Yale University News - SciTechDaily

Scientists Have Discovered the New Most Efficient Solar Energy System in the World – and It Wasn’t Created by Humans

Yale University — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 21:13:22 +0000

A recent study by Yale researcher Alison Sweeney suggests that giant clams in the Western Pacific could be the most efficient solar energy system in the world. According to a new Yale-led study, designers of solar panels and biorefineries could gain valuable insights from the iridescent giant clams found near tropical coral reefs. This is [...]

Yale Researchers Identify Brain Region That Fuels Paranoia

Yale University — Sun, 16 Jun 2024 21:30:11 +0000

Yale researchers link brain regions to paranoia through a study of human and monkey behaviors. The capacity to adjust beliefs about one’s actions and their consequences in a constantly changing environment is a defining characteristic of advanced cognition. Disruptions to this ability, however, can negatively affect cognition and behavior, leading to such states of mind [...]

Hunting for the Universe’s First Stars: Signs of Their Spectacular Endings

Jim Shelton, Yale University — Sat, 25 May 2024 07:19:56 +0000

Researchers say the first stars left behind distinctive flares that can be detected by a new generation of space telescopes. Astronomers at Yale and the University of Hong Kong have proposed a new strategy for finding the universe’s first stars — by looking for signs of their final, fiery flares. For years, scientists have searched [...]

Sexual Parasitism: Yale Scientists Unveil the Mating Mysteries of Deep-Sea Anglerfish

Yale University — Thu, 23 May 2024 15:00:44 +0000

Yale researchers have uncovered how sexual parasitism among deep-sea anglerfish, involving males permanently attaching to females, facilitated their adaptation from shallow-water habitats to the deep-sea “midnight zone.” This study, combining genetic analysis and evolutionary biology, suggests implications for medical advancements in immune suppression techniques. Unique Reproductive Strategy of Deep-Sea Anglerfish As the most expansive ecosystem [...]

From Sci-Fi to Reality: Yale Study Points to a More Livable Tatooine

Yale University — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 00:54:29 +0000

Luke Skywalker’s childhood might have been slightly less harsh if he’d grown up on a more temperate Tatooine — like the ones identified in a new, Yale-led study. According to the study’s authors, there are more climate-friendly planets in binary star systems — in other words, those with two suns — than previously known. And, [...]

Yale Study Unveils Asteroid Strikes As Possible Trigger for Earth’s Ice Ages

Yale University — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 03:38:23 +0000

Recent research argues that asteroid impacts may have triggered widespread ice ages in Earth’s ancient history. A Yale-led research team has picked a side in the “Snowball Earth” debate over the possible cause of planet-wide deep freeze events that occurred in the distant past. According to a new study, these so-called “Snowball” Earth periods, in [...]

Revolutionary Study Reveals High-Intensity Exercise May Reverse Parkinson’s Disease Neurodegeneration

Yale University — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 04:41:22 +0000

A new pilot study indicates that high-intensity exercise can induce brain-protective effects that have the potential to not just slow down, but possibly reverse, the neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson’s disease. Prior research has shown that many forms of exercise are linked to improved symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. But there has been no evidence that hitting [...]

Subterranean Power: How Bacteria’s Electric Grid Shapes Our World

Yale University — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 17:11:15 +0000

Soil bacteria use proteins to power nanowires, forming an underground electrical grid that supports life and impacts methane emissions. To “breathe” in an environment without oxygen, bacteria in the ground beneath our feet depend upon a single family of proteins to transfer excess electrons, produced during the “burning” of nutrients, to electric hairs called nanowires [...]

Yale Chemists Synthesize Elusive Anticancer Molecules

Yale University — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:37:19 +0000

Almost three decades ago, researchers identified a distinct group of anticancer compounds within bryozoans, a category of marine invertebrates native to tropical waters. The chemical structures of these molecules, which consist of a dense, highly complex knot of oxidized rings and nitrogen atoms, have attracted the interest of organic chemists worldwide, who aimed to recreate [...]

Yale Scientists Unveil Innovative Method To Prevent Menopause, Possibly Forever

Yale University — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 18:43:12 +0000

Most women agree that menopause has its advantages and disadvantages. While some appreciate the end of menstrual cycles and concerns about unplanned pregnancies, others fear the potential for hot flashes, mood swings, and other unwelcome symptoms. What some women consider a brief and barely noticeable phase in their lives can evolve into lasting changes and [...]

Scientists Sound Alarm on Urban Expansion: Could Lead to “Planetary Catastrophe”

University of Bristol — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 23:48:16 +0000

Leading experts in science are urgently advocating for a significant transformation in global governance to safeguard the future of cities around the world and the planet as a whole. Cities are growing at an unprecedented rate, putting overwhelming pressures on exploited land, scarce resources, and fragile ecosystems. The bold proposals, led by experts from the [...]

New Study Links Excess Cannabis Use to Numerous Health Problems

Yale University — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 06:13:04 +0000

A comprehensive study conducted by researchers from Yale, involving the analysis of over one million individuals’ genomes, has provided new insights into the biology of cannabis use disorder. This study also explores its connections to various psychiatric conditions, the tendency to abuse other substances like tobacco, and the potential increased risk of lung cancer associated [...]

