Misfolded Prion: How It Causes Fatal Brain Disease
Explore how a naturally occurring protein can misfold into a pathogenic form, triggering a cascade of neurodegeneration and causing fatal brain disease.
The Warming Hole: Why the North Atlantic Ocean Is Cooling
In a warming world, a region of the North Atlantic Ocean is cooling. This article examines the complex ocean dynamics driving this unusual climate pattern.
What Are Plant Ribosomes and What Do They Do?
Discover how ribosomes translate genetic information into the essential proteins that power a plant's growth, metabolism, and response to its environment.
What Is the Link Between Alexithymia and Trauma?
After a traumatic event, the mind may disconnect from feelings as a survival mechanism. Learn how this emotional numbing develops and affects well-being.
What Is Altruistic Punishment & Why Is It Important?
Explore the human impulse to punish unfairness, even at a personal cost. Discover how this seemingly irrational behavior is vital for social order and cooperation.
The CA3 Hippocampus: Memory, Architecture, and Disease
Learn how the CA3 hippocampus's distinct neural wiring allows us to form memories and why this same design makes it vulnerable in brain disorders.
What Is Pronuclear Injection and How Does It Work?
Explore pronuclear injection, a precise method for introducing new DNA into a fertilized egg to study gene function and develop models for human disease.
What Is Arctic Lichen and Why Is It So Important?
Explore how a unique partnership between a fungus and alga creates a lifeform essential to the Arctic, supporting wildlife and shaping the landscape itself.
Contactin: The Protein Building the Nervous System
This protein helps organize the nervous system's intricate structure, influencing how neurons connect, communicate, and maintain neurological function.
What Are Proximal Tubule Cells and What Do They Do?
Discover how specialized kidney cells perform the crucial task of sorting filtrate, reclaiming vital nutrients while removing waste to maintain body-wide stability.
Where in the Body Are Blood Cells Manufactured?
The body's site for creating blood cells is not fixed, shifting from early development to its primary location in adult bone marrow and adapting to need.
Crouzon Syndrome vs. Apert Syndrome: Key Differences
Though sharing a genetic link, Crouzon and Apert syndromes present with distinct clinical features. Understanding these differences is key for diagnosis and care.
What Is Drosophila Embryogenesis and Why Is It Important?
Explore how a fruit fly embryo develops, a foundational model for understanding the genetic instructions that guide the formation of a complex animal body plan.
What Is the Ficin Enzyme and What Are Its Uses?
Ficin, a proteolytic enzyme from fig latex, has a range of uses based on its protein-digesting capabilities, from traditional practices to modern industry.
What Makes a True Highland Wildcat?
Explore the subtle markers defining Scotland's native cat, the challenges of genetic distinction from feral cats, and the outlook for its preservation.
What the Frontoparietal Network Is and Why It Matters
Learn about the brain's control system for attention and planning. This network coordinates thought and action to help us navigate complex tasks and goals.
What is the Endoplasmic Reticulum and What Does It Do?
Discover the endoplasmic reticulum, a vast membrane network that acts as the cell's primary site for molecular synthesis and quality control.
What Is Affective Communication and Why Is It Important?
Communication is more than what is said. Explore the role of emotion in our interactions and how understanding it fosters stronger personal and professional bonds.
The Role of hif-2α in Health and Disease
Learn how the hif-2α protein's response to cellular oxygen is a fundamental process that is essential for health but can also be co-opted in disease.
What Is the RNase A Catalytic Mechanism?
Examine the chemical basis of RNA cleavage by RNase A, a model enzyme that uses a two-step acid-base mechanism for precise substrate breakdown.