It may be easier to learn surgical skills when a student feels less pressure and approaches surgery as a hobby, reports University of Houston professor and director of the Computational Physiology Lab Ioannis Pavlidis, in newly published research.
TDC havde bestemt ikke ret til at logge danske mobilkundernes position flere hundrede gange i døgnet, blot fordi det står i en lovtekst, at selskabet kan kunne stedfæste en MMS. Det fastslår Datatilsynet i længe ventet afgørelse.
Amazon is still busy snapping up companies to bolster its smart home business. This time it's acquiring Eero, the startup that has developed a solid reputation for its mesh WiFi …
Shipments of Apple and Xiaomi smartphones in China plummeted during the fourth quarter of 2018 according to a report published by International Data Corporation (IDC) on Monday (via Bloomberg).
A three week expedition off the coast of Costa Rica has just expanded our knowledge of deep sea ecosystems in the region. Led by Dr. Erik Cordes, Temple University, the scientists aboard research vessel Falkor surveyed the continental margin for seamounts and natural gas seeps, where specialized biological communities are found. The seamounts extending from the mainland to the Cocos Islands Nation
A new longitudinal study examined boys from low-income backgrounds to determine which behaviors in kindergarten are associated with earnings in adulthood. The study concluded that inattention was associated with lower earnings and prosocial behavior with higher earnings.
Love can make us do crazy things. It often prompts us to behave in counterintuitive ways, like, for example, placing the wellbeing of our loved ones above our own. But why?
By discovering the culprit behind decreased blood flow in the brain of people with Alzheimer's, biomedical engineers at have made possible promising new therapies for the disease.
The anopheline mosquitoes that carry malaria were present 100 million years ago, new research shows, potentially shedding fresh light on the history of a disease that continues to kill more than 400,000 people annually.
In the United States, aging civil infrastructure systems are deteriorating on a massive scale. A recent report by the American Society of Civil Engineers gave these systems a D+ rating nationwide on an A-F scale. Now scientists at the have developed smartphone-based technologies that can monitor civil infrastructure systems such as crumbing roads and aging bridges, potentially saving millions of l
In the anti-Semitic imagination, Jews run the world through a global conspiracy of cash and power. This belief is both old and resilient, and in the last seven decades, anti-Semites have relied on this framework to explain the tight alliance between the United States and Israel. On Sunday night, a freshman congresswoman from Minnesota, Ilhan Omar, cheerfully repeated this anti-Semitic trope, impl
Last week, Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft departed the International Space Station, having delivered a batch of new experiments and cargo. Among them was the Refabricator, a new machine that will not only make objects on demand things for the astronauts, it will recycle them too. While 3-D printers are becoming commonplace, nowhere are their benefits more obvious than in the confines of spac
Many men with low-risk prostate cancer who most likely previously would have undergone immediate surgery or radiation are now adopting a more conservative 'active surveillance' strategy, according to an analysis of a new federal database by scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Neuron Time Neurons receive, process, and transmit all the impulses in our brains. Essentially, they're the building blocks of the human nervous system, and once they're damaged by Alzheimer's disease or some other brain injury, they're done for — they have no regenerative abilities. In contrast, the glial cells that support and insulate neurons do have regenerative abilities, and now, researcher
Scientists aboard Schmidt Ocean Institute's research vessel Falkor surveyed deep-sea seamounts outside Isla del Coco UNESCO World Heritage site revealing coral communities with surprising diversity.
Get $40 of credit to spend for just $20. Get $40 of credit to spend for just $20 and treat your Valentine to a stunning bouquet with this Teleflora special.
Editor's Note: This post contains some products that might not be safe to view at work. Likewise, if you're under 18, we recommend steering to another post. Enough with the boring candy. Stop with lame flowers. It's 2019, and you're surrounded by cutting-edge technology. So why not put it to work for you where it really maters? Your love life. Thanks to researchers across the globe, we're pushing
Practicing self-compassion is shown to reduce arousal and increase parasympathetic activation in a new study. Feeling comfortable in your skin leads to higher-order emotions, such as empathy and compassion. Buddha realized this millennia ago when prescribing compassion as the path to self-realization. None One major advancement of Buddhism was the implementation of a universal approach to self-re
As scientists learn more about milk's evolution and compositional variations, they are redefining what used to be a signature characteristic of mammals.
Scientists say 2.1bn-year-old fossils may show evidence of self-propelled motion A collection of short wiggly structures discovered in ancient rocks could be the earliest fossilised traces of organisms able to move themselves, scientists say. If scientists are correct, the 2.1bn-year-old structures point to an earlier origin than generally thought for eukaryotes – cells with a membrane-bound nucl
Physicians may soon have a new way to measure the efficacy of hormone therapy for breast cancer patients, according to research published in the February issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have identified a brain protein at the root of how the brain recovers from stroke. The finding offers a promising avenue for developing therapies that could work even when given beyond the first few hours after a stroke.
Love can make us do crazy things. It often prompts us to behave in counterintuitive ways, like, for example, placing the wellbeing of our loved ones above our own.But why?
We haven't heard much from Mars One, the company that promised to send people to colonize Mars as part of a reality TV show. It's looking like we won't hear from it again, either. The post Mars One Is Dead, but it Was Doomed From the Start appeared first on ExtremeTech .
In the United States, aging civil infrastructure systems are deteriorating on a massive scale. A recent report by the American Society of Civil Engineers gave these systems a D+ rating nationwide on an A—F scale. Now scientists at the University of Missouri have developed smartphone-based technologies that can monitor civil infrastructure systems such as crumbing roads and aging bridges, potential
The anopheline mosquitoes that carry malaria were present 100 million years ago, new research shows, potentially shedding fresh light on the history of a disease that continues to kill more than 400,000 people annually.
The American left and right often point to Scandinavian countries as examples of what government regulation can do, for good and bad. But are they actually socialists? How do their economies work? While stealing their social structures and trying to implement them elsewhere probably won't work, they do offer an example of a kinder, gentler capitalism. When Americans discuss the potential benefits
In 2018, more than 1.3 billion movie tickets were reportedly sold in the US and Canada, alone, so I think it's safe to say, people like watching movies. Why not take advantage of their widespread popularity and plan a movie screening or film festival for Brain Awareness Week ! Already a proven and popula r activity among Brain Awareness Week partners , screenings can work in a more formal setting
The anopheline mosquitoes that carry malaria were present 100 million years ago, new research shows, potentially shedding fresh light on the history of a disease that continues to kill more than 400,000 people annually.
A team of scientists led by researchers at the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety in Griffin has developed a machine-learning approach that could lead to quicker identification of the animal source of certain Salmonella outbreaks.
When is the best time to screen obese women for gestational diabetes? The first-ever randomized control trial to address this question is presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's 39th Annual Meeting.
In the United States, aging civil infrastructure systems are deteriorating on a massive scale. A recent report by the American Society of Civil Engineers gave these systems a D+ rating nationwide on an A-F scale. Now scientists at the University of Missouri have developed smartphone-based technologies that can monitor civil infrastructure systems such as crumbing roads and aging bridges, potential
By discovering the culprit behind decreased blood flow in the brain of people with Alzheimer's, biomedical engineers at Cornell University have made possible promising new therapies for the disease.
The anopheline mosquitoes that carry malaria were present 100 million years ago, new research shows, potentially shedding fresh light on the history of a disease that continues to kill more than 400,000 people annually.
Scientists have discovered a critical part of the body's immune system with potentially major implications for the treatment of some of the most devastating diseases affecting humans. Professor Graham Lord, from The University of Manchester, led the study, which could translate into treatments for autoimmune diseases including Cancer, Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis and Crohn's Disease within a few y
One of the strongest susceptibility genes for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is complement factor H (CFH); however, its impact on AMD pathobiology remains unresolved. Here, the effect of the principal AMD-risk–associated CFH variant (Y402H) on the development and progression of age-dependent AMD-like pathologies was determined in vivo. Transgenic mice expressing…
Echoviruses are amongst the most common causative agents of aseptic meningitis worldwide and are particularly devastating in the neonatal population, where they are associated with severe hepatitis, neurological disease, including meningitis and encephalitis, and even death. Here, we identify the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) as a pan-echovirus receptor. We show…
Fermi surface (FS) topology is a fundamental property of metals and superconductors. In electron-doped cuprate Nd2−xCexCuO4 (NCCO), an unexpected FS reconstruction has been observed in optimal- and overdoped regime (x = 0.15–0.17) by quantum oscillation measurements (QOM). This is all the more puzzling because neutron scattering suggests that the antiferromagnetic…
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a chilling-sensitive staple crop that originated in subtropical regions of Asia. Introduction of the chilling tolerance trait enables the expansion of rice cultivation to temperate regions. Here we report the cloning and characterization of HAN1, a quantitative trait locus (QTL) that confers chilling tolerance on…
Natural systems, including the brain, often seem chaotic, since they are typically driven by complex nonlinear dynamical processes. Disruption in the fluid coordination of multiple brain regions contributes to impairments in information processing and the constellation of symptoms observed in neuropsychiatric disorders. Schizophrenia (SZ), one of the most debilitating mental…
Kaufman oculocerebrofacial syndrome (KOS) is a recessive neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by intellectual disability and lack of speech. KOS is caused by inactivating mutations in UBE3B, but the underlying biological mechanisms are completely unknown. We found that loss of Ube3b in mice resulted in growth retardation, decreased grip strength, and loss…
The N-terminal region of the huntingtin protein, encoded by exon-1, comprises an amphiphilic domain (httNT), a polyglutamine (Qn) tract, and a proline-rich sequence. Polyglutamine expansion results in an aggregation-prone protein responsible for Huntington's disease. Here, we study the earliest events involved in oligomerization of a minimalistic construct, httNTQ7, which remains…
Establishing causal links between bacterial metabolites and human intestinal disease is a significant challenge. This study reveals the molecular basis of antibiotic-associated hemorrhagic colitis (AAHC) caused by intestinal resident Klebsiella oxytoca. Colitogenic strains produce the nonribosomal peptides tilivalline and tilimycin. Here, we verify that these enterotoxins are present in the…
Adrenergic signaling profoundly modulates animal behavior. For example, the invertebrate counterpart of norepinephrine, octopamine, and its biological precursor and functional antagonist, tyramine, adjust motor behavior to different nutritional states. In Drosophila larvae, food deprivation increases locomotor speed via octopamine-mediated structural plasticity of neuromuscular synapses, whereas t
In their natural habitat of rotting fruit, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans feeds on the complex bacterial communities that thrive in this rich growth medium. Hundreds of diverse bacterial strains cultured from such rotting fruit allow C. elegans growth and reproduction when tested individually. In screens for C. elegans responses to…
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) affects ∼1 to 3% of the world's population. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the excessive checking symptoms in OCD are not fully understood. Using viral neuronal tracing in mice, we found that glutamatergic neurons from the basolateral amygdala (BLAGlu) project onto both medial prefrontal cortex glutamate (mPFCGlu)…
Antimicrobial peptides, in particular α-defensins expressed by Paneth cells, control microbiota composition and play a key role in intestinal barrier function and homeostasis. Dynamic conditions in the local microenvironment, such as pH and redox potential, significantly affect the antimicrobial spectrum. In contrast to oxidized peptides, some reduced defensins exhibit increased…
Sepsis is a deleterious immune response to infection that leads to organ failure and is the 11th most common cause of death worldwide. Despite plaguing humanity for thousands of years, the host factors that regulate this immunological response and subsequent sepsis severity and outcome are not fully understood. Here we…
The globo-series glycosphingolipids (GSLs) SSEA3, SSEA4, and Globo-H specifically expressed on cancer cells are found to correlate with tumor progression and metastasis, but the functional roles of these GSLs and the key enzyme β1,3-galactosyltransferase V (β3GalT5) that converts Gb4 to SSEA3 remain largely unclear. Here we show that the expression…
Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) reduces dioxygen to water and harnesses the chemical energy to drive proton translocation across the inner mitochondrial membrane by an unresolved mechanism. By using time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography, we identified a key oxygen intermediate of bovine CcO. It is assigned to the PR-intermediate, which is characterized…
BIOCHEMISTRY Correction for "Cellular clearance of circulating transthyretin decreases cell-nonautonomous proteotoxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans," by Kayalvizhi Madhivanan, Erin R. Greiner, Miguel Alves-Ferreira, David Soriano-Castell, Nirvan Rouzbeh, Carlos A. Aguirre, Johan F. Paulsson, Justin Chapman, Xin Jiang, Felicia K. Ooi, Carolina Lemos, Andrew Dillin, Veena Prahlad, Jeffery W. Kelly, a
Early life exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) in air is associated with infant respiratory disease and childhood asthma, but limited epidemiological data exist concerning the impacts of ultrafine particles (UFPs) on the etiology of childhood respiratory disease. Specifically, the role of UFPs in amplifying Th2- and/or Th17-driven inflammation (asthma…
Collective cell migration is required for normal embryonic development and contributes to various biological processes, including wound healing and cancer cell invasion. The M-Ras GTPase and its effector, the Shoc2 scaffold, are proteins mutated in the developmental RASopathy Noonan syndrome, and, here, we report that activated M-Ras recruits Shoc2 to…
Loneliness and social isolation are a growing public health concern, yet there are few evidence-based interventions for mitigating these social risk factors. Accumulating evidence suggests that mindfulness interventions can improve social-relationship processes. However, the active ingredients of mindfulness training underlying these improvements are unclear. Developing mindfulness-specific skills
Predicting ligand biological activity is a key challenge in drug discovery. Ligand-based statistical approaches are often hampered by noise due to undersampling: The number of molecules known to be active or inactive is vastly less than the number of possible chemical features that might determine binding. We derive a statistical…
Ebola virus disease (EVD) often leads to severe and fatal outcomes in humans with early supportive care increasing the chances of survival. Profiling the human plasma lipidome provides insight into critical illness as well as diseased states, as lipids have essential roles as membrane structural components, signaling molecules, and energy…
