Science news

• VIDEO: African rhino death rate increases

  09-03-2016 23:48 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The number of African rhinos killed by poachers has increased for the sixth year in a row.
  
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• Amazing Total Solar Eclipse Photos Show 'Black Hole in the Sky'

  09-03-2016 23:32
  
  Photographers turned out in force to capture views of the spectacular total solar eclipse visible from Indonesia and across Southeast Asia Wednesday (March 9) — and their varied, beautiful images show the many faces of that celestial event. Here's a sampling of the amazing solar eclipse snapshots we found in our mail today. NASA tracked the solar eclipse from Micronesia, capturing stunning video of the moon blocking the sun, and many other eclipse-chasers also had their cameras ready
  
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• Yellowstone bison sent to slaughter as park trims herd

  09-03-2016 23:25
  
  GARDINER, Mont. (AP) — Yellowstone National Park started shipping many of its famous wild bison to slaughter Wednesday to drive down the size of the park's herds and respond to concerns by the livestock industry over a disease carried by the animals.
  
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• Rhino slaughter continues unabated

  09-03-2016 23:15 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The mass slaughter of rhinos increases for a sixth consecutive year, despite a drive to fight poachers by various means.
  
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• Facebook patents system to identify new slang terms before they're cool

  09-03-2016 22:49 via cbc.ca
  
  In an attempt not to become like our parents, Facebook has received a new patent that will help it avoid asking, "Is that what the kids call it?"
  
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• Many Flavors of El Niño Make Prediction Difficult

  09-03-2016 22:45 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Despite optimistic precipitation outlooks for Southern California, the state has received little drought relief
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• Aaaaaaah, Really? You Would Die If You Didn't Sigh

  09-03-2016 22:24
  Now, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and Stanford University have identified the source of sighing, which they classify as a life-sustaining reflex that prevents air sacs located in the lungs, called alveoli, from collapsing. "A human lung has as much surface area as a tennis court, and so that's all folded inside your chest," study co-author Jack Feldman, a professor of neurobiology at UCLA, told Live Science. "The way that nature did it is that there's 500 mi
  
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• Surfers Invent Floating Trash Bin to Clean Up World's Oceans

  09-03-2016 22:23
  
  Two Australian surfers are trying to tackle the planet's water pollution problem head-on, by developing a device that functions as an automated floating trash bin for the world's oceans. The device, called the Seabin, can be placed in the water, attached to a floating dock in a marina, and is connected to an onshore water pump.
  
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• Positive Reinforcement Helps Surgeons Learn

  09-03-2016 22:15 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Teaching physicians implement dog-training techniques to impart complex surgical skills
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• NASA Aims to Launch Troubled Mars Lander in May 2018

  09-03-2016 22:13
  
  NASA has decided to save, rather than scrap, a robotic Mars mission that missed its launch opportunity this month. The space agency is now targeting a May 2018 liftoff for its InSight lander, which will investigate the interior structure of Mars, officials announced today (March 9). NASA had been considering ending the mission after a leak in the vacuum chamber surrounding a key instrument — which was built by the French space agency, known as CNES — couldn't be fixed in time for the
  
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• Cancelled NASA Mars InSight lander launch rescheduled for 2018

  09-03-2016 22:11 via cbc.ca
  
  Instead of scrapping the grounded Mars InSight spacecraft, NASA is shooting for a 2018 launch.
  
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• Skygazers catch flight for prime view of total solar eclipse

  09-03-2016 22:03
  
  Skygazers from around the U.S. caught a flight from Alaska to Hawaii for prime viewing of a total solar eclipse that unfolded over parts of Indonesia and the Indian and Pacific oceans. A dozen eclipse ...
  
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• Zookeeper in North Dakota carrying orphaned kangaroo

  09-03-2016 22:00
  WAHPETON, N.D. (AP) — A keeper at a North Dakota zoo has become a first-time mom. But the baby she carries around the clock in a colorful flannel pouch is not a little human, it's an orphaned kangaroo.
  
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• Feds: Still hope for El Nino drenching Southern California

  09-03-2016 21:31
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Even though Southern California hasn't gotten the drought-busting rainy windfall some might have expected from El Nino, federal scientists hold out hope for the next several weeks.
  
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• Evidence Grows Linking Zika, Microcephaly and Other Nerve Syndromes

  09-03-2016 21:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Studies offer first hints about how the virus might damage the developing brain and fetus 
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• Virtual time machine of Earth's geology now in the cloud

  09-03-2016 21:18
  Cloud-based virtual globes developed by a team led by University of Sydney geologists mean anyone with a smartphone, laptop or computer can now visualize, with unprecedented speed and ease of use, how the Earth evolved geologically.
  
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• Physical activity encouraged more in boys than in girls

  09-03-2016 21:18
  School and family influences on physical activity may be stronger in boys than in girls in Australia, according to a new study.
  
