A new study challenges one of the most widely accepted ideas in psychology and linguistics: that the meaning of words is fundamentally organized around expressing emotion. Instead, a team of scientists at the University of Vermont have looked at the use of billions of words and discovered that language is structured by something deeper—and more consequential: the need for safety and survival.

Scientists have uncovered more than 1,700 new proteins that could have implications for human diseases, including cancer. Mostly very small, these proteins were found in what’s called the ‘dark proteome’, which covers gene products from previously overlooked sections of DNA. These proteins have unusual properties, motivating scientists to coin a new concept, peptideins, to help understand their potentially unique biology. Their findings are being shared with scientists worldwide in an open-source format to stimulate further research.

An FAU researcher has earned a National Science Foundation CAREER award to study why amine-based sorbents used in pollution control degrade over time. By uncovering molecular-level mechanisms behind this breakdown, the project aims to improve the durability and efficiency of materials used to capture carbon dioxide, toxic gases, heavy metals and “forever chemicals,” with potential benefits for air and water purification, sustainability and energy systems.