421 articles from THURSDAY 3.12.2020
Covid: 1.5 million dead globally as vaccination schemes set to begin
More than 10,000 people have died on average every day in the past week, according to latest figuresCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAt least 1.5 million lives across the globe have been lost to Covid-19, according to a tally of cases maintained by Johns Hopkins University, as vaccinations look set to be rolled out in a handful of nations this month.Reuters reported...
Climate change: UK aims to cut emissions by 68% by end of 2030
The "ambitious" target would see the UK cutting emissions faster than any major economy so far, the PM says.
What's killing killer whales?
- ScienceDaily
- 20/12/3 23:34
Pathology reports on more than 50 killer whales stranded over nearly a decade in the northeast Pacific and Hawaii show that orcas face a variety of mortal threats -- many stemming from human interactions.
Leaving so soon? Unusual planetary nebula fades mere decades after it arrived
- ScienceDaily
- 20/12/3 23:34
The tiny Stingray Nebula unexpectedly appeared in the 1980s is by far the youngest planetary nebula in our sky. But a team of astronomers recently analyzed a more recent image of the nebula, taken in 2016 by Hubble, and found that it has faded significantly and changed shape over the course of just 20 years. If dimming continues at current rates, in 20 or 30 years the Stingray Nebula will be...
Research leads to better modeling of hypersonic flow
- ScienceDaily
- 20/12/3 23:34
Designing a thermal protection system to keep astronauts and cargo safe requires an understanding at the molecular level of the complicated physics going on in the gas that flows around the vehicle. Recent research added new knowledge about the physical phenomena that occur as atoms vibrate, rotate, and collide in this extreme environment.
Leaf microbiomes are a neighborhood affair in northern forests
- ScienceDaily
- 20/12/3 23:34
Leaf microbiomes of sugar maple trees vary across the species' range, changing in accordance with the types of trees in the surrounding 'neighborhood.'
Peanut treatment lowers risk of severe allergic reactions in preschoolers, study finds
- ScienceDaily
- 20/12/3 23:34
A new study demonstrates that exposing children to a small, regular dose of an allergen (in this case, peanuts) in a real-world setting (outside of a clinical trial) is effective in reducing the risk of allergic reactions.
Titanium atom that exists in two places at once in crystal to blame for unusual phenomenon
- ScienceDaily
- 20/12/3 23:34
Bombarding a crystal with neutrons reveals a quantum quirk that frustrates heat transfer.
Tech makes it possible to digitally communicate through human touch
- ScienceDaily
- 20/12/3 23:34
Researchers have developed the first technology capable of sending digital information, such as a photo or password, by touching a surface with your finger.
Chemists get peek at novel fluorescence
- ScienceDaily
- 20/12/3 23:34
Chemists find a second level of fluorescence in single-walled carbon nanotubes. The phenomenon may be useful in solar energy and optoelectronic applications.
New review confirms disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Black, Hispanic populations
- ScienceDaily
- 20/12/3 23:34
Black and Hispanic populations are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, according to a systematic review published this week. The disparities were likely related to minority populations being at higher risk of exposure to the coronavirus as opposed to underlying health conditions or other factors, according to the review.
A leading AI ethics researcher says she’s been fired from Google
On December 2, the AI research community was shocked to learn that Timnit Gebru had been fired from her post at Google. Gebru, one of the leading voices in responsible AI research, is known among other things for her groundbreaking work in revealing the discriminatory nature of facial recognition, cofounding the Black in AI affinity group, and relentlessly advocating for diversity in the tech...
Government quietly made 'back door' agreement with U.S. that could undermine treaty on plastic waste
The Trudeau government quietly signed a protocol with the U.S. on October 26 that will allow Canada to continue to ship plastic waste to American waste brokers — opening a 'back door' that will allow it to evade the plastic waste shipping restrictions the federal government committed to under the Basel Treaty plastic...
Puerto Rico's Arecibo Observatory 'not closing' after collapse
Puerto Rico's Arecibo Observatory could still have a future after its vast telescope dramatically collapsed this week, US officials said Thursday.
For nationalistic regimes, similar COVID-19 policies are the sincerest form of flattery
Analysis from a University of Texas at Arlington assistant professor of public policy suggests that nationalistic governments around the globe are more likely to copy other nationalistic governments in responding to the current pandemic.
Research leads to better modeling of hypersonic flow
Hypersonic flight is conventionally referred to as the ability to fly at speeds significantly faster than the speed of sound and presents an extraordinary set of technical challenges. As an example, when a space capsule re-enters Earth's atmosphere, it reaches hypersonic speeds—more than five times the speed of sound—and generates temperatures over 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit on its exterior...
Study explores link between social status and trust in decision-makers
A recent study examining perceptions of power suggests that individuals with lower socioeconomic statuses are more likely to have a negative view of policy or decision-makers.
Titanium atom that exists in two places at once in crystal to blame for unusual phenomenon
The crystalline solid BaTiS3 (barium titanium sulfide) is terrible at conducting heat, and it turns out that a wayward titanium atom that exists in two places at the same time is to blame.
Leaf microbiomes are a neighborhood affair in northern forests
Forest leaves are teeming with bacterial life—but despite the vast extent of bacteria-covered foliage across the world, this habitat, known as the phyllosphere, remains full of mysteries. How do bacteria spread from tree to tree? Do certain types of bacteria only live on certain types of trees?
Tree lifespan decline in forests could neutralize part of rise in net carbon uptake
Accelerating tree growth in recent years has been accompanied by a reduction in tree lifespan, which could eventually neutralize part of the increase in net uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2). This trade-off between tree growth and life expectancy applies to forests worldwide, including in the Amazon and other tropical regions, as well as temperate regions and the Arctic.
Common pipe alloy can form cancer-causing chemical in drinking water
Rusted iron pipes can react with residual disinfectants in drinking water distribution systems to produce carcinogenic hexavalent chromium in drinking water, reports a study by engineers at UC Riverside.
NASA Selects Heliophysics Missions of Opportunity for Space Science Research and Technology Demonstration
Portal origin URL: NASA Selects Heliophysics Missions of Opportunity for Space Science Research and Technology DemonstrationPortal origin nid: 466697Published: Thursday, December 3, 2020 - 16:10Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: NASA has selected two SmallSat missions – a study of Earth’s outer most atmosphere and a solar sail spaceflight test...
How a police contact by middle school leads to different outcomes for Black, white youth
For Black youth, an encounter with police by eighth grade predicts they will be arrested by young adulthood—but the same is not true for white youth, a new University of Washington study finds.
Marine mammals' adaptations to low oxygen offer new perspective on COVID-19
When Terrie Williams began hearing about the wide range of symptoms experienced by patients with COVID-19, she saw a connection between the various ways the disease is affecting people and the many physiological adaptations that have enabled marine mammals to tolerate low oxygen levels during dives.
The impact of Neandertal DNA on human health
A researcher at the University of Tartu described new associations between Neandertal DNA and autoimmune diseases, prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes.