ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• Quantum diamond sensing
• NASA's IBEX charts 11 years of change at boundary to interstellar space
• New insights into Alzheimer's disease
• Adhesive film turns smartwatch into biochemical health monitoring system
• Seeing corneal degeneration in a new light
• Discovery allows 3D printing of sensors directly on expanding organs
• A step forward in solving the reactor-neutrino flux problem
• 'Cooperative' and 'independent' dog breeds may not react differently to unfair outcomes
• Is Santa real? Examining children's beliefs in cultural figures and 'non-real' people
• Manipulating tiny skyrmions with small electric currents
• Soap bubbles pollinated a pear orchard without damaging delicate flowers
• Shift in how we build computers: Photonics
• Quasar jets are particle accelerators thousands of light-years long
• Fighting fish synchronize their combat moves and their gene expression
• First dinosaur eggs were soft like a turtle's
• Knock-knock? Who's there? How coral let symbiotic algae in
• Researchers map out intricate processes that activate key brain molecule
• Tomato's hidden mutations revealed in study of 100 varieties
• First egg from Antarctica is big and might belong to an extinct sea lizard
• Astronomers detect regular rhythm of radio waves, with origins unknown
• Wind farms on the Black Sea coast could endanger bat populations in Eastern Europe
• RNA structures by the thousands
• Arctic Ocean acidification worse than previously expected
• Using turbulence to generate frequency combs from small ring lasers
• A proven method for stabilizing efforts to bring fusion power to Earth
• Geoscientists create deeper look at processes below Earth's surface with 3D images
• Air quality impacts early brain development
• Centenarian study suggests living environment may be key to longevity
• Envy coupled with competition divides society into an upper and lower class, game theoretical study shows
• A Neanderthal woman from Chagyrskaya Cave
• Microbes might manage your cholesterol
• First-degree incest: ancient genomes uncover Irish passage tomb dynastic elite
• 4,000th comet discovered by ESA and NASA Solar Observatory
• Why the Mediterranean is a climate change hotspot
• Light-activated 'CRISPR' triggers precision gene editing and super-fast DNA repair
• Antarctic sea ice loss explained in new study
• Using tiny electrodes to measure electrical activity in bacteria
• Why do so many of us feel guilty about taking a lunch break?
• Detecting antibodies with glowing proteins, thread and a smartphone
• Overcoming a vexing problem in vaccine research
• Latest findings on bitter substances in coffee
• Self-powered 'paper chips' could help sound an early alarm for forest fires
• Weed's wily ways explained
• Uncovering hidden flow patterns in coastal waters likely leads to faster disaster response
• Quantum physics: Physicists develop a new theory for Bose-Einstein condensates
• Liver perfusion could save 7 in 10 rejected donor livers
• How the giant sequoia tree protects itself
• Molecular containers for the sequestration of neurotransmitter drugs in water
• Tracking Australia's gigantic carnivorous dinosaurs
• A sugar hit to help destroy cancer cells
• Oral antibiotics work, shorten hospital stays for IV drug users with infections
• New nanoparticle drug combination for atherosclerosis
• A fair reward ensures a good memory
• Nanomaterial gives robots chameleon skin
• Oocyte collection and embryo creation in southern white rhinos
• How fish got onto land, and stayed there
• Mild thyroid dysfunction affects one in five women with a history of miscarriage or subfertility
• Crop residue decisions affect soil life
• Young people with early psychosis may not require antipsychotic medications to recover
• Half of the world's population exposed to increasing air pollution

Quantum diamond sensing Posted: 17 Jun 2020 02:49 PM PDT Researchers report a new quantum sensing technique that allows high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy on small molecules in dilute solution in a 10 picoliter sample volume -- roughly equivalent to a single cell.

NASA's IBEX charts 11 years of change at boundary to interstellar space Posted: 17 Jun 2020 02:48 PM PDT Now, for the first time, scientists have used an entire solar cycle of data from NASA's IBEX spacecraft to study how the heliosphere changes over time. Solar cycles last roughly 11 years, as the Sun swings from seasons of high to low activity, and back to high again. The results show the shifting outer heliosphere in great detail and hint at processes behind one of its most puzzling features.

