Science news

• Healthy Eating Trick: Use Tech to Order Food

  22-04-2016 23:43
  In a third experiment, researchers asked students to choose between a Twix and a banana for a snack. When students made their choice out loud, 62 percent chose the Twix. In comparison, when the students chose by pushing a button, 35 percent chose the Twix, and when they wrote down their choice, 43 percent chose the Twix.
  
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• Zap! Sparking the Brain Stimulates Creativity

  22-04-2016 23:42
  That spark of creativity you crave might begin with a tiny zap. Results showed an in increase in creative thinking after the zaps, demonstrating for the first time that electrical stimulation can enhance creativity, the researchers said. But before you try the DIY route by licking your finger and sticking it in a socket, the researchers warned that they are in the early stages of understanding how electrical stimulation may enhance thought.
  
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• This Look Makes Candidates More Electable

  22-04-2016 23:42
  Researchers found that Americans preferred to vote for candidates who appeared more competent, according to the study, published today (April 21) in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science. Chinese participants, on the other hand, valued candidates who appeared to have better social skills, the researchers found. It turned out that the appearance of competence, or the ability to complete certain goals, was more important to American participants, while the appearance of "social
  
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• How Your Diet Affects Your Risk of Colon Polyps

  22-04-2016 23:41
  Eating foods known to promote inflammation may increase a person's risk of developing polyps in the large intestine, or colon, a new study finds. "Inflammation is very consistently associated with [a person's] risk of colon cancer," said Dr. Roberd Bostick, a professor of epidemiology at Emory University in Georgia and the senior author on the study that was presented here Tuesday (April 19) at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting. In the study, the researchers used a "f
  
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• Solar plane's pilot speaks with UN leader from over Pacific

  22-04-2016 23:06
  
  OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN (AP) — The pilot of a solar-powered plane on an around-the-world journey took a few minutes Friday to exchange pleasantries with the United Nations secretary general as he flew high above the Pacific Ocean enroute to a stop in Northern California.
  
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• Cell-penetrating peptide delivers drugs on a molecular level

  22-04-2016 22:36
  Medical researchers have developed a novel cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) technology capable of carrying other molecular “cargos” directly into living cells, coupling with them and then successfully uncoupling after delivering its payload. Cargos can be therapeutic molecules like antibodies that fight against parasites and diseases, or anti-cancer proteins.
  
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• Scientists discover new reef system at mouth of Amazon River

  22-04-2016 22:34
  As large rivers empty into the world's oceans in areas known as plumes, they typically create gaps in the reef distribution along the tropical shelves--something that makes finding a reef in the Amazon River plume an unexpected discovery.
  
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• Hearing impairment linked to type 2 diabetes

  22-04-2016 22:34
  A review of studies of possible linkages between type 2 diabetes and hearing impairment concludes there is compelling evidence that diabetes can damage the auditory system, and that clinicians should include hearing testing in managing type 2 diabetes.
  
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• Mobility assessment tool may help predict early postoperative outcomes for older adults

  22-04-2016 22:32
  A quick, reliable and cost-effective mobility assessment tool may help to identify elderly patients at risk for adverse post-surgery outcomes.
  
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• Old-growth forests may provide buffer against rising temperatures

  22-04-2016 22:31
  The soaring canopy and dense understory of an old-growth forest could provide a buffer for plants and animals in a warming world, according to a new study.
  
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• New state of water molecule discovered

  22-04-2016 22:31
  Neutron scattering and computational modeling have revealed unique and unexpected behavior of water molecules under extreme confinement that is unmatched by any known gas, liquid or solid states.
  
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• Corals most important for building reefs are now in sharp decline

  22-04-2016 22:31
  Staghorns, the very corals responsible for establishing today's reefs, are now some of the most threatened coral species due to climate change and other human-made stressors.
  
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• Beyond milkweed: Monarchs face habitat, nectar threats

  22-04-2016 22:31
  In the face of scientific dogma that faults the population decline of monarch butterflies on a lack of milkweed, herbicides and genetically modified crops, a new study casts wider blame: sparse autumnal nectar sources, weather and habitat fragmentation.
  
