179 articles from FRIDAY 8.5.2020

New study shines light on mysterious giant viruses

In recent years, giant viruses have been unearthed in several of the world's most mysterious locations, from the thawing permafrost of Siberia to locations unknown beneath the Antarctic ice. But don't worry, "The Thing" is still a work of science fiction. For now.

Scientists demonstrate quantum radar prototype

Physicists have invented a new radar prototype that utilizes quantum entanglement as a method of object detection. This successful integration of quantum mechanics into our everyday devices could significantly impact the biomedical and security industries.

Inspired by cheetahs, researchers build fastest soft robots yet

Inspired by the biomechanics of cheetahs, researchers have developed a new type of soft robot that is capable of moving more quickly on solid surfaces or in the water than previous generations of soft robots. The new soft robotics are also capable of grabbing objects delicately -- or with sufficient strength to lift heavy objects.

Plasma medicine research highlights antibacterial effects and potential uses

As interest in the application of plasma medicine -- the use of low-temperature plasma (LTP) created by an electrical discharge to address medical problems -- continues to grow, so does the need for research advancements proving its capabilities and potential impacts on the health care industry. Across the world, many research groups are investigating plasma medicine for applications including...

To err is human, to learn, divine

New research describes a new model for how the brain interprets patterns in complex networks. They found that the ability to detect patterns stems in part from the brain's desire to represent things in the simplest way possible and that the brain is constantly weighing the pressures of complexity and simplicity when making decisions.

To climb like a gecko, robots need toes

Researchers know the secret to geckos' ability to walk on the ceiling: their hairy toes. But how do they use their five toes per foot to adjust to gravity when running horizontally along walls. Biologists have now used high-speed cameras to record how geckos orient their toes with shifting weight, especially when encountering slippery or rough patches, and found a remarkable ability to adjust toe...

Scientists demonstrate quantum radar prototype

Physicists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) have invented a new radar prototype that uses quantum entanglement as a method of object detection. This successful integration of quantum mechanics into devices could significantly impact the biomedical and security industries. The research is published in the journal Science Advances.

Flies sleep when need arises to adapt to new situations

Flies that cannot take to the air respond by sleeping more as they learn to adapt to their flightlessness, according to a study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The findings, published May 8 in Science Advances, suggest that sleep may be an evolutionary tool that helps animals adapt to challenging new situations.

Potentially fatal combinations of humidity and heat are emerging across the globe

Most everyone knows that humid heat is harder to handle than the "dry" kind. And recently, some scientists have projected that later in the century, in parts of the tropics and subtropics, warming climate could cause combined heat and humidity to reach levels rarely if ever experienced before by humans. Such conditions would ravage economies, and possibly even surpass the physiological limits of...

Epithelial GPS: Position of RNAi machinery is associated with epithelial identity

Epithelial cells are held together and connected by several different types of structures that form cell-cell contacts. One of these structures, found near the top surface of the cell, is the adherens junction. This junction is critical for organ development, tissue architecture and cell function; disruption of adherens junctions can lead to inflammatory bowel disease, disorders of the skin and...

Abbott coronavirus test is accurate; infected mother's breast milk may protect infants

The following is a brief roundup of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. A new antibody test is highly accurate at determining whether people have been infected with the novel coronavirus, according to a study published on Friday in The Journal of Clinical Microbiology. Researchers at the...

The Guardian view on birdsong: a fragile joy | Editorial

The chance to put biodiversity and the environment at the heart of recovery from the pandemic should not be squanderedOne night in April, birdwatchers from around Britain stepped outside their doors and listened intently to something most of them had never experienced before: the fluting, mysterious, melancholy cry of the common scoter on the wing.Flocks of these dusky sea ducks were beating their...

Talent is key to school turnarounds

New research has demonstrated that the key to implementing successful reform in low-performing schools is hiring and retaining effective principals and teachers. These findings, reported in Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis (EEPA), also note that teacher turnover as well as student mobility and chronic absenteeism undermine potentially positive effects from these reforms.

Understanding the impact of COVID-19 in pets and livestock

A new paper identifies the critical need for research on the ability of the COVID-19 virus to infect certain animal species, the transmissibility of infection between humans and those animals, and the impact infection could have on food security and the economy. The article, which focuses on companion animals, livestock and poultry, working animals such as military service dogs, and zoo species,...

