TIGERISS roars toward space station spot

TIGERISS roars toward space station spot

Physicists from Washington University in St. Louis are developing a new experiment as part of NASA’s Astrophysics Pioneers Program. Brian Rauch in Arts & Sciences is leading the effort, which will investigate the origins of heavy elements in the universe and has a $20 million cost cap.
Artemis launch brings us closer to space exploration goals

Artemis launch brings us closer to space exploration goals

On Monday, Aug. 29, NASA plans to launch its Orion spacecraft from the world’s most powerful rocket for a trip around the moon. Lunar scientist Bradley L. Jolliff in Arts & Sciences explains why the Artemis mission represents the next great leap in human exploration of space.
Sugar metabolism is surprisingly conventional in cancer

Sugar metabolism is surprisingly conventional in cancer

A study in Molecular Cell led by chemist Gary Patti in Arts & Sciences shows that cancer cells don’t want to waste glucose, they just consume it too quickly. The discovery was made possible with metabolomics, which allowed Patti and his team to observe the speed at which small molecules move through cells.
Seedy, not sweet

Seedy, not sweet

Biologist Susanne Renner in Arts & Sciences investigated the oldest known seeds from watermelon relatives. Her research team shared two new genomes of the ancient seeds and described how Neolithic humans in Libya likely used the seeds, not the bitter flesh, from the melons.
Best offense is a great defense for some carnivorous plants

Best offense is a great defense for some carnivorous plants

Insect-eating plants have fascinated biologists for more than a century, but how plants evolved the ability to capture and consume live prey has largely remained a mystery. Biologist Ivan Radin in Arts & Sciences and collaborators investigated the molecular basis of plant carnivory in sundews and found evidence that it evolved from mechanisms plants use to defend themselves.
Earth’s deep mantle was drier from the start

Earth’s deep mantle was drier from the start

Geoscientist Rita Parai in Arts & Sciences uses noble gas isotopes to better understand the formation and evolution of planetary bodies. Her new modeling study published in PNAS shows that the deep mantle had low concentrations of volatiles like xenon and water when it formed, setting up an internal viscosity contrast with lasting impacts.
View More Stories