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• Simulations reveal how dominant SARS-CoV-2 strain binds to host, succumbs to antibodies
• Scientists may detect signs of extraterrestrial life in the next 5 to 10 years
• Unconventional takes on pandemics and nuclear defense could protect humanity from catastrophic failure
• Tarantula's ubiquity traced back to the cretaceous
• On the pulse of pulsars and polar light
• COVID-19: Scientists identify human genes that fight infection
• Female protective effect: Researchers find clues to sex differences in autism
• Hidden magma pools pose eruption risks that we can't yet detect
• Study shows past COVID-19 infection doesn't fully protect young people against reinfection
• A new super-Earth detected orbiting a red dwarf star
• New CRISPR technology offers unrivaled control of epigenetic inheritance
• Fast radio bursts shown to include lower frequency radio waves than previously detected
• Experimental antiviral for COVID-19 effective in hamster study
• With impressive accuracy, dogs can sniff out coronavirus
• Tiny cat-sized stegosaur leaves its mark
• Fit matters most when double masking to protect yourself from COVID-19
• Surprise twist suggests stars grow competitively
• A rich marine algal ecosystem 600 million years earlier than previously thought
• Underweight and overweight women at higher risk of successive miscarriages
• Experiments cast doubts on the existence of quantum spin liquids
• Long-term consequences of CO2 emissions
• Virologists develop broadly protective coronavirus vaccines
• Triangular-shaped spikes key to coronavirus transmission, finds new study
• Research shows to disrupt online extremism freewill is key
• Transparent nanolayers for more solar power
• Patients who are overweight or obese at risk of more severe COVID-19, study finds
• Norovirus clusters are resistant to environmental stresses and UV disinfection
• Snake species from different terrains surrender surface secrets behind slithering success
• Two distinct types of COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome identified
• Study strengthens links between red meat and heart disease
• New measure to predict stress resilience
• Long-term weight retention and associated health risks identified in obese adults
• How to gain a sense of well-being, free and online
• Blow flies may be the answer to monitoring the environment non-invasively

Simulations reveal how dominant SARS-CoV-2 strain binds to host, succumbs to antibodies Posted: 16 Apr 2021 04:49 PM PDT The dominant G-form spike protein 'puts its head up' more frequently to latch on to receptors, but that makes it more vulnerable to neutralization.

Scientists may detect signs of extraterrestrial life in the next 5 to 10 years Posted: 16 Apr 2021 04:49 PM PDT Research shows that a new telescope could detect a potential signature of life on other planets in as little as 60 hours.

Unconventional takes on pandemics and nuclear defense could protect humanity from catastrophic failure Posted: 16 Apr 2021 04:49 PM PDT From engineered pandemics to city-toppling cyber attacks to nuclear annihilation, life on Earth could radically change, and soon.

Tarantula's ubiquity traced back to the cretaceous Posted: 16 Apr 2021 12:50 PM PDT Tarantulas are among the most notorious spiders, due in part to their size, vibrant colors and prevalence throughout the world. But one thing most people don't know is that tarantulas are homebodies. Females and their young rarely leave their burrows and only mature males will wander to seek out a mate. How then did such a sedentary spider come to inhabit six out of seven continents?

On the pulse of pulsars and polar light Posted: 16 Apr 2021 12:50 PM PDT Faced with the tragic loss of the Arecibo observatory in Puerto Rico and the often prohibitive cost of satellite missions, astronomers are searching for savvy alternatives to continue answering fundamental questions in physics.

COVID-19: Scientists identify human genes that fight infection Posted: 16 Apr 2021 11:58 AM PDT Scientists have identified a set of human genes that fight SARS-CoV-2 infection, the virus that causes COVID-19. Knowing which genes help control viral infection can greatly assist researchers' understanding of factors that affect disease severity and also suggest possible therapeutic options. The genes in question are related to interferons, the body's frontline virus fighters.

Female protective effect: Researchers find clues to sex differences in autism Posted: 16 Apr 2021 11:58 AM PDT Researchers have found that autism may develop in different regions of the brain in girls than boys and that girls with autism have a larger number of genetic mutations than boys, suggesting that they require a larger 'genetic hit' to develop the disorder.