Yale Scientists Shed Light on Mysteries of Long COVID

SciTechDaily — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 11:39:27 +0000

Individuals suffering from prolonged symptoms such as brain fog, confusion, pain, and extreme fatigue following COVID-19 infection show distinct immune and hormonal responses compared to those without long COVID, according to a new study by researchers at Yale School of Medicine and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The identification of these distinct responses [...]

Transient Treasures: Scientists Unearth Gold’s Remarkable Origin Story

Jim Shelton, Yale University — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 18:50:28 +0000

New research offers a theory on how gold, platinum, and other precious metals found their way to shallow pockets within Earth’s mantle. Scientists at Yale and the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) say they’ve hit the jackpot with some valuable new information about the story of gold. It’s a story that begins with violent collisions of [...]

Zoom vs Reality – Scientists Uncover Astonishing Differences in Brain Activity

Yale University — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 18:29:16 +0000

A recent study discovered that neural activity during online interactions is significantly reduced compared to when people converse face-to-face. When Yale neuroscientist Joy Hirsch used advanced imaging tools to monitor brain activity between two individuals engaged in conversation in real-time, she discovered an intricate choreography of neural activity in areas of the brain that govern [...]

Revealing the Hidden Causes: Yale Study Uncovers Key to 90% of Mysterious Pregnancy Losses

Yale University — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 17:33:22 +0000

Researchers from Yale have demonstrated that placental examination resulted in the accurate pathologic determination of more than 90% of previously unexplained pregnancy losses, a discovery that they say may inform pregnancy care going forward. The findings were recently published in the journal Reproductive Sciences. Statistics on Pregnancy Losses There are approximately 5 million pregnancies per year in [...]

Hidden Threat in “Non-Menthol” Cigarettes: Yale Scientists Uncover Alarming Use of Synthetic Chemicals

Yale University — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 19:02:09 +0000

Researchers from Yale and Duke University discovered that certain “non-menthol” cigarettes, marketed as a “fresh” option in regions where traditional menthol cigarettes are prohibited, contain synthetic chemicals that replicate the unique cooling effect of menthol. These synthetic additives might weaken the impact of upcoming policies, including a projected U.S. Food and Drug Administration ban on [...]

Scientists Race To Defuse a “Ticking” Public Health Time Bomb

Yale University — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 18:44:47 +0000

The surge in diseases transmitted by ticks throughout numerous regions of the United States in the past fifty years poses a significant threat to public health, necessitating innovative solutions, caution a team of scientists from Yale. In a review article, they outline why the stakes are so high and describe some potential solutions. Possible solutions [...]

Yale Scientists Uncover How the Immune System Can Alter Our Behavior

Yale University — Thu, 14 Sep 2023 03:18:49 +0000

The mere scent of seafood can severely sicken those allergic to it — and therefore they are more likely to avoid it. Similarly, individuals who experience food poisoning from a specific dish tend to avoid it afterward. For a long time, researchers have understood that our immune system plays a key role in our reactions [...]

Yale Researchers Discover New Bacterial Strain Causing Widespread Newborn Deaths and Disease in Uganda

Yale University — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 06:01:33 +0000

In 2007, Yale pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr. Steven Schiff, visited his colleague Dr. Benjamin Warf at the CURE Children’s Hospital in Uganda. The scenes at the hospital stunned him: every day mothers came from all over the country carrying infants with enlarged heads, desperate for a cure. The mothers all told a similar story: their children [...]

Yale Researchers Discover Potential New Way To Treat Cancer

Yale University — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 03:32:40 +0000

A recent study from Yale indicates that additional chromosomes in cancer cells are essential for the growth of tumors. Removing these extra chromosomes inhibits tumor formation. The findings, said the researchers, indicate that selectively targeting extra chromosomes may offer a new route for treating cancer. The study was recently published in the journal Science. Human [...]

Cancer Breakthrough: Yale Scientists Discover New Way To Reduce Friendly Fire in Cell Therapy

Yale University — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 19:56:18 +0000

New recent research from Yale has discovered a method to control the self-destructive tendencies of certain killer T cells utilized in cancer therapy. CAR T-cell (chimeric antigen receptor) therapy, a promising form of immunotherapy, involves reprogramming the patient’s T cells to enhance their ability to identify and combat antigens on the surface of cancer cells. [...]

Myocarditis and COVID Vaccination: Yale Researchers Reveal New Insights

Yale University — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 05:42:20 +0000

Two years ago, as COVID-19 vaccines first started to be rolled out, there was a surge in myocarditis cases, a condition characterized by inflammation of the heart muscle. This was particularly noticeable in young males who received mRNA vaccines. It was unclear, however, what exactly was causing this reaction. However, Yale researchers have now shed [...]

More Powerful Than SSRIs – Scientists Develop Two New Drug Candidates That Could Treat Addiction and Depression

University of California - San Francisco — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 09:47:32 +0000

The targeted molecules are more powerful than SSRI antidepressants and avoid ibogaine’s dangerous side effects. Two new potential drugs for the treatment of addiction and depression have been created by scientists, drawing from the medicinal properties of a traditional African psychedelic plant called ibogaine. When administered at extremely low doses, these compounds were able to [...]