Ecological theory predicts that ecosystems with multiple basins of attraction can get locked in an undesired state, which has profound ecological and management implications. Despite their significance, alternative attractors have proven to be challenging to detect and characterize in natural communities. On coral reefs, it has been hypothesized that persistent…
NEUROSCIENCE Correction for "Prefrontal D1 dopamine signaling is required for temporal control," by Nandakumar S. Narayanan, Benjamin B. Land, John E. Solder, Karl Deisseroth, and Ralph J. DiLeone, which was first published November 26, 2012; 10.1073/pnas.1211258109 (Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 109:20726–20731). The authors note that, on page 20727, left…
The contractile actin cortex is a thin layer of filamentous actin, myosin motors, and regulatory proteins beneath the plasma membrane crucial to cytokinesis, morphogenesis, and cell migration. However, the factors regulating actin assembly in this compartment are not well understood. Using the Dictyostelium model system, we show that the three…
There are two competing hypotheses for the origin of megaliths in Europe. The conventional view from the late 19th and early 20th centuries was of a single-source diffusion of megaliths in Europe from the Near East through the Mediterranean and along the Atlantic coast. Following early radiocarbon dating in the…
In herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection, the coupling of genome replication and transcription regulation has been known for many years; however, the underlying mechanism has not been elucidated. We performed a comprehensive transcriptomic assessment and factor-binding analysis for Pol II, TBP, TAF1, and Sp1 to assess the effect…
Multiplexed detection of small noncoding RNAs responsible for posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression, known as miRNAs, is essential for understanding and controlling cell development. However, the lifetimes of miRNAs are short and their concentrations are low, which inhibits the development of miRNA-based methods, diagnostics, and treatment of many diseases. Here…
From many perspectives, the election of Donald Trump was seen as a departure from long-standing political norms. An analysis of Trump's word use in the presidential debates and speeches indicated that he was exceptionally informal but at the same time, spoke with a sense of certainty. Indeed, he is lower…
Evidence for macroscopic life in the Paleoproterozoic Era comes from 1.8 billion-year-old (Ga) compression fossils [Han TM, Runnegar B (1992) Science 257:232–235; Knoll et al. (2006) Philos Trans R Soc Lond B 361:1023–1038], Stirling biota [Bengtson S et al. (2007) Paleobiology 33:351–381], and large colonial organisms exhibiting signs of coordinated…
Glucose metabolism in vertebrate retinas is dominated by aerobic glycolysis (the "Warburg Effect"), which allows only a small fraction of glucose-derived pyruvate to enter mitochondria. Here, we report evidence that the small fraction of pyruvate in photoreceptors that does get oxidized by their mitochondria is required for visual function, photoreceptor…
Dengue is a climate-sensitive mosquito-borne disease with increasing geographic extent and human incidence. Although the climate–epidemic association and outbreak risks have been assessed using both statistical and mathematical models, local mosquito population dynamics have not been incorporated in a unified predictive framework. Here, we use mosquito surveillance data from 2005…
Sometimes taking a step back helps to see things more clearly. Eric Rignot, a glaciologist at the University of California, Irvine, has found that when studying the behavior of glaciers and ice sheets, it helps to take a giant step back, all of the way into space. His use of…
Nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) is a proxy for photoprotective thermal dissipation processes that regulate photosynthetic light harvesting. The identification of NPQ mechanisms and their molecular or physiological triggering factors under in vivo conditions is a matter of controversy. Here, to investigate chlorophyll (Chl)–zeaxanthin (Zea) excitation energy transfer (EET) and charge transfer…
Studies of the accelerated aging disorder Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) can potentially reveal cellular defects associated with physiological aging. HGPS results from expression and abnormal nuclear envelope association of a farnesylated, truncated variant of prelamin A called "progerin." We surveyed the diffusional mobilities of nuclear membrane proteins to identify proximal…
Viviparous (live-bearing) vertebrates have evolved repeatedly within otherwise oviparous (egg-laying) clades. Over two-thirds of these changes in vertebrate reproductive parity mode happened in squamate reptiles, where the transition has happened between 98 and 129 times. The transition from oviparity to viviparity requires numerous physiological, morphological, and immunological changes to the…
Recent times have seen an emergence of intelligent machines that act autonomously on our behalf, such as autonomous vehicles. Despite promises of increased efficiency, it is not clear whether this paradigm shift will change how we decide when our self-interest (e.g., comfort) is pitted against the collective interest (e.g., environment)….
Nε-lysine acetylation is an abundant and dynamic regulatory posttranslational modification that remains poorly characterized in bacteria. In bacteria, hundreds of proteins are known to be acetylated, but the biological significance of the majority of these events remains unclear. Previously, we characterized the Bacillus subtilis acetylome and found that the essential…
Midbrain dopamine neurons, which can be regulated by neuropeptides and hormones, play a fundamental role in controlling cognitive processes, reward mechanisms, and motor functions. The hormonal actions of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) produced by the liver have been well described, but the role of neuronally derived IGF-1 remains largely…
Several species of millimetric-sized termites across Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America collectively construct large, meter-sized, porous mound structures that serve to regulate mound temperature, humidity, and gas concentrations. These mounds display varied yet distinctive morphologies that range widely in size and shape. To explain this morphological diversity, we introduce…
The structure of biological communities is conventionally described as profiles of taxonomic units, whose ecological functions are assumed to be known or, at least, predictable. In environmental microbiology, however, the functions of a majority of microorganisms are unknown and expected to be highly dynamic and collectively redundant, obscuring the link…
Staphylococcus aureus is a notorious human bacterial pathogen with considerable capacity to develop antibiotic resistance. We have observed that human infections caused by highly drug-resistant S. aureus are more prolonged, complicated, and difficult to eradicate. Here we describe a metabolic adaptation strategy used by clinical S. aureus strains that leads…
New technology that uses smartphone-based sensors to monitor crumbing roads and aging bridges could potentially save millions of lives, researchers say. A recent report by the American Society of Civil Engineers gave infrastructure systems in the United States a D+ rating nationwide on an A to F scale. Based on estimations, researchers say the failure of civil infrastructure systems could cause a
To many, President Donald Trump's use of nontraditional, off-the-cuff language seems unlike that of any other politician, but new research on the language of past and present world leaders reveals simple, straightforward messaging that exudes confidence may be the new norm—making Trump a man of his time, rhetorically speaking.
A Silicon Valley startup working on self-driving delivery vehicles on Monday announced nearly a billion dollars in fresh funding from the SoftBank Vision Fund.
Take a Byte Recently, medical researchers have created a surge of ingestible electronics that do everything from tailoring treatments based on the needs of individual cells to helping you poop . As these devices become increasingly common in the lab, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration — that's the regulatory body responsible for testing and vetting pharmaceuticals and medical devices — is left
To many, President Donald Trump's use of nontraditional, off-the-cuff language seems unlike that of any other politician, but new research on the language of past and present world leaders reveals simple, straightforward messaging that exudes confidence may be the new norm — making Trump a man of his time, rhetorically speaking.
Publish or perish is an adage with particular sting for women and other underrepresented scholars prone to not getting deserved credit on scientific papers. F&W scientists will provide perspective and pointers at the upcoming AAAS Annual Meeting.
It was "mission critical" for New York City to land one of Amazon's second headquarters and the tens of thousands of jobs the company promises to create, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday, just days after a report said the company was having second thoughts because of opposition from some influential local politicians.
If you bought Guitar Hero Live in the US between December 1st, 2017 and January 1st, 2019, publisher Activision is offering to refund your money. The company launched a voluntary …
A month after offering a preview at CES in January, Samsung today revealed its entire lineup of 2019 QLED TVs. The company is offering a range of both 8K and 4K TVs, plus updated …
Researchers have designed a machine learning algorithm for drug discovery which has been shown to be twice as efficient as the industry standard, which could accelerate the process of developing new treatments for disease.
A new study on ice cores shows that reductions in sea ice in the Arctic in the period between 30-100,000 years ago led to major climate events. During this period, Greenland temperatures rose by as much as 16 degrees Celsius. The results are published today (Monday 11 February) in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Researchers have designed a machine learning algorithm for drug discovery which has been shown to be twice as efficient as the industry standard, which could accelerate the process of developing new treatments for disease.
Do you wake up and check your email while your eyes are still half closed? If so, you might want to rethink your morning routine. The early hours of the day set the tone for everything to come, so it's no surprise that so many successful people take an intentioned approach to what they do first thing .These hyper-successful CEOs reveal their morning routines that help them prioritize calm, concen
A new longitudinal study examined boys from low-income backgrounds to determine which behaviors in kindergarten are associated with earnings in adulthood. The study concluded that inattention was associated with lower earnings and prosocial behavior with higher earnings.
The key to relationship happiness could be as simple as finding a nice person. And, despite popular belief, sharing similar personalities may not be as important as most people think, according to new research from Michigan State University.
Even as the world gets on the same sustainability page courtesy of the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), those very goals can result in significant tradeoffs. Scientists suggest new ways to tackle unexpected or unintended consequences cropping up on the way to a better world at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting.
Environment The vast proposal outlines a plan to save the Earth from environmental catastrophe. The Green New Deal—a broad resolution introduced Feb. 7 by Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York in the House and Ed Markley of Massachusetts in the…
For the first time, scientists from ASU's School of Molecular Sciences in collaboration with colleagues from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City have captured snapshots of crystal structures of intermediates in the biochemical pathway that enables us to breathe.
As below, so above. That seems to be an operating principle for molecules that start with a basic chirality—or "handed-ness"—and pass it on as they combine into larger structures.
Tropical Cyclone Neil had a short life in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean. It developed on February 9 and dissipated on February 10. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of the storm that developed even while battling wind shear.
Quasiparticles that behave like massless fermions, known as Weyl fermions, have been in recent years at the center of a string of exciting findings in condensed matter physics. Physicists now report experiments in which they got a handle on one of the defining properties of Weyl fermions — their chirality.
Though separated by a world of ocean, and unrelated to each other, two fish groups—one in the Arctic, the other in the Antarctic—share a surprising survival strategy: They both have evolved the ability to produce the same special brand of antifreeze protein in their tissues. A new study describes in molecular detail how the Arctic fishes built the gene for their antifreeze from tiny fragments of n
Though separated by a world of ocean, and unrelated to each other, two fish groups—one in the Arctic, the other in the Antarctic—share a surprising survival strategy: They both have evolved the ability to produce the same special brand of antifreeze protein in their tissues. A new study describes in molecular detail how the Arctic fishes built the gene for their antifreeze from tiny fragments of n
Engineers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) needed a way to secure smart manufacturing systems using the digital thread , so they turned to the new kid on the block … blockchain, that is.
Commonly known as HPV, Human papillomavirus is a virus that infects the skin and genital area, in many cases leading to a variety of genital, anal, and oropharyngeal cancers in men and women. Strong evidence exists showing that penetrative genital sex and oral sex can transmit HPV. However, while HPV is also often detected in the hands, the question of whether hand-genital contacts can transmit HP
A mutant gene that encodes a brain protein in a child with autism has been placed into the brains of fruit flies. Fruit flies hosting that gene produce the variant human brain protein and show abnormal behaviors of fear, repetitive activity and altered social interaction, reminiscent of autism impairments. The genetic variant was found in the Simon Simplex Collection, which has collected genetic s
Computational surveys show that after folding enzymes still remain partially frustrated at their active site to allow catalysis targeting. Parts of the protein distant from the enzymatic center also show evidence of frustration to support the active site.
Though separated by a world of ocean, and unrelated to each other, two fish groups – one in the Arctic, the other in the Antarctic – share a surprising survival strategy: They both have evolved the ability to produce the same special brand of antifreeze protein in their tissues. A new study describes in molecular detail how the Arctic fishes built the gene for their antifreeze from tiny fragments
Researchers construct block copolymers that follow the chirality of their basic elements as they self-assemble into larger structures. Their controllable 'handed-ness' and tunability could lead to materials with unique optical qualities.
A new study on ice cores shows that reductions in sea ice in the Arctic in the period between 30-100,000 years ago led to major climate events. During this period, Greenland temperatures rose by as much as 16 degrees Celsius. The results are published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Researchers have designed a machine learning algorithm for drug discovery which has been shown to be twice as efficient as the industry standard, which could accelerate the process of developing new treatments for disease.
For the first time, scientists from ASU's School of Molecular Sciences in collaboration with colleagues from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City have captured snapshots of crystal structures of intermediates in the biochemical pathway that enables us to breathe.
A Western diet high in fat and sugar can pack on the pounds. But it can also put someone at greater risk of developing severe sepsis, according to a study by a Portland State University researcher.
Termite construction projects have no architects, engineers or foremen, and yet these centimeter-sized insects build complex, meter-sized structures all over the world. Harvard researchers demonstrate how simple rules linking environmental physics and animal behavior can give rise to these structures. Their research sheds lights on broader questions of swarm intelligence and may serve as inspirati
Our cells sometimes have to squeeze through pretty tight spaces. And when they do, the nuclei inside must go along for the ride. Using super-sensitive microscopic imaging, a team of scientists have made a fundamental biological discovery that explains the structure of the nuclear envelope and gives tantalizing clues as to how cells squish through narrow openings without springing a leak. The findi
Researchers at the US CCDC Army Research Laboratory, the Army's corporate research laboratory (ARL) in collaboration with the Army's Institute for Creative Technologies and Northeastern University published a paper today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggesting the use of autonomous machines increases cooperation among individuals.
