scicom2024

A microbiologist blends science and art to bring biofilms to life. His work, showcased in museums and books, captivates scientists and curious minds alike.

Researchers mapped the landscape of healthy immune cells from childhood through adulthood.

Anne Madden sees the beauty and brawn of creepy-crawly microbes and how they may hold the solution to many human problems.

Melissa Kay’s passion for science transitioned from the lab into a career focused on scientific engagement in the social media landscape.

From Brussels sprouts to chicory, some veggies pack a bitter punch, but genetics and individual differences create a unique flavor experience for everyone.

Computer simulations highlight how bacteria slow their growth to avoid overcrowding, a behavior that may inform pathogen control.

Depending on the “clamped” parameter, patch clamp configurations probe different aspects of a cell's electrical activity.

With a plug-and-play strategy, researchers engineer proteins with new functions.

Hidden on toothbrushes and showerheads, bacteriophages reveal a viral ecosystem and its potential to create healthier living spaces.

Donated sourdough starters helped researchers uncover the factors that influence microbial communities in these living cultures.

Joel Rovnak’s blood drained from his face as his painstakingly-collected sample bled onto the bench.

Sea snails stun their prey with toxins that mimic glucose-regulating hormones.

Nematodes can sniff out trouble, kicking off a mitochondrial defense in the gut to fend off bacterial invaders.

Agnès Lacreuse investigates cognitive aging and women’s health in nonhuman primates.

Chasing dog tails for answers, researchers explore the reasons behind the quintessential tail wagging of these furry four-legged friends.

A breakthrough enzyme aims to resolve a persistent DNA artifact that has challenged forensic analysis for decades.

A breakthrough enzyme aims to resolve a persistent DNA artifact that has challenged forensic analysis for decades.

Scientists brewed recombinant human antibodies that take the sting out of the European black widow’s toxin.

A combinatorial approach enabled researchers to develop antibodies with improved catch-and-release abilities against snake venom toxins.

A scientist’s quest for microbes that produce purple pigments led her to the vibrant world of natural dyes, where biology and traditional artistry intertwine.

Hazel Barton studies cave microbiomes and leverages their properties for unique applications.

The microbiome is a dynamic environment that can give researchers the inside scoop on health and disease.

Zhijian “James” Chen received this year’s Albert Lasker Award for discovering cGAS, an enzyme which scopes out DNA-based threats and alerts the immune system.

Driven by her desire to concoct creative stories, Laura Tran merged her scientific knowledge with the art of storytelling.

Cells send electrical impulses throughout the body, but electrophysiologists struggled to tune into these signals until the patch clamp technique was developed.

For years, neuroscience research overlooked female subjects, creating a significant bias. Today, researchers actively rebalance the scales with more inclusive and diverse studies.

Barbara Di Ventura, a musician at heart and a scientist by trade, takes a musical approach to sharing research.

With the rise of insecticide resistance, researchers crafted a novel probe that selectively targets mosquito larvae’s weak spot.

University of Amsterdam researchers claimed the 2024 Ig Nobel Prize in Chemistry for studying polymers by racing inebriated and sober worms through a chromatography maze.

Instead of an on-off toggle switch, cancer cells adapt through a series of distinct states of increasing drug resistance.

Green algae can be outfitted with nanoparticles, transforming them into efficient drug-delivering machines that target lung tumors.

Researchers Itai Yanai and Martin Lercher host a unique podcast where they explore the creative process of generating ideas for scientific research.

A well-preserved 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth skin sample with fossils of ancient chromosomes could offer a glimpse into the history of life.

Researchers used adult human cells to craft biological robots capable of movement and more.

From the laboratory to the table, researchers cooked bioengineered fungi into a tempting patty.

Oded Rechavi shares research and relatable science memes at the touch of his fingertips.

Functional human neural tissues assembled using 3D printing technology may provide insights into neural wiring.

A trio of proteins are key building blocks for genetic exchange.

With a thirst for knowledge, scientists delve into gut-brain pathways to understand liquid rewards.

Humans have more in common with cows than mice when it boils down to bone marrow stem cells.

Researchers discovered that chilling worms on ice slows down forgetting, prompting an exploration into the pathway responsible for this cool phenomenon.

Alison Van Eenennaam uses genome-editing technologies to aid beef cattle production and animal welfare.

A happenstance collaboration between biologists and roboticists led to the birth of a strange creation: living machines derived from frog stem cells.

Cell color perception fates are determined by a signaling mechanism, not chance, during retinal development.

By coupling cell lineage tracking with molecular gene expression patterns, researchers deciphered how gene activity influences immune cell production.

Researchers have finally uncovered the other half of the end-replication problem at the lagging strand.

Scientists devised a synthetic protein-based motor fueled by biological reactions to cut through a peptide lawn.

A colorful mosaic that maps the positions and roles of cells in the mouse brain offers insights into its functional complexities.

During her routine tasks in the laboratory, Mallory Havens suddenly found herself navigating a toxic terrain.

Mammalian cells outpace bacteriophages in the microbial food chain by devouring phages to fuel their growth.

The road to developing monoclonal antibodies for effectively targeting cancer was paved with tenacity, passion, and strokes of luck.

Douglas Blackiston’s frog-fueled research seeks to push the boundaries of understanding developing organisms.

Ever the resourceful parasite, Leishmania co-opts a natural antibody from blood to breed.

Plant chloroplasts offer insights for shielding against protein aggregation in Huntington’s disease.

Microfluidic systems redefined biology by providing platforms that handle small fluid volumes, catalyzing advancements in cellular and molecular studies.

In a race to the tumor, a macrophage’s phenotype can give it a leg up on the competition.

A key gene that fuels the molecular cascade driving prostate cancer bone metastasis progression may open avenues for targeted therapies.

A protein’s timely appearance is crucial for Toxoplasma gondii’s unique replication cycle.

A common mistake and a well intentioned but misguided gesture led Allison Mackay’s experiment awry in the lab.

Colby Duncan uses a powerful criminal justice tool to decode DNA evidence.

Researchers ingeniously repurposed DNA to assemble a miniaturized blaster at the molecular level.

Researchers ingeniously repurposed DNA to assemble a miniaturized blaster at the molecular level.

Scientists itch to decipher the cues that make some people mosquito magnets.