Neutral Particles Pack Heat
Proving a 20-year-old theory, scientists show that imaginary particles carry the same energy as real ones 03.04.2017 (l-r) Amir Rosenblatt, Dr. Mitali Banerjee, Dr. Diana Mahalu, Prof. Adi Stern, Dr. Vladimir Umansky, Prof. Yuval Oreg and Prof. Moty Heiblum It was...
Can quantum physics explain protein folding?
In No Time at All - Can quantum physics explain protein folding? 20.03.2017 Proteins are long molecular chains that fold into very specific three-dimensional shapes in order to function. And as they go about their lives, they unfold and refold, opening up and...
Survival of the Thriftiest: Cost-Cutting Strategies in the Cell
Slowing ribosomes as they "enter" the RNA highway keeps protein production flowing 06.03.2017 The RNA has several ways to slow down the beginning steps of protein production Paying less and getting more is not just a goal of wise consumers. Living cells, too, strive...
A Test for Artificial Odors
If you could smell roses online, should you trust your nose? 06.03.2017 Prof. David Harel proposes a mathematical test for an online "odor" transfer Say someone claims to have developed a system to “capture” any odor in the form of a digital code – one that could be...
Dr. Bruce Lefker: Bridging the Gap Between Basic Science and Drug Discovery
23.02.2017 Dr. Bruce Lefker hiking in Zion National Park, US – a favorite hobby of his during his free time Dr. Bruce Lefker of Pfizer Inc, Boston, USA, is a visiting scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science working in the Drug Discovery Unit at the Nancy...
High Cholesterol Is Good News – in Plants
The biochemical steps to making cholesterol in plants turn out to be surprisingly similar to those in animals 20.02.2017 (l-r) Dr. Jedrzej Szymanski, Efrat Almekias-Siegl, Dr. Prashant Sonawane, Hassan Massalha, Dr. Ilana Rogachev, Sayantan Panda, Dr. Sagit Meir, Dr....
Controlling Electron Spin for Efficient Water Splitting
The method could lead to solar-based production of hydrogen for fuel 13.02.2017 Water is made of oxygen and hydrogen, and splitting water molecules to produce hydrogen for fuel is a promising path for alternative energy. One of the main obstacles to making...
Gene Analysis Adds Layers to Understanding How Our Livers Function
Tracking gene expression patterns for 20,000 genes in 1,500 cells revealed a mosaic of activities 13.02.2017 A cross section of a mouse liver lobule under a fluorescence microscope. The middle layer reveals an abundance of messenger RNA molecules (white dots) for the...
Keeping Up the Pressure
A new neural mechanism is found to regulate the chronic stress response 13.02.2017 Brain tissue from genetically engineered mice. Neurons that express CRFR1 appear in green and those that release the neurotransmitter CRF are in red. The image was obtained with...
Dr. Silvio Pitlik: Preserving Our Internal Ecosystems
The day after retiring from medicine, Pitlik showed up in the lab of Prof. Rotem, Sorek 05.02.2017 Dr. Silvio Pitlik: "The students give me energy" Long before Weizmann Institute scientists and others discovered the beneficial side of our internal bacteria – our...