Major breakthrough for severe asthma treatment

A landmark study has shown that severe asthma can be controlled using biologic therapies, without the addition of regular high-dose inhaled steroids which can have significant side effects.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231208133135.htm


Climate change will increase wildfire risk and lengthen fire seasons

Wildfires are some of the most destructive natural disasters in the country, threatening lives, destroying homes and infrastructure, and creating air pollution. In order to properly forecast and manage wildfires, managers need to understand wildfire risk and allocate resources accordingly.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231208133115.htm


Coral reefs in peril from record-breaking ocean heat

Record breaking marine heatwaves will cause devastating mass coral bleaching worldwide in the next few years, according to a coral reef scientist.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231208133107.htm


ChatGPT often won't defend its answers -- even when it is right

ChatGPT may do an impressive job at correctly answering complex questions, but a new study suggests it may be absurdly easy to convince the AI chatbot that it's in the wrong.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231207210847.htm


Molecular fossils shed light on ancient life

Paleontologists are getting a glimpse at life over a billion years in the past based on chemical traces in ancient rocks and the genetics of living animals. New research combines geology and genetics, showing how changes in the early Earth prompted a shift in how animals eat.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231207161517.htm


Ancient DNA analysis reveals how the rise and fall of the Roman Empire shifted populations in the Balkans

Despite the Roman Empire's extensive military and cultural influence on the nearby Balkan peninsula, a DNA analysis of individuals who lived in the region between 1 and 1000 CE found no genetic evidence of Iron Age Italian ancestry. Instead, a new study has revealed successive waves of migrations from Western Anatolia, central and northern Europe, and the Pontic-Kazakh Steppe during the Empire's reign.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231207161343.htm


It turns out, this fossil 'plant' is really a fossil baby turtle

Researchers re-examined a plant fossil found decades ago in Colombia and realized that it wasn't a plant at all: it's a fossilized baby turtle. It's a rare find, because juvenile turtles' shells are soft and often don't fossilize well.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231207160838.htm


Catalyst for electronically controlled C--H functionalization

Scientists chipping away at one of the great challenges of metal-catalyzed C--H functionalization with a new method that uses a cobalt catalyst to differentiate between bonds in fluoroarenes, functionalizing them based on their intrinsic electronic properties. And their method is fast -- comparable in speed to those that rely on iridium.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231207160405.htm


Researchers develop grassroots framework for managing environmental commons

A team of sustainability scientists recently announced that they have developed a community-based framework, founded on extensive local and traditional knowledge, to help assess and respond to the kinds of ecological threats that are widely dispersed across a varied landscape and whose solutions are not immediately obvious. The framework, which was developed to address watershed issues in Honduras's Lake Yojoa, is widely applicable to a broad range of threats facing ecological commons wherever they may occur around the world.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231206150542.htm


Fungus-fighting protein could help overcome severe autoimmune disease and cancer

A protein in the immune system programmed to protect the body from fungal infections is also responsible for exacerbating the severity of certain autoimmune diseases such as irritable bowel disease (IBS), type 1 diabetes, eczema and other chronic disorders, new research has found.  The discovery could pave the way for new and more effective drugs, without the nasty side effects of existing treatments. In addition to helping to manage severe autoimmune conditions, the breakthrough could also help treat all types of cancer.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231206150538.htm


Bowtie resonators that build themselves bridge the gap between nanoscopic and macroscopic

Two nanotechnology approaches converge by employing a new generation of fabrication technology. It combines the scalability of semiconductor technology with the atomic dimensions enabled by self-assembly.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231206115926.htm


Climate change shown to cause methane to be released from the deep ocean

New research has shown that fire-ice -- frozen methane which is trapped as a solid under our oceans -- is vulnerable to melting due to climate change and could be released into the sea.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231206115915.htm


Greenhouse gases in oceans are altered by climate change impact on microbes

The ocean is a global life-support system, and climate change causes such as ocean warming, acidification, deoxygenation, and nitrogen-deposition alter the delicate microbial population in oceans. The marine microbial community plays an important role in the production of greenhouse gases like nitrous oxide and methane. Scientists have explored the climate change impact on marine microbes. Their research helps raise awareness about climate change severity and the importance of ocean resources.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231206115904.htm


Repeated blast exposures may harm the brain health of military personnel

The brains of special warfare community personnel repeatedly exposed to blasts show increased inflammation and structural changes compared with a control group, potentially increasing the risk of long-term, brain-related disease, according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231206115901.htm


New findings reveal important insights into age-related nonresolving inflammation

Aging is associated with chronic, nonresolving inflammation, or 'inflammaging,' that can lead to tissue dysfunction. New findings reveal insights into the cellular programs and factors that promote the resolution of inflammation during aging. These findings may lead to the development of new strategies to limit age-related organ decline.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231206115858.htm


New protein linked to early-onset dementia identified

Scientists have identified abnormal aggregates of a protein called TAF15 in the brains of individuals with early-onset dementia, known as frontotemporal dementia, where the cause was not previously known.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231206115845.htm


Limitations of asteroid crater lakes as climate archives

In southern Germany just north of the Danube, there lies a large circular depression between the hilly surroundings: the Nördlinger Ries. Almost 15 million years ago, an asteroid struck this spot. Today, the impact crater is one of the most useful analogues for asteroid craters on early Mars. Studying the deposits of the former lake that formed in the crater is particularly informative. These deposits have been of great interest ever since NASA began exploring Martian craters for signs of water and life on Mars.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231205170654.htm


Bacteria's mucus maneuvers: Study reveals how snot facilitates infection

Sniffles, snorts and blows of runny noses are the hallmarks of cold and flu season -- and that increase in mucus is exactly what bacteria use to mount a coordinated attack on the immune system, according to a new study. The team found that the thicker the mucus, the better the bacteria are able to swarm. The findings could have implications for treatments that reduce the ability of bacteria to spread.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231205170648.htm


Chemists create organic molecules in a rainbow of colors

Chemists have now come up with a way to make molecules known as acenes more stable, allowing them to synthesize acenes of varying lengths. Using their new approach, they were able to build molecules that emit red, orange, yellow, green, or blue light, which could make acenes easier to deploy in a variety of applications.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231205144420.htm


