Science news

• U.S. traders reject GMO crops that lack global approval

  06-05-2016 23:23
  
  (Reuters) - Across the U.S. Farm Belt, top grain handlers have banned genetically modified crops that are not approved in all major overseas markets, shaking up a decades-old system that used the world's biggest exporting country as a launchpad for new seeds from companies like Monsanto Co.
  
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• Scientists cite evidence that mosasaurs were warm-blooded

  06-05-2016 22:04
  Mosasaurs – an extinct group of aquatic reptiles that thrived during the Late Cretaceous period – possibly were “endotherms,” or warm-blooded creatures. Mosasurs were large aquatic reptiles that went extinct at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 66 million years ago.
  
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• Study offers clues to better rainfall predictions

  06-05-2016 22:01
  Seawater salinity depends largely on how much moisture is evaporated as winds sweep over the ocean. But pinpointing where the moisture rains back down is a complicated question scientists have long contended with. Scientists have now found a potential path to better seasonal rainfall predictions. Their study shows a clear link between higher sea surface salinity levels in the North Atlantic and increased rainfall on land in the African Sahel.
  
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• Scientists track Greenland's ice melt with seismic waves

  06-05-2016 22:01
  Researchers have developed a new technique to monitor the seasonal changes in Greenland's ice sheet, using seismic vibrations generated by crashing ocean waves. The results may help scientists pinpoint regions of the ice sheet that are most vulnerable to melting. The technique may also set better constraints on how the world's ice sheets contribute to global sea-level changes.
  
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• 'Hammerhead' creature was world's first plant-eating marine reptile

  06-05-2016 22:01
  Newly-discovered fossils of the Triassic marine reptile Atopodentatus unicus have revealed that the animal had a bizarre hammerhead-shaped jaw apparatus. It used its strange jaw to feed on plants, making it the first herbivorous marine reptile.
  
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• First safe way to deliver drugs to the placenta

  06-05-2016 22:01
  Scientists provide proof of principle for safe, targeted delivery of drugs to the placenta during pregnancy, for the first time. The discovery could one day help prevent some premature births and treat complications such as preeclampsia, a condition characterized by high blood pressure and sometimes fluid retention.
  
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• Deadly fungus threatens African frogs

  06-05-2016 22:01
  Misty mountains, glistening forests and blue-green lakes make Cameroon, the wettest part of Africa, a tropical wonderland for amphibians. Africa has been mostly spared from the deadly and rampant pathogen that wiped out entire species in Australia, Madagascar and Panama -- until now.
  
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• Clinicians need to screen 'nicotine naive' teenagers for vaping, says addictions expert

  06-05-2016 22:01
  An addictions expert calls on clinicians to screen for vaping among teens, who are either uninformed or misinformed about the dangers and risks associated with electronic cigarettes.
  
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• Antibody therapy opens door to potential new treatment for HIV

  06-05-2016 22:01
  Researchers are developing an antibody-based drug that may provide a better strategy for long-term control of HIV. New results from a clinical trial suggest that a single dose of a so-called broadly neutralizing antibody enables patients' immune systems to better fight the virus.
  
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• Why polar bear poop at the Winnipeg Zoo has a bit of a shine

  06-05-2016 21:43 via cbc.ca
  
  For the past two years polar bears held at the zoo have had a special ingredient in their diet - glitter.Several different colours of glitter are used to track fecal samples from the bears. The glitter is added to ground horse meat and then fed to the animals. Each bear is assigned its own colour so that zoo keepers know which poop belongs to which bear.
  
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• Fire forecaster sees extreme fire season ahead in 2016

  06-05-2016 21:19 via cbc.ca
  
  Meteorologist Claire Martin forecasts a rough fire season for Canada's northern communities. El Nino and climate change have set the conditions for more of what we've seen around Fort McMurray.
  
