New 2D material demonstrates capability for ultrathin waveplates

Accelerator programs are supposed to give entrepreneurs the mentorship, training and skills boost that will help launch them toward success. But in countries where the gender playing field still steeply tilts toward male advantage, women-led businesses that participated in accelerators showed no financial improvement, or even did worse, compared to ventures that applied but weren't accepted.

Scientists at Florida International University have identified a promising way to safely ship fish long distances without losing vital vitamin D, using a method already widely applied to preserve other foods—gamma irradiation.

August Weismann's germ plasm theory of the late 19th century posited that only germ cells, e.g., sperm and egg cells in animals or pollen and ovule cells in plants, transmit genetic information to the next generation, and that somatic mutations represent an evolutionary dead end. This theory has been highly validated in animals, whose germ cells are formed and segregated early in the organism's development.

Scientists have discovered a way to make French fries less greasy without ruining their taste. By combining regular frying with microwave heating, they reduce the amount of oil absorbed during cooking. The key lies in pressure inside the food—microwaves help push oil out instead of letting it seep in. The result: faster cooking, lower fat, and fries that can still stay crispy.