ScienceDaily: Most Popular News

Cause of Alzheimer’s progression in the brain

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 12:22 PM PDT

For the first time, researchers have used human data to quantify the speed of different processes that lead to Alzheimer's disease and found that it develops in a very different way than previously thought. Their results could have important implications for the development of potential treatments.

This squirrel watches its neighbor's back

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 10:40 AM PDT

Unlike meerkats that take individual turns watching for predators while the rest forage, Barbary ground squirrels found off the coast of Africa stand sentry together -- a behavior called synchronous vigilance, according to a new study.

Morro Bay seagrass loss causes change in fish populations

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 10:40 AM PDT

The loss of seagrass habitat caused a dramatic shift in fish species in Morro Bay. Areas once covered with lush seagrass meadows and unique fish species are now home to muddy-seafloor-loving flatfish. The research team saw decreasing numbers of seagrass-specialist fish species, and an increase in flatfishes like the speckled sanddab and staghorn sculpin. The loss of eelgrass habitat along the California coast presents a problem for species that depend on seagrass.

Innovative chip resolves quantum headache

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 08:40 AM PDT

Quantum physicists are reporting an international achievement for Denmark in the field of quantum technology. By simultaneously operating multiple spin qubits on the same quantum chip, they surmounted a key obstacle on the road to the supercomputer of the future. The result bodes well for the use of semiconductor materials as a platform for solid-state quantum computers.

High availability of fast-food restaurants across all US neighborhood types linked to higher rates of type 2 diabetes

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 08:40 AM PDT

A new nationwide study suggests that living in neighborhoods with higher availability of fast-food outlets across all regions of the United States is associated with higher subsequent risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Drones show promise in speeding up communication with underwater robots for ocean surveys

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 08:40 AM PDT

Researchers have investigated the performance capability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a communication platform with autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for ocean and seafloor monitoring research. Studies suggest that UAVs exhibit suitable communication performance for underwater measurement up to approximately 1 km from the shore, owing to their operation speed, robust hovering control, and stability against sea-surface sway. Further studies are necessary for more complicated applications.

Linking the past and present: Reconstructing the dragonfly and damselfly family tree

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 08:40 AM PDT

Researchers used transcriptomics (a type of gene sequencing) calibrated using information from the fossil record to create the first phylogenetic reconstruction of the insect order Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies), covering 105 species. This reconstruction of the evolutionary history allowed robust estimations of the species divergence time (or first appearance, around 200 million years ago) and the timing of evolutionary changes, such as the development of egg-laying organs.

Why do humans possess a twisted birth canal?

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 08:40 AM PDT

The relatively narrow human birth canal presumably evolved as a 'compromise' between its abilities for parturition, support of the inner organs, and upright walking. But not only the size of the birth canal, also its complex, 'twisted' shape is an evolutionary puzzle. Researchers now present new insights into why the human birth canal evolved to have this complex shape. They suggest that the longitudinally oval shape of the lower birth canal is beneficial for the stability of the pelvic floor muscles.

Researchers set ‘ultrabroadband’ record with entangled photons

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 08:40 AM PDT

Researchers take advantage of quantum entanglement to generate an incredibly large bandwidth using a thin-film nanophotonic device that could lead to advances in metrology, sensing and quantum networks for information processing and communications.

Meanders in river beds help the climate

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 08:39 AM PDT

River beds that can shift naturally are more efficient carbon sinks than straightened rivers.

Scientists eliminate key Alzheimer’s feature in animal model

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 08:39 AM PDT

A study finds that changing the biochemistry of parts of brain cells abolished the formation of amyloid beta plaques in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The finding might eventually lead to treatments that prevent the memory-robbing condition in humans.

Blasting the 'zombie' out of water-saving tech

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 08:39 AM PDT

Scientists suggest that reliance on modern irrigation technologies as a water-use efficiency strategy is a 'zombie idea' -- one that persists no matter how much evidence is thrown against it. Technology adoption as a water-saving method for improving irrigation efficiency is ineffective, and can actually worsen water scarcity, according to researchers.

Uncovering how injury to the pancreas impacts cancer formation

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 07:31 AM PDT

Pioneering research shows that acinar cells in the pancreas form new cell types to mitigate injury but are then susceptible to cancerous mutations.

New potential drug target for pneumonia

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 07:31 AM PDT

Researchers report that a recently discovered inflammatory mediator, interleukin-26, appears to have an important role in pneumonia and contribute to the killing of bacteria.

