Song lyrics getting simpler, more repetitive, angry and self-obsessed – study
Researchers analysed the words in more than 12,000 English-language songs across several genres from 1980 to 2020You’re not just getting older. Song lyrics really are becoming simpler and more repetitive, according to a study published on Thursday.Lyrics have also become angrier and more self-obsessed over the last 40 years, the study found, reinforcing the opinions of cranky ageing music fans...
Mammals battle for life in new Attenborough series
The six-part series 'Mammals' will air this Sunday at 19:00 GMT.
Obese children twice as likely to develop multiple sclerosis, study suggests
Swedish researchers say inflammation caused by obesity is likely to increase risk of developing conditions such as MSChildren who are obese may face more than double the risk of developing multiple sclerosis as adults, a study suggests.MS can affect the brain and spinal cord, causing a range of potential symptoms including problems with vision, arm or leg movement, sensation or balance. It is a...
THURSDAY 28. MARCH 2024
Have scientists finally made sense of Hawking’s famous formula for disorder in a black hole?
Fifty years ago, famed physicist Stephen Hawking wrote down an equation that predicts that a black hole has entropy, an attribute typically associated with the disordered jumbling of atoms and molecules in material. The arguments for black hole entropy were indirect, however, and no one had derived the famous equation from the fundamental definition of entropy—at least not for realistic...
Atmospheric observations in China show rise in emissions of a potent greenhouse gas
To achieve the aspirational goal of the Paris Agreement on climate change—limiting the increase in global average surface temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels—will require its 196 signatories to dramatically reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Those greenhouse gases differ widely in their global warming potential (GWP), or ability to absorb radiative energy...
Supergene research solves the mystery of tiny ant queens
An ant colony is sustained through complex social dynamics, with each member—the queen, males and workers (sterile females)—contributing to the greater community. Some species add complexity to this dynamic with the addition of rather small queens.
Making the future too bright: How wishful thinking can point us in the wrong direction
Everyone indulges in wishful thinking now and again. But when is that most likely to happen, and when could it actually be harmful? A new study led by the University of Amsterdam (UvA) demonstrates unequivocally that the greater the insecurity and anxiety of a situation, the more likely people are to become overly optimistic—even to the point where it can prevent us from taking essential action....
Three-year study of young stars with NASA's Hubble enters new chapter
In the largest and one of the most ambitious Hubble Space Telescope programs ever executed, a team of scientists and engineers collected information on almost 500 stars over a three-year period. This effort offers new insights into the stars' formation, evolution, and impact on their surroundings.
Employees keep home distractions at bay by using their working memory
Are family challenges distracting you at work, making your job feel demanding and stressful?
For struggling organizations, fostering social connections can help recruit and retain scarce volunteers
At a time when America needs volunteers more than ever, to tackle social problems from homelessness to disaster recovery, fewer people have been volunteering.
Netflix trivializing teenagers' pain, says study
A new analysis of adolescent TV and films on Netflix suggests that too often, it shows misleading depictions of pain, portraying pain as something arising only through a violent act or injury. Instead of trivializing the experience, it could do more to educate young people about much more common, everyday pain.
Suppressing boredom at work hurts future productivity, study shows
Boredom is more common at work than in any other setting, studies show, and employees are bored at work for more than 10 hours per week on average.
Comprehensive study explores influence of gene expression on primate brain evolution
An interdisciplinary team of researchers led by biologists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst recently published the results of a first-of-its-kind study investigating the links between gene expression and brain evolution across 18 primate species.
Sawfish are spinning, and dying, in Florida waters as rescue effort begins
Endangered smalltooth sawfish, marine creatures virtually unchanged for millions of years, are exhibiting erratic spinning behavior and dying in unusual numbers in Florida waters. Federal and state wildlife agencies are beginning an effort to rescue and rehabilitate sawfish to find out why.
Magnetic avalanche triggered by quantum effects: 'Barkhausen noise' detected for first time
Iron screws and other so-called ferromagnetic materials are made up of atoms with electrons that act like little magnets. Normally, the orientations of the magnets are aligned within one region of the material but are not aligned from one region to the next. Think of packs of tourists in Times Square pointing to different billboards all around them. But when a magnetic field is applied, the...
Plasma fusion: Adding just enough fuel to the fire
How much fuel can we add to the fire while still maintaining control? Metaphorically speaking, that's the question one team at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has been asking themselves lately.
Impact of synbiotic supplements on the gut microbiome and overall health of penguins
The gut microflora plays a pivotal role in the overall well-being of all living organisms. Like their multifaceted and beneficial role in humans, the role of the gut microbiome in maintaining health, behavior, and ecology of animals is unequivocal. Now, researchers from Japan investigated the impact of combined administration of prebiotics and paraprobiotics to understand how they impact penguin...
An on-chip photon-counting reconstructive spectrometer with tailored cascaded detector array
Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs) have been widely used in various applications requiring single photon detection thanks to their attractive performances. Since SNSPDs are thin films of serval nanometers in thickness, they are convenient to fabricate on various substrates and combine with other photonic structures.
Promising advances in organosilica membranes for separating organic liquid mixtures
In many chemical-related industries, such as pharmaceuticals, oil refineries, and food and beverage factories, separating organic liquid mixtures is an essential step. A staple method to achieve this is distillation, which involves heating a mixture to a specific temperature so that only one of its components vaporizes.
