ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Australian scientists discover 500-meter-tall coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef
• The sweet spot of flagellar assembly
• Post-wildfire hazards: Toward an understanding of when and how slope failure may occur
• Scientists map structure of potent antibody against coronavirus
• Beaches can survive sea-level rises as long as they have space to move
• Scientists use clues in the human genome to discover new inflammatory syndrome
• How to design organic solar cell materials
• Empathy may be in the eye of the beholder
• Cancer treatment without side effects?
• Antarctica yields oldest fossils of giant birds with 21-foot wingspans
• What do breast cancer cells feel inside the tumor?
• Aerosol microdroplets inefficient carriers of COVID-19 virus
• Random effects key to containing epidemics
• Black Hispanic individuals hardest hit by COVID-19
• Proton regulator of essential cancer microRNA
• Gran Telescopio Canarias finds the farthest black hole that belongs to a rare family of galaxies
• Galaxies in the infant universe were surprisingly mature
• Drug resistance linked to antibiotic use and patient transfers in hospitals
• Differences in malaria clearance between males and females
• Biomarkers could be used in a quick, inexpensive COVID-19 blood screening tool
• Species loss affects basis of life of humans
• For vampire bats, social distancing while sick comes naturally
• Geologists simulate soil conditions to help grow plants on Mars
• Ultraheavy precision polymers
• Theoreticians show which quantum systems are suitable for quantum simulations
• New tactic to stop the growth of a deadly brain cancer
• Cancer's dangerous renovations to our chromosomes revealed
• Scientists discover how a common mutation leads to 'night owl' sleep disorder
• Langerhans cells are up to the job, they just need a chance
• Can individual differences be detected in same-shaped pottery vessels by unknown craftsmen?
• Back to the future of climate
• Small mussels in the Baltic are getting even smaller
• Large tides may have driven evolution of fish towards life on land
• Over 80 percent of COVID-19 patients have vitamin D deficiency, study finds
• 'White matter lesion' mapping tool identifies early signs of dementia
• Risk score predicts prognosis of outpatients with COVID-19
• New COVID-19 related genes -- helpful and harmful -- found in massive screen
• Ultrasounds show impact of COVID-19 on the heart

Australian scientists discover 500-meter-tall coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef Posted: 27 Oct 2020 01:17 PM PDT Scientists have discovered a massive detached coral reef in the Great Barrier Reef, measuring more than 500 meters high -- taller than the Empire State Building, the Sydney Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers.

The sweet spot of flagellar assembly Posted: 27 Oct 2020 01:15 PM PDT To build the machinery that enables bacteria to swim the flagellum is assembled piece by piece, ending with the helix called flagellar filament, composed of six different subunits called flagellins. Microbiologists have demonstrated that adding sugar to the flagellins is crucial for the flagellum's assembly and functionality. Among the six flagellins, one is the special one serving a signalling role to trigger the final assembly of the flagellum.

Post-wildfire hazards: Toward an understanding of when and how slope failure may occur Posted: 27 Oct 2020 01:15 PM PDT Across the western US, severe wildfires fueled by tinder-dry vegetation have already burned more than 3.2 million hectares (8 million acres) -- an area the size of Maryland -- as of the end of October, 2020, and nearly six times that area burned this year in Australia. And even though neither country's worst-ever fire year is not yet over, concerns are already mounting regarding the next hazard these regions will face: dangerous and destructive debris flows.

Scientists map structure of potent antibody against coronavirus Posted: 27 Oct 2020 11:35 AM PDT Scientists have shown that a potent antibody from a COVID-19 survivor interferes with a key feature on the surface of the coronavirus's distinctive spikes and induces critical pieces of those spikes to break off in the process.

Beaches can survive sea-level rises as long as they have space to move Posted: 27 Oct 2020 10:37 AM PDT An international team of coastal scientists has dismissed suggestions that half the world's beaches could become extinct over the course of the 21st century.

Scientists use clues in the human genome to discover new inflammatory syndrome Posted: 27 Oct 2020 10:37 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a new inflammatory disorder called vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory and somatic syndrome (VEXAS), which is caused by mutations in the UBA1 gene. VEXAS causes symptoms that included blood clots in veins, recurrent fevers, pulmonary abnormalities and vacuoles (unusual cavity-like structures) in myeloid cells.

How to design organic solar cell materials Posted: 27 Oct 2020 10:37 AM PDT Scientists have recently scrutinized organic solar cells and derived design rules for light-absorbing dyes that can help to make these cells more efficient, while tailoring the absorption spectrum of the cells to the needs of the chosen application.

