Science news

• Like a baby: The vicious cycle of childhood obesity and snoring

  17-11-2017 21:22
  Scientists looked at the relationships among maternal snoring, childhood snoring and children's metabolic characteristics -- including body mass index (BMI) and insulin resistance, which reflects future risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease -- in approximately 1,100 children followed from gestation through early adolescence.
  
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• The Arecibo Observatory will remain open, NSF says

  17-11-2017 21:15
  
  The iconic Arecibo radio telescope has survived Hurricane Maria and dodged deep funding cuts.
  
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• How a poorly explored immune cell may impact cancer immunity and immunotherapy

  17-11-2017 20:18
  The immune cells that are trained to fight off the body's invaders can become defective. It's what allows cancer to develop. So most research has targeted these co-called effector T-cells. But a new study takes a step back and considers: What if the problem isn't with the effector T-cells but starts higher up the cellular chain?
  
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• When to fish: Timing matters for fish that migrate to reproduce

  17-11-2017 20:17
  A new study points to yet another human factor that is hampering the ability of fish to reproduce: the timing of our fishing seasons. The study considers how the timing of fishing efforts might disproportionately target certain fish and change the life history patterns of entire populations.
  
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• Mathematician's study of 'swarmalators' could direct future science

  17-11-2017 20:17
  How does the Japanese tree frog figure into the latest work of a noted mathematician? As it turns out, quite prominently. Researchers used the curious mating ritual of male Japanese tree frogs as inspiration for their exploration of 'swarmalators' -- their term for systems in which both synchronization and swarming occur together.
  
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• Making it easier to recycle plastics

  17-11-2017 20:17
  Researchers report new approaches could dramatically increase the amount of plastic waste that can be successfully recycled.
  
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• Investigating patterns of degeneration in Alzheimer's disease

  17-11-2017 20:17
  Alzheimer's disease (AD) is known to cause memory loss and cognitive decline, but other functions of the brain can remain intact. The reasons cells in some brain regions degenerate while others are protected is largely unknown. Researchers have found that factors encoded in the DNA of brain cells contribute to the patterns of degeneration, or vulnerability, in AD.
  
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• Flu vaccine prevents hospitalization in children, study shows

  17-11-2017 20:17
  Children vaccinated against influenza are significantly less likely to experience serious complications from the virus that could land them in hospital, new research has found.
  
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• eDNA tool detects invasive clams before they become a nuisance

  17-11-2017 20:17
  When seeking a cure for a disease, early detection is often the key. The same is true for eliminating invasive species. Identifying their presence in a lake before they are abundant is vital. A recent study successfully used environmental DNA to detect invasive clams in California and Nevada lakes. Researchers believe this tool can help identify pests before they become a problem.
  
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• Drones could help crop management take off, research shows

  17-11-2017 20:17
  Initial results of an ongoing study show that aerial imagery produced by multi-spectral sensors as well as less-expensive digital cameras may improve accuracy and efficiency of plant stand assessment in cotton.
  
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• Decrease in sunshine, increase in rickets

  17-11-2017 20:17
  Britain's increasing cloudiness during the summer could be an important reason for the mysterious increase in rickets among British children over the past few decades, suggests new research.
  
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• A sub-desert savanna spread across Madrid 14 million years ago

  17-11-2017 20:17
  The current landscape of Madrid city and its vicinity was really different 14 million years ago. A semi-desert savanna has been inferred for the center of the Iberian Peninsula in the middle Miocene. This ecosystem was characterized by a very arid tropical climatic regime with up to ten months of drought per year, according to a recent paper. Scientists reached such conclusions after comparing mammal fauna with Africa and Asia ones.
  
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• A photosynthetic organism's 'Water World'

  17-11-2017 20:17
  Following the path of radicals and being able to identify many damaged residues because of incredibly accurate, expeditious and sensitive mass spectrometry, three scientists studied the great granddaddy of all photosynthetic organisms -- a strain of cyanobacteria -- to develop the first experimental map of that organism's water world.
  
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• Fireball in Finland sky 'probably a meteorite'

  17-11-2017 20:07 via bbc.co.uk
  The suspected meteor shook buildings when it raced through the sky in Lapland.
  
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• Skeletons could provide clues to who wrote or protected the Dead Sea Scrolls

  17-11-2017 20:05
  
  Skeletons suggest a group of celibate men inhabited Dead Sea Scrolls site.
  
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• The key to breaking down plastic may be in caterpillars’ guts

  17-11-2017 19:12
  
  Caterpillars that feast on plastic have different gut microbes than those that eat a grain-based diet.
  
