ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Why some people may become seriously ill from meningococcal bacteria
• Global trends in nature's contributions to people
• Deep rooted: Mother's empathy linked to 'epigenetic' changes to the oxytocin gene
• Two related discoveries advance basic and applied additive manufacturing research
• CRISPR-edited CAR T cells enhance fight against blood cancers
• I see you: Honey bees use contagious and honest visual signal to deter attacking hornets
• Hormonal cues in plants and animals
• Researchers call for renewed focus on thermoelectric cooling
• A recipe for protein footprinting
• Paper-based electrochemical sensor can detect COVID-19 in less than five minutes
• Novel anti-craving mechanism discovered to treat cocaine relapse
• Remote Hawaiian island harbors last land snails of their kind
• White blood cells may cause tumor cell death -- but that's not good news
• Poor sleep can lead to depression in adolescents
• 'Big data' enables first census of desert shrub
• Machine learning identifies new brain network signature of major depression
• Image-based navigation could help spacecraft safely land on the moon
• New sunspot cycle could be one of the strongest on record, new research predicts
• Pupils can learn more effectively through stories than activities
• New transistor design disguises key computer chip hardware from hackers
• Warning labels reduce sugary drink consumption in university setting
• Rise of the underdog: A neglected mechanism in antiferromagnets may be key to spintronics
• How do we separate the factual from the possible? New research shows how our brain responds to both
• Scientists get the lowdown on sun's super-hot atmosphere
• Researchers develop unique process for producing light-matter mixture
• Researchers use genomics to identify diabetic retinopathy factors
• Synthetic llama antibodies rescue doomed proteins inside cells
• Marine ecosystems: No refuge from the heat
• Bend, don't break: New tool enables economic glass design
• New geological findings from eastern Fennoscandia add new dimensions to the history of European ice
• Molecular mechanism of plant immune receptors discovered
• We're watching the world go blind, researchers say
• Wind tunnel tests will help design future Army tiltrotor aircraft
• Aluminium alloy research could benefit manned space missions
• The natural 'Himalayan aerosol factory' can affect climate
• Java's protective mangroves smothered by plastic waste
• Split wave: Component for neuromorphic computer
• Central Europe: Dry Aprils pave the way for summer droughts
• California's 2018 wildfires caused $150 billion in damages
• Peatland preservation vital to climate
• Harnessing quantum properties to create single-molecule devices
• New semiconductor detector shows promise for medical diagnostics and homeland security
• Rap music increasingly mixes in mental health metaphors
• Self-learning algorithms for different imaging datasets
• This flexible and rechargeable battery is 10 times more powerful than state of the art
• Quick and sensitive identification of multidrug-resistant germs
• Grasping an object: Model describes complete movement planning in the brain
• Useful 'fake' peptides
• When playing favorites can hurt growth
• Military flights biggest cause of noise pollution on Olympic Peninsula
• Development of a new method for decoding viral genes
• Newly discovered Greenland plume drives thermal activities in the Arctic
• Seventeen genetic abnormalities that cause brain aneurysms
• A study predicts smooth interaction between humans and robots
• Are people healthy enough to retire later?
• The ever-elusive riddle: What's the best way to cut Christmas cookies?
• To accelerate or decelerate in the light-emitting process of zinc-oxide crystals
• Fish oil omega-3s EPA and DHA work differently on chronic inflammation
• New study shows every week of lockdown increases binge drinking
• Novel form of Alzheimer's protein found in spinal fluid indicates stage of the disease

Why some people may become seriously ill from meningococcal bacteria Posted: 07 Dec 2020 04:51 PM PST Researchers have come one step closer toward understanding why some people become seriously ill or die from a common bacterium that leaves most people unharmed. The researchers linked RNA mutations within the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis to invasive meningococcal disease, marking the first time a non-coding RNA in a bacterium has been linked to disease progression.

Global trends in nature's contributions to people Posted: 07 Dec 2020 04:51 PM PST A new study examined the risks to human well-being and prosperity stemming from ongoing environmental degradation.

Deep rooted: Mother's empathy linked to 'epigenetic' changes to the oxytocin gene Posted: 07 Dec 2020 04:51 PM PST Parenting behavior is deeply linked to the ability to empathize with one's children. Thus, to better understand why certain parents react to certain situations in a certain way, it is crucial to gain insight into how empathy is shaped. Scientists have now shed light on the interconnectedness among the oxytocin gene, brain structure, and maternal empathy.

