187 articles from FRIDAY 2.7.2021
NASA Scientists Available for Interviews on Hurricanes, Tropical Storms
Portal origin URL: NASA Scientists Available for Interviews on Hurricanes, Tropical StormsPortal origin nid: 472261Published: Friday, July 2, 2021 - 16:45Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: The center of Hurricane Elsa has formed to the east of the Windward and southern Leeward islands and is expected to bring heavy rainfall to those areas over the...
Researchers find potential path to a broadly protective COVID-19 vaccine using T cells
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
Using a method developed for HIV, researchers have identified stable T cell vaccine targets in SARS-CoV-2. These stable targets, known as highly networked epitopes, are highly likely to be stable in different variants of the virus. The results provide a path forward for a broadly protective COVID-19 T cell vaccine.
Role of dopamine in songbird's brain plasticity
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
Neuroscientists have demonstrated in new research that dopamine plays a key role in how songbirds learn complex new sounds.
Solar hydrogen for Antarctica: Advantages of thermally coupled approach
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
Their conclusion: in extremely cold regions, it can be considerably more efficient to attach the PV modules directly to the electrolyser, i.e. to thermally couple them. This is because the waste heat from the PV modules increases the efficiency of electrolysis in this environment. The results of this study are also relevant for other cold regions on Earth, such as Alaska, Canada, and high mountain...
Air pollution during pregnancy may affect growth of newborn babies
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
Maternal exposure to air pollution during pregnancy has often been linked to adverse effects on the health of the newborn. However, there are very few studies on the subject. A study has just concluded that the stages most sensitive to air pollution are the early and late months of pregnancy.
New insights into the assembly of photosynthetic membranes
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
An international study has elucidated the structure of a protein that is required for the assembly and stability of photosynthetic membranes.
Neurobiology: How mice see the world
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
Researchers have developed an open-source camera system that images natural habitats as they appear to rodents.
Smart technology is not making us dumber
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
There is no scientific evidence that shows that smartphones and digital technology harm our biological cognitive abilities.
Why does Mercury have such a big iron core? Magnetism!
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
A new study disputes the prevailing hypothesis on why Mercury has a big core relative to its mantle. For decades, scientists argued that hit-and-run collisions blew away much of Mercury's rocky mantle and left the big, dense, metal core inside. But new research reveals that collisions are not to blame -- instead, the density, mass and iron content of a rocky planet's core is influenced by its...
After routing de Soto, Chickasaws repurposed Spanish objects for everyday use
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
Archaeologists have unearthed a rare trove of more than 80 metal objects in Mississippi thought to be from Hernando de Soto's 16th-century expedition through the Southeast. Many of the objects were repurposed by the resident Chickasaws as household tools and ornaments, an unusual practice at a time when European goods in North America were few and often reserved for leaders.
A globally important microbial process hidden on marine particles
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
Nitrogen is essential for all life on Earth. In the global oceans however, this element is scarce, and nitrogen availability is therefore critical for the growth of marine life. Some bacteria found in marine waters can convert nitrogen gas (N2) to ammonia (known as N2 fixation), and thereby supply the marine food web with nitrogen.
Lottery-based incentives do not increase COVID-19 vaccination rates, study finds
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:43
Researchers found that Ohio's 'Vax-a-Million' lottery-based incentive system, intended to increase COVID-19 vaccination rates, was not associated with an increase in COVD-19 vaccinations.
Insect-sized robot navigates mazes with the agility of a cheetah
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:42
Engineers have created an insect-scale robot that can swerve and pivot with the agility of a cheetah, giving it the ability to traverse complex terrain and quickly avoid unexpected obstacles. Small, robust robots like these could be ideal for conducting search and rescue operations or investigating other hazardous situations, such as scoping out potential gas leaks.
Solving a long-standing mystery about the desert's rock art canvas
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:42
Petroglyphs are carved in a material called rock varnish, the origins of which have been debated for years. Now, scientists argue it's the result of bacteria and an adaptation that protects them from the desert sun's harsh rays.
Cancer cells eat themselves to survive
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 21:39
New research shows that in order to survive life threatening injuries, cancer cells use a technique in which they eat parts of the membrane surrounding them.
Death toll from Northwest heat wave expected to keep rising
Each day, more deaths are being linked to the heat wave that struck the Pacific Northwest this past week, with medical staff who treated people overwhelmed by temperatures well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) saying the toll from the extreme weather will keep creeping up.
Hurricane Elsa threatens Caribbean
Hurricane Elsa churned through the Caribbean Friday, bringing powerful winds and the potential for storm surges and heavy rain.
Solving a long-standing mystery about the desert's rock art canvas
Wander around a desert most anywhere in the world, and eventually you'll notice dark-stained rocks, especially where the sun shines most brightly and water trickles down or dew gathers. In some spots, if you're lucky, you might stumble upon ancient art—petroglyphs—carved into the stain. For years, however, researchers have understood more about the petroglyphs than the mysterious dark stain,...
Study maps nanobody structure, leading to new ways to potentially fight diseases
For the first time in the UAE, researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have used nuclear magnetic resonance techniques to determine the structure of a specific nanobody, Nb23, potentially leading to a better understanding of how this small protein derived from an antibody type, found only in camelids (i.e camels, llamas, and alpacas) and sharks, can fight diseases ranging from rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and...
Unusual currents explain mysterious red crab strandings
For decades, people have wondered why pelagic red crabs—also called tuna crabs—sometimes wash ashore in the millions on the West Coast of the United States. New research shows that atypical currents, rather than abnormal temperatures, likely bring them up from their home range off Baja California.
