Science news

• Social media giants join to combat online extremist content

  26-06-2017 23:41 via cbc.ca
  
  Social media giants Facebook, Google's YouTube, Twitter and Microsoft said on Monday they were forming a global working group to combine their efforts to remove terrorist content from their platforms.
  
  Read more

• What happens when you're sleep deprived?

  26-06-2017 21:27 via bbc.co.uk
  
  A new study is looking at the impact of sleep on your brain power.
  
  Read more

• HitchBOT creators to study whether robots can help patients change behaviour

  26-06-2017 20:27 via cbc.ca
  
  The project is part of the new collaboration between IBM and Hamilton Health Sciences, which officially launched its new office space on Monday.
  
  Read more

• Liquid Fuels from Sunshine

  26-06-2017 20:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Artificial-leaf technology converts carbon dioxide to fuels and more
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Artificial Leaf Turns Carbon Dioxide Into Liquid Fuel

  26-06-2017 20:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Artificial-leaf technology converts carbon dioxide to fuels and more
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• Canada and China sign no-hacking agreement to protect trade secrets

  26-06-2017 18:46 via cbc.ca
  
  Canada and China have agreed not to engage in state-sponsored hacking of each other's trade secrets and business information.
  
  Read more

• Noninvasive Biopsies for Identifying Cancer

  26-06-2017 18:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Ultrasensitive blood tests known as liquid biopsies promise to improve diagnosis and care
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• Blood Tests Allow for Scalpel-Free Biopsies

  26-06-2017 18:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Ultrasensitive blood tests known as liquid biopsies promise to improve cancer diagnosis and care
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• 10 million tonnes of fish catches dumped back into oceans: study

  26-06-2017 17:19 via cbc.ca
  
  Fishing fleets dump about 10 per cent of the fish they catch back into the ocean in an "enormous waste" of low-value fish despite some progress in limiting discards in recent years, scientists said on Monday.
  
  Read more

• Google to stop reading your Gmail to help sell ads

  26-06-2017 17:16 via cbc.ca
  
  Google is ending the practice that it has embraced since the company introduced Gmail in 2004 of scanning emails in search of opportunities to sell ads. The practice has raised concerns among privacy watchdogs and creeped out some users.
  
  Read more

• Latest stats are just a start in preventing gun injuries in kids

  26-06-2017 16:00
  
  New stats on firearm deaths and injuries are disturbing, but the picture to make policy is far from complete, researchers say.
  
  Read more

• Colon cancer: Greater surgical precision using robotic surgery

  26-06-2017 15:43
  Up until now, the removal of bowel tumors in the lesser pelvis (rectal cancers) involved a major, generally invasive operation. This operation can now be done in a much gentler way using an innovative procedure, robotic surgery. Thanks to a better three-dimensional view of the operating area and robotic instruments that allow highly accurate surgery to be performed in the anatomically constricted space of the lesser pelvis, surgical trauma and incisions for the operation can be kept to a minimum
  
  Read more

• Sound-reflecting shelters inspired ancient rock artists

  26-06-2017 14:00
  
  Ancient Europeans sought rock art sites where sounds carried.
  
  Read more

• 10 Emerging Technologies to Watch

  26-06-2017 14:00 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Innovations that are on the verge of making a difference to society
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• Earth’s dry zones support a surprising number of trees

  26-06-2017 13:00
  
  A Google Earth-based estimate of dryland forests adds serious leafage to Earth’s total tree count.
  
  Read more

• World's Largest Wind Turbine Would Be Taller Than the Empire State Building

  26-06-2017 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  
  Massive, flexible blades would bend with storm winds like the palm trees that inspired them
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• SpaceX completes launch and landing double bill

  26-06-2017 11:30 via bbc.co.uk
  
  The US rocket company makes two launches in just over 24 hours.
  
  Read more

• Young American Latinos report the most discrimination

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Penn State) Although the United States has seen a dramatic increase in Mexican and Latin American immigrants since 1970, a recent study by Penn State researchers is one of the few where perceived discrimination is examined in this population. The study found that undocumented Latino immigrants are not the most likely group to report discrimination.
  
  Read more

• Why don't my document photos rotate correctly?

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)) KAIST team developed a technique that can correct a phone's orientation by tracking the rotation sensor in a phone. When people take document photos their smartphones become parallel to the documents on a flat surface. This intention of photographing documents can be easily recognizable because gravity falls onto the phone's surface. The current orientation can be tracked by monitoring the occurrence of significant rotation.
  
  Read more

• Where are the new therapies for heart disease?

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Bentley University) Despite dramatic reductions in the death rate from cardiovascular disease, which includes heart disease and stroke, it remains the leading causes of death, and experts have expressed concern that the number of new therapies coming to market has lagged.
  
