ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Sea star's ability to clone itself may empower this mystery globetrotter
• Trees and lawns beat the heat
• Novel discoveries in preventing epileptic seizures
• American Pikas show resiliency in the face of global warming
• Teen brain differences linked to increased waist circumference
• Mathematical tools predict if wave-energy devices stay afloat in the ocean
• Ultrasound screening may be limited in ability to predict perinatal complications
• Television advertising limits can reduce childhood obesity, study concludes
• Multiple neurodevelopmental conditions may lead to worse educational outcomes
• Without the North American monsoon, reining in wildfires gets harder
• New global temperature data will inform study of climate impacts on health, agriculture
• The mountains of Pluto are snowcapped, but not for the same reasons as on Earth
• How psychological ownership can enhance stewardship for public goods
• Bacterial toxin with healing effect
• New study shows which medical procedures pose COVID-19 risk to health-care providers
• Technique to recover lost single-cell RNA-sequencing information
• New method uses noise to make spectrometers more accurate
• Port engineers need guidance incorporating sea level rise into construction designs
• Researchers are working on tech so machines can thermally 'breathe'
• Effects of low-level lead exposure and alcohol consumption
• New insight on mole growth could aid development of skin cancer treatments
• Atmospheric dust levels are rising in the Great Plains
• People can do more than use less plastic to help save the Great Barrier Reef
• Engineers create helical topological exciton-polaritons
• Anticancer compounds for B cell cancer therapy targeting cellular stress response
• COVID-19 recovery at home possible for most patients
• The distance local energy goes to bring power to the people
• Magnitude comparison distinguishes small earthquakes from chemical explosions in US west
• Want to wait less at the bus stop? Beware real-time updates
• Alcohol use changed right after COVID-19 lockdown
• Mental accounting is impacting sustainable behavior
• Hair loss might be prevented by regulating stem cell metabolism
• Astronomers solve dark matter puzzle of strange galaxy
• On the trail of novel infectious agents in wildlife
• Perovskite materials: Neutrons show twinning in halide perovskites
• Study links eating disorders with body dysmorphia
• Perception of risk and optimism barriers in behavior during coronavirus
• Scientists shed new light on mechanisms of malaria parasite motility
• Cancer-killing T cells 'swarm' to tumors, attracting others to the fight
• Statins may reduce cancer risk through mechanisms separate to cholesterol
• Mechanism that restores cell function after genome damage
• Quantum physics: Physicists successfully carry out controlled transport of stored light
• A tiny jaw from Greenland sheds light on the origin of complex teeth
• New deep learning models: Fewer neurons, more intelligence
• Computer model uses virus 'appearance' to better predict winter flu strains
• Hurricanes, heavy rains are critical for Hawai'i's groundwater supply
• New 3-D model of a DNA-regulating complex in human cells provides cancer clues
• Customers prefer partitions over mannequins in socially-distanced dining rooms
• Unique view into the new Arctic
• Darwin's theory about coral reef atolls is fatally flawed
• Ultrafast fiber laser produces record high power
• Rainforest model offers glimpse into future of the Amazon
• Stopping lethal lung damage from the flu with a natural human protein
• Which is more creative, the arts or the sciences?
• The deep sea is slowly warming
• Study first to tally biomass from oceanic plastic debris using visualization method
• Earphone tracks facial expressions, even with a face mask
• COVID-19 frequently causes neurological injuries
• Modelling extreme magnetic fields and temperature variation on distant stars
• Environmental impacts of pot fishing

Sea star's ability to clone itself may empower this mystery globetrotter Posted: 13 Oct 2020 04:10 PM PDT The identity of wild cloning sea star larvae has been a mystery since they were first documented in the Caribbean. The most commonly collected cloning species was thought to belong to the Oreasteridae, on the basis of similarity with sequences from Oreaster reticulatus and Oreaster clavatus.

Trees and lawns beat the heat Posted: 13 Oct 2020 02:50 PM PDT As climate change pushes many cities towards dangerous temperatures, planners are scrambling to mitigate excessive heat. One strategy is to replace artificial surfaces with vegetation cover. In water-limited regions, municipalities have to balance the benefit of cooler temperatures with using precious water for irrigation. A new study will make those decisions easier for the semi-arid Salt Lake Valley, the largest metropolitan area in Utah located in the northern part of the state.

