Science news

• A DIY take on the early universe may reveal cosmic secrets

  27-04-2018 22:45
  
  A conglomerate of ultracold atoms reproduces some of the physics of the early universe.
  
  Read more

• Size matters when fighting cancer

  27-04-2018 21:57
  Doctors could be a step closer to finding the most effective way to treat cancer with a double whammy of a virus combined with boosting the natural immune system, according to a pioneering study.
  
  Read more

• Scientists project a drier Amazon and wetter Indonesia in the future

  27-04-2018 21:56
  Climate models predict that an increase in greenhouse gases will dry out the Amazon rainforest in the future while causing wetter conditions in the woodlands of Africa and Indonesia. Researchers have identified an unexpected but major factor in this worldwide precipitation shift: the direct response of the forests themselves to higher levels of carbon dioxide.
  
  Read more

• Scientists calculate radiation dose in bone from victim of Hiroshima bombing

  27-04-2018 20:47
  Researchers describe the first retrospective dosimetric study by electron spin resonance spectroscopy using human tissue from nuclear attack victims.
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• New carbon-dioxide-adsorbing crystals could form the basis of future biomedical materials that rely on the shape-memory effect

  27-04-2018 20:47
  Scientists are one step closer to designing porous materials that can change and retain their shapes -- a function known as shape-memory effect.
  
  Read more

• Drug effectiveness in reducing glucocorticoid-induced bone loss

  27-04-2018 20:47
  About one in every 100 people in the world takes glucocorticoids long term to treat immune-mediated diseases. However, glucocorticoids, such as prednisone, have a side effect -- they induce glucocorticoid-induced bone loss, causing an estimated yearly bone fracture rate of 5 percent. An alternative treatment option to the standard treatment now appears promising, according to an international study. Researchers compared the monoclonal antibody denosumab against a standard bisphosphonate.
  
  Read more

• Ethics debate as pig brains kept alive without a body

  27-04-2018 19:35 via bbc.co.uk
  Scientists raise ethical concerns as the brain cells of decapitated pigs are kept alive for 36 hours.
  
  Read more

• Flip phones are making a comeback

  27-04-2018 18:44 via cbc.ca
  As we learn more about the addictive nature of smartphones, some people are going back to a flip phone. But is it going to catch on?
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Including Indigenous groups in studies of ancient remains makes for better science, say researchers

  27-04-2018 18:30 via cbc.ca
  A new article in the journal Science urges researchers to connect with local Indigenous communities when designing studies on genetic material from ancient human remains.
  
  Read more

• New development in contact lenses for red-green color blindness using simple dye

  27-04-2018 17:40
  Researchers have developed a contact lens that may help people with color blindness simply by using a low cost dye.
  
  Read more

• Why cereal crops are so drought-tolerant

  27-04-2018 17:32
  Cereal is much more drought-tolerant than other plants. Researchers have now found out why that is so. Their insight could help breed crops that are more resistant to drought.
  
  Read more

• how bacteria communicate in groups to avoid antibiotics

  27-04-2018 17:32
  Researchers have found that a bacterium that causes pneumonia, sepsis and other infections, communicates distress signals within a group of bacteria in response to certain antibiotics.
  
  Read more

• Growing 'dead zone' confirmed by underwater robots in the Gulf of Oman

  27-04-2018 17:32
  New research reveals a growing 'dead zone' in the Gulf of Oman. Little data has been collected in the area for almost 50 years because of piracy and geopolitical tensions. The area devoid of oxygen was confirmed by underwater robots. Reasearchers found an area larger than Scotland with almost no oxygen left. The environmental disaster is worse than expected with dire consequences for fish and marine plants, plus humans who rely on the oceans for food and employment.
  
  Read more

• Fly embryos teach scientists about human scars

  27-04-2018 17:30 via cbc.ca
  It turns out that flies and humans aren’t that different when it comes to wound healing. So studying fruit flies, and particularly the embryos, is an opportunity to explore healing in humans too.
  
  Read more

• Pumping water underground for power may have triggered South Korean quake

  27-04-2018 17:19
  
  A 2017 South Korean earthquake may have been caused by human activities, two new studies suggest.
  
  Read more

• Avoiding cultural appropriation in the digital age

  27-04-2018 17:08 via cbc.ca
  Love them or hate them, emojis are becoming an everyday method of communication for millions of people. But with the option to choose different skin tones, the public seems divided on whether it’s appropriate to choose a skin tone different from your own.
  
  Read more

• Sentinel tracks ships' dirty emissions from orbit

  27-04-2018 16:55 via bbc.co.uk
  The EU's new satellite pollution-tracker will be a powerful tool to monitor vessels' emissions.
  
