ScienceDaily: Top News

Magnetic surprise revealed in 'magic-angle' graphene

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 12:24 PM PST

Magnets and superconductors don't normally get along, but a new study shows that 'magic-angle' graphene is capable of producing both superconductivity and ferromagnetism, which could be useful in quantum computing.

Realistic portraits of squishy layer that’s key to battery performance

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:37 AM PST

Scientists have made realistic close-ups of a plump, squishy layer called the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) that forms on lithium metal anodes as a result of chemical reactions with the electrolyte. Knowing what it really looks will give them a new way to improve next-gen battery design.

Mechanism that helps immune cells to invade tissues

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:37 AM PST

To fight infections and heal injuries, immune cells need to enter tissue. They also need to invade tumors to fight them from within. Scientists have now discovered how immune cells protect their sensitive insides as they squeeze between tissue cells. The team lays the foundation for identifying new targets in cancer treatment.

California mice eat monarch butterflies

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:37 AM PST

At the largest winter monarch aggregation in central Mexico, scientists have observed that rodents attack monarchs that fall to the ground. Biologists have now discovered that the western harvest mouse also eats grounded monarchs. Documenting this new feeding behavior is a reminder of little we know about the interactions that may be lost as insect populations decline.

Chemical reactions enhance efficiency of key energy storage method

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:37 AM PST

Researchers have uncovered a way to improve the efficiency of a type of grid-scale storage crucial for a global transition toward renewable energy.

Novel way to perform ‘general inverse design’ with high accuracy

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:37 AM PST

'Inverse design' is a design approach that reverses the traditional design process and enables the designer to discover and create materials that possess a user-defined set of properties. Researchers demonstrate a nascent machine learning-based solution that uses an algorithm to identify any material that exhibits specific properties or characteristics. Termed 'general inverse design,' the novel method is not limited to a particular set of elements or crystal structure, but accesses all elements and crystal structures and can design novel compounds different from known materials.

Heat conduction important for droplet dynamics

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:37 AM PST

Engineers have found that conduction of heat plays a larger role than previously thought in the dynamics of droplets on smooth surfaces that repel water.

Astronomers capture red supergiant’s death throes

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:36 AM PST

Astronomers previously believed that red supergiant stars fell dormant at the end of their lives. A new study shows that red supergiant stars can violently erupt before collapsing into supernovae

Archaeological dig reveals participants in California’s Gold Rush dined on salted Atlantic cod

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:36 AM PST

An excavation at Thompson's Cove in San Francisco shows 'Atlantic cod were imported during the 1850s, likely as a (largely) deboned, dried and salted product from the East Coast of the United States.' The analysis underscores the importance of global maritime trade in northern California during the Gold Rush.

Clinicians report real-world results on the use of a new device to treat brain aneurysms

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:36 AM PST

In an international study of patients with brain aneurysms (balloon-like bulges in weakened blood vessels), the Woven Endobridge device had a favorable efficacy and safety profile.

Microbes produce oxygen in the dark

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:36 AM PST

It is common knowledge that there would be no oxygen on Earth were it not for sunlight; the key component in photosynthesis. Now researchers have made the surprising discovery that oxygen is also produced without sunlight, possibly deep below the ocean surface.

Mass production of revolutionary computer memory moves closer with ULTRARAM™ on silicon wafers for the first time

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 11:32 AM PST

A pioneering type of patented computer memory known as ULTRARAM™ has been demonstrated on silicon wafers in what is a major step towards its large-scale manufacture. ULTRARAM™ is novel type of memory with extraordinary properties. It combines the non-volatility of a data storage memory, like flash, with the speed, energy-efficiency and endurance of a working memory, like DRAM. To do this it utilizes the unique properties of compound semiconductors, commonly used in photonic devices such as LEDS, laser diodes and infrared detectors, but not in digital electronics, which is the preserve of silicon.

Unlocking the secrets of a critical schistosomiasis drug

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 10:33 AM PST

For decades, no one really knew how the drug praziquantel treated a parasitic disease afflicting more than 200 million people around the world. Now, two independent teams of researchers have found the answer.

Innovative approach brings cell-reprograming therapy for heart failure closer to reality

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 10:33 AM PST

Researchers have developed a new cell reprogramming strategy can change large scar tissue in rat hearts into working muscle.

Sending life to the stars

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 10:32 AM PST

No longer solely in the realm of science fiction, the possibility of interstellar travel has appeared, tantalizingly, on the horizon. Although we may not see it in our lifetimes -- at least not some real version of the fictional warp-speeding, hyperdriving, space-folding sort -- we are having early conversations of how life could escape the tether of our solar system, using technology that is within reach.

Researchers develop automated method to identify fish calls underwater

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 09:23 AM PST

Researchers have developed an automated method that can accurately identify calls from a family of fishes.

