ScienceDaily: All - March 13, 2024
Today's top research news
Alaska dinosaur tracks reveal a lush, wet environment
A large find of dinosaur tracks and fossilized plants and tree stumps in far northwestern Alaska provides new information about the climate and movement of animals near the time when they began traveling between the Asian and North American continents roughly 100 million years ago.
Image: Dinosaur footprint in a creek bed, Denali National Park, Alaska, Avigator Fortuner/shutterstock.com
New study quantifies health impacts from oil and gas flaring in U.S.
A new study finds that pollution from oil and gas venting and flaring results in $7.4 billion in health damages, more than 700 premature deaths, and 73,000 asthma exacerbations among children annually. Researchers also conclude that emissions are underreported and controlling emissions is not only profitable for operators, but also can significantly improve public health in surrounding communities.
Batteries for airborne electric vehicles that take off and land vertically
Researchers are taking cleaner transportation to the skies by creating and evaluating new batteries for airborne electric vehicles that take off and land vertically. Researchers are developing new energy-dense materials, learning how these materials degrade under extreme conditions, and developing battery control systems.
Scientists find weak points on Epstein-Barr virus
Studies of interactions between two lab-generated monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and an essential Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) protein have uncovered targets that could be exploited in designing treatments and vaccines for this extremely common virus.
Spiral wrappers switch nanotubes from conductors to semiconductors and back
By wrapping a carbon nanotube with a ribbon-like polymer, researchers were able to create nanotubes that conduct electricity when struck with low-energy light that our eyes cannot see. In the future, the approach could make it possible to optimize semiconductors for applications ranging from night vision to new forms of computing.
Researchers identify distinct sleep types and their impact on long-term health
Poor sleep habits are strongly associated with long-term chronic health conditions, according to decades of research. To better understand this relationship, a team identified four distinct patterns that characterize how most people sleep. These patterns are also predictive of long-term health, the researchers said.
A sprayable gel could make minimally invasive surgeries simpler and safer
The new GastroShield gel can be sprayed through an endoscope after polyps are removed during colonoscopy, protecting the gut and helping prevent complications from weakened gastrointestinal tissues.
Vehicle brakes produce charged particles that may harm public health
Scientists know relatively little about particles released into the air when a vehicle driver brakes, though evidence suggests those particles may be more harmful to health than particles exiting the tailpipe.
Vaccine monitoring crucial as SARS-CoV-2 variants continue to evolve
Researchers have highlighted the importance of continued surveillance of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccine performance as the virus continues to evolve.
Have metalenses expanded their reach into the ultraviolet region?
A team achieves successful mass production of metalenses designed for application in the ultraviolet region.
AI making waves in marine data collection
Numerous measurement stations around the world provide us with data about air quality, allowing us to enhance it. Although we are increasingly collecting data from marine areas, access to such data is considerably more challenging. Signals are poorly transmitted through water, differences in both pressure and currents hinder measurement devices and there is an absence of pre-constructed computing infrastructure. Could intelligent technologies help us improve marine data collection?
How a natural compound from sea squirts combats cancer
Trabectedin, a promising drug derived from the sea squirt Ecteinascidia turbinata, has shown potential in combating cancers resistant to conventional treatments. However, its precise mechanism of action has remained elusive -- until now.
Guessing game: Response may bias understanding of future scenarios
Does previous experience bias a person in future estimations? Yes, researchers report, but only if the person engages their higher processing powers by responding, as opposed to simply observing.
Air filters and scheduled window opening can reduce classroom pollution by up to 36%
To improve air quality in classrooms, schools should use air purifiers during the school day and open the windows after hours. That's according to a new study.
A new study of rice paddy snakes in Southeast Asia gives key details to their diversification and natural history, adding molecular evidence that the rise of the Khorat Plateau and subsequent environmental shifts in Thailand may have altered the course of the snakes' evolution some 2.5 million years ago.
Mars attracts: How Earth's interactions with the red planet drive deep-sea circulation
Scientists have used the geological record of the deep sea to discover a connection between the orbits of Earth and Mars, past global warming patterns and the speeding up of deep ocean circulation. The patterns they discover suggest that warming seas could produce deep whirpools in ocean currents.
The surprising effect of presence hallucinations on social perception
Neuroscientists have devised a way to alter our social perception and monitor specific types of hallucinations, both in healthy individuals and patients with Parkinson's disease. The test, which is also available online, provides the medical community with a tool to monitor hallucination susceptibility.
A coral superhighway in the Indian Ocean
Scientists develop a rapid gene-editing screen to find effects of cancer mutations
Researchers found a way to screen cancer-linked gene mutations much more easily and quickly than existing approaches, using a variant of CRISPR genome-editing known as prime editing.
Rainforest's next generation of trees threatened 30 years after logging
Rainforest seedlings are more likely to survive in natural forests than in places where logging has happened -- even if tree restoration projects have taken place, new research shows.
When a team is less than the sum of its parts: Tensions between individual and team wellbeing
Individual wellbeing doesn't always add up to team wellbeing -- but reflection and open communication can help.
