PLUS. To russere er indlagt. Skibet fisker nu videre nord for øgruppen, som er nærmeste havn. »Vi er meget sårbare,«, siger landslægen, som kun råder over 5-6 intensivpladser.
Scientific Reports, Published online: 28 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41598-020-70122-x Author Correction: The endocast of the Night Parrot ( Pezoporus occidentalis ) reveals insights into its sensory ecology and the evolution of nocturnality in birds
A new study uses satellite data over the Southern Hemisphere to understand global cloud composition during the industrial revolution. This research tackles one of the largest uncertainties in today's climate models — the long-term effect of tiny atmospheric particles on climate change.
Our first event is a book club for Sinclair Lewis's 1925 classic novel Arrowsmith, which we'll discuss with two prominent scholars during a webinar on September 25.
Researchers have presented a new, detailed look inside the 'central engine' of a large solar flare accompanied by a powerful eruption by the Owens Valley Solar Array. The new findings offer the first measurements characterizing the magnetic fields and particles at the heart of the explosion.
Naturally occurring lithium in public drinking water may have an anti-suicidal effect – according to a new study. The study collated research from around the world and found that geographical areas with relatively high levels or concentration of lithium in public drinking water had correspondingly lower suicide rates.
In a recent study, researchers show that a natural record – sediments packed together at basin margins – offers scientists a powerful tool for understanding the forces that shaped our planet over millions of years, with implications on present day understanding.
Unlike businesses or governments, organisms can't go into evolutionary debt — there is no borrowing one's way back from extinction. This can lead to seemingly irrational economic choices that suddenly make sense when viewed as a multiplicative, evolutionary process.
New research expands the understanding of origami structures, opening possibilities for mechanical metamaterials to be used in soft robotics and medical devices.
Listeria contaminations can send food processing facilities into full crisis mode with mass product recalls, federal warnings and even hospitalization or death for people who consume the contaminated products. Researchers have discovered a chemical compound that stops listeria reproduction in both light and dark conditions which could lead to bacterial control in food products.
Nanocatalysts made of gold nanoparticles dispersed on metal oxides are very promising for the industrial, selective oxidation of compounds, including alcohols, into valuable chemicals. They show high catalytic activity, particularly in aqueous solution. A team of researchers has been able to explain why: Water molecules play an active role in facilitating the oxygen dissociation needed for the oxi
By tuning into a subset of brain waves, researchers have dramatically reduced the power requirements of neural interfaces while improving their accuracy — a discovery that could lead to long-lasting brain implants that can both treat neurological diseases and enable mind-controlled prosthetics and machines.
Researchers have identified a microRNA (miRNA) that could promote hair regeneration. This miRNA — miR-218-5p — plays an important role in regulating the pathway involved in follicle regeneration, and could be a candidate for future drug development.
Concrete sewer pipes around the world are most likely to fail either because their concrete is not strong enough or because they can't handle the weight of trucks that drive over them, a new study indicates.
Selective laser sintering is one of the most widely used processes in additive manufacturing, but it is limited to printing with a single material at a time. Robotics engineers have now developed a new approach to overcome this limitation: By inverting the laser so that it points upwards, they've invented a way to enable SLS to use — at the same time — multiple materials.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the COVID-19 pandemic is "easily the most severe" global health crisis that the organization has ever seen. Ghebreyesus backed his claim by citing citing the sheer scale of both confirmed coronavirus cases and the global death toll, New Scientist reports . To date, there are over 16.2 million confirmed cases
Nanocatalysts made of gold nanoparticles dispersed on metal oxides are very promising for the industrial, selective oxidation of compounds, including alcohols, into valuable chemicals. They show high catalytic activity, particularly in aqueous solution. A team of researchers has been able to explain why: Water molecules play an active role in facilitating the oxygen dissociation needed for the oxi
Cicadas infected with the parasitic fungus Massospora unknowingly engage in trickery with their fellow insects, resulting in effective disease transmission, according to new research. Massospora manipulates male cicadas into flicking their wings like females – a mating invitation – which tempts unsuspecting male cicadas and infects them.
Researchers have developed a simple logger for greenhouse gas flows. It is built using inexpensive and easily available parts, and provides data on levels of methane, carbon dioxide, temperature and humidity.
By tuning into a subset of brain waves, researchers have dramatically reduced the power requirements of neural interfaces while improving their accuracy — a discovery that could lead to long-lasting brain implants that can both treat neurological diseases and enable mind-controlled prosthetics and machines.
Scientists gathered and published over 200,000 genomes from the human gut microbiome. The catalogue reveals that more than 70% of bacterial species in the human gut have never been grown in the lab. This new data resource could be extremely useful to investigate how the bacterial community in the human gut influences human health and disease.
Relaxing on the sofa or savoring a delicious meal: Enjoying short-term pleasurable activities that don't lead to long-term goals contributes at least as much to a happy life as self-control, according to new research. The researchers therefore argue for a greater appreciation of hedonism in psychology.
Researchers suggest that community-based genetic screening has the potential to efficiently identify individuals who may be at increased risk for three common inherited (CDC Tier 1) genetic conditions known to cause several forms of cancer and increased risk for heart disease or stroke.
Materials scientists at Rice University and the University of Pennsylvania are calling for a collective, global effort to fast-track the mass production of 2D materials like graphene and molybdenum disulfide.
Tiny finger-like projections called filopodia drive invasive behavior in a rare subset of lung cancer cells. Analysis of molecular features distinguishing leader from follower cells focuses on filopodia and the MYO10 gene.
In a new study, researchers found that night- versus day-biting species of mosquitoes are behaviorally attracted and repelled by different colors of light at different times of day. Mosquitoes are among major disease vectors impacting humans and animals around the world and the findings have important implications for using light to control them.
Income is inextricably linked to access to education in America and it has been for a century, according to a new study from researchers at Stanford University and Rice University.
Researchers observe significant decreases nationwide in the number of patients being seen for cancer-related care as the COVID-19 pandemic progressed during the few first months of 2020.
Of 1,068 patients from 10 health centers enrolled in the study, 67.1% of those who elected to initially manage their care through antibiotics alone experienced no harmful side effects and did not later require an appendectomy by their one-year follow-up appointment. Patients in the non-operative group experienced an average of 6.6 disability days, compared to the 10.9 days in the surgery group.
A new imaging method uses the natural autofluorescence within cells to assess T cell activity. The technique could help assess T cell involvement in immunotherapies.
A new imaging method uses the natural autofluorescence within cells to assess T cell activity. The technique could help assess T cell involvement in immunotherapies.
A new hybrid solar energy converter generates electricity and steam with high efficiency and low cost, researchers report. "Thermal energy consumption is a huge piece of the global energy economy—much larger than electricity use. There has been a rising interest in solar combined heat and power systems to deliver both electricity and process heat for zero-net-energy and greenhouse-gas-free develo
Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have demonstrated a direct relationship between climate warming and carbon loss in a peatland ecosystem. Their study published in AGU Advances provides a glimpse of potential futures where significant stores of carbon in peat bogs could be released into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases.
Protesters in Portland now have to contend with local law enforcement and federal officers. Technology may either help or hurt them. (Tito Texidor III/) Anjuli R. K. Shere is a doctoral researcher in Cyber Security at the University of Oxford. Jason Nurse is an assistant professor in Cyber Security at the University of Kent. This story originally featured on The Conversation . US police forces ha
Increasing automation will likely hit people with limited skill sets the hardest. "Robot-proof" jobs will likely require greater education, interpersonal skills and adaptability.
An endangered aquatic insect that lives in icy streams fed by glaciers might not mind if the water grows warmer due to climate. A new study found that mountain stoneflies can tolerate warmer water temperatures at least temporarily. In fact, they might even be stressed in their current extremely cold environments.
A sonic boom-like seismic phenomenon of supershear rupture occurred during the 2018 Palu earthquake in Indonesia. Researchers investigated the relationship between this phenomenon and the complex geometry of the Palu-Koro fault. An 'inchworm-like' pattern of repeated rupture deceleration and acceleration along the fault was detected, associated with bends in the fault trace. This slip evolution ma
A new study on American homes finds that the homes of the wealthy use more energy than those of the poor. The findings also include reviews of energy use that can be used to help reduce the residential carbon footprint. The findings restate the important of a multi-faceted approach to solving climate change. In a press release that surprised absolutely no one, a team of researchers from the Unive
1. Opinion: During the COVID-10 pandemic, the public must be protected from research without consent ; 2. Occupational Health: A Key to the Control of COVID-19 in Correctional Facilities
Researchers at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA have identified the process by which stem cells in the airways of the lungs switch between two distinct phases — creating more of themselves and producing mature airway cells — to regenerate lung tissue after an injury.
In a new paper, Cornell Tech researchers identified a problem that holds the key to whether all encryption can be broken — as well as a surprising connection to a mathematical concept that aims to define and measure randomness.
University of Hawai'i at Mānoa researchers and Sumida Farm farmers published a study this week detailing their collaboration to study the past, present and future of the multigenerational farm which produces 70 percent of Hawai'i's watercress. The study highlights that relationships with the broader community have enhanced Sumida Farm's ability to adapt and innovate their farm practices in respons
Researchers have developed a novel device for single nanoparticle trapping, which has potential applications for drug discovery, disease monitoring, biomedical imaging, and more.
Researchers are working to control citrus greening, a disease that has killed thousands of acres of orange trees. Finger limes produce a peptide that kills the bacterium responsible for the disease. (Image credit: Miguel Canahuati. /Miguel Canahuati. )
Scientists demonstrate a synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy-based method by which the local temperatures of metal nanoparticles can be measured under microwaves. This approach provides insight into the role that their temperature has on their catalytic performance and sheds light on how local particle heating using microwaves could become a critical strategy for improving the energy efficiency of cata
A new study finds that youth docents have an overall positive effect on visitors' experiences, learning and information retention at informal learning sites — like museums. The positive effects accrued across age groups regardless of museum type, but were most apparent in children ages 9 to 11.
Researchers have developed a novel device for single nanoparticle trapping, which has potential applications for drug discovery, disease monitoring, biomedical imaging, and more.
First signals (Mariner 4, 1966) First signals (Mariner 4, 1966) NASA's 10-part Mariner program (1962-1973) aimed to look at the surfaces Mars, Venus, and Mercury. Mariner 4 became the first successful Mars flyby in 1964. It took 22 photos of the red planet, each of which took 10 hours to relay back to Earth! (NASA/) The first photo from the surface of Mars (Viking 1, 1976) July 20, 1976 marks the
NASA on Monday gave its latest Mars rover Perseverance the all clear to launch later this week on a mission to seek out signs of ancient microbial life.
Got milk? Most people have seen the famous ads featuring celebrities that highlight the importance of drinking milk for building strong bones. Research shows that milk has other benefits, especially for babies, such as helping them grow and strengthening their immune systems. But scientists still don't understand exactly how milk does these things.
