Science news

• How long did it take to hatch a dinosaur egg? 3-6 months

  02-01-2017 21:50
  Researchers have set the timeline it took dinosaurs to incubate at three to six months, depending on the dinosaur.
  
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• Evolution of brain and tooth size were not linked in humans

  02-01-2017 21:50
  A new study found that whereas brain size evolved at different rates for different species, especially during the evolution of Homo, the genus that includes humans, chewing teeth tended to evolve at more similar rates. The finding suggests that our brains and teeth did not evolve in lock step and were likely influenced by different ecological and behavioral factors.
  
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• Venus could be seen shining brightly next to the Moon and people were in awe

  02-01-2017 21:33
  
  I’m your fire, your desire…
  
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• Parental obesity linked to delays in child development

  02-01-2017 20:36
  Children of obese parents may be at risk for developmental delays, according to a new study. Children of obese mothers were more likely to fail tests of fine motor skill. Children of obese fathers were more likely to fail measures of social competence, and those born to extremely obese couples also were more likely to fail tests of problem solving ability.
  
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• Nanohyperthermia softens tumors to improve treatment

  02-01-2017 20:35
  The mechanical resistance of tumors and collateral damage of standard treatments often hinder efforts to defeat cancers. However, a team of researchers has successfully softened malignant tumors by heating them. This method, called nanohyperthermia, makes the tumors more vulnerable to therapeutic agents. First, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are directly injected into the tumors. Then, laser irradiation activates the nanotubes, while the surrounding healthy tissue remains intact.
  
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• Babies exposed to stimulation get brain boost

  02-01-2017 20:34
  Many new parents still think that babies should develop at their own pace, and that they shouldn’t be challenged to do things that they’re not yet ready for. Infants should learn to roll around under their own power, without any “helpful” nudges, and they shouldn’t support their weight before they can stand or walk on their own. They mustn’t be potty trained before they are ready for it.
  
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• Next SpaceX rocket set to launch Jan. 8, 4 months after explosion

  02-01-2017 19:56 via cbc.ca
  
  Elon Musk's SpaceX plans to resume flying rockets next week following an investigation into why one of them burst into flames on a launch pad four months ago, the company said on Monday.
  
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• Bitcoin value tops $1,000 US for first time since 2013

  02-01-2017 19:38 via cbc.ca
  
  The value of the digital cryptocurrency known as bitcoin is above $1,000 US on Monday, the first time that has been the case since December 2013.
  
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• China starts 2017 engulfed in smog, issues pollution alerts

  02-01-2017 17:41 via cbc.ca
  
  Heavy smog that blanketed parts of China over the weekend cleared somewhat on Monday, with flights in Beijing back to normal, but it was likely only to be a brief respite with more choking smog expected to return to the wintry north within 24 hours.
  
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• Pakistani city launches new polio campaign after rare strain found

  02-01-2017 17:18
  By Gul Yousafzai QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistan began a special five-day polio immunisation campaign in the southwestern city of Quetta on Monday for children under five after a rare strain of the virus was found in sewage samples, officials said. "The religious leaders were ... asking the people to give their children anti-polio drops in their sermons in the mosques in rural areas of Baluchistan," said Syed Faisal Ahmed, coordinator of the local Emergency Operation Centre. Pakistan is on
  
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• SpaceX aims for Jan. 8 return to flight with Falcon rocket

  02-01-2017 17:15
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - Elon Musk’s SpaceX plans to resume flying rockets next week following an investigation into why one of them burst into flames on a launch pad four months ago, the company said on Monday.
  
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• David Hempleman-Adams urges climate change action after Arctic voyage

  02-01-2017 16:17 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The adventurer Sir David Hempleman-Adams calls on politicians to "grasp the nettle" on climate change.
  
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• North Korea's claim on ICBM test plausible - experts

  02-01-2017 14:50
  By James Pearson SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea has been working through 2016 on developing components for an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), making the isolated nation's claim that it was close to a test-launch plausible, international weapons experts said on Monday. North Korea has been testing rocket engines and heat-shields for an ICBM while developing the technology to guide a missile after re-entry into the atmosphere following a lift-off, the experts said. While Pyongyang is clo
  
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• Quadrantid Meteor Shower, One of the Year's Best, Is Peaking Now

  02-01-2017 14:27
  
  The Quadrantid meteor shower appears to radiate out from the northeast corner of the constellation of Bootes, the herdsman, so you might expect this display to be called the "Bootids." But back in the late 18th century, there was a constellation in that location called Quadrans Muralis, the "Mural or Wall Quadrant" (an astronomical instrument). Adolphe Quetelet of Brussels Observatory discovered the Quadrantid meteor shower in the 1830s, and shortly afterward several astronomers in Europe and Am
  