  Read more

• When kids talk to robots: Enhancing engagement and learning

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Disney Research) Conversational robots and virtual characters can enhance learning and expand entertainment options for children, a trio of studies by Disney Research shows, though exactly how these autonomous agents interact with children sometimes depends on a child's age.
  
  Read more

• VTT's miniature hyperspectral camera launched to space in Aalto-1 satellite

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland) VTT's small and lightweight hyperspectral camera was successfully launched to space in Aalto-1 nanosatellite on June 23, 2017. Scalable sensing technology offers opportunities for new SmallSat-based services.
  
  Read more

• USC to lead IARPA quantum computing project

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Southern California) Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) has selected the University of Southern California to lead a consortium of universities and private companies to build quantum computers that are at least 10,000 times faster than the best state-of-the-art classical computers.
  
  Read more

• Ultra-compact phase modulators based on graphene plasmons

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (ICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences) ICFO researchers achieve light phase modulation with a footprint 30 times smaller than the light wavelength.
  
  Read more

• UA researchers: Brains evolved to need exercise

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Arizona) Mounting scientific evidence shows that exercise is good not only for our bodies, but for our brains. Yet, exactly why physical activity benefits the brain is not well understood. In a new article published in the journal Trends in Neurosciences, University of Arizona researchers suggest that the link between exercise and the brain is a product of our evolutionary history and our past as hunter-gatherers.
  
  Read more

• Twitter-monitoring system detects riots far quicker than police reports

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Cardiff University) Social media can be an invaluable source of information for police when managing major disruptive events, new research from Cardiff University has shown.
  
  Read more

• Topsy-turvy motion creates light switch effect at Uranus

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Georgia Institute of Technology) A Georgia Tech study suggests Uranus' magnetosphere, the region defined by the planet's magnetic field and the material trapped inside it, gets flipped on and off like a light switch every day as it rotates along with the planet. It's 'open' in one orientation, allowing solar wind to flow into the magnetosphere; it later closes, forming a shield against the solar wind and deflecting it away from the planet.
  
  Read more

• The International 2017 IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC-44)

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Photovoltaic Specialists Conference) Solar energy is globally one of the most important sustainable energy technologies at present with nearly 1.4 million solar installations in the United States alone. With such strong interest, it is our pleasure to publicly announce the international 2017 IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC-44) taking place in the capital of the United States, Washington DC from June 25 to June 30, 2017 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel.
  
  Read more

• Taking pictures of sentimental goods may help people declutter, donate more

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Penn State) The cure for a cluttered home might be just a snapshot away. According to researchers, people are more likely to increase donations to second-hand nonprofit businesses if they take a picture of the item first.
  
  Read more

• Taking photos of experiences boosts visual memory, impairs auditory memory

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Association for Psychological Science) A quick glance at any social media platform will tell you that people love taking photos of their experiences -- whether they're lying on the beach, touring a museum, or just waiting in line at the grocery store. New research shows that choosing to take photos may actually help us remember the visual details of our encounters. The findings are published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.
  
  Read more

• Study: Most families in low-income countries don't have soap at home

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (University at Buffalo) Study -- the first to systematically measure handwashing in so many countries -- highlights the need to improve access to soap, along with handwashing behavior in general, in many impoverished countries.
  
  Read more

• Study: Lack of sleep + spat with spouse = potential health problems

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (MediaSource) A lack of sleep can certainly lead to crankiness and a spat with your spouse, but new research shows that if it happens consistently, it could take a serious toll on your health. Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center took blood samples from couples before and after an argument, and found that spouses who fought after not getting enough sleep had higher levels of inflammation than normal.
  
  Read more

• Study highlights need for education and training to help human trafficking victims

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (MediaSource) According to the US Department of Health & Human Services, human trafficking is a public health concern and often a crime that impacts individuals, families and entire communities across generations. Human trafficking occurs when a trafficker exploits vulnerable victims with force, fraud, or coercion to make them perform commercial sex or work. Since emergency nurses are often the first healthcare workers to have contact with victims, the conversation and education on this topi
  
  Read more

• Stanford scientists create a cellular guillotine for studying single-cell wound repair

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Stanford University) In an effort to understand how single cells heal, mechanical engineer Sindy Tang developed a microscopic guillotine that efficiently cuts cells in two. Learning more about single-cell wound repair could lead to self-healing materials and machines.
  
  Read more

• Scientists find clever way to help you de-clutter your home

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Ohio State University) If your attic is full of stuff you no longer use but can't bear to give away, a new study may offer you a simple solution. Researchers found that people were more willing to give away unneeded goods that still had sentimental value if they were encouraged to take a photo of these items first, or find another way to preserve the memories.
  
