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60 articles from ScienceDaily
Synchronization of brain hemispheres changes what we hear
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 23:31
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
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 23:31
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
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 23:30
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
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 23:30
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.
Fast-growing parts of Africa see a surprise: Less air pollution from seasonal fires
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 22:19
In Africa, air pollution recently surpassed AIDS as the leading cause of premature death. But researchers have discovered at least a temporary bright spot: dangerous nitrogen oxides, byproducts of combustion, are declining across the north equatorial part of the continent. The reason: a decline in the longtime practice of setting of dry-season fires to manage land.
How rocks rusted on Earth and turned red
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 22:19
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
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 22:19
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
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 22:19
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
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 22:19
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...
MARLIT, artificial intelligence against marine litter
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 20:59
A new algorithm designed with deep learning techniques will enable the detection and quantification of floating plastics in the sea with a reliability over 80 percent, according to a new study.
Silicon anode structure generates new potential for lithium-ion batteries
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 20:59
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....
Severe undercounting of COVID-19 cases in U.S., other countries estimated via model
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 20:24
A new machine-learning framework uses reported test results and death rates to calculate estimates of the actual number of current COVID-19 infections within all 50 U.S. states and 50 countries.
3D printing polymers
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 20:24
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.
Radiative cooling and solar heating from one system, no electricity needed
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 19:44
A new study describes a new technology that provides both radiative cooling and solar heating, all is one system and without using electricity or fuel. It could help impoverished communities, reduce cooling and heating costs, lower CO2 emissions.
New drug target for Ebola, Marburg viruses
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 19:44
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.
New timeline of deadliest California wildfire could guide lifesaving research and action
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 18:54
What made the Camp Fire so devastating? And what lessons can we learn to prevent another disaster of this scale? Researchers have begun to answer these questions by investigating the conditions leading up to the fire and meticulously reconstructing the sequence of events describing the first 24 hours of its progression.
AI researchers ask: What's going on inside the black box?
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 18:53
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
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 18:53
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
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 18:53
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
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 18:53
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...
Molecular sleuthing identifies and corrects major flaws in blood-brain barrier model
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 18:53
A type of cell derived from human stem cells that has been widely used for brain research and drug development may have been leading researchers astray for years, according to a new study.
Immune response to insulin could identify, help treat those at risk for Type 1 Diabetes
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 18:53
Researchers have found that immune responses to insulin could help identify individuals most at risk for developing Type 1 diabetes.
Brain changed by caffeine in utero
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 18:53
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.
Combined bark beetle outbreaks and wildfire spell uncertain future for forests
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 18:53
Bark beetle outbreaks and wildfire alone are not a death sentence for Colorado's beloved forests -- but when combined, their toll may become more permanent, shows new research.
New method developed for 'up-sizing' mini organs used in medical research
- ScienceDaily
- 21/2/8 18:53
A team of engineers and scientists has developed a method of 'multiplying' organoids: miniature collections of cells that mimic the behaviour of various organs and are promising tools for the study of human biology and disease.