ScienceDaily: Most Popular News


Longest known continuous record of the Paleozoic discovered in Yukon wilderness

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 03:59 PM PDT

Expeditions to a remote area of Yukon, Canada, have uncovered a 120-million-year-long geological record of a time when land plants and complex animals first evolved and ocean oxygen levels began to approach those in the modern world.

Biomaterial vaccines ward off broad range of bacterial infections and septic shock

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a biomaterial-based infection vaccine (ciVAX) approach as a solution that could be broadly applied to challenges in infection medicine.

Creating more resilient supply chains through nature-inspired design

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

A new article lays out the way natural ecosystems parallel U.S. supply chains and how American cities can use these tools to strengthen their supply chains.

How a large cat deity helps people to share space with leopards in India

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

A new study documents how a big cat deity worshipped by Indigenous Peoples facilitates coexistence between humans and leopards.

Imaging test may predict patients most at risk of some heart complications from COVID-19

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

Researchers have shown that a type of echocardiogram, a common test to evaluate whether a person's heart is pumping properly, may be useful in predicting which patients with COVID-19 are most at risk of developing atrial fibrillation -- an irregular heartbeat that can increase a person's risk for heart failure and stroke, among other heart issues.

First study of nickelate's magnetism finds a strong kinship with cuprate superconductors

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

Are new nickelate superconductors close kin to the original high-temperature superconductors, the cuprates? The first study of their magnetic properties says the answer is yes. Scientists have found important similarities but also subtle differences between the two.

Remotely-piloted sailboats monitor 'cold pools' in tropical environments

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

Researchers used remotely-piloted sailboats to gather data on cold air pools, or pockets of cooler air that form when rain evaporates below tropical storm clouds. These hard-to-study phenomena are thought to have broader effects on tropical weather.

The pressure is off and high temperature superconductivity remains

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

Using a new pressure quenching (PQ) technique at high temperatures to induce superconductivity in iron selenide (FeSe) crystals, superconductivity was achieved -- and sustained -- without pressure.

Our genes shape our gut bacteria

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 02:03 PM PDT

Researchers discovered that most bacteria in the gut microbiome are heritable after looking at more than 16,000 gut microbiome profiles collected over 14 years from a long-studied population of baboons in Kenya's Amboseli National Park.

Regular rapid testing detects COVID-19 soon enough to stop transmission in schools

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 11:39 AM PDT

Proactive, frequent rapid testing of all students for COVID-19 is more effective at preventing large transmission clusters in schools than measures that are only initiated when someone develops symptoms and then tests positive, researchers have found.

Animal study looks at anxiety differences between females and males

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 11:39 AM PDT

Researchers recently examined how biological factors impact anxiety disorders. The team studied male and female rodent models to better understand sex differences in biological responses related to anxiety.

Scientists show how light therapy treats depression in mice model

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 11:39 AM PDT

Light therapy can help improve the mood of people with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) during short winter days, but exactly how this therapy works is not well understood. A new study finds that light therapy's beneficial effects come from activating the circadian clock gene Period1 in a part of the brain involved in mood and sleep-wake cycles.

Solving the plastic shortage with a new chemical catalyst

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 11:38 AM PDT

In a year that has already battered manufacturing supply chains, yet another shortage is complicating manufacturers' and consumers' lives: plastics, and the food packaging, automotive components, clothing, medical and lab equipment and countless other items that rely on them.

Smaller turtles are nesting on Florida beaches

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:54 AM PDT

A new study indicates that smaller loggerhead and green sea turtles are nesting on Florida beaches than in the past; however, researchers aren't sure why. The findings give clues to the status of the turtles, which is important to researchers who are monitoring the population health of the threatened species.

Dealing with global carbon debt

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:53 AM PDT

As atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide continue to rise, we are putting future generations at risk of having to deal with a massive carbon debt. Researchers are calling for immediate action to establish responsibility for carbon debt by implementing carbon removal obligations, for example, during the upcoming revision of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

How fishing communities are responding to climate change

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:53 AM PDT

What happens when climate change affects the abundance and distribution of fish? Fishers and fishing communities in the Northeast United States have adapted to those changes in three specific ways, according to new research.

Icequakes likely rumble along geyser-spitting fractures in Saturn's icy moon Enceladus

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:53 AM PDT

Tidal stresses may be causing constant icequakes on Saturn's sixth largest moon Enceladus, a world of interest in the search for life beyond Earth, according to a new study.

Newborns to three months should be stimulated to hold and reach for objects, study says

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:53 AM PDT

When newborns observe adults performing everyday tasks, their social, motor and cognitive development is stimulated.

A novel neurological disorder associated with the Polycomb complex identified

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:53 AM PDT

A multi-institutional study has discovered spontaneous mutations in RNF2 (RING2) gene as the underlying cause of a novel neurological disorder.

Inhaled COVID-19 vaccine prevents disease and transmission in animals

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:53 AM PDT

In a new study assessing the potential of a single-dose, intranasal COVID-19 vaccine, researchers found that the vaccine fully protects mice against lethal COVID-19 infection. The vaccine also blocks animal-to-animal transmission of the virus.

