Scientists have studied the heritability of dog ownership using information from 35,035 twin pairs from the Swedish Twin Registry. The new study suggests that genetic variation explains more than half of the variation in dog ownership, implying that the choice of getting a dog is heavily influenced by an individual's genetic make-up.
Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said Friday a breakup of big US technology would not address "underlying issues" facing the sector and suggested that such a move could help …
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said it was vital "to save the Pacific to save the world" as he wrapped up his brief South Pacific tour in Vanuatu on Saturday.
We've seen computers get way cheaper than they were in the past decades. Do you think this will continue and to what level? submitted by /u/_Lone_Wolf_0 [link] [comments]
A revolutionary new study using only materials derived from humans has revealed that insulin-producing beta cells can change their function in diabetes — and that this change may be reversible.
A chronological listing of news articles posted on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week, i.e., Sun, May 12 through Sat, May 18, 2019 Editor's Pick 12 excuses for climate inaction and how to refute them Using moral clarity to counter defeatism around the climate crisis. Shutterstock There's a reason why the 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has successfully go
Damage to the lining of the stomach can occur quickly when children swallow button batteries; therefore, clinicians should consider prompt endoscopic removal, even when the child is symptom free and the battery has passed safely through the narrow esophagus, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2019. The recommendations represent a change from current practice of watchi
In 1981, the writer David Halberstam published a memoir in Esquire magazine, with the headline "Starting Out to be a Famous Reporter." At the time Halberstam was well-known enough that the story's title would have seemed both mildly self-mocking and accurately descriptive. He'd come to national prominence while still in his 20s through skeptical and award-winning New York Times reporting from Vie
Hello. I'm a person who has never watched Game of Thrones . You're a person who has watched every episode. Here is what I have learned about you through the cultural osmosis of seeing random tweets and eavesdropping on writers at The Atlantic . You are obsessed with a show about dragons and sex. (I mean, fair.) You have memorized a very impressive roster of names with extra vowels in them that ma
Call it failure to launch or Peter Pan syndrome, it's the phenomenon of adult children not making the transition to adulthood. The Savvy Psychologist explores why Peter Pans stay on the… — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
They say cleaning is detoxing – it's not, but it was part of my recovery from addiction If you've ever done a real detox off drugs and alcohol to get clean, the whole notion of cleaning your flat as a way to some sort of psychological Nirvana seems suspect. Yet this is exactly what the new cleaning gurus, like Marie Kondo , Mrs Hinch (2.4m Instagram fans and counting) and Lynsey "Queen of Clean"
AUGMENTED REALITY Minecraft Earth Wants to Be the Next Pokemon Go —Only Bigger Peter Rubin | Wired "It's a massive undertaking that quite literally covers the entire globe in Minecraft —and is the biggest step yet taken toward the two-ply world of shared, persistent augmented reality." SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY Scientists Created Bacteria With a Synthetic Genome. Is This Artificial Life? Carl Zimmer | Th
Professional off-road racer RJ Anderson enlists Heavy D to trick out his brand new Ford Raptor and add some serious towing capacity. Stream Full Episodes of Diesel Brothers: https://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/diesel-brothers/ Subscribe to Discovery: http://bit.ly/SubscribeDiscovery Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DieselBrothersTV https://www.facebook.com/Discovery Follow on Twitter:
Call it failure to launch or Peter Pan syndrome, it's the phenomenon of adult children not making the transition to adulthood. The Savvy Psychologist explores why Peter Pans stay on the… — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Before we present this week's Weekend Reads, a question: Do you enjoy our weekly roundup? If so, we could really use your help. Would you consider a tax-deductible donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? Thanks in advance. The week at Retraction Watch featured the withdrawal of a paper linking Jon Stewart to Trump's … Continue reading Weekend reads: Fraud in generic drugs; a univers
Tesla has called for "hardcore" cost-cutting across every facet of the company, despite its massive capital infusion just a few weeks ago. According to Elon Musk, at present burn rates, the company has less than a year of cash reserves. The post Elon Musk: Tesla Broke in 10 Months Without 'Hardcore' Cost Reduction appeared first on ExtremeTech .
In the spring of 1999, I was in the exact target demographic for the Backstreet Boys: 15 years old, female, and very susceptible to intense celebrity crushes. At the time, the group—made up of A. J. McLean, Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, and Nick Carter—was everywhere. Their second U.S. release, Millennium , which celebrates its 20th anniversary this month, set a number of recor
Fragments (Aïda Muluneh) In the spring of 2016, the photographer Aïda Muluneh opened a solo exhibition at the David Krut Projects gallery in New York City. The showcase came nine years after Muluneh had returned to her native Ethiopia, which she'd left as a young child in the 1980s, during the height of the country's punishing Marxist regime. The centerpiece of the exhibit was a series of photogr
So-called 'heartbeat' legislation restricting abortion as early as six weeks into pregnancy has started a conversation about when most women actually learn that they're pregnant.
PLUS. Klare mål og veldefinerede kerneopgaver gør det nemmere at prioritere arbejdsopgaverne i en travl hverdag. Sidegevinsten er gladere medarbejdere, mener forfatter og tidscoach Trine Kolding.
The NBA postseason needs to be shorter. This year's playoffs started on April 13 and won't end until sometime in June. Last year's playoffs similarly lasted 55 days . That's longer than NCAA basketball's entire March Madness tournament, which runs for about three weeks. And it's roughly as long as both the NFL and MLB playoffs combined. Historically, the NBA playoffs have been one of the most ent
Liberalism as "radical pragmatism" Intersectionality and civic discourse How "a thousand small sanities" tackled drunk driving, normalized gay marriage, and could control gun violence None If I had to choose one word to capture this moment in American (and maybe world) history, "patience" wouldn't be it. From every direction, everything demands our urgent attention. Everything is a ticking time b
A 1780 letter from Alexander Hamilton to the Marquis de Lafayette has finally resurfaced after being stolen from the Massachusetts Archives more than 60 years ago.
