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60 articles from ScienceDaily

Synchronization of brain hemispheres changes what we hear

Most of the time, our brain receives different input from each of our ears, but we nevertheless perceive speech as unified sounds. This process takes place through synchronization of the areas of the brain involved with the help of gamma waves, neurolinguists have now discovered. Their findings may lead to new treatment approaches for tinnitus.

1918 pandemic second wave had fatal consequences

In a pandemic, delayed reactions and a decentralized approach by the authorities at the start of a follow-up wave can lead to longer-lasting, more severe and more fatal consequences, a new study has found. Researchers compared the influenza pandemic of 1918 and 1919 in the Canton of Bern with the coronavirus pandemic of 2020.

Robots sense human touch using camera and shadows

Researchers have created a low-cost method for soft, deformable robots to detect a range of physical interactions, from pats to punches to hugs, without relying on touch at all. Instead, a USB camera located inside the robot captures the shadow movements of hand gestures on the robot's skin and classifies them with machine-learning software.

Variable weather makes weeds harder to whack

From flooded spring fields to summer hailstorms and drought, farmers are well aware the weather is changing. It often means spring planting can't happen on time or has to happen twice to make up for catastrophic losses of young seedlings. It also means common pre-emergence herbicides are less effective.

How rocks rusted on Earth and turned red

How did rocks rust on Earth and turn red? A new study has shed new light on the important phenomenon and will help address questions about the Late Triassic climate more than 200 million years ago, when greenhouse gas levels were high enough to be a model for what our planet may be like in the future.

Cleaning Up the Mississippi River

A researcher has reconstructed a 100-year record chronicling water quality trends in the lower Mississippi River by compiling water quality data collected from 1901 to 2019. The Mississippi River is the largest river in North America with about 30 million people living within its watershed. He tracked pH levels and concentrations of bacteria, oxygen, lead and sulphate in this new study.

Deepfake detectors can be defeated, computer scientists show for the first time

Systems designed to detect deepfakes -- videos that manipulate real-life footage via artificial intelligence -- can be deceived, computer scientists have shown. Researchers showed detectors can be defeated by inserting inputs called adversarial examples into every video frame. The adversarial examples are slightly manipulated inputs which cause artificial intelligence systems such as machine...

Happiness really does come for free

Economic growth is often prescribed as a way of increasing the well-being of people in low-income countries. A new study suggests that there may be good reason to question this assumption. The researchers found that the majority of people in societies where money plays a minimal role reported a level of happiness comparable to that found in Scandinavian countries which typically rate highest in...

Silicon anode structure generates new potential for lithium-ion batteries

New research has identified a nanostructure that improves the anode in lithium-ion batteries. Instead of using graphite for the anode, the researchers turned to silicon: a material that stores more charge but is susceptible to fracturing. The team deposited silicon atoms on top of metallic nanoparticles to form an arched nanostructure, increasing the strength and structural integrity of the anode....

3D printing polymers

Researchers have developed the first 3D-printable 'bottlebrush' elastomer. The new material results in printed objects that have unusual softness and elasticity -- mechanical properties that closely resemble those of human tissue.

New drug target for Ebola, Marburg viruses

Researchers have identified a previously unknown site on the filovirus glycoprotein to which small drug molecules can bind and prevent infection -- blocking both sites may be a more effective treatment while reducing the risk of side effects.

AI researchers ask: What's going on inside the black box?

Brain-like artificial networks are often referred to as a 'black box' because researchers do not know how they learn and make predictions. Researchers reported a way to peek inside the box and identify key features on which the computer relies, particularly when trying to identify complex DNA sequences.

History of vaccines offers lessons on COVID-19 for pregnant women

Pregnant women, who are at increased risk of preterm birth or pregnancy loss if they develop a severe case of COVID-19, need the best possible guidance on whether they should receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a new article. That guidance can take lessons from what is already known about other vaccines given during pregnancy.

STINGing tumors with nanoparticles

A new nanoparticle-based drug can boost the body's innate immune system and make it more effective at fighting off tumors, researchers have shown. Their study is among the first to successfully target the immune molecule STING with nanoparticles about one millionth the size of a soccer ball that can switch on/off immune activity in response to their physiological environment.

Mixed and matched: Integrating metal-organic frameworks into polymers for CO2 separation

Polymer matrices can be combined with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to enhance their performance for CO2 separation. However, it is challenging to find compatible interactions between MOFs and polymers for this purpose. Now, an international team of scientists has developed a simple strategy to incorporate zirconium-based MOFs into a polymer matrix via covalent bonds. The resulting membranes...

Brain changed by caffeine in utero

New research finds caffeine consumed during pregnancy can change important brain pathways that could lead to behavioral problems later in life. Researchers analyzed thousands of brain scans of nine and ten-year-olds, and revealed changes in the brain structure in children who were exposed to caffeine in utero.