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As Online, Open Access, and Outreach Journal, we promote the democratization of scientific literature to foster dialogues and interest over the most recent scientific advances. Discover our mission.
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We publish short lay-summaries ("breaks") of scientific research. Our authors are scientists involved in the field of the summarized research. Our readers are academics and laypeople likewise. Learn more.
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How platelets pull the strings
Without platelets, humans might have bled to death even with the tiniest of wounds. But is their only function to stop blood loss? New results suggest that they could also help in starting to heal a wound by forming new specialized tissue. These findings pave the way for improvements in implanted medical devices and treatment options for those suffering from frequent bleeding.
A tool for precisely modelling real-world quantum devices
Mar 24, 2023 | 4 min read by Moritz Cygorek , Erik Manuel GaugerUsing the quantum properties of atoms to reveal what's underground
Mar 22, 2023 | 4 min read by Jamie Vovrosh , Daniel Boddice , Michael HolynskiNew chemistry in unusual bacteria displays drug-like activity
Mar 21, 2023 | 3.5 min read by Grace Dekoker , Joshua BlodgettGirls are more likely to attribute failure to lack of talent
Mar 15, 2023 | 3.5 min read by Clotilde Napp , Thomas BredaFinding the straw that breaks the cancer's back?
Mar 13, 2023 | 4 min read by Hazal Köse , Matthias WirthHighlights
Tiny molecular probes reveal invisible forces inside cells
Jan 10, 2022 in Maths, Physics & Chemistry | 4 min read by Margot RiggiThe seed’s hidden defense arsenal: using bacteria to defend against disease
Feb 10, 2022 in Plant Biology | 3 min read by Haruna Matsumoto , Tomislav Cernava , Mengcen WangBrain activity of conservatives and liberals diverge while watching the news
Jan 5, 2022 in Psychology | 4 min read by Yuan Chang LeongNo need to stress when the dissertation deadline approaches
Feb 18, 2022 in Psychology | 3.5 min read by Max KorbmacherSubjects
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Marsquakes redefine what we tought about a quiet Mars
Analyzing seismic waveforms recorded by the InSight mission seismometer, we discovered and documented 47 marsquakes in the Cerberus Fossae region of Mars. Their repetitive nature at all times of the Martian day tells a story of their likely volcanic origin and of a mobile Martian mantle. Mars harbours a liquid core, and it remains to be understood why the Martian geodynamic field ceased to exist.
Feb 13, 2023 | 4 min readHow do immune cells enter tissues to protect the body?
Immune cells can move within our body, even between firmly attached cells. How do they overcome these impediments? Studying fruit fly embryos, we have discovered that immune cells take advantage of dividing cells. Because intercellular attachments disassemble during division, it creates a weak spot in the dense tissue, through which immune cells can migrate.
Jan 17, 2023 | 3.5 min readSolving A Decade-Long Mystery: Neurons Hold The Key To Rare Neurological Diseases
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia are devastating neurological diseases. Yet, there is no effective treatment for them. We uncovered a genetic cause of these diseases leading to a cryptic process in neurons caused by a malfunctioning protein. Our finding might help provide a potential new therapy for such neurological diseases.
Feb 6, 2023 | 3.5 min readPlant genetic engineering makes treasure from trash
We have seen in recent years a massive leap forward in plant genetic engineering which holds great promise for future plant breeding. However, the genes that steer the plant’s powerhouses had resisted our attempts to change them. We tried a technique that had fallen out of favour in the last decade, and we unexpectedly discovered an efficient and valuable tool.
Feb 27, 2023 | 3.5 min readThe Impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the Brain: It Is All in Your Head
What is going on with SARS-CoV-2 infection and your brain? Even in mild infection there may be neurological injury that affects recovery. In our study, brain tissue recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infected non-human primates revealed microbleeds, neuron injury and death, and evidence of brain hypoxia, all of which may cause long-lasting neurological symptoms after infection.
Feb 15, 2023 | 3.5 min readTwo hits in one – the neurobiology of schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is widely thought to involve the disruption of both early and late phases of brain development – the so-called ‘two-hit’ hypothesis – but what is the biology behind these two hits? Studying genetic changes contributing to risk for the disorder, we uncovered surprising links between the biological pathways involved in early and late hits.
Jan 31, 2023 | 3 min read