ScienceDaily: Top News


Hidden in genetics: The evolutionary relationships of two groups of ancient invertebrates revealed

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 01:33 PM PDT

Using high quality molecular data, researchers have re-investigated a long-standing question about the position of two phyla of small aquatic invertebrates -- Kamptozoa and Bryozoa -- on the evolutionary tree.

Montana bio station researchers discuss mine risks to salmon rivers

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 01:33 PM PDT

Recently, a group of 23 science and policy experts from the U.S. and Canada published a review of mining risks to watersheds ranging from Montana to British Columbia and Alaska. The paper brought together experts in salmon ecology, watershed science, mining impacts and mining policy to integrate knowledge across research fields that often work independently from one another.

Keeping the energy in the room

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 01:33 PM PDT

Researchers are developing precision optical sensors for telescopes and observatories. The team has now improved the spectra resolution of their superconducting sensor, a major step in their ultimate goal: analyzing the composition of exoplanets.

How placentas evolved in mammals

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 01:32 PM PDT

The fossil record tells us about ancient life through the preserved remains of body parts like bones, teeth and turtle shells. But how to study the history of soft tissues and organs, which can decay quickly, leaving little evidence behind? In a new study, scientists use gene expression patterns, called transcriptomics, to investigate the ancient origins of one organ: the placenta, which is vital to pregnancy.

New method boosts the study of regulation of gene activity

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 11:31 AM PDT

Researchers report the development of a chemical-based sequencing method to quantify different epigenetic markers simultaneously. Their method, called NT-seq, short for nitrite treatment followed by next-generation sequencing, is a sequencing method for detecting multiple types of DNA methylation genome-wide.

'Soft' CRISPR may offer a new fix for genetic defects

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 11:31 AM PDT

Scientists have developed a new CRISPR-based technology that could offer a safer approach to correcting genetic defects. The new 'soft' CRISPR approach makes use of natural DNA repair machinery, providing a foundation for novel gene therapy strategies with the potential to cure a large spectrum of genetic diseases.

Dinosaurs took over amid ice, not warmth, says a new study of ancient mass extinction

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 11:31 AM PDT

There is new evidence that ancient high latitudes, to which early dinosaurs were largely relegated, regularly froze over, and that the creatures adapted -- an apparent key to their later dominance.

Mining's effect on fish warrants better science-based policies

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 11:31 AM PDT

A new article synthesizes the impact of metal and coal mines on salmon and trout in northwestern North America, and highlights the need for more complete and transparent science to inform mining policy.

When ASD occurs with intellectual disability, a convergent mechanism for two top-ranking risk genes may be the cause

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 10:00 AM PDT

Scientists have discovered a convergent mechanism that may be responsible for how two top-ranked genetic risk factors for autism spectrum disorder/intellectual disability (ASD/ID) lead to these neurodevelopmental disorders.

New sibling diagnosis for post-traumatic stress disorder

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 08:31 AM PDT

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently listed a new sibling diagnosis for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), termed complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). An international team has now summarized the symptoms of the long-awaited new diagnosis and issued guidelines for clinical assessment and treatment.

Advocating a new paradigm for electron simulations

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 08:31 AM PDT

Researchers improve a widely used simulation method for high-performance computing clusters.

Rare wild ancestors of feral pigeons found living on British and Irish islands

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 08:31 AM PDT

DNA testing reveals that the wild ancestors of the common domestic and feral pigeons, now extinct in many parts of the world, are still living on islands in Scotland and Ireland.

Crushed, zapped, boiled, baked and more: Nature used 57 recipes to create Earth's 10,500-plus 'mineral kinds'

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:28 AM PDT

A 15-year study details the origins and diversity of every known mineral on Earth, a landmark body of work that will help reconstruct the history of life on Earth, guide the search for new minerals and ore deposits, predict possible characteristics of future life, and aid the search for habitable planets and extraterrestrial life.

Protecting the brain from dementia-inducing abnormal protein aggregates

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's are defined by pathogenic accumulation of toxic proteins in the brain. Now, however, scientists have established that the p62 protein, which is involved in cellular protein degradation, can prevent the accumulation of toxic oligomeric tau species in mouse brains, proving the 'neuroprotective' function of p62 in a living model.

Scientists warn of links between soil pollution and heart disease

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Pesticides and heavy metals in soil may have detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system, according to a review paper.

Whales learn songs from each other in a cultural 'deep dive'

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

A new study has found humpback whales can learn incredibly complex songs from whales from other regions.

HIV speeds up body's aging processes soon after infection, study shows

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

HIV has an 'early and substantial' impact on aging in infected people, accelerating biological changes in the body associated with normal aging within just two to three years of infection, according to new research.

Capturing the onset of galaxy rotation in the early universe

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

After the Big Bang came the earliest galaxies. Due to the expansion of the universe, these galaxies are receding away from us. This causes their emissions to be redshifted (shifted towards longer wavelengths). By studying these redshifts, it is possible to characterize the 'motion' within the galaxies as well as their distance. In a new study, astronomers have now revealed a likely rotational motion of one such distant galaxy.

Hearing better with skin than ears

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

A research team develops a sound-sensing skin-attachable acoustic sensor. The new sensor decreased in size and increased in flexibility and is applicable as auditory electronic skin.

