Science news

• Honda in talks with Google's self-driving vehicle division

  21-12-2016 23:30 via cbc.ca
  
  Honda says collaboration with the Google unit called Waymo would let researchers learn about integration of sensors, software and computers.
  
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• Amazing science

  21-12-2016 23:28 via bbc.co.uk
  
  From the first direct evidence for black holes, to a rocky planet circling a neighbouring star, 2016 was packed with amazing science stories.
  
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• Tissue, organ research institute to benefit injured soldiers

  21-12-2016 22:54
  The Department of Defense is providing $80 million to establish a bio-research and manufacturing institute in Manchester, New Hampshire, to develop transplant tissues and organs for injured American soldiers ...
  
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• Former DA's Photos Capture Space Shuttle Tank's Journey to California

  21-12-2016 22:00
  
  One and a half million people turned out four years ago to watch as space shuttle Endeavour slowly navigated the streets of Los Angeles to be delivered to the California Science Center for display. Gil Garcetti was not among them. "I've made few mistakes in my life that I really regret, but one of them was having the opportunity to be present and photograph when the Endeavour went through the streets of Los Angeles," said Garcetti, the former district attorney-turned-photographer, in an intervie
  
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• New Test Spots Human Form of Mad Cow Disease with 100 Percent Accuracy

  21-12-2016 21:45 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Blood screening technology may be able to diagnose infections before symptoms emerge
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Stressed snakes strike first

  21-12-2016 21:41
  Whether a wild cottonmouth snake will attempt to strike in an encounter depends on its baseline stress level, according to a team of scientists.
  
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• Gravitational Wave, Proxima b Scientists Nab Year-End Awards

  21-12-2016 20:47
  
  Two of the 10 most important scientists of 2016 are space researchers, according to the prestigious journal Nature. In February, LIGO spokeswoman Gonzalez and the rest of the team announced the first-ever direct detection of gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of space-time first predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity a century ago.
  
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• Where 'Passengers' Future Meets NASA's Past; Director, Writer Describe

  21-12-2016 20:30
  
  "Passengers," the new sci-fi movie starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, is set hundreds of years in the future aboard an interstellar spaceship, but it was inspired by a real astronaut's experience almost half a century in the past. "Somebody asked me once who is the most lonely person in the history of the human race and it was probably one of the moon astronauts," Jon Spaihts, who wrote the original screenplay for "Passengers," which opened in theaters on Wednesday (Dec. 21),
  
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• New drug could help prevent artery disease in high-risk patients

  21-12-2016 20:13
  Approximately 2,200 Americans die each day from heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases. The most common cause is blocked blood vessels that can no longer supply oxygen and nutrients to the heart and brain. A recent study has shown that a protein inhibitor drug prevents these blockages, and could be a new therapeutic approach to prevent heart attack, stroke and other diseases caused by blocked blood vessels.
  
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• New blood tests can detect prions

  21-12-2016 20:00
  
  Blood tests may detect prion disease in people even before onset of symptoms.
  
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• Why big brains are rare

  21-12-2016 19:28
  Do big-brained creatures steal energy for them from other organs or eat more to supply this expensive tissue? New work in large-brained fish suggests skimping elsewhere is not enough to meet the energy demands of an extreme brain.
  
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• Researchers confirm molecule's role in kidney formation

  21-12-2016 19:28
  A new discovery could help advance understanding to address issues such as birth defects and repair of the kidney after illness or injury, report scientists.
  
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• Inside the world of cell signaling: A G-protein breakthrough

  21-12-2016 19:28
  Scientists have few good methods for manipulating and investigating G-protein signaling. Now, scientists have developed small proteins to selectively block a certain type of G-protein signaling, creating a unique and powerful tool for studying cell processes that depend on this signaling.
  
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• Atomic clock mimics long-sought synthetic magnetic state

  21-12-2016 19:27
  Physicists have caused atoms in a gas to behave as if they possess unusual magnetic properties long sought in harder-to-study solid materials.
  
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• New prehistoric bird species identified in Canadian Arctic

  21-12-2016 19:02 via cbc.ca
  
  Researchers from the University of Rochester have discovered evidence of an ancient bird that inhabited the Arctic at a time when the climate would have been much warmer.
  
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• Force-detecting protein senses when lungs fill with air

  21-12-2016 19:01
  
  A study in mice pinpoints a force-detecting protein that regulates breathing, previously implicated in touch.
  
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• Store and supply: How the brain saves time

  21-12-2016 18:55
  Neurons in the brain store RNA molecules -- DNA gene copies -- in order to rapidly react to stimuli. This storage dramatically accelerates the production of proteins. This is one of the reasons why neurons in the brain can adapt quickly during learning processes.
  
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• Report finds additional radioactive materials in gas-well drill cuttings

  21-12-2016 18:55
  Hydraulic fracturing has boosted US energy production while coming under scrutiny for its potential environmental impacts, mostly related to the wastewater the method generates. Now, a report takes a look at solid waste from horizontal gas wells. The study found that some well waste from the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania contained radioactive material not previously reported, with the potential for leaching from landfills into the environment.
  
