195 articles from THURSDAY 9.9.2021

Forest edges in the tropics increase carbon emissions

Tropical rain forests are becoming fragmented at a higher rate than expected. By analyzing high-resolution satellite data, researchers were able to measure even the smallest piece of tropical forest and study the changes in tropical fragmentation. In a new paper, they discuss how this previously unnoticed and underestimated increase in fragmentation to almost one third of the forest area has...

What the brain shows: The benefits of virtual reality in creative arts therapies

Researchers examined the differences in prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation between two distinct drawing tasks in virtual reality. Results of the study indicated significant differences between a rote tracing task and a creative self-expression task, with the rote tracing task showing an increase in PFC activity. It also showed there was reduced PFC activation for creative self-expressive tasks,...

People with Parkinson's may benefit from seven walking strategies

Various strategies can help people with Parkinson's who have difficulty walking, but a new study finds that many people have never heard of or tried these strategies. The study also found that how well different compensation strategies worked depended on the context in which they were used, such as indoors versus outdoors, under time pressure or not.

Environmental conditions of early humans in Europe

The conditions under which early members of the genus Homo dispersed outside Africa were analysed on a broader scale, across Europe during the Early and Middle Pleistocene. The model is based on the comparison of functional trait distribution of large herbivorous mammals in sites with archaeological or fossil evidence of human presence and in sites, which lack evidence of human presence.

New opportunities for light-powered battery and fuel cell design

Researchers induced substantial motion of oxide ions within perovskite crystals by using pulses of ultraviolet light. Such motion provides a means to store energy in the crystals. This development will help researchers improve the functionality of solid-state electrolytes in batteries and fuel cells.

Who was king before Tyrannosaurus? Uzbek fossil reveals new top dino

A new dinosaur from the lower Upper Cretaceous of Uzbekistan, Ulughbegsaurus uzbekistanensis, was described from a single maxilla fossil. The research team estimated that this carcharodontosaurian weighed over 1000 kg and measured 7.5--8.0 meters in length, much larger than previously described predators from the same formation. The fossil's age, location, and co-occurrence with the smaller...

Hand pollination of crops is of major importance

Pollinators -- such as bees, butterflies and birds -- are essential for agricultural production. However, natural pollination can also fail or be insufficient, which can lead to lower yields and poorer quality. This means alternative solutions are needed. Hand pollination, in which pollen is applied manually or mechanically to the flower, can supplement or replace pollination by animals....

‘Anti-rust’ coating for plants protects against disease with cellulose nanofiber

Researchers have found that coating soybean plant leaves with cellulose nanofiber (CNF) gives protection against an aggressive fungal disease. The CNF coating changed leaf surfaces from water repellent to water absorbent, and suppressed pathogen gene expression associated with infection mechanisms, offering resistance to the destructive Asian rust disease. This is the first study to examine CNF...

How confined protons migrate

Protons in aqueous solution can usually migrate very quickly -- much faster compared to other ions. However, this only applies when they are in a space greater than two nanometers, as a new study shows. In confined spaces the so-called Grotthuss mechanism no longer works, in which protons diffuse faster than ions.