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• Mind-controlled drones show off latest in brain tech

  22-04-2016 22:28 via cbc.ca
  
  In what is being billed as a world first, 16 people race aerial drones against each other, piloting them with their minds.
  
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• Volatile Sakurajima Volcano is a Lightning Laboratory

  22-04-2016 21:55
  
  Jeffrey Johnson, associate professor of geosciences at Boise State University, contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights. Japan is a country of volcanoes, and Sakurajima is one of its most infamous. Its notoriety stems from its poor behavior in 1914, when powerful explosions and pyroclastic flows forced the evacuation of the small volcanic island.
  
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• For Social Work to Work, People Need to Know They Belong (Op-Ed)

  22-04-2016 21:54
  Belonging is a psychological lever that has broad consequences for people's interests, motivation, health and happiness, suggests Gregory Walton, a psychologist at Stanford University in California who has published a series of studies on the subject. In social work, it's just as important to help vulnerable clients build meaningful relationships and increase their sense of community as it is to deliver direct services, like food and shelter. When social service agencies fill basic needs for the
  
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• Solar-powered plane resumes round-the-world trip with dangerous flight to Calif.

  22-04-2016 21:30 via cbc.ca
  
  The solar-powered airplane whose record-setting, round-the-world flight was put on hold in July by weather and battery trouble has resumed its course and is now mid-air on a dangerous stretch over the Pacific, its mission control says.
  
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• Dry soil to absorb some snowmelt heading to Colorado River

  22-04-2016 20:53
  
  DENVER (AP) — Storms brought deep snow to the mountains that feed the vital Colorado River this winter and spring, but the dried-out landscape will soak up some of the runoff before it can reach the river and the 40 million people depending on it for water.
  
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• 108-Year-Old Message in a Bottle Is Oldest Ever Found

  22-04-2016 20:41
  
  The oldest message in a bottle spent 108 years, 4 months and 18 days at sea. This year, Guinness World Records recognized it as the oldest message in a bottle ever found. One of more than 1,000 bottles thrown into the North Sea by marine biologist George Parker Bidder, the bottle was part of a research project on the patterns of ocean currents.
  
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• Mind. Blown. Brain-controlled drone race pushes future tech

  22-04-2016 20:31
  
  GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Wearing black headsets with tentacle-like sensors stretched over their foreheads, the competitors stare at cubes floating on computer screens as their small white drones prepare for takeoff.
  
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• U.N. says Yemen peace talks atmosphere shows progress

  22-04-2016 20:27
  By Mohammed Ghobari KUWAIT (Reuters) - Yemen's warring factions held their first direct talks in a U.N.-backed peace process on Friday and will meet again despite failing to agree on an agenda, participants said. The United Nations envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said the meetings in Kuwait had been constructive and the positive atmosphere was a step forward in efforts to end the conflict.
  
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• Trust in the cloud could be pinned to online scoring system

  22-04-2016 20:17
  An easy-to-use online tool to help build people's trust in the cloud has been developed by computer scientists. Cloud computing is widely recognized as a highly useful technology, with multiple benefits such as huge data storage capabilities, computational power, lower costs for companies and individuals, simplicity of use, and flexibility of application.
  
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• Look Up! Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight, with Slooh Webcast

  22-04-2016 20:14
  
  The Lyrid meteor shower will peak overnight tonight (April 22), and you can watch and learn about this annual event during a free webcast from the Slooh Community Observatory. Slooh's 5-hour-long Lyrids show will feature expert commentary and views from observatories in Chile, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa.
  
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• Investigators reduce sugar content of yogurt without reducing sweetness

  22-04-2016 20:12
  A team from a Danish food ingredients company has manipulated the metabolic properties of yogurt-producing bacteria to sweeten the yogurt naturally, while reducing sugar in the final product. Similar manipulations have also all but eliminated lactose, so that those with lactose intolerance can also enjoy the yogurt. They have accomplished all of this using microbiological methods that predate the era of genetic technologies.
  