New insights into Alzheimer's disease Posted: 17 Jun 2020 02:48 PM PDT Researchers looking at mouse models found impaired functional interactions between the hippocampus and the parietal cortex during the memory replay period, which may yield new insights into Alzheimer's Disease.

Adhesive film turns smartwatch into biochemical health monitoring system Posted: 17 Jun 2020 02:48 PM PDT Engineers have designed a thin adhesive film that could upgrade a consumer smartwatch into a powerful health-monitoring system. The system looks for chemical indicators found in sweat to give a real-time snapshot of what's happening inside the body.

Seeing corneal degeneration in a new light Posted: 17 Jun 2020 02:48 PM PDT The molecular changes that lead to Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) occur decades before the disease causes blurry vision and other noticeable symptoms in patients, new research shows. This insight into this earliest stage of FECD may eventually lead to new ways of screening for and treating the common condition, which affects an estimated 4 percent of U.S. adults over the age of 40.

Discovery allows 3D printing of sensors directly on expanding organs Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT Mechanical engineers and computer scientists have developed a 3D printing technique that uses motion capture technology, similar to that used in Hollywood movies, to print electronic sensors directly on organs that are expanding and contracting.

A step forward in solving the reactor-neutrino flux problem Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT A nuclear theory group experiment paves the way for solving the reactor antineutrino flux problems. The experiment is designed to measure the mass of the neutrino. As a by product of the calibration efforts of the experiment the electron spectral shape of the beta decay of Xe-137 could be measured.

'Cooperative' and 'independent' dog breeds may not react differently to unfair outcomes Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT Cooperative-worker dog breeds do not appear to respond more negatively to unfair outcomes than do independent-worker breeds, according to a new study. Although the sample size was small, the results do not support the hypothesis that inequity aversion and cooperation co-evolved.

Is Santa real? Examining children's beliefs in cultural figures and 'non-real' people Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT Young children understand dinosaurs and The Wiggles are (or were!) real, and that fictional characters like Peter Pan and Spongebob are not real -- but cultural figures like Santa or the Tooth Fairy occupy an ambiguous place in a child's pantheon, a new study suggests.

Manipulating tiny skyrmions with small electric currents Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT A research group has managed to manipulate and track the movement of individual magnetic vortices called skyrmions, which have been touted as strong candidates to act as information carriers in next-generation storage devices and as synapses for neuromorphic computing.

Soap bubbles pollinated a pear orchard without damaging delicate flowers Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT Soap bubbles facilitated the pollination of a pear orchard by delivering pollen grains to targeted flowers, demonstrating that this whimsical technique can successfully pollinate fruit-bearing plants. The study suggests that soap bubbles may present a low-tech complement to robotic pollination technology designed to supplement the work of vanishing bees.

Shift in how we build computers: Photonics Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT Information technology continues to progress at a rapid pace. However, the growing demands of data centers have pushed electrical input-output systems to their physical limit, which has created a bottleneck. Maintaining this growth will require a shift in how we built computers. The future is optical.

Quasar jets are particle accelerators thousands of light-years long Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT An international collaboration bringing together over 200 scientists from 13 countries has shown that the very high-energy gamma-ray emission from quasars is not concentrated in the region close to their central black hole but in fact extends over several thousand light-years along jets of plasma. This discovery shakes up current scenarios for the behaviour of such plasma jets.

Fighting fish synchronize their combat moves and their gene expression Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT When two betta fish are fighting for dominance, not only do their attacks mirror each other, but the gene expression in their brain cells also starts to align. The new findings may explain how the fish synchronize their fighting behavior.

First dinosaur eggs were soft like a turtle's Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT New research suggests that the first dinosaurs laid soft-shelled eggs -- a finding that contradicts established thought. The study analyzed the eggs of two vastly different non-avian dinosaurs and found that they resembled those of turtles in their microstructure, composition, and mechanical properties. The research also suggests that hard-shelled eggs evolved at least three times independently in the dinosaur family tree.

Knock-knock? Who's there? How coral let symbiotic algae in Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT Biologists have solved a longstanding marine science mystery that could aid coral conservation. The researchers identified the type of cell that enables a soft coral to recognize and take up the photosynthetic algae with which it maintains a symbiotic relationship, as well as the genes responsible for this transaction.