There are conflicting predictions on the relationship between worker safety and organization survival. New research in the INFORMS journal Management Science finds organizations that provide a safe workplace have a significantly lower chance of survival because it costs to be safe.
Kwok Yung Yuen, a professor and microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong, told the BBC on a special titled "Panorama: China's Coronavirus Cover-Up" that Chinese officials may have purposefully tried to hide the source of the outbreak of the coronavirus back in early January. "I do suspect that they have been doing some cover-up locally at Wuhan," he said, as quoted by VICE , referring to the
NASA's Aqua satellite provided infrared data on Tropical Depression Hanna while imagery from NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite was used to create an animation showing its movement from Texas to Mexico. Infrared data can reveal the location of powerful storms that generate heavy rainfall and Hanna drenched Texas upon landfall over the weekend of July 25-26.
The differing immune system responses of patients with COVID-19 can help predict who will experience moderate and severe consequences of disease, according to a new study. The findings may help identify individuals at high risk of severe illness early in their hospitalization and suggest drugs to treat COVID-19. Researchers examined 113 patients admitted to Yale New Haven Hospital, and analyzed t
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have recently doubled the size of a reference library that includes examples of a certain type of carbohydrate found in milk from humans and several other animals. The expansion of the library will help scientists identify the unknown compounds in their own milk samples. The researchers published their new findings in Analyti
Yale School of Medicine and the biopharmaceutical firm AI Therapeutics have launched a multi-institutional clinical trial of a drug for treating COVID-19. Known as LAM-002A (apilimod), the drug has a proven safety record. Preliminary research has shown it can block cellular entry and trafficking of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the cause of COVID-19.
Since the days of painting on cave walls, people have been representing information through figures and images. Nowadays, data visualization experts know that presenting information visually helps people better understand complicated data . The problem is that data visualizations can also leave you with the wrong idea – whether the images are sloppily made or intentionally misleading. Take for ex
A new technique could protect your privacy online by safeguarding sensitive information in photos uploaded to social media, researchers say. The method guards users' privacy by making subtle changes that are almost imperceptible to humans but render selected features undetectable by algorithms. In one second, the human eye can only scan through a few photographs . Computers, on the other hand, ar
Researchers at Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research and University of California San Diego School of Medicine report that inhibiting a key enzyme caused human cancer cells associated with two major types of breast and ovarian cancer to die and in mouse studies reduced tumor growth.
Hokkaido University researchers have found a soft and wet material that can memorize, retrieve, and forget information, much like the human brain. They report their findings in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Research from the University of Utah shows that one shrub, the brittlebush, is adapting, and showing a remarkable ability to respond to increased temperature and aridity.
A team of developmental biologists at the Morgridge Institute for Research has discovered a means by which schistosomes, parasitic worms that infect more than 200 million people in tropical climates, are able to outfox the host's immune system.
A new study uses satellite data over the Southern Hemisphere to understand global cloud composition during the industrial revolution. This research tackles one of the largest uncertainties in today's climate models — the long-term effect of tiny atmospheric particles on climate change.
A team of archaeologists from Bar-Ilan University and the University of Haifa has discovered new and compelling evidence for a significant economic downturn on the fringe of the Byzantine Empire in the aftermath of a major pandemic in the mid-6th century CE. The research reconstructs the rise and fall of commercial viticulture in the middle of Israel's arid Negev desert using evidence about life d
Both see-through and pretend partitions promoted honesty in taking tests, psychology experiments show, suggesting simple environmental cues can nudge children to do the right thing.
Researchers have demonstrated a technique that allows them to produce streams of liquid metal at room temperature. By applying a low voltage to the liquid metal, the researchers were able to tune its surface tension across at least three orders of magnitude.
Humans have a hard time identifying individual birds just by looking at the patterns on their plumage. An international study has now shown how computers can learn to differentiate individual birds of a same species.
The oldest trees on Earth have stood for nearly five millennia, and researchers have long wondered to what extent these ancient organisms undergo senescence, physically deteriorating as they age. Plant biologist now argue that although signs of senescence in long-lived trees may be almost imperceptible to people, this does not mean that they're immortal.
Repeated activity wears on soft robotic actuators, but these machine's moving parts need to be reliable and easily fixed. Now a team of researchers has a biosynthetic polymer, patterned after squid ring teeth, that is self-healing and biodegradable, creating a material not only good for actuators, but also for hazmat suits and other applications where tiny holes could cause a danger.
Repeated activity wears on soft robotic actuators, but these machine's moving parts need to be reliable and easily fixed. Now a team of researchers has a biosynthetic polymer, patterned after squid ring teeth, that is self-healing and biodegradable, creating a material not only good for actuators, but also for hazmat suits and other applications where tiny holes could cause a danger.
The origin of Vermeer's acclaimed landscape has long puzzled historians. The painting is of Vermeer's home town, but no one has known when he painted it. A team of astronomers uncover clues hidden in the artwork that reveal its secrets. Just 35 paintings done by Johannes Vermeer survive. The best-known among these, of course, is his captivating Girl with a Pearl Earring . Part of what makes it so
A shield of graphene helps particles destroy antibiotic-resistant bacteria and free-floating antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater treatment plants, researchers report. The researchers have worked toward quenching antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" since first finding them in wastewater treatment plants in 2013. Their new work introduces microspheres wrapped in graphene oxide as a potential sol
A team of developmental biologists at the Morgridge Institute for Research has discovered a means by which schistosomes, parasitic worms that infect more than 200 million people in tropical climates, are able to outfox the host's immune system.
Death Valley doesn't seem like the most ideal place to ride out rising temperatures amid a changing climate. But for the desert plants that live there, it's home—and they face the choice to adapt or die.
Researchers from North Carolina State University have demonstrated a technique that allows them to produce streams of liquid metal at room temperature. By applying a low voltage to the liquid metal, the researchers were able to tune its surface tension across at least three orders of magnitude.
A new study uses satellite data over the Southern Hemisphere to understand global cloud composition during the industrial revolution. This research tackles one of the largest uncertainties in today's climate models—the long-term effect of tiny atmospheric particles on climate change.
A team of developmental biologists at the Morgridge Institute for Research has discovered a means by which schistosomes, parasitic worms that infect more than 200 million people in tropical climates, are able to outfox the host's immune system.
Chemical reactions deep below ground affect water quality, but methods for "seeing" them are time-consuming, expensive and limited in scope. A Penn State-led research team found that seismic waves can help to identify these reactions under an entire watershed and protect groundwater resources.
When organizations take a stand against actions to combat climate change, they get more news coverage than their pro-climate action peers, according to a new study by a Brown University researcher.
Death Valley doesn't seem like the most ideal place to ride out rising temperatures amid a changing climate. But for the desert plants that live there, it's home—and they face the choice to adapt or die.
A team of archeologists from Bar-Ilan University and the University of Haifa has discovered new and compelling evidence for a significant economic downturn on the fringe of the Byzantine Empire in the aftermath of a major pandemic in the mid-sixth century CE. The research reconstructs the rise and fall of commercial viticulture in the middle of Israel's arid Negev desert using evidence about life
NASA's Aqua satellite provided infrared data on Tropical Depression Hanna while imagery from NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite was used to create an animation showing its movement from Texas to Mexico. Infrared data can reveal the location of powerful storms that generate heavy rainfall and Hanna drenched Texas upon landfall over the weekend of July 25-26.
For the first time, researchers have taken a video of a pulse of laser light as it moves in three dimensions, using a camera with a shutter speed of a trillionth of a second. It could potentially be used to see around corners
Drug-induced Interstitial Lung Disease in Breast Cancer Patients: A Lesson We Should Learn from Multi-Disciplinary IntegrationAnnouncing a new article publication for BIO Integration journal. In this case report the authors Zijun Zhao, Zhanghai He, Hongyan Huang, Jiewen Chen, Shishi He, Ailifeire Yilihamu and Yan Nie from Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China consider drug-induced interstitial
An alternative amplification technique to detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA could offer a way to rapidly test large numbers of people for COVID-19, although the technique is not as sensitive as quantitative RT-PCR, the current standard method for COVID-19 testing.
Remote, real-time monitoring of post-operative lung transplant patients significantly decreases hospital readmissions and resulted in shorter hospital stays when patients were readmitted
Use of NSAIDs to treat first-time heart attack patients significantly increased the risk for cardiovascular and bleeding events post-heart attack in a nationwide Korean study, published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The pharmaceutical company Moderna Therapeutics, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts announced this week that it has started phase three trials of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Phase three is the last main phase of testing a vaccine to prove it's safe and effective against the virus. (Pixabay/) Follow all of PopSci 's COVID-19 coverage here , including the latest research on mask efficacy , ways
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
When NASA's Perseverance rover lands on Mars next year, it will be equipped with some of the most precise maps of Mars ever created, courtesy of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center. Not only are the new maps essential for a safe landing on Mars, but they also serve as the foundation upon which the science activities planned for the Mars mission will be built.
Listeria contaminations can send food processing facilities into full crisis mode with mass product recalls, federal warnings and even hospitalization or death for people who consume the contaminated products. Destroying the bacterium and stopping its spread can be challenging because of the formation of biofilms, or communities of resistant bacteria that adhere to drains or other surfaces.
Listeria contaminations can send food processing facilities into full crisis mode with mass product recalls, federal warnings and even hospitalization or death for people who consume the contaminated products. Destroying the bacterium and stopping its spread can be challenging because of the formation of biofilms, or communities of resistant bacteria that adhere to drains or other surfaces.
Nature, Published online: 27 July 2020; doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02237-0 Scientists have confirmed the 200-year-old hypothesis of atmospheric resonance. Plus: exploring the origin of language, and tackling coronavirus in South Africa.
Cicadas infected with the parasitic fungus Massospora unknowingly engage in trickery with their fellow insects, resulting in effective disease transmission, according to West Virginia University-led research.
Children, and especially boys, show stronger stereotyping about masculine and feminine jobs than previously suspected, an innovative study by the University of Sussex reveals.
Cicadas infected with the parasitic fungus Massospora unknowingly engage in trickery with their fellow insects, resulting in effective disease transmission, according to West Virginia University-led research.
