Science news

• Confronting Sexual Harassment in Science

  27-10-2017 22:01 via rss.sciam.com
  It's not just movie moguls and politicians; the problem is rampant in STEM fields as well. But recent moves by major organizations could mark a sea change in addressing this entrenched,...
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• A deadly 2014 landslide’s power came from soils weakened by past slides

  27-10-2017 21:33
  
  Researchers reconstruct how a hillside failed, producing the deadly 2014 Oso landslide.
  
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• An interstellar asteroid might have just been spotted for the first time

  27-10-2017 17:47
  
  A newly spotted asteroid might be the first known to come from outside the solar system, and it could carry information about the makeup of alien planet systems.
  
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• Fossil dinosaur tracks left by huge ancient predator in Africa

  27-10-2017 17:44 via cbc.ca
  A trail of fossilized three-toed footprints that measure nearly 57 centimetres (two feet) long shows that a huge meat-eating dinosaur stalked southern Africa 200 million years ago at a time when most carnivorous dinosaurs were modest-sized beasts.
  
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• Manitoba thumbs nose at Ottawa, sets own carbon tax scheme

  27-10-2017 17:41 via cbc.ca
  Manitoba makes public its own plan to fight climate change, saying the federal government's target for a carbon price would "impose an intolerable financial burden on Manitoba families and businesses."
  
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• iPhone X pre-orders 'off the chart': Apple

  27-10-2017 17:30 via cbc.ca
  Pre-orders for Apple Inc's iPhone X are 'off the charts', the company said on Friday, sending its shares up over two per cent.
  
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• Bloodhound car kicks off bid for 1000 mph speed record

  27-10-2017 16:12 via cbc.ca
  The Bloodhound Supersonic Car, effectively a fighter jet on wheels, has kicked off a bid to roar into the record books by eventually reaching 1,000 mph (1,610 km/h).
  
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• Raccoon-sized dinosaur with 'bandit mask' amazes scientists

  27-10-2017 15:27
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A raccoon-sized, feather-clad dinosaur that roamed China 130 million years ago shared a distinctive trait with the furry modern mammal that topples trash cans in North America: a stripe across their eyes resembling a bandit mask.
  
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• Fort McMurray Métis and government study health of 'disappearing' freshwater clams

  27-10-2017 15:00 via cbc.ca
  Harvey Sykes remembers when he was a child and his father would toss freshwater clams fished from Fort McMurray's two rivers into a pot of fish chowder. Today, he can hardly find any when he goes out on the water.
  
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• Artificial intelligence smart enough to fool Captcha security check

  27-10-2017 14:24 via bbc.co.uk
  Researchers developed an algorithm that imitates how the human brain responds to these visual clues.
  
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• Russia holds nuclear-capable missile tests

  27-10-2017 13:52 via bbc.co.uk
  President Putin took part in the military exercise, the Kremlin said.
  
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• Thousands of monarch butterflies could be stranded in Canada by cold weather

  27-10-2017 13:25 via cbc.ca
  Scientists say tens of thousands of the butterflies are likely to be stranded far north of where they'd normally be this time of year because of the unusually warm weather and strong winds that have kept them from migrating south.
  
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• When GMOs Are the Movie Star

  27-10-2017 13:15 via rss.sciam.com
  Can documentaries on controversial science be entertaining—and accurate? 
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• Radical Proposal Would Prop Up Coal Power Industry

  27-10-2017 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  Energy Secretary Rick Perry and his department want to tilt the playing field in the name of helping a supposedly frail electric grid
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• Walmart says it has reduced food waste by 20% since CBC investigation

  27-10-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  In the year since CBC Marketplace went digging through the trash at Walmart, the company says it has reduced its food waste in Canada by 20 per cent.
  
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• Scientists think they've spotted some of the universe's 'missing' matter and it could be a lot

  27-10-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  There’s a big chunk of matter in the universe that physicists know is there, but haven’t been able to find. Now, researchers from B.C. and Scotland say they've spotted some of that 'missing' matter.
  
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• How these Silicon Valley companies are disrupting the meat industry with their 'meatless meat'

  27-10-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  San Francisco Bay Area companies are making meatless burgers, shrimps and other meatless meat products, but some environmentalists say these genetically modified foods are being rushed to the market without adequate testing.
  
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• Call to conserve 'crucial' rare Wales spider species

  27-10-2017 10:24 via bbc.co.uk
  Some of the 500 species of spiders that live in Wales are found almost nowhere else in the world.
  
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• World's leading bodies of social and natural sciences to merge in 2018

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (International Council for Science) At a historic joint meeting, members of two leading international science councils voted to merge, launching a process that will see the formation of a single global entity called the International Science Council that unites the scientific community, including all social and natural sciences.
  
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• Winters on Mars are shaping the Red Planet's landscape

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Trinity College Dublin) Winter temperatures on the Red Planet sublimate carbon dioxide from a gas to a solid. These solid carbon dioxide blocks are then thought responsible for making gullies and furrows on Mars' landscape based on innovative lab experiments.
  
