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83 articles from PhysOrg

Industry lobbying on WHO overshadowing public health policy, researchers suggest

Has the World Health Organization become collateral damage in the wars over global commerce? Producers of such products as commercial milk formulas, processed foods, alcoholic beverages, pharmaceuticals and electronic gaming software have been ramping up efforts to influence United States policy toward the WHO. This, University of California, Davis researchers suggest in a new paper, compromises a...

First direct observation of the dead-cone effect in particle physics

The ALICE collaboration at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has made the first direct observation of the dead-cone effect—a fundamental feature of the theory of the strong force that binds quarks and gluons together into protons, neutrons and, ultimately, all atomic nuclei. In addition to confirming this effect, the observation, reported in a paper published today in Nature, provides direct...

Molecular surveillance pathway tells cells when they run low on lipids

UT Southwestern researchers have discovered a molecular pathway that allows cells to sense when their lipid supplies become depleted, prompting a flurry of activity that prevents starvation. The findings, reported in Nature, might someday lead to new ways to combat metabolic disorders and a variety of other health conditions.

NBA sees rise in acts of symbolic violence, decline in acts of physical violence

A new analysis of NBA basketball broadcasts from 1998 to 2018 reveals a decline in acts of physical violence, such as pushing and elbowing, and a rise in acts of symbolic violence, such as shouting, trash talking, and menacing displays. Assaf Lev from the Department of Sports Therapy at Ono Academic College in Kiryat Ono, Israel, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal...

Research team develops wood-based foam to keep buildings cooler

Summertime is almost here, a time when many people try to beat the heat. But running air conditioners constantly can be expensive and wasteful. Now, researchers reporting in the ACS journal Nano Letters have designed a lightweight foam made from wood-based cellulose nanocrystals that reflects sunlight, emits absorbed heat and is thermally insulating. They suggest that the material could reduce...

French towns sweat in record May heat

Several southern French towns sizzled in record high temperatures for May on Wednesday, while the month as whole is on track to be the hottest since records began, the national weather service said.

Discovery uncovers need for ammonia emission regulations

A discovery by former Carnegie Mellon Ph.D. student, Mingyi Wang, leading a large collaborative team, sheds light on one way new particles are forming in the upper troposphere. The study, published in Nature, reveals an unexpected volatile reaction between nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and ammonia, synergistically creating new particles at a rapid rate. The findings suggest that in addition to...

Graphene-wrapped zeolite membranes for fast hydrogen separation

The effects of global warming are becoming more serious, and there is a strong demand for technological advances to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Hydrogen is an ideal clean energy which produces water when burned. To promote the use of hydrogen energy, it is essential to develop safe, energy-saving technologies for hydrogen production and storage. Currently, hydrogen is made from natural gas,...

For wetland plants, sea-level rise stamps out benefits of higher carbon dioxide

Wetlands across the globe are in danger of drowning from rising seas. But for decades, scientists held out hope that another aspect of climate change—rising carbon dioxide (CO2)—could trigger extra plant growth, enabling coastal wetlands to grow fast enough to outpace sea-level rise. That helpful side effect is disappearing, they discovered in a new study published May 18.

Developing a better diagnostic nano-probe

Biomarkers are components that may be present in biological samples and are related to specific diseases. Therefore, doctors can analyze biological samples from a patient to check their health condition or to monitor the progress of a specific therapy. Typically, these samples need to be purified and diluted before the analysis, and current medical diagnostic techniques rely on health care...

New advances for reducing defects in multimaterials using directed energy deposition

Materials used in the fields of aerospace, automobiles, medical equipment and defense need to withstand extremely harsh environments. Small flaws in the materials, i.e. cracks, can lead to catastrophic consequences and massive economic loss. However, most materials cannot handle such high temperatures and pressures. Multimaterials, like functionally graded materials (FGMs), which combine different...

Study shows a '15-minute city' within reach for Vancouver

According to a new study published by Simon Fraser University researchers, 79 percent of residents in the City of Vancouver have access to a grocery store within a 15-minute walk and 99 percent had at least on grocery store within a 15-minute cycle.