161 articles from THURSDAY 30.6.2022
Lost in space: returned astronauts struggle to recover bone density, study finds
Lack of gravity and weightlessness means the longer astronauts stay in space, the more bone mass they loseAstronauts lose decades’ worth of bone mass in space that many do not recover even after a year back on Earth, researchers have found, warning that it could be a “big concern” for future missions to Mars.Previous research has shown astronauts lose between 1% and 2% of bone density for...
Supreme Court limits Biden's power to cut emissions
The landmark ruling curbs federal power to limit greenhouse gas emissions in a setback for President Biden.
Another Webb telescope instrument gets the 'go for science'
The second of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope's four primary scientific instruments, known as the Mid-Infrared instrument (MIRI), has concluded its postlaunch preparations and is now ready for science.
Time makes histone H3 modifications drift in mouse liver
Aging is known to involve epigenetic histone modifications, which are associated with transcriptional changes, occurring throughout the entire lifespan of an individual.
Research reveals structure of a human endogenous reverse transcriptase
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 22:47
The crystal structure of a human endogenous reverse transcriptase has similarities to HIV reverse transcriptase, a well-known tractable drug target, which will help design drugs to treat cancer and other diseases, according to a study co-authored by a Rutgers researcher.
Active transportation projects offer solid returns on investment, economic study finds
Active transportation investments offer many types of benefits related to safety, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, physical activity and the economy. Metro, Oregon's regional government for the Portland metropolitan area, wants to better understand the role of these investments in building stronger communities in their region, and in implementing the Metro 2040 Growth Concept.
Smart earbud will measure how astronauts sleep
Sleep is important for our health and well-being, and bad sleep can negatively impact our attention span, memory, decision-making skills, creativity and judgment.
Research reveals structure of human endogenous reverse transcriptase
The crystal structure of a human endogenous reverse transcriptase has similarities to HIV reverse transcriptase, a well-known tractable drug target, which will help design drugs to treat cancer and other diseases, according to a study co-authored by a Rutgers researcher.
Students seek to improve safety for houseless pedestrians in Portland
In 2022, a Portland State University Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) team made headlines with their strategies to improve safety for houseless pedestrians. Cities across the U.S. are facing alarming increases in traffic fatalities, especially among the number of pedestrians who are struck and killed by drivers. In 2021, 70 percent of all pedestrian fatalities in Portland were of...
Research team develops ultrabroadband edge coupler for highly efficient second harmonic generation
Thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) has recently emerged as a versatile nanophotonic platform. With the advantages of high optical confinement, enhanced light-matter interaction, and flexible dispersion control, TFLN-based periodically poled lithium niobite (PPLN) devices outperform their legacy counterparts in both non-linear optical efficiency and device footprint.
Nation's most sweeping law to phase out single-use plastics approved by California lawmakers
Striking a blow against a pernicious form of pollution, California lawmakers on Thursday passed the nation's most far-reaching restrictions on single-use plastics and packaging, with Gov. Gavin Newsom expected to sign the bill Thursday.
Borrowed gene helps maize adapt to high elevations, cold temperatures
Researchers at North Carolina State University show that an important gene in maize called HPC1 modulates certain chemical processes that contribute to flowering time, and has its origins in "teosinte mexicana," a precursor to modern-day corn that grows wild in the highlands of Mexico. The findings provide insight into plant evolution and trait selection, and could have implications for corn and...
Bacteria for blastoff: Using microbes to make supercharged new rocket fuel
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 22:00
Biofuel scientists used an oddball molecule made by bacteria to develop a new class of sustainable biofuels powerful enough to launch rockets. The candidate molecules have greater projected energy density than any petroleum product, including the leading aviation and rocket fuels, JetA and RP-1.
Researchers discover new leukemia-killing compounds
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 22:00
Researchers have discovered potential new drugs that target mitochondria in cancer cells. Their study in the journal Leukemia describes the compounds' potential for killing leukemia cells when administered by themselves or in combination with other chemotherapies.
Gemini North spies ultra-faint fossil galaxy discovered on outskirts of Andromeda
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 22:00
An unusual ultra-faint dwarf galaxy has been discovered on the outer fringes of the Andromeda Galaxy thanks to the sharp eyes of an amateur astronomer. Follow-up by professional astronomers revealed that the dwarf galaxy -- Pegasus V -- contains very few heavier elements and is likely to be a fossil of the first galaxies.
Borrowed gene helps maize adapt to high elevations, cold temperatures
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 22:00
An important gene in maize called HPC1 modulates certain chemical processes that contribute to flowering time, and has its origins in 'teosinte mexicana,' a precursor to modern-day corn that grows wild in the highlands of Mexico. The findings provide insight into plant evolution and trait selection, and could have implications for corn and other crops' adaptation to low temperatures.
California's Dixie Fire shows impact of legacy effects, prescribed burns
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 22:00
The 2021 Dixie Fire burned over nearly 1 million acres in California and cost $637 million to suppress, making it the largest and most expensive wildfire to contain in state history. Fire history largely determined how severely the wildfire burned, and low-severity fire treatments had the largest impact on reducing the worst effects of the fire, according to a research team.