Homeward Bound In a matter of days, NASA is set to launch its Perseverance rover to Mars. One curiosity of the mission is that Perseverance will be bringing a rock back to the Red Planet that scientists believe originated on Mars roughly 600,000 to 700,000 years ago, as the BBC reports — for a fascinating scientific reason. Meteorite Madness The rock, first discovered in the deserts of Oman in 19
If given the chance, a Kenyan herder is likely to keep a mix of goats and camels. It seems like an irrational economic choice because goats reproduce faster and thus offer higher near-term herd growth. But by keeping both goats and camels, the herder lowers the variability in growth from year to year. All of this helps increase the odds of household survival, which is essentially a gamble that dep
There is growing evidence from around the world that some people continue to experience debilitating symptoms of Covid-19 months after contracting the virus. They have been dubbed the 'long-haulers'. Melissa Davey explains what we know about how patients in Australia who were diagnosed in March and April are recovering more than three months later You can read Melissa Davey's article about the St
If given the chance, a Kenyan herder is likely to keep a mix of goats and camels. It seems like an irrational economic choice because goats reproduce faster and thus offer higher near-term herd growth. But by keeping both goats and camels, the herder lowers the variability in growth from year to year. All of this helps increase the odds of household survival, which is essentially a gamble that dep
Researchers from North Carolina State University have identified a microRNA (miRNA) that could promote hair regeneration. This miRNA — miR-218-5p — plays an important role in regulating the pathway involved in follicle regeneration, and could be a candidate for future drug development.
In a recent study, researchers from The University of Texas at Austin show that a natural record – sediments packed together at basin margins – offers scientists a powerful tool for understanding the forces that shaped our planet over millions of years, with implications on present day understanding.
Medical and non-medical prescription stimulant use is higher in states without medical cannabis laws (MCLs) than in states with MCLs among heterosexuals and among certain lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) subpopulations. The study led by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health researchers is published in the International Journal of Drug Policy.
A new study, which analyzed 40 years of Framingham Heart Study data, found an association between lowered rates of hip fractures and decreases in smoking and heavy drinking. These results indicate that modifiable lifestyle factors, along with treatments, may be beneficial to bone health.
Listeria contaminations can send food processing facilities into full crisis mode with mass product recalls, federal warnings and even hospitalization or death for people who consume the contaminated products. UH researchers have discovered a chemical compound that stops listeria reproduction in both light and dark conditions which could lead to bacterial control in food products.
X-ray experiments at Berkeley Lab played a key role in resolving the origin of rare, odd meteorites that have puzzled scientists since their discovery a half-century ago. Known as type IIE iron meteorites, they appear to have originated from a parent body that had a composition featuring both fully melted and unmelted parts – other meteorite types display only one composition.
Children, and especially boys, show stronger stereotyping about masculine and feminine jobs than previously suspected, an innovative study by the University of Sussex reveals.
Phosphorus is critical to food security, ecosystem functioning and human activities. Urbanization and dietary changes, and in particular industrial use of P for chemical fertilizer production, have determined a declining trend especially in the last decades. A study recently published on Nature food realized with the contribution of the CMCC Foundation provides some suggestions on how to address t
Selective laser sintering is one of the most widely used processes in additive manufacturing, but it is limited to printing with a single material at a time. Columbia engineers have used their expertise in robotics to develop a new approach to overcome this limitation: By inverting the laser so that it points upwards, they've invented a way to enable SLS to use–at the same time–multiple material
Unlike businesses or governments, organisms can't go into evolutionary debt — there is no borrowing one's way back from extinction. This can lead to seemingly irrational economic choices that suddenly make sense when viewed as a multiplicative, evolutionary process.
When NASA's Perseverance rover lands on Mars next year, it will be equipped with some of the most precise maps of Mars ever created, courtesy of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center. Not only are the new maps essential for a safe landing on Mars, but they also serve as the foundation upon which the science activities planned for the Mars mission will be built.
Scientists have long been concerned that the common practice of medical journals accepting commercial payments from pharmaceutical companies may lead to pro-industry bias in published articles. According to new research at The University of Texas at Austin, scientists were right to be concerned, but they were focusing on the wrong type of payments.
Newly discovered pathway may have potential for treating heart failure – New research model helps predict heart muscle cells' impact on heart function after injury – New mass spectrometry approach generates libraries of glycans in human heart tissue – Understanding heart damage after heart attack and treatment may provide clues for prevention – Understanding atrial fibrillation's effects on heart
In women under 30, thinner and leaner, particularly at the extremes of low body size, does not necessarily equate with better cardiorespiratory fitness.Rather than emphasizing weight loss, better strategies for maximizing athletic performance in young women may include changes in training intensity, training frequency, skill acquisition, competition strategy, sleep and nutrition.
A genetic difference in one gene common in people of East Asian descent may make them more susceptible to rapid heart rates and chemical toxicity if they use e-cigarettes.Although e-cigarettes may have fewer chemicals than tobacco cigarettes, the chemicals in e-cigarette aerosol may still cause harmful effects, particularly in people who are more susceptible because of their genetics.
Among patients hospitalized with abnormal heart rhythms, those with alcohol abuse were 72% more likely to die before being discharged.Strategies to reduce problematic alcohol use may improve the health of patients with irregular heart rhythms and other heart problems.
The rate of seasonal flu vaccinations among people over age 50 and nursing home residents is extremely low, and those who do get the flu vaccine can significantly lower their risk of heart attack, TIA (transient ischemic attack), death and cardiac arrest.Flu vaccination in high-risk patients was associated with a 28% reduced risk of heart attack, a 47% reduced risk of TIA and a 73% reduced risk of
The fatal disease smallpox is older and more widespread than scientists so far have proved, researchers report. Their new study shows that the Vikings also suffered from smallpox. Through the ages, the highly infectious disease smallpox has killed hundreds of millions of people. But it is unclear exactly when the disease emerged. There has been found evidence of smallpox from individuals from the
Covid-19 is lingering such that the public believes things are getting better, long after they are going wrong Another day, another sadly predictable U-turn from the government of Boris Johnson. A few weeks ago ministers were encouraging the public to go abroad for their holidays. They did so without a comprehensive airport testing regime for passengers, unlike in many parts of the world. As rest
A team of National Institutes of Health (NIH) scientists is walking a delicate line: publishing research about how the human brain differs across sex, while trying to guard against their work being misrepresented by misogynists . Armin Raznahan, chief of developmental neurogenomics at the NIH, published research in the journal PNAS on Monday about how sex chromosomes are tied linked to difference
Racial minorities and those with underlying health conditions may be at a greater risk from coronavirus infection, but have historically been less likely to be included in clinical trials — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Thanks to optical tweezers, a new study reveals unexpected properties of the neurons responsible for the transduction of light signals. The research has been published in PLOS Biology.
Researchers have designed a smart technology that can help utility companies better serve communities affected by blackouts. The researchers say their single device works by improving energy delivery between home solar-power systems and the electrical grid. "Our innovation lets solar energy consumers be less dependent on the external power grid. The same technology also allows the utility company
Thanks to optical tweezers, a new study reveals unexpected properties of the neurons responsible for the transduction of light signals. The research has been published in PLOS Biology.
Base editors, which enable production of highly efficient targeted point mutations in genomic DNA without causing double-stranded DNA breaks, hold great promise for gene therapy in human disease and trait improvement in crop plants.
Some smokers might rationalize continuing to smoke because of lower body weight often associated with the habit. However, Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators have determined that even with a lower body mass index (BMI), smokers have a higher risk of depositing fat in and around organs and tissues compared to those who never smoked.
In April, more than 2 million jobholders were out sick from work, the highest number since at least 1976, and more than double the rate from mid-April 2019, according to a study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine. The surge in absences was largest for immigrant workers, whose absence rate rose almost five-fold from 12 months earlier, when their absenteeism rate had been 37% lower than that
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to put a strain on health care systems, nursing homes have become overburdened with the challenge of keeping both patients and staff safe and healthy. Older residents in long-term care facilities are especially vulnerable to the effects of a respiratory illness like COVID-19, and nursing homes are not appropriately designed nor staffed to handle large numbers
Concrete sewer pipes around the world are most likely to fail either because their concrete is not strong enough or because they can't handle the weight of trucks that drive over them, a new study indicates.
The differing immune system responses of patients with COVID-19 can help predict who will experience moderate and severe consequences of disease, according to a new study by Yale researchers published July 27 in the journal Nature.
Though same-day access to IUDs increases the likelihood a woman will get the reproductive health care she wants and decreases the chance she'll become pregnant when she doesn't plan to, most providers in Ohio don't offer the service, a new study has found.
An Army-funded project developed a self-healing material patterned after squid ring teeth protein. The biodegradable biosynthetic polymer could be used to repair materials that are under continual repetitive movement such as robotic machines, prosthetic legs, ventilators and personal protective equipment like hazmat suits.
New research by Northwestern Engineering and Georgia Institute of Technology expands the understanding of origami structures, opening possibilities for mechanical metamaterials to be used in soft robotics and medical devices.
In a study published in Nature Astronomy, an international team of researchers has presented a new, detailed look inside the "central engine" of a large solar flare accompanied by a powerful eruption by the Owens Valley Solar Array — a solar radio telescope facility operated by New Jersey Institute of Technology's Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research. The new findings offer the first measurement
Two papers in Genome Research by the FANTOM Consortium have provided new insights into the core regulatory networks governing cell types in different vertebrate species, and the role of RNA as regulators of cell function and identity.
Base editors, which enable production of highly efficient targeted point mutations in genomic DNA without causing double-stranded DNA breaks, hold great promise for gene therapy in human disease and trait improvement in crop plants.
A Tel Aviv University breakthrough allows, for the first time, a local production of ethanol—and hand sanitizer—based on plant and paper waste, using a novel lignin (a substance found in plants) degradation process. This revolutionary process could significantly reduce production costs and lead to a decrease in the use of edible plant sources, help protect the environment, and reduce the use of va
An international team of researchers has published the most detailed submarine map of the Arctic Ocean. The study, by Miquel Canals, José Luis Casamor and David Amblàs from the Consolidated Research Group on Marine Geosciences of the University of Barcelona, has been published in Scientific Data.
Two papers in Genome Research by the FANTOM Consortium have provided new insights into the core regulatory networks governing cell types in different vertebrate species, and the role of RNA as regulators of cell function and identity.
German researchers decoded the European maize genome. In comparison to North American maize lines, they discovered variations that underlie phenotypic differences and may also contribute to the heterosis effect. A better understanding of the effect could impact breeding for higher yields. For cultivation of maize in areas with low yields and for challenges imposed by the climate change these obser
Researchers aim to short-circuit the decay process in organic waste to produce a potent, less carbon-intensive fuel — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
In a study published in Nature Astronomy, an international team of researchers has presented a new, detailed look inside the "central engine" of a large solar flare accompanied by a powerful eruption first captured on Sept. 10, 2017 by the Owens Valley Solar Array (EOVSA)—a solar radio telescope facility operated by New Jersey Institute of Technology's (NJIT) Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research
Two papers in Genome Research by the FANTOM Consortium have provided new insights into the core regulatory networks governing cell types in different vertebrate species, and the role of RNA as regulators of cell function and identity.
