ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Antarctic ice-sheet melting to lift sea level higher than thought, Harvard study says
• Poorer communities hardest hit by toxic pollution incidents
• Computer scientists discover new vulnerability affecting computers globally
• Neural nets used to rethink material design
• Branching worm with dividing internal organs growing in sea sponge
• Piecing together the LanCL puzzle
• Not just for finding planets: Exoplanet-hunter TESS telescope spots bright gamma-ray burst
• Wildfire smoke trends worsening for Western US
• Engineering T cells to attack cancer broadly
• New view of species interactions offers clues to preserve threatened ecosystems
• Move over CRISPR, the Retrons are coming
• Light as a fairy tale: What makes a feel-good film feel good?
• Important factor in the development of dendritic cells identified
• Milestone for next-gen acceleration experiment
• Hippocampal maps predict context-dependent behavior
• Fiber-optic ultrasonic imaging probe for future nanoscale disease diagnostics
• Shortage of DNA building blocks in the cell releases mitochondrial DNA
• Brazilian Amazon released more carbon than it stored in 2010s
• 'Pokemonas': Bacteria related to lung parasites discovered, named after Pokémon
• Researchers analyzed circulating currents inside gold nanoparticles
• A silver lining for extreme electronics
• Northern forest fires could accelerate climate change
• Diverse spectrum of neurons that govern movement
• New genetic target for blood cancer treatment
• Wasps are valuable for ecosystems, economy and human health (just like bees)
• Cave deposits reveal Pleistocene permafrost thaw, absent predicted levels of CO2 release
• Defect that limits hybrid perovskites solar-cell performance identified
• How to level up soft robotics
• Discarded ostrich eggshells provide timeline for our early African ancestors
• Small galaxies likely played important role in evolution of the Universe
• Icebreaker's cyclone encounter reveals faster sea ice decline
• Eastern and Western house mice took parallel evolutionary paths after colonizing US
• Treatment found to improve cognitive function in patients with fragile X syndrome
• Extent of human impact on the world's plant-life revealed
• How diet controls RNA maturation
• How meningitis-causing bacteria may sense fever to avoid immune killing
• Multi-drug resistant infection about to evolve within cystic fibrosis patients
• A third of kids develop a mental health problem after concussion
• Lightning and subvisible discharges produce molecules that clean the atmosphere
• Exploiting plants' ability to 'tell the time' to make food production more sustainable
• Fish have been swallowing microplastics since the 1950s
• Mapping the 'superhighways' traveled by the first Australians
• The Arctic's greening, but it won't save us

Antarctic ice-sheet melting to lift sea level higher than thought, Harvard study says Posted: 30 Apr 2021 01:59 PM PDT The new predictions show that in the case of a total collapse of the ice sheet, global sea level rise estimates would be amplified by an additional meter within 1,000 years.

Poorer communities hardest hit by toxic pollution incidents Posted: 30 Apr 2021 01:59 PM PDT Research shows toxic pollution hits poorer populations hardest as firms experience more pollutant releases and spend less money on waste management in areas with lower average incomes.

Computer scientists discover new vulnerability affecting computers globally Posted: 30 Apr 2021 01:59 PM PDT A team o computer science researchers has uncovered a line of attack that breaks all Spectre defenses, meaning that billions of computers and other devices across the globe are just as vulnerable today as they were when Spectre was first announced.

Neural nets used to rethink material design Posted: 30 Apr 2021 01:58 PM PDT Engineers are using neural networks to accelerate predictions of how the microstructures of materials evolve. The machine-learning technique should speed the development of novel materials.

Branching worm with dividing internal organs growing in sea sponge Posted: 30 Apr 2021 01:58 PM PDT The marine worm Ramisyllis multicaudata is one of only two such species possessing a branching body, with one head and multiple posterior ends. The researchers discovered that the complex body of this worm spreads extensively in the canals of their host sponges.

