91 articles from FRIDAY 1.11.2019

How the Aztecs could improve modern urban farming

Highly intensive production systems with low resource demand are a strategic goal of urban agriculture developers. Research was conducted to determine the extent to which an ancient Aztec agricultural technique could benefit 21st century horticultural needs.

Researchers engineer insulin-producing cells activated by light for diabetes

Researchers have transplanted engineered pancreatic beta cells into diabetic mice, then caused the cells to produce more than two to three times the typical level of insulin by exposing them to light. The light-switchable cells are designed to compensate for the lower insulin production or reduced insulin response found in diabetic individuals.

New printer creates extremely realistic colorful holograms

Researchers have developed a new printer that produces digital 3D holograms with an unprecedented level of detail and realistic color. The new printer could be used to make high-resolution color recreations of objects or scenes for museum displays, architectural models, fine art or advertisements that do not require glasses or special viewing aids.

How the Aztecs could improve modern urban farming

Roland Ebel of the Sustainable Food Systems Program at Montana State University conducted a research project to determine the extent to which an ancient Aztec agricultural technique could benefit 21st century horticultural needs.

Hindu children more apt to echo propaganda that 'Indian equals Hindu'

With a multi-faith population of some 1.3 billion, India claims to be the world's largest secular democracy. But when it comes to the question of who is a true Indian, the country's Hindu children are more likely than their Muslim peers to connect their faith to their national identity, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley.

The secret behind crystals that shrink when heated

Scientists have new experimental evidence and a predictive theory that solves a long-standing materials science mystery: why certain crystalline materials shrink when heated. Their work could have widespread application for matching material properties to specific applications in medicine, electronics, and other fields, and may even provide fresh insight into unconventional superconductors.

Disordered proteins become stable, 'super-sticky' materials

Biomedical engineers have demonstrated that they can create stable materials from engineered disordered proteins by altering the environmental triggers that cause them to undergo phase transitions. This discovery shines a light on previously unexplored behaviors of disordered proteins and allows researchers to create novel materials for applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering,...

The secret behind crystals that shrink when heated

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have new experimental evidence and a predictive theory that solves a long-standing materials science mystery: why certain crystalline materials shrink when heated. Their work, just published in Science Advances, could have widespread application for matching material properties to specific applications in medicine,...

The last Neanderthal necklace

Eagle talons are regarded as the first elements used to make jewellery by Neanderthals, a practice which spread around Southern Europe about 120,000 to 40,000 years ago. Now, for the first time, researchers found evidence of the ornamental uses of eagle talons in the Iberian Peninsula. An article published on the cover of the journal Science Advances talks about the findings, which took place in...

Harvesting genes to improve watermelons

An international team of researchers has taken a comprehensive look at the genomes of all seven species of watermelon, creating a resource that could help plant breeders increase the domestic fruit's quality and ability to thrive during an era of climate change.

NASA satellite imagery finds Rebekah now post-tropical

NASA's Terra Satellite provided a visible image of Post-Tropical Cyclone Rebekah as it continued moving in an easterly direction through the North Atlantic Ocean. Satellite data has confirmed that Rebekah is now a post-tropical cyclone.

Harvesting genes to improve watermelons

When many people think of watermelon, they likely think of Citrullus lanatus, the cultivated watermelon with sweet, juicy red fruit enjoyed around the world as a dessert. Indeed, watermelon is one of the world's most popular fruits, second only to tomato—which many consider a vegetable. But there are six other wild species of watermelon, all of which have pale, hard and bitter fruits.