186 articles from FRIDAY 29.5.2020

Scientists develop method to help epidemiologists map spread of COVID-19

Rochester Institute of Technology scientists have developed a method they believe will help epidemiologists more efficiently predict the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their new study, published in Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena, outlines a solution to the SIR epidemic model, which is commonly used to predict how many people are susceptible to, infected by, and recovered from viral epidemics.

SpaceX's Starship rocket prototype explodes during test

394ft rocket designed to carry humans and cargo to moon and MarsNo immediate indication of injuries after explosion in TexasA prototype of SpaceX’s upcoming heavy-lift rocket, Starship, exploded on Friday during ground tests in south Texas as Elon Musk’s space company pursued an aggressive development schedule to fly the launch vehicle for the first time.The testing explosion was unrelated to...

'Something to hide': government accused over Covid-19 tests

Number of people tested for coronavirus for seventh day running has not been disclosedThe government has failed to disclose the number of people tested for Covid-19 for the seventh day running, prompting criticism from senior scientists who said this risked a perception that there is “something to hide”.On Friday, figures showed that less than 131,500 daily tests were carried out the previous...

Mergers between galaxies trigger activity in their core

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs) play a major role in galaxy evolution. Astronomers from SRON and RuG have now used a record-setting sample of galaxies to confirm that galaxy mergers have a positive effect on igniting AGNs. They were able to compile about 10 times more pictures of merging galaxies than previous studies by using a machine-learning algorithm.

Asymptomatic coronavirus: how common is it and can its spread be contained?

Though they display less viral shedding, asymptomatic people can still spread Covid-19Since the Covid-19 outbreak began, many have been concerned about asymptomatic spread – that is, people who have the virus but show no symptoms, so therefore don’t take measures to quarantine themselves.As the virus spreads throughout the world more research can be gathered, and scientists are learning more...

Paper-thin gallium oxide transistor handles more than 8,000 volts

Electrical engineers created a gallium oxide-based transistor that can handle more than 8,000 volts. The transistor could lead to smaller and more efficient electronic systems that control and convert electric power -- a field of study known as power electronics -- in electric cars, locomotives and airplanes. In turn, this could help improve how far these vehicles can travel.

Integrating satellite and socioeconomic data to improve climate change policy

Bangladesh is on track to lose all of its forestland in the next 35-40 years, leading to a rise in CO2 emissions and subsequent climate change, researchers said. However, that is just one of the significant land-use changes that the country is experiencing. A new study uses satellite and census data to quantify and unravel how physical and economic factors drive land-use changes. Understanding...

Yes, your dog wants to rescue you

Imagine you're a dog. Your owner is trapped in a box and is crying out for help. Are you aware of his despair? If so, can you set him free? And what's more, do you really want to? That's what researchers wanted to know when they gave dogs the chance to rescue their owners.

New view on how tissues flow in the embryo

Watching and measuring what happens in tissues inside the human embryo is currently not possible, and it's difficult to do in mammalian models. Because humans and the fruit fly Drosophila share so many biological similarities, researchers tackled this problem by focusing on fruit flies. The team reports today that they can predict when the tissue will begin to rapidly flow just by looking at cell...