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Natel Energy: Making Hydropower Plants More Fish-Friendly and Sustainable

A fish-safe turbine designed by Natel Energy. Credit: Courtesy of Natel Energy Natel Energy, launched by sibling MIT alumni, is deploying hydropower systems with fish-safe turbines and other features that mimic natural river conditions. Growing up on a farm in Texas, siblings Gia Schneider ’99 and Abe Schneider ’02, SM ’03 always had plenty to do. However, every Saturday at 2 p.m., no matter what, the family would go down to a local creek to fish, build rock dams and rope swings, and enjoy nature. “It’s a motivator for the idea that hydropower can help improve the environment rather than…

EnVision Mission: Readying Spacecraft To Surf Venus’ Hot, Thick Atmosphere

EnVision aerobraking in Venus atmosphere. Credit: ESA/ Paris Observatory / VR2Planets / Damia Bouic EnVision, a project of the European Space Agency (ESA), is a mission to Venus that will perform optical, spectral and radar mapping of Earth’s sister planet. However, before getting down to work the van-sized spacecraft needs to ‘aerobrake’ – lowering its orbit with thousands of passages through the planet’s hot, thick atmosphere for up to two years. A unique ESA facility is currently testing candidate spacecraft materials to verify if they can safely withstand this challenging process of atmospheric surfing. “EnVision as currently conceived cannot take…

Captivity Can Turn Fish Into Cannibals

Lead Image: Cannibalism was widely thought to be common in nature, however, recent research suggests differently. According to recent research, wild fish cannibalism is uncommon. Even though mosquitofish and guppies are known to be cannibalistic in captivity, it is very improbable that they would engage in cannibalism in the wild. Instead, the few instances of cannibalism in these fish are probably the result of an intense struggle for food. The results of a recent study led by researchers from the United States and the United Kingdom could not only have implications for fish lovers and researchers who use mosquitofish as models…

Common Viruses May Be Triggering Alzheimer’s Disease

Lead Image: Varicella zoster virus (VZV), which commonly causes chickenpox and shingles, activates herpes simplex virus (HSV) from dormancy in neural tissue grown in vitro, which then leads to an increase in plaque deposits and decrease in neural signaling — hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Credit: Tufts University Shingles infection may awaken dormant neurological herpes viruses, causing inflammation and accumulation of Alzheimer’s associated proteins in the brain. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia in older adults and the 7th leading cause of death in the United States, according to the National Institute on Aging. It is a debilitating…

Science Reveals That This Type of Diet Can Increase Your Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

Lead Image: A recent study has linked high-fat diets and increased risk of pancreatic cancer. According to a new study, substances that are said to boost athletic performance can also activate a receptor that speeds up the development of pancreatic cancer in mice. The progression of precancerous pancreatic lesions into pancreatic cancer is fueled by a cell nuclear receptor that is activated by high-fat diets and synthetic compounds found in unregulated sports performance enhancers, according to research from the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center. Strategies to prevent and treat pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, a particularly fatal type of cancer with…