Piecing together the LanCL puzzle Posted: 30 Apr 2021 11:47 AM PDT Researchers have published an article reporting the function of LanCL proteins.

Not just for finding planets: Exoplanet-hunter TESS telescope spots bright gamma-ray burst Posted: 30 Apr 2021 10:54 AM PDT NASA has a long tradition of unexpected discoveries, and the space program's TESS mission is no different. Astrophysicists have discovered a particularly bright gamma-ray burst using a NASA telescope designed to find exoplanets - those occurring outside our solar system - particularly those that might be able to support life. It's the first time a gamma-ray burst has been found this way.

Wildfire smoke trends worsening for Western US Posted: 30 Apr 2021 10:54 AM PDT New research ties the worsening trend of extreme poor air quality events in Western regions to wildfire activity, with growing trends of smoke impacting air quality clear into September.

Engineering T cells to attack cancer broadly Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:04 AM PDT This study builds on decades of work showing that the protein IL-24 attacks cancer broadly, and is the first to deliver the protein using T cells. This approach is in contrast to CAR-T cells, which are built to recognize proteins on the surface of cancer cells and haven't been successful against solid tumors. Mice with prostate cancer experienced shrinkage of the original tumor as well as distant metastases following treatment with IL-24 T cells.

New view of species interactions offers clues to preserve threatened ecosystems Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:04 AM PDT Scientists from around the world have produced a new analysis -- believed to be the most detailed study of specialized ecological data from global forests -- that is furthering science's understanding of species interactions and how diversity contributes to the preservation of ecosystem health.

Move over CRISPR, the Retrons are coming Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:04 AM PDT Researchers have created a new gene editing tool called Retron Library Recombineering (RLR) that can generate up to millions of mutations simultaneously, and 'barcodes' mutant bacterial cells so that the entire pool can be screened at once. It can be used in contexts where CRISPR is toxic or not feasible, and results in better editing rates.

Light as a fairy tale: What makes a feel-good film feel good? Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:04 AM PDT 'Feel-good films' are usually dismissed by film critics as being sentimental and without intellectual merit. But their popularity with audiences, who seek them out precisely because of their 'feel-good' qualities, tells a more favorable story. Now, for the first time, this popular movie genre has been examined scientifically.

Important factor in the development of dendritic cells identified Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:03 AM PDT Dendritic cells are divided into Type 1 (DC1) and Type 2 (DC2) dendritic cells. Each type fulfills different functions: DC1 provide an immune response to bacteria and viruses, DC2 protect against fungal or parasitic infections. Researchers found that a particular group of proteins plays a major role in the development of Type 1 dendritic cells. This

Milestone for next-gen acceleration experiment Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:03 AM PDT The future of particle acceleration has begun. Awake is a promising concept for a completely new method with which particles can be accelerated even over short distances. The basis for this is a plasma wave that accelerates electrons and thus brings them to high energies. A team now reports a breakthrough in this context. For the first time, they were able to precisely time the production of the proton microbunches that drive the wave in the plasma. This fulfills an important prerequisite for using the Awake technology for collision experiments.

Hippocampal maps predict context-dependent behavior Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:03 AM PDT Successful navigation requires the ability to separate memories in a context-dependent manner. For example, to find lost keys, one must first remember whether the keys were left in the kitchen or the office. How does the human brain retrieve the contextual memories that drive behavior?

Fiber-optic ultrasonic imaging probe for future nanoscale disease diagnostics Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:03 AM PDT Scientists have developed an ultrasonic imaging system, which can be deployed on the tip of a hair-thin optical fiber, and will be insertable into the human body to visualize cell abnormalities in 3D.

Shortage of DNA building blocks in the cell releases mitochondrial DNA Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:03 AM PDT Mitochondria are the energy suppliers of our body cells. These tiny cell components have their own genetic material, which triggers an inflammatory response when released into the interior of the cell. The reasons for the release are not yet known, but some cardiac and neurodegenerative diseases as well as the ageing process are linked to the mitochondrial genome. Researchers have investigated the reasons for the release of mitochondrial genetic material and found a direct link to cellular metabolism: when the cell's DNA building blocks are in short supply, mitochondria release their genetic material and trigger inflammation. The researchers hope to find new therapeutic approaches by influencing this metabolic pathway.

