117 articles from MONDAY 7.10.2019

New method gives first global picture of mutual predictability of atmosphere and ocean

University of Maryland (UMD) scientists have carried out a novel statistical analysis to determine for the first time a global picture of how the ocean helps predict the low-level atmosphere and vice versa. They observed ubiquitous influence of the ocean on the atmosphere in the extratropics, which has been difficult to demonstrate with dynamic models of atmospheric and oceanic circulation. The...

Nodulation connected to higher resistance against powdery mildew in legumes

Scientists have long known that nodulation is important to plant health. Nodulation occurs when nodules, which form on the roots of plants (primarily legumes), form a symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that deliver nutrients to the plant. This process is a key part of sustainable agriculture and makes legumes an important source of protein for much of the world. However, recent...

Cesium vapor aids in the search for dark matter

The hunt for dark matter is one of the most exciting challenges facing fundamental physics in the 21st century. Researchers have long known that it must exist, as many astrophysical observations would otherwise be impossible to explain. For example, stars rotate much faster in galaxies than they would if only 'normal' matter existed.

Did you solve it? Getting coins out of the bank

The answer to today’s money problemEarlier today I set you the following problem. It was a tricky one, and judging from the BTL comments the solution is eagerly awaited. Let me restate the problem before we get there. It concerns a game on a grid with an infinite number of rows and columns, and starts with three coins in the top left corner of the grid, as illustrated here. Continue...

CTE risk, severity increases with years playing American football

The risk and severity of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) increases with the number of years playing American football according to a new study. These findings reaffirm the relationship between playing tackle football and CTE, and for the first time quantify the strength of that relationship.

China is on track to meet its emissions goals for 2020

Polluting emissions from Chinese thermal power plants declined significantly between 2014 and 2017, according to new research. The study analyzed data from 2014, when China introduced the ambitious Ultra-Low Emissions (ULE) Standards Policy for renovating coal-fired power stations to limit air pollutant emissions, to 2017.

The benefits of updating agricultural drainage infrastructure

The massive underground infrastructure that allows farmers to cultivate crops on much of the world's most productive land has outlived its design life and should be updated, according to a new study. Installing higher-capacity pipes and conservation practices would yield a wide range of production and environmental benefits.

Genome-edited bull passes on hornless trait to calves

For the past two years, researchers have been studying six offspring of a dairy bull, genome-edited to prevent it from growing horns. Scientists report that none of the bull's offspring developed horns, as expected, and blood work and physical exams of the calves found they were all healthy. The researchers also sequenced and analyzed the genomes of the calves and their parents looking for any...