IN THE LAB
Scientists Invent Self-Healing Supercapacitors
Wearable electronics of the future could be powered by self-healing capacitors developed at NTU, which retain up to 85 percent of their electrical performance even after being cut five times.
Protecting Flowers From The Cold
The over-expression of the gene ACBP6 helped Arabidopsis flowers to better survive sub-zero temperatures, a method that could be extended to protect other flowering plants.
Spoilt Scaffolds Underlie Some Brain Defects
Scientists have identified the gene TUBB5 that regulates the microtubule scaffold in neurons, thereby playing an important role in healthy brain development.
The Geometry Of Genetic Coding
The specificity of the tRNA synthetase enzyme, and consequently protein translation, is due to geometric features determined by a single base pair known as the wobble base pair.
Japanese Catfish Use pH To Locate Prey
By detecting the changes in pH as underground sea worms breathe, Japanese catfish are able to find their prey even in murky water.
All Roads Lead To The Vacuole
Understanding the intracellular transport pathways to the vacuole could lead to the development of better nutrient storage in plants.
Bees Use Hidden Patterns In Flowers
Scientists have shown that bees can use polarisation patterns to identify flowers and improve foraging efficiency, but only if the flowers face downwards.
Smelly Egg Gas Regulates Embryo Transport
Disruption of hydrogen sulphide signalling in pregnant mice leads to poor embryo transport to the uterus and may be the cause of ectopic pregnancies in humans.
Nanotwinning Hard And Stable Diamonds
By applying a nanotwinning process, scientists have synthesized a form of diamond that is harder and more thermally stable.
