127 articles from WEDNESDAY 1.3.2023
Hansel and Gretel's breadcrumb trick inspires robotic exploration system for caves on Mars and beyond
House hunting on Mars could soon become a thing, and researchers at the University of Arizona are already in the business of scouting real estate that future astronauts could use as habitats. Researchers in the UArizona College of Engineering have developed technology that would allow a flock of robots to explore subsurface environments on other worlds.
Team publishes study of the brain of the Homo erectus fossil with the lowest cranial capacity
The paleoneurologist Emiliano Bruner and the archaeologist Sileshi Semaw, both from the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), have published a paper in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology about the 1.5 million-year-old cranium DAN5/P1, found at the Gona site in Ethiopia, whose cranial morphology indicates that it belongs to the species Homo erectus, and...
New method can provide rapid detection of food adulteration
University of Missouri scientist Colleen Ray can now add the job of "food detective" to her resumé. Recently, Ray and colleagues in the Department of Chemistry developed a novel method—using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy—to detect whether food products have been modified or adulterated with fillers like vegetable oil.
Study shows promising results in using the sun's ultraviolet rays to decontaminate water at high altitudes
Research shows that solar water disinfection (SODIS) may be just as effective at decontaminating Escherichia coli (E coli) infected water at high altitudes as it is at low altitudes. The results of a new study appearing in the Wilderness Medical Society's official journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine show promise for improving global access to safe drinking water.
On a warming planet, these Arctic geese rapidly found (and shared) a new migratory route
As the planet warms, animals that breed in the Arctic are at particular risk. But a new study reported in Current Biology on March 1 offers some encouraging news: in an apparent reaction to pressures along their former migratory route, a population of Arctic geese has rapidly adjusted, forming a new migration route and breeding location almost 1,000 kilometers from their original stomping grounds.
The future of touch
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 22:27
Haptic holography promises to bring virtual reality to life, but a new study reveals a surprising physical obstacle that will need to be overcome.
Ultracool dwarf binary stars break records
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 22:27
Astrophysicists have discovered the tightest ultracool dwarf binary system ever observed. The two stars are so close that it takes them less than one Earth day to revolve around each other. In other words, each star's 'year' lasts just 17 hours.
High blood pressure during pregnancy linked to thinking problems later
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 22:27
High blood pressure disorders during pregnancy are associated with an increased risk of thinking problems later in life, according to a study. Researchers found that those with these disorders had a higher risk of cognitive problems in later life than those who did not have high blood pressure during pregnancy. They also found that those with preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure that...
Previously unknown mechanism in precision RNA cleaving by Dicer enzyme revealed
Researchers at the Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), in Seoul, have published a study with critical new insights into the structure and function of the Dicer enzyme. Dicer is an enzyme required for the biogenesis of miRNAs and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which in turn are drivers of RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulating of gene expression, one of the...
Moose could play a big role in global warming
One of the biggest potential single sources of carbon emissions from wooded parts of Norway has four legs, weighs as much as 400-550 kg and has antlers.
There’s a Bit of Truth To Some Climate Conspiracy Theories. But That Doesn’t Make Them Right
Having systematically colonized the ranks of government, academia, and media—including malleable-minded climate writers like yours truly—the dark legions of the World Economic Forum (WEF) have reportedly gotten around to their real work: employing their techno-fascist designs on traffic patterns in Oxford, U.K.
Or that’s what some people on the internet are saying, anyway. A...
Scientists synthesize cerium mineral that holds promise for biomedical research
Trinity geoscientists have developed a cheap and environmentally friendly method for the synthesis of the rare earth mineral which holds promise for the treatment of diseases associated with inflammation, including cancer.
'Swarmalators' better envision synchronized microbots
Imagine a world with precision medicine, where a swarm of microrobots delivers a payload of medicine directly to ailing cells. Or one where aerial or marine drones can collectively survey an area while exchanging minimal information about their location.
Weird world of Aussie bees: How one species creates gender balance in the nest
New Flinders University research gives insights into the fascinating world of Australian native bees, finding that one highly evolved species has been shaped by an unusual battle between male and female offspring numbers.
'A nice sign': Big Rockies snowpack may boost Lake Mead
It's not even March yet, but the mountains that feed the Colorado River already have seen more snow this winter than they normally would through an entire snow season.
SpaceX Dragon crew to blast off for ISS
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is to make a second attempt on Thursday to blast off for the International Space Station carrying two NASA astronauts, a Russian cosmonaut and the second Emirati to voyage to space.
Long lost Madagascar songbird seen again in wild
Conservationists were celebrating Wednesday the first sightings in 24 years of the dusky tetraka, a yellow-throated songbird native to Madagascar for which ornithologists had feared the worst.
Report: New technology needed to remove greenhouse gases at scale and halt global warming impacts
The impacts of climate change are being felt around the world. Limiting global warming requires not just dramatically reducing future emissions but removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere already released.
Rare quasar triplet forms one of the most massive objects in the universe
Ultra-massive black holes are the most massive objects in the universe. Their mass can reach millions and billions of solar masses. Supercomputer simulations on Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC)'s Frontera supercomputer have helped astrophysicists reveal the origin of ultra-massive black holes formed about 11 billion years ago.
'Chunky dunk?' Cleveland's prehistoric sea monster may have been shorter, stouter than once believed
About 360 million years ago, in the shallow subtropical waters above what is now the city of Cleveland, an armor-plated fish many believed to be up to 30 feet long ruled the seas.
P. aeruginosa bacteria produce a molecule that paralyzes immune system cells
Researchers from Freiburg and Strasbourg have discovered a strong immunological effect of the molecule LecB—and a way to prevent it.
Mulching time of forest meadows influences insect diversity
Mulching is a possible management method for forest meadows and is important to their upkeep. During the process, the meadow is cut and the cuttings are shredded and left on the meadow. Despite its significance, the effects of this method on insects living in this habitat has rarely been studied up to now.
UK now seen as ‘toxic’ for satellite launches, MPs told
After Virgin Orbit’s failed mission, Commons committee hears complaints about regulator Britain’s failed attempt to send satellites into orbit was a “disaster” and MPs are being urged to redirect funding to hospitals, with the country now seen as “toxic” for future launches.Senior figures at the Welsh company Space Forge, which lost a satellite when Virgin Orbit’s Start Me Up mission...
Wasps harness power of pitcher plants in first-ever observed defense strategy
As the saying goes, "When life gives you lemons, turn that tartness into little translucent balls in which to grow your young." At least, that's how the saying goes for a tiny insect called a cynipid wasp, whose larvae were recently discovered inducing plant growths called galls that contained acidity levels akin to lemons.
Guarding the genome: Researchers uncover full 3D structure of p53 protein
The tumor suppressor protein p53, known as "the guardian of the genome," protects the body's DNA from daily stress or long-term damage by triggering the cells to make repairs or to self-destruct. But mutations in the p53 gene that codes for the protein can prevent it from performing its job, making errors accumulate in the genetic code and leading to diseases like cancer.
Researchers find evolutionary selection for traits associated with immunity, metabolism in Tsimane and Moseten genomes
A team of global experts has discovered new signals of natural selection in humans.
Why seagrass needs space
Seagrass: green leaves swaying in the currents. Fish weave their way through, and sea turtles graze. They're always on their guard, watching out for any encroaching sharks. The seagrass' roots are hidden in the seabed, where they anchor the sand, securing the coastline. The best-kept secret is the amount of carbon these plants store: even more than trees do. But seagrasses are facing a barrage of...
Scaling up clean cooking options in low- and middle-income countries to benefit health and climate
Novel research involving University of Liverpool academics has shown that expanding the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and/or grid electricity to replace biomass-fueled cooking in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) significantly benefits human health and climate.
Researchers create metasurface that enables multichannel terahertz transmission
Researchers have designed and demonstrated two all-silicon terahertz metasurface devices that can be used to create four optical channels for simultaneously implementing different optical functions. This capability could be useful for a variety of applications such as communication, terahertz imaging, particle manipulation or encoding quantum information.
Modeling of European Neanderthal migration hints at hidden archaeological hot spots in Iran
Researchers modeling eastern Neanderthal migration from Europe have found the area south of the Caspian Sea in northern Iran to be the most likely route, suggesting there could be significant yet-to-be-discovered archaeological sites hidden in less explored areas along the way.
A racing heart makes the mind race, too, mouse study finds
Many of us are familiar with the anxiety and dread that can consume us ahead of speaking or performing in public. Throats run dry, sweat drips profusely, and it can feel like everyone hears your quickly thumping heart. But scientists wondered: Is the anxiety driving the heart to beat faster or could an increased heart rate cause anxiety?
A new study published today...
How to generate new neurons in the brain
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 20:14
Some areas of the adult brain contain quiescent, or dormant, neural stem cells that can potentially be reactivated to form new neurons. However, the transition from quiescence to proliferation is still poorly understood. A team has discovered the importance of cell metabolism in this process and identified how to wake up these neural stem cells and reactivate them. Biologists succeeded in...
