Science news

• Common fungus may raise asthma risk

  17-02-2017 23:57
  
  The presence of a fungus in the infant gut can signal development of asthma by age five.
  
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• Citizen Science: You could find Planet 9

  17-02-2017 23:04 via cbc.ca
  
  Anyone with an internet connection could join the ranks of Columbus, Magellan and Galileo.
  
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• SpaceX ready for Saturday launch to International Space Station

  17-02-2017 23:00 via cbc.ca
  
  The Florida launch pad from which astronauts once blasted off for the moon comes back to life this weekend thanks to the commercial space venture founded by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk.
  
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• SpaceX delays rocket launch to International Space Station

  17-02-2017 23:00 via cbc.ca
  
  SpaceX will have to wait at least another day to launch from NASA's historic moon pad. Last-minute rocket trouble forced SpaceX to halt Saturday's countdown at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.
  
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• Historic Cape Canaveral launchpad returns to action with SpaceX

  17-02-2017 22:53
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - The seaside Florida launchpad from which astronauts once blasted off for the moon comes back to life this weekend thanks to the commercial space venture founded by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk.
  
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• There and back again: Catalyst mediates energy-efficient proton transport for reversibility

  17-02-2017 22:24
  A complex with a proton pathway and stabilized by outer coordination sphere interactions is reversible for hydrogen production/oxidation at room temperature and pressure, researchers have found.
  
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• Micro-RNA may amplify effectiveness of sorafenib in difficult liver cancer cases

  17-02-2017 22:23
  Only 25% of patients respond to sorafenib treatment, so researchers have endeavored to understand its mechanism of action and discover a way to boost its effectiveness.
  
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• Speciation is not all about good looks: For stick insects, the right partner should smell good too

  17-02-2017 22:22
  An attractive scent is just as important as good looks when it comes to choosing a mate -- at least among stick insect populations.
  
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• Scientists uncover how Zika virus causes microcephaly

  17-02-2017 22:10
  A multidisciplinary team has uncovered the mechanisms that the Zika virus uses to alter brain development, outlines a new report.
  
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• Low level vitamin D during remission contributes to relapse in ulcerative colitis patients

  17-02-2017 22:10
  Lower levels of vitamin D in the blood increase the risk of clinical relapse in patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC), an inflammatory bowel disease that causes long-lasting inflammation and ulcers in the colon, a new study has found.
  
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• From mice, clues to microbiome's influence on metabolic disease

  17-02-2017 22:10
  The community of microorganisms that resides in the gut, known as the microbiome, has been shown to work in tandem with the genes of a host organism to regulate insulin secretion, a key variable in the onset of the metabolic disease diabetes, new research has found.
  
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• Congo River fish evolution shaped by intense rapids

  17-02-2017 22:10
  New research provides compelling evidence that a group of strange-looking fish living near the mouth of the Congo River are evolving due to the intense hydraulics of the river's rapids and deep canyons. The study reveals that fishes in this part of the river live in 'neighborhoods' that are separated from one another by the waters' turbulent flow.
  
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• Climate-driven permafrost thaw

  17-02-2017 22:10
  In bitter cold regions like northwestern Canada, permafrost has preserved relict ground-ice and vast glacial sedimentary stores in a quasi-stable state. These landscapes therefore retain a high potential for climate-driven transformation, say researchers.
  
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• Using historical herbarium specimens to track heavy metal pollution in the eastern United States

  17-02-2017 22:09
  Plant specimens stored in herbaria are being used to explore important ecological questions. Researchers have now shown the effectiveness of herbarium specimens of herbaceous plants to track changes in heavy metal concentrations over time. The study compares concentrations of copper, lead, and zinc in specimens collected around Providence, RI, from 1846 to 1916, and compares these levels to plants collected from the same areas in 2015.
  
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• Team tracks rare T cells in blood to better understand annual flu vaccine

  17-02-2017 22:09
  A team has found a way to identify the small population of circulating helper T cells present in the blood after an annual flu vaccine to monitor their contribution to antibody strength. A technique that identifies these helper immune cells could inform future vaccine design, especially for vulnerable populations.
  
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• Researchers use big-brother tech to spy on bumblebees

  17-02-2017 22:09
  RFID chips like the ones used to protect merchandise from shoplifting reveal surprising clues about life in a bumblebee colony, say investigators.
  