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• Nailed it: scientists describe weird ancient hammerhead reptile

  06-05-2016 20:58
  
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - It was a creature so outlandish that scientists say it reminds them of the fanciful beasts conjured up by Dr. Seuss. But would the famous children's book author have thought up a marine reptile with a hammerhead snout it used to snack on algae?
  
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• Crocodile eyes are optimized for lurking

  06-05-2016 20:28
  
  Crocodiles hang out at the water’s surface, waiting for a meal. A new study shows their eyes are optimized for spotting their prey from this position.
  
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• Mercury Transit of the Sun: Why Is It So Rare?

  06-05-2016 20:17
  
  Mercury will cross the sun's face from Earth's perspective on Monday (May 9) in the first such "transit" since 2006, and the last until 2019. Most of the world will be in position to witness Monday's Mercury transit, weather permitting, though observers will need a telescope to see it well. Mercury completes one lap around the sun every 88 days, so the little planet crosses the plane of Earth's orbit every 44 days — once while moving "up" and again while coming back "down." These points of
  
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• 'Textalyzer' law to catch texting drivers raises privacy concerns

  06-05-2016 20:06 via cbc.ca
  
  A proposed New York state law that would allow police to test technology to check if drivers had been texting and driving before a crash — without a warrant — is causing controversy.
  
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• How sleep patterns differ by sex, age and country revealed by app

  06-05-2016 20:00 via cbc.ca
  
  Smartphone app data hint at how societal pressures to sacrifice sleep overtake cues from the sun to contribute to a "global sleep crisis," a new study suggests.
  
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• Torn apart by Canadian wildfire, families face anxious future

  06-05-2016 19:28
  By Rod Nickel and Liz Hampton LAC LA BICHE/CONKLIN, Alberta (Reuters) - After she and her husband fled in different directions as a wildfire burnt mercilessly through Canada's Fort McMurray, Erin Naughton faces another difficult task: how to keep her family going until they can return to the city they call home. While some families are sticking together, many others are being forced to consider a fresh start elsewhere - or separate from loved ones - after their homes were destroyed in a city whe
  
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• Why 'sharks get cancer, mole rats don't'

  06-05-2016 19:25
  A new book by a radiation oncologist explores how animals can help us understand how the immune system can be used to fight cancer.
  
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• Small and powerful: Pushing the boundaries of nano-magnets

  06-05-2016 19:25
  Researchers built extremely small, thermally stable magnetic particles with magnetic properties comparable to some rare earth magnets, the strongest permanent magnets ever created. These tiny magnets are as small as 5 nanometers, a million times smaller than an ant.
  
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• Scientist will use satellite data to study lightning that sizzles

  06-05-2016 19:25
  Researchers want to learn more about long-stroke lightning that makes things sizzle.
  
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• Tiny genetic switches found in lizard tail regeneration

  06-05-2016 19:23
  Any kid who pulls on a lizard tail knows it can drop off to avoid capture, but how they regrow a new tail remains a mystery. Now, researchers have identified tiny RNA switches, known as microRNAs, which may hold the keys to regenerating muscles, cartilage and spinal columns.
  
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• Team highlights ways to address global food system challenges

  06-05-2016 19:23
  A new study presents strategies to address the complex challenges of producing food for a growing global population, while reducing environmental impacts and increasing resilience in the face of climate change.
  
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• Apples or fries: When apples are the default side-dish, children still choose fries

  06-05-2016 19:23
  There has been a lot of enthusiasm for nudging individuals to eat better without restricting choice by making healthy foods more visible, attractive, and convenient. One such effort is for restaurants to serve meals with a default healthy side, such as sliced apples instead of fries, while still allowing the customer to opt out of the healthy side in favor of their preferred side dish.
  
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• Scientists put some muscle behind their research

  06-05-2016 19:22
  An old-fashioned neurobiology technique has been used by researchers to explore new avenues for treatments to reverse a late-onset neurodegenerative disease that robs men of the capacity to walk, run, chew and swallow.
  