Usually, a Blue Moon marks the second time a full moon rises within the same month. But the full moon rising on Saturday (May 18) is May's first full moon, so why are people calling it a Blue Moon?
Adam Schiff, the combative chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, didn't contest the recent intelligence that the Trump administration said was behind its newly aggressive posture toward Iran. Nor did he accuse the White House of misrepresenting it. Instead he returned to a critique that Democrats have made of Trump's hawkish Iran policy from the start: that it will lead America down the p
As soon as E! canceled her late-night talk show Busy Tonight , the host and actor Busy Philipps addressed the news—where else?— on Instagram . It's where she thrives, as one of the first and most prominent celebrities to have capitalized on social-media brand building. "I'm so proud of all of the things that we've done, that we've been able to do, and I feel the show is really successful in that
Students taking the SAT will soon be subjected to a new kind of assessment. On top of their math and verbal results, indicating what knowledge they were able to summon internally while taking the exam, they'll be placed along a scale of adversity: a representation of the external. By calculating students' social, economic, and family background, the College Board hopes to add new context to stude
D avid Couch is a lawyer by profession, specializing in cases against Arkansas nursing homes accused of abuse. But in the state's political circles, he's better known as a ballot-initiative-writing machine. He has submitted more than 20 proposals to the state attorney general's office, written three measures that eventually became law, and been involved in well over two dozen other initiatives, s
REI is holding its Anniversary Sale from now through Memorial Day. It's the best time of the year to pick up all the wetsuits, mountain bikes, and coolers that you'll need.
Fifty years after the first moon landings, a new generation of space travellers, from Xi Jinping's taikonauts to Jeff Bezos, are racing to colonise our nearest neighbour. Is reality catching up with sci-fi? The moon is rising again above the horizon of the imagination, waxing into worldly relevance. Fifty years after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first stepped on to what Aldrin called the "magni
A new study finds that women who ate a low-fat diet and more fruits, vegetables and grains, lowered their risk of dying from breast cancer. But which of those factors provided the protective effect? (Image credit: Cavan Images/Getty Images/Cavan Images RF)
The final image of Knock Down the House , the hit documentary about a quartet of 2018 congressional primary candidates, shows Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her boyfriend newly arrived at the east plaza of the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. She has just been elected to Congress, but not yet taken office. They both start to cry; the waterworks run at a low gurgle throughout the movie, and at t
The world was saner when we spoke face-to-face, argues John Cameron Mitchell. Not looking someone in the eye when you talk to them raises the potential for miscommunication and conflict. Social media has been an incredible force for activism and human rights, but it's also negatively affected our relationship with the media. We are now bombarded 24/7 with news that either drives us to anger or ap
The rise of the more potent fentanyl in its place has put a generation of older users, who had managed their addiction, at far greater risk of overdose.
The vibe at a gathering this week for blockchain enthusiasts felt decidedly less exuberant than its predecessor a year ago after dizzying swings in bitcoin.
Big cities beset with gridlocked traffic, major regions producing coal, pockets of heavy industry encased by mountains—Europe's air pollution hotspots are clearly visible from space on most sunny weekdays.
Scientists say breathing the heavily polluted air in Mexico City these days is like smoking somewhere between a quarter- and a half-pack of cigarettes a day.
On December 11, 2017, US President Donald Trump signed a directive ordering NASA to prepare to return astronauts to the Moon "followed by human missions to Mars and other destinations."
The array of moorings monitoring a weakening in the Atlantic conveyor belt risk being left in the lurch when funding expires in 2020, leaving key questions about the climate unanswered
Can you tell the difference between a scream and a whistle? Most people consider rough, high-pitched noises a scream – and 70 per cent were tricked by a whistle
Vetenskap i Politik Vetenskap och Folkbildning (VoF) har som vision "Ett samhälle där beslut baseras på evidens, förnuft och ett kritiskt tänkande". VoF är en partipolitiskt obunden förening och tar därför inte ställning för eller emot någon enskild politisk inriktning. Däremot är det en självklar plikt att granska samhället och framhålla vad som stöder eller […] The post VoFs partienkät inför EU
Just how bad are things between the United States and China? Over an evening beer in Beijing this week, a friend and I debated which prominent American company China would whack first. It's a serious question—and the answer could be the next ugly step in the escalating economic dispute between the two powers. The standard line from President Donald Trump and those who support his get-tough approa
Vägglusen uppstod långt före människan. Länge tänkte sig forskarna att de första vägglössen levde av fladdermusblod. Men nu står det klart att de började suga blod redan 50 miljoner år innan det fanns några fladdermöss.
Dr. Chester Pierce, the head of a black psychiatrists group in the 1960s, saw how children were growing up glued to TV screens, and helped design a new kind of show to help minority preschoolers counteract the racist messages prevalent in the media of his time. It was called "Sesame Street."
In its decision to approve two drugs for orange and grapefruit trees, the E.P.A. largely ignored objections from the C.D.C. and the F.D.A., which fear that expanding their use in cash crops could fuel antibiotic resistance in humans.