German researchers decoded the European maize genome. In comparison to North American maize lines, they discovered variations that underlie phenotypic differences and may also contribute to the heterosis effect. A better understanding of the effect could impact breeding for higher yields. For cultivation of maize in areas with low yields and for challenges imposed by the climate change these obser
The current understanding of topological insulators and their classical wave analogs, such as photonic topological insulators, is mainly based on topological band theory. Contrary to this, Scientists in China and Singapore experimentally showed photonic topological insulators based on glass-like amorphous phases, for which the bandstructure is ill-defined. The persistence of topological protection
The Innovation Center of NanoMedicine in Japan announced that a new strategy to specifically target to the brain was discovered in collaboration with the Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo. The details are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science issued on July 23.
Platinum arguably is the most important electrocatalyst material, not only because it is the best single element catalyst in a variety of important electrocatalytic reactions but also due to its relatively high stability. However, in the corrosive environment of real electrocatalysis systems, such as fuel cells, even platinum can structurally degrade. Moreover, the presence of strongly adsorbing s
Naturally occurring lithium in public drinking water may have an anti-suicidal effect – according to a new study from Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London.Published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, the study collated research from around the world and found that geographical areas with relatively high lev
People who received at least one flu vaccination were 17% less likely to get Alzheimer's disease over the course of a lifetime, according to researchers at UTHealth.
In a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine today, researchers showed how analysis of data from the multigenerational Framingham Osteoporosis Study may in part explain why the incidence of hip fracture in the US has declined during the last two decades.
DALLAS – June 22, 2020 – For decades, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol has been dubbed "good cholesterol" because of its role in moving fats and other cholesterol molecules out of artery walls. People with higher HDL cholesterol levels tend to have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, studies have shown.
Scientists have used artificial intelligence to search for patterns of molecular abnormalities in tumour tissue sections across 28 cancer types. They analysed more than 17 000 tumour microscopy images and found that the appearance of tumour cells and tissues offers insights into the underlying genetic causes. The research could help scientists develop diagnostic tools for when molecular tests are
Joslin Diabetes Center researchers have found an unusual strategy that eventually may help to guard transplanted beta cells or to slow the original onset of type 1 diabetes.
The fastest way to make a new island is volcanism. The island of Nishino-shima in Japan has doubled in a little over 7 years, all thanks to lava flows.
A few decades ago, "American beer" had the same connotation in the world of brewing as Velveeta-style "American cheese" had for connoisseurs of Stilton or Brie. Mid-20th-century American beer culture was known for its handful of giant breweries, and for the unadventurous, bland lagers they pumped out. In those days, brewers in England or Belgium or Germany would roll their eyes at what Yanks cons
Twenty years ago, Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist—not generally thought of as a radical liberal— said : "We can think of no better example of the police power, which the Founders denied the National Government and reposed in the States, than the suppression of violent crime and vindication of its victims." Last week Attorney General William Barr went full interventionist, telling th
Biotech company Moderna has been making some pretty promising strides in developing and testing its covid-19 vaccine . The company just announced it was working with the US National Institutes of Health to launch what will be one of the largest covid-19 vaccine trials, a phase 3 study enrolling tens of thousands of American volunteers to assess whether the vaccine could truly protect people from
All over the world, people are writing messages and symbols on the land that can only be seen from above. These messages are not for God, but for our fellow humans – pilots, balloonists, or an abstract Mapmaker in the Sky. Non-symbolic communication with the heavens can be traced back to a cartographic innovation by Da Vinci. Da Vinci's satellite map In Minnesota, there's a forest shaped like Min
Approximately four in five people living with hepatitis B and three out of four people with hepatitis C infection across the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA) and the UK have not yet been diagnosed. This is a major obstacle on the way towards the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for health in 2030 as highlighted by ECDC on occasion of World Hepatitis Day.
In terms of its structure and organization, the cryptocurrency market is a rather young and a very specific financial market. Due to its relatively short history, it is difficult to fully analyze the cryptocurrency market (it appeared only in 2009), which makes this task even more attractive for researchers.
Cicadas infected with the parasitic fungus Massospora unknowingly engage in trickery with their fellow insects, resulting in effective disease transmission, according to West Virginia University-led research. Massospora manipulates male cicadas into flicking their wings like females – a mating invitation – which tempts unsuspecting male cicadas and infects them.
Two groups of nerve cells may serve as "on-off switches" for male mating and aggression, suggests a new study in rodents. These neurons appear to send signals between two parts of the brain – the back tip, or posterior, of the amygdala and the hypothalamus – that together regulate emotions including fear, anxiety, and aggression.
Have you ever wondered why our hands have five fingers while amphibians usually only have four? Until now it was assumed that this was already the case with the early ancestors of today's frogs and salamanders, the Temnospondyli. However, a new find of the crocodile-like Temnospondyl Metoposaurus krasiejowensis (about 225 million years old) in Poland shows five metacarpal bones and thus five finge
Alaska is getting wetter. A new study spells out what that means for the permafrost that underlies about 85% of the state, and the consequences for Earth's global climate.
A new study of 1,443 medications found that three prescription drugs currently on the market caused unexpected changes in worms that could point to potential, unrecognized effects in humans. The research was published online on July 23, 2020 in the journal Chemosphere.
Researchers from the Rovira i Virgili University in collaboration with researchers from the University of Utah have carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the association between adiposity (normal weight, overweight, obesity, and low weight) and the sperm quality. Overweight and/or obesity were associated with low semen quality parameters and underweight category was likewise
Researchers at Linköping University's Department of Thematic Studies, Environmental Change, have developed a simple logger for greenhouse gas flows. It is built using inexpensive and easily available parts, and provides data on levels of methane, carbon dioxide, temperature and humidity.
The answers to today's geometrical riddles Earlier today I set you the following two puzzles. Here they are again, together with solutions. 1. A 12cm x 12cm square piece of paper is marked as below. Continue reading…
According to a new study published in the prestigious journal Nature , an international team of researchers have identified 21 existing drugs that stop the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, from replicating. The new research could have bold implications for future of medical care during the pandemic. The scientists were able to confirm that at certain concentrations, 21 drugs — out o
Using known distances of 50 galaxies from Earth to refine calculations in Hubble's constant, astronomers estimates the age of the universe at 12.6 billion years.
A new, 3D-printed technology that was inspired by Lego block toys is designed to help heal broken bones, and could one day even lead to lab-made organs for human transplant.
The Chromatin Biology group, led by Dr. Alex Vaquero has identified a new enzymatic activity in SIRT7, involved in stress response, aging and hematopoiesis, which plays a key role in metabolic stress and aging.
Nanocatalysts made of gold nanoparticles dispersed on metal oxides are very promising for the industrial, selective oxidation of compounds, including alcohols, into valuable chemicals. They show high catalytic activity, particularly in aqueous solution. A team of researchers from Ruhr-Universität Bochum has been able to explain why: Water molecules play an active role in facilitating the oxygen di
Researchers at SMART have discovered a practical way to induce strong and broad immunity to the dengue virus. Their study proves that providing immunity shots in sequence offers strong and broad immunity against all four serotypes of dengue virus, providing a way to safely use the only licensed dengue vaccine available.
You think you might need a new PC to boost up your gaming? Try these tips first. (Fredrick Tendong / Unsplash/) When it comes to PC gaming, frame rates and user experience matter—even the best titles will suffer if their beautifully rendered virtual worlds slow to a crawl. But no matter your particular setup on Windows, you'll find numerous tweaks that can ensure a smooth, frustration-free ride,
An international team of researchers has published the most detailed submarine map of the Artic Ocean. The study, which counts on the participation of the experts Miquel Canals, José Luis Casamor and David Amblàs, from the Consolidated Research Group on Marine Geosciences of the University of Barcelona, has been published in Nature's journal Scientific Data.
"We thought we knew almost everything about photoreceptors, but we have proved that is not the case". With these words, Vincent Torre, Professor of neurobiology of SISSA, comments the results of a new study that, thanks to a multidisciplinary approach and to the use of optical tweezers, reveals for the first time the sensitivity of nerve cells present on the retina to mechanical stimuli and opens
Relaxing on the sofa or savoring a delicious meal: Enjoying short-term pleasurable activities that don't lead to long-term goals contributes at least as much to a happy life as self-control, according to new research from the University of Zurich and Radboud University in the Netherlands. The researchers therefore argue for a greater appreciation of hedonism in psychology.
Deep learning applied for image/video processing opened the door for the practical deployment for object detection and identification with acceptable accuracy. Crowd counting is another application of image/video processing. The scientists at Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST) designed a new DNN with backward connection, which achieved more accurate estimation of the densit
Asian countries such as China and Vietnam are seeing a resurgence of the virus as daily global covid-19 cases hit 300,000, with more than half occurring in the Americas
The Atlantic has hired Clint Smith as a staff writer, editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg announced today. Smith, who received his Ph.D. in education from Harvard University this spring, has contributed to The Atlantic over the past several years––in June, he wrote on becoming a parent in the age of Black Lives Matter, and was part of The Atlantic 's KING special issue in 2018. Smith begins as a sta
An experimental COVID-19 vaccine developed by Moderna is beginning its final round of testing on Monday. After passing the previous stages that are more focused on safety and identifying side effects , the new clinical trial will measure how effective the vaccine, dubbed mRNA-1273, actually is when it comes to preventing disease, NPR reports . Over the next few months, Moderna will determine whet
Dr. Sapan Desai, who supplied the data for two prominent and later retracted studies, is said to have a history of cutting corners and misrepresenting information in pursuit of his ambitions.
Scientists gathered and published over 200 000 genomes from the human gut microbiome. The catalogue reveals that more than 70% of bacterial species in the human gut have never been grown in the lab. This new data resource could be extremely useful to investigate how the bacterial community in the human gut influences human health and disease.
Today, the word probiotic is used to describe all kinds of 'good' microorganisms in foods and supplements. Already, scientists have come up with a specific definition of probiotics, however, they have agreed that for a bacterial strain or strains to be called a probiotic, it should follow four simple criteria. Correct use of the term probiotic, per these criteria, will give consumers better transp
Humans have a hard time identifying individual birds just by looking at the patterns on their plumage. An international study involving scientists form the CNRS, Université de Montpellier and the University of Porto in Portugal, among others, has shown how computers can learn to differentiate individual birds of a same species. The results are published on 27 July 2020 in Methods in Ecology and Ev
German researchers decoded the European maize genome. In comparison to North American maize lines, they discovered variations that underlie phenotypic differences and may also contribute to the heterosis effect. A better understanding of the effect could impact breeding for higher yields. For cultivation of maize in areas with low yields and for challenges imposed by the climate change these obser
A research team from South Korea and the USA has provided a comprehensive review covering the recent progress in topological photonics, a recently emerging branch of photonics. This review introduces the basics of topological band theory and various two-dimensional topological phases, followed by three-dimensional topological phases and approaches to achieve them. Recently emerging fields includin
An IOF and ECTS Working Group have published an updated review of literature published after 2017 on premenopausal osteoporosis. It outlines key information on factors affecting peak bone mass and distinguishing low bone mass from proper osteoporosis with increased fracture risk at a young age, causes of secondary osteoporosis versus idiopathic osteoporosis, as well as pregnancy-and lactation-asso
Recently, GAO Caixia's group from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences created two new CBEs based on a truncated human APOBEC3 cytidine deaminase (A3Bctd) and developed a high-throughput assay for assessing sgRNA-independent deamination changes in plant CBEs.