Researchers overcome winking, napping pigs to prove brain test works

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 10:49 AM PDT

If you've ever been to an eye doctor, there's a good chance you've felt the sudden puff of air to the eye that constitutes a traditional test for glaucoma. It's no one's favorite experience, but the puff is non-invasive and harmless. Scientists use a similar method to test learning and memory in animals and humans.

Handwriting beats typing and watching videos for learning to read

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 08:15 AM PDT

Though writing by hand is increasingly being eclipsed by the ease of computers, a new study finds we shouldn't be so quick to throw away the pencils and paper: handwriting helps people learn certain skills surprisingly faster and significantly better than learning the same material through typing or watching videos.

New radio receiver opens wider window to radio universe

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 08:15 AM PDT

Researchers have used the latest wireless technology to develop a new radio receiver for astronomy. The receiver is capable of capturing radio waves at frequencies over a range several times wider than conventional ones, and can detect radio waves emitted by many types of molecules in space at once. This is expected to enable significant progresses in the study of the evolution of the Universe and the mechanisms of star and planet formation.

Engineering seeds to resist drought

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 08:15 AM PDT

Researchers have devised a way to protect seeds from the stress of water shortage during their crucial germination phase, and even provide the plants with extra nutrition. Simple and inexpensive, the process could be deployed in arid regions to facilitate agriculture on drought-stressed land.

An antioxidative stress regulator protects muscle tissue in space, mouse study shows

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 08:14 AM PDT

Researchers have found that nuclear factor E2-related factor 2, a master regulator of the oxidative stress response, affects muscle composition in microgravity. Targeting this protein could help protect against muscle changes during space flight, and could also have implications for muscle wasting in conditions such as cancer and aging.

Seismic monitoring of permafrost uncovers trend likely related to warming

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 08:14 AM PDT

Seismic waves passing through the ground near Longyearbyen in the Adventdalen valley, Svalbard, Norway have been slowing down steadily over the past three years, most likely due to permafrost warming in the Arctic valley.

Potential marker for success of immunotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate of all cancers, and treatment options are extremely limited, especially for patients with oncogenic mutations in the KRAS gene. Some patients respond very well to treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors while it is completely ineffective in others. A research group identified a potential marker for the success of immunotherapy in lung cancer patients and explained the underlying molecular processes.

Do I buy or not?

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

Psychologists have studied the phenomenon of impulse buying behavior. People who focus on enjoyment act differently than people who play it safe.

Ancient ostrich eggshell reveals new evidence of extreme climate change thousands of years ago

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

Evidence from an ancient eggshell has revealed important new information about the extreme climate change faced by human early ancestors.

Collective battery storage beneficial for decarbonized world

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

Batteries are potentially a game-changing technology as we decarbonize our economy, and their benefits are even greater when shared across communities, a new study has found.

To predict underwater volcano eruptions, scientist looks at images from space

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

A new study monitored satellite images to obtain sea discoloration data as a novel indicator in detecting if an underwater volcano's eruption is imminent.

Unlocking radiation-free quantum technology with graphene

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

'Heavy fermions' are an appealing theoretical way to produce quantum entangled phenomena, but until recently have been observed mostly in dangerously radioactive compounds. Researchers have now shown it is possible to make heavy fermions in subtly modified graphene, which is much cheaper and safer.

Repurposed drugs present new strategy for treating COVID-19

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

Researchers have identified repurposed drugs for COVID-19 treatment through virtual screening and cell-based assays. The team suggested the strategy for virtual screening with greatly reduced false positives by incorporating pre-docking filtering based on shape similarity and post-docking filtering based on interaction similarity. This strategy will help develop therapeutic medications for COVID-19 and other antiviral diseases more rapidly.

Simulations of turbulence's smallest structures

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 07:36 AM PDT

Scientists have long used supercomputers to better understand how turbulent flows behave under a variety of conditions. Researchers have now include the complex but essential concept of 'intermittency' in turbulent flows.

EHR alerts go unread, do not lead to deprescribing of medicines linked to dementia

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 05:39 AM PDT

The vast majority of electronic health record (EHR) alerts attempting to reduce prescribing of high-risk medications linked to dementia in older adults went unread in a new study.

Cell-type-specific insight into function of risk factors in coronary artery disease

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 05:39 AM PDT

Using single cell technology, a new study sheds light on the significance of genetic risk factors for, and the diversity of cells involved in, the development of coronary artery disease. The researchers analysed human atherosclerotic lesions to map the chromatin accessibility of more than 7,000 cells.

Climate changed the size of our bodies and, to some extent, our brains

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 05:39 AM PDT

The average body size of humans has fluctuated significantly over the last million years and is strongly linked to temperature. Colder, harsher climates drove the evolution of larger body sizes, while warmer climates led to smaller bodies. Brain size also changed dramatically but did not evolve in tandem with body size.

