Chemists at Emory University invented a reaction to streamline the total synthesis of a compound, phaeocaulisin A, extracted from a plant used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine. In laboratory dish experiments conducted with biologists at Winship Cancer Institute  of Emory University, the researchers showed the compound’s efficacy against HER2-positive breast cancer cells and triple-negative breast cancer cells. An analogue of the compound the chemists constructed boosted this efficacy. 

In 2018, the side of the Anak Krakatau volcano collapsed in a powerful eruption and produced a tsunami that killed hundreds and injured thousands on nearby Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. A new analysis of satellite data showed the mountainside was slipping for years and accelerated before the eruption — information that could have potentially offered a warning of the collapse. The team, led by researchers at Penn State, recently published their findings in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

A new evaluation method assesses the accuracy of spatial prediction techniques, outperforming traditional methods. This could help scientists make better predictions in areas like weather forecasting, climate research, public health, and ecological management.