124 articles from WEDNESDAY 29.3.2023

Cancer drug leaflets for patients in Europe omit important facts

Researchers find information about cancer drugs can be lacking and ‘potentially misleading’Cancer drug information leaflets for patients in Europe frequently omit important facts, while some are “potentially misleading” when it comes to treatment benefits and related uncertainties, researchers have found.Cancer is the biggest killer in Europe after heart conditions, with more than 3.7m new...

Strong solar flare erupts from the sun

The sun has emitted a strong solar flare that peaked at 10:33 p.m. ET on March 28, 2023. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured an image of the event.

Particle errors: Quantifying the effects of simulation mixing state on aerosol optical properties

Particles in the atmosphere affect global climate. For example, the black carbon from burning fossil fuels absorbs and radiates light and heat. To calculate the effects of aerosols on climate, scientists rely on simulated aerosol fields. How these models represent aerosol mixing state potentially introduces large uncertainties into climate calculations. This is because the simulated aerosol...

Machine learning model helps forecasters improve confidence in storm prediction

When severe weather is brewing and life-threatening hazards like heavy rain, hail or tornadoes are possible, advance warning and accurate predictions are of utmost importance. Colorado State University weather researchers have given storm forecasters a powerful new tool to improve confidence in their forecasts and potentially save lives.

'Taffy Galaxies' collide, leave behind bridge of star-forming material

Galaxy collisions are transformative events, largely responsible for driving the evolution of the universe. The mixing and mingling of stellar material is an incredibly dynamic process that can lead to the formation of molecular clouds populated with newly forming stars. But, a head-on collision between the two galaxies UGC 12914 (left) and UGC 12915 (right) 25–30 million years ago appears to...

The death of open access mega-journals?

The entire scientific publishing world is currently undergoing a massive stress test of quantity vs. quality, open access (free) vs. institutional subscriptions (paywall), and how to best judge the integrity of a publication.

Most of world's salt marshes likely to be underwater by 2100, study concludes

Cape Cod's salt marshes are as iconic as they are important. These beautiful, low-lying wetlands are some of the most biologically productive ecosystems on Earth. They play an outsized role in nitrogen cycling, act as carbon sinks, protect coastal development from storm surge, and provide critical habitats and nurseries for many fish, shellfish, and coastal birds.

Join Us for an “Introduction to Do NASA Science, LIVE!” a Virtual, Interactive Event Series

Join us online on April 4, 2023, from 2-3 p.m. EDT for an “Introduction to Do NASA Science LIVE!”. During this event, citizen science experts from NASA and SciStarter will describe how and why NASA works with the public to accelerate important research.  This event kicks off a series of free events from now through April 2024 where you’ll meet online with scientists and other...

More States Want Students to Learn About Climate Science. Ohio Disagrees

If you attend a college-level earth science class in Ohio in the coming years, you might learn about how climate change is causing heat waves, flooding, and record storms, and how humanity has a shrinking window to drastically cut emissions and forestall the worst effects. But your instructor could also be forced to spend a big chunk of time talking about how a few largely discredited...

How the gut creates a cozy home for beneficial microbiome species

The digestive tract of fruit flies remodels itself to accommodate beneficial microbiome species and maintain long-term stability of the gut environment, according to new research led by William Ludington and Allan Spradling of the Carnegie Institution for Science. Their findings are published in Nature Communications.

Rainbow trout subspecies newly named

The McCloud River redband trout, or O. mykiss calisulat, is newly identified as its own distinct subspecies of rainbow trout in a study from the University of California, Davis. It is the first newly identified subspecies of Pacific trout since 2008 and the youngest rainbow trout subspecies by more than 100 years.

NGC 253: Chandra determines what makes a galaxy's wind blow

On Earth, wind can transport particles of dust and debris across the planet, with sand from the Sahara ending up in the Caribbean or volcanic ash from Iceland being deposited in Greenland. Wind can also have a big impact on the ecology and environment of a galaxy, just like on Earth, but on much larger and more dramatic scales.

Mimicking biological enzymes may be key to hydrogen fuel production

An ancient biological enzyme known as nickel-iron hydrogenase may play a key role in producing hydrogen for a renewables-based energy economy, researchers have found. Careful study of the enzyme has led chemists from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to design a synthetic molecule that mimics the hydrogen gas-producing chemical reaction performed by the enzyme.

Binge eating brain circuits similar to those associated with drug use, other habit-forming behaviors

Scientists have uncovered the brain circuits that may underlie binge eating disorder and related conditions. The neural wiring is the same as that tied to psychiatric conditions such as drug addiction and obsessive-compulsive disorder. The work could lead to new ways to understand and treat eating disorders, says Rebecca Boswell, a clinical psychologist at Princeton University...

Fish diversity documented in Switzerland's rivers

In a major survey of Swiss rivers and streams, more than 50 different fish species were recorded. For the first time, more than one species was also found in the case of smaller types of fish such as the bullhead. In Progetto Fiumi, riverine fish were surveyed using standardized methods and both morphological and genetic characteristics were analyzed. Particularly high diversity was seen in large...