Top 10 climate science insights unveiled

A new report equips policymakers with the latest and most pivotal climate science research from the previous 18 months, synthesized to help inform negotiations at COP28 and policy implementation through 2024 and beyond.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231205144414.htm


Harvesting water from air with solar power

Researchers have developed a promising new solar-powered atmospheric water harvesting technology that could help provide enough drinking water for people to survive in difficult, dryland areas: They synthesized a super hygroscopic gel capable of absorbing and retaining an unparalleled amount of water. One kilogram of dry gel could adsorb 1.18 kilograms of water in arid atmospheric environments and up to 6.4 kilograms in humid atmospheric environments. This hygroscopic gel was simple and inexpensive to prepare and would consequently be suitable for large-scale preparation.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231205114829.htm


Astronomers determine the age of three mysterious baby stars at the heart of the Milky Way

Through analysis of high-resolution data from a ten-meter telescope in Hawaii, researchers have succeeded in generating new knowledge about three stars at the very heart of the Milky Way. The stars proved to be unusually young with a puzzling chemical composition that surprised the researchers.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231205114736.htm


Sugar permeation discovered in plant aquaporins

Aquaporins, which move water through membranes of plant cells, were not thought to be able to permeate sugar molecules, but researchers have observed sucrose transport in plant aquaporins for the first time, challenging this theory.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231204215918.htm


Boiled bubbles jump to carry more heat

The topic of water and the way it can move producing water droplets that leap -- propelled by surface tension -- and frost that jumps -- by way of electrostatics -- is a central focus of a group of scientists. Having incorporated the two phases of liquid and solid in the first two volumes of their research, their third volume investigates a third phase, with boiling water.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231204170257.htm


1.5°C pathways can still be achieved, combining fairness and global climate protection

Global warming can still be limited to 1.5°C by 2100 while ensuring that the poor are not hit hardest by climate policies and climate impacts. This is achieved by immediately introducing broad carbon pricing together with re-distributive policies using carbon pricing revenues and further measures to reduce energy consumption, accelerate technological transitions, and transform the land sector.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231204135302.htm


10 billion year, 50,000 light-year journey to black hole

A star near the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way Galaxy originated outside of the Galaxy according to a new study. This is the first time a star of extragalactic origin has been found in the vicinity of the super massive black hole.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231204135219.htm


Can preeclampsia be prevented?

Preeclampsia is a mysterious condition that occurs in about one of 10 pregnancies without any early warning signs. After 20 weeks or more of normal blood pressure during the pregnancy, patients with preeclampsia will begin to experience elevated blood pressure and may also have increased levels of protein in their urine due to hypertension reducing the filtering power of the kidneys. Prolonged hypertension due to preeclampsia can lead to organ damage and life-threatening complications for mothers and fetuses.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231201173218.htm


Researchers have taught an algorithm to 'taste'

Incorporating human tastes into artificial intelligence makes it easier for wine buyers thirsting for the right wine. Researchers have shown that AI can accurately predict individual wine preferences. The researchers expect that nourishing machines with human sensory experiences will continue to grow.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231201123725.htm


To help autonomous vehicles make moral decisions, researchers ditch the 'trolley problem'

Researchers have developed a new experiment to better understand what people view as moral and immoral decisions related to driving vehicles, with the goal of collecting data to train autonomous vehicles how to make 'good' decisions. The work is designed to capture a more realistic array of moral challenges in traffic than the widely discussed life-and-death scenario inspired by the so-called 'trolley problem.'

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231201123635.htm


Scientists build tiny biological robots from human cells

Scientists have created tiny moving biological robots from human tracheal cells that can encourage the growth of neurons across artificial 'wounds' in the lab. Using patients' own cells could permit growth of Anthrobots that assist healing and regeneration in the future with no nead for immune suppression.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231130184249.htm


Antarctica's ancient ice sheets foreshadow dynamic changes in Earth's future

Identifying how and why Antarctica's major ice sheets behaved the way they did in the early Miocene could help inform understanding of the sheets' behavior under a warming climate. Together, the ice sheets lock a volume of water equivalent to more than 50 meters of sea level rise and influence ocean currents that affect marine food webs and regional climates. Their fate has profound consequences for life nearly everywhere on Earth.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231130121938.htm


Children who play baseball risk elbow injury

Youth baseball players are prone to elbow pain and injuries, including repetitive overuse changes and fractures, based on the maturity of their bones, according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231130113247.htm


Scientists create framework to guide development and assessment of urban climate action plans

With the world projected to be highly urbanized by 2050, cities are encouraged to take urgent climate actions to mitigate and adapt to the threats of climate change. As climate change intensifies and urbanization increases rapidly, local governments are expected now more than ever to lead climate action planning. However, studies show the limitations of the existing climate action plans (CAPs). So scientists have created an Urban Climate Action Planning (UCAP) framework to guide the development of suitable urban CAPs and support the assessment of the level of suitability of these plans.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231129234443.htm


Brittle stars can learn just fine -- even without a brain

We humans are fixated on big brains as a proxy for smarts. But headless animals called brittle stars have no brains at all and still manage to learn through experience, new research reveals. These shy marine creatures have no brain to speak of -- just nerve cords running down each of their five wiggly arms. But that seems to be enough to learn by association, researchers report.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231129174214.htm


Unknown animals were leaving bird-like footprints in Late Triassic Southern Africa

Ancient animals were walking around on bird-like feet over 210 million years ago, according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231129150127.htm


Slippery toilet bowl treatment causes bacteria to slide right off

When entering public restrooms, it's hard not to dwell on what germs previous users have left behind in the toilet bowl. Imagine, instead, a self-cleaning system that doesn't require a brightly colored gel. Researchers have developed a simple, transparent coating that makes surfaces, like porcelain, more water-repellent. They show how this surface treatment effectively prevents bacteria from sticking to the inside of a toilet bowl.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231129142343.htm


Tracing the evolution of the 'little brain'

