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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…

Chemists Discover Why Synonymous DNA Mutations Are Not Always Silent

Lead Image: Illustration of a new class of protein misfolding called a non-covalent lasso entanglement that can result from changes to the rate of protein synthesis caused by synonymous mutations. Bottom: structure of a protein showing its native state and misfolded state with non-covalent lasso entanglement. Credit: Yang Jiang, Penn State Modeling shows how genetic changes that don’t lead to changes in protein sequence can still alter protein function. New modeling shows how synonymous mutations — those that change the DNA sequence of a gene but not the sequence of the encoded protein — can still impact protein production and…

Just Like Humans – More Intelligent Jays Have This Characteristic

Top of the class was ‘JayLo’, who ignored a piece of cheese and waited five and a half minutes for a mealworm. Credit: Alex Schnell Similar to humans, more intelligent jays display more self-control. According to recent research, Eurasian jays may pass a variation of the “marshmallow test,” and those with the best self-control also do the best on intelligence tests. This is the first proof of a connection between self-control and intellect in birds. Self-control, or the ability to resist temptation in favor of a higher but delayed reward, is a crucial ability that promotes wise judgment and long-term…