286 articles from WEDNESDAY 27.5.2020

Study shows erosion of ozone layer responsible for mass extinction event

Researchers at the University of Southampton have shown that an extinction event 360 million years ago, that killed much of the Earth's plant and freshwater aquatic life, was caused by a brief breakdown of the ozone layer that shields the Earth from damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This is a newly discovered extinction mechanism with profound implications for our warming world today.

Tropical storm threatens landmark SpaceX-Nasa launch

Flight is the first under Nasa’s commercial crew program, an effort to hand over lower Earth orbit spaceflight to private contractors The countdown clock to the United States’ return to human spaceflight continued to tick down on Wednesday, despite a tropical storm in the Atlantic and thunderstorms at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center threatening the scheduled 4.33pm EST launch of Nasa’s...

Tuning the surface gives variations to metal foils

Researchers reported how to give variations to single crystalline metal foils. Via the oxidation-led annealing plus seeded growth strategy, they obtained over 30 types of copper foils the size of A4 paper, which is roughly the same size as US legal paper.

Computer vision and uncertainty in AI for robotic prosthetics

Researchers have developed new software that can be integrated with existing hardware to enable people using robotic prosthetics or exoskeletons to walk in a safer, more natural manner on different types of terrain. The new framework incorporates computer vision into prosthetic leg control, and includes robust artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that allow the software to better account for...

Researchers use whole living cells as 'templates' to seek for bioactive molecules

A study performed by researchers at the Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC) from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) pioneers the use of whole living cells (human lung adenocarcinoma) in dynamic combinatorial chemistry systems. This research, published in the journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, proposes a new methodology to discover new bioactive molecules in...

Public parks guaranteeing sustainable well-being

An international team led by the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has ascertained how green spaces contribute to the well-being of city-dwellers. The research shows that parks play an essential role in the well-being of individuals, regardless of their social class, and that they cannot be replaced by other venues where people meet, such as shopping centers. When these parks are closed—as during the...

Government unveils Covid-19 test-and-trace strategy for England

Public to be instructed to stay at home for 14 days even if they have previously had virusHow will England’s test-and-trace system work?Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe public will be instructed to stay at home for 14 days, and keep children out of school, even if they have previously had coronavirus or self-isolated, under a new test-and-trace strategy for...

SpaceX on cusp of launching astronauts, back on home turf

With bad weather threatening a delay, two NASA astronauts suited up for the launch of a SpaceX rocket ship Wednesday on a history-making flight to the International Space Station that was seen as a giant leap forward for the booming business of commercial space travel.

Tanzanian president accused of covering up Covid-19 outbreak

John Magufuli has repeatedly played down the threat from the pandemicOpposition politicians in Tanzania have accused president John Magufuli of covering up a major outbreak of Covid-19 in the east African country.Magufuli has repeatedly played down the threat from the pandemic and refused to impose a strict lockdown as many other leaders on the continent have. Continue...

Researchers take a cue from nature to create bulletproof coatings

Shrimp, lobsters and mushrooms may not seem like great tools for the battlefield, but three engineers from the University of Houston are using chitin—a derivative of glucose found in the cellular walls of arthropods and fungi—and 3-D printing techniques to produce high-impact multilayered coatings that can protect soldiers against bullets, lasers, toxic gas and other dangers.

Airborne science discovers complex geomorphic controls on Bornean forests

Tropical forests contain some of the most biodiverse and dynamic ecosystems in the world. Environmental conditions such as precipitation, temperature, and soils shape the biota of the landscape. This influence is especially noticeable when comparing the towering trees found in low elevation forests to the hardier, shorter ones found at the top of tropical mountains. Together, these factors create...

Oxygen-excess oxides in Earth's mid-mantle facilitate the ascent of deep oxygen

Subduction of hydrous materials imposes great influence on the structure, dynamics, and evolution of our planet. However, it is largely unclear how subducting slabs chemically interact with the middle mantle. Recently, an oxygen-excess phase (Mg,Fe)2O3+δ was discovered under conditions similar to the Earth's middle mantle (~1000-2000 km) by a team of scientists from the Center of High Pressure...