Diverse habitats help salmon weather unpredictable climate changes

Restored salmon habitat should resemble financial portfolios, offering fish diverse options for feeding and survival so that they can weather various conditions as the climate changes, a new study shows.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240314171501.htm


A pioneering way to target the culprit behind a deadly liver cancer

Researchers have translated a cutting-edge tactic for treating genetic disorders into a fresh approach for potentially stymying cancer.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240314145344.htm


FRYL gene variants linked to a new neurological disorder

A recent study links the FRYL gene to a new neurodevelopmental disorder in humans. They used fruit flies to establish that the loss of a functional copy of the FRY-like transcription coactivator (FRYL) gene is the underlying cause of this new disorder in fourteen individuals.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240314145317.htm


How home food availability affects young children's nutrient intake

Early childhood is an important time for learning about nutrition and establishing healthy eating behaviors. Young children rely on parents to provide food options, and the availability of food in the home affects their dietary choices. A new study looks at changes in home food availability and nutrient intake for children from 2 to 4 years old.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240314122211.htm


Blast-related concussions linked to higher Alzheimer's risk

U.S. veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq who suffered mild traumatic brain injury from exposure to explosive blasts were found to have changes in cerebrospinal fluid proteins that are typically seen in people who develop Alzheimer's disease, according to researchers.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240313210248.htm


Supply chain disruptions will further exacerbate economic losses from climate change

Global GDP loss from climate change will increase exponentially the warmer the planet gets when its cascading impact on global supply chains is factored in, finds a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240313135634.htm


Innovative approaches for addressing difficult topics in K-12 schools

Three peer-reviewed journals have recently published research papers by Penn State's Hammel Family Human Rights Initiative. The papers illustrate how the initiative's programs help K-12 educators address difficult issues such as racism.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240313135621.htm


AI analysis of historical satellite images show USSR collapse in 1990s increased methane emissions, despite lower oil and gas production

An AI-powered analysis of 25 years of satellite images yields the surprising finding that methane emissions in Turkmenistan, a former Soviet republic and major oil-producing region, actually increased in the years following the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240312221011.htm


Alaska dinosaur tracks reveal a lush, wet environment

A large find of dinosaur tracks and fossilized plants and tree stumps in far northwestern Alaska provides new information about the climate and movement of animals near the time when they began traveling between the Asian and North American continents roughly 100 million years ago.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240312221007.htm


Vaccine monitoring crucial as SARS-CoV-2 variants continue to evolve

Researchers have highlighted the importance of continued surveillance of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccine performance as the virus continues to evolve.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240312133915.htm


Gene flow in giraffes and what it means for their conservation

Giraffes, with their bizarre body plan, have always held a special place in the minds of evolutionary biologists and non-experts alike. In a new study whole-genome sequencing data was used to investigate the evolutionary processes occurring within giraffes. In particular, the authors were interested in establishing whether different populations of giraffes really have been isolated from each other for extended periods of time, which is normally a requirement before new species can arise.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240312133736.htm


Cheetahs' unrivalled speed explained by their 'sweet spot' size, finds Imperial study

A new study has answered a long-held question about why medium-sized land animals like cheetahs tend to be fastest.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240312133325.htm


India's water problems set to get worse as the world warms

Winter storms known as western disturbances that provide crucial snow and rainfall to northern India are arriving significantly later in the year.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240311205204.htm


Cicadas' unique urination unlocks new understanding of fluid dynamics

While most small insects and mammals urinate in droplets, cicadas urinate in jets. Researchers say the finding could be used to create better robots and small nozzles.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240311173028.htm


For people who speak many languages, there's something special about their native tongue

A study of polyglots found the brain's language network responds more strongly when hearing languages a speaker is more proficient in -- and much more weakly to the speaker's native language.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240311145915.htm


Study explores impacts of Arctic warming on daily weather patterns in the U.S.

Arctic sea ice is shrinking as the world continues to warm, and a new study may provide a better understanding of how the loss of this ice may impact daily weather in the middle latitudes, like the United States.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240311145822.htm


No, an anti-racist program in schools didn't stress out kids, study finds

A new study of how high school students respond to a program designed to increase the frequency and quality of conversations about race in school finds that the anti-racist intervention did not cause stress or feelings of alienation among study participants. The finding rebuts concerns that anti-racist programs are harmful to children and teens.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240311145819.htm


Natural history specimens have never been so accessible

Researchers have painstakingly taken computed topography (CT) scans of more than 13,000 individual specimens to create 3D images of more than half of all the world's animal groups, including mammals, fishes, amphibians and reptiles.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240311145734.htm


Blood-based marker developed to identify sleep deprivation

A blood test that can accurately detect when someone has not slept for 24 hours has been developed.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240310194811.htm


Pushing the boundary on ultralow frequency gravitational waves

A team of physicists has developed a method to detect gravity waves with such low frequencies that they could unlock the secrets behind the early phases of mergers between supermassive black holes, the heaviest objects in the universe.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240308142750.htm


Optimizing boosters: How COVID mRNA vaccines reshape immune memory after each dose

COVID-19 vaccines elicit strong T-cell responses, but clonal-resolution analyses of these responses have not previously been performed. To address this gap, a team of researchers investigated the T- cell receptor sequence and tracked it using trammer analysis, uncovering key insights into the dynamics of T-cell responses. This study can lead to improved next-generation vaccines.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240308123303.htm


Good news for coral reef restoration efforts: Study finds 'full recovery' of reef growth within four years

While the majority of the world's reefs are now under threat or even damaged potentially beyond repair, a new study offers some encouraging news: efforts to restore coral reefs not only increase coral cover, but they can also bring back important ecosystem functions, and surprisingly fast.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240308123248.htm


Children with 'lazy eye' are at increased risk of serious disease in adulthood

Adults who had amblyopia ('lazy eye') in childhood are more likely to experience hypertension, obesity, and metabolic syndrome in adulthood, as well as an increased risk of heart attack, finds a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240307212445.htm


Interstellar signal linked to aliens was actually just a truck

Sound waves thought to be from a 2014 meteor fireball north of Papua New Guinea were almost certainly vibrations from a truck rumbling along a nearby road, new research shows. The findings raise doubts that materials pulled last year from the ocean are alien materials from that meteor, as was widely reported.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240307165128.htm


Children surpass a year of HIV remission after treatment pause

Four children have remained free of detectable HIV for more than one year after their antiretroviral therapy (ART) was paused to see if they could achieve HIV remission, according to new research. The children, who acquired HIV before birth, were enrolled in a clinical trial in which an ART regimen was started within 48 hours of birth and then closely monitored for drug safety and HIV viral suppression. The outcomes reported today follow planned ART interruptions once the children met predefined virological and immunological criteria.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240307110740.htm


More than half of American Indian youth may have abnormal or high cholesterol

More than 70% of American Indian young adults aged 20-39 and 50% of American Indian teens have cholesterol levels or elevated fat in the blood that put them at risk for cardiovascular disease, a new study suggests. In some cases, these levels -- specifically high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, often thought of as 'bad cholesterol,' -- were linked to plaque buildup and cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240306150704.htm


Consuming refined carbs might be linked to perceived facial attractiveness

In a new study, participants' levels of consumption of refined carbohydrates were statistically linked with their facial attractiveness as rated by heterosexual volunteers of the opposite sex.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240306150457.htm


Can you tell AI-generated people from real ones?

If you recently had trouble figuring out if an image of a person is real or generated through artificial intelligence (AI), you're not alone. A new study found that people had more difficulty than was expected distinguishing who is a real person and who is artificially generated.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240306003456.htm


Key advance toward removing common herbicide from groundwater

Chemists are closing in on a new tool for tackling the global problem of weedkiller-tainted groundwater.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240305204445.htm


Research explores the cooling effects of 'scuba-diving' in lizards

Anoles are the scuba-diving champions of the lizard world, able to stay underwater for more than 16 minutes. For animals whose body temperature depends on the environment, time spent in a cool running stream can have some tradeoffs, according to new research.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240305204443.htm


Harmful 'forever chemicals' removed from water with new electrocatalysis method

Scientists have developed new electrochemical approaches to clean up pollution from 'forever chemicals' found in clothing, food packaging, firefighting foams, and a wide array of other products. A new study describes nanocatalysts developed to remediate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240305165911.htm


For a healthy fruit snack, what would you choose?

