Science news

• Obama bans new oil drilling in Arctic Ocean

  18-11-2016 23:53 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The Obama administration bans offshore drilling in the Arctic but Donald Trump could rip up the ban.
  
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• Why you should be paying attention to the net neutrality debate

  18-11-2016 23:16 via cbc.ca
  
  Next week, Canada's broadcast regulator, the CRTC, accepts final submissions following its recent hearings on net neutrality, the principle that internet providers shouldn't be able to privilege their own services when they deliver your wireless connection. Katy Anderson from Open Media explains how it affects you in a Day 6 audio essay.
  
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• Flynn: Critic of Muslim militancy and culture

  18-11-2016 23:12
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Michael Flynn, the retired Army lieutenant general and intelligence officer who is Donald Trump's pick to serve as his national security adviser, is a harsh critic of Muslim extremism and the religion itself, calling "radical Islam" an existential threat to the United States.
  
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• Trump invited to Pacific island to see effects of warming

  18-11-2016 22:37
  
  MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — Countries appealed to Donald Trump on Friday to join the battle against global warming, with Fiji's prime minister inviting the U.S. president-elect to visit the Pacific island nation for a first-hand look at the impacts of climate change.
  
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• World leaders wade into water to fight climate change

  18-11-2016 21:47 via cbc.ca
  
  Leaders at the United Nations COP 22 Climate Summit move water to the forefront because when the effects of global warming show up, we usually see water behaving in some destructive way.
  
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• Maltesers shrink by 15% as prices rise, declares Mars

  18-11-2016 20:50
  Mars has blamed rising costs for its decision to shrink the size of Maltesers packets. The decrease was spotted by food retail expert Steve Dresser, who also noticed that packets of Mars' Galaxy Counters have been dropped from 126g to 112g in weight. In a statement, Mars said rising costs forced it to decide between increasing the price of Maltesers pouches or reducing the size of the product.
  
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• 'One time, I actually threw up': Why video game voice actors are on strike

  18-11-2016 20:39 via cbc.ca
  
  An ongoing strike by unionized video game actors in the U.S., hopes to prove to the wider industry that their performances are vital to the continued growth and success of the medium
  
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• California zoo's lion cub romps, naps and needs a name

  18-11-2016 20:37
  
  A zoo in central California is showing off a new lion cub and asking visitors to choose his name. The Fresno Bee reports (http://bit.ly/2eNMsI5 ) that reporters got a glimpse of the 5-week-old cub Thursday ...
  
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• Bagged salad is a salmonella risk, scientists warn

  18-11-2016 20:31
  
  Experts warned consumers to avoid ready-cut leaves.
  
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• Host of UN climate talks asks Trump to show 'pragmatism'

  18-11-2016 19:24
  
  MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — A Moroccan official hosting United Nations climate talks appealed to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday to be pragmatic and to engage with the rest of the world in halting the global temperature rise.
  
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• Precut salad may encourage growth of Salmonella

  18-11-2016 19:18
  Small amounts of damage to salad leaves in bagged salads encourage the presence of Salmonella enterica, new research has found. Juices released from damaged leaves also enhance the pathogen’s ability to attach to the salad’s plastic container.
  
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• New insight into how Alzheimer's disease begins

  18-11-2016 19:16
  A new study offers important insight into how Alzheimer’s disease begins within the brain. The researchers found a relationship between inflammation, a toxic protein and the onset of the disease. The study also identified a way that doctors can detect early signs of Alzheimer’s by looking at the back of patients’ eyes.
  
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• Powerful new tools to combat Zika created

  18-11-2016 19:14
  Scientists have developed a way to replicate the basic structure of the Zika virus, stripping it of the genes that make the virus infectious, outlines a new report.
  
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• Soil bacteria helps protect rice plants from arsenic and fungus

  18-11-2016 19:04
  Researchers have found that rice plants can withstand attacks from arsenic in water and soil and a fungal disease called rice blast. They have discovered that a combination of beneficial soil microbes can be applied to the infected plants to boost their natural defenses.
  
