How hydrophobicity shapes protein assemblies

How hydrophobicity shapes protein assemblies

Biological Membrane (BM) effect. A Schematic representation of two single phospholipids. The pseudohydrophobic moment H (green arrow) is defined as the vector obtained from multiplying the hydrophobicity of the phospholipid h+ , times the distance vector d (black arrow) joining the hydrophobic centroid somewhere in the tail, and the hydrophilic centroid in the polar head. …

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Extreme cold may have nearly wiped out human ancestors 900,000 years ago

Extreme cold may have nearly wiped out human ancestors 900,000 years ago

Human ancestors nearly died out between around 930,000 to 813,000 years ago in an evolutionarily pivotal population bust, a contested new study concludes. This potential winnowing of human ancestors into a barely sustainable number of survivors coincided with a period of extreme cold and extended droughts in Africa and Eurasia, previous geologic evidence indicates. If …

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Hunting for supermassive black holes in the early universe

Hunting for supermassive black holes in the early universe

A supermassive black hole (SMBH; the small black dot at the center) absorbs surrounding material, which forms a spiral disk-like shape as it flows in. The gravitational energy of the material is converted to radiation and emitted away from the disk. SMBHs with such shining outskirts are called “quasars.” Credit: Yoshiki Matsuoka, Ehime University Supermassive …

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World’s longest lichen declines in a national park

World’s longest lichen declines in a national park

Hydrated thalli of Usnea longissima hanging from spruce branches in Skuleskogen National Park. Credit: Per-Anders Esseen A unique long-term study performed by researchers at Umeå University shows that the pendent lichen Usnea longissima has decreased by 42% over 37 years in Skuleskogen National Park, located in High Coast UNESCO World Heritage site. The study has …

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Music might reduce newborns’ pain during medical procedures

Music might reduce newborns’ pain during medical procedures

The soothing tones of a classical lullaby may help to relieve the pain newborns can feel from routine medical procedures. The mellifluous method could be a beneficial addition to other pain-easing tactics. In a randomized clinical trial at a hospital nursery, newborns received a sugar solution — a standard method to lessen pain — before …

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New amphibian family tree indicates they evolved tens of millions of years later than previously thought

New amphibian family tree indicates they evolved tens of millions of years later than previously thought

Mossy frog (Theloderma corticale). Credit: Shutterstock/reptiles4all Researchers, including Jeff Streicher, Senior Curator in Charge, Amphibians and Reptiles at the Natural History Museum, London, have unveiled the most extensive evolutionary tree of frogs (anuran amphibians) to date. This comprehensive phylogeny, based on hundreds of genetic markers and a staggering 5,242 frog species, is set to transform …

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Efforts to Bring Back the Caribbean Reef Shark May Become a Conservation Success Story | Science

Efforts to Bring Back the Caribbean Reef Shark May Become a Conservation Success Story | Science

It carries itself with classic elegance, a nine-foot-long torpedo with tapered fins. Like their oceangoing cousins, Caribbean reef sharks swim fast to force water through their mouths and over their gills so they can take in oxygen. But they can also ventilate their gills by using muscles in their mouth while lounging in the shallows, …

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