Science news

• What Would It Take to Prove the Zika–Microcephaly Link

  28-01-2016 23:51 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Public health officials are not yet ready to say the connection is causal
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• Mysterious Sonic Boom Reported Over New Jersey

  28-01-2016 23:51
  
  At least 10 sonic booms have been reported this afternoon (Jan. 28) from southern New Jersey along the East Coast to Long Island, New York, say scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The first sonic boom was recorded at 1:24 p.m. EST (18:24:05 UTC), about 2 miles (3 kilometers) north-northeast of Hammonton, New Jersey, and 37 miles (60 km) south of Trenton, New Jersey. In the following hour and a half, seismometers picked up at least nine other sonic booms along the Eastern Seaboard
  
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• Knowing all the angles: Ancient Babylonians used tricky geometry

  28-01-2016 23:50
  
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ancient Babylonian astronomers were way ahead of their time, using sophisticated geometric techniques that until now had been considered an achievement of medieval European scholars.
  
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• Boom! Watch Neil deGrasse Tyson Drop Mic on B.o.B's Flat-Earth Theory (Video)

  28-01-2016 23:28
  
  The bizarre rap battle between astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and hip-hop artist B.o.B over the shape of the Earth now has a mic-drop moment. On Sunday and Monday (Jan. 24 and Jan. 25), B.o.B — whose real name is Bobby Ray Simmons Jr. —posted a number of photos on Twitter that showed flat horizons, claiming the images are evidence that the Earth is flat. Tyson responded via Twitter, gently pointing out the absurdity of this viewpoint.
  
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• Astronomers spot widest solar system: study

  28-01-2016 23:05
  
  Astronomers have found the widest-known solar system, with a huge planet so far from its star that it takes nearly a million years to complete an orbit, according to a new study.
  
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• Rare falcon chick survives S. American trafficking ordeal

  28-01-2016 22:39
  
  A rare falcon egg stolen from its nest in Chile to be trafficked to Dubai for tens of thousands of dollars survived and hatched a chick, but three others failed to make it.
  
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• Feral dogs take a bite out of Andean wildlife

  28-01-2016 22:37
  
  A survey of a remote park in Ecuador finds feral dogs are a problem for many species of native mammals.
  
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• 'The Astronaut's Tale': New Opera Celebrates Space with Awesome Visual Displays

  28-01-2016 22:32
  
  This weekend, a new opera about space exploration, the universe's creation and one astronaut's journey will play at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) — and audience members will be able to talk to performers and astronomers after several of the shows. The 75-minute opera, "The Astronaut's Tale," opens tonight (Jan. 28) at 8 p.m. EST, followed by a special reception honoring retired NASA astronaut Michael Massimino, who launched on two space shuttle missions to repair the Hubble Spac
  
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• [Working Life] Battling the bureaucracy hydra

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Jörgen Johansson
  
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• [This Week in Science] Visualizing the beginnings of melanoma

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Beverly A. Purnell
  
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• [This Week in Science] Structure of a key spliceosomal complex

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Valda Vinson
  
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• [This Week in Science] Searching sediment for climate signals

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Brent Grocholski
  
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• [This Week in Science] Replacing the Y chromosome

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Beverly A. Purnell
  
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• [This Week in Science] Rehomogenizing the Earth-Moon system

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Brent Grocholski
  
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• [This Week in Science] Patterns of biodiversity change

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Julia Fahrenkamp-Uppenbrink
  
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• [This Week in Science] Nanoclusters just by adding CO

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Phil Szuromi
  
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• [This Week in Science] How cells keep going in the face of adversity

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Stella M. Hurtley
  
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• [This Week in Science] Going to extremes to find superconductivity

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Jelena Stajic
  
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• [This Week in Science] Genetics of bird mating systems

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Julia Fahrenkamp-Uppenbrink
  
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• [This Week in Science] Environmental changes bridge evolutionary valleys