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• Quick test for Zika effectively detects virus in monkeys

  06-05-2016 19:22
  Scientists have developed a low-cost, rapid paper-based diagnostic system for strain-specific detection of the Zika virus, with the goal that it could soon be used in the field to screen blood, urine, or saliva samples.
  
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• In scientific first, researchers visualize proteins being born

  06-05-2016 19:22
  A new technology has been developed that allows them to 'see' single molecules of messenger RNA as they are translated into proteins into living cells.
  
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• Drug-like peptides show promise in treating 2 blood diseases

  06-05-2016 19:22
  Synthetic peptides called minihepcidins may potentially treat two serious genetic blood diseases in children and adults, new research suggests. Although those diseases, beta-thalassemia and polycythemia vera, have opposite effects on red blood cell production, treating animals with minihepcidin helps to restore normal levels of red blood cells and reduces spleen enlargement. It also controls the accumulation of excess levels of iron in beta-thalassemia that often causes severe toxic effects.
  
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• Sonic nets could be the cruelty-free way to stop birds flying into planes

  06-05-2016 19:05
  
  Studies show a sonic net could be the most effective way to keep birds out of our airways.
  
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• This week in Zika: An anniversary, how the virus kills brain cells and more

  06-05-2016 18:00
  
  New weapons in the fight against Zika, how the virus shrinks minibrains, a quick paper-based test for Zika, and more in this week’s Zika Watch.
  
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• Small explosion detected at Cleveland Volcano

  06-05-2016 17:30
  CHUGINADAK ISLAND, Alaska (AP) — Scientists have detected a small explosion at the Cleveland Volcano on Thursday night.
  
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• Forget Taking Over the World. All this AI Wants to Do Is Dance

  06-05-2016 17:30
  
  The computer-generated dancer — dubbed virtual artificial intelligence (Vai) — is the brainchild of researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. The virtual dancer "watches" a person dancing, and then improvises moves of its own based on its earlier dancing experiences, the researchers said. Once the human dancer responds to Vai's moves, the virtual dancer responds again, making an impromptu dance with its deft artificial intelligence.
  
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• Catastrophic Canadian Wildfire Is a Sign of Destruction to Come

  06-05-2016 17:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Less snow and warmer spring mean more acres burned
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Severe stroke prognoses differ depending on the doctor

  06-05-2016 16:58
  Families rely on doctor recommendations after a brain hemorrhage, but new research shows different physicians make very different decisions.
  
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• Physics: From the atomic to the nuclear clock

  06-05-2016 16:57
  Measuring time using oscillations of atomic nuclei might significantly improve precision beyond that of current atomic clocks. Physicists have now taken an important step toward this goal.
  
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• New treatment for children with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

  06-05-2016 16:57
  Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) affects hundreds of thousands of people each year, many of them children. Now, a recent study investigates the effects of a new steroid treatment on children suffering from ARDS.
  
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• How did birds get their wings? Bacteria may provide a clue, say scientists

  06-05-2016 16:56
  New research has used bacteria to show that acquiring duplicate copies of genes can provide a 'template' allowing organisms to evolve novel traits from redundant copies of existing genes.
  
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• Anticoagulation medications show no gender-based variations in outcomes for TAVR patients

  06-05-2016 16:56
  A study on the impact of using different anticoagulation medications on men and women who have undergone a transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) found no difference in early vascular complications or mortality.
  
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• VIDEO: 'Boaty' ship takes Attenborough's name

  06-05-2016 16:37 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The UK's new state-of-the-art polar research ship will be named after Sir David Attenborough, despite the title "Boaty McBoatface" previously topping a public vote.
  
