An interdisciplinary collaboration of physicists, chemists, and materials scientists lead by the and the has invented a new ultrasensitive molecular sensing technique to monitor a nuclear decay reaction. With it, the collaboration could solve a decadeslong mystery about the nature of neutrino particles and address some of the fundamental questions about our universe.Neutrinos are subatomic particles that have no electrical charge and extremely small mass — some even think they could have no mass. Most particles of matter have a corresponding antiparticle, which has the same mass but...…An interdisciplinary collaboration of physicists, chemists, and materials scientists lead by the and the has invented a new ultrasensitive molecular sensing technique to monitor a nuclear decay reaction. With it, the collaboration could solve a decadeslong mystery about the nature of neutrino particles and address some of the fundamental questions about our universe.Neutrinos are subatomic particles that have no electrical charge and extremely small mass — some even think they could have no mass. Most particles of matter have a corresponding antiparticle, which has the same mass but...WW…

Under a microscope, the brain looks like a cutdown forest of many tree stumps with dark tree rings. The "rings" are , an insulation made of fat that wraps around nerves to help send faster electrical signals.Unfortunately, myelin is also the target of many diseases like (MS), which . In this disease, the immune system inexplicably attacks the body’s own myelin and the cells that produce it. As the now bare nerves die, cells can no longer reach the injured area to wrap new myelin around the damaged nerves., but the real question is how to insulate the nerves again? , scientists found that a...…Under a microscope, the brain looks like a cutdown forest of many tree stumps with dark tree rings. The "rings" are , an insulation made of fat that wraps around nerves to help send faster electrical signals.Unfortunately, myelin is also the target of many diseases like (MS), which . In this disease, the immune system inexplicably attacks the body’s own myelin and the cells that produce it. As the now bare nerves die, cells can no longer reach the injured area to wrap new myelin around the damaged nerves., but the real question is how to insulate the nerves again? , scientists found that a...WW…

From kids with sugar rushes to grandparents who swear they just need one more bite of chocolate, humans absolutely love sugar. In an , it makes sense. Sugar used to be relatively hard to come by, and it is packed with valuable calories. Recently, however, our relationship with sugar has been complicated, to say the least. In the US, we consume an average of everyday, far exceeding any nutritional guidelines. While we continue to study why our brains love sugar so much, a group of scientists showed that it might not even be, technically, our fault. The team from Columbia University...…From kids with sugar rushes to grandparents who swear they just need one more bite of chocolate, humans absolutely love sugar. In an , it makes sense. Sugar used to be relatively hard to come by, and it is packed with valuable calories. Recently, however, our relationship with sugar has been complicated, to say the least. In the US, we consume an average of everyday, far exceeding any nutritional guidelines. While we continue to study why our brains love sugar so much, a group of scientists showed that it might not even be, technically, our fault. The team from Columbia University...WW…

Although a “robot hand” might sound like something out of a science fiction movie, highly functional robotic hands are being developed for use in surgeries. Robotic hands are more compact than human hands, which reduces the size of the incisions needed to accommodate them. Robotics may also allow surgeries to be performed remotely, enabling surgeons to protect themselves in the case of, say, a global pandemic.The major hurdle facing surgeon-guided robotic hands is the inability to accurately gauge the position of the hand in space. That’s because with the loss of a human hand...…Although a “robot hand” might sound like something out of a science fiction movie, highly functional robotic hands are being developed for use in surgeries. Robotic hands are more compact than human hands, which reduces the size of the incisions needed to accommodate them. Robotics may also allow surgeries to be performed remotely, enabling surgeons to protect themselves in the case of, say, a global pandemic.The major hurdle facing surgeon-guided robotic hands is the inability to accurately gauge the position of the hand in space. That’s because with the loss of a human hand...WW…

Evolutionary biologists are constantly trying to make sense of patterns in nature — from the global-scale patterns of biological diversity to the individual color patterns on an animal’s fur. Prey animals are especially interesting puzzles because of their unique adaptations that help them avoid being eaten. Some evolve extreme camouflage, like and bottom-dwelling fish. Others which they use as chemical defenses against predators. Toxic or venomous prey often advertise their defenses using (think wasps, butterflies, and poison frogs). Now, scientists are seeing that venomous snakes can have...…Evolutionary biologists are constantly trying to make sense of patterns in nature — from the global-scale patterns of biological diversity to the individual color patterns on an animal’s fur. Prey animals are especially interesting puzzles because of their unique adaptations that help them avoid being eaten. Some evolve extreme camouflage, like and bottom-dwelling fish. Others which they use as chemical defenses against predators. Toxic or venomous prey often advertise their defenses using (think wasps, butterflies, and poison frogs). Now, scientists are seeing that venomous snakes can have...WW…

