138 articles from THURSDAY 4.5.2023

'Space waves' offer new clues to space weather

More accurate space-weather predictions and safer satellite navigation through radiation belts could someday result from new insights into "space waves," researchers at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University reported.

How CEO political leanings affect their international deals

Conservative CEOs are four times more likely than their liberal counterparts to acquire international firms rather than forge new alliances when entering foreign markets, according to new research. The same study finds that these political biases can be moderated by active, independent boards.

Magnetic energy strings flex, wiggle and reconnect in a nanomagnetic array

A multi-institutional team exploring the physics of collective behavior has developed and measured a model nanomagnetic array in which the behavior can be best understood as that of a set of wiggling strings. The strings, which are composed of connected points of high energy among the lattice, can stretch and shrink, but also reconnect. What makes these strings special is that they are limited to...

Chemical signal protects migratory locusts from cannibalism

Researchers show that the migratory locust Locusta migratoria produces the compound phenylacetonitrile (PAN) to defend itself against feeding attacks by conspecifics as population density increases. Cannibalism rates increased in locusts that could no longer produce PAN. The researchers also identified the odor receptor for PAN in the locusts. They showed in animals with a PAN receptor that was no...

CRISPR and single-cell sequencing pinpoint causal genetic variants for traits and diseases

A major challenge in human genetics is understanding which parts of the genome drive specific traits or contribute to disease risk. This challenge is even greater for genetic variants found in the 98% of the genome that does not encode proteins. A new approach combines genetic association studies, gene editing, and single-cell sequencing to address these challenges and discover causal variants and...

AI could run a million microbial experiments per year

Automation uncovers combinations of amino acids that feed two bacterial species and could tell us much more about the 90% of bacteria that humans have hardly studied. An artificial intelligence system enables robots to conduct autonomous scientific experiments -- as many as 10,000 per day -- potentially driving a drastic leap forward in the pace of discovery in areas from medicine to agriculture...

New clues about the rise of Earth's continents

New research deepens the understanding of Earth's crust by testing and ultimately eliminating one popular hypothesis about why continental crust is lower in iron and more oxidized compared to oceanic crust. The iron-poor composition of continental crust is a major reason why vast portions of the Earth's surface stand above sea level as dry land, making terrestrial life possible today. The study...

Gutless marine worms on a Mediterranean diet: Animals can synthesize phytosterols

Phytosterols are good for your health, but humans and other animals are not able to make them themselves, only plants can. To acquire phytosterols, humans are increasingly turning to supplements, green smoothies, or a Mediterranean diet with plenty of plant-based foods. Researchers have now discovered that tiny gutless worms from the Mediterranean can synthesize phytosterols on their own. Their...

Study of Uranus' large moons shows four may hold water

Re-analysis of data from NASA's Voyager spacecraft, along with new computer modeling, has led NASA scientists to conclude that four of Uranus' largest moons likely contain an ocean layer between their cores and icy crusts. Their study is the first to detail the evolution of the interior makeup and structure of all five large moons: Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, and Miranda. The work suggests...

Tribe signs pact with California to work together on efforts to save endangered salmon

A California tribe has signed agreements with state and federal agencies to work together on efforts to return endangered Chinook salmon to their traditional spawning areas upstream of Shasta Dam, a deal that could advance the long-standing goal of tribal leaders to reintroduce fish that were transplanted from California to New Zealand more than a century ago and still thrive there.

New tool monitors Wikipedia page views to aid wildlife conservation efforts

Researchers have developed a new tool that tracks the monthly changes in Wikipedia page views for thousands of species. The Species Awareness Index (SAI) is designed to provide a real-time measure of changing interest in biodiversity that can help conservation organizations and science communicators develop effective strategies for protecting wildlife. The study, "Achieving a real-time online...