Science news

• Narwhal escape: Whales freeze and flee when frightened

  07-12-2017 21:08 via bbc.co.uk
  Narwhals show a "costly" response to threats, raising concerns over how they will respond to increased human contact.
  
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• This ESPRESSO machine doesn't make coffee but scans the skies for habitable planets

  07-12-2017 20:58 via cbc.ca
  The ESPRESSO (Echelle SPectrograph for Rocky Exoplanet and Stable Spectroscopic Observations) detector is up and running in Chile and is scouring the skies for habitable planets in our stellar neighbourhood.
  
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• Narwhals react to certain dangers in a really strange way

  07-12-2017 20:41
  
  After escaping a net, narwhals significantly lower their heart rate while diving quickly to get away from humans.
  
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• AI eavesdrops on dolphins and discovers six unknown click types

  07-12-2017 20:00
  
  An algorithm uncovered the new types of echolocation sounds among millions of underwater recordings from the Gulf of Mexico.
  
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• US firm picks UK for weather satellites

  07-12-2017 19:36 via bbc.co.uk
  Orbital Micro Systems' demonstration weather satellite should pave the way for a network in the sky.
  
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• Structure of the yeast spliceosomal postcatalytic P complex

  07-12-2017 19:23
  The spliceosome undergoes dramatic changes in a splicing cycle. Structures of B, Bact, C, C*, and intron lariat spliceosome complexes revealed mechanisms of 5'–splice site (ss) recognition, branching, and intron release, but lacked information on 3'-ss recognition, exon ligation, and exon release. Here we report a cryo–electron microscopy structure of the postcatalytic P complex at 3.3-angstrom resolution, revealing that the 3' ss is mainly recognized through non–Watson-Crick b
  
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• Structural basis for methylphosphonate biosynthesis

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Methylphosphonate synthase (MPnS) produces methylphosphonate, a metabolic precursor to methane in the upper ocean. Here, we determine a 2.35-angstrom resolution structure of MPnS and discover that it has an unusual 2-histidine-1-glutamine iron-coordinating triad. We further solve the structure of a related enzyme, hydroxyethylphosphonate dioxygenase from Streptomyces albus (SaHEPD), and find that it displays the same motif. SaHEPD can be converted into an MPnS by mutation of glutamine-adjacent r
  
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• Spatiotemporal gene expression trajectories reveal developmental hierarchies of the human cortex

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Systematic analyses of spatiotemporal gene expression trajectories during organogenesis have been challenging because diverse cell types at different stages of maturation and differentiation coexist in the emerging tissues. We identified discrete cell types as well as temporally and spatially restricted trajectories of radial glia maturation and neurogenesis in developing human telencephalon. These lineage-specific trajectories reveal the expression of neurogenic transcription factors in early r
  
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• Signatures of exciton condensation in a transition metal dichalcogenide

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Bose condensation has shaped our understanding of macroscopic quantum phenomena, having been realized in superconductors, atomic gases, and liquid helium. Excitons are bosons that have been predicted to condense into either a superfluid or an insulating electronic crystal. Using the recently developed technique of momentum-resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy (M-EELS), we studied electronic collective modes in the transition metal dichalcogenide semimetal 1T-TiSe2. Near the phase-transitio
  
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• Response to Comment on "Cognition-mediated evolution of low-quality floral nectars"

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Pyke and Waser claim that our virtual pollination ecology model makes unrealistic assumptions and fails to predict observed nectar concentrations of bat flowers and negative correlations between pollinator body size and sugar concentration. In their comment, crucial model features are misrepresented, misunderstood, or ignored. Sensitivity to the supply/demand ratio explains both the equilibrium concentrations and the selection for lower concentrations by larger pollinators.
  
