ScienceDaily: All - November 22, 2023
Today's top research news
Neanderthals were the world's first artists, research reveals
Recent research has shown that engravings in a cave in La Roche-Cotard (France), which has been sealed for thousands of years, were actually made by Neanderthals. The findings reveal that the Neanderthals were the first humans with an appreciation of art.
GAS-photo/shutterstock.com
NASA's Webb reveals new features in heart of Milky Way
The latest image from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope shows a portion of the dense center of our galaxy in unprecedented detail, including never-before-seen features astronomers have yet to explain. The star-forming region, named Sagittarius C (Sgr C), is about 300 light-years from the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*.
'Triple star' discovery could revolutionize understanding of stellar evolution
A ground-breaking new discovery could transform the way astronomers understand some of the biggest and most common stars in the Universe. Research by PhD student Jonathan Dodd and Professor René Oudmaijer, from the University's School of Physics and Astronomy, points to intriguing new evidence that massive Be stars -- until now mainly thought to exist in double stars -- could in fact be 'triples'. The remarkable discovery could revolutionise our understanding of the objects -- a subset of B stars -- which are considered an important 'test bed' for developing theories on how stars evolve more generally.
Perfecting the performance of nerve implants
Researchers are extending their understanding of the effectiveness of electrical fields that are increasingly being used in implants to stimulate and repair damaged nerves. Effective nerve stimulation is the key to helping alleviate debilitating conditions such as sciatica.
High temperatures may have caused over 70,000 excess deaths in Europe in 2022
The burden of heat-related mortality during the summer of 2022 in Europe may have exceeded 70,000 deaths according to a new study. The authors of the study revised upwards initial estimates of the mortality associated with record temperatures in 2022 on the European continent.
Sophisticated swarming: Bacteria support each other across generations
When bacteria build communities, they cooperate and share nutrients across generations. Researchers have been able to demonstrate this for the first time using a newly developed method. This innovative technique enables the tracking of gene expression during the development of bacterial communities over space and time.
Contrary to the commonly-held view, the brain does not have the ability to rewire itself to compensate for the loss of sight, an amputation or stroke, for example, say scientists. The researchers argue that the notion that the brain, in response to injury or deficit, can reorganize itself and repurpose particular regions for new functions, is fundamentally flawed -- despite being commonly cited in scientific textbooks. Instead, they argue that what is occurring is merely the brain being trained to utilize already existing, but latent, abilities.
Babies as young as four months show signs of self-awareness
Babies as young as four months old can make sense of how their bodies interact with the space around them, according to new research.
Trilobites rise from the ashes to reveal ancient map
Ten newly discovered species of trilobites, hidden for 490 million years in a little-studied part of Thailand, could be the missing pieces in an intricate puzzle of ancient world geography.
Looking for 'LUCA' and the timing of cellular evolution
LUCA, the 'last universal common ancestor' of all living organisms, lived 4.32 to at most 4.52 billion years ago. What LUCA looked like is unknown, but it must have been a cell with among others ribosomal proteins and an ATP synthase.
Certain skin bacteria can inhibit growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Researchers have found a bacteriocin that can help inhibit the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Laser-powered 'tweezers' reveal universal mechanism viruses use to package up DNA
Researchers have used laser-powered ‘optical tweezers’ to reveal a universal motor mechanism used by viruses for packaging their DNA into infectious particles.
Massive Antarctic ozone hole over past 4 years: What is to blame?
Despite public perception, the Antarctic ozone hole has been remarkably massive and long-lived over the past four years; researchers believe chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) aren't the only things to blame.
Hearing loss is associated with subtle changes in the brain
A team of researchers employed hearing tests and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine whether hearing impairment is associated with differences in specific brain regions and affects dementia risk.
Outlook on scaling of carbon removal technologies
The research makes it clear that ensuring the sustained well-being of our planet requires a more serious commitment toward new carbon dioxide removal technologies, and a faster scale-up of their production.
Bacteria store memories and pass them on for generations
Scientists have discovered that bacteria can create something like memories about when to form strategies that can cause dangerous infections in people, such as resistance to antibiotics and bacterial swarms when millions of bacteria come together on a single surface. The discovery -- which has potential applications for preventing and combatting bacterial infections and addressing antibiotic-resistant bacteria -- relates to a common chemical element bacterial cells can use to form and pass along these memories to their progeny over later generations.
