ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• The songs of fin whales offer new avenue for seismic studies of the oceanic crust
• Spontaneous quantum error correction demonstrated
• Scientist proposes a new timeline for Mars terrains
• How a single gene alteration may have separated modern humans from predecessors
• Hubble uncovers concentration of small black holes
• Study finds even the common house sparrow is declining
• Play and meaty food reduce hunting by cats
• Vaporised crusts of Earth-like planets found in dying stars
• 'Gamechanger' drug for treating obesity cuts body weight by 20 percent
• Family ties explain mysterious social life of coral gobies
• Tiny population of neurons may have big role in depression
• No links found between opioids or certain antibiotics in pregnancy and major birth defects: 2 studies
• New wearable device turns the body into a battery
• Choir singing can improve cognitive functioning among the elderly
• A language learning system that pays attention -- more efficiently than ever before
• How the 3-D structure of eye-lens proteins is formed
• New mathematical method for generating random connected networks
• Placing cosmological constraints on quantum gravity phenomenology
• Quantum effects help minimize communication flaws
• Cell biology: Overseers of cell death
• Vitamin D supplementation: Possible gain in life years combined with cost savings
• A scalable method for the large-area integration of 2D materials
• Young and restless, old and focused: Age-differences in mind-wandering
• Why overfishing leads to smaller cod
• Long-term stress linked to increased risk of heart attack
• Virtual reality helping to treat fear of heights
• New weapon against resistant bacteria
• The science of siestas: New research reveals the genetic basis for daytime napping
• Industrial compound gets eco-friendly reaction
• Depressed moms who breastfeed boost babies' mood, neuroprotection and mutual touch
• Genetic markers show Pacific albacore tuna intermingle across equator
• Arizona economic burden of valley fever totals $736 million
• New improved dog reference genome will aid a new generation of investigation
• Function identified of 'mystery protein' that kills brain cells of people with Parkinson's
• Lipid epoxides target pain, inflammatory pathways in neurons

The songs of fin whales offer new avenue for seismic studies of the oceanic crust Posted: 11 Feb 2021 02:11 PM PST The songs of fin whales can be used for seismic imaging of the oceanic crust, providing scientists a novel alternative to conventional surveying.

Spontaneous quantum error correction demonstrated Posted: 11 Feb 2021 02:11 PM PST Physicists take a step toward building a fault-tolerant quantum computer. They have realized a novel type of QEC where the quantum errors are spontaneously corrected.

Scientist proposes a new timeline for Mars terrains Posted: 11 Feb 2021 11:44 AM PST A scientist has updated Mars chronology models to find that terrains shaped by ancient water activity on the planet's surface may be hundreds of millions of years older than previously thought. This new chronology for Mars, based on the latest dynamical models for the formation and evolution of the solar system, is particularly significant as the days count down until NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover lands on the Red Planet on February 18, 2021.

How a single gene alteration may have separated modern humans from predecessors Posted: 11 Feb 2021 11:44 AM PST Researchers discovered a single gene alteration that may help explain cognitive differences between modern humans and our predecessor, and used that information to develop Neanderthal-like brain organoids in the lab.

Hubble uncovers concentration of small black holes Posted: 11 Feb 2021 11:43 AM PST Scientists were expecting to find an intermediate-mass black hole at the heart of the globular cluster NGC 6397, but instead they found evidence of a concentration of smaller black holes lurking there. New data from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have led to the first measurement of the extent of a collection of black holes in a core-collapsed globular cluster.

Study finds even the common house sparrow is declining Posted: 11 Feb 2021 08:40 AM PST A new study aims to clarify the status of the non-native European House Sparrow, using 21 years of citizen science data.

Play and meaty food reduce hunting by cats Posted: 11 Feb 2021 08:39 AM PST Domestic cats hunt wildlife less if owners play with them daily and feed them a meat-rich food, new research shows.