Novel discoveries in preventing epileptic seizures Posted: 13 Oct 2020 01:44 PM PDT Researchers have found that an amino acid produced by the brain could play a crucial role in preventing a type of epileptic seizure.

American Pikas show resiliency in the face of global warming Posted: 13 Oct 2020 01:44 PM PDT The American pika is a charismatic, diminutive relative of rabbits that some researchers say is at high risk of extinction due to climate change. A new review finds that the American pika is far more resilient in the face of warm temperatures than previously believed.

Teen brain differences linked to increased waist circumference Posted: 13 Oct 2020 12:08 PM PDT Differences in the microstructure of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), a region in the brain that plays an important role in processing food and other reward stimuli, predict increases in indicators of obesity in children, according to a new study.

Mathematical tools predict if wave-energy devices stay afloat in the ocean Posted: 13 Oct 2020 12:08 PM PDT Ocean waves represent an abundant source of renewable energy. But to best use this natural resource, wave-energy converters need to be capable of physically handling ocean waves of different strengths without capsizing.

Ultrasound screening may be limited in ability to predict perinatal complications Posted: 13 Oct 2020 11:17 AM PDT Delivering a newborn with macrosomia (weighing more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces at birth) may be associated with higher risk of adverse outcomes, including perinatal death and injuries related to traumatic delivery, such as stuck shoulders (shoulder dystocia).

Television advertising limits can reduce childhood obesity, study concludes Posted: 13 Oct 2020 11:17 AM PDT Limiting the hours of television advertising for foods and beverages high in fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) could make a meaningful contribution to reducing childhood obesity, according to a new study.

Multiple neurodevelopmental conditions may lead to worse educational outcomes Posted: 13 Oct 2020 11:17 AM PDT Scottish children with multiple neurodevelopmental conditions experience greater school absenteeism and exclusion, poorer exam attainment and increased unemployment, according to a study.

Without the North American monsoon, reining in wildfires gets harder Posted: 13 Oct 2020 10:43 AM PDT New research shows that while winter rains can temper the beginning of the wildfire season, monsoon rains are what shut them down. This monsoon season was the second-driest on record, leaving Southern Arizona dry and vulnerable.

New global temperature data will inform study of climate impacts on health, agriculture Posted: 13 Oct 2020 10:43 AM PDT A new data set provides high-resolution, daily temperatures from around the globe that could prove valuable in studying human health impacts from heat waves, risks to agriculture, droughts, potential crop failures, and food insecurity.

The mountains of Pluto are snowcapped, but not for the same reasons as on Earth Posted: 13 Oct 2020 10:43 AM PDT In 2015, the New Horizons space probe discovered spectacular snowcapped mountains on Pluto, which are strikingly similar to mountains on Earth. Such a landscape had never before been observed elsewhere in the Solar System. Scientists determined that the methane snow could only appear at the peaks of Pluto's mountains high enough to reach this enriched zone that the air contains enough methane for it to condense.

How psychological ownership can enhance stewardship for public goods Posted: 13 Oct 2020 10:43 AM PDT How can consumers be encouraged to take better care of public goods and resources?

Bacterial toxin with healing effect Posted: 13 Oct 2020 10:43 AM PDT A bacterial toxin promoting tissue healing has been discovered. The compound, found in Staphylococcus aureus, does not just damage cells, but also stimulates tissue regeneration.

New study shows which medical procedures pose COVID-19 risk to health-care providers Posted: 13 Oct 2020 10:43 AM PDT Autopsy, airway suctioning and cardiopulmonary resuscitation are among the list of medical procedures that pose a risk of spreading COVID-19 from a patient to their health-care provider by creating aerosols, according to new research.

Technique to recover lost single-cell RNA-sequencing information Posted: 13 Oct 2020 10:43 AM PDT Researchers have greatly boosted the amount of information that can be obtained using Seq-Well, a technique for rapidly sequencing RNA from single cells. This advance should enable scientists to learn more about the critical genes expressed in each cell, and to discover subtle differences between healthy and diseased cells for designing new preventions and cures.

