ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Near-atomic 'maps' reveal structure for maintaining pH balance in cells
• Eradicating black rats on Palmyra Atoll uncovers eye-opening indirect effects
• New research traces the origins of trench fever
• Herbicide: Hydrogen bonds may be key to airborne dicamba
• Mimicking moth eyes to produce transparent anti-reflective coatings
• Identifying communities at risk for impacts of extreme heat
• Sea-level rise will have complex consequences
• Brain region tracking food preferences could steer our food choices
• Researchers identify key marker to help speed development of CMV vaccines
• DNA in seawater can reveal fish diversity in the deep ocean
• Local cooking preferences drove acceptance of new crop staples in prehistoric China
• Bronze Age travel routes revealed using pioneering research method
• 'Environmentally-friendly' tableware harms marine animals
• Building a quantum network one node at a time
• How birth experience shapes development
• Why protecting the brain against infection takes guts
• Beetles cooperate in brood care
• Model for acid-tolerant yeast helps guide industrial organic acid production
• Smaller earthquakes with 'ambition' produce the most ground shaking
• Brain region implicated in predicting the consequences of actions
• Detection of a short, intense radio burst in Milky Way
• New technique extends next-generation lithium metal batteries
• Biologists create 'atlas' of gene expression in neurons, documenting diversity of brain cells
• 'Monster tumors' could offer new glimpse at human development
• Effective government saves lives in cyclones, other disasters
• Luminescent wood could light up homes of the future
• Research lays groundwork for ultra-thin, energy efficient photodetector on glass
• Tricking fake news detectors with malicious user comments
• Understanding the spread of infectious diseases
• Scientists find Ebola virus antibodies in people before 2018 DRC outbreak
• Four major predictors of COVID-19 emerge in new study
• Western diet impairs odor-related learning and olfactory memory in mice
• Divide and conquer--modular controller design strategy makes upgrading power grids easier
• Scientists grow carbon nanotube 'forest' much longer than any other
• Scientists generate realistic storm turbulence in the lab
• The dangers of collecting drinking water
• Magma 'conveyor belt' fuelled world's longest erupting supervolcanoes
• Ants are skilled farmers: They have solved a problem that we humans have yet to
• Large-scale study: Congolese fishermen report decline in fish stocks on Lake Tanganyika
• Microbial space travel on a molecular scale
• Coral larvae movement is paused in reaction to darkness
• Lighting the way to selective membrane imaging
• Different outcomes by race/ethnicity among patients with COVID-19 and rheumatic disease
• Scientists identify synthetic mini-antibody to combat COVID-19
• Brown carbon 'tarballs' detected in Himalayan atmosphere
• Supersonic winds, rocky rains forecasted on lava planet
• New species of ancient cynodont, 220 million years old, discovered
• COVID-19 lung damage caused by persistence of 'abnormal cells'
• 3D print experts discover how to make tomorrow's technology using ink-jet printed graphene
• Death from below: Parasitic wasp attacking caterpillar underwater
• Gentoo penguins are four species, not one, say scientists
• Lion genetics study uncovers major consequences of habitat fragmentation
• Desalination: Industrial-strength brine, meet your kryptonite
• Genetic elements involved in heart development identified

Near-atomic 'maps' reveal structure for maintaining pH balance in cells Posted: 04 Nov 2020 04:47 PM PST For the first time, scientists have visualized a new class of molecular gates that maintain pH balance within brain cells, a critical function that keeps cells alive and helps prevent stroke and other brain injuries. These gates, called proton-activated chloride channels (PAC), nest within cell membranes and regulate the passage of small molecules called chloride ions into and out of cells. This allows cells to sense and respond to their environment.

Eradicating black rats on Palmyra Atoll uncovers eye-opening indirect effects Posted: 04 Nov 2020 04:47 PM PST The black rats weren't supposed to be there, on Palmyra Atoll. Likely arriving at the remote Pacific islet network as stowaways with the US Navy during World War II, the rodents, with no natural predators, simply took over. Omnivorous eating machines, they dined on seabird eggs, native crabs and whatever seed and seedling they could find.

