142 articles from TUESDAY 17.8.2021
Apple says researchers can vet its child safety features. But it’s suing a startup that does just that.
When Apple announced new technology that will check its US iCloud service for known child sexual abuse material, it was met with fierce criticism over worries that the feature could be abused for broad government surveillance. Faced with public resistance, Apple insisted that its technology can be held accountable.
“Security researchers are constantly able to introspect what’s happening...
'Connection with the past': AI to find and preserve Europe's historical smells
There's no sense quite like smell to trigger an emotional response. One whiff of a damp basement, a dusty blanket, a ripe strawberry, or a steaming bowl of pasta can instantly evoke feelings and memories that have their roots in the distant past. Yet when it comes to learning about bygone times, we barely give a thought to the vapors that once prevailed—galleries and museums are the domain of...
Study examines how to use your team's emotions to boost creativity
If you're putting together a team for a project, you might be inclined to pick people with cheerful, optimistic dispositions and flexible thinking. But a new management study indicates your team might also benefit from people who are exactly the opposite, according to experts at Rice University, the University of Western Australia, Bond University and the University of Queensland.
Light can trigger key signaling pathway for embryonic development as well as cancer
Blue light is illuminating new understanding of a key signaling pathway in embryo development, tissue maintenance and cancer genesis.
Study: As cities grow in size, the poor 'get nothing at all'
Cities are hubs of human activity, supercharging the exchange of ideas and interactions. Scaling theory has established that, as cities grow larger, they tend to produce more of pretty much everything from pollution and crime to patents and wealth. On average, people in larger cities are better off economically. But a new study published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface builds on...
Humans vs. automation: Service center agents can outperform technology, study shows
In the digital age, service center operations, including call centers and help desks, are increasingly important as main channels for organizations to interact with their customers. Companies are looking for ways to manage service centers more efficiently—including routing calls to appropriate representatives—because service centers have a direct impact on customer satisfaction and firm...
New way of analyzing tree rings confirms unprecedented central Asia warming
A relatively new way of analyzing tree rings has allowed researchers to reconstruct temperatures in Mongolia since 1269 C.E. The new reconstruction confirms that since the 1990s, summer temperatures are the warmest the region has seen in the past eight centuries.
Free electron laser insight: laser-beam interaction in a dipole magnet
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 21:26
Researchers contributed to a deeper understanding of free electron laser physics by evaluating the interaction between an ultraviolet laser and a relativistic electron beam in a pure dipole magnet. The team used a 266-nm laser at the soft x-ray FEL test facility to modulate an 800-MeV electron beam....The results showed that a short dipole magnet can serve as an effective tool for introducing...
Vaccine stockpiling by nations could lead to increase in COVID-19 cases, novel variant emergence, study finds
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 21:25
The extent of vaccine nationalism, wherein countries stockpile vaccines to prioritize access for their citizenry over equitable vaccine sharing, may strongly impact global trajectories of COVID-19 case numbers and increase the potential emergence of novel variants, according to a new study.
Tennessee: fired vaccine expert denies sending dog muzzle to herself
Dr Michelle Fiscus says muzzle was sent anonymously, perhaps as a warning, before she was fired over efforts to vaccinate teenagersA former Tennessee government official who was fired amid controversy over vaccine access for teenagers has denied sending herself a dog muzzle she told authorities was delivered anonymously, possibly as a warning to be quiet, after investigators determined it was...
'It bit me on my neck and I blacked out': Man recalls polar bear attack in Nunavut
Elijah Kaernerk said he saw one of the women being attacked in a similar manner in which a polar bear catches a seal. He said he started blacking out, but did his best to get up and distract the bear, in an effort to try and save the...
On the road to faster and more efficient data storage
How do magnetic waves behave in antiferromagnets and how do they spread? What role do "domain walls" play in the process? And what could this mean for the future of data storage? These questions are the focus of a recent publication in the journal Physical Review Letters from an international research team led by Konstanz physicist Dr. Davide Bossini. The team reports on magnetic phenomena in...
Astronomers see galaxies in ultra-high definition
Researchers capture some of the most detailed images ever seen of galaxies in deep space.
Dieting: Villain or scapegoat?
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 19:14
For decades, there has been an accepted definition of dieting in academia, and in society as a whole. Researchers recently reevaluated the decades of dieting research to redefine the way researchers and the public define -- and therefore understand - dieting and the culture of weight loss.
Bioprocess for converting plant materials into valuable chemicals
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 19:14
Scientists have developed a bioprocess using engineered yeast that completely and efficiently converted plant matter consisting of acetate and xylose into high-value bioproducts.
