Science news

• Ottawa-based sex toy maker settles privacy lawsuit for $5M

  13-03-2017 22:52 via cbc.ca
  
  The Ottawa-based maker of a smart sex toy has agreed to a $5 million settlement after two people sued, alleging the vibrator collected some very personal information.
  
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• Uber's possible demise could be a wake-up call for tech companies behaving badly

  13-03-2017 22:04 via cbc.ca
  
  Uber’s actions seem to show a clear disrespect for, well, everyone really — from their employees, to their customers, to journalists and government authorities.
  
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• 'The stage was set': Arrival of first North American bison changed ecosystem, study finds

  13-03-2017 20:48 via cbc.ca
  
  Scientists finally have been able to pin down when bison first arrived in North America and helped set the stage for the Great Plains that eventually supported the continent's first humans.
  
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• Changing climate could worsen foods’ nutrition

  13-03-2017 20:07
  
  Climate change could aggravate hidden hunger by sapping micronutrients from soils and plants, reducing nutrition in wheat, rice and other crops.
  
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• Arctic ice loss driven by natural swings, not just mankind: study

  13-03-2017 17:02
  
  OSLO (Reuters) - Natural swings in the Arctic climate have caused up to half the precipitous losses of sea ice around the North Pole in recent decades, with the rest driven by man-made global warming, scientists said on Monday.
  
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• Intel to buy driverless car-tech firm Mobileye for $15B US

  13-03-2017 16:23 via cbc.ca
  
  U.S. chipmaker Intel agreed to buy driverless car-technology firm Mobileye for $15.3 billion US on Monday, positioning itself for a dominant role in the autonomous-driving sector after missing the market for mobile phones.
  
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• Here's What We Know about Trump's FDA Head Nominee

  13-03-2017 15:25 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Early tests for Scott Gottlieb, who was named to the post on Friday, will include a pair of bills immediately slated for congressional review
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• Scientists race to save world's coral reefs

  13-03-2017 15:12 via cbc.ca
  
  The world has lost roughly half its coral reefs in the last 30 years. Scientists are now scrambling to ensure that at least a fraction of these unique ecosystems survives beyond the next three decades.
  
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• Companies seek to turn captured carbon into concrete, fish food and even toothpaste

  13-03-2017 14:00 via cbc.ca
  
  It has been derided as an expensive excuse to burn coal. But now, carbon capture technology may be leading to new commercial uses that could end up in your mouth.
  
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• Quantum counterfeiters might succeed

  13-03-2017 12:00
  
  Physicists demonstrate security issue with quantum cash.
  
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• Q&A: Kim Stanley Robinson Explains How He Flooded Manhattan

  13-03-2017 12:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  His new book, New York 2140, explores the interplay of climate change and global finance on a warmer, wetter future world
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• Trump at the Pump: Car Companies Move to Create Fuel-Efficiency Double Standard

  13-03-2017 11:45 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Changes by automakers and the White House would leave some states with more polluting gas-guzzlers, and others with efficient vehicles
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• Radiation exposure during Mars travel could increase leukemia risk: study

  13-03-2017 10:00 via cbc.ca
  
  The first study on how exposure to deep space radiation could impact the human body during a mission to Mars shows that there could be an increased risk of leukemia.
  
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• Yes, she's smiling: Mona Lisa's facial expression

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University of Freiburg) Scientists at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg have found out that test subjects almost always perceive the facial expression on Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting as happy, thus calling into question a long-held assumption in art history.
  
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• Two radio signals, one chip, open a new world for wireless communication

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Cornell University) Cornell engineers have devised a method for transmitting and receiving radio signals on a single chip, which could ultimately help change the way wireless communication is done.
  
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• Thinking outside the power box: Matthias Preindl takes converters virtual

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science) Professor Matthias Preindl recently won an NSF CAREER grant to support his work reimagining how power converter technology operates. Inspired by virtualization that has become common in computer science, Preindl is designing virtual power converter systems with interchangeable converter modules and a software layer that controls the converter function. The result should increase reliability and speed up onboard charging for electric
  
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• The looming threat of Asian tobacco companies to global health

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Simon Fraser University) There are already one billion tobacco smokers worldwide, and the number will likely rise further with Asian tobacco companies poised to enter the global market, according to SFU health sciences professor Kelley Lee in a recently published study.
  
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• Tackling depression by changing the way you think

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) A thought is a thought. It does not reflect reality. New research shows that learning how to ruminate less on thoughts and feelings has a positive effect for individuals with depression.
  
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• Study questions benefits of long-term use of ADHD medications

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Wiley) In a study that followed more than 500 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) into adulthood, extended use of stimulant medication was linked with suppressed adult height but not with reduced symptoms of ADHD.
  
