ScienceDaily: All - December 11, 2024
Today's top research news
Researchers have realized a new design for a superconducting quantum processor, aiming at a potential architecture for the large-scale, durable devices the quantum revolution demands. Unlike the typical quantum chip design that lays the information-processing qubits onto a 2-D grid, the team has designed a modular quantum processor comprising a reconfigurable router as a central hub. This enables any two qubits to connect and entangle, where in the older system, qubits can only talk to the qubits physically nearest to them.
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Research shows feasting fungi could revolutionize carbon-fiber recycling
A new biotechnological process shows how to break down and remove the matrix from carbon fiber reinforced polymers so that recovered carbon fiber plies exhibit mechanical properties comparable to those of virgin manufacturing substrates.
Social factors affect pediatric cardiac arrest outcomes
The odds on whether a child survives a cardiac arrest may depend on where they live, according to a new study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine.
Resolving ambiguity: How the brain uses context in decision-making and learning
Life can be tricky. We have so many decisions to make. It's a good thing we have an orbitofrontal cortex and hippocampus to help us. These areas of the brain work together to help us sort through tasks that require resolving ambiguity, that is, situations in which the meaning of stimuli changes depending on context.
A new discovery about the source of the vast energy in cosmic rays
New research suggests that these ultra-high energy rays derive their energy from magnetic turbulence.
Once-endangered Kirtland's warblers show extensive signs of inbreeding in genome
The genome of a once-endangered songbird shows extensive signs of inbreeding, according to a new study. Because inbreeding can negatively impact survival and reproduction, the results could guide continuing conservation efforts for Kirtland's warblers.
When does waiting stop being worth it?
Psychologists looked at individuals with damage to different parts of the prefrontal cortex to reveal how the brain evaluates uncertainty and guides split-second decisions.
Seals strategically scoot around the seas on icebergs
Harbor seals in icy regions use icebergs shed by glaciers as safe platforms to give birth, care for young and molt. New research finds that as glaciers change with the climate, the resulting changes in size, speed and number of icebergs affect seals' critical frozen habitat. Mother seals prefer stable, slower-moving bergs for giving birth and caring for newborn pups, while in the molting season, they and the rest of the seal population favor speedier ice near the best foraging grounds.
Bighorn sheep face death by avalanche in Sierra Nevada range
Snow cover in the Sierra Nevada is expected to shrink overall as the climate warms, but avalanche frequency could remain the same or even increase at high elevations. That's bad news for bighorn sheep that live there, according to new research.
These are now the smokiest cities in America
Normally, America's smokiest cities lie out west. But Canada's unusually intense 2023 wildfire season smothered American cities in smoke farther east than is usual, according to new research.
Flood disasters associated with preterm births and low birth weights
A new analysis of more than 3,000 studies from around the world reveals that globally, flooding increases preterm births by about 3%. Children who were in utero during a flood event are also more likely to have a low birth weight. Both these outcomes are risk factors for developing chronic health conditions such as asthma and diabetes later in life.
Aerosol pollutants from cooking may last longer in the atmosphere
New insights into the behavior of aerosols from cooking emissions and sea spray reveal that particles may take up more water than previously thought, potentially changing how long the particles remain in the atmosphere.
New algorithm boosts multitasking in quantum machine learning
When a quantum computer processes data, it must translate it into understandable quantum data. Algorithms that carry out this 'quantum compilation' typically optimize one target at a time. However, a team has created an algorithm capable of optimizing multiple targets at once, effectively enabling a quantum machine to multitask.
Wrong trees in the wrong place can make cities hotter at night, study reveals
While trees can cool some cities significantly during the day, new research shows that tree canopies can also trap heat and raise temperatures at night. The study aims to help urban planners choose the best combinations of trees and planting locations to combat urban heat stress.
New gene therapy reverses heart failure in large animal model
In a single IV injection, a gene therapy targeting cBIN1 can reverse the effects of heart failure and restore heart function in a large animal model. The therapy increases the amount of blood the heart can pump and dramatically improves survival.
Tiny poops in the ocean may help solve the carbon problem
Some of the world's smallest animals and their tiny poops could aid in the fight against climate change. A study reports that clay dust sprayed on the surface of seawater converts free-floating carbon particulates into food for zooplankton, which the microscopic animals later deposit deep into the sea as feces. The particulates are the remnants of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by marine plants that re-enters the atmosphere when the plants die. This new method redirects the carbon into the marine food chain.