Empathy may be in the eye of the beholder Posted: 27 Oct 2020 10:37 AM PDT Do we always want people to show empathy? Not so, said researchers. A recently published article suggests that although empathy is often portrayed as a virtue, people who express empathy are not necessarily viewed favorably.

Cancer treatment without side effects? Posted: 27 Oct 2020 10:37 AM PDT Treating cancer without debilitating side effects has long been the holy grail of oncologists, and researchers may have found it.

Antarctica yields oldest fossils of giant birds with 21-foot wingspans Posted: 27 Oct 2020 10:37 AM PDT Some of the largest birds in history, called pelagornithids, arose a few million years after the mass extinction that killed off the dinosaurs and patrolled the oceans with giant wingspans for some 60 million years. A team of paleontologists has found two fossils -- each from individual pelagornithids with wingspans of 20 feet or more -- that show this gigantism arose at least 50 million years ago and lasted at least 10 million years.

What do breast cancer cells feel inside the tumor? Posted: 27 Oct 2020 08:12 AM PDT Using a new technique, a team of researchers has found tiny and previously undetectable 'hot spots' of extremely high stiffness inside aggressive and invasive breast cancer tumors. Their findings suggest, for the first time, that only very tiny regions of a tumor need to stiffen for metastasis to take place. Though still in its infancy, the researchers believe that their technique may prove useful in detecting and mapping the progression of aggressive cancers.

Aerosol microdroplets inefficient carriers of COVID-19 virus Posted: 27 Oct 2020 08:12 AM PDT Aerosol microdroplets do not appear to be extremely efficient at spreading the virus that leads to COVID-19. While the lingering microdroplets are certainly not risk-free, due to their small size they contain less virus than the larger droplets that are produced when someone coughs, speaks, or sneezes directly on us, said researchers.

Random effects key to containing epidemics Posted: 27 Oct 2020 08:12 AM PDT Scientists have discovered why dividing a large population into multiple subpopulations that do not intermix can help contain outbreaks without imposing contact restrictions within those local communities.

Black Hispanic individuals hardest hit by COVID-19 Posted: 27 Oct 2020 08:12 AM PDT A new study shows the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Hispanic groups within the United States, with the most severe outcomes, including death and intensive care, among Hispanic Black individuals.

Proton regulator of essential cancer microRNA Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT New findings unveil that a 'hidden' layer of regulation by which the intrinsic dynamic ensemble of miRNA processing intermediates can direct the outcome of important biological processes in response to environmental and cellular stimuli in the absence of protein factors. If these processes go awry, then disease could result. Understanding the roles of miRNAs in disease is a needed step in finding new routes to better therapeutics.

Gran Telescopio Canarias finds the farthest black hole that belongs to a rare family of galaxies Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT Astronomers have identified one of the rarest known classes of gamma-ray emitting galaxies, called BL Lacertae, within the first 2 billion years of the age of the universe.

Galaxies in the infant universe were surprisingly mature Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT ALMA telescope conducts largest survey yet of distant galaxies in the early universe.

Drug resistance linked to antibiotic use and patient transfers in hospitals Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT Understanding the role of antibiotic use patterns and patient transfers in the emergence of drug-resistant microbes is essential to crafting effective prevention strategies, suggests a new study.

Differences in malaria clearance between males and females Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT Females are able to clear asymptomatic malaria infections at a faster rate than their male counterparts, says a new study.

Biomarkers could be used in a quick, inexpensive COVID-19 blood screening tool Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT A new study suggests that COVID-19 affects the human body's blood concentration levels of specific metabolites -- small molecules broken down in the human body through the process of metabolism. Three specific metabolites identified in this study could act as biomarkers and one day be measured through an inexpensive blood test to quickly screen patients for the disease and predict which patients will become most critically ill.

Species loss affects basis of life of humans Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT Current species loss also affects our food, water supply, building materials and energy sources. This is confirmed by one of the biggest biodiversity experiments. Researchers found that ecosystem functions cannot only be predicted from the properties of plants, but that the entire complexity of biotic and abiotic interactions has to be considered.

For vampire bats, social distancing while sick comes naturally Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT New research shows that when vampire bats feel sick, they socially distance themselves from groupmates in their roost -- no public health guidance required.

Geologists simulate soil conditions to help grow plants on Mars Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT Humankind's next giant step may be onto Mars. But before those missions can begin, scientists need to make scores of breakthrough advances, including learning how to grow crops on the red planet.

