Researchers analyzed urine samples from pregnant women to look for the presence of DINCH, which is short for di(isononyl)cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboxylate. They found concentrations of DINCH in most of the urine samples but no evidence of effects in lab assays on two hormones, progesterone and estrogen.

While declines in U.S. hospital admissions during the onset of COVID-19 has been well-documented, little is known about how admissions during the rebound varied by age, insurance coverage and socioeconomic groups. The decline in non-COVID-19 admissions was similar across all demographic subgroups but the partial rebound that followed shows that non-COVID-19 admissions for residents from Hispanic...

Gravitational wave detectors opened a new window to the universe by measuring the ripples in spacetime produced by colliding black holes and neutron stars, but they are ultimately limited by quantum fluctuations induced by light reflecting off of mirrors. Researchers have conducted a new experiment to explore a way to cancel this quantum backaction and improve detector sensitivity.

Cocaine addiction is a chronic disorder with a high rate of relapse for which no effective treatment is currently available. Scientists recently demonstrated that two gene mutations involved in the conformation of nicotinic receptors in the brain appear to play a role in various aspects of cocaine addiction.

Laboratory tests of surgical and N95 masks show that they do cut down the amount of aerosolized particles emitted during breathing, talking and coughing. Tests of homemade cloth face coverings, however, show that the fabric itself releases a large amount of fibers into the air, underscoring the importance of washing them.

A new study finds that rude emails at work can lead to significant distress for employees. Researchers say that 'active' email rudeness is overloaded with strong negative emotions. By comparison, 'passive' email rudeness leaves people struggling with uncertainty. Passive email rudeness may create problems for employees' sleep, which further puts them in a negative emotional state the next morning,...

A new study into the causes of sensorimotor impairments prevalent among autistic people could pave the way for better treatment and management in the future, say psychologists.

A new fault simulator maps out how interactions between pressure, friction and fluids rising through a fault zone can lead to slow-motion quakes and seismic swarms.

All viruses can only do damage by replicating inside the cells of another organism, their host. Researchers have now shown an important mechanism in this host-attacking process, at the single-molecule level in living cells.

The Hyperspectral Stripe Projector captures spectroscopic and 3D imaging data for applications like machine vision, crop monitoring, self-driving cars and corrosion detection.

Since these early days of quantum mechanics, it is known that photons also possess momentum. The photon's ability to transfer momentum was used in a novel approach by scientists to observe a fundamental process in the interaction of x-rays with atoms.

In the United States, individual state laws barring 18- to 20-year-olds from buying or possessing a handgun make little difference in the rate of homicides involving a gun by people in that age group, a new study has found.

People of Asian ancestry face yet another set of challenges posed by racism and xenophobia which has soared during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the early days of the pandemic, COVID-19 created a rally effect around political leaders, according to new study. The rise of COVID-19 cases was associated with a 15- to 20-point boost in approval for United States governors and an average 14-point gain for world leaders. It's unclear how long the effect lasts, but the health crisis might be a catalyst to help incumbent governments win...

Synthetic dyes are commonly used to assess the toxicity of chemical compounds in cell cultures. However, these dyes damage cells, rendering the cultures useless for long-term experiments. Recently, scientists discovered that a natural food pigment can replace synthetic dyes in cell viability assays for three widely varied types of cells -- and performs better. Their approach is also...

Biologists compared museum collections of cichlid fishes collected before a dam was closed in 1984 on the Tocantins River in the Amazon and contemporary specimens taken from the Tucuruí Reservoir by fishermen 34 years later.

A new study looks at how Americans' attitudes and responses have changed during the time of the pandemic and how to many people, the virus is not a biological agent but instead a malicious actor.

Typically, computer models of climate become more and more complex as researchers strive to capture more details of our Earth's system, but according to a team of researchers, to assess risks, less complex models, with their ability to better sample uncertainties, may be a better choice.

Researchers have shaken up a once accepted timeline for cataclysmic events in the early solar system. Geological and geochemical records indicate that the Earth-Moon system experienced a period of frequent and cataclysmic impacts from asteroids and other bodies. It was thought that this period had a relatively sudden onset, but the researchers have found evidence that this bombardment period may...

A new article examines the ways in which COVID-19 disproportionately impacts historically disadvantaged communities of color in the United States, and how baseline inequalities in our health system are amplified by the pandemic. The authors also discuss potential solutions.

Scientists have developed a new tool that adapts machine learning algorithms to the needs of synthetic biology to guide development systematically. The innovation means scientists will not have to spend years developing a meticulous understanding of each part of a cell and what it does in order to manipulate it.

The largest-ever study of tree rings from Norilsk in the Russian Arctic has shown that the direct and indirect effects of industrial pollution in the region and beyond are far worse than previously thought.

While the Y chromosome's role was believed to be limited to the functions of the sexual organs, a scientist has shown that it impacts the functions of other organs as well.

By developing better computer simulations, researchers have determined that the scattering of stars from their orbits by the gravity of massive clumps within galaxies leads to a common look in galaxy disks -- bright centers fading away to dark edges.