Science news

• Solid inner, inner core may be relic of Earth’s earliest days

  18-12-2015 23:57
  
  Earth’s innermost inner core may have formed billions of years earlier than previously thought, shortly after the planet’s accretion.
  
  Read more

• Pulsar pair ripples spacetime

  18-12-2015 23:49
  
  A pair of pulsars gives scientists the best evidence so far for gravitational waves, which have yet to be detected directly.
  
  Read more

• Astronauts gear up for space walk to free stalled ISS rail car

  18-12-2015 23:49 via cbc.ca
  Two Americans aboard the International Space Station are gearing up for a spacewalk early next week to free a stalled rail car.
  
  Read more

• Canadian fossil may be oldest mom ever found caring for her young

  18-12-2015 23:06 via cbc.ca
  
  A shrimp-like creature that lived 508 million years ago in seas that are now Canada's Burgess Shale may have been the best mom of her time — and perhaps the earliest animal ever found caring for its young.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Immunotherapy breakthrough now approved as standard of care for advanced melanoma

  18-12-2015 22:17
  A first-of-its-kind (anti-PD-1) immunotherapy was recently approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration as first-line treatment for metastatic melanoma—allowing greater access to this therapy for patients without having to previously receive other prior treatments.
  
  Read more

• PTSD resources lacking for nonveterans

  18-12-2015 22:14
  Researchers report that information and resources regarding effective therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder are not easily available for nonveterans, who can be affected by the condition after crimes, disasters, and accidents. They offer recommendations for improvement.
  
  Read more

• Maintaining salt balance helps insects avoid frosty fate: Could assist with pest control

  18-12-2015 22:14
  For humans, getting chilly is a problem that can usually be solved with a hat and mitts, but for insects it's not so simple. A new study found that for some insects, the key to cold weather survival is in keeping their salt balance in check. That finding could help control pests in the future. Insects make up some 75 percent of all animal species and can carry disease.
  
  Read more

• Magnesium intake may be beneficial in preventing pancreatic cancer

  18-12-2015 22:14
  Researchers have found that magnesium intake may be beneficial in preventing pancreatic cancer. Using information from the VITamins and Lifestyle study, the study analyzed data on more than 66,000 men and women, between the ages of 50 and 76, looking at the direct association between magnesium and pancreatic cancer.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Stroke recovery in mice improved by Ambien, study shows

  18-12-2015 22:12
  Mice that had strokes rebounded significantly faster if they received low doses of a popular sleeping aid, according to researchers. Zolpidem, better known by the trade name Ambien, has long been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating insomnia. But it has never before been definitively shown to enhance recovery from stroke.
  
  Read more

• Extinction of large animals could make climate change worse

  18-12-2015 22:12
  The extinction of large animals from tropical forests could make climate change worse. New research reveals that a decline in fruit-eating animals such as large primates, tapirs and toucans could have a knock-on effect for tree species and carbon capture.
  
  Read more

• How to Destroy a Hard Drive‑Permanently

  18-12-2015 21:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Were the San Bernardino suspects smart to toss theirs into a local lake?
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• How to Destroy a Hard Drive--Permanently

  18-12-2015 21:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Were the San Bernardino suspects smart to toss theirs into a local lake?
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• Beijing issues 2nd smog red alert of the month

  18-12-2015 20:52 via cbc.ca
  
  China's capital Beijing issued its second smog red alert of the month on Friday, triggering vehicle restrictions and forcing schools to close.
  
  Read more

• Fog ferries mercury from the ocean to land animals

  18-12-2015 19:30
  
  Scientists have traced mercury in the waters of the Pacific Ocean to animals, including mountain lions, in California.
  
  Read more

• Ten-year-old concussed patient participates in research to identify biomarkers in mild traumatic brain injuries

  18-12-2015 19:09
  Researchers are looking for a relationship between eye movement and the brain to find biomarkers to help diagnose and treat concussions.
  
  Read more

• Childhood concussions impair brain function

  18-12-2015 19:03
  Pre-adolescent children who have sustained sports-related concussions have impaired brain function two years following injury, new research indicates. Over a million brain injuries are treated annually in the U.S. While organized sports at all levels have implemented safety protocols for preventing and treating head injuries, most pediatric concussions still result from athletic activities.
  
  Read more

• Science fiction and science fantasy can both inspire us: Bob McDonald

  18-12-2015 18:17 via cbc.ca
  
  Once again, Hollywood has captured the imagination of the world with the release of the latest Star Wars film, following on the success of The Martian in the summer. One is pure fantasy, the other science-based, but both can inspire young people and scientists to reach higher.
  
  Read more

• Why some rainbows are all red

  18-12-2015 18:14
  
  Red rainbows are caused by the position of the sun in the sky, appearing more often during sunrise and sunset, new research finds.
  
