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World’s Smallest DNA Tic-Tac-Toe Game Board

Researchers from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have developed a new technique for shaping structures out of strands of DNA (DNA origami). In the game of tic-tac-toe on a DNA board, they reshaped an already-constructed DNA structure. The technology could be used to develop more sophisticated nanomachines with reconfigurable parts.

Measles Outbreaks Catalysed by Vaccine Hesitancy

The increase in measles, a highly contagious scourge that had been nearly eradicated in many parts of the world, is concerning health officials. In Europe, measles had reached the highest levels in two decades. Experts blame this surge in infections on a drop in the number of people being vaccinated.

Feeding Cows Seaweed Could Cut Methane Emissions

A research group from the University of California has discovered that a diet supplemented with seaweed could lessen the huge amounts of greenhouse gases emitted by cows and sheep. Even when small amounts of seaweed were added to the feed, the cows’ methane production was cut by nearly 60%. If researchers figure out how to […]

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An Extra-Spicy Plant Could Help End the Opioid Crisis

Researchers have taken an interest in a euphorbia plant growing in Marocco as a possible painkiller. The plant’s active ingredient, resiniferatoxin (RTX), is extremely spicy, a 10,000 times hotter than the world’s hottest pepper. RTX is a potent analog of capsaicin, the active ingredient in chilli peppers, and has numerous benefits over existing painkillers. It doesn’t require frequent […]

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Bugs on Drugs: Devastating Effects of Pharmaceutical Pollution

An international team of researchers detected a vast sixty-nine pharmaceutical compounds in stream insects. When these insects emerge as flying adults, they can pass these drugs further to spiders, fish, birds, bats, and other streamside foragers. This way, drug pollution moves up food webs and in some cases exposes even top predators to therapeutically-effective doses.

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Air Pollution Is the New Tobacco

Air pollution has become one of the biggest threats to public health worldwide. Now, the World Health Organisation (WHO) brought together government officials and health experts in the first-ever international air pollution conference. This silent public health emergency is killing 7 million people every year and damaging the health of many more.

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“Smart” Surfaces That Repel Harmful Microorganisms

Researchers from McMaster University in Canada have engineered “smart” surface coatings that can repel almost everything, including bacteria, viruses, and living cells. A new feature of this technology is the possibility of modifying the coating to permit beneficial exceptions. These surfaces create the promise of safer implants and more accurate diagnostic tests.

Wireless Implant That Heals Damaged Nerves and Self-Destructs

Researchers have developed an implantable, bioabsorbable, wireless device that speeds recovery in rats by stimulating injured nerves with electricity. It accelerates the regrowth of nerves and enhances the recovery of muscle strength and control. The device, the size of a dime and thick as a paper, degrades in a few weeks. This new approach to […]