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Water in a Tight Spot Dances Differently
Nell’acqua, le molecole danzano tenendosi per mano: piccoli cerchi si aprono, le partecipanti si scambiano e i gruppi si ricompongono. Le “mani” sono i legami a idrogeno, che si formano e si rompono continuamente. Dentro un nanotubo molto stretto, lo spazio e le pareti cambiano la coreografia: molte mani restano senza una compagna da afferrare.…
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Materials That Whisper to Neurons
Can a synthetic material communicate with a neuron without carrying drugs, signaling molecules, or growth factors? In a very recent study published in Science on October 1, a team at Northwestern University showed that, at least in cell culture, the answer is yes. The researchers developed extremely long supramolecular polymers, structures made of molecules that assemble through weak...
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Let Me Hear Your Voice, and I’ll Tell You Your Age
Our voice changes as we age. Not only in pitch and tone, but also in rhythm, pauses, word choice, and many other subtle features that often escape the human ear. Now, a study published in Science Advances suggests that these characteristics could become a kind of “clock” for aging. The researchers analyzed the speech of…