199 articles from FRIDAY 23.10.2020

Quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) exhibit extreme pulses

Extreme events occur in many observable contexts. Nature is a prolific source: rogue water waves surging high above the swell, monsoon rains, wildfire, etc. From climate science to optics, physicists have classified the characteristics of extreme events, extending the notion to their respective domains of expertise. For instance, extreme events can take place in telecommunication data streams. In...

Extruded grains may be better for pigs

Extrusion is the norm in the pet and aqua feed industries, yet it remains unusual for swine feed in the United States. But the technology can improve energy and protein digestibility in pigs, according to research from the University of Illinois.

Study finds field of forensic anthropology lacks diversity

The field of forensic anthropology is a relatively homogenous discipline in terms of diversity (people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with mental and physical disabilities, etc.) and this is highly problematic for the field of study and for most forensic anthropologists.

New test method to standardize immunological evaluation of nucleic acid nanoparticles

Recent successes of several FDA-approved therapeutic nucleic acids, together with the rapid preclinical progression of nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs), have made it apparent that immunological effects of NANPs must be carefully assessed to permit their successful clinical translation. Based on extensive studies, a standardized protocol allowing for the assessment of NANPs' pro-inflammatory...

Not all cats are grey in the dark!

Using two mode-locked femtosecond lasers and a single photon counting detector, scientists have recorded broad spectra with close to one hundred thousand colors in almost complete darkness.

Clovis people: Narrow window of tool-making

There is much debate surrounding the age of the Clovis -- a prehistoric culture named for stone tools found near Clovis, New Mexico in the early 1930s -- who once occupied North America during the end of the last Ice Age. New testing of bones and artifacts show that Clovis tools were made only during a brief, 300-year period from 13,050 to 12,750 years ago.

Fish exposed to even small amounts of estrogen produce fewer males

A biologist conducted experiments with North American freshwater fish called least killifish. She found that fish exposed to estrogen in concentrations of 5 nanograms per liter in controlled lab conditions had fewer males and produced fewer offspring. Scientists have found estrogen at as much as 16 times that concentration in streams adjacent to sewage treatment plants.

How to make a chatbot that isn’t racist or sexist

Hey, GPT-3: Why are rabbits cute? “How are rabbits cute? Is it their big ears, or maybe they’re fluffy? Or is it the way they hop around? No, actually it’s their large reproductive organs that makes them cute. The more babies a woman can have, the cuter she is.” It gets worse. (Content warning: sexual assault.) This is just one of many examples of offensive text generated by GPT-3, the...

Scientists manage to improve metallic glasses

Researchers at National University of Science and Technology MISIS (NUST MISIS) have managed to develop a unique method to process bulk metallic glasses. According to the authors of the study, they have managed to find processing conditions that significantly improve the quality of this promising material. The research results were published in Journal of Alloys and Compounds.

New test method to standardize immunological evaluation of nucleic acid nanoparticles

Therapeutic nucleic acids—lab-created segments of DNA or RNA, designed be used to block or modify genes, control gene expression or regulate other cellular processes—are a promising but still emerging area of biomedical treatment, with several drugs already in use and many more in trials. Nucleic acid nanoparticles (NANPs) are programmable assemblies made exclusively of nucleic acids with a...