  Read more

• Sandia creates better 'fingerprints' to detect elusive, valuable chemical compounds

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (DOE/Sandia National Laboratories) Sandia National Laboratories chemists David Osborn and Carl Hayden have created a custom-made instrument that has enhanced the power of a method called photoelectron photoion coincidence, or PEPICO, spectroscopy.
  
  Read more

• Review: Insomnia medication may wake up some patients from vegetative state

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan) A systematic review of zolpidem for noninsomnia neurological disorders, including movement disorders and disorders of consciousness, finds reason for additional research.
  
  Read more

• Readily available drug cocktail may help prevent sepsis shock and death

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Elsevier) Even in advanced medical settings, sepsis is still very dangerous and accounts for over 400,000 deaths annually in the US alone. While new drugs are in development, a group of researchers has determined that a combination of intravenous vitamin C, corticosteroids (a steroid), and thiamine (vitamin B) may be effective in preventing progressive organ dysfunction and reducing the number of deaths from severe sepsis and septic shock. Their findings are published in the June issue of CHEST
  
  Read more

• Readily available drug cocktail can help prevent sepsis shock and death

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Elsevier) Even in advanced medical settings, sepsis is still very dangerous and accounts for over 400,000 deaths annually in the US alone. While new drugs are in development, a group of researchers has determined that a combination of intravenous vitamin C, corticosteroids (a steroid), and thiamine (vitamin B) may be effective in preventing progressive organ dysfunction and reducing the number of deaths from severe sepsis and septic shock. Their findings are published in the June issue of CHEST
  
  Read more

• Premature infants at greater risk of SIDS

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Rutgers University) Premature infants still have a greater risk compared to full-term babies of dying of SIDS and other sleep-related infant deaths despite recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics that hospital NICU's provide more safe infant sleep education to parents before they go home.
  
  Read more

• Predicting future outcomes in the natural world

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Miami) When pesticides and intentional fires fail to eradicate an invasive plant species, declaring biological war may be the best option.
  
  Read more

• Physician heal thyself: Simple coping strategies for pervasive physician burnout

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Florida Atlantic University) The proverb, 'physician heal thyself,' is probably more relevant today than it was in biblical times with the fast pace of life, the impact of multitasking and the unending bombardment of information, which have made emotional exhaustion almost certain. And this is especially true for obstetricians and gynecologists who experience professional burnout rates between 40 to 75 percent.
  
  Read more

• People living at home with dementia at risk of potentially dangerous antipsychotic usage

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (American Osteopathic Association) Physicians are still prescribing off-label antipsychotics to help families manage the behavioral and psychologic symptoms of dementia (BPSD) -- potentially unaware these medications drive mortality rates 1.6 times higher in elderly people with dementia.
  
  Read more

• New tool offers snapshots of neuron activity

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) A team of MIT and Stanford University researchers has developed a way to label neurons when they become active, essentially providing a snapshot of their activity at a moment in time.
  
  Read more

• New study links hot flashes with depression

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (The North American Menopause Society (NAMS)) With age comes a greater risk of depression, especially in women.With 15% of the female population in the US being 65 or older, and the number expected to double in the next 50 years, there is a major focus on age-related disorders, including depression. A new study published in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS), documents an association between hot flashes and a greater risk of depression.
  
  Read more

• New research could help humans see what nature hides

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (University of Texas at Austin) Things are not always as they appear. New visual perception research at The University of Texas at Austin, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explains the natural limits of what humans can see and how to find what nature hides.
  
  Read more

• New gonorrhea treatment targets enzyme needed for respiration

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Oregon State University) Researchers have identified a possible new treatment for gonorrhea, using a peptide that thwarts the infection-causing bacterium by interfering with an enzyme the microbe needs to respirate.
  
  Read more

• Neuron-integrated nanotubes to repair nerve fibers

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati) Carbon nanotubes exhibit interesting characteristics rendering them particularly suited to the construction of special hybrid devices -- consisting of biological issue and synthetic material -- planned to re-establish connections between nerve cells, for instance at spinal level, lost on account of lesions or trauma. This is the result of a piece of research published on the scientific journal Nanomedicine: Nanotechnology, Biology, and Medicine
  
  Read more

• NAWI Graz researchers measure light fields in 3-D

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Graz University of Technology) Researchers from TU Graz and the University of Graz present the new method of 3-D-plasmon tomography in Nature Communications.
  
  Read more

• National Astronomy Meeting 2017: Second media announcement

  26-06-2017 06:00
  
  (Royal Astronomical Society) Around 550 astronomers and space scientists will gather at the University of Hull, from July 2-6, for the 2017 Royal Astronomical Society National Astronomy Meeting (NAM 2017). The conference is the largest regular professional astronomy event in the UK and will see leading researchers from around the world presenting the latest work in a variety of fields.
  
  Read more

Follow @ScienceUKnews on Twitter!