Invasive plants are still for sale as garden ornamentals, research shows
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 19:14
Ecologists show that 1,330 nurseries, garden centers and online retailers are still offering hundreds of invasive plant species as ornamental garden plants. This includes 20 species that are illegal to grow or sell nationwide.
New simulation shows how galaxies feed their supermassive black holes
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 19:14
While other simulations have modeled black hole growth, new model is the first single computer simulation powerful enough to comprehensively account for the numerous forces and factors that play into the evolution of supermassive black holes. Simulation shows that galaxies' spiral arms 'put the brakes on gas,' enabling it to fall into the black hole and as gas heats up while falling into a black...
Antibodies elicited by COVID-19 vaccination effective against delta variant
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 19:14
Researchers have found that the delta variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 is largely unable to evade antibodies elicited by vaccination. The findings help explain why vaccinated people have been at low risk of getting seriously ill with COVID-19 despite a surge in cases caused by the delta variant.
Fast changes between the solar seasons resolved by new sun clock
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 19:14
Violent activity on our Sun leads to some of the most extreme space weather events on Earth, impacting systems such as satellites, communications systems, power distribution and aviation. The roughly 11 year cycle of solar activity has three 'seasons', each of which affects the space weather felt at Earth differently: (i) solar maximum, the sun is active and disordered, when space weather is...
Previously unrecognized genetic mutation may underlie some cases of sudden infant death
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 19:14
A previously healthy infant who suffered aborted sudden cardiac death was found to have a de novo genetic mutation in the SOS1 gene. Such mutations are typical of Noonan syndrome and suggests the syndrome may be a cause of unrecognized sudden death in infancy.
Engineers grow 3D bioprinted blood vessel
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 19:14
Scientists have designed a 3D-bioprinted model of a blood vessel that mimics its state of health and disease, thus paving the way for possible cardiovascular drug advancements with better precision.
How microbes can exacerbate cognitive decline
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 19:13
Recent research has found that changes in the gut microbiota -- the trillions of bacteria and other microbes that live in the intestines -- can alter the brain and behavior. A new study could elucidate how and why that phenomenon occurs.
Contact tracing is key to suppressing COVID-19, research shows
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 19:13
New research suggests that officials should prioritize contact tracing and quarantine.
Humanoid robots perform flawless parkour routine
Two Boston Dynamics robots named Atlas push the envelope of human mimicry as they jump, step and flip through a parkour obstacle...
A new bioprocess for converting plant materials into valuable chemicals
A team of scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign developed a bioprocess using engineered yeast that completely and efficiently converted plant matter consisting of acetate and xylose into high-value bioproducts.
Scientists identify live immune cells in a coral and sea anemone for the first time
A new study led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and the Ben Gurion University of the Negev has identified specialized immune cells in the cauliflower coral and starlet sea anemone that can help fight infection. The findings are important to better understand how reef-building corals and other reef animals protect themselves from...
Indigenous territories fight climate change
In a recent study in PLOS ONE, researchers from 6 different countries, including Camilo Alejo and Catherine Potvin of the Department of Biology at McGill University, examined the importance of Indigenous Territories in climate change mitigation across Panama and the Amazon Basin. They found that Indigenous Territories represent effective natural solutions to meet the Paris Agreement by protecting...
Astronomers find a 'break' in one of the Milky Way's spiral arms
Scientists have spotted a previously unrecognized feature of our Milky Way galaxy: A contingent of young stars and star-forming gas clouds is sticking out of one of the Milky Way's spiral arms like a splinter poking out from a plank of wood. Stretching some 3,000 light-years, this is the first major structure identified with an orientation so dramatically different than the arm's.
Mosquito larvae are surprisingly complex
Mosquito larvae are surprisingly complex, with a sophisticated sense of smell that enables them to find food, avoid predators and thus become healthy adult mosquitoes with greater ability to transmit disease to humans.
Major nuclear fusion milestone reached as 'ignition' triggered in a lab
Ignition is a key process that amplifies the energy output from nuclear fusion and could provide clean energy and answer some huge physics questions.
Narrative approach can change minds on child care spending
How do you capture hearts and minds when it comes to increasing public support for policies and programs related to early childhood education?
Fast changes between the solar seasons resolved by new sun clock
Violent activity on our Sun leads to some of the most extreme space weather events on Earth, impacting systems such as satellites, communications systems, power distribution and aviation. The roughly 11-year cycle of solar activity has three 'seasons', each of which affects the space weather felt at Earth differently: (i) solar maximum, the sun is active and disordered, when space weather is...
Q&A: Gassy cows, leaking wells and other adventures in measuring methane
Last week, a landmark climate report from the United Nations gave the sobering consensus of decades of international climate change research: "It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land," causing "widespread and rapid changes" in the air, seas, once-frozen places and plant and animal life that have touched every region on Earth.
Genome-editing strategy developed for potential Alzheimer’s disease therapy
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 18:15
Scientists have developed a novel strategy using brain-wide genome-editing technology that can reduce Alzheimer's disease(AD) pathologies in genetically modified AD mouse models. This advanced technology offers immense potential to be translated as a novel long-acting therapeutic treatment for AD patients.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Explores a Changing Landscape
Portal origin URL: NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Explores a Changing LandscapePortal origin nid: 473285Published: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 - 11:43Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: A new video rings in the rover’s ninth year on Mars, letting viewers tour Curiosity’s location on a Martian mountain.Portal image: 360-degree view of Mars on July 3,...
Pregnant women do well with COVID vaccine, survey finds
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:30
A survey of more than 17,000 pregnant and lactating women who received the COVID-19 vaccine showed that they did not experience symptoms any more severe than their non-pregnant counterparts.
Fueled by winds, largest wildfire moves near California city
Firefighters faced dangerously windy weather Tuesday as they struggled to keep the nation's largest wildfire from moving toward a Northern California city and other small mountain communities.
Benefits of time-restricted eating depend on age and sex
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
Time-restricted eating (TRE), a dietary regimen that restricts eating to specific hours, has garnered increased attention in weight-loss circles. A new study further shows that TRE confers multiple health benefits besides weight loss. The study also shows that these benefits may depend on sex and age.
Wash your hands for 20 seconds: Physics shows why
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
Researchers describe a simple model that captures the key mechanics of hand-washing, estimating the time scales on which particles, like viruses and bacteria, were removed. Particles are trapped on the rough surfaces of the hand in potential wells, as though they are at the bottom of a valley and the energy from the water flow must be high enough to get them up and out of the valley.
Combining perovskite with silicon, solar cells convert more energy from sun
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
To fully harness the potential of sunlight, scientists have been trying to maximize the amount of energy that can be extracted from the sun. Researchers now describe how pairing metal halide perovskites with conventional silicon leads to a more powerful solar cell that overcomes the 26% practical efficiency limit of using silicon cells alone. Perovskites fulfill all the optoelectronic requirements...
Building bonds between males leads to more offspring for chimpanzees
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
If you're a male chimp looking for love -- or offspring -- it pays to make friends with other males. A study examined why male chimpanzees form close relationships with each other, and found that male chimpanzees that build strong bonds with the alpha male of the group, or with a large network of other males, are more successful at siring offspring.
Researchers find protein may protect against neurodegenerative diseases
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
An international research team may have found that a protein implicated in tumor growth may be able to help regulate awry cellular translation and protect against neuronal decay.
Unique insight into the interior of the Arabidopsis photosynthesis machine
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
Researchers have, with the help of cryogenic electron microscopy, succeeded in producing a high-resolution image of photosystem II - the central complex of photosynthesis - of the model plant Arabidopsis. The enormous complex is responsible for the vital oxygen production in photosynthesis that once made life possible on our planet.
Gender revolutions in who holds the purse strings
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
New research has uncovered considerable class differences in the gender revolution of who holds the purse strings among British couples. Low-earning and high-earning women are taking more control of the finances in their relationships, but in different ways, says the research.
Western chimpanzees are threatened by lack of regulated human development
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
New research has found that the habitats of West African (western) chimpanzees are threatened due to inadequate legislative protection from human development.
Cracking a mystery of massive black holes and quasars with supercomputer simulations
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
Researchers address some of the questions surrounding these massive and enigmatic features of the universe by using new, high-powered simulations.
Histamine could be a key player in depression, according to study in mice
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
Bodily inflammation dampens levels of a 'feel-good molecule' and antidepressants' ability to boost them, according to new research in mice.
On the road to faster and more efficient data storage
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:14
A research team has discovered magnetic phenomena in antiferromagnets that could pave the way to developing faster and more efficient data storage.
Brain organoids develop optic cups that respond to light
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/17 17:13
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be used to generate brain organoids containing an eye structure called the optic cup, according to a new study. The organoids spontaneously developed bilaterally symmetric optic cups from the front of the brain-like region, demonstrating the intrinsic self-patterning ability of iPSCs in a highly complex biological process.