ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Ancient bird figurine recovered from refuse heap the oldest instance of East Asian 3D art
• Proposed seismic surveys in Arctic Refuge likely to cause lasting damage
• Physics principle explains order and disorder of swarms
• Potential treatment for Rett Syndrome
• Population ecology: Origins of genetic variability in seals
• Acoustics put a fresh spin on electron transitions
• Mozart may reduce seizure frequency in people with epilepsy
• Marijuana concentrates spike THC levels but don't boost impairment
• Three research groups, two kinds of electronic properties, one material
• Extinct camelids reveal insights about North America's ancient savannas
• What makes a giant jellyfish's sting deadly?
• Considering health when switching to cleaner electricity
• Noise disturbs the brain's compass
• Beavers are diverse forest landscapers
• Simulations on biologically relevant time scales
• Cellular stress causes cancer cell chemoresistance
• New 'sun clock' quantifies extreme space weather switch on/off
• First confirmation of new theory by metamaterial
• Fewer complications after organ transplantation
• Women generate lower travel-related greenhouse gas emissions
• A good vitamin D status can protect against cancer
• World's first spherical artificial eye has 3D retina
• Antarctic sea-ice models improve for the next IPCC report
• Study of 62 countries finds people react similarly to everyday situations
• Signatures of fractional electronic charge observed in topological insulators
• Liquid metals break down organic fuels into ultra-thin graphitic sheets
• Fluid mechanics mystery solved
• Black hole's heart still beating
• Media stereotypes confound kids' science ambitions
• Reusing chicken litter shows benefits
• A rare heart bone is discovered in chimpanzees
• Speed of space storms key to protecting astronauts and satellites from radiation
• How the brain controls our speech
• Ancient enzymes can contribute to greener chemistry
• Different hormone therapies affect brain function differently
• Bees? Please. These plants are putting ants to work
• Simple way of 'listening' to chicks could dramatically improve welfare
• New explanation for neutrino anomalies in Antarctica
• Twitter fight: Birds use social networks to pick opponents wisely
• Living near oil and gas wells may increase preterm birth risk
• Cannabis temporarily relieves PTSD symptoms, study suggests
• Undersized airways may explain why nonsmokers get COPD
• First all-human mouse model of inherited prion disease
• Study on shorebirds suggests that when conserving species, not all land is equal

Ancient bird figurine recovered from refuse heap the oldest instance of East Asian 3D art Posted: 10 Jun 2020 12:20 PM PDT A small bird carving - -the oldest instance of East Asian three-dimensional art ever discovered -- is described in a new study.

Proposed seismic surveys in Arctic Refuge likely to cause lasting damage Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:50 AM PDT Winter vehicle travel can cause long-lasting damage to the tundra, according to a new article. Scars from seismic surveys for oil and gas exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge remained for decades, according to the study. The findings counter assertions made by the Bureau of Land Management in 2018 that seismic exploration causes no 'significant impacts' on the landscape.

Physics principle explains order and disorder of swarms Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:50 AM PDT Physicists demonstrate a correlation between the behavior of collective animal systems and a so-called 'critical point'.

Potential treatment for Rett Syndrome Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:50 AM PDT An experimental cancer drug can extend the life of mice with Rett Syndrome, a devastating genetic disorder that afflicts about one of every 10,000 to 15,000 girls within 6 to 18 months after birth.

Population ecology: Origins of genetic variability in seals Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:50 AM PDT A new study shows that fluctuations in population sizes in the past have had a significant effect on contemporary seal populations, and estimates the risk of genetic impoverishment in the species investigated.

Acoustics put a fresh spin on electron transitions Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:50 AM PDT Electrons are very much at the mercy of magnetic fields, which scientists can manipulate to control the electrons and their angular momentum -- i.e. their 'spin.'

Mozart may reduce seizure frequency in people with epilepsy Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:50 AM PDT A new clinical research study has found that a Mozart composition may reduce seizure frequency in patients with epilepsy.

Marijuana concentrates spike THC levels but don't boost impairment Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:50 AM PDT A study of 121 regular users of legal market cannabis found that higher potency does not necessarily mean greater intoxication. It also found that while balance and memory are impaired immediately after use, that impairment fades within in an hour.

Three research groups, two kinds of electronic properties, one material Posted: 10 Jun 2020 10:50 AM PDT This it is the story of a unique material -- made of a single compound, it conducts electrons in different ways on its different surfaces and doesn't conduct at all in its middle.

Extinct camelids reveal insights about North America's ancient savannas Posted: 10 Jun 2020 09:10 AM PDT A new study looking at extinct camelids -- ancestors of today's camels and llamas -- tells the story of North America's ancient savannas and highlights how past climatic and environmental conditions influenced the composition of mammalian faunas.