Dwarf galaxies use 10-million-year quiet period to churn out stars
If you look at massive galaxies teeming with stars, you might be forgiven in thinking they are star factories, churning out brilliant balls of gas. But actually, less evolved dwarf galaxies have bigger regions of star factories, with higher rates of star formation. Now, University of Michigan researchers have discovered the reason underlying this: These galaxies enjoy a 10-million-year delay in blowing out the gas cluttering up their environments. Star-forming regions are able to hang on to their gas and dust, allowing more stars to coalesce and evolve. In these relatively pristine dwarf galaxies, massive stars--stars about 20 to 200 times the mass of our sun--collapse into black holes instead of exploding as supernovae. But in more evolved, polluted galaxies, like our Milky Way, they are more likely to explode, thereby generating a collective superwind. Gas and dust get blasted out of the galaxy, and star formation quickly stops.
Why emotions stirred by music create such powerful memories
Psychologists used music to manipulate emotions of volunteers and found the dynamics of their emotions molded otherwise neutral experiences into memorable events. The tug of war between integrating memories and separating them helps to form distinct memories, allowing people to understand and find meaning in their experiences, and retain information. These findings could hold therapeutic promise in helping people with PTSD and depression.
'Woman the hunter': Studies aim to correct history
New research combined both physiological and archaeological evidence to argue that not only did prehistoric women engage in the practice of hunting, but their female anatomy and biology would have made them intrinsically better suited for it.
AI finds formula on how to predict monster waves
Using 700 years' worth of wave data from more than a billion waves, scientists have used artificial intelligence to find a formula for how to predict the occurrence of these maritime monsters. Long considered myth, freakishly large rogue waves are very real and can split apart ships and even damage oil rigs.
Protect delicate polar ecosystems by mapping biodiversity
Concerted action is required to mitigate the impact of warming on polar ecosystems and sustainably manage these unique habitats.
Why the vast supergalactic plane is teeming with only one type of galaxy
Our own Milky Way galaxy is part of a much larger formation, the local Supercluster structure, which contains several massive galaxy clusters and thousands of individual galaxies. Due to its pancake-like shape, which measures almost a billion light years across, it is also referred to as the Supergalactic Plane. Why is the vast supergalactic plane teeming with only one type of galaxies? This old cosmic puzzle may now have been solved.
Big-data study explores social factors affecting child health
Researchers have used an AI-based approach to uncover underlying patterns among the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, termed social determinants of health (SDoH), and then linked each pattern to children's health outcomes. Compared with traditional approaches, the strategy, in principle, provides a more objective and comprehensive picture of potential social factors that affect child health, which in turn, can enable better targeted interventions.
Study reveals bias in AI tools when diagnosing women's health issue
While artificial intelligence tools offer great potential for improving health care delivery, practitioners and scientists warn of their risk for perpetuating racial inequities. A new study evaluates fairness among these tools in connection to a women's health issue.
Massive 2022 eruption reduced ozone layer levels
The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano changed the chemistry and dynamics of the stratosphere in the year following the eruption, leading to unprecedented losses in the ozone layer of up to 7% over large areas of the Southern Hemisphere.
Personalized cancer medicine: Humans make better treatment decisions than AI
Treating cancer is becoming increasingly complex, but also offers more and more possibilities. After all, the better a tumor's biology and genetic features are understood, the more treatment approaches there are. To be able to offer patients personalized therapies tailored to their disease, laborious and time-consuming analysis and interpretation of various data is required. Researchers have now studied whether generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT can help with this step.
Brain hemorrhage cause other than injured blood vessels
A new study has revealed a new culprit in the formation of brain hemorrhages that does not involve injury to the blood vessels, as previously believed. Researchers discovered that interactions between aged red blood cells and brain capillaries can lead to cerebral microbleeds, offering deeper insights into how they occur and identifying potential new therapeutic targets for treatment and prevention.
Urban environmental exposures drive increased breast cancer incidence
An analysis of breast cancer showed that the state’s urban counties had higher overall incidences of disease than rural counties, especially at early stages upon diagnosis.
People watched other people shake boxes for science: Here's why
'Teenage galaxies' are unusually hot, glowing with unexpected elements
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, CECILIA Survey receives first data from galaxies forming two-to-three billion years after the Big Bang. By examining light from these 33 galaxies, researchers discovered their elemental composition and temperature. The ultra-deep spectrum revealed eight distinct elements: Hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, sulfur, argon and nickel. The teenage galaxies also were extremely hot, reaching temperatures higher than 13,350 degrees Celsius.
AI system self-organizes to develop features of brains of complex organisms
Scientists have shown that placing physical constraints on an artificially-intelligent system -- in much the same way that the human brain has to develop and operate within physical and biological constraints -- allows it to develop features of the brains of complex organisms in order to solve tasks.
