ScienceDaily: All - March 12, 2025
Today's top research news
A longer, sleeker super predator: Megalodon's true form
The megalodon has long been imagined as an enormous great white shark, but new research suggests that perception is all wrong. The study finds the prehistoric hunter had a much longer body -- closer in shape to a lemon shark or even a large whale.
Genetic mutations linked to toxin exposure found in firefighters' brain tumors
In a study comparing the glioma tumors of firefighters and non-fighters, researchers found a mutational signature tied to exposure to haloalkanes, which are used in flame retardants, fire extinguishers, and pesticides.
Discovery: The great whale pee funnel moves vital nutrients
Scientists have discovered that whales move nutrients thousands of miles -- in their urine -- from as far as Alaska to Hawaii. These tons of nitrogen support the health of tropical ecosystems and fish, where nitrogen can be limited. They call this movement of nutrients a 'conveyor belt' or 'the great whale pee funnel.' In some places, like Hawaii, the input of nutrients from whales is bigger than from local sources. It's critical to tropical ocean health, therefore, to protect and restore whales.
AI tool to make genetic research more comprehensive
Researchers have developed PhyloFrame, a machine-learning tool that uses artificial intelligence to account for ancestral diversity in genetic data.
Are volcanoes behind the oxygen we breathe?
It is widely believed that Earth's atmosphere has been rich in oxygen for about 2.5 billion years due to a relatively rapid increase in microorganisms capable of performing photosynthesis. Researchers provide a mechanism to explain precursor oxygenation events, or 'whiffs,' which may have opened the door for this to occur. Their findings suggest volcanic activity altered conditions enough to accelerate oxygenation, and the whiffs are an indication of this taking place.
Evidence of a new phenomenon: Quantum tornadoes in momentum space
Researchers have experimentally demonstrated a quantum tornado. Electrons form vortices in the momentum space of the quantum semi-metal tantalum arsenide.
Tuberculosis relies on protective genes during airborne transmission
Scientists discovered genes in the tuberculosis bacterium that becomes essential for the pathogen's survival when it's exposed to air through coughing. These genes could be targets for new therapies that simultaneously treat infection and prevent transmission.
AI-based math: Individualized support for schoolchildren
Researchers have developed an AI-based learning system that recognizes strengths and weaknesses in mathematics by tracking eye movements with a webcam to generate problem-solving hints. This enables teachers to provide significantly more children with individualized support.
X-ray snapshot: How light bends an active substance
With the help of the world's most powerful X-ray laser, a research team has achieved an important breakthrough: Using the example of the pharmaceutically active substance 2-thiouracil, they applied a long-established imaging technique to complex molecules. Although 2-thiouracil is no longer applied therapeutically, it is part of a group of chemically similar active substances that are used today as immunosuppressants or cytostatics. The study shows how UV radiation deforms 2-thiouracil, making it dangerously reactive.
Researchers shed new light on G-quadruplexes, a type of secondary DNA structure that has attracted attention as a potential therapeutic target in cancer.
Worldwide study finds high rates of depression and anxiety in people with chronic pain
A novel analysis of more than 375 published studies concluded that the association between chronic pain and rates of depression and anxiety is staggering. The study found that 40% of adults with chronic pain experienced 'clinically significant depression and anxiety.' Among those most at risk, the analysis showed, were women, younger adults and people with fibromyalgia.
Limiting screen time protects children's mental health
A recent study suggests that limiting screen time and promoting physical activity from childhood may help safeguard mental health in adolescence. The findings are particularly significant given that mental health problems affect up to 30% of young people and pose a growing societal challenge.
New technique overcomes spurious correlations problem in AI
AI models often rely on 'spurious correlations,' making decisions based on unimportant and potentially misleading information. Researchers have now discovered these learned spurious correlations can be traced to a very small subset of the training data and have demonstrated a technique that overcomes the problem.
A new study suggests that chronic stress and an unhealthy diet may work together to fuel the early development of pancreatic cancer, shedding light on how lifestyle factors contribute to one of the deadliest malignancies.
Intranasal herpes infection may produce neurobehavioral symptoms
A study finds that herpes infection through the nose can lead to anxiety, motor impairment and cognitive issues. The research shows that by exploiting a cellular enzyme, the virus can produce behavioral symptoms. The finding emphasizes the need for prevention and treatment of a virus carried by billions of people worldwide.
Is red wine a healthier choice than white wine? Uncorking the cancer risks
Researchers have conducted a study that scours 'the vast and often contradictory literature on the carcinogenicity of red and white wine' to assess whether this assumption holds up, and to compare the cancer risks associated with wine type.
