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168,132 articles from ScienceDaily

Field geologists (finally) going digital

Not very long ago a professional geologist's field kit consisted of a Brunton compass, rock hammer, magnifying glass, and field notebook. No longer. In the field and in the labs and classrooms, studying Earth has undergone an explosive change in recent years, fueled by technological leaps in handheld digital devices, especially tablet computers and...

Hydro-fracking: Fact vs. fiction

In communities across the US, people are hearing more and more about a controversial oil and gas extraction technique called hydraulic fracturing – aka, hydro-fracking. Controversies pivot on some basic questions: Can hydro-fracking contaminate domestic wells? Does it cause earthquakes? How can we know? What can be done about these things if they are...

The evolution of creationism

Throughout history, people have sought to understand how the world came to be and how it has changed over time. This curiosity has produced a rich legacy of science and philosophy and impacted and influenced religion and theology. Researchers have now examined both the history of geology and of biblical views regarding Earth's...

Vehicles, roadways 'talk' in efforts to improve traffic safety

One day, your auto and the roadway will be in constant communication and able to suggest route changes to avoid accidents, construction, and congestion; coordinate your vehicle with signal lights, other vehicles, and lane markers; and let you know where you can park. Right now, a fleet of instrumented vehicles are testing these systems on two instrumented test beds -- one in Northern Virginia and...

Prenatal testosterone levels influence later response to reward

Testosterone levels early in fetal development influence later sensitivity of brain regions related to reward processing and affect an individual's susceptibility to engage in behavior, that in extremes, are related to several neuropsychiatric conditions that asymmetrically affect one sex more than the other. Although present at low levels in females, testosterone is one of the primary sex...

Therapy for stroke patients improved: More mobility due to deafferentation

Painkilling drugs that make many therapies possible are a blessing for patients. Thanks to modern anesthetics, not only can surgical operations be conducted without causing pain, they are also used for various diagnostic procedures. Anesthetics can be very useful in therapies for stroke patients, as psychologists and physicians can...

Malaria: Vector mosquitoes are constantly adapting

Mosquitoes that carry malaria are constantly adapting. Some develop resistance. Others alter their behavior. Mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles, the vectors of malaria, always find a way to foil human attempts to protect themselves from this disease. Researchers have revealed their great capacity for adaptation, which weakens the strategies to combating their...

Tiger mosquito, vector of chikungunya virus and dengue fever, is more flighty than first thought

Female tiger mosquitoes, vectors of the chikungunya virus and of dengue fever, had been thought to mate only once during their short few weeks of life. They are apparently much less faithful than imagined, however. Scientists have discovered that they may in fact mate with several males during their short lives. What is more, the same clutch of eggs can be engendered by different fathers. For...

'Attack navigator' protects against weak spots in security

Everyone is familiar with the yellow ‘Post-it’ memos, showing login details, that are often found stuck to computer monitors. The same goes for USB sticks found in car parks. However, few grasp the real impact of such actions on an organization’s business or brand. Both may eventually lead to data theft, not as a result of any technical failure, but as a result of the vagaries of human...

Cystic kidney growth curbed

Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is one of the most common genetic disorders, affecting one in every 1,000 people and responsible for up to ten percent of patients on dialysis worldwide. The disease is characterized by the development of cysts that lead to progressive kidney failure and necessitate dialysis or a kidney transplant in most patients aged around fifty. Moreover,...