256 articles from WEDNESDAY 4.3.2020
NASA-Supported Techniques are "Best Practice" for UN Disaster Risk Reduction Guidelines
More than 925,000 Rohingya refugees currently reside in Bangladesh, but the camps they stay in are at risk from deadly landslides, especially during monsoon season. Decision makers there are using NASA Earth observations to inform which areas are most at risk – and now, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) has incorporated these practices into a set of...
How Biden’s climate plan stacks up to Bernie’s
He doesn’t plan to spend nearly as much, but he’s striving to build a broader coalition.
How to create an effective full-body workout in a quarantine, according to personal trainers
In case of a quarantine, here's how to get a great workout at home, according to personal trainers. It involves a lot of...
Why you can't stop touching your face, even though it's one of the best ways to prevent coronavirus spread
Humans are conditioned to touch their own faces as a way to show self-awareness. Once the habit is formed, it's difficult to...
Gene sleuths are tracking the coronavirus outbreak as it happens
Genetic data shows that countries are getting hit with multiple introductions of the virus.
March Madness bracket analysis shows picking final four first leads to better brackets
Data science researchers at the University of Illinois have some March Madness advice based on new research: Pick top-seeded teams as the Final Four in your March Madness bracket and work backward and forward from there. If you are going to submit multiple brackets—as you can in the ESPN, CBS Sports and Yahoo Challenges—starting with the Final Four is still a good strategy, but make sure you...
Flower faithful native bee makes a reliable pollinator
Entomologists at UC Riverside have documented that a species of native sweat bee widespread throughout North and South America has a daily routine that makes it a promising pollinator.
New model improves management of wetland, floodplain and river habitats
Wetlands, floodplains and aquatic habitats are some of Utah's most important ecosystems. They are home to many bird, plant and fish species, and they provide unique outdoor recreation opportunities.
How people in Senegal are turning an invasive weed into a source of clean energy
The Typha weed, or cattail, has been destroying rice crops in rural Senegal for over 30 years. But it's now become a source of economic...
Study find delta helps to decrease the impact of river flooding
Most coastal cities and ports face a double threat from storm surge and river flooding. Infrastructure development along waterways and sea-level rise increase vulnerability for these communities. In a recent publication, The Propagation of Fluvial Flood Waves Through a Backwater-Estuarine Environment, historical data is examined to determine how to reduce the risk of coastal river flooding to...
'Triangle 2' plastic containers may see environmental makeover
Recyclable plastic containers with the No. 2 designation could become even more popular for manufacturers as plastic milk jugs, dish soap containers and shampoo bottles may soon get an environmental makeover.
Researchers pinpoint mechanism controlling cell protein traffic
Cells depend on signaling to regulate most life processes, including cell growth and differentiation, immune response and reactions to various stresses.
'Category Hell:' 6 months after Dorian, where do things stand?
Six months ago, Hurricane Dorian, one of the most destructive storms in recorded history and the worst storm in the history of the Bahamas, turned lives upside down.The Category 5 behemoth wasn't just devastating because of its size, but also its slow-moving nature. The storm sat for nearly two full days over the northern part of the archipelago, moving at a glacial speed of 1.3 mph. All the...
Climate Change Affected Australia's Wildfires, Scientists Confirm
Confirming what had been widely suspected, researchers have found that human-caused climate change had an impact on Australia's recent devastating wildfires, making the extremely high-risk conditions that led to widespread burning at least 30% more likely than in a world without global warming.The researchers said the full influence of climate change on the fires was probably much greater, but...
Scientists create bendable concrete that could better withstand earthquakes
Scientists at the Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne have developed a new process that could one day allow bendable concrete to go mainstream. It could also lower the carbon footprint associated with making the building...
California just reported its first coronavirus death: a patient in the Sacramento area who recently returned from a cruise
"Jennifer and I extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this death in Placer County," Gov. Gavin Newsom...
20 American jobs dominated by women — and that also pay them what they deserve
March is Women's History Month, when achievements for women are celebrated. We ranked the highest-paying jobs for women in the...
Some diet sodas disrupt your metabolism when you drink them with carb-filled foods, study says
A study from Yale University found that people who used sucralose as a sweetener only had negative responses when a carb was added to their...