Researchers map out intricate processes that activate key brain molecule Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT For the first time, scientists have revealed the steps needed to turn on a receptor that helps regulate neuron firing. The findings might help researchers understand and someday treat addiction, psychosis and other neuropsychological diseases.

Tomato's hidden mutations revealed in study of 100 varieties Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT A new analysis of difficult-to-access genetic variation is the most comprehensive ever conducted in plants. It could guide the improvement of tomatoes and other crops.

First egg from Antarctica is big and might belong to an extinct sea lizard Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT An analysis has found that a mysterious fossil discovered in 2011 is a giant, soft-shell egg from about 66 million years ago. Measuring in at more than 11 by 7 inches, the egg is the largest soft-shell egg ever discovered and the second-largest egg of any known animal.

Astronomers detect regular rhythm of radio waves, with origins unknown Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT A team of astronomers has picked up on a curious, repeating rhythm of fast radio bursts emanating from an unknown source outside our galaxy, 500 million light years away.

Wind farms on the Black Sea coast could endanger bat populations in Eastern Europe Posted: 17 Jun 2020 12:00 PM PDT The Via Pontica, an important migration route for birds in Eastern Europe, runs along the Black Sea coast of Romania and Bulgaria. Bats also use this route. In this region, numerous wind farms have been installed in recent years because of good wind conditions. A research team has now demonstrated that this leads to high death rates of migrating bats and potentially large declines even in populations living in other countries.

RNA structures by the thousands Posted: 17 Jun 2020 11:59 AM PDT Researchers have developed a new method to determine the structures of all RNA molecules in a bacterial cell at once. In the past, this had to be done individually for each molecule. Besides their exact composition, their structure is crucial for the function of the RNAs. The team has now described the new high-throughput structure mapping method.

Arctic Ocean acidification worse than previously expected Posted: 17 Jun 2020 11:59 AM PDT The Arctic Ocean will take up more carbon dioxide over the 21st century than predicted by most climate models, according to researchers. This additional carbon dioxide causes a distinctly stronger ocean acidification.

Using turbulence to generate frequency combs from small ring lasers Posted: 17 Jun 2020 11:59 AM PDT Researchers have harnessed turbulence in light to create a specific type of high-precision laser, known as a laser frequency comb, in a system previously thought incapable of producing such a laser. The discovery could be used in a new generation of devices for applications such as optical spectroscopy and sensing.

A proven method for stabilizing efforts to bring fusion power to Earth Posted: 17 Jun 2020 11:59 AM PDT Researchers have demonstrated a method for stabilizing fusion plasmas by suppressing edge localized modes (ELMs).

Geoscientists create deeper look at processes below Earth's surface with 3D images Posted: 17 Jun 2020 11:59 AM PDT Geoscientists recently used massive amounts of earthquake data and supercomputers to generate high-resolution, 3D images of the dynamic geological processes taking place far below the Earth's surface. The research team described how it created images of mantle flows in a subduction region under Central America and the Caribbean Sea.

Air quality impacts early brain development Posted: 17 Jun 2020 11:59 AM PDT Does living close to roadways pose a risk to the developing brain? A study found a link between traffic-related air pollution and an increased risk for changes in brain development relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders.

Centenarian study suggests living environment may be key to longevity Posted: 17 Jun 2020 11:52 AM PDT Where you live has a significant impact on the likelihood that you will reach centenarian age, suggests a new study. New research suggests that people who live in highly walkable, mixed-age communities may be more likely to live to their 100th birthday.

Envy coupled with competition divides society into an upper and lower class, game theoretical study shows Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:15 AM PDT Can class differences come about endogenously, i.e. independent of birth and education? Researchers pursued this issue in a game theoretical study. They were able to show that the basic human need to compare oneself with others may be the root cause of the formation of social classes.

A Neanderthal woman from Chagyrskaya Cave Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:15 AM PDT Until now, the genomes of only two Neanderthals have been sequenced in high quality: one from Vindjia Cave in modern-day Croatia and one from Denisova Cave in Siberia's Altai Mountains. A research team has now sequenced the genome of a third Neanderthal whose remains were found - 106 kilometers away from the latter site - in Chagyrskaya Cave.

