117 articles from TUESDAY 23.5.2023
Muscular dystrophy gene therapy nears approval, but safety concerns linger
Five years ago, when Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) began making it hard for him to walk, 7-year-old Conner Curran received a blood infusion of trillions of viruses carrying a muscle gene to replace his mutant one. Within 2 months the Connecticut boy went from crawling up stairs to “flying up,” says his mother, Jessica Curran. The family and the researchers hoped he would never...
New U.S. lab will work with deadly animal pathogens—in the middle of farm country
Virologist Robert Cross’s lab is equipped to handle some of the world’s most dangerous viruses. At the Galveston National Laboratory he has worked with guinea pigs infected with Ebola virus and macaques carrying Lassa fever. What it can’t accommodate are pigs, which are common carriers of the deadly Nipah virus. “We’re not really geared to handle large animals,” says Cross,...
U.S. planning test reactor to run on weapons-grade uranium
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is planning a small test reactor that would burn a large amount of weapons-grade uranium, according to
the project’s draft environmental assessment
. The experiment, to be built in a cost-sharing arrangement, would provide data for a new type of power reactor being developed by TerraPower and Southern Company Services. But the use of...
Swift, deadly epidemic kills all the black sea urchins in Gulf of Eilat, posing threat to Eilat's coral reef
A series of new, disturbing studies from Tel Aviv University reveals a deadly epidemic causing mass mortality of black sea urchins in the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Eilat. The entire population of black sea urchins in Eilat was wiped out over a couple of months. For example, thousands of sea urchins living in a site near the northern shore of the Gulf of Eilat died out over the course of a...
Using nuclear spins neighboring a lanthanide atom to create Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger quantum states
Researchers have experimentally demonstrated a new quantum information storage protocol that can be used to create Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) quantum states. There is a great deal of interest in these complex entangled states because of their potential use in quantum sensing and quantum error correction applications.
Extinct offshore volcano could store gigatons of carbon dioxide
A new study published in Geology concludes that an extinct volcano off the shore of Portugal could store as much as 1.2–8.6 gigatons of carbon dioxide, the equivalent of ~24–125 years of the country's industrial emissions.
Investors overvalue companies that align with presidential policies; their mistakes 'leave money on the table'
Republican politicians typically favor low taxes and less regulation, which seems like a recipe for corporate profits and stock market success. In reality, however, this is not what happens.
Engineers create bacteria that can synthesize an unnatural amino acid
In a study recently published in Nature Chemical Biology, researchers focused on para-nitro-L-phenylalanine (pN-Phe), a non-standard amino acid that is neither one of the twenty standard amino acids nor observed in nature. pN-Phe has been used by other research groups to help the immune system mount a response to proteins that it does not ordinarily respond to.
Strategic city planning can help reduce urban heat island effect
The tendency of cities to trap heat—a phenomenon called the "urban heat island," often referred to as the UHI effect—can lead to dangerous temperatures in the summer months, but new Penn State research published in Buildings suggests that certain urban factors can reduce this effect.
How the February 2023 Türkiye earthquakes ruptured and produced damaging shaking
Three studies now published in The Seismic Record (TSR) offer an initial look at the February 6, 2023 earthquakes in south-central Türkiye and northwestern Syria, including how, where, and how fast the earthquakes ruptured and how they combined as a "devastating doublet" to produce damaging ground shaking.
Researchers treat depression by reversing brain signals traveling the wrong way
- ScienceDaily
- 23/5/23 21:55
A new study has revealed how magnetic stimulation treats severe depression: by correcting the abnormal flow of brain signals.
How did COVID-19 lockdown impact employment of individuals with visual disabilities?
New data show that while individuals with visual disabilities were slow to recover employment because of the effects of the COVID-2019 lockdown, they have made headway, depending on their level of disability, almost meeting their pre-pandemic levels. Possible reasons for their slower recovery include major safety concerns due to the shortage of personal protective equipment, less access to...
Organizations must go beyond medical views on menopause to support women's professional aspirations, says study
Organizations must enable midlife women to thrive in the workplace by taking inspiration from societies such as China and Japan to encourage positive conversations around the impact of menopause, a new study reveals.
