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Female and male primates often form close bonds, but not purely out of affection. Close relationships usually evolve when there is a clear benefit for both parties, with protection and reproductive control playing key roles. A new study, led by primatologists Liesbeth Sterck from Utrecht University and Julia Ostner from the University of Göttingen, provides theoretical insights in how these bonds are formed.

Studying how single DNA molecules behave helps us to better understand genetic disorders and design better drugs. Until now however, examining DNA molecules one-by-one was a slow process. Biophysicists from Delft University of Technology and Leiden University developed a technique that speeds up screening of individual DNA molecules at least a thousand times.

Have you ever wondered how insects are able to go so far beyond their home and still find their way? The answer to this question is not only relevant to biology but also to making the AI for tiny, autonomous robots. TU Delft drone-researchers felt inspired by biological findings on how ants visually recognize their environment and combine it with counting their steps in order to get safely back home.

Some bacteria form colonies that display striking, reflective colours. New genetic insights into the formation of such colours allowed an interdisciplinary, international team of researchers to identify the environments and bacterial groups in which these colours are found. Doing so, the team has made a start in understanding the function of these colours in bacteria.

Led by Yoeri van de Burgt and Marco Fattori, TU/e researchers have solved a major problem related to neuromorphic chips. The new research is published in Science Advances. Large-scale neural network models form the basis of many AI-based technologies such as neuromorphic chips, which are inspired by the human brain.

Postdoctoral researcher Florencia Abinzano was nominated for the Trial and Error award, established to create more awareness for open science: the open sharing of all research results, positive and negative, in science. Scientific research does not always go as it was conceived or hoped for. Sometimes, your hypothesis doesn't work out, mistakes may be made.

Insomnia is a common problem that also increases the risk of depression. Unfortunately, we do not yet sufficiently understand the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Research by neuroscientist Tom Bresser shows that the white matter in the brain, which connects different brain areas, differs in people with insomnia compared to people without sleep problems.

Applying physics to better understand complicated biological processes: that is what Meike Bos did during her PhD. She used computer models to investigate how ciliated cells in the airways move to ensure that mucus can be transported. Her research, culminating in a successful dissertation defense on 29 May, highlights the power of computational modeling in addressing complex biological phenomena.

When people face an acute threat, they tend to react in one of three ways: fight, flight or freeze. A doctoral research project conducted at Radboud University by Felix Klaassen and defended on the 5th of June shows that the freeze response can be really helpful in dealing with a situation in a well-considered way.

The assumption that the numbers of smaller predators will decline when large predator populations rise, is not necessarily valid. For mammals in Europe, this relationship appears to exist only in specific cases. Utrecht biologists Thomas van Schaik, Marijke van Kuijk , and Liesbeth Sterck conclude this based on a literature review they conducted, which was recently published in the scientific journal Mammal Review.

A team of researchers at Delft University of Technology has developed a drone that flies autonomously using neuromorphic image processing and control based on the workings of animal brains. Animal brains use less data and energy compared to current deep neural networks running on GPUs (graphic chips).

Water can be purified using mushroom substrate: the mixture of fungal filaments and horse manure that remains after harvesting mushrooms. The substrate effectively decreases concentrations of pesticides and drugs in contaminated water. Utrecht researchers Brigit van Brenk , Han Wösten , and colleagues demonstrate this in a paper in the scientific journal Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology.

Theoretical physicists at Utrecht University, together with experimental physicists at Sogang University in South Korea, have succeeded in building an artificial synapse. This synapse works with water and salt and provides the first evidence that a system using the same medium as our brains can process complex information.

Examining tissues, cells, and proteins under a microscope helps us prevent and combat diseases. To study this, we need to precisely determine the dimensions of the biological structure. However, a biological sample may appear flatter under the light microscope than it actually is. Researchers at Delft University of Technology have now demonstrated for the first time that this distortion is not constant, contrary to what many scientists have assumed for decades.

TU/e researcher Imke Krauhausen built new electronic devices based on neuromorphic computing Our brain can process complex information at lightning speed using very little energy. This is why there is rapidly growing interest in the human brain as a model for the development of new computer technology.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified timber harvesting areas in Gabon and Congo boast a greater abundance of larger mammals, such as leopards, gorillas, and elephants, than non-FSC forests. Utrecht University researcher Joeri Zwerts and colleagues conclude this based on 1.3 million camera trap images gathered in fourteen commercially exploited forests.

The recent discovery of the comammox bacterium might prove pivotal in a new and improved approach to wastewater purification that will be more efficient according to research carried out by Pieter Blom. Mr Blom will receive his PhD on the subject from Radboud University on 4 April. Water treatment facilities remove nitrogen, among other substances, from wastewater before releasing it back into the environment.

Chimpanzees that are unable to figure out a complex puzzle on their own, are capable of learning the solution from other chimps that were trained to solve it. Utrecht University researcher Edwin van Leeuwen and international colleagues conclude this based on experiments conducted with groups of chimpanzees in Zambia.

Scientists from Delft University of Technology present a new technique to identify proteins. Proteins carry out essential functions in our cells, while playing a crucial role in diseases like cancer and COVID-19 infection. The researchers identify proteins by reading out the fingerprint, and comparing the fingerprint to patterns from a database.

The pilot whale found dead on Vlieland's beach in early December was examined at Utrecht University's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Investigations revealed that the animal was seriously ill and had inflammations in several organs. The adult female had meningitis and pneumonia as well as abnormalities in her teeth and hearing organs.