ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Why uncertainty makes us change our behavior -- even when we shouldn't
• Collisions of light produce matter/antimatter from pure energy
• More tolerant primates have a greater need to communicate vocally, new study shows
• Astronomers discover how to feed a black hole
• Older adults are happier when space matches personality
• Adapting roots to a hotter planet could ease pressure on food supply
• Planetary scientist puts Mars lake theory on ice with new study that offers alternate explanation
• Ancient, newly identified 'mammoth weevil' used huge 'trunk' to fight for mates
• Second-hand marijuana smoke exposure associated with respiratory infections in children
• Weird, noodle-shaped amphibians known as caecilians found in South Florida canal
• Highly potent, stable nanobodies stop SARS-CoV-2
• The quantum refrigerator
• Environmental impact of bottled water up to 3,500 times higher than tap water
• Malarial mosquitoes completely controlled in experiments that mimic natural environments
• Dancing with the light: A new way to make crystals bend by shining light
• Gene associated with autism linked to itch response, study finds
• Study reveals characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
• Earthly rocks point way to water hidden on Mars
• New nanomaterial to derive clean fuel from the sea
• PCR of gargle lavage samples as effective as nasopharyngeal swabs to identify SARS-CoV-2 infection
• Breathing new life into fuel cells
• Diversity of life and the 'paradox of sex'
• Scientists release new AI-based tools to accelerate functional electronic materials discovery
• Icy waters of 'Snowball Earth' may have spurred early organisms to grow bigger
• Chaotic electrons heed ‘limit’ in strange metals
• RNA: Two strands are tougher than one
• No particular risk of infection of SARS-CoV-2 from cash, study finds
• Remember more by taking breaks
• Study tests microplasma against middle-ear infections
• Bronze Age cemetery reveals history of a high-status woman and her twins
• Optimizing phase change material usage could reduce power plant water consumption
• Scientists observe gas re-accretion in dying galaxies for the first time
• Sediments from lake in Japan reveal stable climate led to origin of agriculture
• We are more forgiving when people close to us misbehave
• Spin-sonics: Acoustic wave gets the electrons spinning
• City-living bees benefit most from specific types of urban ‘greening’
• Eliminating RNA-binding protein improves survival in aggressive leukemia
• Measuring conservation in a way that counts
• More genetic markers for inherited testicular cancer identified
• Studies uncover details of 'exhausted' immune cells in patients with chronic infections
• Common floral bacteria can induce pollen germination
• New study reveals serious long-term complications in youth-onset type 2 diabetes
• Neanderthal and Denisovan blood groups deciphered

Why uncertainty makes us change our behavior -- even when we shouldn't Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:36 PM PDT 'Panic buying' might be a normal human response to uncertainty after all, new research suggests.

Collisions of light produce matter/antimatter from pure energy Posted: 29 Jul 2021 03:36 PM PDT Scientists studying particle collisions have produced definitive evidence for two physics phenomena predicted more than 80 years ago: that matter/antimatter can be created directly by colliding photons and that a magnetic field can bend polarized light along different paths in a vacuum.

More tolerant primates have a greater need to communicate vocally, new study shows Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:34 AM PDT Primates who are more tolerant of each other use vocal communication more than their stricter counterparts, research shows.

Astronomers discover how to feed a black hole Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:34 AM PDT Researchers have discovered long narrow dust filaments which surround and feed black holes in the centers of galaxies, and which could be the natural cause of the darkening of the centers of many galaxies when their nuclear black holes are active.

Older adults are happier when space matches personality Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:34 AM PDT A study has found photos of a person's living space can accurately point at personality traits and the mood of the people who live there, especially as a person gets older. Applying the findings could help lead to happier lives, including for older adults with frailty or cognitive impairment that has led them to be transferred from their homes to long-term care facilities.

Adapting roots to a hotter planet could ease pressure on food supply Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:34 AM PDT The shoots of plants get all of the glory, with their fruit and flowers and visible structure. But it's the portion that lies below the soil — the branching, reaching arms of roots and hairs pulling up water and nutrients — that interests some plant physiologist and computer scientist the most.

Planetary scientist puts Mars lake theory on ice with new study that offers alternate explanation Posted: 29 Jul 2021 11:34 AM PDT For years scientists have been debating what might lay under the Martian planet's south polar cap after bright radar reflections were discovered and initially attributed to water. But now, a new study puts that theory to rest and demonstrates for the first time that another material is most likely the answer.

Ancient, newly identified 'mammoth weevil' used huge 'trunk' to fight for mates Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:22 AM PDT New research has identified a 100-million-year-old weevil unlike any other known fossilized or living weevil.