  Read more

• Candy games stimulate appetite

  18-12-2015 17:34
  At least once a week, two thirds of all children of primary-school age will play an internet game that was created to draw attention to a brand. Most of these advertisements are for snacks and candy. Only 6% of these children are aware that such advergames are advertisements. In the meantime, such games do affect their behavior, research shows.
  
  Read more

• Greenhouse gas emissions from Canadian Arctic aquatic systems dated for the first time

  18-12-2015 17:33
  For the first time, researchers have successfully dated the carbon dioxide and methane emitted by ponds and lakes on Bylot Island, Nunavut. The research team observed significant variability in age and emission rates of greenhouse gases (GHG) from aquatic systems located in a continuous permafrost zone.
  
  Read more

• Brain imaging technology offers new approach for studying Parkinsonian syndromes

  18-12-2015 17:33
  Using a portable device, researchers have identified differences in brain activation patterns associated with postural stability in people with Parkinsonian syndromes and healthy adults. The findings describe the critical role of the prefrontal cortex in balance control and may have implications with respect to detecting and treating Parkinsonian symptoms in the elderly.
  
  Read more

• Upending daily rhythm triggers fat cell growth

  18-12-2015 17:14
  
  Constant production of stress hormone spurs fat growth.
  
  Read more

• Superbug colony behaviors revealed in time lapse video

  18-12-2015 17:05
  A well-known 'superbug' which was thought to have been a static or non-motile organism has been observed showing signs of active motility by scientists.
  
  Read more

• Cassini spacecraft preps for one last flyby of Enceladus

  18-12-2015 17:02
  
  December 19 marks the last time the Cassini spacecraft flies in for a close look at the Saturnian moon Enceladus.
  
  Read more

• Alternative method for the representation of microstructures in polycrystalline materials

  18-12-2015 17:02
  Most solid materials are of polycrystalline nature. New research explains the orientation distributions on large specimen areas, using a scanning electron microscope as a tool.
  
  Read more

• Microfluidic biochip for blood cell counts at the point-of-care

  18-12-2015 17:00
  Microfluidic biochips are developed to perform blood cell counts using only a drop blood. The clinical trials of the biosensor show a high correlation with the standard hematology analyzer counts.
  
  Read more

• Insensitive irritable bowel syndrome studied

  18-12-2015 17:00
  For the first time, biopsies of patients with irritable bowel syndrome have shown that the nerves in their gut wall respond poorly to a cocktail of inflammatory substances. This refutes the previous theory that patients with irritable bowel syndrome have an overly sensitive gut.
  
  Read more

• Tim Peake: Space is 'spectacular'

  18-12-2015 16:41 via bbc.co.uk
  
  UK astronaut Tim Peake says his first three days in space have been better than he imagined.
  
  Read more

• Lake Poopo, Bolivia's 2nd-largest lake, dries up

  18-12-2015 16:24 via cbc.ca
  
  What happens when a lake dries up entirely? In the case of the Lake Poopo in Bolivia, the Andean nation's formerly second largest after the famed Titicaca, the answer is nothing short of devastation.
  
  Read more

• Meteor or Santa's sleigh? Mystery ball of light over N.L. identified

  18-12-2015 16:23 via cbc.ca
  
  It's a bird, it's a plane, it's — Santa taking his sleigh for a test drive? The ball of light spotted streaking across the sky Thursday night was a satellite re-entering the atmosphere.
  
  Read more

• Excavations uncover unique Hebrew inscription showing existence of a Jewish village at Kursi

  18-12-2015 15:54
  This first evidence of a Jewish village on the site strengthens the hypothesis, that until now was no more than folklore, that this is the “Kursi” mentioned in the New Testament as one of the sites where Jesus performed his miracles.
  
  Read more

• Coffee may improve athletic endurance performance

  18-12-2015 15:54
  The caffeine in a morning cup of coffee could help improve athletic endurance, according to a new review study.
  
  Read more

• Almonds may help augment nutrients in diet

  18-12-2015 15:54
  Eating a moderate amount of almonds each day may enrich the diets of adults and their young children. In the study, when parents and children were eating almonds, their Healthy Eating Index increased for total protein foods, seafood and plant proteins and fatty acids, while they ate fewer empty calories.
  
  Read more

• Watching the ribosome at work

  18-12-2015 15:52
  A new statistical method could help to clarify the function of unknown genes. A research team has adapted and tested a filter method from speech signal processing that makes sequencing data more interpretable.
  
  Read more

• Scientists train computer models to accurately simulate nature's variability

  18-12-2015 15:52
  Borrowing insights from techniques used to image cancer, scientists have devised a new method for generating "training images" that can be used to fine-tune models of uncertainty about underground physical processes and structures.
  
  Read more

• Surfing DNA: Enzyme catches a ride to fight infection

  18-12-2015 15:02
  An enzyme crucial to keeping our immune system healthy “surfs” along the strands of DNA inside our cells, scientists have shown for the first time. The researchers used extremely powerful microscopy to watch how the enzyme AID (activation-induced deoxycytidine deaminase) moves around and interacts with other molecules.
  