Scientists propose new theory that explains sand ripples on Mars and on Earth
Sand ripples are symmetrical. Yet wind -- which causes them -- is very much not. Furthermore, sand ripples can be found on Mars and on Earth. They would be even more fascinating if the same effect found on Mars could be found here on Earth as well. What if one unified theory could explain their formation on both planets?
You didn't see it coming: The spontaneous nature of turbulence
Scientists have shown in theoretical models of turbulence that even molecular motions can create large-scale patterns of randomness over a defined period of time.
New traffic signal would improve travel time for both pedestrians and vehicles
Adding a fourth light to traffic signals -- in addition to red, green and yellow -- would shorten wait times at street corners for pedestrians, as well as improve traffic flow for both autonomous vehicles and human drivers. And the more autonomous vehicles there are in the traffic network, the shorter the wait times for everyone.
Climate policies to reduce motor vehicle emissions can improve children's health, save money
A new study finds that policies to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from motor vehicles combined with investments in electric vehicles and public transportation would reduce air pollution and bring large benefits to children's health. They would also save money.
Higher carnivorous dinosaur biodiversity of famous Kem Kem beds, Morocco
An international team of palaeontologists applied recently developed methods to measure theropod (carnivorous) dinosaur species diversity. The newly applied method uses both traditional phylogenetic analysis, discriminant analysis as well as machine learning.
Range-shifting fishes are climate-change losers, according to new research
Fish populations that experience rapid-range shift decline noticeably, up to 50 per cent over a decade. The populations affected most are those living on the northern poleward edges of their species' range. Researchers combined data from two large databases to examine the population numbers of range-shifting species. Their analysis revealed that extremely fast poleward shifting species, defined as upward of 17 kilometers per year, show marked declines in population, compared to negligible increases in populations that did not shift.
Pronghorn population declining due to human development
A new article looked at 40 years of data collected on 40 pronghorn herds residing in the Wyoming Basin Shrub Steppe. Overall, 80% of the herds saw a decrease in productivity, and nearly 43% saw a significant decrease. After looking at a number of variables that could potentially contribute to the decline, the researchers identified the two most strongly associated: development of oil and gas resources and woody encroachment.
Researchers expand our understanding of how the body and brain communicate
Researchers investigating how exactly the brain processes the incoming stream of information from the heart and lungs, discovered that specific neurons in the thalamus are actively involved in processing cardiac and respiratory signals.
Delta-8-THC use reported by 11% of 12th graders in 2023
Approximately 11% of 12th-grade students across the United States reported past-year use of delta-8- tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-8-THC, or delta-8 for short), according to an analysis of data from the 2023 Monitoring the Future survey. Delta-8 is a psychoactive substance that is typically derived from hemp, a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant. Delta-8 has intoxicating effects similar to delta-9-THC (delta-9), the primary THC component responsible for the 'high' people may experience from using cannabis.
Gene flow in giraffes and what it means for their conservation
Giraffes, with their bizarre body plan, have always held a special place in the minds of evolutionary biologists and non-experts alike. In a new study whole-genome sequencing data was used to investigate the evolutionary processes occurring within giraffes. In particular, the authors were interested in establishing whether different populations of giraffes really have been isolated from each other for extended periods of time, which is normally a requirement before new species can arise.
Powerful new tool ushers in new era of quantum materials research
Research in quantum materials is paving the way for groundbreaking discoveries and is poised to drive technological advancements that will redefine the landscapes of industries like mining, energy, transportation, and medtech. A technique called time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (TR-ARPES) has emerged as a powerful tool, allowing researchers to explore the equilibrium and dynamical properties of quantum materials via light-matter interaction.
Maternal obesity may promote liver cancer
Obesity, which could reach 50% of the population in certain developed countries by 2030, is a major public health concern. It not only affects the health of those who suffer from it, but could also have serious consequences for their offspring. Scientists have studied the impact of maternal obesity on the risk of developing liver disease and liver cancer. Using an animal model, the team discovered that this risk was indeed much higher in the offspring of mothers suffering from obesity.
Cheetahs' unrivalled speed explained by their 'sweet spot' size, finds Imperial study
A new study has answered a long-held question about why medium-sized land animals like cheetahs tend to be fastest.
India's water problems set to get worse as the world warms
Winter storms known as western disturbances that provide crucial snow and rainfall to northern India are arriving significantly later in the year.
Cicadas' unique urination unlocks new understanding of fluid dynamics
While most small insects and mammals urinate in droplets, cicadas urinate in jets. Researchers say the finding could be used to create better robots and small nozzles.
Giving particle detectors a boost
Researchers have tested the performance of a new device that boosts particle signals.
GPS nanoparticle platform precisely delivers therapeutic payload to cancer cells
A newly developed 'GPS nanoparticle' injected intravenously can home in on cancer cells to deliver a genetic punch to the protein implicated in tumor growth and spread, according to researchers. They tested their approach in human cell lines and in mice to effectively knock down a cancer-causing gene, reporting that the technique may potentially offer a more precise and effective treatment for notoriously hard-to-treat basal-like breast cancers.