Hidden magma pools pose eruption risks that we can't yet detect Posted: 16 Apr 2021 11:30 AM PDT Volcanologists' ability to estimate eruption risks is largely reliant on knowing where pools of magma are stored, deep in the Earth's crust. But what happens if the magma can't be spotted?

Study shows past COVID-19 infection doesn't fully protect young people against reinfection Posted: 16 Apr 2021 10:19 AM PDT Results of a new study suggest vaccination against COVID-19 remains crucial even in young adults who were previously infected.

A new super-Earth detected orbiting a red dwarf star Posted: 16 Apr 2021 10:19 AM PDT Researchers report the discovery of a super-Earth orbiting the star GJ 740, a red dwarf star situated some 36 light years from Earth.

New CRISPR technology offers unrivaled control of epigenetic inheritance Posted: 16 Apr 2021 10:19 AM PDT Scientists have figured out how to modify CRISPR's basic architecture to extend its reach beyond the genome and into what's known as the epigenome -- proteins and small molecules that latch onto DNA and control when and where genes are switched on or off.

Fast radio bursts shown to include lower frequency radio waves than previously detected Posted: 16 Apr 2021 09:01 AM PDT A team of researchers has established that fast radio bursts (FRBs) include radio waves at frequencies lower than ever detected before, a discovery that redraws the boundaries for theoretical astrophysicists trying to put their finger on the source of FRBs.

Experimental antiviral for COVID-19 effective in hamster study Posted: 16 Apr 2021 09:01 AM PDT The experimental antiviral drug MK-4482 significantly decreased levels of virus and disease damage in the lungs of hamsters treated for SARS-CoV-2 infection, according to a new study. MK-4482, delivered orally, is now in human clinical trials.

With impressive accuracy, dogs can sniff out coronavirus Posted: 16 Apr 2021 09:01 AM PDT In a proof-of-concept study, dogs identified positive samples with 96 percent accuracy.

Tiny cat-sized stegosaur leaves its mark Posted: 16 Apr 2021 09:01 AM PDT A single footprint left by a cat-sized dinosaur around 100 million years ago has been discovered in China by an international team of palaeontologists.

Fit matters most when double masking to protect yourself from COVID-19 Posted: 16 Apr 2021 09:00 AM PDT A new study shows that wearing two face coverings can nearly double the effectiveness of filtering out SARS-CoV-2-sized particles, preventing them from reaching the wearer's nose and mouth and causing COVID-19.

Surprise twist suggests stars grow competitively Posted: 16 Apr 2021 09:00 AM PDT A survey of star formation activity in the Orion Nebula Cluster found similar mass distributions for newborn stars and dense gas cores, which may evolve into stars. Counterintuitively, this means that the amount of gas a core accretes as it develops, and not the initial mass of the core, is the key factor in deciding the final mass of the produced star.

A rich marine algal ecosystem 600 million years earlier than previously thought Posted: 16 Apr 2021 09:00 AM PDT The first photosynthetic oxygen-producing organisms on Earth were cyanobacteria. Their evolution dramatically changed the Earth allowing oxygen to accumulate into the atmosphere for the first time and further allowing the evolution of oxygen-utilizing organisms including eukaryotes. Eukaryotes include animals, but also algae, a broad group of photosynthetic oxygen-producing organisms that now dominate photosynthesis in the modern oceans. When, however, did algae begin to occupy marine ecosystems and compete with cyanobacteria as important phototrophic organisms?

Underweight and overweight women at higher risk of successive miscarriages Posted: 16 Apr 2021 09:00 AM PDT A new study has shown that underweight and overweight women are at a significantly higher risk of experiencing recurrent miscarriages compared to those of average weight.

Experiments cast doubts on the existence of quantum spin liquids Posted: 16 Apr 2021 09:00 AM PDT A quantum spin liquid is a state of matter in which interacting quantum spins do not align even at lowest temperatures, but remain disordered. Research on this state has been going on for almost 50 years, but whether it really exists has never been proven beyond doubt. An international team has now put an end to the dream of a quantum spin liquid for the time being. Nevertheless, the matter remains exciting.