Next time you're packing lunch for your kid or reaching for a healthy afternoon bite, consider this: only three types of packaged fruit snacks -- dried fruit, fruit puree and canned fruit with juice -- meet the latest recommendations for high-nutrition snacks set by federal dietary guidelines, according to food scientists.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240305165908.htm


Using light to precisely control single-molecule devices

Researchers flip the switch at the nanoscale by applying light to induce bonding for single-molecule device switching.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240305134359.htm


New method measures the 3D position of individual atoms

Since more than a decade it has been possible for physicists to accurately measure the location of individual atoms to a precision of smaller than one thousandth of a millimeter using a special type of microscope. However, this method has so far only provided the x and y coordinates. Information on the vertical position of the atom -- i.e., the distance between the atom and the microscope objective -- is lacking. A new method has now been developed that can determine all three spatial coordinates of an atom with one single image.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240305134352.htm


Shortcut to Success: Toward fast and robust quantum control through accelerating adiabatic passage

Researchers achieved the acceleration of adiabatic evolution of a single spin qubit in gate-defined quantum dots. After the pulse optimization to suppress quasistatic noises, the spin flip fidelity can be as high as 97.5% in GaAs quantum dots. This work may be useful to achieve fast and high-fidelity quantum computing.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240305134315.htm


Sweetened drinks linked to atrial fibrillation risk

An analysis of health data in the UK Biobank found a 20% higher risk of irregular heart rhythm, known as atrial fibrillation, among people who said they drank two liters or more per week (about 67 ounces) of artificially sweetened drinks. The risk was 10% higher among people who said they drank similar amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240305134303.htm


Waist-to-height ratio detects fat obesity in children and adolescents significantly better than BMI

An inexpensive measure of obesity in children and adolescents that could replace body mass index (BMI) has been identified in a new study as waist circumference-to-height ratio. This measure detected excess fat mass and distinguished fat mass from muscle mass in children and adolescents more accurately than BMI.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240305134243.htm


Arctic could become 'ice-free' within a decade

While summer sea ice loss in the Arctic is inevitable, it can be reversed if the planet cools down, researchers say.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240305134203.htm


Researchers invent new triple-junction tandem solar cells with world-record efficiency

Scientists have developed a novel triple-junction perovskite/Si tandem solar cell that can achieve a certified world-record power conversion efficiency of 27.1 per cent across a solar energy absorption area of 1 sq cm, representing the best-performing triple-junction perovskite/Si tandem solar cell thus far. To achieve this, the team engineered a new cyanate-integrated perovskite solar cell that is stable and energy efficient.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240304221140.htm


An evolutionary mystery 125 million years in the making

Plant biologists have uncovered an evolutionary mystery over 100 million years in the making. It turns out that sometime during the last 125 million years, tomatoes and Arabidopsis thaliana plants experienced an extreme genetic makeover. Just what happened remains unclear. But the mystery surrounds CLV3, a gene key to healthy plant growth and development.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240304143643.htm


Webb unlocks secrets of one of the most distant galaxies ever seen

Looking deeply into space and time, astronomers have studied the exceptionally luminous galaxy GN-z11, which existed when our 13.8 billion-year-old universe was only about 430 million years old.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240304135917.htm


It's not just you: Young people look, feel older when they're stressed

A new study finds younger adults look and feel older on stressful days -- but only on days when they also feel they have relatively less control over their own lives.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240304135816.htm


Beyond the ink: Painting with physics

Falling from the tip of a brush suspended in mid-air, an ink droplet touches a painted surface and blossoms into a masterpiece of ever-changing beauty. It weaves a tapestry of intricate, evolving patterns. Some of them resemble branching snowflakes, thunderbolts or neurons, whispering the unique expression of the artist's vision.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240303125412.htm


Orcas demonstrating they no longer need to hunt in packs to take down the great white shark

An orca (killer whale) has been observed, for the first-ever time, individually consuming a great white shark -- and within just two minutes.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240302171519.htm


Researchers create coating solution for safer food storage

Galvanized steel containers and surfaces are used for harvested produce because of their durability, strength and lower cost compared to stainless steel. However, bacteria residing in storage containers can cause corrosion. The new coating will reduce corrosion by at least 70 percent, researchers say.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240301160123.htm


New insights on how galaxies are formed

Astronomers can use supercomputers to simulate the formation of galaxies from the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago to the present day. But there are a number of sources of error. An international research team has spent a hundred million computer hours over eight years trying to correct these.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240301134700.htm


Ice shell thickness reveals water temperature on ocean worlds

Astrobiologists have devised a novel way to determine ocean temperatures of distant worlds based on the thickness of their ice shells, effectively conducting oceanography from space.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240229182929.htm


Poor spatial navigation could predict Alzheimer's disease years before the onset of symptoms

People at risk of Alzheimer's disease have impaired spatial navigation prior to problems with other cognitive functions, including memory, finds a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240229124559.htm


Surprising methane discovery in Yukon glaciers: 'Much more widespread than we thought'

Global melting is prying the lid off methane stocks, the extent of which we do not know. A researcher has now discovered high concentrations of the powerful greenhouse gas in meltwater from three Canadian mountain glaciers, where it was not thought to exist -- adding new unknowns to the understanding of methane emissions from Earth's glaciated regions.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240229124522.htm


Lockdowns had an impact on gut microbes and allergies in newborns, new research reveals

Lockdowns imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the gut microbiome development of babies born during these periods according to new research. Our gut microbiome, an ecosystem of microbes that live in our digestive tract, plays an essential role in human health. The study reveals significant differences in the microbiome development of babies born during lockdown periods when compared to pre-pandemic babies.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240229124144.htm


Continued cocaine use disrupts communication between major brain networks

New research provides new insights into the brain processes underlying cocaine addiction. The findings are crucial for developing new therapeutics and identifying an imaging marker for cocaine use disorders.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240228154723.htm


Change in gene code may explain how human ancestors lost tails

A genetic change in our ancient ancestors may partly explain why humans don't have tails like monkeys.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240228114226.htm


Teens benefit from 'forest bathing' -- even in cities

Youth mental health in urban environments is significantly better when more nature is incorporated into city design. A new study suggests that forest bathing, the simple method of being calm and quiet amongst the trees, observing nature around you while breathing deeply, can help youth de-stress and boost health and well-being.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240227172155.htm


You may be breathing in more tiny nanoparticles from your gas stove than from car exhaust

Cooking on your gas stove can emit more nano-sized particles into the air than vehicles that run on gas or diesel, possibly increasing your risk of developing asthma or other respiratory illnesses, a new study has found.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240227130804.htm


Significant glacial retreat in West Antarctica began in 1940s

Among the vast expanse of Antarctica lies the Thwaites Glacier, the world's widest glacier measuring about 80 miles on the western edge of the continent. Despite its size, the massive landform is losing about 50 billion tons of ice more than it is receiving in snowfall, which places it in a precarious position in respect to its stability. Accelerating ice loss has been observed since the 1970s, but it is unclear when this significant melting initiated -- until now. A new study suggests that the significant glacial retreat of two glaciers on the west coast of Antarctica began in the 1940's, likely spurred by climate change.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240226204614.htm


First-in-humans discovery reveals brain chemicals at work influencing social behavior

The idea that people make decisions based on social context is not a new one in neural economic games. But now, for the first time, researchers show the impact of the social context may spring from the dynamic interactions of dopamine and serotonin. Researchers built carbon-fiber electrodes that were implanted in patients receiving Deep Brain Stimulation surgery. The method allows researchers to measure more than one neurotransmitter at a time, revealing a dance that has never been seen before.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240226114627.htm


New world record for CIGS solar cells

A new record for electrical energy generation from CIGS solar cells has been reached. Scientists have achieved a 23.64 percent efficiency.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240226114616.htm


Cloud clustering causes more extreme rain

Understanding cloud patterns in our changing climate is essential to making accurate predictions about their impact on society and nature. Scientists published a new study that uses a high-resolution global climate model to understand how the clustering of clouds and storms impacts rainfall extremes in the tropics. They show that with rising temperatures, the severity of extreme precipitation events increases.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240225212517.htm


Barriers against Antarctic ice melt disappearing at the double

Undersea anchors of ice that help prevent Antarctica's land ice from slipping into the ocean are shrinking at more than twice the rate compared with 50 years ago, research shows. More than a third of these frozen moorings, known as pinning points, have decreased in size since the turn of the century, experts say. Further deterioration of pinning points, which hold in place the floating ice sheets that fortify Antarctica's land ice, would accelerate the continent's contribution to rising sea levels, scientists warn.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240223103904.htm


Killer instinct drove evolution of mammals' predatory ancestors

The evolutionary success of the first large predators on land was driven by their need to improve as killers, researchers suggest.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240222214144.htm


Method identified to double computer processing speeds

Scientists introduce what they call 'simultaneous and heterogeneous multithreading' or SHMT. This system doubles computer processing speeds with existing hardware by simultaneously using graphics processing units (GPUs), hardware accelerators for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), or digital signal processing units to process information.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240221213907.htm


