Science news

• Fracking linked to low birth weight in Pennsylvania babies

  13-12-2017 23:55
  
  Babies born to moms living within one kilometer of a hydraulic fracturing site were more likely to be born underweight, researchers say.
  
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• Canada lures 4 foreign scientists with big research grants

  13-12-2017 23:10 via cbc.ca
  The federal government has announced the hiring of four scientists — including two for B.C. — as part of the Canada 150 research program meant to increase Canada's academic reputation.
  
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• Sea reptile fossil gives clues to life in ancient oceans

  13-12-2017 22:19 via bbc.co.uk
  A new fossil is shedding light on the marine reptiles that swam at the time of the dinosaurs.
  
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• New research suggests wild salmon exposed to fish farms have 'much higher' rate of viral infection

  13-12-2017 21:22 via cbc.ca
  Fraser River sockeye and chinook salmon pass through some of the most dense fish farming areas and were found to have high rates of infection compared to wild salmon in the north where fish farms are not a factor.
  
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• Federal maps underestimate flood risk for tens of millions of people, scientists warn

  13-12-2017 21:13
  
  New flood maps suggest that the U.S. government underestimates how many people live in floodplains.
  
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• Microbes help turn Greek yogurt waste into fuel

  13-12-2017 20:37
  Consumers across the world enjoy Greek yogurt for its taste, texture, and protein-packed punch. Reaching that perfect formula, however, generates large volumes of food waste in the form of liquid whey. Now researchers have found a way to use bacteria to turn the leftover sugars and acids from Greek yogurt into molecules that could be used in biofuels or safe feedstock additives.
  
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• Micro-grippers may be able to navigate unstructured environments

  13-12-2017 20:37
  Micro-grippers may be able to navigate unstructured environments and could help reduce risk during surgeries, according to a new study.
  
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• Increased air pollution linked to bad teenage behavior

  13-12-2017 20:37
  A new study linking higher levels of air pollution to increased teenage delinquency is a reminder of the importance of clean air and the need for more foliage in urban spaces. The study suggests ambient air pollution may increase delinquent behavior among 9- to 18-year-olds in urban neighborhoods in Greater Los Angeles. The insidious effects are compounded by poor parent-child relationships and parental mental and social distress, researchers report.
  
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• Hydraulic fracturing negatively impacts infant health

  13-12-2017 20:37
  Health risks increase for infants born to mothers living within 2 miles of a hydraulic fracturing site, according to a new study.
  
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• Electricity, eel-style: Soft power cells could run tomorrow's implantables

  13-12-2017 20:37
  Inspired by the electric eel, a flexible, transparent electrical device could lead to body-friendly power sources for implanted health monitors and medication dispensers, augmented-reality contact lenses and countless other applications.
  
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• Climate conditions affect solar cell performance more than expected

  13-12-2017 20:37
  Researchers can now predict how much energy solar cells will produce at any location worldwide. Surprisingly, they identified that two types of solar cells can vary in energy output by 5 percent or more in tropical regions. This gap occurs because solar energy can shift depending on local temperature and water in the atmosphere. Their work emphasizes that solar products may behave differently depending on their environment.
  
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• A lithium-ion battery inspired by safety glass

  13-12-2017 20:37
  Researchers have modified the design of lithium-ion batteries to include slits along the electrodes, a feature which may mitigate the risk of battery failure during automobile accidents. The prototype could allow manufacturers to scale down the housing materials that commonly protect batteries in electric cars from mechanical damage, improving the overall energy density and cost.
  
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• The oldest plesiosaur was a strong swimmer

  13-12-2017 20:36
  Plesiosaurs were especially effective swimmer. These long extinct 'paddle saurians' propelled themselves through the World's oceans by employing 'underwater flight' -- similar to sea turtles and penguins. The find comes from the youngest part of the Triassic period and is about 201 million years old.
  
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• Protein structure could unlock new treatments for cystic fibrosis

  13-12-2017 20:36
  Biochemists have used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the detailed architecture of the chloride channel TMEM16A. This protein is a promising target for the development of effective drugs to treat cystic fibrosis.
  
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• Immune cells turn back time to achieve memory

  13-12-2017 20:36
  What distinguishes memory CD8 T cells from untrained naive cells is that they can respond rapidly, within minutes or hours. The new research illuminates how they do it -- their genes are poised to respond, even years after initial activation.
  
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• High-resolution climate models present alarming new projections for US

  13-12-2017 20:36
  Approaching the second half of the century, the United States is likely to experience increases in the number of days with extreme heat, the frequency and duration of heat waves, and the length of the growing season. In response, it is anticipated that societal, agricultural and ecological needs will increase the demand on already-strained natural resources like water and energy.
  
