News Archive
'Fettuccine' may be most obvious sign of life on Mars
Diana Yates
A rover scanning the surface of Mars for evidence of life might want to check for rocks that look like pasta, researchers report in the journal Astrobiology.
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Breakthrough to measure plant improvements helps boost production
Claire Benjamin
An international team is using advanced tools to develop crops that give farmers more options for sustainably producing more food on less land. To do this, thousands of plant…
Stephen Long Elected to National Academy of Sciences
Diana Yates
Stephen P. Long, a professor of crop sciences and plant biology at the University of Illinois, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, one of the highest…
Injections, exercise promote muscle regrowth after atrophy in mice
Diana Yates
By injecting cells that support blood vessel growth into muscles depleted by inactivity, researchers say they are able to help restore muscle mass lost as a result of…
Project aims to revive natural product discovery
Emily Scott
The mid-20th century was the golden age of natural product discovery. Scientists discovered groundbreaking drugs, like penicillin and tetracycline, from sources in nature.…
Drugs reprogram genes in breast tumors to prevent endocrine resistance
Sharita Forrest
Treating breast tumors with two cancer drugs simultaneously may prevent endocrine resistance by attacking the disease along two separate gene pathways, scientists at the…
Reducing energy required to convert CO2 waste into valuable resources
Lois Yoksoulian
Surplus industrial carbon dioxide creates an opportunity to convert waste into a valuable commodity. Excess CO2 can be a feedstock for chemicals typically derived from fossil…
Smart antioxidant-containing polymer responds to body, environment
Lois Yoksoulian
Oxidants found within living organisms are byproducts of metabolism and are essential to wound-healing and immunity. However, when their concentrations become too high,…
Low-calorie lactose sweetener gets manufacturing boost from yeast
Liz Ahlberg Touchstone
The quest to satisfy the sweet tooth without adding to the waistline has a new weapon in its arsenal: a strain of yeast that can metabolize lactose, the sugar in dairy products…