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Several years ago, biologists discovered a new type of genetic material known as long noncoding RNA. This RNA does not code for proteins and is copied from sections of the genome once believed to be 'junk DNA.' Since then, scientists have found evidence that long noncoding RNA, or lncRNA, plays roles in many cellular processes, including guiding cell fate during embryonic development.

As the breathalyzer does for alcohol, this experimental 'potalyzer' could provide a practical field test for determining whether a driver might be impaired from smoking marijuana. This November, several states will vote whether to legalize marijuana use, joining more than 20 states that already allow some form of cannabis use.

Research news DNA, our genetic material, normally has the structure of a twisted rope ladder. Experts call this structure a double helix. Among other things, it is stabilized by stacking forces between base pairs. Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have succeeded at measuring these forces for the very first time on the level of single base pairs.

German Research Foundation (DFG) Approved Funding for New High-performance Microscope at Freie Universität Berlin ' 288/2016 from Sep 02, 2016 The German Research Foundation has designated 2.3 million euros for a new cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) at Freie Universität Berlin.

Battery researchers have been focusing on lithium metal electrodes as leading contenders for improving the amount of energy that batteries can store without increasing their weight. But lithium in this metallic form has a problem that has stymied much of this research effort: As the batteries are being charged, finger-like lithium deposits form on the metal surface, which can hamper performance and even lead to short-circuits that damage or disable the battery.

Scientists at the University of Basel, ETH Zurich in Basel, and NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering have developed an artificial metalloenzyme that catalyses a reaction inside of cells without equivalent in nature. This could be a prime example for creating new non-natural metabolic pathways inside living cells, as reported today in Nature.

A new technique developed by biomedical engineers could help to unlock the full potential of a promising treatment for bone regeneration, creating better therapies for spinal injuries, bone grafts and other orthopaedic surgeries. In a new paper published today (Saturday 27 August) in the journal Science Advances , scientists from the University of Glasgow discuss how they have used a cheap, commercially-produced polymer to help stimulate 'growth factors' - molecules which help the body to regenerate.

Research news It is the double helix, with its stable and flexible structure of genetic information, that made life on Earth possible in the first place. Now a team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has discovered a double helix structure in an inorganic material. The material comprising tin, iodine and phosphorus is a semiconductor with extraordinary optical and electronic properties, as well as extreme mechanical flexibility.

Forschen Proteins fulfill vital functions in our body. They transport substances, combat pathogens, and function as catalysts. In order for these processes to function reliably, proteins must adopt a defined three-dimensional structure. Molecular "folding assistants", called chaperones, aid and scrutinize these structuring processes.

University of Queensland researchers have taken a big step toward understanding the movement of molecules in the human body. Professor Geoff Goodhill from the Queensland Brain Institute and the School of Mathematics and Physics said molecular movement was involved in a number of diseases, including Alzheimer's.

A new method for analyzing the chemical composition of stars may help scientists winnow the search for Earth 2. Yale University researchers Debra Fischer and John Michael Brewer, in a new study that will appear in the Astrophysical Journal, describe a computational modeling technique that gives a clearer sense of the chemistry of stars, revealing the conditions present when their planets formed.

The MIT researchers were trying to develop a new battery, but it didn't work out that way. Instead, thanks to an unexpected finding in their lab tests, what they discovered was a whole new way of producing the metal antimony - and potentially a new way of smelting other metals, as well. The discovery could lead to metal-production systems that are much less expensive and that virtually eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions associated with most traditional metal smelting.

Electrons reveal their quantum properties when they are confined to small spaces. Scientists from TU Wien (Vienna), Aachen and Manchester have created tiny quantum dots in Graphene.

Electrons reveal their quantum properties when they are confined to small spaces. Scientists from TU Wien (Vienna), Aachen and Manchester have created tiny quantum dots in Graphene. The charged tip of a scanning tunneling microscope and an additional magnetic field lead to localized stable electron states in graphene.

North Queensland has some of Earth's largest known bauxite deposits, but their potential has largely remained locked in the ground, until now. A University of Queensland researcher has collaborated with global mining company Rio Tinto to investigate a new way to process bauxite which adds value to the ore and significantly reduces the mine's environmental impact.

Physicists at the University of Basel have succeeded in watching a silver catalyst at work for the first time with the aid of an atomic force microscope. The observations made during an Ullmann reaction have allowed the researchers to calculate the energy turnover and, potentially, to optimize the catalysis.

Is Vegemite more than a spread? Or can it be used to brew beer? University of Queensland researchers have put the theory to the test. School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences researchers investigated claims that Vegemite and a similar product, Marmite, have been used to brew a cheap form of beer.

In 2020, NASA plans to launch a new Mars rover that will be tasked with probing a region of the planet scientists believe could hold remnants of ancient microbial life. The rover will collect samples of rocks and soil, and store them on the Martian surface; the samples would be returned to Earth sometime in the distant future so that scientists can meticulously analyze the samples for signs of present or former extraterrestrial life.

Study of bee-manipulating plant virus reveals a 'short-circuiting? of natural selection. Researchers suggest that replicating the scent caused by infection could encourage declining bee populations to pollinate crops - helping both bee and human food supplies.

FINDINGS Bisphenol S, a chemical used to manufacture polycarbonate water bottles and many other products such as epoxy glues and cash receipts, is an increasingly common replacement for bisphenol A, the use of which was discontinued because of concerns about its harmful effects on the reproductive system.