27 articles from MONDAY 2.1.2023

Spain sees hottest year on record in 2022

Spain in 2022 experienced the hottest year since records began, the country's national weather service said Monday, adding that several northern cities were also unseasonably warm on New Year's Day 2023.

Tail does not wag the dog when it comes to agility, scientists find

Dogs’ tails play little or no role in acrobatic manoeuvres, and are more likely a communication tool, researchers sayAfter decades of research into man’s best friend, scientists have concluded that the tail cannot, in fact, wag the dog.An international team decided to investigate the purpose of the dog’s tail after studies showed that numerous animals from lizards to squirrels used their...

New expansion microscopy methods magnify research's impact

Unprecedented views of the interior of cells and other nanoscale structures are now possible thanks to innovations in expansion microscopy. The advancements could help provide future insight into neuroscience, pathology, and many other biological and medical fields.

Self-assembling proteins can store cellular 'memories'

As cells perform their everyday functions, they turn on a variety of genes and cellular pathways. MIT engineers have now coaxed cells to inscribe the history of these events in a long protein chain that can be imaged using a light microscope.

Good hydration linked to healthy aging

Adults who stay well-hydrated appear to be healthier, develop fewer chronic conditions, such as heart and lung disease, and live longer than those who may not get sufficient fluids, according to a new study.

‘We’re in a space race’: Nasa sounds alarm at Chinese designs on moon

Administrator Bill Nelson says Beijing could seek ‘own’ resource-rich areas and next two years could be key to US-China contestThe US is locked in a space race with China and the country needs to “watch out” that its rival does not gain a foothold and try to dominate lunar resources, Nasa’s top official has warned.The assessment came from the Nasa administrator, Bill Nelson, a former...

The big idea: could you have made different choices in life?

We can’t change what’s happened – but we can learn to make better decisions in the futureNow is the time when we look back over the past year and wonder: how did I do? Did I make the right decisions? Could I have made better ones?Well, could you? A determinist who believes that the world unfolds in an inexorably preordained manner would say not. If, on the other hand, you believe in free...

The computer scientist who hunts for costly bugs in crypto code

In the spring of 2022, before some of the most volatile events to hit the crypto world last year, an NFT artist named Micah Johnson set out to hold a new auction of his drawings. Johnson is well known in crypto circles for images featuring his character Aku, a young Black boy who dreams of being an astronaut. Collectors lined up for the new release. On the day of the auction, they spent $34...

Starwatch: Mars and the moon in close encounter with bull

New year conjunction takes place in constellation of TaurusThe moon and Mars are the heralds of this particular new year. On 3 January, they will pass each other in the night sky. The moon will be in its waxing gibbous phase, about 11 days old with 92% of its visible surface illuminated.The chart shows the view looking south-south-east from London at 21.00 GMT on 3 January. Continue...