Its been two years since Google formally declared they would stop using the data they gathered from Gmail for ad targeting purposes, yet here we stand: theyre collating massive amounts of …
As an accompaniment to the current renaissance of synthetic organic electrochemistry, the heterogeneous and space-dependent nature of electrochemical reactions is analyzed in detail. The reactions that follow the initial electron transfer step and yield the products are intimately coupled with reactant transport. Depiction of the ensuing reactions profiles is the…
Biological systems are subjected to continuous environmental fluctuations, and therefore, flexibility in the structure and function of their protein building blocks is essential for survival. Protein dynamics are often local conformational changes, which allows multiple dynamical processes to occur simultaneously and rapidly in individual proteins. Experiments often average over these…
Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a major risk factor for premature death (1). Few regions of the world experience ambient PM2.5 concentrations as high as the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP), home to more than a billion people in India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Ground-based monitoring data are incomplete in…
As 3D culture has become central to investigation of tissue biology, mammary epithelial organoids have emerged as powerful tools for investigation of epithelial cell polarization and carcinogenesis. However, most current protocols start from single cells suspended in Matrigel, which can also restrict cell differentiation and behavior. Here, we show that…
An extensive body of empirical research has revealed remarkable regularities in the acquisition, organization, deployment, and neural representation of human semantic knowledge, thereby raising a fundamental conceptual question: What are the theoretical principles governing the ability of neural networks to acquire, organize, and deploy abstract knowledge by integrating across many…
Optical clearing is a versatile approach to improve imaging quality and depth of optical microscopy by reducing scattered light. However, conventional optical clearing methods are restricted in the efficiency-first applications due to unsatisfied time consumption, irreversible tissue deformation, and fluorescence quenching. Here, we developed an ultrafast optical clearing method (FOCM)…
Diverse perturbations to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) functions compromise the proper folding and structural maturation of secretory proteins. To study secretory pathway physiology during such "ER stress," we employed an ER-targeted, redox-responsive, green fluorescent protein—eroGFP—that reports on ambient changes in oxidizing potential. Here we find that diverse ER stress regimes cause…
Wurtzite boron nitride (w-BN) is a metastable superhard material that is a high-pressure polymorph of BN. Clarifying how the metastable high-pressure material can be stabilized at atmospheric pressure is a challenging issue of fundamental scientific importance and promising technological value. Here, we fabricate millimeter-size w-BN bulk crystals via the hexagonal-to-wurtzite…
Optical edge detection is a useful method for characterizing boundaries, which is also in the forefront of image processing for object detection. As the field of metamaterials and metasurface is growing fast in an effort to miniaturize optical devices at unprecedented scales, experimental realization of optical edge detection with metamaterials…
Environmental stresses dramatically impact the balance between the production of photosynthetically derived energetic electrons and Calvin–Benson–Bassham cycle (CBBC) activity; an imbalance promotes accumulation of reactive oxygen species and causes cell damage. Hence, photosynthetic organisms have developed several strategies to route electrons toward alternative outlets that allow for storage or
In audio clips, the computer-generated Rogan muses on topics like chimpanzee's who can play hockey, pulls off some adept tongue-twisters, and pontificates about how we're living in a simulation.
What We're Following Most research on the specific genes linked to depression rests on a "house of cards." Are people with, say, a variant of the gene SLC6A4 at greater risk for depression? Not really. That's according to a comprehensive new study, which interrogated 18 genes that most frequently appeared in such research on depression. For decades, researchers built study after study on a blockb
People with HIV who drink too much were more likely to reduce drinking after undergoing an approach to care known as integrated stepped alcohol treatment, according to a Yale-led study. The finding supports greater use of this treatment model in HIV clinics to improve outcomes for patients with both HIV and drinking problems, the researchers said.
Increasing the intensity of treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD) over time improves alcohol-related outcomes among people with HIV, according to new clinical research supported by the National Institutes of Health.
Space A 2024 mission is pretty unlikely. Returning humans to the moon and seeing the first woman take steps on the surface is something we can all get behind, but is there enough time?
Researchers have found a way to charge up the fight against bacterial infections using electricity. Scientists have developed a dressing that uses an electric field to disrupt biofilm infection in wounds.
What We're Following Today It's Friday, May 17. ‣ Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin will not comply with a subpoena from the Democrat-led House Ways and Means Committee to turn over six years of President Trump's federal tax returns. (Ed Jones / Getty ) Changes to a broken system: This week, Donald Trump's administration announced a plan to prioritize immigration for "skilled" workers, such as th
The fantasy world of Game of Thrones was inspired by real places and events. But the map of Westeros is a good example of the perplexing relation between fantasy and reality. Like Britain, it has a Wall in the North, but the map only really clicks into place if you add Ireland. A world of "goblin porn" Warning: if you haven't caught up, mild spoiler ahead. "Hell is other people talking about Game
A multidisciplinary team has provided new insight into underlying mechanisms controlling the precise size of cells. The researchers found that 'the adder,' a function that guides cells to grow by a fixed size from birth to division, is controlled by specific proteins that accumulate to a threshold.
A plan to move USDA research groups out of D.C. has towns clamoring for "700 high-paying jobs." But critics say it's part of an effort to gut objective research and cut many jobs at the two agencies.
Artwork for Ants A research experiment at the University of Queensland started as an attempt to better understand how fluids flow. But somewhere along the way the team got sidetracked — by an art project. "We were hoping to gain new insights into how our everyday world arises out of the microscopic quantum world, helping us create new quantum-enhanced technologies," researcher Tyler Neely explain
Recyclable plastics that contain ring-shaped polymers may be a key to developing sustainable synthetic materials. Despite some promising advances, researchers said, a full understanding of how to processes ring polymers into practical materials remains elusive. In a new study, researchers identified a mechanism called 'threading' that takes place when a polymer is stretched — a behavior not witne
Nature Communications, Published online: 17 May 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-10245-6 Kong et al. use a global trait dataset of 800 plant species to examine the root economics spectrum in relation to root diameter, tissue density and root nitrogen concentration. Nonlinear trait relationships were observed, suggesting allometry-based nonlinearity in root trait relationships.
Nature Communications, Published online: 17 May 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-09983-4 Here the authors fuse hRad51 and variants thereof to Cas9 nickase to facilitate homology-directed repair without generating double strand breaks, minimizing indel formation and off-target editing. This tool represents progress towards the goal of performing HDR without an excess of undesired side products.