Home-based cardiac rehabilitation may help people live longer
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 20:14
In a study of U.S. military veterans, researchers noted that participating in home-based cardiac rehabilitation was associated with a 36% lower risk of death compared to veterans who chose not to participate in cardiac rehabilitation.
Ice-cold electron beams for ultra-compact X-ray lasers
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 20:14
Ice-cold electron beams could pave the way to reducing X-ray free-electron lasers (X-FELs) to a fraction of their current size.
Hubble captures movie of DART asteroid impact debris
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 20:14
In 2022 NASA embarked on a bold experiment to see if they could change an asteroid's velocity by smacking it with a ballistic probe -- kind of like hitting it with a hammer. This experiment was to test a potential technique to someday deflect an asteroid on a collision course to Earth. Perhaps, for the first time in the history of the universe, an intelligent planetary species sought ways to avoid...
Seizures can be predicted more than 30 minutes before onset in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 20:14
Seizures can be predicted more than 30 minutes before onset in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, opening the door to a therapy using electrodes that could be activated to prevent seizures from happening, according to new research.
Study forecasts tile drainage and crop rotation changes for nitrogen loss
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 20:14
Midwestern agriculture contributes the vast majority of nitrogen in the Gulf of Mexico, causing an oxygen-starved hypoxic zone and challenging coastal economies. State and federal policies have tried for decades to provide solutions and incentives, but the hypoxic zone keeps coming back. A recent study offers a new way to understand Midwestern nitrogen dynamics and forecasts future nitrogen loads...
Waxing and waning of environment influences hominin dispersals across ancient Iran
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 20:13
A world-first model of paleoclimate and hydrology in Iran has highlighted favourable routes for Neanderthals and modern human expansions eastwards into Asia. The findings reveal that multiple humid periods in ancient Iran led to the expansions of human populations, opening dispersal route across the region, and the possible interactions of species such as Neanderthals and our own Homo sapiens.
Researchers bioengineer an endocrine pancreas for type 1 diabetes
- ScienceDaily
- 23/3/1 20:12
Scientists recently developed an efficient way to transplant pancreatic islets and demonstrated that the method can effectively reverse type 1 diabetes in nonhuman primates.
Seismic imaging provides insight into the Earth's subsurface
The seismic reflection method involves sending acoustic waves thousands of meters under the Earth's surface. The reflected signals provide scientists with information about the characteristics of the subsurface. This is how oil and gas deposits can be discovered. While these will eventually no longer be extracted as we move away from fossil fuels, accurate knowledge of rock structures is important...
Study forecasts tile drainage and crop rotation changes for nitrogen loss
Midwestern agriculture contributes the vast majority of nitrogen in the Gulf of Mexico, causing an oxygen-starved hypoxic zone and challenging coastal economies. State and federal policies have tried for decades to provide solutions and incentives, but the hypoxic zone keeps coming back. A recent study from the University of Illinois offers a new way to understand Midwestern nitrogen dynamics and...
Changes in the environment influenced hominin dispersals across ancient Iran, reveals study
A world-first model of paleoclimate and hydrology in Iran has highlighted favorable routes for Neanderthals and modern human expansions eastwards into Asia.
Bronze Age well contents reveal the history of animal resources in Mycenae, Greece
A large Bronze Age debris deposit in Mycenae, Greece, provides important data for understanding the history of animal resources at the site, according to a study published March 1, 2023, in the open-access journal PLoS ONE by Jacqueline Meier of the University of North Florida and colleagues.
What distinguishes fans from celebrity stalkers?
A survey study of U.S. college students provides new insights into factors associated with the tendency to engage in celebrity stalking behaviors. Maria Wong (Idaho State University, U.S.), Lynn McCutcheon (North American Journal of Psychology, U.S.), Joshua Rodefer (Mercer University, U.S.) and Kenneth Carter (Emory University, U.S.) present these findings in the open-access journal PLoS ONE on...
Pregnant shark birth tracking technology provides key data for species protection
Most people find sharks threatening. Who doesn't have an image in their mind of a menacing shark fin racing through the ocean in search of its next meal?
#StopAsianHate study sheds light on overlooked aspect of activism
A recent analysis of the online #StopAsianHate movement finds that the frameworks scholars use to understand social justice movements need to address the extent to which activists reflect on their own involvement and derive satisfaction from the process of activism itself—as opposed to focusing solely on progress toward the goal of social change.