Researchers have discovered the universal mathematical formula that can describe any bird's egg existing in nature. Egg shape has long attracted the attention of mathematicians, engineers, and biologists as large enough to incubate an embryo, small enough to exit the body in the most efficient way, not roll away once laid, structurally sound enough to bear weight, and be the beginning of life for 10,500 species that have survived since the dinosaurs. The egg...
An international team of researchers led by Stanford University have developed rechargeable batteries that can store up to six times more charge than ones that are currently commercially available, reports Tech Xplore. The advance, detailed in a new paper published Aug. 25 in the journal Nature, could accelerate the use of rechargeable batteries and puts battery researchers one step closer to creating a high-performance rechargeable battery that could enable cellphones to be charged once a week and help...
The human body can be genetically inclined to attack its own cells, destroying the beta cells in the pancreas that make insulin, which helps convert sugar into energy. Called Type 1 diabetes, this disorder can occur at any age and can be fatal if not carefully managed with insulin shots or an insulin pump to balance the body's sugar levels. But there may be another, personalized option on the horizon, according to Xiaojun Lian,...
According to a new study, among adolescents aged 10 to 14 in the United States, the overall rate of drug use remained relatively stable in the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a decreased use of alcohol, but an increased use of nicotine and misuse of prescription drugs, reports Medical Xpress. The findings, published in the August 24 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, are derived from the ongoing Adolescent Brain Cognitive...
Some 38 million records stored on a Microsoft service, including private information, were mistakenly left exposed this year, security firm UpGuard said Monday. The data, including names, addresses, financial information and Covid-19 vaccination statuses, was made vulnerable – but not compromised – before the problem was resolved, according to the digital security company's investigation. Among the 47 affected organizations were American Airlines, Ford, JB Hunt and public agencies such as the Maryland Department of Health and...
Elon Musk has announced that he will have an initial prototype of an androgynous "Tesla Bot" by next year, reports Tech Xplore. Based on the same technology as the company's semi-autonomous vehicles, the robot will be able to perform basic repetitive tasks with the aim of eliminating the need for people to handle dangerous or boring work, Musk said. "Tesla is arguably the world's biggest robotics company because cars are semi-sentient robots on wheels,"...
A team from Osaka University has used protein sequence data analysis and genome editing technology to find that protein SPATA33 plays an important role in sperm motility regulation, which could help develop male contraceptives, reports Phys.org. It was previously known that calcineurin, a calcium-dependent phosphatase, plays an important role in regulating sperm motility. Calcineurin is considered a good target for male contraceptives because administration of calcineurin inhibitors to male mice causes reversible infertility in a short period of...
Researchers at the Max Planck Institutes of Neurobiology and of Biochemistry have developed a mouse line that makes the state of protein balance visible in the mammalian brain for the first time, Phys.org reports. In this way, the processes of protein quality control can now be studied in healthy and diseased neurons in more detail. Proteins fulfill all important tasks in our body; they transport substances, protect against diseases, support the cell, and catalyze chemical...
Beautiful people are more likely to get hired, receive better performance evaluations and get paid more – but it's not just because of their good looks, according to new research from the University at Buffalo School of Management. The study found that while a "beauty premium" exists across professions, it is partially because attractive people develop distinct traits as a result of how the world responds to their attractiveness. They build a greater sense of power and...
Researchers have developed prototype technology that can double the power harvested from ocean waves, in an advance that could finally make wave energy a viable renewable alternative, Tech Xplore reports. The untapped potential of ocean wave energy is vast, but the challenges of developing technologies that can efficiently extract that natural power and withstand the harsh ocean environment have kept wave energy stuck at experimental stage. Now a research team led by RMIT University has created...
