ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Supersized wind turbines generate clean energy--and surprising physics
• Tracking and fighting fires on earth and beyond
• The science of windy cities
• Ancient people relied on coastal environments to survive the Last Glacial Maximum
• Indonesian wildfires a 'fixable problem'
• Genetics behind deadly oat blight
• New connection between Alzheimer's dementia and Dlgap2
• Big cats and small dogs: Solving the mystery of canine distemper in wild tigers
• Galaxy encounter violently disturbed Milky Way
• Unique Schwann cells: the eyes have it
• Global warming likely to increase disease risk for animals worldwide
• Early, late stages of degenerative diseases are distinct
• Flow physics could help forecasters predict extreme events
• How to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19
• Largest aggregation of fishes in abyssal deep sea
• Lab closed? Head to the kitchen
• Nature's toolkit for killing viruses and bacteria
• Optimizing complex modeling processes through machine learning technologies
• World's smallest atom-memory unit created
• Snorkeling gear, animal noses inspire better personal protective equipment
• Direct visualization of quantum dots reveals shape of quantum wave function
• Making sense of a universe of corn genetics
• PEDSnet report details how COVID-19 pandemic has affected children
• Scientists identify brain cells that help drive bodily reaction to fear, anxiety
• Proving viability of injection-free microneedle for single-administration of vaccines
• Misinformation or artifact: A new way to think about machine learning
• COVID-19 infection combined with blood clots worsens patient outcomes, study finds
• Shift in atmospheric rivers could affect Antarctic sea ice, glaciers
• Therapeutic PD-1 cancer vaccine shown to be safe and effective in animal study
• Tarantula toxin attacks with molecular stinger
• A hunger for social contact
• Algorithm accurately predicts COVID-19 patient outcomes
• Critical point for improving superconductors
• Identifying compound classes through machine learning
• Children more willing to punish if the wrongdoer is 'taught a lesson'
• Boosting stem cell activity can enhance immunotherapy benefits
• Growing interest in Moon resources could cause tension
• Climate change presents new challenges for the drinking water supply
• Laser technology: New trick for infrared laser pulses
• Breakthrough in studying the enzyme that ultimately produces fish odor syndrome
• Controlling fully integrated nanodiamonds
• Did early life need long, complex molecules to make cell-like compartments?
• Researchers overcome barriers for bio-inspired solar energy harvesting materials
• The drug aprotinin inhibits entry of SARS-CoV2 in host cells, study finds
• Milky Way family tree
• Scientists organize to tackle crisis of coral bleaching
• Concussion risk in stunt performers
• Helicates meet Rotaxanes to create promise for future disease treatment
• Proteins in motion
• How ancient fish may have prepared for life on land
• Changes in fire activity are threatening more than 4,400 species globally
• Scientists' atomic resolution protein models reveal new details about protein binding
• What do slight arm movements reveal about our breathing and health?
• Newfound ability to change baby brain activity could lead to rehabilitation for injured brains
• Scientists make sound-waves from a quantum vacuum at the Black Hole laboratory
• Magnetic brain waves to detect injury and disease
• Coppery titi monkeys do not deceive their partners
• Identical evolution of isolated organisms
• Airflow studies reveal strategies to reduce indoor transmission of COVID-19

Supersized wind turbines generate clean energy--and surprising physics Posted: 23 Nov 2020 02:34 PM PST As wind energy scales up, researchers study the fluid dynamics challenges.

Tracking and fighting fires on earth and beyond Posted: 23 Nov 2020 02:34 PM PST Scientists demonstrate how fires burn and spread under different environmental conditions.

The science of windy cities Posted: 23 Nov 2020 02:34 PM PST Researchers model urban airflows to help improve the design of drones, skyscrapers, and natural ventilation systems.

Ancient people relied on coastal environments to survive the Last Glacial Maximum Posted: 23 Nov 2020 02:34 PM PST Excavations on the south coast of South Africa have uncovered evidence of human occupations from the end of the last ice age, approximately 35,000 years ago, through the complex transition to the modern time, known as the Holocene and adaptions that were key to our species ability to survive wide climate and environmental fluctuations.