An international and multi-disciplinary team coordinated by Abderrazak El Albani at the Institut de chimie des milieux et matériaux de Poitiers (CNRS/Université de Poitiers) has uncovered the oldest fossilized traces of motility. Whereas previous remnants were dated to 570 million years ago, this new evidence is 2.1 billion years old. They were discovered in a fossil deposit in Gabon, where the ol
Using a novel mouse model, Joslin researchers demonstrate that impaired insulin signaling in the brain negatively affects cognition, mood and metabolism, all components of Alzheimer's disease.
A detailed analysis of blood samples from Ebola patients is providing clues about the progression of the effects of the virus in patients and potential treatment pathways. The findings point to a critical role for a molecular pathway that relies on the common nutrient choline, as well as the importance of cellular bodies known as microvesicles. The preliminary results are based on an analysis of t
Most biologists think lifeforms evolved the ability to move around about 600 million years ago tiny burrows in 2.1-billion-year-old rocks challenge the idea
Retailer leaks have confirmed that the GTX 1660 and GTX 1660 Ti are coming, but details on their specs and pricing are still pointing in different directions. This could reflect Nvidia's intent …
Was Stonehenge Inspired by the Prehistoric French? New research suggests the idea of stone megaliths was spread by a mysterious seafaring culture from northwest France. MegalithPic.jpg Haväng megalithic grave, Sweden Image credits: Bettina Schulz Paulsson Culture Monday, February 11, 2019 – 15:00 Charles Q. Choi, Contributor (Inside Science) – New research suggests that megaliths — monuments suc
The key to relationship happiness could be as simple as finding someone nice. And, despite popular belief, sharing similar personalities may not be as important as most people think, according to new research. "We don't know why the heart chooses what it does…" "People invest a lot in finding someone who's compatible, but our research says that may not be the end all be all," says Bill Chopik, as
The agency warned 12 dietary supplement companies to stop marketing such products for disease treatments, and called for tougher regulation of the $40 billon industry.
Increasingly online you see people disparaging the humanities, generally based on an assertion that the scientific method produces is an effective way to establish facts about the world, while the methods used by the humanities are not. Instead of reading fringe posts by people on Quora, I thought I'd just ask outright: What role do you think the Humanities (history, anthropology, critical theory
Most biologists think lifeforms evolved the ability to move around about 600 million years ago – tiny burrows in 2.1-billion-year-old rocks challenge the idea
The heaviest vehicle to successfully land on Mars is the Curiosity Rover at 1 metric ton, about 2,200 pounds. Sending more ambitious robotic missions to the surface of Mars, and eventually humans, will require landed payload masses in the 5- to 20-ton range. To do that, we need to figure out how to land more mass. That was the goal of a recent study.
NASA's 4-year-old atmosphere-sniffing Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission is embarking on a new campaign today to tighten its orbit around Mars. The operation will reduce the highest point of the MAVEN spacecraft's elliptical orbit from 3,850 to 2,800 miles (6,200 to 4,500 kilometers) above the surface and prepare it to take on additional responsibility as a data-relay satellite
Quantum computers promise to be a revolutionary technology because their elementary building blocks, qubits, can hold more information than the binary, 0-or-1 bits of classical computers. But to harness this capability, hardware must be developed that can access, measure and manipulate individual quantum states.
The climactic basketball game in High Flying Bird , the slick new Netflix drama from the director Steven Soderbergh and the writer Tarell Alvin McCraney, doesn't play out on any NBA-sanctioned courts. No 360-degree telecasts capture the action, and not a single fan wears officially branded merchandise while cheering in the bleachers. Instead, amid an interminable NBA-wide lockout, two of New York
Michigan State University researchers have measured for the first time the nuclei of three proton-rich calcium isotopes, according to a new paper published in Nature Physics.
Termite construction projects have no architects, engineers or foremen, and yet these centimeter-sized insects build complex, long-standing, meter-sized structures all over the world. How they do it has long puzzled scientists.
To a great extent, living organisms control the flows of matter and energy through the planet, and the study of their interactions is the goal of ecology. While the roles or functions of multicellular organisms, such as trees or animals, are known or can be predicted from their taxonomy, this is not always possible in the case of microbes. Which are the attributes that best characterize the microb
Our cells sometimes have to squeeze through pretty tight spaces. And when they do, the nuclei inside must go along for the ride. Using super-sensitive microscopic imaging, a team of scientists from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University have made a fundamental biological discovery that explains the structure of the nuclear envelope and gives tantalizing clues as to how cells s
An international multi-disciplinary team coordinated by Abderrazak El Albani at the Institut de chimie des milieux et matériaux de Poitiers (CNRS/Université de Poitiers) has uncovered the oldest fossilised traces of motility. Whereas previous remnants were dated to 570 million years ago, this new evidence is 2.1 billion years old. The fossils were discovered in a deposit in Gabon, where the oldest
A study of woodland star wildflowers in the western United States has found remarkable diversity in the scent compounds produced by their flowers. Every species of woodland star, and even different populations within a species, may produce a unique floral bouquet, sometimes composed of dozens of scent compounds, to attract specialized insect pollinators.
Termite construction projects have no architects, engineers or foremen, and yet these centimeter-sized insects build complex, long-standing, meter-sized structures all over the world. How they do it has long puzzled scientists.
To a great extent, living organisms control the flows of matter and energy through the planet, and the study of their interactions is the goal of ecology. While the roles or functions of multicellular organisms, such as trees or animals, are known or can be predicted from their taxonomy, this is not always possible in the case of microbes. Which are the attributes that best characterize the microb
Our cells sometimes have to squeeze through pretty tight spaces. And when they do, the nuclei inside must go along for the ride. Using super-sensitive microscopic imaging, a team of scientists from the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University have made a fundamental biological discovery that explains the structure of the nuclear envelope and gives tantalizing clues as to how cells s
A study of woodland star wildflowers in the western United States has found remarkable diversity in the scent compounds produced by their flowers. Every species of woodland star, and even different populations within a species, may produce a unique floral bouquet, sometimes composed of dozens of scent compounds, to attract specialized insect pollinators.
The allure of smartphones, and how they impact our interpersonal relationships, might be the result of our evolutionary history, according to researchers.
Researchers have now demonstrated a new hardware platform based on isolated electron spins in a two-dimensional material. The electrons are trapped by defects in sheets of hexagonal boron nitride, a one-atom-thick semiconductor material, and the researchers were able to optically detect the system's quantum states.
Quasiparticles that behave like massless fermions, known as Weyl fermions, have been in recent years at the center of a string of exciting findings in condensed matter physics. Physicists now report experiments in which they got a handle on one of the defining properties of Weyl fermions — their chirality.
A new species of the Brazil-endemic small genus Mcvaughia described as part of a extended revision of this unique group. Mcvaughia is a genus of the plant family Malpighiaceae comprising just three known species, all of which endemic to the unique and recently recognized Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests biome found in the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga domains in northeastern Brazil.
The trucks and trains that transport goods across the United States emit gases and particles that threaten human health and the environment. A new project developed a new model that predicts through 2050 the impact of different environmental policies on human mortality rates and short- and long-term climate change caused by particulate and greenhouse gas emissions.
Health Measles is all we really have to worry about—for now. Even as parents literally rally to maintain the rights to not vaccinate their kids, thousands of others are rushing to get the MMR shot in the midst of measles…
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A confused-looking bat flew into the arena during an Indiana Pacers game last week. Now, health officials say some fans may have been exposed to rabies.
As of last week, there are now 3,053 emoji, counting the 230 just approved for this year's cohort—yes, the icons now get annual releases, like Microsoft Word or tax returns. This is too many emoji. We now have icons representing people with disabilities —an admirable step toward digital representation— but we also have badgers, myriad types of rail, fingers folded in every style, superheroes, and
The heaviest vehicle to successfully land on Mars is the Curiosity Rover at 1 metric ton, about 2,200 pounds. Sending more ambitious robotic missions to the surface of Mars, and eventually humans, will require landed payload masses in the 5- to 20-ton range. To do that, we need to figure out how to land more mass. That was the goal of a recent study.
Tropical Cyclone Neil had a short life in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean. It developed on Feb. 9 and dissipated on Feb. 10. NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of the storm that developed even while battling wind shear.
Engineers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) needed a way to secure smart manufacturing systems using the digital thread , so they turned to the new kid on the block … blockchain, that is.
Back Door Only Six miles from Apple's shiny new campus , which was heralded as a glowing beacon of the Silicon Valley tech industry's wealth, the company also operates a smaller facility for contractors who work on Apple Maps. Inside, the conditions are so grim and secretive that many of the contractors, who tend to quit or get fired before the end of their contracts, refer to it as a "black site
Refrigerdating Electronics giant Samsung has launched a dating app called "Refrigerdating" that runs on smart refrigerators — and connects eligible singles based on the compatibility of their food choices. "We hope people can meet under more honest or transparent circumstances with the help of the contents of the fridge, because that can tell you a lot about the personality," Samsung PR manager E
I was expecting to experience a lot of things at the Great Bridal Expo in Washington, D.C.: the sound of hundreds of people milling about the Grand Hyatt Hotel's 8,500-square-foot ballroom, the smell of a thousand wedding-cake samples, the feel of polyester-blend bridesmaids' gowns, the sight of dozens of vendors' booths lined up on patterned carpet. I was not, however, expecting an open bar, or
University of Colorado Cancer Center study shows cancer-promoting changes in lung cells as soon as 30 minutes after exposure to low-molecular weight PAHs, adding further evidence that regulators may be underestimating the risk of these compounds.
More than 45 percent of non-elderly adults with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) report financial hardship due to the associated medical bills, according to a Yale research team. Worse still, about one in five report being unable to pay those medical bills at all, said the researchers.
Over 45 percent of adult atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) patients suffer financial hardship related to their medical bills, including many who cannot pay their medical bills at all, according to a cardiovascular medicine and society paper published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
One of the key building blocks of flexible photonic circuits and ultra-thin optics are metasurfaces. And engineers have now discovered a simple way of making these surfaces in just a few minutes — without needing a clean room — using a method already employed in manufacturing.
The KGB recruited spies and carried out numerous operations in the United States. The spies compromised U.S. intelligence and military. Some practices of the KGB continue in modern intelligence. None A 1980s Time magazine article declared that the KGB, a Soviet state security agency, is the world's preeminent information-gathering organization. While the CIA, MI6, Mossad and Interpol may debate s
A new discovery about the way things stick together at the very small scale could help engineer micro- and nanoscale devices. In a series of papers, the latest of which appears in Scientific Reports , researchers show that miniscule differences in the roughness of a surface can cause surprising changes in the way two surfaces adhere to each other. Certain levels of roughness, the studies show, ca
New research describes a laser capable of emitting light "quiet" enough to move demanding scientific applications to the chip scale. Spectrally pure lasers lie at the heart of precision high-end scientific and commercial applications, thanks to their ability to produce near-perfect single-color light. A laser's capacity to do so is measured in terms of its linewidth, or coherence, which is the ab
Quasiparticles that behave like massless fermions, known as Weyl fermions, have been in recent years at the center of a string of exciting findings in condensed matter physics. The group of physicist Sebastian Huber at ETH Zurich now reports experiments in which they got a handle on one of the defining properties of Weyl fermions — their chirality.
Michigan State University researchers have measured for the first time the nuclei of three protein-rich calcium isotopes, according to a new paper published in Nature Physics.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science have now demonstrated a new hardware platform based on isolated electron spins in a two-dimensional material. The electrons are trapped by defects in sheets of hexagonal boron nitride, a one-atom-thick semiconductor material, and the researchers were able to optically detect the system's quantum states.
A Massachusetts General Hospital research team has identified interaction between two elements of the immune system as critical for the transformation of a protective immune response into chronic, cancer-promoting inflammation.
How many Marvel superhero teams is too many? Well between half of the Avengers being temporarily dead, and nearly all of the Defenders being actually dead as Disney drops Netflix, theres really …
Nearly half of all insect species worldwide are in rapid decline and a third could disappear altogether, according to a study warning of dire consequences for crop pollination and natural food chains.
Crypto Wake Up Call For many low-income young South Koreans, it was an an entirely new way of making a living. The cryptocurrency market made a ton of people rich during its early years, with the value of Bitcoin reaching incredible heights. But what goes up must come down: 2018 was a harsh wake-up call for those invested. Many Koreans who invested in cryptocurrencies lost many thousands of dolla
Researchers have developed a mapping tool that identifies sites for re-establishing oyster reefs that maximize their ecological benefits — such as water filtration. This Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based tool could inform restoration of other vital, sensitive coastal habitats.
While disease surveillance has shifted toward greater use of electronically transmitted information to decrease the reporting burden on physicians, the challenge of getting the right information to public health officials at the right time has not been completely solved.
The noble false widow spider, Steatoda nobilis, native to Madeira and the Canary Islands, has been introduced accidentally to countries around the globe, causing considerable concerns. Thus, a team of researchers sought to understand how the species became so widespread and predict where it could appear next. According to a recent study the countries which are at an immediate risk of invasions are
To what extent is our personality an adaptation to our appearance or even our physique? A team of scientists has investigated this question. Their results: it depends – on our gender and on which behavior.
Researchers have developed a way to study cancer cells which could lead to new and improved treatment. They have developed a new way to study these cells in a 3D in vitro model (i.e., in a culture dish rather than in a human or animal).
Scientists have built a photonic integrated, compact, and portable soliton microcomb source. The device is less than 1 cm3 in size, and is driven by an on-chip indium phosphide laser consuming less than 1 Watt of electrical power. It can be used in LIDAR, data center interconnects, and even satellites.
Researchers imaged a battery as it was quickly charged and discharged, allowing for the observation of lithium plating behavior that can inhibit the battery's long-term function.
This Is Your Brain on Grammar New research suggests that the language you speak may affect how you form memories — even when the memory has nothing to do with words. Languages_topNteaser.jpg Image credits: pathdoc via Shutterstock Culture Monday, February 11, 2019 – 13:45 Yuen Yiu, Staff Writer (Inside Science) — Have you ever experienced a smell or feeling that you can remember but can't descr
Nearly half of all insect species worldwide are in rapid decline and a third could disappear altogether, according to a study warning of dire consequences for crop pollination and natural food chains.
