In mice, zinc helps thymus of the immune system regrow and immune-cell recovery after bone marrow transplant. Zinc’s immune-boosting properties are well-established, but scientists haven’t known exactly how it works. In a new study published online March 25 in the journal Blood, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center scientists reveal two ways the mineral supports immunity and suggest how it could be used to improve health.

Using mice, the team discovered that zinc is needed for the development of disease-fighting immune T cells and prompts regeneration of the thymus, the immune organ that produces T cells.

“This study adds ...

Black holes are regions of space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape. New research is examining the radiation and winds emanating from black hole activity and shows how they may exert effects on nearby planets.

“The impact of AGN outflows on the surface habitability of terrestrial planets in the Milky Way” is a research paper by the team of astrobiologist Manasvi Lingam and astrophysicist Eric Perlman from Florida Tech’s Department of Aerospace, Physics and Space Sciences, as well as researchers from the University of Rome, University of Maryland and Goddard Space Flight Center...

New material prevents inexpensive catalysts from degrading. Engineers at the University of Illinois Chicago are among a collaborative team that has developed a material that could give fuel cell systems a competitive edge over the battery systems that currently power most electric vehicles.

In contrast to lithium batteries, fuel cell technology relies on catalyst-driven chemical reactions to create energy. Lithium batteries can typically achieve a range of 100-300 miles on one charge, but they also are vulnerable to the high cost of cathode materials and manufacturing and require several hours to charge...

An international team of scientists has proved that Mercury, our solar system’ssmallest planet, has geomagnetic storms similar to those on Earth.

The research by scientists in the United States, Canada and China includes work by Hui Zhang, a space physics professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute.

Their finding, a first, answers the question of whether other planets, including those outside our solar system, can have geomagnetic storms regardless of t...