ScienceDaily: All - April 24, 2024
Today's top research news
World's chocolate supply threatened by devastating virus
A rapidly spreading virus threatens the health of the cacao tree and the dried seeds from which chocolate is made, jeopardizing the global supply of the world's most popular treat. Researchers have developed a new strategy: using mathematical data to determine how far apart farmers can plant vaccinated trees to prevent mealybugs from jumping from one tree to another and spreading the virus.
Image: chocolate, Gulsina/Shutterstock.com
This tiny chip can safeguard user data while enabling efficient computing on a smartphone
A new chip can efficiently accelerate machine-learning workloads on edge devices like smartphones while protecting sensitive user data from two common types of attacks -- side-channel attacks and bus-probing attacks.
Livestock abortion surveillance could protect livelihoods and detect emerging global pathogens
A study suggests timely reporting and investigating of livestock abortions is feasible in rural areas and can provide insights into emerging infectious diseases.
Warming climate is putting more metals into Colorado's mountain streams
Warming temperatures are causing a steady rise in copper, zinc and sulfate in the waters of Colorado mountain streams affected by acid rock drainage. Concentrations of these metals have roughly doubled in these alpine streams over the past 30 years, presenting a concern for ecosystems, downstream water quality and mining remediation, according to a new study. Natural chemical weathering of bedrock is the source of the rising acidity and metals, but the ultimate driver of the trend is climate change, the report found, and the results point to lower stream volumes and exposure of rock once sealed away by ice as the likely causes.
Don't be a stranger -- study finds rekindling old friendships as scary as making new ones
Psychologists have found that people are as hesitant to reach out to an old friend as they are to strike up a conversation with a stranger, even when they had the capacity and desire to do so.
Infected: Understanding the spread of behavior
A team of researchers found that long-tie connections accelerate the speed of social contagion.
Researchers create artificial cells that act like living cells
Researchers describe the steps they took to manipulate DNA and proteins -- essential building blocks of life -- to create cells that look and act like cells from the body. This accomplishment, a first in the field, has implications for efforts in regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems and diagnostic tools.
Innovative microscopy demystifies metabolism of Alzheimer's
Using state-of-the-art microscopy techniques, researchers have shed new light on the underlying mechanisms driving Alzheimer's disease.
'Sunny day flooding' increases fecal contamination of coastal waters
A new study finds that 'sunny day flooding,' which occurs during high tides, increases the levels of fecal bacteria in coastal waters. While the elevated bacteria levels in the coastal waters tend to dissipate quickly, the findings suggest policymakers and public health officials should be aware of potential risks associated with tidal flooding.
Study compares salmonella rates in backyard, commercial poultry farm samples
Researchers find less Salmonella on backyard poultry farms. But concerns remain about the prevalance of multidrug-resistant bacteria on both large and small farms.
In the brain, bursts of beta rhythms implement cognitive control
Bursts of brain rhythms with 'beta' frequencies control where and when neurons in the cortex process sensory information and plan responses. Studying these bursts would improve understanding of cognition and clinical disorders, researchers argue in a new review.
Major milestone reached for key weapons component
Scientists have completed a crucial weapons component development milestone, prior to full rate production.
Magnetic microcoils unlock targeted single-neuron therapies for neurodegenerative disorders
Researchers deploy an array of microscopic coils to create a magnetic field and stimulate individual neurons. The magnetic field can induce an electric field in any nearby neurons, the same effect created by an electrode but much more precise. They used an array of eight coils, which combined can induce electric fields using much less current per coil, and employed soft magnetic materials, which boost the magnetic strength of the coils. The researchers constructed a prototype of their coil array, called MagPatch, and encapsulated it within a biocompatible coating.
Laser-treated cork absorbs oil for carbon-neutral ocean cleanup
Researchers use laser treatments to transform ordinary cork into a powerful tool for treating oil spills. They tested variations of a fast-pulsing laser treatment, closely examining the nanoscopic structural changes and measuring the ratio of oxygen and carbon in the material, changes in the angles with which water and oil contact the surface, and the material's light wave absorption, reflection, and emission across the spectrum to determine its durability after multiple cycles of warming and cooling. The laser treatments not only help to better absorb oil, but also work to keep water out.
Tropical fish are invading Australian ocean water
A study of shallow-water fish communities on rocky reefs in south-eastern Australia has found climate change is helping tropical fish species invade temperate Australian waters.
No bull: How creating less-gassy cows could help fight climate change
A new study has revealed breeding less-flatulent cows and restoring agricultural land could significantly reduce rising methane emission levels, which play a considerable role in climate change.
Hey Dave, I've got an idea for you: What's the potential of AI-led workshopping?
Sure, ChatGPT can write a poem about your pet in the style of T.S Eliot, but generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have a potentially more useful role to play in idea generation according to a new study.
Odor-causing bacteria in armpits targeted using bacteriophage-derived lysin
A research team has synthesized a lysin that during in vitro experiments targets bacteria responsible for producing odors in human armpits.
Gentle defibrillation for the heart
Using light pulses as a model for electrical defibrillation, scientists developed a method to assess and modulate the heart function. The research team has thus paved the way for an efficient and direct treatment for cardiac arrhythmias. This may be an alternative for the strong and painful electrical shocks currently used.
Manipulating the geometry of 'electron universe' in magnets
Researchers have discovered a unique property, the quantum metric, within magnetic materials, altering the 'electron universe' geometry. This distinct electric signal challenges traditional electrical conduction and could revolutionize spintronic devices.
Unlocking spin current secrets: A new milestone in spintronics
Using neutron scattering and voltage measurements, a group of researchers have discovered that a material's magnetic properties can predict spin current changes with temperature. The finding is a major breakthrough in the field of spintronics.
Dengue fever infections have negative impacts on infant health for three years
Dengue infections in pregnant women may have a negative impact on the first years of children's lives, new research has found.
Perfecting the view on a crystal's imperfection
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has gained widespread attention and application across various quantum fields and technologies because it contains single-photon emmiters (SPEs), along with a layered structure that is easy to manipulation. The precise mechanisms governing the development and function of SPEs within hBN have remained elusive. Now, a new study reveals significant insights into the properties of hBN, offering a solution to discrepancies in previous research on the proposed origins of SPEs within the material.
Fossil frogs share their skincare secrets
Palaeontologists have solved a hundred-year-old mystery of how some fossil frogs preserve their fleshy parts -- it's all down to their skin. Palaeontologists studied 45-million-year-old fossil frogs from the Geiseltal site in central Germany. Remarkably, the fossils show full body outlines of the soft tissues. The team discovered that the excellent condition of the fossil frogs is due to preservation of ancient skin remnants.
Exploring brain synchronization patterns during social interactions
Social interactions synchronize brain activity within individuals and between individuals. In a new study, researchers compared brain synchronization between pairs of people with relatively strong social ties (acquaintance pairs) and pairs with almost no social ties (stranger pairs). The study found that during a cooperative task, the stranger pairs exhibited more closely connected brain networks compared to the acquaintance pairs. These findings challenge the conventional understanding that stronger social bonds lead to greater brain synchronization.