153 articles from FRIDAY 20.12.2019

Counting photons is now routine enough to need standards

Since the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) built its first superconducting devices for counting photons (the smallest units of light) in the 1990s, these once-rare detectors have become popular research tools all over the world. Now, NIST has taken a step toward enabling universal standards for these devices, which are becoming increasingly important in science and industry.

Using a material's 'memory' to encode unique physical properties

A new study published in Science Advances found that certain types of materials have a "memory" of how they were processed, stored, and manipulated. Researchers were then able to use this memory to control how a material ages and to encode specific properties that allow it to perform new functions. This creative approach for designing materials was the result of a collaboration between Penn's...

Berlin's bright sky isn't a bat's thing

People can hardly imagine a city without night-time street lighting. But how do nocturnal animals such as bats respond to the illuminated urban landscape? In a recent study, scientists equipped common noctule bats (Nyctalus noctula) with mini GPS transmitters and recorded their trajectories in the sky above Berlin. They show that common noctules avoid brightly lit, built-up areas.

Chronobiology: 'We'll be in later'

Students attending a high school in Germany can decide whether to begin the schoolday at the normal early time or an hour later. According to chronobiologists, the measure has had a positive effect on both their sleep and learning experience.

Popular gyms undermining health with tanning beds

Popular gym chains across the country capitalize on the broad desire to get healthy in the New Year with persuasive post-holiday marketing campaigns, but they're also undermining public health warnings about the dangers of indoor tanning, according to a new study.

Universal method for measuring light power

Always on the lookout for better ways to measure all kinds of things, researchers have published a detailed study suggesting an "elegant" improved definition for the standard unit of light power, the optical watt. The proposed definition promises a more precise, less expensive and more portable method for measuring this important quantity for science, technology, manufacturing, commerce and...

Could every country have a Green New Deal? Report charts paths for 143 countries

Researchers offer an updated vision of the steps that 143 countries around the world can take to attain 100% clean, renewable energy by the year 2050. The new roadmaps project that transitioning to clean, renewable energy could reduce worldwide energy needs by 57%, create 28.6 million more jobs than are lost, and reduce energy, health, and climate costs by 91% compared with a business-as-usual...

SHAPEIT4: An algorithm for large-scale genomic analysis

Haplotypes are a set of genetic variations that, located side by side on the same chromosome, are transmitted in a single group to the next generation. Their examination makes it possible to understand the heritability of certain complex traits, such as the risk of developing a disease. However, to carry out this analysis, genome analysis of family members (parents and their child) is usually...

Study suggests universal method for measuring light power

Always on the lookout for better ways to measure all kinds of things, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have published a detailed study suggesting an "elegant" improved definition for the standard unit of light power, the optical watt.

The connection between ribosomes and telomeres in plants

Findings from a recent research project, conducted by a Marshall University scientist and assistant professor in the Marshall University College of Science, with researchers in Texas, was recently published in the December issue of the prestigious online journal, Nature Communications.

Luxury consumption can fuel 'impostor syndrome' among some buyers

Purchasing luxury goods can affirm buyers' sense of status and enjoyment of items like fancy cars or fine jewelry. However, for many consumers, luxury purchases can fail to ring true, sparking feelings of inauthenticity that fuel what researchers have labeled the "impostor syndrome" among luxury consumers.