Black hole at center of the Milky Way resembles a football

The supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way is spinning so quickly it is warping the spacetime surrounding it into a shape that can look like a football, according to a new study. That football shape suggests the black hole is spinning at a substantial speed, which researchers estimated to be about 60% of its potential limit.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240221160304.htm


Gulf corals still suffering more than a decade after Deepwater Horizon oil spill, scientists report

Deep-water corals in the Gulf of Mexico are still struggling to recover from the devastating Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, scientists report at the Ocean Science Meeting in New Orleans. Comparing images of more than 300 corals over 13 years -- the longest time series of deep-sea corals to date -- reveals that in some areas, coral health continues to decline to this day.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240220144632.htm


Study reveals molecular mechanisms behind hibernation in mammals

Researchers have characterized changes in the structure of motor proteins, called myosins, and energy consumption that occur during hibernation, highlighting key differences in large and small hibernators.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240220144446.htm


Why two prehistoric sharks found in Ohio got new names

Until recently, Orthacanthus gracilis could have been considered the 'John Smith' of prehistoric shark names, given how common it was. Three different species of sharks from the late Paleozoic Era -- about 310 million years ago -- were mistakenly given that same name, causing lots of grief to paleontologists who studied and wrote about the sharks through the years and had trouble keeping them apart. But now a professor has finished the arduous task of renaming two of the three sharks -- and in the process rediscovered a wealth of fossil fishes that had been stored at a museum for years but had been largely forgotten.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240219130727.htm


New study analyzes link between digit ratio and oxygen consumption in footballers

The efficiency of oxygen supply to tissues is a factor in the severity of important diseases such as Covid-19 and heart conditions. Scientists already know that the relationship between the length of a person's index and ring fingers, known as the 2D:4D ratio is correlated with performance in distance running, age at heart attack and severity of Covid-19.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240216135911.htm


Under pressure -- space exploration in our time

A new paradigm is taking shape in the space industry as the countries and entities accessing space continue to grow and diversify. This dynamic landscape creates both competition and potential for scientific collaboration, as well as the challenges and opportunities of progress.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240216135903.htm


What can bulls tell us about men?

Researchers have found genes in the reproductive organs of bulls that influence fertility. The findings can be transferred to humans, as these genes are also present in men.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240216135805.htm


Evidence of geothermal activity within icy dwarf planets

A team found evidence for hydrothermal or metamorphic activity within the icy dwarf planets Eris and Makemake, located in the Kuiper Belt. Methane detected on their surfaces has the tell-tale signs of warm or even hot geochemistry in their rocky cores, which is markedly different than the signature of methane from a comet.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240215142301.htm


First-ever atomic freeze-frame of liquid water

Scientists report the first look at electrons moving in real-time in liquid water; the findings open up a whole new field of experimental physics.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240215142133.htm


Diving deeper into our oceans: Underwater drones open new doors for global coral reef research

Scientists take innovation in coral e-DNA monitoring to the next level.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240215113701.htm


Neolithic groups from the south of the Iberian Peninsula first settled permanently in San Fernando (Cadiz) 6,200 years ago

A new study reveals that the first farmers and herdsmen settled in Andalusia collected and consumed shellfish throughout the year, especially in winter.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240215113647.htm


Targeting the microenvironment rather than a specific cell type could be the key to healing injured hearts

A groundbreaking scientific study has unveiled a remarkable discovery that may have far-reaching implications for the treatment of heart disease. The implications are immense offering glimpses of a future where heart disease may no longer be an irreversible condition but a challenge that can be overcome through medical intervention. The potential for developing novel therapies that leverage the body's innate regenerative capacity holds great promise for millions of individuals affected by heart disease worldwide.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240214203406.htm


A lighthouse in the Gobi desert

A new study explores the weight great fossil sites have on our understanding of evolutionary relationships between fossil groups and quantified the power these sites have on our understanding of evolutionary history. Surprisingly, the authors discovered that the wind-swept sand deposits of the Late Cretaceous Gobi Desert's extraordinarily diverse and well-preserved fossil lizard record shapes our understanding of their evolutionary history more than any other site on the planet.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240214203357.htm


Treating liver cancer with microrobots piloted by a magnetic field

Researchers have developed a novel approach to treat liver tumors using magnet-guided microrobots in an MRI device.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240214150305.htm


Key genes linked to DNA damage and human disease uncovered

Scientists unveil 145 genes vital for genome health, and possible strategies to curb progression of human genomic disorders.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240214150252.htm


Significantly fewer births on weekends and holidays than weekdays, data analysis of over 21 million births from 1979-2018 in Japan shows

Significantly more babies were born on a weekday instead of weekend day or holiday, reveals a large-scale analysis of 21 million births in Japan over almost four decades.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240214150249.htm


Cleaned surfaces may be germ-free, but they're not bare

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, surfaces in public spaces are cleaned more often. While disinfectant solutions eliminate germs, they don't leave behind a truly bare surface. They deposit a thin film that doesn't get wiped up, even after giving the surface a good polish. In a new study, researchers show that residues left by commercial cleaning products contain a wider range of compounds that could impact indoor air quality than previously thought.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240214144929.htm


Is the Amazon forest approaching a tipping point?

Global warming may be interacting with regional rainfall and deforestation to accelerate forest loss in the Amazon, pushing it towards partial or total collapse. New research has identified the potential thresholds of these stressors, showing where their combined effects could produce a 'tipping point' -- in which the forest is so fragile that just a small disturbance could cause an abrupt shift in the state of the ecosystem.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240214122558.htm


Great apes playfully tease each other

Babies playfully tease others as young as eight months of age. Since language is not required for this behavior, similar kinds of playful teasing might be present in non-human animals. Now cognitive biologists and primatologists have documented playful teasing in four species of great apes. Like joking behavior in humans, ape teasing is provocative, persistent, and includes elements of surprise and play. Because all four great ape species used playful teasing, it is likely that the prerequisites for humor evolved in the human lineage at least 13 million years ago.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240213190509.htm


A century of reforestation helped keep the eastern US cool

Widespread 20th-century reforestation in the eastern United States helped counter rising temperatures due to climate change, according to new research. The authors highlight the potential of forests as regional climate adaptation tools, which are needed along with a decrease in carbon emissions.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240213174735.htm


New study reveals dynamic impact of nicotine on brain regions responsible for reward and aversion

A new study sheds light on the intricate interplay of brain regions involved in nicotine's effects on the human brain.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240213154433.htm


Desert ants: The magnetic field calibrates the navigation system

Desert ants find their way during an early learning phase with the help of the Earth's magnetic field. The associated learning process leaves clear traces in their nervous system.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240213130503.htm


Can hydrogels help mend a broken heart?

You can mend a broken heart this valentine s day now that researchers invented a new hydrogel that can be used to heal damaged heart tissue and improve cancer treatments.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240212171318.htm


Immune genes are altered in Alzheimer's patients' blood

A new study has found the immune system in the blood of Alzheimer's patients is epigenetically altered. That means the patients' behavior or environment has caused changes that affect the way their genes work. Many of these altered immune genes are the same ones that increase an individual's risk for Alzheimer's. Scientists now theorize the cause could be a previous viral infection, environmental pollutants or other lifestyle factors and behaviors.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240209163442.htm


Sensors made from 'frozen smoke' can detect toxic formaldehyde in homes and offices

Researchers have developed a sensor made from 'frozen smoke' that uses artificial intelligence techniques to detect formaldehyde in real time at concentrations as low as eight parts per billion, far beyond the sensitivity of most indoor air quality sensors.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240209163427.htm


From growing roots, clues to how stem cells decide their fate

Researchers have captured time-lapse videos of stem cells dividing in growing plant roots. By watching how the cells divide in response to certain chemical signals over time, the team is uncovering new clues to how stem cells choose one developmental path over another.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240209134434.htm


Technique could improve the sensitivity of quantum sensing devices

A new technique can control a larger number of microscopic defects in a diamond. These defects can be used as qubits for quantum sensing applications, and being able to control a greater number of qubits would improve the sensitivity of such devices.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240208182347.htm


Foul fumes pose pollinator problems

Scientists have discovered that nighttime air pollution -- coming primarily form car exhaust and power plant emissions -- is responsible for a major drop in nighttime pollinator activity. Nitrate radicals (NO3) in the air degrade the scent chemicals released by a common wildflower, drastically reducing the scent-based cues that its chief pollinators rely on to locate the flower. The findings show how nighttime pollution creates a chain of chemical reactions that degrades scent cues, leaving flowers undetectable by smell. The researchers also determined that pollution likely has worldwide impacts on pollination.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240208142453.htm


Why politics bring out the worst in us

In a survey involving a total of 2,472 respondents, researchers asked participants about nonpolitical and political moral behavior and nonpolitical and political moral tolerance. They found people more willing to behave badly in political contexts -- and more willing to tolerate bad behavior among potliticians they support.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240208142420.htm


