A significant advancement in molecular engineering has produced a large, hollow spherical shell nanostructure through the self-assembly of peptides and metal ions, report researchers from Japan. This dodecahedral link structure, measuring 6.3 nanometers in diameter, was achieved by combining geometric principles derived from knot theory and graph theory with peptide engineering. The resulting structure demonstrates remarkable stability while featuring a large inner cavity suitable for encapsulating macromolecules, opening pathways for producing complex artificial virus capsids.

New research from the University of Houston released this week found that students don’t view all STEM subjects alike. Boys and girls generally believe that engineering and computer science are professions for males, while the tide has changed some for math and science — with girls slightly favored or equal.