6,170 articles mezi dny 1.8.2020 a 31.8.2020

How 'swapping bodies' with a friend changes our sense of self

A new study shows that, when pairs of friends swapped bodies in a perceptual illusion, their beliefs about their own personalities became more similar to their beliefs about their friends' personalities. The findings suggest that this tie between our psychological and physical sense of self is involved in memory function: when our mental self-concept doesn't match our physical self, our memory can...

Antarctica ice shelves vulnerable to meltwater that could cut ice 'like a knife,' study finds

Meltwater could undermine the walls of ice holding back Antarctica's glaciers, scientists reported on Wednesday, a finding that underscores concern about the potential for a significant sea level rise. The ice shelves, formed over thousands of years, serve as dams to prevent much of the continent's snow and ice from flowing toward the ocean. Scientists found that about 60% of the ice shelf area...

Antarctica: 60% of ice shelves at risk of fracture, research suggests

Collapse of shelves would accelerate loss of Antarctic ice sheet and increase sea-level riseApproximately 60% of Antarctica’s ice shelves could be vulnerable to fracture, accelerating the loss of the Antarctic ice sheet and increasing sea-level rise, according to a paper.Antarctica’s ice shelves, floating extensions of the ice sheet, help slow the flow of ice into the ocean. But if these...

How plants shut the door on infection

Plants have a unique ability to safeguard themselves against pathogens by closing their pores—but until now, no one knew quite how they did it. Scientists have known that a flood of calcium into the cells surrounding the pores triggers them to close, but how the calcium entered the cells was unclear.

Antarctic ice shelves vulnerable to sudden meltwater-driven fracturing, says study

A new study says that many of the ice shelves ringing Antarctica could be vulnerable to quick destruction if rising temperatures drive melt water into the numerous fractures that currently penetrate their surfaces. The shelves help slow interior glaciers' slide toward the ocean, so if they were to fail, sea levels around the world could surge rapidly as a result. The study appears this week in the...

Moderna COVID-19 vaccine appears to work as well in older adults in early study

The latest data from an early Phase I study includes an analysis from 20 additional people detailing how the vaccine performed in older adults. The analysis looked at subjects given the 100-microgram dose being tested in the much larger Phase III trial. Moderna said the immune responses in those aged between ages 56 and 70, above age 70 and those 18 to 55-years-old were...

Sandwich catalysts offer higher activity and durability

The sandwich is a food concocted by the 18th-centutry nobles to play card games uninterrupted. Meat or vegetables were layered then tucked between bread to be eaten quickly while engaged in the game. This efficient food also delivered ample calories and nutrition. A POSTECH research team has discovered that layering like the sandwich is an excellent way to obtain hydrogen energy, an alternative...

Confusion over face masks as some schools in England could relax rules within days

Government criticised as schools to get only 10 Covid testing kits for start of term next weekCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageMore than 300,000 students in England will be required to wear face coverings when schools reopen next week – although thousands of pupils could be told within days that they are no longer mandatory.There was confusion among MPs after Gavin...

Novel alkaline hydrogel advances skin wound care

Effective wound care requires the maintenance of optimal conditions for skin and tissue regeneration. Hydrogels provide many of these conditions, but not an alkaline environment. Now, in a breakthrough study, scientists have developed a new method that requires no specialized equipment and can be performed at room temperature to produce an alkaline hydrogel in five minutes, allowing its easy...

NBA playoff format is optimizing competitive balance by eliminating travel

In addition to helping protect players from COVID-19, the NBA 'bubble' in Orlando may be a competitive equalizer by eliminating team travel. Researchers analyzing the results of nearly 500 NBA playoff games over six seasons found that a team's direction of travel and the number of time zones crossed were associated with its predicted win probability and actual game performance.

How are information, disease, and social evolution linked?

In all social animals, gaining valuable information requires physical contact among individuals, an action that risks spreading contagion. New research describes the opposing evolutionary forces that give rise to the social networks of which we are a part. They developed a dynamic theoretical framework where individuals constantly update their social behaviors to reflect both the benefits and...

Scientists use fruit peel to turn old batteries into new

Scientists have developed a novel method of using fruit peel waste to extract and reuse precious metals from spent lithium-ion batteries in order to create new batteries. The scientists say that their waste-to-resource approach tackles both food waste and electronics waste, supporting the development of a circular economy with zero waste.

Domesticated chickens have smaller brains

Researchers suggest a process by which the timid junglefowl from the rain forest could have become today's domesticated chicken. When the scientists selectively bred the junglefowl with least fear of humans for 10 generations, the offspring acquired smaller brains and found it easier to become accustomed to frightening but non-hazardous events. The results shed new light over how domestication may...