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• Genes that control smooth muscle contraction identified

  22-04-2016 20:12
  A new molecular pathway has been identified that is critical for maintaining the smooth muscle tone that allows the passage of materials through the digestive system.
  
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• Effectiveness of extractive industries transparency initiative explored

  22-04-2016 20:12
  A political researcher has authored a report on the effectiveness of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in improving transparency and domestic government in resource rich countries suffering from the 'resource curse.'
  
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• Cell death mechanism may, paradoxically, enable aggressive pancreatic cells to live on

  22-04-2016 20:12
  The most aggressive form of pancreatic cancer -- often described as one of the hardest malignancies to diagnose and treat -- thrives in the presence of neighboring tumor cells undergoing a particular form of 'orchestrated cell death,' according to a major study.
  
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• The unique challenges of conserving forest giants

  22-04-2016 20:11
  The redwood and sequoia trees in California, the baobab trees in Madagascar, and the rose gum Eucalyptus trees in northeastern Australia are only a few of the spectacular large, old trees still growing today. Protecting these trees, some hundreds or thousands of years old, requires thinking long-term about concerns such as their unique habitat needs and the impacts of climate change, researchers find.
  
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• Does Spaceflight Cause Liver Damage?

  22-04-2016 20:03
  
  Mice that spent less than two weeks in space back in 2011 — during STS-135, the final mission of NASA's space shuttle program — came back to Earth showing signs of early-stage liver disease, a new study reports. These are all indicators of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), researchers said. "It generally takes a long time, months to years, to induce fibrosis in mice, even when eating an unhealthy diet," study lead author Karen Jonscher, a physicist and associate professo
  
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• Bacteria use cool trick to make ice

  22-04-2016 20:00
  
  By reordering nearby water molecules, Pseudomonas syringae bacteria can make ice.
  
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• Sci-Tech Visionaries Gather for 'Future Is Here' Festival

  22-04-2016 19:57
  This weekend, hundreds of scientists, tech visionaries and industry leaders will flock to the nation's capital for Smithsonian magazine's "Future Is Here" festival, a three-day event that explores research and innovations at the intersection of science and science fiction. "It's an explosion of creativity — it's really a unique program," said Michael Caruso, editor in chief of Smithsonian magazine, which is hosting the event. "The theme of the whole thing is science meets science fiction.
  
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• 175 states signing landmark Paris deal on climate change

  22-04-2016 19:43
  
  UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Leaders from at least 175 countries were signing the Paris Agreement on climate change Friday as the landmark deal took a key step forward, potentially entering into force years ahead of schedule.
  
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• Nations sign historic Paris climate deal

  22-04-2016 19:26 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Amid hope and hype, delegates have finished signing the Paris climate agreement at UN headquarters in New York.
  
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• Gelada monkeys know their linguistic math

  22-04-2016 19:10
  
  The vocalizations of gelada monkeys observe a mathematical principle seen in human language, a new study concludes.
  
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• Dutch fountain runs on sunshine and air

  22-04-2016 18:58
  AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch sculpture presented on Earth Day spouts water 6 meters high without using conventional water or power sources in what creators hope will inspire new ways to ease resource shortages in drought-prone climates.
  
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• Warring Yemen parties disagree on peace talks agenda

  22-04-2016 18:40
  By Mohammed Ghobari KUWAIT (Reuters) - Yemen's warring factions failed to agree on an agenda for U.N-backed peace negotiations in Kuwait on Friday after their first direct meeting but the effort will continue, participants said. The talks in Kuwait, which opened late on Thursday, bring together the Iran-allied Houthi movement and its General People's Congress (GPC) party allies with the Saudi-backed government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. The talks seek a solution to a conflict wh
  
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• Novel collagen fingerprinting identifies a Neanderthal bone among 2,000 fragments