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Philip Yeagle
  
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• [This Week in Science] Doubling down on polymerization

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Phil Szuromi
  
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• [This Week in Science] Babylonian astronomers tracked Jupiter

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Keith T. Smith
  
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• [This Week in Science] Antisense now makes sense

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Megan Frisk
  
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• [This Week in Science] All T cells can remember

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Kristen L. Mueller
  
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• [This Week in Science] Airway infections put to an acid test

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Paula A. Kiberstis
  
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• [This Week in Science] A special way to make T

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Guy Riddihough
  
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• [This Week in Science] A silent and periodic earthquake trigger

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Brent Grocholski
  
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• [This Week in Science] A MEK threshold in the placenta

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Nancy R. Gough
  
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• [Technical Response] Response to Comment on “Worldwide evidence of a unimodal relationship between productivity and plant species richness”

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Tredennick et al. criticize one of our statistical analyses and emphasize the low explanatory power of models relating productivity to diversity. These criticisms do not detract from our key findings, including evidence consistent with the unimodal constraint relationship predicted by the humped-back model and evidence of scale sensitivities in the form and strength of the relationship.
  Authors: Jason Pither, Lauchlan H. Fraser, Anke Jentsch, Marcelo Sternberg, Martin Zobel, James Cahill, Carl B
  
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• [Technical Comment] Comment on “Worldwide evidence of a unimodal relationship between productivity and plant species richness”

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Fraser et al. (Reports, 17 July 2015, p. 302) report a unimodal relationship between productivity and species richness at regional and global scales, which they contrast with the results of Adler et al. (Reports, 23 September 2011, p. 1750). However, both data sets, when analyzed correctly, show clearly and consistently that productivity is a poor predictor of local species richness.
  Authors: Andrew T. Tredennick, Peter B. Adler, James B. Grace, W. Stanley Harpole, Elizabeth T. Borer, Eric W. Se
  
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• [Research Article] Translation from the 5′ untranslated region shapes the integrated stress response

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Translated regions distinct from annotated coding sequences have emerged as essential elements of the proteome. This includes upstream open reading frames (uORFs) present in mRNAs controlled by the integrated stress response (ISR) that show “privileged” translation despite inhibited eukaryotic initiation factor 2–guanosine triphosphate–initiator methionyl transfer RNA (eIF2·GTP·Met-tRNAiMet). We developed tracing translation by T cells to directly measure the translation products of uO
  
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• [Research Article] The 3.8 Å structure of the U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP: Insights into spliceosome assembly and catalysis

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Splicing of precursor messenger RNA is accomplished by a dynamic megacomplex known as the spliceosome. Assembly of a functional spliceosome requires a preassembled U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP complex, which comprises the U5 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP), the U4 and U6 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) duplex, and a number of protein factors. Here we report the three-dimensional structure of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae U4/U6.U5 tri-snRNP at an overall resolution of 3.8 angstroms by single-particle electr
  
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• [Research Article] A zebrafish melanoma model reveals emergence of neural crest identity during melanoma initiation

  28-01-2016 22:17
  The “cancerized field” concept posits that cancer-prone cells in a given tissue share an oncogenic mutation, but only discreet clones within the field initiate tumors. Most benign nevi carry oncogenic BRAFV600E mutations but rarely become melanoma. The zebrafish crestin gene is expressed embryonically in neural crest progenitors (NCPs) and specifically reexpressed in melanoma. Live imaging of transgenic zebrafish crestin reporters shows that within a cancerized field (BRAFV600E-mutant; p53-d
  
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• [Report] Two genes substitute for the mouse Y chromosome for spermatogenesis and reproduction

  28-01-2016 22:17
  The mammalian Y chromosome is considered a symbol of maleness, as it encodes a gene driving male sex determination, Sry, as well as a battery of other genes important for male reproduction. We previously demonstrated in the mouse that successful assisted reproduction can be achieved when the Y gene contribution is limited to only two genes, Sry and spermatogonial proliferation factor Eif2s3y. Here, we replaced Sry by transgenic activation of its downstream target Sox9, and Eif2s3y, by transgenic
  
