Researchers have revealed details about a small, voice-activated device that makes DNA handling safer and hands-free for scientists and technicians working at the lab. The solution is also expected to prove useful for scientists with disabilities to conduct studies.

UC Santa Barbara researcher Satish Kumar and his team have developed an AI-powered tool called Methane Mapper that uses hyperspectral imaging to detect and trace real-time methane emissions. Methane Mapper, which achieves 91 percent accuracy and collects in-depth data from diverse terrain types, will eventually use satellites to monitor larger areas.

A new quantum sensing method has been developed which has the capability to detect and characterize molecules with greater precision. The technique could prove beneficial for environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, and industrial processes.

Scientists have created a new way to detect the proteins that make up the pandemic coronavirus, as well as antibodies against it. They designed protein-based biosensors that glow when mixed with components of the virus or specific Covid-19 antibodies. This breakthrough could enable faster and more widespread testing in the near future.

A study has shared new insights into the evolution of the plant kingdom. The revolutionary findings have the potential to rewrite the history of how plants evolved over the past billion years.

Common beans are important food sources with high nutritional content. Bean seeds also contain phenolic compounds, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that promote health. A study from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Ciatej in Guadalajara, Mexico, explored the composition of seed coat extracts from black and pinto bean varieties unique to the Chiapas region of Southern Mexico.

As additives, PFAS are true all-rounders. Unfortunately, they are also a massive problem for the environment. This is because they cannot be degraded naturally. Polymer chemists from Saarland and the USA have now found a method to sustainably remove PFAS from water.

Researchers have developed a unique wooden robotic gripper that is driven by changes in moisture, temperature and lighting in the environment, thus leading to lower energy consumption. The gripper can also withstand high temperatures.

Plastic made from cane sugar also threatens the environment. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have found that perch change their behaviour when exposed to so-called bioplastic.

The Human Reference Genome has been used as a standard for genetic data comparison, but it is flawed as it lacks diversity. That is why the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium has developed a pangenome that includes genomic sequences from 47 people around the world, making it more inclusive of human diversity.