Maize is one of our major staple foods and is cultivated around the world, showcasing a broad range of genetic adaptations to different environmental conditions. To date, the best understood maize line is the American dent maize line B73. Scientists have now expanded our knowledge of the maize genome through the analysis of four European flint lines. The found genetic differences between the lines
IBS research team reports a novel method to grow multi-layered, single-crystalline graphene with a selected stacking order in a wafer scale. They obtained four-layered graphene using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) via Cu-Si alloy formation.
A new imaging method developed by the Skala lab uses the natural autofluorescence within cells to assess T cell activity. The technique could help assess T cell involvement in immunotherapies.
Of 1,068 patients from 10 health centers enrolled in the study, 67.1% of those who elected to initially manage their care through antibiotics alone experienced no harmful side effects and did not later require an appendectomy by their one-year follow-up appointment. Patients in the non-operative group experienced an average of 6.6 disability days, compared to the 10.9 days in the surgery group.
In a new study published today in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers behind the Healthy Nevada Project® suggest that community-based genetic screening has the potential to efficiently identify individuals who may be at increased risk for three common inherited (CDC Tier 1) genetic conditions known to cause several forms of cancer and increased risk for heart disease or stroke.
Recent advancements across disciplines relevant to early child development can be used to understand the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and to develop and scale empirically supported interventions for adversity-exposed children and families.
Researchers in Japan and Singapore have discovered a molecular mechanism that explains how Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection alters a host's epigenome to promote tumorigenesis (the transformation of normal cells into cancer cells) in certain types of stomach cancer. The findings suggest that EBV infection plays an important role in the development of EBV-associated stomach cancers, and provide fr
By tuning into a subset of brain waves, University of Michigan researchers have dramatically reduced the power requirements of neural interfaces while improving their accuracy–a discovery that could lead to long-lasting brain implants that can both treat neurological diseases and enable mind-controlled prosthetics and machines.
Although additional policies are needed to relieve insulin's financial burden, researchers find a national cost-sharing cap helps privately insured children and young adults with type 1 diabetes pay less out-of-pocket.
Two groups of nerve cells may serve as "on-off switches" for male mating and aggression, suggests a new study in rodents. These neurons appear to send signals between two parts of the brain – the back tip, or posterior, of the amygdala and the hypothalamus – that together regulate emotions including fear, anxiety, and aggression.
Repeated activity wears on soft robotic actuators, but these machine's moving parts need to be reliable and easily fixed. Now a team of researchers has a biosynthetic polymer, patterned after squid ring teeth, that is self-healing and biodegradable, creating a material not only good for actuators, but also for hazmat suits and other applications where tiny holes could cause a danger.
The oldest trees on Earth have stood for nearly five millennia, and researchers have long wondered to what extent these ancient organisms undergo senescence, physically deteriorating as they age. In a review publishing July 27, 2020 in the journal Trends in Plant Science, plant biologist Sergi Munné-Bosch argues that although signs of senescence in long-lived trees may be almost imperceptible to p
Researchers at Linköping University's Department of Thematic Studies, Environmental Change, have developed a simple logger for greenhouse gas flows. It is built using inexpensive and easily available parts, and provides data on levels of methane, carbon dioxide, temperature and humidity.
Nanocatalysts made of gold nanoparticles dispersed on metal oxides are very promising for the industrial, selective oxidation of compounds, including alcohols, into valuable chemicals. They show high catalytic activity, particularly in aqueous solution. A team of researchers from Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) has been able to explain why: Water molecules play an active role in facilitating the oxy
Shop the Look Last week, Tesla announced that the Elon Musk-run electric car company will be opening a US factory in Austin, Texas, to build the long-awaited Cybertruck . Musk isn't losing any time exploring some ways to make it look, well, just a little less like a giant stainless steel box on wheels . In a series of tweet replies, very much in character for the CEO, Musk offered a hint of what
Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) proteins are a family of ancient and conserved molecular chaperones. They play an essential role in maintaining protein homeostasis, including facilitating protein folding and degradation, preventing protein aggregation, and participating in the stress response. Disruption of the cellular quality control machinery is associated with aging, cancer and neurodegenerative
A research team from the University of Malaga, the Andalusian Centre for Nanomedicine and Biotechnology-BIONAND, the Canary Islands Technological Institute, the company Osteobionix, and the CIBER (Networking Centre for Biomedical Research) has developed a coating for titanium prostheses based on 3-D branching polymers which can incorporate substances that facilitate bonding with the bone. This mec
Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) proteins are a family of ancient and conserved molecular chaperones. They play an essential role in maintaining protein homeostasis, including facilitating protein folding and degradation, preventing protein aggregation, and participating in the stress response. Disruption of the cellular quality control machinery is associated with aging, cancer and neurodegenerative
At just 1/1000th of a millimeter, nanoparticles are impossible to see with the naked eye. But, despite being small, they're extremely important in many ways. If scientists want to take a close look at DNA, proteins, or viruses, then being able to isolate and monitor nanoparticles is essential.
The 'Lobster-Eye X-ray Satellite' was successfully launched on July 25 into orbit from the Taiyuan Launch Center, with the first signal received, riding the Long March 4B lift rocket. The Lobster-Eye X-ray Satellite project is co-led by Nanjing University (NJU), the Laboratory for Space Research (LSR) of The University of Hong Kong (HKU), the 508 Institute of the Fifth Academy of China Aerospace S
Using known distances of 50 galaxies from Earth to refine calculations in Hubble's constant, a research team led by a University of Oregon astronomer estimates the age of the universe at 12.6 billion years.
Researchers from Harvard University, the Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG) and the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) have described the first technology able to visualize hundreds to potentially thousands of genomes at the same time under the microscope. The tech images genomes more cheaply, more quickly and increases range of visibility compared to currently available methods. The tec
Repeated activity wears on soft robotic actuators, but these machine's moving parts need to be reliable and easily fixed. Now a team of researchers has a biosynthetic polymer, patterned after squid ring teeth, that is self-healing and biodegradable, creating a material not only good for actuators, but also for hazmat suits and other applications where tiny holes could cause a danger.
The oldest trees on Earth have stood for nearly five millennia, and researchers have long wondered to what extent these ancient organisms undergo senescence, physically deteriorating as they age. A recent paper studying ginkgoes, one of the world's longest-lived trees, even found that they may be able to "escape senescence at the whole-plant level," raising questions about the apparent lack of agi
Researchers from Harvard University, the Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG) and the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) have described the first technology able to visualize hundreds to potentially thousands of genomes at the same time under the microscope. The tech images genomes more cheaply, more quickly and increases range of visibility compared to currently available methods. The tec
The oldest trees on Earth have stood for nearly five millennia, and researchers have long wondered to what extent these ancient organisms undergo senescence, physically deteriorating as they age. A recent paper studying ginkgoes, one of the world's longest-lived trees, even found that they may be able to "escape senescence at the whole-plant level," raising questions about the apparent lack of agi
Microbubbles measured in microns—millionths of a meter—can form in cerebral spinal fluid inside the skull during traumatic brain injuries, according to new research. The "formation and dramatic collapse" of these microbubbles could be responsible for some of the damage in a brain injury, the researchers report. Bubble damage may sound trivial. But bubble collapse—a process known as cavitation— an
Researchers led by Prof. LIU Yu from the Institute of Earth Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and their collaborators reconstructed natural runoff history for the middle reach of the YR from 1492 to 2013 CE to assess the effects of human activities.
Why was a marathon runner in his 40s stricken with a case of COVID-19 so severe it landed him in the intensive care unit? Why did a healthy 12-year-old boy lose his life to a disease that mostly harms older people? One of the most terrifying aspects of the pandemic is that the severity of the disease seems so cruelly and arbitrarily variable. Although the SARS-CoV-2 virus is most often fatal in p
A new report on climate change by the University of Toronto is projecting that most of the polar bear population could reach extinction in under 100 years due to starvation. Polar bears are dependent on sea ice for hunting seals, a primary component of their diet. As temperatures rise and sea ice continues to shrink it has become increasingly challenging for the carnivores to hunt for food. The A
Nature, Published online: 27 July 2020; doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02205-8 Look beyond gender — if research thrives on collaboration, a book asks, why do we reward individualism?
Hundreds of academics, anti-poverty advocates and others have signed petitions demanding the journal Society retract a new commentary which argues, in essence, that poor Black and Hispanic people in the United States are poor because they haven't figured out how to be more white. One petition, to the editor of the journal, Jonathan Imber, had … Continue reading
Governments may be able to prevent future pandemics by investing as little as $22 billion a year in programs to curb wildlife trafficking and stem the destruction of tropical forests, a new analysis shows. Compared to the $2.6 trillion already lost to COVID-19, and the more than 600,000 deaths the virus has caused so far, that annual investment represents an exceptional value, the experts argue.
Going Live NASA is about to embark on its latest Mars mission, sending its Mars 2020 Perseverance rover on its long journey to the Red Planet atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. The launch is slated for Thursday, July 30 at 7:50 am EDT from Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Luckily, the space agency has set up a live stream on its website so you can follo
The current understanding of topological insulators and their classical wave analogues, such as photonic topological insulators, is mainly based on topological band theory. Contrarily, Scientists in China and Singapore experimentally showed photonic topological insulators based on glass-like amorphous phases, for which the bandstructure is ill-defined. The persistence of topological protection is
Researchers at Osaka University have demonstrated that precipitation of a salt crystal occurs even at concentrations much lower than its solubility due to local density fluctuation and this repeated precipitation-dissolution of salt crystals significantly accelerates the production of neurotoxic aggregates of amyloid-β peptides. These results help elucidate the protein aggregation mechanism and th
A study published in the June 2020 edition of the peer-reviewed journal Horticulturae shows that cycads, which are in decline and among the world's most threatened group of plants, provide an important service to their neighboring organisms. The study, completed by researchers from the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center at the University of Guam and the Montgomery Botanical Center in Miami,
Human pregnancy can easily be taken for granted as a natural and regularly occurring event, but it is the product of the complex, coordinated function of two bodies, mother and baby, that has evolved side by side with other important human adaptations. For the first time, researchers have established how a complex disorder associated with pregnancy—spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) – has been shape
Many reactions that we use to produce chemical compounds in food, medical, and industrial fields would not be feasible without the use of catalysts. A catalyst is a substance that, even in small quantities, accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction and sometimes allows it to occur at milder conditions (lower temperature and pressure). A good catalyst can sometimes multiply the throughput of an i
A study published in the June 2020 edition of the peer-reviewed journal Horticulturae shows that cycads, which are in decline and among the world's most threatened group of plants, provide an important service to their neighboring organisms. The study, completed by researchers from the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center at the University of Guam and the Montgomery Botanical Center in Miami,
Human pregnancy can easily be taken for granted as a natural and regularly occurring event, but it is the product of the complex, coordinated function of two bodies, mother and baby, that has evolved side by side with other important human adaptations. For the first time, researchers have established how a complex disorder associated with pregnancy—spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) – has been shape
The combination of two immunotherapy strategies is more effective than either alone in treating certain blood cancers like leukemia, a study in human cells and mice shows. Some of the most promising advances in cancer treatment have centered on immunotherapies that rev up a patient's immune system to attack cancer. But immunotherapies don't work in all patients, and researchers have searched for
In the fight against pathogens, most researchers have focused on the diverse immune system arsenal that protects people against infection. However, the lab of Yale microbiologist Jorge Galan explored an evolutionarily ancient defense system possessed by every individual cell in the body.
