ScienceDaily: Top Science News

Pacific Northwest wildfires alter air pollution patterns across North America

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 06:18 AM PDT

Increasingly large and intense wildfires in the Pacific Northwest are altering the seasonal pattern of air pollution and causing a spike in unhealthy pollutants in August, according to new research. The smoke is undermining clean air gains, posing potential risks to the health of millions of people, according to the study.

Scientists resurrect ancient enzymes to improve photosynthesis

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 01:49 PM PDT

A new study describes a breakthrough in the quest to improve photosynthesis in certain crops, a step toward adapting plants to rapid climate changes and increasing yields to feed a projected 9 billion people by 2050.

Tumors partially destroyed with sound don't come back

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 06:39 AM PDT

Noninvasive sound technology breaks down liver tumors in rats, kills cancer cells and spurs the immune system to prevent further spread -- an advance that could lead to improved cancer outcomes in humans.

Changes in vegetation shaped global temperatures over last 10,000 years

Posted: 15 Apr 2022 01:38 PM PDT

Follow the pollen. Records from past plant life tell the real story of global temperatures. Warmer temperatures brought plants -- and then came even warmer temperatures, according to new model simulations.

Decoding a direct dialog between the gut microbiota and the brain

Posted: 15 Apr 2022 07:05 AM PDT

Gut microbiota by-products circulate in the bloodstream, regulating host physiological processes including immunity, metabolism and brain functions. Scientists have discovered that hypothalamic neurons in an animal model directly detect variations in bacterial activity and adapt appetite and body temperature accordingly. These findings demonstrate that a direct dialog occurs between the gut microbiota and the brain, a discovery that could lead to new therapeutic approaches for tackling metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity.

Nova outbursts are apparently a source for cosmic rays

Posted: 14 Apr 2022 09:51 AM PDT

The MAGIC telescopes have observed the nova RS Ophiuchi shining brightly in gamma rays at extremely high energy. The Gamma rays emanate from protons that are accelerated to very high energies in the shock front following the explosion. This suggests that novae are also a source of the ubiquitous cosmic radiation in the universe which consists mainly of protons rich in energy, which race through space at almost the speed of light.

Giant stars undergo dramatic weight loss program

Posted: 14 Apr 2022 09:51 AM PDT

Astronomers have found a slimmer type of red giant star for the first time. These stars have undergone dramatic weight loss, possibly due to a greedy companion. The discovery is an important step forward to understanding the life of stars in the Milky Way -- our closest stellar neighbors.

Seafloor spreading has been slowing down

Posted: 14 Apr 2022 09:50 AM PDT

A new global analysis of the last 19 million years of seafloor spreading rates found they have been slowing down. Geologists want to know why the seafloor is getting sluggish.

Diverse life forms may have evolved earlier than previously thought

Posted: 13 Apr 2022 11:15 AM PDT

Diverse microbial life existed on Earth at least 3.75 billion years ago, suggests a new study that challenges the conventional view of when life began.

Mutations across animal kingdom shed new light on aging

Posted: 13 Apr 2022 10:11 AM PDT

A new study compares the accumulation of mutations across many animal species and has shed new light on decades-old questions about the role of these genetic changes in ageing and cancer. Researchers found that despite huge variation in lifespan and size, different animal species end their natural life with similar numbers of genetic changes.

Early human habitats linked to past climate shifts

Posted: 13 Apr 2022 10:11 AM PDT

A study provides clear evidence for a link between astronomically-driven climate change and human evolution.

A new heat engine with no moving parts is as efficient as a steam turbine

Posted: 13 Apr 2022 10:11 AM PDT

Engineers have developed a heat engine with no moving parts that is as efficient as a steam turbine. The design could someday enable a fully decarbonized power grid, researchers say.

Hubble sheds light on origins of supermassive black holes

Posted: 13 Apr 2022 10:08 AM PDT

Astronomers have identified a rapidly growing black hole in the early universe that is considered a crucial 'missing link' between young star-forming galaxies and the first supermassive black holes. They used data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to make this discovery.

New approach enhances muscle recovery in aged mice

Posted: 13 Apr 2022 06:38 AM PDT

Scientists have developed a promising new method to combat the age-related losses in muscle mass that often accompany immobility after injury or illness. Their technique, demonstrated in mice, arrests the process by which muscles begin to deteriorate at the onset of exercise after a period of inactivity.

Climate change will reshuffle marine ecosystems in unexpected ways

Posted: 12 Apr 2022 05:31 PM PDT

Warming of the oceans due to climate change will mean fewer productive fish species to catch in the future, according to a new study that found as temperatures warm, predator-prey interactions will prevent species from keeping up with the conditions where they could thrive.

Scientists find 'knob' to control magnetic behavior in quantum material

Posted: 12 Apr 2022 01:15 PM PDT

Magnetism, one of the oldest technologies known to humans, is at the forefront of new-age materials that could enable next-generation lossless electronics and quantum computers. Researchers have discovered a new 'knob' to control the magnetic behavior of one promising quantum material, and the findings could pave the way toward novel, efficient and ultra-fast devices.

Melting ice caps may not shut down ocean current

Posted: 08 Apr 2022 02:53 PM PDT

Most simulations of our climate's future may be overly sensitive to Arctic ice melt as a cause of abrupt changes in ocean circulation, according to new research.

Air pollution responsible for 180,000 excess deaths in tropical cities

Posted: 08 Apr 2022 11:29 AM PDT

Around 180,000 avoidable deaths over 14 years in fast-growing tropical cities were caused by a rapid rise in emerging air pollution, a study has revealed.

New link between greenhouse gasses and sea level rise

Posted: 06 Apr 2022 07:17 AM PDT

Researchers have used advanced ocean modelling techniques to reveal how greenhouse gas emissions contribute to warmer oceans and resulting melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.