Nature Communications, Published online: 17 May 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-09979-0 Spiradenoma and cylindroma are skin adnexal tumors that can behave aggressively and undergo malignant transformation. Here, the authors genetically assess a cohort of these adnexal tumours, highlighting recurrent ALPK1 mutations and revealing the genomic landscape of these rare tumours.
Nature Communications, Published online: 17 May 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-09990-5 Complete gene expression deconvolution remains a challenging problem. Here, the authors provide a solution based on the recognition that expression levels of cell type specific genes are mutually linear across mixtures and mutually linear gene clusters correspond to cell type-specific signatures.
Nature Communications, Published online: 17 May 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-10236-7 Rotaviruses are of great medical significance because they cause gastroenteritis in children. Here the authors provide insights into the mechanism of viral mRNA transcription by determining the in situ cryo-EM structures of a working rotavirus' RNA-dependent-RNA polymerase, which is of interest for antiviral drug
Nature Communications, Published online: 17 May 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-10243-8 The development of artificial muscle-like actuators is often hampered by the lack of general fabrication routes towards anisotropic responsive materials. Here, the authors fabricate anisotropic hydrogels by an in-situ polymerization strategy of a lamellar network, crosslinked by metal nanostructure assemblies.
Nature Communications, Published online: 17 May 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-10135-x Cells of the pulmonary vasculature show a hyperproliferative phenotype in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), thus contributing to the disease pathogenesis. Here the authors show that cyclin-dependent kinases are overactivated in PAH, and that their pharmacological inhibition attenuates the disease in two inde
Nature Communications, Published online: 17 May 2019; doi:10.1038/s41467-019-10222-z Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can trigger secondary airway bacterial infections. Here, by proteomics and metagenomics analyses of samples from Kenyan children, the authors report that RSV associates with Streptococcus burden and a local upper airway response with direct antibacterial properties.
Get 10 hours of hands-on training for $29. Get 10 hours of hands-on training for $29 and master your Raspberry Pi and Alexa skills in this training bundle.
A new study shows a drug developed in conjuction with investigators at Indiana University School of Medicine to alleviate symptoms of a rare musculoskeletal condition is significantly more effective than conventional therapies.
Researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine have found a way to charge up the fight against bacterial infections using electricity. Scientists have developed a dressing that uses an electric field to disrupt biofilm infection in wounds.
Researchers have found that opsin 3 — a protein closely related to rhodopsin, the protein that enables low-light vision — has a role in adjusting the amount of pigment produced in human skin, a determinant of skin color.
The European Union on Friday adopted powers to punish those outside the bloc who launch cyberattacks that cripple hospitals and banks, sway elections and steal company secrets or funds.
From the ancient pyramids to modern buildings, various three-dimensional (3-D) structures have been formed by packing shaped objects together. At the macroscale, the shape of objects is fixed and thus dictates how they can be arranged. For example, bricks attached by mortar retain their elongated rectangular shape. But at the nanoscale, the shape of objects can be modified to some extent when they
Kick the Habit A newly published study suggests that consuming LSD or magic mushrooms may help people overcome alcohol dependency — yet another exciting development in the burgeoning field of psychedelics research . "There's incredible potential here," Johns Hopkins University researcher Matthew Johnson told Inverse . "So far, it's a good bet that these tools will be broadly applicable to a numbe
Researchers found how long an entrepreneur displays the highest level of excitement during a pitch also plays a major role in predicting success in receiving funding.
Recyclable plastics that contain ring-shaped polymers may be a key to developing sustainable synthetic materials. Despite some promising advances, researchers said, a full understanding of how to processes ring polymers into practical materials remains elusive. In a new study, researchers identified a mechanism called 'threading' that takes place when a polymer is stretched — a behavior not witne
Study suggests that people with low levels of PDIA1 in blood plasma may be at high risk of thrombosis; this group also investigated PDIA1's specific interactions in cancer.
Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a wearable patch that could provide personalized cooling and heating at home, work, or on the go. The soft, stretchy patch …
Frances Arnold, the CalTech scientist who shared the 2018 Prize in Chemistry, says evolution can show us how to solve problems of sustainability. — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Georgia Institute of Technology researchers found how long an entrepreneur displays the highest level of excitement during a pitch also plays a major role in predicting success in receiving funding.
It's a tale as old as time. You join a few friends for drinks, intending to only have a couple. But you wake up the next morning with your pants half covered in what may be vomit. And things don't get better from there. In fact, it feels as though your brain and body have both turned on you entirely ( because they have ). Yep, you have a hangover, which used to mean you were in for a day (or in s
You might not have to worry quite so much about carriers selling your phone location data to less-than-diligent third parties. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon (Engadget's …
In a professional environment that often fails to advocate for women, women need to learn to advocate for themselves. Nowhere is this more evident than in the case of sexual harassment in the workplace, whose victims often find themselves ridiculed, brushed aside, and stigmatized rather than vindicated. To insure against this unjust result, Gretchen Carlson recommends that women come prepared wit
HPE has bought Cray, the OG supercomputer manufacturer, for $1.3B. The deal is expected to boost HPE's own HPC business segment. The post HP Enterprise Buys Supercomputer Pioneer Cray for $1.3B appeared first on ExtremeTech .
