ScienceDaily: All - November 29, 2023
Today's top research news
Brittle stars can learn just fine -- even without a brain
We humans are fixated on big brains as a proxy for smarts. But headless animals called brittle stars have no brains at all and still manage to learn through experience, new research reveals. These shy marine creatures have no brain to speak of -- just nerve cords running down each of their five wiggly arms. But that seems to be enough to learn by association, researchers report.
Unknown animals were leaving bird-like footprints in Late Triassic Southern Africa
Ancient animals were walking around on bird-like feet over 210 million years ago, according to a new study.
ressormat/shutterstock.com
Slippery toilet bowl treatment causes bacteria to slide right off
When entering public restrooms, it's hard not to dwell on what germs previous users have left behind in the toilet bowl. Imagine, instead, a self-cleaning system that doesn't require a brightly colored gel. Researchers have developed a simple, transparent coating that makes surfaces, like porcelain, more water-repellent. They show how this surface treatment effectively prevents bacteria from sticking to the inside of a toilet bowl.
Blasts to clear World War II munitions could contaminate the ocean
World War II concluded decades ago, but live mines lurking on the ocean floor still pose threats, potentially spewing unexpected geysers or releasing contaminants into the water. Experts conduct controlled explosions to clear underwater munitions, but concerns have arisen over the environmental impacts from these blasts. New results show that the contamination produced by detonation depends on the blast type, with weaker explosions leaving behind more potentially toxic residues.
Bees are still being harmed despite tightened pesticide regulations
A new study has confirmed that pesticides, commonly used in farmland, significantly harm bumblebees one of the most important wild pollinators. In a huge study spanning 106 sites across eight European countries, researchers have shown that despite tightened pesticide regulations, far more needs to be done.
An astronomical waltz reveals a sextuplet of planets
Astronomers have found a key new system of six transiting planets orbiting a bright star in a harmonic rhythm. This rare property enabled the team to determine the planetary orbits which initially appeared as an unsolvable riddle.
Study of ancient British oral microbiomes reveals shift following Black Death
The Second Plague Pandemic of the mid-14th century, also known as the Black Death, killed 30-60 percent of the European population and profoundly changed the course of European history. New research suggests that this plague, potentially through resulting changes in diet and hygiene, may also be associated with a shift in the composition of the human oral microbiome toward one that contributes to chronic diseases in modern-day humans.
Clever dosage control mechanism of biallelic genes
Researchers have uncovered a mechanism that safeguards the biallelic expression of haploinsufficient genes, shedding light on the importance of having two copies of each chromosome. A study identified the epigenetic regulator MSL2 an 'anti-monoallelic' factor that maintains biallelic gene dosage. This discovery not only reveals a communication system between parental alleles but also points to potential therapeutic strategies for diseases associated with haploinsufficient genes.
Soccer heading linked to measurable decline in brain function
New research links soccer heading -- where players hit the ball with their head -- to a measurable decline in the microstructure and function of the brain over a two-year period.
Early humans hunted beavers, 400,000 years ago
Around 400,000 years ago, early humans hunted beavers as a food resource and possibly also for their pelts.The authors show that Middle Pleistocene humans systematically fed on these smaller animals and hence had a more varied diet than thus far known. Previously, the opinion was that that hominins of this age primarily subsisted on large mammals, such as bovids and rhinoceroses.
Conscientious personalities less at risk of dementia diagnosis
People with personality traits such as conscientiousness, extraversion and positive affect are less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than those with neuroticism and negative affect, according to a new analysis. The difference was not linked to physical damage to brain tissue found in dementia patients, but more likely to how certain personality traits help people navigate dementia-related impairments.
Building blocks for life could have formed near new stars and planets
While life on Earth is relatively new, geologically speaking, the ingredients that combined to form it might be much older than once thought. The simplest amino acid, carbamic acid, could have formed alongside stars or planets within interstellar ices. The findings could be used to train deep space instruments like the James Webb Space Telescope to search for prebiotic molecules in distant, star-forming regions of the universe.
Swapping blood for spit -- for convenient at-home health monitoring
Blood tests are a common, yet often painful, step in health care. But what if we could skip the needles altogether? Saliva and blood contain many of the same biomarkers, and collecting spit is as simple as drooling into a container. Researchers have developed a device that detects glucose and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) biomarkers in saliva with high sensitivity, which could help make at-home health monitoring easier and without a poke.
Enhanced treatment of liver carcinoma with a drug-eluting hydrogel
Scientists have developed an injectable or catheter-administered hydrogel with enhanced capabilities for treating hepatocellular carcinoma, a deadly form of liver cancer. This drug-eluting hydrogel can provide sustained, pH-dependent drug co-delivery and has capabilities for promoting anti-tumor immune responses. This reduces tumor cell proliferation and growth and offers a more efficient means of enabling tumor cell death.
Researchers identify cell signaling pathway controlling melanoma cell metastasis to the brain
Researchers have been working to better understand what drives melanoma brain metastasis. They now report on the identification of a cell signaling pathway that regulates the metastatic spread of melanoma cells to the brain.