There are many barriers for reproduction between different species. So many, in fact, that hybridization — breeding between species — is rare and considered "an accident" . Many hybrids are sterile and cannot pass on their genes; the themselves.Why, then, would the Mexican spadefoot toad and the plains spadefoot toad be seen so often? Is it possible that these toads actively hybridize based on the current environment?Although , hybridizing can be adaptive for the plains spadefoot. Spadefoot tadpoles develop in desert ponds that often dry up before the tadpoles are adults, resulting in their...…There are many barriers for reproduction between different species. So many, in fact, that hybridization — breeding between species — is rare and considered "an accident" . Many hybrids are sterile and cannot pass on their genes; the themselves.Why, then, would the Mexican spadefoot toad and the plains spadefoot toad be seen so often? Is it possible that these toads actively hybridize based on the current environment?Although , hybridizing can be adaptive for the plains spadefoot. Spadefoot tadpoles develop in desert ponds that often dry up before the tadpoles are adults, resulting in their...WW…

"I spring quite literally from a pagan background."There is only one person capable of introducing themselves that way in their own : Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, one of the most original scientists to ever live. She was the first to determine that the stars were made of hydrogen and helium. In doing so, as a young graduate student, she bucked contemporary scientific theory. Prevented by sexism from being awarded her degree, and then a professorship, she eventually became the woman to chair a department at Harvard University.Cecilia Payne knew she wanted to be a scientist early on. As an eight...…"I spring quite literally from a pagan background."There is only one person capable of introducing themselves that way in their own : Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin, one of the most original scientists to ever live. She was the first to determine that the stars were made of hydrogen and helium. In doing so, as a young graduate student, she bucked contemporary scientific theory. Prevented by sexism from being awarded her degree, and then a professorship, she eventually became the woman to chair a department at Harvard University.Cecilia Payne knew she wanted to be a scientist early on. As an eight...WW…

When you think of learning another language, you probably think of French, Spanish, or Chinese. But what about Python or Java? The two processes might be more similar than you'd think. A recent  published from researchers at the University of Washington showed that language ability and problem solving skills best predict how quickly people learn Python, a popular programming language. Their research, published in Scientific Reports, used behavioral tests and measures of brain activity to see how they correlated with how fast and well participants learned programming. For the...…When you think of learning another language, you probably think of French, Spanish, or Chinese. But what about Python or Java? The two processes might be more similar than you'd think. A recent  published from researchers at the University of Washington showed that language ability and problem solving skills best predict how quickly people learn Python, a popular programming language. Their research, published in Scientific Reports, used behavioral tests and measures of brain activity to see how they correlated with how fast and well participants learned programming. For the...WW…

A common way illnesses move is through – touching hands or hugging, having close conversations, and being coughed or on are all common ways that pathogens are spread. But the intricacies of how sickness spreads are of increasing importance as diseases like spread around the world, prompting questions about what we really know about transmission.“Epidemiological models have tried to predict how pathogens spread, assuming all interactions are the same," said Sebastian Stockmaier, a PhD student at the University of Texas. But this isn’t always the case.New research, led by Stockmaier and...…A common way illnesses move is through – touching hands or hugging, having close conversations, and being coughed or on are all common ways that pathogens are spread. But the intricacies of how sickness spreads are of increasing importance as diseases like spread around the world, prompting questions about what we really know about transmission.“Epidemiological models have tried to predict how pathogens spread, assuming all interactions are the same," said Sebastian Stockmaier, a PhD student at the University of Texas. But this isn’t always the case.New research, led by Stockmaier and...WW…

You've probably been there: wanting to text someone quickly, but your hands are busy, maybe holding the groceries or cooking.Siri, Alexa, and other virtual assistants have provided one new layer of interaction between us and our devices, but what if we could move beyond even that? This is the premise of some brain-machine interfaces (BMIs). We covered these at Massive before, and some of the and surrounding them.Using BMIs, people are able to , and control without moving a muscle. This is usually done by accessing the region of the brain responsible for a specific movement and then decoding...…You've probably been there: wanting to text someone quickly, but your hands are busy, maybe holding the groceries or cooking.Siri, Alexa, and other virtual assistants have provided one new layer of interaction between us and our devices, but what if we could move beyond even that? This is the premise of some brain-machine interfaces (BMIs). We covered these at Massive before, and some of the and surrounding them.Using BMIs, people are able to , and control without moving a muscle. This is usually done by accessing the region of the brain responsible for a specific movement and then decoding...WW…