Engineers have developed a wearable patch that could provide personalized cooling and heating at home, work, or on the go. The soft, stretchy patch cools or warms a user's skin to a comfortable temperature and keeps it there as the ambient temperature changes. It is powered by a flexible, stretchable battery pack and can be embedded in clothing. Researchers say wearing it could help save energy on
Columbia Engineering researchers report that they have demonstrated a nearly ideal transistor made from a 2D material stack — with only a two-atom-thick semiconducting layer — by developing a completely clean and damage-free fabrication process. Their method shows vastly improved performance compared to 2D semiconductors fabricated with a conventional process, and could provide a scalable platfo
Paid Off Between 2015 to 2018, at least 200 individuals and groups found themselves the victims of SamSam ransomware attacks. Hackers would use the software to paralyze targets' computer networks — and demand that victims pay a ransom, often in cryptocurrency, to regain access. Some of these targets turned to a company called Proven Data Recovery to regain access to their networks. But according
Researchers found that the increase was highest for girls ages 10 to 14 in the U.S., rising by nearly 13% since 2007. The increase for boys of the same age was 7%. (Image credit: Nicole Xu for NPR)
There are two ways to look at issues of diversity. Clearly the most important is to think about it from an institutional perspective. What can a company do to break down barriers and stereotypes? But until that day comes, if you are a member of an underrepresented group, it's important to convey in a variety of ways that you have executive presence. Members of underrepresented groups need to know
For the first time, immunologists have captured on video what happens when T-cells undergo a type of assassin-training program before they get unleashed in the body. A new imaging technique that allowed for the videos holds promise for the fight against autoimmune disorders such as Type 1 diabetes.
The central character in Hulu's new six-part miniseries Catch-22 , Captain John Yossarian (played by Christopher Abbott), is nicknamed Yo-Yo, aptly so, since he spends the entirety of the story being yanked back and forth on a fragile cord between life and death. Catch-22 isn't a perfect adaptation of Joseph Heller's 1961 book of the same name—both because it's a four-hour television drama instea
Dubbed 'Car Thing,' it plugs into a vehicle's cigarette lighter and allows users to turn on their favorite playlist, song or artist hands-free while they're preoccupied on the road.
Machine learning can help bring to Earth the clean fusion energy that lights the sun and stars. Researchers are using this form of artificial intelligence to create a model for rapid control of plasma — the state of matter composed of free electrons and atomic nuclei, or ions — that fuels fusion reactions.
Metals such as zinc, copper and chromium bind to and influence a peptide involved in insulin production, according to new work. The research is part of a new field of 'metalloendocrinology' that takes a detailed look at the role of metals in biological processes in the body.
When the bones of an ancient heron were unearthed at a North Florida fossil site, the find wasn't made by researchers but by two Florida Museum of Natural History volunteers. A previously unknown genus and species, the heron has been named Taphophoyx hodgei.
In a new study, researchers show how skin vaccination can generate protective CD8 T-cells that are recruited to the genital tissues and could be used as a vaccination strategy for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Gastric cancer, Q fever, Legionnaires' disease, whooping cough—though the infectious bacteria that cause these dangerous diseases are each different, they all utilize the same molecular machinery to infect human cells. Bacteria use this machinery, called a Type IV secretion system (T4SS), to inject toxic molecules into cells and also to spread genes for antibiotic resistance to fellow bacteria. No
Recyclable plastics that contain ring-shaped polymers may be a key to developing sustainable synthetic materials. Despite some promising advances, researchers said, a full understanding of how to processes ring polymers into practical materials remains elusive. In a new study, researchers identified a mechanism called "threading" that takes place when a polymer is stretched—a behavior not witnesse
Gastric cancer, Q fever, Legionnaires' disease, whooping cough—though the infectious bacteria that cause these dangerous diseases are each different, they all utilize the same molecular machinery to infect human cells. Bacteria use this machinery, called a Type IV secretion system (T4SS), to inject toxic molecules into cells and also to spread genes for antibiotic resistance to fellow bacteria. No
Machine learning (ML), a form of artificial intelligence that recognizes faces, understands language and navigates self-driving cars, can help bring to Earth the clean fusion energy that lights the sun and stars. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are using ML to create a model for rapid control of plasma—the state of matter composed of
Google Earth allows us to track our changing world. By providing powerful geomapping and tagging tools to everyone, anyone can explore and model the Earth like never before.
Engineering fashion in Beijing, a luxury houseboat for rising seas, flooding in Paraguay, father-daughter soccer in Liverpool, murals on the border wall in Mexico, the Giro d'Italia cycling race in Italy, Buddha's-birthday observations in Taiwan, Lady Macbeth in Greece, skateboarding in Los Angeles, Ramadan in Indonesia, and much more
Health It took a comprehensive experiment to get proof. You probably already know that processed food is bad for you. Twinkies, after all, are not eaten for health.
Recent research has identified the master switch that triggers the symmetry breaking process in the zygotes of the nematode worm, Caenorhabditis elegans.
The Zika virus outbreak in Latin America has affected over 60 million people up to now. The infection can have potentially fatal consequences for pregnant women and their unborn children: many children have subsequently been born with malformations of the head (microcephaly). A particularly high incidence of these Zika-associated malformations exists in northeastern Brazil. Scientists tried to fin
Physicists have demonstrated an experimental, next-generation atomic clock — ticking at high 'optical' frequencies — that is much smaller than usual, made of just three small chips plus supporting electronics and optics.
Current vaccination policies may not be sufficient to achieve and maintain measles elimination and prevent future resurgence in Australia, Ireland, Italy, the UK and the US, according to a new study.
Could the health benefits and reduced costs to healthcare systems be enough to justify subsidizing charging infrastructure to allow society to switch from the internal combustion engine to electric vehicles faster than current trends predict?