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• Universities drive innovation in the classroom

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (University of South Florida (USF Innovation)) The current issue of Technology and Innovation, Journal of the National Academy of Inventors ® (19.2) examines innovation from the university perspective, highlighting what the most innovative institutions and educators worldwide are doing to prepare future engineers and industry leaders to effectively manage IP to grow their companies and the global economy as a whole.
  
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• Two INRS professors earn awards from global organization

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Institut national de la recherche scientifique - INRS) Two INRS professors were honoured during the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)'s 13th International Conference on Novel Materials and their Synthesis, held October 15 to 20, 2017, in Nanjing, China. Both professors are working towards a common goal: using their expertise to develop renewable and sustainable energy technologies.
  
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• The successful US/German satellite gravity mission GRACE comes to an end after 15 years

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (GFZ GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Helmholtz Centre) On March 17, 2002, the twin satellites of the NASA/German Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) were launched in order to make precise measurements of the Earth´s gravity field. GRACE has lasted three times as long as originally planned for more than 15 years. Now it has ended science operations.
  
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• The chemistry of Hollywood bloodbaths (video)

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (American Chemical Society) Fake blood is a staple of the Halloween horror film experience, but there's no one recipe to suit every filmmaker's needs. The chemistry of fake blood has always been tweaked to create the most realistic experience, or at least the most budget-friendly. From Alfred Hitchcock to Sam Raimi, join Reactions on a Halloween tour of the chemistry of gore.
  
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• TGen-UCSF study uses genomics to make treatment calls for recurrent glioblastoma patients

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (The Translational Genomics Research Institute) Several patients with recurring glioblastoma, a deadly brain cancer, survived for more than a year in a clinical trial believed to be the first to use comprehensive DNA and RNA sequencing of a patient's tumor to inform treatment for these patients in real-time. The study was led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), UC San Francisco (UCSF) and the Ivy Foundation Early Phase Clinical Trials Consortium.
  
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• Sharing experiences improves wellbeing of healthcare staff

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (University of Surrey) Healthcare staff who regularly share the emotional, social or ethical challenges they face in the workplace experience less psychological distress, improved teamwork and increased empathy and compassion for patients and colleagues, a new study commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research reports.
  
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• September 2017's intense solar activity viewed from space

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) September 2017 saw a spate of solar activity, with the Sun emitting 27 M-class and four X-class flares and releasing several powerful coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, between Sept. 6-10. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation, while coronal mass ejections are massive clouds of solar material and magnetic fields that erupt from the Sun at incredible speeds.
  
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• Second University of Colorado vaccine approved by FDA for shingles

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus) The Centers for Disease Control's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended new treatment practices Wednesday for shingles based on a vaccine initially developed at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, now the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
  
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• Regular marijuana use linked to more sex, Stanford study finds

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Stanford University Medical Center) A study by investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine indicates that, despite concerns among physicians and scientists that frequent marijuana use may impair sexual desire or performance, the opposite appears more likely to be the case.
  
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• Newly discovered microRNA regulates mobility of tumor cells

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (University of Basel) Cancer cells can reactivate a cellular process that is an essential part of embryonic development. This allows them to leave the primary tumor, penetrate the surrounding tissue and form metastases in peripheral organs. In the journal Nature Communications, researchers from the University of Basel's Department of Biomedicine provide an insight into the molecular networks that regulate this process.
  
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• NASA finds Tropical Storm Saola's strength off-center

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Wind shear continued affecting Tropical Storm Saola and the Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite saw strong storms west of the center of circulation. In addition, NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite also provided a visible image of the storm that showed the bulk of clouds were still being pushed south of center.
  
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• NASA finds new Tropical Storm Selma has heavy rain-making potential

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Tropical Storm Selma formed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of El Salvador and NASA infrared satellite imagery revealed the storm has very cold cloud top temperatures indicating the potential for heavy rain.
  
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• Men lacking a caregiver face a greater risk of being placed in a nursing home after stroke

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Wiley) A Journal of the American Geriatrics Society study found that in men aged 65 and older who survived an ischemic stroke, the lack of an available caregiver was associated with triple the risk of nursing home placement within five years.
  
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• How often does your heart skip a beat? The answer may explain why fewer blacks have AF than whites

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Elsevier) Recent studies have determined that blacks have a lower risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) compared with whites despite having a higher prevalence of risk factors such as hypertension and heart failure. A new study found evidence that blacks experience statistically significantly fewer premature atrial contractions but with similar frequencies of premature ventricular contractions. Both are common causes of early, skipped, or irregular heartbeats. This difference in atrial ectopy by rac
  
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• HIIT alters brain glucose metabolism in insulin resistant people

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (University of Turku) Researchers at the University of Turku, Finland, studied how high-intensity interval training (HIIT) alters the brain's glucose metabolism in physically inactive insulin resistant people. Only two weeks of HIIT training reduced glucose metabolism in all areas of the brain.
  