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• [Report] Simultaneous covalent and noncovalent hybrid polymerizations

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Covalent and supramolecular polymers are two distinct forms of soft matter, composed of long chains of covalently and noncovalently linked structural units, respectively. We report a hybrid system formed by simultaneous covalent and supramolecular polymerizations of monomers. The process yields cylindrical fibers of uniform diameter that contain covalent and supramolecular compartments, a morphology not observed when the two polymers are formed independently. The covalent polymer has a rigid aro
  
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• [Report] Periodic slow slip triggers megathrust zone earthquakes in northeastern Japan

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Both aseismic and seismic slip accommodate relative motion across partially coupled plate-boundary faults. In northeastern Japan, aseismic slip occurs in the form of decelerating afterslip after large interplate earthquakes and as relatively steady slip on uncoupled areas of the subduction thrust. Here we report on a previously unrecognized quasi-periodic slow-slip behavior that is widespread in the megathrust zone. The repeat intervals of the slow slip range from 1 to 6 years and often coincide
  
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• [Report] Oxygen isotopic evidence for vigorous mixing during the Moon-forming giant impact

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Earth and the Moon are shown here to have indistinguishable oxygen isotope ratios, with a difference in Δ′17O of −1 ± 5 parts per million (2 standard error). On the basis of these data and our new planet formation simulations that include a realistic model for primordial oxygen isotopic reservoirs, our results favor vigorous mixing during the giant impact and therefore a high-energy, high-angular-momentum impact. The results indicate that the late veneer impactors had an average Δ′17O w
  
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• [Report] Most microbe-specific naïve CD4+ T cells produce memory cells during infection

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Infection elicits CD4+ memory T lymphocytes that participate in protective immunity. Although memory cells are the progeny of naïve T cells, it is unclear that all naïve cells from a polyclonal repertoire have memory cell potential. Using a single-cell adoptive transfer and spleen biopsy method, we found that in mice, essentially all microbe-specific naïve cells produced memory cells during infection. Different clonal memory cell populations had different B cell or macrophage helper compositi
  
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• [Report] Enhanced East Pacific Rise hydrothermal activity during the last two glacial terminations

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Mid-ocean ridge magmatism is driven by seafloor spreading and decompression melting of the upper mantle. Melt production is apparently modulated by glacial-interglacial changes in sea level, raising the possibility that magmatic flux acts as a negative feedback on ice-sheet size. The timing of melt variability is poorly constrained, however, precluding a clear link between ridge magmatism and Pleistocene climate transitions. Here we present well-dated sedimentary records from the East Pacific Ri
  
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• [Report] Emergence of superconductivity in the canonical heavy-electron metal YbRh2Si2

  28-01-2016 22:17
  The smooth disappearance of antiferromagnetic order in strongly correlated metals commonly furnishes the development of unconventional superconductivity. The canonical heavy-electron compound YbRh2Si2 seems to represent an apparent exception from this quantum critical paradigm in that it is not a superconductor at temperature T ≥ 10 millikelvin (mK). Here we report magnetic and calorimetric measurements on YbRh2Si2, down to temperatures as low as T ≈ 1 mK. The data reveal the development of
  
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• [Report] Ancient Babylonian astronomers calculated Jupiter’s position from the area under a time-velocity graph

  28-01-2016 22:17
  The idea of computing a body’s displacement as an area in time-velocity space is usually traced back to 14th-century Europe. I show that in four ancient Babylonian cuneiform tablets, Jupiter’s displacement along the ecliptic is computed as the area of a trapezoidal figure obtained by drawing its daily displacement against time. This interpretation is prompted by a newly discovered tablet on which the same computation is presented in an equivalent arithmetical formulation. The tablets date fr
  
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• [Report] An unprecedented mechanism of nucleotide methylation in organisms containing thyX