Two related discoveries advance basic and applied additive manufacturing research Posted: 07 Dec 2020 04:50 PM PST A research team has made two discoveries that can expand additive manufacturing in aerospace and other industries that rely on strong metal parts.

CRISPR-edited CAR T cells enhance fight against blood cancers Posted: 07 Dec 2020 01:15 PM PST Knocking out a protein known to stifle T cell activation on CAR T cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology enhanced the engineered T cells' ability to eliminate blood cancers.

I see you: Honey bees use contagious and honest visual signal to deter attacking hornets Posted: 07 Dec 2020 01:15 PM PST What do honey bees and deadly hornets have to do with issues surrounding 'fake news?' New research is providing new details about honey bees and their defenses against preying hornets. Using a common iPad, researchers conducted the first study that demonstrates that a contagious warning signal counters 'fake news' in social insects.

Hormonal cues in plants and animals Posted: 07 Dec 2020 12:39 PM PST Researchers have uncovered one way plants respond to hormonal cues. A similar process is likely at play in mammals.

Researchers call for renewed focus on thermoelectric cooling Posted: 07 Dec 2020 12:39 PM PST Almost 200 years after French physicist Jean Peltier discovered that electric current flowing through the junction of two different metals could be used to produce a heating or cooling effect, researchers say it is time to step up efforts to find new materials for the thermoelectric cooling market.

A recipe for protein footprinting Posted: 07 Dec 2020 12:39 PM PST Chemists have opened doors for fellow scientists to better address research questions related to Alzheimer's disease, the COVID-19 pandemic and more.

Paper-based electrochemical sensor can detect COVID-19 in less than five minutes Posted: 07 Dec 2020 12:39 PM PST Researchers have developed a rapid, ultrasensitive test using a paper-based electrochemical sensor that can detect the presence of the virus in less than five minutes. It uses a graphene biosensor and is adaptable to other viruses.

Novel anti-craving mechanism discovered to treat cocaine relapse Posted: 07 Dec 2020 12:39 PM PST Cocaine continues to be one of the most commonly abused illicit drugs in the United States. Pre-clinical literature suggests that targeting glucagon-like peptide-1 receptors (GLP-1Rs) in the brain may represent a novel approach to treating cocaine use disorder. Specifically, GLP-1R agonists, which are FDA-approved for treating diabetes and obesity, have been shown to reduce voluntary drug taking and seeking in preclinical models of cocaine used disorder.

Remote Hawaiian island harbors last land snails of their kind Posted: 07 Dec 2020 12:04 PM PST The island of Nihoa, a slice of jagged rock that juts out of the Pacific Ocean, is the sole refuge for a rediscovered species of native Hawaiian land snail previously presumed to be extinct.

White blood cells may cause tumor cell death -- but that's not good news Posted: 07 Dec 2020 12:04 PM PST White blood cells are part of many immune system responses in the human body. New research shows that a specific type of those cells may cause brain cancer tissues to die -- but that's not good news, according to researchers. They said that higher amounts of this tissue death have been associated with poor survival in patients with aggressive glioblastomas, a deadly type of brain cancer that is common in adults.

Poor sleep can lead to depression in adolescents Posted: 07 Dec 2020 12:04 PM PST Chronic sleep disruption during adolescence can lead to depression in both males and females and alters stress reactivity in females, according to a new study. Their findings are particularly relevant in the context of a pandemic when adolescents' mental health is already under strain.

'Big data' enables first census of desert shrub Posted: 07 Dec 2020 12:04 PM PST Researchers leveraged computer algorithms and high-resolution survey data to conduct the first-ever creosote census - counting every creosote in a 135-square-mile conservation site in Nevada's Mojave Desert. The researchers discovered important new information about the plant species, but they also demonstrate how data techniques can improve on conventional methods for studying plant communities.

Machine learning identifies new brain network signature of major depression Posted: 07 Dec 2020 11:23 AM PST Using machine learning, researchers have identified novel, distinct patterns of coordinated activity between different parts of the brain in people with major depressive disorder -- even when different protocols are used to detect these brain networks.

