304 articles from TUESDAY 2.3.2021

The COVID-19 Pandemic’s Impact on Global CO2 Emissions Didn’t Last Very Long

It’s awfully hard to find any upside in a global pandemic that’s sickened nearly 115 million people and killed more than 2.5 million. But throughout 2020, there was some good news buried in the bad concerning that other great infirmity: the sickly state of the earthly climate. When economies are booming and people are moving, greenhouse gasses soar. It follows then that economic...

Indoors, outdoors, 6 feet apart? Transmission risk of airborne viruses can be quantified

The rush for scientific understanding of the novel coronavirus has focused on biological mechanisms: how people get infected, the response of the human body, and the fastest path to a vaccine. As an aerosol scientist, Tami Bond went a different route, convening a research team that would treat the virus like any other aerosol. This team set out to quantify the dynamics of how aerosols like viruses...

New UK science body could be used as ‘cover for cronyism’

Advanced Research & Innovation Agency will be exempt from existing procurement rules for ‘maximum flexibility’, says governmentA new £800m government science and defence research agency will be exempt from existing procurement rules, prompting warnings from Labour that it could be used as “cover for cronyism”.Originally the brainchild of Dominic Cummings, the Advanced Research &...

Rocket Lab could be SpaceX’s biggest rival

In the private space industry, it can seem that there’s SpaceX and then there’s everyone else. Only Blue Origin, backed by its own billionaire founder in the person of Jeff Bezos, seems able to command the same degree of attention. And Blue Origin hasn’t even gone beyond suborbital space yet.  Rocket Lab might soon have something to say about that duopoly. The company, founded...

Dethroning electrocatalysts for hydrogen production with inexpensive alternative material

Today, we can say without a shadow of doubt that an alternative to fossil fuels is needed. Fossil fuels are not only non-renewable sources of energy but also among the leading causes of global warming and air pollution. Thus, many scientists worldwide have their hopes placed on what they regard as the fuel of tomorrow: hydrogen (H2). Although H2 is a clean fuel with incredibly high energy density,...

New research highlights impact of the digital divide

The coronavirus pandemic has drawn new attention to the digital divide, as the need for online schooling and working from home has disproportionately hurt those without computer equipment and skills. New research finds that people with basic Information Technology (IT) skills are more likely to be employed, even in jobs that aren't explicitly tied to those skills.

Unveiling the weaving fractal network of connecting neurons

High-resolution imaging and 3D computer modeling show that the dendrites of neurons weave through space in a way that balances their need to connect to other neurons with the costs of doing so. The discovery emerged as researchers sought to understand the fractal nature of neurons as part of a project to design fractal-shaped electrodes to connect with retinal neurons to address vision loss due to...

Ultrasonic cleaning of salad could reduce instances of food poisoning

A new study has shown that gentle streams of water carrying sound and microscopic air bubbles can clean bacteria from salad leaves more effectively than current washing methods used by suppliers and consumers. As well as reducing food poisoning, the findings could reduce food waste and have implications for the growing threat of anti-microbial resistance.

Heart disease is in the eye of the beholder

Researchers have identified a potential new marker that shows cardiovascular disease may be present in a patient using an optical coherence tomography (OCT) scan -- a non-invasive diagnostic tool commonly used in ophthalmology and optometry clinics to create images of the retina. The finding suggests it may be possible to detect heart disease during an eye examination.

COVID-19 can kill heart muscle cells, interfere with contraction

A new study provides evidence that COVID-19 patients' heart damage is caused by the virus invading and replicating inside heart muscle cells, leading to cell death and interfering with heart muscle contraction. The researchers used stem cells to engineer heart tissue that models the human infection and could help in studying the disease and developing possible therapies.

The expanding possibilities of bio-based polymers

Finding innovative and sustainable solutions to our material needs is one of the core objectives of green chemistry. The myriad plastics that envelop our daily life—from mattresses to food and cars—are mostly made from oil-based monomers which are the building blocks of polymers. Therefore, finding bio-based monomers for polymer synthesis is attractive to achieve more sustainable solutions in...

Study explores link between forestry management and pesticides in aquatic species

Pesticides used in forestry may threaten species in downstream rivers and estuaries, but little is known about the extent to which this occurs. A new study by researchers at Portland State University found mussels, clams and oysters in watersheds along the Oregon Coast are exposed to pesticides used in managing forests. The results of this study, published in the journal Toxics, have implications...

An instructor's guide to reducing college students' stress and anxiety

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, college students were reporting record levels of stress and anxiety. According to the American College Health Association Fall 2018 National College Health Assessment, 63% of U.S. college students experienced overwhelming anxiety throughout the year. Plus, stress can impact students' academic performance, and students with higher stress levels are more at-risk of...

Unusual earthquakes highlight central Utah volcanoes

If you drive south through central Utah on Interstate 15 and look west somewhere around Fillmore, you'll see smooth hills and fields of black rock. The area is, aptly, named the Black Rock Desert. It may not look like much, but you're looking at some of Utah's volcanoes.

How the trap-jaw ant got its ultrafast bite

Powerful and deadly, the bite of a trap-jaw ant is renowned throughout the animal kingdom. Unlike normal gripping jaws, which rely on muscles to open and close, the trap-jaw latches itself open, storing energy like a stretched spring. When released, the jaws of the ansnap shut on their prey in one ultrafast strike.

What problems do coronavirus variants pose?

The hunt is on for the Brazilian variant, and tracking mutations will be necessary for some time to comeCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageOf the many coronavirus variants identified so far, there is particular concern about P1, first identified in Brazil, with fears about the extent it can evade the immune system and possibly vaccines. The UK has recorded six cases so...

Northern Ireland’s five steps out of Covid lockdown: key points

Plan for moving from lockdown to relaxation of restrictions will be guided by data Coronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageNorthern Ireland’s deputy first minister, Michelle O’Neill, has unveiled a cautious five-step plan to ease the region’s Covid-19 lockdown. The plan has no hard dates and will be led by data, notably the reproductive rate of the virus, O’Neill told...

How some animals sense the gritty texture of their food

There's more to taste than flavor. Let ice cream melt, and the next time you take it out of the freezer you'll find its texture icy instead of the smooth, creamy confection you're used to. Though its flavor hasn't changed, most people would agree the dessert is less appetizing.

Hurricane resembling those in lower atmosphere observed over Earth's polar ionosphere

Hurricanes are known to occur in the lower atmosphere of Earth and even other planets, but had never before been detected in the upper atmosphere. An international team of scientists made the unprecedented discovery during retrospective analysis of satellite observations. The hurricane occurred during surprisingly low geomagnetic activity, and suggests they could occur in the upper atmosphere of...

Energy switching decisions could widen social inequalities

New energy tariffs designed for a low carbon future could leave people on bad deals even worse off. The tariffs could benefit all kinds of customers, but many people are unlikely to choose them. Those likely to adopt them first are younger, with higher incomes and higher education.

Rice variety resists arsenic

The agricultural cultivation of the staple food of rice harbors the risk of possible contamination with arsenic that can reach the grains following uptake by the roots. A research team studied over 4,000 rice variants and discovered a plant that resists the toxin as well as contains a large amount of the trace element selenium.