ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Can large fluid-filled spaces in the brain help identify those at risk of dementia?
• Cell death shines a light on the origins of complex life
• Study reveals precarious employment on the rise long before COVID-19
• Purported phosphine on Venus more likely to be ordinary sulfur dioxide
• Up-trending farming and landscape disruptions threaten Paris climate agreement goals
• T cells can mount attacks against many SARS-CoV-2 targets -- even on new virus variant
• Diving into Devonian seas: Ancient marine faunas unlock secrets of warming oceans
• How heavy is dark matter? Scientists radically narrow the potential mass range for the first time
• Mira's last journey: Exploring the dark universe
• Geological phenomenon widening the Atlantic Ocean
• Key switchgrass genes identified, which could mean better biofuels ahead
• Researchers use car collisions with deer to study mysterious animal-population phenomena
• Carbon: Getting to net zero -- and even net negative -- is surprisingly feasible, and affordable
• More than just CO2: It's time to tackle short-lived climate-forcing pollutants
• Newly discovered fossil, likely subaqueous insect
• Smart algorithm cleans up images by searching for clues buried in noise
• Ancient proteins help track early milk drinking in Africa
• Genome-editing tool TALEN outperforms CRISPR-Cas9 in tightly packed DNA
• Carbon-chomping soil bacteria may pose hidden climate risk
• Harpy eagles could be under greater threat than previously thought
• Pace of prehistoric human innovation could be revealed by 'linguistic thermometer'
• Ancient indigenous New Mexican community knew how to sustainably coexist with wildfire
• Novel compound may help develop diabetes drugs
• Cell 'bones' mystery solved with supercomputers
• A compound that slows bone loss, and a resource for developing treatments to slow aging
• New light shed on behavior of giant carnivorous dinosaur Spinosaurus
• Solar material can 'self-heal' imperfections
• Fixing global biodiversity policy: Avoiding repeating old mistakes
• Compelling evidence of neutrino process opens physics possibilities
• When push comes to shove, what counts as a fight?
• AI used to predict early symptoms of schizophrenia in relatives of patients
• Southern Africa's most endangered shark just extended its range by 2,000 kilometers
• Melatonin is effective against polycystic kidney disease
• Satellite data reveals bonds between emissions, pollution and economy
• Researchers simplify the study of gene-environment interactions
• Ocean toxin a heartbreaking threat for sea otters
• The dangers of drugged driving are outpacing drunk driving
• Hospital worker flu shots could mean fewer early deaths
• Invasive mussels now control a key nutrient in the American Great Lakes
• Metamaterial tiles boost sensitivity of large telescopes
• Anonymous cell phone data can quantify behavioral changes for flu-like illnesses
• Malaria tricks the brain's defense system
• Researchers use nanomaterials to make 2D diamond clusters at room temperature
• Solar hydrogen: Photoanodes made of alpha-SnWO4 promise high efficiencies

Can large fluid-filled spaces in the brain help identify those at risk of dementia? Posted: 27 Jan 2021 02:18 PM PST People with enlarged fluid-filled spaces in the brain around small blood vessels may be more likely to develop cognitive problems and dementia over time than people without these enlarged spaces, according to a new study.

Cell death shines a light on the origins of complex life Posted: 27 Jan 2021 12:25 PM PST Organelles continue to thrive after the cells within which they exist die, scientists have found, overturning previous assumptions that organelles decay too quickly to be fossilized.

Study reveals precarious employment on the rise long before COVID-19 Posted: 27 Jan 2021 12:25 PM PST Researchers have used a new approach to measure precarious, or low-quality, employment in the United States. And, according to those findings, precarious employment has increased 9 percent between 1988 and 2016.

Purported phosphine on Venus more likely to be ordinary sulfur dioxide Posted: 27 Jan 2021 11:01 AM PST Astronomers revisited and comprehensively reinterpreted the radio telescope observations underlying a widely reported 2019 claim that phosphine gas was present in the atmosphere of Venus. In a paper accepted to the Astrophysical Journal, they report that sulfur dioxide, a common gas in the atmosphere of Venus, is likely what was detected instead of phosphine.

