ScienceDaily: Top News

'Dragon man' fossil may replace Neanderthals as our closest relative

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:04 AM PDT

A near-perfectly preserved ancient human fossil known as the Harbin cranium sits in the Geoscience Museum in Hebei GEO University. The largest of Homo skulls, scientists now say this skull represents a newly discovered human species named Homo longi or 'Dragon Man.' Their findings suggest that the Homo longi lineage may be our closest relatives -- and may reshape our understanding of human evolution.

Throwing an 'axion bomb' into a black hole challenges fundamental law of physics

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:04 AM PDT

New research shows how the fundamental law of conservation of charge could break down near a black hole.

'Fool's gold' not so foolish after all

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 07:05 AM PDT

New research has found tiny amounts of gold can be trapped inside pyrite, commonly known as 'fool's gold,' which would make it much more valuable than its name suggests.

Mosquito love songs send mixed message about immunity

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 02:08 PM PDT

A new study of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes investigates how a mating cue called 'harmonic convergence' might affect immunity against parasites, bacteria and dengue virus in offspring, which has important implications for trade-offs male mosquitoes make between investing energy towards immunity or investing it on traits that impact mating and fitness.

Virus that causes COVID-19 can find alternate route to infect cells

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 02:08 PM PDT

The virus that causes COVID-19 normally gets inside cells by attaching to a protein called ACE2. Researchers have found that a single mutation confers the ability to enter cells through another route, which may threaten the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics designed to block the standard route of entry.

Parents of children with complex medical conditions more likely to have mental health issues

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 01:17 PM PDT

Parents of children with Complex Medical Conditions were five times more likely to report suffering from poor or fair mental than parents of kids without these conditions, and also were more likely to struggle finding help, according to a new study.

Tracking data show how the quiet of pandemic-era lockdowns allowed pumas to venture closer to urban areas

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 01:16 PM PDT

Researchers were able to clearly connect declining levels of human mobility during regional shelter-in-place orders with pumas' increased willingness to utilize more urban habitat areas.

Researchers find health benefits of Connecticut-grown sugar kelp

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 12:26 PM PDT

Researchers have reported significant findings supporting the nutritional benefits of Connecticut-grown sugar kelp. They found brown sugar kelp (Saccharina latissima) inhibits hepatic inflammation and fibrosis in a mouse model of diet-induced non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, a fatty liver disease.

Decoding humans' survival from coronaviruses

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 11:22 AM PDT

Researchers analyzed the genomes of more than 2,500 modern humans from 26 worldwide populations, to better understand how humans have adapted to historical coronavirus outbreaks.

A new type of Homo unknown to science

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 11:15 AM PDT

The bones of an early human, unknown to science, who lived in the Levant at least until 130,000 years ago, were discovered in excavations at the Nesher Ramla site, near the city of Ramla. Recognizing similarity to other archaic Homo specimens from 400,000 years ago, found in Israel and Eurasia, the researchers reached the conclusion that the Nesher Ramla fossils represent a unique Middle Pleistocene population, now identified for the first time.

When did the first COVID-19 case arise?

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 11:15 AM PDT

Using methods from conservation science, a new analysis suggests that the first case of COVID-19 arose between early October and mid-November, 2019 in China, with the most likely date of origin being November 17.

Genetic study of liver cancer reveals new drug target

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 11:15 AM PDT

Drugs targeting the gene MAGEA3 may help block the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of primary liver cancer and one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the country. That's one conclusion of a new study analyzing the genetics of HCC tumors.

Rude behavior at work not an epidemic, new study shows

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT

Prior research shows 98 percent of employees experience rude behavior at work, but that statistic may be misunderstood, according to new study.

Versatile, fast and reliable SARS-CoV-2 antibody assay

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT

During the continued progression of the coronavirus pandemic, rapid, inexpensive, and reliable tests will become increasingly important to determine whether people have the associated antibodies -- either through infection or vaccination. Researchers have now developed such a rapid antibody test. It provides the result in only eight minutes; the aim is to further reduce the process time to four minutes.

Cosmic dawn occurred 250 to 350 million years after Big Bang

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT

A new study suggests that the NASA James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scheduled to launch in November, will be sensitive enough to observe the birth of galaxies directly.

Adolescent marijuana, alcohol use held steady during COVID-19 pandemic

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT

Adolescent marijuana use and binge drinking did not significantly change during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite record decreases in the substances' perceived availability, according to a survey of 12th graders in the United States. The study's findings challenge the idea that reducing adolescent use of drugs can be achieved solely by limiting their supply.

Cosmic hand hitting a wall

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT

Motions of a remarkable cosmic structure have been measured for the first time, using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The blast wave and debris from an exploded star are seen moving away from the explosion site and colliding with a wall of surrounding gas.

Enlisting the newly discovered L-IST RNA in the fight against type 2 diabetes

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 09:17 AM PDT

Across the world, type 2 diabetes is on the rise. A research group has discovered a new gene that may hold the key to preventing and treating lifestyle related diseases such as type 2 diabetes.

An enzyme prevents the formation of multiple heads and axes in freshwater polyp Hydra

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 09:17 AM PDT

In the animal kingdom, specific growth factors control body axis development. They are produced by a small group of cells at one end of the embryo to be distributed in a graded fashion toward the opposite pole. Through this, discrete spatial patterns arise that determine the correct formation of the head-foot axis. Researchers have discovered an enzyme in the freshwater polyp Hydra that shapes this process by limiting the activity of certain growth factors.

'Subterranean estuaries' crucial to sustainable fishing and aquaculture industries

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:45 AM PDT

Pioneering research suggests 'subterranean estuaries' may be critical in managing sustainable fishing and aquaculture -- two growing industries of global importance.

Comet strike may have sparked key shift in human civilization

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:45 AM PDT

A cluster of comet fragments believed to have hit Earth nearly 13,000 years ago may have shaped the origins of human civilization, research suggests.

Crops: Mixed cultures for a greater yield

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:45 AM PDT

What holds true for meadows would seem to apply to arable land, too: mixed cultures are more fruitful than monocultures.

Immunologists discover new trick used by MRSA superbug -- may aid vaccine development

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

New research has uncovered a novel trick employed by the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus to thwart the immune response, raising hopes that a vaccine that prevents deadly MRSA infections is a little closer on the horizon.

Predicting tooth loss

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

New research suggests that machine learning tools can help identify those at greatest risk for tooth loss and refer them for further dental assessment in an effort to ensure early interventions to avert or delay the condition.

Chemicals from human activities in transplanted oysters far from population centers

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

Wastewater treatment facilities clean the water that goes down our sinks and flushes our toilets, but they do not remove everything. A recent study detected low levels of pharmaceuticals and personal care product chemicals in oysters the team deployed at various distances from wastewater effluent pipes along the Oregon and Washington coast.

A detailed atlas of the developing brain

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

Researchers have created a first detailed atlas of a critical region of the developing mouse brain, applying multiple advanced genomic technologies to the part of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for processing sensation. By measuring how gene activity and regulation change over time, researchers have a better understanding of how the cortex is built and a new tool to explore how it is affected in neurodevelopmental disease.

Research team discovers Arctic dinosaur nursery

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

Images of dinosaurs as cold-blooded creatures needing tropical temperatures could be a relic of the past. Scientists have found that nearly all types of Arctic dinosaurs, from small bird-like animals to giant tyrannosaurs, reproduced in the region and likely remained there year-round.

Marmoset study identifies brain region linking actions to their outcomes

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

The 'anterior cingulate cortex' is key brain region involved in linking behaviors to their outcomes. When this region was temporarily silenced, monkeys did not change behavior even when it stopped having the expected outcome. The finding is a step towards targeted treatment of human disorders involving compulsive behavior, such as OCD and eating disorders, thought to involve impaired function in this brain region.

Nanotech and AI could hold key to unlocking global food security challenge

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

'Precision agriculture' where farmers respond in real time to changes in crop growth using nanotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) could offer a practical solution to the challenges threatening global food security, a new study reveals.

Ultralight material withstands supersonic microparticle impacts

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

Engineers find 'nanoarchitected' materials designed from precisely patterned nanoscale structures may be a promising route to lightweight armor, protective coatings, blast shields, and other impact-resistant materials.

No lab required: New technology can diagnose infections in minutes

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

Engineering, biochemistry and medical researchers at McMaster University have combined their skills to create a hand-held rapid test for bacterial infections that can produce accurate, reliable results in less than an hour, eliminating the need to send samples to a lab.

Quantum simulation: Measurement of entanglement made easier

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a method to make previously hardly accessible properties in quantum systems measurable. The new method for determining the quantum state in quantum simulators reduces the number of necessary measurements and makes work with quantum simulators much more efficient.