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• Renewable acrylonitrile production

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Acrylonitrile (ACN) is a petroleum-derived compound used in resins, polymers, acrylics, and carbon fiber. We present a process for renewable ACN production using 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP), which can be produced microbially from sugars. The process achieves ACN molar yields exceeding 90% from ethyl 3-hydroxypropanoate (ethyl 3-HP) via dehydration and nitrilation with ammonia over an inexpensive titanium dioxide solid acid catalyst. We further describe an integrated process modeled at scale t
  
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• Quantized chiral edge conduction on domain walls of a magnetic topological insulator

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Electronic ordering in magnetic and dielectric materials forms domains with different signs of order parameters. The control of configuration and motion of the domain walls (DWs) enables nonvolatile responses against minute external fields. Here, we realize chiral edge states (CESs) on the magnetic DWs of a magnetic topological insulator. We design and fabricate the magnetic domains in the quantum anomalous Hall state with the tip of a magnetic force microscope and prove the existence of the chi
  
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• Postcatalytic spliceosome structure reveals mechanism of 3'-splice site selection

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Introns are removed from eukaryotic messenger RNA precursors by the spliceosome in two transesterification reactions—branching and exon ligation. The mechanism of 3'–splice site recognition during exon ligation has remained unclear. Here we present the 3.7-angstrom cryo–electron microscopy structure of the yeast P-complex spliceosome immediately after exon ligation. The 3'–splice site AG dinucleotide is recognized through non–Watson-Crick pairing with the 5' splice
  
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• Plant RuBisCo assembly in E. coli with five chloroplast chaperones including BSD2

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Plant RuBisCo, a complex of eight large and eight small subunits, catalyzes the fixation of CO2 in photosynthesis. The low catalytic efficiency of RuBisCo provides strong motivation to reengineer the enzyme with the goal of increasing crop yields. However, genetic manipulation has been hampered by the failure to express plant RuBisCo in a bacterial host. We achieved the functional expression of Arabidopsis thaliana RuBisCo in Escherichia coli by coexpressing multiple chloroplast chaperones. Thes
  
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• Paradoxical escape responses by narwhals (Monodon monoceros)

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Until recent declines in Arctic sea ice levels, narwhals (Monodon monoceros) have lived in relative isolation from human perturbation and sustained predation pressures. The resulting naïvety has made this cryptic, deep-diving cetacean highly susceptible to disturbance, although quantifiable effects have been lacking. We deployed a submersible, animal-borne electrocardiograph-accelerometer-depth recorder to monitor physiological and behavioral responses of East Greenland narwhals after rele
  
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• On the origin of modern humans: Asian perspectives

  07-12-2017 19:23
  The traditional "out of Africa" model, which posits a dispersal of modern Homo sapiens across Eurasia as a single wave at ~60,000 years ago and the subsequent replacement of all indigenous populations, is in need of revision. Recent discoveries from archaeology, hominin paleontology, geochronology, genetics, and paleoenvironmental studies have contributed to a better understanding of the Late Pleistocene record in Asia. Important findings highlighted here include growing evidence for multiple di
  
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• Imaging resonant dissipation from individual atomic defects in graphene

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Conversion of electric current into heat involves microscopic processes that operate on nanometer length scales and release minute amounts of power. Although central to our understanding of the electrical properties of materials, individual mediators of energy dissipation have so far eluded direct observation. Using scanning nanothermometry with submicrokelvin sensitivity, we visualized and controlled phonon emission from individual atomic-scale defects in graphene. The inferred electron-phonon
  
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• Firearms and accidental deaths: Evidence from the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school shooting

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Exposure to firearms increased substantially after the December 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where 20 children and 6 adults were killed. Gun sales spiked by 3 million, on the basis of the increase in the number of background checks for firearm purchases. Google searches for buying and cleaning guns increased. We used Vital Statistics mortality data to examine whether a spike in accidental firearm deaths occurred at the same time as the greater exposure t
  
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• Designing river flows to improve food security futures in the Lower Mekong Basin

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Rivers provide unrivaled opportunity for clean energy via hydropower, but little is known about the potential impact of dam-building on the food security these rivers provide. In tropical rivers, rainfall drives a periodic flood pulse fueling fish production and delivering nutrition to more than 150 million people worldwide. Hydropower will modulate this flood pulse, thereby threatening food security. We identified variance components of the Mekong River flood pulse that predict yield in one of
  
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• Comment on "Cognition-mediated evolution of low-quality floral nectars"

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Nachev et al. (Reports, 6 January 2017, p. 75) present dilute nectar in bat-pollinated plants as "paradoxical" because bats prefer concentrated nectar, but paradox disappears with realistic assumptions about nectar evolution. We argue that they make unrealistic assumptions about the cognitive abilities of bat pollinators, invoke Weber’s law inappropriately, and cannot predict observed nectar concentrations of bat flowers or negative correlations between pollinator body size and average con
  