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• White House aware of, reviewing Iranian missile launch - spokesman

  09-03-2016 21:01
  The White House is aware of and reviewing reports of an additional Iranian ballistic missile test, a spokesman said on Wednesday, adding that the administration will determine an appropriate response to the test. At a daily press briefing with reporters, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said it would not be a surprise if there are additional missile launches over the next several days. "We will continue to redouble our efforts with our allies and partners in the region to try to limit Iran's a
  
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• Prehistoric kitchen tools boosted human evolution: study

  09-03-2016 20:54
  
  Developing tools with which to slice and mash their food meant our ancestors needed to chew much less, leaving more time for honing language and other skills instead, evolutionary scientists said Wednesday.
  
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• Readers respond to stress, tattoos, and the universe

  09-03-2016 20:45
  Stress, tattoos, cosmic origins and more reader feedback.
  
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• Finding wonders in fat

  09-03-2016 20:45
  In the latest issue of Science News, Editor in Chief Eva Emerson talks fat cells, thermodynamics, and lead poisoning.
  
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• Computer takes first game in match against Go world champion

  09-03-2016 20:39
  
  The computer program AlphaGo takes the lead in a five-match challenge of the strategy game Go.
  
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• Mars robot launch now scheduled for May 2018: NASA

  09-03-2016 20:38
  
  The launch of a robot that will delve deep beneath the surface of Mars has been rescheduled for May 5, 2018, US space agency NASA said Wednesday.
  
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• Cells from fat mend bone, cartilage, muscle and even the heart

  09-03-2016 20:30
  
  Stem cells and other components of fat can be coerced to grow into bone, cartilage, muscle or to repair the heart.
  
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• Molecules found to counter antibiotic resistance

  09-03-2016 20:20
  
  Molecules made in a lab can foil antibiotic resistance in bacteria.
  
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• Saudi Arabia, Houthis swap prisoners, raising hopes of peace talks

  09-03-2016 20:11
  By Mohammed Ghobari and Angus McDowall CAIRO/RIYADH (Reuters) - A Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said on Wednesday it had exchanged prisoners with its Houthi opponents and also welcomed a pause in combat on the border, prompting hopes of a push to end the year-long war that has killed some 6,000 people. Riyadh's confirmation of a rare confidence-building measure in the conflict came a day after senior Yemeni officials said a delegation from the Houthis, who are allies of the kingdom's arc
  
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• Sticky, stony and sizzling science launching to space station

  09-03-2016 20:00
  NASA's commercial partner Orbital ATK plans to launch its Cygnus spacecraft into orbit on March 22, 2016 atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket for its fifth contracted resupply mission to the International Space Station. The flight, known as Orbital ATK CRS-6, will deliver investigations to the space station to study fire, meteors, regolith, adhesion, and 3-D printing in microgravity.
  
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• Serotonin deficiency implicated in rheumatoid arthritis

  09-03-2016 20:00
  For the first time, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) has been directly implicated in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A new report shows that experimentally-induced RA in serotonin-deficient mice is worse than disease reported in controls and that some effects of RA can be reduced by serotonin or its agonists (compounds that activate serotonin receptors).
  
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• Reconfigurable magnetic nanopatterns

  09-03-2016 20:00
  Scientists have demonstrated a novel approach for designing fully reconfigurable magnetic nanopatterns whose properties and functionality can be programmed and reprogrammed on-demand.
  
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• New intervention program reduces bullying in early childhood

  09-03-2016 20:00
  Physical and relational bullying can happen among children as young as 3- to 5-years-old, but the results of a new study suggest that a relatively short intervention program recently developed by researchers can lead to significant reductions in some of these behaviors.
  
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• Excess heat significantly affects health of migratory workers

  09-03-2016 20:00
  Hot weather is significantly associated with clinical visits among migratory farmworkers compared to other patients, according to a study. Migratory farmworkers are those who travel for agricultural work while seasonal workers do not change homes or travel away from their established homes for work.
  
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• Delivery strategies of chemotherapy to the central nervous system

  09-03-2016 20:00
  The blood-brain barrier and the blood-tumor barrier remain great obstacles to the drug delivery to brain tumors. A new paper reviews the importance of BBB and BTB and the current status and future perspectives of these delivery procedures.
  
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• Dark matter satellites trigger massive birth of stars

  09-03-2016 20:00
  Astronomers are presenting a novel analysis of computer simulations, based on theoretical models, that study the interaction of a dwarf galaxy with a dark satellite.
  
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• Can yoga help those experiencing depression, anxiety or PTSD?

  09-03-2016 20:00
  Across the country, health and human service providers have shown a growing interest in using yoga as an option for treating people who experience mental health problems. But a recent study has found that while there are some promising benefits to using yoga, there isn't yet enough evidence to support the practice as a standalone solution for improving mental health and well-being.
  
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• Work climate contributes significantly to working moms' decision to breastfeed

  09-03-2016 19:58
  Breastfeeding is healthy for baby and for Mom. Research finds there are obstacles to both receiving the full benefits. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continuation of breastfeeding for 12 months or longer. The Affordable Care Act requires employers to provide time and a space for mothers to express milk.
  