Indonesian wildfires a 'fixable problem' Posted: 23 Nov 2020 02:34 PM PST Indonesian wildfires that cause widespread air pollution and vast carbon emissions are a 'fixable problem', according to the leader of a project set up to help tackle the issue.

Genetics behind deadly oat blight Posted: 23 Nov 2020 02:34 PM PST A multi-institution team has identified the genetic mechanisms that enable the production of a deadly toxin called Victorin - the causal agent for Victoria blight of oats, a disease that wiped out oat crops in the U.S. in the 1940s.

New connection between Alzheimer's dementia and Dlgap2 Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST A research team has discovered that Dlgap2, a gene that helps facilitate communication between neurons in the nervous system, is associated with the degree of memory loss in mice and risk for Alzheimer's dementia in humans. When studying post-mortem human brain tissue, the researchers also discovered low levels of Dlgap2 in people experiencing 'poorer cognitive health' and 'faster cognitive decline' prior to death.

Big cats and small dogs: Solving the mystery of canine distemper in wild tigers Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Canine distemper virus (CDV) causes a serious disease in domestic dogs, and also infects other carnivores, including threatened species like the Amur tiger. It is often assumed that domestic dogs are the primary source of CDV, but a new study found that other local wildlife was the primary source of CDV transmission to tigers instead.

Galaxy encounter violently disturbed Milky Way Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST The long-held belief that the Milky Way, the galaxy containing Earth and the solar system, is relatively static has been ruptured by fresh cosmic insight. The spiral-shaped disc of stars and planets is being pulled, twisted and deformed with extreme violence by the gravitational force of a smaller galaxy - the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC).

Unique Schwann cells: the eyes have it Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Neuroscience researchers are finding genetic properties of Schwann cells in the cornea that may unlock a better understanding of their role in healing, sensory function, preserving vision, and even nerve regeneration.

Global warming likely to increase disease risk for animals worldwide Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Changes in climate can increase infectious disease risk in animals, researchers found -- with the possibility that these diseases could spread to humans, they warn.

Early, late stages of degenerative diseases are distinct Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Biochemists have proposed that degenerative diseases as varied as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and muscle atrophy occur in two distinct phases marked by protein signaling changes that could result in patients responding differently to the same treatment.

Flow physics could help forecasters predict extreme events Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Researchers are studying a tornado's song and other 'doors to danger' in an increasingly chaotic world.

How to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19 Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Researchers are developing simple and inexpensive tools -- like a DIY ventilator -- to treat patients more effectively and prevent disease transmission in hospitals.

Largest aggregation of fishes in abyssal deep sea Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST The largest aggregation of fishes ever recorded in the abyssal deep sea was discovered by a team of oceanographers during an expedition in the Clarion Clipperton Zone.

Lab closed? Head to the kitchen Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Studies explore fluids in pancakes, beer, and the kitchen sink.

Nature's toolkit for killing viruses and bacteria Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Engineers reveal how zinc oxide nanoneedles and droplet hydrodynamics can stop pathogens.

Optimizing complex modeling processes through machine learning technologies Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Engineering a spaceship is as difficult as it sounds. Modeling plays a large role in the time and effort it takes to create spaceships and other complex engineering systems. It requires extensive physics calculations, sifting through a multitude of different models and tribal knowledge to determine singular parts of a system's design.

World's smallest atom-memory unit created Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Faster, smaller, smarter and more energy-efficient chips for everything from consumer electronics to big data to brain-inspired computing could soon be on the way after engineers created the smallest memory device yet.

Snorkeling gear, animal noses inspire better personal protective equipment Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Fluids researchers pivot to create more effective face coverings.

Direct visualization of quantum dots reveals shape of quantum wave function Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST Trapping and controlling electrons in bilayer graphene quantum dots yields a promising platform for quantum information technologies. Researchers have now achieved the first direct visualization of quantum dots in bilayer graphene, revealing the shape of the quantum wave function of the trapped electrons.