New study reveals impact of plastic on small mammals, as four out of seven species identified as 'plastic positive'

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Researchers investigating the exposure of small mammals to plastics in England and Wales have found traces in the feces of more than half of the species examined. The densities of plastic excreted were comparable with those reported in human studies.

Plug-and-play test for keeping track of immunity to Sars-CoV-2 variants

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

Many antibody tests have been developed since the pandemic started, but very few are designed to specifically detect the Sars-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies which prevent infection. Based on protein complementation, the modular method described here is the first of its kind to measure neutralizing antibodies against variants, from a drop of blood, in under one hour and at low cost.

Machine-learning algorithms can help health care staff correctly diagnose alcohol-associated hepatitis, acute cholangitis

Posted: 01 Jul 2022 07:27 AM PDT

New research finds that machine-learning algorithms can help health care staff distinguish the two conditions. Researchers show how algorithms may be effective predictive tools using a few simple variables and routinely available structured clinical information.

Research reveals structure of a human endogenous reverse transcriptase

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 01:47 PM PDT

The crystal structure of a human endogenous reverse transcriptase has similarities to HIV reverse transcriptase, a well-known tractable drug target, which will help design drugs to treat cancer and other diseases, according to a study co-authored by a Rutgers researcher.

Bacteria for blastoff: Using microbes to make supercharged new rocket fuel

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 01:00 PM PDT

Biofuel scientists used an oddball molecule made by bacteria to develop a new class of sustainable biofuels powerful enough to launch rockets. The candidate molecules have greater projected energy density than any petroleum product, including the leading aviation and rocket fuels, JetA and RP-1.

Researchers discover new leukemia-killing compounds

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 01:00 PM PDT

Researchers have discovered potential new drugs that target mitochondria in cancer cells. Their study in the journal Leukemia describes the compounds' potential for killing leukemia cells when administered by themselves or in combination with other chemotherapies.

Gemini North spies ultra-faint fossil galaxy discovered on outskirts of Andromeda

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 01:00 PM PDT

An unusual ultra-faint dwarf galaxy has been discovered on the outer fringes of the Andromeda Galaxy thanks to the sharp eyes of an amateur astronomer. Follow-up by professional astronomers revealed that the dwarf galaxy -- Pegasus V -- contains very few heavier elements and is likely to be a fossil of the first galaxies.

Borrowed gene helps maize adapt to high elevations, cold temperatures

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 01:00 PM PDT

An important gene in maize called HPC1 modulates certain chemical processes that contribute to flowering time, and has its origins in 'teosinte mexicana,' a precursor to modern-day corn that grows wild in the highlands of Mexico. The findings provide insight into plant evolution and trait selection, and could have implications for corn and other crops' adaptation to low temperatures.

California's Dixie Fire shows impact of legacy effects, prescribed burns

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 01:00 PM PDT

The 2021 Dixie Fire burned over nearly 1 million acres in California and cost $637 million to suppress, making it the largest and most expensive wildfire to contain in state history. Fire history largely determined how severely the wildfire burned, and low-severity fire treatments had the largest impact on reducing the worst effects of the fire, according to a research team.

Floating in space might be fun, but study shows it's hard on earthly bodies

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 10:48 AM PDT

Bone loss happens in humans -- as we age, get injured, or any scenario where we can't move the body, we lose bone. Understanding what happens to astronauts and how they recover is incredibly rare. It lets us look at the processes happening in the body in such a short time frame. We would have to follow someone for decades on Earth to see the same amount of bone loss.

Study reveals an unprecedented change in Europe's fire regime

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 08:45 AM PDT

A study reveals an unprecedented change in the fire regime in Europe which is related to climate change. The affected areas are in Southern, Central and Northern Europe but this historical change in Europe's fire regime is more intense in the Mediterranean area.

Algorithm predicts crime a week in advance, but reveals bias in police response

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 08:45 AM PDT

A new computer model uses publicly available data to predict crime accurately in eight U.S. cities, while revealing increased police response in wealthy neighborhoods at the expense of less advantaged areas.

Winning by default: Tonsillectomy study shows power of pre-set opioid Rx size

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 08:44 AM PDT

A small tweak to hospitals' prescribing systems might make a big difference in reducing risk from leftover opioid pain medication, while still making sure surgery patients get relief from their post-operation pain, a new study suggests.

Tonga volcano eruption among the most powerful ever observed, triggering atmospheric gravity waves that reached the edge of space

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 08:44 AM PDT

The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai submarine volcano in January 2022 was one of the most explosive volcanic events of the modern era, a new study has confirmed.

The art of getting DNA out of decades-old pickled snakes

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 05:33 AM PDT

Using pickled snakes collected decades ago and stored in an underground bunker of collections, scientists have found ways to get DNA samples from specimens previously considered near-impossible to get genetic data from. They used that DNA to solve a long-standing mystery about which family an elusive snake from the island of Borneo belongs to.

Novel gene for Alzheimer's disease in women identified

Posted: 30 Jun 2022 05:32 AM PDT

Scientists have identified a new gene called MGMT that increases the risk of Alzheimer's in women.