Science news

• New dwarf planet discovered lurking beyond Neptune

  12-07-2016 23:30
  
  Newly discovered dwarf planet 2015 RR245 takes about 700 years to orbit the sun and lives among the icy boulders of the Kuiper belt.
  
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• 'Whoa there's a bright one!': New dwarf planet unexpectedly discovered by astronomers

  12-07-2016 23:14 via cbc.ca
  
  A team of astronomers has discovered a new dwarf planet, and they weren’t even trying to find one. And the discovery, named 2015 RR245 for now, has an unusual, elliptical orbit that takes 700 years to travel around the sun.
  
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• Post-stroke shifts in gut bacteria could cause additional brain injury

  12-07-2016 23:00
  
  The gut’s microbial population influences how mice fare after a stroke, suggesting that poop pills might one day prove therapeutic following brain injury.
  
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• New Equation Tallies Odds of Life Beginning

  12-07-2016 22:55
  
  When life originates on a planet, whether Earth or a distant world, the newborn life-forms may have to overcome incredible odds to come into existence — and a new equation lays out exactly how overwhelming those odds may be. The creators of the equation hope it can connect diverse areas of research that aim to answer long-standing questions about the origins of life, much like how the famous Drake equation pulled together research concerning communications from intelligent life. "The idea
  
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• Moonwalker Neil Armstrong to be Featured on Mural in Downtown Cincinnati

  12-07-2016 22:54
  
  A celebrated Brazilian street artist will paint a colorful mural of Neil Armstrong, honoring the late Apollo astronaut in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio. It could be described as one not-so-small-step for a public art project, one giant tribute for the first man to walk on the moon. Eduardo Kobra, whose earlier kaleidoscope-themed works have covered buildings in New York City, Los Angeles and Minneapolis, as well as São Paulo, Brazil, was selected by ArtWorks in Cincinnati to create their larg
  
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• Correction: Obit-Knudson story

  12-07-2016 22:47
  PHILADELPHIA (AP) — In a story July 11 about the death of scientist and cancer researcher Dr. Alfred G. Knudson Jr., The Associated Press misidentified a funeral home. It was the Oliver H. Bair Funeral Home, not the Oliver H. Blair Funeral Home.
  
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• From the White House to the Westboro Baptist Church, 5 unusual Pokemon Go hotspots

  12-07-2016 22:00 via cbc.ca
  
  With millions of budding Pokemon trainers leaving their homes to search for pocket monsters in the real world, some have found their homes or business the unexpected centre of attention.
  
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• New 'Star Trek' Exhibit Lets You Join Starfleet Academy

  12-07-2016 21:35
  NEW YORK — Have you ever wondered what it might be like to train at the same institute as the heroes of the "Star Trek" universe? Well, now you have the chance. 
  
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• Revolutionary Sabre rocket engine which can take oxygen from the air set for 2020 test-firing

  12-07-2016 21:04
  The project has been given an £8 million funding boost from the European Space Agency.
  
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• Trump's denial of climate science at odds with world leaders

  12-07-2016 21:01
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — If elected president, Donald Trump would be the only head of state in the world to contend that climate change is a hoax, according to a study.
  
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• [Research Article] Innate immune memory and homeostasis may be conferred through crosstalk between the TLR3 and TLR7 pathways

  12-07-2016 20:56 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Mathematical modeling uncovers how macrophages use the JAK-STAT pathway to fine-tune their responses to different Toll-like receptor stimuli.
  
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• [Research Article] Bimolecular complementation affinity purification (BiCAP) reveals dimer-specific protein interactions for ERBB2 dimers

  12-07-2016 20:56 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The BiCAP method reveals protein partner-specific signaling with implications for breast cancer
  
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• [Podcast] Science Signaling Podcast for 12 July 2016: Adaptor proteins limit signaling

  12-07-2016 20:56 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Adaptor proteins, not core signaling components, control the flow of information downstream of the epidermal growth factor receptor.
  
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• [Editors' Choice] Releasing glutamate to stabilize HIF-1α

  12-07-2016 20:56 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Glutamate released by triple-negative breast cancer cells prevents the degradation of HIF-1α under normal oxygen conditions.
  
