Science news

• Canadian hobbyists help shed light on mysterious northern lights phenomenon 'Steve'

  16-03-2018 21:23 via cbc.ca
  Scientists were initially perplexed by a mysterious purple light that seemed somehow linked to the northern lights. But with the help of some Canadian aurora watchers, scientists now have a better understanding of the phenomenon the hobbyists named Steve.
  
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• Inked mice hint at how tattoos persist in people

  16-03-2018 21:22
  
  Tattoos in mice may persist due to an immune response, challenging currently held beliefs about how the skin retains tattoos.
  
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• The absence of ants: Entomologist confirms first Saharan farming 10,000 years ago

  16-03-2018 20:39
  By analysing a prehistoric site in the Libyan desert, a team of researchers has been able to establish that people in Saharan Africa were cultivating and storing wild cereals 10,000 years ago. In addition to revelations about early agricultural practices, there could be a lesson for the future, if global warming leads to a necessity for alternative crops.
  
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• Chirping is welcome in birds but not in fusion devices

  16-03-2018 20:39
  Birds do it and so do doughnut-shaped fusion facilities called 'tokamaks.' But tokamak chirping -- a rapidly changing frequency wave that can be far above what the human ear can detect -- is hardly welcome to researchers who seek to bring the fusion that powers the sun and stars to Earth.
  
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• Tree care workers need better training to handle dangers on the job

  16-03-2018 20:38
  A new study calls attention to post-storm hazards posed to tree care workers and provides safety recommendations.
  
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• Soil fungi may help determine the resilience of forests to environmental change

  16-03-2018 20:38
  A major new study reveals that soil fungi could play a significant role in the ability of forests to adapt to environmental change.
  
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• Genetic variant discovery to help asthma sufferers

  16-03-2018 20:38
  Researchers have identified a genetic variant that could improve the safety and effectiveness of corticosteroids, drugs that are used to treat a range of common and rare conditions including asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  
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• Platypus milk has protein with potential to fight superbugs

  16-03-2018 19:56 via cbc.ca
  The milk of the duck-billed platypus has a unique protein with antimicrobial properties that Australian scientists believe could be a new lead in creating antibiotics effective against superbugs.
  
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• Glorious mud

  16-03-2018 19:11 via bbc.co.uk
  Meet the "mudlarkers" looking for archaeological artefacts along the banks of the Thames.
  
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• Toronto beauty tech firm ModiFace sold to L'Oreal

  16-03-2018 17:44 via cbc.ca
  French cosmetics conglomerate L'Oreal is buying ModiFace, a Canadian augmented reality and artificial intelligence firm which caters to the beauty industry.
  
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• Wandering greenhouse gas

  16-03-2018 17:11
  On the seafloor of the shallow coastal regions north of Siberia, microorganisms produce methane when they break down plant remains. If this greenhouse gas finds its way into the water, it can also become trapped in the sea ice that forms in these coastal waters.
  
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• Two better than one: Chemists advance sustainable battery technology

  16-03-2018 16:14
  Chemists describe design and synthesis of a pi-conjugation-extended viologen molecule as a novel, two-electron storage anolyte for neutral total organic aqueous redox flow batteries.
  
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• Researchers advise the use of anesthesia in fetuses from 21 weeks of gestation

  16-03-2018 16:14
  Although the problem of whether fetuses are able to feel pain or not is still controversial, researchers in Spain have found that from the second trimester of pregnancy, the future baby already shows signs of pain when given a harmful stimulus or as a response to stress. The finding, the researchers argue, indicate the need to anesthetize the fetus during open fetal surgery.
  
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• Climate change promotes the spread of mosquito and tick-borne viruses

  16-03-2018 16:13
  Scientists find that global warming has allowed disease-bearing insects to proliferate, increasing exposure to viral infections.
  
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• Neighborhood wellbeing and a sense of community is at the heart of a good home, say researchers

  16-03-2018 15:10
  A sense of wellbeing and a thriving community is key to a happy neighborhood according to housing researchers, who looked at the relationship between the experience of the home and well-being.
  
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• Menomous Solenodon, last survivor of a branch of mammals that appeared at the time of the dinosaurs, sequenced

  16-03-2018 15:06
  An article presents a draft genome of a small shrew-like animal, the venomous Hispaniolan solenodon. This unusual animal is one of the only extant venomous mammals, and it is the sole remaining branch of mammals that split from other insectivores at the time of the dinosaurs. The solenodon genome sequence revealed the answer to several evolutionary questions, such as whether the solenodon species indeed survived the meteor impact that killed the dinosaurs.
  
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• Potential RNA Markers of abnormal heart rhythms identified in circulating blood

  16-03-2018 15:05
  The irregular heart rhythm atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of stroke and heart failure, but is often undiagnosed because of a lack of symptoms. Now, researchers have identified four short lengths of RNA (miRNAs) that show increased expression in the circulating blood of AF patients. These miRNAs could be used as potential biomarkers to predict the onset of AF disease.
  