Hotel groups in Paris on Monday hailed a new legal offensive by city authorities against home-sharing group Airbnb which is being taken to court over illegal rentals.
On Thursday night, the Supreme Court, by a vote of 5–4, allowed the Alabama state prison in Atmore to execute Domineque Ray , a convert to Islam, by lethal injection for the 1995 rape and murder of 15-year-old Tiffany Harville, and the murders of two brothers. He died alone. He was denied his request to have his imam, Yusuf Maisonet, by his side. Reading the majority's decision, I kept asking mys
The allure of smartphones, and how they impact our interpersonal relationships, might be the result of our evolutionary history, according to a University of Arizona researcher.
Community-based exercise programs improve physical fitness and quality of life for people with cancer, according to a new study. Experts recommend exercise for cancer survivors to reduce the side effects of treatments and improve overall well-being. "Having an evidence base for cancer exercise programming instills confidence in survivors and health care providers that these programs are effective
Global warming and industrialised farming are damaging vital ecosystems One of the classic science-fiction treatments of the end of civilisation was The Death of Grass , by John Christopher, in which a mysterious sickness struck down all the grasses on which most of the world's agriculture is based, from rice to wheat. In the end, politics among the survivors of plague, war and famine was reduced
Lonza announces the launch of DonorPlex™ Hepatocytes, a new line of high-quality cryopreserved pooled donor suspension hepatocytes, which are the first of their kind to be produced using Lonza's novel patented manufacturing process. Researchers within DMPK and ADME laboratories can now benefit from this reliable and robust product offering for studying the hepatic metabolism of drugs.
It's been proposed before, but so far no one has heeded the call for an official advisory board to support ethical behavior in research institutions. Today, leaders in academia with expertise in the professional and ethical conduct of research have formalized a proposal to finally assemble such an advisory board. The proposal appears in the journal Nature.
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a mapping tool that identifies sites for re-establishing oyster reefs that maximize their ecological benefits—such as water filtration. This Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based tool could inform restoration of other vital, sensitive coastal habitats.
Hypertension affects over 60 million adults in the United States and less than half have their condition under control. A new study found that grocery store-based nutrition counseling was effective in changing dietary habits of patients being treated for hypertension.
New research reports features of the brain in musicians with absolute, or perfect, pitch (AP) that likely enable individuals with this rare ability — shared by Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven — to precisely identify musical notes.
In a new review, researchers identify five myths that continue to perpetuate gender bias and offer five strategies for improving not only the number of women in medicine, but also their lived experiences, capacity to aspire, and opportunity to succeed.
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a mapping tool that identifies sites for re-establishing oyster reefs that maximize their ecological benefits—such as water filtration. This Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based tool could inform restoration of other vital, sensitive coastal habitats.
What happens in our mouths may be more important to why certain foods smell good to us than commonly thought, according to new research. It turns out that we don't inhale the scent of food and decide we like its smell. First, we have to eat it. Smell consists of two components. The first is well known. It involves inhaling a scent through your nose. Scientists call this orthonasal olfaction. But
Visible imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite revealed the effects of wind shear on Tropical Cyclone Gelena in the Southern Indian Ocean. The storm weakened to a tropical storm.
While gas tanks can be filled in a matter of minutes, charging the battery of an electric car takes much longer. To level the playing field and make electric vehicles more attractive, scientists are working on fast-charging technologies.
Spiders are one of the most successful groups of 'invaders' on the planet. Out of over 47,000 species of spiders known today, there are some that tend to follow humans across the globe and settle in habitats far away from their native homelands. A particularly notorious example is the species Steatoda nobilis, the Noble False Widow spider.
Spiders are one of the most successful groups of 'invaders' on the planet. Out of over 47,000 species of spiders known today, there are some that tend to follow humans across the globe and settle in habitats far away from their native homelands. A particularly notorious example is the species Steatoda nobilis, the Noble False Widow spider.
It's sad but true: most of us never learned how to learn, even though we're expected to do it all the time. This is especially true for college students, who fall prey to ineffective study habits, like reading their notes over and over, or worse, cramming for an exam the night before.
Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have discovered that malignant rhabdoid tumors (MRT), a rare pediatric cancer without effective treatments, may be sensitive to drugs that block the cancer cell's ability to dispose of misfolded proteins. The findings provide a much-needed therapeutic target for these and other cancers caused by mutations in the SMARCB1 gene.
It's been proposed before, but so far no one has heeded the call for an official advisory board to support ethical behavior in research institutions. Today, leaders in academia with expertise in the professional and ethical conduct of research have formalized a proposal to finally assemble such an advisory board. The proposal appears in the journal Nature.
Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a mapping tool that identifies sites for re-establishing oyster reefs that maximize their ecological benefits — such as water filtration. This Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based tool could inform restoration of other vital, sensitive coastal habitats.
Science magazine, the country's top scientific journal, has taken the rare step of publishing criticism of a new book. The book is called Darwin Devolves, and Science says its author, Michael Behe, is on a 'crusade to overturn evolution.'
Visible imagery from NASA's Aqua satellite revealed the effects of wind shear on Tropical Cyclone Gelena in the Southern Indian Ocean. The storm weakened to a tropical storm.
A new experimental antibiotic for tuberculosis has been shown to be more effective against TB than isoniazid, a decades-old drug which is currently one of the standard treatments. In mouse studies, the new drug showed a much lower tendency to develop resistance, and it remains in the tissues where the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria reside for longer, killing them more effectively. The researc
New research published in JNeurosci reports features of the brain in musicians with absolute, or perfect, pitch (AP) that likely enable individuals with this rare ability — shared by Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven — to precisely identify musical notes.
A part of the brain that maps letters to sounds can acquire a second, visually distinct alphabet for the same language, according to a study of English speakers published in eNeuro. The research challenges theoretical constraints on the range of visual forms available to represent written language.
Researchers have clarified the development of the ability to attend to a speaker in a noisy environment — a phenomenon known as the 'cocktail party effect.' Published in JNeurosci, the study could have implications for helping children navigate the often-noisy surroundings in which they grow and learn.
Early in the course of Alzheimer's disease—long before future patients begin to notice symptoms—neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau protein aggregates begin to form in their brain cells. How toxic these aggregates are and how well they spread depend on their size. However, scientists studying tangle formation have not been able to explain why different sizes of cable-like tau aggregates appear
Research led by the University of Southampton is helping to tackle one of the biggest sustainability challenges—looking after and nurturing the natural resources in the world around us.
Small RNAs (sRNAs) are key regulators involved in plant growth and development. Two groups of sRNAs are abundant during development of pollen in the anthers—a critical process for reproductive success. One of these pathways for sRNA production, previously believed present in grasses and related monocots, has now been demonstrated to be present widely in the flowering plants, evolved over 200 milli
A new species of the Brazil-endemic small genus Mcvaughia is described as part of a extended revision of this unique group. The study was published in the open access journal PhytoKeys.
Roll Out Google Maps is finally getting a previously teased augmented reality upgrade. In May, Google announced plans to add an AR navigation feature to its Maps app. Nine months later, the feature is now rolling out to a select group of Google users — giving the world its first glimpse at the likely future of getting around. Tech Test On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal published a story detailin
Small RNAs (sRNAs) are key regulators involved in plant growth and development. Two groups of sRNAs are abundant during development of pollen in the anthers—a critical process for reproductive success. One of these pathways for sRNA production, previously believed present in grasses and related monocots, has now been demonstrated to be present widely in the flowering plants, evolved over 200 milli
A new species of the Brazil-endemic small genus Mcvaughia is described as part of a extended revision of this unique group. The study was published in the open access journal PhytoKeys.
Despite worldwide Valentine's Day celebrations, an increasing number of people around the globe are single. Recent Pew polling predicts that approximately 25% of those born in the United States right now will never marry. Further, in several major European cities, the percentage of one-person households has already exceeded 50%. And, this phenomenon is rapidly spreading across the world, including
Early in the course of Alzheimer's disease—long before future patients begin to notice symptoms—neurofibrillary tangles composed of tau protein aggregates begin to form in their brain cells. How toxic these aggregates are and how well they spread depend on their size. However, scientists studying tangle formation have not been able to explain why different sizes of cable-like tau aggregates appear
Gadgets A quick guide to getting the goods for cheaper. PopSci is always on the lookout for today's best deals. Our lists will be updated throughout the day, so check back to see if stumbled upon any awesome new discounts.
The trucks and trains that transport goods across the United States emit gases and particles that threaten human health and the environment. A University of Illinois-led project developed a new model that predicts through 2050 the impact of different environmental policies on human mortality rates and short- and long-term climate change caused by particulate and greenhouse gas emissions.
There is no association between access to federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and emergency department visits for either uninsured or Medicaid-insured patients.
Argonne researchers used the laboratory's Advanced Photon Source to image a battery as it was quickly charged and discharged, allowing for the observation of lithium plating behavior that can inhibit the battery's long-term function.
A new program developed by researchers from Penn State and Microsoft Azure automatically detects regions of interest within images, alleviating a serious bottleneck in processing photos for wildlife research.
A new 21-year longitudinal study identified multiple risk factors related to the family and home environment associated with the timing and faster increase in body mass increase (BMI), ultimately leading to overweight or obesity in adulthood.
University of Minnesota researchers have developed a way to study cancer cells which could lead to new and improved treatment. They have developed a new way to study these cells in a 3D in vitro model (i.e., in a culture dish rather than in a human or animal).
A new species of the Brazil-endemic small genus Mcvaughia described as part of a extended revision of this unique group. Mcvaughia is a genus of the plant family Malpighiaceae comprising just three known species, all of which endemic to the unique and recently recognized Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests biome found in the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga domains in northeastern Brazil. The study was pu
Aleksey Belikov from MIPT has proposed that rapid progression of age-related diseases may result from the formation of so-called vicious cycles. An example of this is when toxic products of a biochemical reaction trigger that same reaction to happen again. The study, published in the January issue of Ageing Research Reviews, highlights the most promising options for age-related disease treatment t
As climate change melts Greenland's glaciers and deposits more river sediment on its shores, an international group of researchers has identified one unforeseen economic opportunity for the Arctic nation: exporting excess sand and gravel abroad, where raw materials for infrastructure are in high demand.
While we tend to think that Earth's oceans make it a watery planet, it's actually only a tiny fraction of a percent of water by mass. Looking out into the universe, it's clear water is more common than our own planet implies. Some exoplanets can have half their mass as water. So, what causes some planetary systems to stay wet, while others dry out? The answer might be aluminum. Tim Lichtenberg is
The agency warned 12 dietary supplement companies to stop marketing such products for disease treatments, and called for tougher regulation of the $40 billon industry.
Small RNAs are key regulators involved in plant growth and development. Two groups of sRNAs are abundant during development of pollen in the anthers. One of these pathways for sRNA production, previously believed present in grasses and related monocots, has now been demonstrated to be present widely in the flowering plants, evolved over 200 million years ago, and is arguably one of the evolutionar
The noble false widow spider, Steatoda nobilis, native to Madeira and the Canary Islands, has been introduced accidentally to countries around the globe, causing considerable concerns. Thus, a team of researchers sought to understand how the species became so widespread and predict where it could appear next. According to a recent study, published in the open-access journal Neobiota, the countries
Trump's goal to eradicate the HIV epidemic in the United States is achievable — yet remote Trump's goal to eradicate the HIV epidemic in the United States is achievable — yet remote, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00557-4 The president's pledge rings hollow without a major shift in policy and rhetoric.
AI on the Future The United States is arguably the world leader in artificial intelligence, and President Donald Trump wants to keep it that way. According to multiple outlets , Trump plans to sign an executive order called the American AI Initiative on Monday afternoon. The order will reportedly direct federal government agencies to dedicate more resources and investment toward AI — but not ever
Hands Together Often, child sex traffickers reach out to would-be clients with photos of their victims in the hotel rooms in which they're being held. In order to help find and rescue those kidnapped children, engineers from Washington University developed an artificial intelligence system that can recognize features of a hotel room from a photo and identify where it may have been taken — potenti
Modern Valentine's Day is a far more restrained version of the pagan holiday it replaced. During Lupercalia, Romans got naked, drunk, and there was whipping involved. Romantic cards? How about simulated penetration? None There's hardly a warmer or fuzzier holiday than Valentine's Day each February 14. It was created in 496 by Pope Gelasius I, or maybe Felix III according to historian T.P. Wiseman
Thought Theft If augmented reality becomes a part of our daily lives, the data it collects about you will become valuable: an incredibly detailed psychological portrait, and one that's prone to terrifying exploitation if it falls into the wrong hands. "You are always worried about bad actors with technology and your data," said Paula Goldman, a VP at Omidyar Network, a firm that advises on ethica
As climate change melts Greenland's glaciers and deposits more river sediment on its shores, an international group of researchers has identified one unforeseen economic opportunity for the Arctic nation: exporting excess sand and gravel abroad, where raw materials for infrastructure are in high demand.
To what extent is our personality an adaptation to our appearance or even our physique? A team of scien-tists at the University of Göttingen has investigated this question. Their results: it depends – on our gender and on which behaviour. The study was published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior.
While disease surveillance has shifted toward greater use of electronically transmitted information to decrease the reporting burden on physicians, the challenge of getting the right information to public health officials at the right time has not been completely solved.At HIMSS19, Brian Dixon, Ph.D., of Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at I
A team of investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Regenerative Medicine has identified a population of brain cells that appears to play a role in calibrating behavioral responses to potentially threatening situations.
The trucks and trains that transport goods across the United States emit gases and particles that threaten human health and the environment. A University of Illinois-led project developed a new model that predicts through 2050 the impact of different environmental policies on human mortality rates and short- and long-term climate change caused by particulate and greenhouse gas emissions.