  Read more

• More than 9 in 10 elementary school teachers feel highly stressed

  27-04-2018 16:52
  One of the most important factors in ensuring student success is quality instruction by teachers. However, quality instruction can be a difficult goal if teachers do not have the resources to improve their skills and if rising levels of teacher stress go unchecked. Now, researchers have found that high levels of job-related stress affect 93 percent of teachers, a greater percentage than previously thought. Classrooms with highly stressed teachers tend to have the poorest student outcomes, such a
  
  Read more

• Mercury's thin, dense crust

  27-04-2018 16:03
  A planetary scientist has used careful mathematical calculations to determine the density of Mercury's crust, which is thinner than anyone thought.
  
  Read more

• City fish evolve different body forms than country fish

  27-04-2018 16:03
  A new study examining the effects of urbanization on the evolution of fish body shape produced both expected and surprising results: One fish species became more sleek in response to urbanization, while another species became deeper bodied in urban areas.
  
  Read more

• Capturing of the rare Yanbaru whiskered bat

  27-04-2018 16:03
  The critically endangered Yanbaru whiskered bat, Myotis yanbarensis, has been caught for the first time on Okinawa Island since its discovery 22 years ago.
  
  Read more

• Vitamin B6 helps people recall their dreams

  27-04-2018 16:02
  New research has found that taking vitamin B6 could help people to recall their dreams.
  
  Read more

• New way of producing intense radiation could offer less harmful alternative to x-rays

  27-04-2018 16:02
  A new source of intense terahertz (THz) radiation, which could offer a less harmful alternative to x-rays and has strong potential for use in industry.
  
  Read more

• New ray of hope for solar fuel

  27-04-2018 16:02
  The quest to develop the 'Holy Grail' of affordable, viable and environmentally-friendly fuels using sunlight has taken an exciting new twist.
  
  Read more

• Introduced species overlooked in biodiversity reporting

  27-04-2018 16:02
  The reports on biodiversity are based on indicators that only take indigenous -- i.e. 'original' -- species into account for each region. Yet today modern environments are made up of indigenous and introduced species. The introductions are either deliberate or accidental. Although these introduced species play important roles, they are ignored by specialists, a fact that partly distorts the international nature reports. The study recommends that the contributions made by these species should be
  
  Read more

• Herpesvirus: Identifying virus structures that can be attacked by killer T cells

  27-04-2018 16:02
  Human herpesvirus 6 infects most people all over the world. It is usually well controlled by the body, but it can cause diseases in immunocompromised individuals. Scientists have now identified virus structures that can be attacked by killer T cells -- a possible approach for new therapies.
  
  Read more

• Bright future for solar cell technology

  27-04-2018 16:02
  New all-inorganic perovskite solar cells tackle three key challenges in solar cell technology: efficiency, stability, and cost.
  
  Read more

• A look at the DNA testing that ID'd the suspected Golden State serial killer

  27-04-2018 14:53 via cbc.ca
  A man suspected of being the Golden State Killer responsible for at least a dozen murders and 50 rapes in the 1970s and 80s, has been arrested with the help of DNA information from an online genealogical site. Here's a closer look at the questions surrounding the technique.
  
  Read more

• Beltway to divert diesel trucks in Sao Paulo improved public health

  27-04-2018 14:52
  A new study revealed that a beltway constructed to divert heavy-duty diesel vehicles traffic in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo has reduced public health damage associated with exposure to diesel. The positive health outcomes of the intervention could guide the formulation of similar transport polices in other cities, where humans and diesel vehicles reside and transit in close proximity.
  
  Read more

• Website privacy policies don’t say much about how they share your data

  27-04-2018 13:00
  
  Privacy policies don’t reveal the half of how websites share user data.
  
  Read more

• A Nation Divided: Arid/Humid Climate Boundary in U.S. Creeps Eastward

  27-04-2018 12:45 via rss.sciam.com
  The stark climatic border in the U.S. separating the sultry east from the dry west is rapidly shifting—a change that could have a significant future impact-- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
  
  Read more

• EU member states support near-total neonicotinoids ban

  27-04-2018 11:22 via bbc.co.uk
  Member states vote in favour of an almost complete ban on the use of chemicals linked to harming bees.
  
  Read more

• Wildlife photo competition disqualifies 'stuffed anteater' image

  27-04-2018 10:02 via bbc.co.uk
  Wildlife Photographer of the Year excludes a winning image for featuring a taxidermy specimen.
  
  Read more

• Married to your phone? It's designed that way — but you can break up

  27-04-2018 10:00 via cbc.ca
  Some of the people responsible for creating apps and devices are raising concerns over their addictiveness, asking if the tools could be a little too engaging.
  
  Read more

• Wickless heat pipes: New dynamics exposed in a near-weightless environment

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) Heat pipes are devices to keep critical equipment from overheating. They transfer heat from one point to another through an evaporation-condensation process and are used in everything from cell phones and laptops to air conditioners and spacecraft.
  
