Science news

• NASA Hunts for 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' Planets

  19-12-2016 23:51
  
  Using NASA's Kepler space telescope, astronomers have discovered a Saturn-size planet called Kepler-16b, which is located 200 light-years from Earth and orbits two suns — just like Luke Skywalker's home planet of Tatooine. "Astronomers have discovered that about half of the stars in our Milky Way galaxy are pairs, rather than single stars like our sun," NASA officials said in a statement.
  
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• Giant Star Betelgeuse May Have Devoured Sun-Size Companion

  19-12-2016 23:51
  
  The huge, red star Betelgeuse, which marks the hunter's shoulder in the constellation Orion, may have swallowed up a companion star not long ago, a new study suggests. Betelgeuse is a "red supergiant" that will soon die in a supernova explosion. As the name of its stellar class indicates, Betelgeuse has bloated immensely as the end of its life has neared.
  
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• Data show no sign of methane boost from thawing permafrost

  19-12-2016 23:04
  
  Rapid Arctic warming has increased emissions of carbon dioxide, but not methane, from northern Alaska tundra.
  
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• Scientists measure antimatter atom for 1st time

  19-12-2016 23:01 via cbc.ca
  
  Physicists from CERN in Switzerland have made another scientific breakthrough that could answer an age-old cosmological question: how did our universe come to be?
  
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• Ancient skeleton to return to Native Americans for reburial

  19-12-2016 22:59
  
  SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The Ancient One is going home.
  
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• Cool image: Adding color to the gray world of electron microscopy

  19-12-2016 22:18
  While it may look like a pine wreath dotted with crimson berries, this holiday-themed image is in fact one of the world’s first color electron micrographs.
  
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• Investing in fisheries management improves fish populations

  19-12-2016 22:16
  Successful fisheries management can be best achieved by implementing and enforcing science-based catch or effort limits, research shows.
  
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• How bacteria survive antibiotic treatment

  19-12-2016 22:16
  Multiresistant bacteria scientists around the world are working hard to win the battle against multi-resistant bacteria. A new publication now presents how even sensitive bacteria often manage to survive antibiotic treatment as so-called 'persister cells.' The comprehensive perspective on this phenomenon may help to improve current options of drug treatment and could even inspire the discovery of novel antibiotics targeting these notoriously difficult-to-treat persister bacteria.
  
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• Alzheimer's advance: Early stage study in mice show new drugs restore memory loss and prolong life

  19-12-2016 22:16
  Breakthrough findings demonstrate a possible target and potential drug treatment to restore memory loss and extend life span in mice with neurodegeneration.
  
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• The Deepwater Horizon aftermath

  19-12-2016 22:15
  Researchers have analyzed 125 compounds from oil spilled in the Gulf of Mexico to determine their longevity at different contamination.
  
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• Researchers develop first chikungunya vaccine from virus that does not affect people

  19-12-2016 22:15
  Researchers have developed the first vaccine for chikungunya fever made from an insect-specific virus that doesn't have any effect on people, making the vaccine safe and effective. The newly developed vaccine quickly produces a strong immune defense and completely protects mice and nonhuman primates from disease when exposed to the chikungunya virus.
  
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• Are Mars' Dark Streaks Really Evidence of Liquid Water?

  19-12-2016 21:50
  
  The streaks, known as recurring slope lineae (RSL), occur seasonally on steep, relatively warm slopes at many locations on the Red Planet. Many researchers initially speculated that RSL may be signs of liquid water at or near the Martian surface, and this hypothesis got a big boost last year when a study reported that MRO had detected hydrated salts within the streaks. The hydrated-salts discovery generated a lot of excitement, because it suggested that some places on the otherwise dry Red Plane
  
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• Brain changes seen in pregnancy, may help preparing for baby

  19-12-2016 21:32
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Pregnancy affects not only a woman's body: It changes parts of her brain too, a new study says.
  
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• Researchers caution parents to prevent electrical cord burns to the mouth

  19-12-2016 21:18
  With millions of Americans decorating their homes for the holidays, tangles of extension cords and electrical wires are a common sight. Researchers have estimated more than 1,000 injuries in children caused by oral electrical burns were reported in emergency rooms from 1997 to 2012. The researchers caution parents and caregivers of young children to be mindful of the dangers of electrical burns to the mouth.
  
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• Researchers estimate 10,000 metric tons of plastic enter Great Lakes every year

  19-12-2016 21:17
  A new study that inventories and tracks high concentrations of plastic in the Great Lakes could help inform cleanup efforts and target pollution prevention. Researchers found that nearly 10,000 metric tons -- or 22 million pounds -- of plastic debris enter the Great Lakes every year from the United States and Canada.
  