DZIF scientists from the University Hospital Cologne are working on an immunotherapy that supports antibiotic treatment of tuberculosis. In their current study, they were able to identify a new target protein in human immune cells, which can inhibit the bacteria's destructive effects.
One of the key building blocks of flexible photonic circuits and ultra-thin optics are metasurfaces. And EPFL engineers have now discovered a simple way of making these surfaces in just a few minutes — without needing a clean room — using a method already employed in manufacturing. Their findings have just been published in Nature Nanotechnology.
Aggregates of the protein tau are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers studying how these fibrils form have been unable to explain why different sizes appear in disease based on what we know about how they grow. Now, researchers have discovered that instead of adding just one protein at a time, fibrils can join end-to-end to create one longer cable. The finding may help researchers under
The Coral Triangle is the most biodiverse ecosystem in the world and is home to a variety of sea creatures, including sharks, colorful corals and vibrant tropical fish.
The gut microbiome may be to blame for the toxic side effects some people experience from drugs that help many others, according to new research. The research, which appears in the journal Science , describes how bacteria in the gut can transform three drugs into harmful compounds. "If we can understand the microbiome's contributions to drug metabolism, we can decide which drugs to give to patien
Laser Jets In 2017, the U.S. Navy revealed its the Laser Weapons System (LaWS), which the media referred to as the world's first active laser weapon — a futuristic turret mounted on a transport vessel. Now the U.S. Air Force wants to jump on the trend as well: it wants to equip its fighter jets — including the F-35 — with laser weapons by the early 2020s, The National Interest reports . Project S
The solutions to today's puzzles Earlier today I set you the following puzzles. The challenge is to divide each of the following outlines into the number of pieces indicated. In the first two rows, the pieces in each image have the same shape, size and orientation. In the third and fourth rows, the pieces have the same shape and size but one may be flipped over. Click here for a printable version
At-home DNA testing kits may be popular, but new research finds that not everyone is eager to find out whether they are related to the British royal family or a Neanderthal. In a survey of nearly 110,000 Americans, researchers found that people who feel most certain of their heritage are more likely to decline a free test because they believe the results would confirm what they already know—even
Turn It Off Sometime before April, the Russian government plans to briefly disconnect the entire country from the internet. The brief shutdown is part of an ongoing effort to bolster Russia's cybersecurity against foreign attacks that would cut it off from the rest of the world, according to ZDNet — and it's a sobering reminder that in a fractious era for international relations, a global interne
Human enhancement technologies are opening up tremendous new possibilities. But they're also raising important questions about what it means to be human. These technologies are currently geared towards upgrading or restoring physical and psychological abilities for medical purposes. An application is surfacing, however, that is designed with another goal in mind: embellishing performance. An inter
The final photos that NASA's New Horizons spacecraft snapped of Ultima Thule during the probe's epic Jan. 1 flyby reveal the distant object to be much flatter than scientists had thought.
In science, the question of who gets credit for important work—fraught in any field—is set down on paper, for anyone to see. Authorship, given pride of place at the top of scientific papers, can advance reputations and careers; credits buried in the rarely read acknowledgments section do not. Over the past few years, a team of students led by Emilia Huerta-Sánchez from Brown University and Rori R
An art installation on view in Washington, D.C., imagines the powerful White House adviser Ivanka Trump in a new role: trapped in Sisyphean servitude. In Ivanka Vacuuming (2019), a performance conceived by the artist Jennifer Rubell , viewers are invited to throw bread crumbs in the path of a convincing Trump look-alike, continuously making a mess that she can never finish cleaning up. The model,
If button cells are swallowed, they can get stuck in the esophagus and severely damage the mucosa. The Assessment of Intoxications committee of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) therefore recommends particular care. In the last 10 years, several hundreds of cases involving the swallowing of button cell batteries have been reported to the BfR by hospitals and poison information
Scientists from EPFL and the Russian Quantum Center have built a photonic integrated, compact, and portable soliton microcomb source. The device is less than 1 cm3 in size, and is driven by an on-chip indium phosphide laser consuming less than 1 Watt of electrical power. It can be used in LIDAR, data center interconnects, and even satellites. The study is published in Nature Communications.
Diatoms are abundant photosynthetic organisms in aquatic environments; they contribute 20 percent of global primary productivity. Their fucoxanthin (Fx) chlorophyll (Chl) a/c-binding proteins (FCPs) have exceptional light harvesting and photoprotection capabilities. However, the structure of the FCP proteins and arrangement of pigments within them remain unknown. A research team from the Key Labor
Three scientists share their research from the natural, physical, and social sciences on novel responses to climate change during the 2019 AAAS Annual Meeting on February 16th, 2019 at 3:30 PM, Marriott Wardman Park, Delaware Suite.
Hypertension affects over 60 million adults in the United States and less than half have their condition under control. A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior found that grocery store-based nutrition counseling was effective in changing dietary habits of patients being treated for hypertension.
Research led by the University of Southampton is helping to tackle one of the biggest sustainability challenges — looking after and nurturing the natural resources in the world around us. The study outlines a new approach for using environmental 'big data' to understand where different approaches to managing our 'natural capital' (e.g. forests, lakes, soils) are most effective, so the environment
Rare mutations in the NTHL1 gene, previously associated with colorectal cancer, also cause breast cancer and other types of cancer. Researchers from Radboud university medical center, Leiden University Medical Center and the Princess Máxima Center in the Netherlands report this new multi-tumor syndrome, in collaboration with international colleagues, in Cancer Cell. Nicoline Hoogerbrugge, professo
You could say that Dubai's leaders have their finger on the pulse of the city's architecture with this newly-unveiled skyscraper, which incorporates the fingerprint of Sheikh Mohammed …
Ukraine's science revolution stumbles five years on Ukraine's science revolution stumbles five years on, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00512-3 On the anniversary of an uprising that propelled Ukraine away from Russia and towards Europe, scientists say things are improving too slowly.
Daily briefing: Insect decline threatens "catastrophic collapse of nature's ecosystems" Daily briefing: Insect decline threatens "catastrophic collapse of nature's ecosystems", Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00553-8 Intensive agriculture is wiping out the foundation of the food web, Australia rejects coal mine over global warming, master Twitter to further your researc
It's one thing to turn a cartwheel in an open field. It's another to manage it in a tight space like a bathtub. And that, in a way, is the spirit of one of the most important results in number theory over the past two decades. The result has to do with the "sum-product problem," which I wrote about last week . It asks you to take any set of numbers and arrange them in a square grid, then fill in
A neural network analyzed the medical records of 600,000 hospital patients in China, and diagnosed their conditions as accurately as doctors did in some cases.
A new discovery clarifies the host-seeking and blood-feeding biology that makes female mosquitoes such a menace—and offers a way to persuade them to not bite at all. For a new study, Leslie B. Vosshall, a professor at Rockefeller University and colleagues conducted experiments on Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the species responsible for spreading dengue, Zika, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Human bei
Human enhancement technologies are opening up tremendous new possibilities. But they're also raising important questions about what it means to be human. These technologies are currently geared towards upgrading or restoring physical and psychological abilities for medical purposes. An application is surfacing, however, that is designed with another goal in mind: embellishing performance. An inter
Traditional elephant handling worldwide is rapidly changing. Researchers discovered that mahouts in Myanmar are only 22 years old on average, with an average experience of three years working with elephants, and they are changing elephants yearly preventing the development of long-term bonds between elephants and mahouts. These shifts contrast the traditional elephant-keeping system of skills bein
London Zoo on Monday denied it was responsible for the death of an endangered Sumatran tiger mauled by a potential mate brought in as part of a breeding programme.
London Zoo on Monday denied it was responsible for the death of an endangered Sumatran tiger mauled by a potential mate brought in as part of a breeding programme.
A new study that directly compares new heated tobacco devices with vaping and traditional cigarettes shows that all three are toxic to human lung cells.
A James Cook University scientist says the last coastal stronghold of an iconic predator, the endangered Bengal tiger, could be destroyed by climate change and rising sea levels over the next 50 years.
A James Cook University scientist says the last coastal stronghold of an iconic predator, the endangered Bengal tiger, could be destroyed by climate change and rising sea levels over the next 50 years.
Earth's solid surface and moderate climate may be due, in part, to a massive star in the birth environment of the Sun, according to new computer simulations of planet formation.
Apple has long shipped a proprietary connector with its mobile devices instead of opting for the USB spec used by the industry at large. Earlier reports had suggested that the company …
Quite a few mobile companies will be heading to the Mobile World Congress 2019 in Barcelona towards the end of this month to showcase their latest products. 5G phones will get a lot …
Earth's green patches become greener — and China is leading the way Earth's green patches become greener — and China is leading the way, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00537-8 Tree-planting campaigns and crop expansion in the planet's most populous nation are driving an expansion in leaf coverage.
Nano-device maps a cell's enzymes at work Nano-device maps a cell's enzymes at work, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00533-y A modular probe can be programmed to travel to a precise cellular destination.
When young spotted lanternflies grow they become brightly red. Around this time, they also begin to feed almost exclusively on the tree of heaven, from which they suck bitter juices into their bodies. In this way, they coordinate the moment when they become bright and visible to predators with the time when they become distasteful to predators. Birds learn to avoid bitter prey when the prey are br
A five-minute delay in the clamping of healthy infants' umbilical cords results in increased iron stores and brain myelin in areas important for early-life functional development, a new study has found.
A scientist says the last coastal stronghold of an iconic predator, the endangered Bengal tiger, could be destroyed by climate change and rising sea levels over the next 50 years.
With widespread legalization and increasing use, more care, education a research needed about how each marijuana formulation may affect and sometimes compromise the cardiovascular system of our aging population, according to a new article and editorial.
Fears around leaving infectious diseases untreated and poorly enforced antibiotic supply controls could hamper efforts to reduce the use of antibiotics in low to middle income countries, according to a new study from the University of Warwick.
Theoretical physicists at Linköping University have developed a computational method to calculate the transition from one phase to another in dynamically disordered solid materials. This is a class of materials that can be used in many eco-friendly applications.
Today, a new breed of electronic devices, bearing unique properties, is being developed. As ultra-miniaturization continues apace, researchers have begun to explore the intersection of physical and chemical properties occurring at the molecular scale.
Earth's solid surface and moderate climate may be due, in part, to a massive star in the birth environment of the sun, according to new computer simulations of planet formation.
National Eye Institute scientists led a collaborative study and zeroed in on genes associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss and blindness among people age 65 and older. These findings provide a more expanded and in-depth picture of the genetic contributions to AMD, and they present new pathways for treatment development. The study was published Feb. 11
As climate change melts Greenland's glaciers and deposits more river sediment on its shores, an international group of researchers has identified one unforeseen economic opportunity for the Arctic nation: exporting excess sand and gravel abroad, where raw materials for infrastructure are in high demand.
New research from Western University has shown that the spinal cord is able to process and control complex functions, like the positioning of your hand in external space. 'This research has shown that a least one important function is being done at the level of the spinal cord and it opens up a whole new area of investigation to say, 'what else is done at the spinal level and what else have we pot
New research by the University of Washington and US Geological Survey suggests many lakes in the Arctic pose little threat to global carbon levels, at least for now.
Harvard engineers and stem cell biologists have developed an injectable sponge-like gel that enhances the production T-cells after a bone marrow transplant.
A research team at Harvard University has now removed a major barrier for the use of kidney organoids as a tool to model kidney diseases, test drug toxicities and eventually for the creation of organ replacements, the lack of a pervasive blood vessel system (vasculature). The team solved this problem with a powerful new approach that exposes stem cell-derived kidney organoids to fluidic shear stre
Researchers have used computational methods to identify nearly 2,000 uncultured gut bacterial species.Study authors call for more data from South America, Africa and Asia, in order to achieve a more comprehensive blueprint of the human gut.Access to thousands of new gut bacterial genomes allows researchers to characterize the gut microbiota more accurately.
When antibiotics are used to treat bacteria susceptible to them, the treatment usually works. Nevertheless, the antibiotic chosen is sometimes ineffective. One of the reasons for this is heteroresistance, a phenomenon explored in depth by Uppsala and Emory University researchers in a new study.
In a study of 920 boys from low-socioeconomic neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada, teacher ratings of inattention in kindergarten at ages 5 and 6 were associated with lower earnings as adults 30 years later, while increased ratings on prosocial behavior (such as helping, sharing and cooperating) were associated with higher earnings after accounting for child IQ and family adversity.
An estimated 7.7 million children in the United States (16.5 percent) have at least one mental health disorder and about half didn't receive treatment from a mental health professional. National survey data were used to estimate how common mental health disorders were in children at the national and state levels, along with how common mental health care use was in children. An estimated 46.6 milli
JAMA Internal Medicine is publishing four opioid-related articles (an original investigation, invited commentary and two research letters) that report on racial/ethnic and income disparities in the prescription of opioids and other other controlled medications in California, racial differences in opioid overdose deaths in New York, and county-level opioid prescribing in the United States.
MIT engineers have devised a new, non-invasive way to monitor the stiffness of single living cells, using acoustic waves. Their technique could be used to study many biological phenomena, such as cell division, programmed cell death or metastasis.
Before the age of GPS, humans had to orient themselves without on-screen arrows pointing down an exact street, but rather, by memorizing landmarks and using learned relationships among time, speed and distance. They had to know, for instance, that 10 minutes of brisk walking might equate to half a mile traveled.A new Johns Hopkins study found that rats' ability to recalibrate these learned relatio
Research published today (Feb. 11, 2019) by the Waisman Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison reveals how one mutation causes fragile X, the most common inherited intellectual disability. Fragile X patients have difficulty in learning and language, as well as temper tantrums, hyperactivity and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. The fragile X gene is located on the X chromosome and its
A UCLA-led study suggests that for people with recurrent glioblastoma, administering an immunotherapy drug before surgery is more effective than using the drug afterward.