New method uses noise to make spectrometers more accurate Posted: 13 Oct 2020 10:42 AM PDT Optical spectrometers are instruments with a wide variety of uses. By measuring the intensity of light across different wavelengths, they can be used to image tissues or measure the chemical composition of everything from a distant galaxy to a leaf. Now researchers have come up a with a new, rapid method for characterizing and calibrating spectrometers, based on how they respond to 'noise.'

Port engineers need guidance incorporating sea level rise into construction designs Posted: 13 Oct 2020 10:42 AM PDT A survey of maritime infrastructure engineers found that the rising sea level is often not factored into designs of ports, breakwaters, fishing piers and other coastal infrastructure.

Researchers are working on tech so machines can thermally 'breathe' Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:42 AM PDT In the era of electric cars, machine learning and ultra-efficient vehicles for space travel, computers and hardware are operating faster and more efficiently. But this increase in power comes with a trade-off: They get superhot. To counter this, researchers are developing a way for large machines to 'breathe' in and out cooling blasts of water to keep their systems from overheating. The findings are detailed in a recent study in the journal Physical Review Fluids.

Effects of low-level lead exposure and alcohol consumption Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:42 AM PDT A new study examining effects of low-level developmental lead exposure in mice could explain why some people dependent on alcohol return to using.

New insight on mole growth could aid development of skin cancer treatments Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:42 AM PDT Moles stop growing when they reach a certain size due to normal interactions between cells, despite having cancer-associated gene mutations, says a new study.

Atmospheric dust levels are rising in the Great Plains Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT A study finds that atmospheric dust levels are rising across the Great Plains at a rate of up to 5% per year. The trend of rising dust parallels expansion of cropland and even seasonal crop cycles. And if the Great Plains becomes drier, a possibility under climate change scenarios, then all the pieces are in place for a repeat of the Dust Bowl that devastated the Midwest in the 1930s.

People can do more than use less plastic to help save the Great Barrier Reef Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT There are many threats to Australia's Great Barrier Reef - cyclones, shipping, crown-of-thorns starfish - but QUT researchers say climate change is its worst enemy. Yet a survey they conducted found most people don't make a connection between climate change and reef health. They say there is more individuals could do on this front, both in the home and to influence government policies

Engineers create helical topological exciton-polaritons Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Researchers have created an even more exotic form of the exciton-polariton, one which has a defined quantum spin that is locked to its direction of motion. Depending on the direction of their spin, these helical topological exciton-polaritons move in opposite directions along the surface of an equally specialized type of topological insulator.

Anticancer compounds for B cell cancer therapy targeting cellular stress response Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Scientists are developing anticancer compounds targeting a pathway of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response implicated in the development of multiple myeloma (MM), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and lymphoma.

COVID-19 recovery at home possible for most patients Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT A new study shows that the vast majority of patients who visited the Ruth and Harry Roman Emergency Department at Cedars-Sinai with suspected COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) symptoms, and who were treated and sent home to recuperate, recovered within a week.

The distance local energy goes to bring power to the people Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT A study published today in the journal Frontiers in Sustainability by the University of California, Davis, sheds light on the lengths alternative energy providers go to bring electrical power to customers.

Magnitude comparison distinguishes small earthquakes from chemical explosions in US west Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT By comparing two magnitude measurements for seismic events recorded locally, researchers can tell whether the event was a small earthquake or a single-fire buried chemical explosion.

Want to wait less at the bus stop? Beware real-time updates Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Smartphone apps that tell commuters when a bus will arrive at a stop don't result in less time waiting than reliance on an official bus route schedule, a new study suggests. In fact, people who followed the suggestions of transit apps to time their arrival for when the bus pulls up to the stop were likely to miss the bus about three-fourths of the time, results showed.

Alcohol use changed right after COVID-19 lockdown Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT One in four adults reported a change in alcohol use almost immediately after stay-at-home orders were issued: 14 percent reported drinking more alcohol and reported higher levels of stress and anxiety than those who did not drink and those whose use stayed the same. The 11 percent who decreased their drinking also had higher levels of stress and anxiety -- suggesting that any change in alcohol use may be associated with mental health issues.

