333 articles from WEDNESDAY 2.9.2020

Eat more to grow more arms… if you're a sea anemone

Your genetic code determines that you will grow two arms and two legs. The same fate is true for all mammals. Similarly, the number of fins a fish has and the number of legs and wings an insect has are embedded in their genetic code. Sea anemones, however, defy this rule and have a variable number of tentacle arms.

Apple and Google have launched coronavirus exposure notifications without an app

The news: Apple and Google have announced they’re expanding their coronavirus exposure warning system so health agencies can take part without needing to create a customized app. It’s a significant upgrade to the system, which uses Bluetooth to work out if people have spent extended periods of time near each other, then notifies someone’s close contacts if they test positive for coronavirus....

UN says new polio outbreak in Sudan caused by oral vaccine

The World Health Organization says a new polio outbreak in Sudan is linked to an ongoing vaccine-sparked epidemic in Chad — a week after the U.N. health agency declared the African continent free of the wild polio virus. In a statement this week, WHO said two children in Sudan — one from South Darfur state and the other from Gedarif state, close to the border with Ethiopia and Eritrea —...

Covid lockdown eased in two of England's worst-hit areas despite surge in cases

Lifting of restrictions in Bolton and Trafford described as ‘completely illogical’ Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageRestrictions on social gatherings for more than half a million people in two of England’s worst-hit areas have been lifted, despite councils warning the government it was too soon to lift the measures.The government pressed ahead with the lifting of...

How to get the upper body of a burrowing frog

You might think the buffest frogs would be high jumpers, but if you want shredded pecs, you should train like a burrowing frog. Though famously round, these diggers are the unsung bodybuilders of the frog world. We bring you tips from frog expert Rachel Keeffe, a doctoral student at the University of Florida, and physical therapist Penny Goldberg to help you get the burrowing body of your dreams.

New index helps forecast US supply chain risks

Lehigh University College of Business has launched the Lehigh Business Supply Chain Risk Management Index. The LRMI will report quarterly on how supply chain managers rank 10 broad areas of supply chain risk. A unique aspect of the LRMI is that the quarterly reports include a sampling of candid comments from supply chain managers about each risk category that goes beyond the numbers. The next...

Reef manta rays make long-term use of marine-protected areas

Marine animals are notoriously difficult to track, creating big gaps in how scientists understand their behavior and migration patterns—key insights for helping conserve important habitats. Researchers in Australia, using satellite tags and a decades-old satellite photographic database, published a paper in Frontiers in Marine Science that suggests a migratory species like the reef manta ray is...

'No, you go first'

New research into highly social yet invasive house sparrows reveals that they can learn from each other and adapt their behavior. This research was published this week in Biology Letters.