139 articles from MONDAY 12.9.2022

Astronomers wind back the clock to determine the timeline of a stellar explosion

While astronomers have seen the debris from scores of exploded stars in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, it is often difficult to determine the timeline of the star's demise. By studying the spectacular remains of a supernova in a neighboring galaxy using NASA telescopes, a team of astronomers has found enough clues to help wind back the clock.

The strange behavior of sound through solids

Not everything needs to be seen to be believed; certain things are more readily heard, like a train approaching its station. In a recent paper, published in Physical Review Letters, researchers have put their ears to the rail, discovering a new property of scattering amplitudes based on their study of sound waves through solid matter.

NASA’s unprecedented asteroid-deflection mission is more than ‘billiards in space,’ scientists say

On 26 September, an act of targeted violence will ensue 11 million kilometers from Earth, as a spacecraft about the size of a vending machine smashes into a small asteroid at 6 kilometers per second. Unlike some asteroids that stray worrisomely close to Earth’s orbit, Dimorphos—the 160-meter moon of a larger body—is an innocent bystander, posing no threat to our world. But the...

How visual information travels from the retina to the midbrain

Neuroscientists have revealed the precise connections between sensory neurons inside the retina and the superior colliculus, a structure in the midbrain. Neuropixels probes are a relatively recent development, representing the next generation of electrodes. Densely packed with recording points, Neuropixels probes are used to record the activity of nerve cells, and have facilitated these recent...

Researchers explore enzymes that use a cation, not oxygen-addition, to drive reactions

Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of Texas at Austin have defined the structure of a substrate-bound iron 2-oxoglutarate (Fe/2OG) enzyme to explore whether these enzymes could be used to create a wide array of molecules. They probed the enzyme's active site to determine its ability to bind with different substrates. Additionally, rather than oxygen-addition, they...

Soil disturbance reduces resilience of rangelands to climate change

USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists and collaborators from the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment have tested how soil disturbance influences the response of U.S. Great Plains rangeland to climate change. The results showed that disturbance and subsequent plant invasion are key factors to consider when predicting the impact of climate change on these ecosystems.

What killed dinosaurs and other life on Earth?

Determining what killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago at the end of the Cretaceous Period has long been the topic of debate, as scientists set out to determine what caused the five mass extinction events that reshaped life on planet Earth in a geological instant. Some scientists argue that comets or asteroids that crashed into Earth were the most likely agents of mass destruction, while...

Bigger plants don't always equal more nutritious ones

While increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere encourage plant growth, they also reduce the nutritional value of plants, which can have a larger impact on nutrition and food safety worldwide. Researchers have discovered a new way plants are adapting to the changing climate -- information that can be used to help plants grow strong while also maintaining their nutritional value.

Investing in new water filtration membranes is worth it

In the new study, researchers performed a high-level analysis of membrane filtration systems to evaluate cost, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with desalination and wastewater treatment. The researchers found that municipal wastewater facilities could spend 43% more on antifouling membranes for wastewater treatment and up to three times more on antifouling membranes for...

Researchers explore enzymes that use a cation, not oxygen-addition, to drive reactions

Researchers defined the structure of a substrate-bound iron 2-oxoglutarate (Fe/2OG) enzyme to explore whether these enzymes could be used to create a wide array of molecules. They saw that Fe/2OG enzymes likely utilize cations -- highly reactive species -- to drive desaturation during catalysis. The work could lead to the use of Fe/2OG enzymes in making a wide array of valuable molecules.

Daytime eating may benefit mental health

Investigators have designed a study that simulated night work and then tested the effects of daytime and nighttime eating versus daytime eating only. The team found that, among participants in the daytime and nighttime eating group, depression-like mood levels increased by 26 percent and anxiety-like mood levels by 16 percent. Participants in the daytime-only eating group did not experience this...