Image-based navigation could help spacecraft safely land on the moon Posted: 07 Dec 2020 11:23 AM PST Engineers have demonstrated how a series of lunar images can be used to infer the direction that a spacecraft is moving. This technique, sometimes called visual odometry, allows navigation information to be gathered even when a good map isn't available. The goal is to allow spacecraft to more accurately target and land at a specific location on the moon without requiring a complete map of its surface.

New sunspot cycle could be one of the strongest on record, new research predicts Posted: 07 Dec 2020 11:23 AM PST In direct contradiction to the official forecast, a team of scientists is predicting that the Sunspot Cycle that started this fall could be one of the strongest since record-keeping began.

Pupils can learn more effectively through stories than activities Posted: 07 Dec 2020 11:23 AM PST Storytelling -- the oldest form of teaching -- is the most effective way of teaching primary school children about evolution, say researchers.

New transistor design disguises key computer chip hardware from hackers Posted: 07 Dec 2020 11:23 AM PST Engineers propose a built-in security measure that would better protect computer chip hardware from hackers.

Warning labels reduce sugary drink consumption in university setting Posted: 07 Dec 2020 11:22 AM PST A study shows that warning labels placed on sugary drinks could reduce sugar consumption in larger settings.

Rise of the underdog: A neglected mechanism in antiferromagnets may be key to spintronics Posted: 07 Dec 2020 10:13 AM PST Scientists discover a mechanism in antiferromagnets that could be useful for spintronic devices. They theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that one of the magnetization torques arising from optically driven excitations has a much stronger influence on spin orientation than previously given credit for. These findings could provide a new and highly efficient mechanism for manipulating spin.

How do we separate the factual from the possible? New research shows how our brain responds to both Posted: 07 Dec 2020 10:13 AM PST Our brains respond to language expressing facts differently than they do to words conveying possibility, a team of neuroscientists has found. Its work offers new insights into the impact word choice has on how we make distinctions between what's real vs. what's merely possible.

Scientists get the lowdown on sun's super-hot atmosphere Posted: 07 Dec 2020 10:13 AM PST Images of the sun captured by the IRIS mission show new details of how low-lying loops of plasma are energized, and may also reveal how the hot corona is created.

Researchers develop unique process for producing light-matter mixture Posted: 07 Dec 2020 10:13 AM PST In groundbreaking new research, an international team of researchers has developed a unique process for producing a quantum state that is part light and part matter.

Researchers use genomics to identify diabetic retinopathy factors Posted: 07 Dec 2020 10:13 AM PST Researchers have identified genes that respond differently in response to high glucose in individuals with and without diabetic retinopathy.

Synthetic llama antibodies rescue doomed proteins inside cells Posted: 07 Dec 2020 10:13 AM PST Researchers created a new technology using synthetic llama antibodies to protect endangered proteins inside cells. The technology could treat dozens of diseases.

Marine ecosystems: No refuge from the heat Posted: 07 Dec 2020 10:13 AM PST Over the past several decades, marine protected areas (MPAs) have emerged as a favored conservation tool. By protecting marine species and safeguarding habitat, these reserves help buffer ecosystems against natural and human-made shocks alike.

Bend, don't break: New tool enables economic glass design Posted: 07 Dec 2020 09:41 AM PST Computer scientists develop a design tool that opens up the use of a cost-efficient technology for curved glass panels. The tool is based on a deep neural network and allows for the free-form design of beautiful glass façades.

New geological findings from eastern Fennoscandia add new dimensions to the history of European ice Posted: 07 Dec 2020 09:41 AM PST In Finland, the majority of the glacial and warm interval records have been interpreted to represent only the last, Weichselian, glacial cycle that took place 11,700-119,000 years ago. Researchers have now revised the crucial part of the existing stratigraphic documentation in southern Finland. The new findings show that a considerable part of the warm interval records extends further back in time than earlier thought. The new results change the established conceptions about glacial history in the area.

Molecular mechanism of plant immune receptors discovered Posted: 07 Dec 2020 09:41 AM PST Research teams explore the activation of plant immune receptors by pathogens.

We're watching the world go blind, researchers say Posted: 07 Dec 2020 09:41 AM PST Researchers say eye care accessibility around the globe isn't keeping up with an aging population, posing challenges for eye care professionals over the next 30 years.

