By simply manipulating chemical gradients in a beaker of fluid, researchers at Harvard have found they can control the growth behavior of crystals to create beautiful, precisely tailored nanostructures. “For at least 200 years, people have been intrigued by how complex shapes could have evolved in nature. This work helps to demonstrate what’s possible just […]
Tag Archives | growth
Cholesterol’s cancer fighting properties revealed
In an intriguing new study published in theJournal of Biological Chemistry, scientists investigating cholesterol’s binding properties within cells say that cholesterol appears to inhibit or stop cancer growth. The new findings are supported by previous unrelated research that showed how natural compounds that are chemically similar to cholesterol can kill a broad spectrum of different […]
Far out: measuring GDP from orbit
Outer space offers a new way for measuring economic growth, according to a new working paper by three Brown University economists. In their paper, J. Vernon Henderson, Adam Storeygard and David N. Weil suggest a new framework for estimating a region’s gross domestic product (GDP) by using satellite images of the area’s nighttime lights. (Pic: […]
Concrete Jungle Good For Plants
Cities and nature might sound like odd bedfellows, but a new NASA funded study, published in theGeophysical Research Letters journal, has found that urban environments create warmer conditions that cause plants to stay green longer each year. Urban areas with high concentrations of buildings, roads and other artificial surfaces retain heat, creating urban heat islands. […]