The first robotic cutting mechanism—or "end-effector"—for a fully automated, computerized pruning system for modern apple orchards has been designed by a Penn State research team, an early step in the creation of a technology aimed at easing challenges facing tree-fruit growers.
In the fight against pathogens, most researchers have focused on the diverse immune system arsenal that protects people against infection. However, the lab of Yale microbiologist Jorge Galan explored an evolutionarily ancient defense system possessed by every individual cell in the body.
The first robotic cutting mechanism—or "end-effector"—for a fully automated, computerized pruning system for modern apple orchards has been designed by a Penn State research team, an early step in the creation of a technology aimed at easing challenges facing tree-fruit growers.
Light can sometimes play tricks on our eyes. If you look at a shiny surface, what you see will largely depend on the surrounding environment and lighting conditions.
More than 140 teams of researchers are racing to develop a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine Researchers around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against Covid-19, with more than 140 candidate vaccines now tracked by the World Health Organization (WHO). Continue reading…
A team of researchers led by Osaka University established a new pathological grading system to evaluate the therapeutic effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) removed in esophageal cancer (EC) surgery, demonstrating that the system predicts recurrence and prognosis in EC patients better than conventional systems. Their findings will enable 'tailor-made' treatment
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and International Christian University (ICU) demonstrate a synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy-based method by which the local temperatures of metal nanoparticles can be measured under microwaves. This approach provides insight into the role that their temperature has on their catalytic performance and sheds light on how local particle heating us
Despite the frequent analogies, today's AI operates on very different principles to the human brain. Now researchers have proposed a new learning method more closely tied to biology, which they think could help us approach the brain's unrivaled efficiency. Modern deep learning is at the very least biologically-inspired, encoding information in the strength of connections between large networks of
Storm Bowling engineers its balls to hit different expert needs. (Travis Rathbone/) No matter how hard you try to spin the house balls at your local bowling joint, they rarely curve. That's because they are simple spheres built for durability, not fancy moves. But a small handful of companies—among them Storm Bowling —create gear that is surprisingly complex inside. Precisely shaped, meticulously
Her advice has helped millions declutter their lives. Now organizing expert Marie Kondo's philosophy of letting go of nonessentials can help K-12 educators scrambling to design creative back-to-school plans in the age of COVID-19, Harvard experts say.
An international team of scientists has completed the first ever study into the potential impact of naturally occurring and man-made nanoparticles on the health of all types of the major living species of animals.
A study published earlier this year found that in the United States Republicans were more likely than Democrats to believe coronavirus (COVID-19) related conspiracy theories.
Many living creatures live in soil. Though their sizes range from microscopic soil microbes to larger animals like gopher turtles, they all call soil their "home." Included in these ground-dwelling species are bees—vital in the pollination cycle of about 90% of plant life.
Indigenous people in Oconee Valley—present-day central Georgia—continued to live and actively resist European influence for nearly 150 years after the arrival of Hernando de Soto, evidence suggests. In American history, we learn that the arrival of Spanish explorers led by de Soto in the 1500s was a watershed moment resulting in the collapse of Indigenous tribes and traditions across the southeas
ESA's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter has spotted new gas signatures at Mars. These unlock new secrets about the martian atmosphere, and will enable a more accurate determination of whether there is methane, a gas associated with biological or geological activity, at the planet.
Many living creatures live in soil. Though their sizes range from microscopic soil microbes to larger animals like gopher turtles, they all call soil their "home." Included in these ground-dwelling species are bees—vital in the pollination cycle of about 90% of plant life.
Enjoying short-term pleasurable activities that don't lead to long-term goals contributes at least as much to a happy life as self-control, according to new research. Based on their findings, the researchers argue for a greater appreciation of hedonism in psychology. We all set ourselves long-term goals from time to time, whether we want to start getting into shape, eating less sugar, or learning
In a recent journal article, a team of biologists, medical scientists, environmental scientists and conservationists proposed a number of measures to reduce the likelihood of future pandemics, many of which originate with wild animals such as bats. They argue that spending billions of dollars per year—a fraction of the cost of pandemics—on programs that reduce deforestation would curtail wildlife
A team of researchers from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and Stanford University has tested the viability of using a type of fungus found growing in some of the destroyed nuclear reactors at the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant site to shield astronauts from radiation. They have written a paper describing their work and have uploaded it to the bioRxiv preprint site.
A sonic boom-like seismic phenomenon of supershear rupture occurred during the 2018 Palu earthquake in Indonesia. University of Tsukuba researchers investigated the relationship between this phenomenon and the complex geometry of the Palu-Koro fault. An "inchworm-like" pattern of repeated rupture deceleration and acceleration along the fault was detected, associated with bends in the fault trace.
Reports show that cancer is the second leading cause of death globally. Scientists from Duke-NUS Medical School have found DNA mutations in some cancers that link them to a bacterial toxin called colibactin. Their findings, published in the journals Gastroenterology and Genome Research, improve understanding of how some cancers develop, and could help in their prevention.
NTU Singapore has demonstrated a way to improve upon COVID-19 laboratory tests, yielding results in 36 minutes – ¼ of the time required by existing gold-standard tests. Their new approach, which can be done with portable equipment, could allow for screening and research especially in countries and regions with limited laboratory capabilities. It can also be used to detect other viruses and bacteri
Researchers at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University have developed a novel device for single nanoparticle trapping, which has potential applications for drug discovery, disease monitoring, biomedical imaging, and more.
A study published in the June 2020 edition of the peer-reviewed journal Horticulturae shows that cycads, which are in decline and among the world's most threatened group of plants, provide an important service to their neighboring organisms. The study, completed by researchers from the Western Pacific Tropical Research Center at the University of Guam and the Montgomery Botanical Center in Miami,
In a recent report, Yufeng Liu and a team of interdisciplinary researchers in China developed an integrated nanozyme cascade to eliminate excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS; oxygen free radicals). The nanozyme mimicked superoxide dismutase (a group of enzymes) and incorporated a manganese (Mn)-based metal-organic framework (MOF) to transform oxygen radicals to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Using i
Found in cartilage, bones, blood vessels, skin, and other connective tissues, collagens are the most abundant proteins by weight in the human body. In an article published recently in Nature Reviews Materials, UCI biomedical engineering researchers provide an exhaustive description of the superfamily of this biomaterial, which includes 28 subtypes.
All microscopic objects, from enzymes to paint particles, are jittering constantly, bombarded by solvent particles: this is called Brownian motion. How does this motion change when the object is flexible instead of rigid? Ruben Verweij, Pepijn Moerman, and colleagues published the first measurements in Physical Review Research.
Found in cartilage, bones, blood vessels, skin, and other connective tissues, collagens are the most abundant proteins by weight in the human body. In an article published recently in Nature Reviews Materials, UCI biomedical engineering researchers provide an exhaustive description of the superfamily of this biomaterial, which includes 28 subtypes.
An endangered aquatic insect that lives in icy streams fed by glaciers might not mind if the water grows warmer due to climate change.A study published in Global Change Biology on July 22 found that mountain stoneflies can tolerate warmer water temperatures at least temporarily. In fact, they might even be stressed in their current extremely cold environments.
Flu (influenza) and pneumonia vaccinations are associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to new research reported at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference® (AAIC®) 2020.
Using known distances of 50 galaxies from Earth to refine calculations in Hubble's constant, a research team led by a University of Oregon astronomer estimates the age of the universe at 12.6 billion years.
Using data from a study conducted in Montreal between 2005 and 2012, a research team led by Professor Marie-Élise Parent of Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS) has shown a link between diet and prostate cancer in the article "Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Risk of Prostate Cancer in a Population-Based Case-Control Study in Montreal, Canada", published in Nutrients in June.
Effective antivirals with safe clinical profile are urgently needed to improve the overall COVID-19 prognosis. In an analysis of a randomly collected cohort of 124 patients with COVID-19, the authors found that hypercoagulability as indicated by elevated concentrations of D-dimers was associated with disease severity. By virtual screening of a U.S. FDA approved drug library, the authors identified
An Israeli population-based study by a group of scientists from the Leumit Health Services and the Azrieli Faculty of Medicine of Bar-Ilan University discovered significant association of low plasma vitamin D level with the likelihood of COVID-19 infection among patients who were tested for COVID-19, even after adjustment for age, gender, socio-economic status and chronic, mental and physical diso
USTC reported in situ video-STM observations of additional point defects in the presence of this dynamic CO adlayer. The STM observations presented in this work provide direct insights into their dynamic behavior and formation mechanisms.
High-resolution analysis of wind speed across Saudi Arabia can help fast track the expansion of the Kingdom's emerging world-class wind energy industry.
Earthquakes are often imagined as originating from a single point where the seismic waves are strongest, the hypocenter underground or the epicenter at the Earth's surface, with seismic energy radiating outward in a circular pattern. But this simplified model fails to account for the complex geometry of the actual fault systems where earthquakes occur. The real situation may be much more complex—a
Taxonomy, or the naming of species, is the foundation of modern biology. It might sound like a fairly straightforward exercise, but in fact it's complicated and often controversial.
By the end of Year 11 we know almost exactly how well New South Wales students will perform on the state's senior school exams. We used predictive analytics to reliably predict a student's HSC (Higher School Certificate) results in a study of more than 10,000 students.
Our memories of the job market prior to COVID have become rosier: the last decade was a period of fairly low unemployment, even if wage growth was less than stellar.
Taxonomy, or the naming of species, is the foundation of modern biology. It might sound like a fairly straightforward exercise, but in fact it's complicated and often controversial.