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• [Editors' Choice] Neuroepigenetics of prenatal nicotine exposure

  12-07-2016 20:56 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Altered histone methylation in neurons is induced by prenatal nicotine exposure and underlies the long-term behavioral and cognitive effects.
  
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• [Editors' Choice] Block a phosphatase to shut down kinase signaling

  12-07-2016 20:56 via stke.sciencemag.org
  An allosteric inhibitor of SHP2 opens new avenues for treating cancers with aberrant kinase signaling.
  
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• [Editors' Choice] Another mTOR complex?

  12-07-2016 20:56 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Astrocytes have a distinct mTOR complex containing GIT1 and lacking Rictor and Raptor.
  
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• [Editorial Guide] Signaling proteins in the spotlight

  12-07-2016 20:56 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The mechanisms that regulate biomolecular function, interaction, and dynamics are an exciting area of signaling research.
  
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• Aleppo rebels brace for long Syrian government siege

  12-07-2016 20:46
  By Tom Perry and Suleiman Al-Khalidi BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - Rebel areas of Aleppo have stockpiled enough basic supplies to survive months of siege by pro-Syrian government forces that cut off their half of the city last week, even though some goods are already in short supply, an opposition official said. ...
  
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• Why Faroe Islanders are mapping their homeland with camera-toting sheep

  12-07-2016 20:42 via cbc.ca
  
  Google Street View won't go to the remote archipelago, so Durita Dahl Andreassen and her team decided to strap 360-degree cameras onto the backs of sheep and upload the images to the mapping site.
  
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• These electric tattoos will map your emotions by tracking your facial expressions

  12-07-2016 20:14
  The future of non-permanent inking is here.
  
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• Photobomb! Satellite Catches Moon Crossing Earth's Face (Video)

  12-07-2016 20:03
  The moon has photobombed Earth again.
  
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• DNA origami lights up a microscopic glowing Van Gogh

  12-07-2016 19:39
  A technique that allows humanmade DNA shapes to be placed wherever desired -- to within a margin of error of just 20 nanometers -- now removes a major hurdle for the large-scale integration of molecular devices on chips.
  
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• Mantis shrimp roll their eyes to improve their vision

  12-07-2016 19:02
  Imagine rolling your eyes to help you see more clearly. Although it wouldn't work for humans, new research has shown mantis shrimp use eye rotations to enhance their polarization vision.
  
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• Disentangling the plant microbiome

  12-07-2016 19:02
  With the human population expected to climb from 7.4 billion to more than 11 billion people by 2100, some scientists hope that manipulating the microbial communities in, on and around plants, the plant microbiome, could open up new ways to meet the growing demand for food. But breeding a better microbiome may be easier in some plant tissues and growing conditions than others, finds a new study.
  
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• 'Big Data' study discovers earliest sign of Alzheimer's development

  12-07-2016 19:02
  Scientists have used a powerful tool to better understand the progression of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD), identifying its first physiological signs. Rsearchers analyzed more than 7,700 brain images from 1,171 people in various stages of Alzheimer's progression using a variety of techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET).
  
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• Aleppo rebels brace for long government siege

  12-07-2016 18:48
  By Tom Perry and Suleiman Al-Khalidi BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - Rebel areas of Aleppo have stockpiled enough basic supplies to survive months of siege by pro-Syrian government forces that cut off their half of the city last week, even though some goods are already in short supply, an opposition official said. The advance has brought Damascus closer to achieving its long-held aim of fully encircling rebel-held areas of Aleppo, a major symbol of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad now in
  
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• Egyptian policemen jailed for beating father of four to death

  12-07-2016 18:45
  An Egyptian police officer was sentenced to seven years in jail and five other policemen to three years on Tuesday for beating to death a father of four, a case that has fuelled public anger about perceived police brutality. Talaat Shabib al-Rashidi was one of at least three men who died in police custody in the space of a single week in November 2015, prompting riots in his southern home town of Luxor and rare media scrutiny of police methods. The court acquitted three officers and seven conscr
  
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• South Sudan ceasefire largely holding, barring sporadic gunfire - U.N.