Scientists develop artificial 'worm gut' to break down plastics

A team of scientists has developed an artificial 'worm gut' to break down plastics, offering hope for a nature-inspired method to tackle the global plastic pollution problem.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240208122029.htm


Faulty DNA disposal system causes inflammation

Scientists discovered a pathway from mitochondrial DNA replication stress to immune system activation and inflammation, finding that endosomes responsible for disposing of dysfunctional mitochondrial DNA were leaking mitochondrial DNA into the cell and prompting the inflammatory immune response. The pathway provides new targets for therapeutics that disrupt inflammation during aging and disease.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240208121733.htm


Pregnant women should avoid ultraprocessed, fast foods, experts urge

Research shows that phthalates, a class of chemicals associated with plastics, can shed from the wrapping, packaging and even from plastic gloves worn by food handlers into food. Once consumed during pregnancy, the chemicals can get into the bloodstream, through the placenta and then into the fetal bloodstream. The chemical can cause oxidative stress and an inflammatory cascade within the fetus, researchers noted. Previous literature has indicated that exposure to phthalates during pregnancy can increase the risk of low birth weight, preterm birth and child mental health conditions such as autism and ADHD.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240207195205.htm


How teachers make ethical judgments when using AI in the classroom

A teacher's gender and comfort with technology factor into whether artificial intelligence is adopted in the classroom, as shown in a new report.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240207120510.htm


EVs that go 1,000 km on a single charge: Gel makes it possible

Engineers apply electron beam technology to develop an integrated silicon-gel electrolyte system.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240207120459.htm


How kelp forests persisted through the large 2014-2016 Pacific marine heatwave

New research reveals that denser, and more sheltered, kelp forests can withstand serious stressors amid warming ocean temperatures.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240206224505.htm


Researchers discover key to molecular mystery of how plants respond to changing conditions

A team of researchers recently published a pioneering study that answers a central question in biology: how do organisms rally a wide range of cellular processes when they encounter a change -- either internally or in the external environment -- to thrive in good times or survive the bad times? The research, focused on plants, identifies the interactions between four compounds: pectin, receptor proteins FERONIA and LLG1 and the signal RALF peptide.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240206161541.htm


Thailand's Iron Age Log Coffin culture

A mortuary practice known as Log Coffin culture characterizes the Iron Age of highland Pang Mapha in northwestern Thailand. Between 2,300 and 1,000 years ago, individuals were buried in large wooden coffins on stilts, mostly found in caves and rock shelters.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240206151349.htm


Powerful answers to energy questions may be blowing in the wind

While wind farms have become a widely popular method of generating energy, researchers are now looking at the impact of these large farms on wind patterns and the surrounding environment.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240206144948.htm


Study finds strongest evidence to date of brain's ability to compensate for age-related cognitive decline

Scientists have found the strongest evidence yet that our brains can compensate for age-related deterioration by recruiting other areas to help with brain function and maintain cognitive performance.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240206144944.htm


Are body temperature and depression linked? Science says, yes

People with depression have higher body temperatures, suggesting there could be a mental health benefit to lowering the temperatures of those with the disorder.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240205204435.htm


Number of shark bites consistent with recent trends, with small spike in fatalities

There was an increase in the number of unprovoked shark attacks worldwide and an uptick in fatalities in 2023 compared to the previous year. A scientific database of global shark attacks, confirmed 69 unprovoked bites in 2023. Although this is higher than the most recent five-year average of 63 attacks, the data remain consistent with long-term trends.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240205165948.htm


One person can supervise 'swarm' of 100 unmanned autonomous vehicles

Research involving has shown that a 'swarm' of more than 100 autonomous ground and aerial robots can be supervised by one person without subjecting the individual to an undue workload.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240205165940.htm


Virus ancestry could aid bid to predict next pandemic, study finds

Virus family history could help scientists identify which strains have potential to become the so-called Disease X that causes the next global pandemic.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240205165913.htm


Common food preservative has unexpected effects on the gut microbiome

Analysis of a common preservative used to kill pathogens in food shows that it affects beneficial bacteria as well, threatening the healthy balance of the gut microbiome.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240202192305.htm


Scientists see an ultra-fast movement on surface of HIV virus

Seeing a glycoprotein on the envelope of the HIV virus snap open and shut in mere millionths of a second is giving investigators a new handle on the surface of the virus that could lead to broadly neutralizing antibodies for an AIDS vaccine. Being able to attach an antibody specifically to this little structure that would prevent it from popping open would be key.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240202153435.htm


A sleeker facial recognition technology tested on Michelangelo's David

Many people are familiar with facial recognition systems that unlock smartphones and game systems or allow access to our bank accounts online. But the current technology can require boxy projectors and lenses. Now, researchers report on a sleeker 3D surface imaging system with flatter, simplified optics. In proof-of-concept demonstrations, the new system recognized the face of Michelangelo's David just as well as an existing smartphone system.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240202132613.htm


A physical qubit with built-in error correction

Researchers have succeeded in generating a logical qubit from a single light pulse that has the inherent capacity to correct errors.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240202115149.htm


Gene-editing offers hope for people with hereditary disorder

A group of patients with a hereditary disorder have had their lives transformed by a single treatment of a breakthrough gene-editing therapy, according to the lead researcher.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240202115141.htm


Scammed! Animals 'led by the nose' to leave plants alone

Fake news works for wallabies and elephants. Herbivores can cause substantial damage to crops or endangered or protected plants, with traditional methods to deter foraging lethal, expensive or ineffective. Biologists are now using aromas from plants naturally repellent with remarkable success to deter the animals.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240202115129.htm


Disrupted cellular function behind type 2 diabetes in obesity

Disrupted function of 'cleaning cells' in the body may help to explain why some people with obesity develop type 2 diabetes, while others do not. A study describes this newly discovered mechanism.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/02/240201212856.htm


Trees struggle to 'breathe' as climate warms

Trees are struggling to sequester heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) in warmer, drier climates, meaning that they may no longer serve as a solution for offsetting humanity's carbon footprint as the planet continues to warm, according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240131183540.htm


Discovery of a third RNA virus linage in extreme environments Jan 17, 2024

A research group has discovered a novel RNA viral genome from microbes inhabiting a high-temperature acidic hot spring. Their study shows that RNA viruses can live in high-temperature environments (70-80 degrees Celsius), where no RNA viruses have been observed before. In addition to the two known RNA virus kingdoms, a third kingdom may exist.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240131144520.htm


Engineering viruses to kill deadly pathogens

Antimicrobial resistance is an urgent and growing global crisis. Researchers are exploring phages, viruses that infect bacteria, as a possible solution. In the new study, researchers successfully modified DNA from four types of phages to kill a deadly pathogen. The process can also be used to produce more phage variants for further exploration.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240131144435.htm


AI-powered app can detect poison ivy

To find poison ivy before it finds you, scientists have published a new study in which they show how they used artificial intelligence to confirm that an app can identify poison ivy. The app is not yet commercially available, nor is there a timetable for it to be available.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240130200929.htm


How a mouse's brain bends time

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Assistant Professor Arkarup Banerjee has found that some mice's brains bend their perception of time in order to communicate with each other more effectively. The discovery may help explain how our brains enable us to interact with one another and the surrounding world.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240130133623.htm


Music causes similar emotions and bodily sensations across cultures

A new study has shown that music evokes similar emotions and bodily sensations around the world.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240130133606.htm


A faster, more efficient imaging system for nanoparticles

Scientists have developed a new system for imaging nanoparticles. It consists of a high-precision, short-wave infrared imaging technique capable of capturing the photoluminescence lifetimes of rare-earth doped nanoparticles in the micro- to millisecond range.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240130133602.htm


Gut microbiota influence severity of respiratory viral infection

The composition of microbiota found in the gut influences how susceptible mice are to respiratory virus infections and the severity of these infections.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240130133532.htm


Provides new explanation for why placenta may not properly separate at birth, putting mother and newborn at risk

A new study may change the way clinicians and scientists understand, diagnose and treat placenta accreta spectrum disorder, a serious condition in which the placenta fails to separate from the uterus at birth, jeopardizing the life and health of both mother and baby.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240130133520.htm


Staggering structure in 19 nearby spiral galaxies

The James Webb Space Telescope observed 19 nearby face-on spiral galaxies in near- and mid-infrared light as part of its contributions to the Physics at High Angular resolution in Nearby GalaxieS (PHANGS) program.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240129182441.htm


Scientists pull off quantum coup

Scientists have discovered a first-of-its-kind material, a 3D crystalline metal in which quantum correlations and the geometry of the crystal structure combine to frustrate the movement of electrons and lock them in place.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240129182416.htm


