935,486 articles

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...

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.

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.

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...

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.

Mechanism found to determine which memories last

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.

Positive associations between premenstrual disorders and perinatal depression

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.

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...