140 articles from TUESDAY 31.8.2021
Picture-snapping public partly to blame for spike in Stanley Park coyote attacks: park board
The Vancouver Park Board says it will now be closing Stanley Park every day at 7 p.m., after a spike in coyote attacks officials say could at least in part be brought on by park users feeding animals for the sake of that 'Instagrammable'...
How to keep the power on during hurricanes and heat waves and fires and …
Global warming is underscoring the point, again and again and again, that the infrastructure in the US was built for the climate conditions of the past.
Hurricane Ida, turbocharged by unusually warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, plunged New Orleans into darkness after reportedly knocking out all eight of the transmission lines into the city.
That and other damage to the power system left...
Rare earth elements and old mines spell trouble for Western water supplies
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/31 21:53
Rare earth elements are finding their way into Colorado water supplies, driven by changes in climate, finds new research.
This rainbow-making tech could help autonomous vehicles read signs
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/31 21:53
A new study explains the science behind microscale concave interfaces (MCI) -- structures that reflect light to produce beautiful and potentially useful optical phenomena. Future applications of these effects could include aiding autonomous vehicles in recognizing traffic signs, researchers say. Multiple images, including of a sign created using the material, are available.
Machine learning algorithm revolutionizes how scientists study behavior
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/31 21:53
B-SOiD is an open source, unsupervised algorithm that can discover and identify behaviors without user input.
Census: Childless older women better off than older men
Older adults who are childless in the U.S. are more likely to be college educated, working and white than those with children, and their numbers are growing.
Model of SARS-CoV-2 dynamics reveals opportunity to prevent COVID-19 transmission
Scientists have simulated the transition of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein structure from when it recognizes the host cell to when it gains entry, according to a study published today in eLife.
New family of ferroelectric materials raises possibilities for improved information and energy storage
A new family of materials that could result in improved digital information storage and uses less energy may be possible thanks to a team of Penn State researchers who demonstrated ferroelectricity in magnesium-substituted zinc oxide.
Rare earth elements and old mines spell trouble for Western U.S. water supplies
Rare earth elements are finding their way into Colorado water supplies, driven by changes in climate, finds a new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.
An accidental discovery hints at a hidden population of cosmic objects
Brown dwarfs aren't quite stars and aren't quite planets, and a new study suggests there might be more of them lurking in our galaxy than scientists previously thought.
'X-ray magnifying glass' enhances view of distant black holes
By taking advantage of a natural lens in space, astronomers have captured an unprecedented look at X-rays from a black hole system in the early universe.
Dark Energy Camera captures detailed view of striking peculiar galaxy
A spectacular portrait of the galaxy Centaurus A has been captured by astronomers using the Dark Energy Camera mounted on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. This galaxy's peculiar appearance—cloaked in dark tendrils of dust—stems from a past interaction with another galaxy, and its size and proximity to Earth make it one of the...
Animal rights groups sue to stop Wisconsin wolf hunt
A coalition of animal rights groups filed a lawsuit Tuesday to stop Wisconsin's wolf hunt this fall and invalidate a state law mandating annual hunts, arguing the statutes don't give wildlife officials any leeway to consider population estimates.
Heading back to the office? Not all workplace interruptions are bad for business
If you're heading back to the office after working from home, you may re-encounter interruptions you've not experienced for 18 months: The family pet is replaced by chatty coworkers who stop at your desk to say hi.
Lack of non-English languages in STEM publications hurts diversity
With today's existing translation tools to overcome language barriers, global collaboration should be no major feat for researchers. Yet throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, articles published in Chinese journals focusing on critical aspects of the disease were often never cited by English journals. As a result, U.S. academics wasted precious time performing research thereby replicating already...
Evidence mounts that MMR and Tdap vaccines strengthen protection against severe COVID-19
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/31 20:24
Laboratory and retrospective analyses suggest that MMR and Tdap memory T cells are activated by SARS-CoV-2 and decrease COVID-19 severity.
Ferroelectrics everywhere?
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/31 20:24
A new family of materials that could result in improved digital information storage and uses less energy may be possible thanks to a team of researchers who demonstrated ferroelectricity in magnesium-substituted zinc oxide.
Researchers discover way to switch on and speed up tendon healing
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/31 20:24
A research team investigated whether electrical therapy, coupled with exercise, would show promise in treating tendon disease or ruptures. They found that tendon cell function and repair can be controlled through electrical stimulation from an implantable device powered by body movement.
In a common genetic disorder, blood test reveals when benign tumors turn cancerous
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/31 20:24
Researchers have developed a blood test that, they believe, could one day offer a highly sensitive and inexpensive approach to detect cancer early in people with NF1. The blood test could also help doctors monitor how well patients are responding to treatment for their cancer.
Model of SARS-CoV-2 dynamics reveals opportunity to prevent COVID-19 transmission
- ScienceDaily
- 21/8/31 20:24
A structural model of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as the virus fuses with host human cells reveals an opportunity to disrupt dynamics and halt transmission.
What’s happening with covid vaccine apps in the US
A year ago, vaccines to tackle the covid pandemic still seemed like a far-off idea. Today, though, doses have been delivered to almost 40% of the world’s people—and some are being asked to prove they’re among them, leading to the rise of so-called vaccine passports. The details of these credentials vary from place to place,…
Meet 'Big John': World's biggest triceratops on sale in Paris
A Paris auction house will seek to sell in October the world's biggest known example of the dinosaur triceratops, known as "Big John", with the spectacular skeleton on show to the public beforehand, organisers said Tuesday.
Australian health authorities warn against mixing Covid vaccine types
Concerns raised that some people may be cancelling their second AstraZeneca dose hoping to obtain a shot of Pfizer insteadFollow our Covid live blog for the latest updatesHotspots: NSW; Vic; QldVaccine rollout tracker; get our free news app; get our morning email briefingThe evidence is strongest for receiving two doses of the same Covid-19 vaccine, rather than mixing different types, medical...