  Read more

• Nutritional vitamin D supplements do not help treat anemia in dialysis patients

  18-12-2015 15:02
  Vitamin D2 supplements taken for 6 months did not reduce dialysis patients’ need for anemia drugs that stimulate red blood cell production, report investigators at conclusion of the largest randomized clinical trial to date on the effects of nutritional vitamin D in dialysis patients.
  
  Read more

• Dietary cocoa flavanols improve blood vessel function in patients with kidney dysfunction

  18-12-2015 15:02
  Individuals with failing kidneys are at increased risk of developing heart problems, and they're more likely to die from cardiovascular causes than from any other cause. Now investigators suggest that ingesting a drink rich in cocoa flavanols improved blood vessel function and reduced diastolic blood pressure in patients with kidney failure.
  
  Read more

• 3D 'nanobridges' formed using electron beam writing with tiny jets of liquid precursor

  18-12-2015 15:02
  Researchers have demonstrated a new process for rapidly fabricating complex three-dimensional nanostructures from a variety of materials, including metals. The new technique uses nanoelectrospray to provide a continuous supply of liquid precursor, which can include metal ions that are converted to high-purity metal by a focused electron beam.
  
  Read more

• ‘Virtual fossil’ reveals last common ancestor of humans and Neanderthals

  18-12-2015 14:59
  New digital techniques have allowed researchers to predict structural evolution of the skull in the lineage of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals, in an effort to fill in blanks in the fossil record, and provide the first 3D rendering of their last common ancestor. The study suggests populations that led to the lineage split were older than previously thought.
  
  Read more

• Satellites find sustainable energy in cities

  18-12-2015 14:59
  Underground heat islands in cities have an enormous geothermal potential. Warm groundwater can be used to produce sustainable energy for heating and cooling. Researchers have now developed a new method to find underground heat islands: They estimate groundwater temperature from surface temperatures and building densities measured by satellites.
  
  Read more

• Encryption technologies for the era of quantum computers: Effective protection for microdevices

  18-12-2015 14:59
  Engineers have developed encryption technologies for practical applications to protect microdevices from hacker attacks conducted by quantum computers. The team is currently working towards protecting the data against threats of tomorrow with the devices available today.
  
  Read more

• Darwin's finches may face extinction

  18-12-2015 14:59
  Mathematical simulations show parasitic flies may spell extinction for Darwin's finches in the Galapagos Islands, but that pest-control efforts might save the birds that helped inspire the theory of evolution.
  
  Read more

• Is evolution more intelligent than we thought?

  18-12-2015 14:56
  Evolution may be more intelligent than we thought, according to researchers. In a new article, the authors make the case that evolution is able to learn from previous experience, which could provide a better explanation of how evolution by natural selection produces such apparently intelligent designs.
  
  Read more

• Black holes could grow as large as 50 billion suns before their food crumbles into stars, research shows

  18-12-2015 14:56
  Black holes at the heart of galaxies could swell to 50 billion times the mass of the sun before losing the discs of gas they rely on to sustain themselves, according to research.
  
  Read more

• WiFi signals can be exploited to detect attackers

  18-12-2015 14:55
  Physical attacks on devices connected to the Internet can be detected by analysing WiFi signals, computer scientists have discovered.
  
  Read more

• Novel mechanism that helps activated dendritic cells to initiate effective immunity

  18-12-2015 14:55
  Phagocytosis represents a critical innate barrier against infection and serves the clearance of extracellular microbes, infected and dying cells. Different immune cells use phagocytosis for microbial killing, but in dendritic cells (DCs) it mainly serves the processing and presentation of specific molecules (antigens) that are able to alert the immune system and to initiate immune responses. Researchers describe now a mechanism of how the fusion between phagosomes and lysosomes influences the pr
  
  Read more

• Norway's EV purchasing spree is climate friendly, researchers say

  18-12-2015 14:55
  If every other passenger car in Norway is plugged into the electric network by 2020, Europe will have to produce more electricity – mainly from coal-fired power plants – to meet the demand. But it will be a plus for the climate nonetheless.
  
  Read more

• Multiplying teeth, literally

  18-12-2015 14:54
  Researchers have found a way to--literally--multiply teeth. In mice, they were able to extract teeth germs--groups of cells formed early in life that later develop into teeth, split them into two, and then implant the teeth into the mice's jaws, where they developed into two fully functional teeth.
  
  Read more

• Mother frog controls embryo's gene activity

  18-12-2015 14:54
  Frog embryos do not fully control which genes they can turn on or off in the beginning of their development -- but their mother does, through specific proteins in the egg cell, molecular developmental biologists report.
  
  Read more

Follow @ScienceUKnews on Twitter!