Wind tunnel tests will help design future Army tiltrotor aircraft Posted: 07 Dec 2020 09:41 AM PST After more than three years in development, a team of U.S. Army researchers and industry partners completed the construction of a testbed that will help to inform the design of future Army rotorcraft. The team plans to test the TiltRotor Aeroelastic Stability Testbed, or TRAST in a massive wind tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center to gauge the effectiveness of modern tiltrotor stability models.

Aluminium alloy research could benefit manned space missions Posted: 07 Dec 2020 09:41 AM PST Manned space missions in spacecraft made of aluminium that is light yet resistant to radiation could be a step nearer.

The natural 'Himalayan aerosol factory' can affect climate Posted: 07 Dec 2020 09:41 AM PST Large amounts of new particles can form in the valleys of the Himalayas from naturally emitted gases and can be transported to high altitudes by the mountain winds and injected into the upper atmosphere.

Java's protective mangroves smothered by plastic waste Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:23 AM PST The mangrove forests on Java's north coast are slowly suffocating in plastic waste. The plastic problem in northeast Asia is huge and a growing threat to the region's mangroves; a natural alley against coastal erosion. Based on recent fieldwork researchers shows that restoration of this green protection belt is impossible without better waste management.

Split wave: Component for neuromorphic computer Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:23 AM PST Neural networks are some of the most important tools in AI. So far, they run on traditional processors in the form of adaptive software, but experts are working on an alternative concept, the 'neuromorphic computer'. In this case, neurons are not simulated by software but reconstructed in hardware components. A team of researchers has now demonstrated a new approach to such hardware - targeted magnetic waves that are generated and divided in micrometer-sized wafers.

Central Europe: Dry Aprils pave the way for summer droughts Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:23 AM PST In the past 20 years, Central Europe has experienced six summer heat waves and droughts. Until now, however, it was unclear what factors led to these extreme events.

California's 2018 wildfires caused $150 billion in damages Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:23 AM PST Researchers quantify the economic costs of California wildfires in 2018, finding they totaled more than $150 billion, and the costs extended far beyond burned areas.

Peatland preservation vital to climate Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:23 AM PST Preserving the world's peatlands --- and the vast carbon stores they contain -- is vital to limiting climate change, researchers say.

Harnessing quantum properties to create single-molecule devices Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:23 AM PST Researchers report that they have discovered a new chemical design principle for exploiting destructive quantum interference. They used their approach to create a six-nanometer single-molecule switch where the on-state current is more than 10,000 times greater than the off-state current -- the largest change in current achieved for a single-molecule circuit to date.

New semiconductor detector shows promise for medical diagnostics and homeland security Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:22 AM PST This method allows users to identify legal versus illegal gamma rays. Detectors like these are critical for national security, where they're used to detect illegal nuclear materials smuggled across borders and aid in nuclear forensics, as well as in medical diagnostics imaging.

Rap music increasingly mixes in mental health metaphors Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:22 AM PST The proportion of rap songs that referenced depression, suicide and mental health struggles more than doubled between 1998 and 2018, according to a study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in JAMA Pediatrics. Through their lyrics, rap artists may shape conversations about mental health for their young listeners who are at an increased risk of experiencing mental health issues.

Self-learning algorithms for different imaging datasets Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:22 AM PST AI-based evaluation of medical imaging data usually requires a specially developed algorithm for each task. Scientists have now presented a new method for configuring self-learning algorithms for a large number of different imaging datasets - without the need for specialist knowledge or very significant computing power.

This flexible and rechargeable battery is 10 times more powerful than state of the art Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:22 AM PST A team of researchers has developed a flexible, rechargeable silver oxide-zinc battery with a five to 10 times greater areal energy density than state of the art. The battery also is easier to manufacture; while most flexible batteries need to be manufactured in sterile conditions, under vacuum, this one can be screen printed in normal lab conditions. The device can be used in flexible, stretchable electronics for wearables as well as soft robotics.

Quick and sensitive identification of multidrug-resistant germs Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:22 AM PST Researchers have developed a sensitive testing system that allows the rapid and reliable detection of resistance in bacteria. The system is based on tiny, functionalized cantilevers that bend due to binding of sample material. In the analyses, the system was able to detect resistance in a sample quantity equivalent to 1-10 bacteria.

