Extensive industrial catalytic applications have shown that the confined nano-channels of zeolites can precisely regulate molecular diffusion and metal cluster migration, effectively enhancing catalyst activity, selectivity, and stability.

Parasitic worms that infect humans are not interbreeding with those that infect cattle as previously thought. This is good news when it comes to controlling schistosomiasis, a disease caused by these worms that affects more than 200 million people globally.

Talin is a protein that plays an important role in the immune system by activating integrins, receptors that help cells attach to one another. Now a new study by Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers shows how talin has distinct binding modes for two types of integrins that are important in blood cells. It also highlights how switching modes can enhance the integrins, potentially making them stronger.

A small team of paleontologists with members from Austria, Germany and Switzerland has found evidence suggesting that a herbivorous dinosaur from the Late Triassic may have used its large tail as a means to ward off predators. In their paper published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the group describes how they studied the well-preserved tail of a Plateosaurus, including a comparison with modern monitor lizards and iguanas, and what they learned by doing so.

Being cut off in traffic, giving a presentation or missing a meal can all trigger a suite of physiological changes that allow the body to react swiftly to stress or starvation. Critical to this "fight-or-flight" or stress response is a molecular cycle that results in the activation of protein kinase A (PKA), a protein involved in everything from metabolism to memory formation. Now, a study by researchers at Penn State has revealed how this cycle resets between stressful events, so the body is prepared to take on new challenges.

Metalenses represent a revolutionary advancement in optical technology. Unlike conventional microscope objectives that rely on curved glass surfaces, metalenses employ nanoscale structures to manipulate light at the subwavelength level. Thanks to their ultrathin, lightweight, and flat architectures, metalenses can overcome the bulkiness of traditional lenses, making them ideal candidates for integration in electronic devices and compact imaging systems.

Green hydrogen is set to play an important role in the future energy system: it can be used for storing chemical energy, as a raw material for the chemical industry, and for producing climate‑friendly fuels. Green hydrogen can be generated in a nearly climate‑neutral manner if the energy used for electrolysis—the process of splitting water into its elements—comes from solar or wind power. However, special catalysts are needed to speed up the formation of hydrogen and oxygen at the two electrodes.

In March 2022, Stellenbosch University (SU) student Rohan Barnard was out on a farm in the Swartberg Mountains between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn, flipping over rocks looking for ants, reptiles and other critters, when he stumbled upon the finding of a lifetime.

As coral reefs struggle to adapt to warming waters, high levels of pollution and sea-level rise, ballooning sea-urchin populations are threatening to push some reefs in Hawaii past the point of recovery.

Numbers have a funny way about them. Young math students are taught various strategies to make problem-solving easier. Comparing fractions? Find a common denominator or convert to decimals. The strategies get more complex when doing the kind of math used to describe the activities of DNA, RNA, or protein sequences.