ScienceDaily: All - January 28, 2025
Today's top research news
Rethinking altruistic punishment: New experimental insights
A research team developed a new experimental game to explore whether people avoid witnessing selfish behavior to evade punishing others or simply to avoid confronting unfairness. The study found that avoidance is driven by both the desire to not acknowledge inequality and the wish to prevent confrontation, suggesting that altruistic punishment may be less common in real-life situations than previously believed.
Transforming longevity research: AI paves the way for personalized treatments in aging science
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform aging research and help people live healthier, longer lives.
Recommendations for mitochondria transfer and transplantation research
Mitochondria organelles came from primordial bacterial endosymbionts and still preserve distinct genes for important functions like making ATP. To speed the emerging therapeutic research into the transfer of mitochondria between cells, 31 researchers have developed consensus recommendations for common terminology that describes mitochondria transfer and transplantation.
Young adults more active after starting work, but sleep less -- unless working from home
When young adults start working, the amount of daily physical activity they do increases sharply, only to fall away again over the new few years, while the amount of sleep they get falls slightly, according to new research. The largest drop in levels of physical activity was seen among people who work from home -- though their sleep levels did not change when they started work.
Archaeologists find 'lost' site depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry
Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that a house in England is the site of a lost residence of Harold, the last Anglo-Saxon King of England, and shown in the Bayeux Tapestry. By reinterpreting previous excavations and conducting new surveys, the team believe they have located a power center belonging to Harold Godwinson, who was killed in the Battle of Hastings in 1066.
Innovation 'sifts' space for mysteries
Astronomers and engineers have developed a specialized system for their radio telescope to rapidly detect mysterious fast radio bursts and other space phenomena.
'Embodied energy' powers modular worm, jellyfish robots
In the same way that terrestrial life evolved from ocean swimmers to land walkers, soft robots are progressing, too, thanks to recent research in battery development and design.
Floating solar increases greenhouse gas emissions on small ponds
While floating solar -- the emerging practice of putting solar panels on bodies of water -- is promising in its efficiency and its potential to spare agricultural and conservation lands, a new experiment finds environmental trade-offs.
Cancer risk established before birth
A person's lifetime risk for cancer may begin before they are even born, reports a paradigm-shifting study. The findings identified two distinct epigenetic states that arise during development and are linked to cancer risk. One of these states is associated with a lower lifetime risk while the other is associated with a higher lifetime risk.
High uric acid levels linked to deadly outcomes in children with severe malaria
Researchers have uncovered a significant connection between elevated uric acid levels and life-threatening outcomes in children with severe malaria.
How tiny algae shaped the evolution of giant clams
New research reveals how resident algae altered the genome of these fabled sea creatures, allowing them to access more nutrients.
Scientific approach can optimize bike lane planning
develop a model that can help municipalities choose optimal locations as they expand their cycling lane networks in response to growing demand.
Hear ye! Hear ye! Researchers uncover new complexities in human hearing
Physicists have discovered a sophisticated, previously unknown set of 'modes' within the human ear that put important constraints on how the ear amplifies faint sounds, tolerates noisy blasts, and discerns a stunning range of sound frequencies in between. By applying existing mathematical models to a generic mock-up of a cochlea -- a spiral-shaped organ in the inner ear -- the researchers revealed a new layer of cochlear complexity. The findings offer fresh insight into the remarkable capacity and accuracy of human hearing.
Dwarf planet Ceres: Building blocks of life delivered from space
The dwarf planet is a bizarre, cryovolcanic world. However, the organic deposits discovered on its surface so far are unlikely to originate from its interior. The organic material found in a few areas on the surface of dwarf planet Ceres is probably of exogenic origin. Impacting asteroids from the outer asteroid belt may have brought it with them.
Preserving Asian horseshoe crab populations through targeted conservation strategies
Biologists conduct the first comprehensive population study of all three Asian horseshoe crab species, mapping their population distribution, evolutionary histories and vulnerabilities to climate change to propose customized conservation strategies.
Predicting 'male-time' with the Androgen Clock
Researchers have created an epigenetic tool which has implications for medicine, sports, and agriculture.
An interdisciplinary team of researchers has projected that if the rate of global CO2 emissions continues to increase and reaches a high emission scenario, sea levels would as a result very likely rise between 0.5 and 1.9 meters by 2100. The high end of this projection's range is 90 centimeters higher than the latest United Nations' global projection of 0.6 to 1.0 meters.