The evolution of higher cognitive functions in humans has so far mostly been linked to the expansion of the neocortex. Researchers are increasingly realizing, however, that the 'little brain' or cerebellum also expanded during evolution and probably contributes to the capacities unique to humans. A research team has now generated comprehensive genetic maps of the development of cells in the cerebella of human, mouse and opossum. Comparisons of these maps reveal both ancestral and species-specific cellular and molecular characteristics of cerebellum development.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231129112348.htm


Researchers find connections between neuroinflammation and Alzheimer's disease

Investigators revealed how genetic changes in certain types of brain cells may contribute to the inflammatory response seen in Alzheimer's disease.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231129003942.htm


How to stay on task

Our ability to pay attention to tasks—a key component of our everyday lives—is heavily influenced by factors like motivation, arousal and alertness. Maintaining focus can be especially challenging when the task is boring or repetitive.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231128160147.htm


What if Alexa or Siri sounded more like you? Study says you'll like it better

One voice does not fit all when it comes to virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, according to researchers who examined how customization and perceived similarity between user and voice assistant (VA) personalities affect user experience. They found a strong preference for extroverted VAs -- those that speak louder, faster and in a lower pitch. They also found that increasing personality similarity by automatically matching user and VA voice profiles encouraged users to resist persuasive information.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231128132336.htm


Macaque trials offer hope in pneumonia vaccine development

A research team has successfully developed a novel pneumococcal vaccine by combining the team's proprietary mucosal vaccine technology with pneumococcal surface proteins that can cover a wide range of serotypes. Experiments were conducted using mice and macaques and it was confirmed that pneumonia caused by pneumococcal infection was clearly suppressed in the target groups of animals inoculated with the vaccine.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231128001424.htm


Spike in premature births caused by COVID, halted by vaccines, study finds

COVID-19 caused an alarming surge in premature births, but vaccines were key to returning the early birth rate to pre-pandemic levels, according to a new analysis of California birth records.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231127180700.htm


Mixing heat with hair styling products may be bad for your health

Hair products often contain ingredients that easily evaporate, so users may inhale some of these chemicals, potentially posing health repercussions. Now, researchers have studied emissions of these volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including siloxanes, which shine and smooth hair. The scientists report that using these hair care products can change indoor air composition quickly, and common heat styling techniques -- straightening and curling -- increase VOC levels even more.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231127132500.htm


How heat can be used in computing

Physicists have demonstrated that, combining specific materials, heat in technical devices can be used in computing. Their discovery is based on extensive calculations and simulations. The new approach demonstrates how heat signals can be steered and amplified for use in energy-efficient data processing.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231127132356.htm


New way of searching for dark matter

Wondering whether whether Dark Matter particles actually are produced inside a jet of standard model particles, led researchers to explore a new detector signature known as semi-visible jets, which scientists never looked at before.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231127132351.htm


Scientists devise new technique that can pinpoint the causes and treatments of autoimmune diseases

An international team of researchers has developed a method that combines advanced high-throughput microfluidics and gene editing technology to source new treatments that could potentially help people with autoimmune conditions and cancer. In validating the new technique, they discovered a molecule they believe could inhibit interferon gamma production in the gut which -- if proven in clinical trials -- could represent an ideal means to control inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231127132253.htm


Alien haze, cooked in a lab, clears view to distant water worlds

Scientists have simulated conditions that allow hazy skies to form in water-rich exoplanets, a crucial step in determining how haziness muddles important telescope observations for the search of habitable worlds beyond the solar system.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231127132250.htm


New platform solves key problems in targeted drug delivery

Cell and gene therapies hold promise for treating various diseases, but technology to deliver targeted medicines to specific cells is lacking. Engineered cells produce multifunctional particles, designed to carry cargo and target specific cell types. In experiments, the particles successfully delivered gene editing cargo to T cells.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231127132232.htm


Stem cell-based treatment controls blood sugar in people with Type 1 diabetes

An innovative stem cell-based treatment for Type 1 diabetes can meaningfully regulate blood glucose levels and reduce dependence on daily insulin injections, according to new clinical trial results. The therapy aims to replace the insulin-producing beta cells that people with Type 1 diabetes lack. Dubbed VC-02, the small medical implant contains millions of lab-grown pancreatic islet cells, including beta cells, that originate from a line of pluripotent stem cells.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231127132227.htm


The Fens of eastern England once held vast woodlands

The Fens of eastern England, a low-lying, extremely flat landscape dominated by agricultural fields, was once a vast woodland filled with huge yew trees, according to new research. Scientists have studied hundreds of tree trunks, dug up by Fenland farmers while ploughing their fields. The team found that most of the ancient wood came from yew trees that populated the area between four and five thousand years ago.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231126224848.htm


Decoding cell fate: Key mechanism in stem cell switch identified

Stem cells can differentiate to replace dead and damaged cells. But how do stem cells decide which type of cell to become in a given situation? Using intestinal organoids, scientists identified a new gene, Daam1, that plays an essential role, switching on the development of secretory cells in the intestine. This finding opens new perspectives in cancer research.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231124143620.htm


AI recognizes the tempo and stages of embryonic development

How can we reliably and objectively characterize the speed and various stages of embryonic development? With the help of artificial intelligence! Researchers present an automated method.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231123164731.htm


'Strange metal' is strangely quiet in noise experiment

Experiments have provided the first direct evidence that electricity seems to flow through 'strange metals' in an unusual liquid-like form.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231123164714.htm


New clues into the head-scratching mystery of itch

Scientists show for the first time that bacteria can cause itch by activating nerve cells in the skin. The findings can inform new therapies to treat itch that occurs in inflammatory skin conditions like eczema and dermatitis.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231122192405.htm


Neanderthals were the world's first artists, research reveals

Recent research has shown that engravings in a cave in La Roche-Cotard (France), which has been sealed for thousands of years, were actually made by Neanderthals. The findings reveal that the Neanderthals were the first humans with an appreciation of art.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231121224642.htm