A report from the National Center for Health Statistics shows that 2018 saw the fewest babies born in the U.S. since 1986. The reasons are plenty: After effects from the Great Recession, fewer teenage pregnancies, prohibitive child care costs, concerns over climate change and political strife, and different priorities among millennials. The low birthrate isn't necessarily cause for alarm, however
When Remington Smith's family moved into a house on Churchill Downs—the main road that leads to the Kentucky Derby in Louisville—it was "a little worse for the wear," Smith told me. "It matched the working families who rented or owned houses in the neighborhood, which in my mind wasn't 'blighted' but lived-in." Just a year later, though, the area had transformed: University of Louisville banners
New discoveries made at the Klasies River Cave in South Africa's southern Cape, where charred food remains from hearths were found, provide the first archaeological evidence that anatomically modern humans were roasting and eating plant starches, such as those from tubers and rhizomes, as early as 120,000 years ago.
While volcanic, igneous rock predominates on Mars, virtually the entire Earth fossil record comes from sedimentary rocks. Addressing the problem, Swedish scientists have begun compiling evidence of fossilized microbes in underexplored igneous rock environments on Earth, to help guide where to search for a Martian fossil record — and what to look for.
One of the most unknown phenomena in modern physics is gravity. Its measurement and laws remain somewhat of an enigma. Researchers have revealed important information about a new aspect of the nature of gravity by probing the smallest mass-scale.
Researchers have developed a 3D technology map which systematically compares optical sensors, providing a much needed benchmark to define the standards and track developments in this rapidly growing industry.
Evolutionary biologist Ernst Haeckel became the first person to define the term ecology in his work published in 1866, entitled 'General Morphology of Organisms'. Science historians and biologists have now worked out just how close his original classification is to our modern understanding of ecology.
Researchers have mapped the molecular structure and dynamics of an aggressive protein modification that spurs on Alzheimer's disease. A new study offers greater understanding of the microscopic, toxic protein fragments, called beta amyloids, that cause rapid acceleration of Alzheimer's disease.
Bhaskar Krishnamachari, a professor at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, and Aditya Asgaonkar — a recent undergraduate computer science alum at BITS Pilani, India who visited and worked with Krishnamachari at USC Viterbi over several months in 2018 — believe they have found a way to make the buying and selling of digital goods less costly, more efficient, and less vulnerable to fraud. Their
Recyclable plastics that contain ring-shaped polymers may be a key to developing sustainable synthetic materials. Despite some promising advances, researchers said, a full understanding of how to processes ring polymers into practical materials remains elusive. In a new study, researchers identified a mechanism called 'threading' that takes place when a polymer is stretched — a behavior not witne
Researchers at MIT and elsewhere have found a way to manipulate the positions of individual atoms on a graphene sheet, which could be a first step to new quantum computing and sensing devices.
Engineers at UC San Diego have developed a wearable patch that could provide personalized cooling and heating at home, work, or on the go. The soft, stretchy patch cools or warms a user's skin to a comfortable temperature and keeps it there as the ambient temperature changes. It is powered by a flexible, stretchable battery pack and can be embedded in clothing. Researchers say wearing it could hel
Material analysis of cultural artifacts can uncover aspects of the creative process and help determine the origin and authenticity of works of art. Technical studies on abstract expressionist paintings revealed a luminescence signature from titanium white paints whose pigments were manufactured by coprecipitation with calcium or barium sulfate. We propose that trace neodymium present in some ilme
Atomic engineering is envisioned to involve selectively inducing the desired dynamics of single atoms and combining these steps for larger-scale assemblies. Here, we focus on the first part by surveying the single-step dynamics of graphene dopants, primarily phosphorus, caused by electron irradiation both in experiment and simulation, and develop a theory for describing the probabilities of compe
An understanding of the normal state in the high-temperature superconducting cuprates is crucial to the ultimate understanding of the long-standing problem of the origin of the superconductivity itself. This so-called "strange metal" state is thought to be associated with a quantum critical point (QCP) hidden beneath the superconductivity. In electron-doped cuprates—in contrast to hole-doped cupr
Music, while allowing nearly unlimited creative expression, almost always conforms to a set of rigid rules at a fundamental level. The description and study of these rules, and the ordered structures that arise from them, is the basis of the field of music theory. Here, I present a theoretical formalism that aims to explain why basic ordered patterns emerge in music, using the same statistical me
Thermoregulation has substantial implications for energy consumption and human comfort and health. However, cooling technology has remained largely unchanged for more than a century and still relies on cooling the entire space regardless of the number of occupants. Personalized thermoregulation by thermoelectric devices (TEDs) can markedly reduce the cooling volume and meet individual cooling nee
Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen associated with bacterial infections in orthopedic procedures. Infections often lead to implant failure and subsequent removal, motivating the development of bifunctional materials that both promote repair and prevent failure due to infection. Lysostaphin is an anti-staphylococcal enzyme resulting in bacterial lysis and biofilm reduction. Lysostap
Valence molecular orbitals play a crucial role in chemical reactions. Here, we reveal that an intense laser field deforms an inner valence orbital (10a') in the ethanol molecule. We measure the recoil-frame photoelectron angular distribution (RFPAD), which corresponds to the orientation dependence of the ionization probability of the orbital, using photoelectron-photoion coincidence momentum imag
Space-filling generally governs hard particle packing and the resulting phases and interparticle orientations. Contrastingly, hard-shaped nanoparticles with grafted soft-ligands pack differently since the energetically interacting soft-shell is amenable to nanoscale sculpturing. While the interplay between the shape and soft-shell can lead to unforeseen packing effects, little is known about the
Infrared spectroscopy resolves the structure of molecules by detecting their characteristic vibrational fingerprints. Subwavelength light confinement and nanophotonic enhancement have extended the scope of this technique for monolayer studies. However, current approaches still require complex spectroscopic equipment or tunable light sources. Here, we introduce a novel metasurface-based method for
The surface of a three-dimensional topological insulator (TI) hosts two-dimensional massless Dirac fermions (DFs), the gapless and spin-helical nature of which leads to their high transmission through surface defects or potential barriers. Here, we report the behaviors of topological surface states (TSS) in a triangular quantum corral (TQC) which, unlike a circular corral, is supposed to be total
Quantum information protocols require various types of entanglement, such as Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen, Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger, and cluster states. In optics, on-demand preparation of these states has been realized by squeezed light sources, but such experiments require different optical circuits for different entangled states, thus lacking versatility. Here, we demonstrate an on-demand entang
PARIS—Here in France, I. M. Pei, who died this week, is best known for one thing: The glass pyramid in the courtyard of the Louvre Museum. When it opened in 1989, two centuries after the French Revolution, it was seen as a revolution of its own—and not necessarily a welcome one. Le Monde 's architecture critic at the time called the structure "a house of the dead" and said Pei was treating the co
New research reveals how frequently being the target of workplace bullying not only leads to health-related problems but can also cause victims to behave badly themselves. The study found that in some cases this is characterized by a lack of problem solving and high avoidance coping strategies.