Botanic Gardens must team up to save wild plants from extinction
The world's botanic gardens must pull together to protect global plant biodiversity in the face of the extinction crisis, amid restrictions on wild-collecting, say researchers.
Delayed REM sleep could be an early sign of Alzheimer's
Scientists have recently shown that both the quality and the amount of sleep we get may influence our risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
How animal poop helps ecosystems adapt to climate change
Relatives of the llama are dropping dung as they venture into higher elevations in the Andes Mountains, providing a nutrient-rich environment for life to thrive despite glacier loss.
Some proteins find their 'soulmate' at birth
Proteins, the pillars of cellular function, often assemble into 'complexes' to fulfill their functions. A study reveals why this assembly often begins during the very process of protein synthesis or 'birth'. These early interactions involve proteins whose stability depends on their association. They can be compared to a couple in which each partner supports the other. This model paves the way for new strategies to understand and correct assembly errors, which are often associated with pathologies, including neurodegenerative disorders and certain cancers.
Patients with anorexia have elevated opioid neurotransmitter activity in the brain
A study showed that changes in the functioning of opioid neurotransmitters in the brain may underlie anorexia.
Preterm babies receive insufficient pain management: Study
A large proportion of babies born very early need intensive care, which can be painful. But the healthcare system fails to provide pain relief to the full extent. This is shown by the largest survey to date of pain in neonatal care.
Nerve stimulation: The brain is not always listening
Various diseases can be treated by stimulating the vagus nerve in the ear with electrical signals. However, this technique does not always work. A study has now shown: The electrical signals must be synchronized with the body's natural rhythms -- heartbeat and breathing.
Heart disease remains leading cause of death as key health risk factors continue to rise
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S.
New insights into the immune response of plants
Biologists have identified important components and mechanisms of the molecular machinery that transmits information about a pathogen encounter within the plant organism.
Unveiling Japan's geological history through volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits
Dating key tectonic events in Japan's geological history has long been often challenging due to poor microfossil preservation from intense heat due to metamorphism. Researchers tackled this by using Re--Os isotope geochronology on Besshi-type volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits (Makimine and Shimokawa deposits) associated with sediment-covered mid-ocean ridges. Their findings revealed the timing of ridge subduction -- when one tectonic plate was forced beneath another -- a process that shaped Japan's landscape and provided new insights into its geological evolution.
Unraveling the connection between Canadian wildfires and Arctic ice clouds
Ice nucleating particles as a kind of aerosols have a significant impact on the Arctic climate by promoting the formation of ice clouds at a temperature above -- 38 degrees Celsius. Wildfires in mid-latitudinal areas are a major source of these aerosols. However, a direct observation of wildfire-emitted aerosols facilitating ice cloud formation has never been documented. Now, using field and climate data, scientists have linked aerosols emitted by Canadian wildfires in 2023 to the formation of ice clouds over the Arctic Ocean.
Progress toward a new generation of rechargeable batteries
Lithium-air batteries have the potential to outstrip conventional lithium-ion batteries by storing significantly more energy at the same weight. However, their high-performance values have thus far remained theoretical, and their lifespan remains too short. A team has now proposed addition of a soluble catalyst to the electrolyte. It acts as a redox mediator that facilitates charge transport and counteracts passivation of the electrodes.
A study shows that patients with obesity and fatty liver-related cirrhosis who had bariatric (weight-loss) surgery significantly lowered their future risk of developing serious liver complications compared with patients who received medical therapy alone.
A new experimental system to bring quantum technologies closer to students
The world of quantum physics is experiencing a second revolution, which will drive an exponential leap in the progress of computing, the internet, telecommunications, cybersecurity and biomedicine. Quantum technologies are attracting more and more students who want to learn about concepts from the subatomic world -- such as quantum entanglement or quantum superposition -- to explore the innovative potential of quantum science. In fact, understanding the non-intuitive nature of quantum technology concepts and recognizing their relevance to technological progress is one of the challenges of 2025, declared the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology by UNESCO.
Researchers discover new way to store hydrogen using lignin jet fuel
An international team of scientists has discovered a way to store and release volatile hydrogen using lignin-based jet fuel that could open new pathways for sustainable energy production. In a new study scientists demonstrated that a type of lignin-based jet fuel they developed can chemically bind hydrogen in a stable liquid form. The research has many potential applications in fuels and transportation and could ultimately make it easier to harness hydrogen's potential as a high energy and zero emissions fuel source.