NASA's Webb reveals new features in heart of Milky Way

The latest image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope shows a portion of the dense center of our galaxy in unprecedented detail, including never-before-seen features astronomers have yet to explain. The star-forming region, named Sagittarius C (Sgr C), is about 300 light-years from the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231121175511.htm


AI finds formula on how to predict monster waves

Using 700 years' worth of wave data from more than a billion waves, scientists have used artificial intelligence to find a formula for how to predict the occurrence of these maritime monsters. Long considered myth, freakishly large rogue waves are very real and can split apart ships and even damage oil rigs.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231120170956.htm


Researchers develop comprehensive genetic map for bison, discover gene responsible for albinism

Researchers have determined the gene mutation responsible for an observable trait in bison -- albinism.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231120124103.htm


Potential glaucoma treatment strategy to guide stem cells to the retina

Scientists have developed a novel approach that allows stem cells to be turned into retinal ganglion cells that are capable of migrating and surviving in the eye's retina. This approach presents a promising new treatment strategy for diseases like glaucoma, in which the loss of retinal ganglion cells caused by the disease leads to irreversible vision loss.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231117181026.htm


New research suggests plants might be able to absorb more CO2 from human activities than previously expected

New research  paints an uncharacteristically upbeat picture for the planet. This is because more realistic ecological modelling suggests the world's plants may be able to take up more atmospheric CO2 from human activities than previously predicted.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231117181018.htm


Scientists produce human norepinephrine neurons from stem cells, with significant implications for researching diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin--Madison have identified a protein key to the development of a type of brain cell believed to play a role in disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases and used the discovery to grow the neurons from stem cells for the first time. The stem-cell-derived norepinephrine neurons of the type found in a part of the human brain called the locus coeruleus may enable research into many psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases and provide a tool for developing new ways to treat them.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231117134930.htm


New study reveals the genetics of human head shape

Researchers have discovered a suite of genes that influence head shape in humans. These findings help explain the diversity of human head shapes and may also offer important clues about the genetic basis of conditions that affect the skull, such as craniosynostosis.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231117120657.htm


Benefits of adolescent fitness to future cardiovascular health possibly overestimated

There is a well-known relationship between good physical fitness at a young age and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. However, when researchers adjusted for familial factors by means of sibling analysis, they found a weaker association, although the link between high body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular disease remained strong.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231117120643.htm


Heart repair via neuroimmune crosstalk

Unlike humans, zebrafish can completely regenerate their hearts after injury. They owe this ability to the interaction between their nervous and immune systems, as researchers now report.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231117102523.htm


Environment and wallet benefit from redispensing cancer pills

Redispensing cancer drugs reduces both environmental impact and medical costs, according to new research. The annual savings could amount to tens of millions.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231117102515.htm


Rediscovery of rare marine amoeba Rhabdamoeba marina

Researchers have rediscovered and successfully cultivating Rhabdamoeba marina -- a rare marine amoeba that has only been reported in two cases in the past century. Using this culture strain, they performed a comprehensive analysis of its genetic sequence, revealing for the first time the phylogenetic position of this enigmatic amoeba, and proposed a novel taxonomic classification based on their research findings.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231117102454.htm


Division of cells in cell cultures and cancer

If cells in cell cultures grow while being treated with division-suppressing agents, their growth becomes excessive and they permanently lose their ability to divide. However, if the cells are treated with a combination of division inhibitors and growth inhibitors, they remain capable of dividing after these substances have been discontinued. The findings could be transferred to certain cancer therapies, but first need to be clinically tested and confirmed.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231117102436.htm


Research in Lake Superior reveals how sulfur might have cycled in Earth's ancient oceans

A scientists has sulfur on her mind. The yellow element is a vital macronutrient, and she's trying to understand how it cycles through the environment. Specifically, she's curious about the sulfur cycle in Earth's ancient ocean, some 3 billion years ago.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231116150905.htm


Hunger hormones impact decision-making brain area to drive behavior

A hunger hormone produced in the gut can directly impact a decision-making part of the brain in order to drive an animal's behavior, finds a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231116141050.htm


Scientists piece together DNA repair pathway implicated in breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers

Medical researchers have learned more about an enzyme found to be overly expressed in patients with hereditary breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231115133233.htm


Microbes could help reduce the need for chemical fertilizers

A new metal-organic coating protects bacterial cells from damage without impeding their growth or function. The coated bacteria, which produce ammonia, could make it much easier for farmers to deploy microbes as fertilizers.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231115133203.htm


An old star with ring-like structure: ALMA demonstrates highest resolution yet

ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) has demonstrated the highest resolution yet with observations of an old star. The observations show that the star is surrounded by a ring-like structure of gas and that gas from the star is escaping to the surrounding space. Future observations with the newly demonstrated high resolution are expected to elucidate, not only the end of a star's life, but also the beginning, when planets are still forming.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231115113925.htm


Surveilling wetlands for infectious bird flu -- and finding it

Recently, morning omelets and holiday dinners have gotten more expensive. One likely cause is bird flu, outbreaks of which led to the deaths of millions of chickens and turkeys from infection or culling in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and which still demands rigorous monitoring of wild populations. Now, researchers have developed a method that detected infectious bird flu virus in wetlands frequented by waterfowl.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231115113838.htm


Previously unknown luminescence revealed in ten deep sea species and an order of sea cucumbers

Researchers present evidence of previously unknown luminosity in 10 deep-sea species, suggesting underestimated diversity. These new discoveries include a member of the order Molpadia, which was previously thought not to be luminescent. The authors stress the importance of considering the ecological role of bioluminesence and the need for conservation.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231114223918.htm


Researcher helps solve 60-year mystery inside heart

Scientists have solve a 60-year-old mystery about one of the body's most vital organs: the heart.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231114215709.htm


Non-native species likely to continue spreading in North America, Australia and Europe

Naturalized species, which are not native but have established themselves in new locations, have the potential to spread even further to suitable habitats in many parts of the world, reports a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231114143909.htm


