Cool new science + Friday = A happy Biocanvas. Here’s The Scope for the week of April 6, 2015:
- We <3 this. Scientists at Weizmann Institute of Science and Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute have found a way to stimulate mouse hearts to regenerate. The heart is one of the body’s organs that cannot regrow itself, and it can be damaged during cardiovascular episodes like a heart attack. These researchers, however, found that if they stimulated a signaling hormone called neuregulin during a heart attack, heart cells regenerated up to 45% of lost tissue.
- In a galaxy far, far away...Astronomers recently discovered a galaxy called SDP.81, which is 12 billion light-years away from Earth. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA), the galaxy appears to have a ring shape due to the bending of light — a phenomena Albert Einstein predicted would occur. Composite images from the Hubble Space Telescope indicate the presence of carbon monoxide and water. These new images will allow astronomers to study the shape and motion of distant galaxies...and perhaps plan a really, really long trip to visit.
- “Sorry, my phone died” may no longer be an excuse for not texting back. Researchers at Stanford University have invented an aluminum battery that may outperform alkaline and lithium-ion batteries. This aluminum battery is rechargeable and non-flammable, which makes them safer than lithium-ion batteries. While they have yet to design an aluminum battery that can match the voltage of lithium-ion batteries, scientists believe they are on the right path to a faster, safer battery alternative.
Image: This view of SDP.81 compiles images from ALMA and Hubble. The central orange ring reveals glowing dust, while the diffuse blue shows the bending of light as seen through Hubble. Credit: ALMA (NRAO/ESO/NAOJ); B. Saxton NRAO/AUI/NSF; NASA/ESA Hubble, T. Hunter (NRAO).