Microbes might manage your cholesterol Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:15 AM PDT Researchers discover a link between human blood cholesterol levels and a gene in the microbiome that could one day help people manage their cholesterol through diet, probiotics, or entirely new types of treatment.

First-degree incest: ancient genomes uncover Irish passage tomb dynastic elite Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:15 AM PDT Archaeologists and geneticists have shed new light on the earliest periods of Ireland's human history. Among their incredible findings is the discovery that the genome of an adult male buried in the heart of the Newgrange passage tomb points to first-degree incest, implying he was among a ruling social elite akin to the similarly inbred Inca god-kings and Egyptian pharaohs.

4,000th comet discovered by ESA and NASA Solar Observatory Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:15 AM PDT On June 15, 2020, a citizen scientist spotted a never-before-seen comet in data from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, or SOHO -- the 4,000th comet discovery in the spacecraft's 25-year history.

Why the Mediterranean is a climate change hotspot Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:15 AM PDT A new analysis uncovers the basis of the severe rainfall declines predicted by many models.

Light-activated 'CRISPR' triggers precision gene editing and super-fast DNA repair Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:15 AM PDT In a series of experiments using human cancer cell lines, scientists say they have successfully used light as a trigger to make precise cuts in genomic material rapidly, using a molecular scalpel known as CRISPR, and observe how specialized cell proteins repair the exact spot where the gene was cut.

Antarctic sea ice loss explained in new study Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:14 AM PDT Scientists have discovered that the summer sea ice in the Weddell Sea sector of Antarctica has decreased by one million square kilometers -- an area twice the size of Spain -- in the last five years, with implications for the marine ecosystem.

Using tiny electrodes to measure electrical activity in bacteria Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:14 AM PDT Scientists have developed an organic electrochemical transistor that they can use to measure and study in fine detail a phenomenon known as extracellular electron transfer in which bacteria release electrons.

Why do so many of us feel guilty about taking a lunch break? Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:14 AM PDT New research from health psychologists explores why some employees feel guilty about taking their legally entitled breaks.

Detecting antibodies with glowing proteins, thread and a smartphone Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:14 AM PDT To defend the body, the immune system makes proteins known as antibodies that latch onto the perceived threat, be it HIV, the new coronavirus or, as is the case in autoimmune disease, part of the body itself. In a new proof-of-concept study, researchers describe a new system for detecting antibodies within a pinprick of blood within minutes, using an unlikely combination of cotton thread, glowing proteins and a smartphone camera.

Overcoming a vexing problem in vaccine research Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:14 AM PDT Researchers have made a breakthrough in vaccine development for a common and difficult to treat pneumonia-causing pathogen.

Latest findings on bitter substances in coffee Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:14 AM PDT Coffee is very popular around the world despite or perhaps because of its bitter taste. Compounds contained in the coffee such as caffeine contribute to the bitterness to varying degrees. A recent study provides new insights into the molecular interactions between bitter substances and bitter receptors. This is of relevance not only for taste perception.

Self-powered 'paper chips' could help sound an early alarm for forest fires Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:14 AM PDT Recent devastating fires in the Amazon rain forest and the Australian bush highlight the need to detect forest fires at early stages, before they blaze out of control. Current methods include infrared imaging satellites, remote sensing, watchtowers and aerial patrols, but by the time they sound the alarm, it could be too late. Now researchers have developed self-powered ''paper chips'' that sense early fires and relay a signal.

Weed's wily ways explained Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:14 AM PDT Like antibiotic-resistant bacteria, some herbicide-resistant weeds can't be killed by available chemicals. The problem affects more than just the errant weed in our driveways; herbicide-resistant weeds threaten our food supply, stealing resources and outcompeting the crops that make up our breakfast cereal and feed the nation's livestock.

Uncovering hidden flow patterns in coastal waters likely leads to faster disaster response Posted: 17 Jun 2020 09:14 AM PDT With more accurate modeling data, response teams can better predict the search area grid from the air, and reduce emergency response time when lives are on the line.

Quantum physics: Physicists develop a new theory for Bose-Einstein condensates Posted: 17 Jun 2020 07:24 AM PDT Bose-Einstein condensates are often described as the fifth state of matter: At extremely low temperatures, gas atoms behave like a single particle. The exact properties of these systems are notoriously difficult to study. Physicists have now proposed a new theory to describe these quantum systems more effectively and comprehensively.

