For upcoming climate model studies, scientists can use a new, significantly improved data set for solar forcing. Scientists have now published the details of the new reconstruction of this reference dataset. A significantly enhanced influence of solar cycle effects is expected, particularly in the stratosphere.

Feeding pregnant female mice a diet high in fat derived from common corn oil resulted in genetic changes that substantially increased breast cancer susceptibility in three generations of female offspring, report scientists.

A higher number of eggs retrieved in an IVF treatment cycle is independently associated with more chromosomally normal embryos available for transfer, according to a new study. However, the benefit of a greater oocyte yield decreases significantly with advancing female age.

For the first time, a large population study has quantified the chance of pregnancy after treatment for cancer diagnosed in girls and women aged 39 or under. This landmark study, which linked all cancers diagnosed in Scotland between 1981 and 2012 to subsequent pregnancy, found that the cancer survivors were 38 percent less likely to achieve a pregnancy than women in the general population. This detrimental effect on fertility was evident in almost all types of cancer diagnosed.

Researchers have demonstrated a way to detect nuclear spins in molecules noninvasively, providing a new tool for biotechnology and materials science. Important research in medicine and biology relies on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, but until now, it has been limited in spatial resolution and typically requires powerful microwave fields. Scientists have now used a quantum probe to perform microwave-free NMR at the nanoscale.

Scientists have introduced, for the first time, the organelle-localized self-assembly of a peptide amphiphile as a powerful strategy for controlling cellular fate.

Researchers have developed the world’s most narrowband diode laser on a chip. This laser represents a breakthrough in the fast-growing field of photonics, and will bring applications like 5G internet and accurate GPS closer.

New research indicates that bark beetle outbreaks in forests create several new roosting and foraging possibilities for the protected bat species Barbastella barbastellus. For example, maternity colonies of B. barbastellus were found beneath bark of beetle-killed spruces. Also, hunting activity of B. barbastellus increased with more extensive canopy opening due to bark beetles.

Scientists have discovered a link between a major mechanism of antibiotic resistance and resistance to the disinfectant triclosan which is commonly found in domestic products.

Ostriches are the only animals in the world to have a double-kneecap, but its purpose remains an evolutionary mystery. One of the authors said, "understanding more about different kneecap configurations in different animals could help to inform prosthesis design, surgical interventions, and even robots with better joints."

A 'brain training' game could help improve the memory of patients in the very earliest stages of dementia, suggests a new study.

New models of massive stellar eruptions hint at an extra layer of complexity when considering whether an exoplanet may be habitable or not. Models developed for our own Sun have now been applied to cool stars favored by exoplanet hunters.

A new scorpion-milking robot designed to extract venom could replace the traditional manual method. Scorpion venom is used in medical applications such as immunosuppressants, anti-malarial drugs and cancer research, but the extraction process can be potentially life-threatening.

One of the benefits to cutting fossil fuel consumption is lowering air pollution. A new study shows that, on average, an increase in pollution particles in the air of 10 micrograms per cubic meter cuts victims' life expectancy by 9-11 years -- more than previously thought. But the estimated economic cost of this differs wildly between the US and the EU because of the calculations used.

A new portable device can quickly find markers of deadly, unpredictable sepsis infection from a single drop of blood. The device is the first to provide rapid, point-of-care measurement of the immune system's response, without any need to process the blood. This can help doctors identify sepsis at its onset, monitor infected patients and could even point to a prognosis.