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The magnetic sense of migratory birds such as European robins is thought to be based on a specific light-sensitive protein in the eye. In the current edition of the journal Nature, a team centred at the Universities of Oldenburg (Germany) and Oxford (UK) demonstrate that the protein cryptochrome 4, found in birds' retinas, is sensitive to magnetic fields and could well be the long-sought magnetic sensor.

Max Planck researchers have analyzed DNA from 728 sediment samples from Denisova Cave. Their study provides unprecedented detail about the occupation of the site by both archaic and modern humans over 300,000 years. The researchers detected the DNA of Neandertals and Denisovans, the two forms of archaic hominins who inhabited the cave, and -- for the first time -- the DNA of modern humans who appeared around the time of the emergence of an archaeological culture called the Initial Upper Paleolithic around 45,000 years ago.

Researchers have developed a simple lab-based technique that allows them to look inside lithium-ion batteries and follow lithium ions moving in real time as the batteries charge and discharge, something which has not been possible until now.

In a study publishing in the journal Heliyon on June 23, researchers combined data from 22 studies to conclude that in general, people are willing to pay $1.36 more for a pound of coffee that's produced in an eco-friendly way and are especially partial to coffee that's labelled "Organic."

A ring-expanded porphyrin with no meso-bridges comprised of an odd number of pyrroles was successfully synthesized via the oxidative coupling of the corresponding terpyrrole. This porphyrin showed a 34pi aromatic character and an intense absorption at the near-infrared region. We analyzed the optical and electronic structures using magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy and time-dependent density functional theory calculations.

The response times of footballers is slowed down when part of the kit worn by both teams is of the same colour, a new study shows.

Beware of those snack attacks. A new study in Appetite has confirmed the small luxuries, from sweets and chocolate to salty treats, have helped to lift our spirits - and kilojoule intake - during COVID-19 lockdowns. Researchers in England and Australia have gathered evidence about similar experiences in the UK and Victoria, Australia to warn about the effect of extended pandemic lockdowns on our eating behaviours.

Palsy, numbness or pain: people with nerve injuries suffer from these symptoms. For those affected, such sensory abnormalities can mean permanent and significant restrictions - which may even prevent them from working. An international research team including the Department of Neurology at BG University Hospital Bergmannsheil of Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) has recently demonstrated that sensory abnormalities following unilateral nerve injuries can not only occur in the affected area of the body but often also in the contralateral mirror-image body area.

Previously measured risk factors could help to prevent potentially fatal cardiovascular diseases and help in targeting preventive interventions.

A bioinspired mineralization of calcium carbonate was made possible with a peptide hydrogel acting as a multifunctional three-dimensional template. This study was able to clarify three major points, that a single peptide molecule has the ability to self-supply minerals through enzyme-like activity, the ability to control the crystal phase and morphology of inorganic materials, and the ability to spontaneously form hydrogels.

Researchers from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) have designed a deep learning-based system that accurately identifies individual skin stem cells grown under artificial conditions and tracks their motion. Using this system to perform quality control of stem cell cultures could improve the speed and efficiency of growing skin grafts for use in regenerative medicine and may also be useful for other types of stem cell cultures.

Berkeley Lab scientists have made significant progress in developing battery cathodes using a new class of materials that provide batteries with the same if not higher energy density than conventional lithium-ion batteries but can be made of inexpensive and abundant metals. Known as DRX, which stands for disordered rocksalts with excess lithium, this novel family of materials was invented less than 10 years ago and allows cathodes to be made without nickel or cobalt.

A stressful workplace can take its toll on our mental health, and new evidence published in the British Medical Journal backs up this belief. A year-long population study by the University of South Australia reveals that toxic workplaces can increase full time workers' risk of depression by 300%.

Researchers have developed an artificial intelligence-based brain age prediction model to quantify deviations from a healthy brain-aging trajectory in patients with mild cognitive impairment, according to a new study. The model has the potential to aid in early detection of cognitive impairment at an individual level.

Inconsistent regulations that vary from state to state means that invasive plants have an edge on our attempts to control them. However, new research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently published in the Journal of Applied Ecology suggests that we already have an answer in hand -- communication.

New research analysing a century-old dog biscuit suggests early British Antarctic expeditions underfed their dogs.

Supercomputers may no longer be needed to screen candidate materials and perform simulations for a wide variety of theoretical and commercial applications thanks to an easily accessible and computationally inexpensive new machine learning model, which has been initially trained to predict the band gap of solar energy materials as a proof of concept.

Researchers remain perplexed on the role of the interplay between blood pressure and glucose status and the development of cardiovascular events like coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease. In a first-of-its-kind study, published in Diabetes Care, Japanese researchers discovered that cardiovascular risks gradually rose with increases in blood pressure regardless of the presence of and degree of a blood glucose abnormality -- providing insight on BP targets for hypertensive patients according to glucose status.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation may be the cause of previously unexplained long COVID symptoms -- such as fatigue, brain fog, and rashes -- that occur in approximately 30% of patients after recovery from initial COVID-19 infection. The first evidence linking EBV reactivation to long COVID, as well as an analysis of long COVID prevalence, is outlined in a new long COVID study published in the journal Pathogens.

Middle school, a time when children's brains are undergoing significant development, is often also a time of new challenges in navigating the social world. Recent research from the Center for BrainHealth at UT Dallas demonstrates the power of combining a virtual platform with live coaching to help students enhance their social skills and confidence in a low-risk environment.