How a walk in nature restores attention

New research by psychologists demonstrates a peaceful walk through a natural setting enhances attention.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240129182406.htm


Back from the dead: Tropical tree fern repurposes its dead leaves

Plant biologists report that a species of tree fern found only in Panama reanimates its own dead leaf fronds, converting them into root structures that feed the mother plant. The fern, Cyathea rojasiana, reconfigures these 'zombie leaves,' reversing the flow of water to draw nutrients back into the plant.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240129122507.htm


How did humans learn to walk? New evolutionary study offers an earful

A new study, which centers on evidence from skulls of a 6-million-year-old fossil ape, Lufengpithecus, offers important clues about the origins of bipedal locomotion courtesy of a novel method: analyzing its bony inner ear region using three-dimensional CT-scanning. The inner ear appears to provide a unique record of the evolutionary history of ape locomotion.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240129122501.htm


How does a 'reverse sprinkler' work? Researchers solve decades-old physics puzzle

For decades scientists have been trying to solve Feynman's Sprinkler Problem: How does a sprinkler running in reverse work? Through a series of experiments, a team of mathematicians has figured out how flowing fluids exert forces and move structures, thereby revealing the answer to this long-standing mystery.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240129122359.htm


Researchers map genome for cats, dolphins, birds, and dozens of other animals

Researchers mapped genetic blueprints for 51 species including cats, dolphins, kangaroos, penguins, sharks, and turtles, a discovery that deepens our understanding of evolution and the links between humans and animals. The researchers developed novel algorithms and computer software that cut the sequencing time from months -- or decades in the case of the human genome -- to a matter of days.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240129122332.htm


New study reveals the profound impact of forced separation between humans and their pets

Pet owners forced to be separated from their animals in crisis situations, including those who are victims of domestic violence, are suffering from a lack of support services needed to protect them.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240128163300.htm


New tool helps predict progression of Alzheimer's

Researchers have created a novel learning-based framework that will help Alzheimer's patients accurately pinpoint where they are within the disease-development spectrum. This will allow them to best predict the timing of the later stages, making it easier to plan for future care as the disease advances.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240126171639.htm


Confirmation of ancient lake on Mars builds excitement for Perseverance rover's samples

Ground-penetrating radar on board NASA's Mars Perseverance rover has confirmed that the Jezero Crater, formed by an ancient meteor impact just north of the Martian equator, once harbored a vast lake and river delta. Over eons, sediment deposition and erosion within the crater shaped the geologic formations visible on the surface today. The discovery of lake sediments reinforces the hope that traces of life might be found in soil and rock samples collected by Perseverance.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240126171636.htm


Using fMRI, new vision study finds promising model for restoring cone function

Researchers identified a retinal disease to evaluate the success of gene and cell replacement therapy.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240126140618.htm


Coal-based product could replace sand in concrete

A new study found that graphene derived from metallurgical coke, a coal-based product, through flash Joule heating could serve not only as a reinforcing additive in cement but also as a replacement for sand in concrete.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240126140529.htm


Scientists design a two-legged robot powered by muscle tissue

Compared to robots, human bodies are flexible, capable of fine movements, and can convert energy efficiently into movement. Drawing inspiration from human gait, researchers from Japan crafted a two-legged biohybrid robot by combining muscle tissues and artificial materials. This method allows the robot to walk and pivot.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240126140516.htm


Achieving sustainable urban growth on a global scale

An international group of leading scientists call for an urgent change in the governance of urban expansion as the world's cities continue to grow at unprecedented rates.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240126001920.htm


Teaching nature to break human-made chemical bonds

A newly evolved enzyme could one day make silicone compounds biodegradable.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240125145926.htm


Tiny ant species disrupts lion's hunting behavior

Data gathered through years of observation reveal an innocuous-seeming ant is disrupting an ecosystem in East Africa, illustrating the complex web of interactions among ants, trees, lions, zebras and buffaloes.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240125145923.htm


World's first successful embryo transfer in rhinos paves the way for saving the northern white rhinos from extinction

Scientists have succeeded in achieving the world's first pregnancy of a rhinoceros after an embryo transfer. The southern white rhino embryo was produced in vitro from collected egg cells and sperm and transferred into a southern white rhino surrogate mother at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya on September 24, 2023. The BioRescue team confirmed a pregnancy of 70 days with a well-developed 6.4 cm long male embryo. The successful embryo transfer and pregnancy are a proof of concept and allow to now safely move to the transfer of northern white rhino embryos -- a cornerstone in the mission to save the northern white rhino from extinction.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240124164618.htm


Injectable water filtration system could improve access to clean drinking water around the world

A new portable filtration system collects dirty water with a syringe and injects it into a hydrogel filter that weeds out nearly all tiny particles.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240123175547.htm


Records of cometary dust hitting the asteroid Ryugu

The Hayabusa2 mission that collected samples from the asteroid Ryugu has provided a treasure trove of insights into our solar system. After analyzing samples further, a team of researchers have unearthed evidence that cometary organic matter was transported from space to the near-Earth region.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240123122243.htm


New sustainable method for creating organic semiconductors

Researchers have developed a new, more environmentally friendly way to create conductive inks for use in organic electronics such as solar cells, artificial neurons, and soft sensors. The findings pave the way for future sustainable technology.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240122182811.htm


Mechanism linking anxiety to testosterone

A groundbreaking study has unveiled a significant link between anxiety disorders and a brain receptor known as TACR3, as well as testosterone.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240122144432.htm


Liquid laundry detergent packet exposure burden

A new study investigated trends in calls to poison centers across the country for exposures to liquid laundry detergent packets. The study investigators identified declines in the number, rate and severity of liquid laundry detergent packet exposures among children younger than 6 years. However, the exposure burden remained high. Additionally, exposures have increased among older children, teens and adults.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240122144355.htm


Breakthrough research enhances stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells

A research team has achieved remarkable advancements in the stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240122144341.htm


How aging alters brain cells' ability to maintain memory

A team of scientists has demonstrated that communication among memory-coding neurons -- nerve cells in the brain responsible for maintaining working memory -- is disrupted with aging and that this can begin in middle age.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240122144219.htm


Thinning of brain region may signal dementia risk 5-10 years before symptoms

Researchers discover biomarker that could indicate dementia much earlier than its onset.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240122120017.htm


Endless biotechnological innovation requires a creative approach

Scientists working on biological design should focus on the idiosyncrasies of biological systems over optimization, according to new research.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240121192143.htm


DNA origami folded into tiny motor

Scientists have created a working nanoscale electomotor. The science team designed a turbine engineered from DNA that is powered by hydrodynamic flow inside a nanopore, a nanometer-sized hole in a membrane of solid-state silicon nitride. The tiny motor could help spark research into future applications such as building molecular factories or even medical probes of molecules inside the bloodstream.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240119122726.htm


Wobbling particles in the sky

Tiny particles such as ice crystals or ash particles tend to oscillate as they settle through the atmosphere. In their experiments, the scientists were able to track non-spherical particles of size smaller than 1 millimeter with unprecedented accuracy. Their observations gave rise to a model which can help to refine prediction on air pollutants or weather forecasts.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240119122724.htm


How does materialism in social media trigger stress and unhappiness?

Clothes, cars, travel, followers: People with a materialistic mindset always want more and, above all, more than others. Social media provides them with ideal opportunities to compare themselves with others, which makes them susceptible to passive and addictive user behavior. This stresses them out and, ultimately, leads to low life satisfaction. This downward spiral, which turns materialists into less happy people, was identified in an online survey of over 1,200 participants.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240119122703.htm


Generative AI helps to explain human memory and imagination

Recent advances in generative AI help to explain how memories enable us to learn about the world, re-live old experiences and construct totally new experiences for imagination and planning, according to a new study.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240119122654.htm


Knowing what dogs like to watch could help veterinarians assess their vision

A veterinary ophthalmologist wanted to determine factors, including age and vision, that influence a dog's interest in interacting with video content. Ultimately, the goal of the study, which launched two years ago, was to support development of more sensitive ways to assess canine vision -- something that has been sorely lacking in veterinary medicine. The study found that dogs are most engaged when watching videos that feature other animals.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240118170558.htm


Towards the quantum of sound

A team of scientists has succeeded in cooling traveling sound waves in wave-guides considerably further than has previously been possible using laser light. This achievement represents a significant move towards the ultimate goal of reaching the quantum ground state of sound in wave-guides. Unwanted noise generated by the acoustic waves at room temperature can be eliminated. This experimental approach both provides a deeper understanding of the transition from classical to quantum phenomena of sound and is relevant to quantum communication systems and future quantum technologies.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240118150744.htm


