ScienceDaily: All - October 04, 2023
Today's top research news
New technology could reduce lag, improve reliability of online gaming, meetings
Whether you’re battling foes in a virtual arena or collaborating with colleagues across the globe, lag-induced disruptions can be a major hindrance to seamless communication and immersive experiences. That’s why researchers have developed new technology to make data transfer over optical fiber communication faster and more efficient.
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Simultaneous large wildfires will increase in Western U.S.
Simultaneous outbreaks of large wildfires will become more frequent in the Western United States this century as the climate warms, putting major strains on efforts to fight fires, according to new research. The most severe wildfire seasons will become at least twice as frequent.
Study identifies jet-stream pattern that locks in extreme winter cold, wet spells
Winter is coming—eventually. And while the earth is warming, a new study suggests that the atmosphere is being pushed around in ways that cause long bouts of extreme winter cold or wet in some regions. The study’s authors say they have identified giant meanders in the global jet stream that bring polar air southward, locking in frigid or wet conditions concurrently over much of North America and Europe, often for weeks at a time. Such weather waves, they say, have doubled in frequency since the 1960s. In just the last few years, they have killed hundreds of people and paralyzed energy and transport systems.
Understanding greenhouse gases in oil palm plantations
The rapid spread of oil palm plantations and associated high use of fertilizer raises concerns about the emission of nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse gas. A new study shows that oil palms’ photosynthesis and their response to meteorological and soil conditions play an important but still widely unexplored role in the amount of nitrous oxide produced by oil palm plantations.
Being a vegetarian may be partly in your genes
A person's genetic makeup plays a role in determining whether they can stick to a strict vegetarian diet, a new study has found. The findings open the door to further studies that could have important implications regarding dietary recommendations and the production of meat substitutes.
Proteins roll the dice to determine bee sex
To date it has been unclear exactly how the sex of a bee is determined. A research team comprising biologists and chemists has now identified a key gene and the molecular mechanism linked with it. They describe how this process is similar to a game involving two dice.
Meadow Spittlebug's record-breaking diet also makes it top disease carrier for plants
New research fueled in part by citizen scientists reveals that the meadow spittlebug—known for the foamy, spit-like urine released by its nymphs—can feed on at least 1,300 species of host plants, more than twice the number of any other insect.
Staying dry for months underwater
Researchers have developed a superhydrophobic surface with a stable plastron that can last for months under water. The team’s general strategy to create long-lasting underwater superhydrophobic surfaces, which repel blood and drastically reduce or prevent the adhesion of bacterial and marine organisms such as barnacles and mussels, opens a range of applications in biomedicine and industry.
Hospital superbugs: Could one vaccine rule them all?
A new study shows that a single dose of the vaccine, administered in mouse models, put immune cells into 'Incredible Hulk' mode, providing rapid protection against nine different bacteria and fungi species that lurk in healthcare settings.
Machine learning used to probe the building blocks of shapes
Applying machine learning to find the properties of atomic pieces of geometry shows how AI has the power to accelerate discoveries in maths.
Invertebrate biodiversity is improving in England's rivers, long-term trends show
Rivers across England have seen a significant improvement in river invertebrate biodiversity since 1989, shows a new study.
Volcanic ash effects on Earth systems
To bridge the knowledge gap between volcanologists and atmospheric scientists working on climate change and observing global systems, researchers have characterized volcanic ash samples from many explosive eruptions of a broad compositional range.
Coaching program reduces burnout in medical residents
A pilot program that successfully reduced burnout among female medical residents has shown even greater results on a national level.
Bird species changing faster than expected in protected areas
A recent study has found that bird communities inside and outside protected areas are beginning to resemble each other as a result of climate change. In both areas, southern species increase in abundance, while northern species decrease.
Birders and AI push bird conservation to the next level
Big data and artificial intelligence (AI) are being used to model hidden patterns in nature, not just for one bird species, but for entire ecological communities across continents. And the models follow each species’ full annual life cycle, from breeding to fall migration to non-breeding grounds, and back north again during spring migration.
Could future AI crave a favorite food?
Can artificial intelligence (AI) get hungry? Develop a taste for certain foods? Not yet, but a team of researchers is developing a novel electronic tongue that mimics how taste influences what we eat based on both needs and wants, providing a possible blueprint for AI that processes information more like a human being.