Fishing can disrupt mating systems

In many fish species body size plays an important role in sexual selection. Large individuals are preferred mating partners because they can enhance offspring survival by providing better quality resources than small individuals. While large females and males are often favored by sexual selection, fishing targets and removes these reproductively superior individuals. Academy Research Fellow Silva...

Neandertals were choosy about making bone tools

Evidence continues to mount that the Neandertals, who lived in Europe and Asia until about 40,000 years ago, were more sophisticated people than once thought. A new study from UC Davis shows that Neandertals chose to use bones from specific animals to make a tool for specific purpose: working hides into leather.

Fiber imaging beyond the limits of resolution and speed

Researchers at ARCNL and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam have developed a compact setup for fast, super-resolution microscopy through an ultrathin fiber. Using smart signal processing, they beat the theoretical limits of resolution and speed. Because the method does not require any special fluorescent labelling, it is promising for both medical applications and characterization of 3-D structures in...

Astronomers capture new images of Jupiter using 'lucky' technique

Detailed pictures of planet glowing through clouds were taken with telescope in HawaiiAstronomers have captured some of the highest resolution images of Jupiter ever obtained from the ground using a technique known as “lucky imaging”.The observations, from the Gemini North telescope on Hawaii’s dormant volcano Mauna Kea, reveal lightning strikes and storm systems forming around deep clouds...

UK health watchdog may investigate coronavirus deaths

Lawyers say failure to provide adequate PPE may amount to corporate manslaughterCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe deaths of more than 50 hospital and care home workers have been reported to Britain’s health and safety regulator, which is considering launching criminal investigations, the Guardian has learned.The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which...

More selective elimination of leukemia stem cells and blood stem cells

Hematopoietic stem cells from a healthy donor can help patients suffering from acute leukemia. However, the side effects of therapies are often severe. Researchers have now shown how human healthy and cancerous hematopoietic stem cells can be more selectively eliminated using immunotherapy instead of chemotherapy in mice. The aim is to test the new immunotherapy in humans as soon as possible.

Protein shredder regulates fat metabolism in the brain

A protein shredder that occurs in cell membranes of brain cells apparently also indirectly regulates the fat metabolism. The shredder, known as gamma-secretase, is considered a possible target for drugs against cancer and Alzheimer's disease. However, the results suggest that such agents may have long-range effects that need to be watched closely.

Fishing can disrupt mating systems

In many fish species body size plays an important role in sexual selection. Large individuals are preferred mating partners because they can enhance offspring survival by providing better quality resources than small individuals. While large females and males are often favored by sexual selection, fishing targets and removes these reproductively superior individuals.

Neanderthals were choosy about making bone tools

Evidence continues to mount that the Neanderthals, who lived in Europe and Asia until about 40,000 years ago, were more sophisticated people than once thought. A new study shows that Neanderthals chose to use bones from specific animals to make a tool for specific purpose: working hides into leather.

A standard for real-time calculation of pollutant emissions allocated to the use of ICTs

The first ever standard for real-time calculation of pollutant emissions allocated to the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) was recently introduced, thanks to the work of the IEEE ICT Emissions Working Group Committe, chaired by Mohamed Cheriet, a Professor in the Systems Engineering Department at École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS). Under the auspices of the IEEE...

Human Urine Could Help Make Concrete on the Moon, Says European Space Agency

(Berlin) — The European Space Agency said Friday that human urine could one day become a useful ingredient in making concrete to build on the Moon. The agency said researchers in a recent study it sponsored found that urea, the main organic compound in urine, would make the mixture for a “lunar concrete” more malleable before it hardens into its sturdy final form. It noted that...

WHO conditionally backs Covid-19 vaccine trials that infect people

‘Challenge’ studies would deliberately give coronavirus to healthy volunteers Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageControversial trials in which volunteers are intentionally infected with Covid-19 could accelerate vaccine development, according to the World Health Organization, which has released new guidance on how the approach could be ethically justified despite the...

Janet Carr obituary

Psychologist whose 50-year study transformed attitudes to people with Down’s syndrome In 1964, Janet Carr, a clinical psychologist, was asked to work on a follow-up study of 54 six-week-old babies with Down’s syndrome at the Maudsley hospital in London. Initially Carr, who has died aged 92, was going to track the children only until they were four, but it became one of the longest follow-up...