The known timeline of the Aboriginal occupation of South Australia's Riverland region has been vastly extended by new research led by Flinders University in collaboration with the River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation (RMMAC). Radiocarbon dating of shell middens – remnants of meals eaten long ago – capture a record of Aboriginal occupation that extends to around 29,000 years, confirming t
PLUS. Europæiske lande sender plastaffald sorteret til genanvendelse til Sydøstasien, hvor en del ender i havet. Det kan skade havmiljøet, fordi dyr forveksler plasten med føde, fortæller forsker.
The Raspberry Pi Virtual Reality system (PiVR) is a versatile tool for presenting virtual reality environments to small, freely moving animals (such as flies and fish larvae). The use of PiVR, together with techniques like optogenetics, will facilitate the mapping and characterization of neural circuits involved in behavior.
We humans may not always see eye to eye on politics, religion, sports and other matters of debate. And now it turns out we also cannot agree on the location and size of objects in our physical surroundings, according to new research.
Researchers have proven that a single gene can convert female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes into fertile male mosquitoes and identified a gene needed for male mosquito flight.
In combined theoretical and experimental work, physicists introduce and demonstrate a novel mechanism for electron optics in two-dimensional solid-state systems. The discovery opens up a route to engineering quantum-optical phenomena in a variety of materials and devices.
As discussed in our last Sea Level 101 blog post , we know sea level on the open ocean isn't really flat. A number of factors combine to determine the topography of the ocean surface. Global sea level rise is complex as well. To begin with, it has multiple causes, including the thermal expansion of the ocean as it warms, runoff of meltwater from land-based ice sheets and mountain glaciers, and ch
Face masks or coverings will soon become compulsory in shops in England, as they are in many other countries. What has changed that led to this new policy?
The latest coronavirus news updated every day including coronavirus cases, the latest news, features and interviews from New Scientist and essential information about the covid-19 pandemic
Big Boom Ten billion years ago, two neutron stars crashed into each other and gave off an explosion astronomers say was a quintillion times — that's 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 — brighter than our Sun. Ever since then, the afterglow from the collision — a short gamma ray burst (SGRB) — has been rocketing across the universe at the speed of light. And in a stroke of luck, astronomers here on Earth m
"Nix has great potential for developing mosquito control strategies to reduce vector populations through female-to-male sex conversion, or to aid in the Sterile Insect Technique, which requires releasing only nonbiting males," said James Biedler, a research scientist in the Tu lab.
In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, it's common to feel stress levels rise every time we hear the word "virus." But new Cornell-led research reveals that the sound of the word itself was likely to raise your blood pressure – even before "corona" was added to it.
We humans may not always see eye to eye on politics, religion, sports and other matters of debate. And now it turns out we also cannot agree on the location and size of objects in our physical surroundings, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley.
A recent study showed that compared to moderate weather conditions, hikers' performance during hot weather was impaired, resulting in slower hiking speeds and prolonged exposure to the elements, thus increasing their risk of heat-related illness. The study also found that most hikers did not bring enough fluid with them on their hike to compensate for their sweat loss.
"There may be more central nervous system penetration of the virus than we think based on the prevalence of olfaction-associated depressed mood and anxiety and this really opens up doors for future investigations to look at how the virus may interact with the central nervous system," explains Ahmad Sedaghat, MD, PhD.
Propagate light through any kind of medium — be it free space or biological tissue — and light will scatter. Robustness to scattering is a common requirement for communications and for imaging systems. Structured light, with its use of projected patterns, is resistant to scattering, and has therefore emerged as a versatile tool. In particular, modes of structured light carrying orbital angular m
The Raspberry Pi Virtual Reality system (PiVR) is a versatile tool for presenting virtual reality environments to small, freely moving animals (such as flies and fish larvae). The use of PiVR, together with techniques like optogenetics, will facilitate the mapping and characterization of neural circuits involved in behavior.
A new study has narrowed down the region of the genome that drives the black color in throat and face of warblers by studying the hybrid offspring produced when two species mate. The hybrids of golden-winged and blue-winged warblers have a mix of coloration from the parent species, which allows researchers to identify which regions of the genome are associated with which color patterns. The study
People wrongfully accused of a crime often wait years — if ever — to be exonerated. Many of these wrongfully accused cases stem from unreliable eyewitness testimony. Now, scientists have identified a new way of presenting a lineup to an eyewitness that could improve the likelihood that the correct suspect is identified and reduce the number of innocent people sentenced to jail.
Propagate light through any kind of medium — be it free space or biological tissue — and light will scatter. Robustness to scattering is a common requirement for communications and for imaging systems. Structured light, with its use of projected patterns, is resistant to scattering, and has therefore emerged as a versatile tool. In particular, modes of structured light carrying orbital angular m
Addressing potential threats from predators has not slowed the dramatic decline of mountain caribou in British Columbia and Alberta, according to a new study by scientists from the University of Alberta and two other western Canadian universities.
Addressing potential threats from predators has not slowed the dramatic decline of mountain caribou in British Columbia and Alberta, according to a new study by scientists from the University of Alberta and two other western Canadian universities.
The University of California, San Diego, researcher helped identify the HIV retrovirus responsible for AIDS and developed treatments still in use today.
Nature, Published online: 13 July 2020; doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02080-3 Unusual method could increase the supply of lungs available for transplantation.
Soldiers erected sandbag flood barriers in a city near China's largest freshwater lake after the heaviest rainfall in nearly six decades drenched the swollen Yangtze River basin.
Despite announcing plans to combat disinformation, anti-vax groups continue to gain influence on Facebook. An analysis of over 1,300 Facebook pages with 100 million followers shows that anti-vaccination agendas are having a profound impact. Only 50 percent of Americans are certain they'll receive an approved COVID-19 vaccine. This morning I received a direct message from someone I'm connected to
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University reviewed national data from the U.S. Census Bureau and found associations between states' voting patterns in the 2016 presidential elections and decreases in the number of adults 18 to 64 years of age without health insurance coverage.
A new study has narrowed down the region of the genome that drives the black color in throat and face of warblers by studying the hybrid offspring produced when two species mate.
The Raspberry Pi Virtual Reality system (PiVR) is a versatile tool for presenting virtual reality environments to small, freely moving animals (such as flies and fish larvae), according to a study published July 14, 2020 in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by David Tadres and Matthieu Louis of the University of California, Santa Barbara. The use of PiVR, together with techniques like optogenet
The ARRIVE guidelines for the rigorous reporting of animal studies were published in 2010 by the UK-based science organisation, the NC3Rs. Now, ten years later, new reporting guidelines – ARRIVE 2.0 – have been published on July 14, 2020 in the open access journal PLOS Biology. Although the original guidelines were widely endorsed by journals and funders, they have not led to the comprehensive imp
This winter, 463 wolves died in British Columbia. Their deaths were not due to a freak accident or a natural disaster, but a government-sponsored cull meant to save endangered mountain caribou. Killing wolves is often controversial, and in this case their deaths may have been in vain: A group of scientists says the decision to cull the wolves rested on a statistical error. In the spring of 2019,
In an effort to devise with a standardized way to test a new advanced drug delivery method — drug-laced chewing gum — a team of researchers at the University of Bristol, UK, built a set of robot jaws that can chow down much like a human. The robot even features artificial saliva to allow for xylitol, a common sugar substitute in gum, to dissolve. Researchers are hopeful that adding medication to
An experimental game reveals that having the freedom to choose preferred public goods greatly increases their value by motivating more, and better, provisioning.
While the optimization of conventional microelectronics is slowly reaching its physical limits, nature offers us a blueprint how information can be processed and stored efficiently: our own brain. Scientists have now successfully imitated the functioning of neurons using semiconductor materials.
Hurricanes may be common on exoplanets that orbit small, red stars over the course of about 10 days, and they're most likely to form on planets that are tidally locked, and so have one side with perpetual daytime
4-Panel Foldable Solar Phone Charger & 10,000mAh Power Bank (Stack Commerce/) Nothing brings down a great adventure like your smartphone flashing the perilous "low battery" alert. Wasn't it just 95 percent an hour ago? Sure seems like it. Luckily, the 4-Panel Foldable Solar Phone Charger & 10,000mAh Power Bank can provide a great boost to your next road trip, and is currently on sale for 20 perce
NIMS has succeeded for the first time in visualizing sequential changes in electrical potential distribution across a composite electrode during charge/discharge reactions in all-solid-state lithium ion batteries. This distribution was previously measureable only before and after the occurrence of charge/discharge reactions. Microscopic understanding of charge/discharge reaction mechanisms in elec
An emerging virus threatens both wild and pet rabbits in the United States. The fatal virus—which causes an Ebola-like disease called rabbit hemorrhagic disease—already has been reported in the western and southwestern United States.
The known timeline of the Aboriginal occupation of South Australia's Riverland region has been vastly extended by new research led by Flinders University in collaboration with the River Murray and Mallee Aboriginal Corporation (RMMAC).
An emerging virus threatens both wild and pet rabbits in the United States. The fatal virus—which causes an Ebola-like disease called rabbit hemorrhagic disease—already has been reported in the western and southwestern United States.
Greens deride $4.7m funding for technologies that may shade corals and make clouds more reflective as 'Band-Aid solutions' A government-backed research program to make the Great Barrier Reef more resilient to global heating will spend $4.7m this financial year developing technologies that could shade corals and make clouds more reflective during marine heatwaves. The announcement confirms the dev
A study published earlier this year claiming the coronavirus may have jumped from dogs to humans is scientifically flawed, offering no direct evidence to support its conclusions, according to a collaborative group of international researchers, including scientists at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
While the optimization of conventional microelectronics is slowly reaching its physical limits, nature offers us a blueprint how information can be processed and stored efficiently: our own brain. Scientists have now successfully imitated the functioning of neurons using semiconductor materials.
Technical interviews for software engineers test for performance anxiety, not coding competence, research finds. The interviews may also be used to exclude groups or favor specific job candidates, the study finds. Technical interviews in the software engineering sector generally take the form of giving a job candidate a problem to solve, then requiring the candidate to write out a solution in cod
Special patented glasses can enhance color vision for those with the most common types of red-green color vision deficiency, or "anomalous trichromacy," researchers report. Notably, the ability to identify and experience expanded color was also demonstrated when color blind test subjects were not wearing the glasses. "…these improvements persisted when tested without the filters, thereby demonstr
Nature, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02103-z A technique for blending into green foliage arose independently in many lineages of tree frogs.
New research led by The University of Queensland has provided the first comprehensive analysis of pesticide mixtures in creeks and rivers discharging to the Great Barrier Reef.
The impact event that formed the Chicxulub crater (Yucatán Peninsula, México) caused the extinction of 75% of species on Earth 66 million years ago, including non-avian dinosaurs. One place that did not experience much extinction was the deep, as organisms living in the abyss made it through the mass extinction event with just some changes to community structure.
We all need a little help staying alert, focused, and productive. That's why approximately 90 percent of Americans over the age of 18 consume caffeine in one form or another every single day. However, while caffeine is very good at making us feel awake, it doesn't actually improve brain function. If you want to do that, you need to feed your brain, not just pump it full of stimulants. That's why
Truth In Advertising A German court just ruled that Tesla's use of the term "Autopilot" for its assisted-driving technology amounts to false advertising. The Tuesday ruling also included CEO Elon Musk's claims that the company is nearing fully-autonomous driving capabilities, Agence France-Presse reports , which Musk repeated as recently as last week. "Use of the relevant terms creates an expecta
We might not want to think about it, but traditional bed sheets and towels are absolute petri dishes when it comes to bacteria and other nasty microbes. Even if you wash them every three or four days as recommended, you're still sleeping and toweling off with way more invisible friends than any of us want in our home. Fortunately, there's now Miracle, a new brand of bedding and other essentials m
Terahertz radiation, or T-rays, has barely been exploited compared to most of the rest of the electromagnetic spectrum. Yet T-rays potentially have applications in next-generation wireless communications (6G/7G), security systems, biomedicine, and even art history. A new device for controlling T-rays using a specially designed 'metasurface' with properties not found in nature could begin to realiz
As data accumulates on COVID-19 cases and deaths, researchers have observed patterns of peaks and valleys that repeat on a near-weekly basis. A study published this week in mSystems reports that those oscillations arise from variations in testing practices and data reporting, rather than from societal practices around how people are infected or treated.
More than 1,000 employees signed a letter criticizing the agency for "scant progress in addressing the very real challenges Black employees experience."
Exclusive: likelihood of UK homes being infected triples with every additional 20 beds Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Coronavirus outbreaks are up to 20 times more likely in large care homes, according to a major study seen by the Guardian, prompting calls to divide them into "bubbles" before any second wave hits. In research that will increase scrutiny of private c
Over the past decade or so, a number of astrophysics studies have detected an excess of gamma-ray radiation at the center of our galaxy. Despite the many attempts to understand this unexpected surplus of radiation, now known as the galactic center excess (GCE), its source and the reasons why it exists remain unknown.
New research shows that people with chronic low back pain (cLBP) have better results from yoga and physical therapy compared to reading evidence-based self-help materials. While this finding was consistent across many patient characteristics, a much larger effect was observed among those already taking pain medication to treat their condition and those who did not fear that exercise would make the
In combined theoretical and experimental work, physicists at ETH Zurich introduce and demonstrate a novel mechanism for electron optics in two-dimensional solid-state systems. The discovery opens up a route to engineering quantum-optical phenomena in a variety of materials and devices.
San (Bushmen) communities in southern Africa continue to call upon their governments and international organizations to recognize their human rights and protect their welfare. They have lived in southern Africa for 20,000 to 40,000 years, yet they remain politically and economically marginalized in relation to other social groups.
A new study reveals how two key neural circuits dictate the choice between social approach and avoidance. The findings will enable researchers to evaluate social interventions in autism.
NASA's Aqua satellite used infrared light to identify the strongest storms and coldest cloud top temperatures in Tropical Depression 6E. Aqua found a few small areas of strength but cooler sea surface temperatures are expected to weaken them.
