ScienceDaily: Top News

A rare discovery of long-term memory in wild frog-eating bats

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 09:24 AM PDT

Frog-eating bats trained by researchers to associate a phone ringtone with a tasty treat were able to remember what they learned for up to four years in the wild, new research has found.

Nanoparticles control flow of light like road signs direct traffic

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 09:23 AM PDT

Physicists have developed tiny translucent slides capable of producing two very different images by manipulating the direction in which light travels through them.

New model helps identify mutations that drive cancer

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 09:23 AM PDT

Scientists built a computer model that can rapidly scan the entire genome of cancer cells and identify mutations that occur more frequently than expected, suggesting that they are driving tumor growth.

Scientists develop antimicrobial, plant-based food wrap designed to replace plastic

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 09:21 AM PDT

Aiming to produce environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic food wrap and containers, a scientist has developed a biodegradable, plant-based coating that can be sprayed on foods, guarding against pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms and transportation damage. The scalable process could potentially reduce the adverse environmental impact of plastic food packaging as well as protect human health.

A small lowering of the groundwater level can destroy house foundations

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 07:08 AM PDT

A new thesis shows that wooden pile foundations show visible damage after only a year if the groundwater level lowers. This can cause settlements of buildings in a matter of a few years.

Gene discovery indicates motor neuron diseases caused by abnormal lipid processing in cells

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 07:08 AM PDT

A new genetic discovery adds weight to a theory that motor neuron degenerative diseases are caused by abnormal lipid (fat) processing pathways inside brain cells. This theory will help pave the way to new diagnostic approaches and treatments for this group of conditions. The discovery will provide answers for certain families who have previously had no diagnosis.

Scientists conceptualize a species 'stock market' to put a price tag on actions posing risks to biodiversity

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 07:08 AM PDT

Species have intrinsic value, but also provide ecosystem services of major economic value, for example, bees that pollinate our crops. However, as such values are hard to translate into figures, currently, they remain easy to dismiss altogether. In a new study, a research team conceptualizes a species stock market for unified valuation of all species. By using digitized information from museums, occurrence data, and DNA sequence databases, this market quantifies our knowledge of each species from scientific, societal, and economic points of view.

Evolutionary biology: The greening ashore

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 07:08 AM PDT

A team has been studying the current state of research on the plant colonization of land that occurred some 500 million years ago.

Single brain scan can diagnose Alzheimer's disease

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 07:08 AM PDT

A single MRI scan of the brain could be enough to diagnose Alzheimer's disease, according to new research.

New effective combination therapy for pediatric T-acute leukemia

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 07:08 AM PDT

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common cancer affecting children. The T-ALL form of leukemia that emerges from early T lineage cells has a poorer prognosis than B-lineage ALL. The prognosis for relapsed T-ALL is very poor and new therapies are sorely needed. Medical researchers have discovered a new combination of drugs that is effective against T-ALL.

Assessing the environmental impact of nuclear power generation

Posted: 20 Jun 2022 07:05 AM PDT

A growing concern for climate change and sustainable use of natural resources has led to the adoption of alternative forms of energy. Nuclear power is considered a panacea for the environmental degradation caused by fossil fuels. However, its environmental impact and natural resource use need to be assessed. Now, researchers have addressed this issue, revealing interesting findings in their assessment of resource use for nuclear power generation.

More digging needed to see whether bones of fallen Waterloo soldiers were sold as fertilizer, as few human remains have ever been found

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 06:00 PM PDT

Launched on the anniversary of the conflict, a new study suggests that mystery still surrounds what happened to the bodies of Waterloo militaries.

A smart jumpsuit tracks infants' motor development

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 07:19 AM PDT

New wearable technology creates new possibilities for assessing the neurological development of young children. Early motor assessment is essential for supporting the early detection of neurodevelopmental problems and their therapeutic interventions.

Researchers discover 'hotspots' of three-layered alternatively rotating circulation in South China Sea

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 07:18 AM PDT

A research team carried out field observations and conducted numerical simulations in the South China Sea (SCS) recently and revealed the never-before-seen characteristics of the three-dimensional ocean motion in the SCS through geophysical fluid dynamic theory.

Why vaccination against malaria quickly loses its protective effect

Posted: 17 Jun 2022 07:18 AM PDT

Scientists have studied the human immune response after immunization with the malaria pathogen Plasmodium falciparum. Their findings could explain why natural infections, to which people in endemic areas are constantly exposed, offer little protection against new diseases with other strains, and why the effect of the vaccination available to date lasts only a short time.

Diversity of centrosomes delivers new clues for neurological diseases

Posted: 16 Jun 2022 11:27 AM PDT

A neurobiologist is pursuing important leads in her quest to elucidate the causes of neurological diseases. Together with her team, she has gained new insights into the human centrosome, whose malfunction is linked to many neurodevelopmental disorders.