Time-evolving polymer recreates nature’s signature twist

Apr, Mon, 2026
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Science has long taken inspiration from the natural world, and few natural designs are as iconic as the helical shape that makes life possible. The best-known example of such a molecule is DNA, a double helix that carries the genetic instructions for all living organisms.

Time-evolving polymer recreates nature's signature twist
Science has long taken inspiration from the natural world, and few natural designs are as iconic as the helical shape that makes life possible. The best-known example of such a molecule is DNA, a double helix that carries the genetic instructions for all living organisms.
Rare ribosome tweak in E. coli reveals possible antibiotic target
Storing genetic material as DNA or RNA is all well and good for life on Earth, but it would be entirely pointless if we couldn't do anything with it. To use our genetic blueprints, all organisms need to translate the message from their nucleic acid forms into protein, which then become the building blocks that make up each organism. Because this is such a critical part of life, ribosomes—the machinery responsible for the translation of RNA into protein—are fairly conserved across all living things.
Crab shell by-products could help regulate the marine lifetime of biodegradable plastics
Biodegradable plastics hold potential for reducing marine plastic pollution, but degrade too quickly, limiting their practical use. Researchers from Gunma University now show that crab shell by-products can reduce the breakdown rate of biodegradable plastics in seawater by altering the microbial communities that colonize their surfaces, known as the plastisphere. These findings could help design plastics that stay durable during use and then degrade at an appropriate time once in the ocean.
Light-activated electrolyte oxidizes water to promote tumor cell death
A research team led by Professor Jin Yong Lee from the Department of Chemistry of Sungkyunkwan University, with co-first author HyoungChul Ham, and in collaboration with research teams from Korea University and the National University of Singapore, has developed a next-generation phototherapeutic agent, "NDI-COE." This agent induces pyroptosis (inflammatory cell death) in hypoxic tumor tissues by directly oxidizing intracellular water.
Waste biomass helps unlock hydrogen and formate in lower-energy electrolysis
A research team has developed a high-efficiency electrochemical system that simultaneously produces hydrogen and value-added chemicals using glycerol, a low-cost, abundant byproduct of biodiesel production. The findings are published in Joule.