Tropical forests are being deforested at an alarming rate to make way for agriculture; the good news is that they can regrow naturally when the fields are abandoned. An international research team found that regenerating wet and dry forests actually show opposite pathways. This implies a fundamental change in our understanding of how tropical forests change, with consequences for forest restoratio
The incidence of colon and rectal cancer in adults younger than 50 years has increased substantially over the latest available 10-year period in several high-income countries, going against a decline or stabilisation trend in the incidence of colorectal cancers within the overall populations of high-income countries.
A new way of preparing insulin-producing implants of donor pancreatic cells promises to improve transplant effectiveness and reduce ensuing complications.
The ultimate degree of control for engineering would be the ability to create and manipulate materials at the most basic level, fabricating devices atom by atom with precise control.
A University of California, Riverside, research team has come up with a new approach to targeting cancer cells that circumvents a challenge faced by currently available cancer drugs.
In line with previous research, a new study in mice demonstrates that B cells can be engineered to ward off infections, this time against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Updated at 3:52 p.m. ET on May 17, 2019. Most students' paths to higher education are shaped by numbers: grade-point averages, class rankings, and infamously, standardized-test scores. Now students taking the College Board's SAT will have another number thrown into the mix: a "disadvantage level." This fall, 150 colleges will start using this new metric, designed to capture students' socioeconomi
Sound-Alike On Wednesday, Canada-based startup Dessa unveiled a new AI that replicates the voice of Joe Rogan, a podcaster known for his bold views — not to mention for getting high with Elon Musk . As explained in a blog post , the Dessa team managed this feat by developing a deep learning system called RealTalk that uses text inputs to produce life-like speech in the style of a real person. It'
Scientists say that subsistence hunting in Neotropical rain forests — the mainstay of local people as a source of protein and a direct connection to these ecosystems — is in jeopardy from a variety of factors.
A cosmic hit-and-run some 30 million light-years away has left one galaxy with an identity crisis. For billions of years, the now-irregular NGC 4485 lived a nice and normal life as a standard spiral galaxy located in the constellation Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs). Then, a few million years back, NGC 4485 experienced a near-miss when the equivalent of a galactic semi-truck (NGC 4490) careened
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) on Friday announced a $1.3 billion deal to buy supercomputer maker Cray, part of a move to expand into data analysis from connected devices .
Metals such as zinc, copper and chromium bind to and influence a peptide involved in insulin production, according to new work from chemists at the University of California, Davis. The research is part of a new field of "metalloendocrinology" that takes a detailed look at the role of metals in biological processes in the body.
The end of May in the United States is a time for memorializing the impact of war—in particular, the sacrifices made by service members and their families. Yet the ultimate costs of war—to individuals, communities, and countries—are in many ways incalculable, and attempts to honor the military can sometimes seem shallow. The author Ben Fountain critiques such celebrations in his satirical novel a
Even as warnings of climate catastrophe and calls for greener economies grow ever louder, the world is still spending hundreds of billions of dollars every year to subsidise the fossil fuels that are causing the planet to overheat.
Technology is often touted as a solution to the world's environmental challenges, but it is also part of the problem: industry executives are facing rising pressure to clean up their energy and resource-intensive business.
Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said Friday a breakup of big US technology would not address "underlying issues" facing the sector and suggested that such a move could help rivals in China.
Metals such as zinc, copper and chromium bind to and influence a peptide involved in insulin production, according to new work from chemists at the University of California, Davis. The research is part of a new field of "metalloendocrinology" that takes a detailed look at the role of metals in biological processes in the body.
The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), managed by Universities Space Research Association (USRA), has compiled and made available an atlas of the Moon's south pole. Given NASA's recent direction to implement Space Policy Directive-1 landing astronauts at the south pole by 2024, the LPI has compiled a series of maps, images, and illustrations designed to provide context and reference for those in
Metals such as zinc, copper and chromium bind to and influence a peptide involved in insulin production, according to new work from chemists at UC Davis. The research is part of a new field of 'metalloendocrinology' that takes a detailed look at the role of metals in biological processes in the body.
The finding overturns the idea that the insect's first victims were bats and reveals that certain species started targeting humans as a side snack, not as a main meal.
Trippier Hop The 1998 trip-hop album Mezzanine by Massive Attack was a huge hit when it dropped — and as Engadget reports , now it's getting an AI makeover. As part of an exhibit called "AI: More than Human" at London's Barbican art center, visitors can listen to a new version of the album that was completely remixed by a machine learning algorithm. The original members of Massive Attack teamed u
For the first time, immunologists have captured on video what happens when T cells undergo a type of assassin-training program before they get unleashed in the body. A new imaging technique that allowed for the videos, described today in the journal Nature Communications, holds promise for the fight against autoimmune disorders such as Type 1 diabetes.