Up-trending farming and landscape disruptions threaten Paris climate agreement goals Posted: 27 Jan 2021 11:01 AM PST Earth system science researchers conducted an analysis of greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and land use since 1961, finding some opportunities for mitigation as well as areas where curtailment will require sacrifices.

T cells can mount attacks against many SARS-CoV-2 targets -- even on new virus variant Posted: 27 Jan 2021 11:01 AM PST A new study suggests that T cells try to fight SARS-CoV-2 by targeting a broad range of sites on the virus -- beyond the key sites on the virus's spike protein. By attacking the virus from many angles, the body has the tools to potentially recognize different SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Diving into Devonian seas: Ancient marine faunas unlock secrets of warming oceans Posted: 27 Jan 2021 11:01 AM PST Paleontologists use ancient marine faunas to test long-term changes in our warming oceans.

How heavy is dark matter? Scientists radically narrow the potential mass range for the first time Posted: 27 Jan 2021 11:01 AM PST Scientists have calculated the mass range for Dark Matter - and it's tighter than the science world thought.

Mira's last journey: Exploring the dark universe Posted: 27 Jan 2021 11:00 AM PST Scientists used a supercomputer to perform one of the five largest cosmological simulations ever -- the Last Journey. This simulation will provide crucial data for sky maps to aid leading cosmological experiments.

Geological phenomenon widening the Atlantic Ocean Posted: 27 Jan 2021 09:24 AM PST An upsurge of matter from deep beneath the Earth's crust could be pushing the continents of North and South America further apart from Europe and Africa, new research has found.

Key switchgrass genes identified, which could mean better biofuels ahead Posted: 27 Jan 2021 09:24 AM PST Biologists believe they are one step closer to a long-held goal of making a cheap, widely available plant a source for energy and fuel, meaning one of the next big weapons in the battle against climate change may be able to trace its roots to the side of a Texas highway.

Researchers use car collisions with deer to study mysterious animal-population phenomena Posted: 27 Jan 2021 09:24 AM PST By parsing data on weather, deer populations and deer-vehicle collisions in Wisconsin, investigators show spatial synchrony could be driving population cycles, rather than the reverse.

Carbon: Getting to net zero -- and even net negative -- is surprisingly feasible, and affordable Posted: 27 Jan 2021 09:24 AM PST Reaching zero net emissions of carbon dioxide from energy and industry by 2050 can be accomplished by rebuilding U.S. energy infrastructure to run primarily on renewable energy, at a net cost of about $1 per person per day, according to new research.

More than just CO2: It's time to tackle short-lived climate-forcing pollutants Posted: 27 Jan 2021 09:23 AM PST Climate change mitigation is about more than just CO2. So-called 'short-lived climate-forcing pollutants' such as soot, methane, and tropospheric ozone all have harmful effects. Climate policy should be guided by a clearer understanding of their differentiated impacts.

Newly discovered fossil, likely subaqueous insect Posted: 27 Jan 2021 06:32 AM PST A newly discovered trace fossil of an ancient burrow has been discovered. The fossil has an important role to play in gauging how salty ancient bodies of water were, putting together a clearer picture of our planet's past.

Smart algorithm cleans up images by searching for clues buried in noise Posted: 27 Jan 2021 06:32 AM PST Researchers have unveiled a machine learning-based algorithm that can reduce graininess in low-resolution images and reveal new details that were otherwise buried within the noise.

Ancient proteins help track early milk drinking in Africa Posted: 27 Jan 2021 05:52 AM PST Got milk? The 1990s ad campaign highlighted the importance of milk for health and wellbeing, but when did we start drinking the milk of other animals? And how did the practice spread? A new study led by scientists from Germany and Kenya highlights the critical role of Africa in the story of dairying, showing that communities there were drinking milk by at least 6,000 years ago.