Novel study of high-potency cannabis shows some memory effects

Posted: 08 Jul 2021 05:38 AM PDT

Researchers observed participants over Zoom as they used high-potency cannabis they purchased themselves from dispensaries in Washington state, where recreational cannabis is legal. After administering cognitive tests, researchers found no impact on users' performance on decision-making tests in comparison to a sober group but did find memory impairments related to free recall, source memory and false memories. This study is one of the few to investigate cannabis flower and concentrates containing more than 10% THC.

Malaria and dengue predicted to affect billions more people

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 03:53 PM PDT

An estimated 8.4 billion people could be at risk from malaria and dengue by the end of the century if emissions keep rising at current levels, according to a new study.

Without strong mitigation measures, climate change will increase temperature-attributable mortality in Europe

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 03:53 PM PDT

If global warming is not curbed, the increase in heat-related deaths will outstrip the decline in cold-related mortality, especially in the Mediterranean Basin, a new study concludes.

Protein's 'silent code' affects how cells move

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 03:53 PM PDT

Two forms of the ubiquitous protein actin differ by only four amino acids but are dissimilar in 13% of their nucleotide coding sequences due to silent substitutions. A new study reveals that these supposedly 'silent' differences have an impact on how fast actin mRNA gets translated into protein and subsequently on the protein's function in propelling cell movement.

More EVs could reduce CO2 emissions in Hawaii by 93% in less than 30 years

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 03:53 PM PDT

By 2050, faster adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and faster generation of renewable energy will result in 99% less fossil fuel consumed and 93% less CO2 emissions from passenger and freight vehicles on Oahu.

Faulty memories of our past whereabouts: The fallacy of an airtight alibi

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

Where were you this time last week? How about two weeks ago? A month? Recalling where you were at a specific time on a specific date may seem like a simple task, but new research reveals that our recollections of our past whereabouts are often imperfect.

Researchers record brainwaves to measure 'cybersickness'

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

In a new study, researchers used electroencephalography to better understand and work toward solutions for virtual reality-induced discomfort.

Wastewater did not significantly alter seismic stress direction in southern Kansas, study finds

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

Although wastewater disposal has been the primary driving force behind increased earthquake activity in southern Kansas since 2013, a new study concludes that the disposal has not significantly changed the orientation of stress in the Earth's crust in the region.

What to do with food waste? Well, that depends

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

The expected decline in the number of landfills across the United States coupled with bans on disposing large amounts of organic waste in landfills that have been enacted in multiple states has prompted researchers to examine other ways to grapple with the issue of food waste disposal.

Could ketogenic diet be helpful with brain cancer?

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

A modified ketogenic diet may be worth exploring for people with brain tumors, according to a new study. The small study found that the diet was safe and feasible for people with brain tumors called astrocytomas. The study was not designed to determine whether the diet could slow down tumor growth or improve survival.

How plants compensate symbiotic microbes

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

Combining economics, psychology and studies of fertilizer application, researchers find that plants nearly follow an 'equal pay for equal work' rule when giving resources to partner microbes - except when those microbes under-perform.

Quantum particles: Pulled and compressed

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

Only recently researchers have levitated and cooled nanoparticles into the quantum regime. A research team now proposes a way to harness the quantum properties of such particles before they lose them due to decoherence. To this end, the wave function of the particle is repeatedly expanded and compressed.

When taste and healthfulness compete, taste has a hidden advantage

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:05 PM PDT

You dash into a convenience store for a quick snack, spot an apple and reach for a candy bar instead. Poor self-control may not be the only factor behind your choice, new research suggests. That's because our brains process taste information first, before factoring in health information, according to new research.

Machine learning tool sorts the nuances of quantum data

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:04 PM PDT

An interdisciplinary team of researchers developed a machine learning tool to parse quantum matter and make crucial distinctions in the data, an approach that will help scientists unravel the most confounding phenomena in the subatomic realm.

Human-driven habitat change leads to physical, behavioral change in mosquitofish

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:04 PM PDT

Bahamian mosquitofish in habitats fragmented by human activity are more willing to explore their environment, more stressed by change and have smaller brain regions associated with fear response than mosquitofish from unaffected habitats.

'Fortunate accident' may yield immunity weapon against antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:04 PM PDT

Researchers have announced an accidentally discovered, potentially game-changing treatment -- one that may one day provide an alternative immune-based solution to the danger of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

Scientists use artificial intelligence to detect gravitational waves

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:04 PM PDT

Researchers have used artificial intelligence to dramatically reduce the time it takes to process data coming from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory.

Study gauges hospital preparedness for the next national medical crisis

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 01:02 PM PDT

Use of a new preparedness tool can help hospitals determine their ability to respond to unexpected surges due to mass shootings, terrorist attacks, or future pandemics.

Tiny tools: Controlling individual water droplets as biochemical reactors

Posted: 07 Jul 2021 11:07 AM PDT

Scientists develop a method to better manipulate tiny droplets in lab-on-a-chip applications for biochemistry, cell culturing, and drug screening.