Accessibility toolkit for game engine Unity
New work makes it easier for game developers to implement game aids for people with disabilities. The toolkit focuses on players with visual impairments.
Peering into the tendrils of NGC 604 with NASA's Webb
The formation of stars and the chaotic environments they inhabit is one of the most well-studied, but also mystery-shrouded, areas of cosmic investigation. The intricacies of these processes are now being unveiled like never before by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope.
Design rules and synthesis of quantum memory candidates
In the quest to develop quantum computers and networks, there are many components that are fundamentally different than those used today. Like a modern computer, each of these components has different constraints. However, it is currently unclear what materials can be used to construct those components for the transmission and storage of quantum information.
Study illuminates the protective role of fluorescence in neon-colored sea anemones
A team of researchers has uncovered a direct genetic link between fluorescence and color in sea anemones -- those soft and tentacled tide pool creatures often encountered by beachgoers.
For people who speak many languages, there's something special about their native tongue
A study of polyglots found the brain's language network responds more strongly when hearing languages a speaker is more proficient in -- and much more weakly to the speaker's native language.
A team develops an ultrasensitive broadband transparent ultrasound transducer.
Going top shelf with AI to better track hockey data
Researchers got a valuable assist from artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help capture and analyze data from professional hockey games faster and more accurately than ever before, with big implications for the business of sports.
New study reveals transgenerational effects of pesticide linuron on frogs
Grand-offspring of male frogs exposed to the pesticide linuron exhibited changes in their DNA that was linked to significant physiological impacts, a study reveals. The research highlights the profound transgenerational consequences of environmental pollution on amphibian populations, which are already under threat of extinction.
Researchers uncover protein responsible for cold sensation
Researchers have identified the protein that enables mammals to sense cold, filling a long-standing knowledge gap in the field of sensory biology.
Flexible artificial intelligence optoelectronic sensors towards health monitoring
Artificial intelligence (AI) is known for its high energy consumption, especially in data-intensive tasks like health monitoring. To address this, researchers have developed a flexible paper-based sensor composed of nanocellulose and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles that operates like the human eyes and brain. The sensor is energy-efficient, responds to optical input in real-time, and is both flexible and easy to dispose of, making it ideal for health monitoring applications.
Happiness can be learnt, but you have to work at it
We can learn to be happy, but only get lasting benefits if we keep practicing, a new study has revealed.
Unveiling Inaoside A: An antioxidant derived from mushrooms
Natural products have unique chemical structures and biological activities and can play a pivotal role in advancing pharmaceutical science. In a pioneering study, researchers discovered Inaoside A, an antioxidant derived from Laetiporus cremeiporus mushrooms. This breakthrough sheds light on the potential of mushrooms as a source of therapeutic bioactive compounds.
Muscaris grapes: Molecular secret of lychee note revealed
Researchers have succeeded in identifying the odorants responsible for the characteristic lychee note of Muscaris grapes.
Breakthrough in nanostructure technology for real-time color display
New groundbreaking technology enables the real-time display of colors and shapes through changes in nanostructures.
In our cellular 'glue,' scientists find answers about heart attacks, strokes, more
Doctors may be able to leverage the new insights to identify patients at greatest risk of having atherosclerotic plaques break free and cause heart attacks or strokes.
Researchers identify gene involved in neuronal vulnerability in Alzheimer's disease
Early stages of neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by the accumulation of proteins in discrete populations of brain cells and degeneration of these cells. For most diseases, this selective vulnerability pattern is unexplained, yet it could yield major insight into pathological mechanisms.
AI may predict spread of lung cancer to brain
Scientists trained a machine-learning algorithm to predict accurately brain metastasis using biopsy samples from early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients. It was also highly accurate in predicting those patients who do not develop metastatic brain tumors.
Study explores impacts of Arctic warming on daily weather patterns in the U.S.
Arctic sea ice is shrinking as the world continues to warm, and a new study may provide a better understanding of how the loss of this ice may impact daily weather in the middle latitudes, like the United States.
No, an anti-racist program in schools didn't stress out kids, study finds
A new study of how high school students respond to a program designed to increase the frequency and quality of conversations about race in school finds that the anti-racist intervention did not cause stress or feelings of alienation among study participants. The finding rebuts concerns that anti-racist programs are harmful to children and teens.
Researchers provide evidence that traces of the widely used PFAS chemicals in human blood are associated with unfavorable lipid profiles and thus with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. The findings are based on data from more than 2,500 adults. PFAS were detectable in the blood of nearly all study participants.
Adding folic acid to table salt could prevent life-threatening birth defects
A team of international researchers has demonstrated, for the first time in a field study, that using folic acid-fortified iodized table salt can prevent multiple severe birth defects.
Nasa’s Webb, Hubble telescopes affirm universe’s expansion rate, puzzle persists
When you are trying to solve one of the biggest conundrums in cosmology, you should triple check your homework. The puzzle, called the 'Hubble Tension,' is that the current rate of the expansion of the universe is faster than what astronomers expect it to be, based on the universe's initial conditions and our present understanding of the universe's evolution.