Genome-editing tool TALEN outperforms CRISPR-Cas9 in tightly packed DNA Posted: 27 Jan 2021 05:52 AM PST Researchers used single-molecule imaging to compare the genome-editing tools CRISPR-Cas9 and TALEN. Their experiments revealed that TALEN is up to five times more efficient than CRISPR-Cas9 in parts of the genome, called heterochromatin, that are densely packed. Fragile X syndrome, sickle cell anemia, beta-thalassemia and other diseases are the result of genetic defects in the heterochromatin.

Carbon-chomping soil bacteria may pose hidden climate risk Posted: 27 Jan 2021 05:52 AM PST Much of the earth's carbon is trapped in soil, and scientists have assumed that potential climate-warming compounds would safely stay there for centuries. But new research shows that carbon molecules can potentially escape the soil much faster than previously thought. The findings suggest a key role for some types of soil bacteria, which can produce enzymes that break down large carbon-based molecules and allow carbon dioxide to escape into the air.

Harpy eagles could be under greater threat than previously thought Posted: 27 Jan 2021 05:52 AM PST New research suggests estimates of the species' current distribution are potentially overestimating range size.

Pace of prehistoric human innovation could be revealed by 'linguistic thermometer' Posted: 27 Jan 2021 05:52 AM PST A physics professor has joined forces with language experts to build a 'linguistic thermometer' that can record the temperature of 'hot' or 'cold' (ie fast or slow) developments in modern linguistic features to create a computer-based model that can provide a better understanding of the development in human language and innovation stretching back to pre-history.

Ancient indigenous New Mexican community knew how to sustainably coexist with wildfire Posted: 27 Jan 2021 05:52 AM PST Wildfires are the enemy when they threaten homes in California and elsewhere. But a new study suggests that people living in fire-prone places can learn to manage fire as an ally to prevent dangerous blazes, just like people who lived nearly 1,000 years ago.

Novel compound may help develop diabetes drugs Posted: 27 Jan 2021 05:52 AM PST A study has identified a new compound that might serve as a basis for developing a new class of drugs for diabetes.

Cell 'bones' mystery solved with supercomputers Posted: 27 Jan 2021 05:52 AM PST Supercomputer simulations allocated by XSEDE on TACC's Stampede2 have helped solve the mystery of how actin filaments polymerize. Researchers employed all-atom molecular dynamics to show structural basis for polymerization kinetics at polarized ends of actin filaments. This fundamental research could be applied to treatments to stop cancer spread, develop self-healing materials, and more.

A compound that slows bone loss, and a resource for developing treatments to slow aging Posted: 27 Jan 2021 05:49 AM PST A compound that extends lifespan in a tiny nematode worm slows bone loss in aging mice. That surprising result comes from a longitudinal and functional study of 700 aging mice, a project that provides a treasure trove of data for researchers aiming to develop therapeutics to slow aging and age-related diseases.

New light shed on behavior of giant carnivorous dinosaur Spinosaurus Posted: 27 Jan 2021 05:39 AM PST New research has reignited the debate around the behavior of the giant dinosaur Spinosaurus.

Solar material can 'self-heal' imperfections Posted: 26 Jan 2021 04:22 PM PST A material that can be used in technologies such as solar power has been found to self-heal, a new study shows.

Fixing global biodiversity policy: Avoiding repeating old mistakes Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:16 PM PST Global goals for biodiversity must apply to all member states of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) also at national level. This is one of four recommendations for improving the global strategy for biodiversity. The researchers analyze why the goals have been largely missed so far and present concrete policy options.

Compelling evidence of neutrino process opens physics possibilities Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:16 PM PST The COHERENT particle physics experiment has firmly established the existence of a new kind of neutrino interaction. Because neutrinos are electrically neutral and interact only weakly with matter, the quest to observe this interaction drove advances in detector technology and has added new information to theories aiming to explain mysteries of the cosmos.

When push comes to shove, what counts as a fight? Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:16 PM PST Biologists often study animal sociality by collecting observations about behavioral interactions. These interactions can be things like severe or minor fights, cooperative food sharing or grooming. But to analyze animal behavior, researchers need to make decisions about how to categorize and code these interactions. That gets tricky.