  12-07-2016 18:36
  UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - A ceasefire in South Sudan's capital Juba appears to be "largely holding, barring sporadic gunfire" and United Nations peacekeepers were able to carry out a limited number of short patrols on Tuesday, a U.N. spokesman said in New York. "(The U.N. mission) also reports that the airport in the capital has been reopened, although commercial flights remain suspended," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols)
  
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• How Artificial Sweeteners May Cause Us to Eat More

  12-07-2016 18:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Like a freshly cracked diet soda, suspicions have been fizzing away for years that artificial sweeteners may not be the best way to slim down
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Will Staying Hydrated Help with Weight Loss?

  12-07-2016 17:57
  Drinking enough water may be one key to maintaining a healthy weight, according to a new study, which finds that there may be a link between staying hydrated and staying slim.
  
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• Too Many People 'Self-Prescribe' Antibiotics, Experts Say

  12-07-2016 17:57
  Many Americans store leftover antibiotic drugs in their homes and say that if they got sick, they would take the antibiotics without going to their doctor first, a new study finds. The findings are troubling, experts say, in part because when people self-diagnose and treat themselves, they often end up taking antibiotics when they don't need to, which may further the spread of antibiotic resistance, the researchers said. "When people self-diagnose and self-prescribe antibiotics, it is likely tha
  
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• Prenatal Multivitamins Don't Help Much, Study Says

  12-07-2016 17:57
  For pregnant women, taking prenatal vitamins may be a waste of money, a new review of previous research suggests. Instead of taking multivitamin and mineral supplements, pregnant women should focus on improving the overall quality of their diets, and should take just two vitamins: folic acid and vitamin D, according to the review, conducted by researchers in the United Kingdom. "We found no evidence to recommend that all pregnant women should take prenatal multinutrient supplements beyond the na
  
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• Thumb-Sucking, Nail Biting Kids May Have Lower Allergy Risk

  12-07-2016 17:56
  Young children who suck their thumbs or bite their nails may be less likely to develop allergies later in childhood, according to a new study that spanned three decades. Although the results do not suggest that kids should take up these habits, they do suggest that the habits may help protect against allergies into adulthood, the researchers said. "Many parents discourage these habits, and we do not have enough evidence to [advise they] change this," said Dr. Robert Hancox, an associate pro
  
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• Magnesium Supplements May Help to Lower Blood Pressure

  12-07-2016 17:56
  Getting enough magnesium may help keep blood pressure under control, a new meta-analysis of previous research finds. "With its relative safety and low cost, magnesium supplements could be considered as an option for lowering blood pressure in high-risk persons or hypertension patients," lead author Dr. Yiqing Song, an associate professor of epidemiology at Indiana University, said in a statement. The researchers found that taking 368 mg of magnesium supplements daily for three months reduced peo
  
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• 3 Blind Mice? These Rodents' Vision Has Been Restored

  12-07-2016 17:56
  At least three blind mice have now regained some of their vision because of research that regenerated severed nerves, re-establishing the connection between their eyes and brain, researchers report today. What works in mice may not work in humans, but the scientists say their work in mice is "strongly informative toward developing new tools for treating vision loss in humans," said study senior author Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford University's School of Medicine. The scientists e
  
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• Gecko clearance sale: Pet trade is jeopardizing survival of rare reptile species

  12-07-2016 17:55
  Reptiles are exceedingly popular as pets, trade is booming. Between 2004 and 2014, official imports to the EU came to just under 21 million live specimens, more than six million of these ended up on the German market.
  
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• East-west asymmetry of jet lag recovery due to oscillation of brain cells

  12-07-2016 17:53
  Travelers frequently report experiencing a significantly slower jet lag recovery after an eastward vs. westward flight. While some are quick to dismiss this complaint as being 'all in their head,' new research suggests it may be caused by the oscillation of a certain type of brain cells.
  