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• Cluster headaches: Painful but treatable, preventable

  18-11-2016 19:04
  Often called the suicide headache because of the excruciating intensity of the pain, cluster headaches are three times more likely to strike men than women.
  
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• Climate change could outpace EPA lake protections

  18-11-2016 19:02
  Lake Champlain may be more susceptible to damage from climate change than was previously understood, researchers have found Therefore, they say, the rules created by the EPA to protect the lake may be inadequate to prevent algae blooms and water quality problems as the region gets hotter and wetter.
  
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• Cryogenic body freezing: Everything you need to know about the controversial procedure

  18-11-2016 18:45
  
  Hundreds of people have been frozen in the hope scientists of the future will wake them.
  
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• Fearsome Malagasy Dinosaur Remained a Pipsqueak Most of Its Life

  18-11-2016 18:03
  
  A fearsome carnivorous dinosaur known for eating its own kind wasn't that large — it weighed only about as much as a hefty crocodile. The finding suggests that M. crenatissimus was a real pipsqueak for most of its life, at least compared with its fast-growing, enormous relatives Tyrannosaurus rex and Albertosaurus, said study lead researcher Michael D'Emic, an assistant professor of biology at Adelphi University in Long Island, New York. The researchers chose to study M. crenatissimus beca
  
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• New Zealand Quake Ruptured 6 Faults

  18-11-2016 18:01
  
  The magnitude-7.8 quake that rattled New Zealand, killing at least two people and stranding thousands of people, completely transformed the underlying faults in the region. Six major faults ruptured as a result of the New Zealand quake, a new map reveals. The Kaikoura earthquake struck the South Island of New Zealand early in the morning on Nov. 14 local time, triggering landslides, tsunamis and hundreds of aftershocks.
  
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• Love at Last! Rare 'Lefty' Snail Finds Mollusk Mate

  18-11-2016 18:00
  
  Jeremy, a snail with a rare left-spiraling shell, is lonely no more. After a vast media campaign designed to help the mollusk find a left-spiraled mate, two matches have oozed forward, in a manner of speaking. The double discovery astonished Jeremy's keeper, Angus Davison, an associate professor and reader in evolutionary genetics at the University of Nottingham's School of Life Sciences.
  
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• An echidna’s to-do list: Sleep. Eat. Dig up Australia.

  18-11-2016 18:00
  
  Short-beaked echidna’s to-do list looks good for a continent losing other digging mammals.
  
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• Novartis backs off from 2016 date for testing Google autofocus lens

  18-11-2016 17:59
  
  ZURICH (Reuters) - Novartis has abandoned a 2016 goal to start testing its autofocus contact lens on people, though it said the groundbreaking product it is making with internet giant Google is "progressing steadily."
  
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• Newfound Spider Species Masquerades As a Dried-Up Leaf

  18-11-2016 17:59
  
  But about 100 spider species also sport physical features that make them appear inanimate and unappetizing, like a jumble of twigs, plant debris or a messy glob of bird poo. This is the first known spider species to be leaf-shaped.
  
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• 78,000 Origami Elephants Invade the Bronx Zoo

  18-11-2016 17:58
  
  The Bronx Zoo has been taken over by a horde of adorable animals of an entirely new species — call it Elephas origami. The zoo, run by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), has officially amassed the largest display collection of origami elephants in the world, earning it a spot in the Guinness World Records. The official tally of 78,564 more than doubles the last record holder, the Zoological Society of London/Whipsnade Zoo in Great Britain, which displayed a paltry 33,764 origami elep
  
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• Space junk 'one of Earth's greatest environmental challenges'

  18-11-2016 17:41
  Space junk hurtling round the Earth at speeds of up to 17,400mph is one of the greatest environmental problems facing humanity, an expert has warned. Dr Hugh Lewis believes the growing problem could jeopardise future generations' hopes of living and working in space. Speaking at the Royal Astronomical Society in London, Dr Lewis said cleaning up orbital space "may take years to achieve" with the help of engineers, scientists, lawyers and economists.
  