Long-term consequences of CO2 emissions Posted: 16 Apr 2021 09:00 AM PDT According to a new study, the oxygen content in the oceans will continue to decrease for centuries even if all CO2 emissions would be stopped immediately. The slowdown of ocean circulation and the progressive warming of deeper water layers are responsible for this process.

Virologists develop broadly protective coronavirus vaccines Posted: 16 Apr 2021 08:59 AM PDT A candidate vaccine that could provide protection against the COVID-19 virus and other coronaviruses has shown promising results in early animal testing.

Triangular-shaped spikes key to coronavirus transmission, finds new study Posted: 16 Apr 2021 06:10 AM PDT Scientists have modeled the spikes of the coronavirus particle to unravel how their shape and number may influence the transmissibility of the virus.

Research shows to disrupt online extremism freewill is key Posted: 16 Apr 2021 06:10 AM PDT According to new research, when people are explicitly told that they are free to accept or reject propagandistic claims, the likelihood of choosing a moderate view increases. This was a result of a survey of attitudes that tested counter-propaganda strategies, which stressed a person's autonomy, and then measured sentiments after exposure.

Transparent nanolayers for more solar power Posted: 15 Apr 2021 08:41 AM PDT There is no cheaper way to generate electricity today than with the sun. Solar cells available on the market based on crystalline silicon make this possible with efficiencies of up to 23 percent. With even higher efficiencies of more than 26 percent, costs could fall further. An international working group led by photovoltaics researchers now plan to reach this goal with a nanostructured, transparent material for the front of solar cells.

Patients who are overweight or obese at risk of more severe COVID-19, study finds Posted: 15 Apr 2021 08:41 AM PDT Patients who are overweight or obese have more severe COVID-19 and are highly likely to require invasive respiratory support, according to a new international study.

Norovirus clusters are resistant to environmental stresses and UV disinfection Posted: 15 Apr 2021 06:07 AM PDT Clusters of a virus known to cause stomach flu are resistant to detergent and ultraviolet disinfection, according to new research. The findings suggest the need to revisit current disinfection, sanitation and hygiene practices aimed at protecting people from noroviruses.

Snake species from different terrains surrender surface secrets behind slithering success Posted: 15 Apr 2021 06:07 AM PDT Some snake species slither across the ground, while others climb trees, dive through sand or glide across water. Today, scientists report that the surface chemistry of snake scales varies among species that negotiate these different terrains. The findings could have implications for designing durable materials, as well as robots that mimic snake locomotion to cross surfaces that would otherwise be impassable.

Two distinct types of COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome identified Posted: 15 Apr 2021 06:07 AM PDT Identifying subsets of patients with different biochemical characteristics can help clinical researchers develop more effective therapies for treating ARDS associated with COVID-19 infections. Results of a new study suggest that disruption of the normal regulation of blood vessels and circulation could be a key feature of critical illness, severe symptoms, and death related to COVID-19 infections.

Study strengthens links between red meat and heart disease Posted: 15 Apr 2021 06:07 AM PDT An observational study in nearly 20,000 individuals has found that greater intake of red and processed meat is associated with worse heart function.

New measure to predict stress resilience Posted: 15 Apr 2021 06:07 AM PDT Researchers show that increased sensitivity in a specific region of the brain contributes to the development of anxiety and depression in response to real-life stress. Their study establishes an objective neurobiological measure for stress resilience in humans.

Long-term weight retention and associated health risks identified in obese adults Posted: 14 Apr 2021 05:24 PM PDT UK adults who are overweight or obese retain their weight over time, which is associated with an increased risk of health complications and death, according to a new study.

How to gain a sense of well-being, free and online Posted: 14 Apr 2021 12:50 PM PDT In 2018, when Professor Laurie Santos introduced her course 'Psychology and the Good Life,' a class on the science of happiness, it became the most popular in the history of Yale, attracting more than 1,200 undergraduate enrollees that first semester. An online course based on those teachings became a global phenomenon. By latest count, 3.38 million people have enrolled to take the free Coursera.org course, called 'The Science of Well Being.'

Blow flies may be the answer to monitoring the environment non-invasively Posted: 14 Apr 2021 12:50 PM PDT A study led by researchers at IUPUI has found that blow flies may be the answer to monitoring environmental change without disturbing local wildlife.

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