Toxicants such as organochlorine insecticides, lead ammunition, and veterinary drugs have caused severe wildlife poisoning, pushing the populations of several apex species to the edge of extinction. These prime cases epitomize the serious threat that wildlife poisoning poses to biodiversity. Much of the evidence on population effects of wildlife poisoning…
Extreme environments test the limits of life; yet, some organisms thrive in harsh conditions. Extremophile lineages inspire questions about how organisms can tolerate physiochemical stressors and whether the repeated colonization of extreme environments is facilitated by predictable and repeatable evolutionary innovations. We identified the mechanistic basis underlying convergent evolution of…
Maternal effect senescence—a decline in offspring survival or fertility with maternal age—has been demonstrated in many taxa, including humans. Despite decades of phenotypic studies, questions remain about how maternal effect senescence impacts evolutionary fitness. To understand the influence of maternal effect senescence on population dynamics, fitness, and selection, we developed…
Chemosensory communication is essential to insect biology, playing indispensable roles during mate-finding, foraging, and oviposition behaviors. These traits are particularly important during speciation, where chemical perception may serve to establish species barriers. However, identifying genes associated with such complex behavioral traits remains a significant challenge. Through a combination
Mitochondrial and plastid genomes in land plants exhibit some of the slowest rates of sequence evolution observed in any eukaryotic genome, suggesting an exceptional ability to prevent or correct mutations. However, the mechanisms responsible for this extreme fidelity remain unclear. We tested seven candidate genes involved in cytoplasmic DNA replication,…
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by mutations in the DMD gene leading to the presence of premature termination codons (PTC). Previous transcriptional studies have shown reduced DMD transcript levels in DMD patient and animal model muscles when PTC are present. Nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) has been suggested to be responsible…
Under steady-state conditions, the immune system is poised to sense and respond to the microbiota. As such, immunity to the microbiota, including T cell responses, is expected to precede any inflammatory trigger. How this pool of preformed microbiota-specific T cells contributes to tissue pathologies remains unclear. Here, using an experimental…
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impaired social interactions and communication. The pathogenesis of ASD is not known, but it involves activation of microglia. We had shown that the peptide neurotensin (NT) is increased in the serum of children with ASD and stimulates cultured adult human microglia to secrete…
Differences between female and male immunity may contribute to variations in response to infections and predisposition to autoimmunity. We previously reported that neutrophils from reproductive-age males are more immature and less activated than their female counterparts. To further characterize the mechanisms that drive differential neutrophil phenotypes, we performed RNA sequencing…
Metabolic stress causes activation of the cJun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) signal transduction pathway. It is established that one consequence of JNK activation is the development of insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis through inhibition of the transcription factor PPARα. Indeed, JNK1/2 deficiency in hepatocytes protects against the development of steatosis, suggesting…
Despite the implementation of multiple HER2-targeted therapies, patients with advanced HER2+ breast cancer ultimately develop drug resistance. Stromal fibroblasts represent an abundant cell type in the tumor microenvironment and have been linked to poor outcomes and drug resistance. Here, we show that fibroblasts counteract the cytotoxic effects of HER2 kinase-targeted…
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), characterized by progressive muscle weakness and deterioration, is genetically linked to aberrant expression of DUX4 in muscle. DUX4, in its full-length form, is cytotoxic in nongermline tissues. Here, we designed locked nucleic acid (LNA) gapmer antisense oligonucleotides (AOs) to knock down DUX4 in immortalized FSHD myoblasts…
LIN28B is highly expressed in neuroblastoma and promotes tumorigenesis, at least, in part, through inhibition of let-7 microRNA biogenesis. Here, we report that overexpression of either wild-type (WT) LIN28B or a LIN28B mutant that is unable to inhibit let-7 processing increases the penetrance of MYCN-induced neuroblastoma, potentiates the invasion and…
Folate deprivation drives the instability of a group of rare fragile sites (RFSs) characterized by CGG trinucleotide repeat (TNR) sequences. Pathological expansion of the TNR within the FRAXA locus perturbs DNA replication and is the major causative factor for fragile X syndrome, a sex-linked disorder associated with cognitive impairment. Although…
Engineering biological nitrogen fixation in eukaryotic cells by direct introduction of nif genes requires elegant synthetic biology approaches to ensure that components required for the biosynthesis of active nitrogenase are stable and expressed in the appropriate stoichiometry. Previously, the NifD subunits of nitrogenase MoFe protein from Azotobacter vinelandii and Klebsiella…
During blood-stage development, malaria parasites are challenged with the detoxification of enormous amounts of heme released during the proteolytic catabolism of erythrocytic hemoglobin. They tackle this problem by sequestering heme into bioinert crystals known as hemozoin. The mechanisms underlying this biomineralization process remain enigmatic. Here, we demonstrate that both rodent…
Influenza viruses (IV) exploit a variety of signaling pathways. Previous studies showed that the rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma/mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Raf/MEK/ERK) pathway is functionally linked to nuclear export of viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes, suggesting that vRNP export is a signaling-induced event. However, the underlying mechanism
Malaria infection induces complex and diverse immune responses. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying host–parasite interaction, we performed a genetic screen during early (24 h) Plasmodium yoelii infection in mice and identified a large number of interacting host and parasite genes/loci after transspecies expression quantitative trait locus (Ts-eQTL) analysis. We next…
Here we report the discovery of Yaravirus, a lineage of amoebal virus with a puzzling origin and evolution. Yaravirus presents 80-nm-sized particles and a 44,924-bp dsDNA genome encoding for 74 predicted proteins. Yaravirus genome annotation showed that none of its genes matched with sequences of known organisms at the nucleotide…
At the end of 2019, a novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SARS-CoV-2) was detected in Wuhan, China, that spread rapidly around the world, with severe consequences for human health and the global economy. Here, we assessed the replicative ability and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 isolates in Syrian hamsters….
Humans accurately identify observed actions despite large dynamic changes in their retinal images and a variety of visual presentation formats. A large network of brain regions in primates participates in the processing of others' actions, with the anterior intraparietal area (AIP) playing a major role in routing information about observed…
Neural network function requires an appropriate balance of excitation and inhibition to be maintained by homeostatic plasticity. However, little is known about homeostatic mechanisms in the intact central brain in vivo. Here, we study homeostatic plasticity in the Drosophila mushroom body, where Kenyon cells receive feedforward excitation from olfactory projection…
Enhanced inflammation is believed to contribute to overnutrition-induced metabolic disturbance. Nutrient flux has also been shown to be essential for immune cell activation. Here, we report an unexpected role of nutrient-sensing O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) signaling in suppressing macrophage proinflammatory activation and preventing diet-induced metabolic dysfunction. Overnutrition s
Neuronal activity leads to an increase in local cerebral blood flow (CBF) to allow adequate supply of oxygen and nutrients to active neurons, a process termed neurovascular coupling (NVC). We have previously shown that capillary endothelial cell (cEC) inwardly rectifying K+ (Kir) channels can sense neuronally evoked increases in interstitial…
The Orai1 channel is regulated by stromal interaction molecules STIM1 and STIM2 within endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-plasma membrane (PM) contact sites. Ca2+ signals generated by Orai1 activate Ca2+-dependent gene expression. When compared with STIM1, STIM2 is a weak activator of Orai1, but it has been suggested to have a unique role…
Low availability of nitrogen (N) is often a major limiting factor to crop yield in most nutrient-poor soils. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are beneficial symbionts of most land plants that enhance plant nutrient uptake, particularly of phosphate. A growing number of reports point to the substantially increased N accumulation in…
Molecular mechanisms enabling the switching and maintenance of epigenetic states are not fully understood. Distinct histone modifications are often associated with ON/OFF epigenetic states, but how these states are stably maintained through DNA replication, yet in certain situations switch from one to another remains unclear. Here, we address this problem…
Plants are known for their outstanding capacity to recover from various wounds and injuries. However, it remains largely unknown how plants sense diverse forms of injury and canalize existing developmental processes into the execution of a correct regenerative response. Auxin, a cardinal plant hormone with morphogen-like properties, has been previously…
Physical proximity to a traumatic event increases the severity of accompanying stress symptoms, an effect that is reminiscent of evolutionarily configured fear responses based on threat imminence. Despite being widely adopted as a model system for stress and anxiety disorders, fear-conditioning research has not yet characterized how threat proximity impacts…
Dvl (Dishevelled) is one of several essential nonenzymatic components of the Wnt signaling pathway. In most current models, Dvl forms complexes with Wnt ligand receptors, Fzd and LRP5/6 at the plasma membrane, which then recruits the destruction complex, eventually leading to inactivation of β-catenin degradation. Although this model is widespread,…
CHEMISTRY, SOCIAL SCIENCES Correction for "Twin-chain polymer hydrogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol) as new advanced tool for the cleaning of modern and contemporary art," by Rosangela Mastrangelo, David Chelazzi, Giovanna Poggi, Emiliano Fratini, Luciano Pensabene Buemi, Maria Laura Petruzzellis, and Piero Baglioni, which was first published March 9, 2020; 10.1073/pnas.1911811117…
PSYCHOLOGICAL AND COGNITIVE SCIENCES Correction for "There is no privileged link between kinds and essences early in development," by Alexander Noyes and Frank C. Keil, which was first published May 4, 2020; 10.1073/pnas.2003627117 (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 117, 10633–10635). The authors note that Fig. 1 appeared incorrectly. The y…
MEDICAL SCIENCES Correction for "Hepatic gap junctions amplify alcohol liver injury by propagating cGAS-mediated IRF3 activation," by Jay Luther, Sanjoy Khan, Manish K. Gala, Dmitry Kedrin, Gautham Sridharan, Russell P. Goodman, John J. Garber, Ricard Masia, Erik Diagacomo, Daniel Adams, Kevin R. King, Samuel Piaker, Hans-Christian Reinecker, Martin L. Yarmush,…
OPINION Correction to Supporting Information for "Opinion: Putting all foods on the same table: Achieving sustainable food systems requires full accounting," by Benjamin S. Halpern, Richard S. Cottrell, Julia L. Blanchard, Lex Bouwman, Halley E. Froehlich, Jessica A. Gephart, Nis Sand Jacobsen, Caitlin D. Kuempel, Peter B. McIntyre, Marc Metian,…
Origins of lead glassmaking in Spain Aerial view of the excavation area of the Rabad of Šaqunda with the Aljama Mosque of Córdoba, Spain, in the background. Image credit: Municipal Planning Department of Córdoba—University of Córdoba. Before the eighth century, glassmaking centers on the Levantine coast and in Egypt supplied…
In their contribution to PNAS, Sutherland et al. (1) document stable individual differences in the character traits spontaneously attributed to strangers based solely on their facial appearance ("first impressions"). Data from the accompanying twin study suggest that these idiosyncratic first impressions are products of individuals' direct social experience. These findings…
We thank Cook and Over (1) for their response to our recent article, where we find that unique experiences drive individual differences in impression formation (2). Overall, our theoretical positions are similar: We suggest that social associative learning underlies this core finding (2), and Cook and Over (1) clearly agree….