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• East Antarctic Ice Sheet has history of instability

  13-12-2017 20:36
  The East Antarctic Ice Sheet locks away enough water to raise sea level an estimated 53 meters (174 feet). It's also thought to be among the most stable, not gaining or losing mass even as ice sheets in West Antarctica and Greenland shrink. New research has found that the East Antarctic Ice Sheet may not be as stable as it seems.
  
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• ADHD med use during pregnancy and risk of birth defects

  13-12-2017 20:36
  A new study leverages data from multiple large cohorts to define and quantify what, if any, increased risk may be posed by taking the most commonly used ADHD medications. The team found that one medication, methylphenidate, increased risk of heart defects by a small amount while another medication, amphetamines, did not.
  
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• House mice may modulate their vocalizations depending on the sex of the receiver

  13-12-2017 20:35
  Wild-derived house mice call at higher rates and frequencies during interactions with the opposite sex than with the same sex, according to a new study.
  
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• Chemical tipping point of magma determines explosive potential of volcanoes

  13-12-2017 20:35
  Scientists provide evidence, for the first time, that a subtle tipping point of the chemistry of magmas clearly separates effusive from explosive eruptions worldwide.
  
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• Electric eels provide a zap of inspiration for a new kind of power source

  13-12-2017 19:22
  
  Battery-like devices inspired by electric eels could someday power wearable and implantable tech or soft robots.
  
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• Sorghum cultivars can produce thousands of gallons of ethanol

  13-12-2017 19:04
  Sweet sorghum is not just for breakfast anymore. Although sorghum is a source for table syrup, scientists see a future in which we convert sorghum to biofuel, rather than relying on fossil fuel.
  
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• Lactic acid bacteria can protect against influenza a virus

  13-12-2017 19:03
  Lactic acid bacteria, commonly used as probiotics to improve digestive health, can offer protection against different subtypes of influenza A virus, resulting in reduced weight loss after virus infection and lower amounts of virus replication in the lungs, according to a new study.
  
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• Women get less credit than men in the workplace

  13-12-2017 19:02
  New research suggests that women receive less credit for speaking up in the workplace than their male counterparts.
  
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• Cells sense their environment to explore it

  13-12-2017 18:58
  The process through which cells are able to sense their environment is regulated by force detection, concludes new research.
  
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• Borrowing a leaf from biology to preserve threatened languages

  13-12-2017 18:58
  Biodiversity scientists are using a language tree to help guide efforts to preserve threatened languages, outlines a new report.
  
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• Tiny globetrotters: Bacteria which live in the Arctic and the Antarctic

  13-12-2017 18:57
  Geoscientists have compared micro-organisms in the polar regions, noting that some bacteria can be found in both regions of Earth.
  
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• Drug to treat retinal diseases with drops instead of injections

  13-12-2017 18:53
  A new compound has been developed to treat diseases of the retina, such as age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy, with the ability to be administered by ophthalmic drops instead of intraocular injections. The drug, which has been tested in animals, is a small interfering RNA capable of penetrating the cells of the retina and blocking the formation of new blood vessels.
  
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• Converting waste water from dairies to animal feed and aviation fuel

  13-12-2017 18:49
  Scientists have developed a bioprocess that enables conversion of acid whey, a dairy by-product, without the use of additional chemicals. Scientists used microbiome cultures similar to those in the human gut. The new bio-oil can be used in animal feed or, after further refinement, as a fuel for airplanes.
  
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• Steroid study sheds light on long term side effects of medicines

  13-12-2017 18:47
  Fresh insights into key hormones found in commonly prescribed medicines have been discovered, providing further understanding of the medicines' side effects.
  
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• A metallopeptide targets and disrupts mitochondrial function in breast cancer stem cells

  13-12-2017 18:47
  Killing malignant mitochondria is one of the most promising approaches in the development of new anticancer drugs. Scientists have now synthesized a copper-containing peptide that is readily taken up by mitochondria in breast cancer stem cells, where it effectively induces apoptosis. The study also highlights the powerful therapeutic potential of the metallopeptides.
  
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• Blue Origin launches, lands upgraded spacecraft with 'Mannequin Skywalker' aboard

  13-12-2017 18:39 via cbc.ca
  Private space company Blue Origin has successfully launched and landed an upgraded rocket and a new crew capsule that it bills as having "the largest windows in space."
  
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• These are the most-read Science News stories of 2017

  13-12-2017 18:00
  
  From Cassini and eclipses to ladybugs and dolphins, Science News online readers had a wide variety of favorite stories on our website.
  