Brazilian Amazon released more carbon than it stored in 2010s Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:03 AM PDT The Brazilian Amazon rainforest released more carbon than it stored over the last decade - with degradation a bigger cause than deforestation - according to new research.

'Pokemonas': Bacteria related to lung parasites discovered, named after Pokémon Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:03 AM PDT 'Pokemonas' live in round amoebae, similar to Pokémon, which are caught inside balls in the popular video game.

Researchers analyzed circulating currents inside gold nanoparticles Posted: 30 Apr 2021 09:03 AM PDT Researchers have developed a method that allows for simulation and visualization of magnetic-field-induced electron currents inside gold nanoparticles. The method facilitates accurate analysis of magnetic field effects inside complex nanostructures in nuclear magnetic resonance measurements and establishes quantitative criteria for aromaticity of nanoparticles.

A silver lining for extreme electronics Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:32 AM PDT Researchers are building tougher circuits to help withstand the grueling demands of energy production, space exploration and more.

Northern forest fires could accelerate climate change Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:32 AM PDT New research shows that the global models used to project how Earth's climate will change in the future underestimate the impact of forest fires and drying climate on forests' ability to capture and store atmospheric carbon.

Diverse spectrum of neurons that govern movement Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:32 AM PDT Researchers have identified and mapped a diverse spectrum of motor neurons along the spinal cord.

New genetic target for blood cancer treatment Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:32 AM PDT Researchers have identified a vulnerability in some cases of acute myeloid leukaemia that could be harnessed for targeted treatment of these poor-prognosis cancers.

Wasps are valuable for ecosystems, economy and human health (just like bees) Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:32 AM PDT Wasps deserve to be just as highly valued as other insects, like bees, due to their roles as predators, pollinators, and more, according to a new article.

Cave deposits reveal Pleistocene permafrost thaw, absent predicted levels of CO2 release Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:32 AM PDT Expanding the study of prehistoric permafrost thawing to North America, researchers found evidence in mineral deposits from caves in Canada that permafrost thawing took place as recently as 400,000 years ago, in temperatures not much warmer than today. But they did not find evidence the thawing caused the release of predicted levels of carbon dioxide stored in the frozen terrain.

Defect that limits hybrid perovskites solar-cell performance identified Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:31 AM PDT Researchers have uncovered a major cause of limitations to efficiency in a new generation of solar cells.

How to level up soft robotics Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:31 AM PDT The field of soft robotics has exploded in the past decade, as ever more researchers seek to make real the potential of these pliant, flexible automata in a variety of realms, including search and rescue, exploration and medicine.

Discarded ostrich eggshells provide timeline for our early African ancestors Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:31 AM PDT Dating early human middens becomes uncertain beyond 50,000 years, when radiocarbon dating ceases to be useful. Uranium-series dating of marine shells and bone is uncertain by some 10% because of the structure of these materials. A team has now improved the method for a more stable discard: ostrich eggshells. The method extends the accuracy and precision of radiocarbon 10 times into the past, to about 500,000 years ago.

Small galaxies likely played important role in evolution of the Universe Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:31 AM PDT A study found evidence of a galaxy in a 'blow-away' state, which could give more insight into the Universe's early stages.

Icebreaker's cyclone encounter reveals faster sea ice decline Posted: 30 Apr 2021 06:31 AM PDT An icebreaker unexpectedly in the path of an Arctic cyclone allowed researchers to unravel why sea ice declines during and after a cyclone. For the first time ever, scientists were able to show that cyclone-triggered processes within the Arctic Ocean melt sea ice from below.

