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72 articles from ScienceDaily
PCB contamination in Icelandic orcas: a matter of diet
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 23:41
A new study suggests that some Icelandic killer whales have very high concentrations of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) in their blubber. But it seems that other orcas from the same population have levels of PCBs that are much lower. It mainly depends on what they eat.
Swiping, swabbing elevates processing plant food safety
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 23:41
By swiping surfaces in commercial food processing plants with specially designed rapid-testing adenosine triphospate (ATP) swabs -- which produce a light similar to the glow of fireflies in the presence of microorganisms -- spoilage and foodborne illness could diminish, according to a new study.
Scrap for cash before coins
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 23:41
How did people living in the Bronze Age manage their finances before money became widespread? Researchers ave discovered that bronze scrap found in hoards in Europe circulated as a currency. These pieces of scrap -- which might include swords, axes, and jewellery broken into pieces -- were used as cash in the late Bronze Age, and in fact complied with a weight system used across Europe.
Mathematical model predicting disease spread patterns
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
A team of environmental engineers, alerted by the unusual wealth of data published regularly by county health agencies throughout the pandemic, began researching new methods to describe what was happening on the ground in a way that does not require obtaining information on individuals' movements or contacts. A new model predicts where a disease will spread from an outbreak, in what patterns and...
Why do some neurons degenerate and die in Alzheimer's disease, but not others?
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
Researchers have uncovered molecular clues that help explain what makes some neurons more susceptible than others in Alzheimer's disease. The scientists present evidence that neurons with high levels of the protein apolipoprotein E (apoE) are more sensitive to degeneration, and that this susceptibility is linked to apoE's regulation of immune-response molecules within neurons.
Feeling younger buffers older adults from stress, protects against health decline
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
People who feel younger have a greater sense of well-being, better cognitive functioning, less inflammation, lower risk of hospitalization and even live longer than their older-feeling peers. A study suggests one potential reason for the link between subjective age and health: Feeling younger could help buffer middle-aged and older adults against the damaging effects of stress.
Transforming atmospheric carbon into industrially useful materials
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
Plants are unparalleled in their ability to capture carbon from the air, but this benefit is temporary. Researchers have proposed a more permanent, and even useful, fate for this captured carbon by turning plants into a valuable industrial material called silicon carbide (SiC). A new study from scientists quantifies this process with more detail than ever before.
Molecular analysis identifies key differences in lungs of cystic fibrosis patients
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
A team of researchers has developed a molecular catalog of cells in healthy lungs and the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis.
Online learning doesn't improve student sleep habits, research suggests
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
New research suggests that students learning remotely become night owls but do not sleep more despite the time saved commuting, working or attending social events.
Organ transplant recipients remain vulnerable to COVID-19 even after second vaccine dose
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
In a new study, researchers show that although two doses of a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 -- the virus that causes COVID 19 -- confers some protection for people who have received solid organ transplants, it's still not enough to enable them to dispense with masks, physical distancing and other safety measures.
Surprising sand fly find yields new species of bacteria
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
Researchers made a surprising finding while examining areas where sand flies rear their young: a new species of bacteria that is highly attractive to pregnant sand flies. The findings could advance the production of ecologically safe baits or traps to reduce sand fly populations.
In graphene process, resistance is useful
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
Scientists adapt laser-induced graphene to make conductive patterns from standard photoresist material for consumer electronics and other applications.
Skin and immune cells coordinate defenses against assault
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
As the human body's largest organ, the skin is responsible for protecting against a wide range of possible infections on all fleshy surfaces, from head to toe. So how exactly does the skin organize its defenses against such an array of threats?
Researchers develop new metal-free, recyclable polypeptide battery that degrades on demand
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 22:36
The introduction of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries has revolutionized technology as a whole, leading to major advances in consumer goods across nearly all sectors. Battery-powered devices have become ubiquitous across the world. While the availability of technology is generally a good thing, the rapid growth has led directly to several key ethical and environmental issues surrounding the use of...
Asthma attacks plummeted among Black and Hispanic/Latinx individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:22
In a report of data collected as part of a trial in Black and Hispanic/Latinx patients with asthma that began before COVID-19 hit the U.S., researchers found total asthma attacks decreased by greater than 40 percent with the onset of the pandemic.
'Molecular glue' makes perovskite solar cells dramatically more reliable over time
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:21
In a study that could help to bring inexpensive, efficient perovskite solar cells one step closer to commercial use, researchers found a way to strengthen a key weak point in the cells' internal structure, dramatically increasing their functional life.
Temperature explains why aquatic life is more diverse near equator
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:21
New research suggests that temperature can largely explain why the greatest variety of aquatic life resides in the tropics -- but also why it has not always and, amid record-fast global warming, soon may not again.
Bacterial DNA can be read either forwards or backwards
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:21
Bacteria contain symmetry in their DNA signals that enable them to be read either forwards or backwards, according to new findings which challenge existing knowledge about gene transcription.
Rooted tree key to understanding bacterial evolution
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:21
An international team of researchers have found a new way to interpret the evolution of bacteria.
Evading the uncertainty principle in quantum physics
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:21
In quantum mechanics, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle dictates that the position and speed of an object cannot both be known fully precisely at the same time. Researchers now show that two vibrating drumheads, the size of a human hair, can be prepared in a quantum state which evades the uncertainty principle.
Most human origins stories are not compatible with known fossils
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:21
In the 150 years since Charles Darwin speculated that humans originated in Africa, the number of species in the human family tree has exploded, but so has the level of dispute concerning early human evolution. A new review looks at the major discoveries in hominin origins since Darwin's works and argues that fossil apes can inform us about essential aspects of ape and human evolution, including...
Towards 2D memory technology by magnetic graphene
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:21
In spintronics, the magnetic moment of electrons is used to transfer and manipulate information. An ultra-compact 2D spin-logic circuitry could be built from 2D materials that can transport the spin information over long distances and provide strong spin-polarization of charge current. Experiments by physicists suggest that magnetic graphene can be the ultimate choice for these 2D spin-logic...
Homing in on the smallest possible laser
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:21
Physicists have succeeded in generating an unusual quantum state in charge carrier complexes that are closely linked to light particles and located in ultrathin semiconductor sheets. This process produces light similar to that of a laser. The phenomenon could be used to create the smallest possible solid-state lasers.
Hydrogen instead of electrification? Potentials and risks for climate targets
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:21
Hydrogen-based fuels should primarily be used in sectors such as aviation or industrial processes that cannot be electrified, finds a team of researchers. Producing these fuels is too inefficient, costly and their availability too uncertain, to broadly replace fossil fuels for instance in cars or heating houses. For most sectors, directly using electricity for instance in battery electric cars or...
Trial demonstrates early AI-guided detection of heart disease in routine practice
- ScienceDaily
- 21/5/6 20:21
Heart disease can take a number of forms, but some types of heart disease, such as asymptomatic low ejection fraction, can be hard to recognize, especially in the early stages when treatment would be most effective.