AI used to predict early symptoms of schizophrenia in relatives of patients Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:16 PM PST Researchers have taken a step forward in developing an artificial intelligence tool to predict schizophrenia by analyzing brain scans. The tool was used to analyze functional magnetic resonance images of 57 healthy first-degree relatives (siblings or children) of schizophrenia patients. It accurately identified the 14 individuals who scored highest on a self-reported schizotypal personality trait scale.

Southern Africa's most endangered shark just extended its range by 2,000 kilometers Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:16 PM PST A team of marine scientists has confirmed that southern Africa's most threatened endemic shark - the Critically Endangered shorttail nurse shark (Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum) - has been found to occur in Mozambique; a finding that represents a range extension of more than 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles).

Melatonin is effective against polycystic kidney disease Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:16 PM PST Melatonin, a hormone commonly associated with sleep-wake regulation, has been found to reduce cysts in fruit flies, according to researchers. It's a finding that may affect the way we treat some kidney diseases and reduce the need for kidney transplants.

Satellite data reveals bonds between emissions, pollution and economy Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:16 PM PST Burning fossil fuels has long powered world economies while contributing to air pollution and the buildup of greenhouse gases. A new analysis of nearly two decades of satellite data shows that economic development, fossil-fuel combustion and air quality are closely linked on the continental and national scales, but can be decoupled at the national level, according to scientists.

Researchers simplify the study of gene-environment interactions Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:16 PM PST Researchers have developed a new computational method for studying genetic and environmental interactions and how they influence disease risk.

Ocean toxin a heartbreaking threat for sea otters Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:16 PM PST Heart disease is a killer threat for southern sea otters feasting on domoic acid in their food web. Climate change projections indicate that toxic blooms and domoic acid exposure will continue to rise.

The dangers of drugged driving are outpacing drunk driving Posted: 26 Jan 2021 02:16 PM PST A recent study of drugged driving shows that a sizable percentage of individuals reported the use of marijuana and other illicit drugs while operating behind the wheel.

Hospital worker flu shots could mean fewer early deaths Posted: 26 Jan 2021 11:01 AM PST Research shows that state laws promoting flu vaccinations for hospital workers can substantially reduce the number of influenza-related deaths.

Invasive mussels now control a key nutrient in the American Great Lakes Posted: 26 Jan 2021 11:01 AM PST The spread of quagga mussels across the American Great Lakes has transformed the supply of phosphorus - a key biological nutrient - to the ecosystem.

Metamaterial tiles boost sensitivity of large telescopes Posted: 26 Jan 2021 11:00 AM PST A multi-institutional group of researchers has developed new metamaterial tiles that will help improve the sensitivity of telescopes being built at the preeminent Simons Observatory in Chile.

Anonymous cell phone data can quantify behavioral changes for flu-like illnesses Posted: 26 Jan 2021 11:00 AM PST New method could potentially provide a useful tool to help monitor and control infectious diseases outbreaks, without comprising privacy.

Malaria tricks the brain's defense system Posted: 26 Jan 2021 10:40 AM PST Malaria is one of the most common causes of death in children in Africa. When the parasite builds up in the blood vessels of the brain, it develops into one of the most dangerous forms of the disease, cerebral malaria. Though it wasn't certain if the parasite was able to penetrate the brain tissue, now researchers have found parasites can do that and have mapped the mechanism they utilize.

Researchers use nanomaterials to make 2D diamond clusters at room temperature Posted: 26 Jan 2021 10:40 AM PST 2D hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a promising material that can undergo transition to strong, super lightweight films. Researchers have discovered that h-BN in layered, molecule-thin 2D sheets can phase transition to c-BN at room temperature.

Solar hydrogen: Photoanodes made of alpha-SnWO4 promise high efficiencies Posted: 26 Jan 2021 10:40 AM PST Photoanodes made of metal oxides are considered to be a viable solution for the production of hydrogen with sunlight. Alpha-SnWO4 has optimal electronic properties for photoelectrochemical water splitting with sunlight, but corrodes easily. Protective layers of nickel oxide prevent corrosion, but reduce the photovoltage and limit the efficiency. Now a team has investigated at BESSY II what happens at the interface between the photoanode and the protective layer.

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