Ecologists call for strengthening nature-based climate solutions at the federal level
U.S. scientists and policy experts with a broad range of expertise in the fields of climate and ecosystem sciences have outlined key recommendations aimed at bolstering the scientific foundation for implementation of nature-based climate solutions (NbCS) across the nation.
Small birds spice up the already diverse diet of spotted hyenas in Namibia
Spotted hyenas are known for hunting (or scavenging) larger mammals such as antelopes and occasionally feed on smaller mammals and reptiles. Being flexible in the choice of prey is a strategy of generalists—and this even extends to small passerine birds, as scientists from the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (Leibniz-IZW) and the University of Ljubljana observed in Namibia.
Unlocking insights into marketing to mature consumers: A new research synthesis
Research from Queen Mary University of London academic Dr. Mina Tajvidi, delves into marketing communications targeted at mature consumers aged 50 and above, addressing definitional inconsistencies and reviewing research published since 1972.
Biochemists discover first new antibacterial class in decades
Vanderbilt biochemists are part of a team taking a stride toward the development of antibacterials to treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections, a pervasive bacterial infection that affects 50%–60% of women in their lifetime.
Cats with MDR1 mutation at risk of severe reactions to popular medication
More than half a million cats in the United States could be at risk of a severe or even fatal neurological reaction to the active ingredient in some top-selling parasite preventatives for felines.
Micro-influencers play pivotal role in crises, study reveals
You don't need to be an influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers to have a real-world impact during a crisis, according to a new study published in the Australasian Journal of Information Systems.
Preventive drone attacks based on digital traces are a gray area under international law
Identifying terrorists by analyzing their online activities is an approach that is sometimes at odds with international law, especially if the outcome is death. A study has documented this problematic legal and ethical issue.
Is it the school, or the students?
- ScienceDaily
- 24/3/28 21:26
School quality ratings significantly reflect the preparation of a school's students, not just the school's contribution to learning gains, according to new research.
Making the future too bright: How wishful thinking can point us in the wrong direction
- ScienceDaily
- 24/3/28 21:26
Everyone indulges in wishful thinking now and again. But when is that most likely to happen and when could it actually be harmful? A new study demonstrates unequivocally that the greater the insecurity and anxiety of a situation, the more likely people are to become overly optimistic -- even to the point where it can prevent us from taking essential action.
How the Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus enters our cells
- ScienceDaily
- 24/3/28 21:26
Researchers have identified how the tick-borne Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus enters our cells. The results are an important step in the development of drugs against the deadly disease.
Mechanism found to determine which memories last
- ScienceDaily
- 24/3/28 21:26
Neuroscientists have established in recent decades the idea that some of each day's experiences are converted by the brain into permanent memories during sleep the same night. Now, a new study proposes a mechanism that determines which memories are tagged as important enough to linger in the brain until sleep makes them permanent.
Researchers racing to develop Paxlovid replacement
- ScienceDaily
- 24/3/28 21:26
SARS-CoV-2 will eventually become resistant to the only effective oral treatment. The world needs another, say researchers.
Positive associations between premenstrual disorders and perinatal depression
- ScienceDaily
- 24/3/28 21:25
Women affected by premenstrual disorders have a higher risk of perinatal depression compared with those who do not, according to new research. The relationship works both ways: those with perinatal depression are also more likely to develop premenstrual disorders after pregnancy and childbirth. This study suggests that a common mechanism might contribute to the two conditions.
Identifying tropane alkaloid types in Hyoscyamus niger L.
Researchers conducted a study on tropane alkaloids (TAs), crucial natural compounds found abundantly in various plant families. TAs, often toxins, include major ones like L-hyoscyamine, atropine, and scopolamine, each with distinct pharmacological uses.
Wild desert plants face viral surprise
Just as many people battle seasonal colds and flu, native plants face their own viral threats. People have long known that plants can succumb to viruses just like humans. Now, a new study led by Michigan State University and the University of California, Riverside reveals a previously unknown threat: non-native crop viruses are infecting and jeopardizing the health of wild desert plants.
Direct and indirect consumption activities drive urban-rural inequalities in air pollution-related mortality in China
Household consumption in China is associated with substantial PM2.5 pollution through activities directly (i.e., fuel use) and/or indirectly (i.e., consumption of goods and services) causing pollutant emissions. Urban and rural households exhibit different consumption preferences and living areas; thus, their contributions to and suffering from air pollution could differ.
Discovering van Gogh in the wild: Scientists unveil a new gecko species
You've probably seen nature depicted in art, but how often do you see an artwork hiding in nature?
Study suggests starvation decimated gray whales off the Pacific Coast: Can the giants ever recover?
When large numbers of gray whales began washing up along North America's Pacific Coast nearly six years ago, marine scientists could only speculate on the reason: Was it disease? Ocean pollution? Increasing ship collisions?
Study reveals evidence of violence at a time of crisis in ancient Peru
The transition from the fifth to the fourth century BCE (Before the Common Era) seems to have been a critical period for the Central Andes, a region now part of Peru. Researchers have found evidence of turbulence during the passage from the Middle Formative period (1200–400 BCE) to the Late Formative period (400–1 BCE). Political disintegration and intergroup violence were apparently part of...