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• Progesterone to fight preterm birth

  17-11-2017 17:54
  A new study provides additional support for treatment with vaginal progesterone to reduce the risk of preterm birth, neonatal complications and infant death in pregnant women with a short cervix. A shortened cervix is the most powerful predictor of preterm birth.
  
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• Age, gut bacteria contribute to MS disease progression, according to study

  17-11-2017 17:54
  Gut bacteria at a young age can contribute to multiple sclerosis disease onset and progression, new research indicates.
  
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• Quebec biofuel company partners with Qantas in effort to cut emissions

  17-11-2017 16:59 via cbc.ca
  A Quebec biofuels company has signed its first deal to power an airline's jets with energy grown from Canadian oilseeds.
  
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• Fishing 'best argument for seagrass conservation'

  17-11-2017 16:43 via bbc.co.uk
  Seagrass meadows are diminishing worldwide, which has serious implications for fishing activity.
  
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• What grosses out a chimpanzee? The origins of disgust

  17-11-2017 16:38
  Chimps show increased latencies to feed, and tendencies to maintain greater distances from possible contaminants and/or outright refusals to consume food in test conditions, hinting at the origins of disgust in humans.
  
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• Seagrass is a key fishing ground globally

  17-11-2017 16:38
  New research demonstrates that seagrass meadows are important fishing grounds all around the globe. The work highlights that there is an urgent need to start appreciating and understanding this role to be able to build more sustainable fisheries. A study examines the global extent to which these underwater meadows support fishing activity.
  
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• Protein key to cancer cells ability to spread identified

  17-11-2017 16:38
  Scientists have made a discovery that could reduce the spread of cancer by hindering a protein that binds cancer cells together and allows them to invade tissues. The groundbreaking study identified a protein, known as cadherin-22, as a potential factor in cancer metastasis, or spread, and showed that hindering it decreased the adhesion and invasion rate of breast and brain cancer cells by up to 90 percent.
  
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• Plant respiration could become a bigger feedback on climate than expected

  17-11-2017 16:38
  New research suggests that plant respiration is a larger source of carbon emissions than previously thought, and warns that as the world warms, this may reduce the ability of Earth's land surface to absorb emissions due to fossil fuel burning.
  
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• No more deer in the headlights: Study finds large mammals do use road crossing structures

  17-11-2017 16:38
  A pilot study finds that large mammals are more likely to use wildlife crossing structures than move past a random location in the surrounding habitat. Animal movement also varied between crossing structures in different locations, suggesting that location might be more important than design. These findings are a first step towards a better understanding of the effectiveness of wildlife crossing structures.
  
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• Asthma attacks reduced in tree-lined urban neighborhoods

  17-11-2017 16:38
  People living in polluted urban areas are far less likely to be admitted to hospital with asthma when there are lots of trees in their neighborhood, a new study has found.
  
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• Using eDNA to identify the breeding habitat of endangered species

  17-11-2017 16:37
  Using wide-ranging eDNA analysis combined with traditional collection survey methods, researchers have identified the breeding site of critically endangered fish species Acheilognathus typus in the mainstream of Omono River in Akita Prefecture, Japan.
  
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• To reduce risk of crashing, pick roads with wide shoulders and high speed limits

  17-11-2017 16:37
  A solid median, wide shoulders, minimal hills -- and a high speed limit? Researchers explore freeway features that minimize crash risk.
  
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• Link between obesity and cancer is not widely recognized

  17-11-2017 16:37
  A new study has shown that the majority of people in the United Kingdom do not understand the connection between weight issues and cancer. Obesity is associated with thirteen types of cancer, including those of the breast, kidney, bowel, and womb. However, after surveying 3293 adults, taken as representative of the UK population, researchers found that only a quarter of respondents were aware of the link between obesity and cancer.
  
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• Hydrogen fuel from water by harnessing red and near-infrared regions of sunlight

  17-11-2017 16:37
  Scientists have synthesized a compound that absorbs near-infrared light to produce hydrogen from water. The compound contains three ruthenium atoms connected by an organic molecule. The absorbed light stimulates electrons to 'jump' into orbitals that do not exist in other, similar compounds. This is the first successful use of infrared light to reduce water into hydrogen, which can be used for energy conversion and storage, and other industrial purposes in a future sustainable energy society.
  
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• Brain astrocytes linked to Alzheimer's disease

  17-11-2017 16:37
  Astrocytes, the supporting cells of the brain, could play a significant role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), according to a new study. This is the first time researchers discovered a direct association between astrocytes and AD.
  
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• Could this protein protect people against coronary artery disease?

