Scientists at La Trobe University have discovered how a diarrhea-causing strain of bacteria uses “molecular scissors” to cut open and destroy gut cells, leading to severe illness and sometimes death.
Published in Gut Microbes, the research reveals for the first time the three-dimensional structure of a toxin secreted by enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) bacteria, and shows how the bacteria use the toxin to invade and destroy the epithelial cells that line the gut.
The toxin, which is an enzyme called EspC, destroys the cells by cutting up their internal protein structure.
The field of spintronics, which integrates the charge and spin properties of electrons to develop electronic devices with enhanced functionality and energy efficiency, has expanded into new applications.
Beyond current technologies such as hard disk drive read heads and magnetic random-access memory (MRAM), researchers are now investigating flexible spintronics for use in wearable devices and sheet-type sensors.
For these applications, detecting small changes in mechanical stress through electrical resistance modulation is essential. This requires not only materials with significant magnetoresistance effects but also control over their magnetoelastic properties.
Image quality often makes the difference between an amazing multimedia experience, like feeling immersed in a high-definition movie, and a visual letdown. When it comes to biomolecular imaging, the details matter even more. When scientists increase resolution in quantitative imaging, they improve accuracy and confidence in results, ultimately facilitating discoveries in studies of proteins, cells and other biomedical applications.
Scientists have long been able to look at single molecules to study their nanoscale structures and dynamics in biological systems. However, distinguishing between two closely spaced dipole emitters, which are fluorescent molecules that can emit light in specific directions and intensities, has remained a major challenge, especially when such molecules emit light at the same time and are spatially coincident, or located at nearly the same point in space.
This limitation has hindered researchers’ ability to measure the orientation and angular separation of dipoles accurately, which is vital to understanding their rotational dynamics in crowded cellular environments.
Fluids play a crucial role in industrial processes like cooling, heating, and mixing. Traditionally, most industries would utilize Newtonian fluids—which have a constant viscosity—for such processes. However, many are now adopting viscoelastic fluids, which can behave as both liquids and elastic materials.
These fluids can suppress turbulence in simple flows like straight pipes or channels, leading to reduced wall friction. This “drag reduction effect” has attracted significant interest due to its potential to enhance energy efficiency.
To advance the industrial applications of such fluids, it is critical to understand how these fluids interact with turbulence.
Although the heart has its own nervous system, its organization and functionality remain largely unknown. Here, the authors reveal the molecular, chemical, and functional diversity of neurons within the intracardiac nervous system and their role in controlling the heart’s rhythm in the zebrafish.
Scientists Just Merged Human Brain Cells With AI – Here’s What Happened! What happens when human brain cells merge with artificial intelligence? Scientists have just achieved something straight out of science fiction—combining living neurons with AI to create a hybrid intelligence system. The results are mind-blowing, and they could redefine the future of computing. But how does it work, and what does this mean for humanity?
In a groundbreaking experiment, researchers successfully integrated human brain cells with AI, creating a system that learns faster and more efficiently than traditional silicon-based computers. These “biocomputers” use lab-grown brain organoids to process information, mimicking human thought patterns while leveraging AI’s speed and scalability. The implications? Smarter, more adaptive machines that think like us.
Why is this such a big deal? Unlike conventional AI, which relies on brute-force data crunching, this hybrid system operates more like a biological brain—learning with less energy, recognizing patterns intuitively, and even showing early signs of creativity. Potential applications include ultra-fast medical diagnostics, self-improving robots, and brain-controlled prosthetics that feel truly natural.
But with great power comes big questions. Could this lead to conscious machines? Will AI eventually surpass human intelligence? And what are the ethical risks of blending biology with technology? This video breaks down the science, the possibilities, and the controversies—watch to the end for the full story.
How did scientists merge brain cells with AI? What are biocomputers? Can AI become human-like? What is hybrid intelligence? Will AI replace human brains?This video will answer all these question. Make sure you watch all the way though to not miss anything.
For the first time, scientists have captured a stunning image of plasma’s “spaghetti-like” instability, revealing a phenomenon that could reshape our understanding of energy and fusion.
Scientists found that pseudouridine helps small RNAs pass on traits and avoid immune detection, offering clues for future RNA-based treatments and how the body tells “self” from “nonself.” Not everything inside us is, strictly speaking, part of us. The closer we examine the genome, the more we co
The Moon may hold a secret that could transform human space exploration. Find out how the discovery of water ice could make long-term lunar habitation a reality.
