Newswise: SciNews

Breaking Fuel Cell Barriers: New Platinum Catalyst Developed at SKKU Brings High-Efficiency Hydrogen Vehicles Closer to Commercialization

Sungkyunkwan University — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:45:51 EST

A novel computational approach reveals an oxygen vacancy-mediated synthesis mechanism, overcoming longstanding limits in atomic-level structural control.

Human Bile Emerges as a Hidden Reservoir for Microplastics

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:40:27 EST

Microplastics may be doing more than passing through the human body. In a new study, researchers found these particles in every human bile sample they tested and showed that prolonged low-dose exposure can push bile duct cells into a senescent, dysfunctional state.

Quantum Ground State of Rotation: for the First Time in Two Dimensions

University of Vienna — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:00:00 EST

Quantum mechanics tells us that a particle can never be perfectly still. But how precisely can it be oriented? A research team at the University of Vienna, together with colleagues at TU Wien and Ulm University, has now cooled the rotational motion of a levitated silica nanorotor all the way to its quantum ground state - in two orientational degrees of freedom. Reporting in Nature Physics, they show how optical cooling confines the nanoparticle's orientation to within the bounds of quantum zero-point fluctuations, the unavoidable orientational uncertainty imposed by Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Such quantum-limited alignment is an important milestone towards rotational matter-wave interferometry and ultra-sensitive quantum torque sensing.

Looking for experts with mechanical - Bedel Saget, The New York Times

Newswise Expert Queries — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:00:00 EST

Looking for experts with mechanical and design knowledge of the Oshkosh Striker 4x4 pumper used

AG Bondi Firing, Artemis II Launch, and More: Call for Experts 30 March 2026

Newswise Expert Queries — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:00:00 EST

Newswise editorial staff have compiled the following suggestions for Expert Pitches and story ideas to pitch reporters.

Did Impacts From Meteors Help Start Life on Earth?

Rutgers University-New Brunswick — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:55:47 EST

Meteor impacts may have helped spark life on Earth, creating hot, chemical-rich environments where the first living cells could take shape, according to research integrated by a recent Rutgers University graduate."No one knows, from a scientific perspective, how life could have been formed from an early Earth that had no life," said Shea Cinquemani, who earned her bachelor's degree in marine biology and fisheries management from the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences in May 2025.

Argonne earns new GAIN awards to advance next-generation nuclear technologies

Argonne National Laboratory — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:55:36 EST

The DOE's GAIN program is supporting a new Argonne collaboration with Zeno Power Systems aimed at advancing innovative nuclear technologies.

Nebraska Extension, USDA Partners Hosting Wildfire Recovery Meetings

University of Nebraska-Lincoln — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:30:09 EST

Nebraska Extension is partnering with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service to hold informational meetings on wildfire recovery April

How Two Proteins Team Up to Turn Pear Skins Crimson

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:50:19 EST

Fruit color is a key trait influencing consumer preference, nutritional value, and market competitiveness, yet the molecular coordination behind pigment formation remains incompletely understood. Researchers have uncovered a previously unknown regulatory mechanism controlling anthocyanin accumulation--the pigments responsible for red coloration--in pear fruit. The study identifies a transcription factor that cooperates with a mutant regulatory protein to enable its movement into the cell nucleus and activate pigment-producing genes. Rather than acting independently, the two proteins function as a coordinated module that dramatically enhances anthocyanin biosynthesis. This discovery reveals how protein cooperation and intracellular transport jointly determine fruit coloration, providing new insight into how subtle genetic variation can reshape visible crop traits.

Two NAC Factors Team Up to Drive Banana Ripening

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:30:23 EST

A research team has uncovered how two banana transcription factors, MaNAC029 and MaNAC19, work together to coordinate two of the most important events in fruit ripening: ethylene production and sucrose accumulation.

Why 12 deg.C Is the Sweet Spot for Keeping Mangoes Fresh Longer?

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:25:59 EST

A research team reveals why storing mangoes at 12 deg.C significantly extends their shelf life without triggering cold damage.A research team reveals why storing mangoes at 12 deg.C significantly extends their shelf life without triggering cold damage.

