A new study has unveiled a precise picture of how an ion channel found in most mammalian cells regulates its own function with a 'ball-and-chain' channel-plugging mechanism. The findings boost the understanding of ion channel biology and could lead to new drugs that target these channels to treat disorders such as epilepsy and hypertension.

Researchers explore the likelihood that Earth's climate, as affected by solar heat, plays a role in seismic activity. Using mathematical and computational methods, they analyzed earthquake data alongside solar activity records and surface temperatures on Earth and observed that when they included Earth surface temperatures into their model, the forecasting became more accurate, especially for shallow earthquakes.

The extensive loss of biodiversity represents one of the major crises of our time, threatening not only entire ecosystems but also our current and future livelihoods. As scientists realize the magnitude and scale of ongoing extinctions, it is vital to ascertain the resources available for conservation and whether funds are being effectively distributed to protect species most in need.

For decades, scientists have relied on electrodes and dyes to track the electrical activity of living cells. Now, engineers have discovered that quantum materials just a single atom thick can do the job with high speed and resolution -- using only light.

DNA repair proteins act like the body's editors, constantly finding and reversing damage to our genetic code. Researchers have long struggled to understand how cancer cells hijack one of these proteins -- called polymerase theta (Pol-theta) -- for their own survival. But scientists have now captured the first detailed images of Pol-theta in action, revealing the molecular processes responsible for a range of cancers.

New modeling method helped researchers understand why kelp forests returned more slowly in Southern California than in British Columbia.

A research team has uncovered how a naturally occurring biological mechanism found in mammals is able to prevent sperm cells from interacting with an egg, preventing fertilization. The discovery, identified in rodent models, offers a new path for scientific research to help people grappling with infertility issues, while also opening a new line of study for developing contraceptive therapies.

The amount of nitrogen fertilizer needed to maximize the profitability of corn production in the Midwest has been increasing by about 1.2% per year for the past three decades, a trend driven by higher yields and wetter springs, according to a new study.

Obesity rates are set to skyrocket, with one in six children and adolescents worldwide forecast to be obese by 2050, according to a new study. But with significant increases predicted within the next five years, the researchers stress urgent action now could turn the tide on the public health crisis.

Melting ice sheets are slowing the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC), the world's strongest ocean current, researchers have found. This melting has implications for global climate indicators, including sea level rise, ocean warming and viability of marine ecosystems. The researchers have shown the current slowing by around 20 per cent by 2050 in a high carbon emissions scenario.

Gut microbes that were thought to feed exclusively on dietary fiber also get fed sugar from our guts, from which they produce short-chain fatty acids that are crucial to many body functions. The discovery of this symbiotic relationship also points the way to developing novel therapeutics.

New research reveals that a mother's diet during pregnancy -- characterized by a Western dietary pattern high in fat and sugar and low in fresh ingredients -- may increase the risk of neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD and autism in children. Researchers see potential for targeted dietary interventions during pregnancy to reduce this risk.

Researchers have shown how a low carbohydrate diet can worsen the DNA-damaging effects of some gut microbes to cause colorectal cancer. The study compared the effects of three different diets in combination with specific gut bacteria on colorectal cancer development in mice.

A synthetic microbiome therapy, tested in mice, holds promise as a new treatment for C. difficile, a notoriously difficult-to-treat bacterial infection, according to a team of researchers. The targeted treatment was as effective as human fecal transplants in mice against C. difficile infection with fewer safety concerns, protect against severe symptoms and decrease recurrent infections.

Researchers have published a new study showing an advanced new methane flare burner, created with additive manufacturing and machine learning, eliminates 98% of methane vented during oil production.

Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is the most common fungal pneumonia in children. But current diagnostic methods can take days an require an invasive bronchoscopy procedure. Now, a new CRISPR-based test has been developed to diagnose PJP more quickly and less invasively.

Researchers are suggesting a more comprehensive approach for identifying at-risk wildlife populations -- such as caribou -- based on individual movement patterns. The article uses a long-term dataset of caribou wearing GPS collars across Western Canada. It identifies six distinct behavioral groups that would each deserve their own conservation actions.