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UrduLarge carnivores (e.g. bears, big cats, wolves and elephant seals) and zoos should be utilised as powerful catalysts for public engagement with nature and pro-environmental behaviour, suggests a paper published in the scholarly open-access journal Nature Conservation by an international…
Month: December 2019
Interest in presidential eating habits may affect the public’s food choices
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — From presidential physicals to sudden health scares, the health of the commander in chief garners a lot of media attention in the United States. A recent study by a Penn State researcher examined how President Donald…
Sexual harassment may be reduced at fun work events, study finds
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The office holiday party loses its luster in light of new study findings from researchers at Penn State and Ohio State demonstrating that incidences of unwanted sexual attention are increased at these and other “fun” work…
Newly discovered retinal structure may enhance vision for some birds
A newly discovered retinal structure in the eyes of certain kinds of songbirds might help the animals find and track insect prey more easily. The foundation of avian vision rests on cells called cone and rod photoreceptors. Most birds have…
Brain waves in mice change based on memory age
Researchers have discovered signatures in brain activity that allow them to tell old and new memories apart. A team at Japan’s RIKEN Center for Brain Science (CBS) analyzed recordings from mouse brains using a machine-leaning algorithm, which was able to…
Carbon cocoons surround growing galaxies far beyond previous beliefs
Researchers have discovered gigantic clouds of gaseous carbon spanning more than a radius of 30,000 light-years around young galaxies using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile. This is the first confirmation that carbon atoms produced inside of stars…
‘I will do my very best!’ Children who engage in positive self-talk about effort can boost their math achievement
Children who think poorly of themselves often underachieve in school. A new Dutch study tested whether a simple mental activity–having children with low self-confidence say favorable, encouraging words to themselves–could boost their achievement. The study found that children who engaged…
Astrophysics and AI may offer key to early dementia diagnosis
Crucial early diagnosis of dementia in general practice could improve thanks to a computer model designed in a collaboration between Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and astrophysicists at the University of Sussex. Currently, only two-thirds of people with dementia…
Here’s a bitter pill to swallow: Artificial sweeteners may be doing more harm than good
A $2.2 billion industry to help people lose weight through artificial sweeteners may be contributing to type 2 diabetes, according to researchers from the University of South Australia. A recently published review led by UniSA Professor Peter Clifton reveals that…
Instagram’s virtual features have real relationship benefits
PULLMAN, Wash–Young adults say that Instagram helps them develop friendships in real life, especially those who are more hesitant to try new experiences, according to a recent study by Washington State University researchers. In the study published online in Computers…
Unusual glacier flow could be first-ever look at ice stream formation (video available)
WASHINGTON–Scientists have captured the birth of a high-speed ice feature for the first time on top of a Russian glacier. In a remote archipelago of the Russian Arctic, Vavilov Ice Cap had been moving at a glacial pace for decades.…
Turning light energy into heat to fight disease
Scientists have developed a method involving terahertz radiation to monitor temperature changes when laser light is focused on tiny gold particles in water
Poor sight causes people to overstep the mark
Visually-impaired risk falling by stepping higher and more slowly over objects
In mice, a high-fat, high-sugar diet remodels the microbiome and endocannabinoid system
Washington, DC – December 17, 2019 – Weight gain and diet have long been known to shuffle the population of gut microbes. More recently, studies have also connected weight gain and diet to changes in the intestinal endocannabinoid system (eCB),…
Healthy diet could save $50 billion in health care costs
Study examining 10 dietary factors finds that unhealthy diets account for almost 20% of heart disease, stroke and diabetes costs in the US
Women who live near green space are less likely to be overweight or obese
The findings are presented in a new study of more than 2,300 inhabitants of seven Spanish provinces
Climate change legislation, media coverage drives oil companies’ ad spending, study finds
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — Major oil corporations tend to spend the most money on advertising and promotional campaigns at moments when they face negative media coverage and/or the threat of increased federal regulation, a new study finds. Robert Brulle,…
Dense breast notifications are having little impact
FDA should address potential unintended consequences of the notifications before implementing them
Zebrafish ‘avatars’ can help decide who should receive radiotherapy treatment
Radiotherapy can effectively reduce or even eliminate some tumours; others, however, show enduring resistance. Considering the potentially harmful side effects of radiotherapy, clinicians agree that it is paramount to be able to determine if a patient will benefit from radiotherapy…
Short story collection to entangle readers in the quantum world
Quantum shorts: Collected flash fiction inspired by quantum physics
New metrics needed to evaluate and combat HIV epidemics in the US
A new peer-reviewed commentary published in the January issue of the American Journal of Public Health argues for new metrics to evaluate the public health response to HIV in the United States. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services…
Effects of natural gas assessed in study of shale gas boom in Appalachian basin
Natural gas has become the largest fuel source for generating electricity in the United States, accounting for a third of production and consumption of energy. However, the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of natural gas have not been considered comprehensively. A…
Consider marine life when implementing offshore renewable power
With countries such as Iceland, Costa Rica, New Zealand, and Norway adopting green energy practices, renewable energy now accounts for a third of the world’s power. As this trend continues, more and more countries are looking to offshore energy sources…
Shifting the balance of growth vs. defense boosts crop yield
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) scientists are figuring out how to pack more kernels onto a corn cob. One way to boost the productivity of a plant, they say, is to redirect some of its resources away from maintaining an…
Good aerobic fitness doesn’t protect children against type 2 diabetes, staying active does
