ScienceDaily: Top News


Strobe light for 5G: Imaging system spotlights the tiny mechanical hearts at the core of every cellphone

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 01:17 PM PST

Researchers have developed an instrument to image the acoustic waves generated by micromechanical resonators over a wide range of frequencies and produce 'movies' of them with unprecedented detail.

The abyssal world: Last terra incognita of the Earth surface

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 11:52 AM PST

The first unified vision of the world ocean biodiversity, based on analysis of DNA sequences from the surface to deep-ocean sediments, unveils the rich and unknown life in the abyssal realm, the last terra incognita of the Earth surface. This collective effort was made possible by 15 international deep-sea expeditions.

Discovery unravels how atomic vibrations emerge in nanomaterials

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 11:52 AM PST

A hundred years of physics tells us that collective atomic vibrations, called phonons, can behave like particles or waves. When they hit an interface between two materials, they can bounce off like a tennis ball. If the materials are thin and repeating, as in a superlattice, the phonons can jump between successive materials. Now there is definitive, experimental proof that at the nanoscale, the notion of multiple thin materials with distinct vibrations no longer holds. If the materials are thin, their atoms arrange identically, so that their vibrations are similar and present everywhere. Such structural and vibrational coherency opens new avenues in materials design, which will lead to more energy efficient, low-power devices, novel material solutions to recycle and convert waste heat to electricity, and new ways to manipulate light with heat for advanced computing to power 6G wireless communication.

RNA ‘heroes’ can disarm bad-actor proteins in leukemia

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 10:09 AM PST

Scientists believe it may be possible to prevent DNA changes driven by two proteins highly active in leukemia and other cancers. They recently reported a new mechanistic target for drug development.

Making metal–halide perovskites useful in planar devices through a new hybrid structure

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 10:09 AM PST

Two of the main drawbacks of using tin (Sn)-based metal halide perovskites (MHPs) in thin-film transistors have been simultaneously solved by an innovative hybrid 2D/3D structure. New findings will help unlock the potential of environmentally benign Sn-based MHPs in CMOS technology, paving the way for flexible and printable electronic devices.

Too many disk galaxies than theory allows

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 09:35 AM PST

The Standard Model of Cosmology describes how the universe came into being according to the view of most physicists. Researchers have now studied the evolution of galaxies within this model, finding considerable discrepancies with actual observations.

Widely-used hormone drug associated with increased risk of benign brain tumor at high doses

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 08:34 AM PST

High doses of a widely-used drug used in the hormonal treatment of conditions such as excessive hair growth, early puberty, prostate cancer, are linked to an increased risk of meningioma -- the most common type of benign brain tumor, finds a new study of over 8-million patients.

How our body controls inflammation during clean-up mechanisms of damaged cells

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 08:34 AM PST

A research team has investigated in detail how messenger substances signal inflammation during the removal of damaged cells in the body. Using high-resolution microscopy methods, the researchers were able to show that two proteins interact dynamically with each other and thus determine whether a dying cell triggers an inflammatory reaction in the body.

Researchers resurrect and improve a technique for detecting transistor defects

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 08:33 AM PST

Researchers have revived and improved a once-reliable technique to identify and count defects in transistors, the building blocks of modern electronic devices such as smartphones and computers.

Those at highest risk for severe COVID-19 often least likely to get monoclonal antibodies, study finds

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 08:33 AM PST

People over age 65 at the highest risk for severe COVID-19 have often been the least likely to receive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) -- a highly effective treatment for the disease -- both across and within U.S. states, according to new research.

US household air conditioning use could exceed electric capacity in next decade due to climate change

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 06:31 AM PST

An 8% increase in summer air conditioning demand can be expected in the U.S. when the global average temperature exceeds 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This climate driven increase is likely to cause prolonged blackouts during peak summer heat if states do not expand capacity or improve efficiency, according to a new study of household-level demand.

Study looks at glacial lakes, dams in Alaska and potential for flooding

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 06:31 AM PST

Researchers have produced a detailed inventory of glacial lakes and dams over a 35-year timeframe from 1984 to 2019 in Alaska and northwest Canada.

Dose-finding trial paves way for new rotavirus vaccine to prevent a deadly diarrheal disease from birth

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 06:31 AM PST

Researchers have found a reduced dose of an Australian-developed rotavirus vaccine produced a robust immune response in children at risk from deadly diarrheal disease in Africa.