The analysis of collaborative science by Herz et al. (1) raises additional points worth consideration. The "deeply rooted biases in perceived self-contribution" that Herz et al. (1) describe are also well known outside of science. Most (all?) of us have lived with roommates, and worked alongside labmates, whom we have…
In a commentary on our recently published article in PNAS (1), demonstrating that scientists pose strong self-enhancing biases when requested to evaluate their contribution to published team work, Herschlag (2) extends the discussion and proposes potential explanations for these observed biases. We enjoyed reading Herschlag's examples and insights and think…
To say that Leslie Vosshall has a nose for impactful science is to state the obvious. For more than a decade, Vosshall, a professor at The Rockefeller University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, and member of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), has used her expertise in olfaction to combat…
The astonishing diversity of species on Earth has long puzzled ecologists and evolutionary biologists alike. For instance, why are there more than 300,000 species of beetles and only 10,000 species of mammals? Is it because the Creator is inordinately fond of beetles, as J. B. S. Haldane reportedly joked (1)?…
Enceladus is a small moon of Saturn that has active geysers at its south pole. Why this activity is confined to one small region of the surface has been a puzzle for 15 y. Now, in PNAS, Kang and Flierl (1) provide a possible answer: Localization of activity can arise…
The introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the 1990s has turned the once fatal condition of HIV-1/AIDS into a chronic illness. However, it has failed to fully eradicate the virus, which remains in a latent state in a small number of CD4+ T cells in individuals on ART. One promising…
The difficulty of achieving robust functional expression of insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) has hampered our understanding of these important molecular targets of globally deployed neonicotinoid insecticides at a time when concerns have grown regarding the toxicity of this chemotype to insect pollinators. We show that thioredoxin-related transmembrane protein 3…
This study investigates glass finds from the Iberian Peninsula as a proxy for identifying the mechanisms underlying technological transformations and innovation in the wake of the Arab conquest in the seventh and eighth centuries CE. High-resolution laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry data combined with lead isotope analyses of…
Notch pathway signaling is implicated in several human cancers. Aberrant activation and mutations of Notch signaling components are linked to tumor initiation, maintenance, and resistance to cancer therapy. Several strategies, such as monoclonal antibodies against Notch ligands and receptors, as well as small-molecule γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs), have been developed to…
We present a technique to construct a simplification of a feature network which can be used for interactive data exploration, biological hypothesis generation, and the detection of communities or modules of cofunctional features. These are modules of features that are not necessarily correlated, but nevertheless exhibit common function in their…
The application of pressure can achieve novel structures and exotic phenomena in condensed matters. However, such pressure-induced transformations are generally reversible and useless for engineering materials for ambient-environment applications. Here, we report comprehensive high-pressure investigations on a series of Dion–Jacobson (D-J) perovskites A′An−1PbnI3n+1 [A′ = 3-(aminomethyl) piperidin
Thrombogenic reaction, aggressive smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation, and sluggish endothelial cell (EC) migration onto bioinert metal vascular stents make poststenting reendothelialization a dilemma. Here, we report an easy to perform, biomimetic surface engineering strategy for multiple functionalization of metal vascular stents. We first design and graft a clickable mussel-inspired…
A substantial challenge in guiding elastic waves is the presence of reflection and scattering at sharp edges, defects, and disorder. Recently, mechanical topological insulators have sought to overcome this challenge by supporting back-scattering resistant wave transmission. In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a reconfigurable electroacoustic topological insulator exhibiting…
Matter's sensitivity to light polarization is characterized by linear and circular polarization effects, corresponding to the system's anisotropy and handedness, respectively. Recent investigations into the near-field properties of evanescent waves have revealed polarization states with out-of-phase transverse and longitudinal oscillations, resulting in trochoidal, or cartwheeling, field motion. H
The Atacama Large Millimeter Array has allowed a detailed observation of molecules in protoplanetary disks, which can evolve toward solar systems like our own. While CO, CO2, HCO, and H2CO are often abundant species in the cold zones of the disk, CH3OH or CH3CN are only found in a few…
DNA mismatch repair (MMR) corrects errors that occur during DNA replication. In humans, mutations in the proteins MutSα and MutLα that initiate MMR cause Lynch syndrome, the most common hereditary cancer. MutSα surveilles the DNA, and upon recognition of a replication error it undergoes adenosine triphosphate-dependent conformational changes and recruits…
Peroxiredoxins are central to cellular redox homeostasis and signaling. They serve as peroxide scavengers, sensors, signal transducers, and chaperones, depending on conditions and context. Typical 2-Cys peroxiredoxins are known to switch between different oligomeric states, depending on redox state, pH, posttranslational modifications, and other factors. Quaternary states and their changes…
FadE, an acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, introduces unsaturation to carbon chains in lipid metabolism pathways. Here, we report that FadE5 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtbFadE5) and Mycobacterium smegmatis (MsFadE5) play roles in drug resistance and exhibit broad specificity for linear acyl-CoA substrates but have a preference for those with long carbon chains. Here,…
Bacterial transfer RNAs (tRNAs) contain evolutionarily conserved sequences and modifications that ensure uniform binding to the ribosome and optimal translational accuracy despite differences in their aminoacyl attachments and anticodon nucleotide sequences. In the tRNA anticodon stem−loop, the anticodon sequence is correlated with a base pair in the anticodon loop (nucleotides…
The metaphase spindle is a dynamic structure orchestrating chromosome segregation during cell division. Recently, soft matter approaches have shown that the spindle behaves as an active liquid crystal. Still, it remains unclear how active force generation contributes to its characteristic spindle-like shape. Here we combine theory and experiments to show…
Biomolecules can undergo liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), forming dense droplets that are increasingly understood to be important for cellular function. Analogous systems are studied as early-life compartmentalization mechanisms, for applications as protocells, or as drug-delivery vehicles. In many of these situations, interactions between the droplet and enzymatic solutes are important…
Agonists to the μ-opioid G protein-coupled receptor (μOR) can alleviate pain through activation of G protein signaling, but they can also induce β-arrestin activation, leading to such side effects as respiratory depression. Biased ligands to μOR that induce G protein signaling without inducing β-arrestin signaling can alleviate pain while reducing…
Phytochromes are a diverse family of bilin-binding photoreceptors that regulate a wide range of physiological processes. Their photochemical properties make them attractive for applications in optogenetics and superresolution microscopy. Phytochromes undergo reversible photoconversion triggered by the Z ⇄ E photoisomerization about the double bond in the bilin chromophore. However, it…
The epididymal lumen contains a complex cystatin-rich nonpathological amyloid matrix with putative roles in sperm maturation and sperm protection. Given our growing understanding for the biological function of this and other functional amyloids, the problem still remains: how functional amyloids assemble including their initial transition to early oligomeric forms. To…
In photosynthetic reaction centers from purple bacteria (PbRC) and the water-oxidizing enzyme, photosystem II (PSII), charge separation occurs along one of the two symmetrical electron-transfer branches. Here we report the microscopic origin of the unidirectional charge separation, fully considering electron–hole interaction, electronic coupling of the pigments, and electrostatic interaction with.
Calcium uptake by the mitochondrial calcium uniporter coordinates cytosolic signaling events with mitochondrial bioenergetics. During the past decade all protein components of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter have been identified, including MCU, the pore-forming subunit. However, the specific lipid requirements, if any, for the function and formation of this channel complex…
Master splicing regulator MBNL1 shapes large transcriptomic changes that drive cellular differentiation during development. Here we demonstrate that MBNL1 is a suppressor of tumor dedifferentiation. We surveyed MBNL1 expression in matched tumor/normal pairs across The Cancer Genome Atlas and found that MBNL1 was down-regulated in several common cancers. Down-regulation of…
Proteins have evolved by incorporating several structural units within a single polypeptide. As a result, multidomain proteins constitute a large fraction of all proteomes. Their domains often fold to their native structures individually and vectorially as each domain emerges from the ribosome or the protein translocation channel, leading to the…
Urban mining of precious metals from electronic waste, such as printed circuit boards (PCB), is not yet feasible because of the lengthy isolation process, health risks, and environmental impact. Although porous polymers are particularly effective toward the capture of metal contaminants, those with porphyrin linkers have not yet been considered…
The Ritz upper bound to eigenvalues of Hermitian operators is essential for many applications in science. It is a staple of quantum chemistry and physics computations. The lower bound devised by Temple in 1928 [G. Temple, Proc. R. Soc. A Math. Phys. Eng. Sci. 119, 276–293 (1928)] is not, since…
Earth-abundant oxygen evolution catalysts (OECs) with extended stability in acid can be constructed by embedding active sites within an acid-stable metal-oxide framework. Here, we report stable NiPbOx films that are able to perform oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysis for extended periods of operation (>20 h) in acidic solutions of pH…
The polar trophoblast overlays the epiblast in eutherian mammals and, depending on the species, has one of two different fates. It either remains a single-layered, thinning epithelium called "Rauber's layer," which soon disintegrates, or, alternatively, it keeps proliferating, contributing heavily to the population of differentiating, invasive trophoblast cells and, at…
A distinct class of aurora, called transpolar auroral arc (TPA) (in some cases called "theta" aurora), appears in the extremely high-latitude ionosphere of the Earth when interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is northward. The formation and evolution of TPA offers clues about processes transferring energy and momentum from the solar wind…
This article shows that higher ethnolinguistic diversity is associated with a greater risk of social tensions and conflict, which, in turn, is a dispersion force lowering urbanization and the incentives to move to big cities. We construct a worldwide dataset at a fine-grained level on urban settlement patterns and ethnolinguistic…
Atomistic simulations of dislocation mobility reveal that body-centered cubic (BCC) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) are distinctly different from traditional BCC metals. HEAs are concentrated solutions in which composition fluctuation is almost inevitable. The resultant inhomogeneities, while locally promoting kink nucleation on screw dislocations, trap them against propagation with an appreciable ener
Nature has inspired the design of robots in which soft actuators enable tasks such as handling of fragile objects and adapting to unstructured environments. Those tasks are difficult for traditional robots, which predominantly consist of hard components. Electrohydraulic soft actuators are liquid-filled shells that deform upon the application of electric…
Chronic stress has been widely proposed to increase systemic inflammation, a pathway that may link stress with a heightened risk for many diseases. The chronic stress–inflammation relationship has been challenging to study in humans, however, and family caregiving has been identified as one type of stressful situation that might lead…
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has already claimed more than 470,000 deaths worldwide at the time of this writing (1) and is likely to claim many more. Models can help us determine how to stop the spread…
Saliva is a noninvasive biofluid that can contain metabolite signatures of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Conductive polymer spray ionization mass spectrometry (CPSI-MS) is employed to record a wide range of metabolite species within a few seconds, making this technique appealing as a point-of-care method for the early detection of…
At birth, an infant's brain is packed with roughly 100 billion neurons—some 15% more than it will have as an adult. As we learn and grow, our experiences strengthen the circuits that prove most relevant while the others weaken and fade. Nerve cells in the cerebellum called purkinje cells (blue)…
The boundary modes of topological insulators are protected by the symmetries of the nontrivial bulk electronic states. Unless these symmetries are broken, they can give rise to novel phenomena, such as the quantum spin Hall effect in one-dimensional (1D) topological edge states, where quasiparticle backscattering is suppressed by time-reversal symmetry…
Charge-density waves (CDWs) are ubiquitous in underdoped cuprate superconductors. As a modulation of the valence electron density, CDWs in hole-doped cuprates possess both Cu-3d and O-2p orbital character owing to the strong hybridization of these orbitals near the Fermi level. Here, we investigate underdoped Bi2Sr1.4La0.6CuO6+δ using resonant inelastic X-ray scattering…
Competing interactions in quantum materials induce exotic states of matter such as frustrated magnets, an extensive field of research from both the theoretical and experimental perspectives. Here, we show that competing energy scales present in the low-dimensional orbital-selective Mott phase (OSMP) induce an exotic magnetic order, never reported before. Earlier…
Ultrasound propagation through externally stressed, disordered granular materials was experimentally and numerically investigated. Experiments employed piezoelectric transducers to excite and detect longitudinal ultrasound waves of various frequencies traveling through randomly packed sapphire spheres subjected to uniaxial compression. The experiments featured in situ X-ray tomography and diffract
Rates of suicide in the United States are at a more than 20-y high. Suicide contagion, or spread of suicide-related thoughts and behaviors through exposure to sensationalized and harmful content is a well-recognized phenomenon. Health authorities have published guidelines for news media reporting on suicide to help prevent contagion; however,…
The most effective way to stem the spread of a pandemic such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is social distancing, but the introduction of such measures is hampered by the fact that a sizeable part of the population fails to see their need. Three studies conducted during the mass spreading…
Based on harmonized census data from 81 countries, we estimate how age and coresidence patterns shape the vulnerability of countries' populations to outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We estimate variation in deaths arising due to a simulated random infection of 10% of the population living in private households and…
Behavioral and social scientists have identified many nonbiological predictors of mortality. An important limitation of much of this research, however, is that risk factors are not studied in comparison with one another or from across different fields of research. It therefore remains unclear which factors should be prioritized for interventions…
Not Interested Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russian space agency Roscosmos, has nothing nice to say about NASA's efforts to return astronauts to the Moon, Ars Technica reports . In an interview with Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda — a former mouthpiece of the USSR — Rogozin said Russia had no interest in working with NASA on its Artemis Moon program. "Frankly speaking, we are not interested
Smartphones enjoy high adoption rates around the globe. Rarely more than an arm's length away, these sensor-rich devices can easily be repurposed to collect rich and extensive records of their users' behaviors (e.g., location, communication, media consumption), posing serious threats to individual privacy. Here we examine the extent to which…
Memory reconsolidation occurs when a retrieving event destabilizes transiently a consolidated memory, triggering thereby a new process of restabilization that ensures memory persistence. Although this phenomenon has received wide attention, the effect of new information cooccurring with the reconsolidation process has been less explored. Here we demonstrate that a memory-retrieving…
In combating viral infections, the Fab portion of an antibody could mediate virus neutralization, whereas Fc engagement of Fc-γ receptors (FcγRs) could mediate an array of effector functions. Evidence abounds that effector functions are important in controlling infections by influenza, Ebola, or HIV-1 in animal models. However, the relative contribution…
Type I IFN (IFN-I) is thought to be rapidly internalized and degraded following binding to its receptor and initiation of signaling. However, many studies report the persistent effects mediated by IFN-I for days or even weeks, both ex vivo and in vivo. These long-lasting effects are attributed to downstream signaling…
Mutant phenotype analysis of bacteria has been revolutionized by genome-scale screening procedures, but essential genes have been left out of such studies because mutants are missing from the libraries analyzed. Since essential genes control the most fundamental processes of bacterial life, this is a glaring deficiency. To address this limitation,…
Erythrocytes naturally capture certain bacterial pathogens in circulation, kill them through oxidative stress, and present them to the antigen-presenting cells (APCs) in the spleen. By leveraging this innate immune function of erythrocytes, we developed erythrocyte-driven immune targeting (EDIT), which presents nanoparticles from the surface of erythrocytes to the APCs in…
When a metal nanoparticle is brought near to a metal surface within electron tunneling distance (∼1 nm), classical electromagnetic coupling between the nanoparticle and the metal is expected to transition to quantum coupling. We show that this transition can be observed as a drastic phase change in the surface plasmon…
Vγ9Vδ2 T cells are a major human blood γδ T cell population that respond in a T cell receptor (TCR)-dependent manner to phosphoantigens which are generated by a variety of microorganisms. It is not clear how Vγ9Vδ2 T cells react toward the sudden microbial exposure early after birth. We found…
Donald Trump's commutation of his friend Roger Stone's criminal sentence is one of the most severe affronts to the rule of law during the Trump administration—and that's really saying something. Fortunately, it's not indelible. A future Justice Department could indict Stone once again. And this fact highlights that on the ballot in 2020 is not just a forward-looking end to Trump's corruption and
Astronomers have discovered the second-most distant short gamma-ray burst (SGRB) ever detected using two Maunakea Observatories in Hawaii. It's also the most distant SGRB to have its optical afterglow captured. W. M. Keck Observatory and the international Gemini Observatory (on Maunakea) data confirm the SGRB is located 10 billion light-years away when the universe was in its 'teenage years.' Find
Scientists combined solar cell technology with a novel optimization approach to develop a smart window prototype that maximizes design across a wide range of criteria.
Scientists combined solar cell technology with a novel optimization approach to develop a smart window prototype that maximizes design across a wide range of criteria.
Mandatory Backdoor Any company doing business in China is required to file for taxes using software called Golden Tax Invoicing. And now, security researchers have an idea why the Chinese government likes it so much: they say it's riddled with spyware . Installing Golden Tax Invoicing infects computers with spyware called GoldenHelper, Ars Technica reports , which essentially grants backdoor acce
Most older adults say they've experienced ageism, but a majority still hold positive attitudes toward aging, a new poll finds. An offhand remark by an acquaintance about using a smartphone. A joke about someone losing their memory or hearing. An ad in a magazine focused on erasing wrinkles or gray hair. An inner worry that getting older means growing lonely. "Everyday ageism is part of American c
The impact event that formed the Chicxulub crater (Yucatán Peninsula, México) caused the extinction of 75% of species on Earth 66 million years ago, including non-avian dinosaurs. One place that did not experience much extinction was the deep, as organisms living in the abyss made it through the mass extinction event with just some changes to community structure.