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• Yes, Some Extreme Weather Can Be Blamed on Climate Change

  02-01-2017 13:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  A leading scientist explains that improved computing and statistics can tie extreme events to global warming
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• It's Coming! Get Ready for the 'Great American Total Solar Eclipse' of 2017

  02-01-2017 13:00
  
  The year of the Great American Total Solar Eclipse is upon us. On Aug. 21, the moon will completely blot out the sun for observers in 12 states, from Oregon to South Carolina, in the first total solar eclipse visible from the United States mainland since 1979. The rest of North America, and parts of South America, Africa and Europe, will be treated to a partial eclipse.
  
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• 'Super Bowl of Astronomy' Kicks Off in Texas This Week

  02-01-2017 12:00
  
  Astronomers from across the U.S. are heading to Texas this week for the 229th meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). The event will feature more than 1,600 lectures, short speeches and poster presentations that will highlight the latest research and discoveries, from the solar system to the farthest reaches of the universe.
  
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• North America's first total solar eclipse since 2008 and more cool science for 2017

  02-01-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  The best solar eclipse in years, advances in self-driving cars, and space-faring missions: the year ahead is going to be an exciting one.
  
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• Carbon capture industry could grow if taxes rise, expert says

  02-01-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  Considering all the recent debate about carbon taxes, climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, there's been little discussion about one of the methods of containing those gases — carbon capture and storage facilities
  
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• Donald Trump makes top Republican fear environmental future

  02-01-2017 07:04 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A leading US Republican fears for the future of her grandchildren with Donald Trump as president.
  
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• The emergence of a new dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia

  02-01-2017 06:00
  
  (Elsevier) Biological Psychiatry presents a special issue, 'The Dopamine Hypothesis of Schizophrenia,' dedicated to recent advances in understanding the role of dopamine signaling in schizophrenia. The issue, organized by Anissa Abi-Dargham, M.D., of Stony Brook University, New York, and a deputy editor of Biological Psychiatry, compiles seven reviews that summarize current knowledge and provide new insights.
  
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• New study finds evolution of brain and tooth size were not linked in humans

  02-01-2017 06:00
  
  (George Washington University) A new study from the George Washington University's Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology found that whereas brain size evolved at different rates for different species, especially during the evolution of Homo, the genus that includes humans, chewing teeth tended to evolve at more similar rates. The finding suggests that our brains and teeth did not evolve in lock step and were likely influenced by different ecological and behavioral factors.
  
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• New consensus on neuromodulation therapy by International Neuromodulation Society experts

  02-01-2017 06:00
  
  (International Neuromodulation Society) The International Neuromodulation Society (INS) journal Neuromodulation: Technology at the Neural Interface is publishing expert, evidence-based guidance on the safe and efficient use of neuromodulation implants in patient-centered therapy.The guidance, in six publications by more than 60 international experts, collectively reviews more than 600 publications that appeared in the scientific literature by 2014. The articles provide recommendations about spec
  
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• For the first time, researchers identify key proteins that may make Zika so deadly

  02-01-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Maryland School of Medicine) Now, a new study has for the first time identified seven key proteins in the virus that may be the culprits behind this damage. The study is the first comprehensive description of the Zika virus genome.
  
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• Asian scientist launches Asia's first supercomputing magazine

  02-01-2017 06:00
  
  (World Scientific) Singapore-based publisher Asian Scientist Publishing Pte Ltd has launched Supercomputing Asia, a new print title dedicated to tracking the latest developments in high performance computing across the region and making supercomputing accessible to the layman. The debut issue features exclusive interviews with Professor Jack Dongarra, compiler of the TOP500 supercomputer ranking, Associate Professor Fu Haohuan, deputy director of the National Supercomputing Center Wuxi, supercom
  
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• Alcohol abuse increases risk of heart conditions as much as other risk factors

  02-01-2017 06:00
  
  (American College of Cardiology) Alcohol abuse increases the risk of atrial fibrillation, heart attack and congestive heart failure as much as other well-established risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and obesity, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
  
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• A new direction in ophthalmic development: Nanoparticle drug delivery systems

  02-01-2017 06:00
  
  (Bentham Science Publishers) Most ophthalmic diseases are usually treated with topically administered drug formulations (e.g. eye drops). Their main disadvantage is the short time of contact with the eye, which leads to a low degree of absorption of the active substance (less than 5 percent of the drug administered). This requires frequent instillation, which usually leads to a high systemic exposure.
  
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