  22-04-2016 18:07
  Scientists have used a new molecular fingerprinting technique to identify one Neanderthal bone from around 2,000 bone fragments. All the tiny pieces of bone were recovered from a key archaeological site, Denisova Cave in Russia, with the remaining fragments found to be from animal species like mammoths, woolly rhino, wolf and reindeer. It is the first time that researchers have identified traces of an extinct human from an archaeological site using a technique called 'Zooarchaeology by Mass Spec
  
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• This is what actually happens to your body during a marathon (and it's a bit scary)

  22-04-2016 18:04
  
  GP Dr Paul Stillman explains what happens to different parts of the body during a gruelling 26.2-mile race.
  
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• Recent earthquakes come from Seismic Gap

  22-04-2016 17:58 via cbc.ca
  
  Johanna Wagstaffe explains science behind severe quakes in Japan and Ecuador
  
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• This tweet might just have ended the whole chicken and egg debate forever

  22-04-2016 17:56
  
  Or maybe it has just created a new thread of debate.
  
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• Paperbark tree to unlock climate change

  22-04-2016 17:56
  Synonymous with the Australian landscape, the paperbark tree is most recognized for its distinctive bark, but it is the leaves that have found themselves at the center of research which could provide crucial insights into climate change. The research found Melaleuca leaves preserved in ancient wetlands could be used to reconstruct past rainfall activity.
  
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• New study investigates the environmental cues dolphins use to migrate on the Atlantic coast of North America

  22-04-2016 17:56
  Seasonal migration patterns of bottlenose dolphins -- what we know for sure? With the changing of the seasons comes the urge to migrate for many animals of the world, whether they be furred, feathered, or even finned. One finned animal in particular, the common bottlenose dolphin, undertakes seasonal migrations each spring and fall, but how the dolphins know when to migrate has not always been clear. It was usually assumed that their southern migration begins when the ocean waters drop in temper
  
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• How skeletal stem cells form the blueprint of the face

  22-04-2016 17:56
  Timing is everything when it comes to the development of the vertebrate face. In a new study, researchers have identified the roles of key molecular signals that control this critical timing.
  
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• When beauty becomes the beast: Research efforts successfully combat invasive species

  22-04-2016 17:55
  New research helps halt the spread of non-native plants into natural wooded areas, giving native plants a fighting chance and the opportunity to re-establish themselves.
  
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• Expedition captures animal selfies in Amazon Rainforest

  22-04-2016 17:55
  A team of scientists set up camera traps in Peru to record the biodiversity of that area of the Amazon Rainforest.
  
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• Critical to screen patients with rheumatoid arthritis for hearing impairment

  22-04-2016 17:55
  The objective of a new review is to evaluate published clinical reports related to hearing impairment in patients with RA. Furthermore, researchers discuss possible pathologies and associated factors as well as new treatment modalities.
  
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• Changing the world, one fridge at a time

  22-04-2016 17:55
  To help change the world, have a look inside your fridge -- this is one of the messages contained in a new article. Food waste has attained monumental proportions in both the developed and developing worlds, and the sum of individual consumer's actions can have major impacts on a global scale, according to the article's author.
  
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• Attosecond physics: Understanding the microcosmos

  22-04-2016 17:55
  With the aid of terahertz radiation, physicists have developed a method for generating and controlling ultrashort electron pulses. With further improvements, this technique should be capable of capturing even electrons in motion.
  
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• Thin-film solar cells: How defects appear and disappear in CIGSe cells

  22-04-2016 17:53
  Scientists have investigated the deposition of thin chalcopyrite layers. They were able to observe specific defects as these formed during deposition and under what conditions they self-healed using the BESSY II X-ray source at the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin. The results of their research provide clues to optimizing fabrication processes.
  
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• Researchers uncover 'local heroes' of immune system

  22-04-2016 17:53
  The genes Hobit and Blimp1 have been identified, and researchers have found that these genes control a universal molecular program responsible for placing immune cells at the 'front lines' of the body to fight infection and cancer.
  
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