27 articles from SUNDAY 28.6.2020
Starwatch: the time of the scorpion
Now is the time for stargazers in the northern hemisphere to get their best view of the southern zodiacal constellation ScorpiusAs we head into summer in the northern hemisphere, we reach the time of the scorpion. The southern zodiacal constellation of Scorpius, the scorpion, reaches its peak visibility in the northern hemisphere. Even so, from the UK, the constellation never rises fully into the...
Russian mining giant admits waste 'violations' at Arctic plant
A Russian mining giant behind an enormous Arctic fuel spill last month said Sunday it had suspended workers at a metals plant who were responsible for pumping wastewater into nearby tundra.
Quieter seas off B.C. coast gives scientists chance to study effects of noise on killer whales
A significant drop in sea traffic brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic has created what scientists call a rare opportunity to study how quieter waters affect southern resident killer whales off the British Columbia...
The Guardian view on the treatment of shielders: first, not last | Editorial
The handling of those highly vulnerable to coronavirus speaks volumes about attitudes towards chronic illness and disabilityFor more than 2 million people in England, the effects of the pandemic have been especially punishing – forcing them to keep a distance even from others in their household. Those who have been judged clinically extremely vulnerable, including transplant recipients and those...
Can I, a coronavirus 'shielder', find consolation in lockdown? | John Sutherland
As I reflect on the deaths of earlier Sutherlands, and the writers I’ve written books about, I find myself thinking of ProsperoCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNational hibernation the man called it. A refreshing winter snooze. For me what came to mind was not bears in the woods but imprisonment. “Lockdown” is jail jargon and it fitted.It was a version of the...
Hydrogen fuel bubbles up the agenda as investments rocket
Governments and carmakers are pressing on with net-zero hydrogen fuel cells to power cars, buses, trains and even aircraftMore than 50 years ago hydrogen fuel cells helped put Neil Armstrong on the moon, but mainstream usage of the technology has remained elusivesince.Now there are signs that may be changing, with a spate of new investments even amid the coronavirus pandemic. Continue...
Coronavirus: what kind of face mask gives the best protection against Covid-19?
Your questions answered on what type of mask to wear to cut the risk of getting Covid-19Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageYes. Different types of mask offer different levels of protection. Surgical grade N95 respirators offer the highest level of protection against Covid-19 infection, followed by surgical grade masks. However, these masks are costly, in limited supply,...
First completely remote at-sea science expedition in Australia's coral sea marine park
- ScienceDaily
- 20/6/28 15:42
Scientists working remotely with Schmidt Ocean Institute, one of the only at-sea science expeditions to continue operating during the global pandemic, have completed a first look at deep waters in the Coral Sea never before seen.
The coronavirus 'long-haulers' show how little we still know | Debbie Bogaert
My Covid-19 symptoms lasted for months. As an infectious disease specialist, I know the importance of widespread testingCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageTo a physician scientist working on understanding the burden of respiratory infections, coronavirus is the ultimate professional challenge that might come by perhaps once in your career. However, I was not prepared for...
Beyond Pluto: the hunt for our solar system's new ninth planet
Scientists think a planet larger than Earth lurks in the far reaches of the solar system. Now a new telescope could confirm their belief and change solar system scienceYou’d think that if you found the first evidence that a planet larger than the Earth was lurking unseen in the furthest reaches of our solar system, it would be a big moment. It would make you one of only a small handful of people...
Movie magic: ‘The cinema is my solace in times of crisis’
The writer Simon Stephenson looks forward to the days when he can eat popcorn in the dark againAs a writer who works from home, my lockdown life has not been so different from my previous existence. Perhaps the biggest change is that I have not gone three months without visiting a cinema since I was a child. It seems a shameful thing to admit when others have been suffering so profoundly, but I...
'Spear and shield' inspire high toughness microstructure
Researchers designed a discontinuous fibrous Bouligand (DFB) architecture and tested the 3D-printed single-edge notched specimens with such architecture for optimization parameter.
3D magnetotelluric imaging reveals magma recharging beneath Weishan volcano
Researches have succeeded in obtaining a high-resolution 3D resistivity model of approximately 20 km depth beneath the Weishan volcano in the Wudalianchi volcanic field (WVF) for the first time. The study evealed the image of potential magma chambers and the estimated melt fractions.
Declining eyesight improved by looking at deep red light
Staring at a deep red light for three minutes a day can significantly improve declining eyesight, finds a new UCL-led study, the first of its kind in humans.
Excessive sugar intake linked with unhealthy fat deposits
Sugar consumption is linked with larger fat deposits around the heart and in the abdomen, which are risky for health. That's the finding of a study published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). "When we consume too much sugar the excess is converted to fat and stored," said study author Ms. So Yun Yi, a PhD student at the...
Improved medical imaging improves cancer staging
Prof. TIAN Chao's group improved the imaging quality and 3D construction of the photoacoustic imaging, and applied them to in vivo sentinel lymph node imaging.
Ladder falls have long-lasting consequences for older blokes
In the world's first study of long-term impacts from ladder falls, Queensland researchers have found half of fallers experience a deterioration in their psychological wellbeing for at least six months after the incident.
MRI scan used for heart disease could also pick out aggressive cancers
A type of smart MRI scan used in people with heart disease could help assess whether children's cancers are especially aggressive and spot early signs that targeted treatments are working, a new study suggests.
New research paves way for developing therapies that could slow down Alzheimer's
Neuroscientists and stem cell researchers at Lund University in Sweden have developed a research model that allows studying human hippocampal neurons, the brain cells primarily affected by Alzheimer's disease pathology. The study has been published in Stem Cell Reports.
New solar forecasting model performs best
A new mathematical model for predicting variations in solar irradiance has been developed at Uppsala University. It may help to promote more efficient use of electricity from solar energy. In tests of various data models, the model proved capable of making highly reliable forecasts, and emerged as the best for this purpose in some respects. The results have now been published in two articles in...
Red Sea's coral reefs help protect the KSA coast
Modeling shows that coral reefs off the east coast of Saudi Arabia have a vital role in protecting the coastal zone.
Report points to intergroup tensions from different interpretations of social distancing
Ambiguity over social distancing as lockdown eases over the coming months could lead to tensions between groups warn researchers.
Researchers discover algorithms and neural circuit mechanisms of escape responses
Prof. WEN Quan from School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has proposed the algorithms and circuit mechanisms for the robust and flexible motor states of nematodes during escape responses.
Researchers employ antennas for angstrom displacement sensing
Micro -- nano Optics and Technology Research Group led by Prof. LU Yonghua and Prof. WANG Pei from University of Science and Technology of China realized nanometric displacement measurement through the interaction between the illumination optical field and the optical antennas.
Spraying ethanol to nanofiber masks makes them reusable
A joint research team from POSTECH and Japan's Shinshu University evaluates the filtration efficiency of nanofiber and melt-blown filters when cleaned with ethanol.
The magnetic history of ice
The history of our planet has been written, among other things, in the periodic reversal of its magnetic poles. Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science propose a new means of reading this historic record: in ice. Their findings could lead to a refined probing ice cores and, in the future, might be applied to understanding the magnetic history of other bodies in our solar system, including...
Coronavirus live news: global deaths near 500,000 as Australian state of Victoria steps up efforts to fight outbreak
Cases approach 10m; new Covid-19 clusters across world spark fear of second wave; UK NHS will take four years to recover. Follow the latest updatesVictoria nurse tests positive as state reports jump of 41 casesGlobal report: India cases reach half a millionUS one-day case high as states delay reopeningSee all our coronavirus coverage 1.55am BST The US coronavirus death toll passed 125,000 on...