Noting the startling advances in semiconductor technology, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore proposed that the number of transistors on a chip will double each year, an observation that has been born out since he made the claim in 1965. Still, it's unlikely Moore could have foreseen the extent of the electronics revolution currently underway.
Recalibration of path integration in hippocampal place cells Recalibration of path integration in hippocampal place cells, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41586-019-0939-3 Evidence from hippocampal place cells shows that path-integration gain, previously thought to be a constant factor in the computation of location, is flexible and can be rapidly fine-tuned.
Structure of the complex I-like molecule NDH of oxygenic photosynthesis Structure of the complex I-like molecule NDH of oxygenic photosynthesis, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41586-019-0921-0 The structure of NDH, a photosynthetic membrane-protein complex that is related to respiratory complex I, is obtained by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy.
A weak topological insulator state in quasi-one-dimensional bismuth iodide A weak topological insulator state in quasi-one-dimensional bismuth iodide, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41586-019-0927-7 Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy is used to characterize the surface states of bismuth iodide, providing experimental evidence of a weak topological insulator state that had
A new genomic blueprint of the human gut microbiota A new genomic blueprint of the human gut microbiota, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41586-019-0965-1 A new genomic blueprint of the human gut microbiota
Europe's next €1-billion science projects: six teams make it to final round Europe's next €1-billion science projects: six teams make it to final round, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00541-y AI enhancement and a virtual time machine are included in the list of shortlisted pitches.
A new tool could clarify where rain comes from now, and where it might come from under future climate scenarios. A drop of rainwater that falls on a cassava field in Uganda takes a different path than one that falls 500 miles east in Somalia. Better understanding of its origins is important for the millions of people who rely on subsistence agriculture to survive. The new method leverages signals
Sticker Shock SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter Sunday night that he expects a round – trip ticket to Mars to eventually cost less than a luxury wedding. "Very dependent on volume, but I'm confident moving to Mars (return ticket is free) will one day cost less than $500k & maybe even below $100k," he wrote. "Low enough that most people in advanced economies could sell their home on Earth & mov
An antibody-based treatment can gently and effectively eliminate diseased blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow to prepare for the transplantation of healthy stem cells, according to a study in mice.
For women in resource-poor settings, taking a certain daily nutritional supplement before conception or in early pregnancy may provide enough of a boost to improve growth of the fetus, according to a new study. The inexpensive supplement consists of dried skimmed milk, soybean and peanut extract blended into a peanut butter-like consistency.
Seeking to address fluoride contamination in drinking water, chemical engineers have developed a portable and user-friendly device that can measure fluoride concentration accurately and reliably.
Science And how to use physics principles to improve your skills. Our research shows that science can help you practise better parkour – through running up walls more efficiently, and expanding your landing options.
Ultima Thule isn't the snowman-shaped object we thought it was. It's more of a lumpy-pancake-meets-mashed-walnut kind of thing. The post New Photos Reveal Ultima Thule Is a Pancake Stuck to a Dented Walnut appeared first on ExtremeTech .
The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. One consequence of that trend is the thawing of permafrost, a layer of earth that has remained frozen for thousands of years in some areas. This frozen soil and vegetation currently holds more than twice the carbon found in the atmosphere.
MIT engineers have devised a new, noninvasive way to measure the stiffness of living cells using acoustic waves. Their technique allows them to monitor single cells over several generations and investigate how stiffness changes as cells go through the cell division cycle.
As climate change melts Greenland's glaciers and deposits more river sediment on its shores, an international group of researchers has identified one unforeseen economic opportunity for the Arctic nation: exporting excess sand and gravel abroad, where raw materials for infrastructure are in high demand.
Bone marrow transplants, also known as hematopoietic stem cell transplants, are life-saving treatments for aggressive diseases, such as leukemia and multiple myeloma, and infections such as HIV. The procedure entails infusion of blood stem cells from a matched donor into the patient to 'reset' the blood and immune system.
The school field trip is a springtime ritual: Buses practically burst with exuberant children who are happy to learn outside classroom walls. But packed lunches coupled with warm temperatures could allow dangerous bacteria to flourish and sicken the travelers.
Even when antibiotics are used to treat bacteria susceptible to them, sometimes the antibiotic chosen is ineffective. One of the reasons for this is heteroresistance, a phenomenon explored in depth by Uppsala and Emory University researchers in a new study.
Researchers at EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute and the Wellcome Sanger Institute have identified almost 2000 bacterial species living in the human gut. These species are yet to be cultured in the lab. The team used a range of computational methods to analyse samples from individuals worldwide.
A team of physicists from Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University together with their colleagues from National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (NRNU MEPhI) developed a tungsten oxide-based detector of hydrogen in gas mixes. They manufactured thin tungsten oxide films with various additives and compared their characteristics. One of the film detectors demonstrated a 100 times increase in sensitiv
A team of marine scientists from the National University of Singapore had uncovered toxic bacteria living on the surfaces of microplastics (which are pieces of plastic smaller than 5 millimetres in size) collected from the coastal areas of Singapore. These bacteria are capable of causing coral bleaching, and triggering wound infections in humans. The team also discovered a diversity of bacteria, i
A James Cook University scientist says the last coastal stronghold of an iconic predator, the endangered Bengal tiger, could be destroyed by climate change and rising sea levels over the next 50 years.
A five-minute delay in the clamping of healthy infants' umbilical cords results in increased iron stores and brain myelin in areas important for early-life functional development, a new University of Rhode Island nursing study has found.
When young spotted lanternflies grow they become brightly red. Around this time, they also begin to feed almost exclusively on the tree of heaven, from which they suck bitter juices into their bodies. In this way, they coordinate the moment when they become bright and visible to predators with the time when they become distasteful to predators. Birds learn to avoid bitter prey when the prey are br
MIT engineers have devised a new, noninvasive way to measure the stiffness of living cells using acoustic waves. Their technique allows them to monitor single cells over several generations and investigate how stiffness changes as cells go through the cell division cycle.
Bone marrow transplants, also known as hematopoietic stem cell transplants, are life-saving treatments for aggressive diseases, such as leukemia and multiple myeloma, and infections such as HIV. The procedure entails infusion of blood stem cells from a matched donor into the patient to 'reset' the blood and immune system.
Even when antibiotics are used to treat bacteria susceptible to them, sometimes the antibiotic chosen is ineffective. One of the reasons for this is heteroresistance, a phenomenon explored in depth by Uppsala and Emory University researchers in a new study.
Researchers at EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute and the Wellcome Sanger Institute have identified almost 2000 bacterial species living in the human gut. These species are yet to be cultured in the lab. The team used a range of computational methods to analyse samples from individuals worldwide.
In a new study, MDMA is shown to produce better cognitive and emotional empathy than users of cocaine, ketamine, and alcohol. This follows in the wake of criticism that MDMA use leads to social distress. Illegal in America since 1985, MDMA is showing positive efficacy rates in clinical trials for treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD. None Selective serontonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the
A new essay published in J acobin argues that the time has come to try the executives of oil companies for crimes against humanity as a result of their actions promoting climate change. There is a legal precedent, as the heads of several German companies were tired for such crimes after WWII. Even if it never comes to pass, discussing the idea could give us a sense of what steps to make the world
Activist Shad Begum has spent her life empowering women to live up to their full potential. In a personal talk, she shares her determined struggle to improve the lives of women in her deeply religious and conservative community in northwest Pakistan — and calls for women around the world to find their political voice. "We must stand up for our own rights — and not wait for someone else to come a
Nye tal fra Forsyningstilsynet viser, at fjernvarmepriserne i gennemsnit er sat op med 3,6 pct. det seneste år. Det svarer til, at den gennemsnitlige, årlige varmeregning i en typisk husstand bliver ca. 460 kr. højere.
Madagascar has been repeatedly identified as a top priority for biodiversity conservation globally and merits attention for its high levels of endemic species. Yet, the country struggles with high poverty levels and an unstable political environment, putting high pressures on the remaining forests and the island´s biodiversity.
The International Stroke Conference (ISC) attracts thousands of neurologists each year to network with fellow experts and watch compelling presentations on the very latest advances in clinical care, science, and education. Joining those presentations for the first time was a rather provocative topic — gender disparities among the very presenters themselves.
Removing iron and toxins from the body after a brain bleed had little effect on intracerebral hemorrhage stroke recovery at three months but might have potential benefits at six months.
Unless you avoided the internet entirely last year, you probably saw almost every major publication declare 2018 "the year of the woman." In the United States, Christine Blasey Ford accused the then–Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Two months later, a record number of women were elected to Congress. The #MeToo movement gained steam and sexual-misconduct bombshells rocked n
Madagascar has been repeatedly identified as a top priority for biodiversity conservation globally and merits attention for its high levels of endemic species. Yet, the country struggles with high poverty levels and an unstable political environment, putting high pressures on the remaining forests and the island´s biodiversity.
Traditional elephant handling worldwide is rapidly changing. Researchers from the University of Turku in Finland and Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) veterinarians found mahouts in Myanmar are only 22 years old on average, with an average experience of three years working with elephants, and they are changing elephants yearly preventing the development of long-term bonds between elephants and mahout
Traditional elephant handling worldwide is rapidly changing. Researchers from the University of Turku in Finland and Myanma Timber Enterprise (MTE) veterinarians found mahouts in Myanmar are only 22 years old on average, with an average experience of three years working with elephants, and they are changing elephants yearly preventing the development of long-term bonds between elephants and mahout
Everyone has secrets, but what causes someone to think about them over and over again? People who feel shame about a secret, as opposed to guilt, are more likely to be consumed by thoughts of what they are hiding, according to new research.
Adding olefin enables efficient solvent-free cross-coupling reactions, leading to environmentally friendly syntheses of a wide range of organic materials.
It seems impossible to ignore national politics today. The stream of stories about the president and Congress is endless. Whether online, in print or on television, it has never been easier to follow the action.
This weekend, Dana Foundation staff are heading to conferences on both coasts, and we hope to see you there! In Washington, DC, we'll be reporting and tweeting from the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting ( #AAASmtg ). While most events are members-only, at least four talks will be livestreamed, one a day Thursday through Sunday. Livestream should be here: https://m
If you're still looking for a date before Valentine's Day, Bumble may be able to help. The company announced a new feature called Spotlight that puts you front and center …
I live in São Paulo, the biggest city in Brazil, home to some 12 million people – 20 million if you count the outskirts, which have been sprawling for three decades.
When you hear about businesses with a high environmental impact or activities with a high carbon footprint, you are probably more likely to imagine heavy machinery, engines and oil rather than hairdressing. Yet hairdressing, both as a sector and as an individual activity, can have a massive carbon footprint.
Women who take the pill are nearly 10 percent worse at recognizing subtle expressions of complex emotions like pride or contempt, according to new research. Previous research suggests the relationship is causal, but the impact on women's ability to form intimate relationships is unknown.
Humans have a "disproportionately huge effect" on the other species of vertebrates that share Earth's surface with us, causing more than 25 percent of the deaths among an array of species all over the globe, according to a recently published study.
Latest US estimates indicate that since 1989, hundreds of thousands of women's lives have been saved by mammography and improvements in breast cancer treatment. The findings point to progress made in early detection and management of breast cancer.
When a car crash or explosion results in an optic nerve injury, eliminating an enzyme known to promote inflammation appears to aid recovery, scientists report.
I live in São Paulo, the biggest city in Brazil, home to some 12 million people – 20 million if you count the outskirts, which have been sprawling for three decades.
This new paper on "ultra-large" virtual screening is well worth a look in detail. We find a great many lead compounds in this business by random screening of compound libraries, and virtual screening is (as the name implies) the technique of doing this computationally instead of with hundreds (thousands) of sample plates and tireless robot arms. All of that takes time and effort and money – accum
Det kræver planlægning og et godt forhold mellem ledelsen og tillidsrepræsentanterne, når en afdeling er underbemandet, siger formand for de lægelige chefer.
Climate change has already made Atlantic hurricanes more fierce, driving up the number of storms that rapidly intensify, become more lethal and difficult to forecast, according to new research led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Mars None Remember Mars One, the startup that said it was going to fund a crewed mission to Mars by turning the journey into a reality television spectacle? Now the company is bankrupt, according to financial documents published online. Engadget confirmed the bankruptcy with Mars One Cofounder Bas Lansdorp, who toldthe publication that he was working "to find a solution" to the company's financia
February 11, 2019—Fifteen nonprofits from across the country have been chosen from nearly 9,300 nominations to be named finalists in The Renewal Awards , a project of The Atlantic and Allstate. The national competition—now in its fourth year—recognizes local organizations driving positive change in their communities and bringing progress to the country. The competition now turns to public voting
She's hatched from an egg, she's done the meat dress, she's bled out and died . But it all feels long ago, so Obama-era opulent, when Lady Gaga used award-show stages to perform magic tricks. Since 2015 , she's been more likely to tout gowns, grand pianos, and Tony Bennett when appearing before a national audience. In last year's A S tar Is Born , a much-rehashed Hollywood myth gained new energy
For thousands of years people from all over the world have eaten insects. Today about 2.5 billion people – many of whom live in Africa – eat insects. To date, 470 African edible insects have been scientifically recorded, with grasshoppers and termites among some of the favourites.
For thousands of years people from all over the world have eaten insects. Today about 2.5 billion people – many of whom live in Africa – eat insects. To date, 470 African edible insects have been scientifically recorded, with grasshoppers and termites among some of the favourites.
