6,535 articles from APRIL 2021
Climate change: Amazon may be turning from friend to foe
The Brazilian Amazon released nearly 20 percent more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over the last decade than it absorbed, according to a stunning report that shows humanity can no longer depend on the world's largest tropical forest to help absorb manmade carbon pollution.
Not just for finding planets: Exoplanet-hunter TESS telescope spots bright gamma-ray burst
NASA has a long tradition of unexpected discoveries, and the space program's TESS mission is no different. SMU astrophysicist and her team have discovered a particularly bright gamma-ray burst using a NASA telescope designed to find exoplanets—those occurring outside our solar system—particularly those that might be able to support life.
Wildfire smoke trends worsening for Western US
From the Pacific Northwest to the Rocky Mountains, summers in the West are marked by wildfires and smoke. New research from the University of Utah ties the worsening trend of extreme poor air quality events in Western regions to wildfire activity, with growing trends of smoke impacting air quality clear into September. The work is published in Environmental Research Letters.
Holographic histopathology enables fast, precise diagnostics
Histology is the study of biological tissues at a microscopic level. Also called microscopic anatomy, histology is widely used to provide diagnosis of cancer and other diseases. For example, tissue samples obtained during surgery might help to determine whether further surgical action is needed, and further surgery may be avoided if a diagnosis can be rapidly obtained during an operation.
Here’s what China wants from its next space station
At 11:23 a.m. local time Thursday at Wenchang, Hainan Island, China launched Tianhe-1, the first module of a new orbital space station. It’s scheduled to be operational by the end of 2022. The launch, which went flawlessly, sets China up for a very busy next two years as it seeks to build upon the decade’s successes and follow through with one of its most ambitious space projects yet. ...
Engineering T cells to attack cancer broadly
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:04
This study builds on decades of work showing that the protein IL-24 attacks cancer broadly, and is the first to deliver the protein using T cells. This approach is in contrast to CAR-T cells, which are built to recognize proteins on the surface of cancer cells and haven't been successful against solid tumors. Mice with prostate cancer experienced shrinkage of the original tumor as well as distant...
New view of species interactions offers clues to preserve threatened ecosystems
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:04
Scientists from around the world have produced a new analysis -- believed to be the most detailed study of specialized ecological data from global forests -- that is furthering science's understanding of species interactions and how diversity contributes to the preservation of ecosystem health.
Move over CRISPR, the Retrons are coming
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:04
Researchers have created a new gene editing tool called Retron Library Recombineering (RLR) that can generate up to millions of mutations simultaneously, and 'barcodes' mutant bacterial cells so that the entire pool can be screened at once. It can be used in contexts where CRISPR is toxic or not feasible, and results in better editing rates.
Novel coronavirus' spike protein plays additional key role in illness
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:04
A new study shows that COVID-19 is a vascular disease, demonstrating exactly how the SARS-CoV-2 virus damages and attacks the vascular system on a cellular level. The findings help explain COVID-19's wide variety of seemingly unconnected complications, and could open the door for new research into more effective therapies.
Light as a fairy tale: What makes a feel-good film feel good?
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:04
'Feel-good films' are usually dismissed by film critics as being sentimental and without intellectual merit. But their popularity with audiences, who seek them out precisely because of their 'feel-good' qualities, tells a more favorable story. Now, for the first time, this popular movie genre has been examined scientifically.
Important factor in the development of dendritic cells identified
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:03
Dendritic cells are divided into Type 1 (DC1) and Type 2 (DC2) dendritic cells. Each type fulfills different functions: DC1 provide an immune response to bacteria and viruses, DC2 protect against fungal or parasitic infections. Researchers found that a particular group of proteins plays a major role in the development of Type 1 dendritic cells. This
Milestone for next-gen acceleration experiment
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:03
The future of particle acceleration has begun. Awake is a promising concept for a completely new method with which particles can be accelerated even over short distances. The basis for this is a plasma wave that accelerates electrons and thus brings them to high energies. A team now reports a breakthrough in this context. For the first time, they were able to precisely time the production of the...
Hippocampal maps predict context-dependent behavior
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:03
Successful navigation requires the ability to separate memories in a context-dependent manner. For example, to find lost keys, one must first remember whether the keys were left in the kitchen or the office. How does the human brain retrieve the contextual memories that drive behavior?
Fiber-optic ultrasonic imaging probe for future nanoscale disease diagnostics
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:03
Scientists have developed an ultrasonic imaging system, which can be deployed on the tip of a hair-thin optical fiber, and will be insertable into the human body to visualize cell abnormalities in 3D.
Shortage of DNA building blocks in the cell releases mitochondrial DNA
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:03
Mitochondria are the energy suppliers of our body cells. These tiny cell components have their own genetic material, which triggers an inflammatory response when released into the interior of the cell. The reasons for the release are not yet known, but some cardiac and neurodegenerative diseases as well as the ageing process are linked to the mitochondrial genome. Researchers have investigated the...
Brazilian Amazon released more carbon than it stored in 2010s
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:03
The Brazilian Amazon rainforest released more carbon than it stored over the last decade - with degradation a bigger cause than deforestation - according to new research.
'Pokemonas': Bacteria related to lung parasites discovered, named after Pokémon
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:03
'Pokemonas' live in round amoebae, similar to Pokémon, which are caught inside balls in the popular video game.
Researchers analyzed circulating currents inside gold nanoparticles
- ScienceDaily
- 21/4/30 18:03
Researchers have developed a method that allows for simulation and visualization of magnetic-field-induced electron currents inside gold nanoparticles. The method facilitates accurate analysis of magnetic field effects inside complex nanostructures in nuclear magnetic resonance measurements and establishes quantitative criteria for aromaticity of nanoparticles.
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to Begin New Demonstration Phase
Portal origin URL: NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter to Begin New Demonstration PhasePortal origin nid: 470632Published: Friday, April 30, 2021 - 11:55Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has a new mission. Having proven that powered, controlled flight is possible on the Red Planet, the Ingenuity experiment will soon...
This mission to deep space could last a lifetime — or even more
Bob McDonald's blog: Planning a mission to be handed off to future generations is wonderful foresight in...
The DALI experiment: Searching for the axion, a proposed component of dark matter
The detection of the axion would mark a key episode in the history of science. This hypothetical particle could resolve two fundamental problems of Modern Physics at the same time: the problema of Charge and Parity in the strong interaction, and the mystery of dark matter. However, in spite of the high scientific interest in finding it, the search at high radio frequency—above 6 GHz—has been...
'Pokemonas': Bacteria related to lung parasites discovered, named after Pokémon
A research team at the University of Cologne has discovered previously undescribed bacteria in amoebae that are related to Legionella and may even cause disease. The researchers from Professor Dr. Michael Bonkowski's working group at the Institute of Zoology have named one of the newly discovered bacteria 'Pokemonas' because they live in spherical amoebae, comparable to Pokémon in the video game,...
Self-organization of nanoparticles and molecules in periodic Liesegang-type structures
Chemical organization in reaction-diffusion systems offer a strategy to generate materials with ordered morphologies and architecture. Periodic structures can be formed using molecules or nanoparticles. An emerging frontier in materials science aims to combine nanoparticles and molecules. In a new report on Science Advances, Amanda J. Ackroyd and a team of scientists in chemistry, physics and...
UK’s aid cuts hit vital coronavirus research around world
Leading UK expert says loss of funding certain to damage attempts to tackle virus and variantsCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageVital coronavirus research, including a project tracking variants in India, has had its funding reduced by up to 70% under swingeing cuts to the UK overseas aid budget.One of Britain’s leading infectious disease experts said the UK government...