Mental accounting is impacting sustainable behavior Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Human beings tend to create separate mental budget compartments where specific acts of consumption and payments are linked. This mechanism can be counter-productive when it comes to energy consumption and can have a negative impact on attempts to reduce carbon emissions. Psychologists have linked theories and research on mental accounting to energy and sustainability behavior, proposing concrete strategies to improve the impact of climate-control measures.

Hair loss might be prevented by regulating stem cell metabolism Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Medical researchers have identified a mechanism that is likely to prevent hair loss.

Astronomers solve dark matter puzzle of strange galaxy Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Astronomers have found that the total number of globular clusters around Dragonfly 44 and, therefore, the dark matter content, is much less than earlier findings had suggested, which shows that this galaxy is neither unique nor anomalous.

On the trail of novel infectious agents in wildlife Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT A research team investigated the causes of severe respiratory disease in peccaries and taxonomically characterized a novel Streptococcus species (Streptococcus catagoni sp. nov.) based on its phenotypic properties and genetic features.

Perovskite materials: Neutrons show twinning in halide perovskites Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Solar cells based on hybrid halide perovskites achieve high efficiencies. These mixed organic-inorganic semiconductors are usually produced as thin films of microcrystals. An investigation with the Laue camera at the neutron source BER II could now clarify that twinning occurs during crystallisation even at room temperature. This insight is helpful for optimising production processes of halide perovskites.

Study links eating disorders with body dysmorphia Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT People with eating disorders are 12 times more likely to be preoccupied with perceived flaws in their physical appearance than those without, according to new research.

Perception of risk and optimism barriers in behavior during coronavirus Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Until a vaccine and/or effective cure for COVID-19 becomes available, battling the current pandemic strongly relies on how well people follow behavioural advice, such as adhering to local restrictions, social distancing rules, and engaging in effective personal hygiene.

Scientists shed new light on mechanisms of malaria parasite motility Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT New insight on the molecular mechanisms that allow malaria parasites to move and spread disease within their hosts has just been published. The first X-ray structures of the molecular complex that allows malaria parasites to spread disease highlight a novel target for antimalarial treatments.

Cancer-killing T cells 'swarm' to tumors, attracting others to the fight Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT When immune system T cells find and recognise a target, they release chemicals to attract more T cells which then swarm to help subdue the threat, shows a new study.

Statins may reduce cancer risk through mechanisms separate to cholesterol Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins may reduce cancer risk in humans through a pathway unrelated to cholesterol, says a new study.

Mechanism that restores cell function after genome damage Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Researchers have found out how cells can recover their development and longevity after damage by UV. The discovery may enable new therapies against premature aging.

Quantum physics: Physicists successfully carry out controlled transport of stored light Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:41 AM PDT Physicists have successfully transported light stored in a quantum memory over a distance of 1.2 millimeters. They have demonstrated that the controlled transport process and its dynamics has only little impact on the properties of the stored light. The researchers used ultra-cold rubidium-87 atoms as a storage medium for the light as to achieve a high level of storage efficiency and a long lifetime.

A tiny jaw from Greenland sheds light on the origin of complex teeth Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:40 AM PDT Scientists have described the earliest known example of dentary bone with two rows of cusps on molars and double-rooted teeth. The new findings offer insight into mammal tooth evolution, particularly the development of double-rooted teeth.

New deep learning models: Fewer neurons, more intelligence Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:40 AM PDT An international research team has developed a new artificial intelligence system based on the brains of tiny animals, such as threadworms. This novel AI-system can control a vehicle with just a few artificial neurons. It copes much better with noisy input, and, because of its simplicity, its mode of operation can be explained in detail

Computer model uses virus 'appearance' to better predict winter flu strains Posted: 13 Oct 2020 09:40 AM PDT Combining genetic and experimental data into models about the influenza virus can help predict more accurately which strains will be most common during the next winter, says a study published recently in eLife.

Hurricanes, heavy rains are critical for Hawai'i's groundwater supply Posted: 13 Oct 2020 08:13 AM PDT New research indicates that rain brought to the islands by hurricanes and Kona storms can often be the most important precipitation for re-supplying groundwater in many regions of the island of O'ahu.