New research traces the origins of trench fever Posted: 04 Nov 2020 04:47 PM PST Trench fever was first clinically described in World War 1 when it sickened nearly 500,000 soldiers. New DNA evidence proves the disease predates that time period by thousands of years.

Herbicide: Hydrogen bonds may be key to airborne dicamba Posted: 04 Nov 2020 04:46 PM PST Research has discovered the mechanism that keeps formulations of the herbicide dicamba from going airborne. And they consider why it sometimes fails.

Mimicking moth eyes to produce transparent anti-reflective coatings Posted: 04 Nov 2020 12:00 PM PST The eyes of moths have a biological nanostructure that grants them anti-reflective properties. Though researchers have managed to mimic this structure to produce anti-reflective coatings, current techniques are not easily scalable. Now, researchers have devised a strategy to produce large area moth-eye transparent films that greatly reduce reflectance and improve transmittance. These films could be used to better the visibility of screens and enhance the performance of solar panels.

Identifying communities at risk for impacts of extreme heat Posted: 04 Nov 2020 11:36 AM PST An analysis of ways to measure a community's vulnerability to climate change suggests that California's current method may leave some at-risk communities behind in efforts to reduce health impacts of extreme heat.

Sea-level rise will have complex consequences Posted: 04 Nov 2020 11:36 AM PST Rising sea levels will affect coasts and human societies in complex and unpredictable ways, according to a new study that examined 12,000 years in which a large island became a cluster of smaller ones.

Brain region tracking food preferences could steer our food choices Posted: 04 Nov 2020 11:36 AM PST Researchers discovered that a specific brain region monitors food preferences as they change across thirsty and quenched states. By targeting neurons in that part of the brain, they were able to shift food choice preferences from a more desired reward (think: chocolate cake) to a less tasty one (think: stale bread).

Researchers identify key marker to help speed development of CMV vaccines Posted: 04 Nov 2020 11:36 AM PST A research team has identified a key marker that will help speed effective vaccine designs for cytomegalovirus (CMV), the most common congenital infection worldwide and a leading cause of infant brain damage.

DNA in seawater can reveal fish diversity in the deep ocean Posted: 04 Nov 2020 11:36 AM PST A new study demonstrates the effectiveness of a novel method for using DNA in seawater samples to determine which fish species are present in a given part of the deep sea.

Local cooking preferences drove acceptance of new crop staples in prehistoric China Posted: 04 Nov 2020 11:36 AM PST The food preparation preferences of Chinese cooks -- such as the technological choice to boil or steam grains, instead of grinding or processing them into flour -- had continental-scale consequences for the adoption of new crops in prehistoric China, according to new research. The authors drew on data from the bones of nearly 2,500 humans to map patterns of changing cuisines over the course of 6,000 years.

Bronze Age travel routes revealed using pioneering research method Posted: 04 Nov 2020 11:36 AM PST Archaeologists have reconstructed the ancient seasonal migration routes of Bronze Age herders in Xinjiang, north-western China. Their research was the result of innovative methodology. To determine snow cover and vegetation cycles, crucial to the survival of Bronze Age people and their flocks, they examined both satellite imagery and archaeological evidence, as well as interviewing modern-day herders.

'Environmentally-friendly' tableware harms marine animals Posted: 04 Nov 2020 11:36 AM PST A new study compares the effects of two types of disposable dishes on the marine environment -- regular plastic disposable dishes and more expensive bioplastic disposable dishes certified by various international organizations -- and determines that the bioplastic dishes had a similar effect on marine animals as regular plastic dishes.

Building a quantum network one node at a time Posted: 04 Nov 2020 11:35 AM PST Researchers create 'optically active spin arrays' within a device that could serve as a node for exchanging photons with distant locations.

