Israeli research

An ancient basalt tool from the Gesher Bnot Yaakov site, which was used to study the sources of hominin raw material about 780 years ago.

Already 780 years ago: Hominins in the Galilee planned the production of stone tools in advance

  • 2 תגובות
Europa, a frozen moon of Jupiter whose subsurface ocean may harbor alien life. Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SETI Institute

A new “fingerprint” for searching for extraterrestrial life

  • No comments
Instead of looking for a single molecule that could be a clue to life, the new study looks at the statistical arrangement of collections of molecules. The method has been tested on samples from Earth, fossils and asteroids, and could be used in future missions to Mars.
An adult male dragonfly that is blue. Photo: Tali Lamkof

The Spriters teach how to produce strong colors without polluting pigments

  • No comments
Ben-Gurion University-led research reveals how spiders produce a saturated blue-green color from imperfect nanoscale structures. The mechanism may aid in the development of sustainable structural dyes
The illustration shows the **Enh13** control region alongside the **Sox9** gene as a sort of “battlefield” between the two sex development pathways. Factors that promote female development act to repress **Sox9** by binding to **Enh13**, while factors that promote male development activate it. It is the balance between these opposing forces that ultimately determines whether male or female development occurs. Credit: Neta Varsano.

Tiny change in DNA caused female mice to develop in a male pathway

  • No comments
Researchers from Bar-Ilan University have shown that a single letter change in a non-protein-coding control region can activate the Sox9 gene and alter the course of sexual development in mice. The study highlights the importance of
Meteor shower. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Don't blink: Chance to view Arietid meteors from Israel on the morning of June 10

  • No comments
A colony of the coral Acropora eurystoma in the Gulf of Eilat, where reproductive hormone patterns were studied over three years.

Corals have a hormonal clock and it may help detect distress on reefs

  • No comments
A three-year study of corals from the Gulf of Eilat has found cyclical patterns of reproductive hormones, including estrogen and progesterone. The findings may help in the future with early detection of damage to the reproductive capacity of coral reefs.
First-of-its-kind experimental gene therapy administered at Schneider Children's Center to a baby with WOREE syndrome, a rare disease caused by a defect in the WWOX gene. Credit: Hebrew University / Schneider Children's Center.

For the first time: Experimental WWOX gene therapy injected into the brain of a baby with severe genetic epilepsy

  • No comments
Conceptual illustration of an AAV9 vector that delivers the WWOX gene to nerve cells in the brain as part of experimental gene therapy for WOREE syndrome.
A humpback whale in the Mediterranean Sea. Photo by Aviad Sheinin

A rare sighting in Israel's deep sea: Two humpback whales were recorded west of Ashdod

  • No comments
Researchers at the Maurice Kahn Marine Research Station at the University of Haifa have located two tadpoles in the deep sea, shortly before they were forced to halt an acoustic survey due to the security situation. This is only the second time since 2022 that
Prof. Yaakov Nachmias, Prof. Hussam Hayek and Prof. Tal Dvir, three Israeli researchers who have been added to the National Academy of Inventors in the United States.

Three Israeli researchers were added to the National Academy of Inventors in the US

  • No comments
Prof. Tal Dvir of Tel Aviv University, Prof. Hussam Hayek of the Technion, and Prof. Yaakov Nachmias of the Hebrew University were inducted into the ranks of the National Academy of Inventors, in recognition of academic inventions with scientific impact,
In recent decades, there has been a growing understanding that small parts of a city – specific street segments – may have a greater impact on crime. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Crime Hotspots: Does the Street We Live On Change Hormones Related to Aggression and Anxiety?