Photos of empty shelves, long lines at grocery stores around the world reveal real panic as the spread of coronavirus intensifies
Shoppers around the world are flocking to grocery stores to stock up on staple products as coronavirus comes...
7 things you (probably) never knew about your body, from the natural painkiller in your saliva to how many calories your brain burns
Bill Bryson's new book "The Body" is a tour of the fascinating and bizarre ways the human body...
The CEO of the buzzy biotech that's working on a potential coronavirus vaccine just pledged he won't set a high price for the shot
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said the company will be "extremely thoughtful and sensitive" in determining a price if its experimental vaccine...
Scientists demonstrate first non-volatile nano relay operation at 200°C
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:16
Researchers have come up with a new type of nanoelectromechanical relay to enable reliable high-temperature, non-volatile memory. The work is an important development for all-electric vehicles and more-electric aircraft which require electronics with integrated data storage that can operate in extreme temperatures with high energy efficiency.
Tropical forests' carbon sink is already rapidly weakening
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:16
The ability of the world's tropical forests to remove carbon from the atmosphere is decreasing, according to a study tracking 300,000 trees over 30 years.
New insights into evolution: Why genes appear to move around
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:16
Scientists have proposed an addition to the theory of evolution that can explain how and why genes move on chromosomes. The hypothesis is called the SNAP Hypothesis.
Biomaterial discovery enables 3D printing of tissue-like vascular structures
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
An international team of scientists have discovered a new material that can be 3D printed to create tissue-like vascular structures.
Breastfeeding and risks of allergies and asthma
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
In an Acta Paediatrica study, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 3 months was linked with a lower risk of respiratory allergies and asthma when children reached 6 years of age.
Robot uses artificial intelligence and imaging to draw blood
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
Engineers have created a tabletop device that combines a robot, artificial intelligence and near-infrared and ultrasound imaging to draw blood or insert catheters to deliver fluids and drugs. Their research results suggest that autonomous systems like the image-guided robotic device could outperform people on some complex medical tasks.
Household chemical use linked to child language delays
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
Young children from low-income homes whose mothers reported frequent use of toxic chemicals such as household cleaners were more likely to show delays in language development by age 2, a new study found.
A talented 2D material gets a new gig
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
Scientists have designed a tunable graphene device for experiments in exotic physics, where superconducting, insulating, and magnetic properties can be observed in a single system. The technology could advance the development of next-generation memory devices and quantum computers.
Siberian Neanderthals originated from various European populations
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
At least two different groups of Neanderthals lived in Southern Siberia researchers have now shown that one of these groups migrated from Eastern Europe.
Honeybee dance dialects
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
Honeybees use their waggle dance to tell their conspecifics where to find food. Depending on the honeybee species, there are different dance dialects.
Novel compound sparks new malaria treatment hope
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
A novel class of antimalarial compounds that can effectively kill malaria parasites has been developed. In preclinical testing, the compounds were effective against different species of malaria parasites, including the deadly Plasmodium falciparum, and at multiple stages of the parasite lifecycle. The compounds could overcome existing issues of parasite drug resistance. The researchers hope that...
Scorpions make a fluorescent compound that could help protect them from parasites
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
Most scorpions glow a blue-green color when illuminated by ultraviolet light or natural moonlight. Scientists aren't sure how this fluorescence benefits the creatures, but some have speculated that it acts as a sunscreen, or helps them find mates in the dark. Now, researchers have identified a new fluorescent compound from scorpion exoskeletons. The team says that the compound could protect these...
Micromotors get supercharged with three 'engines'
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
Someday, microscopic robots could perform useful functions, such as diagnostic testing in lab-on-a-chip sensors, micropatterning surfaces or repairing equipment in tight spaces. But first, scientists need to be able to tightly control the microbots' speed. Now, researchers have developed micromotors with three 'engines' that they can control separately with chemical fuel, magnets and light.
Expanding the plasmonic painter's palette
- ScienceDaily
- 20/3/4 20:15
By blending paints in their palette, artists can create a broad spectrum of colors with subtly different hues. However, scientists who wish to create a similar range of structural colors, like those found on butterfly wings, are much more limited. Now, researchers have developed a new method for mixing plasmonic red, blue and green to yield a virtually unlimited number of colors that could be used...