205 articles from WEDNESDAY 10.11.2021

Unraveling the eclipses of millisecond pulsars in a compact binary

A group of scientists working at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), Pune have for the first time unraveled the eclipse mechanisms for the millisecond pulsars in compact binary systems using the upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT). Eclipses in millisecond pulsars have been known since the 1980's, but the exact cause of these eclipses have not been understood till now....

New ways for dynamical prediction of extreme heat waves

Over the past decade, several extreme heat waves and heat domes have had a catastrophic impact on society and the biosphere. In 2021, all regions of the northern hemisphere have been affected. In late June and July, we saw simultaneous extreme heat waves in the Pacific Northwest, persistent heat waves in Siberia that fueled massive wildfires, and temperatures and humidity in Pakistan, northern...

The future of face masks

Building better air filters could help head off the next pandemic. At the 74th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, scientists will present the latest results on how future face masks may work, what happens when masks get wet, and why improper mask usage can sometimes be worse than no mask at all.

How to COVID-proof the grocery line, classroom, and orchestra

Despite effective vaccines, it has become clear that SARS-CoV-2 will not fully disappear anytime soon. At the 74th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, physicists and engineers will present innovative ways to avoid clouds of coronavirus whether waiting in line, going to class, listening to the opera, or encountering people elsewhere.

Extracting high-quality magnesium sulphate from seawater desalination brine

Given that mining to extract high-grade mineral ores is wastefully energy intensive, exhaustible, and bad for the environment, scientists have been scouting for alternatives. A group of Korean researchers, led by Professor Myoung-Jin Kim, from Korea Maritime and Ocean University, have now succeeded in extracting high-quality minerals from just seawater. Specifically, they have achieved the...

Image: Hubble surveys a snowman sculpted from gas and dust

The Snowman Nebula is an emission nebula that resides in the constellation Puppis in the southern sky, about 6,000 light-years away from Earth. Emission nebulae are diffuse clouds of gas that have become so charged by the energy of nearby massive stars that they glow with their own light. The radiation from these massive stars strips electrons from the nebula's hydrogen atoms in a process called...

Reversing new-onset type 1 diabetes with pyramid-like DNA: Mouse study

Usually diagnosed in children, teens and young adults, type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys insulin-secreting beta-cells in the pancreas. As a result, people with type 1 diabetes can't regulate their blood sugar levels and require insulin treatment for survival. Now, researchers have reversed new-onset type 1 diabetes in mice with pyramid-like...

When algorithms get creative

Uncovering the mechanisms of learning via synaptic plasticity is a critical step towards understanding how our brains function and building truly intelligent, adaptive machines. Researchers propose a new approach in which algorithms mimic biological evolution and learn efficiently through creative evolution.

Zika virus-specific therapy protects the fetal mouse brain

A gene-silencing therapy protected against Zika virus transmission from pregnant mice to the mouse fetuses, finds a new study. The treatment, which harnesses nanoparticles called small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) for drug delivery, crossed the placenta and blood-brain barrier to greatly reduce fetal neurological damage, including virus-induced brain shrinkage.

Spread of Transeurasian languages was due to agriculture

By triangulating data from linguistics, archaeology and genetics, a new study by an international team of researchers proposes a 'Farming Hypothesis' for the spread of Transeurasian languages, tracing the origins of Japonic, Koreanic, Tungusic, Mongolic and Turkic to the movements of Neolithic millet farmers from the region of the West Liao River.

Adding sound to quantum simulations

Aiming to emulate the quantum characteristics of materials more realistically, researchers have figured out a way to create a lattice of light and atoms that can vibrate -- bringing sound to an otherwise silent experiment.

Back-to-back hurricanes expected to increase in the Gulf Coast

By the end of the century, Louisiana and Florida could be twice as likely to experience two tropical storms that make landfall within nine days of each other, according to new model estimates. Being hit by two storms in quick succession gives communities and infrastructure less time to recover between disasters.

Apple chips moisture analysis made easy with near-infrared spectroscopy

Dried snack foods such as apple chips are a convenient alternative to fresh fruit, providing longer shelf life and easier storage. Consumers increasingly demand product variety, so companies coat such snack foods with fruit and vegetable powders to enhance taste and sensory appeal. A new study explores the drying process of coated and uncoated apple chips using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to...