Want better AI? Get input from a real (human) expert
Input from humans helps when deciding whether to trust the recommendations and decisions of a machine-learning system.
High-power fiber lasers emerge as a pioneering technology
Optical scientists have created a high-power 'Star Wars' style-laser, boosting their use in defense and for remote sensing applications.
Gold now has a golden future in revolutionizing wearable devices
Scientists have pioneered a novel approach to develop intelligent healthcare sensors using various gold nanowires.
Poor work performance among Japanese employees strongly associated with insufficient sleep
This study examined the association between work performance and lifestyle habits among Japanese employees. The results revealed that insufficient sleep was the predominant factor affecting work performance in men and women, followed by lack of regular exercise and eating late-evening meals. Furthermore, the study indicated that men were more likely to exhibit lifestyle habits that impacted work performance than women.
New approaches in the fight against drug resistance in malaria
Malaria is one of the most widespread and deadly infectious diseases worldwide. New compounds are continuously required due to the risk of malaria parasites becoming resistant to the medicines currently used. A team of researchers has now combined the anti-malaria drug artemisinin with coumarin, which, like artemisinin, is also found in plants, and developed an auto-fluorescent compound from both bioactive substances.
Coastal river deltas threatened by more than climate change
Worldwide, coastal river deltas are home to more than half a billion people, supporting fisheries, agriculture, cities, and fertile ecosystems. In a unique study covering 49 deltas globally, researchers have identified the most critical risks to deltas in the future. The research shows that deltas face multiple risks, and that population growth and poor environmental governance might pose bigger threats than climate change to the sustainability of Asian and African deltas, in particular.
Research reveals rare metal could offer revolutionary switch for future quantum devices
Quantum scientists have discovered a rare phenomenon that could hold the key to creating a 'perfect switch' in quantum devices which flips between being an insulator and superconductor.
Why do some people get headaches from drinking red wine?
Researchers think that a flavanol found naturally in red wines can interfere with the proper metabolism of alcohol and can lead to a headache.
Proof of concept of new material for long lasting relief from dry mouth conditions
A novel aqueous lubricant technology designed to help people who suffer from a dry mouth is between four and five times more effective than existing commercially available products, according to laboratory tests. The saliva substitute is described as comparable to natural saliva in the way it hydrates the mouth and acts as a lubricant when food is chewed.
Innovative aquaculture system turns waste wood into nutritious seafood
Innovative aquaculture system turns waste wood into nutritious seafood. Researchers hoping to rebrand a marine pest as a nutritious food have developed the world's first system of farming shipworms, which they have renamed 'Naked Clams'.
Microbiome development: Bacteria lay the foundations for their descendants
The microbiome (the symbiotic community of microbial organisms of a host) is of existential importance for the functioning of every plant and animal, including human beings. A research team has now used the example of the sea anemone Nematostella vectenis to investigate how the microbiome develops together with the host. The researchers describe that the bacterial community is primarily controlled by the host organism during the early stages of life, while bacteria-bacteria interactions play the lead role in subsequent development.
Nostalgia and memories after ten years of social media
As possibilities have changed and technology has advanced, memories and nostalgia are now a significant part of our use of social media.
More needs to be done to prevent dependence on pain medication
Dependence on pain medication is on the rise due to lack of vigilance by medical professionals, according to a new study. Patients dependent on pain medication describe feelings of 'living in a haze' and being ignored and misunderstood by the medical profession.
New computer code for mechanics of tissues and cells in three dimensions
Biological materials are made of individual components, including tiny motors that convert fuel into motion. This creates patterns of movement, and the material shapes itself with coherent flows by constant consumption of energy. Such continuously driven materials are called 'active matter'. The mechanics of cells and tissues can be described by active matter theory, a scientific framework to understand shape, flows, and form of living materials. The active matter theory consists of many challenging mathematical equations. Scientists have now developed an algorithm, implemented in an open-source supercomputer code, that can for the first time solve the equations of active matter theory in realistic scenarios. These solutions bring us a big step closer to solving the century-old riddle of how cells and tissues attain their shape and to designing artificial biological machines.
Infection-resistant, 3D-printed metals developed for implants
A novel surgical implant was able to kill 87% of the bacteria that cause staph infections in laboratory tests, while remaining strong and compatible with surrounding tissue like current implants. The work could someday lead to better infection control in many common surgeries, such as hip and knee replacements, that are performed daily around the world. Bacterial colonization of the implants is one of the leading causes of their failure and bad outcomes after surgery. Using 3D-printing technology, the researchers added 10% tantalum, a corrosion-resistant metal, and 3% copper to the titanium alloy typically used in implants. When bacteria come into contact with the material's copper surface, almost all of their cell walls rupture. Meanwhile, the tantalum encourages healthy cell growth with surrounding bone and tissue leading to expedited healing for the patient.
