ScienceDaily: All - February 20, 2025
Today's top research news
New sensor can take any gas and tell you what's in it
A new laser-based device can scan almost any sample of gas and detect its molecular ingredients down to concentrations in the parts per trillion.
New therapy may effectively control HIV in Uganda
A multi-national, multi-institutional study investigators found little natural resistance to a new HIV therapy called lenacapavir in a population of patients in Uganda.
Like human brains, large language models reason about diverse data in a general way
Researchers find large language models process diverse types of data, like different languages, audio inputs, images, etc., similarly to how humans reason about complex problems. Like humans, LLMs integrate data inputs across modalities in a central hub that processes data in an input-type-agnostic fashion.
Breast cancer incidence trends in U.S. women under 40 vary by geography and supports incorporating location information with established risk factors into risk prediction, improving the ability to identify groups of younger women at higher risk for early-onset breast cancer.
Mutation increases enzyme in mouse brains linked to schizophrenia behaviors
A genetic mutation found in two human patients with schizophrenia also increased schizophrenia-related behaviors in mice with the same mutation, a rare finding of a direct genetic link to psychosis, report researchers.
We can farm more seafood while minimizing its impact on biodiversity
Humanity can farm more food from the seas to help feed the planet while shrinking mariculture's negative impacts on biodiversity, according to new research.
Biodiversity in England's rivers improved as metal pollution reduced
An improvement in freshwater biodiversity in England's rivers was linked to reductions in pollution of zinc and copper, largely due to the decline of coal burning and heavy industry, say researchers. Invertebrates are used as an important measure of a river's biodiversity and health, and Environment Agency data show there was a widespread, significant increase in species richness across England in the 1990s and early 2000s. However, there has been little significant further improvement since then. Therefore, a team of scientists looked for the possible reasons for this, using statistical modelling to investigate a wide range of different chemical and physical factors, such as temperature, river flow and landscape.
A catalytic two-step: Transforming industrial CO2 into a renewable fuel
Scientists have taken a critical next step in creating a scalable process to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and 'recirculate' it as a renewable fuel. Chemists now describe their latest breakthrough in creating methanol -- a widely used liquid fuel for internal combustion and other engines -- from industrial emissions of CO2, a primary greenhouse gas contributing to climate change. The process could have far-reaching applications throughout industry.
Ginger compound has potential to treat inflammatory bowel disease
Researchers have found a compound in ginger, called furanodienone (FDN), that selectively binds to and regulates a nuclear receptor involved in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). While researchers have been aware of FDN for decades, they had not determined its functions or targets in the body until now.
Cancer cells cooperate to scavenge for nutrients
Cancer cells work together to source nutrients from their environment -- a cooperative process that was previously overlooked by scientists but may be a promising target for treating cancer.
Scientists solve the brain's motion-source separation problem
Neuroscientists have discovered how the brain distinguishes between visual motion occurring in the external world from that caused by the observer moving through it. Known as the 'motion-source separation problem,' researchers have long wondered how the brain achieves this critical sensory distinction. This is the first time scientists have pinpointed the precise mechanisms.
Contact electrification depends on materials' contact history, physicists show
From a tiny electric jolt when touching a doorknob to styrofoam peanuts that cling to a mischievous cat's fur -- the well-known and seemingly simple phenomenon of static electricity has puzzled people since antiquity. How could this ubiquitous effect, frequently demonstrated to bedazzled children by rubbing a balloon on their hair, still not be completely understood by scientists? For centuries, static electricity has been the subject of intrigue and scientific investigation. Now, researchers have uncovered a vital clue to this enduring mystery: the contact history of materials controls how they exchange charge. The groundbreaking findings explain the prevailing unpredictability of contact electrification, unveiling order from what has long been considered chaos.
Nerves electrify stomach cancer, sparking growth and spread
Researchers have found that a cancer outside the brain makes electrical connections with the nervous system to fuel cancer growth and aid its spread.
300 new intermediate-mass black holes plus 2500 new active black holes in dwarf galaxies discovered
Within the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument's early data, scientists have uncovered the largest samples ever of intermediate-mass black holes and dwarf galaxies hosting an active black hole, more than tripling the existing census of both. These large statistical samples will allow for more in-depth studies of the dynamics between dwarf galaxy evolution and black hole growth, and open up vast discovery potential surrounding the evolution of the Universe's earliest black holes.
Advances in AI can help prepare the world for the next pandemic, global group of scientists find
Scientists across Africa, America, Asia, Australia, and Europe outline for the first time how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can transform the landscape of infectious disease research and improve pandemic preparedness.
In the face of the alarming number of opioid-related deaths in the U.S., there have been national efforts to increase emergency clinician prescribing of buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder.
New process gets common rocks to trap carbon rapidly, cheaply
Scientists have discovered how to turn common minerals into materials that spontaneously remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In the lab, the materials pull CO2 from the air thousands of times faster than occurs with natural rock weathering.
Jumbled proteins paint a bold target on the backs of brain tumors
Immune therapy has transformed how cancer is treated, but many tumors continue to evade these treatments, thanks to their resemblance to healthy tissue.
Socioeconomic factors, unpredictability complicate diagnosis of episodic disabilities, like epilepsy
New research focuses on diagnostic delays experienced by people with epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterized by unpredictable seizures that affects over 3 million people in the United States and 50 million worldwide.
Global retreat of glaciers has strongly accelerated
Researchers present a global assessment of ice loss since the beginning of the millennium. In a global comparison, the glaciers in the Alps and Pyrenees are melting the fastest.
