ScienceDaily: Top News

Plant-eating lizards on the cusp of tooth evolution

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:43 PM PDT

Researchers found that complex teeth, a hallmark of mammals, also evolved several times in reptiles, prompting the evolutionary success of plant-eating lizards. However, contrary to mammals their tooth evolution was not unidirectional.

Scientists find evidence the early solar system harbored a gap between its inner and outer regions

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:42 PM PDT

In the early solar system, a 'protoplanetary disk' of dust and gas rotated around the sun and eventually coalesced into the planets we know today. A new study suggests that a mysterious gap existed within this disk around 4.567 billion years ago, and likely shaped the composition of the solar system's infant planets.

Plankton head polewards

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:42 PM PDT

Ocean warming caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions will prompt many species of marine plankton to seek out new habitats, in some cases as a matter of survival. Researchers expect many organisms to head to the poles and form new communities -- with unforeseeable consequences for marine food webs.

Ultrafast magnetism: heating magnets, freezing time

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:42 PM PDT

Magnetic solids can be demagnetized quickly with a short laser pulse, and there are already so-called HAMR (Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording) memories on the market that function according to this principle. However, the microscopic mechanisms of ultrafast demagnetization remain unclear. Now, a team has developed a new method at BESSY II to quantify one of these mechanisms and applied it to the rare-earth element Gadolinium, whose magnetic properties are caused by electrons on both the 4f and the 5d shells.

Behavior resembling human ADHD seen in dogs

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:42 PM PDT

A study involving some 11,000 dogs demonstrated that the gender, age and breed of the dog, as well as any behavioral problems and certain environmental factors, are connected to hyperactive and impulsive behavior and inattention (ADHD).

Flu and heart disease: The surprising connection that should convince you to schedule your shot

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:42 PM PDT

Patients who have cardiovascular disease are at increased risk of serious complications from the flu, according to a new study. The study found that not only are traditional flu-related outcomes worse among some patients with CVD, but infection in those patients also is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. Getting the influenza vaccine, however, substantially reduces cardiovascular risks.

Why do we remember stressful experiences better?

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:42 PM PDT

When the brain stores memories of objects, it creates a characteristic pattern of activity for each of them. Stress changes such memory traces.

Cellular environments shape molecular architecture

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 08:12 AM PDT

An important cellular structure called the nuclear pore complex (NPC) has larger dimensions than previously thought. A research team made this discovery using cryo-focused ion beam (cryo-FIB) milling and cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) -- which allowed them to analyze the NPC directly inside cells.

Plant-based jet fuel could reduce emissions by 68%

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 02:27 PM PDT

Replacing petroleum-based aviation fuel with sustainable aviation fuel derived from a type of mustard plant can reduce carbon emissions by up to 68%, according to new research.

Monitoring glucose levels, no needles required

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 02:27 PM PDT

Noninvasive glucose monitoring devices are not currently commercially available in the United States, so people with diabetes must collect blood samples or use sensors embedded under the skin to measure their blood sugar levels. Now, with a new wearable device less intrusive glucose monitoring could become the norm.

Genes play key role in exercise outcomes

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 11:20 AM PDT

A new study has found that genes can explain up to 72% of the difference in outcome between people after a specific fitness exercise. The research involved data from 3,012 adults and has identified a number of specific genes which influence the outcomes of different physical activities.

'Broken heart' syndrome is on the rise in women

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 11:20 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered two alarming trends in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy -- also known as 'broken heart' syndrome -- a condition that is often triggered by stress or loss and can lead to long-term heart injury and impaired heart function.

Expansion of wind and solar power too slow to stop climate change

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 11:19 AM PDT

The production of renewable energy is increasing every year. But after analyzing the growth rates of wind and solar power in 60 countries, researchers conclude that virtually no country is moving sufficiently fast to avoid global warming of 1.5°C or even 2°C. The article "National growth dynamics of wind and solar power compared to the growth required for global climate targets" was published in the journal Nature Energy, written by Aleh Cherp, Vadim Vinichenko, Jale Tosun, Joel A.Gordon and Jessica Jewell.

Scientists develop fully solar-driven autonomous chemical mini-plant

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 11:19 AM PDT

Scientists have developed a fully operational standalone solar-powered mini-reactor which offers the potential for the production of fine chemicals in remote locations on Earth, and possibly even on Mars.