Strong link between ADHD and car crashes in older adult drivers
In a study on the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its association with crash risk among older adult drivers, researchers found that older adult drivers with ADHD are at a significantly elevated crash risk compared with their counterparts without ADHD. Outcomes included hard- braking events, and self-reported traffic ticket events, and vehicular crashes. Until now research on ADHD and driving safety was largely limited to children and young adults, and few studies assessed the association of ADHD with crash risk among older adults.
These robots helped explain how insects evolved two distinct strategies for flight
Robots helped achieve a major breakthrough in our understanding of how insect flight evolved. The study is a result of a six-year long collaboration between roboticists and biophysicists.
Avatars to help tailor glioblastoma therapies
Scientists have created a new zebrafish xenograft platform to screen for novel treatments for an aggressive brain tumor called glioblastoma, according to a new study.
Selective removal of aging cells opens new possibilities for treating age-related diseases
A research team has achieved a significant breakthrough in the treatment of age-related diseases. This groundbreaking development is set to redefine the future of healthcare and usher in a new era of targeted therapeutic interventions.
Researchers working to image New Zealand's Hikurangi earthquake fault have uncovered a sea's worth of water buried in the Earth's crust. The water was carried down by eroding volcanic rocks and is believed to be dampening the earthquake fault, allowing it to release most of the pent-up tectonic stress through harmless slow slip earthquakes.
Should fathers be screened for postpartum depression? Pilot study
Pilot study shows 30% of dads screened had postpartum depression.
Study raises concerns over powdered infant formula preparation machines
A new study raises concerns over powdered infant formula preparation machines.
Wastewater detects signs of antimicrobial resistance in aged care facilities
A new study analyzing wastewater samples from several aged care facilities and retirement homes, has uncovered worrying signs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a concerning trend in aged care facilities.
AI drones to help farmers optimize vegetable yields
For reasons of food security and economic incentive, farmers continuously seek to maximize their marketable crop yields. As plants grow inconsistently, at the time of harvesting, there will inevitably be variations in quality and size of individual crops. Finding the optimal time to harvest is therefore a priority for farmers. A new approach making heavy use of drones and artificial intelligence demonstrably improves this estimation by carefully and accurately analyzing individual crops to assess their likely growth characteristics.
Women living in more walkable neighborhoods have lower rates of obesity-related cancers
Residing in a more walkable neighborhood protects against the risk of overall obesity-related cancers in women, specifically postmenopausal breast cancer, but also ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and multiple myeloma, according to a new study. Obesity has been linked to increased risk for 13 types of cancer in women, and physical activity, independent of body size, lowers risk for some of these cancers. Until now long-term studies of neighborhood walkability and risk for obesity-related cancer were limited.
Honeybees are more selective in their choices for nutrition than previously thought
An international research group examined which plants honeybees favor when collecting nectar and pollen. The choices honeybees make have an impact on their health and also on humans, as honeybees pollinate important crop plants.
Cats purr differently than previously thought
A recent investigation delivers novel insights into how cats produce their purring sounds. A special 'pad' embedded in the vocal folds might explain how cats can produce these low-frequency sounds.
Ancient technology turns plant-based cheese into 'something we want to eat'
To produce plant-based cheeses that feel and taste like dairy cheese, scientists have their sights set on fermentation. In a new research result, scientists demonstrate the potential of fermentation for producing climate-friendly cheeses that people want to eat.
Scientists develop 3D printing method that shows promise for repairing brain injuries
Researchers have produced an engineered tissue representing a simplified cerebral cortex by 3D printing human stem cells. When implanted into mouse brain slices, the structures became integrated with the host tissue. The technique may ultimately be developed into tailored repairs to treat brain injuries.
Tracking the bacteria behind life-threatening sepsis in premature babies
A new study into sepsis in neonatal babies has uncovered the secrets of the bacteria’s success in causing this life-threatening condition. Using genomic sequencing, they have found how certain strains of bacteria that usually live harmlessly on the skin can evade control measures by colonizing babies’ guts. This will provide new ways to control this threat to babies’ health.
Insect cyborgs: Towards precision movement
Insect cyborgs may sound like something straight out of the movies, but hybrid insect computer robots, as they are scientifically called, could pioneer a new future for robotics. It involves using electrical stimuli to control an insect’s movement. Now, an international research group has conducted a study on the relationship between electrical stimulation in stick insects' leg muscles and the resulting torque (the twisting force that causes the leg to move).