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• Flavour changing neutrinos give insight into Big Bang

  12-07-2016 17:46 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Neutrinos and their antimatter counterparts have shown a small difference that may explain why the universe did not destroy itself during the Big Bang, scientists have reported at major conference.
  
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• Sharper than living matter permits

  12-07-2016 17:07
  Researchers have found a way to pinpoint the positions of individual molecules while at the same time measuring their activity and interactions in the same living cell. A dedicated cooling protocol on a microscope allows to pause cellular life at subzero temperatures, to let it continue to live again after warming.
  
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• Blue is an indicator of first star's supernova explosions: More than 13 billion years old

  12-07-2016 17:07
  Astronomers have discovered that the color of supernovae during a specific phase could be an indicator for detecting the most distant and oldest supernovae in the Universe -- more than 13 billion years old.
  
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• Ice algae: The engine of life in the central Arctic Ocean

  12-07-2016 17:04
  Algae that live in and under the sea ice play a much greater role for the Arctic food web than previously assumed. In a new study, biologists show that not only animals that live directly under the ice thrive on carbon produced by so-called ice algae.
  
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• Homo erectus walked as we do

  12-07-2016 17:04
  Researchers have recently discovered multiple assemblages of Homo erectus footprints in northern Kenya that provide unique opportunities to understand locomotor patterns and group structure through a form of data that directly records these dynamic behaviours. Using novel analytical techniques, they have demonstrated that these H. erectus footprints preserve evidence of a modern human style of walking and a group structure that is consistent with human-like social behaviours.
  
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• Hidden red hair gene a skin cancer risk

  12-07-2016 17:01 via bbc.co.uk
  
  People can carry a "silent" red hair gene that raises their risk of dangerous skin cancer, experts warn.
  
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• Unprotected sex less risky if HIV-positive partner on antiretroviral therapy

  12-07-2016 17:00
  
  The risk of HIV transmission during unprotected sex drops drastically if the HIV-positive partner is taking antiretroviral therapy.
  
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• New tool to predict fire risks unveiled as Indonesia's dry season takes hold

  12-07-2016 16:56
  By Beh Lih Yi JAKARTA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A map using satellite technology to warn of fire risks aims at helping Southeast Asian governments better deploy their resources to combat raging blazes, which cloak the region in haze every year, an expert on forest fires said on Tuesday. Slash-and-burn agriculture, much of it clearing land for palm oil crops, blanketed Singapore, Malaysia and northern Indonesia in a choking "haze" for months last year. "We expect the Fire Risk Map to help go
  
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• Musk touts 'masterplan' for Tesla as autopilot crash questions circle company

  12-07-2016 16:23 via cbc.ca
  
  Tesla CEO Elon Musk, under pressure after a sudden run of accidents and a rumoured SEC investigation into what the company knew about them and when, moved to soothe investors' fears by promising a new "masterplan" for the company as early as this week.
  
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• This Deepest View Ever of the Orion Nebula Reveals Hidden Objects

  12-07-2016 15:46
  
  A new view of the Orion Nebula, the "deepest and most comprehensive view ever," reveals a preponderance of low-mass, planet-size objects in the famous star-forming region. The new images, which you can tour in this awesome new video, use infrared data from European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope to document the nebula's thick, glowing cloud of gas. "Understanding how many low-mass objects are found in the Orion nebula is very important to constrain current theories of sta
  
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• What Would It Be Like to Play 'Pokémon Go' in Space?

  12-07-2016 15:44
  
  As people wandered our office halls, hunting tiny monsters with the newly released augmented-reality game "Pokémon Go," Space.com had only one question: Can astronauts play it in space? We know that NASA astronauts have internet access on the International Space Station (ISS), and that they have smartphones to use as part of experiments, such as the station-traversing SPHERES robots (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites). "Short answer is no
  
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• Small rise in alcohol prices could cut violence-related hospital emergency visits by 6,000 a year

  12-07-2016 15:41
  A small rise of 1% in alcohol prices could significantly reduce violence-related injuries in England and Wales, consequently reducing their burden on hard-pressed emergency departments, concludes an English study.
  
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