A new study finds that the technical interviews currently used in hiring for many software engineering positions test whether a job candidate has performance anxiety rather than whether the candidate is competent at coding. The interviews may also be used to exclude groups or favor specific job candidates.
Medicated chewing gum has been recognized as a new advanced drug delivery method but currently there is no gold standard for testing drug release from chewing gum in vitro. New research has shown a chewing robot with built-in humanoid jaws could provide opportunities for pharmaceutical companies to develop medicated chewing gum.
Researchers argue that cognitive studies in comparative psychology often wrongly take an anthropocentric approach, resulting in an over-valuation of human-like abilities and the assumption that cognitive skills cluster in animals as they do in humans. The authors advocate for philosophical and procedural changes to the discipline that would lead to a better understanding of animal minds and the ev
Stoke-on-Trent faces an increased threat of poverty and destitution due to the COVID-19 crisis, a new report reveals. The research has been carried out by Staffordshire University Business School for the Stoke-on-Trent Hardship Commission and highlights the considerable work to be still done by central government to 'level-up' the Stoke-on-Trent economy.
The impact event that formed the Chicxulub crater (Yucatán Peninsula, México) caused the extinction of 75% of species on Earth 66 million years ago, including non-avian dinosaurs. One place that did not experience much extinction was the deep, as organisms living in the abyss made it through the mass extinction event with just some changes to community structure.
As a rapid influx of patients overwhelmed health systems during the coronavirus pandemic, palliative nurses played dual roles supporting patients, patient families, and colleagues. Two researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) are among those detailing the important role palliative care has in responding during the COVID-19 pandemic and in future public health
For information from Johns Hopkins Medicine about the coronavirus pandemic, visit hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus. For information on the coronavirus from throughout the Johns Hopkins enterprise, including the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and The Johns Hopkins University, visit coronavirus.jhu.edu.
Therapies for treating glioblastoma brain cancer can be delivered with greater precision and existing drugs can be used in new ways. These are the conclusions from a study from Uppsala University investigating a large number of cell samples from patients with brain tumours. The researchers have characterised how changes in glioblastoma cells influence the effect of different drugs. Their findings
In a new study, patients who received single intravenous dose of tocilizumab were also more likely to leave the hospital or be off a ventilator within a month, despite double the risk of additional infection. Critically ill COVID-19 patients who received a single dose of a drug that calms an overreacting immune system were 45% less likely to die overall, and more likely to be out of the hospital
Vibrations of atoms in a crystal of the semiconductor gallium arsenide (GaAs) are impulsively shifted to a higher frequency by an optically excited electric current. The related change in the spatial distribution of charge between gallium and arsenic atoms acts back on their motions via electric interactions.
A team of researchers has created a perovskite solar mini module that has recorded the highest power conversion efficiency of any perovskite-based device larger than 10 cm2.
Every spring, a large number of ground-nests of farmland birds are accidentally destroyed by mechanical operations, such as ploughing and sowing. A new study shows for the first time that such nests can be located using a drone in combination with artificial intelligence.
Small amounts of plutonium (Pu) were released from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) reactors into the environment during the site's 2011 nuclear disaster. However, the physical, chemical, and isotopic form of the released Pu has remained unknown. Now, recent work has shown that Pu was included inside cesium-rich microparticles (CsMPs) that were emitted from the site.
A new study suggests that a number of practices in video games, such as token wagering, real-money gaming, and social casino spending, are significantly linked to problem gambling.
The death of a twin, especially earlier in life, can increase the risk of their surviving twin being diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, finds a new study.
Airborne microplastics from traffic pollution may be entering the world's oceans at a similar rate to that from rivers, according to new research Tuesday warning that the particles may also speed up Arctic ice melt.
There's still a lot researchers don't know about how SARS-CoV-2 can travel from an expectant parent to their unborn fetus. (Pixabay/) Scientists are learning more about how COVID-19 affects pregnant people and the fetuses they carry all the time, but there's still a lot they aren't sure of. "People are working really hard to try to understand the effects of COVID-19 on [expectant mothers and thei
Margaret Nakamoto will introduce the BD Rhapsody™ Single-Cell Analysis System, and Ravi Majeti will discuss how he and his team used concurrent RNA and BD® AbSeq Antibody-oligo multiplexed surface marker analysis to improve HSPC clustering and characterize specific phenotypic states along unique hematopoietic differentiation trajectories.
While multiple recent studies have provided evidence of the benefits of case management, primary care teams have struggled to implement and sustain its use in their clinical practices. In this systematic review, researchers examine barriers to case management, as well as factors facilitating its implementation.
Researchers affiliated with the Robert Graham Center for Policy Studies in Family Medicine and Primary Care conducted a descriptive bibliometric analysis to determine the gender ratio of scholarly authorship on publications by its researchers between 2008 and 2018.
Researchers have developed a tiny plastic robot, made of responsive polymers, which moves under the influence of light and magnetism. In the future this 'wireless aquatic polyp' should be able to attract and capture contaminant particles from the surrounding liquid or pick up and transport cells for analysis in diagnostic devices.
Rapid follow-up of the optical afterglow from one of the most distant confirmed short gamma-ray bursts (SGRB), thought to be the merger of two neutron stars, is casting new light on these enigmatic objects. The observations confirmed the object's distance and placed it squarely in the epoch of cosmic high noon, when the Universe was in its "teenage years" and rapidly forming stars.
Although carrion crows and hooded crows are almost indistinguishable genetically, they avoid mating with each other. Researchers have now identified a mutation that appears to contribute to this instance of reproductive isolation.
Researchers have showed that HLA-G gene regulates male-to-female ratio at birth. The study strengthens earlier findings of the vulnerability of male fetuses to preeclampsia.
A smaller proportion of people seem to be dying from covid-19 in the US and in hospitals in England, but that doesn't mean the coronavirus is becoming less deadly
How should one design porous carbon materials for advanced Li-S batteries cathodes? What electrolytes are extensively studied for high-safety Li-S batteries? In a paper published in Nano, a group of researchers from Qingdao, China have reviewed the recent progress in sulfur/carbon cathode materials and high safety electrolytes towards advanced Li-S batteries. Some potential issues and possible dev
Climate change and an increase in disturbed bee habitats from expanding agriculture and development in northeastern North America over the last 30 years are likely responsible for a 94 per cent loss of plant-pollinator networks, York University researchers found.
In a discovery with important implications for criminal justice, a team of scientists from USC and other Southern California research institutions has developed a unique way to measure the reliability of an eyewitness trying to pick a culprit from a police lineup.
When a bicycle gets wet in the rain, the frame and chain become corroded or rusty, which shortens the life of the bike. Oil needs to be regularly applied to prevent this from happening. Battery cells are devices that create electrical energy through moving electrons by triggering oxidation and reduction reactions separately. But they also corrode when exposed to oxygen. Can these cells also be gre
Climate change and an increase in disturbed bee habitats from expanding agriculture and development in northeastern North America over the last 30 years are likely responsible for a 94 per cent loss of plant-pollinator networks, York University researchers found.
Rapid follow-up of the optical afterglow from one of the most distant confirmed short gamma-ray bursts (SGRB), thought to be the merger of two neutron stars, is casting new light on these enigmatic objects. The observations, made by the international Gemini Observatory, a Program of NSF's NOIRLab, confirmed the object's distance and placed it squarely in the epoch of cosmic high noon, when the Uni
Detailed wiring diagrams–connectomes–for the brain are critical for understanding brain development, function, and disease. CSHL scientists found a way to use a large set of short snippets of DNA to label neurons, increasing the number of paths that can be traced in a single experiment versus other brain mapping techniques.
Scientists combined solar cell technology with a novel optimization approach to develop a smart window prototype that maximizes design across a wide range of criteria.
Dr. Irina Arzhantseva and Professor Heinrich Haerke from the Centre for Classical and Oriental Archaeology (IKVIA, Faculty of Humanities, HSE University) have been involved in the discovery of the earliest domestic cat yet found in northern Eurasia.
As explained in their report, the team implemented a flexible platform to generate VVBs and Gaussian beams, and investigated their propagation through a medium that mimics the features of biological tissue.
Nature, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02118-6 As institutions scale back in-person learning in response to COVID-19, a federal directive requires students from abroad to take on-campus classes or return home.
Public urged to send in snaps of paintings to help unpick how produce has evolved From the juicy grapes depicted by Clara Peeters to Cézanne's colourful apples, fruit and vegetables have appeared on myriad canvases over the centuries. Now researchers want the public to send in their snaps of such paintings to help unpick how our produce has evolved. The duo behind the idea say harvesting such ima
NASA's much-awaited James Webb Space Telescope may finally get its place in the night sky: NASA says it's now completed its final litany of critical software and electrical systems tests, theoretically clearing it for launch as soon as 2021. It's the "largest and most technically complex space science telescope NASA has ever built," according to a statement . It's an international collaboration o
ATCG Drive The intricate arrangement of base pairs in our DNA encodes just about everything about us. Now, DNA contains the entirety of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" as well. A team of University of Texas Austin scientists just vastly improved the storage capacity of DNA and managed to encode the entire novel — translated into the geek-friendly language of Esperanto — in a double strand of DNA far
New research has revealed when it comes to flying the largest of birds don't rely on flapping to move around. Instead they make use of air currents to keep them airborne for hours at a time. A study has revealed the Andean condor – the world's heaviest soaring bird – actually flaps its wings for one per cent of its flight time.
Сalcium carbonate particles are among the most promising bioactive compounds. However, before their use for drug delivery, their toxicity should be established, as well as their distribution inside laboratory animals. A team of investigators from ITMO University's Department of Physics and Engineering and Russian Scientific Center of Radiology and Surgical Technologies has developed novel approach
Antibiotics are among the most commonly prescribed medications, but in determining the most appropriate prescription for a patient, doctors and pharmacists often rely on inaccurate records of the patient's antibiotic allergies. Many records are incomplete, unclear or incorrect.
Infusing umbilical cord blood – a readily available source of stem cells – safely and effectively treated 44 children born with various non-cancerous genetic disorders, including sickle cell, thalassemia, Hunter syndrome, Krabbe disease, MLD, and an array of immune deficiencies.
This study provides an overview of the characteristics of physicians who completed family medicine residency training from 1994 to 2017. It serves to update the only previous comprehensive national review of this kind, conducted in 1996, which covered family medicine graduates from 1969 through 1993.
In France, the implementation of new prescribing rules for the sedative-hypnotic drug zolpidem led to an important and immediate decrease in use. This decline was partially compensated for by a rise in the use of a nonbenzodiazepine drug called zopiclone.
This report–describing the first national quality improvement collaborative focused on providing culturally affirming care for LGBT people–finds that making primary care practices more LGBT-friendly and inclusive may improve STD and HIV screening rates among this vulnerable population.
For the first time, scientists have developed a way to measure the reliability of an eyewitness trying to pick a culprit from a police lineup. The findings could help reduce the number of innocent people convicted of crimes.
People wrongfully accused of a crime often wait years — if ever — to be exonerated. Many of these wrongfully accused cases stem from unreliable eyewitness testimony. Now, Salk scientists have identified a new way of presenting a lineup to an eyewitness that could improve the likelihood that the correct suspect is identified and reduce the number of innocent people sentenced to jail.
Consumption of DHA supplements, an omega-3 fatty acid, by breastfeeding mothers is ineffective in preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants born before the 29th week of pregnancy. This is the main conclusion of a Canada-wide study published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has found that mice infected with Chikungunya virus get less sick and are less likely to transmit the virus to mosquitoes if they have healthy gut microbiomes.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine reveal for the first time the complete 3-D structure of the active, full-length androgen receptor-coactivator complex as it interacts with DNA.
Scientists successfully edited RNA in a living animal in such a way that the repaired RNA then corrected a mutation in a protein that gives rise to a debilitating neurological disorder in people known as Rett syndrome. The new study targeted and repaired the MeCP2 protein across a variety of cell types, a scientific first.
Researchers at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have produced the first end-to-end DNA sequence of a human chromosome. The results, published today in the journal Nature, show that generating a precise, base-by-base sequence of a human chromosome is now possible, and will enable researchers to produce a complete sequence of the h
Although the current human reference genome is the most accurate and complete vertebrate genome ever produced, there are still gaps in the DNA sequence, even after two decades of improvements. Now, for the first time, scientists have determined the complete sequence of a human chromosome from one end to the other ('telomere to telomere') with no gaps and an unprecedented level of accuracy.
The outcomes of universal COVID-19 testing following the discovery of new cases in 11 long-term care facilities in the US are evaluated in this observational study.
Addressing potential threats from predators has not slowed the dramatic decline of mountain caribou in British Columbia and Alberta, according to a new study by scientists from the University of Alberta and two other western Canadian universities.
Plant geneticists seeking to understand the history of plant-based foods can decode the genomes of ancient crops from well-preserved samples. However, this approach leaves significant gaps in the evolutionary timelines of many fruits, vegetables, and cereal crops. A Science & Society article publishing July 14th in the journal Trends in Plant Science details a unique approach to filling these gaps
In this tour of the microscopic world, explorer and artist Ariel Waldman introduces the charismatic creatures lurking beneath Antarctica's massive ice sheet, the largest on earth. From "cuddly" water bears to geometric algae made of glass, Waldman shows how this seemingly barren landmass is actually a polar oasis of life — if we just know where to look.
The Atlantic Festival has become the preeminent live exploration of the ideas that shape a changing nation, featuring conversations with the people at the center of the biggest stories. This fall, The Atlantic will bring all of America to the festival as it makes the marquee event virtual and free to attend—offering four days of news-making interviews, performances, film screenings, and conversat
This story is part of our ongoing list of answers to the biggest questions our readers have about the coronavirus. That list is constantly updated, and you can check it out here . Since early in the pandemic, there's been an interest in learning whether blood type has anything to do with who is more likely to get infected by the coronavirus or how bad the effects will be. Here's what we know so f
Nature Communications, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17194-5 Eyewitness errors contribute to wrongful convictions. Here, the authors present a lineup procedure that reveals the structure of eyewitness memory, reduces decision bias, and measures performance of individual witnesses.