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• Freezing in record lows? You may doubt global warming

  19-12-2016 21:17
  Researchers from Utah State University, Boston University, The George Washington University and the University of Oxford report findings from analysis of experiential basis for skepticism about climate change in the United States.
  
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• El Niño fueled Zika outbreak, new study suggests

  19-12-2016 21:17
  A change in weather patterns, brought on by the 'Godzilla' El Niño of 2015, fueled the Zika outbreak in South America, researchers report.
  
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• Pregnancy linked to long-term changes in mom’s brain

  19-12-2016 20:40
  
  Pregnancy can sculpt a mother’s brain in a way that may help her tune in to her baby.
  
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• Laser helps unlock antimatter secrets

  19-12-2016 20:16 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists at Cern have found a new way to unlock the secrets of antimatter.
  
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• 'Casper octopod under threat from deep sea mining'

  19-12-2016 20:14 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A deep sea octopod, dubbed Casper after the film ghost, may be at risk from mining, scientists say.
  
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• Starfish larvae create complex water whorls to eat and run

  19-12-2016 19:45
  Tiny starfish larvae employ a complex and previously unknown survival mechanism involving whorls of water that either bring food to them or speed them away to better feeding grounds.
  
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• Newly discovered 'Casper' octopod at risk from deep-sea mining

  19-12-2016 19:45
  Last spring, researchers made headlines with the discovery of what was surely a new species of octopod, crawling along the seafloor at a record-breaking ocean depth of more than 4,000 meters off of Hawaii. Now, a report reveals that these ghost-like, deep-sea octopods lay their eggs on the dead stalks of sponges attached to seafloor nodules rich in the increasingly valuable metals used in cell phones and computers.
  
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• Why exposure to rhythmic stimulation at certain frequencies facilitate epileptic seizures

  19-12-2016 19:44
  New research proposes an explanation for the occurrence of epileptic seizures as a result of the exposure to certain stimuli.
  
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• Studies of one of the world's rarest birds, the Rufous-headed Robin

  19-12-2016 19:44
  Researchers have put together all known information about the endangered Rufous-headed Robin. Very few observations have been made since it was first discovered in 1905, but these researchers suggest that its distribution might be larger than previously thought.
  
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• Movement of rainforest butterflies restricted by oil palm plantations

  19-12-2016 19:44
  Scientists have found that oil palm plantations, which produce oil for commercial use in cooking, food products, and cosmetics, may act as a barrier to the movement of butterflies across tropical landscapes.
  
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• Long-term anti-inflammatory drug use may increase cancer-related deaths for certain patients

  19-12-2016 19:44
  Regular use of over-the-counter non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen is associated with an increased risk of dying in patients diagnosed with Type 1 endometrial cancers, according to a new population-based study.
  
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• Important element of immune defense against fungal infections discovered

  19-12-2016 19:44
  Fungal infections are a serious health risk. They can be harmful especially to patients whose immune system is compromised through illness or chemotherapy. Scientists have discovered an important mechanism in the body's defenses against fungi. The discovery explains, among other things, why people with certain genetic variations are more susceptible to fungal infections.
  
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• Fuel cells with PFIA-membranes

  19-12-2016 19:44
  Scientists are exploring water management in an alternative proton exchange membrane type, called PFIA. The experiments have been conducted using the infrared facilities of BESSY II synchrotron to reveal how water is retained even at dry conditions in PFIA. The observations explain why PFIA membranes are superior to the widely used NAFIONTM membranes at higher temperatures and low humidity.
  
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• Earliest evidence discovered of plants cooked in ancient pottery

  19-12-2016 19:44
  Scientists have uncovered the earliest direct evidence of humans processing plants for food found anywhere in the world. Researchers studied unglazed pottery dating from more than 10,000 years ago, from two sites in the Libyan Sahara.
  
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• An invisible electrode

  19-12-2016 19:44
  A flexible transparent conductor free of reflection and scattering has been developed by researchers.
  
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• New prehistoric bird species discovered

  19-12-2016 19:43
  A new species of bird has been discovered in the Canadian Arctic. At approximately 90 million years old, the bird fossils are among the oldest avian records found in the northernmost latitude, and offer further evidence of an intense warming event during the late Cretaceous period.
  
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• DNA markers distinguish between harmless, deadly bacteria

  19-12-2016 19:38
  Through a new study of the coccobacillus Francisella, researchers are working to use DNA markers to discern related but relatively harmless species as they are identified and to provide a means to distinguish them from the harmful F. tularensis.
  