Vaporised crusts of Earth-like planets found in dying stars Posted: 11 Feb 2021 08:38 AM PST Remnants of planets with Earth-like crusts have been discovered in the atmospheres of four nearby white dwarf stars by astronomers, offering a glimpse of the planets that may have once orbited them up to billions of years ago.

'Gamechanger' drug for treating obesity cuts body weight by 20 percent Posted: 11 Feb 2021 06:13 AM PST About one third (35 percent) of people who took a new drug for treating obesity lost more than one-fifth of their total body weight, according to a major global study.

Family ties explain mysterious social life of coral gobies Posted: 11 Feb 2021 06:01 AM PST The strange social structure of tiny fish called emerald coral gobies may be explained by family loyalty, new research shows.

Tiny population of neurons may have big role in depression Posted: 11 Feb 2021 06:01 AM PST Scientists report the first evidence that, not short-term stress, like a series of tough college exams, rather chronic, unpredictable stress like that which erupts in our personal and professional lives, induces changes in the function of AgRP neurons that may contribute to depression.

No links found between opioids or certain antibiotics in pregnancy and major birth defects: 2 studies Posted: 10 Feb 2021 05:13 PM PST Two recent studies find no links between prescription opioids or macrolide antibiotics taken during pregnancy and risk of major birth defects.

New wearable device turns the body into a battery Posted: 10 Feb 2021 11:20 AM PST A team of engineers has developed a new device that you can wear like a ring or bracelet and that harvests energy from your own body heat.

Choir singing can improve cognitive functioning among the elderly Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Researchers have made new discoveries on the benefits of choir singing which may include positive effects on cognitive functioning similar to playing an instrument.

A language learning system that pays attention -- more efficiently than ever before Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST A hardware and software system called SpAtten streamlines state-of-the-art natural language processing. The advance could reduce the computing power, energy, and time required for text analysis and generation.

How the 3-D structure of eye-lens proteins is formed Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:34 AM PST Chemical bonds within the eye-lens protein gamma-B crystallin hold the protein together and are therefore important for the function of the protein within the lens. Contrary to previous assumptions, some of these bonds, called disulphide bridges, are already formed simultaneously with the synthesis of the protein in the cell.

New mathematical method for generating random connected networks Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Many natural and human-made networks, such as computer, biological or social networks have a connectivity structure that critically shapes their behavior. The academic field of network science is concerned with analyzing such real-world complex networks and understanding how their structure influences their function or behavior. Examples are the vascular network of our bodies, the network of neurons in our brain, or the network of how an epidemic is spreading through a society.

Placing cosmological constraints on quantum gravity phenomenology Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Researchers have used well-established cosmological observations to place tighter constraints on the quadratic model of the Generalized Uncertainty Principle, while discrediting the linear model.

Quantum effects help minimize communication flaws Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Noise limits the performance of modern quantum technologies. However, particles traveling in a superposition of paths can bypass noise in communication. New research reveals novel techniques to reduce noise in quantum communication. The results demonstrate that quantum particles traveling in a superposition of paths enable noise reduction in communications.

Cell biology: Overseers of cell death Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST A new study shows that proteins called IAPs, which can trigger programmed cell death, are inhibited by a specific chemical modification, and reveals that they play a wider role in protein quality control than previously assumed.

Vitamin D supplementation: Possible gain in life years combined with cost savings Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Scientists have now calculated: If all Germans over the age of 50 were to take vitamin D supplements, up to 30,000 cancer deaths per year could possibly be avoided and more than 300,000 years of life could be gained - in addition, health care costs could be saved.

A scalable method for the large-area integration of 2D materials Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Researchers report a new method to integrate graphene and 2D materials into semiconductor manufacturing lines, a milestone for the recently launched 2D-EPL project.

Young and restless, old and focused: Age-differences in mind-wandering Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Research suggests that adults can be more focused, less impeded by anxiety and less mentally restless than younger adults, providing new insight into the influence of the natural ageing process on mind-wandering.