When you drive, tiny bits of plastic fly off your tires and brakes. Now scientists have shown how all that road muck is blowing into "pristine" environments like the Arctic.
Wind-borne microplastics are a bigger source of ocean pollution than rivers, say scientists More than 200,000 tonnes of tiny plastic particles are blown from roads into the oceans every year, according to research. The study suggests wind-borne microplastics are a bigger source of ocean pollution than rivers, the route that has attracted most attention to date. The analysis focused on the tiny pa
Even in tough times, humans are optimists for most of our lives, according to a new study. Researchers led the largest study of its kind to determine how optimistic people are in life and when as well as how major life events affect how optimistic they are about the future. "Even people with fairly bad circumstances, who have had tough things happen in their lives, look to their futures and life
This study analyzes patterns of participation in the Comprehensive Primary Care Plus initiative which is the largest voluntary primary care payment and delivery reform model tested to date.
In November 2019, clinicians, health administrators, educators and researchers from around the world gathered in Toronto to discuss how to best address social determinants of health from a primary care perspective.
New research has revealed when it comes to flying the largest of birds don't rely on flapping to move around. Instead they make use of air currents to keep them airborne for hours at a time. A study has revealed the Andean condor – the world's heaviest soaring bird – actually flaps its wings for one per cent of its flight time.
The authors of this study developed a single risk score derived from multiple social determinants of health that predicts county-level cardiovascular disease mortality. The authors conclude that their multivariable SDoH risk score can identify counties with high CVD risk and has the potential to improve CVD risk prediction and interventions for vulnerable populations at the county level.
Rapid follow-up of the optical afterglow from one of the most distant confirmed short gamma-ray bursts (SGRB), thought to be the merger of two neutron stars, is casting new light on these enigmatic objects. The observations, made by the international Gemini Observatory, a Program of NSF's NOIRLab, confirmed the object's distance and placed it squarely in the epoch of cosmic high noon, when the Uni
Climate change and an increase in disturbed bee habitats from expanding agriculture and development in northeastern North America over the last 30 years are likely responsible for a 94 per cent loss of plant-pollinator networks, York University researchers found. The researchers, corresponding author Professor Sandra Rehan of the Faculty of Science and grad student Minna Mathiasson of the Universi
Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have conducted the first global assessment into the most promising approaches to end-of-life management for solar photovoltaic (PV) modules.
University of Michigan public health experts Julia Wolfson and Cindy Leung argue that the COVID-19 pandemic has made glaringly apparent the structural conditions that underlie inequities in our nation's health. Race and ethnicity, housing, income, occupation and chronic health conditions are all key factors that influence one's ability to safely weather highly infectious disease pandemics like COV
Nine out of 10 US men ages 18 to 35 support health care providers asking about intimate partner violence, according to new survey analysis. Data from a 2014 nationally representative survey showed that while most men support health care-based intimate partner violence screenings, only about 10 percent reported being asked by their doctor.
Middle-aged people in the United States have worse health than their English counterparts, research finds. The study also shows that the difference in health between rich and poor is much larger on the American side of the Atlantic. In fact, even the top income earners in their late 50s and early 60s in the US have higher rates of diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, and mental health condit
Eight-metre statue built in 5th century BC had been buried among ancient ruins A colossal statue of Atlas, buried for centuries among ancient ruins, will soon take its rightful place among the ancient Greek temples of Agrigento on Sicily. The city's archaeological park announced that the artwork, one of the most celebrated sculptures on the island, will be raised upright in front of the Temple of
Frogs' green color comes from a clever biochemical workaround that combines a normally virus-fighting type of protein with a toxic byproduct of blood breakdown, according to new research. The new research solves a few longstanding mysteries about these frogs. "In other words, Kermit has jaundice." Frogs and toads are green for a very good reason—it makes them harder to see in their leafy environm
Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology developed a tiny plastic robot, made of responsive polymers, which moves under the influence of light and magnetism. In the future this 'wireless aquatic polyp' should be able to attract and capture contaminant particles from the surrounding liquid or pick up and transport cells for analysis in diagnostic devices. The researchers published their re
Until recently, economists, policy makers and workforce experts have relied on outdated and inaccurate snapshots of the US physician workforce, making it especially difficult to predict the need and availability of health care services across the country. In this study, Wingrove et al examine how machine learning algorithms may allow for more real-time, accurate descriptions of the medical workfor
Annals of Family Medicine is a peer-reviewed, indexed research journal that provides a cross-disciplinary forum for new, evidence-based information affecting the primary care disciplines.
America's vast fields of corn and soybeans have displaced wildlife and polluted waterways. Farmers could help solve those problems, but often don't, in part because they rent that land. (Image credit: Omar de Kok-Mercado, Iowa State University)
Recent NASA missions to asteroids have gathered important data about the early evolution of our Solar System, planet formation, and how life may have originated on Earth. These missions also provide crucial information to deflect asteroids that could hit Earth.
Research showing the key features of healthy relationships will be used in schools around the country to help teenagers learn how to build healthy relationships of their own.
Scientists have discovered a common molecular feature found in many of the human antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
Propagate light through any kind of medium – be it free space or biological tissue – and light will scatter. Robustness to scattering is a common requirement for communications and for imaging systems. Structured light, with its use of projected patterns, is resistant to scattering, and has therefore emerged as a versatile tool. In particular, modes of structured light carrying orbital angular mom
Nature, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02002-3 The pandemic has set back efforts to achieve the original 2015 targets. The need for change to make them more attainable is stronger than ever.
Although carrion crows and hooded crows are almost indistinguishable genetically, they avoid mating with each other. Researchers from Ludwig-Maximlian-Universitaet (LMU) in Munich have now identified a mutation that appears to contribute to this instance of reproductive isolation.
In a retrospective study, investigators from New York University Langone Health found that the quantity of SARS-CoV-2 (viral load) collected from patients in the emergency department is significantly higher in patients with fewer or milder symptoms who did not require hospitalization–the opposite of what might be expected. Reporting in The American Journal of Pathology, they also found that a pat
Cardiac CT exams performed to assess heart health also provide an effective way to screen for osteoporosis, potentially speeding treatment to the previously undiagnosed, according to a new study.
In 1931, the Austrian logician Kurt Gödel pulled off arguably one of the most stunning intellectual achievements in history. Mathematicians of the era sought a solid foundation for mathematics: a set of basic mathematical facts, or axioms, that was both consistent — never leading to contradictions — and complete, serving as the building blocks of all mathematical truths. But Gödel's shocking inco
How is it that we can recognise the shape of an object despite only seeing a limited range of wave lengths? Radboud mathematician Walter van Suijlekom explains in a new publication in the journal Communications in Mathematical Physics on 14 July. "We can compare this to MP3s: with a limited range of sound waves, we easily get the impression we are listening to an analogue recording of music." This
Online stores can use algorithms to charge some customers higher prices than others. European laws only offer limited protection against such price differentiation. Frederik Zuiderveen Borgesius, Professor of ICT and Private Law at Radboud University, has written about this very topic in an article that was published in the European Business Law Review.
Rural voters in the American West have a strong commitment to environmental protections and conservation, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Wyoming, Duke University and the University of Rhode Island.
A team of researchers with members from several institutions in the U.S., one in the U.K. and one in Peru, has found evidence of forced migration by pre-colonial Incas. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes their multidisciplinary study of six individuals found in two cemeteries in what is now modern Peru, and what they learned from it.
Retail workers up to 75% more likely to die from virus than rest of population, says health secretary Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Mandatory mask-wearing will protect shop assistants who can be up to 75% more likely to die of coronavirus than the general population, Matt Hancock has said. The health secretary said the move to make face coverings mandatory for shop
Recent NASA missions to asteroids have used robotic explorers to gather data about the early evolution of our Solar System, planet formation, and how life may have originated on Earth. To design successful robotic explorers, researchers must understand how these explorers impact the surface of asteroids during their touchdown. University of Rochester researchers conducted lab experiments to determ
Cell therapy delivered directly to the kidney can revive a 'marginal' organ, improving function and could offer new hope for providing more kidneys for transplant.
Vibrations of atoms in a crystal of the semiconductor gallium arsenide (GaAs) are impulsively shifted to a higher frequency by an optically excited electric current. The related change in the spatial distribution of charge between gallium and arsenic atoms acts back on their motions via electric interactions.
Researchers have showed that HLA-G gene regulates male-to-female ratio at birth. The study strengthens earlier findings of the vulnerability of male fetuses to preeclampsia.
Moffitt Cancer Center researchers want to learn more about how PI3K inhibitor therapy works with the body's immune system to determine if there are ways to predict or mitigate associated adverse effects. Their findings were published in the July 14 issue of Blood Advances, a journal of the American Society of Hematology.
Activities in the field of artificial intelligence, like teaching robots to walk, demand ever more powerful, yet at the same time more economical computer chips. While the optimization of conventional microelectronics is slowly reaching its physical limits, nature offers us a blueprint how information can be processed and stored efficiently: our own brain. For the first time, scientists at TU Dres
The Dental Anthropology Group of the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), in collaboration with the paleoanthropologist Amélie Vialet of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) in Paris, has just published a detailed external and internal study of the molars in the mandible from the French site of Montmaurin-La Niche in the Journal of Human Evolution, whose
Vibrations of atoms in a crystal of the semiconductor gallium arsenide (GaAs) are impulsively shifted to a higher frequency by an optically excited electric current. The related change in the spatial distribution of charge between gallium and arsenic atoms acts back on their motions via electric interactions.
Brain aging is reversible . How? Why? And how much can we rejuvenate an already aged brain? Those were the one conviction and three questions that guided me throughout my post-doctoral work at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Yes, this isn't like my usual articles. For the first time, I'm covering my own work—a multi-year passion project that spans diverse ways to reverse brain
T umbrels are rattling through the streets of the internet. Over the past few years, online-led social movements have deposed gropers, exposed bullies—and, sometimes, ruined the lives of the innocent. Commentators warn of "mob justice," while activists exult in their newfound power to change the world. Both groups are right, and wrong. Because the best way to see the firings, outings, and online
Dr. Brandi Jackson, a psychiatrist at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said the COVID-19 pandemic has been her most difficult period as a psychiatrist. With an uptick in anxiety and depression in her primarily Black clientele, she's seeing patients who have been clean for years relapsing on drugs—and citing the coronavirus as pushing them over the line.
New Curtin University-led research has found that people living in rural and urban areas across Western Australia need to be educated about how to identify the different types of venomous and non-venomous reptiles in WA, with only 58 percent of survey participants being able to correctly identify different species.
Even frescos of ancient Egypt depict them: spoke wheels—and their basic form hasn't changed at all. They can be found on bicycles, cars, and in industry. In sports, spoke wheels made of lightweight fiber-reinforced plastics are widely used. Until now, production has been associated with high costs and thus unattractive for many applications. However, this is not the case with a new method develope
A tropical storm warning was issued for New York, New Jersey, and other mid-Atlantic states on Friday, July 10 due to Tropical Storm Fay, the earliest sixth-named storm on record. The storm made landfall near Atlantic City, N.J. on Friday evening and dumped between four and six inches of rain on some areas.
Like wine, cheese, and savvy financial investments, many tropical trees become more valuable with age. This is particularly true when it comes to carbon storage, because old trees are often the biggest trees and the larger the tree, the more carbon it stores.
New Curtin University-led research has found that people living in rural and urban areas across Western Australia need to be educated about how to identify the different types of venomous and non-venomous reptiles in WA, with only 58 percent of survey participants being able to correctly identify different species.
Lysine is an important amino acid that must be supplied in our diets, as our bodies can't produce lysine on their own. Most cereal grains have low levels of lysine, and scientists have worked to breed crops with higher lysine levels.
Researchers developed a new dynamic light scattering method to determine the sizes of circulating immune complexes in blood serum. The results of the study were published in the first quartile Biology Journal, MDPI Publishing House. Scientists mentioned, that this method is fast, contactless, safe and cheap.
A new study finds that the technical interviews currently used in hiring for many software engineering positions test whether a job candidate has performance anxiety rather than whether the candidate is competent at coding. The interviews may also be used to exclude groups or favor specific job candidates.
Medicated chewing gum has been recognised as a new advanced drug delivery method but currently there is no gold standard for testing drug release from chewing gum in vitro. New research by the University of Bristol has shown a chewing robot with built-in humanoid jaws could provide opportunities for pharmaceutical companies to develop medicated chewing gum.
In a paper published in the Journal of Intelligence, researchers argue that cognitive studies in comparative psychology often wrongly take an anthropocentric approach, resulting in an over-valuation of human-like abilities and the assumption that cognitive skills cluster in animals as they do in humans. The authors advocate for philosophical and procedural changes to the discipline that would lead
Both osteoblasts and osteoclasts are necessary for fracture repair. While osteoblasts are known to control the formation and activity of osteoclasts, the inter-cellular signaling involved in this process is not fully understood. Researchers led by Kanazawa University have now shown that osteoblast-derived extracellular vesicles containing signaling molecule RANKL are taken up by immature osteoclas
Small amounts of plutonium (Pu) were released from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) reactors into the environment during the site's 2011 nuclear disaster. However, the physical, chemical, and isotopic form of the released Pu has remained unknown. Now, recent work published in the journal "Science of the Total Environment" has shown that Pu was included inside cesium-rich m
A new study suggests that a number of practices in video games, such as token wagering, real-money gaming, and social casino spending, are significantly linked to problem gambling.
Scientists have discovered a new link between impaired brain energy metabolism and delirium — a disorienting and distressing disorder particularly common in the elderly and one that is currently occurring in a large proportion of patients hospitalized with COVID-19. The research suggests that therapies focusing on brain energy metabolism may offer new routes to mitigating delirium.
An experimental game reveals that having the freedom to choose preferred public goods greatly increases their value by motivating more, and better, provisioning.
