Science Daily

Climate change will increase the future value of residential rooftop solar panels across the United States by up to 19% by the end of the century, according to a new study.

Analysis of mooring observations and hydrographic data suggest the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation deep water limb in the North Atlantic has weakened. Two decades of continual observations provide a greater understanding of the Earth's climate regulating system.

Researchers have designed a new method for developing immunotherapy drugs using engineered peptides to elicit a natural immune response inside the body.

EPFL researchers have developed the first comprehensive model of the quantum-mechanical effects behind photoluminescence in thin gold films; a discovery that could drive the development of solar fuels and batteries.

Earthquakes and landslides are famously difficult to predict and prepare for. By studying a miniature version of the ground in the lab, scientists have demonstrated how these events can be triggered by a small external shock wave. Bring a flotation device: it involves the ground briefly turning into a liquid!

Although there are still some aspects pending confirmation for its use in the clinical setting, and its resolution needs to be improved slightly, a study has shown that a method routinely used to carry out ophthalmological tests can also be used to monitor the neurodegeneration that occurs in Parkinson's patients. In the course of the research it was found that the neurodegeneration of the retina probably precedes cognitive impairment.

A new study reveals how noise is generated and propagated from these engines, technically known as boundary layer ingesting (BLI) ducted fans.

A heart attack will leave a permanent scar on a human heart, yet other animals, including zebrafish, can clear cardiac scar tissue and regrow damaged muscle as adults. Biologists sheds new light on how zebrafish heal heart tissue by comparing how this species responds to heart injury with medaka, a fish species that cannot regenerate cardiac tissue.

A new robotic suction cup which can grasp rough, curved and heavy stone, has been developed by scientists.

A new typing model simulates the typing process instead of just predicting words.

Despite progress in defining functional elements of noncoding DNA, it is still not fully understood. Researchers, using an experiment that elucidated the function of tens of thousands of noncoding variants, discovered a link between functional mutations and genes linked to cancer pathways, as well as indicators to predict cancer patient survival. Understanding the mutations' influence on mRNA and protein production could shed light on the processes that drive cancer progression and guide advancement of testing tools.

The first health impact study of coal train pollution centers on the San Francisco Bay Area, with scientists finding communities near passing coal trains suffer worse health outcomes.

Contrary to previous assumptions, nerve cells in the human neocortex are wired differently than in mice. The study found that human neurons communicate in one direction, while in mice, signals tend to flow in loops. This increases the efficiency and capacity of the human brain to process information. These discoveries could further the development of artificial neural networks.

The energy density of supercapacitors -- battery-like devices that can charge in seconds or a few minutes -- can be improved by increasing the 'messiness' of their internal structure. Researchers used experimental and computer modelling techniques to study the porous carbon electrodes used in supercapacitors. They found that electrodes with a more disordered chemical structure stored far more energy than electrodes with a highly ordered structure.

Scientists have discovered that the magnetic nanobubbles known as skyrmions can be moved by electrical currents, attaining record speeds up to 900 m/s. Anticipated as future bits in computer memory, these nanobubbles offer enhanced avenues for information processing in electronic devices. Their tiny size provides great computing and information storage capacity, as well as low energy consumption. Until now, these nanobubbles moved no faster than 100 m/s, which is too slow for computing applications. However, thanks to the use of an antiferromagnetic material as medium, the scientists successfully had the skyrmions move 10 times faster than previously observed. These results offer new prospects for developing higher-performance and less energy-intensive computing devices.

Land subsidence is overlooked as a hazard in cities, according to new research. Scientists used satellite data that accurately and consistently maps land movement across China.

Scientists have developed artificial heterostructures made of freestanding 2D and 3D membranes that have an energy density up to 19 times higher than commercially available capacitors.

Researchers have uncovered a mechanism in the brain that allows cocaine and morphine to take over natural reward processing systems.

The annual influenza vaccine has become less effective on average over time. One reason may be reduced vaccine efficacy in people with obesity than those with a healthier body mass index (BMI), while the number of people with high BMI grows. Findings showed switching mice to a healthy diet four weeks before influenza vaccination protected 100% from a later flu exposure, despite still having a high BMI.

The 2010 Gulf of Mexico Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the largest accidental spill in history, released almost 100 million gallons of oil, causing significant pollution. A decade later, its long-term effects remain unclear. A study investigating the impact on endemic fish species found 29 of 78 species unreported in museum collections since the spill, suggesting potential loss of biodiversity.