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• Risks less likely to be reported by public-health researchers paid by industry or military

  09-03-2016 19:58
  Scientists looking for environmental and occupational health risks are less likely to find them if they have a financial tie to firms that make, use, or dispose of industrial and commercial products, a researcher has found.
  
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• Light helps the transistor laser switch faster

  09-03-2016 19:58
  Light and electrons interact in a complex dance within fiber optic devices. A new study found that in the transistor laser, a device for next-generation high-speed computing, the light and electrons spur one another on to faster switching speeds than any devices available.
  
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• Banning words on Instagram doesn't help, it makes it worse

  09-03-2016 19:58
  Instagram's decision to ban certain words commonly used by pro-eating disorder (pro-ED) communities has produced an unintended effect, a study finds. The use of those terms decreased when they were censored in 2012. But users adapted by simply making up new, almost identical words, driving up participation and support within pro-ED groups by as much as 30 percent.
  
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• Atomic vibrations in nanomaterials

  09-03-2016 19:58
  Researchers have shown for the first time what happens to atomic vibrations when materials are nanosized and how this knowledge can be used to systematically engineer nanomaterials for different applications.
  
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• Vision restored in rabbits following stem cell transplantation

  09-03-2016 19:57
  Scientists have demonstrated a method for generating several key types of eye tissue from human stem cells in a way that mirrors whole eye development.
  
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• Renewable plastic made from carbon dioxide and plants

  09-03-2016 19:57
  Scientists have discovered a novel way to make plastic from carbon dioxide and inedible plant material, such as agricultural waste and grasses. Researchers say the new technology could provide a low-carbon alternative to plastic bottles and other items currently made from petroleum.
  
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• Greenhouse gas 'bookkeeping' turned on its head

  09-03-2016 19:57
  For the first time scientists have looked at the net balance of the three major greenhouse gases -- carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide -- for every region of Earth's landmasses. They found surprisingly, that human-induced emissions of methane and nitrous oxide from ecosystems overwhelmingly surpass the ability of the land to soak up carbon dioxide emissions, which makes the terrestrial biosphere a contributor to climate change.
  
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• First microwhip scorpion from Mesozoic period found in Burmese amber

  09-03-2016 19:57
  It's smaller than a grain of rice, yellowish, trapped in amber and lived 100 million years ago alongside dinosaurs. Meet Electrokoenenia yaksha, a newly described type of microwhip scorpion, or palpigrade, from Myanmar, whose minute fossilized remains have been found, trapped in Burmese amber.
  
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• Being bullied does not lead to higher substance abuse

  09-03-2016 19:57
  Students who were bullied in third grade did not have a greater risk of using drugs or alcohol by ninth grade, a new study concludes. But the researchers found that children who had experienced the highest level of victimization smoked cigarettes or used alcohol at higher rates than high school peers.
  
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• Stem cells regenerate human lens after cataract surgery, restoring vision

  09-03-2016 19:56
  Researchers have developed a new, regenerative medicine approach to remove congenital cataracts in infants, permitting remaining stem cells to regrow functional lenses.
  
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• Protected Majorana states for quantum information

  09-03-2016 19:56
  Quantum technology has the potential to revolutionize computation, cryptography, and simulation of quantum systems. However, quantum states are fragile, and so must be controlled without being measured. Researchers have now demonstrated a key property of Majorana zero modes that protects them from decoherence. The result lends positive support to the existence of Majorana modes, and goes further by showing that they are protected, as predicted theoretically.
  
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• Overfishing devastates spawning aggregations

  09-03-2016 19:56
  Because they are easier to catch and potentially more threatened by nonlethal effects, fish that form spawning aggregations are at particular risk when those aggregations are heavily fished. To address the threat, precautionary management principles that limit or prohibit fishing on spawning aggregations must be implemented, a new report warns.
  
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• Red Planet Triumphs and Defeats: A History of Mars Missions

  09-03-2016 19:52
  
  On March 14, Europe and Russia are scheduled to launch the first phase of the two-part ExoMars program toward the Red Planet. The upcoming ExoMars launch comes just a few years after the failed Russian-Chinese Fobos-Grunt mission, which lifted off in November 2011 but never made it beyond Earth orbit. Since 1960, more than half of all attempted Mars missions have failed.
  
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• Could New Planets Form Around Old Stars, Too? (Video, Images)

  09-03-2016 19:52
  
  The newly released image, which was captured by the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) in Chile, shows a dusty disk around an old double star called IRAS 08544-4431, which lies about 4,000 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation of Vela (The Sails). "Our observations and modeling open a new window to study the physics of these disks, as well as stellar evolution in double stars," study co-author Hans Van Winckel, of the Instituut voor Sterrenkunde in Belgium, said
  
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• This calculator shows how much exercise it takes to burn off a burger and chips

  09-03-2016 19:36
  
  How much roller blading would you have to do to burn off that cheeseburger?
  
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