Second-hand marijuana smoke exposure associated with respiratory infections in children Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:22 AM PDT Children whose parents regularly smoke or vape marijuana may experience viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold, more frequently than those whose parents do not smoke, according to a new study.

Weird, noodle-shaped amphibians known as caecilians found in South Florida canal Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:22 AM PDT Caecilians have arrived in Miami. Florida Fish and Wildlife officers captured one of the obscure legless amphibians in the Tamiami Canal, the first example of an introduced caecilian in the U.S.

Highly potent, stable nanobodies stop SARS-CoV-2 Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT Researchers have developed nanobodies that efficiently block the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its new variants.

The quantum refrigerator Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT By combining quantum theory and thermodynamics, it is possible to design a new kind of atomic refrigerator, which can cool down extremely cold Bose-Einstein-condensates even further.

Environmental impact of bottled water up to 3,500 times higher than tap water Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT What is the best option for individual water consumption if we take into account both health and environmental impacts? The answer to that question, according to a new study is that, at least in the city of Barcelona, tap water is the option that offers more overall benefits.

Malarial mosquitoes completely controlled in experiments that mimic natural environments Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT Researchers have shown 'gene drive' technology, which spreads a genetic modification blocking female reproduction, works in natural-like settings.

Dancing with the light: A new way to make crystals bend by shining light Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT Generating mechanical motion in crystals using light or heat has increasingly become the focus of materials scientists. However, the conventional mechanism employed for the purpose produces slow responses and is ineffective for thick crystals. Now, in a new study, scientists report and validate a new mechanism for generating fast bending motion in thick crystals with light-induced heating, opening doors to light-driven mechanics with more versatile crystals.

Gene associated with autism linked to itch response, study finds Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT A gene associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and pain hypersensitivity may actually decrease itch response, according to new research.

Study reveals characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT A new study provides foundational information about SARS-CoV-2's spike protein.

Earthly rocks point way to water hidden on Mars Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT A combination of a once-debunked 19th-century identification of a water-carrying iron mineral and the fact that these rocks are extremely common on Earth, suggests the existence of a substantial water reservoir on Mars, according to a team of geoscientists.

New nanomaterial to derive clean fuel from the sea Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT Hydrogen fuel derived from the sea could be an abundant and sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, but the potential power source has been limited by technical challenges, including how to practically harvest it. Researchers have designed a nanoscale material that can efficiently split seawater into oxygen and a clean energy fuel -- hydrogen.

PCR of gargle lavage samples as effective as nasopharyngeal swabs to identify SARS-CoV-2 infection Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT Twenty-six subjects from a cohort of 80 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 via nasopharyngeal swab, and all 26 tested positive using gargle lavage (mouthwash), according to new research.

Breathing new life into fuel cells Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT Researchers have discovered new dynamics that could supercharge a sluggish part of the core chemical reaction in fuel cells.

Diversity of life and the 'paradox of sex' Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT New research finds that sexual reproduction and multicellularity drive diversity among different species.

Scientists release new AI-based tools to accelerate functional electronic materials discovery Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:21 AM PDT The interdisciplinary team's work could allow scientists to accelerate the rate of discovery and study of materials that exhibit a metal-insulator transition.

Icy waters of 'Snowball Earth' may have spurred early organisms to grow bigger Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:20 AM PDT A new study tackles one of the oldest questions in the history of the planet: How did living organisms get so big?

Chaotic electrons heed ‘limit’ in strange metals Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:20 AM PDT Chaos, to a point: A new study confirms the chaotic behavior of electrons in 'strange' metals has a limit established by the laws of quantum mechanics.

RNA: Two strands are tougher than one Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:20 AM PDT Research reveals key differences between single- and double-stranded RNA, insights that may prove useful to fields from agriculture to medicine.

No particular risk of infection of SARS-CoV-2 from cash, study finds Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:20 AM PDT How long do coronaviruses remain infectious on banknotes and coins? Is it possible to become infected through contact with cash? Researchers developed a method specifically to test how many infectious virus particles can be transferred from cash to the skin in real-life conditions. Conclusion: under realistic conditions, the risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2 from cash is very low.

Remember more by taking breaks Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:20 AM PDT We remember things longer if we take breaks during learning, referred to as the spacing effect. Scientists gained deeper insight into the neuronal basis for this phenomenon in mice. With longer intervals between learning repetitions, mice reuse more of the same neurons as before -- instead of activating different ones. Possibly, this allows the neuronal connections to strengthen with each learning event, such that knowledge is stored for a longer time.