Liver perfusion could save 7 in 10 rejected donor livers Posted: 17 Jun 2020 07:24 AM PDT A major study investigating the effectiveness of liver perfusion as a technique to improve the function of donor livers that would have otherwise been rejected has shown that up to 7 in every 10 could be used after just 4-6 hours of the assessment.

How the giant sequoia tree protects itself Posted: 17 Jun 2020 07:24 AM PDT A three-dimensional network of fibers makes the bark resistant to fire and rock fall.

Molecular containers for the sequestration of neurotransmitter drugs in water Posted: 17 Jun 2020 07:24 AM PDT Molecular containers that remove drugs, toxins, or malodorous substances from the environment are called sequestering agents. Scientists have developed a class of molecular containers that specifically sequester neurotransmitter antagonists. The barrel-shaped molecules called Pillar[n]MaxQ bind neuromuscular blocking chemicals 100,000-fold more tightly than established macrocyclic detoxification agents, the researchers report.

Tracking Australia's gigantic carnivorous dinosaurs Posted: 17 Jun 2020 07:04 AM PDT North America had the T. rex, South America had the Giganotosaurus and Africa the Spinosaurus - now evidence shows Australia had gigantic predatory dinosaurs.

A sugar hit to help destroy cancer cells Posted: 17 Jun 2020 07:04 AM PDT Like any cells in the body, cancer cells need sugar ­-- namely glucose -- to fuel cell proliferation and growth. However, researchers have unlocked a weakness in a common type of cancer cell: sugar inflexibility. That is, when cancer cells are exposed to a different type of sugar - galactose - the cells can't adapt, and will die.

Oral antibiotics work, shorten hospital stays for IV drug users with infections Posted: 17 Jun 2020 07:04 AM PDT A combination of IV and oral antibiotics can effectively treat invasive infections in people who inject illicit drugs, according to a new study. The findings mean that patients who do not wish to stay in the hospital for weeks of IV antibiotic treatment can leave and complete taking their prescribed antibiotics at home.

New nanoparticle drug combination for atherosclerosis Posted: 17 Jun 2020 07:04 AM PDT Physicochemical cargo-switching nanoparticles (CSNP) can help significantly reduce cholesterol and macrophage foam cells in arteries, which are the two main triggers for atherosclerotic plaque and inflammation.

A fair reward ensures a good memory Posted: 17 Jun 2020 07:04 AM PDT By deciphering the neural dialogue between the brain's reward and memory networks, a new study demonstrates that the lasting positive effect of a reward on the ability of individuals to retain a variety of information.

Nanomaterial gives robots chameleon skin Posted: 17 Jun 2020 06:10 AM PDT A new film made of gold nanoparticles changes color in response to any type of movement. Its unprecedented qualities could allow robots to mimic chameleons and octopi -- among other futuristic applications.

Oocyte collection and embryo creation in southern white rhinos Posted: 17 Jun 2020 06:10 AM PDT In order to prevent the extinction of species such as the northern white rhino, experts are developing new methods and technologies for conservation.

How fish got onto land, and stayed there Posted: 17 Jun 2020 06:10 AM PDT Research on blennies, a family of fish that have repeatedly left the sea for land, suggests that being a 'jack of all trades' allows species to make the dramatic transition onto land but adapting into a 'master of one' allows them to stay there.

Mild thyroid dysfunction affects one in five women with a history of miscarriage or subfertility Posted: 17 Jun 2020 06:10 AM PDT Mild thyroid abnormalities affect up to one in five women with a history of miscarriage or subfertility which is a prolonged time span of trying to become pregnant.

Crop residue decisions affect soil life Posted: 17 Jun 2020 06:10 AM PDT New findings share how prescribed fire and no-till management impact soil microbes.

Young people with early psychosis may not require antipsychotic medications to recover Posted: 17 Jun 2020 06:10 AM PDT Researchers have found that some young people with early stage first episode psychosis (FEP) can experience reduced symptoms and improve functioning without antipsychotic medication when they are provided with psychological interventions and comprehensive case management.

Half of the world's population exposed to increasing air pollution Posted: 17 Jun 2020 06:09 AM PDT Half of the world's population is exposed to increasing air pollution, new research has shown.

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