Mar

29

The joys of computational mass spectrometry

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists have developed a new automated computational mass spectrometry system that can search an organism’s entire metabolome for as-yet-unknown metabolites (potential drugs).

Mar

5

Pulses of light can enhance superconductivity

by jens wilkinson | Hot Off the Press

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Pulses of light could be used to turn materials into superconductors through an unconventional type of superconductivity.

Feb

15

Scientists create new type of self-healing material

by jens wilkinson | Hot Off the Press

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This newly created ethylene-based material has shape memory that allows self-healing!

Feb

12

Brain clock ticks differently in autism

by amanda alvarez | Hot Off the Press

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A new brain imaging study shows that autistic severity is linked to how long certain regions of the brain store information.

Dec

19

Supermassive black holes still dark and mysterious

by jens wilkinson | Hot Off the Press

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For the first time, scientists have measured the strength of magnetic fields near supermassive black holes and something doesn’t add up.

Dec

7

Evolution of the inner ear: insights from jawless fish

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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A new story for inner ear evolution based on the developmental patterning found in hagfish, one of two extant jawless vertebrates and a link to the last common ancestor of modern jawed vertebrates.

Dec

5

Tumor detection during breast cancer surgery

by jens wilkinson | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists have developed a new way to accurately detect the margins between cancerous and non-cancerous tissue during breast cancer surgery.

Nov

26

Smarter AI: machine learning without negative data

by masataka sasabe | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists have developed a new method for machine learning that allows an AI to make better classifications without negative data.

Nov

16

Nerdnite recap: When the brainbow met the boson

by amanda alvarez | Drop of science

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Fun times at nerdnite tokyo. Brains, bosons, and math, oh my!

Nov

13

Mutations, CRISPR, and spinocerebellar ataxia

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists discover that mutations causing the degenerative movement disorder spinocerebellar ataxia type 29 work by disrupting calcium release of neurons inside the brain.

Nov

6

Gene regulator that allows plant rehydration after drought

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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New genetic insights into the plant rehydration process: this is why your plants don’t die after you forgot to water them.

Oct

12

Researchers create a functional salivary gland organoid ?

by jens wilkinson | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists have succeeded in growing three-dimensional salivary gland tissue that produced saliva like normal glands when implanted into mice.

Oct

10

Getting a grip on slow but unique shark evolution

by masataka sasabe | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists have decoded the genomes of two species of shark, bringing the grand total of sequenced shark genomes to three.

Oct

5

Ig Nobel awards: Silly experiments that strike gold

by amanda alvarez | Drop of science

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Amanda writes about the Ig Nobel awards after founder Marc Abrahams visited nerdnite Tokyo. Science at its best!

Oct

1

A self-powered heart monitor taped to the skin

by jens wilkinson | Hot Off the Press

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A group of scientists have developed a human-friendly, ultra-flexible organic sensor powered by sunlight, which acts as a self-powered heart monitor.

Sep

7

Protostars that exhibit large diversity in organic compounds

by riken research highlights | Research Highlight

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A survey of a molecular cloud has found that the organic chemical makeup of protostars varies considerably.

Sep

6

Scientists solve epigenetic barriers to cloning

by jens wilkinson | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists show that two epigenetic factors improve the success rate of cloning via somatic cell nuclear transfer.

Aug

31

Transgenic plants ??on acid survive without water

by adam phillips | Featured, Research Highlight

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Scientists designed transgenic plants that survive drought-like conditions by bumping up acetic acid production only when water is scarce.

Aug

29

Two genes that regulate how much we dream

by masataka sasabe | Hot Off the Press

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An international research team led by RIKEN BDR has identified a pair of genes that regulate how much REM (dream) and non-REM sleep an animal experiences.

Aug

3

Flies use fecal deposits as pheromones

by amanda alvarez | Hot Off the Press

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Bioluminescence imaging of fly brains reveals neurons sensitive to fly poo laced with pheromones (you can see the fecal “landmark” in the dotted circle). Need we say more?

Jul

30

Hippocampal memory isn’t all about place cells

by amanda alvarez | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists have found evidence that hippocampal memories of experience are not stored in place cells.

Jul

5

Summer fun: how plants beat the heat

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists have discovered a gene that allows plants to cope with extreme heat by changing the composition of chloroplast membranes.

Jun

28

Freedom from fear ?‍♀️

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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Researchers discover a dopaminergic circuit in the brain that allows fear associations to disappear when there isn’t anything to be afraid of anymore.

Jun

19

Blue gene regulation helps plants respond properly to light

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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Blue light alters some gene expression in plants by changing the transcription start sites to downstream locations.

Jun

15

Out on a limb: the many ‘brains’ of the octopus

by amanda alvarez | Drop of science

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Learn how (neurologically) cool octopus arms are (as if you didn’t already know).

Jun

12

Mutation links bipolar disorder to mitochondrial disease

by amanda alvarez | Hot Off the Press

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ANT1 mutations found in bipolar disease that affect mitochondria lead to hyperexcitable serotonergic neuronal activity in the brain.

Jun

5

My science communication journey in Tokyo

by sarah naimi | What's Up With Us

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New contributor and nuclear physicist Sarah Naimi talks about her recent experience in science communication at a recent scicom event in Tokyo.

Jun

5

Gene linked to intellectual ability affects memory replay in mice

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists have discovered a gene in mice that allows memory replay at rest, a process necessary for forming long-lasting memories in mice.

May

30

Quick, call Spiderman: scientists discover how spider silk is formed

by jens wilkinson | Hot Off the Press

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A group of scientists led by researchers have discovered a key mechanism through which spider silk is formed.

May

16

Mutation protects against Alzheimer’s disease in mice

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists discover a deletion mutation that reduces amyloid-beta plaque formation in Alzheimer’s disease model mice.

May

15

Plant peptide spells relief from salty stress

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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Newly discovered plant peptide hormone can be used to protect plants from excessive environmental salt.

May

14

Putting E. coli to work for us

by riken research highlights | Research Highlight

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Specially engineered bacteria can produce an industrially significant chemical from renewable sources in a much gentler process than the one currently used by industry.

Apr

9

Why being sick can create anxiety

by riken research highlights | Research Highlight

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Researchers have linked changes in mouse immune-cell metabolism to anxiety-related behavior and alterations in brain chemistry.

Apr

6

Plant hormone combats dehydration

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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Scientists show that CLE25 is a plant hormone that travels from roots to leaves and helps close stomata in times of dehydration stress.

Mar

9

Heat shock system helps dried up bug come back to life

by jens wilkinson | Hot Off the Press

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An international collaboration has determined that cooption of the Heat Shock Factor (HSF) gene system is what allows larvae of the sleeping chironomid to be able to survive severe desiccation.

Feb

23

In living color: imaging the brain with synthetic bioluminescence

by amanda alvarez | Hot Off the Press

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A new way to image the brain from outside the head using bioluminescence.

Feb

9

Deep-brain exploration with nanomaterials

by amanda alvarez | Hot Off the Press

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A new way to optogenetically activate neurons deep in the brain using infrared light and upconversion nanoparticles. It’s non-invasive!

Feb

7

Running away from carbon dioxide: the terminal connection

by adam phillips | Hot Off the Press

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Even fish want to avoid carbon dioxide. Now we know that they can because of chemosensation and the Terminal Nerve.

Jan

19

Rainbow engineering to make the brain glow

by amanda alvarez | Drop of science

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Bar talk about tinkering with bioluminescent molecules from jellyfish, corals, and algae, figuring out how they work, and making them more useful for brain science.