Lysine is an important amino acid that must be supplied in our diets, as our bodies can't produce lysine on their own. Most cereal grains have low levels of lysine, and scientists have worked to breed crops with higher lysine levels.
Although carrion crows and hooded crows are almost indistinguishable genetically, they avoid mating with each other. LMU researchers have now identified a mutation that appears to contribute to this instance of reproductive isolation.
A dramatic oil spill, such as the Deepwater Horizon accident in the Gulf of Mexico a decade ago, can dominate headlines for months while scientists, policymakers and the public fret over what happens to all that oil in the environment. However, far less attention is paid to the fate of a petroleum product that has been spread deliberately across the planet for decades: asphalt binder.
Although carrion crows and hooded crows are almost indistinguishable genetically, they avoid mating with each other. LMU researchers have now identified a mutation that appears to contribute to this instance of reproductive isolation.
COVID-19 is changing how the U.S. disposes of waste. It is also threatening hard-fought victories that restricted or eliminated single-use disposable items, especially plastic, in cities and towns across the nation.
An unusual experiment clarifies why laundry that dries outdoors smells so good. The findings, published in Environmental Chemistry , show that towels that dried in the sun produced a range of aldehydes and ketones: organic compounds that our noses associate with the scent of plants or perfume . The researchers washed towels three times by hand in ultra-clean water in which there were no particles
Mask-wearing has divided the country, but hand-washing—one might think—is something virtually everyone would agree on. Hand-washing, after all, is one of the most critical parts of preventing the spread of infectious disease.
After a storage tank in Norilsk, northern Russia, collapsed in late May, 20,000 tonnes of diesel fuel was released into the environment. Strong winds caused the oil to spread more than 12 miles from the source, contaminating nearby rivers, lakes and the surrounding soil.
Mask-wearing has divided the country, but hand-washing—one might think—is something virtually everyone would agree on. Hand-washing, after all, is one of the most critical parts of preventing the spread of infectious disease.
The death of a twin, especially earlier in life, can increase the risk of their surviving twin being diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, finds a new study published today in eLife.
Research led by scientists at The Australian National University (ANU) could lead to major improvements in crop production. The study shows a new way to help study and ramp up photosynthesis.
A team of researchers at the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has created a perovskite solar mini module that has recorded the highest power conversion efficiency of any perovskite-based device larger than 10 cm2.
Terahertz radiation, or T-rays, has barely been exploited compared to most of the rest of the electromagnetic spectrum. Yet T-rays potentially have applications in next-generation wireless communications (6G/7G), security systems, biomedicine, and even art history. A new device for controlling T-rays using a specially designed 'metasurface' with properties not found in nature could begin to realiz
New research led by The University of Queensland has provided the first comprehensive analysis of pesticide mixtures in creeks and rivers discharging to the Great Barrier Reef.
The global energy shortages, environmental degradation and deteriorating healthcare are causing devastating effects to human life. The inherent properties of butterfly wings offer promising solutions to counter these effects through the fabrication of wing architecture inspired sensors and energy harnessing systems. Researchers in China have summarized the recent classification of butterfly wing a
Every spring, a large number of ground-nests of farmland birds are accidentally destroyed by mechanical operations, such as ploughing and sowing. A new study from the University of Helsinki shows for the first time that such nests can be located using a drone in combination with artificial intelligence.
People will have to book to visit V&A, Science Museum and Natural History Museum Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The V&A , the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum have announced plans to have a staggered reopening in which they anticipate 80% fewer visitors. The three museums, all neighbours in South Kensington, will reopen on different days in August to av
I wanted to point out an interesting interview given by Pfizer's CEO Albert Bourla to Time . I have made some pointed remarks about Pfizer over the years, but this is one of the better Q&A pieces like this that I have seen – you'll see why in some of the answers below. Bourla is actually quite optimistic about the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine program (four different mRNA attempts, as fans will recall
Research at Michigan State University is developing new styrene-free bio renewable resins with broad applicability in the construction of countertops, bathroom fixtures, windmill blades, and boats.
From the Nile to the Mississippi and from the Amazon to the Yangzi, human civilization is inextricably linked to the great rivers along which our societies developed. But rivers are mutable, and the benefits they bestow can quickly become disasters when these waterways change course.
Inden 2027 skal alt Huawei-udstyr være fjernet fra britiske 5G-mobilnetværk. Det har det britiske sikkerhedsråd med Boris Johnson i spidsen besluttet. Det ligner en kompromisløsning, som både tilgodeser det amerikanske ønske om at udelukke Huawei, og så de britiske teleoperatørers ønske om en blø…
Hardworking or lazy; trustworthy or dangerous: People often make assumptions about someone's character and personality based solely on how they're dressed.
Cells in our nervous system, or neurons, communicate with other cells by releasing chemical messengers, which bind to receptor proteins on neighboring cells and change their activity. Neuropeptides are one type of chemical messenger used by neurons to communicate.
There is strong evidence that carbon pricing works to strongly reduce emissions, according to the world's largest study on the issue published by researchers at The Australian National University (ANU) and Macquarie University today.
Contrary to popular belief, COVID-19 does not mean the end of cash, Bill Maurer argues. Although there was some concern during the early stages of the current crisis that paper money might transmit the virus , many people had heralded its demise even before the pandemic began. "If you use cash at a physical till, there's no data capture…" Despite the convenience of plastic, the sense of safety wi
Cells in our nervous system, or neurons, communicate with other cells by releasing chemical messengers, which bind to receptor proteins on neighboring cells and change their activity. Neuropeptides are one type of chemical messenger used by neurons to communicate.
How should one design porous carbon materials for advanced Li-S batteries cathodes? What electrolytes are extensively studied for high-safety Li-S batteries? In a paper published in NANO, a group of researchers from Qingdao, China have reviewed the recent progresses in sulfur/carbon cathode materials and high safety electrolytes towards advanced Li-S batteries. Some potential issues and possible d
New research, based on earlier results in mice, suggests that our brains are never at rest, even when we are not learning anything about the world around us.
Vertical farms with their soil-free, computer-controlled environments may sound like sci-fi. But there is a growing environmental and economic case for them, according to new research laying out radical ways of putting food on our plates.
My friend and colleague Sheila Youngson, who has died aged 65 from a stroke, was a clinical psychologist in the NHS from 1981, focusing on children and young people. Her final clinical post, from 1998 to 2010, was as consultant clinical psychologist at St James' hospital, in Leeds, where she was based at the paediatric renal unit. Within the medicalised environment of the hospital, she worked wit
The number of incarcerated people in the United States who tested positive for COVID-19 is 5.5 times higher per capita than the infection rate for the US general population, research finds. The researchers also found that after adjusting for age and sex differences between the two groups, the coronavirus death rate is three times higher for prisoners compared to the general US population. The stu
Almost four million people have been hit by monsoon floods in South Asia, officials said Thursday, with a third of Bangladesh already underwater from some of the heaviest rains in a decade.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States instituted business closures, social distancing and other policy measures to combat the spread of disease. University of Minnesota School of Public Health researchers began studying how these measures further impact our environment, including changes in U.S. air pollution levels. Their findings were recently published in the journal Science o
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is the largest and highest plateau in the world. The uplift of the QTP provides extraordinarily geomorphological and climatic diversity, promoting rapid radiation in plant lineages, while also harboring some ancient relictual taxa, such as Circaeaster, a genus contains only one species—Circaeaster agrestis.
NUS scientists have discovered the exchange bias phenomenon in van der Waals CrCl3/Fe3GeTe2 heterostructures. The exchange bias phenomenon has a number of applications in magnetic sensors and magnetic reading heads, which has not been reported in van der Waals heterostructures before.
A team of researchers from Japan, Hong Kong and Ethiopia has found a hand ax that they believe was made by a possibly direct human ancestor in what is now modern Ethiopia. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes finding the hand ax, their study of it and what they believe it represents.
New research has revealed when it comes to flying the largest of birds don't rely on flapping to move around. Instead they make use of air currents to keep them airborne for hours at a time.
From climate and biodiversity to public health and law enforcement, public goods benefit all. They are produced or maintained through widespread participation in public-goods provision that is vulnerable to low participation rates. Avoiding this vulnerability has spurred a continuing search for better ways to promote participation.
The UK has three months to avoid a potential second wave of infections in the winter that could lead to 120,000 hospital deaths, finds a report requested by the government's chief scientific adviser
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is the largest and highest plateau in the world. The uplift of the QTP provides extraordinarily geomorphological and climatic diversity, promoting rapid radiation in plant lineages, while also harboring some ancient relictual taxa, such as Circaeaster, a genus contains only one species—Circaeaster agrestis.
New research has revealed when it comes to flying the largest of birds don't rely on flapping to move around. Instead they make use of air currents to keep them airborne for hours at a time.
Bats' longevity and capacity to tolerate viruses may stem from their ability to control inflammation, researchers report. Bats are often considered patient zero for many deadly viruses affecting humans, including Ebola, rabies, and, most recently, the SARS-CoV-2 strain of virus that causes coronavirus. Although humans experience adverse symptoms when afflicted with these pathogens, bats are remar
People protest to signal that they are fed up with the status quo. But protest is rarely singularly focused. People are in the streets this summer over the murder of George Floyd, but the current racial reckoning in America goes far beyond lethal policing. People are in the streets because Black students are five times more likely than white students to attend highly segregated schools. Because B
A disposable face mask is burning in the bottom of a cake pan. It's a controlled blaze, the perfect size for roasting a hot dog—which someone is doing, holding it above the flame on a metal skewer. A tinny recording of "The Star-Spangled Banner" plays in the background, building to its familiar end just as the hot dog appears to be fully roasted. The comments beneath the 30-second video, posted t
Military personnel who are at a greater risk of suicide are more likely to unsafely store firearms in unlocked cabinets where they can access them easily, according to new research. Firearms account for approximately half of all suicide deaths in the United States and approximately two-thirds of all suicide deaths in the military. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's phone number is 1-800-2
Try to conjure up a mental image of a bicycle (without referencing a picture). Better yet, try to draw a bicycle. Most people (75% or more) cannot draw an accurate bicycle from memory. There are a lot of layers here . First, people tend to grossly overestimate their specific or technical knowledge, especially of everyday objects and processes. I often like to challenge myself with the caveman tho
A newly identified fault system in southeastern Nepal has the potential to cause earthquakes in a densely populated area, according to two University of Alberta scientists who were part of an international team that made the discovery.
As we speak, engineers at SpaceX's Boca Chica test facility are busy getting the fifth Starship prototype (SN5) ready. Having recently passed the crucial cryogenic load test, and with the installation of its SN27 Raptor engine, the ground crews are now gearing up for a static fire test. Assuming the SN5 doesn't explode in a massive fireball (as the SN4 did), it will be ready to make the first hop
Many countries are still holding elections despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Singapore just concluded its general election on Friday. Singapore's neighbour, Indonesia, plans to hold its biggest regional election in December this year by having simultaneous polls in 270 districts. The United States is also on track to hold its presidential election in November this year, with superstar singer Kanye We
Emergency rooms in Barcelona were collapsing under the pressure. Hundreds of patients were arriving in desperate need as they struggled to breathe, while intensive care units struggled to cope with the sudden influx of respiratory problems. Epidemiologists scrambled to trace the source of the outbreak.
Global concern has risen around the "sustainability" of palm oil in terms of global exportation and the impact on the environment in recent years. Therefore, in 2004, stakeholders from palm oil industry sectors including oil palm producers, retailers, banks, investors, nature conservation and developmental NGOs, established the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) with "the objective of promo
The news: We should prepare now for a potential new wave of coronavirus cases this winter, according to the UK's Academy of Medical Sciences. Health-care systems tend to struggle in winter anyway because infectious diseases spread faster as we spend more time in poorly ventilated indoor spaces, and because conditions like asthma, heart attacks, and stroke tend to be exacerbated in colder temperat
Companies and universities have long relied on seminars to reduce racism, despite lackluster results. Maybe institution leaders can salvage the format.
In a plot twist, the administration's assault on the Chinese telecom giant is gaining traction. At heart, the US has an interest in its own electronic surveillance capabilities.
PLUS. Henrik Fiskers kommende elbil er udviklet på Volkswagens modulære elbilplatform MEB. Det viser dokumenter, i forbindelse med at Fisker Inc. børsnoteres i USA. Hvis projektet bliver en succes, vil vi formentlig se flere startups bygge elbiler på den tyske platform.
Climate breakdown caused by carbon dioxide (CO2) emission into the atmosphere is a major existential problem confronting humanity. The most acceptable solution would be complete termination of the use of fossil fuels, or at least fast reduction of their use by all countries, in line with the Paris agreement. This will ensure the planetary warming is limited by 2 degrees C. Emission reductions are
T he Framers of the Constitution understood just how important local news would be to the success of their ambitious American experiment. Alexander Hamilton explained the issue this way in "Federalist No. 84," using as an example one locality in Maryland: What are the sources of information by which the people in Montgomery County must regulate their judgment of the conduct of their representativ
COVID-19 is often mild in infants. Learning why could help scientists better understand the disease—and point the way toward possible treatments — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
COVID-19 is often mild in infants. Learning why could help scientists better understand the disease—and point the way toward possible treatments — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
It's tempting to draw sweeping conclusions about what geopolitics will look like after the pandemic . Some argue that we're witnessing the last gasp of American primacy, the equivalent of Britain's 1956 "Suez moment." Others argue that America, the main driver of the post–Cold War international order, is temporarily incapacitated, with a president drunk at the wheel. Tomorrow, a more sober operat
Some scientists believe there is growing evidence of airborne transmission of Covid-19 Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Some scientists are warning there is growing evidence of airborne transmission of coronavirus. But how does it affect the actions we should take to stay safe? Continue reading…
Forskere fra Københavns Universitet undrede sig over, hvorfor vasketøj tørret udenfor i solen dufter bedre, og det har de udgivet et videnskabeligt studie om. Når du lader solen tørre dit vasketøj udendørs, så udskilles der stoffer der giver minder om kardemomme, citrus og roser.
Nature, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02070-5 As the current pandemic makes us ponder the future of cities, a book examines past rises and falls.