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• Why Tall Women Should Eat Their Vegetables

  18-11-2016 17:27
  
  Taller women are more likely to have physical or mental health problems by the time they reach their mid-70s than their shorter counterparts, a new study finds. Previous research showed taller people have a reduced risk of heart disease, but a greater risk of cancer, said Wenjie Ma, a doctoral student in epidemiology at Harvard University's School of Public Health and the lead author of the study. Ma presented her findings here Tuesday (Nov. 15) at the annual meeting of the American Heart Associ
  
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• People with Ebola May Not Show Symptoms

  18-11-2016 17:26
  
  People who have Ebola may not always have symptoms, a new survey confirms. Researchers who conducted the survey in a known Ebola "hotspot" in West Africa found 14 people who tested positive for Ebola antibodies, but who reported that they never had any significant symptoms. Two of these people said they had suffered a fever during the Ebola outbreak, which stretched from late 2014 until the spring of 2016.
  
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• Here's Why Hostility Could Be Harmful to Women's Hearts

  18-11-2016 17:26
  
  Scientists have known that, in women, optimism is associated with a reduced risk for heart disease, and that "cynical hostility" — or a general mistrust of other people — has been linked to a higher risk for heart disease, according to a previous study. What has been unclear, however, is what mechanism optimism and hostility act through to influence women's heart health. In other words, why do these traits have such effects on heart disease risk?
  
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• Some Heartburn Drugs May Increase Stroke Risk

  18-11-2016 17:25
  
  A popular type of heartburn medicine may raise a person's risk for a common type of stroke, a new study from Denmark finds. People in the study who took proton pump inhibitors (PPI) faced an increased risk of ischemic stroke, compared with people who did not take these medicines, according to the study, presented today (Nov. 15) at the American Heart Association's annual meeting, called the Scientific Sessions. Ischemic strokes are the most common type of stroke, according to the American Stroke
  
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• Rare Parasitic Infection 'Leishmaniasis' Rising in the US

  18-11-2016 17:25
  
  A parasitic infection that's rare in the United States now appears to be showing up more often in American travelers, thanks in part to the growing trend of ecotourism, experts say. The disease is uncommon in the United States, but in recent years, doctors have been seeing more cases in American travelers and soldiers, as well as immigrants, according to the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA). "Leishmaniasis is an increasingly common infection in ecotourists traveling to Central and So
  
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• China's Shenzhou 11 Crew Lands on Earth After Month-Long Space Lab Mission

  18-11-2016 17:25
  
  Two Chinese astronauts returned to Earth early Friday morning (Nov. 18) after a month-long space lab mission that set a new record for their country's human spaceflight program and advanced preparations for China's first space station. Jing Haipeng, 50, and Chen Dong, 37, who launched on board China's Shenzhou 11 spacecraft on Oct. 16, landed at 12:59 a.m. EST (0559 GMT or 1:59 p.m. Beijing time) in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China.
  
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• Island Diversity: Cuba's Amazing Animals in Museum Spotlight

  18-11-2016 17:02
  
  From lush wetlands to dense networks of caves, the island of Cuba is home to diverse environments that are teeming with life, hosting many unusual species found nowhere else on Earth. And a number of these unique animals take center stage in the new exhibit "¡Cuba!" opening Nov. 21 at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City. "¡Cuba!" showcases the nation's culture as well as its natural wonders.
  
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• Bacteria communicate to ramp up collective immune response to viral threats

  18-11-2016 16:57
  Bacteria can boost their own immune systems by "talking" to each other, surprising new research shows. This research provides new insight into how groups of bacteria collectively defend against viral threats.
  
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• New quality control revealed in immune T cell development

  18-11-2016 16:52
  The research into T cell development within an organ called the thymus revealed for the first time that a protein complex called LUBAC enables 'quality control' of the cells before they are released into the bloodstream.
  
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• Last-line antibiotics are failing

  18-11-2016 16:48
  A new report shows that in 2015, antibiotic resistance continued to increase for most bacteria and antibiotics under surveillance. In particular, the EU average percentage of carbapenem resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae increased from 6.2% in 2012 to 8.1% in 2015, and combined resistance to carbapenems and polymyxins (e.g. colistin) was sometimes reported. These two groups of antibiotics are considered last-line antibiotics as they usually are the last treatment options for patients infected w
  
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• See the VR system that will help world's first head transplant patient prepare for "life in a new body"

  18-11-2016 16:40
  
  The neurosurgeon unveiled the equipment ahead of the groundbreaking surgery, set to take place next year.
  
