Among Viking societies, Norway was much more violent than Denmark
A new study sheds light on how Viking Age societies in Norway and Denmark differed in their experiences with violence and the role social structures played in shaping those patterns.
Image: Peter Hermes Furian/Shutterstock.com
Dark matter could have helped make supermassive black holes in the early universe
Supermassive black holes typically take billions of years to form. But the James Webb Space Telescope is finding them not that long after the Big Bang -- before they should have had time to form. Astrophysicists have discovered that if dark matter decays, the photons it emits keep the hydrogen gas hot enough for gravity to gather it into giant clouds and eventually condense it into a supermassive black hole. In addition to explaining the existence of very early supermassive black holes, the finding lends support for the existence of a kind of dark matter capable of decaying into particles such as photons.
Autistic traits, behavioral problems in 7-year-olds linked with gender nonconforming play
Gender nonconformity in 7-year-olds -- as measured by levels of gender-conforming play -- may be associated with autistic traits and behavioral difficulties in girls, and with peer relationship problems in boys, according to a new study.
Geographic differences in U.S. homicide rates have decreased since the 1970s
A new study finds that, counter to expectations, geographic disparities in rates of homicides in the US have decreased in recent decades.
Slow growth in health sector spending is projected in Sub-Saharan Africa as reported in a study. The decline is expected to continue to 2050, according to the authors, and is driven by tepid growth in the share of government spending that is allocated to health and reductions in development assistance for health.
Diagnostic labels for people experiencing what some consider to be relatively milder forms of mental-ill health may affect how others perceive them for better and worse, according to a new study.
Bacterial cells transmit memories to offspring
Bacterial cells can 'remember' brief, temporary changes to their bodies and immediate surroundings, a new study has found. And, although these changes are not encoded in the cell's genetics, the cell still passes memories of them to its offspring -- for multiple generations.
Dogs understand words from soundboard buttons
A new study reveals that dogs trained with soundboard buttons can indeed comprehend specific words, producing contextually appropriate responses.
Research cracks the autism code, making the neurodivergent brain visible
A researcher's mathematical modeling approach for brain imaging analysis reveals links between genes, brain structure and autism.
Discovery of how blood clots harm brain and body in COVID-19 points to new therapy
Scientists have solved the mystery of unusual blood clotting and inflammation in COVID-19 -- and identified a promising therapeutic strategy.
Breaking open the AI black box, team finds key chemistry for solar energy and beyond
Artificial intelligence is a powerful tool for researchers, but with a significant limitation: The inability to explain how it came to its decisions, a problem known as the 'AI black box.' By combining AI with automated chemical synthesis and experimental validation, an interdisciplinary team of researchers has opened up the black box to find the chemical principles that AI relied on to improve molecules for harvesting solar energy.
Robotic arm can be used to perform remote echocardiograms, study shows
New research shows that echocardiograms performed remotely using robot arm technology have similar accuracy to those performed in person by cardiologists, providing new options for patients with poor access.
Listen up: New insights into little penguins' sensitivity to noise
Researchers have used state-of-the-art imaging technology to shed light on the hearing sensitivity of Australian Little Penguins and the danger of marine noise pollution. The study details how Little Penguins, also known as fairy penguins, perceive sound both in air and under water.
Bats are surviving and thriving on nothing but sugar
Study finds limits to storing CO2 underground to combat climate change
New research has found limits to how quickly we can scale up technology to store gigatons of carbon dioxide under the Earth's surface.
Pain identified as dominant symptom in long COVID
Pain may be the most prevalent and severe symptom reported by individuals with long COVID, according to a new study. The study analyzed data from over 1,000 people in England and Wales who logged their symptoms on an app between November 2020 and March 2022.
In-person contact linked with lower levels of loneliness in older adults
In-person contact helps lead to lower levels of loneliness in older people, but other ways of staying in touch, such as phoning, emailing or texting, are not as effective in lowering loneliness, a team of researchers found.
Aging population: Public willingness to pay for healthcare hinges on perceived benefits and risks
Public healthcare systems are fiscally burdened due to an aging population. So, governments must find a way to persuade citizens to pay more for health insurance. Now, researchers have examined whether informing people about their future self-benefits from the healthcare system could garner support for higher health insurance contributions. While this approach increased support from those unaware of fiscal risks, the effect disappeared once they became aware, offering significant implications for policymakers and governments.
A healthy lifestyle may counteract diabetes-associated brain aging
Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes are associated with accelerated brain aging, according to a new study. The good news is that this may be counteracted by a healthy lifestyle.
Epigenetics blood markers can help explain dementia risk
Researchers assessed DNA methylation at 800,000 sites in the genome in blood samples collected from 900 people. The study includes extensive clinical information on participants, who all provided spinal fluid samples, which have been used for diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer's disease, because it is in direct contact with the brain. However, collecting the fluid is an invasive procedure, so the team investigated whether they could instead use blood samples, through analyzing blood epigenetic signatures that are associated with Alzheimer's disease biomarkers, as this would be cheaper and easier to collect in practice.
Rain or shine? How rainfall impacts size of sea turtle hatchlings
An internationally collaborative study delves into how fluctuating rainfall impacts the development of sea turtle hatchlings, revealing that it has a more profound effect than changes in air temperature. Regional weather influences incubation and hatchling development and the impact of rainfall varies between species. For loggerhead turtles, heavier rainfall results in hatchlings with smaller carapaces (shell) but greater weight, while green turtle hatchlings grow smaller carapaces without a change in body mass. Hatchling size matters. Larger hatchlings, which move faster, are more likely to survive because they spend less time on risky beach sands.
Love is blind for male fruit flies who will choose sex over safety
Male fruit flies will become oblivious to physical danger as they become more engaged in courtship and sex.
Kidney donors' risk of death at all-time low
The risk of death for people who donate a kidney for transplantation -- already small a decade ago -- has dropped by more than half since then, a new study shows.
Prioritizing the unexpected: New brain mechanism uncovered
Researchers have discovered how two brain areas, neocortex and thalamus, work together to detect discrepancies between what animals expect from their environment and actual events. These prediction errors are implemented by selective boosting of unexpected sensory information. These findings enhance our understanding of predictive processing in the brain and could offer insights into how brain circuits are altered in autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia spectrum disorders.