Why overfishing leads to smaller cod Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Overfishing, hunting and intensive agriculture and forestry can sometimes contribute to plants and animals becoming endangered. New research can now show why this leads to entire populations becoming smaller in size, as well as reproducing earlier.

Long-term stress linked to increased risk of heart attack Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Can long-term stress lead to heart attacks? Most people would probably answer in the affirmative, but the scientific evidence of this is scarce. A new study reveals that the levels of the stress hormone cortisol were increased in the months preceding a heart attack. The results suggest that long-term stress is a risk factor for heart attacks.

Virtual reality helping to treat fear of heights Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Researchers have developed a virtual reality app for smartphones to reduce fear of heights. Now, they have conducted a clinical trial to study its efficacy. Trial participants who spent a total of four hours training with the app at home showed an improvement in their ability to handle real height situations.

New weapon against resistant bacteria Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Researchers have developed a new antibiotic that can help in the fight against resistant bacteria, and they hope it will reach the patients.

The science of siestas: New research reveals the genetic basis for daytime napping Posted: 10 Feb 2021 10:33 AM PST Researchers identified 123 regions in the human genome that are associated with daytime napping and three distinct mechanisms that promote napping. Many napping-related genes also regulate other aspects of sleep.

Industrial compound gets eco-friendly reaction Posted: 10 Feb 2021 06:12 AM PST Scientists have developed a chemical reaction that produces high yields of a compound used in a wide variety of industries, without needing high temperatures or toxic catalysts. The approach offers a practical and sustainable solution for industrial (meth)acrylate (= acrylate or methacrylate) ester synthesis.

Depressed moms who breastfeed boost babies' mood, neuroprotection and mutual touch Posted: 10 Feb 2021 06:12 AM PST Feeding method and affectionate touch patterns in depressed and non-depressed mothers and babies as well as infant's EEG activity showed that mother-infant affectionate touch differed as a function of mood and feeding method (breastfeeding and bottle-feeding). Infants in the depressed and bottle-fed group reduced touch toward their mothers while breastfeeding had a positive effect on both mother and baby. Infants of depressed and breastfeeding mothers showed neither behavioral nor brain development dysregulation previously found in infants of depressed mothers.

Genetic markers show Pacific albacore tuna intermingle across equator Posted: 10 Feb 2021 06:12 AM PST Analyzing thousands of genetic markers in albacore tuna from the Pacific Ocean, researchers have learned that just seven dozen of those markers are needed to determine which side of the equator a fish comes from.

Arizona economic burden of valley fever totals $736 million Posted: 10 Feb 2021 06:12 AM PST Expenses for the fungal disease endemic to the Southwest can skyrocket for people whose diagnosis is delayed, leading to more serious infection or death.

New improved dog reference genome will aid a new generation of investigation Posted: 10 Feb 2021 06:11 AM PST Researchers have used new methods for DNA sequencing and annotation to build a new, and more complete, dog reference genome. This tool will serve as the foundation for a new era of research, helping scientists to better understand the link between DNA and disease, in dogs and in their human friends.

Function identified of 'mystery protein' that kills brain cells of people with Parkinson's Posted: 10 Feb 2021 06:11 AM PST Scientists have made a 'vital step' towards understanding the origins of Parkinson's Disease - the fastest growing neurological condition in the world. A study presents a compelling new evidence about what a key protein called alpha-synuclein actually does in neurons in the brain.

Lipid epoxides target pain, inflammatory pathways in neurons Posted: 10 Feb 2021 06:11 AM PST When modified using a process known as epoxidation, two naturally occurring lipids are converted into potent agents that target multiple cannabinoid receptors in neurons, interrupting pathways that promote pain and inflammation, researchers report. These modified compounds, called epo-NA5HT and epo-NADA, have much more powerful effects than the molecules from which they are derived, which also regulate pain and inflammation.

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