279 articles from WEDNESDAY 27.1.2021
In Brazil, many smaller dams disrupt fish more than large hydropower projects
The development of small hydropower dams is widespread throughout Brazil and elsewhere in the world, vastly overshadowing large hydropower projects. The proliferation of these smaller dams is a response to growing energy and security needs. Their expansion, however, threatens many of the remaining free-flowing rivers and biodiverse tropical regions of the world—interrupting the migrations of...
Is there a link between cashless payments and unhealthy consumption?
The widespread use of cashless payments including credit cards, debit cards, and mobile apps has made transactions more convenient for consumers. However, results from previous research have shown that such cashless payments can increase consumers' spending on unhealthy food. "Why Do Cashless Payments Increase Unhealthy Consumption? The Decision-Risk Inattention Hypothesis," a newly published...
Study: Sudden police layoffs in one US city associated with increases in crime
Amid a sharp economic downturn in 2008, police departments around the United States experienced budget shortfalls that required them to enact cutbacks. A new study examined the effects on crime of budget shortfalls in two New Jersey cities—one of which laid off more than 10 percent of its police force while the other averted layoffs. The study found that the police layoffs were associated with...
Researchers develop a millimeter-size flat lens for VR and AR platforms
Despite all the advances in consumer technology over the past decades, one component has remained frustratingly stagnant: the optical lens. Unlike electronic devices, which have gotten smaller and more efficient over the years, the design and underlying physics of today's optical lenses haven't changed much in about 3,000 years.
New report charts path toward superior earthquake recovery
For the last century, seismic building codes and practices have primarily focused on saving lives by reducing the likelihood of significant damage or structural collapse. Recovery of critical functions provided by buildings and infrastructure have received less attention, however. As a result, many remain vulnerable to being knocked out of service by an earthquake for months, years or for good.
A little soap simplifies making 2-D nanoflakes
Just a little soap helps clean up the challenging process of preparing two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (hBN).
Putting bugs on the menu, safely
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 23:18
The thought of eating insects is stomach turning for many, but new research is shedding light on allergy causing proteins which could pose serious health risks for those suffering from shellfish allergy. The research identified 20 proteins found in cricket food products which could cause serious allergic reactions.
Can large fluid-filled spaces in the brain help identify those at risk of dementia?
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 23:18
People with enlarged fluid-filled spaces in the brain around small blood vessels may be more likely to develop cognitive problems and dementia over time than people without these enlarged spaces, according to a new study.
In Brazil, many smaller dams disrupt fish more than large hydropower projects
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 23:18
A new article quantifies the tradeoffs between hydroelectric generation capacity and the impacts on river connectivity for thousands of current and projected future dams across Brazil. The findings confirm that small hydropower plants are far more responsible for river fragmentation than their larger counterparts due to their prevalence and distribution.
Hypnotic suggestions can make a complex task easy by helping vision fill in the blanks
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 23:18
New research demonstrates that hypnosis -- the process of focusing a person's attention on a specific task or sensation -- can turn a normally difficult visual task into a far easier one by helping individuals mentally 'fill in the gaps' of missing visual cues.
Detecting ADHD with near perfect accuracy
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 23:18
A new study has identified how specific communication among different brain regions, known as brain connectivity, can serve as a biomarker for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
International cybercops derail botnet used to extort, steal data around the globe for years
European and North American cybercops, including in Canada, have joined forces to disrupt what may be the world's largest network for seeding malware...
Biden pauses oil and gas leases, cuts subsidies to act on climate
U.S. President Joe Biden signed a raft of executive actions on Wednesday to combat climate change, including pausing new oil and gas leases on federal land and cutting fossil fuel subsidies, as he pursues green policies he billed as a boon to the...
Ancient marine faunas unlock secrets of warming oceans
Members of Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences are shining new light on an enduring mystery—one that is millions of years in the making.
Pioneering research unravels hidden origins of Eastern Asia's 'land of milk and honey'
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 21:25
A study has revealed for the first time the ancient origins of one of the world's most important ecosystems by unlocking the mechanism which determined the evolution of its mountains and how they shaped the weather there as well as its flora and fauna.
Cell death shines a light on the origins of complex life
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 21:25
Organelles continue to thrive after the cells within which they exist die, scientists have found, overturning previous assumptions that organelles decay too quickly to be fossilized.
Study reveals precarious employment on the rise long before COVID-19
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 21:25
Researchers have used a new approach to measure precarious, or low-quality, employment in the United States. And, according to those findings, precarious employment has increased 9 percent between 1988 and 2016.
A little soap simplifies making 2D nanoflakes
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 21:25
The right combination of surfactant, water and processing can maximize the quality of 2D hexagonal boron nitride for such products as antibacterial films.
New report charts path toward superior earthquake recovery
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 21:25
A committee of experts has urged officials at all levels of government to support research and policies that could help get the buildings and services society depends on up and running quickly after an earthquake. In a report delivered to Congress, the committee outlines seven recommendations that, if acted upon, may greatly improve the resilience of communities across the nation.
A metalens for virtual and augmented reality
- ScienceDaily
- 21/1/27 21:25
Researchers have developed a two-millimeter achromatic metalenses that can focus RGB (red, blue, green) colors without aberrations and developed a miniaturized display for virtual and augmented reality applications.