347 articles from TUESDAY 10.11.2020

Drop in pandemic carbon dioxide emissions previews world of electric vehicles

When the San Francisco Bay Area mandated shelter-in-place March 16, it created a natural experiment for UC Berkeley's Ron Cohen, who had established an inexpensive pollution sensor network in local neighborhoods. The sensors showed carbon dioxide emissions plummeting 25 percent in the subsequent six weeks, mostly because of a 48 percent drop in traffic. Networks like this -- soon to be emplaced in...

Researchers discover the secret of how moss spreads

University of Copenhagen researchers have discovered how mosses became one of our planet's most widely distributed plants—global wind systems transport them along Earth's latitudes, to rooftops, sidewalks and lawns worldwide, and as far away as Antarctica. This new knowledge can provide us with a better understanding of how other small organisms are spread, including airborne bacteria and...

Crop diversification can improve environmental outcomes without sacrificing yields

Diversifying agricultural systems beyond a narrow selection of crops leads to a range of ecosystem improvements while also maintaining or improving yields, according to a new study that analyzed thousands of previously conducted experiments. Diversification practices such as crop rotations and planting prairie strips can lead to 'win-win' results that protect the environment without sacrificing...

Black hole or no black hole: On the outcome of neutron star collisions

A new study investigates black-hole formation in neutron star mergers. Computer simulations show that the properties of dense nuclear matter play a crucial role, which directly links the astrophysical merger event to heavy-ion collision experiments at GSI and FAIR. These properties will be studied more precisely at the future FAIR facility.

Organoids produce embryonic heart

Bioengineers have used organoids - tiny lab-grown organs - to mimic the early development of the heart in the mouse embryo. The work is another step towards future bioartificial organs for research and transplants.

Large volcanic eruption caused the largest mass extinction

Researchers say they have found more concrete evidence of the volcanic cause of the largest mass extinction of life. Their research looked at two discrete eruption events: one that was previously unknown to researchers, and the other that resulted in large swaths of terrestrial and marine life going extinct.

Study identifies new 'hidden' gene in COVID-19 virus

Researchers have discovered a new 'hidden' gene in SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID-19 -- that may have contributed to its unique biology and pandemic potential. In a virus that only has about 15 genes in total, knowing more about this and other overlapping genes -- or 'genes within genes' -- could have a significant impact on how we combat the virus.

The universe is getting hot, hot, hot, a new study suggests

The universe is getting hotter, a new study has found. The study probed the thermal history of the universe over the last 10 billion years. It found that the mean temperature of gas across the universe has increased more than 10 times over that time period and reached about 2 million degrees Kelvin today -- approximately 4 million degrees Fahrenheit.

The Guardian view on the Covid vaccine breakthrough: making it work | Editorial

At last, there is hope of an end to this pandemic. Scientists appear to have performed an amazing feat, the rest of us must do our best tooMedicine is only partly a matter of science; it is, very much, the business of people. The inspiring news that a Covid vaccine appears within reach, with interim results showing the Pfizer/BioNTech candidate has 90% efficacy in protecting people from illness,...

Tony Trinci obituary

My friend and former colleague Tony Trinci, who has died aged 84, was a world expert on fungi whose knowledge was often tapped by commercial enterprises, including Marlow Foods, when it was developing Quorn, and DuPont, which took his advice when adding fungal enzymes to animal feed.Tony was born in Swindon, Wiltshirem where his mother, Beatrice (nee Stefani), a restaurateur, had settled after...

Exoskeletons can reduce strain also in health care

Wearable exoskeletons are increasingly being used in physically demanding jobs to support good ergonomics and augment muscular strength. In ground-breaking studies, exoskeleton vests were worn by nurses to discover how the new technology would suit the special requirements of patient care.

Microbes could be used to extract metals and minerals from space rocks

A species of bacteria can successfully pull out rare Earth elements from rocks, even in microgravity environments, a study on the International Space Station has found. The new findings, published in Nature Communications today, suggest a new way we could one day use microbes to mine for valuable metals and minerals off Earth.  Why bacteria: Single-celled organisms have evolved over time...

A cap on numbers in restaurants could stop them from becoming covid hot spots

During this pandemic, every activity in an indoor public place involves some level of risk, but some venues are far riskier than others—especially if they’re small and crowded. We already knew that restaurants can easily become covid hot spots, but a new paper published in Nature today quantifies just how dangerous they really are: four times riskier than the next riskiest location, which...