How birth experience shapes development Posted: 04 Nov 2020 10:15 AM PST During birth, hormones in the body surge in both mother and baby, sent along by the nervous system. These stress hormones are there to spur delivery and to help a baby adapt to living outside the womb. A new study finds how one is born can have an effect on the amount of stress hormones released at the time of delivery. For example, vaginal delivery had the highest presence of birth signaling hormones.

Why protecting the brain against infection takes guts Posted: 04 Nov 2020 09:14 AM PST The brain is uniquely protected against invading bacteria and viruses, but its defence mechanism has long remained a mystery. Now, a study in mice, confirmed in human samples, has shown that the brain has a surprising ally in its protection: the gut.

Beetles cooperate in brood care Posted: 04 Nov 2020 09:14 AM PST Ambrosia beetles are fascinating: they practice agriculture with fungi and they live in a highly developed social system. A biologist has now discovered new facts about them.

Model for acid-tolerant yeast helps guide industrial organic acid production Posted: 04 Nov 2020 09:14 AM PST Microbes and other microscopic organisms could serve as sustainable 'factories' to create many types of industrial materials because they naturally convert nutrients such as sugars into byproducts. However, creating industrial amounts of organic acids from renewable resources poses a challenge, because not many organisms can grow in highly acidic environments. With the help of gene editing and computational modeling tools, a team of researchers explored one type of yeast that could survive in the harsh environment created by acidic products.

Smaller earthquakes with 'ambition' produce the most ground shaking Posted: 04 Nov 2020 09:14 AM PST An earthquake of magnitude 8.0 or larger will almost always cause strong shaking, but a new study suggests that smaller earthquakes -- those around magnitude 5.5 or so -- are the cause of most occurrences of strong shaking at a 60-kilometer (37-mile) distance.

Brain region implicated in predicting the consequences of actions Posted: 04 Nov 2020 09:14 AM PST A new study highlights the sophisticated mental machinery that helps the brain simulate the results of different actions and make the best choice.

Detection of a short, intense radio burst in Milky Way Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST New data from astronomers strongly suggest that magnetars -- a type of neutron star believed to have an extremely powerful magnetic field -- could be the source of some fast radio bursts (FRBs).

New technique extends next-generation lithium metal batteries Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST Engineering researchers have found that alkali metal additives, such as potassium ions, can prevent lithium microstructure proliferation during battery use. They used a combination of microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and computational modeling to discover that adding small amounts of potassium salt to a conventional lithium battery electrolyte produces unique chemistry at the lithium/electrolyte interface, and modulates degradation during battery operation, preventing the growth of microstructures and leading to safer, longer lasting batteries.

Biologists create 'atlas' of gene expression in neurons, documenting diversity of brain cells Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST Researchers have created a 'developmental atlas' of gene expression in neurons, using gene sequencing and machine learning to categorize more than 250,000 neurons in the brains of fruit flies. Their study finds that neurons exhibit the most molecular diversity during development and reveals a previously unknown type of neurons only present before flies hatch.

'Monster tumors' could offer new glimpse at human development Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST Finding just the right model to study human development -- from the early embryonic stage onward -- has been a challenge for scientists over the last decade. Now, bioengineers have homed in on an unusual candidate: teratomas.

Effective government saves lives in cyclones, other disasters Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST Effective national and local governments are associated with fewer deaths from tropical cyclone disasters -- even in countries with similar levels of wealth and development.

Luminescent wood could light up homes of the future Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST The right indoor lighting can help set the mood, from a soft romantic glow to bright, stimulating colors. But some materials used for lighting, such as plastics, are not eco-friendly. Now, researchers have developed a bio-based, luminescent, water-resistant wood film that could someday be used as cover panels for lamps, displays and laser devices.

Research lays groundwork for ultra-thin, energy efficient photodetector on glass Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST Though we may not always realize it, photodetectors contribute greatly to the convenience of modern life. Also known as photosensors, photodetectors convert light energy into electrical signals to complete tasks such as opening automatic sliding doors and automatically adjusting a cell phone's screen brightness in different lighting conditions.