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• Powerful optical imaging technology catches DNA naturally fluorescing

  17-02-2017 22:09
  Biomedical engineers have developed imaging technology that is the first to see DNA 'blink,' or fluoresce. The tool enables researchers to study individual biomolecules (DNA, chromatin, proteins) as well as important global patterns of gene expression, which could yield insights into cancer.
  
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• Looking for the next leap in rechargeable batteries

  17-02-2017 22:09
  Researchers may have just found a solution for one of the biggest stumbling blocks to the next wave of rechargeable batteries -- small enough for cellphones and powerful enough for cars.
  
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• Gene editing can complement traditional food-animal improvements

  17-02-2017 22:09
  Animal scientist say that gene editing -- following in the footsteps of traditional breeding -- has tremendous potential to boost the sustainability of livestock production, while also enhancing food-animal health and welfare.
  
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• Digital fabrication in architecture

  17-02-2017 22:09
  Society faces enormous challenges in constructing high-quality, future-oriented built environments. Construction sites today look much like the building sites did at the beginning of the 20th century. Current research on digital fabrication in architecture indicates that the development and integration of innovative digital technologies within architectural and construction processes could transform the building industry -- on the verge of a building industry 4.0. Digital technologies in archite
  
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• Juno spacecraft won’t go into shorter orbit around Jupiter

  17-02-2017 22:02
  
  Juno will remain in its 53-day orbit around Jupiter due to an issue with two helium check valves, NASA reports.
  
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• Europa Mission Heralds Sea Change in the Search for Alien Life [Video]

  17-02-2017 21:30 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Jupiter’s ocean-bearing moon is the next frontier in NASA’s hunt for extraterrestrials
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Winston Churchill believed there may be life in space

  17-02-2017 19:59 via cbc.ca
  
  Former British prime minister Winston Churchill was known to be an inspiring speaker and prolific writer, but his interest in science and space are less widely known.
  
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• GM hens help build 'frozen aviary' in Edinburgh

  17-02-2017 19:24 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Genetically-modified hens that can lay eggs from different poultry breeds are helping scientists set up a "frozen aviary" to conserve rare birds.
  
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• Antarctic sea ice shrinks to record low

  17-02-2017 19:14
  
  The Antarctic sea ice extent has reached a new low just two years after hitting a record high.
  
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• Dancing Alberta bears, cheeky Toronto raccoons featured in BBC's Planet Earth II

  17-02-2017 16:12 via cbc.ca
  
  Bears busting a move in the Canadian Rockies and a rascally raccoon family in Toronto are among the animals profiled in Planet Earth II, the followup to the massively popular 2006 TV series that won four Emmys.
  
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• Link between lipoproteins and kidney stones in children, urology research team suggests

  17-02-2017 16:03
  Excess lipoproteins and fatty acids may be associated with the development of painful and often chronic kidney stones in children, new research shows.
  
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• Alien particles from outer space are wreaking low-grade havoc on personal electronic devices

  17-02-2017 16:03
  Alien subatomic particles raining down from outer space are wreaking low-grade havoc on your smartphones, computers and other personal electronic devices, say researchers.
  
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• Some widely publicized papers suggesting that fishes and fish catches will be smaller in the future are based on false assumptions

  17-02-2017 16:01
  Some models show that fish will have a smaller size in the future due to climate changes. Three researchers are now pointing out that these models are built on false assumptions.
  
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• Empathy and moral choices: Study limits the role of emotions in moral decisions

  17-02-2017 16:01
  Empathy and emotional awareness do not affect our moral decisions, suggests a new study. Our choices do not depend on our empathy, say the authors, adding that the difference, instead, lies in our emotional reactions, more pronounced in more empathic people. In particular if we opt for uncomfortable decisions for a greater good.
  
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• Avalanches: A force more deadly than polar bears

  17-02-2017 16:01
  You might think that polar bears — and the potential for attack — are the biggest danger the Norwegian arctic island archipelago of Svalbard. But avalanches kill far more people on Svalbard than polar bears ever have. Researchers are working on ways to improve avalanche prediction and protection in the Arctic.
  
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• Study examines life history of imperiled rattlesnake

  17-02-2017 16:00
  Researchers examine the life history of the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake, revealing important local climate impacts on the snake that should be carefully weighed when developing conservation strategies. The Eastern Massasauga is a small North American rattler with a distribution centered around the Great Lakes. In 2016, the snake was listed as threatened under the US Endangered Species Act.
  