Making sense of a universe of corn genetics Posted: 23 Nov 2020 01:10 PM PST A new study details the latest efforts to predict traits in corn based on genomics and data analytics. The data management technique could help to 'turbo charge' the seemingly endless amount of genetic stocks contained in the world's seed banks, leading to faster and more efficient development of new crop varieties.

PEDSnet report details how COVID-19 pandemic has affected children Posted: 23 Nov 2020 10:44 AM PST Analysis of 135,000-plus medical records shows the novel coronavirus hits hardest among teens, children with diabetes or cancer, lower-income families, and Black, Latinx and Asian groups.

Scientists identify brain cells that help drive bodily reaction to fear, anxiety Posted: 23 Nov 2020 10:44 AM PST Scientists have discovered that artificially forcing the activity of BNST cells in mice produced an arousal response in the form of dilated pupils and faster heart rate, and worsened anxiety-like behaviors. This helps illuminate the neural roots of emotions, and point to the possibility that the human-brain counterpart of the newly identified population of arousal-related neurons might be a target of future treatments for anxiety disorders and other illnesses involving abnormal arousal responses.

Proving viability of injection-free microneedle for single-administration of vaccines Posted: 23 Nov 2020 10:44 AM PST A single-use, self-administered microneedle technology to provide immunization against infectious diseases has recently been validated by preclinical research trials.

Misinformation or artifact: A new way to think about machine learning Posted: 23 Nov 2020 10:44 AM PST Machine learning has delivered amazing results, but there also have been failures, ranging from the harmless to potentially deadly. New work suggests that common assumptions about the cause behind these supposed malfunctions may be mistaken, information that is crucial for evaluating the reliability of these networks.

COVID-19 infection combined with blood clots worsens patient outcomes, study finds Posted: 23 Nov 2020 10:44 AM PST While respiratory issues continue to be the most common symptom of a COVID-19 infection, new research indicates the disease could also be associated with an increased tendency of the blood to clot, leading to a higher risk of death from COVID-19.

Shift in atmospheric rivers could affect Antarctic sea ice, glaciers Posted: 23 Nov 2020 09:07 AM PST Weather systems responsible for transporting moisture from the tropics to temperate regions in the Southern Hemisphere have been gradually shifting toward the South Pole for the past 40 years, a trend which could lead to increased rates of ice melt in Antarctica, according to new research.

Therapeutic PD-1 cancer vaccine shown to be safe and effective in animal study Posted: 23 Nov 2020 09:07 AM PST A study has described a potential therapeutic anticancer vaccine that frees suppressed cancer-killing immune cells, enabling them to attack and destroy a tumor.

Tarantula toxin attacks with molecular stinger Posted: 23 Nov 2020 09:07 AM PST A bird-catching Chinese tarantula bite contains a stinger-like poison that plunges into a molecular target in the electrical signaling system of their prey's nerve cells. New cryo-electron microscopy studies show how this venom traps the voltage sensors of sodium channels in a resting state so they can't be activated. Such research may suggest designs for better drugs for chronic pain.

A hunger for social contact Posted: 23 Nov 2020 09:07 AM PST Neuroscientists have found that the longings for social interaction felt during isolation are neurologically very similar to the food cravings people experience when hungry.

Algorithm accurately predicts COVID-19 patient outcomes Posted: 23 Nov 2020 09:07 AM PST A team of engineers has demonstrated how a new algorithm they developed was able to successfully predict whether or not a COVID-19 patient would need ICU intervention. This artificial intelligence-based approach could be a valuable tool in determining a proper course of treatment for individual patients.

Critical point for improving superconductors Posted: 23 Nov 2020 09:07 AM PST Developing a practical 'room temperature' superconductor is a feat science has yet to achieve. However researchers are working to move this goal closer to realization by taking a closer look at what is happening in 'strange' metals.

