ScienceDaily: Top News

Scientist reveals cause of lost magnetism at meteorite site

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 10:55 AM PST

A scientist has discovered a method for detecting and better defining meteorite impact sites that have long lost their tell-tale craters. The discovery could further the study of not only Earth's geology but also that of other bodies in our solar system.

Hurricanes expected to linger over Northeast cities, causing greater damage

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 10:55 AM PST

By the late 21st century, northeastern U.S. cities will see worsening hurricane outcomes, with storms arriving more quickly but slowing down once they've made landfall. As storms linger longer over the East Coast, they will cause greater damage along the heavily populated corridor, according to a new study.

One in five galaxies in the early universe could still be hidden behind cosmic dust

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 10:55 AM PST

Astronomers have discovered two previously invisible galaxies 29 billion light-years away. Their discovery suggests that up to one in five such distant galaxies remain hidden from our telescopes, camouflaged by cosmic dust. The new knowledge changes perceptions of our universe's evolution since the Big Bang.

High-speed propeller star is fastest spinning white dwarf

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 10:54 AM PST

A white dwarf star that completes a full rotation once every 25 seconds is the fastest spinning confirmed white dwarf, according to a team of astronomers.

Digital teaching: Opportunity or challenge?

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 10:54 AM PST

Researchers explain why digital teaching cannot replace face-to-face teaching in university education, but can certainly be seen as a complementary tool. The future of teaching and learning may lie in so-called blended learning, a mix of face-to-face and online education.

'Mantle wind' blows through slab window beneath Panama

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 10:54 AM PST

Volcanic gases are helping researchers track large-scale movements in Earth's deep interior. Scientists have discovered anomalous geochemical compositions beneath Panama.

How sugar-loving microbes could help power future cars

Posted: 22 Nov 2021 10:53 AM PST

It sounds like modern-day alchemy: Transforming sugar into hydrocarbons found in gasoline. But that's exactly what scientists have done. Researchers report harnessing the wonders of biology and chemistry to turn glucose (a type of sugar) into olefins (a type of hydrocarbon, and one of several types of molecules that make up gasoline).

Climate uncertainty colors flood risk assessment

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 12:55 PM PST

Understanding how climate change will affect the flooding of rivers may become easier with a new framework for assessing flood risk that's been developed by an interdisciplinary team.

COVID-19 case severity: How genetic differences leave immune cells at a disadvantage

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 05:51 AM PST

New research shows how genetic variations linked to severe cases of COVID-19 affect our immune cells. The study is one of the first in-depth look at the connections between COVID-19 severity and gene expression in many types of immune cells. This work could guide the development of new COVID-19 therapies to boost immune cell function.

Long-term blood sugar history predicts risk of severe COVID-19 among diabetics

Posted: 18 Nov 2021 05:37 PM PST

People with type 2 diabetes who contract COVID-19 are nearly 50 percent more likely to wind up in intensive care if they have poorly managed their blood sugar levels over the long-term than those with better long-term glycemic control, according to a study using anonymized health care data.

How do we know we're tired?

Posted: 18 Nov 2021 05:36 PM PST

Why do we need sleep? New research takes a step towards solving this mystery by discovering a mechanism of sleep in zebrafish, with some supporting evidence in mice.

How cells feel curvature

Posted: 18 Nov 2021 05:36 PM PST

Cells in your body cannot see, but they can feel their surroundings and their own shape. Scientists now showed via both - experiments and theory - how cells can sense the curvature of tissue around them and how this influences their inner workings.

Optimized second-generation mRNA vaccine demonstrated improved protection against COVID-19 in preclinical testing

Posted: 18 Nov 2021 05:35 PM PST

Researchers conducted a head-to-head test of the second-generation vaccine CV2CoV compared with CVnCoV. The scientists assessed the vaccines' ability to provoke an immune response as well as their protective efficacy against COVID-19 in non-human primates.

Researchers caution global economic growth could slide into stagnation

Posted: 18 Nov 2021 05:35 PM PST

The heady days of rapidly rising prosperity may be coming to an end, according to an interdisciplinary group of scientists. Developed democracies in particular look to be first in line for a long-run economic slowdown through the 21st century, and that, according to the researchers, should prompt some preparation for the additional fiscal and social stress that it will bring.

Researchers study the link between vitamin D and inflammation

Posted: 18 Nov 2021 05:35 PM PST

An active metabolite of vitamin D (not the over-the-counter version) is involved in shutting down inflammation, new research shows.

Developing high-performance MXene electrodes for next-generation powerful battery

Posted: 18 Nov 2021 05:35 PM PST

Two-dimensional MXene has been a rising star in the energy world as this material can store energy fast. But their unstable voltage output limits their applications. A collaborative research team has recently developed battery-like electrochemical Nb2CTx MXene electrodes with stable voltage output and high energy density by using a high-voltage scanning strategy. These latest findings may lead to a breakthrough in inventing the powerful battery of the next generation.

Rodents could be asymptomatic carriers of SARS-like coronaviruses, study suggests

Posted: 18 Nov 2021 05:34 PM PST

Some ancestral rodents likely had repeated infections with SARS-like coronaviruses, leading them to acquire tolerance or resistance to the pathogens, according to new research. This raises the possibility that modern rodents may be reservoirs of SARS-like viruses, the researchers say.

Breakthrough in fight on tick-borne CCHF virus is latest use of new strategy against diseases

Posted: 18 Nov 2021 05:34 PM PST

Using the same approach they recently used to create effective vaccine candidates against COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), scientists are tackling another virus: the tick-borne Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF).