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For small molecules, the basic premise is that each distinct chemical species corresponds to a well-defined chemical structure. This does not hold for polymers. Polymers are intrinsically stochastic molecules that are often ensembles with a distribution of chemical structures. This difficulty limits the applicability of all deterministic representations developed for small molecules. In a paper published September 12 in ACS Central Science, researchers at MIT, Duke University, and Northwestern University report a new representation system that is capable of handling the stochastic nature of polymers, called BigSMILES....

Singapore scientists uncover SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell immunity in recovered COVID-19 and SARS patients, and in uninfected individuals. Singapore study shows that SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells are present in all recovered COVID-19 patients.These T cells were also found in all subjects who recovered from SARS 17 years ago, and in over 50% of both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 uninfected individuals tested, suggesting that a level of pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 immunity is present in the general population....

On November 5, 2014, the sun emitted a third mid-level flare from a region that rotated over the left limb of the sun on November 3. The flare peaked at 10:46 p.m. EST. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth’s atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however – when intense enough – they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel....

In the red sequence (304 Angstroms), we can see very small spicules – jets of solar material – and some small prominences at the Sun’s edge, which are not easy to see in the other two sequences. In the second sequence (193 Angstroms), we can readily observe the large and dark coronal hole, though it is difficult to make out in the others. In the third (171 wavelengths), we can see strands of plasma waving above the surface, especially above the one small, but bright, active region near the right edge....

MIT researchers are genetically engineering yeast to break down stubborn plant fibers into sugars that it can then ferment — a first step toward a potentially cost-effective single-organism process for manufacturing cellulosic biofuels. The source of the genetic material: anaerobic fungi from the digestive system of a horse on a hay-only diet. By teaming up with genetic-sequencing experts at MIT, the researchers have developed a novel analytical approach that will enable them to determine which enzymes in gut fungi are key players in plant digestion and how those enzymes are made and assembled — information that will help them replicate the fungi’s cellulose-destroying capabilities in yeast....

Previous research suggests that poor oral hygiene leads to bacteria in the blood, causing inflammation in the body. Inflammation increases the risks of atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and heart failure (the heart’s ability to pump blood or relax and fill with blood is impaired). This study examined the connection between oral hygiene and the occurrence of these two conditions. The retrospective cohort study enrolled 161,286 participants of the Korean National Health Insurance System aged 40 to 79 with no history of atrial fibrillation or heart failure....

A team of engineers from the University of Cambridge used computer modeling to quantify how droplets spread when people cough. They found that in the absence of masks, a person with COVID-19 can infect another person at a two-meter distance, even when outdoors. The team also found that individual coughs vary widely, and that the ‘safe’ distance could have been set at anywhere between one to three or more meters, depending on the risk tolerance of a given public health authority....

How strongly a vaccine protects you may depend on getting enough sleep in the days before and after inoculation, finds a new meta-analysis examining the relationship between sleep duration and the body’s response to vaccination. Sleeping fewer than six hours per night around the time of vaccination was associated with a robust decrease in antibody response, according to the multi-institution study published today (March 13, 2023) in the journal Current Biology....

They become expensive and dangerous flotsam, orbiting Earth for years or generations until gravity eventually draws them to a fiery death in the atmosphere. University of Cincinnati professor Ou Ma is engineering robotics technology to fix orbiting satellites in his Intelligent Robotics and Autonomous Systems Lab. He envisions robotic satellites that can dock with other satellites for repairs or refueling. The project demonstrates UC’s commitment to research as described in its strategic direction, Next Lives Here....

NASA scientists continue to study Jupiter and its Great Red Spot, hoping to solve the mystery of its swirl of reddish hues. The largest and most powerful hurricanes ever recorded on Earth spanned over 1,000 miles across with winds gusting up to around 200 mph. That’s wide enough to stretch across nearly all U.S. states east of Texas. But even that kind of storm is dwarfed by the Great Red Spot, a gigantic storm in Jupiter....

