ScienceDaily: All - May 24, 2024
Today's top research news
Developing novel methods to detect antibiotics in vegetables and earthworms
Researchers have managed to analyze, simultaneously, several families of antibiotics in vegetables and earthworms. Sampling carried out in various locations has yielded data on the existence of antimicrobial agents and their derivatives in vegetables. In this respect, Vergara stresses the need for further research to address the problem of contamination by this type of medication in the environment.
Image: New Africa/Shutterstock.com
Electromechanical material doesn't get 'clamped' down
A new study finds that a class of electromechanically active materials called antiferroelectrics may hold the key to overcoming performance limitations due to clamping in miniaturized electromechanical systems.
Birth of universe's earliest galaxies observed for first time
Researchers have now seen the formation of three of the earliest galaxies in the universe, more than 13 billion years ago. The sensational discovery contributes important knowledge about the universe.
Scientists map networks regulating gene function in the human brain
A consortium of researchers has produced the largest and most advanced multidimensional maps of gene regulation networks in the brains of people with and without mental disorders. These maps detail the many regulatory elements that coordinate the brain's biological pathways and cellular functions. The research used postmortem brain tissue from over 2,500 donors to map gene regulation networks across different stages of brain development and multiple brain-related disorders.
Charting a pathway to next-gen biofuels
From soil to sequestration, researchers have modeled what a supply chain for second-generation biofuels might look like in the midwestern United States.
Study explains why the brain can robustly recognize images, even without color
New research offers a possible explanation for how the brain learns to identify both color and black-and-white images. The researchers found evidence that early in life, when the retina is unable to process color information, the brain learns to distinguish objects based on luminance, rather than color.
Iron could be key to less expensive, greener lithium-ion batteries, research finds
Chemistry researchers are hoping to spark a green battery revolution by showing that iron instead of cobalt and nickel can be used as a cathode material in lithium-ion batteries.
Study uncovers cell type-specific genetic insights underlying schizophrenia
New research provides a map for how the genes known to increase risk of schizophrenia affect specific cells within the brain -- information researchers hope can drive the development of new, effective treatments.
A promising approach to develop a birth control pill for men
Researchers show in animal models that a novel, non-hormonal sperm-specific approach offers a promising option for reversible human male contraception.
Intriguing nearby world sized between Earth, Venus
Astronomers have discovered a planet between the sizes of Earth and Venus only 40 light-years away.
Planet hunters unveil massive catalog of strange worlds
While thousands of planets have been discovered around other stars, relatively little is known about them. A NASA catalog featuring 126 exotic, newly discovered worlds includes detailed measurements that allow for comparisons with our own solar system.
Mental disorders may spread in young people's social networks
A recently completed study demonstrates that mental disorders may be transmitted between individuals within social networks. The finding was the most evident in the case of mood, anxiety and eating disorders.
The global clean water crisis looms large
Water scarcity will intensify with climate and socioeconomic change, disproportionately impacting populations located in the Global South.
First pictures from Euclid satellite reveal billions of orphan stars
The first scientific pictures from the Euclid satellite mission have revealed more than 1,500 billion orphan stars scattered throughout the Perseus cluster of galaxies.
Potentially habitable 'exo-Venus' with Earth-like temperature discovered
Astronomers have made the rare and tantalizing discovery of an Earth-like exoplanet 40 light-years away that may be just a little warmer than our own world. The potentially-habitable planet, named Gliese 12 b, orbits its host star every 12.8 days, is comparable in size to Venus -- so slightly smaller than Earth -- and has an estimated surface temperature of 42 C (107 F), which is lower than most of the 5,000-odd exoplanets confirmed so far. That is assuming it has no atmosphere, however, which is the crucial next step to establishing if it is habitable.
Foraging ants navigate more efficiently when given energy-drink-like doses of caffeine
Ants who receive a caffeine-laced sugary reward become more efficient at navigating back to the reward's location compared to ants that only receive sugar. Caffeinated ants move toward the reward via a more direct path but do not increase their speed, suggesting that caffeine improved their ability to learn. The study was conducted on Argentine ants (Linepithema humile), a globally invasive species, and the researchers say that incorporating caffeine into ant baits could aid efforts to control the ants by improving bait uptake.