Lightest black hole or heaviest neutron star? MeerKAT uncovers a mysterious object in Milky Way

An international team of astronomers have found a new and unknown object in the Milky Way that is heavier than the heaviest neutron stars known and yet simultaneously lighter than the lightest black holes known.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240118150710.htm


New gut-brain circuits found for sugar and fat cravings

A new study has unraveled the internal neural wiring of separate fat and sugar craving pathways. However, combining these pathways overly triggers a desire to eat more than usual.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240118122107.htm


Efficiently moving urea out of polluted water is coming to reality

Researchers have developed a material to remove urea from water and potentially convert it into hydrogen gas. By building these materials of nickel and cobalt atoms with carefully tailored electronic structures, the group has unlocked the potential to enable these transition metal oxides and hydroxides to selectively oxidize urea in an electrochemical reaction. The team's findings could help use urea in waste streams to efficiently produce hydrogen fuel through the electrolysis process, and could be used to sequester urea from water, maintaining the long-term sustainability of ecological systems, and revolutionizing the water-energy nexus.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240118122056.htm


The heat is on: Scientists discover southern Africa's temps will rise past the rhinos' tolerance

Southern Africa contains the vast majority of the world's remaining populations of both black and white rhinoceroses (80% and 92%, respectively). The region's climate is changing rapidly as a result global warming. Traditional conservation efforts aimed at protecting rhinos have focused on poaching, but until now, there has been no analysis of the impact that climate change may have on the animals. A research team has recently reported that, though the area will be affected by both higher temperatures and changing precipitation, the rhinos are more sensitive to rising temperatures, which will quickly increase above the animals' acceptable maximum threshold.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240117183759.htm


Study identifies new findings on implant positioning and stability during robotic-assisted knee revision surgery

An innovative study explores the use of robotic-assisted joint replacement in revision knee scenarios, comparing the pre- and post-revision implant positions in a series of revision total knee arthroplasties (TKA) using a state-of-the-art robotic arm system.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240117183753.htm


Astronomers detect oldest black hole ever observed

Researchers have discovered the oldest black hole ever observed, dating from the dawn of the universe, and found that it is 'eating' its host galaxy to death.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240117143935.htm


Chemists create a 2D heavy fermion

Researchers have synthesized the first 2D heavy fermion. The material, a layered intermetallic crystal composed of cerium, silicon, and iodine (CeSiI), has electrons that are 1000x heavier and is a new platform to explore quantum phenomena.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240117143932.htm


The surface knows what lies beneath: Physicists show how to detect higher-order topological insulators

Just like a book can't be judged by its cover, a material can't always be judged by its surface. But, for an elusive conjectured class of materials, physicists have now shown that the surface previously thought to be 'featureless' holds an unmistakable signature that could lead to the first definitive observation.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240116191545.htm


Amnesia caused by head injury reversed in early mouse study

A mouse study designed to shed light on memory loss in people who experience repeated head impacts, such as athletes, suggests the condition could potentially be reversed. The research in mice finds that amnesia and poor memory following head injury is due to inadequate reactivation of neurons involved in forming memories.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240116132023.htm


'Smart glove' can boost hand mobility of stroke patients

This month, a group of stroke survivors in British Columbia will test a new technology designed to aid their recovery, and ultimately restore use of their limbs and hands. Participants will wear a new groundbreaking 'smart glove' capable of tracking their hand and finger movements during rehabilitation exercises.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240116131818.htm


Chasing the light: Study finds new clues about warming in the Arctic

The Arctic, Earth's icy crown, is experiencing a climate crisis like no other. It's heating up at a furious pace -- four times faster than the rest of our planet. Researchers are pulling back the curtain on the reduction of sunlight reflectivity, or albedo, which is supercharging the Arctic's warming.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240115121249.htm


For surgery patients, AI could help reduce alcohol-related risks

Using artificial intelligence to scan surgery patients' medical records for signs of risky drinking might help spot those whose alcohol use raises their risk of problems during and after an operation, a new study suggests. The AI record scan tested in the study could help surgery teams know in advance which patients might need more education about such risks, or treatment to help them reduce their drinking or stop drinking for a period of time before and after surgery.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240114212115.htm


Few older adults use direct-to-consumer health services; Many who do don't tell their regular provider

A new poll finds that 1 in 10 people aged 50-64 have used direct-to-consumer services, and most have gotten prescriptions from them; 4 in 10 people in this age group may be interested in future use.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240114113649.htm


Innovative graphene-based implantable technology paves the way for high-precision therapeutic applications

A new study presents an innovative graphene-based neurotechnology with the potential for a transformative impact in neuroscience and medical applications.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240113144445.htm


Even the oldest eukaryote fossils show dazzling diversity and complexity

The sun has just set on a quiet mudflat in Australia's Northern Territory; it'll set again in another 19 hours. A young moon looms large over the desolate landscape. No animals scurry in the waning light. No leaves rustle in the breeze. No lichens encrust the exposed rock. The only hint of life is some scum in a few puddles and ponds. And among it lives a diverse microbial community of our ancient ancestors.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240111162731.htm


Scientists identify how dietary restriction slows brain aging and increases lifespan

Restricting calories is known to improve health and increase lifespan, but much of how it does so remains a mystery, especially in regard to how it protects the brain. Scientists have now uncovered a role for a gene called OXR1 that is necessary for the lifespan extension seen with dietary restriction and is essential for healthy brain aging.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240111162625.htm


Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers

Scientists have developed a way to convert carbon dioxide (CO2), a potent greenhouse gas, into carbon nanofibers, materials with a wide range of unique properties and many potential long-term uses. Their strategy uses tandem electrochemical and thermochemical reactions run at relatively low temperatures and ambient pressure and could successfully lock carbon away to offset or even achieve negative carbon emissions.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240111113214.htm


Researchers discover potential microbiome links to skin aging

Recent findings have identified a potential new link to signs of skin aging -- the skin microbiome, the collection of microorganisms that inhabits our skin.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240111113122.htm


Blood test distinguishes neuroendocrine subtype of advanced prostate cancer

Researchers have developed a blood test that can reliably detect neuroendocrine prostate cancer and differentiate it from castration-resistant prostate cancer-adenocarcinoma (CRPC-adeno).

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240110120221.htm


Epic of a molecular ion: With eyes of electrons

Researchers have achieved real-time capture of the ionization process and subsequent structural changes in gas-phase molecules through an enhanced mega-electronvolt ultrafast electron diffraction (MeV-UED) technique, enabling observation of faster and finer movements of ions.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240110120153.htm


In hot water: Coral resilience in the face of climate change

Researchers have been studying the effects of climate change on coral reefs. Monitoring two coral species off the coast of Hawaii, one team found that local adaptations in response to near-severe heat stress allowed certain populations to endure such events.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240110114600.htm


Acidity of Antarctic waters could double by century's end, threatening biodiversity

Without drastically reducing global emissions, the Antarctic Ocean could become too acidic for hundreds of species living there, many already endangered by rising temperatures and sea ice loss.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240109183558.htm


NASA's Webb finds signs of possible aurorae on isolated brown dwarf

Astronomers have found a brown dwarf (an object more massive than Jupiter but smaller than a star) with infrared emission from methane, likely due to energy in its upper atmosphere. This is an unexpected discovery because the brown dwarf, W1935, is cold and lacks a host star; therefore, there is no obvious source for the upper atmosphere energy. The team speculates that the methane emission may be due to processes generating aurorae.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240109170515.htm


'Blob-like' home of farthest-known fast radio burst is collection of seven galaxies

In summer 2022, astronomers detected the most powerful and most distant fast radio burst (FRB) ever observed. Now, astronomers have pinpointed the extraordinary object's birthplace -- and it's rather curious, indeed. Using images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, the researchers traced the FRB back to not one galaxy but a group of at least seven galaxies.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240109144508.htm


Understanding the neuroendocrine basis for social anxiety-like behavior in male mice

Researchers have discovered that estrogen receptor (ER), expressed in the lateral septum of the limbic system, plays a crucial role in suppressing anxiety-like behavior exhibited by male mice in social situations. They also discovered that the distribution and expression region of ER differs from that of ER.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240109121209.htm


Smart skin bacteria are able to secrete and produce molecules to treat acne

An experimental study has shown that a type of skin bacterium can efficiently be engineered to produce a protein to regulate sebum production. This application could treat acne without compromising the homeostasis of the entire skin microbiome.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240109121141.htm


Coastal populations set to age sharply in the face of climate migration

As climate change fuels sea level rise, younger people will migrate inland, leaving aging coastal populations -- and a host of consequences -- in their wake, a study finds. While destination cities will work to sustainably accommodate swelling populations, aging coastal communities will confront stark new challenges, including an outflow of vital human infrastructure such as health care workers.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240108202034.htm