Ultrafine particles from traffic disturb human olfactory cell function

Exposure to ultrafine particles from traffic alters the expression of many genes in human olfactory mucosa cells, a new study shows. The study is the first to combine an analysis of emissions from different diesel fuels and exhaust after-treatment systems with an examination of their effects in a human-derived cell model of the olfactory mucosa.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231114143839.htm


Hormonal contraceptives in teens may alter risk assessment, rat study suggests

Hormonal contraceptives taken by adolescents may influence development of the brain in a way that alters the recognition of risks, a new study in rats suggests.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113192129.htm


Reducing systolic blood pressure to less than 120 mm Hg reduced cardiovascular event risk

An intensive three-year intervention to lower the top blood pressure number to less than 120 mm Hg was more effective at preventing death, heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular events in adults at high risk for cardiovascular disease, compared to the standard treatment target of under 140 mm Hg, according to new research.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113192126.htm


Ammonia for fertilizers without the giant carbon footprint

Green ammonia has the potential to drastically reduce the carbon footprint needed to produce fertilizer vital for crop-growing.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113192039.htm


This wireless, handheld, non-invasive device detects Alzheimer's and Parkinson's biomarkers

An international team of researchers has developed a handheld, non-invasive device that can detect biomarkers for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases. The biosensor can also transmit the results wirelessly to a laptop or smartphone. The team tested the device on in vitro samples from patients and showed that it is as accurate as the state of the art method. Ultimately, researchers plan to test saliva and urine samples with the biosensor. The device could be modified to detect biomarkers for other conditions as well. The device relies on electrical rather than chemical detection, which researchers say is easier to implement and more accurate.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113155218.htm


Antiviral treatment is largely underused in children with influenza, study findings show

Despite national medical guidelines supporting the use of antiviral medications in young children diagnosed with influenza, a new study reports an underuse of the treatment.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113141330.htm


How climate change could be affecting your brain

A new element of the catastrophic impacts of climate change is emerging -- how global warming is impacting the human brain.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113111833.htm


Wildfire, drought cause $11.2 billion in damage to private timberland in three Pacific states, study finds

Wildfires and drought have led to $11.2 billion in damages to privately held timberland in California, Oregon and Washington over the past two decades, a new Oregon State University study found.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113111805.htm


An intravenous needle that irreversibly softens via body temperature on insertion?

A research team has developed an intravenous (IV) needle that softens upon insertion, minimizing risk of damage to blood vessels and tissues. Once used, it remains soft even at room temperature, preventing accidental needle stick injuries and unethical multiple use of needle. A thin-film temperature sensor can be embedded with this needle, enabling real-time monitoring of the patient's core body temperature, or detection of unintended fluid leakage, during IV medication.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113111748.htm


Exhaustion caused by video conferencing demonstrated on a neurophysiological level

Using EEG and ECG data, researchers were able to demonstrate that video conferences and online education formats lead to greater fatigue than face-to-face alternatives.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113111722.htm


New study indicates C4 crops less sensitive to ozone pollution than C3 crops

Researchers have studied the effects of elevated O3 on five C3 crops (chickpea, rice, snap bean, soybean, wheat) and four C4 crops (sorghum, maize, Miscanthus × giganteus, switchgrass). Their findings indicate that C4 crops are much more tolerant of high O3 concentrations than C3 crops.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113111655.htm


Researchers explore origins of lupus, find reason for condition's prevalence among women

For years, researchers and clinicians have known that lupus, an autoimmune condition, occurs in women at a rate nine times higher than in men. Some of the factors that cause the disease's high prevalence in women have eluded discovery, but in a new study investigating the immune system processes in lupus and the X chromosome, researchers have uncovered answers about the disease's frequency in females.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113111649.htm


New drug-like molecule extends lifespan, ameliorates pathology in worms and boosts function in mammalian muscle cells

Having healthy mitochondria, the organelles that produce energy in all our cells, usually portends a long healthy life whether in humans or in C. elegans, a tiny, short-lived nematode worm often used to study the aging process.  Researchers have identified a new drug-like molecule that keeps mitochondria healthy via mitophagy, a process that removes and recycles damaged mitochondria in multicellular organisms. The compound, dubbed MIC, is a natural compound that extended lifespan in C. elegans, ameliorated pathology in neurodegenerative disease models of C. elegans, and improved mitochondrial function in mouse muscle cells.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231113111639.htm


Do pets make you happier? Study shows they didn't during the pandemic

There is a general understanding that pets have a positive impact on one's well-being. A new study found that although pet owners reported pets improving their lives, there was not a reliable association between pet ownership and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231110171643.htm


Any activity is better for your heart than sitting -- even sleeping

Replacing sitting with as little as a few minutes of moderate exercise a day tangibly improves heart health, according to new research.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231109221503.htm


Toward new targeted treatments for rheumatoid arthritis

New research may lead to new targeted treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease that causes joint inflammation and destruction.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231108164206.htm


Scaling up nano for sustainable manufacturing

A research team has developed a high-performance coating material that self-assembles from 2D nanosheets, and which could significantly extend the shelf life of electronics, energy storage devices, health & safety products, and more. The researchers are the first to successfully scale up nanomaterial synthesis into useful materials for manufacturing and commercial applications.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231108115024.htm


How the antioxidant glutathione keeps mitochondria healthy

Scientists have discovered how mitochondria sense and control their glutathione levels, an antioxidant produced throughout the body. The first nutrient-sensing mechanism identified for an organelle, the finding has great translational potential.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231108114638.htm


Deep decarbonization scenarios reveal importance of accelerating zero-emission vehicle adoption

The rapid adoption of zero-emission electric vehicles will move the nation close to an 80% or more drop in transportation greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 from the 2019 level according to researchers.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231107172622.htm


New dates for landslides reveal past Seattle fault earthquakes

New maps of more than 1,000 deep-seated landslides in the Puget Lowlands of Washington State provide evidence of the last major earthquake along the Seattle Fault about 1,100 years ago -- and may also hold traces of older earthquakes along the fault.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231107172613.htm


Window to the past: New microfossils suggest earlier rise in complex life

Microfossils may capture a jump in the complexity of life that coincided with the rise of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere and oceans, according to an international team of scientists.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231107131931.htm