  17-11-2017 16:36
  The buildup of plaque in the heart's arteries is an unfortunate part of aging. But by studying the genetic makeup of people who maintain clear arteries into old age, researchers have identified a possible genetic basis for coronary artery disease (CAD), as well as potential new opportunities to prevent it.
  
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• Grade inflation adds thousands to the cost of a family home, study finds

  17-11-2017 14:58
  Grade inflation at English primary schools can increase the price of surrounding houses by up to £7,000, according to early research from economists.
  
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• European forests might not be realizing their full potential

  17-11-2017 14:58
  European forest managers can have their cake and eat it, because according to a new study maximizing timber production in a forest does not necessarily have to come at a cost of reduced species diversity or the capacity to regulate climate change by the same forest. However most European forests fall well below their possible maximum levels of these three capacities.
  
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• Breakthrough discovery in diagnostic tools that can replace commonly used and fragile antibodies

  17-11-2017 14:58
  Experts have announced the development of polymeric materials with molecular recognition capabilities which hold the potential to outperform natural antibodies in various diagnostic applications
  
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• Employees want to sit down less and walk more during work days

  17-11-2017 14:53
  Desk-based workers would like to spend less time sitting down and more time walking or doing physical activity as part of their working day, research suggests.
  
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• Novel therapeutic target discovered for estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer

  17-11-2017 14:52
  A new protein has been identified in a common subtype of breast cancer which can potentially offer more effective therapies for the future.
  
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• Transforming greenhouse gases: New 'supercatalyst' to recycle carbon dioxide and methane

  17-11-2017 14:51
  Engineers have developed a new and cost-effective catalyst to recycle two of the main causes behind climate change -- carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4).
  
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• Dog ownership linked to lower mortality rate

  17-11-2017 14:51
  A team of scientists have used national registries of more than 3.4 million Swedes aged 40 to 80 to study the association between dog ownership and cardiovascular health. Their study shows that dog owners had a lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease or to other causes during the 12-year follow-up.
  
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• Fluorescence could help diagnose sick corals

  17-11-2017 13:00
  
  Diseased corals fluoresce less than healthy corals, and a new analysis technique can help spot the reduced glow.
  
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• Amazon Gold Rush Continues to Decimate Peru's Rain Forest

  17-11-2017 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  Despite government efforts, mining has expanded into protected areas
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Tesla shows off new truck and surprise Roadster

  17-11-2017 11:13 via bbc.co.uk
  Tesla shows off a long awaited truck, but surprises with its new Roadster sports car.
  
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• What are the best ways to shrink your carbon footprint?

  17-11-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  Want to reduce your carbon emissions? Curious about whether you’re getting the most for your efforts? Here’s how to figure out how to make the biggest difference.
  
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• Interstellar asteroid is given a name

  17-11-2017 08:56 via bbc.co.uk
  The first known asteroid to visit our Solar System from interstellar space has been given a name.
  
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• When male voles drink alcohol, but their partner doesn't, their relationship suffers

  17-11-2017 06:00
  (Frontiers) Researchers find that the relationship between prairie vole couples suffers when the male has access to alcohol, but his female partner doesn't - similar to what has been observed in human couples. The researchers also found changes in a specific brain region in the male voles. The results could help researchers find strategies to overcome the negative effects of alcohol on human relationships.
  
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• What grosses out a chimpanzee?

  17-11-2017 06:00
  (Kyoto University) Chimps show increased latencies to feed, and tendencies to maintain greater distances from possible contaminants and/or outright refusals to consume food in test conditions, hinting at the origins of disgust in humans.
  
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• UTSA researchers receive $147,000 grant to train school psychologists in deaf education

  17-11-2017 06:00
  (University of Texas at San Antonio) Educational psychology researchers from UTSA received a grant for a new program that integrates educational psychology and deaf education.
  
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• University of Guelph professor identifies protein key to cancer cells ability to spread

  17-11-2017 06:00
  (University of Guelph) U of G scientists have made a discovery that could reduce the spread of cancer by hindering a protein that binds cancer cells together and allows them to invade tissues.The groundbreaking study identified a protein, known as cadherin-22, as a potential factor in cancer metastasis, or spread, and showed that hindering it decreased the adhesion and invasion rate of breast and brain cancer cells by up to 90 percent.
  
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• These ring-tailed lemurs raise a 'stink' when they flirt with potential mates

  17-11-2017 06:00
  (University of Toronto) Stink-flirting among ring-tailed lemurs come at a cost, but may also influence females in choosing a mate.
  
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• The future of cell culture: A new continuous bioprocess developed

  17-11-2017 06:00
  (Newcastle University) Scientists at Newcastle University, UK have developed a revolutionary technique to allow the continuous production and collection of cells.
  
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