Last fall, True Manufacturing completed a project long in the making. The company, which specializes in commercial refrigeration systems, had decided to abandon the neutral cubicles that had encased customer-service workers at its Missouri headquarters, opting instead for a redesign that featured the clustered, partitionless seating now ubiquitous in modern offices. A few months later, as the cor
It seems insensitive to admit it, but this pandemic hasn't been too hard on my family. My husband and I already worked from home with our toddler, and our income, such as it is (we are writers), has not yet shrunk. Our legume-heavy diet was apocalypse-proof, and our budget had already made restaurants the stuff of memory. Sure, our view of the future is obscured by a haze of anxiety and dread, bu
Illustration by Celina Pereira; BStU; Ulrich Hässler / Ullstein Bild / Getty I t was December 1989 , the Berlin Wall had fallen, and in Dresden, crowds were gathering outside the headquarters of the Stasi, the East German secret police, shouting insults and demanding access. Nearby, frantic KGB officers—the Soviet advisers whom the Stasi had long referred to as "the friends"—were barricaded insid
Earlier this month, Walt Disney World began reopening, following almost four months of closure due to the pandemic. I flew to Orlando to experience the magic. The week I arrived, Florida had registered the highest single-day case count of any state thus far. In Orlando's airport, I felt a vague sense that Floridians considered such statistics a source of secret pride, as if they had set a record
Using the Subaru Telescope, astronomers have identified two new dust-reddened (red) quasars at high redshifts. The finding, detailed in a paper published July 16 on the arXiv pre-print server, could improve the understanding of these rare but interesting objects.
The NIH research connecting anatomy and sex chromosomes could shed light on mental disorders. But the topic is sensitive, and such findings are easy to misuse.
College students were more anxious, depressed and sedentary during the initial outbreak of COVID-19 than they were during similar academic terms in other years, according to a multiyear study using mobile sensing.
A new study found men are more likely than women to endorse conspiracy theories connected to COVID-19. The study included a national survey that showed belief in these theories had more to do with gender than political affiliation. The research will help debunk potentially dangerous falsehoods regarding the pandemic and enhance public health practices.
USTC developed a hydrothermal deposition method for the synthesis of antimony selenosulfide for solar cell applications. With this absorber material, the solar cell break the 10% benchmark efficiency barrier. This result has been published in Nature Energy entitled "Hydrothermal deposition of antimony selenosulfide thin films enables solar cells with 10% efficiency".
Earlier this year, NASA discovered a new comet with its Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) space telescope. The object, casually known as NEOWISE, has been closer to Earth this month than at any point in the last 6,000 years. Astronomers and photographers have been looking skyward to observe the comet, but one astrophotographer got a nasty surprise when Starlink satellites photobombed an
What's the most interesting fact you know about Uranus? The fact that its rotational axis is completely out of line with every other planet in the solar system? Or that Uranus' magnetosphere is asymmetrical, notably tilted relative to its rotational axis, and significantly offset from the center of the planet? Or that its moons are all named after characters from Shakespeare or Alexander Pope?
The twist has been taking the field of condensed matter physics by storm. No, not the 1960s dance craze made famous by Chubby Checker— the stunning discovery that two sheets of graphene, a flat honeycomb-shaped lattice of carbon, could be stacked and twisted at so-called magic angles to exhibit vastly different properties, including superconducting behavior.
On the morning of 23 June 2020, a strong earthquake struck the southern state of Oaxaca, Mexico. The 7.4-magnitude earthquake prompted evacuations in the region, triggered a tsunami warning and damaged thousands of houses. Satellite radar data, from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission, are being used to analyze the effects of the earthquake on land.
The emergence of a novel coronavirus towards the end of 2019 that has led to the major ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has already taken its toll on people's lives, healthcare systems, and the commercial world.
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory and their colleagues have discovered a way to untangle the mysteries of complex reaction networks by employing a measurement tool in a unique way.
The Flexible Optoelectronic Material Group led by Prof. Song Weijie at the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has proposed and successfully fabricated visibly transparent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with high EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) and visible transmittance. The study was published in ACS Ap
The Yellow River (YR) is the fifth-longest and the most sediment-laden river in the world. Although the YR accounts for only 3% of China's water resources, it irrigates 13% of its cropland.
An intrinsically porous polymer with a very high internal surface area could be an ideal material for soaking up spilled oil. Researchers from KAUST have identified a polymer that can be formed into robust, reusable mats to rapidly adsorb spilled oil, fuel, or organic solvents from the surface of fresh or salt water.
The climate represents the set of atmospheric conditions that characterize a region. Yet these conditions are the result of global interaction between dry land, vegetation, ice, atmosphere, and ocean. "Bearing in mind that the oceans cover 75% of the Earth's surface, the influence they exert on the climate is very strong, and conversely, the oceans are strongly influenced by climate changes. In ou
Accurate regional carbon budgets are critical for informing land-based mitigation policy and tracking mitigation progress. For nine regions covering the globe, inventory estimates of carbon stock changes were collected and complemented by satellite estimates of biomass changes where inventory data are missing. The net land-atmospheric carbon exchange was then calculated by taking the sum of the ca
A COVID-19 vaccine candidate developed by the U.S. company Moderna and the National Institutes of Health starts its final phase of testing. It's one of a handful of candidates to reach this stage. (Image credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Rising levels of carbon dioxide in the Gulf of Mexico are becoming harmful to marine life and the commercial fishing industry, researchers warn. The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased 40% since the Industrial Revolution (1760 to 1840) because of human activities—and the ocean, including the Gulf of Mexico , has absorbed at least 25% of it. That's a trend that will almost cer
Launching with the Perseverance rover, this technology demonstration could lead to revolutionary new capabilities in interplanetary exploration — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Launching with the Perseverance rover, this technology demonstration could lead to revolutionary new capabilities in interplanetary exploration — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
The Alaska Supreme Court just reaffirmed a very important legal and ethical principle – declaring that prayer is not a replacement for medicine. While this may seem obvious to many, this is a critical legal decision. It will probably not have the downstream effect that it should, but it does highlight a vital reality. The case involves Rachel "O", who has been taking care of her mother, Tiffany "
Marine biologists have long known that in the open seas, decades of overfishing have devastated shark populations in many regions. Shark populations in coastal areas are less well understood, however. (Global FinPrint/) A massive survey of hundreds of coral reefs along the coasts of nearly 60 nations found that overfishing has significantly diminished the numbers of sharks that live within these
If the eyes are the mirror of the soul, then thanks to the translucent corneas, we can look deep into that soul. And thanks to the work of scientists from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, we can look into the depths of the cornea itself. And that without touching it. All thanks to the introduction of an innovative method of holographic optical tomography.
Russian chemists have obtained a new photochromic complex composed of of bismuth (III) and viologen cations and used the new compound to create optical memory elements which were shown to be highly efficient and stable. The outcomes of the study may serve to expand the range of microelectronics components in the future. The research was published in the journal Chemical Communications.
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University studied how the weather will change with global warming in Asian monsoon regions using a high-resolution climate simulation. The region is home to a large population, and the monsoons are a major driver of global water cycles. They explicitly simulated cloud formation and dissipation, and found significantly increased precipitation over the monsoon "t
Have you ever wondered why human hands have five fingers? And what about amphibians? They usually only have four. Until now, researchers assumed that this was the case with the early ancestors of today's frogs and salamanders, the Temnospondyli. However, a new find of the crocodile-like Temnospondyl Metoposaurus krasiejowensis from the late Triassic (about 225 million years old) in Poland shows fi
Intermetallic alloys potentially have high strength in a high-temperature environment. But they generally suffer poor ductility at ambient and low temperatures, hence limiting their applications in aerospace and other engineering fields. Yet, a research team led by scientists of City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has recently discovered the disordered nanoscale layers at grain boundaries in the
More than a million Cambodians are at risk from increased flooding and worsening food security, NGOs warned Monday, due to the destruction and gradual filling-in of Phnom Penh's wetlands by politically connected developers.
Nature, Published online: 27 July 2020; doi:10.1038/d41586-020-02212-9 Experimental physicist Sheila Rowan works with laser beams and suspended mirrors to sharpen detection of collapsing stars and other celestial events.
Quantum information is a field where the information is encoded into quantum states. Taking advantage of the "quantumness" of these states, scientists can perform more efficient computations and more secure cryptography compared to their classical counterparts.
Updated at 12:17 p.m. ET on July 27, 2020. "I can't keep doing this." I hear that over and over from my friends with kids. Holding a job, parenting, and teaching all at once during the pandemic is a juggling act that no one was prepared to undertake, and it has brought working parents to the breaking point. Many of us are now riddled with anxiety over whether we'll send our kids back to school, e
Editor's Note: Every Monday, Lori Gottlieb answers questions from readers about their problems, big and small. Have a question? Email her at dear.therapist@theatlantic.com . Dear Therapist, My husband and I have been together for nearly four years and are struggling to decide whether to have another baby. When we met, he had a 3-year-old son, and after a messy custody battle, he got primary custo
The obesity and covid-19 pandemics have been shown to be interlinked, and both urgently require more research to provide clear evidence on how best to beat them
An optical fiber made of agar has been produced at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. This device is edible, biocompatible and biodegradable. It can be used in vivo for body structure imaging, localized light delivery in phototherapy or optogenetics (e.g., stimulating neurons with light to study neural circuits in a living brain), and localized drug delivery.
Animal patterns—the stripes, spots and rosettes seen in the wild—are a source of endless fascination, and now researchers at the University Bath have developed a robust mathematical model to explain how one important species, the zebrafish, develops its stripes.
Animal patterns—the stripes, spots and rosettes seen in the wild—are a source of endless fascination, and now researchers at the University Bath have developed a robust mathematical model to explain how one important species, the zebrafish, develops its stripes.
A public health journal will be retracting a paper that argued for the adoption of homeopathy in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, according to the editor in chief. We reported on Saturday that the Journal of Public Health: From Theory to Practice, a Springer Nature title also known by its German name, Zeitschrift für Gesundheitswissenschaften, had … Continue reading
Twitter recently announced it would take action against accounts posting information related to the QAnon conspiracy theory, whose adherents follow the "breadcrumbs" left by a mysterious figure known as Q in cryptic messages posted about the Trump administration on anonymous online message boards. In response to their spread of misinformation and harassment, more than 7,000 accounts will be perma
A s a COVID-19 summer surge sweeps the country, deep cleans are all the rage. National restaurants such as Applebee's are deputizing sanitation czars to oversee the constant scrubbing of window ledges, menus, and high chairs. The gym chain Planet Fitness is boasting in ads that "there's no surface we won't sanitize, no machine we won't scrub." New York City is shutting down its subway system ever
The authors of a 2019 paper on a lethal type of poultry virus in Asia have retracted the article because of problems with the data collection. But the researchers stand by their findings, which, they say, suggest the pathogen could be harmful to humans. The paper, titled "Novel orthobunyavirus causing severe kidney disease in broiler … Continue reading
Your questions answered on what type of mask to wear to cut the risk of getting Covid-19 Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Yes. Different types of mask offer different levels of protection. Surgical grade N95 respirators offer the highest level of protection against Covid-19 infection, followed by surgical grade masks. However, these masks are costly, in limited supply
Nature Communications, Published online: 27 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17446-4 During an ongoing Ebola virus outbreak, infection before onset of protective immunity from vaccination is a possible scenario. Here the authors show in non-human primates that vaccination shortly before treatment with a monoclonal antibody does not negatively affect effectiveness of the antibody therapy.
