Science news

• Scientists shed light on biological roots of individuality

  16-02-2018 23:47
  A new study illuminates the biology that guides behavior across different stages of life in worms, and suggests how variations in specific neuromodulators in the developing nervous system may lead to occasional variations.
  
  Read more

• Shot may help shield against shingles

  16-02-2018 23:46
  Two vaccines are available to help prevent shingles, which can affect anyone who has had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine; both diseases are caused by the same virus, which stays in the body after chickenpox clears.
  
  Read more

• Increasing incidence of rare skin cancer

  16-02-2018 23:46
  While it may not be as common as other skin cancers, Merkel cell carcinoma is highly aggressive and often deadly — and according to new research, it’s also becoming more common.
  
  Read more

• Americans would welcome alien life rather than fear it

  16-02-2018 23:00
  
  Americans would probably take the discovery of extraterrestrial microbes pretty well.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Progress in pursuit of sickle cell cure

  16-02-2018 21:03
  Bioengineers use gene editing to correct the mutation responsible for sickle cell disease in up to 40 percent of patients' cells used for lab testing.
  
  Read more

• Cells communicate in a dynamic code

  16-02-2018 21:03
  Scientists discover an unexpectedly dynamic vocabulary for the language of cellular communication.
  
  Read more

• Why we have yet to find extraterrestrial life

  16-02-2018 20:27
  Are we alone in the universe? Few questions have captured the public imagination more than this. Yet to date we know of just one sample of life, that which exists here on Earth.
  
  Read more

• Pilot study in Kenya shows link between chronic pain and glutamate consumption

  16-02-2018 20:27
  Preliminary research from a small pilot study carried out in Meru, in eastern Kenya, shows a link between chronic pain and consumption of glutamate, a common flavor enhancer found in Western and non-Western diets worldwide.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Major discovery in controlling quantum states of single atoms

  16-02-2018 20:27
  The scientists identified which mechanisms destroy the quantum properties of individual insulator. Using a Scanning Tunneling Microscope, which utilizes an atomically sharp metal tip, they were able to precisely image individual iron atoms and measure and control the time that the iron atom can maintain its quantum behavior.
  
  Read more

• While a baby was still attached via the umbilical cord, doctors attached a pacemaker to the baby's heart

  16-02-2018 20:26
  Researchers completed the first-ever EXIT (Ex Utero Intrapartum Treatment) to ventricular pacing procedure. The patient, a 36-week fetus with complete atrioventricular block and cardiac dysfunction, was at high risk of pre-term death. While attached to its mother via umbilical cord, the baby received a temporary pacemaker, which stabilized its dangerously low and irregular heart rate and ensured enough blood flow from the heart to the rest of its body for delivery.
  
  Read more

• Scientists eavesdrop on volcanic rumblings to forecast eruptions

  16-02-2018 20:26
  Sound waves generated by burbling lakes of lava atop some volcanoes point to greater odds of magmatic outbursts. This finding could provide advance warning to people who live near active volcanoes.
  
  Read more

• Promising method for improving quantum information processing

  16-02-2018 20:26
  A team of researchers has demonstrated a new method for splitting light beams into their frequency modes, work that could spur advancements in quantum information processing and distributed quantum computing.
  
  Read more

• No testosterone changes found in esports gamers

  16-02-2018 20:26
  Players of the competitive esports video game League of Legends showed no change in testosterone during game play, researchers have found.
  
  Read more

• Lab-grown human cerebellar cells yield clues to autism

  16-02-2018 20:26
  Increasing evidence has linked autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with dysfunction of the brain's cerebellum, but the details have been unclear. In a new study, researchers used stem cell technology to create cerebellar cells known as Purkinje cells from patients with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), a genetic syndrome that often includes ASD-like features.
  
  Read more

• Immune signature predicts asthma susceptibility

  16-02-2018 20:26
  Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease driven by the interplay of genetics, environmental factors and a diverse cast of immune cells. Researchers have now identified a subset of T cells, whose frequency serves as early childhood immune signature that predicts the risk of developing asthma later on.
  
  Read more

• Drug transfer tested using placenta-on-a-chip

  16-02-2018 20:26
  Researchers have demonstrated the feasibility of their 'organ-on-a-chip' platform in studying how drugs are transported across the human placental barrier.
  
  Read more

• Ants practice combat triage and nurse their injured

  16-02-2018 20:14
  
  Termite-hunting ants have their own version of combat medicine for injured nest mates.
  
  Read more

• Is Humanity Ready for the Discovery of Alien Life?

  16-02-2018 20:00 via rss.sciam.com
  Most Americans would probably be thrilled to learn extraterrestrials (intelligent or not) exist. Other nationalities beg to differ   -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• 'Easy on the fries!', Japan scientists tell hopeful bald people

  16-02-2018 19:33
  TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese scientists have warned that eating french fries will not cure baldness, after research was published suggesting that chemicals used in cooking fried potatoes could help fight hair loss.
  
