Science news

• Uber says hackers behind data breach were in Canada, Florida

  06-02-2018 23:30 via cbc.ca
  The two people behind a 2016 data breach at Uber Technologies Inc. were found to be in Canada and Florida, an Uber cyber security executive told the U.S. Congress on Tuesday.
  
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• Elon Musk's Falcon Heavy rocket launches successfully

  06-02-2018 22:21 via bbc.co.uk
  The world's most powerful rocket successfully lifts clear of its pad on historic maiden flight.
  
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• Elon Musk's Falcon Heavy rocket blasts off

  06-02-2018 22:15 via bbc.co.uk
  Wild cheering greets the launch of the maiden flight of the new rocket.
  
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• SpaceX just launched its biggest rocket for the first time

  06-02-2018 22:09
  
  SpaceX just launched the Falcon Heavy — the most powerful rocket since the Saturn V — for the first time.
  
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• This ancient creature looks like a spider with a tail

  06-02-2018 21:35
  
  A newly discovered ancient creature looks like a spider and has silk spinners and spidery male sex organs.
  
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• Brain "Pacemaker" Could Help You Remember Only What You Might Forget

  06-02-2018 21:00 via rss.sciam.com
  An implant is the latest development in research on neural stimulation to boost cognition-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• The oddities sent into space

  06-02-2018 20:22 via bbc.co.uk
  A car, a golf ball, a pie... and other items items dispatched on cosmic journeys over the years.
  
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• Unraveling the CNOT: A new player in the autophagy-cell death nexus

  06-02-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Autophagy plays a context-dependent role in cardiac homeostasis. In this issue of Science Signaling, Yamaguchi et al. delineate a role for CCR4-NOT–mediated mRNA deadenylation in preventing the autophagy factor Atg7 from coactivating p53-mediated transcription of cell death genes in the heart.
  
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• The CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex controls Atg7-dependent cell death and heart function

  06-02-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Shortening and removal of the polyadenylate [poly(A)] tail of mRNA, a process called deadenylation, is a key step in mRNA decay that is mediated through the CCR4-NOT (carbon catabolite repression 4–negative on TATA-less) complex. In our investigation of the regulation of mRNA deadenylation in the heart, we found that this complex was required to prevent cell death. Conditional deletion of the CCR4-NOT complex components Cnot1 or Cnot3 resulted in the formation of autophagic vacuoles and ca
  
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• Hedgehog reciprocally controls trafficking of Smo and Ptc through the Smurf family of E3 ubiquitin ligases

  06-02-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Hedgehog (Hh) induces signaling by promoting the reciprocal trafficking of its receptor Patched (Ptc) and the signal transducer Smoothened (Smo), which is inhibited by Ptc, at the cell surface. We identified Smurf family E3 ubiquitin ligases as essential for Smo ubiquitylation and cell surface clearance and demonstrated that Smurf family members mediate the reciprocal trafficking of Ptc and Smo in Drosophila melanogaster. G protein–coupled receptor kinase 2 (Gprk2)–mediated phosphory
  
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• Grking the Smoothened signal

  06-02-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The kinase GRK2 has been linked to the clinically important Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway, where it is paradoxically required for signal transduction yet also promotes internalization and degradation of the critical HH signal transducer Smoothened. Two reports by Li et al. and Pusapati et al. in this issue of Science Signaling provide new insights into the role of GRK2 in HH signaling.
  
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• G protein-coupled receptors control the sensitivity of cells to the morphogen Sonic Hedgehog

  06-02-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  The morphogen Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) patterns tissues during development by directing cell fates in a concentration-dependent manner. The SHH signal is transmitted across the membrane of target cells by the heptahelical transmembrane protein Smoothened (SMO), which activates the GLI family of transcription factors through a mechanism that is undefined in vertebrates. Using CRISPR-edited null alleles and small-molecule inhibitors, we systematically analyzed the epistatic interactions between SMO an
  
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• ER-phagy to alleviate stress

  06-02-2018 19:50 via stke.sciencemag.org
  Selective autophagy of the endoplasmic reticulum protects the secretory cells of the pancreas.
  
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• Liberals move to protect more fish by overhauling Harper-era reforms

  06-02-2018 18:06 via cbc.ca
  The federal government is moving forward with plans to protect more fish and their habitat, and recognize fishing as culturally and socially important to Canada's coastal communities.
  
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• When it’s playtime, many kids prefer reality over fantasy

  06-02-2018 17:45
  
  Given a choice between fantasy play and doing the things that adults do, children prefer reality-based tasks, studies suggest.
  