French love letters confiscated by Britain finally read after 265 years

Over 100 letters sent to French sailors by their fiancées, wives, parents and siblings -- but never delivered -- have been opened and studied for the first time since they were written in 1757-8.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231106203004.htm


450-million-year-old organism finds new life in Softbotics

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering used fossil evidence to engineer a soft robotic replica of pleurocystitids, a marine organism that existed nearly 450 million years ago and is believed to be one of the first echinoderms capable of movement using a muscular stem.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231106202936.htm


Brain implant may enable communication from thoughts alone

A speech prosthetic developed by a collaborative team of Duke neuroscientists,  neurosurgeons, and engineers can translate a person's brain signals into what they're trying to say. The new technology might one day help people unable to talk due to neurological disorders regain the ability to communicate through a brain-computer interface.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231106134844.htm


Crust-forming algae are displacing corals in tropical waters worldwide

Over the past few decades, algae have been slowly edging corals out of their native reefs across the globe by blocking sunlight, wearing the corals down physically, and producing harmful chemicals. But in recent years, a new type of algal threat has surfaced in tropical regions like the Caribbean -- one that spreads quickly and forms a crust on top of coral and sponges, suffocating the organisms underneath and preventing them from regrowing. Marine biologists report that peyssonnelioid alga crusts, or PACs, are expanding quickly across reefs worldwide, killing off corals and transforming entire ecosystems.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231106134815.htm


How salt from the Caribbean affects our climate

Past cold periods such as the Little Ice Age were associated with reduced strength of North Atlantic currents and increased surface salinity in the Caribbean. This was accompanied by disturbances in the distribution of salt to the north leading to longer, stronger cooling phases in the northern hemisphere.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231103170642.htm


Predicting saltwater intrusion into groundwater using Plymouth, Mass. as test case

As the world warms and ice sheets melt, the ocean continually rises. The greater Boston area can expect to see between one and six feet of sea level rise by 2100, according to recent estimates. To find out what this rise might mean for freshwater supplies, a team of hydrogeologists developed an innovative new model that can not only predict saltwater intrusion over the next 75 years, but also pinpoint the main sources of salt contamination today -- road salt and human development.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231102162841.htm


AI should be better understood and managed -- new research warns

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and algorithms can and are being used to radicalize, polarize, and spread racism and political instability, says an academic. An expert argues that AI and algorithms are not just tools deployed by national security agencies to prevent malicious activity online, but can be contributors to polarization, radicalism and political violence -- posing a threat to national security.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231102135100.htm


Hebrew prayer book fills gap in Italian earthquake history

The chance discovery of a note written in a 15th century Hebrew prayer book fills an important gap in the historical Italian earthquake record, offering a brief glimpse of a previously unknown earthquake affecting the Marche region in the central Apennines.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231101180650.htm


In a surprising finding, light can make water evaporate without heat

At the interface of water and air, light can, in certain conditions, bring about evaporation without the need for heat, according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231101180644.htm


Where is a sea star's head? Maybe just about everywhere

A new study that combines genetic and molecular techniques helps solve the riddle of sea star (commonly called starfish) body plans, and how sea stars start life with bilateral body symmetry -- just like humans -- but grow up to be adults with fivefold 'pentaradial' symmetry.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231101134930.htm


Mobile phone use may affect semen quality

Does electromagnetic radiation emitted by mobile phones affect semen quality? While various environmental and lifestyle factors have been proposed to explain the decline in semen quality observed over the last fifty years, the role of mobile phones has yet to be demonstrated. A team has now published a major cross-sectional study on the subject. It shows that frequent use of mobile phones is associated with a lower sperm concentration and total sperm count.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231101134831.htm


Risk of viral airborne transmission peaks within 5 seconds of face-to-face encounters

Researchers visualized and measured the flow field of aerosol particles derived from exhaled air and examined the risk of viral exposure during face-to-face encounters, such as while walking, jogging, running, or sprinting. The results showed that the number of aerosol particles during face-to-face encounters peaked within 5 seconds after the encounter and rapidly declined thereafter.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231031111526.htm


Humans are disrupting natural 'salt cycle' on a global scale, new study shows

A new paper revealed that human activities are making Earth's air, soil and freshwater saltier, which could pose an 'existential threat' if current trends continue. Geologic and hydrologic processes bring salts to Earth's surface over time, but human activities such as mining and land development are rapidly accelerating this natural 'salt cycle.'

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231031111505.htm


Microplastics' shape determines how far they travel in the atmosphere

Micron-size microplastic debris can be carried by the jet stream across oceans and continents, and their shape plays a crucial role in how far they travel.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231030194604.htm


Want to achieve your goals? Get angry

While often perceived as a negative emotion, anger can also be a powerful motivator for people to achieve challenging goals in their lives, according to new research.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231030110823.htm


AI can alert urban planners and policymakers to cities' decay

As urbanization advances around the globe, the quality of the urban physical environment will become increasingly critical to human well-being and to sustainable development initiatives. However, measuring and tracking the quality of an urban environment, its evolution and its spatial disparities is difficult due to the amount of on-the-ground data needed to capture these patterns.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231027165919.htm


Youngest children in class with ADHD as likely to keep diagnosis in adulthood as older pupils, find scientists

Youngest children in their class with ADHD are just as likely to keep the diagnosis when enter adulthood as older pupils in their year group. In the past, scientists have questioned the validity of ADHD in younger pupils, arguing they are only diagnosed because they are less mature than their peers. But this study shows that these children are no more likely to lose ADHD diagnosis over time than those born towards the start of the school year.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231026222607.htm


Common chemotherapy drugs don't work like doctors thought, with big implications for drug discovery

A new study suggests that chemotherapy may not be reaching its full potential, in part because researchers and doctors have long misunderstood how some of the most common cancer drugs actually ward off tumors.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231026184337.htm


Controlling waves in magnets with superconductors for the first time

Quantum physicists have shown that it's possible to control and manipulate spin waves on a chip using superconductors for the first time. These tiny waves in magnets may offer an alternative to electronics in the future, interesting for energy-efficient information technology or connecting pieces in a quantum computer, for example. The breakthrough primarily gives physicists new insight into the interaction between magnets and superconductors.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231026171429.htm