  • 2 תגובות
A planned Israeli study will map street sections in Tel Aviv and examine whether living in areas with high crime is linked to testosterone and cortisol levels and measures of mental well-being.
Studying while listening to music. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The sounds in the background

Hebrew University study: “Speech-matched” background music improved word recall more than silence
MRI machine. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Turning MRI into an early molecular diagnostic tool

  • No comments
The Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Machine Learning Laboratory at Tel Aviv University, funded by the Israel National Science Foundation, is developing dedicated MRI sequences and algorithms that translate “signal signatures” into biological indicators – with a focus on multiple sclerosis and reducing
Structure of a nerve cell Illustration: depositphotos.com

Lessons in visualization

  • No comments
With all due respect to electrical signals, the language of the brain is chemistry. In a pioneering study, researchers at Tel Aviv University have managed to use imaging devices to see this chemistry in action.
Breastfeeding. Illustration: depositphotos.com

It's all thanks to mom: Babies "recycle" antibodies from the mother into saliva: A new mechanism keeps the mouth protected even between feedings

  • No comments
Hebrew University study suggests that infants actively transfer maternal IgG antibodies to the salivary glands – thus protecting the oral cavity and tuning the immune system early in life
A dangerous combination of artificial intelligence and cyber. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Between deterrence and defense

A study at Tel Aviv University examines why the US abandoned “cyber deterrence” in 2018 and moved to Defend Forward and Persistent Engagement
Courtesy of Prof. Ariel Monitz

Esophageal alarm protein

  • No comments
Prof. Ariel Monitz's team from Tel Aviv University showed that in allergic esophagitis (EOE) the protein TSLP is active and that its neutralization in an experimental model reduces inflammatory cell infiltration, mucosal thickening, and fibrosis - a hint

Mother's child

  • One response
Cosmic scene with DNA, stars, solvents and atomic circles in oral flow.

Kidney test

  • No comments
red blood cells Illustration: depositphotos.com

The fight for iron: How disease-causing fungi exploit our blood – and what might stop them

  • 2 תגובות
Mitochondria in the cell: not only energy production, but also signals that direct gene expression

When mitochondrial DNA “directs” the immune system

  • No comments
Zebrafish embryos in the first hours after fertilization – a transparent model that allows us to examine how temperature changes the “rate” of development and RNA control. Photo: Talia Ratzin

When the fetal clock changes pace: How the beginning of life synchronizes with the environment

  • No comments
At the Hebrew University and with the support of a grant from the National Science Foundation, research on zebrafish embryos is examining how temperature change “turns the speed knob” of development, which RNA processes remain in constant ratios between species, and how
Technician and patient in preparation for MRI. Photo: shutterstock

Turning MRI into an early molecular diagnostic tool

  • No comments
The Laboratory for Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Machine Learning at Tel Aviv University, funded by the Israel Science Foundation, develops MRI protocols and machine learning algorithms to identify disease processes even before structural changes appear.
The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Photo: from Wikipedia

Leaders, Intelligence – and Attacking Nuclear Facilities

  • No comments
Children donating to others. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Hebrew University study: Children with fewer resources give more – but with age, children from wealthy families give less

“Token” experiments among hundreds of elementary school students found that scarcity increases giving, while high parental status was linked to a decline in giving as children get older, in a pattern reminiscent of the adult world.
Dr. Natalia Freund. Photo: Tel Aviv University Spokesperson

A long and winding journey to discover new ways to fight tuberculosis

  • No comments
A study from Tel Aviv University identified two families of human antibodies that bind to the PSTS1 protein of the tuberculosis bacterium, and in a mouse experiment, the antibody treatment led to a 50% reduction in the bacterial load in the lungs.
The quantum interference experiment as seen under an electron microscope. Using bilayer graphene, scientists controlled the trajectory of an anion in the material (in red). They made its wave go around an island containing a magnetic field and other anions (in green) and then brought it back together with the original wave to study its properties. The electrical gates (in dark gray) allow scientists to direct the anions along specific paths in the material and also determine the density of electrons in the island.

