170 articles from FRIDAY 11.6.2021
Uncovering cellular mechanisms driving epidermal form and function
A team of Northwestern Medicine investigators has discovered a set of intracellular mechanisms that support the polarized function of the skin's outermost layer, the epidermis, according to findings published in Current Biology.
Machine learning aids in materials design
A long-held goal by chemists across many industries, including energy, pharmaceuticals, energetics, food additives and organic semiconductors, is to imagine the chemical structure of a new molecule and be able to predict how it will function for a desired application. In practice, this vision is difficult, often requiring extensive laboratory work to synthesize, isolate, purify and characterize...
Plastic from take-out food is polluting the oceans - study
Single-use plastic from take-out food is a big source of pollution in oceans and rivers, scientists say.
Scientists link intense exercise with MND risk in some people
Those with a certain genetic makeup more likely to develop motor neurone disease, study confirmsRegular strenuous exercise raises the risk of developing motor neurone disease (MND) in people who are genetically predisposed to the condition, researchers say.Scientists at the University of Sheffield found a causal relationship between high intensity physical activity and the disorder among those...
I study UFOs – and I don’t believe the alien hype. Here’s why | Mick West
This month the Pentagon will release its much-awaited UFO report. Extraterrestrial buffs think they’ll be vindicated - but they’ve gotten a bit ahead of themselvesThere is a tidal wave of interest building up around an imminent Pentagon report on the subject of UFOs, or, as they are often referred to now, UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena). A sense of heady enthusiasm has swept over the UFO...
These creepy fake humans herald a new age in AI
You can see the faint stubble coming in on his upper lip, the wrinkles on his forehead, the blemishes on his skin. He isn’t a real person, but he’s meant to mimic one—as are the hundreds of thousands of others made by Datagen, a company that sells fake, simulated humans.
These humans are not gaming avatars or animated characters for movies. They are synthetic data designed to feed the...
How the COVID-19 pandemic lowered life expectancy in Canada last year
COVID-19 deaths led to a five-month decrease in life expectancy at birth last year, recent data released by Statistics Canada suggest, potentially putting the country at a level not seen in seven...
Your hemp shopping bag and reusable bottle are laudable, but here's why they aren't enough to save the planet
The causes of climate change and the possible sources of climate mitigation are a lot more complicated than individual ethics, and we need to ensure that our concerns about the little things don't blind us to the biggest things, writes Todd...
Queqiao: The bridge between Earth and the far side of the moon
China's Chang'e-4 probe marked the first soft-landing of a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon, which always faces away from Earth. To communicate with ground stations, Chang'e-4 relies on Queqiao, a relay communication satellite that orbits a point behind the Moon and bridges Earth and Chang'e-4. In a recent review, researchers explain the design of Queqiao and depict the future of lunar relay...
Photos show Chinese rover on dusty, rocky Martian surface
The dusty, rocky Martian surface and a Chinese rover and lander bearing small national flags were seen in photos released Friday that the rover took on the red planet.
UN: Don't forget to save species while fixing global warming
To save the planet, the world needs to tackle the crises of climate change and species loss together, taking measures that fix both and not just one, United Nations scientists said.
Florida bans 'critical race theory' from its classrooms
Florida's state Board of Education banned "critical race theory" from public school classrooms Thursday, adopting new rules it said would shield schoolchildren from curricula that could "distort historical events."
US state reports first litter of wolf pups in 80 years
Colorado has reported its first litter of gray wolf pups in 80 years, a major milestone in the US state's efforts to reintroduce the iconic species even as it stands imperiled in other parts of the country.
IT’S THE HUG A CLIMATE SCIENTIST DAY TEN YEAR HAPPY TENNIVERSARY! | First Dog on the Moon
HOW FAR WE HAVE COME! (not that far actually)Sign up here to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are publishedGet all your needs met at the First Dog shop if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints Continue...
Leaders who embrace on-job learning and listen to employees have more resilient teams, research show
Leaders who encourage their employees to learn on the job and speak up with ideas and suggestions for change have teams that are more effective and resilient in the face of unexpected situations, according to new research from Rice University and the University of Windsor.
Scientists call for improved management of a weedy tree to protect owl habitat
Sweet pittosporum (Pittosporum undulatum) was once a well-behaved tree growing in gullies from Gippsland in Victoria up to Brisbane in Queensland.
ESA rover replica goes for test drive at Mars simulator in Italy
Operators of Rosalind Franklin rover practise controlling it in preparation for Martian landing in June 2023A precise replica of the European Space Agency’s ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover has begun a series of test drives at the Aerospace Logistics Technology Engineering Company’s Mars terrain simulator in Turin, Italy.Rover operators will practise controlling the rover in preparation for its...
Medieval fashion for pointy shoes linked to rise in bunions
Cambridge research suggests foot problem was more common after Blackadder-style shoe became popular From waist-squeezing corsets to crinoline skirts, fashion has rarely been about comfort – or safety. Now researchers have revealed that even in medieval times, men and women could become martyrs to fashion, linking a trend in pointy shoes to a rise in the prevalence of bunions.Bunions – or...
Astronomers find blinking giant star near heart of Milky Way
Huge star, 25,000 light years away, dims by 97% then slowly returns to former brightnessAstronomers have spotted a giant blinking star, 100 times the size of the sun, lurking near the heart of the Milky Way.Telescope observations revealed that over a few hundred days the enormous star, which lies more than 25,000 light years away, dimmed by 97% and then slowly returned to its former brightness....