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• Vitamin D improves gut flora and metabolic syndrome

  21-12-2016 18:54
  A high fat diet alone is not enough to cause metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms that pose as risk factors for diabetes and heart disease. This recent study shows it is needed in combination with vitamin D deficiency. Accordingly, vitamin D supplementation improves metabolic syndrome in mice. The next step would be to validate the results in humans.
  
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• Tattoos mark the spot for surgery, then disappear

  21-12-2016 18:54
  Tattoos aren't just for body art. They can have medical applications, too. Doctors are using them on patients to mark an area for future treatment -- particularly for non-melanoma skin cancer such as basal cell carcinoma -- but the inks can cause problems. Now scientists have developed a better solution. In a new article, they report a new ink that glows only under certain light conditions and can disappear altogether after a period of time.
  
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• Music in the brain: The first imaging genetic study linking dopaminergic genes to music

  21-12-2016 18:54
  Sounds, such as music and noise, are capable of reliably affecting individuals' moods and emotions, possibly by regulating brain dopamine, a neurotransmitter strongly involved in emotional behavior and mood regulation. However, the relationship of sound environments with mood and emotions is highly variable across individuals. A putative source of variability is genetic background, a study shows.
  
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• Light powers new chemistry for old enzymes

  21-12-2016 18:54
  Researchers have developed a method that irradiates biological enzymes with light to expand their highly efficient and selective capacity for catalysis to new chemistry.
  
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• Huntington's disease linked to dysfunction of brain structure

  21-12-2016 18:54
  Scientists have identified a link between Huntington's disease and dysfunction of the subthalamic nucleus, a component of the basal ganglia, a group of brain structures critical for movement and impulse control.
  
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• HIV patients have nearly twice the heart attack risk

  21-12-2016 18:54
  Current methods to predict the risk of heart attack and stroke vastly underestimate the risk in individuals with HIV, which is nearly double that of the general population, reports a new study. The higher risk exists even when virus is undetectable in blood because of antiretroviral drugs. Accurately predicting risk is vital for preventive treatment, say clinicians.
  
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• Epigenetic change ties mitochondrial dysfunction to tumor progression

  21-12-2016 18:54
  Scientists have identified a mechanism by which mitochondria can drive changes in nuclear gene expression that are associated with tumor progression.
  
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• Children can 'catch' social bias through non-verbal signals expressed by adults

  21-12-2016 18:54
  Preschool-age children can learn bias through nonverbal signals displayed by adults and are likely to generalize that learned bias to other people, research shows. The findings point to a mechanism for the creation of racial bias and other biases in society.
  
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• Honey, I shrunk the circuit

  21-12-2016 18:46
  It's possible to make transistors and diodes from advanced semiconductor materials that could perform much better than silicon, the workhorse of the modern electronics world, researchers have shown.
  
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• Festive Nebulas Make Hubble Telescope's Holidays Bright

  21-12-2016 18:30
  
  Two stunning nebulas shine as one in this colorful view captured by the Hubble Space Telescope and released by NASA just in time for the holidays. The nebula pair, known collectively as NGC 248, is located in the Small Magellanic Cloud, which is 200,000 light-years from Earth and one of the Milky Way's two dwarf galaxy neighbors. In addition to boasting festive colors, the nebulas of NGC 248 contain a treasure trove of science for astronomers.
  
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• Technology 'the way forward' to control UK borders after Brexit

  21-12-2016 18:24
  Policymakers have told Sky News that technology should mitigate any changes to UK borders resulting from Brexit. Chris Green MP, who voted Leave and sits on the influential Science and Technology Committee in the House of Commons, told Sky News: "There's a whole range of different technologies and building a physical wall isn't going to be enough. The UK currently has only one land border, the 310-mile boundary with Ireland.
  
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• How many sprouts would it take to boil a kettle? We analyse the energy in a Christmas dinner

  21-12-2016 17:41
  
  Just wait until you hear how long a mince pie could power your internet router…
  
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• Here's what you need to know about Storm Barbara

  21-12-2016 17:29
  
  The top winds may even top those from Storm Angus in November.
  
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• Motherhood might actually improve memory

  21-12-2016 17:21
  
  Having a baby changes all sorts of things, including a mother’s brain.
  
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• CRTC ruling prompts Teksavvy to cut prices while hiking some internet speeds

  21-12-2016 16:39 via cbc.ca
  
  Hundreds of thousands Canadians got an unexpected letter from their internet service provider this week: a promise to lower their bills starting next year, without any corresponding decrease in their service.
  
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• CRTC ruling prompts Teksavvy to cut prices, hike some internet speeds

  21-12-2016 16:39 via cbc.ca
  
  Hundreds of thousands Canadians got an unexpected letter from their internet service provider this week: a promise to lower their bills starting next year, without any corresponding decrease in their service.
  
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• Seattle judge allows kids to move ahead with climate rights case

  21-12-2016 16:33 via cbc.ca
  
  Eight Seattle children should have "their day in court" to argue that Washington state and others aren't protecting them from climate change, a judge ruled.
  