Study offers insight into chloroplast evolution
Scientists found molecular evidence supporting the idea that chloroplasts originated as energy-generating organelles and only later evolved to support carbon assimilation in plant cells.
Advancing the synthesis of two-dimensional gold monolayers
Nanostructured two-dimensional gold monolayers offer possibilities in catalysis, electronics, and nanotechnology.
AI predicts that most of the world will see temperatures rise to 3C much faster than previously expected.
Human disruption is driving 'winner' and 'loser' tree species shifts across Brazilian forests
Fast-growing and small-seeded tree species are dominating Brazilian forests in regions with high levels of deforestation and degradation, a new study shows. This has potential implications for the ecosystem services these forests provide, including the ability of these 'disturbed' forests to absorb and store carbon. This is because these 'winning' species grow fast but die young, as their stems and branches are far less dense than the slow growing tree species they replace. Wildlife species adapted to consuming and dispersing the large seeds of tree species that are being lost in human-modified landscapes may also be affected by these shifts.
Shape-changing device helps visually impaired people perform location task as well as sighted people
A groundbreaking piece of navigation technology that uses the ability to sense information through touch can help people with visual impairment perform a location task as well as sighted people, according to new research.
For human researchers, it takes many years of work to discover new super-resolution microscopy techniques. The number of possible optical configurations of a microscope -- for example, where to place mirrors or lenses -- is enormous. Researchers have now developed an artificial intelligence (AI) framework which autonomously discovers new experimental designs in microscopy. The framework, called XLuminA, performs optimizations 10,000 times faster than well-established methods.
Delivering medicines with microscopic 'flowers'
Using microparticles consisting of extremely thin petals, medicines can be delivered via the bloodstream in a precisely targeted manner, for example to a tumour or blood clot. Ultrasound and other acoustic procedures guide the particles through the body and reveal their locations. This makes the particles easy to deploy, as ultrasound procedures are common practice in medicine.
Empowering older adults with home-care robots
The rapidly increasing aging population will lead to a shortage of care providers in the future. While robotic technologies are a potential alternative, their widespread use is limited by poor acceptance. In a new study, researchers have examined a user-centric approach to understand the factors influencing user willingness among caregivers and recipients in Japan, Ireland, and Finland. Users' perspectives can aid the development of home-care robots with better acceptance.
Increased area income improves birthweight rates, researchers find
Higher incomes are often correlated with healthier pregnancies and babies, but is it really the money that matters? Sedimentary rocks that formed 390 million years ago, surprisingly, help provide the answer, at least for those who live above the Marcellus Shale formation, according to a team.
Scientists develop cost-effective lasers for extended SWIR applications
A ground-breaking study showcases a significant advancement in laser technology, promising more affordable and scalable solutions for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to biomedical imaging. Researchers have developed the first colloidal quantum dot (CQD)-based laser capable of operating across the entire extended short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectrum.
Identifying a proliferating repairman for tissue in damaged lungs
Researchers found that endothelial cells lining the veins in lungs contribute to repair of blood vessels after lung injury.
Long-distance friendships can provide conservation benefits
While sustaining friendships from afar can be challenging, they may offer unexpected benefits for environmental conservation. A new study found that these social ties can positively influence community-based conservation. While the study focused on 28 fishing villages in northern Tanzania, it has potential broader implications for global conservation efforts.
'Strong' filters: Innovative technology for better displays and optical sensors
New research has shown how the quantum mechanical principle of strong coupling opens unrivalled possibilities for designing optical filters.
AI predicts Earth's peak warming
Artificial intelligence provides new evidence that rapid decarbonization will not prevent warming beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius. The hottest years of this century are likely to shatter recent records.
Antarctica's irregular heartbeat shows signs of rapid melting
Geoscientists have created a new climate record for early Antarctic ice ages. It reveals that the early Antarctic ice sheet melted more rapidly than previously thought.
Wild birds' gut microbiome linked with its ornamentation and body condition
Researchers spent five years studying the gut microbiomes of Northern cardinals, a common backyard songbird known for its vivid red plumage. Their study explores how microbiome diversity impacts the birds' health, body condition, and ornamental traits, such as their coloration. This research provides the first detailed insights into how gut microbiomes influence traits related to fitness in wild birds, addressing a gap in knowledge previously focused on captive animals.
Ultra-processed foods may drive colorectal cancer risk, study finds
A new study suggests that ultra-processed foods and inflammatory seed oils used in packaged food products may contribute to chronic inflammation, fueling colorectal cancer. Its findings pave the way for a new therapy -- resolution medicine -- which uses natural products in lieu of synthetic drugs to help reverse inflammation and potentially reverse colorectal cancer.
