New approach to 'cosmic magnet' manufacturing could reduce reliance on rare earths in low-carbon technologies

Researchers have discovered a potential new method for making the high-performance magnets used in wind turbines and electric cars without the need for rare earth elements, which are almost exclusively sourced in China.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/new-approach-to-cosmic-magnet-manufacturing-could-reduce-reliance-on-rare-earths-in-low-carbon-technologies

Several beautiful new bird species found on remote Indonesian islands

Zoologists from Trinity College Dublin, working with a research team in Indonesia, have found several new species of colorful, tropical sunbirds.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/several-beautiful-new-bird-species-found-on-remote-indonesian-islands

Even good gene edits can go bad

A Rice University lab is leading the effort to reveal potential threats to the efficacy and safety of therapies based on CRISPR-Cas9, the Nobel Prize-winning gene editing technique, even when it appears to be working as planned.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/even-good-gene-edits-can-go-bad

More yield, fewer species: How human nutrient inputs alter grasslands

One of the reasons for the global threat to biodiversity is that we humans introduce more nutrients into our environment than would naturally be present there, for example, when fertilizing agricultural land. In addition, precipitation re-distributes excess nutrients to other areas, and nutrients can also enter our soils through air pollution.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/more-yield-fewer-species-how-human-nutrient-inputs-alter-grasslands

Scientists map water in molecular crystals, aiding drug development

Molecular crystals—the building blocks that make up many drugs and other products—sometimes take on water molecules, which can alter the crystals in unforeseen ways. Notably, predicting which crystals are likely to contain water and at what level has been difficult and very computationally intensive. This problem is of significant industrial interest, especially in pharmaceuticals, yet the immense challenges associated with it require novel and efficient approaches.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/scientists-map-water-in-molecular-crystals-aiding-drug-development

New class of antibiotics against resistant bacteria

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a growing threat to human health. In an article published in the journal PNAS, Umeå researcher Fredrik Almqvist and his colleagues present a new type of antibiotic that effectively kills hard-to-fight bacteria.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/new-class-of-antibiotics-against-resistant-bacteria

Science sleuths solve century-old mystery of Martian meteorite's discovery

A toxin that makes pigs vomit is the surprising key which has unlocked the century-old mystery of the origins of a Martian meteorite, and the possible identity of the Black student who discovered it.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/science-sleuths-solve-century-old-mystery-of-martian-meteorites-discovery

Positive ESG ratings in the past led to 25% drop in philanthropic giving

Everywhere you look, something or someone is being rated—that movie you're thinking of seeing, the restaurant you might try, the president's popularity this week. We don't seem to agree on much right now, but we can all agree that a positive rating is good, and a negative rating is bad. Or can we?

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/positive-esg-ratings-in-the-past-led-to-25-drop-in-philanthropic-giving

Different blossoming schedules have kept these flowers from driving each other extinct

A big part of evolution is competition— when there are limited resources to go around, plants and animals have to duke it out for nutrients, mates, and places to live. That means that the flower-covered meadows of China's Hengduan mountains were an evolutionary mystery— there are dozens of species of closely-related rhododendrons that all live in harmony. To figure out why, scientists spent a summer carefully documenting the flowering patterns of 34 Rhododendron species, and they discovered the reason why the plants were able to coexist: they burst into bloom at different points in the season so they don't have to compete for pollinators.

source https://www.lifetechnology.com/blogs/life-technology-science-news/different-blossoming-schedules-have-kept-these-flowers-from-driving-each-other-extinct