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• See Jupiter, Moon and Star Spica in the Pre-Dawn Sky Thursday

  21-12-2016 16:20
  
  The view of these three objects so close together in the night sky, of course, comes merely due to an illusion of perspective: The moon is about 249,500 miles (401,500 kilometers) from Earth, while Jupiter is actually 529 million miles (852 million km) away, more than 2,000 times farther out in space compared to the moon. Jupiter shines nearly twice as bright as Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Whenever Jupiter is above the horizon, the gas giant — the solar system's
  
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• The Longest Night: Do We Sleep Better on the Solstice?

  21-12-2016 15:20
  
  There's a long night coming, literally — the winter solstice comes on Wednesday (Dec. 21), making it the shortest day and longest night of the year. "I would say that, yes, the changing day length [over the year] does influence sleep," said Brant Hasler, a sleep expert and assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh. "[It's] probably not enough to notice a day-to-day difference with regard to the winter solstice and the days before and after, but certainly in comparis
  
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• This scientist has made the 'world's biggest' weed DNA database so the quality of cannabis will become more consistent

  21-12-2016 14:27
  
  “There’s going to be cannabis around that would be unthinkable today.”
  
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• Artificial leaf copies nature to manufacture medicine

  21-12-2016 14:18
  
  (Reuters) - Dutch scientists have developed an artificial leaf that can act as a mini-factory for producing drugs, an advance that could allow medicines to be produced anywhere there is sunlight.
  
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• Interstellar Blues and the Pitfalls of Long-Duration Spaceflight

  21-12-2016 14:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Passengers explores the difficulties, both personal and scientific, of journeying to another star
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• These pictures of the first snow in the Sahara for almost 40 years are stunningly beautiful

  21-12-2016 13:48
  
  The snow formed spectacular patterns on the steep sand dunes.
  
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• Mysterious 'Ghost Shark' Found for 1st Time in Northern Hemisphere

  21-12-2016 13:46
  
  An elusive "ghost shark" has come out of hiding, as video has captured footage of the fish — whose face looks as if it were stitched together in a Frankenstein-like manner — for the first time in the Northern Hemisphere. "It's a bizarre-looking fish with a pointed snout," said Lonny Lundsten, a senior research technician at Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) in California. The rare, deep-sea fish — called a "ghost shark" for its appearance, but also known as the p
  
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• Bizarre Antimatter Emits Same Light As Regular Matter

  21-12-2016 13:46
  
  For the first time, physicists have shown that atoms of antimatter appear to give off the same kind of light that atoms of regular matter do when illuminated with lasers, a new study finds. More precise measurements of this emitted light could unearth clues that might finally help solve the mystery of why there is so much less antimatter than normal matter in the universe, researchers say. A gram of antimatter annihilating a gram of matter would release about twice the energy as the nuclear bomb
  
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• Sci-Fi Gets Science Right: 'Passengers' Nails the Physics

  21-12-2016 13:36
  
  The new science fiction film "Passengers" takes viewers on a journey to the future, when glitzy interstellar starships can transport thousands of hibernating passengers to planets in neighboring star systems. "Passengers" is the story of two space travelers (played by Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence) on an interstellar spaceship who wake up from an induced state of hibernation, or stasis, 90 years ahead of schedule. While the story is set way ahead of the current time and features technology t
  
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• How the U.S. Could Retaliate against Russia's Information War

  21-12-2016 13:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Obama promised a response to hacking and other election interference, but what are his options?
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Dim Ursid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight: What to Expect

  21-12-2016 13:27
  
  This year, the peak of the Ursids will occur during the predawn hours of Thursday (Dec. 22). The Ursids are so named because they appear to fan out from the vicinity of the bright orange star Kochab, in the constellation of Ursa Minor, the Little Bear.
  
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• Mystery of 'Alien Megastructure' Star Testing Astronomers' Creativity

  21-12-2016 13:02
  
  Astronomers may have to think a little harder to solve the mystery of Boyajian's star. NASA's planet-hunting Kepler space telescope spotted these dimming events. Researchers have come up with many possible causes for the dimming, including a swarm of broken-apart comet fragments, variability in the activity of the star itself, a cloud of some sort in the interstellar medium between Kepler and Boyajian's star, and, most famously, an orbiting "megastructure" built by an alien civilization to colle
  
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• Will Trump Negate Obama's Science Legacy?

  21-12-2016 13:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Will Obama’s science policy accomplishments survive? A Q&A with outgoing science adviser John Holdren
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• More fast radio bursts detected from same location

  21-12-2016 13:00
  
  Six more outbursts have been detected from a repeating source of radio waves somewhere outside of our galaxy.
  
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• Obama Bans Arctic Drilling Ahead of Trump Inauguration

  21-12-2016 12:38
  
  The Obama administration on Tuesday put vast swaths of the Arctic and Atlantic oceans off limits to oil and gas drilling to protect marine life, address climate change and safeguard the areas from development after President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. At the same time, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Canada will designate all Arctic Ocean waters under Canadian control as indefinitely off limits to future offshore oil and gas development. The Obama
  
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