Grasping an object: Model describes complete movement planning in the brain Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:22 AM PST Neurobiologists have developed a model that for the first time can completely represent the neuronal processes from seeing to grasping an object.

Useful 'fake' peptides Posted: 07 Dec 2020 08:22 AM PST Some useful drugs consist of peptides acting on their protein targets. To make them more efficient and stable, scientists have found a way to replace crucial segments of the peptides with ureido units. These oligoureas, which are composed of urea-based units, fold into a structure similar to that of peptides. Oligourea-based 'fake' peptides enhance the options for rational drug design, concludes the study.

When playing favorites can hurt growth Posted: 07 Dec 2020 07:21 AM PST Industrial parks in China perform less well when developed on the apparent basis of preexisting ties among political leaders, according to a new study.

Military flights biggest cause of noise pollution on Olympic Peninsula Posted: 07 Dec 2020 07:21 AM PST A new study provides the first look at how much noise pollution is impacting the Olympic Peninsula. The paper found that aircraft were audible across a large swath of the peninsula at least 20% of weekday hours, or for about one hour during a six-hour period. About 88% of all audible aircraft in the pre-pandemic study were military planes.

Development of a new method for decoding viral genes Posted: 07 Dec 2020 07:21 AM PST A research team developed a new decoding method for viral genes that can easily and quickly obtain even non-canonical genetic information. Using this new decoding method, they identified nine novel proteins encoded by herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1) and found that one of them, piUL49, is a pathogenic factor that specifically controls the onset of herpes encephalitis .

Newly discovered Greenland plume drives thermal activities in the Arctic Posted: 07 Dec 2020 07:21 AM PST A team of researchers understands more about the melting of the Greenland ice sheet. They discovered a flow of hot rocks, known as a mantle plume, rising from the core-mantle boundary beneath central Greenland that melts the ice from below.

Seventeen genetic abnormalities that cause brain aneurysms Posted: 07 Dec 2020 07:21 AM PST Intracranial aneurysm is a dilation of a blood vessel forming a fragile pocket. Rupture results in extremely severe hemorrhage. Researchers have examined the genome of more than 10,000 people suffering from aneurysms. 17 genetic abnormalities have been identified, notably involved in the functioning of the vascular endothelium.

A study predicts smooth interaction between humans and robots Posted: 07 Dec 2020 07:20 AM PST According to a new study, making eye contact with a robot may have the same effect on people as eye contact with another person. The results predict that interaction between humans and humanoid robots will be surprisingly smooth.

Are people healthy enough to retire later? Posted: 07 Dec 2020 07:20 AM PST While many people are now enjoying longer, healthier lives, current retirement ages are posing challenges for both policymakers and retirees. A new study looked into whether there is potential to increase the retirement age based on the relationship between working life expectancy and health aspects important for work ability for women and men in Europe.

The ever-elusive riddle: What's the best way to cut Christmas cookies? Posted: 07 Dec 2020 07:20 AM PST At some point in life, most people have stood over a rolled-out slab of cookie dough and pondered just how to best cut out cookies with as little waste as possible. Now, even math experts have given up on finding a computer algorithm to answer this type of geometric problem.

To accelerate or decelerate in the light-emitting process of zinc-oxide crystals Posted: 07 Dec 2020 06:36 AM PST A recent study has measured the internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of Zinc-Oxide (ZnO) crystals in both the light-emitting process and non-light-emitting process.

Fish oil omega-3s EPA and DHA work differently on chronic inflammation Posted: 07 Dec 2020 06:13 AM PST A small randomized study suggests the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA have different effects on chronic inflammation in older adults. Both omega-3s are found in fish oil.

New study shows every week of lockdown increases binge drinking Posted: 07 Dec 2020 06:13 AM PST Study participants who regularly drank at harmful levels shown to consume six drinks per session, compared to two alcoholic beverages for those less regular binge drinkers.

Novel form of Alzheimer's protein found in spinal fluid indicates stage of the disease Posted: 07 Dec 2020 06:13 AM PST Researchers have found a novel form of the Alzheimer's protein tau in the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. This form of tau -- known as MTBR tau -- indicates what stage of Alzheimer's a person is in and tracks with tangles of tau protein in the brain.

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