Genetically modified organisms ( GMOs ) are one of the most contentious topics in science today. But a study from the Salk Institute , published last month in PLOS Genetics , may help clear up some of the confusion. Using a combination of techniques known as nanopore sequencing and optical mapping, researchers believe they have a clearer picture of what happens when genes are spliced into the gen
Under perioden 1850–1920 lämnade omkring en fjärdedel av skandinaverna sina länder för USA. De som reste hade sannolikt mer individualistiska värderingar är de som stannade kvar. Det framgår av Anne-Sofie Beck Knudsens forskning om förnamn och migration.
Experiments at DESY's X-ray source PETRA III have revealed the first structure of a biological transporter protein loaded with a pro-drug. Prodrugs are inactive medications that are metabolized into an active, functional form within the body. They can hijack the human nutrient transporter proteins PepT1 or PepT2 that are located in the cell membrane and usually channel peptides derived from digest
Nearly half of all insect species worldwide are in rapid decline and a third could disappear altogether, according to a study warning of dire consequences for crop pollination and natural food …
– De flesta svampodlare använder steriliserade odlingssubstrat, där temperaturen höjs till 121 ºC och 2 bars övertryck. Det är energikrävande och dyrt. Vi har visat att det räcker med 80 ºC, säger docent Shaojun Xiong vid institutionen för skogens biomaterial och teknologi vid Statens lantbruksuniversitet (SLU) i Umeå. Förutom att det blir billigare har försöken dessutom visat på många andra posi
Either fast or precise – both cannot be achieved in the production of the finest polymer structures with the laser. Or maybe they can? Combining stereolithography and multiphoton polymerization should make it possible: Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT are developing a machine for high-precision, cost-effective 3-D construction technologies using both methods. On Nove
Numbers released by the Trump administration Friday show an 80 percent drop in some penalties levied against polluters, the latest sign that the Environmental Protection Agency has become a less aggressive watchdog.
France set to get first national strategy for research France set to get first national strategy for research, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00484-4 Plan promises funding stability and better career prospects for young researchers, but scientists say significant new investment is crucial.
Essential elements for high-impact scientific writing Essential elements for high-impact scientific writing, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00546-7 To write better, remember that your science is exciting, says Eric J. Buenz.
DIY An easy intro to robot-making. If you want an easy project to complete in a day or so, or something to introduce kids to the world of robots and electronics, make this light-following robot your…
New research is the first to discover a sour taste receptor that an animal—the fruit fly—uses to choose between different food options. The findings appear in the journal Cell Reports , and could have implications for taste research as well as disease prevention. Until now, scientists didn't know what receptors allow animals to evaluate food on the basis of sourness. "In mammals, a protein called
RUDN chemists developed a catalyst to oxidize alkanes without additional heating and under regular pressure. This will simplify the process of obtaining alcohols, acids, and other substances used to manufacture organic products. The article was published in Inorganic Chemistry.
Alfalfa, peanut, and soybean plants take in nitrogen and hydrogen from the air and turn it into ammonia, which helps the plants grow. The reactions to produce ammonia are driven by natural catalysts, which lower the energy necessary to make the reactions happen. Inspired by these catalysts, scientists uncovered how sunlight can kick start the functionalization of nitrogen molecules. They built a c
Modern DNA-based methods provide entirely new insight into the interaction between different species in nature. Researchers can finally reveal the details of who is eating whom, who pollinates what flower and who lives on whose skin or feathers. A special issue of the scientific top journal Molecular Ecology now provides an overview of the state of the art in this field.
Hunting spiders easily climb vertical surfaces or move upside down on the ceiling. A thousand tiny hairs at the ends of their legs make sure they do not fall off. Like the spider's exoskeleton, these bristle-like hairs (so-called setae) mainly consist of proteins and chitin, which is a polysaccharide. To find out more about their fine structure, an interdisciplinary research team from the Biology
For years, "sustainable" has been the buzzword in conversations about agriculture. If farmers and ranchers could slow or stop further damage to land and water, the thinking went, that was good enough. I thought that way too, until I started writing my new book, "One Size Fits None: A Farm Girl's Search for the Promise of Regenerative Agriculture."
Strategies to produce high yields of biomass for fuels are not a one-size-fits-all proposition, according to a new study. In efforts to curb our use of greenhouse gas-generating fossil fuels, plant-based biofuels are among the top contenders as alternative liquid energy sources for transportation. "It is difficult to make a biofuel that actually has environmental benefits," says coauthor David Ti
Modern DNA-based methods provide entirely new insight into the interaction between different species in nature. Researchers can finally reveal the details of who is eating whom, who pollinates what flower and who lives on whose skin or feathers. A special issue of the scientific top journal Molecular Ecology now provides an overview of the state of the art in this field.
An innovative X-ray method enables new high-pressure investigations of samples under deep mantle conditions. The technique, which was developed by a team led by Georg Spiekermann from DESY, the German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ and the University of Potsdam, extends the range of instruments available to high-pressure researchers. Successful tests of the new method at DESY's X-ray light so
In May, engineers, pilots, researchers and scientists will convene in Bordeaux, France, for ESA's 71st parabolic flight campaign. Over the course of three days they will fly on a specially-fitted commercial aircraft, testing equipment and running research as the pilots put the plane through repeated parabolas, giving the passengers and their experiments brief bouts of microgravity.
With bright reds and yellows—and even the occasional white—poppies are very bright and colorful. Their petals, however, are also very thin; they are made up of just three layers of cells. University of Groningen scientists Casper van der Kooi and Doekele Stavenga used microscopy and mathematical models describing how light interacts with petals to find out how the vibrant colors are created. The r
Tessellation is a repeating pattern made of one or more shapes, without the formation of gaps or overlaps. An example is the periodic arrangement of hexagonal cells found in honeycombs. Tessellation can also be found at the molecular level, where single molecule units act as a tile (repeating pattern) to tessellate a surface through spontaneous and reversible interactions between them. It is chall
Hydrogels are polymer networks infiltrated with water, widely used for tissue engineering vehicles of drug delivery and novel platforms for biomedical engineering. Emerging applications for new hydrogel materials call for robustness under cyclic mechanical loads. Materials scientists have developed tough hydrogels that resist fracture under a single cycle of mechanical load, yet these toughened ge
A RUDN mathematician has developed a solution for a perturbed differential containment—a generalized case of a differential equation. The development will calculate optimal paths for the movement of a crowd or a flow of cars. It may also be used to manage robotic cars and multi-agent robotic systems. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Differential Equations.
Experiments at DESY's X-ray source PETRA III have revealed the first structure of a biological transporter protein loaded with a pro-drug. Prodrugs are inactive medications that are metabolized into an active, functional form within the body. They can hijack the human nutrient transporter proteins PepT1 or PepT2 that are located in the cell membrane and usually channel peptides derived from digest
With bright reds and yellows—and even the occasional white—poppies are very bright and colorful. Their petals, however, are also very thin; they are made up of just three layers of cells. University of Groningen scientists Casper van der Kooi and Doekele Stavenga used microscopy and mathematical models describing how light interacts with petals to find out how the vibrant colors are created. The r
Nature is complex often too complex for humans to see. But squint-controlled glasses that let people see 3-D thermal images and a camera that can capture the inner workings of high-speed chemical …
For women in resource-poor settings, taking a certain daily nutritional supplement before conception or in early pregnancy may provide enough of a boost to improve growth of the fetus, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The inexpensive supplement consists of dried skimmed milk, soybean and peanut extract blended into a peanut butter-like consistency.
Prednisone, the current standard of care used to treat kids with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), reduces chronic inflammation but has harsh side effects. Eplerenone, a heart failure drug, is used in older patients to treat cardiomyopathy, a leading cause of mortality for people with DMD. A new medicine under development appears to combine the beneficial effects of these drugs for the heart and
Everyone has secrets, but what causes someone to think about them over and over again? People who feel shame about a secret, as opposed to guilt, are more likely to be consumed by thoughts of what they are hiding, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
An antibody-based treatment can gently and effectively eliminate diseased blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow to prepare for the transplantation of healthy stem cells, according to a study in mice by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Before the 2014 Toledo Water Crisis left half a million residents without safe drinking water for three days, Dr. Jason Huntley's research at The University of Toledo focused on bacteria that cause pneumonia.
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed a new method for scheduling the activation and deactivation of power generators that minimizes costs and ensures reliability while addressing the issues prevalent in previous methods.
Quickly transferring energy from one place to another—without loss—could fundamentally change solar panels and computers. Materials made from long chains of tiny particles, or nanoparticles, show promise for such energy transfer. However, going even smaller than nano-dimensions hasn't worked quite as planned. Researchers suspected the particles needed to be close to each other to transfer energy e
To create better batteries and fuel cells, scientists must make oxygen molecules gain and lose electrons efficiently. The reactions are frustratingly sluggish. Speeding the reactions requires heat and platinum, which are costly. Now, researchers uncovered vital design principles to engineer catalysts that use more readily available metals and less heat. The catalysts performed well and were stable
Hello all, Hopefully, I am not violating any rules. I do not believe I am, but I am trying to find information from people who might be more knowledgeable and scientifically literate on the subject than I am. I have congenital heart failure. Unfortunately, I nearly died a couple of months ago and my condition has progressed and my doctor believes I will need a transplant within 3 to 5 years. I ad
A new prototype system that monitors the number and type of tractor-trailers moving through a region could help transportation planners identify and prioritize infrastructure projects and increase operational efficiency.
These are our favorite baby monitors and cameras to help you keep an eye (or ear) on your kids at night. Wi-Fi, radio, long range, audio, and app-based monitors included.
Opinion: With its American AI Initiative, the White House is devoting funding, research, and data infrastructure to boosting our prowess in artificial intelligence.
Auroras, also known as Northern or Southern lights depending on where they occur, are natural displays of light in the Earth's sky. Typically, these lights are dimly present at night. However, sometimes, these otherwise faint features explode in brightness and can even break up into separate glowing hallmarks, appearing as spectacular bursts of luminous manifestations. This striking and picturesqu
An international team of astronomers has conducted multiwavelength observations of the star-forming region G345.5+1.5. The observational campaign discovered dozens of massive stars as well as protostellar and bound starless clumps in the region. The study is presented in a paper published January 30 on arXiv.org.
Each year, women flee Central America seeking a better life. Many want a better life in the United States, some settle in Mexico and others do not have a plan. In this journey, these migrants face a series of hazards, from getting their money stolen to being physically and sexually assaulted to having their children endangered.
Last August, some of the nation's leading statisticians concluded that without saying as much, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is asking the Census Bureau to help create a national population registry. They asked themselves, why does the United States need a registry? And do Americans want one?
Images from the New Horizons spacecraft show that the distant space rock Ultima Thule is flatter than we thought, and we don't know why it's so strange
Nature is complex – often too complex for humans to see. But squint-controlled glasses that let people see 3-D thermal images and a camera that can capture the inner workings of high-speed chemical reactions are helping to push the limits of human perception.
According to popular belief, females prefer males with high social status (alpha males) when as partners to continue the race. However, as recent studies have shown, males losing fights have equal or even greater chances of success among females. The study was published in Frontiers of Ecology and Evolution.
År 2001 fick arbetslösas barn rätt till förskola. Forskare från Institutet för arbetsmarknads- och utbildningspolitisk utvärdering (IFAU) och Uppsala universitet har undersökt hur detta påverkade barnens hälsa, genom att studera sjukhusinläggningar och förskrivna läkemedel. Begränsade effekter på kort sikt För 2–3-åringarna påverkade tillgången till förskola inte alls risken att behöva sjukhusvår
Liksom mikroskopet och teleskopet gör molekylära metoder det möjligt att upptäcka nya världar. Alldeles speciellt viktiga är dessa molekylära metoder för att avslöja förhållanden mellan arter som är svåra att studera med traditionella metoder på grund av att de är för små, för tillbakadragna eller för svåra att känna igen. Visar vad fladdermöss jagar på natten Ett exempel är fladdermöss. De jagar
Cirka en procent av varje organisms arvsmassa, genomet, kodar för tillverkning av en typ av proteiner som kallas helikaser. Dessa är mest kända som motorenzymer som kan veckla ut de dubbelsträngade dna-spiralerna när generna ska läsas av eller kopieras. Om inte dna-helixen vecklas ut kan skador på arvsmassan uppstå, liksom genominstabilitet, något som är starkt kopplad till sjukdomar som cancer.
According to popular belief, females prefer males with high social status (alpha males) when as partners to continue the race. However, as recent studies have shown, males losing fights have equal or even greater chances of success among females. The study was published in Frontiers of Ecology and Evolution.
Since the discovery of biological ion channels and their role in physiology, scientists have attempted to create man-made structures that mimic their biological counterparts.
Volatile organic compounds can be found in the air—everywhere. A wide range of sources, including from plants, cooking fuels and household cleaners, emit these compounds directly. They also can be formed in the atmosphere through a complex network of photochemical reactions.
Electrons flowing across the boundary between two materials are the foundation of many key technologies, from flash memories to batteries and solar cells. Now researchers have directly observed and clocked these tiny cross-border movements for the first time, watching as electrons raced seven-tenths of a nanometer – about the width of seven hydrogen atoms – in 100 millionths of a billionth of a se
Whether it is designing the most effective method for fuel injection in engines, building machinery to water acres of farmland, or painting a car, humans rely on liquid sprays for countless industrial processes that enable and enrich our daily lives.
Toss a few whole almonds in a jar full of hazelnuts. Shake. The nuts bounce against each other, but they don't react. That's how some people think of reactions happening inside liquids. The solutes (almonds) react with each other in a sea of solvent (hazelnuts). But a new study shows that this is not always the case for real chemical reactions. Under the right conditions, the solvent can change th
American Media Inc. admitted to breaking campaign-finance laws when it coordinated closely with Donald Trump's lawyer in paying for, then burying, a story about an alleged extramarital affair. Its problem was fundamental. It was not engaged in the performance of the journalistic function on which the press's constitutional and legal protections depend. Once AMI chose to subsidize a presidential c
The bottom of the Baltic Sea is home to large quantities of sunken munitions, a legacy of the Second World War—and often very close to shore. Should we simply leave them where they are and accept the risk of their slowly releasing toxic substances, or should we instead remove them, and run the risk of their falling apart—or even exploding? Administrators and politicians face these questions when,
Employees who engage in sporting, learning and volunteering activities outside work are more likely to get a better night's sleep and be more proactive in their job, new research involving Curtin University researchers has found.