  28-01-2016 22:17
  In several human pathogens, thyX-encoded flavin-dependent thymidylate synthase (FDTS) catalyzes the last step in the biosynthesis of thymidylate, one of the four DNA nucleotides. ThyX is absent in humans, rendering FDTS an attractive antibiotic target; however, the lack of mechanistic understanding prohibits mechanism-based drug design. Here, we report trapping and characterization of two consecutive intermediates, which together with previous crystal structures indicate that the enzyme’s redu
  
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• [Report] Airway acidification initiates host defense abnormalities in cystic fibrosis mice

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the gene that encodes the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) anion channel. In humans and pigs, the loss of CFTR impairs respiratory host defenses, causing airway infection. But CF mice are spared. We found that in all three species, CFTR secreted bicarbonate into airway surface liquid. In humans and pigs lacking CFTR, unchecked H+ secretion by the nongastric H+/K+ adenosine triphosphatase (ATP12A) acidified airway surface li
  
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• [Report] Activation of Cu(111) surface by decomposition into nanoclusters driven by CO adsorption

  28-01-2016 22:17
  The (111) surface of copper (Cu), its most compact and lowest energy surface, became unstable when exposed to carbon monoxide (CO) gas. Scanning tunneling microscopy revealed that at room temperature in the pressure range 0.1 to 100 Torr, the surface decomposed into clusters decorated by CO molecules attached to edge atoms. Between 0.2 and a few Torr CO, the clusters became mobile in the scale of minutes. Density functional theory showed that the energy gain from CO binding to low-coordinated Cu
  
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• [Policy Forum] How can higher-yield farming help to spare nature?

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Expansion of land area used for agriculture is a leading cause of biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the tropics. One potential way to reduce these impacts is to increase food production per unit area (yield) on existing farmland, so as to minimize farmland area and to spare land for habitat conservation or restoration. There is now widespread evidence that such a strategy could benefit a large proportion of wild species, provided that spared land is conserved as nat
  
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• [Perspective] Tracking the origins of tumorigenesis

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Cancer arises through mutations that transform normal cells into cells that proliferate in an uncontrolled manner, form a tumor, invade the underlying tissue, and then metastasize to distant organs (1). Although the genetic events required to induce tumor formation are relatively well known (2), the additional early downstream molecular events that are required to reprogram normal cells into cancer cells are still poorly understood. On page 464 of this issue, Kaufman et al. report the developmen
  
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• [Perspective] Prescription drugs obscure microbiome analyses

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Although observations linking members of the gut microbiome to human disease have been plentiful, some are fraught with complex and confounding variables, emphasizing the need for vetting such associations with greater computational and mechanistic rigor. A recent study by Forslund et al. (1) adds another dimension for consideration by illustrating how medications may adversely affect the microbiome—an interaction often overlooked in post hoc analyses of disease-microbe relationships.
  Author:
  
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• [Perspective] How ecosystems change

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Human impacts on the planet, including anthropogenic climate change, are reshaping ecosystems in unprecedented ways. To meet the challenge of conserving biodiversity in this rapidly changing world, we must understand how ecological assemblages respond to novel conditions (1). However, species in ecosystems are not fixed entities, even without human-induced change. All ecosystems experience natural turnover in species presence and abundance. Taking account of this baseline turnover in conservatio
  
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• [Perspective] Avian supergenes

  28-01-2016 22:17
  As the extravagant displays of birds of paradise remind us, many birds go to great lengths to pass their genes on to the next generation. Recent papers explore the genetic basis of the reproductive strategies in two bird species: the ruff (Philomachus pugnax) (1, 2) and the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) (3). In each species, striking variation in both plumage and behavior is controlled in concert via the inheritance of coadapted gene complexes (supergenes) in large chromosomal
  
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• [Letter] Tropical dams: To build or not to build?

  28-01-2016 22:17
  Author: Philip M. Fearnside
  
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