Water vole genome will help boost conservation of one of UK's most endangered mammals

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

A new tool to help conserve one of the UK's most threatened mammals has been released today, with the publication of the first high-quality reference genome for the European water vole.

Protocells spring into action

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

Scientists with an interest in protoliving technologies, have published research which paves the way to building new semi-autonomous devices with potential applications in miniaturized soft robotics, microscale sensing and bioengineering.

Antarctic Circumpolar Current flows more rapidly in warm phases

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

Our planet's strongest ocean current, which circulates around Antarctica, plays a major role in determining the transport of heat, salt and nutrients in the ocean. An international research team led by the Alfred Wegener Institute has now evaluated sediment samples from the Drake Passage.

New knowledge of Earth's mantle helps to explain Indonesia's explosive volcanoes

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

Indonesia's volcanoes are among the world's most dangerous. Why? Through chemical analyses of tiny minerals in lava from Bali and Java, researchers have found new clues. They now understand better how the Earth's mantle is composed in that particular region and how the magma changes before an eruption.

Throwing shade: Measuring how much trees, buildings cool cities

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

When the summer sun blazes on a hot city street, our first reaction is to flee to a shady spot protected by a building or tree. A new study is the first to calculate exactly how much these shaded areas help lower the temperature and reduce the 'urban heat island' effect.

Timely treatment with COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies can reduce hospitalizations, pandemic's stress on health care systems

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

Monoclonal antibodies work well in reducing COVID-19 related emergency department visits and hospitalizations when administered early to high-risk patients, a study demonstrates. If used under FDA guidelines, the researchers suggest, this treatment can ease the pandemic's continuing burden on patients and on limited health care resources.

Cardiac atrophy findings may set course for preventing harm from long space flights

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

New findings shed light on the molecular triggers of rapid cardiac atrophy. Findings have potential implications for space travel.

New protein engineering method could accelerate the discovery of COVID-19 therapeutics

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

Researchers have found a simple method for identifying nanobodies with drug-like properties suitable for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infections. They demonstrated the approach by generating nanobodies that neutralized the SARS-CoV-2 virus more potently than an antibody isolated from an infected patient and a nanobody isolated from an immunized animal.

Common plant fiber gel doubled rate of tumor eradication

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

Many people don't realize that the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi residing within the gastrointestinal tract --collectively called the gut microbiome -- are connected to overall health, and specifically to cancer.

Newly sequenced genome of extinct giant lemur sheds light on animal's biology

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

Using an unusually well-preserved subfossil jawbone, a team of researchers has sequenced for the first time the nuclear genome of the koala lemur (Megaladapis edwardsi), one of the largest of the 17 or so giant lemur species that went extinct on the island of Madagascar between about 500 and 2,000 years ago.

Streptococcus pneumoniae sticks to dying lung cells, worsening secondary infection following flu

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

Researchers have found a further reason for the severity of dual infection by influenza and Streptococcus pneumonia -- a new virulence mechanism for a surface protein on the pneumonia-causing bacteria S. pneumoniae. This insight comes 30 years after discovery of that surface protein, called pneumococcal surface protein A. This mechanism had been missed in the past because it facilitates bacterial adherence only to dying lung epithelial cells, not to living cells.

Scientists may need to rethink which genes control aging, study suggests

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

Researchers fed fruit flies antibiotics and monitored the lifetime activity of hundreds of genes that scientists have traditionally thought control aging. To their surprise, the antibiotics not only extended the lives of the flies but also dramatically changed the activity of many of these genes. Their results suggested that only about 30% of the genes traditionally associated with aging set an animal's internal clock while the rest reflect the body's response to bacteria.

The fifth quartet: Excited neon discovery could reveal star qualities

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

Researchers show that an excited state previously predicted to exist in neon-20 is real by using particle scattering experiments. By merging into five groups of four, the protons and neutrons in neon-20 can exist in a special condensed state. This work may help scientists understand low-density nucleon many-body systems and neutron stars.

Non-invasive potential treatment for Alzheimer's disease

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

Ultrasound can overcome some of the detrimental effects of ageing and dementia without the need to cross the blood-brain barrier, researchers have found.

Updated analysis of U.S. COVID-19 deaths shows drops, disparities in average lifespans

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

In the U.S., COVID-19 reduced overall life expectancy by over 1.3 years, with the effects on Black and Latino populations 2 to 3 times those for the white population.

