There are many indications that fasting promotes longevity. In recent years, much attention has been devoted to so-called caloric restriction mimetics (CMRs), substances that simulate the health-promoting effects of fasting without the need of life-style change. A study reports the identification of a novel candidate CRM. The substance may prove useful in the further research for the treatment of age-related diseases.
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Bacterial cell division is controlled by both enzymatic activity and mechanical forces, which work together to control its timing and location.
Science tells us that a lot of good things happen in our brains while we sleep — learning and memories are consolidated and waste is removed, among other things. New research shows for the first time that important immune cells called microglia — which play an important role in reorganizing the connections between nerve cells, fighting infections, and repairing damage — are also primarily active while we sleep.
Read moreIf a doctor expects a treatment to be successful, a patient may experience less pain and have better outcomes, according to a new study. The findings reveal how social interactions between hypothetical healthcare providers and patients have the power to influence how patients perceive the effectiveness of a treatment, even when it is a placebo.
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A widely-used gas that is currently produced from fossil fuels can instead be made by an 'artificial leaf' that uses only sunlight, carbon dioxide and water, and which could eventually be used to develop a sustainable liquid fuel alternative to gasoline.
A new techno-economic analysis shows that the energy intensive ceramic industry would gain both financial and environmental benefits if it moved to free the cold sintering process from languishing in labs to actual use in manufacturing everything from high tech to domestic ceramics.
Read moreSince the 1970s, insects in the warmer half of Britain have been flying, hopping and crawling northwards at an average rate of around five metres per day. However, a new study has analysed 25 million recorded sightings of 300 different insect species and found there is huge variation in the rates at which they are moving and that not all species are able to keep pace with the warming conditions.
Read moreA quantum gas can be tied into knots using magnetic fields. The same researchers who were the first to produce these knots have now studied how the knots behave over time. The surprising result is that the knots untie themselves over a short period of time, before turning into a vortex.
Read moreThe identification of new chemical bonds is crucial for the design of new material structures. A team has found unexpected new configurations of oxygen and nitrogen in graphene.
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