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• Pregnancy Causes Lasting Changes in a Woman's Brain

  19-12-2016 19:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  New mothers showed evidence of neural remodeling up to two years after giving birth
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Fun and games: Why we should take time to play

  19-12-2016 19:29 via cbc.ca
  
  The Rubik's cube can be scrambled 43 quintillion ways and the competition to do it ever-faster is intense. The Current is having some fun with games looking at why a Cold War analog puzzle thrives in the digital age, and what we can learn from play.
  
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• More than 1 million young Canadians victims of cyberbullying, cyberstalking: StatsCan

  19-12-2016 19:18 via cbc.ca
  
  Almost one in every five Canadians has been a victim of online bullying or stalking, according to Statistics Canada.
  
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• More than 1 million young Canadians victims of cyberbullying, cyberstalking: StatCan

  19-12-2016 19:18 via cbc.ca
  
  A new report from Statistics Canada says almost one in every five young Canadians — about 1.1 million people — has been a victim of cyberbullying or cyberstalking.
  
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• Iron 'jet stream' detected in Earth's outer core

  19-12-2016 18:56 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists say Earth's outer core contains a kind of "jet stream" - a fast-flowing river of liquid iron that is surging westwards under Alaska and Siberia.
  
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• New technology coordinates drones in team missions

  19-12-2016 18:02
  A mathematics researcher has developed an algorithm to mobilize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in team missions. The new technology allows a team of UAVs to fly autonomously to complete complex coordinated missions.
  
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• Powerful defenders of the brain discovered, with big implications for disease and injury

  19-12-2016 18:01
  A rare and potent type of immune cell has been discovered around the brain, suggesting the cells may play a critical role in battling Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and other diseases. By harnessing the cells' power, doctors may be able to develop new treatments for disease, traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries -- even migraines.
  
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• The Most Popular Science Stories of 2016

  19-12-2016 18:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  The presidential election took center stage, but our readers were also fascinated by everything from particle physics and rage disorder to autism in girls and the polar vortex
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Barramundi populations at risk from acid oceans

  19-12-2016 17:56
  Wild barramundi populations are likely to be at risk under ocean acidification, a new study has found. The study is the first to show that even freshwater fish, which only spend a small portion of their lifecycle in the ocean, are likely to be seriously affected under the higher carbon dioxide levels expected at the end of the century.
  
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• Discoveries from largest genome-wide study of chronic liver disease

  19-12-2016 17:55
  A study of unprecedented scale has led researchers to identify four previously unknown genetic risk locations for primary sclerosing cholangitis, a liver disease that lacks effective medical therapy. A new article highlights the undertaking, which is the largest genome-wide association study of primary sclerosing cholangitis to date and a step toward providing breakthrough treatments for the unmet needs of primary sclerosing cholangitis patients.
  
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• Ancient Chinese malaria remedy fights TB

  19-12-2016 17:55
  A centuries-old herbal medicine, discovered by Chinese scientists and used to effectively treat malaria, has been found to potentially aid in the treatment of tuberculosis and may slow the evolution of drug resistance.
  
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• Studies refute hypothesis on what caused abrupt climate change thousands of years ago

  19-12-2016 17:53
  Two new studies refute the hypothesis that one or more comets/bolides struck North America approximately 12,900 years ago triggering rapid climate change and the start of the Younger Dryas period.
  
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• ALPHA experiment observes the light spectrum of antimatter for the first time

  19-12-2016 17:53
  Scientists report the first ever measurement on the optical spectrum of an antimatter atom. This achievement features technological developments that open up a completely new era in high-precision antimatter research.
  
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• Pregnancy leads to changes in the mother's brain

  19-12-2016 17:52
  A new study is the first to reveal how pregnancy causes long-lasting alterations in brain structure, probably related to improving the mother's ability to protect and interact with the child.
  
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• Prehistoric porridge? First pots for plant cooking found

  19-12-2016 17:49 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Prehistoric pottery shows plants and grains were cooked as early as 10,000 years ago.
  
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• Scientists get antimatter excited, see first light

  19-12-2016 17:47
  
  BERLIN (AP) — Scientists have used a laser to tickle atoms of antimatter and make them shine, a key step toward answering one of the great riddles of the universe.
  
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• Antimatter hydrogen passes symmetry test

  19-12-2016 17:00
  
  Antihydrogen atoms behave similarly to normal hydrogen atoms.
  
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• 163 new species discovered in Southeast Asia: WWF

  19-12-2016 16:47 via cbc.ca
  
  A rainbow-headed snake and a dragon-like lizard are among 163 new species that scientists recently discovered in the Greater Mekong region, conservation group WWF said on Monday.
  
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