COVID-19 vaccines may undergo major overhaul this fall
Earlier this year, U.S. regulators settled on
a new strategy for COVID-19 vaccines
. Like the annual flu shot, the vaccines will be updated each year based on the virus’ evolution, then rolled out in the fall. Accordingly, on 15 June, advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
will weigh which strain or strains of SARS-CoV-2
should make up the next...
Evaluating the ecological impacts of mountain biking
Mountain biking is one of the most popular leisure activities today. Sport ecologists at the University of Bayreuth have now compiled and evaluated a wide range of previously published findings on the ecological consequences of this sport. Numerous direct and short-term effects on animals, plants and soils can be clearly demonstrated. However, estimates of long-term consequences remain difficult...
Newly described species of dome-headed dinosaur may have sported bristly headgear
If you look at enough dinosaur fossils, you'll see that their skulls sport an amazing variety of bony ornaments, ranging from the horns of Triceratops and the mohawk-like crests of hadrosaurs to the bumps and knobs covering the head of Tyrannosaurus rex.
World's most sensitive model-independent experiment starts searching for dark matter
The world's most sensitive model-independent experiment to search for particularly light particles, of which dark matter might be composed, starts today at DESY in the form of the 'light shining through a wall' experiment ALPS II. Scientific calculations predict that this ominous form of matter should occur five times as often in the universe as normal, visible matter. Until now, however, no one...
The laws of physics have not always been symmetric, which may explain why you exist
For generations, physicists were sure the laws of physics were perfectly symmetric. Until they weren't.
Long-term study shows tree species diversity increases likelihood of planting success
Planting forests with diverse species can help ensure their success, according to a new study published May 18 from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) and The Nature Conservancy. The discovery is the result of a decade of research from BiodiversiTREE, a large-scale reforestation project at SERC designed to run for 100 years, testing the effects of different tree planting...
A novel high-throughput method for screening protein-secreting microbial strains
A unique method to screen large-scale libraries for industrially useful bacterial strains was recently developed by Tokyo Tech researchers. The simple approach combines biosensors and microfluidics to quickly identify mutant strains that secrete large amounts of industrially useful proteins, opening the doors to more applications, like reasonably priced biopharmaceuticals.
Multifunctional interface enables manipulation of light waves in free space
Recent technological advances have given us a remarkable ability to manipulate and control light waves, opening up numerous applications in various fields, such as optical communication, sensing, imaging, energy, and quantum computing. At the heart of this progress are photonic structures that can control light waves, either at the chip level in the form of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) or...
Precipitation variations indicate the northern boundary and climate regimes of the Asian summer monsoon
Precipitation patterns and their variations over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are mainly dominated by the Asian summer monsoon (ASM), westerlies, and their interactions. The exact extent of the ASM's influence, however, remains undetermined. The northern boundary of the ASM denotes the northernmost position, with its leading edge advancing from south to north after its outbreak.
Risk of 'catastrophic flooding' has diminished in Tulare Lake Basin, officials say
The risk of catastrophic flooding in the Tulare Lake Basin has diminished as cool temperatures have predominated this spring, flattening the melt curve of the Sierra's epic snowpack, state officials said Monday.
How do you recognize the atmosphere of extraterrestrial lava worlds?
In the past 30 years, more than 5,000 planets have been discovered outside our solar system. One common exoplanet is the lava world, a hot super-Earth with oceans of liquid lava. Mantas Zilinskas developed models to simulate possible atmospheres of these worlds. Those simulations provide guidance for astronomers searching for these atmospheres with the James Webb Space Telescope. Zilinskas will...
A troubling reaction to school violence compounds the crisis
High school students who experience violence or bullying at school are more likely to bring weapons like a gun, knife, or club to school than those who have not experienced violence, according to a new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Scientists make first observation of a polar cyclone on Uranus
Scientists used ground-based telescopes to get unprecedented views, thanks to the giant planet's position in its long orbit around the sun.