'Simple' bacteria found to organize in elaborate patterns

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 08:16 AM PST

Researchers have discovered that biofilms, bacterial communities found throughout the living world, are far more advanced than previously believed. Scientists found that biofilm cells are organized in elaborate patterns, a feature that previously only had been associated with higher-level organisms such as plants and animals.

In Down syndrome cells, genome-wide disruptions mimic a senescence-like state

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 08:15 AM PST

Extra chromosome alters chromosomal conformation and DNA accessibility across the whole genome in neural progenitor cells, disrupting gene transcription and cell functions much like in cellular aging.

Fingerprint patterns are linked to limb development genes

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 08:15 AM PST

In the most comprehensive analysis to date, researchers found that the shapes of fingerprints -- whether they are circular, wavy, or winding -- are influenced by the genes responsible for limb development instead of skin patterning. The study could help scientists better understand the association between genes and phenotypical traits in humans.

Zoo air contains enough DNA to identify the animals inside

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 08:15 AM PST

The air in a zoo is full of smells, from the fish used for feed to the manure from the grazing herbivores, but now we know it is also full of DNA from the animals living there. Two research groups have each published an independent proof-of-concept study showing that by sampling air from a local zoo, they can collect enough DNA to identify the animals nearby. This may prove to be a valuable, non-invasive tool to track biodiversity.

Can a human microglial atlas guide brain disorder research?

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 08:15 AM PST

Researchers analyzed thousands of microglia from different brain regions of deceased patients who had been diagnosed with a variety of neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Their results support the idea that microglia may play critical roles in some cases of brain disease while also providing a potentially valuable guide for future studies.

Unexpected hope for millions as bleached coral reefs continue to supply nutritious seafood

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 08:15 AM PST

Coral reef ecosystems support diverse small-scale fisheries -- and the fish they catch are rich in micronutrients vital to the health of millions of people in the tropics, a new study reveals. And, counter-intuitively, following bleaching events that kill off coral and can transform the composition of reef ecosystems, reef fisheries can remain rich sources of micronutrients, even increasing in nutritional value for some minerals. The findings show that the availability of micronutrients from coral reef small-scale fisheries may be more resilient to climate change than previously thought.

Air pollution from wildfires, rising heat affected 68% of US West in one day

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 08:00 AM PST

Large wildfires and severe heat events are happening more often at the same time, worsening air pollution across the western United States, a study has found. In 2020, more than 68% of the western U.S. -- representing about 43 million people -- were affected in one day by the resulting harmful-levels of air pollution, the highest number in 20 years. The study found that these concurrent air pollution events are increasing not only in frequency but duration and geographic extent across the region. They have become so bad that they have reversed many gains of the Clean Air Act. The conditions that create these episodes are also expected to continue to increase, along with their threats to human health.

Tracking down the origin of cholera pandemics

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 08:00 AM PST

The bacterium Vibrio cholerae is the causative agent of the diarrheal disease cholera and is responsible for seven known pandemics. The seventh cholera pandemic began in 1961 and is still active. Unlike previous pandemics, it is caused by cholera strains of a slightly different type. How did the modified cholera strains develop and spread, and what might have contributed to their success? Scientists have now gained new insights into a molecular mechanism that provides insight into the interactions between cholera bacteria and may have played a role in the emergence of the seventh pandemic.

New hope for sight recovery in stroke survivors

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 07:59 AM PST

Researchers have used MRI imaging to map visual brain activity in stroke survivors with sight loss that gives new hope for rehabilitation and recovery.

Fossil research affected by significant colonial bias

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 07:59 AM PST

The fossil record, which documents the history of life on Earth, is heavily biased by influences such as colonialism, history and global economics, palaeontologists argue.

Abnormal thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy may increase the risk of preschool boys’ behavioral problems

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 07:04 AM PST

Thyroid hormone levels during pregnancy may predict preschool boys' emotional and behavioral problems, according to a new study.

Decoding protein assembly dynamics with artificial protein needles

Posted: 06 Jan 2022 07:02 AM PST

Protein assembly is essential for the formation of ordered biological structures, but imagine engineering one! This is exactly what researchers have now accomplished with protein needles. By regulating the tip-to-tip interactions of these needles, they allowed for their self-assembly into lattice structures, ordered monomeric states, and fiber assemblies, paving the way for the controlled construction of more of such protein architectures.

Portable prostate cancer test may help reach underserved men

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 05:28 PM PST

A highly portable and rapid prostate cancer screening kit could provide early warning to populations with higher incidence of prostate cancer and particularly those with limited access to health care, such as African American men.

Nearly 2 million children worldwide develop asthma as a result of breathing in traffic- related pollution

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 05:27 PM PST

Nearly 2 million new cases of pediatric asthma every year may be caused by a traffic-related air pollutant, a problem particularly important in big cities around the world, according to a new study.

