198 articles from THURSDAY 14.10.2021

Hubble Finds Evidence of Persistent Water Vapor in One Hemisphere of Europa

Portal origin URL: Hubble Finds Evidence of Persistent Water Vapor in One Hemisphere of Europa Portal origin nid: 474614Published: Thursday, October 14, 2021 - 10:45Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope observations of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa have revealed the presence of persistent water vapor – but, mysteriously,...

Next-generation telescopes could detect the direct collapse of enormous black holes near the beginning of time

The first black holes to appear in the universe may have formed from the direct collapse of gas. When they collapsed, they released a flood of radiation, including radio waves. A new study has found that the next generation of massive radio telescopes may be able to detect these bursts, giving precious insights into a critical epoch in the history of the universe.

Long-term experiment shows warming slows microbes' growth

In a first-of-its-kind warming experiment, researchers at Northern Arizona University found that microbes growth rate decreased over 15 years of warming. The research, published this week in Global Change Biology, showed that under warmer climate conditions, growth decreased among all types of microbes in the community, and suggested that a loss of soil carbon may be responsible for the slowdown.

Exotic magnetic states in miniature dimensions

We are all used to the idea that simpler units in nature interact to form complex structures. Take, for example, the hierarchy of life, where atoms combine to form molecules, molecules combine to form cells, cells combine to form tissues, and so on, ultimately leading to the formation of complex organisms such as humans. In the quantum world, however, this process may play in reverse, where...

No to the re-approval of glyphosate – Large aerial dispersal confirmed

The EU authorities' assumption that glyphosate does not spread through the air has been disproven. The results of the German study "Pesticide pollution of the air" prove that glyphosate and dozens of other pesticides are traveling through the air for miles into national parks and cities. The analysis was initially published in 2019 and has now been peer-reviewed by independent scientists and...

Serendipitous discovery leads to a new understanding of how cells multitask

Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI) researchers at UC San Francisco have discovered a new paradigm for how fundamental biological switches, proteins that can be turned on and off to control processes like cell differentiation, cell growth, and transport within a cell, are regulated at the molecular level, specifically by molecules binding at newly discovered sites far away from the main...

Unique underpinnings revealed for stomach's acid pump

Nagoya University researchers and colleagues have improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms of a key protein that makes the stomach acidic. Their findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, could lead to better drugs for stomach ulcers and shed light on the functions of similar proteins across the human body."This gastric protein pumps in acidic ions to fortify our stomach,...

Sustainable farming: There's no one solution

Sustainable agriculture will not be achieved by one universal solution. A meta-analysis by the University of Basel shows that the current focus on no-till farming does not achieve the desired results. A sustainable system of agriculture must be designed for local needs and in dialog with local farmers.

Lone changer: Fish camouflage better without friends nearby

While gobies aren't the only fish with camouflage abilities, new research shows that their colour change is influenced by their social context: they transform faster and better when alone. This is likely an adaptive, stress response to perceived threat from predators - with possible application to other camouflaging species.

Sustainable farming: There’s no one solution

Sustainable agriculture will not be achieved by one universal solution. A meta-analysis shows that the current focus on no-till farming does not achieve the desired results. A sustainable system of agriculture must be designed for local needs and in dialog with local farmers.

Sense of smell is our most rapid warning system

The ability to detect and react to the smell of a potential threat is a precondition of our and other mammals' survival. Using a novel technique, researchers have been able to study what happens in the brain when the central nervous system judges a smell to represent danger. The study indicates that negative smells associated with unpleasantness or unease are processed earlier than positive smells...

Molecular mixing creates super stable glass

Researchers have succeeded in creating a new type of super-stable, durable glass with potential applications ranging from medicines, advanced digital screens, and solar cell technology. The study shows how mixing multiple molecules -- up to eight at a time -- can result in a material that performs as well as the best currently known glass formers.