Greener solution powers new method for lithium-ion battery recycling
Used lithium-ion batteries from cell phones, laptops and a growing number of electric vehicles are piling up, but options for recycling them remain limited mostly to burning or chemically dissolving shredded batteries. Researchers have improved on approaches that dissolve the battery in a liquid solution in order to reduce the amount of hazardous chemicals used in the process. This simple, efficient and environmentally-friendly solution overcomes the main obstacles presented by previous approaches.
New astrophysics model sheds light on additional source of long gamma-ray bursts
Cutting-edge computer simulations combined with theoretical calculations are helping astronomers better understand the origin of some of the universe's most energetic and mysterious light shows -- gamma-ray bursts, or GRBs. The new unified model confirms that some long-lasting GRBs are created in the aftermath of cosmic mergers that spawn an infant black hole surrounded by a giant disk of natal material.
Brain scans of former NFL athletes show a repair protein in place long after initial injury
In a new study using brain scans of former NFL athletes, researchers say they found high levels of a repair protein present long after a traumatic brain injury such as a concussion takes place.
Mindfulness-based intervention shows promise for PTSD in cardiac arrest survivors
A novel pilot study incorporating mindfulness into exposure therapy shows promise for reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress in cardiac arrest survivors. One in three survivors of cardiac arrest survivors develop PTSD, increasing their risk of mortality, yet no specific treatment has been developed for this population.
Drugs already licensed could be trialled to potentially treat secondary brain cancer
The largest review of papers for brain cancer that has spread from the lungs has found abnormalities in the brain cancer and for which licensed drugs could be clinically trialed to find out if they could treat the disease. The research also found genetic differences between smokers and non-smokers.
A single Bitcoin transaction could cost as much water as a backyard swimming pool
Cryptocurrency mining uses a significant amount of water amid the global water crisis, and its water demand may grow further. Researchers provides the first comprehensive estimate of Bitcoin's water use. He warns that its sheer scale could impact drinking water if it continues to operate without constraints, especially in countries that are already battling water scarcity, including the U.S.
Landscape dynamics determine the evolution of biodiversity on Earth
A landmark study into the geological timescale distribution of sediment and nutrients over 500 million years shows that species biodiversity on Earth is driven by landscape dynamics.
Quantum tool opens door to uncharted phenomena
Scientists have developed a new tool for the measurement of entanglement in many-body systems and demonstrated it in experiments. The method enables the study of previously inaccessible physical phenomena and could contribute to a better understanding of quantum materials.
Astronomers discover disc around star in another galaxy
In a remarkable discovery, astronomers have found a disc around a young star in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a galaxy neighboring ours. It's the first time such a disc, identical to those forming planets in our own Milky Way, has ever been found outside our galaxy. The new observations reveal a massive young star, growing and accreting matter from its surroundings and forming a rotating disc.
Nearly 400,000 new compounds added to open-access materials database
New technology often calls for new materials -- and with supercomputers and simulations, researchers don't have to wade through inefficient guesswork to invent them from scratch.
Tracing the evolution of the 'little brain'
The evolution of higher cognitive functions in humans has so far mostly been linked to the expansion of the neocortex. Researchers are increasingly realizing, however, that the 'little brain' or cerebellum also expanded during evolution and probably contributes to the capacities unique to humans. A research team has now generated comprehensive genetic maps of the development of cells in the cerebella of human, mouse and opossum. Comparisons of these maps reveal both ancestral and species-specific cellular and molecular characteristics of cerebellum development.
Eye-safe laser technology to diagnose traumatic brain injury
Researchers have designed and developed a novel diagnostic device to detect traumatic brain injury (TBI) by shining a safe laser into the eye.
To build better tuberculosis vaccines, researchers develop new model by leveraging an old vaccine
Scientists report a promising new approach to speed vaccine testing for TB.
Newborn babies at risk from bacteria commonly carried by mothers
One in 200 newborns is admitted to a neonatal unit with sepsis caused by a bacteria commonly carried by their mothers -- much greater than the previous estimate, say researchers. The team has developed an ultra-sensitive test capable of better detecting the bacteria, as it is missed in the vast majority of cases.
Researchers find connections between neuroinflammation and Alzheimer's disease
Investigators revealed how genetic changes in certain types of brain cells may contribute to the inflammatory response seen in Alzheimer's disease.
Network of robots can successfully monitor pipes using acoustic wave sensors
An inspection design method and procedure by which mobile robots can inspect large pipe structures has been demonstrated with the successful inspection of multiple defects on a three-meter long steel pipe using guided acoustic wave sensors.
Psychological science can help counter spread of misinformation
Debunking, 'prebunking,' nudging and teaching digital literacy are several of the more effective ways to counter misinformation, according to a new report.
Flower power on Indian farms helps bees and boosts livelihoods
Planting flowers beside food crops on farms in India attracts bees, boosts pollination and improves crop yield and quality, researchers have found.
How do you make a robot smarter? Program it to know what it doesn't know
Engineers have come up with a new way to teach robots to know when they don't know. The technique involves quantifying the fuzziness of human language and using that measurement to tell robots when to ask for further directions. Telling a robot to pick up a bowl from a table with only one bowl is fairly clear. But telling a robot to pick up a bowl when there are five bowls on the table generates a much higher degree of uncertainty -- and triggers the robot to ask for clarification.