Physicists watch as ultracold atoms form a crystal of quantum tornadoes

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 02:41 PM PST

Physicists have directly observed ultracold atoms forming 'quantum tornadoes' in a spinning fluid of ultracold atoms. The observations record a key crossover from classical to quantum behavior.

Findings open the way to more precise diagnoses and treatments of Alzheimer’s disease

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:13 PM PST

An international team has made a significant breakthrough in understanding why Alzheimer's disease progresses so rapidly in some people that they die within three years. The researchers found a link between strains of misshapen and fast-replicating tau protein and accelerated cognitive decline -- a critical result that illuminates the variations in Alzheimer's disease and could help lead to more precise diagnoses and targeted therapies. Such work could lead to changes in Alzheimer's care, possibly giving patients and families more accurate prognoses.

Engineered nanomaterial captures off-target cancer drug to prevent tissue damage

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:13 PM PST

Standard chemotherapies may efficiently kill cancer cells, but they also pose significant risks to healthy cells, resulting in secondary illness and a diminished quality of life for patients. To prevent the previously unavoidable damage, researchers have developed a new class of nanomaterials engineered to capture chemotherapy drugs before they interact with healthy tissue.

Engineers develop new software tool to aid material modeling research

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:13 PM PST

A new software tool can accelerate materials science research by cutting out tedious background research on material properties. Researchers recently debuted propSym, an open-source software on the programming platform MATLAB, to calculate the fundamental constants needed to describe the physical properties of solids, such as metals, ceramics or composites.

New research questions ‘whiff of oxygen’ in Earth’s early history

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:13 PM PST

A reexamination of Earth's famous 'whiff of oxygen' has the potential to rewrite early accounts of the planet's history by finding that atmospheric oxygen actually did not exist prior to the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE).

Modern humans developed a more effective protection against oxidative stress

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:13 PM PST

Very few proteins in the body have a change that makes them unique compared to the corresponding proteins in Neanderthals and apes. Researchers have now studied one such protein, glutathione reductase, which protects against oxidative stress. They show that the risk for inflammatory bowel disease and vascular disease is increased several times in people carrying the Neanderthal variant.

Timing of brain injury in pregnancy, birth may impact motor and language outcomes

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 12:13 PM PST

A new study that mapped the neural connections of newborns with two different kinds of brain injuries found the maps looked very different -- and were linked to significantly different developmental outcomes years later.

Division of labor among genetic switches

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 11:00 AM PST

Two X chromosomes are actually one too many. Female mammalian cells hence switch off one of them – but only when the cells start to specialize into tissues. A research team has now discovered how cells 'count' their chromosomes and at the same time sense which stage of development they are in.

Dairy farmers can adapt to climate change

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:59 AM PST

Dairy farmers in the Northeast -- facing a warming climate that exacerbates nutrient pollution but lengthens the growing season -- can reduce the environmental impact of their operations and maximize revenues by double cropping and injecting manure into the soil, rather than broadcasting it.

How a brain networks enables human conversation

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:45 AM PST

A new study has identified a brain circuit that is active while we plan our spoken replies during conversation. The work promises to guide the design of new therapies for the 7.5 million Americans who have trouble using their voices, say the study authors.

Immuno-CRISPR assay could help diagnose kidney transplant rejection early on

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:45 AM PST

Researchers have developed a CRISPR-based assay that can sensitively and non-invasively detect a biomarker of acute kidney rejection in urine. This could someday help diagnose rejection earlier and without a biopsy.

Living in outer space: Changes in blood flow volume may be at the heart of worsening eyesight

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 10:45 AM PST

The long-term risks of living in space include bone loss, cosmic radiation and muscle weakness, so leaving gravity behind certainly has its obstacles -- and yet, that doesn't stop people from venturing out of the stratosphere. Some of these potential hurdles have already been studied extensively or are currently being investigated, but researchers have found an important but underserved area of space to study: the brain and gravity's effect on eyesight.

Windows that outsmart the elements

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 09:23 AM PST

New research takes energy efficient windows a step further by proposing a new "smart window" design that would harvest the sun's energy in the winter to warm the house and reflect it in the summer to keep it cool.

Virtual reality could help make therapy easier

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 08:14 AM PST

A new study has found 30 per cent of people prefer to talk about their negative experiences with a virtual reality avatar, rather than a person.

School closures led to more sleep and better quality of life for adolescents

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 08:13 AM PST

The school closures in spring 2020 had a negative effect on the health and well-being of many young people. But homeschooling also had a positive flipside: Thanks to sleeping longer in the morning, many teenagers reported improved health and health-related quality of life. The study authors therefore believe school days should begin later in the morning.

Drug modifies epigenome in aggressive brain tumors

Posted: 05 Jan 2022 07:31 AM PST

The researchers showed for the first time that the DNA methylome of these brain tumors can be reprogrammed. The study said that this is the first time DNA methylome reprogramming has occurred with any solid human tumor.