331 articles from MONDAY 11.1.2021

Increased first-trimester exercise may reduce gestational diabetes risk

Pregnant women who exercise more during the first trimester of pregnancy may have a lower risk of developing gestational diabetes, according to a new study. The analysis found that lower risk was associated with at least 38 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each day -- more than current recommendations of at least 30 minutes a day five days a week.

2D compound shows unique versatility

A unique two-dimensional material shows distinct properties on each side, depending on polarization by an external electric field. The pairing of antimony and indium selenide could have applications in solar energy and quantum computing.

Cracking the code of a shapeshifting protein

A shapeshifting immune system protein called XCL1 evolved from a single-shape ancestor hundreds of millions of years ago. Now, researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) discovered the molecular basis for how this happened. In the process they uncovered principles that scientists can use to design purpose-built nanoscale transformers for use as biosensors, components of molecular...

Instead of pushing students toward entrepreneurship, they should be helped with understanding personal priorities

Many policymakers and educational institutions hope to boost their economies by stimulating students' entrepreneurial intentions. To date, most research concluded that entrepreneurship education could increase these intentions by improving the image that students have of entrepreneurship as a career option, making them see how their environment can help them become entrepreneurs or increasing...

Carrot cement: How root vegetables and ash could make concrete more sustainable

Concrete has become our building material of choice for countless structures such as bridges, towers and dams. But it also has a huge environmental footprint mostly due to carbon dioxide emissions from the production of cement—one of its main constituents. Researchers are now experimenting with root vegetables and recycled plastic in concrete to see whether this can make it stronger—and more...

'Reckless' Christmas easing of rules blamed for Ireland Covid surge

Country has world’s highest rate of infection with critics blaming socialising over festive periodCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageIreland emerged from a six-week lockdown in early December with the European Union’s lowest coronavirus infection rate.It eased restrictions in belief it could contain a rise in the virus over Christmas unlike, say, Germany and the UK,...

Cracking the code of a shapeshifting protein

A shapeshifting immune system protein called XCL1 evolved from a single-shape ancestor hundreds of millions of years ago. Now, researchers have discovered the molecular basis for how this happened. In the process they uncovered principles that scientists can use to design purpose-built nanoscale transformers for use as biosensors, components of molecular machines, and even therapeutics.

Carbon monoxide reduced to valuable liquid fuels

A sweet new process is making sour more practical. Engineers are turning carbon monoxide directly into acetic acid -- the widely used chemical agent that gives vinegar its tang -- with a continuous catalytic reactor that can use renewable electricity efficiently to turn out a highly purified product.

Using light to revolutionize artificial intelligence

An international team of researchers, including Professor Roberto Morandotti of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), just introduced a new photonic processor that could revolutionize artificial intelligence, as reported by the prestigious journal Nature.

'Flashing' new 2D materials

Scientists extend their technique to produce graphene in a flash to tailor the properties of 2D dichalcogenides, quickly turning them into metastable metallics for electronic and optical applications.

Planetary Sleuthing Finds Triple-Star World

Portal origin URL: Planetary Sleuthing Finds Triple-Star WorldPortal origin nid: 467502Published: Monday, January 11, 2021 - 13:40Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: Years after its detection, astronomers have confirmed a planet called KOI-5Ab orbiting in a triple-star system with a skewed configuration.Portal image: KOI 5 Artist...

Madrid paralysed after heavy snowfall

Armed with picks and shovels, residents of Madrid on Monday slowly shovelled out of Spain's worst snowstorm in decades which turned roads and pavements into skating rinks.

Asian water towers on tighter budget despite a warmer and wetter climate

The 'Third Pole' centered on the Tibetan Plateau is home to headwaters of over 10 major Asian rivers. These glacier-based water systems, also known as the Asian Water Towers, will have to struggle to quench the thirst of downstream communities despite more river runoff brought on by a warmer climate, according to a recent study published in Nature Climate Change.

Green glowing gecko under UV-light

Researchers at the LMU, the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology and Hochschule München have discovered a new mechanism for fluorescence in a terrestrial vertebrate

Bacterium produces pharmaceutical all-purpose weapon

For some years, an active substance from the leaves of an ornamental plant has been regarded as a possible forerunner of a new group of potent drugs. So far, however, it has been very laborious to manufacture it in large quantities. That could now change: Researchers at the University of Bonn have identified a bacterium that produces the substance and can also be easily cultivated in the...