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• Star in closest orbit ever seen around black hole

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research) Astronomers have found evidence of a star that whips around a likely black hole twice an hour. This could be the tightest orbital dance ever seen by a black hole and a companion star in our own Milky Way galaxy.This discovery was made using two of NASA's space-based telescopes, the Chandra X-ray Observatory and NuSTAR, and the Australia Telescope Compact Array located in New South Wales, Australia.
  
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• Star discovered in closest known orbit around black hole

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Michigan State University) Astronomers have found evidence for a star that whips around a black hole about twice an hour. This may be the tightest orbital dance ever witnessed for a black hole and a companion star.
  
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• Some genetic variations difficult to evaluate using current stem cell modeling techniques

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine) Mount Sinai study on psychosis reveals the importance of clarifying the precise structure of any genetic mutation before moving forward with human-induced pluripotent stem cell studies.
  
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• Solid metal has 'structural memory' of its liquid state

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Carnegie Institution for Science) New work from a team including Carnegie's Guoyin Shen and Yoshio Kono used high pressure and temperature to reveal a kind of 'structural memory' in samples of the metal bismuth, a discovery with great electrical engineering potential.
  
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• Simultaneous detection of multiple spin states in a single quantum dot

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Osaka University) Osaka University-led researchers achieved single-shot readout of three two-electron spin states of a single quantum dot. This is the first example of simultaneous detection of multiple spin states in a single quantum dot. The team measured the change in current of a quantum point contact charge sensor near a quantum dot, which depended on both spin state and spin-orbital interactions. Their findings represent a step forward on the path to realizing quantum computing.
  
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• Sensitive genotypes yield disadvantage in poor families, but advantage in wealthier ones

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University of Kansas) A University of Kansas study's results suggest that children with sensitive genotypes who come from low-income homes will be less financially successful than their same sex sibling without those genotypes. But children with those same genotypes from a high-income home would actually fare better economically as young adults than their brother or sister.
  
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• Scientists work to lift the mystery of persistent haze

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) The researchers used standardized factors to objectively identify haze events in China's national capital region of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei from 1980 through 2013. They identified 49 persistent haze events, each lasting for at least three days with limited visibility. The scientists also found that the haze events had one of two specific circulation patterns, both of which can produce a strong sinking motion in the atmosphere.
  
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• Researchers offer overview of composite metal foams and potential applications

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (North Carolina State University) Researchers have developed a range of composite metal foams (CMFs) that can be used in applications from armor to hazardous material transport -- and they're now looking for collaborators to help identify and develop new applications. To that end, the researchers are issuing a comprehensive overview and new data on their CMFs.
  
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• Researchers develop new method to program nanoparticle organization in polymer thin films

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University of Akron) University of Akron researchers have developed an original method -- soft-confinement pattern-induced nanoparticle segregation (SCPINS) -- to fabricate polymer nanocomposite thin films with well-controlled nanoparticle organization on a submicron scale. This new method uniquely controls the organization of any kind of nanoparticles into patterns in those films, which may be useful for applications involving sensors, nanowire circuitry or diffraction gratings, with proper su
  
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• Radiation from nearby galaxies helped fuel first monster black holes, says study

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Columbia University) In a new study in Nature Astronomy, an international team of researchers shows how supermassive black holes may have formed in the early universe. They suggest that radiation from a neighboring galaxy could have shut down star-formation in a black-hole hosting galaxy, allowing the nascent black hole to rapidly put on weight.
  
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• Profiting from the fight against corruption

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University of Montreal) Governments get richer when NGOs band together to fight official corruption, game theorists at HEC Montréal find.
  
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• People see black men as larger, more threatening than same-sized white men

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (American Psychological Association) People have a tendency to perceive black men as larger and more threatening than similarly sized white men, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
  
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• One synthetic molecule, two doorways into cell

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Kyoto University) A synthetic ion channel provides different-shaped paths into a cell. This could offer insight into how these unique channels function in living organisms.
  
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• New research on Northern Lights will improve satellite navigation accuracy

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University of Bath) Researchers at the University of Bath have gained new insights into the mechanisms of the Northern Lights, providing an opportunity to develop better satellite technology that can negate outages caused by this natural phenomenon.
  
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• New forensic tools will help identify children in child sexual exploitation material

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (NYU Tandon School of Engineering) Researchers at the NYU Tandon School of Engineering and the digital intelligence tech company Griffeye are building tech tools to aid law enforcement in identifying children in child sexual exploitation material. They are automating the analysis of explicit video by using advanced machine learning techniques to accurately and quickly identify both nudity and children. The techniques detected explicit images 83 percent of the time and were 96.5 percent accurate
  
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• NASA, NOAA satellites see winter storm madness 'March' to the East

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) NASA and NOAA satellites are providing various views of the major winter storm marching toward the US East coast on March 13. The storm is forecast to merge with another system and is expected to bring large snowfall totals from the Mid-Atlantic to New England.
  
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• MRI scans can help spot HIV in the brain

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University College London) Scientists at UCL have developed a way to use MRI scans to help identify when HIV is persisting in the brain despite effective drug treatment.The study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and funded by Wellcome, shows that patients can have HIV in the brain even when the disease is kept under control by treatment.
  
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• MEDLINE indexes Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Bentham Science Publishers) Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology, an important journal published by Benthm Science, is accepted to be included in MEDLINE.
  
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• Media multitasking linked to distractibility among youth

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University of Helsinki) Current doctoral dissertation by Mona Moisala from University of Helsinki also suggests that computer gaming is linked to enhanced working memory performance.
  
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• Marian Wright Edelman chosen for 2017 Inamori Ethics Prize

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Case Western Reserve University) For her life's work, the Inamori International Center for Ethics and Excellence at Case Western Reserve University has chosen Marian Wright Edelman for the 2017 Inamori Ethics Prize, awarded annually since 2008 to honor an individual for significant and lasting contributions to ethical leadership on the global stage.
  
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• Legitimacy of reusing images from scientific papers addressed

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Pensoft Publishers) Scientific research builds on previous breakthroughs and publications, and yet access to data is often legally restricted. A recent paper by taxonomists and copyright experts published in the open science journal Research Ideas and Outcomes as part of the EU BON Collection, explores the application of copyright law and the reuse of published images as biodiversity data.
  
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• Keeping pitchers in the game: Potential in osteopathic medicine to prevent shoulder injury

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (American Osteopathic Association) Researchers evaluated the effects of the Spencer technique on pitchers from Seton Hill University's men's baseball team. They found a single administration of the technique immediately restored internal rotation of the players' shoulder back toward baseline.
  
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• JNeurosci: Highlights from the March 8 issue

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Society for Neuroscience) Check out these newsworthy studies from the March 8, 2017, issue of JNeurosci. Media interested in obtaining the full text of the studies should contact [email protected].
  
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• Failed fertility therapy associated with increased risk of later cardiac disease

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Canadian Medical Association Journal) Women who undergo fertility therapy, but do not get pregnant, have a higher risk of developing long-term cardiovascular disease, compared with women who become pregnant, according to a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).
  
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• Experiment aboard space station studies 'space weather'

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Cornell University) To study conditions in the ionosphere, Cornell University research engineer Steven Powell and others in the College of Engineering have developed the FOTON (Fast Orbital TEC for Orbit and Navigation) GPS receiver. This year, the FOTON hitched a ride aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to begin a long-term project at the International Space Station.
  
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• Enlarged prostate later in life could stem from fetal development early on

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Michigan State University) New research from Michigan State University indicates that embryonic tissue, key to the development of a baby's gender, could contribute to an enlarged prostate, or BPH, in men later in life.
  
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• E-cigarettes a gateway to smoking? Not likely, according to new published research

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University at Buffalo) Major national studies provide little evidence that e-cigarette users move to smoking cigarettes as a result, researchers from University at Buffalo, University of Michigan write.
  
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• Door and window locks are less carbon-costly and more effective than burglar alarms

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University of Surrey) A new study, which estimates the carbon footprint of burglary prevention measures, has found that the best options from both an environmental and security point of view are door and window locks. This is because they are not only more effective at preventing crime, but also more environmentally friendly, having a much lower carbon footprint than other measures, such as burglar alarms or CCTV.
  
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• Discovery of surf breaks creates economic growth

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University of Sydney) University of Sydney research has revealed high quality surf breaks boost economic growth in nearby areas. Researchers analyzed satellite images of nighttime lights as a 'proxy' for economic growth and found that a surfing community's discovery of a high-quality break can raise growth by 2.2 percentage points a year. The study of more than 5,000 surf break locations in 146 countries spans data between 1992 and 2013, with a concentration toward breaks in Australia and the U
  
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• Depression doubles long-term risk of death after heart disease diagnosis, new study findsam

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (Intermountain Medical Center) Depression is the strongest predictor of death in the first decade following a diagnosis of coronary heart disease, according to a new study by researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City.
  
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• Depression, alcohol, and marijuana linked to later use of synthetic marijuana among teens

  13-03-2017 05:00
  
  (University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston) In the first prospective study of synthetic cannabinoids or SCs -- the group of chemicals that mimic the effects of marijuana -- researchers have found that symptoms of depression, drinking alcohol, or using marijuana was linked to an increased risk of SC use one year later.
  
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