Preventing the break-in of the toxoplasmosis parasite

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite which, to survive, must absolutely penetrate its host's cells. Understanding how the parasite manages to enter host cells offers opportunities to develop more prevention. A team has now identified the key role of RON13, which is essential for the invasion process. The three-dimensional structure and the site of action of this enzyme are atypical, thus offering the possibility of designing specific inhibitors to stop the infection.

Plant Protector: How plants strengthen their light-harvesting membranes against environmental stress

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

An international study has revealed the structure of a membrane-remodeling protein that builds and maintains photosynthetic membranes. These fundamental insights lay the groundwork for bioengineering efforts to strengthen plants against environmental stress, helping to sustaining human food supply and fight against climate change.

Children's beat gestures predict the subsequent development of their oral skills

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

New research shows that the early production of beat gestures with the hands (i.e., gestures normally associated with emphasis that do not represent the semantic content of speech) by infants between 14 and 58 months of age in natural interactions with their carers predicts that in their later development, nearing the age of five, these children obtain better results insofar as their oral narrative skills.

Cyclone study improves climate projections

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

Migrating storms and local weather systems known as cyclones and anticyclones were thought to contribute to behaviors and properties of our global weather system. However, the means to probe cyclones and anticyclones were limited. Researchers demonstrated a new three-dimensional analytical methodology that can quantify the way individual cyclones and anticyclones impact broader weather systems. This study aids longer-term circulation and climate studies, including how storm characteristics may change in the future.

New class of compounds found to block coronavirus reproduction

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 04:40 PM PDT

A human genetic mechanism hijacked by SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus behind the COVID-19 pandemic, to help it spread also makes it vulnerable to a new class of drug candidates, a new study finds.

Powerful people are less likely to be understanding when mistakes are made

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 04:40 PM PDT

Those with power, such as the wealthy are more likely to blame others for having shortcomings and they are also less troubled by reports of inequality, according to recent research.

Abnormal response to cellular stress is associated with Huntington's disease

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 04:40 PM PDT

A new study finds that the persistence of a marker of chronic cellular stress, previously associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), also takes place in the brains of Huntington's disease (HD) patients.

Roadmap to HIV eradication via stem cell therapy

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 04:40 PM PDT

A groundbreaking study found that stem cells reduce the amount of virus causing AIDS, boost the body's antiviral immunity, and restore the gut's lymphoid follicles damaged by HIV. It provided a roadmap for multi-pronged HIV eradication strategies.

Coral offspring physiology impacted by parental exposure to intense environmental stresses

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 04:40 PM PDT

Adult corals that survive high-intensity environmental stresses, such as bleaching events, can produce offspring that are better suited to survive in new environments. Results from a series of experiments are deepening scientists' understanding of how the gradual increase of sea surface temperatures and other environmental disturbances may influence future coral generations. This study's experimental design provides a unique perspective on how multiple types of thermal events accumulate over time and have lasting consequences across generations.

Food protein can eliminate pungency and bitterness of extra virgin olive oil

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 04:40 PM PDT

Researchers have shown that the presence of certain food proteins, such as those in egg yolk, suppresses extra virgin olive oil's purported less desirable sensory qualities, such as bitterness and pungency.

Microspheres quiver when shocked

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 04:40 PM PDT

Researchers report that they have demonstrated the use of DC electric fields to drive back-and-forth rotation of micro-particles in electric boundary layers. These particle oscillators could be useful as clocks that coordinate the organization of active matter and even, perhaps, orchestrate the functions of micron-scale robots.

Shifting sands, creeping soils, and a new understanding of landscape evolution

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 04:40 PM PDT

A new study finds that piles of sand grains, even when undisturbed, are in constant motion. These experimental results challenge existing theories in both geology and physics about how soils and other types of disordered materials behave.

Tree pollen carries SARS-CoV-2 particles farther, facilitates virus spread, study finds

Posted: 23 Jun 2021 04:40 PM PDT

A study on the role of microscopic particles in virus transmission suggests pollen is nothing to sneeze at. In a new study, researchers investigate how pollen facilitates the spread of an RNA virus like the COVID-19 virus. The study draws on cutting-edge computational approaches for analyzing fluid dynamics to mimic the pollen movement from a willow tree, a prototypical pollen emitter. Airborne pollen grains contribute to the spread of airborne viruses, especially in crowded environments.