Nature, Published online: 13 July 2020; doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02100-2 Africa CDC announces that new coronavirus cases were up 24% on the continent in the past week. Plus, US universities sue the government in support of international foreign students, and the four pillars of a successful science spin-off.
In several big-ticket cases this term, the conservative Supreme Court appeared to give significant wins to progressives. On issues including abortion, immigration, and LGBTQ equality, a majority of the Court voted for seemingly progressive results. And in the subpoena cases issued on the last day of the term, the Court rejected the president's sweeping argument that his personal financial records
NASA's most advanced Mars rover, Perseverance, launches from Earth on July 30, on a mission to seek out signs of ancient microbial life on what was once a river delta three-and-a-half billion years ago.
Britain on Monday launched another Brexit advertising blitz and unveiled its first detailed proposals for managing the country's borders after cutting ties with the European Union.
When Europeans retreated into their homes to observe strict stay-at-home rules to contain the coronavirus, dolphins and whales on the Mediterranean coast basked and thrived in a hitherto unknown calm.
A legal scholar who claims to have held professorships in Italy and the United States and to have written more than 600 papers has had 10 of those articles retracted, some for plagiarism and the most recent also because of a faked affiliation. Dimitris Liakopoulos, according to his self-written ORCID profile, has studied at undergraduate … Continue reading
When Europeans retreated into their homes to observe strict stay-at-home rules to contain the coronavirus, dolphins and whales on the Mediterranean coast basked and thrived in a hitherto unknown calm.
Russian mining giant Norilsk Nickel faced pressure from a key shareholder on Tuesday to overhaul management after disasters including a massive Arctic fuel spill that sparked a state of emergency.
Least bittern. Amateur category; Top 100. (Davey Walters/Audubon Photography Awards/2020/) Whether it's a gray-feathered bird plunging face first into a stream at Yosemite National Park or a jewel-like hummingbird frolicking in the fountain at a local California farm, avian life is omnipresent —and their world is closely intertwined with our own . As much as the pandemic has forced many of us ind
Premier Gladys Berejiklian details stricter regime for pubs as cluster linked to the Crossroads Hotel grows to 30 cases New South Wales is on "extra high alert" for a widespread Covid-19 resurgence and will require so-called hygiene marshals to enforce social distancing at every pub in the state. The crackdown comes after patrons who visited a Sydney hotel at the centre of the state's largest out
How dangerous is the coronavirus for pregnant women and new mothers? Months after asserting they are not at higher risk for severe complications, the CDC released a study showing pregnant women have much higher rates of ICU admittance and intubation. But experts say the data gaps are even more worrisome.
En hullet privatlivspolitik og manglende oplysninger til kunderne om dataindsamling har ført til kritik af Fynbus fra Datatilsynet. Trafikselskabet har været for uopmærksomt, og nu skal der rettes op på problemerne, fortæller produkt- og markedschef.
Officers say law to make coverings compulsory in stores will be unenforceable Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Retailers: share your thoughts on mandatory masks Retailers and police must both play a role in enforcing the use of face coverings by shoppers in England, a cabinet minister has said after officers said the law would be unenforceable. The environment secreta
The first Arab space mission to Mars is scheduled to blast off from Japan Friday on a mission to unravel from above the weather dynamics in the Red Planet's atmosphere.
On Monday, California, Florida and Texas recorded at least 30,000 new cases, 18 percent of the global total. France celebrated public health workers as heroes during Bastille Day, a day after granting them pay raises.
The Government Accountability Office has found that the Trump administration is undervaluing the cost of climate change to boost its deregulatory efforts.
French study is believed to be first such confirmed case but doctors say infant has made good recovery Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Doctors in France have reported what they believe to be the first proven case of Covid-19 being passed on from a pregnant woman to her baby in the womb. The newborn boy developed inflammation in the brain within days of being born, a
Nature Communications, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17231-3 A systematic time-resolved study can provide key insights on selective carbon dioxide electro-reduction. Here, the authors report operando seconds-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy to uncover the chemical state evolution of working catalysts in a carbon dioxide electroreduction process.
Nature Communications, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17366-3 Microbial ammonia oxidation is important in marine nutrient cycling and greenhouse gas dynamics, but the responses to ocean warming are unclear. Here coast to open ocean incubations show that projected year 2100 temperatures might be too hot for these microbes in oligotrophic regions to handle, but may facilitat
Nature Communications, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17083-x Spatial information in the tumour microenvironment may be exploited to optimise diagnosis, prognosis and therapy. Here, the authors develop a spatial analytics computational and systems pathology platform (SpAn) based on highly multiplexed antibody imaging on colorectal cancer samples to infer emergent network b
Nature Communications, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17147-y The regulation of microtubule (MT) dynamics in cancer cells within the tumor microenvironment is less understood. Here, the authors develop an imaging platform to examine MT dynamics in live xenograft models and show that pro-tumor macrophages modulate MT coherence and alignment to promote cancer cell migration.
Nature Communications, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17206-4 Transposable elements are a potential source of transcriptional regulators, but how these sequences contribute to oncogenesis remains poorly understood. Here, the authors identify endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML)-associated enhancer chromatin signatures, and provide evidence that
Nature Communications, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17277-3 Gene tandem amplifications can drive bacterial evolution. Here, Belikova et al. identify copy number variations of lipoprotein-encoding genes in Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates, and show that the loci expand and contract during bacterial growth in vitro and in mice, leading to changes in immunostimulator
Nature Communications, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17331-0 Here, Brasil et al. investigate mother to child Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission rates in a large longitudinal cohort of pregnant ZIKV-positive women with their infants followed from the time of maternal infection through birth and onwards, finding high in utero transmission rates that do not predict clinical outc
Nature Communications, Published online: 14 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17265-7 Increasing the non-locality of the exchange and correlation functional in DFT theory comes at a steep increase in computational cost. Here, the authors develop NeuralXC, a supervised machine learning approach to generate density functionals close to coupled-cluster level of accuracy yet computationally efficient
For decades, US policymakers have bet that the world's best and brightest will endure a dysfunctional immigration process for a chance at the opportunities the country offers. And for decades, they have been right. Talented people born outside of the US have continued flocking to America's schools, companies, and way of life, and staying for good when they can. The Trump administration is now dou
"The presence of such articles online have severely affected Dr. Louis J. Ignarro's public reputation, and his personal life. Dr. Ignarro disputes any accusations of wrongdoing. There was no fabrication of data, although there was a mistaken duplication of data which occurred due to error. None of the data was false." -J.L. Perez, Esq.
A chemist and kinesiologist got on a bus, but this isn't the set-up to a joke. Instead, kinesiologist and lead author Ned Debold and chemist Dhandapani Venkataraman, "DV," began talking on their bus commute to the University of Massachusetts Amherst and discovered their mutual interest in how energy is converted from one form to another—for Debold, in muscle tissue and for DV, in solar cells.
A chemist and kinesiologist got on a bus, but this isn't the set-up to a joke. Instead, kinesiologist and lead author Ned Debold and chemist Dhandapani Venkataraman, "DV," began talking on their bus commute to the University of Massachusetts Amherst and discovered their mutual interest in how energy is converted from one form to another—for Debold, in muscle tissue and for DV, in solar cells.
Frogs and toads are green for a very good reason—it makes them harder to see in their leafy environments. Good camouflage allows them to eat and not be eaten. But not all frogs have arrived at this life-saving greenness in the same way.
In the past 5 years, Chicago residents have purchased nearly 1,300 vacant lots and replaced weed trees and sagging fences with gardens and children's play areas. In doing so, they have demonstrated that transferring city-owned vacant lands to local residents can be a successful strategy for cities seeking to reduce blight and strengthen neighborhoods.
Frogs and toads are green for a very good reason—it makes them harder to see in their leafy environments. Good camouflage allows them to eat and not be eaten. But not all frogs have arrived at this life-saving greenness in the same way.
A new UC Davis Eye Center study, conducted in collaboration with France's INSERM Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, found that special patented glasses engineered with technically advanced spectral notch filters enhance color vision for those with the most common types of red-green color vision deficiency ("anomalous trichromacy"). Notably, the ability to identify and experience expanded colo
A new UC Davis Eye Center study, conducted in collaboration with France's INSERM Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, found that special patented glasses engineered with technically advanced spectral notch filters enhance color vision for those with the most common types of red-green color vision deficiency ("anomalous trichromacy"). Notably, the ability to identify and experience expanded colo
Caspian terns feeding on young fish have a significant impact on runs of steelhead in the Columbia River, research by Oregon State University suggests.
New research, based on earlier results in mice, suggests that our brains are never at rest, even when we are not learning anything about the world around us.
A new integrative review examined evidence related to infants' self-regulation of behavior and emotion, and how that relates to interactions when they are fed by their caregivers, including how those interactions may derail infants' ability to regulate their intake of food. The review found that infants who are fed in the absence of hunger or beyond fullness may develop skewed perceptions of hunge
A new Northwestern Medicine remote weight-loss program, called Opt-IN, provides maximum weight loss for the lowest cost and with much less hassle than the gold-standard National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), the most successful behavioral non-drug treatment currently available. According to a new study, the Opt-IN program helped participants in a clinical trial lose 11 to 13 pounds, which is
Caspian terns feeding on young fish have a significant impact on runs of steelhead in the Columbia River, research by Oregon State University suggests.
A research team led by Cardiff University scientists say they are closer to understanding how a supermassive black hole (SMBH) is born thanks to a new technique that has enabled them to zoom in on one of these enigmatic cosmic objects in unprecedented detail.
Vertical farms with their soil-free, computer-controlled environments may sound like sci-fi. But there is a growing environmental and economic case for them, according to new research laying out radical ways of putting food on our plates.
Educators could use the COVID-19 outbreak to help middle-schoolers better understand the world, according to new research from faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York.
Juvent is a small vibrating platform that is advertised to provide all kinds of health benefits for everyone by just standing on it for 10 minutes a day. They have no convincing evidence and the price is exorbitant.
Boris Johnson announces face coverings are to be mandatory in shops from 24 July with £100 fines for non-compliance Global coronavirus live: latest updates 8.52am BST The Metropolitan Police Federation has warned that requiring the public to wear face masks in shops will be almost impossible for police to enforce. Its chairman Ken Marsh, told Today: Shopkeepers need to step up to the plate and ta
The launch of the Hope orbiter was delayed because of weather. The mission's goal is to make contributions to research on the red planet. But the Emirati government really hopes it will inspire future scientists.
Rare is the election campaign that truly hinges on a single issue. But in the run-up to Sunday's presidential election in Poland, "LGBT"—an English acronym that sounds strange and foreign in Polish — was unquestionably the dominant theme. The coronavirus pandemic is still ravaging the world, an economic crisis looms, and international politics are in turmoil. Yet when the Polish president, Andrze
Hong Kong, California and Manila tighten rules; WHO warns there are no shortcuts out of a pandemic; Australia passes 10,000 cases Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Cities and states around the world returned to tighter coronavirus restrictions to battle recurring outbreaks, as global infections passed 13 million and the World Health Organization warned there were "no s
Nature Communications, Published online: 13 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17209-1 Reliable, multiplexed gene editing to uncover synergies between targets remains challenging. Here, the authors engineer AsCas12a and the crRNA to improve double knockout for synthetic sick/lethal interaction genetic screening.
Kitchen robots are a popular vision of the future, but if a robot of today tries to grasp a kitchen staple such as a clear measuring cup or a shiny knife, it likely won't be able to. Transparent and reflective objects are the things of robot nightmares. Roboticists at Carnegie Mellon University, however, report success with a new technique they've developed for teaching robots to pick up these tro
Vertical farms with their soil-free, computer-controlled environments may sound like sci-fi. But there is a growing environmental and economic case for them, according to new research laying out radical ways of putting food on our plates.
Composite membranes for CO2 separation contain different functional layers in their structure (e.g. porous mechanical support, selective layer etc.). We found that when selective layer in composite membrane is made ultimately thin – it forms specific interface with supporting gutter polymer, and this structure shows unexpectedly high selectivity towards CO2 over nitrogen. This new finding provides
Young gay sexual minority men – especially Black and Latino youth – have their first sexual experiences at younger ages, emphasizing a need for comprehensive and inclusive sex education, according to Rutgers researchers.
Educators could use the COVID-19 outbreak to help middle-schoolers better understand the world, according to new research from faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York.
Edith Cowan University (ECU) PhD candidate and paramedic Cameron Anderson investigated community attitudes regarding the professional obligation of paramedics to respond during pandemics.The research showed that, pandemic or not, Australians expected an ambulance to arrive if children were involved, if there was adequate protective equipment and if it involved our immediate families.
A mobile platform for lung cancer screening with low-dose computed tomography (CT) can be developed with limited financial risk and take powerful screening tests directly to patients, including underserved rural areas where rates of new lung cancer cases tend to be higher.
With antibodies having implications for both our understanding of previous coronavirus infections and potential future immunity, Nicola Davis talks to Prof Eleanor Riley about how best to test for them and asks whether antibodies are the only thing we should be looking for Continue reading…
With antibodies having implications for both our understanding of previous coronavirus infections and potential future immunity, Nicola Davis talks to Prof Eleanor Riley about how best to test for them and asks whether antibodies are the only thing we should be looking for. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod
Birds that eat insects, are on migrations or that usually live in the woods are most likely to fly into buildings that feature a lot of glass. — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
The UK has three months to avoid a potential second wave of infections in the winter that could lead to 120,000 hospital deaths, finds a report requested by the government's chief scientific adviser
The coronavirus pandemic's knock-on impact on healthcare for tuberculosis, malaria and HIV could lead to deaths on a similar level to those from covid-19 itself in some parts of the world, a new analysis finds
NEWSHA TAVAKOLIAN Our staff writer James Hamblin set out to try to understand when we'll reach herd immunity—the point at which enough of a population has been infected to ward off more major spikes of a disease. "It turns out the number is largely up to us," he explains . Here are three big takeaways from his new piece on the subject : 1. Herd immunity is calculated differently for an uncontroll
A research team led by Cardiff University scientists say they are closer to understanding how a supermassive black hole (SMBH) is born thanks to a new technique that has enabled them to zoom in on one of these enigmatic cosmic objects in unprecedented detail.