Identifying compound classes through machine learning Posted: 23 Nov 2020 09:06 AM PST Bioinformaticians have now developed a unique method with which all metabolites in a sample can be taken into account, thus considerably increasing the knowledge gained from examining such molecules.

Children more willing to punish if the wrongdoer is 'taught a lesson' Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:25 AM PST Many children are willing to make personal sacrifices to punish wrongdoers -- and even more so if they believe punishment will teach the transgressor a lesson, a new study shows.

Boosting stem cell activity can enhance immunotherapy benefits Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:25 AM PST Immune-system T cells have been reprogrammed into regenerative stem cell-like memory (TSCM) cells that are long-lived, highly active 'super immune cells' with strong antitumor activity, according to new research.

Growing interest in Moon resources could cause tension Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:25 AM PST An international team of scientists has identified a problem with the growing interest in extractable resources on the moon: there aren't enough of them to go around. With no international policies or agreements to decide 'who gets what from where,' scientists believe tensions, overcrowding, and quick exhaustion of resources to be one possible future for moon mining projects.

Climate change presents new challenges for the drinking water supply Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:24 AM PST Rising temperatures in Germany's largest drinking water reservoir present new challenges for the drinking water supply. According to a group of researchers, the impacts of this increase can be alleviated by mitigating climate change and applying new management strategies.

Laser technology: New trick for infrared laser pulses Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:24 AM PST For a long time, scientists have been looking for simple methods to produce infrared laser pulses. Now a new method has been presented that does not require large experimental setups; it can be easily miniaturized and is therefore particularly interesting for practical applications.

Breakthrough in studying the enzyme that ultimately produces fish odor syndrome Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:24 AM PST Fish odor syndrome (trimethylaminuria) is a debilitating disease, in which the liver cannot break down the smelly chemical trimethylamine which is produced by enzymes from bacteria residing in the gut leaving people with a fish like odor. Researchers are paving the way to prevent the syndrome after a breakthrough in studying the enzyme in the gut which produces trimethylamine.

Controlling fully integrated nanodiamonds Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:24 AM PST Physicists have succeeded in fully integrating nanodiamonds into nanophotonic circuits and at the same time addressing several of these nanodiamonds optically. The study creates the basis for future applications in the field of quantum sensing schemes or quantum information processors.

Did early life need long, complex molecules to make cell-like compartments? Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:24 AM PST Protocell compartments used as models for an important step in the early evolution of life on Earth can be made from short polymers.

Researchers overcome barriers for bio-inspired solar energy harvesting materials Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:24 AM PST Inspired by nature, researchers can demonstrate a synthetic strategy to stabilize bio-inspired solar energy harvesting materials. Their findings could be a significant breakthrough in functionalizing molecular assemblies for future solar energy conversion technologies.

The drug aprotinin inhibits entry of SARS-CoV2 in host cells, study finds Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:24 AM PST In order for the SARS-CoV2 virus to enter host cells, its 'spike' protein has to be cleaved by the cell's own enzymes -- proteases. The protease inhibitor aprotinin can prevent cell infection, as scientists have now discovered. An aprotinin aerosol is already approved in Russia for the treatment of influenza and could readily be tested for the treatment of COVID-19.

Milky Way family tree Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:24 AM PST Galaxies formed by the merging of smaller progenitor galaxies. An international team of astrophysicists has succeeded in reconstructing the merger history of our home galaxy, creating a complete family tree. To achieve this, the researchers analyzed the properties of globular clusters orbiting the Milky Way with artificial intelligence. Their investigations revealed a previously unknown galaxy collision that must have permanently altered the appearance of the Milky Way.

Scientists organize to tackle crisis of coral bleaching Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:24 AM PST An international consortium of scientists has created the first-ever common framework for increasing comparability of research findings on coral bleaching.

Concussion risk in stunt performers Posted: 23 Nov 2020 08:23 AM PST Researchers are shining a light on a segment of concussion patients who often go unnoticed in comparison to athletes: performing artists.