What makes a giant jellyfish's sting deadly? Posted: 10 Jun 2020 09:09 AM PDT With summer on the way, and some beaches reopening after COVID-19 shutdowns, people will be taking to the ocean to cool off on a hot day. But those unlucky enough to encounter the giant jellyfish Nemopilema nomurai (also known as Nomura's jellyfish) might wish they had stayed on shore. Now, researchers have identified the key toxins that make the creature's venom deadly to some swimmers.

Considering health when switching to cleaner electricity Posted: 10 Jun 2020 09:09 AM PDT Power plants that burn coal and other fossil fuels emit not only planet-warming carbon dioxide, but also pollutants linked to breathing problems and premature death. Policies proposed to mitigate climate change, however, often fail to fully account for the health benefit of switching to cleaner technologies. Researchers show that emphasizing health concerns in such policies can alter the optimal locations of these upgrades.

Noise disturbs the brain's compass Posted: 10 Jun 2020 08:21 AM PDT Our sense of direction tends to decline with age. Researchers report on new insights into the causes of this phenomenon. These study results could contribute to the development of diagnostic tools for early detection of dementia.

Beavers are diverse forest landscapers Posted: 10 Jun 2020 08:20 AM PDT Beavers are ecosystem engineers that cut down trees to build dams, eventually causing floods. Beaver-induced floods make forest landscapes and habitats increasingly diverse, but very little is known about the long-term effects of beavers on European landscapes. Researchers have now examined the history and occurrence of beaver-induced floods and patch dynamics in southern Finland. They used a unique dataset of field observations from 1970 to 2018.

Simulations on biologically relevant time scales Posted: 10 Jun 2020 08:20 AM PDT Researchers deliver new insights into molecular mechanisms relevant for drug development.

Cellular stress causes cancer cell chemoresistance Posted: 10 Jun 2020 08:20 AM PDT Resistance of cancer cells against therapeutic agents is a major cause of treatment failure, especially in recurrent diseases. An international team has now identified a novel mechanism of chemoresistance.

New 'sun clock' quantifies extreme space weather switch on/off Posted: 10 Jun 2020 08:20 AM PDT Extreme space weather events can significantly impact systems such as satellites, communications systems, power distribution and aviation. They are driven by solar activity which is known to have an irregular but roughly 11 year cycle. By devising a new, regular 'sun clock', researchers have found that the switch on and off of periods of high solar activity is quite sharp, and are able to determine the switch on/off times.

First confirmation of new theory by metamaterial Posted: 10 Jun 2020 08:20 AM PDT Physicists have experimentally demonstrated a novel effect for the first time by exploiting topological metamaterials.

Fewer complications after organ transplantation Posted: 10 Jun 2020 08:19 AM PDT A large international study has demonstrated the safety of new cell therapy approaches for use in kidney transplant recipients. Transplant recipients were shown to require lower levels of immunosuppression in order to prevent organ rejection. This reduces the risk of side effects such as viral infections.

Women generate lower travel-related greenhouse gas emissions Posted: 10 Jun 2020 07:27 AM PDT Women use more diverse modes of travel and generate lower greenhouse gas emissions than men, despite men being more than twice as likely to travel by bike, a new study has found.

A good vitamin D status can protect against cancer Posted: 10 Jun 2020 07:27 AM PDT A good vitamin D status is beneficial both in cancer prevention and in the prognosis of several cancers, according to a new research review. The anti-cancer effects of vitamin D are especially pronounced in the prevention and treatment of colon cancer and blood cancers. In addition, high vitamin D responsiveness can be linked to a smaller cancer risk. Vitamin D responsiveness varies between individuals, affecting their need for vitamin D supplementation.

World's first spherical artificial eye has 3D retina Posted: 10 Jun 2020 07:27 AM PDT Scientists have developed the world's first 3D artificial eye with capabilities better than existing bionic eyes and in some cases, even exceed those of the human eyes, bringing vision to humanoid robots and new hope to patients with visual impairment.

Antarctic sea-ice models improve for the next IPCC report Posted: 10 Jun 2020 07:27 AM PDT All the new coupled climate models project that the area of sea ice around Antarctica will decline by 2100, but the amount of loss varies considerably between the emissions scenarios.

Study of 62 countries finds people react similarly to everyday situations Posted: 10 Jun 2020 07:27 AM PDT A new study asserts the world population may have much more in common than it has differences. The researchers' finding: 'The difference among countries is smaller than expected; and the difference within countries is much greater.' In other words, people from different countries aren't that different, and people within the same country aren't as similar as expected.

Signatures of fractional electronic charge observed in topological insulators Posted: 10 Jun 2020 07:27 AM PDT Because electrons -- the subatomic particles that carry electricity -- are elementary particles and cannot be split, fractions of electronic charge are not normally encountered. Despite this, researchers have recently observed the signature of fractional charges ranging from e/4 to 2e/3 in exotic materials known as topological crystalline insulators.