A compound common in pickled capers, quercetin, activates proteins required for normal human brain and heart activity, researchers report. In a new study in Communications Biology , the researchers report that quercetin can directly regulate proteins required for bodily processes such as the heartbeat, thought, muscular contraction, and normal functioning of the thyroid, pancreas, and gastrointes
Cases rise by 1m in five days ; 5.4m Americans have lost their health insurance ; Hong Kong reimposes social distancing measures. Follow the latest updates Global cases pass 13m WHO chief warns against 'shortcuts' 'Compelling' evidence air pollution worsens coronavirus – study Fauci sidelined as Trump's White House steps up briefing campaign Bereaved urge EU chief to supervise Italian coronavirus
Preparations to avoid second wave worst-case scenario in NHS hospitals 'must start now' Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Britain must start "intense preparations" for a second wave of coronavirus that has the potential to kill as many as 120,000 hospital patients in a worst case scenario, experts have warned. Senior doctors and scientists convened by the Academy of Me
Some low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) could see HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria deaths increase by as much as 10%, 20%, and 36% respectively over the next 5 years due to the disruption of health services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and its response, according new modelling research published in The Lancet Global Health journal.
The woman at the helm of of Netflix's new action flick talked to WIRED about comics, diversity in Hollywood, and centering women, especially women of color, in a genre so dominated by white men.
The number of positive case counts of COVID-19 continues to surge in southern and southwestern states. (Pixabay/) On Sunday, for the first time since March, New York City's Department of Health reported no deaths from COVID-19 , a much-needed breath of fresh air in a region that was once the epicenter of the US coronavirus pandemic. However, across the nation, coronavirus case counts vary widely,
Judgment Day A team of NASA astrophysicists has put the fate of entire star systems in the hands of an AI algorithm. The system — dubbed SPOCK — by NASA and Princeton University astrophysicist Daniel Tamayo, doesn't actually decide which worlds will live and die. But it can predict the paths of exoplanets, and determine which ones will remain stable and which will crash into other worlds or stars
Anxiety and depression rates are spiking in the LGBTQ+ community, and especially in individuals who hadn't struggled with those issues in the past. Overall, depression increased by an average PHQ-9 score of 1.21 and anxiety increased by an average GAD-7 score of 3.11. The researchers recommended that health care providers check in with LGBTQ+ patients about stress and screen for mood and anxiety
A new study found that special patented glasses engineered with technically advanced spectral notch filters enhance color vision for those with the most common types of red-green color vision deficiency ('anomalous trichromacy'). Notably, the ability to identify and experience expanded color was also demonstrated when color blind test subjects were not wearing the glasses.
The through-and-through greenness of hundreds of frog species that can be found deep in their lymphatic fluid, soft tissues and even bones, comes from a clever biochemical workaround that combines a normally virus-fighting type of protein with a toxic byproduct of blood breakdown. The camouflage innovation has happened at least 40 times across 11 families of frog and toad.
Muscle physiologist sought an alternative energy source to replace the body's usual one, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Such a source could control muscle activity, and might lead to new muscle spasm-calming treatments in cerebral palsy, for example, or activate or enhance skeletal muscle function in MS, ALS and chronic heart failure. They report this month that they have made a series of synthetic
Cystic fibrosis causes severe respiratory and digestive disorders. Despite considerable therapeutic advances, this disease still reduces life expectancy, in particular due to life-threatening respiratory infections. Scientists have now discovered the reason for this large number of lung infections: a protein, Vav3.
Most people would agree that the pleasure of some foods stems in part from its fat content. New research has now found that liking of fatty food is more complex than its fat content alone — it could also be related to inborn genetic traits of the consumer related to fat perception.
One day, people could monitor their own health conditions by simply picking up a pencil and drawing a bioelectronic device on their skin. In a new study, engineers demonstrated that the simple combination of pencils and paper could be used to create devices that might be used to monitor personal health.
Researchers have developed a novel noninvasive approach called nano-radiomics that analyzes imaging data to assess changes in the tumor microenvironment that are not detected with conventional imaging methods.
New research finds early evidence that the pandemic has exacerbated — not improved — the gender gap in work hours, which could have enduring consequences for working mothers.
Researchers have developed a novel noninvasive approach called nano-radiomics that analyzes imaging data to assess changes in the tumor microenvironment that are not detected with conventional imaging methods.
A new UC Davis Eye Center study, conducted in collaboration with France's INSERM Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, found that special patented glasses engineered with technically advanced spectral notch filters enhance color vision for those with the most common types of red-green color vision deficiency ('anomalous trichromacy'). Notably, the ability to identify and experience expanded colo
Researchers propose a practical monitoring tool, the condition-care scale, and detail how it can be implemented by planners to assess the progress of vacant lot repurposing programs. The scale also holds promise for other applications related to urban greening and we encourage others to adapt it to their particular needs.
Researchers, led by Samuel Gentle, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, report that antenatal treatment with both magnesium sulfate and corticosteroids together yields an increased benefit for children born at 22 to 26 weeks of gestation, compared to no antenatal treatment or with either therapy alone.
It's the most sweeping acknowledgment to date that it's not yet time to reopen the United States. On Monday afternoon, California governor Gavin Newsom ordered indoor operations for restaurants, wineries, movie theaters, and other entertainment centers to stop immediately, as Axios reports , in light of a new surge in COVID-19 cases. Thirty counties, including Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernard
Two widely available sterilization methods to clean disposable surgical masks and N95 respirators may not be the best options for hospitals needing to extend the life of personal protective equipment.
Transplant lungs can only survive for a short period of time outside the human body. In fact, only around a quarter meet criteria for transplantation, according to the American Lung Association. That's why a team of researchers at Columbia University in New York have decided to find an alternative, extending the shelf life of human lungs intended to be transplanted — by hooking them up to live pi
A multidisciplinary team from The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston has uncovered a new mechanism for designing antiviral drugs for dengue virus. The study is currently available in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Muscle physiologist Ned Debold and colleagues at UMass Amherst sought an alternative energy source to replace the body's usual one, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Such a source could control muscle activity, and might lead to new muscle spasm-calming treatments in cerebral palsy, for example, or activate or enhance skeletal muscle function in MS, ALS and chronic heart failure. They report this mont
Given higher sea levels and softer soil in the wake of a shifting climate, Sesarma crabs, which have already decimated salt marshes in the Northeast, are now rising to prominence in southeastern marshes, a new study finds.
The through-and-through greenness of hundreds of frog species that can be found deep in their lymphatic fluid, soft tissues and even bones, comes from a clever biochemical workaround that combines a normally virus-fighting type of protein with a toxic byproduct of blood breakdown. The camouflage innovation has happened at least 40 times across 11 families of frog and toad.
A loner and a hunter with highly developed territorial instincts, a cruel carnivore, a disobedient individual: the cat. These features make the species averse to domestication. Even so, we did it. Nowadays, about 500 million cats live in households all around the world; it is also difficult to estimate the amount of the homeless and the feral ones
Like DeSean Jackson, the Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver who is being condemned for posting a fake Adolf Hitler quote on his Instagram feed last week, I too have had an ill-advised Hitler moment. In 2008, I was a general columnist for ESPN.com , covering the NBA Finals series between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. Heading into Game 5, I wrote a piece about how it saddened me, as
A loner and a hunter with highly developed territorial instincts, a cruel carnivore, a disobedient individual: the cat. These features make the species averse to domestication. Even so, we did it. Nowadays, about 500 million cats live in households all around the world; it is also difficult to estimate the amount of the homeless and the feral ones
The first reliable way of isolating and growing sperm stem cells could lead to new fertility treatments, including correcting mutations that block sperm production
Researchers use sunlight and a laser-etched metal surface to evaporate and purify water for safe drinking at greater than 100 percent efficiency. The method could help relieve water shortages in drought-stricken areas and be helpful in water desalinization projects.
Calling in the ultrasonic range enables small bats to orient themselves in the dark and track down insects. Louder calls travel farther, improving a bat's ability to detect their prey. It was long assumed that echolocation does not contribute much to energy expenditure in flight because individuals couple their calls with the beat of their wings. Scientists have now shown that high intensity echol
New research has found that there is a strong link between the visual portrayal of a brand in online imagery created by consumers and the larger brand perceptions.
As recently published in the journal Cell, a collaborative group including Ali Khademhosseini, Ph.D. and Samad Ahadian, Ph.D., of the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), has identified collagen V as an important factor in the scarring process and observed that large quantities of collagen V were found in cardiac injury scars.
One day, people could monitor their own health conditions by simply picking up a pencil and drawing a bioelectronic device on their skin. In a new study, University of Missouri engineers demonstrated that the simple combination of pencils and paper could be used to create devices that might be used to monitor personal health.
CATONSVILLE, MD, July 13, 2020 – New research has found that there is a strong link between the visual portrayal of a brand in online imagery created by consumers and the larger brand perceptions.
Calling in the ultrasonic range enables small bats to orient themselves in the dark and track down tiny insects. Louder calls travel farther, improving a bat's ability to detect their prey.
Wearing a mask, washing your hands, and keeping your distance is more important now than ever. (Max Bender on Unsplash/) Stay-at-home orders and mask mandates have finally helped to quell COVID-19 cases in the New York area. But testing data shows that while NYC may have been the first pandemic hotspot in the US, it certainly won't be the last. How bad is COVID-19 in the US right now? According t
Astrophysicists from Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU, Russia), South Korea, and the U.S. appear in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, suggesting carbon indicates time comets have spent in the Solar System—the less carbon, the longer they have been in the proximity of the Sun. The proof is their study of the comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4) approaching the Earth in May 2020 and disinteg
Research laboratories are constantly developing new materials that are expected to exhibit novel properties bound to revolutionize this or that technology. But it's not enough to simply create these materials; scientists also need to find efficient methods of processing and fine-tuning them. Moreover, composites are often made via the addition of nanoparticles into a base matrix, which is why it i
Providing clean water to soldiers in the field and citizens around the world is essential, and yet one of the world's greatest challenges. Now a new super-wicking and super-light-absorbing aluminum material developed with Army funding could change that.
Calling in the ultrasonic range enables small bats to orient themselves in the dark and track down tiny insects. Louder calls travel farther, improving a bat's ability to detect their prey.
An astrophysicist has found a new method for determining the long-term stability of planetary configurations that is up to 100,000 times faster than the previous approach. This breaks the computational bottleneck and enables sharper views of the orbital architectures of exoplanetary systems.
Add event to calendar These days, if you don't laugh, you might just scream. Enter comedian and The Daily Show regular Jordan Klepper! In this Big Think Live session, Klepper will be in conversation with Bob Kulhan, CEO of Business Improv, talking creativity, adaptability and comedy in the age of COVID-19. How does The Daily Show team work remotely? What's it like to brainstorm in real-time on li
Biological membranes play important roles in shaping the cell, sensing the external environment, molecule transport, and generating energy for life. One of the most significant biological membranes are the thylakoid membranes produced in plants, algae and cyanobacteria, which carry out the light reactions of photosynthesis.
Just A Kid According to a sophisticated new model, the Moon is far younger than scientists previously thought — to the tune of some 85 million years. It's not such a drastic shift when you consider how long the Moon's been around. The research , published Friday in the journal Science Advances , adjusts the age of the Moon from 4.51 billion years old to 4.425 billion, with 25-million-year-long er
Biological membranes play important roles in shaping the cell, sensing the external environment, molecule transport, and generating energy for life. One of the most significant biological membranes are the thylakoid membranes produced in plants, algae and cyanobacteria, which carry out the light reactions of photosynthesis.
A new paper in the JNCI Cancer Spectrum, published by Oxford University Press, finds that the mortality rates for complex cancer procedures differ greatly between one-star hospitals (10.4%) and five-star hospitals (6.4%).
Most people would agree that the pleasure of some foods stems in part from its fat content. New research, led by the Monell Chemical Senses Center, has now found that liking of fatty food is more complex than its fat content alone — it could also be related to inborn genetic traits of the consumer related to fat perception.
The history of human and cat relationships began 10,000 years ago. Its origins, however, still remain a mystery mainly due to scarcity of research material. Gaps in our knowledge in the subject are successfully filled by a group of researchers from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toru?. Dr Magdalena Krajcarz has made an attempt to find ancestors of domestic cats in Neolithic Central Europe.
WRAIR scientists have recently demonstrated that cathepsin B, a well-studied protein important to brain development and function, can be used as biomarker, or indicator of severity, for TBI. TBI trauma results from blows to the head, leading to life-changing disruption of the brain and a cascade of long-term health conditions. Biomarkers are a source of great interest to researchers due to their p
Impaired intimacy, satisfaction, and infidelity in a romantic relationship can fuel Interpersonal Electronic Surveillance (IES). IES may become the preferred method for resolving relationship issues, rather than direct communication, further reducing trust and intimacy
Highlights from our previous coverage of nuclear weapons and radiation. Links Page top image Bradbury-and-the-Gadget.jpg Norris Bradbury and one other man with the "gadget," before it exploded in the Trinity test on July 16, 1945. Image credits: U.S. Department of Energy Culture Monday, July 13, 2020 – 15:45 Inside Science Staff Filed under: Modern medicine Physics Culture Anniversaries Keep up
A compound commonly found in pickled capers has been shown to activate proteins required for normal human brain and heart activity, and may even lead to future therapies for the treatment of epilepsy and abnormal heart rhythms.
In a new JAMA editorial, a Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) researcher and a health research journalist outline common ways that media, governments, and industry and academic public relations press releases have incompletely and misleadingly reported coronavirus research, and how they can do better.
Reducing violence in cities in the US isn't the impossible, intractable challenge many believe it to be, says crime researcher and educator Thomas Abt. He explains how urban violence is "sticky" — meaning that it clusters among a surprisingly small number of people and places — and presents an innovative, targeted strategy to make our cities safer, right now, without big budgets or new laws.
Researchers have completed the largest study of its kind to determine how optimistic people are in life and when as well as how major life events affect how optimistic they are about the future.