Scientists give new insight into a molecular target of alcohol

By investigating a molecule in the brain tied to cellular communication, scientists uncover important information about the proteins that do -- and do not -- influence alcohol drinking behavior.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240108185644.htm


Life span increases in mice when specific brain cells are activated

A new study identifies, in mice, a critical communication pathway connecting the brain and the body's fat tissue in a feedback loop that appears central to energy production throughout the body. The research suggests that the gradual deterioration of this feedback loop contributes to the increasing health problems that are typical of natural aging.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240108172534.htm


Solid state battery design charges in minutes, lasts for thousands of cycles

Researchers have developed a new lithium metal battery that can be charged and discharged at least 6,000 times -- more than any other pouch battery cell -- and can be recharged in a matter of minutes. The research not only describes a new way to make solid state batteries with a lithium metal anode but also offers new understanding into the materials used for these potentially revolutionary batteries.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240108153157.htm


Widespread population collapse of African Raptors

An international team of researchers has found that Africa's birds of prey are facing an extinction crisis. The report warns of declines among nearly 90% of 42 species examined, and suggests that more than two-thirds may qualify as globally threatened.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240108125901.htm


Building on CO2

The construction industry as a CO2 sink? Researchers are working on this. By incorporating biochar into concrete, they are exploring the potential of CO2-neutral or even CO2-negative concrete. For optimal applicability, they process the biochar into pellets and use them to replace conventional aggregates.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240108125759.htm


Researchers identify why cancer immunotherapy can cause colitis

Researchers have identified a mechanism that causes severe gastrointestinal problems with immune-based cancer treatment, also finding a way to deliver immunotherapy's cancer-killing impact without the unwelcome side effect.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240105160547.htm


Study shows liraglutide results in increased insulin sensitivity independent of weight loss

A new study demonstrates that a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonist, a member of a class of medication used to treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity, can lead to a rapid improvement in insulin sensitivity.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240104210206.htm


The snail or the egg?

Animals reproduce in one of two distinct ways: egg-laying or live birth. By studying an evolutionarily recent transition from egg-laying to live-bearing in a marine snail, collaborative research has shed new light on the genetic changes that allow organisms to make the switch.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240104150154.htm


Researchers rely on Earth's magnetic field to verify an event mentioned in the Old Testament

A new study scientifically corroborates an event described in the Second Book of Kings -- the conquest of the Philistine city of Gath by Hazael King of Aram. The method is based on measuring the magnetic field recorded in burnt bricks. The researchers say that the findings are important for determining the intensity of the fire and the scope of destruction in Gath, and also for understanding construction practices in the region.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240104122010.htm


Scientists use high-tech brain stimulation to make people more hypnotizable

Scientists used transcranial magnetic stimulation to temporarily enhance hypnotizability in patients with chronic pain, making them better candidates for hypnotherapy.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240104122008.htm


Nematode proteins shed light on infertility

Biologists developed a method for illuminating the intricate interactions of the synaptonemal complex in the nematode C. elegans. The authors identified a trio of protein segments that guide chromosomal interactions, and pinpointed the location where they interact with each other. Their novel method uses a technique known as genetic suppressor screening, which can serve as a blueprint for research on large cellular assemblies that resist traditional structural analysis.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240104002808.htm


Bacteria load their syringes

Many bacterial pathogens use small injection apparatuses to manipulate the cells of their hosts, such as humans, so that they can spread throughout the body. To do this, they need to fill their syringes with the relevant injection agent. A technique that tracks the individual movement of proteins revealed how bacteria accomplish this challenging task.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240103130954.htm


Early primates likely lived in pairs

Primate social organization is more flexible than previously assumed. According to a new study, the first primates probably lived in pairs, while only around 15 percent of individuals were solitary.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240103130946.htm


Re-calibrating the sail plan for Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders in ocean sciences

In Hawaii and across much of Oceania, Pacific Islanders celebrate the connections between their islands and the ocean that surrounds them.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240102235714.htm


First dive survey of Lake Tahoe's lakebed finds high amounts of plastic and other litter

Plastic litter is a growing problem around the world, and new research shows that the bottom of Lake Tahoe is no exception. In one of the first studies to utilize scuba divers to collect litter from a lakebed, 673 plastic items were counted from just a small fraction of the lake.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240102190917.htm


Is oxygen the cosmic key to alien technology?

Astrophysicists outline the links between atmospheric oxygen and the potential rise of advanced technology on distant planets.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240102174047.htm


New AI tool brings precision pathology for cancer and beyond into quicker, sharper focus

Researchers developed an artificial intelligence tool to quickly analyze gene activities in medical images and provide single-cell insight into diseases in tissues and tissue micro-environments.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240102174033.htm


Elusive cytonemes guide neural development, provide signaling 'express route'

Discover the first images of cytonemes during mammalian neural development, serving as express routes to establish morphogen gradients and tissue patterning.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240102142145.htm


Aptamers: lifesavers; ion shields: aptamer guardians

Aptamers, nucleic acids capable of selectively binding to viruses, proteins, ions, small molecules, and various other targets, are garnering attention in drug development as potential antibody substitutes for their thermal and chemical stability as well as ability to inhibit specific enzymes or target proteins through three-dimensional binding. They also hold promise for swift diagnoses of colon cancer and other challenging diseases by targeting elusive biomarkers. Despite their utility, these aptamers are susceptible to easy degradation by multiple enzymes, presenting a significant challenge.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240102142047.htm


'Nutritional quality must be at the heart of climate smart agriculture' -- researchers

Farmers in sub-Saharan Africa need to diversify away from growing maize and switch to crops that are resilient to climate change and supply enough key micronutrients for the population, according to a major research study. Maize is a staple crop across the region -- where it is grown and consumed in vast quantities.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/01/240102142030.htm


Global warming intensifies typhoon-induced extreme precipitation over East Asia

Scientists use a 3km high-resolution climate model to reveal expanded extreme rainfall from typhoons.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231229164738.htm


A carbon-lite atmosphere could be a sign of water and life on other terrestrial planets

Best chance of finding liquid water, and even life on other planets, is to look for the absence of carbon dioxide in their atmospheres.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231228145810.htm


Strong connections found between vaccine hesitancy and support for vaccinating pets

Study findings raise the stakes for public health efforts to improve attitudes about vaccination rates across the board.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231222145456.htm


Reindeer sleep while chewing their cud

Researchers report that the more time reindeer spend ruminating, the less time they spend in non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep. EEG recordings revealed that reindeer's brainwaves during rumination resemble the brain waves present during non-REM sleep, and these brainwave patterns suggest that the reindeer are more 'rested' after ruminating. The researchers speculate that this multitasking might help reindeer get enough sleep during the summer months, when food is abundant and reindeer feed almost 24/7 in preparation for the long and food-sparse arctic winter.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231222145453.htm


How technology and economics can help save endangered species

A lot has changed in the world since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted 50 years ago in December 1973. Experts are now discuss how the ESA has evolved and what its future might hold.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231221162241.htm


New 1.5-billion-pixel image shows Running Chicken Nebula in unprecedented detail

While many holiday traditions involve feasts of turkey, soba noodles, latkes or Pan de Pascua, this year, the European Southern Observatory is bringing you a holiday chicken. The so-called Running Chicken Nebula, home to young stars in the making, is revealed in spectacular detail in this 1.5-billion-pixel image captured by the VLT Survey Telescope.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231221162224.htm


Ringing in the holidays with ringed planet Uranus

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope recently trained its sights on unusual and enigmatic Uranus, an ice giant that spins on its side. Webb captured this dynamic world with rings, moons, storms, and other atmospheric features -- including a seasonal polar cap. The image expands upon a two-color version released earlier this year, adding additional wavelength coverage for a more detailed look.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231219124536.htm


Mysterious fruit shown to be the oldest known fossils of the Frankincense and Myrrh family

Early in the 1970s, paleontologists discovered strange fossilized fruits between hardened rock from one of the largest volcanic eruptions in Earth's history. The identity of these fossils remained elusive for the next several decades. Using CT scanning, scientists have now determined they are the oldest fossils from species in the Frankincense and Myrrh family.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231219124450.htm


AI's memory-forming mechanism found to be strikingly similar to that of the brain

An interdisciplinary team consisting of researchers has revealed a striking similarity between the memory processing of artificial intelligence (AI) models and the hippocampus of the human brain. This new finding provides a novel perspective on memory consolidation, which is a process that transforms short-term memories into long-term ones, in AI systems.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231218130031.htm


