Science

New repair mechanism discovered in the brain could one day treat seizures

Microglia are immune cells that clean out unwanted debris in the brain and central nervous system, but it turns out they might help heal injured neurons too – a discovery that could pave the way for new treatments for epilepsy and other conditions.

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Laser pincers generate antimatter by recreating neutron star conditions

Physicists have outlined a relatively simple new way to create antimatter, by firing two lasers at each other to reproduce the conditions near a neutron star, converting light into matter and antimatter. Doing so could unlock cosmological mysteries.

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Engineered plants’ roots turn red when helpful fungi show up

While you might think that it's best to keep crops fungus-free, there are some fungi that actually help plants grow. In order to observe that relationship, scientists have created plants with roots that turn red when infiltrated by beneficial fungi.

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Wearable ultrasound patch could warn of cardiovascular problems

It goes without saying that the earlier someone can be warned of an impending heart attack or stroke, the better. A new skin patch could provide such warnings, by sending ultrasound pulses into the wearer's body.

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Five forms of eco-friendly plastic that break down fast

By tweaking the process by which plastic is made, scientists hope to offer functional forms of it that safely and naturally degrade in just a fraction of the time. And recent breakthroughs suggest such a future mightn't be all that far away.

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Mars InSight reveals first crust-to-core snapshot of Red Planet

NASA's InSight has provided … well, insight, into the inner workings of the Red Planet. By monitoring marsquakes over the past two years, the instrument measured the thickness and composition of Mars’ crust, mantle and core, revealing some surprises.

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Tomato study suggests fruits can warn mother plants of pest attacks

Because fruits just dangle from the main plant before ultimately falling off, one might think that they are unable to communicate with that plant. According to new research, however, tomato fruits are able to transmit alerts to their mother plant.

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Blue Origin’s New Shepard flies passengers to space and back

Blue Origin has nailed the first human flight of New Shepard, taking company founder Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark, 82-year-old Mary Wallace "Wally" Funk and 18-year-old Oliver Daemen on a brief jaunt to space.

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Scientists build tiny “virus traps” out of DNA origami

Researchers in Germany have developed a new method to treat viral infections by making traps. The team folded DNA into nano-capsules with specialized binding points inside them, which could grab hold of viruses and render them inert.

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China adding finishing touches to world-first thorium nuclear reactor

According to local media, the Chinese government intends to finish building a prototype molten salt nuclear reactor in the city of Wuwei before the end of year, with plans to establish a number of larger-scale plants in similar settings thereafter.

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