Researchers from the Tanenbaum group at the Hubrecht Institute have developed a new microscopy technique to observe how ribosomes function in cells. With this method, they can monitor individual ribosomes as they convert mRNA into proteins. The researchers discovered that ribosomes help each other when encountering difficulties, a process they refer to as ‘ribosome cooperativity’. This technique and the findings, published in Cell, provide insights into how proteins are made and offer other researchers a tool to better study mRNA translation.

A complex between green-synthesized silver nanoparticles and chlorhexidine has shown explicit anti-tumor activity against human melanoma. A trustful concentration range was established in which the active agent was effective against the cancer cells but remained non-toxic to the normal cells. The findings were published in the open-access journal Pharmacia.

The work by Professors Tlusty and Libchaber, affiliated with South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has appeared in PNAS on January 20, 2025. This study proposes a framework for understanding living matter as a cascade of machines making machines, extending from the atomic scale to the scale of the entire biosphere.

It’s been known for some time that radiation impacts the structural integrity of concrete. However, until now the details of this were unknown. Researchers, including those from the University of Tokyo, can finally demonstrate what properties of concrete affect its structural characteristics under different neutron radiation loads. Their findings raise some concerns whilst reducing others; for example, quartz crystals in concrete can heal themselves, potentially allowing some reactors to run for longer than initially thought possible.

As grasslands get abandoned, controlled burning is discussed as a labor-saving method of keeping forests at bay. A Kobe University research team found that this method results in higher biodiversity and a higher prevalence of endangered plant species in some grasslands compared to others, depending on what soils they grow on.