315 articles from MONDAY 18.5.2020

Unknown submarine landslides discovered in Gulf of Mexico

A researcher has used new detection methods to identify 85 previously unknown submarine landslides that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico between 2008 and 2015, leading to questions about the stability of oil rigs and other structures, such as pipelines built in the region.

New study estimates the odds of life and intelligence emerging beyond our planet

Humans have been wondering whether we alone in the universe since antiquity. We know from the geological record that life started relatively quickly, as soon our planet's environment was stable enough to support it. We also know that the first multicellular organism, which eventually produced today's technological civilization, took far longer to evolve, approximately 4 billion years.

Exoplanet climate 'decoder' aids search for life

After examining a dozen types of suns and a roster of planet surfaces, Cornell University astronomers have developed a practical model—an environmental color "decoder"—to tease out climate clues for potentially habitable exoplanets in galaxies far away.

Brain-to-gut connections traced

Using rabies virus injected into the stomach of rats, researchers trace the nerves back to the brain and find distinct 'fight or flight' and 'rest and digest' circuits. These results explain how mental states can affect the gut, and present new ways to treat gastrointestinal problems.

Exoplanet climate 'decoder' aids search for life

After examining a dozen types of suns and a roster of planet surfaces, astronomers have developed a practical model - an environmental color ''decoder'' - to tease out climate clues for potentially habitable exoplanets in galaxies far away.

First human trial results raise hopes for coronavirus vaccine

Eight initial volunteers in US produced an antibody response from Moderna’s RNA vaccineCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe first results from human trials of a vaccine against Covid-19 have given a glimmer of hope after a US firm’s study produced positive results in a group of eight volunteers.These results – which come a day after the UK government revealed a...

Long-term data show hurricanes are getting stronger

In almost every region of the world where hurricanes form, their maximum sustained winds are getting stronger. That is according to a new study by scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Center for Environmental Information and University of Wisconsin-Madison Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, who analyzed nearly 40 years of hurricane...

Insect virtual reality gives us a fly's perspective of the world

Flying insects are remarkable in their ability to sense and locate food sources and mates as they navigate a complex, 3-D world. Yet, little is known about how they combine different sensory stimuli to find and get to the objects of their interest. Now, researchers from Shannon Olsson's lab at the National Center for Biological Sciences, Bangalore created a virtual reality (VR) arena in which they...

Stretch and flow: Research sheds light on unusual properties of well-known materials

Toothpaste, face creams, hair gel, mayonnaise and ketchup are household items that most people don't think twice about, but in terms of their flow behavior, they have unusual properties. They're all elasto-visco-plastic (EVP) materials, which behave like solids when at rest, but can yield to flow like liquids when placed under enough stress. Despite their ubiquity, the ability to model and predict...