The new models could give antibiotics a laser-like precision to target only specific bacteria in specific parts of the body. This would represent a major step forward in the battle against the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.

A newly discovered giant isopod has been named after Darth Vader of Star Wars, inspired by his iconic and distinctive helmet. The 32.5 cm-long sea bug, known as a "supergiant" was found off the coast of Vietnam. The species has become sought-after as a delicacy in Vietnam, raising concerns about its sustainable use and highlighting the need for better understanding of our deep-sea environments. The isopod's description was published in the open-access journal ZooKeys.

Using state-of-the-art, high resolution micro-CT scanning, FAU researchers have scanned a full skeleton of a very rare vaquita specimen from the 1960s. The objective of scanning this rare specimen for display purposes is to facilitate the creation of replicas to be commercially available to further education and conservation efforts of this critically endangered species. The completed scans, which required approximately 165 hours, resulted in a total of three terabytes of data.

Depression continues to grapple a large proportion of the population. Given the side effects associated with the long-term use of conventional antidepressants, there is a need for novel rapid acting therapeutics with minimal side effects. Researchers from Tokyo University of Science have previously demonstrated antidepressant-like effects of delta opioid receptor agonists in rodents. In their latest study, they uncover the molecular and cellular mechanism underlying its action that can advance its therapeutic development.

In a paper published in National Science Review, an international team of scientists develop an activatable red/near-infrared water-soluble organic room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) probe through a synergistic strategy combining assembly-induced luminescence and tunable twisted intramolecular charge transfer. They evaluate the optical performance of activatable organic RTP probes in various bioimaging and biosensing applications.

Life on the Great Barrier Reef is undergoing big changes in the face of climate change and other human-caused pressures, a new study reveals.  

From food security to controlling seaweed and even making sand for beaches, reef fish are a hugely important part of marine ecosystems providing a range of benefits to humans and coral reef ecosystems.

New research from an international team of marine scientists from the UK and Australia and led by researchers at Lancaster University, published today in the journal Nature Communications, reveals significant transformations in fish communities on the Great Barrier Reef, the World’s largest coral reef ecosystem.