Researchers want to use 'biochar' to combat climate change
A new review of research suggests that the nature-based technology biochar—a carbon-rich material—could be an important tool to use in agriculture to help mitigate climate change.
How the COVID-19 pandemic impacted social cohesion
More than any other recent event, the COVID-19 crisis has affected the lives of people around the world. In a special issue of the online journal Frontiers in Sociology, edited by sociologists from Constructor University and the Otto von Guericke University of Magdeburg, a group of researchers documents the global impact of the pandemic on the social cohesion of individual population groups and...
Brazil declares animal health emergency over bird flu
Brazil, the world's largest chicken exporter, has declared a nationwide "animal health emergency" after confirming eight cases of avian flu in wild birds, authorities said.
Video: Annual global ice loss simulated over Oslo
Satellites play a vital role in monitoring the rapid changes taking place in the Arctic. Tracking ice lost from the world's glaciers, ice sheets and frozen land shows that Earth is losing ice at an accelerating rate.
Firefighting foam contaminated public water for about 9,000 in Maine
Firefighting foam used in battling a fatal fire in an apartment building entered the public water system, prompting the water district to temporarily order thousands of residents not to drink the water.
New orchid species found in Tibet
Bulbophyllum is one of the largest genera in the orchid family, with about 2,200 species, and is widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics. In the course of botanical exploration in southeastern Xizang in 2020–2022, researchers collected several Bulbophyllum specimens with similar habits and floral characteristics and transplanted them to the orchid conservation center of Tibet...
How do we draw alien planets?
- Astronomy.com
- 23/5/23 19:39
Astronomical websites and press releases brim with pictures of swirling gas giants, watery terrestrial worlds, and strange planetary systems with exotic suns. But just how realistic are these artist’s concepts? Do they truly show newly discovered worlds, or are they simply fanciful pictures meant to draw you into reading about the latest addition to theContinue reading "How do we draw alien...
Calcium rechargeable battery with long cycle life
- ScienceDaily
- 23/5/23 18:38
With the use of electric vehicles and grid-scale energy storage systems on the rise, the need to explore alternatives to lithium-ion batteries has never been greater. Researchers have recently developed a prototype calcium metal rechargeable battery capable of 500 cycles of repeated charge-discharge -- the benchmark for practical use. The breakthrough was made thanks to the development of a copper...
A deep underground lab could hold key to habitability on Mars
- ScienceDaily
- 23/5/23 18:38
Tunnels deep underground in North Yorkshire are providing a unique opportunity to study how humans might be able to live and operate on the Moon or on Mars.
Prescribed burns encourage foul-smelling invaders
- ScienceDaily
- 23/5/23 18:38
Though prescribed burns reduce wildfire threats and even improve habitat for some animals, new research shows these fires also spread stinknet, an aptly named weed currently invading superblooms across the Southwestern U.S.
Flexing crystalline structures provide path to a solid energy future
- ScienceDaily
- 23/5/23 18:38
Researchers have uncovered the atomic mechanisms that make a class of compounds called argyrodites attractive candidates for both solid-state battery electrolytes and thermoelectric energy converters. The discoveries -- and the machine learning approach used to make them -- could help usher in a new era of energy storage for applications such as household battery walls and fast-charging electric...
Humans are unique but not exceptional species of mammal
- ScienceDaily
- 23/5/23 18:37
Humans appear to resemble mammals that live in monogamous partnerships and to some extent, those classified as cooperative breeders, where breeding individuals have to rely on the help of others to raise their offspring.
Skin patch shows promise for toddlers with peanut allergy
- ScienceDaily
- 23/5/23 18:37
A global phase 3 clinical trial found that a year-long immunotherapy through a skin patch safely desensitized toddlers with peanut allergy, lowering the risk of a severe allergic reaction from accidental exposure.
Researchers examine cooling power plants with brackish groundwater
- ScienceDaily
- 23/5/23 18:37
Nontraditional water sources can be deployed to help cope with climate-induced water risks and tackle the increasing water demand for decarbonization of fossil fuel-fired power plants, but that could increase the cost of electricity generation by 8 percent to 10 percent.