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Feature Articles

Probing Electron Dynamics in the Ultrafast Regime

In the atoms that make up the matter around us, negatively charged particles called electrons have properties such as spin and orbital angular momentum. Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg have developed a theoretical framework which allows them to simulate the dynamics of the spin and orbital angular momentum of electrons in materials when probed with an ultrafast laser pulse. Using this framework, they are able to simulate different materials and improve our understanding of dynamics on an atomic scale.

Seeing Beneath the Surface: Exploring Deltaic Reservoirs with Augmented Reality

In the Aínsa Basin of the Spanish Pyrenees, the Mondot-1 well was drilled, cored, and fully logged to capture a detailed record of a long-buried ancient river delta system. Dr. John D. Marshall, Dr. Jürgen Grötsch, and Dr. Michael C. Pöppelreiter with co-workers at Shell International used this core to trace how sediments once flowed across the landscape, and were deposited under shifting tectonic conditions. The team employed augmented reality and interactive virtual displays; these innovative tools offer new ways to explore subsurface depositional systems, and are particularly useful in locations where physical access to the core is difficult, or no longer possible.

Dr Jim Wu | Ziresovir Offers New Hope for Treating Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes respiratory tract infections in children and adults. While for many patients the outcomes of infection are mild, for others, infection can prove fatal, and there is a lack of effective treatments. Dr Jim Wu from the Shanghai Ark Biopharmaceutical Company in China carries out his vital research to develop new, safe, and effective treatments to tackle this killer.

Dr Sandra Grumelli | The Importance of the Choline in Chronic Lung Infections

People with chronic lung conditions like COPD and cystic fibrosis are vulnerable to lung infections caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These infections are often difficult to treat and can cause sudden worsening of symptoms, known as flare-ups or acute exacerbations. While we know P. aeruginosa triggers inflammation and damage in the lungs, much less is understood about how exactly it causes these flare-ups, or how it survives in such a harsh environment. Dr Sandra Grumelli from the Center of Investigations of Respiratory Diseases in Argentina, has explored the role of a common molecule called choline which is released during infection. Using a combination of mouse models and laboratory experiments, she has discovered that choline not only makes breathing harder, it also helps P. aeruginosa adapt to and persist in the lungs. Her research opens up new possibilities for tackling chronic infections by targeting the bacteria’s energy use and the way it responds to its environment.

Can Your Personality Shield Your Mind From Ageing? How being open to new experiences might protect against cognitive decline as we age

Many of us have witnessed the troubling effects of ageing on the mind in older friends or family members – the forgotten names, the misplaced keys, the struggle to solve problems that once seemed simple. For decades, scientists have accepted cognitive decline as an inevitable part of growing older. But what if our personality could protect us from some of these changes? A remarkable 25-year study by Dr David Sperbeck, a neuropsychologist at North Star Behavioral Health Hospital in Alaska, has uncovered compelling evidence that certain personality traits might act as a shield against age-related cognitive decline.

AI-Based Video Monitoring of Movement Disorders: Improving Care for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

As our global population ages, movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease present growing challenges for healthcare systems. Traditional assessment methods rely on subjective clinical ratings during brief clinic visits and often fail to capture the full picture of a patient’s condition. Professor Martin McKeown and his colleagues are pioneering innovative artificial intelligence approaches which use ordinary video recordings to objectively monitor movement disorders. These cutting-edge technologies promise to transform care for millions of patients by enabling remote, continuous assessment of symptoms, while reducing healthcare costs and improving quality of life.

Professor E John List | Tracking Invisible Waters: Predicting the Spread of Contaminated Groundwater Through Underground Aquifers

When we think about water pollution, we often picture oil spills on the ocean surface or chemicals flowing down rivers. But some of the most significant environmental challenges occur completely out of sight, deep underground, where contaminated water moves through layers of rock and soil. Understanding how these invisible pollutants travel has profound implications for protecting our drinking water supplies and coastal ecosystems. Groundwater engineer Dr E. John List has developed an approach that challenges fundamental assumptions about how contamination spreads underground.

