Photons have long been described as massless particles which don’t interact with each other, but Harvard and MIT scientists have reported the creation of “photonic molecules” that behave as though they have mass. The researchers, from the Harvard-MIT Center for Ultracold Atoms, say that the photonic molecules represent a never-before-seen form of matter that was, […]
An analysis of the spectral emissions from distant stars suggests that compounds of unexpected complexity – some resembling coal and petroleum – exist throughout the universe and are being made by stars. The proponents of this controversial idea, Professors Sun Kwok and Yong Zhang of the University of Hong Kong, argue their case in the […]
A classic 50s experiment (known as the Miller-Urey Synthesis) that showed how amino acids could be created from inorganic molecules and an electrical spark isn’t the whole story, it turns out. There were two related experiments, neither of which was reported at the time, which under modern analysis yield very interesting findings. One of these […]
The mechanisms behind epigenetic inheritance (where changes in gene expression can be passed between generations without changes in the underlying DNA sequence of the organism) are becoming better understood thanks to scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). Reporting inCurrent Biology, CSHL professor Rob Martienssen explains that he and his team are studying the way […]
A big step towards viable biofuel refining was taken this week, with scientists claiming to have directly converted the natural sugars in plant matter into a promising surrogate for petroleum-based chemicals. The faux fossil fuel is hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), which the researchers say can be derived from glucose and fructose. Importantly, the HMF from glucose contains […]