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• Ancient kids’ toys have been hiding in the archaeological record

  06-02-2018 17:45
  
  Some unusual finds from thousands of years ago are actually toys and children’s attempts at mimicking adult craftwork.
  
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• Blooming marvellous: drones give B.C. researchers new view of 'enormous' jellyfish clusters

  06-02-2018 16:24 via cbc.ca
  The cameras provide a bird's-eye view that can't be replicated on the water, researchers say.
  
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• SpaceX launches powerful Falcon Heavy rocket

  06-02-2018 15:04 via cbc.ca
  SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket has blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla. Though the maiden launch is unmanned, there is a special payload: a Tesla roadster destined to orbit the sun between Mars and Earth.
  
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• Everything you need to know about the SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch

  06-02-2018 15:04 via cbc.ca
  Thousands are expected to line roadways and beaches around Cape Canaveral, Fla., ahead of today's inaugural launch of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. CBC will live stream the launch starting at 1:15 p.m. ET.
  
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• Rare dinosaur discovery made in Egypt

  06-02-2018 14:32 via cbc.ca
  A bus-sized long-necked dinosaur has been discovered in Egypt's Western Desert.
  
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• New titanosaur discovered in Egyptian desert

  06-02-2018 14:32 via cbc.ca
  A bus-sized long-necked dinosaur has been discovered in Egypt's Western Desert.
  
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• Olympic Clothing Designers Try to Beat the Cold with Technology

  06-02-2018 14:00 via rss.sciam.com
  With electric self-warming jackets and new insulated fabrics, Team USA hopes to overcome record-setting chills-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Wait--the Ozone Layer Is Still Declining?

  06-02-2018 13:15 via rss.sciam.com
  The lower stratosphere’s ozone continues to decrease, despite the world’s success in phasing out ozone-depleting chemicals-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Pollinators are usually safe from a Venus flytrap

  06-02-2018 13:00
  
  A first-ever look at what pollinates the carnivorous Venus flytrap finds little overlap between pollinators and prey.
  
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• California Farms Are a Silent but Sizable Source of Air Pollution

  06-02-2018 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  Soil microbes convert fertilizer to nitrogen oxides, emitting about as much of the gases as on-road vehicles in the state-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• New SpaceX jumbo rocket set for debut test launch in company milestone

  06-02-2018 12:35
  CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - A new SpaceX jumbo rocket in line to become the world's most powerful launch vehicle in operation was set for its highly anticipated debut test flight on Tuesday from Florida, carrying a Tesla Roadster as a mock payload.
  
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• 4 things to watch for in Canada's new Fisheries Act

  06-02-2018 10:00 via cbc.ca
  Federal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc will be in Vancouver today to announce updates to Canada's Fisheries Act.
  
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• You might be paying too much for ads on Google, Bing

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Binghamton University) New research out of Binghamton University, State University of New York suggests that instead of just spending to get that top spot, advertisers should be considering other factors as well to ensure they are getting the best results from their sponsored search advertising campaigns.
  
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• Worm uploaded to a computer and trained to balance a pole

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Vienna University of Technology) The tiny worm C. elegans is the only living being whose neural network has been analyzed completely. It can therefore be transferred to a computer, creating a virtual copy of the worm which behaves in exactly the same way to external stimuli. Such a 'virtual worm' can learn amazing tricks -- its neural network can even be used to balance a pole, which is a standard control problem in computer science.
  
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• Workbench for virus design

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (ETH Zurich) ETH's Zurich researchers have developed a technology platform that allows them to systematically modify and customise bacteriophages. This technology is a step towards making phage therapies a powerful tool for combating dangerous pathogens.
  
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• Who is the real Indiana Jones?

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (American University) Justin M. Jacobs, associate professor of history at American University, is the first to tell the historical story of Indiana Jones.
  
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• Using shark scales to design better drones, planes, and wind turbines

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences) A team of evolutionary biologists and engineers at Harvard University have demonstrated a new structure inspired by shark skin that could improve the aerodynamic performance of planes, wind turbines, drones, and cars. The research sheds light on a decades-old mystery about sharkskin.
  
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• Unknown language discovered in Southeast Asia

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Lund University) A previously unknown language has been found in the Malay Peninsula by linguists from Lund University in Sweden. The language has been given the name Jedek. 'Documentation of endangered minority languages such as Jedek is important, as it provides new insights into human cognition and culture', says Joanne Yager, doctoral student at Lund University.
  