How this cancer drug could make radiation a slam dunk therapy
Radiation is one of the most effective ways to kill a tumor. But these therapies are indiscriminate, and they can damage healthy tissues.
Cancer 'fingerprint' can improve early detection
Different types of cancer have unique molecular 'fingerprints' which are detectable in early stages of the disease and can be picked up with near-perfect accuracy by small, portable scanners in just a few hours, according to a new study. The discovery sets the foundation for creating new, non-invasive diagnostic tests that detect different types of cancer faster and earlier than currently possible.
Rethinking the brain pacemaker: How better materials can improve signals
Researchers have created organic materials for brain and heart pacemakers, which rely on uninterrupted signal delivery to be effective. Using a plastic base known as polypropylene, the researchers added a specially formulated clay called Montmorillonite and different ratios of graphene, one of the strongest lightweight materials. They created five different materials that could be performance-tested and took detailed measurements of the structure of the composite materials using scanning electron microscopy.
Americans are uninformed about and undervaccinated for HPV
Research shows that HPV accounts for 70% of all throat cancers, but only one-third of the public is aware that HPV causes throat cancer.
Scientists developed a nanolaser: Silver nanocubes enable light generation
Scientists have developed a unique nanolaser. Although the dimensions of this laser are so small that its structure can only be seen through a powerful microscope, its potential is vast. With applications in early medical diagnostics, data communication, and security technologies, this invention could also become a key tool for the study of light and matter interactions.
Researchers 'see' vulnerability to gaming addiction in the adolescent brain
Researchers found that adolescents with more symptoms of gaming addiction showed lower brain activity in the region involved in decision-making and reward processing; this blunted response to reward anticipation is associated with higher symptoms of gaming addiction over time and suggests that reduced sensitivity to rewards, in particular non-gaming rewards, may play a role in problematic gaming.
Toxoplasma gondii parasite uses unconventional method to make proteins for evasion of drug treatment
A study sheds new light on how Toxoplasma gondii parasites make the proteins they need to enter a dormant stage that allows them to escape drug treatment.
Short-term cognitive boost from exercise may last for 24 hours
The short-term boost our brains get after we do exercise persists throughout the following day, suggests a new study.
Nature inspires self-assembling helical polymer
Helical structures are ubiquitous across biology, from the double-stranded helix of DNA to how heart muscle cells spiral in a band. Inspired by this twisty ladder, researchers have developed an artificial polymer that organizes itself into a controlled helix. Helical structures are ubiquitous across biology, from the double-stranded helix of DNA to how heart muscle cells spiral in a band. Inspired by this twisty ladder, researchers have developed an artificial polymer that organizes itself into a controlled helix.
NASA's Hubble celebrates decade of tracking outer planets
A NASA Hubble Space Telescope observation program called OPAL (Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy) obtains long-term baseline observations of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in order to understand their atmospheric dynamics and evolution.
Insect genome offers insights into rare biological conditions, agricultural biosecurity
Lice live their entire lives with a set of genes that in humans would indicate a late-stage degenerative disorder such as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease. How do lice tolerate this genome structure that in humans and many other animals would result in major neurodegenerative problems?
Scientists identify a probable contributor to weakness of the aorta in people with genetic disorder
Studying the cells of people and genetically engineered mice, scientists say they have uncovered a potential reason why patients with Loeys-Dietz syndrome, an inherited connective tissue disorder, are especially prone to developing aneurysms at the root of the aorta.
Scientists create AI that 'watches' videos by mimicking the brain
Imagine an artificial intelligence (AI) model that can watch and understand moving images with the subtlety of a human brain. Now, scientists have made this a reality by creating MovieNet: an innovative AI that processes videos much like how our brains interpret real-life scenes as they unfold over time.
Biodiversity at risk in most rainforests
New research has revealed less than a quarter of the remaining tropical rainforests around the globe can safeguard thousands of threatened species from extinction.
Pups of powerful meerkat matriarchs pay a price for their mom's status
In meerkat society a dominant female is in charge, growling, biting, pushing and shoving to keep others in line. The matriarch's bullying behavior is fueled by high levels of testosterone that can surge to twice those of her male counterparts when she's pregnant. But while testosterone gives her a competitive edge and helps her keep the upper hand, it can also take a toll on the health of her developing offspring, researchers report.