Professor Nicola Curtin | Potential for Improving Cancer Treatment by Optimising Drug Scheduling

Cancers often develop because of faulty DNA repair systems. PARP inhibitors (PARPi) are a class of targeted anti-cancer drugs that exploit this weakness, by inhibiting a complementary DNA repair system, to selectively target the tumour. However, these medicines need to be taken every day, creating a burden on patients and reducing the options for combination with other anticancer therapies. Professor Nicola Curtin and her team at Newcastle University investigated how long different PARPi stay active in cancer cells after a single dose and how this influences their effectiveness when combined with another anti-cancer drug.

Dr Richard Marchant | Restoring the Flow: Stream Life Slowly Returns After Rabbit Eradication on Macquarie Island

The remote streams of subantarctic Macquarie Island are home to low diversity freshwater invertebrate communities with an unusual taxonomic composition. However, over a century of grazing by introduced rabbits dramatically degraded surrounding vegetation, increasing erosion and disturbing stream ecosystems. Following rabbit eradication in 2016, Dr Richard Marchant of Museums Victoria and colleagues from the University of Canberra and the Australian Antarctic Division investigated whether the island’s streams were recovering ecologically. Their study reveals a slow but measurable resurgence of invertebrate taxa, particularly in areas with moderate prior damage and vegetation regrowth, though full recovery remains uncertain.

Rediscovering Alfred Russel Wallace: The True Location of His Ternate Residence

In February of 1858, naturalist and explorer Alfred Russel Wallace, whilst in the village of Dodinga at Halmahera Island, Indonesia, independently outlined his theory of evolution through natural selection.
Wallace then returned to his rented home on the small island of Ternate, and sent his manuscript —now known as “The Ternate Letter”— to Charles Darwin.
For nearly 80 years Wallace’s rented house has been a subject of debate, with two houses contending as candidates albeit, as this paper confirms, neither being valid. The paper written by Paul Whincup describes how a combination of new research, fieldwork, and local insight has finally pinpointed the true site of Wallace’s House at Ternate.

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Earth, Environment & Agricultual Sciences

Seeing Beneath the Surface: Exploring Deltaic Reservoirs with Augmented Reality

Seeing Beneath the Surface: Exploring Deltaic Reservoirs with Augmented Reality

In the Aínsa Basin of the Spanish Pyrenees, the Mondot-1 well was drilled, cored, and fully logged to capture a detailed record of a long-buried ancient river delta system. Dr. John D. Marshall, Dr. Jürgen Grötsch, and Dr. Michael C. Pöppelreiter with co-workers at Shell International used this core to trace how sediments once flowed across the landscape, and were deposited under shifting tectonic conditions. The team employed augmented reality and interactive virtual displays; these innovative tools offer new ways to explore subsurface depositional systems, and are particularly useful in locations where physical access to the core is difficult, or no longer possible.

Physical Sciences & Mathematics Latest

Dr Sandra Grumelli | The Importance of the Choline in Chronic Lung Infections

Probing Electron Dynamics in the Ultrafast Regime

In the atoms that make up the matter around us, negatively charged particles called electrons have properties such as spin and orbital angular momentum. Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg have developed a theoretical framework which allows them to simulate the dynamics of the spin and orbital angular momentum of electrons in materials when probed with an ultrafast laser pulse. Using this framework, they are able to simulate different materials and improve our understanding of dynamics on an atomic scale.

Engineering & Computer Science Latest

Dr Sandra Grumelli | The Importance of the Choline in Chronic Lung Infections

Probing Electron Dynamics in the Ultrafast Regime

In the atoms that make up the matter around us, negatively charged particles called electrons have properties such as spin and orbital angular momentum. Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg have developed a theoretical framework which allows them to simulate the dynamics of the spin and orbital angular momentum of electrons in materials when probed with an ultrafast laser pulse. Using this framework, they are able to simulate different materials and improve our understanding of dynamics on an atomic scale.

Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Latest

Rediscovering Alfred Russel Wallace: The True Location of His Ternate Residence

Rediscovering Alfred Russel Wallace: The True Location of His Ternate Residence

In February of 1858, naturalist and explorer Alfred Russel Wallace, whilst in the village of Dodinga at Halmahera Island, Indonesia, independently outlined his theory of evolution through natural selection.
Wallace then returned to his rented home on the small island of Ternate, and sent his manuscript —now known as “The Ternate Letter”— to Charles Darwin.
For nearly 80 years Wallace’s rented house has been a subject of debate, with two houses contending as candidates albeit, as this paper confirms, neither being valid. The paper written by Paul Whincup describes how a combination of new research, fieldwork, and local insight has finally pinpointed the true site of Wallace’s House at Ternate.