Drug-like molecule points to novel strategies for cancer therapy

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 07:31 AM PDT

A decade ago, genome sequencing revealed a big surprise: about 50 percent of human cancers are linked to mutations in what are known as epigenetic regulators, which control the activity of genes. Medical researchers have now developed a new drug-like molecule that can counteract the effects of mutated epigenetic regulators, which are known to drive certain types of cancer including lymphoma.

Runoff, sediment flux in High Mountain Asia could limit food, energy for millions

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 07:31 AM PDT

Rivers flowing from the Tibetan Plateau and the surrounding high Asian mountains which support one-third of the world's population have experienced rapid increases in annual water and sediment runoff since the 1990s, and the volume of sediment washed downstream could more than double by 2050 under the worst-case scenario, a team of scientists has found.

Computational discovery of complex alloys could speed the way to green aviation

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 07:31 AM PDT

Experts have identified the way to tune the strength and ductility of a class of materials called high-entropy alloys. The discovery may help power-generation and aviation industry develop more efficient engines.

Non-thermal atmospheric plasma stimulates new bone formation in critical bone defects of animal model

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 07:30 AM PDT

A recent project has revealed new bone formation in critical bone defects of an animal model with an exposure to a pencil-type non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma at surgery.

A novel way to generate visible light

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 04:49 AM PDT

An international research team demonstrates how to generate extremely short pulses of visible light using an industrial-grade laser system.

Lower antibiotic resistance in intestinal bacteria with forgotten antibiotic

Posted: 29 Oct 2021 04:48 AM PDT

A forgotten antibiotic, temocillin, led to lower selection of resistant bacteria than the standard treatment for febrile urinary tract infection. Thus, temocillin may be useful in treating severe urinary tract infections that give rise to fever, and contribute to a reduced spread of resistant bacteria in hospitals.

Researchers identify core genetic networks driving human embryonic stem cell behavior

Posted: 28 Oct 2021 12:38 PM PDT

Researchers uncovered key networks that simultaneously control pluripotency and readiness for cell death (apoptosis), helping to ensure optimal conditions for embryonic development. The study's findings offer new insights into cancer genetics and a novel approach for regenerative medicine research.

Horse riding confirmed as a viable mobility treatment for cerebral palsy

Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:04 AM PDT

Cerebral palsy (CP) affects around two out of every 1000 children born worldwide. Physical therapy is the foremost way of improving movement, balance, and posture in children with CP. Research has shown that hippotherapy, a form of physical therapy involving horse riding, is effective for treating CP. But how exactly does it help? In a recent study, researchers explore this question and provide insightful answers as well as a baseline for future research.

The goal in mind

Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:03 AM PDT

Scientists discover the brain's internal goal map enabling animals to navigate precisely to a chosen destination.

Gene signature identifies drivers of treatment resistance in metastatic breast cancer

Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:03 AM PDT

A multi-institution team of researchers has discovered a genetic signature that can identify drivers of poor outcomes in advanced estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer, which could one day lead to personalized treatment for patients.

The early bird gets…the truffle? Birds hunt for fungi, too

Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:03 AM PDT

Scientists used to think that only mammals sought out truffles, but a new study shows that birds also pursue these underground fungi. The researchers collected the feces of two common ground-dwelling bird species in Patagonia and found they contained truffle DNA and viable truffle spores. The spread of truffles is important to the health of forest ecosystems, where truffle species and other mycorrhizal fungi have a symbiotic relationship with trees.

'Trade-offs' between wellbeing and resilience

Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:03 AM PDT

There can be 'trade-offs' between increasing human wellbeing and improving the resilience of societies and ecosystems, researchers say.

Lifting the veil over mysterious desert truffles: Terfezia’s ecology and diversity towards cultivation

Posted: 28 Oct 2021 09:03 AM PDT

Developing below the soil surface, desert truffles are hard to find. Recently, researchers updated the number of known species of the desert truffle genus Terfezia occurring in Portugal from three to ten species. They thoroughly characterized their ecological preferences, adding new knowledge on Terfezia's cryptic lifestyle. These findings are of major importance, as desert truffles have a high economic value.

Behavioral synchronization in complex societies of feral horses

Posted: 28 Oct 2021 06:33 AM PDT

Scientists used a drone and a multi-agent computerized system for complex social structure modeling to test, for example, whether individuals in a herd of feral horses synchronize according to their social network. For this hypothesis, two sub-models were created, one of which only takes into an account the same unit group members. The other sub-model applies to the entire herd. The simulation and empirical data suggest that the feral horses coordinate with other individuals not only within a unit group but also at an inter-unit-group level. They also suggest that the horses developed an ability to recognize the behavior of even those individuals that were spatially very distant from them.