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• Heavy metal thunder: Protein can be switched on to conduct electricity like a metal

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Arizona State University) About four years ago, Stuart Lindsay's research team got a lab result that even he couldn't quite believe. As with most scientific surprises, it goes against all conventional wisdom: the first evidence of a protein that could conduct electricity like a metal.
  
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• Guiding the random laser

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (University of New Mexico) At its most basic level, a random laser is precisely what its name implies; random. It's random in the spectrum of light it produces and in the way that light is emitted. So, how do you control some of the randomness to make useful devices? It's a question that's led a team of researchers at The University of New Mexico to a discovery that's taking laser technology to the next level.
  
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• FSU researcher: Modern civilization doesn't diminish violence

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Florida State University) Modern civilization may not have dulled mankind's bloodlust, but living in a large, organized society may increase the likelihood of surviving a war, a Florida State University anthropology professor said.
  
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• 'European Muslims perceive the EU more positively than other Europeans'

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Cluster of Excellence "Religion and Politics") For the first time, the Cluster of Excellence analyses the attitudes of European Muslims towards the EU - Far less sceptical than other groups such as Christians and those without religious affiliation - Reason probably lies with their relatively higher life satisfaction in their host country - Religiosity does not seem to influence the attitudes of Muslims towards the EU - Experiencing discrimination however threatens positive attitudes.
  
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• Efforts to revive coal industry unlikely to work, may slow job growth

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Indiana University) Current federal efforts to revive the coal industry will likely do more harm than good to fragile Appalachian communities transitioning from coal as a major source of employment, according to a study conducted by Indiana University researchers.
  
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• Easing refugees' trauma with psychotherapy

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Bielefeld University) They are suffering from nightmares, flashbacks, depression, or anxiety disorders: refugees coming to Germany from conflict areas are frequently traumatized. 'Realistic estimates state that up to 40 per cent of refugees have mental problems. Hence, for the period since 2015, we are talking about several hundred thousand people who are in real need of psychological support,' says Professor Dr. Frank Neuner from Bielefeld University.
  
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• Dry mouth symptoms can be side effect of certain medications for older adults

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (American Geriatrics Society) For older adults, dry mouth can be a common side effect of prescribed medications. However, there's much we don't understand about the connection between medications and dry mouth in older adults. Recently, researchers examined 52 related studies to learn more. Their research was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
  
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• Creating the engineer of 2020: Innovation at Eindhoven University of Technology

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (University of South Florida (USF Innovation)) Engineering education is chronically challenged by dynamics in information technology, work environments, and the public's perception of the engineer's role in society.Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands has risen to this challenge, redesigning its entire undergraduate program in an effort to meet the demands of the 21st century engineering profession. Rudi Bekkers and Gunter Bombaerts chronicle this journey and the lessons learned
  
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• CCS 2017 advances the science of cybersecurity

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Association for Computing Machinery) The 24th annual ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security (CCS 2017), a flagship conference on computer and network security, will be held from October 30 through November 3 in Dallas, Texas. CCS 2017, organized by ACM's Special Interest Group on Security, Audit and Control (SIGSAC),brings together leading information security researchers, practitioners, developers, and users to discuss a range of topics including secure hardware, implementing c
  
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• Artificial intelligence to evaluate brain maturity of preterm infants

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (University of Helsinki) University of Helsinki researchers have developed artificial intelligence software, which can evaluate the maturity of a preterm infant's brain directly from an EEG. "This method gives us a first-time opportunity to track the most crucial development of a preterm infant, the functional maturation of the brain, both during and after intensive care", says Professor Sampsa Vanhatalo.
  
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• Advanced artificial limbs mapped in the brain

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne) EPFL scientists from the Center for Neuroprosthetics have used functional MRI to show how the brain re-maps motor and sensory pathways following targeted motor and sensory reinnervation (TMSR), a neuroprosthetic approach where residual limb nerves are rerouted towards intact muscles and skin regions to control a robotic limb.
  
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• A light in the dark: NASA sounding rocket probes the dark regions of space

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Spread out over unfathomable distances, this cold, diffuse gas between galaxies -- called the intergalactic medium, or IGM for short -- hardly emits any light, making it difficult to study.
  
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• A film research study shows how the brain reacts to difficult moral issues

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Aalto University) The family relationship between film characters clearly affects the reactions in the viewers' brain. The study has also detected a significant conflict between the reactions of the brain and the person's own account.
  
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• $12.5M grant allows MUSC and SCSU to team up to tackle health disparities

  27-10-2017 06:00
  (Medical University of South Carolina) Dr. Marvella Ford is helping to lead the effort to establish the South Carolina Cancer Disparities Research Center. It's funded by a $12.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute.
  
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