Good aerobic fitness does not protect children against obesity-induced insulin resistance, which is a key risk factor of type 2 diabetes, a new study from Finland shows. However, more physical activity and less sedentary time were associated with reduced insulin…
Trump’s protectionism raises unemployment
UNIGE researchers demonstrate that far from protecting Americans from international competition, the protectionism put in place by President Donald Trump increases unemployment
Red-winged blackbird nestlings go silent when predators are near
If you’re a predator that eats baby birds — say, an American Crow — eavesdropping on the begging calls of nestlings can be an easy way to find your next meal. But do baby birds change their begging behavior when…
Millions with swallowing problems could be helped through new wearable device
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A wearable monitoring device to make treatments easier and more affordable for the millions of people with swallowing disorders is about to be released into the market. Georgia A. Malandraki, an associate professor of speech, language,…
‘I will do my very best!’ Children who engage in positive self-talk about effort can boost their math achievement
Children who think poorly of themselves often underachieve in school. A new Dutch study tested whether a simple mental activity–having children with low self-confidence say favorable, encouraging words to themselves–could boost their achievement. The study found that children who engaged…
Large study links sustained weight loss to reduced breast cancer risk
Results show that higher breast cancer risk from excess body weight can be reversed with weight loss
Researchers uncover genetic mystery of infertility in fruit flies
Findings may lead to better understanding of human genomes
Seasonal forecasts challenged by Pacific Ocean warming
CSIRO research has found global warming will make it more difficult to predict multi-year global climate variations, a consequence of changes to long-term climate variability patterns in the Pacific Ocean. The results, published today in Nature Climate Change , shed…
Study finds Chinese plant biodiversity at risk due to human activity: Narrow-ranged losers, widespread
With intensifying human activity, many species are threatened with extinction. However, many other species have expanded their range. Is there a general rule to identify which species are “losers” or “winners”? And what is the effect of range changes on…
Filtered coffee helps prevent type 2 diabetes, show biomarkers in blood samples
Coffee can help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes – but only filtered coffee, rather than boiled coffee. New research from Chalmers University of Technology and Umeå University, both in Sweden, show that the choice of preparation method…
Limiting global warming would relieve populations from wet and dry extremes in China
Limiting global warming to a lower level, such as the 1.5°C Paris Agreement target, would substantially relieve populations from precipitation extremes in China, according to a study recently published in Science Bulletin . The research, which is an extension of…
MIPT researchers close in on new nonvolatile memory
Researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, along with their colleagues from Germany and the U.S., have achieved a breakthrough on the way to new types of nonvolatile memory devices. The team came up with a unique method…
Compound in green tea plant shows potential for fighting TB, finds NTU-led research team
An antioxidant found in the green tea plant could become key to tackling tuberculosis one day, a team of international scientists led by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has found. Through laboratory investigations, the team led by NTU Professor…
Even resilient common species are not immune to environmental crisis
Measures of genetic diversity of a fruit bat common in Singapore decreased 30-fold over the last 90 years
Agricultural parasite avoids evolutionary arms race, shuts down genes of host plants
A parasitic plant has found a way to circumvent an evolutionary arms race with the host plants from which it steals nutrients, allowing the parasite to thrive on a variety of agriculturally important plants. The parasite dodder, an agricultural pest…
Fine-tuning thermoelectric materials for cheaper renewable energy
Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have developed new thermoelectric materials, which could provide a low-cost option for converting heat energy into electricity. Materials known as halide perovskites have been proposed as affordable alternatives to existing thermoelectric materials, however…
Review of Chinese atmospheric science research over the past 70 years: Climate and climate change
Climate and climate change
Koalas climb like apes but bound on the ground like marsupials
Spread across the globe, from Central and South America to Japan, non-human primates have a toehold that almost spans the tropics, but they never made it to Australia. Christofer Clemente, from the University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia, explains that…
Nonlinear fureai: How connectedness can nurture complex dynamics across diverse networks
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology have uncovered some new aspects of how connections in networks can influence their behavior over time. Usually, network elements with many connections generate more complex activity than others, but this effect can become inverted…
Clemson materials research may advance quantum computing
CLEMSON, South Carolina — An emerging technology called quantum computing may soon be capable of solving incredibly complex problems that are beyond the capacity of today’s most powerful supercomputers. When this eventually happens, quantum computing will revolutionize a range of…
Research adds new twist to fight against autoimmune diseases
Study in Nature Immunology finds new drivers of destructive inflammation
How vulnerable is your car to cyberattacks?
Even the smartest of smart cars have issues
Disruption of glycine receptors to study embryonic development and brain function
Collaborative work identified a new function for glycine receptors during embryonic development
Screen could offer better safety tests for new chemicals
CAMBRIDGE, MA — It’s estimated that there are approximately 80,000 industrial chemicals currently in use, in products such as clothing, cleaning solutions, carpets, and furniture. For the vast majority of these chemicals, scientists have little or no information about their…
A closer look at the diabetes disaster
In a new book, Amy Moran-Thomas examines how diabetes is reaching epidemic levels in countries across the world.
Mass General team detects Alzheimer’s early using electronic health records
BOSTON – A team of scientists from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has developed a software-based method of scanning electronic health records (EHRs) to estimate the risk that a healthy person will receive a dementia diagnosis in the future. Their algorithm…