Hot weather hits productivity -- even in air-conditioned factories
Hot weather reduces workers’ productivity – even if their workplace is air conditioned.
Graphene oxide reduces the toxicity of Alzheimer's proteins
A probable early driver of Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of molecules called amyloid peptides. These cause cell death, and are commonly found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Researchers have now shown that yeast cells that accumulate these misfolded amyloid peptides can recover after being treated with graphene oxide nanoflakes.
Individual voice could help birds be recognized in a flock, no matter what they say.
New pipeline makes valuable organic acid from plants -- saving money and emissions
In a breakthrough for environmentally friendly chemical production, researchers have developed an economical way to make succinic acid, an important industrial chemical, from sugarcane. The team has created a cost-effective, end-to-end pipeline for this valuable organic acid by engineering a tough, acid-tolerant yeast as the fermenting agent, avoiding costly steps in downstream processing. Succinic acid is a widely used additive for food and beverages and has diverse applications in agricultural and pharmaceutical products. This same pipeline can be used to produce other industrially important organic acids from crops rather than petroleum-based processes, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
A prehistoric cosmic airburst preceded the advent of agriculture in the Levant
Agriculture in Syria started with a bang 12,800 years ago as a fragmented comet slammed into the Earth’s atmosphere. The explosion and subsequent environmental changes forced hunter-gatherers in the prehistoric settlement of Abu Hureyra to adopt agricultural practices to boost their chances for survival.
Power of rhythm as a design element in evolution and robotics
As the internet quickly fills with viral videos of futuristic robots darting and racing around like the animals they’re built to mimic, researchers say that there’s an element of their movement’s programming that should not be overlooked: rhythm.
Carbon-capture tree plantations threaten tropical biodiversity for little gain, ecologists say
The increasingly urgent climate crisis has led to a boom in commercial tree plantations in an attempt to offset excess carbon emissions. However, authors argue that these carbon-offset plantations might come with costs for biodiversity and other ecosystem functions. Instead, the authors say we should prioritize conserving and restoring intact ecosystems.
Human disease simulator lets scientists choose their own adventure
Scientists have developed a device smaller than a toddler's shoebox -- called Lattice --that can simulate any human disease in up to eight organs (cell cultures from a human organ) or test new drugs without ever entering -- or harming -- the body. It is a major advancement from current in vitro systems, which can only study two cell cultures simultaneously.
New strategy for eye condition could replace injections with eyedrops
A new compound potentially could offer an alternative to injections for the millions of people who suffer from an eye condition that causes blindness.
Carbon capture method plucks CO2 straight from the air
Even as the world slowly begins to decarbonize industrial processes, achieving lower concentrations of atmospheric carbon requires technologies that remove existing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — rather than just prevent the creation of it.
Instant evolution: AI designs new robot from scratch in seconds
Researchers developed the first AI to date that can intelligently design robots from scratch by compressing billions of years of evolution into mere seconds. It's not only fast but also runs on a lightweight computer and designs wholly novel structures from scratch — without human-labeled, bias-filled datasets.
A promising treatment on the horizon for cancer-related fatigue
Cancer-related fatigue is a debilitating yet all-too-common condition, which can severely affect quality of life for patients undergoing treatment. For those struggling with CRF, there have been no effective pharmaceutical treatments for the constellation of symptoms that together define the syndrome. Researchers found that a metabolism-targeting drug called dichloroacetate (DCA) helped alleviate CRF in mice, without interfering with cancer treatments.
Large mound structures on Kuiper belt object Arrokoth may have common origin
A new study posits that the large, approximately 5-kilometer-long mounds that dominate the appearance of the larger lobe of the pristine Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth are similar enough to suggest a common origin. The study suggests that these “building blocks” could guide further work on planetesimal formational models.
Pregnant women offered new hope for safe and effective gestational diabetes treatment
A clinical trial into treatment for gestational diabetes, involving more than 500 pregnant women, has revealed what the lead academic has described as a significant step forward for women. The research has found benefits for both mothers and their newborn babies, and alleviated concerns over the use of the drug metformin, including less weight gain for mothers; no evidence of increase in preterm birth; and no differences in adverse neonatal outcomes.