Epic has once again took a page from Steams book and announced a mega sale that includes both percentage discounts and an additional $10 off every game priced $14.99 or higher on the Epic …
Blockchain Week NYC kicked off this year at Fluidity, drawing a sold-out crowd for the second straight year to Weylin in Brooklyn to discuss a wide range of topics including institutional adoption of blockchain technology, decentralized finance, public vs. private blockchains, regulatory policy, and emerging non-financial use cases. Here are five major themes from Fluidity 2019. 1. Institutional
Paris, France, 21 May 2019. Severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, a degenerative disease-causing calcification and immobility of the aortic valve leaflets leading to left ventricular outflow obstruction, is the most common valve lesion leading to intervention in Europe and the USA.
Heart failure is a common cardiovascular disorder with ominous prognosis despite significant therapeutic advances. Mitral regurgitation (MR, leaking of the mitral valve within the heart) affects at least 50% of patients with heart failure and is independently associated with worse prognosis. Timely diagnosis is essential, and management is complex, requiring an expert approach.
America's fertility rate is in steady decline: In 2018, it dipped to an all-time low, down 2 percent from the year before, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report published Wednesday. American women are now predicted to have an average of 1.73 children over their lifetime. The absolute number of births has also fallen to a historic low: Roughly 3.8 million babies were bor
Gadgets The low-down on the day's best bargains. 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.
Conservation decisions based on population counts may fail to protect large, slow-breeding animals from irrevocable decline, according to new research.
Four Deaths On March 1, a Tesla Model 3 crashed into the side of a tractor-trailer in Florida, killing the driver. But while Jeremy Beren Banner may have been behind the wheel of the Tesla, he wasn't wholly in control of it. Based on a newly released preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), he had Autopilot engaged at the time of the crash. This marks at least the fo
Columbia Engineering researchers report that they have demonstrated a nearly ideal transistor made from a 2D material stack — with only a two-atom-thick semiconducting layer — by developing a completely clean and damage-free fabrication process. Their method shows vastly improved performance compared to 2D semiconductors fabricated with a conventional process, and could provide a scalable platfo
In 1989, when John Blount was just 17, he was convicted of a double homicide. Blount was sentenced to death, and later re-sentenced to life in prison without a chance for parole. While incarcerated, he started a mentoring program for kids, kept a nearly spotless disciplinary record, and got his GED. He was written up only once, for owning a contraband radio. In 2016, following a series of Supreme
A multidisciplinary team has provided new insight into underlying mechanisms controlling the precise size of cells. The researchers found that 'the adder,' a function that guides cells to grow by a fixed size from birth to division, is controlled by specific proteins that accumulate to a threshold.
Grumpy Cat The famously dour-looking internet sensation Grumpy Cat has passed away, according to obituaries by CNN and the New York Times . We could mourn the feline and move on to the next weird internet animal. Or we could embrace the latest in genetic technology and clone her — like iconic singer Barbra Streisand famously did with her dog . From Beyond There's no question that we have the tech
Semiconductors, which are the basic building blocks of transistors, microprocessors, lasers, and LEDs, have driven advances in computing, memory, communications, and lighting technologies since the mid-20th century. Recently discovered two-dimensional materials, which feature many superlative properties, have the potential to advance these technologies, but creating 2-D devices with both good elec
Amendment Ignored Will American astronauts land a Moon mission within the next decade? Days after NASA and the White House officials asked Congress to top up NASA's budget by a cool $1.6 billion — in addition to the $21 billion already requested — for a 2024 crewed mission to the Moon, the House Appropriations Committee decided not to set aside any additional funds for any such venture. The Commi
SpaceX hoped to have 60 custom communication satellites in orbit today, but instead, it has zero. The post SpaceX Delays Starlink Launch Again to Update Satellite Software appeared first on ExtremeTech .
Over the past few years, thousands of groups with nonsensical names have cropped up all over Facebook. You'll find these groups tagged in the comments section on articles, photos, and videos, and in other groups. Their names read like comments themselves: "I'm disappointed, but I still love you," "Is this a bootlickers fetish convention?" and "this post mugged and murdered my parents in an alleyw
Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) on Friday announced a $1.3 billion deal to buy supercomputer maker Cray, part of a move to expand into data analysis from connected devices .
Researchers in multiple disciplines are making progress on technology that can translate silent micro-muscle movements into vocal speech, or even read the data directly from the brain. There's major progress being made in a critical, exciting field. The post New Device Translates Silent Thoughts Into Speech appeared first on ExtremeTech .
Nature, Published online: 17 May 2019; doi:10.1038/d41586-019-01610-y We eat more quickly and ingest more calories with processed food. Plus: Gran Sasso physicists face trial over safety and how to give a great seminar about your research.
It has a sleek black pill of a body, with two rigid, white arms sprouting from its sides. It looks, in other words, like an iPad had a baby with a crop duster, or like a Volkswagen Bug from a future designed by Bjork. In the video , it sits on a small, square tarmac, surrounded by grass, then begins to purr and buzz. In a nearby hangar, a group of attractive young Germans stands and watches inten
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Tegn abonnement på
BioNyt Videnskabens Verden (www.bionyt.dk) er Danmarks ældste populærvidenskabelige tidsskrift for naturvidenskab. Det er det eneste blad af sin art i Danmark, som er helliget international forskning inden for livsvidenskaberne.
Bladet bringer aktuelle, spændende forskningsnyheder inden for biologi, medicin og andre naturvidenskabelige områder som f.eks. klimaændringer, nanoteknologi, partikelfysik, astronomi, seksualitet, biologiske våben, ecstasy, evolutionsbiologi, kloning, fedme, søvnforskning, muligheden for liv på mars, influenzaepidemier, livets opståen osv.
Artiklerne roses for at gøre vanskeligt stof forståeligt, uden at den videnskabelige holdbarhed tabes.
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