Eastern and Western house mice took parallel evolutionary paths after colonizing US Posted: 29 Apr 2021 11:26 AM PDT Parallel evolution is common, but do different animal populations evolve in similar ways and alter the same genes to adapt to similar environmental conditions? Researchers tested this in two U.S. populations of house mice. They found independent evolution of a heavier body and larger nests as Eastern and Western populations invaded northern habitats after introduction from Europe. Many of the same genes changed allele frequency along with the increase in body mass.

Treatment found to improve cognitive function in patients with fragile X syndrome Posted: 29 Apr 2021 11:26 AM PDT An experimental treatment produced improvements in cognitive function and language in patients with fragile X syndrome, according to new study results.

Extent of human impact on the world's plant-life revealed Posted: 29 Apr 2021 11:26 AM PDT Research has shed new light on the impact of humans on Earth's biodiversity. The findings suggest that the rate of change in an ecosystem's plant-life increases significantly during the years following human settlement, with the most dramatic changes occurring in locations settled in the last 1500 years.

How diet controls RNA maturation Posted: 29 Apr 2021 11:26 AM PDT Particularly sensitive to chemical modifications, mRNAs are molecules responsible for transmitting the information encoded in our genome, allowing for the synthesis of proteins. Two teams have focused on a specific type of chemical modification - called methylation - of mRNA molecules in the small worm Caenorhabditis elegans. They found that methylation on a particular sequence of an mRNA leads to its degradation and that this control mechanism depends on the worm's diet.

How meningitis-causing bacteria may sense fever to avoid immune killing Posted: 29 Apr 2021 11:26 AM PDT Researchers have discovered a mechanism through which meningitis-causing bacteria can evade our immune system. In laboratory tests, they found that Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae respond to increasing temperatures by producing safeguards that keep them from getting killed. This may prime their defenses against our immune system and increase their chances of survival, the researchers say.

Multi-drug resistant infection about to evolve within cystic fibrosis patients Posted: 29 Apr 2021 11:26 AM PDT Scientists have been able to track how a multi-drug resistant organism is able to evolve and spread widely among cystic fibrosis patients - showing that it can evolve rapidly within an individual during chronic infection. The researchers say their findings highlight the need to treat patients with Mycobacterium abscessus infection immediately, counter to current medical practice.

A third of kids develop a mental health problem after concussion Posted: 29 Apr 2021 11:26 AM PDT A third of children and adolescents develop a mental health problem after a concussion, which could persist for several years post-injury, according to a new literature review.

Lightning and subvisible discharges produce molecules that clean the atmosphere Posted: 29 Apr 2021 11:19 AM PDT Lightning bolts break apart nitrogen and oxygen molecules in the atmosphere and create reactive chemicals that affect greenhouse gases. Now, a team of atmospheric chemists and lightning scientists have found that lightning bolts and, surprisingly, subvisible discharges that cannot be seen by cameras or the naked eye produce extreme amounts of the hydroxyl radical -- OH -- and hydroperoxyl radical -- HO2.

Exploiting plants' ability to 'tell the time' to make food production more sustainable Posted: 29 Apr 2021 11:19 AM PDT Plant scientists say circadian clock genes, which enable plants to measure daily and seasonal rhythms, should be targeted in agriculture and crop breeding for higher yields and more sustainable farming.

Fish have been swallowing microplastics since the 1950s Posted: 29 Apr 2021 10:39 AM PDT Researchers examined the guts of freshwater fish preserved in museum collections; they found that fish have been swallowing microplastics since the 1950s and that the concentration of microplastics in their guts has increased over time.

Mapping the 'superhighways' traveled by the first Australians Posted: 29 Apr 2021 08:24 AM PDT 'Superhighways' used by a population of up to 6.5 million Indigenous Australians to navigate the continent tens of thousands of years ago have been revealed by new research using sophisticated modelling of past people and landscapes.

The Arctic's greening, but it won't save us Posted: 29 Apr 2021 08:23 AM PDT New research suggests that new green biomass in the Arctic is not as large a carbon sink as scientists had hoped.

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