Investigating the contribution of gamma-ray blazar flares to neutrino flux
Gamma-ray flares from blazars can be accompanied by high-energy neutrino emission. To better understand this phenomenon, an international research team has statistically analyzed 145 bright blazars. They constructed weekly binned light curves and utilized a Bayesian algorithm, finding that their sample was dominated by blazars with low flare duty cycles and energy fractions. The study suggests that high-energy neutrinos of blazars might be produced mainly during the flare phase.
Feeding dogs raw meat increases the risk of antibiotic-resistant E. coli
Feeding dogs raw (uncooked) meat increases their risk of excreting E. coli that cannot be killed by a widely used antibiotic -- ciprofloxacin -- researchers have found from a study of 600 healthy pet dogs.
Tiny traps can provide new knowledge about difficult-to-treat diseases
Proteins that form clumps occur in many difficult-to-treat diseases, such as ALS, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. The mechanisms behind how the proteins interact with each other are difficult to study, but now researchers have discovered a new method for capturing many proteins in nano-sized traps. Inside the traps, the proteins can be studied in a way that has not been possible before.
Researchers develop comprehensive genetic map for bison, discover gene responsible for albinism
Researchers have determined the gene mutation responsible for an observable trait in bison -- albinism.
Suboptimal follow-up, prevention in geriatric fall-related head trauma
Out of 1,527 emergency department patients ages 65 and older who suffered a head trauma associated with a ground-level fall, only about 60 percent of them followed up with their primary care physician, while 72 percent received a fall assessment and only 56 percent adopted a fall prevention strategy. Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and nonfatal injuries in the U.S., and findings indicate an urgent need to promote primary care physician fall assessment and adoption of prevention strategies in these patients.
In many major crop regions, workers plant and harvest in spiraling heat and humidity
A global study of major crops has found that farmworkers are being increasingly exposed to combinations of extreme heat and humidity during planting and harvest seasons that can make it hard for them to function. Such conditions have nearly doubled across the world since 1979, the authors report, a trend that could eventually hinder cultivation. The most affected crop is rice, the world's number one staple, followed closely by maize.
Half of tested caviar products from Europe are illegal, and some aren't even caviar
Wild caviar, a pricey delicacy made from sturgeon eggs, has been illegal for decades since poaching brought the fish to the brink of extinction. Today, legal, internationally tradeable caviar can only come from farmed sturgeon, and there are strict regulations in place to help protect the species. However, by conducting genetic and isotope analyses on caviar samples from Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, and Ukraine -- nations bordering the remaining wild sturgeon populations -- a team of sturgeon experts found evidence that these regulations are actively being broken. Their results show that half of the commercial caviar products they sampled are illegal, and some don't even contain any trace of sturgeon.
Potential glaucoma treatment strategy to guide stem cells to the retina
Scientists have developed a novel approach that allows stem cells to be turned into retinal ganglion cells that are capable of migrating and surviving in the eye's retina. This approach presents a promising new treatment strategy for diseases like glaucoma, in which the loss of retinal ganglion cells caused by the disease leads to irreversible vision loss.
Nanoplastics promote conditions for Parkinson's across various lab models
Nanoplastics interact with a particular protein that is naturally found in the brain, creating changes linked to Parkinson's disease and some types of dementia.
New research paints an uncharacteristically upbeat picture for the planet. This is because more realistic ecological modelling suggests the world's plants may be able to take up more atmospheric CO2 from human activities than previously predicted.
In the fight against malaria-carrying mosquitoes, just add soap
Deep dive on sea level rise: New modelling gives better predictions on Antarctic ice sheet melt
Using historical records from around Australia, an international team of researchers have put forward the most accurate prediction to date of past Antarctic ice sheet melt, providing a more realistic forecast of future sea level rise. The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest block of ice on earth, containing over 30 million cubic kilometers of water. Hence, its melting could have a devasting impact on future sea levels. To find out just how big that impact might be, the research team turned to the past.
Lung cancer cells' 'memories' suggest new strategy for improving treatment
Research shows that some lung cancer cells retain a 'memory' of the healthy cell where they came from -- one that might be exploited to make an emerging type of lung cancer treatment called KRAS inhibition more effective.