A clinical trial of an Alzheimer’s disease treatment developed at MIT has found that the nutrient cocktail can improve memory in patients with early Alzheimer’s. The results confirm and expand the findings of an earlier trial of the nutritional supplement, which is designed to promote new connections between brain cells. Alzheimer’s patients gradually lose those connections, known as synapses, leading to memory loss and other cognitive impairments. The supplement mixture, known as Souvenaid, appears to stimulate growth of new synapses, says Richard Wurtman, a professor emeritus of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT who invented the nutrient mixture....

Some of the scientific investigations returned by Dragon include: Deep space radiation protection: A vest designed to protect astronauts from high doses of radiation caused by unpredictable solar particle events is returning to Earth after months of testing. Crew members wore the Astrorad vest while performing daily tasks and provided feedback about how easy it is to put on, how it fits and feels, and the range of motion possible while wearing it....

When the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates, this initially only means that there is a change in its genetic blueprint. The mutation may lead, for example, to an amino acid being exchanged at a particular site in a viral protein. In order to quickly assess the effect of this change, a three-dimensional image of the viral protein is extremely helpful. This is because it shows whether the switch in amino acid has consequences for the function of the protein — or for the interaction with a potential drug or antibody....

Three years ago, Japanese researchers discovered a hole from the published images from the satellite SELENE. However, spacecraft orbiting the Moon have been unable to peer into its shadowy depths. A robot rover might be able to go into it, and send back images of the inside. Whittaker presented his vision at the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program in Hampton, Virginia last week. The NIAC program will spend about $500,000 developing the rover....

Supernovas are often thought of as the tremendous explosions that mark the ends of massive stars’ lives. While this is true, not all supernovas occur in this fashion. A common supernova class, called Type Ia, involves the detonation of white dwarfs – small, dense stars that are already dead. New results from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope have revealed a rare example of Type Ia explosion, in which a dead star “fed” off an aging star like a cosmic zombie, triggering a blast....

Stars that are just beginning to coalesce out of cool swaths of dust and gas are showcased in this image from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope and the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). Infrared light has been assigned colors we see with our eyes, revealing young stars in orange and yellow, and a central parcel of gas in blue. This area is hidden in visible-light views, but infrared light can travel through the dust, offering a peek inside the stellar hatchery....

Researchers at Rice University have developed a lithium-ion battery that can be painted on virtually any surface. The rechargeable battery created in the lab of Rice materials scientist Pulickel Ajayan consists of spray-painted layers, each representing the components in a traditional battery. The research appears today in Nature’s online, open-access journal Scientific Reports. “This means traditional packaging for batteries has given way to a much more flexible approach that allows all kinds of new design and integration possibilities for storage devices,” said Ajayan, Rice’s Benjamin M....

The second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine induces a powerful boost to a part of the immune system that provides broad antiviral protection, according to a study led by investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The finding strongly supports the view that the second shot should not be skipped. “Despite their outstanding efficacy, little is known about how exactly RNA vaccines work,” said Bali Pulendran, PhD, professor of pathology and of microbiology and immunology....

According to current models, the most significant effects of sea level rise are expected to take place once it reaches several meters. However, a recent study has uncovered that the largest increases in flooding will occur after the first 2 meters (6.6 feet) of sea level rise, affecting an area of land that is more than double what was previously predicted by older elevation models. The study utilized high-precision land elevation measurements from NASA’s ICESat-2 lidar satellite, launched in 2018, to enhance models of sea level rise and flooding....

ESA’s Rosalind Franklin rover starts the year with months of successful maintenance and functional tests behind it. All its instruments are go for flight, with some minor tuning left to complete this month. “The rover is ready, and together with the recent drop test success for the parachutes, we are positive to be in time for the September launch date,” says Pietro Baglioni, ESA’s ExoMars rover team leader. Only once every two years and for about ten days, celestial mechanics would allow the spacecraft to reach Mars from Earth in the shortest possible time – around nine months....