Liquid metals, surface patterns, and the romance of the three kingdoms

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 06:31 AM PST

Diverging and converging patterns forming on the surface of solidifying liquid metals resemble plotlines in a complex historical novel, in a new international study. The cyclic patterns observed are rare, and had not been observed in solidification structures prior to this. Better understanding and control of fundamental phase transitions and pattern formation could see future liquid metal applications in plasmonic sensing and high-efficiency electronics and optics.

Tweaked genes borrowed from bacteria excite heart cells in live mice

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 06:31 AM PST

Biomedical engineers have demonstrated a gene therapy that helps heart muscle cells electrically activate in live mice. The approach features engineered bacterial genes that code for sodium ion channels and could lead to therapies to treat a wide variety of electrical heart diseases and disorders.

Mosquitoes are seeing red: These new findings about their vision could help you hide from these disease vectors

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 05:54 AM PST

Beating the bite of mosquitoes this spring and summer could hinge on your attire and your skin. New research indicates that a common mosquito species -- after detecting a telltale gas that we exhale -- flies toward specific colors, including red, orange, black and cyan. The mosquitoes tend to ignore other colors, such as green, purple, blue and white. The researchers believe these findings help explain how mosquitoes find hosts, since human skin, regardless of overall pigmentation, emits a strong red-orange 'signal' to their eyes.

Scientists move HIV vaccine research forward by developing an immunogen that produces tier-2 antibodies

Posted: 04 Feb 2022 05:54 AM PST

Scientists take a promising step in the direction of developing an HIV vaccine using a unique native-like trimer to develop Tier-2 neutralizing antibodies -- the kind that matter for combating HIV -- in mice.

Optimizing indoor light conditions to mimic the natural light-dark cycle could help mitigate adverse metabolic effects of extended periods of exposure to indoor lighting

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 04:25 PM PST

A new study finds that the timing of exposure to bright light can have a significant influence on postprandial (post-meal) glucose metabolism, thermoregulation, and energy expenditure during sleep in overweight, insulin-resistant adults.

Perception study may explain promising depression therapy

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 04:25 PM PST

Researchers have demonstrated the importance of a specific type of connection between brain cells that may explain ketamine's potential as a treatment for depression.

Losing amphibian diversity also means losing poison diversity

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 04:25 PM PST

Biologists argue that more research needs to be done on the colorful yet poisonous harlequin toads of Central and South America, not only because their ecology is poorly known, but because their toxins are even less studied. Since animal and plant toxins are often inspirations for new drugs, losing the toads through habitat destruction and fungal infections means we lose their poison diversity as well as their genetic diversity.

How long-term cannabis use can damage lungs

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 04:23 PM PST

Smoking cannabis leads to lung damage, but in a different way to tobacco, new research has found. The findings come from the long-running Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, which has documented cannabis use and measured lung function throughout adult life up to age 45 in more than 1,000 individuals born in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1972/73.

Do bikeshare systems complement or replace public transit?

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 03:52 PM PST

Bikeshare systems have come a long way since they were first introduced in the Netherlands in the 1960s. They are popular in cities around the world, but how do bike systems affect existing public transportation?

Like peanut butter? This algorithm has a hunch as to what you'll buy next

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 03:52 PM PST

New research brings a methodology called tensor decomposition -- used by scientists to find patterns in massive volumes of data -- into the world of online shopping to recommend complementary products more carefully tailored to customer preferences.

Scientists create vast data resource to uncover ALS subtypes

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 03:52 PM PST

A new cloud-based data resource provides the research community with a comprehensive set of tools to help identify new subtypes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurological disorder.

Trametinib represents potential new standard-of-care for patients with recurrent low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 03:50 PM PST

A study has reported that the MEK inhibitor trametinib reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 52% compared to standard-of-care therapies for the treatment of low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

Scientists profile FDA-approved drugs to potentially treat hundreds of genetic disorders

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:12 PM PST

Nonsense-mediated RNA decay, or NMD, is an evolutionarily conserved molecular mechanism in which potentially defective messenger RNAs, or mRNAs, are degraded. Its disruption can lead to neurological disorders, immune diseases, cancers, and other pathologies. A team of biomedical scientists has designed a simple and robust method to determine the effects of drugs on NMD. The researchers profiled all current Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs to identify NMD modulators, which could potentially help treat hundreds of disorders associated with NMD.

Puffy planets lose atmospheres, become super-Earths

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:12 PM PST

Astronomers have identified two different cases of 'mini-Neptune' planets that are losing their puffy atmospheres and likely transforming into super-Earths.

Untangling mixed (neural) signals

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:12 PM PST

New research has uncovered how neurons encode and decode information and differentiate between motor and sensory signals.

