167 articles from TUESDAY 22.11.2022

Great potential for aquifer thermal energy storage systems

Aquifer thermal energy storage systems can largely contribute to climate-friendly heating and cooling of buildings: Heated water is stored in the underground and pumped up, if needed. Researchers have now found that low-temperature aquifer thermal energy storage is of great potential in Germany. This potential is expected to grow in future due to climate change.

Scientists unlock nature's secret to super-selective binding

Researchers have discovered that it is not just molecular density, but also pattern and structural rigidity, that control super-selective binding interactions between nanomaterials and protein surfaces. The breakthrough could help optimize existing approaches to virus prevention and cancer detection.

Psychology: What gazes reveal about us

A new study shows that eye movements during the processing of tasks provide information about what the respective person is currently occupied with and what goals are being pursued within the task. These findings could play a role in the organization of screen work in the future.

Changing feelings can boost creativity for conventional thinkers

Even people who tend to think conventionally, such as accountants or insurance adjusters, can be creative, a recent study suggests, if they can look at emotional situations in a different light. In a set of experiments, researchers found that conventional thinkers, those who rank low on openness to new ideas and experiences, came up with more creative ideas than peers after they practiced...

Unexpected cognitive deteriorations in epilepsy

In severe epilepsies, surgical intervention is often the only remedy -- usually with great success. While neuropsychological performance can recover in the long term after successful surgery, on rare occasions, unexpected declines in cognitive performance occur. Researchers have now been able to show which patients are at particularly high risk for this.

Silicone sponge captures unknown bacteria

From human intestines to the bottom of the sea: Microorganisms populate nearly any habitat, no matter how hostile it is. Their great variety of survival strategies is of huge potential in biotechnology. Most of these organisms, however, are unknown, because they cannot be cultivated. To make better use of this 'microbial dark matter', a team of researchers has now developed a 'sponge' made of...

HIV infection leaves a 'memory' in cells

Though antiretroviral therapy has made HIV a manageable disease, people living with HIV often suffer from chronic inflammation. This can put them at an increased risk of developing comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease and neurocognitive dysfunction, impacting the longevity and quality of their lives. Now, a new study explains why chronic inflammation may be happening and how suppression or...

Remdesivir reduces COVID-19 mortality in a real-world setting

Researchers have found that administering remdesivir with corticosteroids to Asian patients who are critically ill with COVID-19 within 9 days of symptom onset reduces overall mortality. Starting treatment later did not have the same effect, suggesting that higher viral loads and serious lung damage impair the effectiveness of this treatment.

Limiting global warming now can preserve valuable freshwater resource

A research team has found that the Andean region of Chile could face noticeable snow loss and roughly 10% less mountain water runoff with a global warming of approximately 2.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels over the next three decades. The study also shows that what happens in the Andes could be a harbinger of what is to come for the California Sierra Nevada mountain range, and...

Plastic in foraminifera and possible consequences for the environment

Single-celled organisms with calcareous shells, called foraminifera, contribute significantly to the formation of sand deposited on beaches, islands and coastal areas. Researchers at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) have now found for the first time that foraminifera can take up tiny plastic particles and incorporate them into their calcareous shells. The results were...