Helicates meet Rotaxanes to create promise for future disease treatment Posted: 23 Nov 2020 07:10 AM PST A new approach to treating cancers and other diseases that uses a mechanically interlocked molecule as a 'magic bullet' has been designed.

Proteins in motion Posted: 23 Nov 2020 07:10 AM PST Membrane proteins are more efficient at reaching distal dendrites than soluble proteins.

How ancient fish may have prepared for life on land Posted: 23 Nov 2020 07:10 AM PST A new study adds another layer to the remarkable evolutionary transition of life from water to land on Earth. The international study of the prehistoric 'relic' tetrapods, including salamander and lobe-finned lungfish and coelacanths, adds another perspective to the evolution of other four-legged land animals, including related animals such as frogs and reptiles which live in both terrestrial and aqueous environments.

Changes in fire activity are threatening more than 4,400 species globally Posted: 23 Nov 2020 07:10 AM PST More than 4,400 species across the globe are at risk from extinction because of changes in fire activity says a new article.

Scientists' atomic resolution protein models reveal new details about protein binding Posted: 23 Nov 2020 07:09 AM PST Atom-scale models of proteins that incorporate ligands, like drug molecules, shows a strong correlation between minimally frustrated binding sites and drug specificity. Such models could lead to better-designed drugs with fewer side effects.

What do slight arm movements reveal about our breathing and health? Posted: 23 Nov 2020 07:09 AM PST Special activity trackers can be used to fairly accurately determine the respiratory rate of people while they sleep. In the future, activity trackers could be used to detect the early stages of a disease, as a person's respiratory rate can indicate signs of an undetected medical problem.

Newfound ability to change baby brain activity could lead to rehabilitation for injured brains Posted: 23 Nov 2020 07:09 AM PST Researchers have identified the brain activity for the first time in a newborn baby when they are learning an association between different types of sensory experiences. Using advanced MRI scanning techniques and robotics, the researchers found that a baby's brain activity can be changed through these associations, shedding new light on the possibility of rehabilitating babies with injured brains and promoting the development of life-long skills such as speech, language and movement.

Scientists make sound-waves from a quantum vacuum at the Black Hole laboratory Posted: 23 Nov 2020 07:09 AM PST Researchers have developed a new theory for observing a quantum vacuum that could lead to new insights into the behaviour of black holes.

Magnetic brain waves to detect injury and disease Posted: 23 Nov 2020 05:53 AM PST Researchers have designed a new Optically Pumped Magnetometer (OPM) sensor for magnetoencephalography (MEG). The sensor is smaller and more robust in detecting magnetic brain signals and distinguishing them from background noise than existing sensors. Benchmarking tests showed good performance in environmental conditions where other sensors do not work, and it is able to detect brain signals against background magnetic noise, raising the possibility of MEG testing outside a specialised unit.

Coppery titi monkeys do not deceive their partners Posted: 23 Nov 2020 05:53 AM PST Since methods for genetic paternity analyses were introduced it became clear that many pair-living animal species, including humans, do not take partnership fidelity that seriously. In most species there is some proportion of offspring that is not sired by their social father. Coppery titi monkeys living in the Amazon lowland rainforest seem to be an exception. Scientists could not find evidence for extra-pair paternity in their study population in Peru. Mate choice seems to be so successful that a potential genetic advantage does not outweigh the social costs of infidelity.

Identical evolution of isolated organisms Posted: 23 Nov 2020 05:53 AM PST Palaeontologists have provided new proof of parallel evolution: conodonts, early vertebrates from the Permian period, adapted to new habitats in almost identical ways despite living in different geographical regions. The researchers were able to prove that this was the case using fossil teeth found in different geographical locations.

Airflow studies reveal strategies to reduce indoor transmission of COVID-19 Posted: 22 Nov 2020 06:46 AM PST Researchers present a range of studies investigating the aerodynamics of infectious disease. Their results suggest strategies for lowering risk based on a rigorous understanding of how infectious particles mix with air in confined spaces.

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