  Read more

• James Webb Space Telescope challenges artists to see in infrared

  16-02-2018 18:58
  
  Astronomy artists face new challenges in translating James Webb’s invisible data into visuals.
  
  Read more

• The Bornean orangutans clinging on to survival

  16-02-2018 18:01 via bbc.co.uk
  More than 100,000 of the animals have been killed since 1999.
  
  Read more

• Jasper Park's pine beetles may be hardier genetic hybrids, study says

  16-02-2018 17:55 via cbc.ca
  Mountain pine beetles devastating the forests of Jasper National Park are genetic hybrids that may be more resistant to extermination, a University of Alberta study says.
  
  Read more

• Teens post online content to appear interesting, popular and attractive

  16-02-2018 17:39
  Teens work very hard to create a favorable online image through careful selection of which photos, activities and links to post on Facebook and Instagram, according to a recent study. Content that makes them appear interesting, well-liked and attractive to their friends and peers is a primary goal for adolescents when deciding what to share in digital spaces.
  
  Read more

• Texas' first federally endangered mussel species

  16-02-2018 17:05
  Scientists are working to understand the ecology and taxonomy of Texas' first federally endangered mussel species.
  
  Read more

• Rural ranchers face less access to water during drought than urban counterparts

  16-02-2018 17:05
  The findings highlight a rural-urban divide and show that ranchers' access to water was neither equal nor valued during the drought in Mexico's Baja California Sur state from 2006 to 2012.
  
  Read more

• Restoring memory creation in older or damaged brains

  16-02-2018 17:05
  Aging or impaired brains can once again form lasting memories if an enzyme that applies the brakes too hard on a key gene is lifted, according to neurobiologists.
  
  Read more

• Newly-hatched salmon use geomagnetic field to learn which way is up

  16-02-2018 17:05
  Researchers who confirmed in recent years that salmon use the Earth's geomagnetic field to guide their long-distance migrations have found that the fish also use the field for a much simpler and smaller-scale migration: When the young emerge from gravel nests to reach surface waters.
  
  Read more

• New treatment strategies for chronic kidney disease from the animal kingdom

  16-02-2018 17:05
  Biomimetics offers an innovative approach to solving human problems by imitating strategies found in nature. Medical research could also benefit from biomimetics as scientists point out using the example of chronic kidney disease. In future research, they intend to study the mechanisms that protect the muscles, organs and bones of certain animals during extreme conditions such as hibernation.
  
  Read more

• New light shed on how plants get their nitrogen fix

  16-02-2018 17:05
  Legumes are widely-consumed plants that use soil bacteria to obtain nitrogen through root nodulation. The process is energetically costly, and so legumes inhibit nodulation when soil nitrate is available. However, the mechanism that drives this inhibition is unknown. Researchers found that NRSYM1 is responsible for inhibiting nodulation in the presence of nitrate, and acts by directly regulating gene expression. The findings may aid agricultural efforts to improve the crop efficiency of legumes.
  
  Read more

• Increased stress on fathers leads to brain development changes in offspring

  16-02-2018 17:05
  New research in mice has found that a father's stress affects the brain development of his offspring. This stress changes the father's sperm, which can then alter the brain development of the child. This new research provides a much better understanding of the key role that fathers play in the brain development of offspring.
  
  Read more

• High levels of microplastics found in Northwest Atlantic fish

  16-02-2018 17:05
  A new study finds 73 percent of mesopelagic fish caught in the Northwest Atlantic had microplastics in their stomachs -- one of the highest levels globally. Typically living at depths of 200-1,000 meters, these fish could spread microplastic pollution throughout the marine ecosystem, by carrying microplastics from the surface down to deeper waters. They are also prey for fish eaten by humans, meaning that microplastics could indirectly contaminate our food supply.
  
  Read more

• Fungal enzymes could hold secret to making renewable energy from wood

  16-02-2018 17:05
  Researchers have discovered a set of enzymes found in fungi that are capable of breaking down one of the main components of wood. The enzymes could now potentially be used to sustainably convert wood biomass into valuable chemical commodities such as biofuels.
  
  Read more

• Evolutionary origin of termite gut microbiome revealed

  16-02-2018 17:05
  Researchers have shown that the bacterial communities in termite guts came about through both inheritance and transfer between colonies.
  
  Read more

• Drug that treats psoriasis also reduces aortic vascular inflammation

  16-02-2018 17:05
  An antibody used to treat the skin disease psoriasis is also effective at reducing aortic inflammation, a key marker of future risk of major cardiovascular events.
  
  Read more

• To hear the beat, your brain may think about moving to it

  16-02-2018 16:49
  
  To keep time to a song, the brain relies on a region used to plan movement — even when you’re not tapping along.
  
