170 articles from TUESDAY 21.3.2023

Researchers get to the 'bottom' of how beetles use their butts to stay hydrated

Beetles are champions at surviving in extremely dry environments. In part, this property is due to their ability to suck water from the air with their rear ends. A new collaborative study by researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the University of Edinburgh explains just how. Beyond helping to explain how beetles thrive in environments where few other animals can survive, the knowledge...

All hormonal contraceptives ‘carry small increased risk of breast cancer’

Research finds use of progestogen is associated with a 20-30% higher risk but this falls after no longer taking itAll types of hormonal contraceptives carry a small increased risk of breast cancer, according to research establishing a link with progestogen pills for the first time.The use of progestogen is associated with a 20-30% higher risk of breast cancer, data analysis by University of Oxford...

First comparative study on automated analysis methods of large data sets in microplastics research

The lack of uniform analytical standards currently prevents the comparability of data on microplastics in the environment. Researchers from the University of Bayreuth and the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) have now, for the first time, compared two automated analysis procedures for microplastic data with regard to the results. Significant deviations...

Cracking the concrete code

New research introduces metamaterial concrete for the development of smart civil infrastructure systems. Researchers present a new concept for lightweight and mechanically-tunable concrete systems that have integrated energy harvesting and sensing functionality.

Uracil found in Ryugu samples

Samples from the asteroid Ryugu collected by the Hayabusa2 mission contain nitrogenous organic compounds, including the nucleobase uracil, which is a part of RNA.

Honey, the 3D print--I mean, dessert--is ready!

Cooking devices that incorporate three-dimensional (3D) printers, lasers, or other software-driven processes may soon replace conventional cooking appliances such as ovens, stovetops, and microwaves. But will people want to use a 3D printer -- even one as beautifully designed as a high-end coffee maker -- on their kitchen counters to calibrate the exact micro- and macro-nutrients they need to stay...

Synthesis gas and battery power from sunlight energy

Plants use photosynthesis to harvest energy from sunlight. Now researchers have applied this principle as the basis for developing new sustainable processes which in the future may produce syngas (synthetic gas) for the large-scale chemical industry and be able to charge batteries.