FLIpping the Switch: Boosting stem cell numbers for therapies
A single molecular switch is essential for blood stem cells to enter an activated, regenerative state in which they produce new blood cells, according to a preclinical study. The discovery could lead to more effective bone marrow transplants and gene therapies.
'Nanodot' control could fine-tune light for sharper displays, quantum computing
Newly achieved precise control over light emitted from incredibly tiny sources, a few nanometers in size, embedded in two-dimensional materials could lead to remarkably high-resolution monitors and advances in ultra-fast quantum computing, according to an international team.
New CAR-T cell therapy shows promise for hard-to-treat cancers
Researchers have successfully developed a supercharged iteration of CAR-T cell therapy that can enhance the effectiveness and longevity of the cells, particularly against cancer cells that are harder for prior CAR-T therapies to detect and fight.
Climate change will reduce the number of satellites that can safely orbit in space
Aerospace engineers found that greenhouse gas emissions are changing the environment of near-Earth space in ways that, over time, will reduce the number of satellites that can safely operate there.
Mysterious phenomenon at center of galaxy could reveal new kind of dark matter
A mysterious phenomenon at the center of our galaxy could be the result of a different type of dark matter.
Nature-inspired 3D-printing method shoots up faster than bamboo
Researchers created 'growth printing,' which mimics tree trunks' outward expansion to print polymer parts quickly and efficiently without the molds and expensive equipment typically associated with 3D printing.
Scientists create a type of catalog, the 'colocatome,' of non-cancerous cells' influence on cancer
Scientists are using artificial intelligence to better capture how healthy cells surrounding tumors influence cancer cell behavior and how those interactions can inform treatments.
Medical infusion bags can release microplastics
Microplastics have been found almost everywhere that scientists have looked for them. Now these bits of plastic -- from 1 to 62 micrometers long -- have been found in the filtered solutions used for medical intravenous (IV) infusions. The researchers estimate that thousands of plastic particles could be delivered directly to a person's bloodstream from a single 8.4-ounce (250-milliliter) bag of infusion fluid.
Drug building blocks pave path to new sepsis treatments
The immune system typically can ramp up the body's defenses to clear out an invading threat without issue. Glitches can happen, however, with sepsis occurring when the mustered army of cells also attacks the body's own tissues and organs as if they were enemy combatants. Sepsis is dangerous, particularly when it isn't treated early, and it can lead to the even more deadly condition of septic shock -- a massive drop in blood pressure that can quickly damage organs by starving them of nutrients. Scientists demonstrate the promise of a new approach to uncovering potential treatments for sepsis.
Four tiny planets found orbiting one of our nearest stars
Astronomers have revealed new evidence that there are not just one but four tiny planets circling around Barnard's Star, the second-nearest star system to Earth.
More than marks: How wellbeing shapes academic success
A world first* study of more than 215,000 students, researchers found that while standardized tests measure academic skills, different dimensions of wellbeing -- emotional wellbeing, engagement, and learning readiness -- can play a crucial role in performance.
technique to manipulate water waves to precisely control floating objects
Where there's water, there are waves. But what if you could bend water waves to your will to move floating objects? Scientists have now developed a technique to merge waves in a water tank to produce complex patterns, such as twisting loops and swirling vortices. Some patterns acted like tweezers or a 'tractor beam' to hold a floating ball in place. Other patterns made the ball spin and move precisely in a circular path. In the future, the technique could be scaled down to precisely move particles the size of cells for experiments, or scaled up to guide boats along a desired path on the water.
Earth's 'dirty mirror' effect is accelerating climate change
Cloudy areas over oceans are reflecting less sunlight to space than before.
Breakthrough in next-generation polio vaccines
A more affordable, lower-risk polio vaccine is on the horizon, research has found.
Exercise reduced falls in elderly women with polypharmacy
An exercise intervention aimed at elderly women was successful at reducing falls, especially among those with polypharmacy, a new study shows.
Cheap and environmentally friendly -- the next generation LEDs may soon be here
Cost, technical performance and environmental impact -- these are the three most important aspects for a new type of LED technology to have a broad commercial impact on society.
Muscles from the printer: Silicone that moves
Researchers are working on artificial muscles that can keep up with the real thing. They have now developed a method of producing the soft and elastic, yet powerful structures using 3D printing. One day, these could be used in medicine or robotics -- and anywhere else where things need to move at the touch of a button.