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• National Astronaut Day Launches with New 'Signature' Space Pens

  06-05-2016 16:36
  
  Founded by Uniphi Space Agency, a talent and marketing agency representing 20 former NASA astronauts, National Astronaut Day is aimed at providing inspiration by sharing the stories and experiences of America's space explorers. For this first year, the celebration is also being marked by a new partnership with Fisher Space Pen to offer a unique line of pressurized writing instruments featuring astronauts' engraved autographs. "Each astronaut took a unique path but all have a common vision to sha
  
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• Lunar Shelter: Moon Caves Could Protect Astronauts

  06-05-2016 16:36
  
  A new analysis of data gathered by NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) spacecraft, which mapped the moon's gravitational field in unprecedented detail, turned up a number of new candidates for lava tubes — cave-like structures that could be large enough to house supplies and astronauts. "A lava tube provides a safe haven from all these hazardous environmental conditions," study team member Rohan Sood, a graduate student at Purdue University in Indiana, told Space.c
  
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• Aliens Attack! Space Station Astronauts Fight VR Invasion with HoloLens

  06-05-2016 16:36
  
  Pew, pew! While testing out a virtual reality system on the International Space Station, two humans suddenly found themselves in a battle against aliens. A short video from the European Space Agency (ESA) shows an epic contest between NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, now just returned from a one-year mission in space, and ESA astronaut Tim Peake. Kelly raised his arms at the end — perhaps he was the victor?
  
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• Eye Scan May Detect Early Signs of Alzheimer's Disease

  06-05-2016 16:30
  
  The eyes, long described as the windows to the soul, appear to be windows to the brain, as well: Scientists have developed an eye-scan technique that may detect Alzheimer's disease at its earliest stage, before major symptoms appear. Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is an epidemic that shows no signs of abating, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Death rates for Alzheimer's disease are increasing: More than 5 million Americans live with the disease
  
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• Seismic response of fiber-reinforced concrete coupled walls

  06-05-2016 16:04
  Use of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete in construction will allow for the use of less and simpler steel reinforcement while maintaining good structural behavior and potentially reducing the amount of post-earthquake repair. Such results will lead to a cheaper way to construct safe buildings with reduced life-cycle costs for the owner.
  
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• Moderate sedation more effective than general anesthesia for TAVR patients

  06-05-2016 16:04
  Researchers conducted the largest observational study of minimally invasive transfemoral—entry through the groin—TAVR to find whether the use of moderate sedation is associated with improved patient outcomes, specifically evaluating 30-day mortality and length of hospital stays, as compared to traditional general anesthesia.
  
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• Catalytic nanocages: Hollow and filled with potential

  06-05-2016 16:04
  Catalytic nanocages, which are tiny, open structures with reactive surfaces that could boost key chemical processes, are notoriously difficult to synthesize. Scientists recently succeeded in a new approach.
  
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• A view through wood shows futuristic applications

  06-05-2016 16:04
  Researchers have made a block of linden wood transparent, which they say will be useful in fancy building materials and in light-based electronics systems.
  
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• Understanding tiny droplets can make for better weather forecasts

  06-05-2016 16:02
  Understanding how small water droplets behave improves our ability to describe evaporation and condensation of water at widely different scales, which has implications for everything from nanodroplets to climate models.
  
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• How to remove environmental pollutants from raw meat

  06-05-2016 16:02
  Six months ago, the International Agency for Research on Cancer associated consumption of red meat and processed meat to cancer risk. However, in its analysis it made no reference to some carcinogenic environmental pollutants that are already present in raw or unprocessed meat. A study shows that only cooking processes that remove fat from meat can reduce the concentrations of these substances.
  
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• How fish can regenerate eye injuries at the cellular level

  06-05-2016 16:02
  Scientists have examined the key function in the process of regeneration in the eyes of fish. Surprisingly, a single genetic factor triggers two central steps in the process of regeneration -- cell division and the differentiation of progenitors into the different retinal cell types.
  
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• Galaxy-sized peanuts? Astronomers use new imaging software to detect double ‘peanut shell’ galaxy

  06-05-2016 16:02
  Astronomers have discovered an unusually shaped structure in two nearby disc galaxies. Scientists recently developed new imaging software, making it possible to observe the double "peanut shell shape" formed by the distribution of stars bulging from the centers of these galaxies.
  
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