128 articles from MONDAY 18.10.2021
Fleshy fruits are more common in tropics: Phylogenic analysis
Fruits can be dichotomously classified as fleshy or dry. Although many factors have been proposed to explain the pattern that the fleshy-fruited species occur with deceasing latitude and altitude, the relative importance of these factors has not yet been resolved.
A virus that disrupts the sex routines of roundworms
Viruses influence the sex life of the roundworm C. elegans. Male roundworms of this non-parasitic nematode species are less sexually attracted to females infected with the Orsay virus. The virus also eventually leads to more male offspring and therefore an increase in mating behavior. This has been shown in doctoral research by microbiologist Lisa van Sluijs, lecturer at the Laboratory of...
mRNA degradation induced by fluid flow breaks left–right symmetry in vertebrates
A better knowledge of the causes of disease, birth defects and genetic syndromes could come from new insights gleaned by RIKEN biologists into how mice embryos develop asymmetry between their left and right sides.
Successful beam pipe installation at LHCb
The LHC experiments are nearing the completion of maintenance and upgrade works carried out in the framework of the second long shutdown of CERN's accelerator complex. Of all the experiments, LHCb is undergoing the most significant metamorphosis during these two years, namely the installation of a faster Vertex Locator (VELO), a new scintillating-fiber particle-tracking detector (SciFi), and...
Synthesizing double perovskite nanocrystals with bright emission based on triplet self-trapped excitons
Different from the narrow band emission based on free excitons in lead-perovskite nanocrystals (NCs), the low electronic dimensionality in lead-free double perovskite NCs can lead to self-trapped excitons (STEs), generating a broadband emission.
New active agent against parasites
Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have identified a chemical compound that may be suitable as an active agent against several different unicellular parasites. Among these are the pathogens that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis. The point of attack for this promising substance is the protein tubulin: It helps cells divide and therefore is essential for the multiplication of the...
Analysis puts most general constraints on nonstandard neutrino interactions
For decades, physicists have theorized that the current best theory describing particle physics—the "Standard Model"—was not sufficient to explain the way the universe works. In the search for physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM), elusive particles called neutrinos might point the way.
How herbivore activity around water affects plant communities
Plants need water to grow. So if there's water, shouldn't there be more plants? New research out of UC Santa Barbara and Mpala Research Centre in Laikipia, Kenya shows it's a lot more complicated than that.
The four LHC experiments are getting ready for pilot beams
Since 2019, many places at CERN have been operating like beehives to complete the scheduled upgrades for the second long shutdown (LS2) of the accelerator complex. This period of intense work is now coming to an end with the injection of the first pilot beams into the LHC. This major milestone will be featured during a live event on CERN's social media channels on 20 October at 4 pm (CEST).
Structured management protocols help firms thrive
It stands to reason that better-run companies attract and retain better workers, but what are the actual practices that make a business run better?
Did you solve it? Hamiltonian ingenuity on the grid
The solutions to today’s puzzlesEarlier today I set you two puzzles based on Hamiltonian paths in a square grid. A Hamiltonian path is one which visits every cell exactly once. (If you want a print out of the puzzles, click here.)1. The Hamiltonian path Continue...
Valneva Covid vaccine could be as effective as Oxford jab, study suggests
Vaccine produced by French company uses inactivated Sars-CoV-2 virus and can be stored in fridgeCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageA coronavirus jab based on traditional vaccine technology might be as effective as the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, data suggests, offering new hope for global vaccination efforts.Vaccines currently approved for use in the UK deliver...
Hear Sounds From Mars Captured by NASA’s Perseverance Rover
Portal origin URL: Hear Sounds From Mars Captured by NASA’s Perseverance RoverPortal origin nid: 474737Published: Monday, October 18, 2021 - 11:26Featured (stick to top of list): noPortal text teaser: Two microphones aboard the six-wheeled spacecraft add a new dimension to the way scientists and engineers explore the Red Planet.Portal image: Illustration of NASA’s...
Uncovering the secrets of ultra-low frequency gravitational waves
- ScienceDaily
- 21/10/18 17:25
New methods of detecting ultra-low frequency gravitational waves can be combined with other, less sensitive measurements to deliver fresh insights into the early development of our universe, according to researchers.
How the brain navigates cities
- ScienceDaily
- 21/10/18 17:25
A study suggests our brains are not optimized to calculate the shortest possible route when navigating on foot. Instead, pedestrians use vector-based navigation, choosing 'pointiest' paths that point most directly toward their destination, even if the routes are longer.
Optimum pressure to improve the performance of lithium metal batteries
- ScienceDaily
- 21/10/18 17:25
A team of materials scientists and chemists has determined the proper stack pressure that lithium metal batteries, or LMBs, need to be subjected to during battery operation in order to produce optimal performance.
Fasting is required to see the full benefit of calorie restriction in mice
- ScienceDaily
- 21/10/18 17:25
Over the last few decades, scientists have discovered that long-term calorie restriction provides a wealth of benefits in animals. Researchers have largely assumed that reduced food intake drove these benefits by reprogramming metabolism. But a new study finds that reduced calorie intake alone is not enough; fasting is essential for mice to derive full benefit.
The human immune system is an early riser
- ScienceDaily
- 21/10/18 17:24
Circadian clocks, which regulate most of the physiological processes of living beings over a rhythm of about 24 hours, are one of the most fundamental biological mechanisms. By deciphering the cell migration mechanisms underlying the immune response, scientists have shown that the activation of the immune system is modulated according to the time of day. Indeed, the migration of immune cells from...
Lakes are changing worldwide: Human activities to blame
- ScienceDaily
- 21/10/18 17:24
Worldwide, lake temperatures are rising and seasonal ice cover is shorter and thiner. This effects lake ecosystems, drinking water supply and fishing. International research now shows that these global changes in lake temperature and ice cover are not due to natural climate variability. They can only be explained by massive greenhouse gas emissions since the Industrial Revolution. To demonstrate...
Mammalian motivation circuits: Maybe they’re born with it
- ScienceDaily
- 21/10/18 17:24
Are animals born to seek rewards or avoid punishment? Researchers found that mice have pre-programmed neurons and circuits that process 'positive' and 'negative' stimuli. Their findings may be useful for studying neurological and psychiatric disorders in humans.
Exploring the global environmental impacts of China's growing demand for food
Ensuring China's future food security will have huge environmental impacts, both domestically and globally. A study by IIASA researchers and Chinese colleagues shows that carefully designed policies across the whole of China's food system, including international trade, are crucial to ensuring that future demand can be satisfied without destroying the environment.
British Museum to display the world's oldest map of stars
The British Museum will display what it says is the world's oldest surviving map of the stars in a major upcoming exhibition on the Stonehenge stone circle.
Floods, landslides kill at least 28 people in southern India
Officials predicted more rain as the death toll from floods and landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala rose to 28 on Monday.
Ultrafast control of quantum materials
An international team with participation of the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI shows how light can fundamentally change the properties of solids and how these effects can be used for future applications. The researchers summarize their progress in this field, which is based among other things on experiments that can also be carried out at the Swiss X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL, in the...
Putting honeybee hives on solar parks could boost the value of UK agriculture
The value of UK agriculture could be boosted by millions of pounds a year if thousands of honeybee hives were deployed on solar parks across the country, a new study reveals.