Liquid metals break down organic fuels into ultra-thin graphitic sheets Posted: 10 Jun 2020 07:25 AM PDT For the first time, researchers show the synthesis of ultra-thin graphitic materials at room temperature using organic fuels (which can be as simple as basic alcohols such as ethanol).

Fluid mechanics mystery solved Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:41 AM PDT An environmental engineering professor has solved a decades-old mystery regarding the behavior of fluids, a field of study with widespread medical, industrial and environmental applications.

Black hole's heart still beating Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:41 AM PDT The first confirmed heartbeat of a supermassive black hole is still going strong more than ten years after first being observed.

Media stereotypes confound kids' science ambitions Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:41 AM PDT White lab coats and dangerous experiments all epitomize the 'mad scientist' from many a Hollywood blockbuster but, even beyond the silver screen, the stereotype lives on, and according to new research, it could mar the next generation of potential scientists.

Reusing chicken litter shows benefits Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:40 AM PDT Beneficial bacteria in reused poultry litter can reduce Salmonella levels.

A rare heart bone is discovered in chimpanzees Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:40 AM PDT Experts have discovered that some chimpanzees have a bone in their heart, which could be vital in managing their health and conservation.

Speed of space storms key to protecting astronauts and satellites from radiation Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:40 AM PDT Measuring the speed of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) as they erupt from the sun, in addition to their size, found to be crucial in providing accurate early warnings that keep astronauts and technology safe.

How the brain controls our speech Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:40 AM PDT Speaking requires both sides of the brain. Each hemisphere takes over a part of the complex task of forming sounds, modulating the voice and monitoring what has been said. However, the distribution of tasks is different than has been thought up to now, as an interdisciplinary team of neuroscientists and phoneticians has discovered.

Ancient enzymes can contribute to greener chemistry Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:40 AM PDT A research team has resurrected several billion-year-old enzymes and reprogrammed them to catalyze completely different chemical reactions than their modern versions can manage. The method can be used to develop sustainable solutions within biotechnology, such as for enzyme bioreactors or to chemically degrade environmental toxins.

Different hormone therapies affect brain function differently Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:40 AM PDT Sex hormones influence the structure and function of the brain, but little is known about the effect of hormone therapies (HT) on changes in the brain during menopause. A new study shows smaller increases in structural brain changes related to aging were associated with hormone-level changes from transdermal estradiol or oral conjugated equine estrogen.

Bees? Please. These plants are putting ants to work Posted: 10 Jun 2020 06:35 AM PDT This is the first plant species in the world found to have adapted traits that enables a mutually beneficial relationship with ants.

Simple way of 'listening' to chicks could dramatically improve welfare Posted: 09 Jun 2020 04:07 PM PDT New research suggests a simple and low-cost method of 'listening' to chicks may allow welfare issues to be picked up at the earliest possible opportunity.

New explanation for neutrino anomalies in Antarctica Posted: 09 Jun 2020 04:07 PM PDT A new article provides a new explanation for two recent strange events that occurred in Antarctica -- high-energy neutrinos appearing to come up out of the Earth on their own accord and head skyward.

Twitter fight: Birds use social networks to pick opponents wisely Posted: 09 Jun 2020 04:07 PM PDT Researchers say animals such as monk parakeets seem to understand where they fit in a dominance hierarchy and pick their fights accordingly. This high-level social information helps animals improve or maintain their status.

Living near oil and gas wells may increase preterm birth risk Posted: 09 Jun 2020 01:19 PM PDT New research shows living near oil and gas development in California is a risk factor for preterm birth, the leading cause of infant death in the United States. About 2.1 million Californians live within one mile of an active oil or gas well.

Cannabis temporarily relieves PTSD symptoms, study suggests Posted: 09 Jun 2020 11:44 AM PDT People suffering from post-traumatic distress disorder report that cannabis reduces the severity of their symptoms by more than half, at least in the short term, according to a recent study.

Undersized airways may explain why nonsmokers get COPD Posted: 09 Jun 2020 11:44 AM PDT A mismatch between airway and lung size may explain why some nonsmokers get COPD and some heavy smokers do not, according to a new study.

First all-human mouse model of inherited prion disease Posted: 09 Jun 2020 11:44 AM PDT Human prion diseases include Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease (GSS). A new study reports a significant advance in the development of mouse models of human prion diseases. The study demonstrates spontaneous formation of disease-relevant, transmissible prion protein assemblies in mice bearing only human forms of the prion protein.

Study on shorebirds suggests that when conserving species, not all land is equal Posted: 09 Jun 2020 10:00 AM PDT Researchers may have solved the long-standing puzzle of why migratory shorebirds around the world are plummeting several times faster than coastal ecosystems are being developed. They discovered that shorebirds overwhelmingly rely on tidal zones closest to dry land, which are most often lost to development. The findings suggest that protecting species requires a detailed understanding of how animals interact with the landscape so that preserved habitats best serve endangered species' needs.