Science

Normally, when you hear iridium, you may think of the satellite constellation. But the uses of this exotic element are not limited to digital entertainment. Iridium also has isotopes that are useful in cancer treatment — and especially in prostate cancer treatment. The results of a two-year study from Europe …

A critically endangered bird species called the São Tomé grosbeak is the world’s largest canary, 50% heavier than the next largest species, according to a new study published in the journal Ibis. The São Tomé grosbeak (Crithagra concolor). Image credit: Alexandre Vaz / Melo et al, doi: 10.1111/ibi.12466. The São …

A study of the potential future mission to ‘ice giant’ planets Uranus and Neptune and their moons has been released — the first in a series of mission studies NASA scientists will conduct in support of the next Planetary Science Decadal Survey. Left: arriving at Uranus in 1986, Voyager 2 …

According to a new analysis of modern and ancient cat DNA, today’s domestic cat is a descendant of both the Near Eastern and Egyptian populations of the wildcat subspecies Felis silvestris lybica, which was domesticated several times in different locations around the world, with two major waves of domestication. The …

A new study led by University of Nottingham researchers has shown that the extract taken from the leaves, stem and roots of Carpolobia lutea, a plant native to West and Central tropical Africa, could help to protect chemical messengers in the brain which play a vital role in functions including …

Scientists from the UK have figured out how to use a force field to separate cells, and it’s about to change prostate cancer research. It’s done with an “electric sieve” that began its life as a bit of aluminum foil with some epoxy smeared on it. This new, sci-fi approach …

Earth is the only planet we know of right now that supports life, but considering the scale of the universe it seems like there could be others. The first step in finding these Earth-like worlds is to detect planets orbiting nearby stars. That’s what NASA’s Kepler space telescope has been …

A team of herpetologists, led by Dr. Eli Greenbaum, associate professor of biological sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso, has discovered three new species of chameleons. The Rugege highlands forest chameleon (Kinyongia rugegensis). Image credit: Eli Greenbaum. The reptile trio — historically thought to be a single …

According to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, mind-body interventions such as mindfulness, yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, relaxation response, and breath regulation don’t simply relax us, they can ‘reverse’ the molecular reactions in our DNA which cause ill-health and depression. Ivana Buric et al analyze how the …

Nobody wants to hear they have cancer. And after a cancer diagnosis, good news can be thin on the ground. So it might be a pleasant change to hear that for the most common types of prostate and penile cancer, called adenocarcinomas, scientists have developed a tiny radiotherapeutic implant that …