Tricking fake news detectors with malicious user comments Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST New research shows how fake news detectors can be manipulated through user comments to flag true news as false and false news as true. This attack approach could give adversaries the ability to influence the detector's assessment of the story even if they are not the story's original author.

Understanding the spread of infectious diseases Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST Physicists have shown in model simulations that the COVID-19 infection rates decrease significantly through social distancing. For this, they combined the dynamical density functional theory to describe interacting particles and the SIR model, a theory to describe the spread of infectious diseases.

Scientists find Ebola virus antibodies in people before 2018 DRC outbreak Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST Scientists found antibodies to Ebola virus in people up to a year before the 2018 Ebola virus disease outbreak began in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, or DRC. This suggests that either early cases may have been missed or that exposure occurs more commonly than previously thought.

Four major predictors of COVID-19 emerge in new study Posted: 04 Nov 2020 08:47 AM PST In March 2020, New York City, an icon of America, was unfortunately named an early epicenter of the novel coronavirus. Now seven months later, America faces a new surge in coronavirus cases and researchers hope to provide information and context to help with the battle ahead.

Western diet impairs odor-related learning and olfactory memory in mice Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:37 AM PST Problems with the sense of smell appear to be an early indicator of cognitive decline in people with type 2 diabetes. However, it's unknown whether factors such as diet and obesity play a role in who develops these symptoms. Now, researchers have found that mice fed a moderate-fat, high-sugar chow (simulating a Western diet) showed a faster decline in their ability to learn and remember new odors.

Divide and conquer--modular controller design strategy makes upgrading power grids easier Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:37 AM PST Scientists have developed a novel approach for the modular design of controllers for large-scale network systems. Their strategy, which provides a completely decentralized method to design controllers for subsystems of a larger whole, could be readily applied in power grids, greatly simplifying the task of sequentially upgrading individual subdivisions while ensuring stability and performance.

Scientists grow carbon nanotube 'forest' much longer than any other Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:22 AM PST Carbon nanotube (CNT) forests are a solution to scaling up the production of CNTs, which are becoming a staple in many industries. However, even the best catalyst used to grow these forests deteriorates quickly, capping possible forest length at ~2 cm. Now, scientists have proposed a way to ensure longer catalyst lifetime and higher growth rate, creating a CNT forest that is a record seven times longer than any existing CNT array.

Scientists generate realistic storm turbulence in the lab Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:22 AM PST Turbulence is an omnipresent phenomenon - and one of the great mysteries of physics. A research team has now succeeded in generating realistic storm turbulence in the wind tunnel of the Center for Wind Energy Research (ForWind).

The dangers of collecting drinking water Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:22 AM PST Fetching drinking water in low and middle income countries can cause serious injury, particularly for women. A new study reveals dangers including falls, traffic accidents, animal attacks, and fights, which can result in broken bones, spinal injuries, lacerations, and other physical injuries. The work draws on a survey of 6,291 randomly selected households across 24 sites in 21 low- and middle-income countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Magma 'conveyor belt' fuelled world's longest erupting supervolcanoes Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:22 AM PST Geologists have found that a volcanic province in the Indian Ocean was the world's most continuously active -- erupting for 30 million years -- fueled by a constantly moving 'conveyor belt' of magma.

Ants are skilled farmers: They have solved a problem that we humans have yet to Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:22 AM PST Ants have been farmers for tens of millions of years and successfully solved a riddle that we humans have yet to. A new study reports that ants are pros at cultivating climate-resilient crops.

Large-scale study: Congolese fishermen report decline in fish stocks on Lake Tanganyika Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:22 AM PST Fishermen working on Lake Tanganyika in eastern Congo experience a lack of safety and want better enforcement of existing regulations. They also report a decline in the lake's fish stocks.

Microbial space travel on a molecular scale Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:22 AM PST Galactic cosmic and solar UV radiation, extreme vacuum, temperature fluctuations: how can microbes exposed to these challenges in space survive? Scientists investigated how the space-surviving microbes could physically survive the transfer from one celestial body to another.