  Read more

• Wayne State researchers working with US Army to optimize vehicle engine performance

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research) With the help of a grant totaling $101,453 from the US Department of Defense's Army Research Laboratory (ARL), researchers in Wayne State University's College of Engineering, will work with the ARL to alleviate engine failure issues due to erosion in fuel injectors, and optimize engine performance in Army ground vehicles and aircraft.
  
  Read more

• The digital transformation of news media and the rise of online disinformation

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (European Commission Joint Research Centre) A new report by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre contains an overview of the relevant economic research literature on the digital transformation of news markets and related impact on the quality of news.
  
  Read more

• TACC builds seamless software for scientific innovation

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (University of Texas at Austin, Texas Advanced Computing Center) Scientific software resources are an integral part of the nation's cyberinfrastructure. The Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) is among the national leaders in developing software for scientific computing. Researchers from TACC will present emerging tools at the NSF SI2 Principle Investigators Workshop from April 30-May 2 in Washington, D.C.
  
  Read more

• Size matters when fighting cancer, groundbreaking UTHealth study finds

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston) Doctors could be a step closer to finding the most effective way to treat cancer with a double whammy of a virus combined with boosting the natural immune system, according to a pioneering study by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) and The Ohio State University.
  
  Read more

• Scientists verify a way of how to improve resolution of most powerful microscopes

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (Tomsk Polytechnic University) A Russian-British research team experimentally verified previously simulated anomalous amplitude apodization for non-spherical particles, that has multiple applications in areas where sub-wavelength focusing is required. These are medicine, non-destructive testing, flaw detection, on chip processing and data transfer systems, etc.
  
  Read more

• Researchers map the potential spread of yellow fever virus to cities around the world

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (St. Michael's Hospital) The deadly yellow fever virus has the potential to spread into cities around the world where it previously hasn't been seen, according to a new study led by St. Michael's Hospital.
  
  Read more

• Research gives new ray of hope for solar fuel

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (University of Exeter) The quest to develop the 'Holy Grail' of affordable, viable and environmentally-friendly fuels using sunlight has taken an exciting new twist.
  
  Read more

• Public/private partnership fuels development of new research park in North Chicago

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science) Expansion of a state enterprise zone to include North Chicago, Ill.-based Rosalind Franklin University will stimulate local and regional economic growth by attracting investment in the university's new Innovation and Research Park.
  
  Read more

• Platelet-rich plasma for cosmetic facial procedures -- promising results, but evidence has limitations

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (Wolters Kluwer Health) Most studies evaluating platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection for facial rejuvenation and other cosmetic procedures have reported positive results, according to a critical review in the May issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
  
  Read more

• Paul Bevilaqua receiving Guggenheim Medal for his contributions to aeronautics

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) Bevilaqua has spent much of the last four decades working on the development of Vertical and/or Short Take-Off and Landing (V/STOL) aircraft. He holds numerous patents and has made key theoretical contributions as well as practical innovations in V/STOL aircraft design.
  
  Read more

• Parents may help prep kids for healthier, less violent relationships

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (Penn State) Warm, nurturing parents may pass along strategies for building and maintaining positive relationships to their kids, setting them up for healthier, less-violent romantic relationships as young adults, according to researchers. In a study, adolescents who reported a positive family climate and their parents using more effective parenting strategies tended to go on to have better relationship problem-solving skills and less-violent romantic relationships as young adults.
  
  Read more

• NUS-led study: Beltway to divert diesel trucks in Sao Paulo improved public health

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (National University of Singapore) A study by researchers from the National University of Singapore and the University of Sao Paulo revealed that a beltway constructed to divert heavy-duty diesel vehicles traffic in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo has reduced public health damage associated with exposure to diesel. The positive health outcomes of the intervention could guide the formulation of similar transport polices in other cities, where humans and diesel vehicles reside and transit in close
  
  Read more

• New technology for measuring brain blood flow with light

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (University of California - Davis) Biomedical engineers at UC Davis have developed a new technique for measuring blood flow in the human brain, which could be used in patients with stroke or traumatic brain injury, for example. The new technique, based on conventional digital camera technology, could be significantly cheaper and more robust than prior methods.
  
  Read more

• New catalyst turns ammonia into an innovative clean fuel

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (Kumamoto University) Ammonia (NH3) has attracted attention in recent years as a carbon-free fuel that does not emit carbon dioxide. For use as a fuel, it should have a lower combustion temperature and produce only nitrogen (N2) and water. Now, Japanese researchers have succeeded in developing a new catalyst that burns NH3 at a low temperature and produces N2. The results are expected to contribute to climate change countermeasures and increased renewable energy use.
  
  Read more

• Mouse study identifies new target for human accelerated aging syndrome

  27-04-2018 06:00
  (University of Cambridge) Scientists from the University of Cambridge have identified a potential therapeutic target in the devastating genetic disease Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), which is characterized by premature aging.
  
  Read more

Follow @ScienceUKnews on Twitter!