Zack Fishman
Reporter, Life Sciences and Physical Sciences
Zack Fishman, based in Chicago, covers Life Sciences and Physical Sciences for The Academic Times. Previously, Zack received his M.S. in journalism at Northwestern University, specializing in health, environment and science reporting, and his B.S. in engineering physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
German researchers found that mouse cells absorb microplastic particles about 10 times as often when they have been exposed to aquatic environments and developed a crust of biological matter, suggesting that they may enter animal tissue more frequently than previously known.
The biological clock in humans is bolstered by more than 100 strands of microRNAs, parts of so-called “junk DNA” that stop protein production, according to a paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study introduces a new dimension to understanding the 24-hour cycles in cells throughout the body.
An artificial intelligence-powered imaging method developed by a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign research group can capture live cells without using fluorescent dyes, which are toxic to some specimens.
Gold's well-known antibacterial properties are derived from mechanical stress it applies to cells, according to a study published in Advanced Materials, in which bacteria were exposed to nanoparticles of the precious metal and had their cell walls stretched beyond their breaking point.
Stevia interferes with signaling between gut bacteria and could lead to health complications, according to a study published in Molecules, although its authors said more research into the natural sugar substitute’s safety is necessary.
Researchers at the San Francisco-based Gladstone Institutes discovered in mice studies that the brain's microglia, cells that constantly monitor surrounding neurons, keep spontaneous seizures in check by tempering neuronal hyperactivity.
By adding a newly developed antibody to human cell cultures, researchers generated a greater number of more effective white blood cells that can slow a harmfully active immune system, according to a paper published in Science Signaling.
Land animals experience a rapid decline in biodiversity approximately every 27.5 million years, a cycle similar to the one found in marine-life mass extinctions, according to a new paper in Paleontology, lending support to a controversial explanation that the events have astronomical origins.
A Rice University graduate student has identified a new subcompartment within peroxisomes, cellular organelles involved in metabolism, and suggested they may play important roles in managing fatty acids and offer a window into a range of disorders.
A trio of Japanese researchers harnessed a DNA-repair mechanism in cells to make gene-editing more accurate and unintended changes less frequent, refining the use of CRISPR technology.
Some birds with strong night vision may have been able to adapt to climate change more effectively by nesting earlier in the season, and using highly lit areas for breeding activities, according to a new paper published in Nature.
Plants aren’t as selfish as scientists once thought when it comes to growing their roots, avoiding a "tragedy of the commons" of soil nutrients by overproducing roots near their stem but growing fewer around their neighbors.