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• Coherently aligned nanoparticles within a biogenic single crystal: A biological prestressing strategy

  07-12-2017 19:23
  In contrast to synthetic materials, materials produced by organisms are formed in ambient conditions and with a limited selection of elements. Nevertheless, living organisms reveal elegant strategies for achieving specific functions, ranging from skeletal support to mastication, from sensors and defensive tools to optical function. Using state-of-the-art characterization techniques, we present a biostrategy for strengthening and toughening the otherwise brittle calcite optical lenses found in th
  
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• Attosecond-resolved photoionization of chiral molecules

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Chiral light-matter interactions have been investigated for two centuries, leading to the discovery of many chiroptical processes used for discrimination of enantiomers. Whereas most chiroptical effects result from a response of bound electrons, photoionization can produce much stronger chiral signals that manifest as asymmetries in the angular distribution of the photoelectrons along the light-propagation axis. We implemented self-referenced attosecond photoelectron interferometry to measure th
  
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• A small-molecule inhibitor of TRPC5 ion channels suppresses progressive kidney disease in animal models

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Progressive kidney diseases are often associated with scarring of the kidney’s filtration unit, a condition called focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). This scarring is due to loss of podocytes, cells critical for glomerular filtration, and leads to proteinuria and kidney failure. Inherited forms of FSGS are caused by Rac1-activating mutations, and Rac1 induces TRPC5 ion channel activity and cytoskeletal remodeling in podocytes. Whether TRPC5 activity mediates FSGS onset and progress
  
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• A precise measurement of the magnetic field in the corona of the black hole binary V404 Cygni

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Observations of binary stars containing an accreting black hole or neutron star often show x-ray emission extending to high energies (>10 kilo­–electron volts), which is ascribed to an accretion disk corona of energetic particles akin to those seen in the solar corona. Despite their ubiquity, the physical conditions in accretion disk coronae remain poorly constrained. Using simultaneous infrared, optical, x-ray, and radio observations of the Galactic black hole system V404 Cygni, sh
  
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• A generative vision model that trains with high data efficiency and breaks text-based CAPTCHAs

  07-12-2017 19:23
  Learning from a few examples and generalizing to markedly different situations are capabilities of human visual intelligence that are yet to be matched by leading machine learning models. By drawing inspiration from systems neuroscience, we introduce a probabilistic generative model for vision in which message-passing–based inference handles recognition, segmentation, and reasoning in a unified way. The model demonstrates excellent generalization and occlusion-reasoning capabilities and ou
  
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• CRISPR/Cas9 can reverse multiple diseases in mice

  07-12-2017 18:25
  
  A new gene therapy uses CRISPR/Cas9 to turn on dormant genes.
  
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• The Neuroscience of Changing Your Mind

  07-12-2017 18:00 via rss.sciam.com
  New findings suggest it is more complicated than scientists thought
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• With cybercrime costing $3B annually, AI can improve chances of finding hackers

  07-12-2017 17:32 via cbc.ca
  Artificial intelligence techniques using machine learning scan huge volumes of data to detect patterns of abnormal behaviour that are imperceptible to humans and detecting hacking before traditional software.
  
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• Arctic sea ice melt could exacerbate California droughts: study

  07-12-2017 16:45 via cbc.ca
  Melting Arctic sea ice could render sun-soaked California vulnerable to a recurrence of the severe drought suffered in recent years as it is likely to cause high pressure systems that push away rain-bearing storms, a study released Tuesday says.
  
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• Marijuana meds for pets? Vets want clinical trials

  07-12-2017 14:40 via cbc.ca
  People anxious to relieve suffering in their pets are increasingly turning to marijuana-based oils and powders. But there's little data on whether they work, or if they have harmful side effects. Vets say research is badly needed.
  
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• Researchers find 'oldest ever eye' in fossil

  07-12-2017 13:31 via bbc.co.uk
  The remains of the extinct sea creature include an early form of the eye seen in many of today's animals.
  
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• The scientist who paints lost worlds

  07-12-2017 13:03 via bbc.co.uk
  Dr Julian Hume draws extinct animals with scientific accuracy
  
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• Microwaved, hard-boiled eggs can explode. But the bang isn’t the worst part.

