mass spectrometry

Researchers have examined three letters penned by Vlad III, the ruthless real-life Romanian prince considered to be the inspiration for the fictional Dracula, and found evidence of his overall health, including that he may have cried tears of blood.

The Sun was far more active in its early years, but we only really know this from studying other similar stars. Now, researchers have found the fingerprints of this active young Sun in tiny, bright blue crystals preserved in meteorites from a collection at Chicago’s Field Museum.

In lieu of an effective medical test, physicians rely on assessments of behavioural patterns and social skills to diagnose autism. But new research has identified biomarkers in the saliva of children with the condition, potentially paving the way for earlier, and more reliable, diagnoses.