Ultraheavy precision polymers Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT An environmentally friendly and sustainable synthesis of 'heavyweight' polymers with very narrow molecular weight distributions is an important concept in modern polymer chemistry. Thanks to a new photoenzymatic process, researchers have been able to increase the range of possible monomers. The researchers were able to obtain well-defined linear and star-shaped polymers with ultrahigh molecular weights.

Theoreticians show which quantum systems are suitable for quantum simulations Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:54 AM PDT Researchers have shown a way to simulate the quantum physical properties of complex solid state systems. This is done with the help of complex solid state systems that can be studied experimentally.

New tactic to stop the growth of a deadly brain cancer Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:53 AM PDT Scientists have discovered a way to stop the growth of glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer. The finding provides a new tactic in the war against cancer that involves reprogramming the immune system to do what it does best - fight the tumor instead of fueling it.

Cancer's dangerous renovations to our chromosomes revealed Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:53 AM PDT Cancer remodels the architecture of our chromosomes so the disease can take hold and spread, new research reveals.

Scientists discover how a common mutation leads to 'night owl' sleep disorder Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:53 AM PDT People with delayed sleep phase disorder are unable to fall asleep until late at night (often after 2 a.m.) and have difficulty getting up in the morning. In 2017, scientists discovered a surprisingly common mutation that causes this sleep disorder by altering a key component of the biological clock that maintains the body's daily rhythms. Now, a new study reveals the molecular mechanisms involved and point the way toward potential treatments.

Langerhans cells are up to the job, they just need a chance Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:53 AM PDT Researchers found that Langerhans cells (LCs) play a crucial role in mucocutaneous acute guest-versus-host disease (aGVHD). Their experiments in mice showed that when the LCs of a recipient were depleted, the formation of mucocutaneous lesions was enhanced because the infiltration of CD8+ T cells was inhibited. Their findings have significant implications for improving blood stem cell transplantation treatments and clinical outcomes for patients.

Can individual differences be detected in same-shaped pottery vessels by unknown craftsmen? Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:53 AM PDT Can quantitative differences be used to identify individual potters who make traditional, fixed-shape vessels that have been made in the same way for generations? Researchers discovered that there are clear variations between individuals in the formation process and hand movements used.

Back to the future of climate Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:53 AM PDT Hot and humid: Using minerals from ancient soils, researchers are reconstructing the climate that prevailed on Earth some 55 million years ago. Their findings will help them to better assess how our climate might look in the future.

Small mussels in the Baltic are getting even smaller Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:53 AM PDT Blue mussels in the Baltic Sea are getting smaller with time but bigger in numbers, according to a new study. Analyzing data from the last 24 years, the main reason for this appears to be changes in food quality. The type of phytoplankton that is available for blue mussels to eat can in turn be linked to our changing climate.

Large tides may have driven evolution of fish towards life on land Posted: 27 Oct 2020 07:53 AM PDT Big tidal ranges some 400 million years ago may have initiated the evolution of bony fish and land vertebrates. This theory is now supported by researchers who, for the first time, have used established mathematical models to simulate tides on Earth during this period.

Over 80 percent of COVID-19 patients have vitamin D deficiency, study finds Posted: 27 Oct 2020 06:22 AM PDT Over 80 percent of 200 COVID-19 patients in a hospital in Spain have vitamin D deficiency, according to a new study.

'White matter lesion' mapping tool identifies early signs of dementia Posted: 27 Oct 2020 05:37 AM PDT A new tool for analyzing tissue damage seen on MRI brain scans can detect with more than 70% accuracy early signs of cognitive decline, new research shows.

Risk score predicts prognosis of outpatients with COVID-19 Posted: 26 Oct 2020 01:44 PM PDT A new artificial intelligence-based score considers multiple factors to predict the prognosis of individual patients with COVID-19 seen at urgent care clinics or emergency departments. The tool can be used to rapidly and automatically determine which patients are most likely to develop complications and need to be hospitalized.

New COVID-19 related genes -- helpful and harmful -- found in massive screen Posted: 26 Oct 2020 12:39 PM PDT Researchers screened hundreds of millions of cells exposed to the COVID-19 and MERS viruses and identified dozens of genes that both enable the viruses to replicate in cells and also those that seem to slam the door on the virus. The pro-viral and anti-viral role of these genes will help guide scientists in development of new therapies to combat COVID-19, the researchers say.

Ultrasounds show impact of COVID-19 on the heart Posted: 26 Oct 2020 11:45 AM PDT A new study identifies different types of cardiac structural damage experienced by COVID-19 patients after cardiac injury that can be associated with deadly conditions including heart attack, pulmonary embolism, heart failure, and myocarditis.

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