Today, scientists work to develop synthetic cells that mimic living cells, hoping to uncover clues that will help answer the question: how did life on Earth begin? In the past, researchers have focused on compartmentalization, but not on metabolism. Yet this cycle of building up and breaking down molecules is a critical aspect of how living cells respond to environmental stimuli, replicate and evolve. Now researchers from the University of California San Diego have designed a system that synthesizes cell membranes and incorporates metabolic activity.

Pigment researchers are using a rare mineral discovered in Norway more than a century ago as a road map for creating new yellows, oranges and reds that are vibrant, durable, non-toxic and inexpensive.

Tacking—a maneuver used to sail a boat against the wind, changing direction in a zig-zag fashion—is one of the most difficult but necessary sailing maneuvers. While tacking is common, the movement of the sails and wind forces during the turn are not well understood. A new study by New York University and University of Michigan mathematicians addresses these matters head-on. It offers a detailed characterization of how sails behave during a wide range of tacking motions and with an array of sail types.

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent around the world. And while rising temperatures caused by greenhouse gas emissions are part of the problem, the declining levels of aerosols — the small particles that make up smog and air pollution — may be driving the rise even more, particularly in populated areas.

A team of NYU chemists and physicists are using cutting-edge tools—holographic microscopy and super-resolution imaging—to unlock how cells build and grow tiny, dynamic droplets known as biomolecular condensates.

For the first time, scientists measured the protein content and growth dynamics of individual biomolecular condensates without disturbing them, gaining insights that may shape future drug development and disease modeling.