  Read more

• Women who clean at home or work face increased lung function decline

  16-02-2018 14:49
  Women who work as cleaners or regularly use cleaning sprays or other cleaning products at home appear to experience a greater decline in lung function over time than women who do not clean, according to new research.
  
  Read more

• Soft tissue fossil clues could help search for ancient life on Earth and other planets

  16-02-2018 14:49
  Fossils that preserve entire organisms (including both hard and soft body parts) are critical to our understanding of evolution and ancient life on Earth. However, these exceptional deposits are extremely rare. New research suggests that the mineralogy of the surrounding earth is key to conserving soft parts of organisms, and finding more exceptional fossils. The work could potentially support the Mars Rover Curiosity in its sample analysis, and speed up the search for traces of life on other pl
  
  Read more

• Birds and beans: Study shows best coffee for bird diversity

  16-02-2018 14:48
  It's an age-old debate for coffee lovers. Which is better: Arabica beans with their sweeter, softer taste, or the bold, deep flavor of Robusta beans? A new study has taken the question to unlikely coffee aficionados: birds.
  
  Read more

• 25 years later, Syncrude's bison herd thriving on reclaimed oilsands lands

  16-02-2018 14:00 via cbc.ca
  Syncrude celebrates 25 years of its bison ranch at its oilsands operation north of Fort McMurray.
  
  Read more

• "Sonic Weapon Attacks" on U.S. Embassy Don't Add Up--for Anyone

  16-02-2018 13:15 via rss.sciam.com
  Cuban scientists and a new American report both shoot down a list of bizarre theories-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• Starman and his Tesla could crash into Earth or Venus ... eventually

  16-02-2018 10:00 via cbc.ca
  Bad news, Elon: There's a chance your Tesla Roadster will come crashing down to Earth.
  
  Read more

• UNLV study finds no testosterone changes in esports gamers

  16-02-2018 06:00
  (University of Nevada, Las Vegas) Players of the competitive esports video game League of Legends showed no change in testosterone during game play, UNLV researchers have found.
  
  Read more

• Study: Rural ranchers face less access to water during drought than urban counterparts

  16-02-2018 06:00
  (Portland State University) The findings highlight a rural-urban divide and show that ranchers' access to water was neither equal nor valued during the drought in Mexico's Baja California Sur state from 2006 to 2012.
  
  Read more

• Scientists produce human intestinal lining that re-creates living tissue inside organ-chip

  16-02-2018 06:00
  (The Yates Network) Scientists created human intestinal lining outside an individual’s body that mirrors living tissue inside microengineered Intestine-Chips, opening possibilities for personalized testing of medicines. The re-created intestinal lining, derived from an adult's cells that were converted into stem cells and grown into organoids, bore the adult's genetic fingerprint. The findings potentially could change how patients are treated for gastrointestinal diseases. The study was con
  
  Read more

• RIT alumnus Steven Van Slyke inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame

  16-02-2018 06:00
  (Rochester Institute of Technology) Steven Van Slyke, a Rochester Institute of Technology alumnus, has been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for co-inventing the organic light-emitting diode, or OLED.
  
  Read more

• Researchers demonstrate promising method for improving quantum information processing

  16-02-2018 06:00
  (DOE/Oak Ridge National Laboratory) A team of researchers led by the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has demonstrated a new method for splitting light beams into their frequency modes, work that could spur advancements in quantum information processing and distributed quantum computing.
  
  Read more

• Precision experiments reveal gaps in van der Waals theory

  16-02-2018 06:00
  (University of Tsukuba) An international research team led by Japan's University of Tsukubaand Denmark's Aarhus University used single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements to establish the electron density of TiS2. Given the broad range of applications for 2-D materials, this fundamental understanding is expected to have a wide-reaching influence on their uses, such as in topological insulators, electrode materials, catalysts, and charge-density-wave materials.
  
  Read more

• Penn engineers test drug transfer using placenta-on-a-chip

  16-02-2018 06:00
  (University of Pennsylvania) Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Engineering and Applied Science have demonstrated the feasibility of their 'organ-on-a-chip' platform in studying how drugs are transported across the human placental barrier.
  
  Read more

• New tech for commercial Lithium-ion batteries finds they can be charged 5 times fast

  16-02-2018 06:00
  (University of Warwick) Researchers at WMG at the University of Warwick have developed a new direct, precise test of Lithium-ion batteries' internal temperatures and their electrodes potentials and found that the batteries can be safely charged up to five times faster than the current recommended charging limits.
  
  Read more

• New research: Increased stress on fathers leads to brain development changes in offspring

  16-02-2018 06:00
  (University of Maryland School of Medicine) New research in mice has found that a father's stress affects the brain development of his offspring. This stress changes the father's sperm, which can then alter the brain development of the child. This new research provides a much better understanding of the key role that fathers play in the brain development of offspring.
  
  Read more

Follow @ScienceUKnews on Twitter!