One asteroid strike may explain two mysteries of Mars’ moon Deimos

An international team led by the University of Bern has found evidence that a single asteroid collision may have dramatically reshaped Deimos, the smaller of Mars' two moons. By combining detailed computer simulations with recent images from ESA's Hera spacecraft, the researchers concluded that one impact could account for both the moon's large southern depression and its unusually smooth, dusty surface.

Queen bees have a disturbing way to survive pesticides

Worker bees normally serve as a colony's first line of defense against contamination, filtering harmful substances before they can spread through the hive. But new research shows that queen bees also have a defense of their own.

'Remarkable' discovery upends our understanding of how brains store memories | New Scientist

DNA reveals a society organised around women in pre-Roman Britain | New Scientist

The DNA of more than 500 individuals who were buried in the north-east of England over a period of several centuries before the Roman invasion of Britain in AD 43 has been sequenced. It reveals a society organised around women, with large clans for which descent could be traced down the female line for up to nine generations, but where fathers were often absent from burial sites.

Chinese label once tied to Boston Tea Party reveals 19th-century Pacific trade

When MIT historian Tristan Brown first examined a Chinese tea chest label displayed as a relic of the Boston Tea Party, he had no reason to doubt its story.

Major genetic weakness threatens future corn breeding, study reveals

A new study led by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign scientists reveals critically low genetic variation in one of the country's primary breeding stocks for corn. The finding relates specifically to grain yield in intermediate-maturity hybrids, which dominate commercial production in the U.S. and represent nearly a third of the world's corn production. The researchers say it's a crisis waiting to happen.

Mitochondrial proteins may trigger inflammation by mimicking bacterial distress signals

Mitochondria are often called the powerhouses of the cell. But their ancient origins may also make them drivers of inflammation. Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have discovered that proteins released from mitochondria can activate the immune system in a similar way to invading bacteria. The findings suggest that remnants of mitochondria's evolutionary past may contribute to inflammation in infections and autoimmune disorders.

Under-the-radar creeks could be sweeping carbon out of salt marshes

Salt marshes are coastal wetlands that are alternately inundated and exposed by tides. These marshes, like other coastal ecosystems, are hotspots of carbon cycling.

DNA origami nanosyringe actively transports molecules into synthetic cells

Transporting molecules across biological membranes is essential for life. In nature, this can occur through passive transport, known as diffusion. "Biological systems often use mechanical motion to accomplish tasks that cannot be achieved by diffusion alone," says Professor Laura Na Liu, director of the 2nd Physics Institute at the University of Stuttgart. For example, certain bacteria use extracellular contractile injection systems. These molecular nanomachines puncture target cells and deliver molecular cargo.

Webb reveals oxygen-rich dust and water surviving near Milky Way's central black hole

Using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, an international team of astronomers has discovered that dust and water can form and survive surprisingly close to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The observations reveal that the evolved star IRS 3 continues to enrich its surroundings with newly formed material despite the intense radiation environment around Sagittarius A*.