After routing de Soto, Chickasaws repurposed Spanish objects for everyday use
Archaeologists have unearthed a rare trove of more than 80 metal objects in Mississippi thought to be from Hernando de Soto's 16th-century expedition through the Southeast. Many of the objects were repurposed by the resident Chickasaws as household tools and ornaments, an unusual practice at a time when European goods in North America were few and often reserved for leaders.
Graphene additive manufacturing for flexible and printable electronics
Research led by Kansas State University's Suprem Das, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, in collaboration with Christopher Sorensen, university distinguished professor of physics, shows potential ways to manufacture graphene-based nano-inks for additive manufacturing of supercapacitors in the form of flexible and printable electronics.
Global network transforming tropical forest research
A huge global network of researchers is working together to take the pulse of our global tropical forests.
A globally important microbial process hidden on marine particles
Nitrogen is essential for all life on Earth. In the global oceans however, this element is scarce, and nitrogen availability is therefore critical for the growth of marine life. Some bacteria found in marine waters can convert nitrogen gas (N2) to ammonia (known as N2 fixation), and thereby supply the marine food web with nitrogen.
Smart technology is not making us dumber: study
There are plenty of negatives associated with smart technology—tech neck, texting and driving, blue light rays—but there is also a positive: the digital age is not making us stupid, says University of Cincinnati social/behavioral expert Anthony Chemero.
Why does Mercury have such a big iron core? Magnetism!
A new study disputes the prevailing hypothesis on why Mercury has a big core relative to its mantle (the layer between a planet's core and crust). For decades, scientists argued that hit-and-run collisions with other bodies during the formation of our solar system blew away much of Mercury's rocky mantle and left the big, dense, metal core inside. But new research reveals that collisions are not...
N.L. wrong to 'double down' on fossil fuels with offshore subsidies, researcher says
Newfoundland and Labrador's federally funded subsidies for offshore oil are a "misuse of funds" and another step in the wrong economic direction for the cash-strapped province, says a political scientist who has studied the province's oil...
Putin signs law that aims to curb Russia's greenhouse gas emissions
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed legislation on Friday that will require businesses to report their greenhouse gas emissions and has been described as Russia's first step towards carbon regulation to combat climate...
Scientists publish a how-to guide for creating mouse-human chimeric embryos
A year after University at Buffalo scientists demonstrated that it was possible to produce millions of mature human cells in a mouse embryo, they have published a detailed description of the method so that other laboratories can do it, too.
Tactically Responsive Launch-2 payload launched into orbit after being built in record time
When the U.S. Space Force's Tactically Responsive Launch-2 (TacRL-2) mission launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base on June 13, it carried a payload designed and built in record time by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL).
Pioneering noninvasive technique for neurological conditions
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 17:46
Researchers are developing a new, noninvasive brain stimulation technique to treat neurological disorders, including pain, traumatic brain injury (TBI), epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and more.
Color and flavor: Pigments play a role in creating tasty tomatoes
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 17:46
Researchers have found that pigments controlling the color of tomatoes also play a role in determining their flavor. By analyzing the pigment profiles of 157 different tomato varieties, the team showed that fruit with high chlorophyll levels had a higher sugar content, and that the carotenoid, prolycopene, is associated with an abundance of aroma compounds. Understanding how growing conditions...
Same dance, different species: How natural selection drives common behavior of lizards
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 17:45
A surprising study on the behavior of unrelated lizards in very different parts of the world has demonstrated how evolution can lead to different species learning the same skills. The study documents how the Anolis lizard species in the Caribbean, and the Draco lizard species in Southeast Asia, have solved the challenge of communicating with one another to defend territories and attract mates.
Researchers explore how children learn language
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 17:45
New research pinpoints how young children quickly learn language, opening new paths to leverage for machine learning.
Muskrats are a bellwether for a drying delta
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 17:45
Downstream of hydroelectric dams and Alberta's oil sands, one of the world's largest freshwater deltas is drying out. New research suggests long-term drying is making it harder for muskrats to recover from massive die-offs. It's a sign of threats to come for many other species.
Guadalupe fur seals continue to recover as new colony discovered
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 17:45
Guadalupe fur seals (Arctocephalus townsendi) have established a large resting colony in the Gulf of California -- bringing the total number of sites where this endangered species now occurs to just four. This new haul-out was discovered on El Farallón de San Ignacio Island, along the mainland coast of Mexico.
Uncovering the genetic mechanism behind Rett syndrome
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 17:45
Researchers found that the main gene that causes Rett syndrome, MeCP2, controls the differentiation pattern of neural stem cells through the microRNA miR-199a. Dysfunction in MeCP2 or miR-199a cause neural stem cells to produce more astrocytes than neurons. Furthermore, the researchers found that miR-199a mediates the production of Smad1, a downstream transcription factor of bone morphogenetic...
Observation, simulation, and AI join forces to reveal a clear universe
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 17:45
Astronomers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) technique to remove noise in astronomical data due to random variations in galaxy shapes. After extensive training and testing on large mock data created by supercomputer simulations, they then applied this new tool to actual data from Japan's Subaru Telescope and found that the mass distribution derived from using this method is...
Novel strategy for natural product biosynthesis
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 17:45
Researchers discover enzyme prototype for formation of ecologically and pharmaceutically important tropone compounds.
How ethane-consuming archaea pick up their favorite dish
- ScienceDaily
- 21/7/2 17:45
Hot vents in the deep sea are home to microbes that feed on ethane. Now researchers have succeeded in finding an important component in the microbial conversion of the gas. They were able to decode the structure of the enzyme responsible for the ethane fixation.
How ethane-consuming archaea pick up their favorite food
Hot vents in the deep sea are home to microbes that feed on ethane. They were discovered recently from scientists of the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology. Now the researchers from Bremen succeeded in finding an important component in the microbial conversion of the gas. They were able to decode the structure of the enzyme responsible for the ethane fixation. The structure highlights...