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• Reefs help protect vulnerable Caribbean fish from climate change

  16-03-2018 15:03
  New research suggests that larger reef areas may help protect the Caribbean's coral reef fish communities from the impacts of ocean warming.
  
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• No right whale calves spotted this season a bad sign for endangered species

  16-03-2018 14:47 via cbc.ca
  There has not been a single North Atlantic right whale calf spotted this year, an unprecedented and alarming sign for this critically endangered species.
  
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• What we can and can’t say about Arctic warming and U.S. winters

  16-03-2018 14:00
  
  Evidence of a connection is growing stronger, but scientists still struggle to explain why.
  
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• Astronomers can’t figure out why some black holes got so big so fast

  16-03-2018 12:00
  
  Early supermassive black holes are challenging astronomers’ ideas about how the behemoths grew so quickly.
  
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• Black Hole Pretenders Could Really Be Bizarre Quantum Stars

  16-03-2018 11:45 via rss.sciam.com
  New research reveals a possible mechanism allowing “black stars” and “gravastars” to exist-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
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• Footage of first polar bear cub born in UK in 25 years

  16-03-2018 09:25 via bbc.co.uk
  The "confident and curious" cub was born at Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig, Scotland.
  
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• Shrinking mountain snowpack, drier summers spell trouble for Vancouver water supply

  16-03-2018 09:00 via cbc.ca
  Climate change is expected to contribute to strain on water supplies across B.C. and Alberta — even in rainy Vancouver. B.C.'s biggest city needs to take action to avoid water shortages, and it won't be cheap.
  
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• Your gender may affect how you perceive a woman's anxiety in STEM

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (Dartmouth College) Undergraduate students' reactions to reading about a woman's anxiety in a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) class vary by gender according to a Dartmouth-led study published in the Psychology of Women Quarterly. Men are more likely than women to attribute a female student's anxiety or self-doubt in a STEM class to internal factors such as not being prepared while women are more likely than men to attribute such emotions to external factors, such as bias.
  
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• With new 'shuffling' trick, researchers can measure gene activity in single cells

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (University of Washington) Researchers at the University of Washington and the Allen Institute for Brain Science have developed a new method to classify and track the multitude of cells in a tissue sample. In a paper published March 15 in the journal Science, the team reports that this new approach -- known as SPLiT-seq -- reliably tracks gene activity in a tissue down to the level of single cells.
  
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• Which skills will help patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder?

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (Springer) Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex psychological condition, and those who suffer from it experience severe reduction in their quality of life. A new study in Springer's journal Cognitive Therapy and Research now shows that OCD sufferers need to adopt adaptive coping skills rather than the maladaptive strategies often used such as repetitive, compulsive actions or creating emotional distance from a situation, in order to effectively manage their condition.
  
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• Unexpected effect could lead to lower-power memory, computing devices

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) An expected effect, known as zero field switching, could enable lower-power memory and computing devices than presently possible.
  
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• Study casts doubt on ketamine nasal sprays for depression

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (University of New South Wales) Researchers from UNSW Sydney and the Black Dog Institute have questioned the efficacy and safety of intranasal ketamine for depression, with their pilot trial stopped early due to poor side effects in patients.
  
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• Smart software can diagnose prostate cancer as well as a pathologist

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (European Association of Urology) Chinese scientists and clinicians have developed a learning artificial intelligence system which can diagnose and identify cancerous prostate samples as accurately as any pathologist. This holds out the possibility of streamlining and eliminating variation in the process of cancer diagnosis. It may also help overcome any local shortage of trained pathologists. In the longer term it may lead to automated or partially automated prostate cancer diagnosis.
  
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• Sexual harassment statistics: Do the numbers reveal the true extent of the problem?

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (Wiley) A new article addresses the statistics of sexual harassment and questions how prevalent it is.
  
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• Scientists mimic neural tissue in Army-funded research

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (U.S. Army Research Laboratory) US Army-funded researchers at Brandeis University have discovered a process for engineering next-generation soft materials with embedded chemical networks that mimic the behavior of neural tissue. The breakthrough material may lead to autonomous soft robotics, dual sensors and actuators for soft exoskeletons, or artificial skins.
  
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• Raising transparency in the online advertising ecosystem

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (IMDEA Networks Institute) The online advertising business, led by companies like Google or Facebook, generated over $200 billion revenue in 2017, with an interanual growth over 15 percent. This online advertising explosion is raising serious data privacy concerns.
  
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• Plasmons triggered in nanotube quantum wells

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (Rice University) A novel quantum effect observed in a carbon nanotube film could lead to the development of near-infrared lasers and other optoelectronic devices, according to scientists at Rice University and Tokyo Metropolitan University.
  
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• Piezomagnetic material changes magnetic properties when stretched

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (University of California - Davis) Piezoelectric materials, which generate an electric current when compressed or stretched, are familiar and widely used: lighters that spark when you press a switch, microphones, sensors, motors and all kinds of other devices. Now a group of physicists has found a material with a similar property, but for magnetism. This 'piezomagnetic' material changes its magnetic properties when put under mechanical strain.
  