Life Sciences & Biology Latest

Dr Jim Wu | Ziresovir Offers New Hope for Treating Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections

Dr Jim Wu | Ziresovir Offers New Hope for Treating Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes respiratory tract infections in children and adults. While for many patients the outcomes of infection are mild, for others, infection can prove fatal, and there is a lack of effective treatments. Dr Jim Wu from the Shanghai Ark Biopharmaceutical Company in China carries out his vital research to develop new, safe, and effective treatments to tackle this killer.

Education & Training Latest

Seeing Beneath the Surface: Exploring Deltaic Reservoirs with Augmented Reality

Seeing Beneath the Surface: Exploring Deltaic Reservoirs with Augmented Reality

In the Aínsa Basin of the Spanish Pyrenees, the Mondot-1 well was drilled, cored, and fully logged to capture a detailed record of a long-buried ancient river delta system. Dr. John D. Marshall, Dr. Jürgen Grötsch, and Dr. Michael C. Pöppelreiter with co-workers at Shell International used this core to trace how sediments once flowed across the landscape, and were deposited under shifting tectonic conditions. The team employed augmented reality and interactive virtual displays; these innovative tools offer new ways to explore subsurface depositional systems, and are particularly useful in locations where physical access to the core is difficult, or no longer possible.

Psychology & Neuroscience Latest

Can Your Personality Shield Your Mind From Ageing? How being open to new experiences might protect against cognitive decline as we age

Can Your Personality Shield Your Mind From Ageing? How being open to new experiences might protect against cognitive decline as we age

Many of us have witnessed the troubling effects of ageing on the mind in older friends or family members – the forgotten names, the misplaced keys, the struggle to solve problems that once seemed simple. For decades, scientists have accepted cognitive decline as an inevitable part of growing older. But what if our personality could protect us from some of these changes? A remarkable 25-year study by Dr David Sperbeck, a neuropsychologist at North Star Behavioral Health Hospital in Alaska, has uncovered compelling evidence that certain personality traits might act as a shield against age-related cognitive decline.

Business, Economics & Finance Latest

Dr Alexander Scholze | Digital Transformation in the Workplace: Navigating the Balance Between Demands and Resources

Dr Alexander Scholze | Digital Transformation in the Workplace: Navigating the Balance Between Demands and Resources

What if your digital tools, designed to help you, became the very reason for your burnout? In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, organisations face the challenge of implementing technological changes while safeguarding employee well-being. Dr Alexander Scholze has developed a theoretical framework that comprehensively examines how digitalisation affects workplace dynamics, particularly focusing on job demands and resources. His research offers valuable insights for organisations seeking to harness the benefits of digital transformation while mitigating potential negative impacts on employee health and motivation.

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Scientia Issue #153 | Exploring Our World, Our Past, and Our Future

Scientia Issue #153 | Exploring Our World, Our Past, and Our Future

The latest issue of Scientia showcases recent advances in research and technology across diverse fields. These riveting articles provide fascinating insights into our world, our past, and our future, and underscore the intertwined relationship between science and society.

In Education & Training, we highlight developments across the educational system, and in Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, we share insights from the study of history and the present day, as well as advances in economics and data science. In Earth & Environmental Sciences, we are reminded of the necessity of water for life on Earth and the need for sustainable agriculture. The section dedicated to Physical Sciences & Mathematics explores the exciting applications of this field to space exploration, nuclear energy, telecommunications, and healthcare. In Medical & Health Sciences, preventing, diagnosing, and treating cancer emerges as a core theme. Finally, in Life Sciences & Biology and Psychology & Neuroscience, we can read the latest insights into ethnic and genomic diversity, and how psychology can inform our understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable groups.

Scientia Issue #150 | Big Ideas for a Better World

Scientia Issue #150 | Big Ideas for a Better World

Big Ideas for a Better World This riveting issue of Scientia showcases some of the biggest new ideas across science, research, and technology. While we face many challenges, from climate change to cancer, epidemics to economic...

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