330 articles from WEDNESDAY 16.9.2020

Wildfire smoke brings haze, vivid sunsets to East Coast

The smoke from dozens of wildfires in the western United States is stretching clear across the country — and even pushing into Mexico, Canada and Europe. The wildfires racing across tinder-dry landscape in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington are extraordinary, but the long reach of their smoke isn't unprecedented. The sun was transformed into a perfect orange orb as it set over New York...

CDC director says coronavirus vaccine won’t be widely available until late 2021

The estimation runs counter to Donald Trump’s recent messaging that a vaccine will be available ‘in a matter of weeks’The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has told a Senate panel that he thinks it will take one year before a coronavirus vaccine will be “generally available to the American public”.That estimation contrasts with recent bullish messaging by...

NASA mulls possible mission to Venus after recent discovery of possible life

NASA is considering approving by next April up to two planetary science missions from four proposals under review, including one to Venus that scientists involved in the project said could help determine whether or not that planet harbors life. The U.S. space agency in February shortlisted four proposed missions that are now being reviewed by a NASA panel, two of which would involve robotic...

Researchers 3-D print tiny multicolor microstructures

Researchers have developed an automated 3-D printing method that can produce multicolor 3-D microstructures using different materials. The new method could be used to make a variety of optical components including optical sensors and light-driven actuators as well as multimaterial structures for applications such as soft robotics and medical applications.

Common public screening methods unreliable; student athletes may need heart test after COVID-19

COVID-19 screening tests used at airports, schools, and other public places are not particularly effective, a large analysis shows. Researchers synthesized the evidence from 22 studies of various screening methods, including taking people's temperature, asking about symptoms, travel history and exposure to infected or possibly infected people, and combinations of those and other approaches. With...

World's smallest ultrasound detector created

Researchers have developed the world's smallest ultrasound detector. It is based on miniaturized photonic circuits on top of a silicon chip. With a size 100 times smaller than an average human hair, the new detector can visualize features that are much smaller than previously possible, leading to what is known as super-resolution imaging.

The persistence of plastic

The amount of synthetic microfiber we shed into our waterways has been of great concern over the last few years, and for good reason: Every laundry cycle releases in its wastewater tens of thousands of tiny, near-invisible plastic fibers whose persistence and accumulation can affect aquatic habitats and food systems, and ultimately our own bodies in ways we have yet to discover.

Medical robotic hand? Rubbery semiconductor makes it possible

A medical robotic hand could allow doctors to more accurately diagnose and treat people from halfway around the world, but currently available technologies aren't good enough to match the in-person experience. Now researchers have reported that they have designed and produced a smart electronic skin and a medical robotic hand capable of assessing vital diagnostic data by using a newly invented...

Scientists explain how diverse species coexist in microbial communities

Diversity in many biological communities is a sign of an ecosystem in balance. When one species dominates, the entire system can go haywire. For example, the uncontrolled overgrowth of certain oceanic algae species causes toxic red tides that kill fish and other sea life, and sicken humans. On a more individual level, the human gut hosts a large community of different bacteria that is crucial for...

NASA sees tropical storm Karina's night moves

Tropical Storm Karina was making night moves like the old Bob Seger song. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite provided an infrared image of Tropical Storm Karina's nighttime movement as it moved away from the Baja California peninsula of Mexico. Infrared data showed the storm was weakening.

NASA imagery reveals Paulette became a strong extratropical cyclone

Tropical cyclones can become post-tropical before they dissipate, meaning they can become sub-tropical, extra-tropical or a remnant low-pressure area. As Hurricane Paulette transitioned into an extra-tropical storm, NASA's Terra satellite provided a visible image of the powerful storm, and the National Hurricane Center issued their final advisory on the system.

Turbulence affects aerosols and cloud formation

Chat with an atmospheric scientist for more than a few minutes, and it's likely they'll start advocating for a planetary name change. Planet Ocean-Cloud is much more fitting than Earth, they'll say, when so much of our planet's life systems are affected by the interactions of clouds and the oceans.

It's Not Just the West. These Places Are Also on Fire.

Wildfires are devastating the American West, but the United States isn't the only place on Earth that's burning. This year, other countries have also experienced their worst wildfires in decades, if not all of recorded history.In each case, the contributing factors are different, but an underlying theme runs through the story: Hotter, drier seasons, driven by the burning of fossil fuels,...