Bio-hybrid drone uses silkworm moth antennae to navigate using smell
Conventional drones use visual sensors for navigation. However, environmental conditions like dampness, low light, and dust can hinder their effectiveness, limiting their use in disaster-stricken areas. Researchers have now developed a novel bio-hybrid drone by combining robotic elements with odor-sensing antennae from silkworm moths. Their innovation, which integrates the agility and precision of robots with biological sensory mechanisms, can enhance the applicability of drones in navigation, gas sensing, and disaster response.
Urban environments promote adaptation to multiple stressors
Animal populations from urban areas show significantly higher resilience to stressful environmental conditions. The mussel and crustacean species studied were able to adapt to disturbed environments, making them more resistant to environmental changes such as climate and land-use change.
How the brain balances risk and reward in making decisions
Research in mice identifies brain circuitry that supports certain reward-based decisions.
New environmentally-friendly mortar reduces heat loss
A mortar made from recycled plastic and silica aerogel which improves insulation and reduces plastic waste has been developed.
Magnetic semiconductor preserves 2D quantum properties in 3D material
Physicists have developed a novel approach to maintain special quantum characteristics, even in 3D materials, with potential applications in optical systems and advanced computing.
Magnetic switch traps quantum information carriers in one dimension
A quantum 'miracle material' could support magnetic switching, a team of researchers has shown.
Using light to activate treatments in the right place
Acting in the right place at the right time is the key to effective medical treatment with minimal side effects. However, this feat remains difficult to achieve. Biologists and chemists have now succeeded in developing a tool that controls the location at which a molecule is activated by a simple pulse of light lasting only a few seconds. Tested on a protein essential for cell division, this system could be applied to other molecules. The potential applications are vast, both in basic research and in improving existing medical treatments, such as those for skin cancer.
Feed additives can reduce campylobacter in free-range broilers
New research has yielded promising results in the fight against campylobacter in free-range chicken flocks. Trials demonstrate that adding biochar to chicken feed can reduce campylobacter in chickens by up to 80%. This could potentially lead to fewer foodborne illnesses among humans.
A breakthrough in hydrogen catalysis: Electronic fine-tuning unlocks superior performance
In a breakthrough for hydrogen technology, researchers have introduced an innovative electronic fine-tuning approach that enhances the interaction between zinc and ruthenium.
'Glacial fracking': A hidden source of Arctic greenhouse gas emissions
Arctic glaciers are leaking significant amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Glacial melt rivers and groundwater springs are transporting large volumes of methane from beneath the ice to the atmosphere. This previously unrecognized process could contribute to Arctic climate feedbacks, accelerating global warming.
Study suggests drunk witnesses are less likely to remember a suspect's face
Researchers have tested whether intoxicated people can be reliable witnesses when it comes to identifying a suspect's face after a crime is committed.
Breakthrough in wireless charging technology
The efficiency of wireless charging systems is limited by power loss occurring due to frequency changes in the resonant circuits that enable power transfer. These necessary modulations reduce electromagnetic interference caused by resonant frequencies on other devices. However, conventional strategies for adapting to changing frequencies are inefficient, cost-prohibitive, and impractical. Now, scientists have designed a resonant tuning rectifier that provides a low-cost, efficient solution to stabilize power delivery in wireless power systems.
A new treatment for post-amputation pain?
War study in Ukraine suggests hydrodissection may reduce pain, opioid use in amputees.
New molecular mechanisms linked to insulin resistance
Insulin resistance precedes and predicts the onset of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2), a chronic disease that causes high morbidity and mortality worldwide. In affected people, insulin is unable to facilitate the uptake of glucose through tissues and organs, leading to an increase in blood glucose (chronic hyperglycaemia). Since skeletal muscle is the tissue that uses the most glucose in response to insulin action, it is the most affected tissue by insulin resistance.
1 in 5 older adults get infections after heart surgery, and women have a 60% higher risk
One in five older adults gets an infection up to six months after heart surgery, and women are far more likely to develop one, according to recent studies. Black patients also had higher rates of overall infection compared to white patients. Researchers say estimates of postoperative infections are likely vastly underestimated.
Novel carbon-based materials to remove hazardous 'forever chemicals' in water
New research has emerged on the development of a novel membrane distillation system and an adsorbent (a substance that can trap chemicals on its surface) for the removal of hazardous perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Scientists utilized carbon-based materials to successfully remove PFAS from water. This innovative approach could contribute to sustainable purification technologies in the future.
AI in retail: How to spark creativity and improve job satisfaction
AI is reshaping workplaces, particularly in retail. Researchers explored how AI service quality impacts retail employees' innovation, job fit, and satisfaction. Findings show when employees perceive AI as reliable and empathetic, they are more likely to engage in innovative behavior. AI's adaptability also plays a crucial role in enhancing service quality. While reliability strongly supports innovation, transparency and responsiveness had less influence than expected. Empathy in AI systems was found to have a significant positive effect on employee innovation, creating a more engaging work environment. The study underscores AI's potential to drive service innovation in retail.
New research shows neonatal HSV infections may lead to long-term cognitive impairment
Very early exposure to even a very small dose of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in infant mice can lead to cognitive decline later in life, according to new findings. This is significant because of emerging data in human studies showing an association between HSV and Alzheimer's disease in humans.
Resilient algae may speed up Greenland ice melt
New research reveals that ice algae can store nutrients which may enable them to colonize more of the ice sheet, darkening and melting it.
Scientific insights into how humans access deep spiritual states
Two seemingly opposite spiritual practices -- Buddhist jhana meditation and the Christian practice of speaking in tongues -- have more in common than previously thought, a new study suggests. While one is quiet and deeply focused, and the other emotionally charged and expressive, both appear to harness the same cognitive feedback loop to create profound states of joy and surrender.
Parasitic orchids are healthier
Why have some orchids stopped photosynthesis and become parasites feeding on fungi? Researchers found that in at least one species the transition may be driven by the opportunity -- more than by the need -- to do so.