New 3-D model of a DNA-regulating complex in human cells provides cancer clues Posted: 13 Oct 2020 08:13 AM PDT Scientists have created an unprecedented 3-dimensional structural model of a key molecular 'machine' known as the BAF complex, which modifies DNA architecture and is frequently mutated in cancer and some other diseases.

Customers prefer partitions over mannequins in socially-distanced dining rooms Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:58 AM PDT Restaurants have had to get creative to enforce social distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, including utilizing mannequins. Others were more conservative and opted to place plastic or glass partitions between tables. A researcher found out which socially-distanced dining room consumers prefer.

Unique view into the new Arctic Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:58 AM PDT With the return of the Polarstern, the largest Arctic expedition of all times has come to a successful end. For more than a year, the German research icebreaker traveled in 5 cruise legs with more than 400 people from 20 countries to investigate the epicenter of climate change more precisely than ever before.

Darwin's theory about coral reef atolls is fatally flawed Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:58 AM PDT Charles Darwin's 1842 theory about the formation of ring-shaped reefs, called atolls, is incorrect, but 'it's so beautiful, so simple and pleasing' that it still appears in textbooks and university courses, said a marine geologist. The accurate description is more complicated, and biologists are hoping to set the record straight.

Ultrafast fiber laser produces record high power Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:58 AM PDT Researchers have developed an ultrafast fiber laser that delivers an average power more than ten times what is available from today's high-power lasers. The technology is poised to improve industrial-scale materials processing and paves the way for visionary applications.

Rainforest model offers glimpse into future of the Amazon Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:58 AM PDT Tropical Forests may be more resilient to climate change than previously thought, according to ecologists. The results help solve an ongoing debate about the mechanism responsible for declines in tropical forest productivity that go hand in hand with rising global temperatures.

Stopping lethal lung damage from the flu with a natural human protein Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:57 AM PDT The raging lung inflammation that can contribute to death from the flu can be stopped in its tracks by a drug derived from a naturally occurring human protein, a new animal study suggests.

Which is more creative, the arts or the sciences? Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:57 AM PDT An expert in creativity and innovation is calling for schools and universities to increase their emphasis on teaching creativity, as new research shows it is a core competency across all disciplines and critical for ensuring future job success.

The deep sea is slowly warming Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:57 AM PDT New research reveals temperatures in the deep sea fluctuate more than scientists previously thought and a warming trend is now detectable at the bottom of the ocean.

Study first to tally biomass from oceanic plastic debris using visualization method Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:57 AM PDT Scientists examined cell abundances, size, cellular carbon mass, and how photosynthetic cells differ on polymeric and glass substrates over time, exploring nanoparticle generation from plastic like polystyrene and how this might disrupt microalgae. Conservative estimates suggest that about 1 percent of microbial cells in the ocean surface microlayer inhabit plastic debris globally. This mass of cells would not exist without plastic debris in the ocean, and thus, represents a disruption of the proportions of native flora in that habitat.

Earphone tracks facial expressions, even with a face mask Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:17 AM PDT Researchers have invented an earphone that can continuously track full facial expressions by observing the contour of the cheeks - and can then translate expressions into emojis or silent speech commands.

COVID-19 frequently causes neurological injuries Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:16 AM PDT Without directly invading the brain or nerves, the virus responsible for COVID-19 causes potentially damaging neurological injuries in about one in seven infected, a new study shows. These injuries range from temporary confusion due to low body-oxygen levels, to stroke and seizures in the most serious cases, say the study authors.

Modelling extreme magnetic fields and temperature variation on distant stars Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:16 AM PDT New research is helping to explain one of the big questions that has perplexed astrophysicists for the past 30 years - what causes the changing brightness of distant stars called magnetars. Magnetars were formed from stellar explosions or supernovae and they have extremely strong magnetic fields, estimated to be around 100 million, million times greater than the magnetic field found on earth.

Environmental impacts of pot fishing Posted: 13 Oct 2020 07:16 AM PDT The findings of new research go against previous thinking around the damage caused by pot fishing to the seabed.

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