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• Optimizing MS care -- Mission of the consortium of multiple sclerosis centers

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (Consortium of MS Centers) March is MS Awareness Month and the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis (CMSC) has partnered with leading organizations, accredited content providers, and its membership to provide optimal education, research and services to the MS community.
  
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• Online intervention improves depression treatment rates in teen moms

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (University of Louisville) An online program persuaded teenage mothers across 10 Kentucky counties to seek medical help for depression, highlighting an inexpensive way to increase mental health treatment rates for the vulnerable group, according to a University of Louisville study.
  
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• Older adults' difficulties with focusing can be used to help put a face to a name

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care) Everyone has experienced the awkward situation of meeting someone and then forgetting their name shortly after. Among older adults, this happens more often than not. Baycrest researchers have discovered a new method to resolve this problem by tapping into a natural memory change during aging.
  
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• New solution to harmful algal blooms raises hope of economic and environmental benefits

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (John Innes Centre) A cheap, safe and effective method of dealing with harmful algal blooms is on the verge of being introduced following successful field and lab tests.
  
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• New report examines scientific evidence on safety and quality of abortion care in US

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) While legal abortions in the US are safe, the likelihood that women will receive the type of abortion services that best meet their needs varies considerably depending on where they live, says a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.In addition, the report notes, the vast majority of abortions can be provided safely in office-based settings.
  
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• Near-infrared photoactivatable oxygenation catalysts of amyloid peptide

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (Japan Science and Technology Agency) A new, biocompatible photooxygenation catalyst that can selectively oxygenate and degrade the pathogenic aggregation of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation is developed. The catalyst was able to oxygenate Aβ embedded under the skin of a living mouse, and diminished intact Aβ level in AD-model mouse brain. The new catalyst is potentially applicable for the treatment of periphe
  
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• NASA satellite finds Tropical Cyclone Marcus near Australia's Cobourg Peninsula Coast

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) Tropical Cyclone Marcus has developed off the coast of Australia's Northern Territory along the Cobourg Peninsula coast. NASA's Aqua satellite provided a view of the new storm from its orbit in space.
  
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• Multi-site study explores new approach to upper limb dysfunction after spinal cord injury

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (Kessler Foundation) Acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) is a new strategy that may have the potential to increase neuroplasticity in individuals with injuries of the spinal cord. Scientists plan to test whether repetitive administration of AIH can result in better hand and arm function in individuals with incomplete cervical SCI.'This is an exciting project that may change the way we think about rehabilitation for spinal cord injury,' said Dr. Kirshblum.
  
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• Monocrystalline silicon thin film for cost-cutting solar cells with 10-times faster growth rate fabricated

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (Tokyo Institute of Technology) A research team from Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) and Waseda University have successfully produced high-quality thin film monocrystalline silicon with a reduced crystal defect density down to the silicon wafer level at a growth rate that is more than 10 times higher than before. In principle, this method can improve the raw material yield to nearly 100%.
  
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• Mobile application detecting atrial fibrillation reduces the risk of stroke

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (University of Turku) A new application developed at the University of Turku, Finland, can detect atrial fibrillation that causes strokes. Atrial fibrillation can be detected with the mobile phone application without any extra equipment. The mobile application can save lives all over the world as timely diagnosis of atrial fibrillation is crucial for effective stroke prevention.
  
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• Mice change their appearance as a result of frequent exposure to humans

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (University of Zurich) Many tame domesticated animals have a different appearance compared to their relatives in the wild, for example white patches in their fur or shorter snouts. UZH researchers have now for the first time shown that wild house mice develop the same visible changes -- without selection, as a result of exposure to humans alone.
  
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• GPM sees Tropical Cyclone Eliakim bring Madagascar soaking rainfall

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center) As Tropical Cyclone Eliakim was strengthening on its way to landfall in Madagascar the Global Precipitation Measurement mission, or GPM, core satellite found very heavy rainfall occurring in the tropical storm.
  
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• Fish the primary source of nutrition in medieval Northern Ostrobothnia

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (University of Helsinki) Researchers investigated the diet of people buried in the Ii Hamina, Northern Finland, cemetery from the 15th to the 17th centuries by analysing isotopes in the bones of the deceased. Isotopes preserve information on the various nutrient sources used by humans during their lifetime. A study published in the Environmental Archaeology journal reveals that the dominant protein source was small fish, such as roach or Baltic herring.
  
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• First accurate data showing male to female transgender surgery can give better life

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (European Association of Urology) Scientists have developed a transgender-specific questionnaire, which confirms for the first time that gender surgery significantly improves quality of life for the majority of patients. The study shows that 80 percent of male-to-female patients perceived themselves as women post-surgery. However, the quality of life of transgender individuals is still significantly lower than the general population.
  
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• Development of an enzymatic cycling method using pyruvate kinase

  16-03-2018 05:00
  (Bentham Science Publishers) Enzyme cycling is a sensitive assay method that exploits amplification techniques. We recently developed a novel enzymatic cycling method, which utilizes both the forward and reverse reactions of creatine kinase (CK), for the quantitative determination of creatine.
  
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