New weapon against harmful algal blooms
Effective management of phosphorus is needed to curb the rise of harmful algal blooms. Few studies have explored how algal biomass, especially blue-green algae, can be used to create materials that remove phosphate from water. Researchers have filled that gap by transforming cyanobacterial biomass into materials that can pull harmful phosphorus out of water. Materials treated in the study removed more than 99% of phosphorus. With further refinement and scalability, this method could become a key tool for managing nutrient pollution.
New measurements of solar radiative opacity thanks to helioseismology
Researchers have pioneered an innovative method using helioseismology to measure the solar radiative opacity under extreme conditions. This groundbreaking work not only reveals gaps in our understanding of atomic physics but also confirms recent experimental results, thereby opening new perspectives in astrophysics and nuclear physics.
Researchers invent a new tool to help lower the cost of tomorrow's medicine
Researchers have developed a new chemical tool that could help lower the cost of prescription medications. The tool, called AshPhos, is a ligand, or molecule, that makes it easier to create special carbon-nitrogen bonds. These bonds are the backbone of more than half of all medicines on the market today.
How Titan maintains its atmosphere
Scientists have performed laboratory experiments to better understand how Saturn's moon Titan can maintain its unique nitrogen-rich atmosphere. Titan is the second largest moon in our solar system and the only one that has a significant atmosphere.
Skin cancer: New treatment option successfully tested
Basal cell carcinomas, the most common form of skin cancer, occur in chronically sun-exposed areas such as the face. Locally advanced tumors in particular can be difficult to treat surgically. A research team has now investigated the effectiveness of a new type of therapy and achieved promising results: The active substance TVEC led to a reduction in the size of the basal cell carcinoma in all study participants, which not only improved surgical removal, but also led to a complete regression of the tumor in some of the patients.
Vacations are good for employee well-being, and the effects are long lasting
If you're like many Americans, you probably didn't take all your vacation time this year. Even if you did, it's highly likely you didn't fully unplug while off the clock. But you might want to change that if you want to improve your health and well-being, according to a new review article.
What drives mood swings in bipolar disorder? Study points to a second brain clock
A brain rhythm working in tandem with the body's natural sleep-wake cycle may explain why bipolar patients alternate between mania and depression, according to new research. A new study marks a breakthrough in understanding what drives shifts between the two states.
Researchers find cholesterol-lowering drugs have no effect on kidney function
Statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, have no effect on kidney function, a research team has found.
Climate study: Rise in heat deaths will substantially outweigh fewer cold deaths
Climate change will likely result in a significant rise in deaths from heat across Europe, substantially surpassing any decrease in cold-related deaths, according to a new modelling study. This trend persists across climate change scenarios and even under high adaptation to heat, reinforcing the need for aggressive mitigation policies.
Infant mortality rates declining, but Sudden Unexpected Infant Death is on the rise
Infant mortality in the United States decreased by 24.2% between 1999 and 2022. However, mortality rates from Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) rose significantly -- by 11.8% -- from 2020 to 2022.
Underwater mud volcanos are a haven for marine organisms
One would think that a volcano was not the most hospitable place for living organisms. However, the Borealis Mud Volcano, at 400 m water depth, acts as a sanctuary for a number of marine species.
Researchers uncover new approach to predict pain sensitivity
Researchers have uncovered how specific patterns in brain activity can predict an individual's sensitivity to pain, expanding opportunities for improved pain management strategies.
Scientists develop ultra-thin absorbers with record-breaking bandwidth
A research team has introduced a new concept for designing ultra-thin absorbers that enables absorbing layers with a record-high bandwidth-to-thickness ratio, potentially several times greater than that of absorbers designed using conventional approaches.
Approaching the red planet from the kitchen
Using syrup and baking soda, research has demonstrated the formation mechanism of rootless cones, small volcanic landforms commonly found on Earth and Mars. The study clarified, through an experimental approach, that a self-organization process determines the spatial distribution and size of these landforms. This research will enhance our understanding of explosive eruption phenomena caused by the interaction of lava and water and provide new insights into geological phenomena on the red planet.
How Camellias evolved with the formation of the Japanese archipelago?
Japan Sea element plants are generally thought to have evolved from closely related species on the Pacific side. Camellia japonica and Camellia rusticana were also believed to follow this pattern. However, a new study revealed that their origins trace back to the Miocene, when the Japanese archipelago separated from the continent.