183 articles from THURSDAY 19.1.2023
Stars disappear before our eyes
- ScienceDaily
- 23/1/19 20:15
A startling analysis from Globe at Night -- a citizen science program -- concludes that stars are disappearing from human sight at an astonishing rate. The study finds that, to human eyes, artificial lighting has dulled the night sky more rapidly than indicated by satellite measurements.
Genes that cause rare hidden cancer revealed
- ScienceDaily
- 23/1/19 20:15
Several genes that cause sarcoma have been identified in the first comprehensive genetic map of sarcomas. The research has wide implications for people living with sarcoma and their families -- allowing detection of the cancer earlier and potentially improving survival for patients.
DNA from domesticated chickens is tainting genomes of wild red junglefowl, study finds
- ScienceDaily
- 23/1/19 20:15
The red junglefowl -- the wild ancestor of the chicken -- is losing its genetic diversity by interbreeding with domesticated birds, according to a new study.
Parasitic mites' biting rate may drive transmission of Deformed wing virus in honey bees
- ScienceDaily
- 23/1/19 20:15
Varroa destructor is an ectoparasitic mite that can cause European honey bee colonies to collapse by spreading Deformed wing virus as they feed. A study suggests a relatively small number of mites can contribute to a large number of infected bees.
Photonic hopfions: Light shaped as a smoke ring that behaves like a particle
We can frequently find in our daily lives a localized wave structure that maintains its shape upon propagation—picture a smoke ring flying in the air. Similar stable structures have been studied in various research fields and can be found in magnets, nuclear systems, and particle physics. In contrast to a ring of smoke, they can be made resilient to perturbations. This is known in mathematics...
Desalination could give the Middle East water without damaging marine life. But it must be managed carefully
More than 2 billion people live in "water stressed" countries. These are territories where more than 25% of the available freshwater resources are withdrawn for human use each year.
At least half of Africa's rhinos are now in private hands. New paths for rhino conservation are needed, say scientists
African rhino numbers are declining at unsustainable rates in core state-run parks which is why more than half the continent's remaining rhinos are now on private land.
Good-bye, dark sky. The stars are rapidly disappearing from our night sky
A new study has found that the night sky may be brightening faster than once thought, and that has consequences for humans, ecosystems and...
Light pollution rapidly reducing number of stars visible to naked eye, study finds
Research suggests if trend continues, view of Orion’s belt will disappear due to glow from artificial lighting“There is no light in earth or heaven / But the cold light of stars,” wrote the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.But for myriad writers and artists, that source of inspiration could be fading as research has revealed light pollution is rapidly reducing the number of stars visible to...
DNA from domesticated chickens is tainting genomes of wild red junglefowl, finds study
The red junglefowl—the wild ancestor of the chicken—is losing its genetic diversity by interbreeding with domesticated birds, according to a new study led by Frank Rheindt of the National University of Singapore published January 19 in the journal PLOS Genetics.
Squirrels that gamble win big when it comes to evolutionary fitness
Imagine overhearing the Powerball lottery winning numbers, but you didn't know when those numbers would be called—just that at some point in the next 10 years or so, they would be. Despite the financial cost of playing those numbers daily for that period, the payoff is big enough to make it worthwhile.
Visibility of stars in the night sky declines faster than previously thought
People around the world are seeing fewer and fewer stars in the night sky. The change in star visibility can be explained by an increase in the sky brightness of 7–10% per year. The rate of change is faster than satellite measurements of artificial light emissions on Earth would at first suggest.
Parasitic mites' biting rate may drive transmission of Deformed wing virus in honey bees
Varroa destructor is an ectoparasitic mite that can cause European honey bee colonies to collapse by spreading Deformed wing virus as they feed. A study published in PLOS Pathogens by Zachary Lamas and colleagues at the USDA-ARS and the University of Maryland suggests a relatively small number of mites can contribute to a large number of infected bees.
Researchers create a new 3D extra-large pore zeolite that opens a new path to the decontamination of water and gas
An international team of researchers, with the participation of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), has created the most porous stable zeolite known to date, a new pure silica zeolite called ZEO-3. This zeolite was formed by an unprecedented topotactic condensation of a 1D silicate chain to a 3D zeolite.
Sea level rise may threaten Indonesia's status as an archipelagic country
The recent UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report found global sea levels have been rising at an accelerated rate. As an archipelagic state with more than 17,000 islands stretching over 80,000 kilometers of coastline, Indonesia should be alarmed by these findings.
News at a glance: Global warming, China’s COVID-19 deaths, and JWST’s exoplanet investigations
CLIMATE SCIENCE
In 2022, Earth set new records for warming
Temperatures continued to rise at an alarming pace in 2022, which became the fifth- or sixth-hottest year in modern history, U.S. and European science agencies reported last week. Earth’s average recorded surface temperatures were some 1.2°C warmer than preindustrial times. Nearly 30...
Hydrogen-powered planes take off with startup’s test flight
In a record trip for low-carbon aviation, a startup company has completed a test flight of a 19-seat aircraft powered in part by hydrogen fuel cells. It’s the largest plane that ZeroAvia, a leader in developing hydrogen-electric systems for planes, has tested in the air to date.
The flight took off from Cotswold Airport in the UK and lasted about 10 minutes altogether. During the flight,...
Ascertaining the most effective silicon fertilization strategy to boost olive tree defenses
Despite not being an essential element for plant growth, silicon increases plants' tolerance of biotic stresses, such as pests and diseases; and abiotic ones, such as drought and salinity. The effects of this element, the second most abundant in the planet's crust, have not been widely studied, in general, and with regard to olive trees knowledge has been even scarcer.
Research into a means of in-body transport for cancer medicines
In a study, Bayreuth junior professor Dr. Meike Leiske has demonstrated which properties polymers should have in order to reach only certain cells. In the future, this should enable active substances to reach cancer cells directly and avoid the healthy cells.
Alien land snail species are increasing exponentially, says study
Invasive land snail species can displace native species and harm human health. A recent study by the Leibniz Institute for Biodiversity Change Analysis (LIB) compiles an overview of the exponential increase and dynamic spread of land snail species introduced to Europe and the Mediterranean from other continents.
Offshore wind farm construction is noisy—but gadgets used to protect marine mammals are working
The European Union had 14.6 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy installed in 2021, and this is projected to increase by at least 25 times in the next ten years. While an expanding renewable energy sector is necessary to replace fossil fuels and slow climate change, it must not come at a cost to Earth's embattled wildlife.
Tracing the flow of water with DNA
- ScienceDaily
- 23/1/19 19:34
Environmental DNA analysis of microbial communities can help us understand how a particular region's water cycle works. Basel hydrogeologist Oliver Schilling recently used this method to examine the water cycle on Mount Fuji. His results have implications for other regions worldwide.
Massive fuel-hungry black holes feed off intergalactic gas
- ScienceDaily
- 23/1/19 19:33
Research has revealed how supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are feeding off gas clouds which reach them by traveling hundreds of thousands of light years from one galaxy to another.
Omicron caused fewer cases of MIS-C in children than delta and they were milder, says new study based on 2021-22 data
- ScienceDaily
- 23/1/19 19:33
A new study reveals that there were fewer cases of multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) during the omicron wave of the pandemic than the delta wave.