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• Tasting colors? Synesthesia induced with hypnosis

  13-12-2017 18:00
  Hypnosis can alter the way certain individuals information process information in their brain. A new phenomenon was identified by researchers who have successfully used hypnosis to induce a functional analogue of synesthesia. The discovery can open a window into the previously unexplored domains of cognitive neuroscience.
  
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• Residual strain despite mega earthquake

  13-12-2017 18:00
  On Christmas Day 2016, the earth trembled in southern Chile. In the same region, the strongest earthquake ever measured occurred in 1960. A comparison of data from seismic and geodetic measurements during and after both earthquakes shows that the energy released by the 2016 quake accumulated over more than 56 years. According to this, the 1960 quake, despite its immense strength, must have left some strain in the underground.
  
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• Fear of losing control and its role in anxiety disorders

  13-12-2017 18:00
  Did you lock the front door? Did you double-check? Are you sure? If this sounds familiar, perhaps you can relate to people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Help may be on the way. New research sheds light on how the fear of losing control over thoughts and actions impacts OCD-related behavior, including checking.
  
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• Default choices matter, especially for poorer, less educated individuals, study shows

  13-12-2017 18:00
  Researchers took advantage of a resulting federal lawsuit against a fraudulent company to test default choice architecture when the optimal choice was clear: end the subscriptions.
  
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• Creating surfaces that repel water and control its flow

  13-12-2017 18:00
  To prevent water and ice from making our shoes soggy, frosting our car windows and weighing down power lines with icicles, scientists have been exploring new coatings that can repel water. Now one team has developed a way to direct where the water goes when it's pushed away.
  
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• Coffee physics: Layering in cafe lattes yields insights for engineering, medicine and environment

  13-12-2017 18:00
  For anyone who has marveled at the richly colored layers in a cafe latte, you're not alone. Researchers, likewise intrigued, have now revealed how this tiered structure develops when espresso is poured into hot milk. Honing techniques for yielding sought-after layers by flowing liquids into each other could reduce costs and complexity in a range of applications.
  
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• 175 years on, study finds where you live still determines your life expectancy

  13-12-2017 18:00
  Researchers revisited a study carried out 175 years ago which compared life expectancy in different areas of the UK. They found there is still a link between where you live, your social class and the age you live to and that people living in Liverpool still have lower life expectancy than those living in the rural area of Rutland.
  
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• Autism therapy: Social behavior restored via brain stimulation

  13-12-2017 17:59
  Scientists are examining the feasibility of treating autistic children with neuromodulation after a new study showed social impairments can be corrected by brain stimulation.
  
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• Do Money, Social Status Woes Fuel the U.S. Gun Culture?

  13-12-2017 15:45 via rss.sciam.com
  Of U.S. gun owners, white males hit by economic setbacks were most likely to feel empowered by weapons, a new study shows
  -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Last chance to save the 'panda of the sea' from extinction

  13-12-2017 15:23 via bbc.co.uk
  A last-ditch effort to save the world's rarest marine mammal from extinction has been launched.
  
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• Scientists uncover fossils of 100-kilogram giant penguin

  13-12-2017 15:02 via cbc.ca
  Fossils from New Zealand have revealed a giant penguin that was bigger than many full-grown humans, with a mass of about 100 kilograms.
  
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• 2017 delivered humility, and proved our potential

  13-12-2017 14:46
  
  Acting Editor in Chief Elizabeth Quill reflects on some of the top scientific stories of 2017.
  
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• Waddling into history: huge ancient penguin inhabited New Zealand

  13-12-2017 14:39
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists have unearthed in New Zealand fossil bones of what might be the heavyweight champion of the penguin world, a bird nearly 6 feet tall (1.77 meters) that thrived 55 to 60 million years ago, relatively soon after the demise of the dinosaurs.
  
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• Amber discovery shows 'Dracula' sucked blood of feathered dinosaurs

  13-12-2017 14:39
  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ticks, the notorious disease-spreading parasites, have been making life miserable far longer than human beings have walked the Earth. Even dinosaurs felt their blood-sucking wrath.
  
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• Colliding neutron stars, gene editing, human origins and more top stories of 2017

  13-12-2017 14:32
  
  A gravitational wave discovery is the year's biggest science story — again.
  
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• This year’s neutron star collision unlocks cosmic mysteries

  13-12-2017 14:31
  
  A rare and long-awaited astronomical event united thousands of astronomers in a frenzy of observations.
  
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• The Larsen C ice shelf break has sparked groundbreaking research

  13-12-2017 14:30
  
  The hubbub over the iceberg that broke off Larsen C may have died down, but scientists are just getting warmed up to study the aftermath.
  
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