Weizmann Institute scientists identify quantum "memory particles" – a step towards a durable quantum computer

Weizmann Institute of Science scientists have found new evidence for the existence of a system of particles that "remembers" which quantum states it was in before, taking another step toward a fault-tolerant quantum computer.
The gravitational lens of the pair of galaxies VV-191 in a joint photograph by Hubble and Webb. Credit: Science: NASA, ESA, CSA, Rogier Windhorst (ASU), William Keel (University of Alabama), Stuart Wyithe (University of Melbourne), JWST PEARLS Team, Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

Measuring dark matter and seeing ancient stars

  • One response
Prof. Adi Citrin of Ben-Gurion University, using the Webb Space Telescope, maps dark matter in galaxy clusters and exploits the strong gravitational lenses created by the clusters to observe galaxies, massive black holes

Universal quantum coupler from Tel Aviv University could reduce the cost of a photonic quantum computer tenfold

Tel Aviv University's Quantum Pulse Ventures presents a universal quantum coupler for photonic quantum computing, which reduces error rates and hardware requirements – and could enable the construction of quantum computers for about 100 million
Tel Aviv University's IGEM 2025 team. Photo by Tel Aviv University Spokesperson

Tel Aviv University's IGEM team leads breakthrough in synthetic biology against lung cancer and promotes national high school competition

  • No comments
Along with developing models and software that could transform the study of lung cancer and genetic diseases, Tel Aviv University's IGEM team collaborated with the ORT Network and organized a synthetic biology competition for high school students with the participation of
A dedicated aquaculture system where the researchers grew three local species of algae. Photo: Tel Aviv University

Research at Tel Aviv University: Seaweed off the coast of Israel is rich in protein and bioactive substances

A first-of-its-kind ecological-biotechnological survey along the Israeli Mediterranean coast reveals resilient macroalgae rich in nutritional and health-promoting compounds, indicating potential for developing superfoods, medicines, and sustainable aquaculture.
Facial expressions. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Faces this way and that: What is the biological and ethical basis of human facial expressions?

  • No comments
Dr. Assaf Marom from the Technion examines how our facial expressions have evolved since our common ancestor with chimpanzees, what the difference is between humans and animals – and what the face says about our responsibility towards
Illustration: depositphotos.com

Yes, but what if? – Optional thinking reduces stereotypes: Prof. Ben Shaul’s film workshops show measurable change

As part of the National Science Foundation workshop: Screening “Run Lola Run” and writing/photography exercises increased optional thinking ability by 75% and 50% of participants changed negative attitudes toward the other group – compared to a control group that watched
The Eye. Courtesy of Prof. Yossi Mendel, Bar Ilan University

Towards a world without blindness? Biohybrid retinal implant from Bar-Ilan

  • 2 תגובות
Are we on the way to a world without blindness? New biomedical developments point to a future where implants will replace photoreceptors that degenerate with age.
Prof. Ronit Saatchi Fainero. Photo: Tel Aviv University spokesperson

Attacking brain tumors

  • No comments
Prof. Ronit Sacchi-Painero identified two key proteins – CCL2 and P-Selectin – that are involved in cancer cell entry into the brain. Blocking either axis significantly reduced metastatic burden in mouse models and in vitro systems.
A prototype Mars rover built by students at Tel Aviv University. Photo: Tel Aviv University

From Tel Aviv University to Mars

  • 2 תגובות
A group of students from the Fleischmann Faculty of Engineering at Tel Aviv University initiated, designed, and built a space rover – as part of the TAUverIL project led by Prof. Yoram Reich and Danny Berko, with the aim of participating in an international competition in Poland.
Master's student Mania Malhotra leads photonic origami research. Photo: Tel Aviv University

New Development: "Photonic Origami" – Folding Glass for Microscopic 3D Optical Devices

  • One response
Allows folding glass for microscopic 3D optical devices * New method enables design of high-performance glass structures on a silicon chip, for future applications in data, sensing and physics
Prof. Tal Dvir from the Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology, head of the Nanotechnology Center at Tel Aviv University and chief scientist of the biotech company Trisself. Photo: Tel Aviv University Spokesperson