Coral larvae movement is paused in reaction to darkness Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:21 AM PST A new study shows that coral larvae swimming in seawater behave in such a manner so as to temporarily stop swimming due to reduced light, especially blue light. Researchers think that this behavior may play a role in determining where corals settle.

Lighting the way to selective membrane imaging Posted: 04 Nov 2020 07:20 AM PST Scientists have shown how water-soluble tetraphenylethene molecules can become fluorescent when aggregating at a biomembrane-mimetic liquid-liquid interface. This work may lead to new optical molecular probes and smart vesicles for delivering pharmaceuticals directly to cells.

Different outcomes by race/ethnicity among patients with COVID-19 and rheumatic disease Posted: 04 Nov 2020 05:30 AM PST Among U.S. patients with rheumatic disease and COVID-19, racial/ethnic minorities had higher risks of needing to be hospitalized and put on ventilators, according to new research.

Scientists identify synthetic mini-antibody to combat COVID-19 Posted: 04 Nov 2020 05:30 AM PST By screening hundreds of synthetic mini-antibodies, scientists have identified one that might stop SARS-CoV-2 from infecting human cells.

Brown carbon 'tarballs' detected in Himalayan atmosphere Posted: 04 Nov 2020 05:30 AM PST Some people refer to the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau as the 'third pole' because the region has the largest reserve of glacial snow and ice outside of the north and south poles. The glaciers, which are extremely sensitive to climate change and human influence, have been retreating over the past decade. Now, researchers have detected light-absorbing 'tarballs' in the Himalayan atmosphere, which could contribute to glacial melt.

Supersonic winds, rocky rains forecasted on lava planet Posted: 03 Nov 2020 09:13 PM PST Among the most extreme planets discovered beyond the edges of our solar system are lava planets: fiery hot worlds that circle so close to their host star that some regions are likely oceans of molten lava. According to scientists, the atmosphere and weather cycle of at least one such exoplanet is even stranger, featuring the evaporation and precipitation of rocks, supersonic winds that rage over 5000 km/hr, and a magma ocean 100 km deep.

New species of ancient cynodont, 220 million years old, discovered Posted: 03 Nov 2020 09:13 PM PST Fossilized jaw bone fragments of a rat-like creature found at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona last year by a Ph.D. candidate are in fact a newly discovered 220-million-year-old species of cynodont or stem-mammal, a precursor of modern-day mammals.

COVID-19 lung damage caused by persistence of 'abnormal cells' Posted: 03 Nov 2020 09:13 PM PST New research shows the SARS-CoV-2 virus' unique characteristics and may explain why patients suffer from 'long COVID'.

3D print experts discover how to make tomorrow's technology using ink-jet printed graphene Posted: 03 Nov 2020 09:13 PM PST Researchers have cracked the conundrum of how to use inks to 3D-print novel electronic devices with useful properties, such as an ability to convert light into electricity.

Death from below: Parasitic wasp attacking caterpillar underwater Posted: 03 Nov 2020 09:12 PM PST A previously unknown species of Japanese parasitic wasp was observed to dive underwater to parasitize moth caterpillars.

Gentoo penguins are four species, not one, say scientists Posted: 03 Nov 2020 04:10 PM PST First analysis combining genetic and physical differences of populations of gentoo penguins indicates they should be treated as four separate species.

Lion genetics study uncovers major consequences of habitat fragmentation Posted: 03 Nov 2020 02:26 PM PST Over the course of only a century, humanity has made an observable impact on the genetic diversity of the lion population.

Desalination: Industrial-strength brine, meet your kryptonite Posted: 03 Nov 2020 02:26 PM PST A thin coating of the 2D nanomaterial hexagonal boron nitride is the key ingredient in a cost-effective technology developed by engineers for desalinating industrial-strength brine.

Genetic elements involved in heart development identified Posted: 03 Nov 2020 02:26 PM PST Researchers have identified a suite of genes and regulatory elements critical to normal heart development. Their study outlines the importance of 'hub genes' in heart development.

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