Cold Plasma and Smart Coating Extend Tomato Shelf Life

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:25:04 EST

A research team developed a novel preservation strategy combining a chiral titanium dioxide-sodium alginate composite film with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma.

Maternal Parent Sets the Pace: Imprinted Genes Linked to Faster Drying in Hybrid Maize Seeds

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:20:16 EST

A research team found that hybrid maize (Zea mays) is often harvested with high seed moisture, increasing drying costs and risking mechanical damage and reduced vigor.

GmJAZ8 Speeds Soybean Seed Germination

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 08:20:06 EST

A research team has identified GmJAZ8 as a key regulator of soybean seed germination, combining genome-wide association mapping with transcriptomic and functional analyses to show that this gene can accelerate the germination process.

Interactions Between X-Rays and Matter Provide Insights into How Electrons Behave in Molecules

Department of Energy, Office of Science — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 02:05:58 EST

Scientists used a free-electron laser to measure delays as short as an attosecond in X-ray photoemission. Photoemission is where an atom or molecule absorbs light and emits an electron. The team observed a delay nearly twice as long as predicted, which challenges existing theoretical models.

Can Practical Superconductors Work Without Extreme Cooling?

Argonne National Laboratory — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:55:39 EST

A team working at the Advanced Photon Source used intense X-ray beams to study the structure of superhydrides under extreme pressure. Their results will help guide the search for materials that superconduct under much lower pressure and room temperature.

Providing the Artemis Mission with Solar Radiation Forecasts

University of Michigan — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 23:45:10 EST

In the Artemis II mission, NASA will test out a pair of new solar radiation forecasts, developed at University of Michigan Engineering, designed to protect astronauts venturing away from Earth. The mission launched Wednesday.

Ghostly Particles: Is Dark Radiation Masquerading as Neutrinos?

Washington University in St. Louis — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:20:57 EST

New research suggests that neutrinos in the early universe may have transformed into a previously unknown form of radiation.

A Fast Method for Measuring How Well Air Disinfection Works: See How It Glows

University of Michigan — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:10:15 EST

The effectiveness of air disinfection devices may now be measured in minutes, rather than hours, with a new technique from University of Michigan Engineering. This is important for researchers developing better antiviral air purifiers, helping to mitigate outbreaks of viral respiratory diseases and prepare for the next pandemic.

Reduce Infrastructure Costs of EV Adoption by Upgrading Grid First, Then Adding V2G Chargers

University of Michigan — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:45:09 EST

Vehicle-to-grid chargers, which enable grid operators to use plugged-in electric vehicles as a battery network, could help utilities distribute electricity more efficiently. But even with advanced chargers, existing infrastructure cannot supply enough electricity to growing numbers of EVs, computer models from an international team of researchers suggest.

How Pancreatic Tumors Thwart an Iron-Driven Demise

Ludwig Cancer Research — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:25:09 EST

Tumors driven by cancer-driving KRAS mutations are often susceptible to ferroptosis, a type of cell death that can be harnessed for cancer therapy.

AI helps Yongtao Liu build self-driving lab experiments

Oak Ridge National Laboratory — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:40:03 EST

Yongtao Liu is an R&D staff member at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS). In the Data NanoAnalytics Group, he is helping nanomaterials research move toward experiments that can run with far less handholding.

Machine Learning Tracks Methane Emissions From Orbit

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:35:47 EST

Methane is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases, yet quantifying its emissions remains difficult at large scales. A new framework, CH4Vision, addresses this problem by estimating methane flux directly from hyperspectral satellite imagery.

How Drones Can Find Their Way Without Seeing

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:30:23 EST

When Global Positioning System (GPS) signals fail, drones can quickly lose their sense of place, especially in tunnels, dense cities, forests, or hostile environments.

ATS Breathe Easy - How Much Is A Life Worth? Ask the EPA, Part 1

American Thoracic Society (ATS) — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 18:30:34 EST

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) changed the dollar value of statistical life in January 2026.