  07-12-2017 13:00
  
  Microwaved eggs can explode with a loud, but probably not ear-splitting, bang when pierced.
  
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• What Will NASA's Biggest-Ever Space Telescope Study First?

  07-12-2017 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  To fully utilize the long-awaited James Webb Space Telescope, researchers will have to squeeze a generation of scientific studies into the multibillion-dollar observatory’s short lifetime
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Kids as young as 5 show racial bias, research suggests

  07-12-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  A new study from researchers at York University finds most white children as young as five years old show racial bias in favour of other white children.
  
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• Bitcoin gamble: Canadian couple pours life savings into bitcoin mine

  07-12-2017 11:00 via cbc.ca
  As the price of bitcoin tops $15,000 US, some Canadians are looking for new ways to cash in on its climb.
  
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• Virtual reality makes journalism immersive, realism makes it credible

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (Penn State) Virtual reality technology may help journalists pull an audience into their stories, but they should avoid being too flashy, or their credibility could suffer, according to a team of researchers.
  
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• Venezuelan rock art mapped in unprecedented detail

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (University College London) Rock engravings located in Western Venezuela -- including some of the largest recorded anywhere in the world -- have been mapped in unprecedented detail by UCL researchers.
  
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• UT Dallas researchers develop techniques to analyze thousands of hours of Apollo mission audio

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (University of Texas at Dallas) UT Dallas researchers develop speech-processing techniques to reconstruct NASA lunar mission audio from a massive archive. The team developed algorithms to process, recognize and analyze the audio to determine who said what and when in an advance in diarization research.
  
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• Understanding mental disorder through a scientific lens

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (Association for Psychological Science) As science reveals more about the origins and development of mental disorder, it also raises more questions. A team of clinical scientists delves into these complexities in a comprehensive new report, taking an in-depth look at three systems used for understanding mental-health disorders: the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and the Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC).
  
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• UCLA chemists synthesize narrow ribbons of graphene using only light and heat

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (University of California - Los Angeles) UCLA chemists have developed a new method to produce graphene nanoribbons, which are widely viewed as a next-generation material that might one day power the world's electronic devices.
  
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• The DFG funds 15 new collaborative research centers

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) Topics range from predictability in evolution to ultra-fast spin dynamics and the future of rural Africa / €133 million in funding for initial four-year period.
  
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• The Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, over the South Pole Telescope

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (National Science Foundation) Observations of two galaxies made with the National Science Foundation-funded Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) radio telescope suggest that large galaxies formed faster than scientists had previously thought.
  
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• Study sheds light on the voices in our head

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (University of New South Wales) As far our brain is concerned, talking to ourselves in our heads may be fundamentally the same as speaking our thoughts out loud, new research shows. The findings may have important implications for understanding why people with mental illnesses such as schizophrenia hear voices.
  
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• Stretching language to its limit

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (University of Chicago Press Journals) A disregard for human traditions, the brutality of predation, sacrifice, and sexual desire are ingrained in languages across cultures. This paper concerns a key linguistic feature reflecting this predicament: utterances that encapsulate their opposite and effectuate a U-turn in meaning.
  
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• Space program should focus on Mars, says editor of New Space

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) The US space exploration program should continue to focus on robotic sample recovery and human missions to Mars, says Scott Hubbard, Editor-in-Chief of New Space.
  
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• Solar power advances possible with new 'double-glazing' device

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (University of Warwick) A new 'double-glazing' solar power device -- which is unlike any existing solar panel and opens up fresh opportunities to develop more advanced photovoltaics -- has been invented by University of Warwick researchers.
  
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• Smartphone case offers blood glucose monitoring on the go

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (University of California - San Diego) Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a smartphone case and app that could make it easier for patients to record and track their blood glucose readings, whether they're at home or on the go.
  
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• Screen time before bed linked with less sleep, higher BMIs in kids

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (Penn State) It may be tempting to let your kids stay up late playing games on their smartphones, but using digital devices before bed may contribute to sleep and nutrition problems in children, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.
  
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• Scientists identify first brain cells that respond to sound

  07-12-2017 06:00
  (University of Maryland School of Medicine) A new study is the first to identify a mechanism that could explain an early link between sound input and cognitive function, often called the 'Mozart effect.'
  
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