177 articles from FRIDAY 31.7.2020
Coronavirus vaccine tracker: how close are we to a vaccine?
More than 140 teams of researchers are racing to develop a safe and effective coronavirus vaccineResearchers around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against Covid-19, with more than 140 candidate vaccines now tracked by the World Health Organization (WHO). Continue...
How an EU tax could slash climate emissions far beyond Europe
Last week, European Union leaders approved the most aggressive climate-change plan in history.
The eye-catching part was the $600 billion dedicated to green measures, spread across a massive economic recovery package and the seven-year EU budget approved in concert. All of it will be directed toward achieving the previously announced European Green Deal goal of becoming “climate neutral” by...
By scooping up refundable bottles and cans, 'binners' are helping the environment
In this week's issue of our environment newsletter, we look at the role 'binners' play in diverting plastic from landfills and how offshore wind power could soon save energy consumers money.
NASA's Perseverance rover bound for Mars to seek ancient life
NASA's latest Mars rover Perseverance launched Thursday on an astrobiology mission to look for signs of ancient microbial life on the Red Planet—and to fly a helicopter-drone on another world for the first time.
Bahamas braces as newly formed Hurricane Isaias bears down
New Hurricane Isaias kept on a path early Friday expected to take it to the U.S. East Coast by the weekend as it approached the Bahamas, parts of which are still recovering from the devastation of last year's Hurricane Dorian.
French forest fire consumes home, forces evacuations
A wildfire fanned by soaring temperatures tore through a pine forest in southwestern France on Thursday, burning down at least one house and forcing dozens to flee their homes.
Blue crab invasion spells doom for Albanian fishermen
The blue crab may be pretty but it is a menace along Albania's coast.
Mexico cave with evidence of early humans closed to visitors
Tourists or locals visiting a cave in north-central Mexico could endanger what is purported to be some of the earliest evidence of human presence in North America, archaeological authorities said Thursday.
China celebrates completion of rival sat navigation system
China is celebrating the completion of its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System that could rival the U.S. Global Positioning System and significantly boost China's security and geopolitical clout.
'Little brain' or cerebellum not so little after all
When we say someone has a quick mind, it may be in part thanks to our expanded cerebellum that distinguishes human brains from those of macaque monkeys, for example.High-res imaging shows the cerebellum is 80% of the area of the cortex, indicating it has grown as human behavior and cognition evolved.
A new chemical analysis upends conventional explanation for global cooling
Scientists have long known the earth cooled dramatically about 13,000 years ago, and the most likely explanation has been that it was caused by a massive object slamming into earth from space or bursting in the atmosphere. But now researchers have reported new evidence for another, more likely explanation - the eruption of a volcano on what is now the European continent, upending thinking about an...
A new synthesis method for three-dimensional nanocarbons
A Nagoya University team has developed a new method of synthesis for three-dimensional nanocarbons, utilizing a catalytic reaction to connect benzene rings and create an eight-membered ring structure. This represents a breakthrough in the synthesis of these nanocarbons, which are expected to be valuable next-generation functional materials.
A rebranding of 'freedom'?
According to recent Gallup polls, socialism is now more popular than capitalism among Democrats and young people, and support for "some form of socialism" among all Americans is at 43% (compared to 25% in 1942). Policies that went unmentioned or were declared out-of-bounds in elections four years ago -- a federal jobs guarantee, single-payer health care, free college, massive tax hikes on the...
A simple screening process may enhance monoclonal antibody-based drug development
By screening potential monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based drugs solely based on a measure of their colloidal stability, scientists may be able to weed out mAbs that do not respond efficiently in solution early in the
Adjustable lordotic expandable vs static lateral lumbar interbody fusion devices
The objective of this study is to compare the clinical and radiographic outcomes between patients treated with static and expandable interbody spacers with adjustable lordosis for MIS LLIF.
Cooling of Earth caused by eruptions, not meteors
Ancient sediment found in a central Texas cave appears to solve the mystery of why the Earth cooled suddenly about 13,000 years ago, according to a research study co-authored by a Texas A&M University professor.
Differences between discs of active and non-active galaxies detected for the first time
A study led by researchers at the Instituto de AstrofÃsica de Canarias (IAC), making comparison between the discs of several pairs of spiral galaxies, active and non-active, concludes that in the discs of the former the rotational motion of the stars is of greater importance.
DNA metabarcoding detects ecological stress within freshwater species
Metabarcoding allows scientists to extract DNA from the environment, in order to rapidly detect species inhabiting a particular habitat. While the method is a great tool that facilitates conservation activities, few studies have looked into its applicability in monitoring species' populations and their genetic diversity, which could actually be critical to assess negative trends early on. The...
Epilepsy: International researchers propose better seizure classification
A new "mathematical language" to classify seizures in epilepsy could lead to more effective clinical practice, researchers from Europe, the US, Australia and Japan propose in a new publication in eLife. An epilepsy model developed by the Human Brain Project provides the basis for the novel framework, which could also push forward basic understanding of the disease.
ESMO experts: Do not discontinue or delay cancer treatment impacting on overall survival
An ESMO interdisciplinary expert consensus paper on how to manage cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic has been published today in Annals of Oncology, encouraging medical oncologists worldwide not to discontinue or delay any type of anti-cancer treatment that may potentially impact on overall survival. The experts also urge to stop labelling all cancer patients as vulnerable to coronavirus...
ETRI develops eco-friendly color thin-film solar cells
Research on solar cells to secure renewable energy sources are ongoing around the world. The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) in South Korea succeeded in developing eco-friendly color Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin-film solar cells.
Frontline healthcare workers more likely to test positive for COVID despite PPE
A new study published today in Lancet Public Health has found that front-line healthcare workers with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) have a three-fold increased risk of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, compared to the general population.
Google searches during pandemic hint at future increase in suicide
Googling for financial issues, disaster help rose sharply early in the COVID-19 pandemic and may portend a future increase in suicides, found researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
High COVID-19 risk among health care workers, especially those from minority backgrounds
At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US and the UK, frontline healthcare workers -- Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds -- faced much higher risks of testing positive.
How human sperm really swim: New research challenges centuries-old assumption
A breakthrough in fertility science by researchers from Bristol and Mexico has shattered the universally accepted view of how sperm 'swim'.