Study tests microplasma against middle-ear infections Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:20 AM PDT Middle-ear infections are a common affliction in early life, affecting more than 80% of children in the U.S. Antibiotics are often employed as a first line of defense but sometimes fail against the pathogenic bacteria that can develop in the middle ear, just behind the eardrum. In a new study, researchers explore the use of microplasma -- a highly focused stream of chemically excited ions and molecules -- as a noninvasive method for attacking the bacterial biofilms that resist antibiotic treatment in the middle ear.

Bronze Age cemetery reveals history of a high-status woman and her twins Posted: 29 Jul 2021 09:18 AM PDT Ancient urn graves contain a wealth of information about a high-ranking woman and her Bronze Age Vatya community, according to a new study.

Optimizing phase change material usage could reduce power plant water consumption Posted: 29 Jul 2021 08:19 AM PDT The food-water-energy nexus dictates that there is a direct link between these three necessities, and stressing one directly impacts the supply of the other two. As the population grows, human demand for energy and food has caused our freshwater reserves to slowly deplete. Power plants are one of the main culprits contributing to this issue, as they use trillions of gallons of fresh water annually to prevent overheating.

Scientists observe gas re-accretion in dying galaxies for the first time Posted: 29 Jul 2021 06:52 AM PDT A new study suggests that previously displaced gases can re-accrete onto galaxies, potentially slowing down the process of galaxy death caused by ram pressure stripping, and creating unique structures more resistant to its effects.

Sediments from lake in Japan reveal stable climate led to origin of agriculture Posted: 29 Jul 2021 06:52 AM PDT The advent of agriculture was a significant turning point in the history of modern humans, beyond which humans started living a sedentary life and formed a so-called 'civilization.' However, the environmental factors responsible for this revolutionary change in human lifestyle have been unclear for quite long. A new study on finely layered mud at the bottom of a lake in Japan reveals that the answer to this puzzle lies in the stability of the climate.

We are more forgiving when people close to us misbehave Posted: 29 Jul 2021 06:52 AM PDT When people behave badly or unethically, their loved ones may judge them less harshly than they would judge a stranger who committed the same transgressions, but that leniency may come at the cost of the judger's own sense of self-worth, according to new research.

Spin-sonics: Acoustic wave gets the electrons spinning Posted: 29 Jul 2021 06:52 AM PDT Researchers have succeeded in detecting the rolling movement of a nano-acoustic wave predicted by the famous physicist and Nobel prize-winner Lord Rayleigh in 1885.

City-living bees benefit most from specific types of urban ‘greening’ Posted: 29 Jul 2021 05:34 AM PDT Converting vacant urban lots into greenspaces can reduce blight and improve neighborhoods, and new research shows that certain types of such post-industrial reclamation efforts offer the added bonus of benefiting bees.

Eliminating RNA-binding protein improves survival in aggressive leukemia Posted: 29 Jul 2021 05:34 AM PDT Removing a protein that is often overexpressed in a rare and aggressive subtype of leukemia can help to slow the cancer's development and significantly increase the likelihood of survival, according to a new study in mice.

Measuring conservation in a way that counts Posted: 29 Jul 2021 05:34 AM PDT Conservation science and policy could be saving more biodiversity by shifting to measurements and decisions based on preventing the loss of ecosystems and species within protected areas.

More genetic markers for inherited testicular cancer identified Posted: 29 Jul 2021 05:34 AM PDT A meta-analysis of nearly 200,000 men revealed 22 new genetic locations that could be susceptible to inherited testicular germ cell tumors.

Studies uncover details of 'exhausted' immune cells in patients with chronic infections Posted: 28 Jul 2021 05:14 PM PDT Two new studies provide insights into T cell exhaustion, which could lead to potential strategies to overcome it.

Common floral bacteria can induce pollen germination Posted: 28 Jul 2021 05:14 PM PDT Certain species of floral bacteria can enhance pollen germination, finds the first study documenting induction and stimulation of pollen germination by non-plants.

New study reveals serious long-term complications in youth-onset type 2 diabetes Posted: 28 Jul 2021 05:13 PM PDT Findings underscore the importance of early, intensive treatment. The study focused on complications of youth-onset type 2 diabetes. Overall, researchers saw a steady decline in blood glucose control over 15 years.

Neanderthal and Denisovan blood groups deciphered Posted: 28 Jul 2021 11:03 AM PDT The blood groups of three Neanderthals one Denisovan have been determined by a team including a palaeoanthropologist, population geneticists, and haematologists. Their research provides new data for understanding the origins, history, and health of these extinct hominin lineages.

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