158 articles from FRIDAY 30.7.2021

In the absence of genetic variation, asexual invasive species find new methods of adapting to their environment

Without the benefits of evolutionary genetic variation that accompany meiotic reproduction, how does an asexual invasive species adapt over time to a new environment to survive? In all-female weevil species that produce only female offspring from unfertilized eggs, the insects' survival techniques have led to the surprising discovery that these creatures can pass down gene regulation changes to...

Bird brains left other dinosaurs behind

Today, being "birdbrained" means forgetting where you left your keys or wallet. But 66 million years ago, it may have meant the difference between life and death—and may help explain why birds are the only dinosaurs left on Earth.

'Greening' biomaterials and scaffolds used in regenerative medicine

Green manufacturing is becoming an increasingly critical process across industries, propelled by a growing awareness of the negative environmental and health impacts associated with traditional practices. In the biomaterials industry, electrospinning is a universal fabrication method used around the world to produce nano- to microscale fibrous meshes that closely resemble native tissue...

Blood-sucking flies may be following chemicals produced by skin bacteria to locate bats to feed on

We humans aren't the only animals that have to worry about bug bites. There are thousands of insect species that have evolved to specialize in feeding on different mammals and birds, but scientists are still learning how these bugs differentiate between species to track down their preferred prey. It turns out, the attraction might not even be skin-deep: a new study in Molecular Ecology found...

Astronomers probe layer-cake structure of brown dwarf’s atmosphere

Astronomers have developed a new way to capture all the exquisite 'layer-cake' details of a brown dwarf's cloud structure. Because brown dwarfs are similar to super-Jupiters, this innovative technique can help deepen scientists' understanding of the atmospheres of giant alien worlds that are more massive than Jupiter.

The environment for permafrost in Daisetsu Mountains in Japan is projected to decrease significantly

Areas with climatic conditions suitable for sustaining permafrost in the Daisetsu Mountains are projected. The size of the area in the Daisetsu Mountains where climatic conditions were suitable for permafrost were estimated to be approximately 150 km2 in 2010. Under the business-as-usual scenario, this area is projected to disappear by around 2070. Under the low-carbon scenario consistent with...

'Greening' biomaterials and scaffolds used in regenerative medicine

In the biomaterials industry, electrospinning is a ubiquitous fabrication method used to produce nano- to microscale fibrous meshes that closely resemble native tissue architecture. Alas, the process has traditionally used solvents that not only are environmentally hazardous but also a significant barrier to industrial scale-up, clinical translation, and widespread use. But now, researchers report...

Can Australia fix its CovidSafe app and turn the pandemic into a ‘pingdemic’?

The Australian government is refusing to adopt technology used overseas that could speed up notification of close contactsThe federal government is in discussions to tweak its CovidSafe app to pick up more fleeting contacts due to the more infectious Delta variant, but is refusing to adopt technology used overseas that could speed up notification of close contacts.As England and Wales experience...

Source of DNA mutations in melanoma

The mutations that give rise to melanoma result from a chemical conversion in DNA fueled by sunlight -- not just a DNA copying error as previously believed, reports a new study. The findings upend long-held beliefs about the mechanisms underlying the disease, reinforce the importance of prevention efforts and offer a path forward for investigating the origins of other cancer types.

95% of British adults still wearing a mask when out, says survey

Figure same as before legal requirement relaxed, while most still feel that complying with other Covid safety measures is importantCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageOnly one British adult in 20 is no longer wearing a mask outside their homes despite the relaxing of legal mask-wearing requirements earlier this month, according to the first official survey on complying...

A single cell type map of human tissues

In a study published in the US journal Science Advances, a single cell type map of human tissues is presented. An open access atlas has been launched with more than 250,000 interactive plots to allow researchers to explore the expression in individual single cell types for all protein-coding genes in these tissues.

Watching light break down a model photocatalyst in near real time

Chemists create catalysts for use in industry and other applications. One of the methods to create these catalysts is by using light to break down organometallic compounds—substances that include both metals and carbon. These types of compounds are called photocatalysts. Scientists call the process of breaking down molecules with light, photodissociation. Researchers often study the...

An endlessly changing playground teaches AIs how to multitask

DeepMind has developed a vast candy-colored virtual playground that teaches AIs general skills by endlessly changing the tasks it sets them. Instead of developing just the skills needed to solve a particular task, the AIs learn to experiment and explore, picking up skills they then use to succeed in tasks they’ve never seen before. It is a small step toward general intelligence. What is...

UK appears to defy dire ‘freedom day’ predictions as Covid cases fall

Government will not say they believe worst is over, but cases fell for seven consecutive days this weekCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAs England’s “freedom day” dawned on 19 July, Boris Johnson was grumpily confined to his 16th-century grace-and-favour mansion, humiliated by the row over a bungled quarantine exemption. Cases were at more than 46,000 per day as...

Chemists discover a key to greener food production

Arguably the most important (if least well known) industrial advancement of the 20th century, the Haber-Bosch ammonia synthesis process essentially conquered food scarcity by creating the means to mass produce fertilizer—fertilizer then used to fortify food harvests around the world.

Electron microscopy in the age of automation

"Many of the greatest challenges of our time, from clean energy to environmental justice, require new approaches to the craft of scientific experimentation. This is exceedingly apparent in the field of electron microscopy. As researchers utilize this powerful window to peer into the atomic machinery behind today's technologies, they are increasingly inundated with data and constrained by...

Scientists explore the latent regenerative potential of the inner ear

Scientists have identified a natural barrier to the regeneration of the inner ear's sensory cells, which are lost in hearing and balance disorders. Overcoming this barrier may be a first step in returning inner ear cells to a newborn-like state that's primed for regeneration, as described in a new study. The study suggests new gene engineering approaches that could be used to channel some of the...