New method for detecting quantum states of electrons

Researchers have devised a new method — called image charge detection — to detect electrons' transitions to quantum states. Electrons can serve as quantum bits, the smallest unit of quantum information; these bits are foundational to larger computational systems. Quantum computers may be used to understand the mechanism of superconductivity, cryptography, artificial intelligence, among other applications.

Read more

Researchers unlock cancer-causing mechanism of E. coli toxin with synthetic biology approach

An inter-disciplinary team of researchers has unraveled how a toxin released by Escherichia coli (E. coli) – a human gut bacteria, is connected to colorectal cancer, offering new insights to the health impact of this prevalent bacteria and facilitating future research on the prevention of this third most common cancer worldwide.

Read more

Large transnational corporations play critical role in global natural resource management

Researchers have identified six corporate actions that, combined with effective public policy and improved governmental regulations, could help large transnational corporations steer environmental stewardship efforts around the world.

Read more

The happiest introverts may be extraverts

If you are an introvert, force yourself to be an extravert. You'll be happier. That's the suggestion of the first-ever study asking people to act like extraverts for a prolonged period. The benefits of extraversion have been reported before, including those of ''forced extraversion,'' but usually only for brief intervals.

Read more

New method reveals how damage occurs in human biological cells due to mechanical fatigue

Researchers have developed a novel way to measure how mechanical fatigue affects biological cells. They also have established the important role of this effect in influencing physical properties of biological cells such as red blood cells (RBCs). This new technique assesses the mechanical integrity and fatigue behavior of RBCs using a general microfluidics method that incorporates amplitude-modulated electro-deformation. This method has important applications for mechanical fatigue studies in conjunction with other microenvironments related to health and materials engineering.

Read more

Hello, world! A new approach for physics in de sitter space

For decades, physicists have been attempting to reconcile quantum mechanics, the physics of the very small, with gravity, the physics of the very large. While many academics are working on quantum gravity, they often use models that don't consider certain aspects of our own universe, like its accelerated expansion. A team reports a new approach to quantum gravity using a model that more closely matches our reality.

Read more

Scientists identify previously unknown 'hybrid zone' between hummingbird species

We usually think of a species as being reproductively isolated — that is, not mating with other species in the wild. Occasionally, however, closely related species do interbreed. New research documents the existence of a previously undiscovered hybrid zone along the coasts of California and Oregon where two related bird hummingbirds are blurring species boundaries, and researchers hope that studying cases such as this one could improve their understanding of how biodiversity is created and maintained.

Read more