Brain ‘noise’ may hold the keys to psychiatric treatment efficacy

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 10:12 AM PDT

It remains a central challenge in psychiatry to reliably judge whether a patient will respond to treatment. Researchers now show that moment-to-moment fluctuations in brain activity can reliably predict whether patients with social anxiety disorder will be receptive to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Hedges reduce pollution at breathing height in shallow street canyons, study confirms

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 10:12 AM PDT

An extensive field study into air quality along a road lined with buildings has confirmed that hedges can help mitigate traffic-related pollution up to 1.7m, reducing the pollutants breathed by pedestrians, young children and cyclists.

The Southern Ocean’s role in driving global carbon cycle stronger than expected

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 10:12 AM PDT

Based on the most comprehensive winter study to date, conducted in the Southern Ocean during July and August 2017, scientists were able to show that phytoplankton were indeed active during the icy cold and dark winter months. These findings are important for predictive global climate models, which currently are based predominantly on spring and summer seasons. With the addition of data from winter, the models can now better represent the atmosphere-to-ocean carbon transfer cycle over seasons. For scientists, this is a step forward in analyzing the sensitivity of this transfer to climate change.

Climate change threatens hydropower energy security in the Amazon basin

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 10:11 AM PDT

Hydropower is the dominant source of energy in the Amazon region, the world's largest river basin and a hotspot for future hydropower development. However, a new study warns that in the coming decades, climate change-driven reductions in precipitation and river discharge will diminish the Amazon's hydropower capacity.

Possible alternative treatment for Lyme disease

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 10:11 AM PDT

Researchers have described a new antibiotic that appears to have the potential to cure Lyme disease.

Clues emerge: How harmless bacteria go rogue turning into deadly flesh-eating variants

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 10:11 AM PDT

A new study found that the environmental lifestyle that bacteria possess reveal why some go rogue and turn deadly while others remain harmless to humans. The findings focus on Vibrio vulnificus, better known as the flesh-eating bacteria. However, what the scientists found could help create a model that may well extend to other human pathogens.

New statistical study finds link between protein evolution and thermal variation

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 08:12 AM PDT

A recent statistical study has revealed some of the constraints and directions in the evolution of the structure and function of proteins. Better models of protein structural dynamics may allow researchers to understand more of this fundamental mystery in living organisms.

Ranking healthfulness of foods from first to worst

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 08:12 AM PDT

Food Compass, a new nutrient profiling system, rates the healthfulness of foods, beverages, and mixed meals on a score of 1-100 based on a wide range of science-based attributes. This adaptable tool aims to encourage healthier choices, spur industry reformulation, and guide nutrition policies.

Scientists map brain circuit that drives activity in fertile females

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:20 AM PDT

Scientists have known for a century that female animals become more active just as they are about to ovulate, a behavior that evolved to enhance their chances of mating when they are fertile.

Cell-based influenza vaccine provides protection against the flu in children

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:20 AM PDT

A cell-based influenza vaccine has effectively provided protection against the flu in children and adolescents, according to a new study.

Bone-loss discovery points to new treatment for osteoporosis

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:02 AM PDT

A new discovery about osteoporosis suggests a potential treatment target for that brittle-bone disease and for bone loss from rheumatoid arthritis.

Sustainable farming: There’s no one solution

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:02 AM PDT

Sustainable agriculture will not be achieved by one universal solution. A meta-analysis shows that the current focus on no-till farming does not achieve the desired results. A sustainable system of agriculture must be designed for local needs and in dialog with local farmers.

Artificial intelligence-based technology quickly identifies genetic causes of serious disease

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:02 AM PDT

An artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology rapidly diagnoses rare disorders in critically ill children with high accuracy. The benchmark finding foreshadows the next phase of medicine, where technology helps clinicians quickly determine the root cause of disease so they can give patients the right treatment sooner.

Brain activity patterns after trauma may predict long-term mental health

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:01 AM PDT

The way a person's brain responds to stress following a traumatic event, such as a car accident, may help to predict their long-term mental health outcomes, according to new research. The study followed more than 3,000 people for up to a year after exposure to a traumatic event.

Unique underpinnings revealed for stomach’s acid pump

Posted: 14 Oct 2021 07:01 AM PDT

Researchers have improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms of a key protein that makes the stomach acidic. Their findings could lead to better drugs for stomach ulcers and shed light on the functions of similar proteins across the human body.