Children who lack fish in their diets are less sociable and kind, study finds
Children who consumed the least amounts of seafood at 7-years-old were likely to be less 'prosocial' at ages 7 and 9 years than those who regularly consumed seafood, according to a new study. 'Prosocial' behavior includes friendly interactions, altruism, and sharing.
Scientists discover smart way to generate energy with tiny beads
Researchers have discovered a new method to generate electricity using small plastic beads. By placing these beads close together and bringing them into contact, they generate more electricity than usual. This process, known as triboelectrification, is similar to the static electricity produced when rubbing a balloon against hair.
Elementary-particle detectors, 3D printed
An international collaboration has shown that additive manufacturing offers a realistic way to build large-scale plastic scintillator detectors for particle physics experiments.
Beneficial genetic changes observed in regular blood donors
Researchers have identified genetic changes in blood stem cells from frequent blood donors that support the production of new, non-cancerous cells. Understanding the differences in the mutations that accumulate in our blood stem cells as we age is important to understand how and why blood cancers develop and hopefully how to intervene before the onset of clinical symptoms.
A new study has found that targeted psychological interventions can significantly enhance long-term resistance to misinformation. Dubbed 'psychological booster shots,' these interventions improve memory retention and help individuals recognize and resist misleading information more effectively over time.
Arctic sea ice loss drives drier weather over California and wetter over Spain and Portugal
On decadal timescales, the loss of Arctic ice favors the climate of the south-west of the United States -- and California in particular -- becoming drier on average, especially in winter. This phenomenon would also affect the climate of Spain and Portugal, favoring conditions of higher humidity in winter, although in this case the observed effect is weaker.
Nwd1 gene deletion triggers MASH-like pathology in mice
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a polygenic disorder influenced by multiple genes, but their specific roles in the progression of disease remain unknown. To address this gap, researchers conducted a series of experiments that identified the NACHT and WD repeat domain-containing protein 1 (Nwd1) gene and its role in liver pathogenesis. This breakthrough represents an important step toward establishing new therapeutic targets for MASH.
Study explores effects of climatic changes on Christmas Island's iconic red crabs
A new study has investigated one aspect of how the future environmental conditions created by the changing global climate might affect earliest development within Christmas Island's red crab population.
Amino acid assists in recycling rechargeable batteries
A new strategy for recycling spent lithium-ion batteries is based on a hydrometallurgical process in neutral solution. This allows for the extraction of lithium and other valuable metals in an environmentally friendly, highly efficient, and inexpensive way. The leaching efficiency is improved by a solid-solid reduction mechanism, known as the battery effect, as well as the addition of the amino acid glycine.
A 62-million-year-old skeleton sheds light on an enigmatic mammal
For more than 140 years, Mixodectes pungens, a species of small mammal that inhabited western North America in the early Paleocene, was a mystery. What little was known about them had been mostly gleaned from analyzing fossilized teeth and jawbone fragments. But a new study of the most complete skeleton of the species known to exist has answered many questions about the enigmatic critter -- first described in 1883 by famed paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope -- providing a better understanding of its anatomy, behavior, diet, and position in the Tree of Life.
Microplastics could be fueling antibiotic resistance
Researchers were shocked to see that bacteria's antimicrobial resistance is strengthened when exposed to plastic particles and point to a potential outsized impact on refugees.
Blood test shows promise for early detection of dementia
For people with a certain sleep disorder, a simple blood test could help predict the development of dementia years before symptoms appear, a new study indicates. Idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) causes people to physically act out their dreams while sleeping. The disorder is also associated with a very high risk of Parkinson's disease and a related condition called Dementia with Lewy Bodies. This is a form of dementia that often causes memory and cognitive loss, as well as vivid visual hallucinations and movement difficulties similar to Parkinson's.
Zeolites, crystalline materials widely used in the petrochemical industry, serve as pivotal catalysts in the production of fine chemicals, with aluminium being the source of active sites within zeolite structures. A research team has revealed the precise location of aluminium atoms in the zeolite framework. This discovery could facilitate the design of more efficient and stable catalysts, aimed at increasing the yield of petrochemical products, achieving efficient renewable energy storage, and controlling air pollution. This advancement will further promote the application of zeolites in relevant fields.
Acoustic monitoring network for birds enhances forest management
A new study using the largest network of microphones to track birds in the United States is providing crucial insights for managing and restoring fire-prone forests across California's Sierra Nevada region.
Good parenting helps, but has limits under major deprivation
Parenting skills can make a big difference in fostering a newborn's language acquisition and cognition, but there may be a limit to how far parenting can go to make up the challenges to developing this skill in those born in highly disadvantaged backgrounds.