Nature Communications, Published online: 27 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17514-9 Astrocyte activation may contribute to neurodegenerative disease. Here the authors show that the combined knockout of three factors known to promote astrogliosis, IL-1α, TNFα and C1qa, leads to improved survival in the SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS.
Nature Communications, Published online: 27 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17505-w Flagellotropic phages spin down flagella to reach the bacterial surface and must withstand remarkable drag forces. Here authors show how two nested sets of chainmail stabilise the viral head and a beta-hairpin regulates the formation of the robust yet pliable tail, characteristic of siphoviruses.
Nature Communications, Published online: 27 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17397-w Reconstructing the early molecular evolution of animals requires genomic resources for non-bilaterian animals. Here, the authors present the chromosome-level genome of a freshwater sponge together with analyses of its genome architecture, methylation, developmental gene expression, and microbiome.
Nature Communications, Published online: 27 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17569-8 Single-cell technologies are increasingly prominent in clinical applications, but predictive modelling with such data in large cohorts has remained computationally challenging. We developed a new algorithm, 'VoPo', for predictive modelling and visualization of single cell data for translational applications.
Nature Communications, Published online: 27 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17364-5 Glycinergic synapses play a central role in motor control and pain processing in the central nervous system. Here, authors present cryo-EM structures of the full-length glycine receptors (GlyRs) reconstituted into lipid nanodiscs in the unliganded, glycine-bound and allosteric modulator-bound conformations and r
Nature Communications, Published online: 27 July 2020; doi:10.1038/s41467-020-17508-7 Zika xrRNAs survive in host cells because they can be unwound and copied by replicases, but resist degradation by exonucleases. Here authors use atomistic models and simulations and uncover that pulling into a pore the xrRNA $${3}^{\prime}$$ 3 ′ end, as done by replicases, causes progressive unfolding; pulling t
The European Union's economic recovery plan is notable for its focus on climate action, sustainable investments, and a just transition fund. As part of this deal, the EU is also proposing a carbon border adjustment , also known as a carbon border tax, on imports by 2023. In the simplest terms, a carbon border adjustment is a tax on imported goods such as steel or cement, where the amount of tax d
Artificial intelligence has transformed health care, using large datasets to improve diagnostics and treatment. But some AI-powered medical tools replicate racial bias — raising questions about whether these new technologies contributed to Covid-19's disproportionate toll on Black Americans.
University of York researchers trace the source of underarm aromas to a particular enzyme Scientists have unravelled the mysterious mechanism behind the armpit's ability to produce the pungent smell of body odour. Researchers at the University of York traced the source of underarm odour to a particular enzyme in a certain microbe that lives in the human armpit. Continue reading…
Let's stipulate right away that President Donald Trump is losing this race. Set aside the particulars—how suburban voters are migrating toward Joe Biden, and how seniors are rethinking their support too. Consider the basics. Presidents are supposed to keep Americans employed. The jobless rate now stands at 11 percent—more than 3 points higher than when Jimmy Carter lost reelection in 1980 and whe
Gene therapy has helped a 9-year-old boy regain enough muscle strength to run. If successful in others, the treatment could change the lives of thousands of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. (Image credit: Kholood Eid for NPR)
Climate change is often framed as a debate that has split society down the middle and that requires more evidence before we can act. In reality, 97 percent of scientists agree that it is real and only 3 percent are skeptical. A sticking point for some is the estimated timeline, but as Columbia University professor Philip Kitcher points out, a 4-5 Celsius temperature increase that makes the planet
Despite the accumulating negative evidence showing that hydroxychloroquine doesn't work against COVID-19, activists continue to promote it as a way out of the pandemic. This week, the AAPS and a Yale epidemiologist joined the fray with embarrassingly bad arguments.
UK-based company hopes deal with Daiichi Sankyo will lead to new breast and lung cancer treatment AstraZeneca has agreed a deal worth as much as £4.7bn with a Japanese drug company to develop and market a potential new cancer treatment. The British–Swedish pharmaceutical company said it would pay $1bn (£800m) upfront to its partner, Daiichi Sankyo, in what is the latest of a series of bets by the
OnePlus' new phone, the Nord, isn't available in the US at the moment, but its value is hard to beat. You get a 90-Hz screen, a big battery, great performance, and 5G for 399 euros.
An international team of scientific institutions will join forces to preserve the future of the Lake Titicaca giant frog, an endangered species, Bolivia's natural history museum said.
An international team of scientific institutions will join forces to preserve the future of the Lake Titicaca giant frog, an endangered species, Bolivia's natural history museum said.
Hurricane Douglas came within "razor thin" distance of the Hawaiian Islands but spared the state the worst of the strong winds, storm surge and flooding officials had warned about.
The Paris agreement threw a lifeline to millions of people of color facing a premature death. Trump is tearing that away It's official – in 100 days the United States will formally withdraw from the Paris climate agreement. The impact of Donald Trump's decision, taken three years ago, is already being felt by environmental justice communities. Racism is the driving force behind why certain people
A mountain people in Uganda—branded as selfish and loveless by an anthropologist half a century ago—really is not, according to a study led by a Baylor University anthropologist.
A mountain people in Uganda—branded as selfish and loveless by an anthropologist half a century ago—really is not, according to a study led by a Baylor University anthropologist.
Researchers studying lead white pigments on Andean ceremonial drinking vessels known as qeros have found new similarities among these artifacts that could help museums, conservators, historians and scholars better understand the timeline and production of these culturally significant items during the colonial period (1532-1821). In a study published in the journal Heritage Science, researchers use
New research demonstrates for the first time that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to train computers to recognize individual birds, a task humans are unable to do. The research is published in the British Ecological Society journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution.
I studien från universitetet i Kalifornien visade forskarna först att gamla möss som fick motionera i sex veckor presterade bättre på minnestester och hade mer av flera olika proteiner i blodet än en grupp med jämnåriga, stillasittande kompisar. Forskarna valde att fokusera på ett av proteinerna kallat Gpld1. De provade att ge en grupp inaktiva möss injektioner som designats för att på genetisk ni
New research demonstrates for the first time that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to train computers to recognize individual birds, a task humans are unable to do. The research is published in the British Ecological Society journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution.
Two geometrical riddles UPDATE: Read the solutions here It is a truism to say that once you know the answer to a puzzle it becomes trivially easy. Yet this statement is especially true when it comes to geometrical problems, which are often solved with a single insight that, once you know it, seems so forehead-slappingly obvious. Both of today's two puzzles are unravelled with a joyous 'aha'. I ho
Our Panorama programme shows how Xi Jinping's government has tried to hide the truth about the spread of coronavirus China has been here before. During the Sars crisis in 2002 and 2003 it hid cases, censored doctors and withheld information from the world for four months. Nearly 800 people died. Related: EU says China behind 'huge wave' of Covid-19 disinformation Continue reading…
Ett psykologiskt experiment Det så kallade "" genomfördes i augusti 1971 av den amerikanska psykologen Philip Zimbardo vid Stanfords universitet i Kalifornien. Experimentet delade upp ett antal studenter i två grupper och gjorde en grupp till vakter och de andra till fångar. Experimentet avbröts tidigt efter att flera "fångar" vägrade att delta längre. De första […] The post Stanfordexperimentet
Artificial intelligence that can recognise individual birds is being developed for biologists studying wild animals, but could also be adapted so that people can identify individual birds in their surroundings
Scientists say people unlikely to reduce one Covid-19 measure when adopting another Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Wearing face coverings does not appear to lead people to abandon hand hygiene, researchers say, suggesting people may not trade off the benefits of one public health measure against another. Face coverings are now mandatory in many parts of the world, a
Two new human studies back earlier hints that vaccines designed to prevent respiratory infections might also provide some protection against Alzheimer's disease. (Image credit: Themba Hadebe/AP)
Researchers studying lead white pigments on Andean ceremonial drinking vessels known as qeros have found new similarities among these artifacts that could help museums, conservators, historians and scholars better understand the timeline and production of these culturally significant items during the colonial period (1532-1821).
A mountain people in Uganda — branded as selfish and loveless by an renowned anthropologist half a century ago — really is not, according to a study led by a Baylor University anthropologist.
A new paper from Penn Medicine shows a low risk of stroke in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. Notably, the majority of afflicted patients had existing risk factors, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. These findings provide more clarity about the role COVID-19 plays in causing stroke in a diverse population of the United States.
Researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children's Hospital analyzed the 549,807 calls made to Poison Control Centers (PCCs) in the U.S. for suicide-related cases involving OTC analgesics from 2000 through 2018 and found that both the overall number and rate of these cases increased significantly by 57% and 34%, respectively, during
New research demonstrates for the first time that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to train computers to recognise individual birds, a task humans are unable to do. The research is published in the British Ecological Society journal Methods in Ecology and Evolution.
I dag må droner kun flyve uden for synsvidde, når der ikke er fly i nærheden. Men til efteråret starter de første eksperimenter med såkaldt U-space over Odense Lufthavn.
New software techniques make lighting in computer-generated images look more realistic for use in video games, extended reality, and scientific visualization tools.
Most neurons are created during embryonic development and have no "backup" after birth. Researchers have generally believed that their survival is determined nearly extrinsically, or by outside forces, such as the tissues and cells that neurons supply with nerve cells. Scientists have challenged this notion and reports the continuous survival of neurons is also intrinsically programmed during de
While chatbots are becoming more widespread in health care, it's important to implement them thoughtfully and constantly evaluate them in a variety of ways, authors argue.
Researchers describe a new device, the "stretched-pulse soliton Kerr resonator," that creates an ultrafast laser pulse that is freed from the physical limits endemic to sources of laser light and the limits of the sources' wavelengths. Applications include spectroscopy, frequency synthesis, distance ranging, and pulse generation.
Using a combination of experiments and mathematical modeling, a team of researchers from the Virginia Tech Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Science and the Fralin Life Sciences Institute are beginning to unravel the mechanisms that lie behind tetraploidy – a chromosomal abnormality that is often found in malignant tumors.
Scientists have found that 43% of Staphylococcus bacteria found on exercise equipment in university gyms were ampicillin-resistant, with 73% of those isolates being resistant to multiple additional drugs.
The brain never processes the same information in the same way. Scientists have found out why this is the case and how it works. A decisive role plays a critical state of the neuronal networks.
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