143 articles from FRIDAY 6.9.2019

A swifter way towards 3D-printed organs

Twenty people die waiting for an organ transplant every day in the US, but lab-grown organs so far lack the cellular density, vasculature, and functions required to make them viable replacements. The new SWIFT method solves those problems by 3D printing vascular channel networks directly into living organ building blocks, enabling the creation of larger tissues approximating the size and function...

India loses contact with Chandrayaan 2’s lander at climax of historic moon mission

India's Mission Control lost contact with the lander for its Chandrayaan 2 mission today, just as it was about to make a touchdown near the moon's south pole. Chandrayaan 2's Vikram lander descended to a highland plain between two craters, Manzinus C and Simpelius N, at a latitude of 70.9 degrees south. But contact was lost in the final moments of the descent. During the minutes that...

NASA finds Akoni already post-tropical

Tropical Storm Akoni had a quick life as a tropical storm before transitioning into a post-tropical storm. NASA captured a visible image of as it was becoming a tropical storm and an infrared image after it transitioned.

NASA sees gabrielle go 'post-tropical...' for now

The Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite passed over the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and observed that Tropical Storm Gabrielle had become post-tropical. GPM also gathered data on rainfall rates occurring in transformed and elongated storm.

Beyond borders: Understanding migration requires understanding changing land systems

For tens of millions of people, migration is a tough reality. What causes people to migrate away from their home countries, and what happens when they do? Migrants and their labor are responsible for moving hundreds of billions of dollars around the world annually. At their destinations, they affect populations, cultures, and economies. But their movement also has a major impact on the places they...

Dead Sea scrolls study raises new questions over texts' origins

Salts used on Temple scroll are not common to Dead Sea region, researchers findThe Dead Sea scrolls have given up fresh secrets, with researchers saying they have identified a previously unknown technique used to prepare one of the most remarkable scrolls of the collection.Scientists say the study poses a puzzle, as the salts used on the writing layer of the Temple scroll are not common to the...

Study of Dead Sea Scroll sheds light on a lost ancient parchment-making technology

First discovered in 1947 by Bedouin shepherds looking for a lost sheep, the ancient Hebrew texts known as the Dead Sea Scrolls are some of the most well-preserved ancient written materials ever found. Now, a study by researchers at MIT and elsewhere elucidates a unique ancient technology of parchment making and provides potentially new insights into methods to better preserve these precious...

Key enzyme found in plants could guide development of medicines and other products

Researchers studying how plants evolved the abilities to make natural chemicals, which they use to adapt to stress, have uncovered how an enzyme called chalcone isomerase evolved to enable plants to make products vital to their own survival. The researchers' hope is that this knowledge will inform the manufacture of products that are beneficial to humans, including medications and improved crops.

Combating prison recidivism with plants

The United States currently incarcerates the greatest percentage of its population compared with any other nation in the world. The results and information gathered in this study support the notion that horticultural activities can play an important role in influencing an offender's successful reentry into society.

Biomarker identified for early beta cell death in Type 1 diabetes

Beta cells in the pancreas produce insulin. Their death is a key feature of Type 1 diabetes, and that loss starts long before diagnosis. However, there has been no straightforward way to measure that early loss. Researchers now have identified an early biomarker of Type 1 diabetes-associated beta-cell loss in humans -- microRNA-204. This biomarker may provide a much needed approach to assess early...

Why should you care about AI used for hiring?

Researchers have explored the hype and mystique surrounding artificial intelligence in hiring. They provide an overview of artificial intelligence in the workplace, provides practical to-dos for organizations considering AI tools for their hiring process, and explains how psychologists can help along the way.

Not all meat is created equal: How diet changes can sustain world's food production

If you wanted to really mess with the world's food production, a good place to start would be in Morocco. They don't grow much here, but it is home to mines containing most of the world's known reserves of phosphate rock, the main source of the nutrient phosphorus. Most of us across the globe, most days, will eat some food grown on fields fertilized by phosphate rock from these mines.