Europe has an estimated EUR 100 billion worth of unexploited mineral resources lying at depths of 500-1,000 m. Following centuries of active mining, the continent's more accessible mineral deposits are mostly depleted. However, there are still deep-lying resources in abandoned flooded mines and in unmined underwater deposits that can't be exploited using conventional dry mining techniques.
Economists of the Higher School of Economics Victoria Dobrynskaya and Yulia Kishilova analysed secondary market prices of the world-famous LEGO toy construction sets released from 1987 to 2014.
Two years ago, physicists at the University of Chicago were greeted with fireworks—atoms shooting out in jets—when they discovered a new form of quantum behavior. But the patterns underlying the bright jets were difficult to pick out from the noise.
A team of scientists including a RUDN chemist has synthesized new molecules belonging to the class of calixarenes, bowl-like hollow structures. These substances appear to trap adenosine triphosphoric acid (ATP), the main source of energy in the body. The article was published in Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry.
The so-called Abelian sandpile model has been studied by scientists for more than 30 years to better understand a physical phenomenon called self-organized criticality, which appears in many real-life situations such as the coordinated firing of brain cells, the spread of forest fires, the distribution of earthquake magnitudes, and even in the coordinated behavior of ant colonies. Even though the
A new report has warned that even if global warming is held at 1.5℃, we will still lose a third of the glaciers in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya (HKH) region. What does that mean for rivers that flow down these mountains, and the people who depend on them?
Seeking to address fluoride contamination in drinking water, chemical engineers at EPFL have developed a portable and user-friendly device that can measure fluoride concentration accurately and reliably.
Toronto public schools have major and rising student achievement gaps based on race and income, according to a landmark report last year. One of the biggest blocks to closing these gaps is educators' understanding of why these gaps exist and the methods used to try and close them.
Environment It bends, it twists, and scientists are split on what's causing it. As bitter cold and snow descended on the Midwest last week, a number of news outlets reported that under climate change, these brief winter bursts of cold Arctic air…
Critics say that Facebook's controversies and criticisms in 2018 alone, from privacy concerns to the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, should be enough to get people to stop using it. However, over two billion of us around the world continue to spend about an hour a day on the social networking platform. Now a new study suggests there's an even better reason to log off: it's bad for your mental he
On the long-running television series Star Trek, the characters were knowledge workers and did not seem to worry about food, lodging or acceptance. Theirs was an inclusive society, one that collaboratively practised sustainable innovation.
The history of the universe is predicated on the idea that, compared to today, the universe was hotter and more symmetric in its early phase. Scientists have thought this because of the Higgs Boson finding—the particle that gives mass to all other fundamental particles. The concept is that as one analyzes time back toward the Big Bang, the universe gets hotter and the Higgs phase changes to one wh
Deep beneath the Earth's surface, oil and groundwater percolate through gaps in rock and other geologic material. Hidden from sight, these critical resources pose a significant challenge for scientists seeking to evaluate the state of such two-phase fluid flows. Fortunately, the combination of supercomputing and synchrotron-based imaging techniques enables more accurate methods for modeling fluid
Ami d the human crush of Old Delhi, on the edge of a medieval bazaar, a red structure with cages on its roof rises three stories above the labyrinth of neon-lit stalls and narrow alleyways, its top floor emblazoned with two words: birds hospital . To hear more feature stories, see our full list or get the Audm iPhone app. On a hot day last spring, I removed my shoes at the hospital's entrance and
Every day, often multiple times a day, you are invited to click on links sent to you by brands, politicians, friends and strangers. You download apps on your devices. Maybe you use QR codes.
Would you sacrifice a human to save a robot? Psychologists have set out to answer that question using the classic trolley problem. Most people by now have probably heard about the trolley dilemma, as it has seeped into popular culture. This is a paradigm of psychology research in which subjects are presented with a dilemma – a trolley is racing down the tracks and the breaks have failed. It is he
A helicase, Pfh1, can thanks to several different mechanisms protect the genome from DNA obstacles and damages associated with cancer. This is shown in a new doctoral thesis at Umeå University, Sweden.
A helicase, Pfh1, can thanks to several different mechanisms protect the genome from DNA obstacles and damages associated with cancer. This is shown in a new doctoral thesis at Umeå University, Sweden.
Theoretical physicists at Linköping University have developed a computational method to calculate the transition from one phase to another in dynamically disordered solid materials. This is a class of materials that can be used in many eco-friendly applications.
Together with two colleagues from the Netherlands, Senckenberg scientist Ralf-Dietrich Kahlke examined the teeth of several macaques from the bottom of the North Sea. They constitute the first fossil evidence of Old World monkeys from the guenon family (Cercopithecidae) in the North Sea region. The primate teeth were unearthed during the artificial accretion of sand for the "Maasvlakte 2" harbor e
40 per cent of insects worldwide are in danger of going extinct, but almost all long-term data on insects is from Europe and North America. The global picture could be even worse
The monster collision between our Milky Way and fellow spiral galaxy Andromeda will occur about 4.5 billion years from now, rather than in 3.9 billion years.
PLUS. EU-Kommissionen er på vej med nye regler, der betyder, at biobrændsler fra palmeolie i nogle tilfælde alligevel ikke skal udfases frem mod 2030. Kommissionen giver med den ene hånd og tager med den anden, mener miljøorganisation.
Gennemgang af ordinationer til 334 patienter på Herlev og Gentofte Hospital viser, at 46 patienter fik forkert dosis af blodtryksmedicin på grund af en fejl i it-system.
The biological basis of mental illness The biological basis of mental illness, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00521-2 Adrian Woolfson weighs up a study on the role of evolution in conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Editor's Note: Every Monday, Lori Gottlieb answers questions from readers about their problems, big and small. Have a question? Email her at dear.therapist@theatlantic.com . Dear Therapist, My oldest daughter (from my first marriage) hasn't wanted a relationship with me for more than 25 years. I remarried about 28 years ago and have two children, both daughters, with my current wife. My oldest da
Google and Microsoft have added warnings to their "risk factors" for investors about potential legal and ethical problems from their artificial intelligence projects.
It's indisputable that vaccines protect against specific infectious diseases. What's less well known is how a vaccine like the measles vaccine protects against more than just measles.
Humans have a "disproportionately huge effect" on the other species of vertebrates that share Earth's surface with us, causing more than 25 percent of the deaths among an array of species all …
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Humans have a "disproportionately huge effect" on the other species of vertebrates that share Earth's surface with us, causing more than 25 percent of the deaths among an array of species all over the globe, according to a recently published study.
Humans have a "disproportionately huge effect" on the other species of vertebrates that share Earth's surface with us, causing more than 25 percent of the deaths among an array of species all over the globe, according to a recently published study.
The Norwegian Intelligence Service says GPS signal disruption as seen during major NATO drills in Norway last year "is of particular concern" for the military and "is also a threat to civil aviation in peacetime."
European exchange operator Euronext on Monday raised its offer for the Oslo stock exchange to $783 million (691 million euros), besting an offer from US rival Nasdaq.
Landmark Australian ruling rejects coal mine over global warming Landmark Australian ruling rejects coal mine over global warming, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00545-8 The case is the first time a mine has been refused in the country because of climate change.
The story of two data fabricators and Elsevier regulars, Sudheer Khan and Ali Fakhri. Smut Clyde brings them together in this new guest post about nanotechnology
Humans have a "disproportionately huge effect" on the other species of vertebrates that share Earth's surface with us, causing more than 25 percent of the deaths among an array of species all over the globe, according to a recently published study.
He was a Republican and a staunch conservative, but he often worked with Democrats, and won their affection. He supported the Iraq War in 2003, but was troubled by the human cost. He was one of President Donald Trump's most outspoken critics within the GOP, and his death after a long illness leaves an unfillable hole in Congress. That sounds a lot like a certain senator from Arizona who died rece
»Vildt lidt,« siger professor om, at landbruget kun har sænket udslippet af kvælstof med 12 ton med frivillige tiltag. Målet var 1.450 ton i dag og 2.907 ton i 2021.
Overdue: a US advisory board for research integrity Overdue: a US advisory board for research integrity, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-00519-w Research needs an authoritative forum to hash out collective problems, argue C. K. Gunsalus, Marcia K. McNutt and colleagues.
Nearly two years ago, a report from the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) called for a new advisory board that would promote research integrity and tackle misconduct. That board does not yet exist, but today in Nature, five authors, led by C. K. Gunsalus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, … Continue reading Is it time for a new research integrity
On the evening of February 7, Jeff Bezos announced that he had been sextorted. The Amazon CEO and Washington Post owner didn't use the term in his bombshell Medium post , in which he accused the National Enquirer and its parent company, American Media Inc., of blackmailing him with "intimate photos" that he had taken of himself. As Bezos describes it, AMI threatened to publish the photos if Bezos
G ail Schwartz never thought that gun violence would touch her life. She had read about shootings in the news, of course. Everyone has. But as a mother of two living in the quiet town of Parkland, Florida, she told me that a school shooting was "literally the furthest thing" from her mind. When her mother-in-law called on February 14 of last year, saying there had been a shooting at Schwartz's ne
President Donald Trump said in his State of the Union address that "great nations do not fight endless wars." It was a clear signal that his administration has scaled back its objectives for Afghanistan and is headed for the exit. The only question now is whether the Taliban and their Pakistani sponsors will settle for a partial victory by participating in an Afghan government they do not wholly
In Igoye's native village, girls were often ridiculed on the basis of their sex. In her case, for example, boys would call her "prostitute" was she was still a chid at play. Also, the sexual exploitation of girls was not unheard of. Igoye used their harassment, she says, as fuel to study, work hard, and become successful. Another reason for her success, and why she advocates for female empowermen
Oxidation induced strain and defects in magnetite crystals Oxidation induced strain and defects in magnetite crystals, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-08470-0 Oxidation of magnetite has broad implications in geochemistry and environmental science, but its reaction mechanisms are not fully understood yet. Here the authors use Bragg coherent diffractive imaging to show ox
Reversible fold-switching controls the functional cycle of the antitermination factor RfaH Reversible fold-switching controls the functional cycle of the antitermination factor RfaH, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-08567-6 The antitermination factor RfaH adopts two functional states where its C-terminal domain is folded either as an α-helical hairpin or β-barrel. Here t
A cell cycle-coordinated Polymerase II transcription compartment encompasses gene expression before global genome activation A cell cycle-coordinated Polymerase II transcription compartment encompasses gene expression before global genome activation, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-08487-5 Transcription is globally repressed in early stage of embryo development, but a s
Correspondence between cerebral glucose metabolism and BOLD reveals relative power and cost in human brain Correspondence between cerebral glucose metabolism and BOLD reveals relative power and cost in human brain, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-08546-x The brain primarily uses glucose to generate energy, but the relationship of neuronal activity to glucose utilization
Hectd3 promotes pathogenic Th17 lineage through Stat3 activation and Malt1 signaling in neuroinflammation Hectd3 promotes pathogenic Th17 lineage through Stat3 activation and Malt1 signaling in neuroinflammation, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-08605-3 Ubiquitination may control protein stability or function. Here the authors show that an ubiquitination enzyme, Hectd3,
Cation-swapped homogeneous nanoparticles in perovskite oxides for high power density Cation-swapped homogeneous nanoparticles in perovskite oxides for high power density, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-08624-0 Exsolution is attractive for the preparation of catalytically active metal nanoparticles, but versatility is limited. Here the authors report a technique for sel
Selective photocatalytic conversion of methane into carbon monoxide over zinc-heteropolyacid-titania nanocomposites Selective photocatalytic conversion of methane into carbon monoxide over zinc-heteropolyacid-titania nanocomposites, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-08525-2 While methane has become an increasingly important chemical feedstock, its selective conversion to
e g occupancy as an effective descriptor for the catalytic activity of perovskite oxide-based peroxidase mimics e g occupancy as an effective descriptor for the catalytic activity of perovskite oxide-based peroxidase mimics, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-08657-5 The search for peroxidase-like as well as other enzyme-like nanozymes mainly relies on trial-and-error stra
Facebook Inc is expanding its fact-checking network in India to curb the spread of misinformation as the world's largest democracy prepares for a general election that must be held by May, the …
En viktig, men osäker faktor i klimatforskning är hur alla ekosystem har möjlighet att absorbera den ökande halten av koldioxid. Gräsmarkerna har stor betydelse i det sammanhanget. Områden täckta av gräs och liknande vegetation täcker 29 procent av jordens isfria landyta. – Dessa gräsmarker har stor betydelse för kollagring, säger Louise C. Andresen, forskare vid Göteborgs universitet och en av f
Women who take the pill are nearly 10 percent worse at recognizing subtle expressions of complex emotions like pride or contempt, according to research published in Frontiers in Neuroscience. Previous research suggests the relationship is causal, but the impact on women's ability to form intimate relationships is unknown.
Metabolomics Approach Based on Multivariate Techniques for Blood Transfusion Reactions Metabolomics Approach Based on Multivariate Techniques for Blood Transfusion Reactions, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41598-018-37468-9 Metabolomics Approach Based on Multivariate Techniques for Blood Transfusion Reactions
Food decisions of an omnivorous thrips are independent from the indirect effects of jasmonate-inducible plant defences on prey quality Food decisions of an omnivorous thrips are independent from the indirect effects of jasmonate-inducible plant defences on prey quality, Published online: 11 February 2019; doi:10.1038/s41598-018-38463-w Food decisions of an omnivorous thrips are independent from t