181 articles from THURSDAY 12.8.2021

After Eta and Iota, NASA helps prep Central America for future storms

Shortly after Category 4 Hurricane Iota began to drench Central America on Nov. 16, 2020, Claudia Herrera watched from a helicopter as ruinous flood water inundated entire neighborhoods of La Lima, in Honduras' Valley of Sula. In just three days, the catastrophic rainfall of Iota had flooded Ramon Villeda Morales International Airport in La Lima, as well as schools, healthcare centers, and other...

Induced-fit adsorbent for acetylene

We often say that a substrate fits into its enzyme like a key in a lock, but this metaphor is imperfect. Substrate binding can also change the lock (the structure of the enzyme) to induce a perfect fit. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, an international team of researchers has now introduced a non-biological, crystalline material that demonstrates induced-fit binding behavior when it highly...

Humans behind extinction of hundreds of bird species over the last 50,000 years

A new study from Tel Aviv University and the Weizmann Institute revealed that over the last 20,000-50,000 years, birds have undergone a major extinction event, inflicted chiefly by humans, which caused the disappearance of about 10 to 20 percent of all avian species. The vast majority of the extinct species shared several features: they were large, they lived on islands, and many of them were...

Spektr-RG spacecraft detects its first tidal disruption events

Using the eROSITA telescope onboard the Spektr-RG (SRG) spacecraft, astronomers have detected 13 new tidal disruption events (TDEs). This is the first time when Spektr-RG identifies such events. The discovery is reported in a paper published August 5 on the arXiv pre-print server.

Greenhouse gas emissions must peak within 4 years, says leaked UN report

Group of scientists release draft IPCC report as they fear it will be watered down by governmentsGlobal greenhouse gas emissions must peak in the next four years, coal and gas-fired power plants must close in the next decade and lifestyle and behavioural changes will be needed to avoid climate breakdown, according to the leaked draft of a report from the world’s leading authority on climate...

A personal dosimeter is in your first aid kit

When proper precautions are taken, radioactive substances are extremely safe to use. But what if they leak into the environment in an uncontrolled manner? Then it becomes crucial to find out the dose of radiation people may have absorbed. Unfortunately, the average person does not possess a radiation dosimeter. The Institute of Nuclear Physics PAS has a new solution to this problem—and it can be...

Study: Drought is rising in Europe

A new study from the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), Faculty of Environmental Sciences, has found that the rise of compound warm-season droughts in Europe is a dynamic, developing phenomenon.

During Close Pass, Solar Orbiter Captures Venus’ Glare

Portal origin URL: During Close Pass, Solar Orbiter Captures Venus’ GlarePortal origin nid: 473208Published: Thursday, August 12, 2021 - 09:30Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: On Aug. 9, 2021, ESA/NASA’s Solar Orbiter spacecraft passed within 4,967 miles (7,995 kilometers) of the surface of planet Venus. In the days leading up to the approach, the...

Batters move their heads to keep their eyes on the ball

Researchers are revisiting an age-old question in baseball: Do batters actually keep their eye on the ball? A review of the few film- and lab-based studies on the subject suggests that yes, indeed, batters' eyes are watching the pitched ball. But they're moving their heads, and not their eyes, to direct their gaze.

New technique illuminates DNA helix

Researchers have identified a new way to measure DNA torsional stiffness -- how much resistance the helix offers when twisted -- information that can potentially shed light on how cells work.

UK charity shops go online to plug Covid spending gap

Number of items sold via internet surges by 151% between February and JulyCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageCharity shops, the stalwart of many British high streets, are turning to selling online as they try to plug the large gap in funding caused by the Covid pandemic.The number of items sold online by charities soared by 151% in the six months between February and...

More intense and more frequent floods and droughts in the future

Extreme climate events like the ones experienced by many regions around the world this summer are threatening to become more frequent and more devastating in the future. This applies to flooding as well as heatwaves and droughts, which in turn can lead to devastating forest fires. This is the conclusion reached by more than 200 scientists from 66 countries, including several researchers from the...