Long-sought Great Lakes projects get funding under new law
A project that will boost Great Lakes shipping in a crucial bottleneck and another intended to protect the lakes from invasive carp will get big funding increases under the Biden administration's infrastructure package, officials said Thursday.
'Rough' words feature a trill sound in languages around the globe
In languages spoken around the world, words describing rough surfaces are highly likely to feature a "trilled /r/" sound—a linguistic pattern that stretches back over 6,000 years, a new study reveals. The international team of researchers from the University of Birmingham, Radboud University, and the University of British Columbia has published its findings in Scientific Reports.
Marine sponge cells in 3D could ramp up production of drug compounds
There are more than 9,000 species of marine sponges (Phylum Porifera) worldwide, which are a source of novel natural products. They contain promising chemical agents that may be useful in combatting cancer, COVID-19 and antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus bacteria. These chemicals interact with molecules that have been conserved throughout evolutionary history and are involved in human disease...
Are you a 'busy explorer' or 'quality time seeker?' Study splits travelers according to time use, environmental impact
Younger travelers in full-time work who feel the pressure to make the most of their holiday time are more likely to engage in activities that make their trips less sustainable, according to research led by Nottingham Business School, Nottingham Trent University.
Experiment with turnstiles of single electrons shows way towards new power standard
The world's most commonly used system of measurement, the International System of Units (SI), was redefined in 2019. Since then, units have needed to be defined in terms of the constants of nature—that is, nature's rules that are fixed and of no uncertainty, such as the speed of light—and not in terms of arbitrary references.
Is Vesuvius taking an extended siesta?
Located near Naples, Italy, Vesuvius last had a violent eruption in 1944, towards the end of the Second World War. It could be a few hundred years before another dangerous, explosive eruption occurs, finds a new study by volcano experts at ETH Zurich.
NASA solar sail mission to chase tiny asteroid after Artemis I launch
Launching with the Artemis I uncrewed test flight, NASA's shoebox-size Near-Earth Asteroid Scout will chase down what will become the smallest asteroid ever to be visited by a spacecraft. It will get there by unfurling a solar sail to harness solar radiation for propulsion, making this the agency's first deep space mission of its kind.
Motor proteins haul precious cargo in neurons. How can we control their movement?
Inside neurons, motor proteins haul precious cargo, moving essential goods along thread-like roadways called microtubule tracks.
New measuring method reveals there may be more plastic on than in your salad
It's now possible to measure how many plastic particles there are in our food. Chinese scientists and Leiden University professor Willie Peijnenburg applied their new method to lettuce and wheat. Their results were published January 20 in Nature Nanotechnology.
Researchers develop novel microscopic picoshell particles
Production of high-energy fats by microalgae may provide a sustainable, renewable energy source that can help tackle climate change. However, microalgae engineered to produce lipids rapidly usually grow slowly themselves, making it difficult to increase overall yields.
Analysis of bankruptcy data reveals patterns that underscore broader social, economic trends
A new paper co-written by a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign expert who studies consumer credit issues provides the first comprehensive overview of bankruptcy filers in more than 30 years, shining a spotlight on the economic stressors faced by U.S. debtors.
Disease predictions can be improved by factoring in mosquito predators
The way mosquitoes react to predators should be included in disease models, say researchers behind a new study.
Scientists recommend system of checkpoints to help guide climate engineering research
Research into engineering techniques that might one day be employed to artificially cool the planet poses some of the thorniest questions facing society today. For climate scientists, that tension is compounded by the lack of a broadly accepted oversight framework to guide their research.
Quantum tech: Semiconductor 'flipped' to insulator above room temp
A semiconducting material that performed a quantum "flip" from a conductor to an insulator above room temperature has been developed at the University of Michigan. It potentially brings the world closer to a new generation of quantum devices and ultra-efficient electronics.
Research demonstrates a new technique for improving long-distance quantum key distribution in a real-world field
An experiment, performed by Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica (INRIM) on 200 km of the Italian Quantum Backbone, in collaboration with Toshiba Europe, shows that coherent laser interferometry considerably improves the performances of quantum key distribution protocols in long-distance, real-world networks. The study has been published in Nature Communications.
Pristine groundwater seeps support native algae on Hawai'i's coasts
Native marine macroalgae, also known as limu, or as seaweed, thrive in environments created by natural groundwater seeps, specifically benefiting from the combined effects of enhanced nutrients despite lowered salinity levels, according to a review published recently by a team of University of Hawai'i at Mānoa researchers. Conversely, in areas where the seeping groundwater is tainted by excess...
Scientists confirm a highly eccentric black hole merger for the first time
For the first time, scientists believe they have detected a merger of two black holes with eccentric orbits. According to a paper published in Nature Astronomy by researchers from Rochester Institute of Technology's Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation and the University of Florida, this can help explain how some of the black hole mergers detected by LIGO Scientific Collaboration...
Landmark advancement in flow cytometry technology
Becton, Dickinson and Company, a global medical technology company, today announced that a study conducted in collaboration with the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and published as the cover story of the January 21 issue of the journal Science profiles a new BD innovation in flow cytometry that adds fluorescence imaging and image-based decisioning to sort individual cells at...
Sidewinding young stellar jets spied by Gemini South
Young stellar jets are a common by-product of star formation and are thought to be caused by the interplay between the magnetic fields of rotating young stars and the disks of gas surrounding them. These interactions eject twin torrents of ionized gas in opposite directions, such as those pictured in two images captured by astronomers using the Gemini South telescope on Cerro Pachón on the edge...
Polish researchers invent anti-smog sound cannon
In a battle against Poland's constant smog, scientists are testing out a new "cannon" that uses soundwaves to push toxic particles higher into the atmosphere to allow residents to breathe.
EU ministers mull climate policy, carbon border tax
European Union environment ministers gathered in France Thursday to mulls climate policy and the merits of a carbon border tax, while airing differences on whether nuclear energy can be classified as "green".
Impossible material made possible inside a graphene sandwich
Atoms bind together by sharing electrons. The way this happens depends on the atom types but also on conditions such as temperature and pressure. In two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene, atoms join along a plane to form structures just one atom thick, which leads to fascinating properties determined by quantum mechanics. Researchers at the University of Vienna in collaboration with the...
Glimmers of hope, but Doomsday Clock stuck at 100 seconds to midnight
The "Doomsday Clock," representing the judgment of leading science and security experts about perils to human existence, remains at 100 seconds to midnight this year, with advances like Covid-19 vaccines balanced by rising misinformation and other threats.
Peanut researchers create disease-resistant hybrids
Georgia farmers produce half the peanuts grown in the U.S. each year, using proven production practices to fight disease in the field. In fact, modern peanut varieties carry little genetic defenses against some of the more devastating diseases, so peanut farmers carefully consider when to plant, whether to irrigate and when to apply fungicide and insecticide to keep those diseases from infecting...
Polymer upcycling of common plastic adds toughness, recyclability to structural adhesives
Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory used polymer chemistry to transform a common household plastic into a reusable adhesive with a rare combination of strength and ductility, making it one of the toughest materials ever reported.