Unique relaxation mechanism behind case of negative thermal expansion

Researchers in China have revealed a new relaxation-related mechanism in a material with negative thermal expansion (NTE). The group introduced organic linkers into the skeleton of a metal–organic rotaxane network to construct a flexible NTE material, which they envision will aid the design of other types of metal–organic materials with controllable thermal responsive behaviour.  Thermal […]

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Owen Gingerich (1930–2023)

When I first started delving into the history of astronomy there was a pantheon of the great historians, who ruled over the discipline far above us mere mortals–for example, I. Bernhard Cohen, Edward Rosen, Robert S. Westman, Richard S. Westfall, and others. One of those giants, Owen Gingerich, died 28 May at the grand old […]

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Metallic hydrogen and diamonds may have been made from plastics

A simplified experimental approach for studying liquid metallic hydrogen has been developed by an international research team.1 The scientists claim they’ve turned plastics into hydrogen and carbon using an intense laser beam that produces crushing pressures and high temperatures that transforms these elements into diamonds and a liquid metal. The new results could have important […]

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US trade regulator sues to block Amgen–Horizon merger

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is suing to halt Amgen from acquiring Horizon Therapeutics. Amgen had announced in December that it would buy the Irish-headquartered biopharma company for almost $28 billion (£22 billion). The FTC is seeking a preliminary injunction from a federal court to stop the merger on the grounds that it would […]

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Academic freedom is at stake in Turkish elections, researchers warn

A lot is hanging on the outcome of the presidential elections in the Turkey this weekend, many academics in the country are saying. At stake are issues like the governmental appointment of university rectors, the reinstatement of professors expelled during the 2016 state of emergency, control of academia by the Council of Higher Education (Yök) […]

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Beer byproduct used as a binder in paintings during the Danish Golden Age

Cereal and yeast proteins linked to beer production have been found, for the first time, in canvas paintings from the Danish Golden Age. The authors of the study said the discovery helped to unravel key links between Danish society and art. The researchers used protein sequencing by tandem mass spectrometry to characterise the protein residues […]

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The diabetes drugs aiming to aid weight loss

A new class of drugs for obesity, which suppress appetite by mimicking human hormones, are being developed by the pharmaceutical industry in its latest effort to access the lucrative potential market for weight loss treatments. Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro (tirzepatide) was approved for treating diabetes in the US, Canada and Europe in 2022, and brought in […]

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