow cartilage in arthritic joints

Ben Coxworth February 8, 2018

Led by Dr. Denis Evseenko, scientists from the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine have developed a molecule that could be used to treat arthritis. If applied in the form of an injection at the affected joint, it might conceivably make joint replacement surgery unnecessary.

RCGD 423 may initially be used to treat osteoarthritis or juvenile arthritis