Origin of supermassive black hole flares identified: Largest-ever simulations suggest flickering powered by magnetic 'reconnection'

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:12 PM PST

Astrophysicists have identified the mechanism that powers black hole flares. By employing computer simulations of unparalleled power and resolution, the researchers found that energy released near a black hole's event horizon during the reconnection of magnetic field lines powers the flares. The findings hint at exciting new possibilities for observing the region just outside a black hole's event horizon.

Tracking the cells that host HIV

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:12 PM PST

New research sheds light on the lifespans and location of the cells that are responsible for producing HIV, preventing its eradication. Understanding the cells' dynamics may help scientists develop new ways to reduce their number with the ultimate goal of curing HIV infection.

How fault lines in a kitchen sink are changing what we know about geology

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:12 PM PST

Researchers unveiled a physical model that yields an unprecedented, high-resolution look at the slip rates of faults, which determine the likelihood of earthquakes.

Why COVID-19 surveillance in Nigeria is critical

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:12 PM PST

If the United States ignores COVID-19 in Nigeria, we forgo global genomic surveillance at our own peril, reports a new study.

Researchers develop new approach to discover pervasive ‘forever’ chemicals known as PFAS

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:12 PM PST

A team of researchers is using one of the most powerful chemical analysis tools in the world to unravel the complexities of PFAS. They are working to characterize and catalog the thousands upon thousands of chemical compounds in the PFAS family, so future studies can find solutions to health and environmental impacts.

Love of nature is partially heritable, study of twins shows

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

A person's appreciation of nature and their tendency to visit natural spaces are heritable characteristics, according to a large-scale study of UK twins.

Humans and other primates have evolved less sensitive noses

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

Variations in the genes for the newly discovered scent receptors for musk and underarm odor add to a growing body of research suggesting that humans' sense of smell is gradually becoming less sensitive.

Mothers' sleep apnea may increase risk of autism-like changes in their male offspring

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

Sleep apnea in pregnancy may increase the risk for brain and behavioral changes associated with autism, especially in males, according to a study in rats.

New highly virulent and damaging HIV variant discovered in the Netherlands

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

A new HIV variant with higher virulence and more damaging health impacts has been discovered in a new study.

How to get chloride ions into the cell

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

A molecular movie has captured in detail the process of an anion transported across the cell membrane by a light-fuelled protein pump. Researchers have unravelled the mystery of how light energy initiates the pumping process -- and how nature made sure there is no anion leakage back outside.

NFTs offer new method to control personal health information

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

A team of scholars in ethics, law and informatics wrote one of the first commentaries on how NFTs could be repurposed for the healthcare industry.

Massive methane emissions by oil and gas industry detected from space

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

For the first time ever on a global scale, using satellite imagery, scientists have quantified volumes of massive methane emissions due to fossil-fuel extraction activities and their impact on the climate. Their findings partly explain why official inventories generally underestimate the volume of these emissions. Stopping these releases, be they accidental or deliberate, would save those countries responsible billions of dollars.

Neuroscientists use deep learning model to simulate brain topography

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

A more accurate model of the visual system may help neuroscientists and clinicians develop better treatments for alexia, prosopagnosia and agnosia.

Fuel cells and game-changing tech to remove 99% of carbon dioxide from air

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

Engineers have demonstrated a way to effectively capture 99% of carbon dioxide from air using a novel electrochemical system powered by hydrogen.

Poor sleep and stress exacerbate each other among nurses who work night shift, study finds

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

Nurses who work the night shift report more sleep disturbances and are more likely to suffer from psychological and physical health symptoms including PTSD, insomnia and inflammation, a recent study found.

Study finds high levels of depression, anxiety among disabled people during COVID-19 pandemic

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:11 PM PST

A new study confirms what many in the disabled community already know: People with disabilities have been experiencing high levels of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scientists decode chemical defense against plant sap-sucking leafhoppers

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:06 PM PST

Given the sheer number of potential enemies, plants are resistant to most pests, even if they can cause damage to other plants. Researchers describe a newly discovered mechanism that protects a wild tobacco species from plant sap-sucking leafhoppers. By combining different genetic screening methods with the study of chemical changes in tobacco leaves, they identified a previously unknown defense substance important for the tobacco's resistance to leafhoppers and characterized the genes for its biosynthesis.

Study confirms site of brain region responsible for making sure people say words as intended

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:05 PM PST

A region crossing the folded surface of the top of the brain, called the dorsal precentral gyrus, plays an essential role in how people use the sound of their voices to control how they want the words to sound, a new study shows.

Are scientists being fooled by bacteria?