Tel Aviv University researchers have developed a human spinal cord implant that allows paralyzed people to regain movement

A team led by Prof. Tal Dvir has succeeded in growing a customized spinal cord transplant from the patient's own cells. After success in animals, the Ministry of Health has approved the first human trial in Israel.
Carbon deposits in the ocean match the atmospheric composition at the time they were formed. Illustration: depositphotos.com

There were no “syrupy oceans”: Israeli study undermines the myth that “in the past there was much more Carbon – so today is not unusual”

  • 4 תגובות
Iron “memory balls” show that the pool of dissolved organic matter in the ocean was small in the Neoproterozoic, and only increased with deep-sea oxygenation and entanglement of food webs – an important correction for the public debate
Microscopic image of a fetal kidney grown in the laboratory. Photo: Sheba Spokesperson

For the first time in the world: Sheba and Tel Aviv University researchers grew fetal kidney components from stem cells

  • One response
The kidney grew and developed over many months and underwent processes similar to those in pregnancy | The organoid allows for the development of regenerative medicine treatments, testing drug toxicity during pregnancy on fetal kidneys, and shedding light on birth defects
Prof. Tomer Wolansky. Photo: Tel Aviv University

Tel Aviv 360 Podcast: The Whole Truth About Dark Matter | Particle Physics

  • 2 תגובות
House cricket. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The light that extinguishes the crickets' song

When the night is no longer dark, crickets' sexual communication is compromised. Studies in Israel reveal the ecological toll that night lighting takes on crickets and explain how we can help them
Diagram of the structure of mitochondria. Illustration: depositphotos.com

When the cell's energy station goes wrong

Researchers from the Hebrew University have identified a neural network that works against the feeling of reward – and offer a new therapeutic approach to dealing with drug addiction by regulating emotional pain during withdrawal.
The female moth lays eggs only in quiet, healthy plants. Photo: The laboratory of Dr. Lilach Hadani and Prof. Yossi Yuval, Tel Aviv University

Plants make sounds – and moths listen: Groundbreaking research from Tel Aviv University

Faculty of Engineering Day at Tel Aviv University. Photo: Tel Aviv University Spokesperson

Academia, Industry, and What's in Between: Insights from Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Engineering Day

  • No comments
The faculty's annual highlight event highlighted the academy's connections with industry, the commitment to training multidisciplinary engineers, and the role of engineering as a foundation for technological, economic, and social resilience.
Anonymity. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Small law amendment, big change: more compensation for traffic accident victims due to the right to privacy

A law passed by MK Adi Kol in 2014 allows plaintiffs in personal injury cases to remain anonymous – and leads to a 17% increase in compensation from insurance companies. New study reveals: Privacy affects willingness to access a home
Cytokine storm. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The calm before the storm

Team members in Dr. Adi Zorf-Lorentz's lab at Meir Medical Center have reached new insights into the overactivation of the immune system in HLH syndrome, also known as cytokine storm. Early prediction could have saved
Clinical depression. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Lack of positive emotions in clinical depression – a new perspective

Clinical depression, positive emotions, emotion dynamics, ecological momentary appraisal, savoring
Children in interactive learning environments in Prof. Arnon's lab. Photo courtesy of her.

Between words and language

Language learning processes may open a window into our cognitive mechanisms
A ubiquitin molecule binds to its target. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The protein that is (sometimes) to blame for Alzheimer's disease

A distorted version of a protein that marks damaged proteins causes the formation of deposits in the brain similar to what occurs in Alzheimer's disease
Cranes stop at Agmon Hula before continuing their migration north. Illustration: depositphotos.com

How does the bird never lose its way?

Technological adaptation of brain activity recording for birds allows us, for the first time, to answer the eternal question: How do they know where to fly?
Science website logo
SEARCH