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Cells use Morse code-like rhythms to coordinate growth

Cells experience many different types of stress, such as starvation or stress caused by too much salt or too high a temperature. Insulin signals respond to such stress signals by sending the protein DAF-16 into the cell nucleus where it activates the stress-specific genes to

Coffee as a staining agent substitute in electron microscopy

To ensure that the tissue structures of biological samples are easily recognizable under the electron microscope, they are treated with a staining agent. The standard staining agent for this is uranyl acetate. However, some laboratories are not allowed to use this highly toxic

Image: Meltwater turns iceberg A-23A blue

The year that iceberg A-23A first broke away from Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf, Ronald Reagan was president of the United States, and the movie "Top Gun" was setting box office records. Forty years later, the massive tabular berg—one of the largest and longest-lived bergs

Are 'new towns' a solution to the housing crisis?

As housing prices continue to rise nationwide—not just in major metropolitan areas, but even in rural locations—there's pressure to create more housing. In Massachusetts, the 2024 Affordable Homes Act calls for 220,000 additional units of affordable housing to be created, but

A quantum discovery that breaks the rules of heating

When scientists repeatedly drove a strongly interacting quantum system with laser “kicks,” they expected it to heat up and grow chaotic. Instead, the atoms abruptly stopped absorbing energy and locked into a stable pattern of motion. This strange effect arises from quantum

Scientists find exercise rivals therapy for depression

A large review of studies suggests that exercise can ease depression about as effectively as psychological therapy. Compared with antidepressants, exercise showed similar benefits, though the evidence was less certain. Researchers found that light to moderate activity over

This brain trick makes exercise feel easier

Exercise doesn’t just challenge the body; it challenges how the brain interprets effort. Scientists discovered that vibrating tendons before cycling allowed people to push harder without feeling like they were working more. Their muscles and hearts worked overtime, but their

A new study casts doubt on life beneath Europa’s ice

Europa’s buried ocean has made it one of the most exciting places to search for life beyond Earth. However, new calculations suggest its seafloor may be calm, cold, and largely inactive, with little energy to support living organisms. Unlike Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io, Europa