New method uses DNA barcodes for high throughput RNA and protein detection in deep tissue
An innovative new technique uses a novel DNA barcode system to track hundreds of RNA and protein molecules in single cells within thick biological samples, providing researchers with a full picture of how these structures are organized inside tissues.
Self-optimizing catalysts facilitate water-splitting for the green production of hydrogen
Researchers have developed cost-effective and efficient water-splitting catalysts to be used in the eco-friendly production of hydrogen. Catalyst performance surprisingly increases over time.
Super-Earths and mini-Neptunes: More Earth-like planets may exist
A new study presents a compelling new model for the formation of super-Earths and mini-Neptunes -- planets that are 1 to 4 times the size of Earth and among the most common in our galaxy. Using advanced simulations, the researchers propose that these planets emerge from distinct rings of planetesimals, providing fresh insight into planetary evolution beyond our solar system.
'Fishial' recognition: Neural network identifies coral reef sounds
Researchers combine acoustic monitoring with a neural network to identify fish activity on coral reefs by sound. They trained the network to sort through the deluge of acoustic data automatically, analyzing audio recordings in real time. Their algorithm can match the accuracy of human experts in deciphering acoustical trends on a reef, but it can do so more than 25 times faster, and it could change the way ocean monitoring and research is conducted.
boreal forest: Taking taiga's temperature
A new study has introduced a powerful tool for analyzing satellite imagery of boreal forests (also known as 'Taiga' in North America), offering unprecedented insights into the health and dynamics of these crucial ecosystems.
Plastic recycling gets a breath of fresh air
Current methods to recycle plastics often use expensive catalysts, harsh conditions and produce toxic byproducts. New process converts PET plastic into monomer building blocks, which can be recycled into new PET products or upcycled into higher value materials. In experiments, method recovered 94% of monomers from PET in just four hours, without harmful byproducts.
Early signs of GI disease risk in dogs
Researchers have discovered signs that can be used to identify dogs with a high risk of gastrointestinal disease -- which causes more than 10% of all new visits to a veterinarian -- before they develop symptoms.
New tech for managing type 1 diabetes is effective for older adults
New research suggests that automated insulin delivery (AID) systems are safe and effective for use by older adults with type 1 diabetes. The findings counter common assumptions that older adults would struggle to use the more advanced technology employed in the medical devices.
Scientists discover new heavy-metal molecule 'berkelocene'
Scientists have discovered 'berkelocene,' the first organometallic molecule to be characterized containing the heavy element berkelium. The breakthrough disrupts long-held theories about the chemistry of the elements that follow uranium in the periodic table.
Untangling quantum entanglement with new calculation formulas
Physicists developed simplified formulas to quantify quantum entanglement in strongly correlated electron systems. Their approach was applied to nanoscale materials, revealing unexpected quantum behaviors and identifying key quantities for the Kondo effect. These findings advance understanding of quantum technologies.
Foraging footballers suggest how we come together to act as one
Originally described in the context of particles drifting through liquid, Levy walk has been found to accurately describe a very wide range of phenomena, from cold atom dynamics to swarming bacteria. And now, a new study has found Levy walk in the movements of competing groups of organisms: football teams.
Researchers show that Cartan's First Structure Equation, which relates to edge and screw dislocations in crystal lattices, can be recast in the same form as a basic mathematical formula that governs the behavior of electric currents and magnetic fields. This work can help make new concepts more understandable by employing more familiar frameworks.
Prostate cancer is not a death knell, study shows
Prostate cancer statistics can look scary: 34,250 U.S. deaths in 2024. 1.4 million new cases worldwide in 2022.
Study pinpoints the impact of prenatal stress across 27 weeks of pregnancy
Researchers found new insights on the timing of prenatal stress and its effect on infant stress reactivity and temperament -- including differences between genders.
Clothes dryers and the bottom line: Switching to air drying can save hundreds
By replacing clothes dyers with line drying, households in the U.S. could save upwards of $2,100 and avoid 3 tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the lifetime of a dryer. The exact impacts, however, depend on what kind of dryer you have and where you live, new research shows.
Death by feral cat: DNA shows cats to be culprits in killing of native animals
Feral cats have long been suspects in killing native species reintroduced into Australian conservation areas. DNA testing of the carcasses puts felines firmly in the frame.
I'm just relieved, per the accompanying illustration and its labelling, that women and children appear safe from sharks past and present. Sympathies, men!