MIT physicists have discovered a new quantum bit, or “qubit,” in the form of vibrating pairs of atoms known as fermions. They found that when pairs of fermions are chilled and trapped in an optical lattice, the particles can exist simultaneously in two states — a weird quantum phenomenon known as superposition. In this case, […]

For millions of patients who have lost limbs for reasons ranging from diabetes to trauma, the possibility of regaining function through natural regeneration remains out of reach. Regrowth of legs and arms is the province of salamanders and superheroes. But in a study published in the journal Science Advances, scientists at Tufts and Harvard University’s Wyss […]

A new UBC study confirms that when men transition out of relationships, they are at increased risk of mental illness, including anxiety, depression and suicide. “Most men experienced the onset or worsening of mental illness symptoms during a distressed relationship or following the breakdown of a relationship,” says the study’s lead author Dr. John Oliffe, a […]

A circular peptide derived from violets could lead to new approaches in treating glioblastoma, a highly aggressive form of brain cancer. Researchers report that cyclotides, small circular proteins produced by violets increase the power of TMZ, a chemotherapeutic agent, in killing human glioblastoma cancer cells. Glioblastoma is a fatal type of brain cancer of adults and […]

Adevice shaped like a ping-pong paddle delicately brushes the left side of Teresa Lindhardt’s forehead. Her psychiatrist reaches over to flip a switch. Several bursts of what sound like soft bug zaps ensue for three minutes. After six weeks of daily treatments with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), Lindhardt, 55, says she’s completely free of the […]

The tweets of a little song sparrow and its “bird brain” are a lot more complex and akin to human language than anyone realized. A new study finds that male sparrows deliberately shuffle and mix their song repertoire possibly as a way to keep it interesting for their female audience. The research, from the lab […]

Drinking a glass of water is often sufficient to quench thirst after exercising. But while the sensation of thirst may be satiated after just a few minutes of drinking, the process of rehydration actually takes around half an hour. The delay occurs because the brain receives signals that you drank water before the body is […]

An analysis of large salt deposits on Mars indicates that ponds of liquid water existed on the Red Planet for about a billion years longer than previously believed. Hundreds of deposits of sodium chloride (table salt) stretching tens to hundreds of square kilometers in area were discovered by NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter starting in 2008. Not only […]

Researchers from the University of Birmingham, U.K., and Duke University, U.S., have created a new family of polymers from sustainable sources that retain all of the same qualities as common plastics, but are also degradable and mechanically recyclable. The scientists used sugar-based starting materials rather than petrochemical derivatives to make two new polymers, one which […]

The White House has announced a new multi-pronged plan to attract foreign students in Stem fields to the US and entice them to stay to continue conducting research after completing their degrees. The plan has been welcomed by US higher education groups. Under the Biden administration’s new strategy, announced on 21 January, the US State […]