Researcher finds proof of menopause in wild chimpanzees

A team of researchers studying the Ngogo community of wild chimpanzees in western Uganda's Kibale National Park for two decades has published a report showing that females in this population can experience menopause and post-reproductive survival.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231026161041.htm


Engineers develop breakthrough 'robot skin'

Smart, stretchable and highly sensitive, a new soft sensor opens the door to a wide range of applications in robotics and prosthetics. When applied to the surface of a prosthetic arm or a robotic limb, the sensor skin provides touch sensitivity and dexterity, enabling tasks that can be difficult for machines such as picking up a piece of soft fruit. The sensor is also soft to the touch, like human skin, which helps make human interactions safer and more lifelike.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231026131623.htm


8,000 steps a day to reduce the risk of premature death

An international study has identified for the first time the optimal number of steps at which most people obtain the greatest benefits, and also shows that the pace at which you walk provides additional benefits.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231026131551.htm


Membrane transporter ensures mobility of sperm cells

Special proteins -- known as membrane transporters -- are key to the mobility of sperm cells. A research team has, with the aid of cryo-electron microscopy, succeeded in decoding the structure of such a transporter and its mechanism. These findings will enable a better understanding of the molecular foundations of reproductive capacity and could, in the long term, contribute to developing new approaches to treating fertility disorders and new methods of specific contraception.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231026131548.htm


Vision via sound for the blind

Smart glasses that use a technique similar to a bat's echolocation could help blind and low-vision people navigate their surroundings, according to researchers.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231025223433.htm


Can AI grasp related concepts after learning only one?

Researchers have now developed a technique that advances the ability of these tools, such as ChatGPT, to make compositional generalizations. This technique, Meta-learning for Compositionality, outperforms existing approaches and is on par with, and in some cases better than, human performance.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231025163006.htm


Massive space explosion observed creating elements needed for life

Scientists have observed the creation of rare chemical elements in the second-brightest gamma-ray burst ever seen -- casting new light on how heavy elements are made.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231025162946.htm


New clues to early development of schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe neuropsychiatric disease that remains poorly understood and treated. Schizophrenia onset is typically in adolescence or early adulthood, but its underlying causes are thought to involve neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Because human prenatal and postnatal brain tissue is exceedingly difficult to procure and therefore study, researchers have had limited opportunities to identify early disease mechanisms, especially during the critical prenatal period. Now, a pair of studies use new technology to study schizophrenia in models of early human brain development.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231024234052.htm


Scalable production technique for low-calorie sugar substitute

Scientists have discovered a new route to produce the low-calorie sugar allulose (D-psicose) at lower cost with high yield.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231024234043.htm


Climate report: 'Uncharted territory' imperils life on Earth

An international coalition of climate scientists says that the Earth's vital signs have worsened beyond anything humans have yet seen, to the point that life on the planet is imperiled.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231024110647.htm


Finding the genes that help kingfishers dive without hurting their brains

Scientists studied the genomes of 30 kingfisher species to try to identify the genes that allow kingfishers to dive headfirst into water without huring their brains. The researchers found that the diving birds have unusual mutations to the genes that produce tau: a protein that helps stabilize tiny structures in the brain, but which can build up in humans with traumatic brain injuries or Alzheimer's disease. The researchers suspect that these variations in the kingfishers' tau proteins might protect their brains when they dive.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231024110612.htm


Cathode active materials for lithium-ion batteries could be produced at low temperatures

Layered lithium cobalt oxide, a key component of lithium-ion batteries, has been synthesized at temperatures as low as 300°C and durations as short as 30 minutes.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231023222259.htm


How to slow the spread of deadly 'superbugs'

Harnessing new advances in genomic surveillance technology could help detect the rise of deadly 'superbugs'.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231023194631.htm


Superdeep diamonds provide a window on supercontinent growth

Diamonds contain evidence of the mantle rocks that helped buoy and grow the ancient supercontinent Gondwana from below, according to new research. These findings demonstrate that superdeep diamonds can provide a window through space and time into the supercontinent growth and formation process.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231023185456.htm


Researchers probe how a piece of the moon became a near-Earth asteroid

Two years after the striking discovery that a near-Earth asteroid could be a chunk of the moon, another UArizona research group has found that a rare pathway could have enabled this to happen.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231023185445.htm


Climate is increasing risk of high toxin concentrations in Northern US lakes

As climate change warms the Earth, higher-latitude regions will be at greater risk for toxins produced by algal blooms, according to new research. The findings identify water temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit) as being at the greatest risk for developing dangerous levels of a common algae-produced toxin called microcystin.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231023124427.htm


Increased West Antarctic Ice Sheet melting 'unavoidable'

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet will continue to increase its rate of melting over the rest of the century, no matter how much we reduce fossil fuel use, according to new research. A substantial acceleration in ice melting likely cannot now be avoided, which implies that Antarctica's contribution to sea level rise could increase rapidly over the coming decades.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231023123815.htm


Astronomers detect most distant fast radio burst to date

An international team has spotted a remote blast of cosmic radio waves lasting less than a millisecond. This 'fast radio burst' (FRB) is the most distant ever detected. Its source was pinned down by the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) in a galaxy so far away that its light took eight billion years to reach us. The FRB is also one of the most energetic ever observed; in a tiny fraction of a second it released the equivalent of our Sun's total emission over 30 years.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231019151830.htm


Wearable device makes memories and powers up with the flex of a finger

Researchers have invented an experimental wearable device that generates power from a user's bending finger and can create and store memories, in a promising step towards health monitoring and other technologies.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231018230932.htm


Promising new options for treating aggressive prostate cancer

Investigators have identified two promising new treatment options for men with recurrent prostate cancer -- both of which helped patients live longer without their disease progressing than the current standard treatment. 'If these treatments are approved by the Food and Drug Administration, our results will be practice changing,' said Stephen Freedland, MD, associate director for Training and Education and the Warschaw, Robertson, Law Families Chair in Prostate Cancer at Cedars-Sinai, and lead author of the study. 'In the study, both of these new options improved metastasis-free survival while preserving quality of life.'

