Magnetism drives metals to insulators in new experiment
Like all metals, silver, copper, and gold are conductors. Electrons flow across them, carrying heat and electricity. While gold is a good conductor under any conditions, some materials have the property of behaving like metal conductors only if temperatures are high enough; at low temperatures, they act like insulators and do not do a good job of carrying electricity. In other words, these unusual...
Social identity within the anti-vaccine movement
A study of more than 1,000 demographically representative participants found that about 22 percent of Americans self-identify as anti-vaxxers, and tend to embrace the label as a form of social identity.
Researchers investigate mining-related deforestation in the Amazon
If you're wearing gold jewelry right now, there's a good chance it came from an illegal mining operation in the tropics and surfaced only after some rainforest was sacrificed, according to a team of University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers and alumni who studied regulatory efforts to curb some of these environmentally damaging activities in the Amazon.
Fungus creates a fast track for carbon
Tiny algae in Earth's oceans and lakes take in sunlight and carbon dioxide and turn them into sugars that sustain the rest of the aquatic food web, gobbling up about as much carbon as all the world's trees and plants combined.
Why scientists want to solve an underground mystery about where microbes live
Though it might seem inanimate, the soil under our feet is very much alive. It's filled with countless microorganisms actively breaking down organic matter, like fallen leaves and plants, and performing a host of other functions that maintain the natural balance of carbon and nutrients stored in the ground beneath us.
Beyond synthetic biology, synthetic ecology boosts health by engineering the environment
There's a lot of interest right now in how different microbiomes—like the one made up of all the bacteria in our guts—could be harnessed to boost human health and cure disease. But Daniel Segrè has set his sights on a much more ambitious vision for how the microbiome could be manipulated for good: "To help sustain our planet, not just our own health."
Substantial carbon dioxide emissions from northern peatlands drained for crop cultivation
A new study shows that substantial amounts of carbon dioxide were released during the last millennium because of crop cultivation on peatlands in the Northern Hemisphere.
Quantum holds the key to secure conference calls
The world is one step closer to ultimately secure conference calls, thanks to a collaboration between Quantum Communications Hub researchers and their German colleagues, enabling a quantum-secure conversation to take place between four parties simultaneously.
Soft tissue measurements critical to hominid reconstruction
Accurate soft tissue measurements are critical when making reconstructions of human ancestors, a new study from the University of Adelaide and Arizona State University has found.
Study of past South Asian monsoons suggests stronger monsoon rainfall in the future
A new study of monsoon rainfall on the Indian subcontinent over the past million years provides vital clues about how the monsoons will respond to future climate change.
Lasers capable of transmitting signals at 224 gigabits per second, enough to achieve 800 gigabit ethernet
With the massive proliferation of data-heavy services, including high-resolution video streaming and conferencing, cloud services infrastructure growth in 2021 is expected to reach a 27% CAGR. Consequently, while 400 gigabit ethernet (GbE) is currently enjoying widespread deployment, 800 GbE is poised to rapidly follow to address these bandwidth demands.
Adapting laboratory techniques for remote instruction
The COVID-19 pandemic forced instructors to adapt their courses for online learning. Laboratory courses were particularly difficult due to lack of access to specialized equipment for remote learners. To overcome this challenge, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign designed a laboratory exercise to teach students how to use micropipettes, through remote learning, using...
Food scientists aim to make plant-based protein tastier and healthier
As meat-eating continues to increase around the world, food scientists are focusing on ways to create healthier, better-tasting and more sustainable plant-based protein products that mimic meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs.
New study into green tea's potential to help tackle COVID-19
As India continues to be ravaged by the pandemic, a Swansea University academic is investigating how green tea could give rise to a drug capable of tackling COVID-19.
Brazilian Amazon deforestation hits record for May
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon reached a record for the month of May this year, the space research institute INPE said.
Plant competition during climate change
How plants cope with stress factors has already been broadly researched. Yet what happens when a plant is confronted with two stressors simultaneously? A research team working with Simon Haberstroh and Prof. Dr. Christiane Werner of the Chair of Ecosystem Physiology at the Institute of Forest Sciences and Natural Resources (UNR) of the University of Freiburg is investigating this. Together with...
How to retard time for cells
Scientists at Leipzig University, in collaboration with colleagues from Germany and England, have succeeded in reversibly slowing down cellular processes. A team of biophysicists led by Professor Josef Alfons Käs and Dr Jörg Schnauß were able to show in experiments that cells can be transferred into slow motion without changing the temperature.
Researchers continue to refine graphene production using HPC
Graphene may be among the most exciting scientific discoveries of the last century. While it is strikingly familiar to us—graphene is considered an allotrope of carbon, meaning that it essentially the same substance as graphite but in a different atomic structure—graphene also opened up a new world of possibilities for designing and building new technologies.
Predicting the ocean: Improved forecast and insights for the Mediterranean and Black Seas
Marine forecasters face the challenge of predicting a very complex and constantly changing marine environment by applying ocean science, knowledge and technological skills to produce predictions of the state of the ocean.
New hybrid OSSE method improves local severe storm forecasts
Since the era of meteorological satellites began in the 1950s, continuous remote sensing instrument improvements have elevated Earth science and have significantly increased available atmospheric observations. Likewise, scientists have made considerable advancements in understanding Earth's atmosphere, climate, and environment.
Most Californians unaware of law to prevent gun violence but would support using it
Extreme risk protection orders, also known as gun violence restraining orders (GVROs) or "red flag" orders, exist in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
Ten-fold increase in carbon offset cost predicted
The cost of offsetting corporate carbon emissions needs to increase ten-fold to drive meaningful climate action, says a landmark report by Trove Research and UCL.
Structural uniqueness of the green- and red-light sensing photosensor in cyanobacteria
Certain cyanobacteria can change the absorbing light colors for photosynthesis using a green- and red-light sensing photosensor protein. A Japanese research group elucidated the molecular structure of RcaE, a representative member of the photosensors. They revealed the unique conformation of the bilin chromophore and the unique protein structure that potentially functions as a proton transfer...
Songbirds can control single vocal muscle fibers when singing
The melodic and diverse songs of birds frequently inspire pop songs and poems, and have been for centuries, all the way back to Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" or "The Nightingale" by H.C. Andersen.
Underground storage of carbon captured directly from air—green and economical
The global threat of ongoing climate change has one principal cause: carbon that was buried underground in the form of fossil fuels being removed and released into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2). One promising approach to addressing this problem is carbon capture and storage: using technology to take CO2 out of the atmosphere to return it underground.