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• UNC researchers identify patterns of HIV risk among people who inject drugs in Vietnam

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (University of North Carolina Health Care) In an effort to combat HIV infections among men who inject drugs in Vietnam, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill conducted the first study to explore how this population mixes together. Their results were published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
  
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• UC San Diego-Harvard group reports shift in awareness from Chopra well-being program

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News) A new study by Paul J. Mills, Ph.D., and colleagues has shown that an intensive six-day Ayurveda-based mind-body program led to a significant and sustained increase in self-awareness, with related mental and physical health benefits.
  
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• Twitter reveals how future-thinking Americans are and how that affects their decisions

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Emory Health Sciences) The researchers tapped big data tools to conduct text analyses of nearly 40,000 Twitter users, and to run online experiments of behavior of people who provided their Twitter handles.
  
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• Symptoms of alcoholism make taking medication to treat the disease more difficult

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Oregon State University) Symptoms of alcoholism make it more difficult for some people to regularly take the prescription drug naltrexone, which could help treat their disease, a researcher at Oregon State University has found.
  
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• Studying outdoors is better

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Technical University of Munich (TUM)) Being taught science subjects outdoors increases student motivation. A study by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and the University of Mainz therefore suggests offering more outdoor instruction at the lower secondary level.
  
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• Study questions link between medical marijuana and fewer opioid deaths

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (RAND Corporation) Several studies have shown an association between legalizing medical marijuana and lower death rates from opioids.A new study finds that link is more complex than previously described and appears to be changing as both medical marijuana laws and the opioid crisis evolve.
  
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• Smartly containing the cloud increases computing efficiency, says first-of-its-kind study

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Virginia Tech) Virginia Tech researchers discovered ways to further improve computing efficiency using management tools for cloud-based light-weight virtual machine replacements called containers.
  
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• Sleepless in Latin America: Blind cavefish, extreme environments and insomnia

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Florida Atlantic University) A study led by researchers from Florida Atlantic University has found that differences in the production of the neuropeptide Hypocretin, previously implicated in human narcolepsy, may explain variation in sleep between animal species, or even between individual people. It may also provide important insight into the evolution of sleep and how we might build a brain that does not need to sleep.
  
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• Scientists make it possible to rank the risk of resistance genes

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Technical University of Denmark) A new study published in Nature Communications will help to predict antibiotic resistance evolution and thus guide future drug development.
  
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• Risks in using electronic management systems at universities

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Kazan Federal University) New electronic management systems provide educational support, help establish effective monitoring of students' achievements both online and offline, can receive and analyze reports on student performance, and track academic progress. However, advances in digital technologies and changes in teaching methods in higher educational institutions require quick adaptation of staff members to innovations.
  
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• Researchers take terahertz data links around the bend

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Brown University) A new study shows terahertz data links are possible even without direct line-of-sight between transmitter and receiver, a promising finding for future ultra-high-capacity terahertz data networks.
  
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• Relationship factors affect decisions about contraceptive use among young adults

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Oregon State University) The dynamics of a couple's relationship, including the exclusivity of the partnership, the level of commitment to the partnership and participation in sexual decision-making with their partner, impact young adults' decisions related to contraceptive use, new research shows.
  
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• Production of solar fuels inches closer with discovery by Caltech scientists

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (California Institute of Technology) Researchers in the lab of Caltech's Harry Gray have discovered how a catalyst splits water using solar power, opening the door to economically viable solar-fuel production.
  
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• Portland State University joins nationwide program to develop brain-inspired computing

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Portland State University) Portland State University will join seven other universities in forming a research center for brain-inspired computing -- a set of technologies that has the potential to enable computers to do tasks that, as of now, are uniquely human.
  
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• Portland State study points to connection between religion and risk

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (Portland State University) Research co-authored by Portland State University finance professor Jing Zhao found that the religious beliefs of the population in counties where hedge funds are headquartered influence the riskiness of hedge fund managers' portfolios.
  
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• PLOS and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory agree to enable preprint posting on bioRxiv

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (PLOS) The Public Library of Science (PLOS) and Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) announce today an agreement that enables the automatic posting of research articles submitted to PLOS journals on bioRxiv, CSHL's preprint server for the life sciences.
  
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• NREL scientists demonstrate remarkable stability in perovskite solar cells

  06-02-2018 06:00
  (DOE/National Renewable Energy Laboratory) Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) created an environmentally stable, high-efficiency perovskite solar cell, bringing the emerging technology a step closer to commercial deployment.
  
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