‘Amazing development’: fossil finds show how panda’s false thumb evolved
Fossils of Ailurarctos, an extinct panda relative, are oldest known evidence for the radial sesamoidAncient fossils discovered in China have helped researchers get a grip on the enduring mystery of the panda’s false thumb.Modern giant pandas sport a thumb-like sixth digit on their wrists, which scientists believe was pivotal in their transition from omnivores to bamboo-munching vegetarians....
Comparative analyses of American and Asian lotus genomes
Nelumbo is a unique genus of Nelumbonaceae (lotus), which comprises two extant species: N. nucifera Gaertn. widely distributed in Asia and northern Australia, and N. lutea Pers. which is distributed in America. These two species exhibit differences in morphology, such as plant size, leaf shape, petal shape and petal color, but share the same chromosome number.
When should U.S. research be stamped ‘top secret’? NSF asks for a new look at the issue
The U.S. academic community is gearing up for a new effort to convince national policymakers that the benefits of keeping government-funded basic research out in the open—and not stamping it classified—far outweigh any threat to national security from sharing scientific findings.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,...
How bacteria adhere to cells: Basis for the development of a new class of antibiotics
Researchers from University Hospital Frankfurt and Goethe University Frankfurt have unraveled how bacteria adhere to host cells and thus taken the first step towards developing a new class of antibiotics.
The hawk has landed: Braking mid-air to prioritize safety over energy or speed
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 20:22
New research using computer simulations and Hollywood-style motion capture shows how birds optimize their landing maneuvers for an accurate descent.
Signaling molecule potently stimulates hair growth
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 20:22
Researchers have discovered that a signaling molecule called SCUBE3 potently stimulates hair growth and may offer a therapeutic treatment for androgenetic alopecia, a common form of hair loss in both women and men.
Developmentally arrested IVF embryos can be coaxed to divide
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 20:22
Why do two-thirds of in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos go into developmental arrest? A new study shows that many embryos stored for IVF undergo characteristic genetic and metabolic changes that inhibit development. These results help explain the loss of developmental ability of many harvested embryos, and may point to strategies for increasing the proportion of developmentally competent...
Scientists engineer synthetic DNA to study 'architect' genes
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 20:21
Researchers have created artificial Hox genes -- which plan and direct where cells go to develop tissues or organs -- using new synthetic DNA technology and genomic engineering in stem cells. Their findings confirm how clusters of Hox genes help cells to learn and remember where they are in the body.
Dissolving implantable device relieves pain without drugs
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 20:21
Researchers have developed a small, soft, flexible implant that relieves pain on demand and without the use of drugs. The first-of-its-kind device could provide a much-needed alternative to opioids and other highly addictive medications. It works by softly wrapping around nerves to deliver precise, targeted cooling, which numbs nerves and blocks pain signals to the brain. After the device is no...
Sleep triggered by stress can help mice cope with later anxiety
- ScienceDaily
- 22/6/30 20:21
Stress boosts a kind of sleep in mice that subsequently relieves anxiety, according to new research that also pinpoints the mechanism responsible.
Team discovers signaling molecule that potently stimulates hair growth
University of California, Irvine-led researchers have discovered that a signaling molecule called SCUBE3 potently stimulates hair growth and may offer a therapeutic treatment for androgenetic alopecia, a common form of hair loss in both women and men.
Female lineages anchored Pacific islands for 2000 years
Some 3000 years ago, people sailed toward the sunrise—and the last swatch of our planet uninhabited by humans: remote islands of the Pacific. By 1200 C.E.
societies flourished
from the Marianas to Rapa Nui, more than 12,000 kilometers apart. How the Pacific gradually became home to these groups—and just where they came from—has
long been a mystery
....
Two Seattle startups racing to transform next-gen space travel
The phrase "nuclear energy" conjures images of large steaming towers or Tony Stark's arc reactor from the iconic "Iron Man" movies. But two Seattle-based startups are designing nuclear technologies small enough to pick up and carry that, thanks in part to buy-in from the Defense Department, they hope will fuel a new generation of spaceships.
Earliest Pacific seafarers were matrilocal society, study suggests
DNA analysis of 164 individuals from 2,800 to 300 years ago shows men would move to be with their wivesThe world’s earliest seafarers who set out to colonise remote Pacific islands nearly 3,000 years ago were a matrilocal society with communities organised around the female lineage, analysis of ancient DNA suggests.The research, based on genetic sequencing of 164 ancient individuals from 2,800...
Nerve-cooling implant could offer pain relief alternative to opioids, say researchers
Device which can dissolve in the body represents an ‘engineering approach to treating pain’An implant which can cool nerves to block pain signals has been unveiled by researchers who say the device could offer an alternative to drugs such as opioids.The team behind the device say it could bring benefits for management of acute pain such as that experienced after amputations, nerve grafts or...
Ancient DNA yields surprising findings on world's earliest seafarers
New genetic research from remote islands in the Pacific offers fresh insights into the ancestry and culture of the world's earliest seafarers, including family structure, social customs, and the ancestral populations of the people living there today.
Scientists engineer synthetic DNA to study 'architect' genes
Researchers at New York University have created artificial Hox genes—which plan and direct where cells go to develop tissues or organs—using new synthetic DNA technology and genomic engineering in stem cells.
News at a glance: Polio in London sewage, U.S. science spending bills, and new medical citations leader
CONSERVATION
Native tribes and United States enter park management deal
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service
signed a first-of-its-kind agreement
last week to comanage Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah with five Native American tribes. The five tribes have long wanted
to...