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:05 PM PST

Researchers created a tailor-made gene sequencing method to accurately measure a biochemical, DNA tagging system, which switches genes on or off. This helped them study the system in any cell type, including human, plant and bacterial cells. While the results supported the idea that this system may occur naturally in non-bacterial cells, the levels were much lower than some previous studies reported and were easily skewed by bacterial contamination or current experimental methods. Experiments on human brain cancer cells produced similar results.

The brain’s secret to life-long learning can now come as hardware for artificial intelligence

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 01:05 PM PST

As companies use more and more data to improve how AI recognizes images, learns languages and carries out other complex tasks, a recent article shows a way that computer chips could dynamically rewire themselves to take in new data like the brain does, helping AI to keep learning over time.

Observation of quantum transport at room temperature in a 2.8-nanometer CNT transistor

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:30 AM PST

A research team has developed an in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique that can be used to precisely manipulate individual molecular structures. Using this technique, the team succeeded in fabricating carbon nanotube (CNT) intramolecular transistors by locally altering the CNT's helical structure, thereby making a portion of it to undergo a metal-to-semiconductor transition in a controlled manner.

Treasure in tree rings: Using untapped tree ring data to calculate carbon sequestration

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:30 AM PST

Forests around the world have the capacity to pull carbon out of the atmosphere to battle global climate change. But how much carbon they actually absorb is a question that still needs answering, and tree ring data can help, according to a new research synthesis.

How a SARS-CoV-2 infection can become severe COVID-19

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:29 AM PST

Scientists have discovered that severe courses of the COVID-19 disease are not only marked by strong immune activation and inflammatory reactions, but also by a dysfunctional endothelium, in other words, the vascular system: If this barrier between blood flow and tissue is damaged, the patient's condition deteriorates.

Small study finds Alzheimer's-like changes in some COVID patients' brains

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:29 AM PST

A study reports that the brains of a small sample of patients who died of COVID display some of the same molecular changes found in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease.

Future of winter: Low emissions vital to slow warming

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:29 AM PST

Winters are warming faster than summers in North America, impacting everything from ecosystems to the economy. Global climate models indicate that this trend will continue in future winters but there is a level of uncertainty around the magnitude of warming. Researchers focused on the role of carbon dioxide emissions in this equation -- looking at the effects of both high and low levels of carbon dioxide emissions on future climate warming scenarios -- and found that a reduction in emissions could preserve almost three weeks of snow cover and below freezing temperatures.

Scientists detect novel SARS-CoV-2 variants in NYC wastewater

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:29 AM PST

Researchers have detected at least four 'cryptic' variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in samples of wastewater from New York City's public sewer system.

Warps drive disruptions in planet formation in young planetary systems

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:29 AM PST

A new study demonstrates the impact of passing stars, misaligned binary stars and passing gas clouds on the formation of planets in early star systems.

New polymer fuel cells can operate at higher temperatures

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:29 AM PST

A new high-temperature polymer fuel cell that operates at 80-160 degrees Celsius, with a higher-rated power density than state-of-the-art fuel cells, solves the longstanding problem of overheating, one of the most significant technical barriers to using medium-and heavy-duty fuel cells in transportation vehicles such as trucks and buses.

When it comes to obesity, the problem isn’t an excess of fat but its loss of function, researchers argue

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:29 AM PST

Obesity is known to cause cardiometabolic diseases like hypertension and diabetes but attributing these diseases to merely an overabundance of fat is a simplification. On a basic level, fat acts as a receptacle to store energy, but upon a closer look it is an essential actor in vital bodily processes like the immune response, the regulation of insulin sensitivity, and maintenance of body temperature. Researchers argue that the negative health effects of obesity stem not simply from an excess of fat but from the decline in its ability to respond to changes, or in other words, its plasticity.

New role for cyanide in early Earth and search for extraterrestrial life

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:29 AM PST

Chemists discovered how cyanide could have enabled chemical reactions that metabolize carbon dioxide without the complex proteins used by living organisms today.

How liquid-like protein droplets collectively read DNA regions to switch on genes

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:29 AM PST

When an organism develops, dividing cells specialize to form the variety of tissues and organs that build up the adult body, while keeping the same genetic material -- contained in our DNA. In a process known as transcription, parts of the DNA -- the genes -- are copied into a messenger molecule -the ribonucleic acid (RNA) -- that carries the information needed to produce proteins, the building blocks of life.

Repeated seasonal influenza vaccines also provide kids better protection against future flu pandemics, researchers find

Posted: 03 Feb 2022 09:29 AM PST

Researchers have found that children who receive years of season-specific flu vaccines develop antibodies that also provide broader protection against new strains, including those capable of causing pandemics.