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• Climate-threatened nations aim for 100 percent renewable energy

  18-11-2016 16:37
  By Megan Rowling MARRAKESH, Morocco (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A group of the countries most at risk from climate change said they would strive to make their energy production 100 percent renewable "as rapidly as possible", as part of efforts to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), which numbers 48 nations, also committed to update their climate action plans submitted as part of the U.N. climate pact agreed in Paris last year and prepare low-
  
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• Diaphragm much older than expected

  18-11-2016 16:36
  Caseids are "mammal-like" reptiles that lived about 300-250 million years ago. They had a barrel-shaped trunk, but scientists have struggled to realize how these reptiles breathed. New calculations have revealed some surprising information that suggests that these animals may have used a diaphragm much like those humans have today.
  
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• 2 Major Environment Policies Will Be Hard for Trump to Undo

  18-11-2016 16:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Rules on power plant emissions and clean water have some staying power, but other regulations are easier targets
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• China's Shenzhou 11 manned space capsule returns to Earth

  18-11-2016 16:23
  
  BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Shenzhou 11 space capsule landed safely in the northern region of Inner Mongolia on Friday with two astronauts aboard, state media said, completing the country's longest manned space mission to date.
  
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• World's poorest countries to aim for 100% green energy

  18-11-2016 16:22 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Representatives from 47 of the world's most disadvantaged nations have promised that they will generate all their future energy needs from renewables.
  
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• Not so warped

  18-11-2016 16:20 via bbc.co.uk
  
  From tractor beams to warp drive, sci-fi has inspired serious real-life research.
  
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• Chinese astronauts return from month-long space station mission

  18-11-2016 16:04 via cbc.ca
  
  Two Chinese astronauts returned Friday from a month-long stay aboard the country's space station, China's sixth and longest crewed mission and a sign of the growing ambitions of its rapidly advancing space program.
  
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• Vulnerable countries pledge to go all-renewables, with help

  18-11-2016 16:01
  MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) — More than 40 developing nations on the front lines of climate change have pledged to pursue 100 percent renewable energy.
  
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• Can You Diagnose Dementia from a Gaming App?

  18-11-2016 15:15 via rss.sciam.com
  
  More than two million healthy people played a game that could detect declining navigation skills, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Powerful GOES-R Satellite to Map Earth's Lightning and Much More

  18-11-2016 15:14
  
  A new environmental-monitoring satellite poised to launch into space on Saturday (Nov. 19) will fly a lightning mapper higher than ever before, allowing for better severe-storm monitoring across the United States and in nearby regions, NASA officials said. Flashes, storm updrafts and more will be visible in the instrument on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R satellite (GOES-R), which is expected to launch Saturday at 5:42 p.m. EST (2242 GMT). You can watch the launch l
  
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• Dissecting bacterial infections at the single-cell level

  18-11-2016 14:55
  Technological advances are making the analysis of single bacterial infected human cells feasible. Now researchers have used this technology to provide new insight into the Salmonella infection process.
  
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• Happy Anniversary, MAVEN! NASA Mars Probe Marks 2 Years of Science Work

  18-11-2016 14:38
  
  The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft reached Mars on Sept. 21, 2014, and officially began its science mission less than two months later, on Nov. 16 of that year. MAVEN — the first orbiter tasked with studying Mars' atmosphere as its primary task — has made a number of interesting discoveries over the past two years. In 2015, for example, MAVEN's measurements allowed mission scientists to determine just how quickly Mars' atmospheric gases escape to space toda
  
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• Cake, STDs, fried chicken - what your local ATM says about your neighbourhood

  18-11-2016 13:42
  
  Enter your four digit code then pathologically wash your hands.
  
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• Asteroid strike made 'instant Himalayas'

  18-11-2016 13:30 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs moved rock huge distances as it dug out a crater in what is now the Gulf of Mexico, scientists say.
  
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