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231018194545.htm


Ancient diamonds shine light on the evolution of Earth

Formed millions to billions of years ago, diamonds can shine light into the darkest and oldest parts of the Earth's mantle. The analysis of ancient, superdeep diamonds dug up from mines in Brazil and Western Africa, has exposed new processes of how continents evolved and moved during the early evolution of complex life on Earth. These diamonds that were formed between 650 and 450 million years ago on the base of the supercontinent Gondwana, were analysed by an international team of experts, and have shown how supercontinents such as Gondwana were formed, stabilised, and how they move around the planet.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231018161911.htm


Genetic risk scores not useful in predicting disease

A new study looked at 926 polygenic risk scores for 310 diseases. It found that, on average, only 11% of individuals who develop disease are identified, while at the same time 5% of people who do not develop the disease test positive. Unaffected people usually outnumber those affected which results in far more false than true positive predictions.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231017215935.htm


Team finds a stem-cell derived mechanism that could lead to regenerative therapies for heart damage

A team has identified an essential internal control mechanism that can promote the maturation of human stem cell-derived heart muscle cells, possibly leading to new therapies for heart disease and cardiac damage.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231017215928.htm


Human Lung Chip leveraged to faithfully model radiation-induced lung injury

Researchers have developed a human in vitro model that closely mimics the complexities of radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) and radiation dose sensitivity of the human lung. Using a previously developed microfluidic human Lung Alveolus Chip lined by human lung alveolar epithelial cells interfaced with lung capillary cells to recreate the alveolar-capillary interface in vitro, the researchers recapitulated many of the hallmarks of RILI, including radiation-induced DNA damage in lung tissue, cell-specific changes in gene expression, inflammation, and injury to both the lung epithelial cells and blood vessel-lining endothelial cells. By also evaluating the potential of two drugs to suppress the effects of acute RILI, the researchers demonstrated their model's capabilities as an advanced, human-relevant, preclinical, drug discovery platform.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231017143617.htm


Researchers test seafloor fiber optic cable as an earthquake early warning system

One of the biggest challenges for earthquake early warning systems (EEW) is the lack of seismic stations located offshore of heavily populated coastlines, where some of the world's most seismically active regions are located. In a new study, researchers show how unused telecommunications fiber optic cable can be transformed for offshore EEW.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231017143606.htm


New recipe for efficient, environmentally friendly battery recycling

Researchers are now presenting a new and efficient way to recycle metals from spent electric car batteries. The method allows recovery of 100 per cent of the aluminum and 98 per cent of the lithium in electric car batteries. At the same time, the loss of valuable raw materials such as nickel, cobalt and manganese is minimized. No expensive or harmful chemicals are required in the process because the researchers use oxalic acid -- an organic acid that can be found in the plant kingdom.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231017123501.htm


Ocean circulation, ice melt and increasing tourism could all be contributing to Arctic microplastics

Scientists measured microplastic concentrations in the highly productive Barents Sea and suggest that ocean circulation, ice melt, tourism, inadequate waste management, shipping and fishing are all likely contributors.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231017123428.htm


Cocoa pods -- a source of chocolate, and potentially, flame retardants

As Halloween approaches, so too does the anticipation of a trick-or-treating stash filled with fun-sized chocolate candy bars. But to satisfy our collective craving for this indulgence, millions of cocoa pods are harvested annually. While the beans and pulp go to make chocolate, their husks are thrown away. Now, researchers show that cocoa pod husks could be a useful starting material for flame retardants.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231017123406.htm


Brain connectivity is disrupted in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia, a neurodevelopmental disorder that features psychosis among its symptoms, is thought to arise from disorganization in brain connectivity and functional integration. Now, a new study finds differences in functional brain connectivity in people with and without psychosis and schizophrenia that could help researchers understand the neural underpinnings of this disease.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231017123403.htm


Study examines role of working memory, cognitive functions in English learners learning to write

A new study has examined the role of several cognitive functions in young students learning to write English, their second language. The study conducted a battery of cognitive tests, gauged the writing skills of the students and then tested the functions again. Working memory, or how we store thoughts we want to convey, was shown to be the most significant predictor of writing ability. Other cognitive functions like phonological awareness and oral language development increased as the students aged, but were not associated with improved writing. The results not only help us understand how English learners, a growing population, learn to write, but can help educators design better interventions to help the students, researchers argue.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231017123352.htm


Scientists discover the possible triggers for bacterial pathogens, opening the door for new treatment strategies

The legendary Alexander Fleming, who famously discovered penicillin, once said 'never to neglect an extraordinary appearance or happening.' And the path of science often leads to just that. New research is turning the page in our understanding of harmful bacteria and how they turn on certain genes, causing disease in our bodies.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231016222123.htm


Signatures of the Space Age: Spacecraft metals left in the wake of humanity's path to the stars

Using tools hitched to the nose cone of their research planes and sampling more than 11 miles above the planet's surface, researchers have discovered significant amounts of metals in aerosols in the atmosphere, likely from increasingly frequent launches and returns of spacecraft and satellites. That mass of metal is changing atmospheric chemistry in ways that may impact Earth's atmosphere and ozone layer.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231016163131.htm


Can't stop binging on fries and BBQ?

People overeat and become overweight for a variety of reasons. The fact that flavorful high-calorie food is often available nearly everywhere at any time doesn't help. Researchers have determined for the first time why certain chemicals in cooked or processed foods, called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, increase hunger and test our willpower or ability to make healthy choices when it comes to food.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231016122851.htm


Research shows wildfire smoke may linger in homes long after initial blaze

Newly published research on indoor air quality shows wildfire smoke may linger in homes long after the initial blaze has been put out or winds have shifted. The findings show that wildfire smoke can attach to home surfaces like carpet, drapes or counters -- extending the exposure for those inside and potentially causing health problems even after an initial cleaning activity by air purifiers.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231013150757.htm