(Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München) A European team of researchers, led by LMU astronomer Thomas Preibisch, has used the power of ESO's Very Large Telescope to obtain the most detailed - and dramatic - infrared image of the Carina Nebula stellar nursery taken so far. Many previously hidden featureshave emerged.

(Chandra X-ray Center) The giant black hole at the center of the Milky Way may be vaporizing and devouring asteroids, which could explain the frequent flares observed, according to astronomers using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.

(American Chemical Society) Scientists are reporting development of a new form of buckypaper, which eliminates a major drawback of these sheets of carbon nanotubes -- 50,000 times thinner than a human hair, 10 times lighter than steel, but up to 250 times stronger -- with potential uses ranging from body armor to next-generation batteries. Their report appears in the journal ACS Nano.

(Cleveland Clinic) The use of padded headgear and gloves reduces the impact that fighters absorb from hits to the head, according to newly published research from Cleveland Clinic.

by Giuseppe Maulucci, Marco De Spirito, Giuseppe Arcovito, Massimiliano Papi
Background Alpha crystallin is an oligomer composed of two types of subunits, alpha-A and alpha-B crystallin, and is the major constituent of human lens. The temperature induced condensation of alpha-crystallin, the main cause for eye lens opacification (cataract), is a two step-process, a nucleation followed by an aggregation phase, and a protective effect towards the aggregation is exhibited over the alpha crystallin phase transition temperature (Tc = 318.16 K).