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Surprising: Rare Human Gene Variant Exposes Fundamental Sex Differences

Lead Image: The research sheds new light on how sex determines the mechanisms by which various synapses monitor and regulate dopamine signaling. A study in mice reveals a surprising difference between male and female dopamine synapses supporting attention, movement, motivation, and pleasure. Almost all neuropsychiatric disorders have different prevalences, ages of onset, and clinical symptoms in men and women. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are two conditions with significant sex bias, with about four males diagnosed for every one female. It is unclear whether this skewed ratio results from the roles played in brain development by sex-specific…

Engineers Experiment on What Happens When You Flush a Public Restroom Toilet

Lead Image: Scientists used bright green lasers and camera equipment to reveal how tiny water droplets, invisible to the naked eye, are rapidly ejected into the air when a lid-less, public restroom toilet is flushed. Credit: John Crimaldi Scientists Shine a Light on What Comes Up When You Flush Thanks to new research, scientists see the impact of flushing the toilet in a whole new light—and now, the world can as well. Engineers ran an experiment to reveal how tiny water droplets, invisible to the naked eye, are rapidly ejected into the air when a lid-less, public restroom toilet is…

Unexpected Kilonova Discovery: Colossal Explosion Challenges Our Understanding of Gamma-Ray Bursts

This artist’s impression shows a kilonova produced by two colliding neutron stars. While studying the aftermath of a long gamma-ray burst (GRB), two independent teams of astronomers using a host of telescopes in space and on Earth, including the Gemini North telescope on Hawai‘i and the Gemini South telescope in Chile, have uncovered the unexpected hallmarks of a kilonova, the colossal explosion triggered by colliding neutron stars. Credit: NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva/Spaceengine International Gemini Observatory uncovers surprising evidence of colliding neutron stars after probing aftermath of gamma-ray burst. While investigating the aftermath of a long gamma-ray burst (GRB), two independent teams…

Cervical Cancer Breakthrough: Major New Clue to Better Understanding the Disease

Cervical cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the cells of the cervix, the lowermost part of the uterus. As part of the biggest omics study of its type, researchers at the University College London and the University of Southampton discovered that cervical cancer may be separated into two different molecular subgroups, one significantly more dangerous than the other. The groundbreaking discoveries, which were reported in the journal Nature Communications, are described as a “major step forward” in the understanding of disease and provide a tantalizing new hint in determining the most effective therapies for specific individuals. Cervical…

Making Cryptocurrencies More Sustainable: Follow Ethereum’s Lead

Lead Image: Ethereum, has reduced its electrical energy requirement by at least 99.84% by changing its method of production. Bitcoin has a carbon emissions problem due to the vast energy consumption of mining. In fact, bans on cryptomining have popped up around the world after the recent revelation that production of the cryptocurrency emits as much annual carbon dioxide as a small country. Notably, Ethereum, Bitcoin’s biggest competitor, has reduced its electrical energy requirement by at least 99.84% by changing its method of production. Crypto economist Alex De Vries explains how Ethereum made the change and how policymakers and consumers…