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• Researchers design facial recognition system as less invasive way to track lemurs in wild

  17-02-2017 16:00
  A team of researchers has developed a new computer-assisted recognition system that can identify individual lemurs in the wild by their facial characteristics and ultimately help to build a database for long-term research on lemur species.
  
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• Personalized physical therapy brings relief for lower back pain

  17-02-2017 16:00
  Impaired movement control may result in chronic lower back pain. A new study shows that the combination of manual therapy and exercise is an excellent way to combat movement control impairment in the lower back. This combination reduced the disability experienced by patients and significantly improved their functional ability. A personally tailored exercise program was more beneficial for patients than a generic one, and the treatment results also persisted at a 12-month follow-up.
  
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• Local weather impacts melting of one of Antarctica's fastest-retreating glaciers

  17-02-2017 16:00
  Local weather plays an important part in the retreat of the ice shelves in West Antarctica, according to new research.
  
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• Discovery of genetic 'switch' could help to prevent symptoms of Parkinson's disease

  17-02-2017 16:00
  A genetic 'switch' has been discovered, which could help to prevent or delay the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, report scientists.
  
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• Stem cells collected from fat may have use in anti-aging treatments

  17-02-2017 15:59
  Adult stem cells collected directly from human fat are more stable than other cells -- such as fibroblasts from the skin -- and have the potential for use in anti-aging treatments, according to researchers.
  
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• In-mouse catalysis

  17-02-2017 15:59
  A gold catalyst can be delivered to a target organ in a higher organism where it performs a chemical transformation visualized by bioimaging. This intriguing approach could make organometallic catalysis applicable for therapy or diagnostics.
  
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• Biocompatible 3-D tracking system has potential to improve robot-assisted surgery

  17-02-2017 15:59
  The cutting-edge biocompatible near-infrared 3-D tracking system used to guide the suturing in the first smart tissue autonomous robot (STAR) surgery has the potential to improve manual and robot-assisted surgery and interventions through unobstructed 3-D visibility and enhanced accuracy, according to a new study.
  
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• Building blocks of life found on dwarf planet Ceres

  17-02-2017 15:36 via cbc.ca
  
  A NASA spacecraft has detected carbon-based materials, similar to what may have been the building blocks for life on Earth, on the Texas-sized dwarf planet Ceres that orbits between Mars and Jupiter in the main asteroid belt, scientists said on Thursday.
  
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• Helium’s inertness defied by high-pressure compound

  17-02-2017 15:00
  
  At pressures over a million atmospheres, helium reacts with sodium.
  
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• Ocean mapping XPRIZE cuts teams to 21

  17-02-2017 13:55 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The international competition to drive innovation in seafloor mapping announces the teams that will take part in its semi-final stage.
  
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• Plastic 'nurdles' found littering UK beaches

  17-02-2017 12:27 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Billions of tiny plastic lentil-sized pellets can be spotted on UK shores - but how do 'nurdles' get there?
  
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• Citizen scientists are providing stunning new views of Jupiter

  17-02-2017 12:00
  
  A camera aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft is giving citizen scientists a crack at discovering never-before-seen features of Jupiter.
  
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• 'How would you know what your rights are?': Secret policies govern cellphone searches at the Canadian border

  17-02-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  The U.S. government made its digital-search policies public in 2009, but Canada's remain a mystery — something legal experts say is to the detriment of travellers.
  
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• Canadian policies on cellphone searches at border aren't easy to find

  17-02-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  
  Like their U.S. counterparts, Canadian customs agents can search your cellphone, but the Canada Border Services Agency doesn't make its policy easy to find. Nor does it offer as much in the way of specifics.
  
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• Call for brain donors

  17-02-2017 07:32 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Scientists are calling for more people to donate their brains to research to help find cures for mental and psychological disorders.
  
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• Cardiff Uni's new way of making compounds for drugs

  17-02-2017 07:28 via bbc.co.uk
  
  Researchers in Cardiff develop a new "highly-efficient" method of extracting disease-fighting compounds.
  
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• Zealandia: Is there an eighth continent under New Zealand?

  17-02-2017 07:25 via bbc.co.uk
  
  It's almost all under water, but Zealandia should be considered a continent, say researchers.
  
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• Yeast found in babies' guts increases risk of asthma

  17-02-2017 06:00
  
  (University of British Columbia) University of British Columbia microbiologists have found a yeast in the gut of new babies in Ecuador that appears to be a strong predictor that they will develop asthma in childhood. The new research furthers our understanding of the role microscopic organisms play in our overall health.
  
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