Exoplanets'climate -- it takes nothing to switch from habitable to hell

The Earth is a wonderful blue and green dot covered with oceans and life, while Venus is a yellowish sterile sphere that is not only inhospitable but also sterile. However, the difference between the two bears to only a few degrees in temperature. A team of astronomers has achieved a world's first by managing to simulate the entirety of the runaway greenhouse process which can transform the climate of a planet from idyllic and perfect for life, to a place more than harsh and hostile. The scientists have also demonstrated that from initial stages of the process, the atmospheric structure and cloud coverage undergo significant changes, leading to an almost-unstoppable and very complicated to reverse runaway greenhouse effect. On Earth, a global average temperature rise of just a few tens of degrees, subsequent to a slight rise of the Sun's luminosity, would be sufficient to initiate this phenomenon and to make our planet inhabitable.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231218130016.htm


Acid sensor and calcium store discovered in plants

Using optogenetics, researchers have detected a new acid sensor in plant cells that is addressing a cell-internal calcium store.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231215140312.htm


Scientists measure the distance to stars by their music

A team of astronomers has used asteroseismology, or the study of stellar oscillations, to accurately measure the distance of stars from the Earth. Their research examined thousands of stars and checked the measurements taken during the Gaia mission to study the near Universe.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231215140310.htm


'Long flu' has emerged as a consequence similar to long COVID

New research comparing the viruses that cause the flu and COVID-19 shows that people hospitalized with seasonal influenza also can suffer long-term, negative health effects, especially involving their lungs and airways. The study also found that in the 18 months after infection, patients hospitalized for either COVID-19 or seasonal influenza faced an increased risk of death, hospital readmission, and other health problems.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231215015511.htm


Seals stay warm and hydrated in the Arctic with larger, more convoluted nasal passages

Arctic seals have evolved many adaptations to cope with their frosty environment -- one that you might not immediately think of is the bones in their nasal cavity. Arctic seals have more convoluted nasal passages than seal species that live in milder environments, and researchers report that these structures help the seals more efficiently retain heat and moisture as they breathe in and out.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231214132652.htm


AI provides more accurate analysis of prehistoric and modern animals, painting picture of ancient world

A new study of the remains of prehistoric and modern African antelopes found that AI technology accurately identified animals more than 90% of the time compared to humans, who had much lower accuracy rates depending on the expert.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231214132638.htm


AI study reveals individuality of tongue's surface

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 3D images of the human tongue have revealed that the surface of our tongues are unique to each of us, new findings suggest. The results offer an unprecedented insight into the biological make-up of our tongue's surface and how our sense of taste and touch differ from person to person.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231214132635.htm


Mothers and children have their birthday in the same month more often than you'd think -- and here's why

Do you celebrate your birthday in the same month as your mum?  If so, you are not alone. The phenomenon occurs more commonly than expected -- a new study of millions of families has revealed.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231214132608.htm


This adaptive roof tile can cut both heating and cooling costs

In a new study, researchers present an adaptive tile, which when deployed in arrays on roofs, can lower heating bills in winter and cooling bills in summer, without the need for electronics.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231213143900.htm


Scientists unveil complete cell map of a whole mammalian brain

Researchers have created a complete cell atlas of a whole mammalian brain. This atlas serves as a map for the mouse brain, describing the type, location, and molecular information of more than 32 million cells and providing information on connectivity between these cells.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231213112909.htm


Using next-gen CRISPR tool, scientists create unprecedented molecular map of human immune response

In a study of historic scale, scientists have created an intricate map of how the immune system functions, examining the detailed molecular structures governing human T cells using the next-generation CRISPR tool known as base editing. Their findings uncover detailed information that could help overcome the limitations of today's immunotherapies and identify new drug targets for a wide range of diseases, including autoimmune diseases and cancer.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231213112428.htm


New chemical method advances toward targeted RNA medicine

A new scientific method holds importance in the creation of customized medicine aimed at precisely targeting diseased cells, representing a pivotal stride towards more efficient and gentle treatments to optimize patients' quality of life. The novel method has been developed to enhance the synthesis of therapeutic oligonucleotides for targeted drugs.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231213112029.htm


A sugar analysis could reveal different types of cancer

In the future, a little saliva may be enough to detect an incipient cancer. Researchers have developed an effective way to interpret the changes in sugar molecules that occur in cancer cells.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231213011648.htm


NASA's Webb stuns with new high-definition look at exploded star

Like a shiny, round ornament ready to be placed in the perfect spot on a holiday tree, supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A) gleams in a new image.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231212163407.htm


Hallmark quantum behavior in bouncing droplets

In a study that could help fill some holes in quantum theory, the team recreated a 'quantum bomb tester' in a classical droplet test.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231212163351.htm


Archaeologists unearth one of earliest known frame saddles

Recovered from looters, a new archaeological discovery from a cave in western Mongolia could change the story of the evolving relationship between humans and horses around the world.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231212131053.htm


How a drought led to the rise of skateboarding in 1970s California

Why did professional skateboarding arise in southern California in the 1970s? Was it a coincidence, or was it a perfect storm of multiple factors? It's fairly well-known that a drought in southern California in the mid-1970s led to a ban on filling backyard swimming pools, and these empty pools became playgrounds for freestyle skateboarders in the greater Los Angeles area. But a new cross-disciplinary study shows that beyond the drought, it was the entanglement of environmental, economic and technological factors that led to the explosive rise of professional skateboarding culture in the 1970s.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231212112320.htm


Underwater architects: The 'burrowing effect' of foraminifera on marine environments

Impact of single-cell organisms on sediment oxygen levels and bacterial diversity measured for the first time.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231211224105.htm


Extreme rainfall increases ag nutrient runoff, conservation strategies can help

Nutrient runoff from agricultural production is a significant source of water pollution in the U.S., and climate change that produces extreme weather events is likely to exacerbate the problem. A new study looks at how extreme rainfall impacts runoff and suggests possible mitigation strategies.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231211200124.htm


Clues to preventing Alzheimer's come from patient who, despite genetics, evaded disease

A woman who never developed Alzheimer's despite a strong genetic predisposition may hold the key to stopping the disease in its tracks. Studying the woman's unique complement of genetic mutations, researchers have found clues that could help cut the link between the early, asymptomatic stage and the late stage, when cognitive decline sets in.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231211163510.htm


Holidays crank up kilos for kids

On the cusp of summer holidays, Aussie kids are looking forward to some well-deserved time off. But too much downtime could create health problems, as new research shows that holidays are the prime time for excessive weight gain in kids.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231211114628.htm


New geophysical technique enhances imaging of fluid-filled rocks finding connections with microearthquakes

Scientists have recently introduced a new method called ambient noise differential adjoint tomography, which allows researchers to visualise rocks with fluids better, leading to potential advancements in the discovery of water and oil resources, as well as applications in urban geologic hazard and early warning systems for tsunamis and the understanding of the water cycle.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231211114611.htm


Caffeine highs and lows soccer players should be aware of

Caffeine can have a negative impact on football players' decision-making skills, new research shows. A study has found that while consuming caffeine before a game can improve the accuracy of football passes, it can have an adverse effect on more tactical play involving a higher number of passes.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231211114550.htm


Similarity between vitamin B12 loss and multiple sclerosis revealed

Researchers describe a novel molecular link between vitamin B12 and MS that takes place in astrocytes -- important non-neuronal glial cells in the brain.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231211114545.htm


Non-invasive technology for the high-throughput characterization of cancer cells

The electrical properties of cancer cells can provide information on their cancer type, state, and drug resistance. However, conventional platforms to measure these properties are complex and can only analyze a few cells. Researchers have successfully developed a high-throughput device that measures the electrical properties of cancer cells through continuous flow electrorotation. The new platform offers a high degree of automation and can simultaneously analyze several cells.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231211114539.htm


Researchers combine biopolymers derived from the ocean to replace synthetic plastic films

Crustacean and seaweed materials combined in a unique way could provide a sustainable alternative to plastic films.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231211114519.htm


First-in-human clinical trial of CAR T cell therapy with new binding mechanism shows promising early responses

Early results from a Phase I clinical trial of AT101, a new CAR T cell therapy that uses a distinct binding mechanism to target CD19, show a 100 percent complete response (CR) rate at the higher dose levels studied in the trial.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231210233253.htm


Battle of the AIs in medical research: ChatGPT vs Elicit

A research team has focused on generative AI as an information-gathering tool in the medical field. The results showed that one of the generative AIs suggested mostly fictitious references, while the other suggested multiple references with the same level of accuracy as the researchers. It is advised to use different generative AIs depending on the type of information needed.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231209010034.htm


What happens when the brain loses a hub?

Neuroscientists have obtained the first direct recordings of the human brain in the minutes before and after a brain hub crucial for language meaning was surgically disconnected. The results reveal the importance of brain hubs in neural networks and the remarkable way in which the human brain attempts to compensate when a hub is lost, with immediacy not previously observed.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231208190015.htm