ScienceDaily: All - October 10, 2023
Today's top research news
Paleoclimatologists use ancient sediment to explore future climate in Africa
With global warming apparently here to stay, a team of paleoclimatologists are studying an ancient source to determine future rainfall and drought patterns: fossilized plants that lived on Earth millions of years ago.
Harry Beugelink/shutterstock.com
Magnetoelectric material can reconnect severed nerves
Neuroengineers designed the first self-rectifying magnetoelectric material and showed it can not only precisely stimulate neurons remotely but also reconnect a broken sciatic nerve in a rat model.
How plant-derived nutrients can affect the gut and brain
Can plant-derived nutrients alter gut bacteria to affect brain function? Scientists investigated this question in a study of overweight adults. Their findings suggest that dietary fiber can exert influence on both the composition of gut bacteria and the reward signals in the brain and associated food decision-making.
Stellar fountain of youth with turbulent formation history in the center of our galaxy
An unexpectedly high number of young stars has been identified in the direct vicinity of a supermassive black hole and water ice has been detected at the center of our galaxy.
Wild pig populations in U.S. can be managed
Recent conservation efforts have proven effective at controlling wild pig populations in the Southeastern United States, according to new research. Within 24 months of the start of control efforts in the study area located around the Savannah River Site in Aiken, South Carolina, researchers found a reduction of about 70% in relative abundance of pigs and a corresponding decline in environmental rooting damage of about 99%.
Predator-prey defense mechanisms unlock key to marine biofuel production
Researchers have unpicked the mechanism behind a marine feeding strategy that could provide a valuable renewable source of biofuel.
Extreme sports: How body and mind interact
Twelve people crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a rowing boat. One of them was Ciara Burns, a scientist, who moniored her own heartbeat. Now the data was analyzed and the results were published: It turns out that the variability of the heart rate provides a lot of information about physical and mental wellbeing.
Medical imaging fails dark skin: Researchers fixed it
A team found a way to deliver clear pictures of anyone's internal anatomy, no matter their skin tone.
Synthetic molecules can 'ferry' mucus-clearing ions blocked by cystic fibrosis
Synthetic anion binders could one day help treat the chronic lung disease.
DNA aptamer finds novel application in regulating cell differentiation
Generating specific cell lineages from induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells is the holy grail of regenerative medicine. Guiding iPSCs toward a target cell line has garnered much attention, but the process remains challenging. Now, researchers from Japan have discovered that an anti-nucleolin DNA aptamer, iSN04, can determine a cell’s lineage during differentiation. By demonstrating the generation of cardiomyocytes from murine pluripotent stem cells, their concept shows promise as a regenerative therapy.
New study offers improved strategy for social media communications during wildfires
New research offers an improved strategy for social media communications during wildfires and contradicting existing crisis communication theory.
How to cope when your values clash with your co-workers'
In our increasingly polarized society, more people may find themselves in a workplace where they are one of the few conservatives or few liberals around. A new study found that those whose values -- political or otherwise -- don't match the majority in their organization felt they received less respect and as a result were less engaged at work. Moreover, their co-workers noticed their lack of engagement.
Unifying matter, energy and consciousness
Understanding the interplay between consciousness, energy and matter could bring important insights to our fundamental understanding of reality.
Wireless, battery-free electronic 'stickers' gauge forces between touching objects
Engineers developed electronic 'stickers' that measure the force exerted by one object upon another. The force stickers are wireless, run without batteries and fit in tight spaces, making them versatile for a wide range of applications, from surgical robots to smart implants and inventory tracking.
Modular dam design could accelerate the adoption of renewable energy
Scientists have developed a new modular steel buttress dam system designed to resolve energy storage issues hindering the integration of renewable resources into the energy mix. The new modular steel buttress dam system facilitates the rapid construction of paired reservoir systems for grid-scale energy storage and generation using closed-loop pumped storage hydropower, cutting dam construction costs by one-third and reducing construction schedules by half.
Race to find world's oldest mammal fossils led to mud-slinging
The hunt for the world’s most ancient mammals descended into academic warfare in the seventies, researchers have discovered.
Maternal obesity predicts heart disease risk better than pregnancy complications
Pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes have recently been associated with a higher risk of developing heart disease later in life. But a new study has found obesity before or during pregnancy is the actual root cause of future cardiovascular disease. “We demonstrate, for the first time, that adverse pregnancy outcomes are primarily indicators — and not the root cause — of future heart health,” said corresponding author Dr. Sadiya Khan. “This means that pregnancy just reveals the risk for heart disease that is already there.” This large, multi-center and diverse study is one of the only studies to follow its participants — about half of whom were overweight or had obesity — from the beginning of their first pregnancy through several years postpartum.
Ecotoxicity testing of micro- and nano-plastics
An international team of researchers has published the first harmonized exposure protocol for ecotoxicity testing of microplastics and nanoplastics.
Ionic crystal generates molecular ions upon positron irradiation, finds new study
The interaction between solid matter and positron (the antiparticle of electron) has provided important insights across a variety of disciplines, including atomic physics, materials science, elementary particle physics, and medicine. However, the experimental generation of positronic compounds by bombardment of positrons onto surfaces has proved challenging. In a new study, researchers detect molecular ion desorption from the surface of an ionic crystal when bombarded with positrons and propose a model based on positronic compound generation to explain their results.
The changing climate creates more noise in the oceans
Due to the changing climate, the underwater world is getting ever noisier.
New analysis of the remains of victims of the 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide, contradicts the widespread belief the flu disproportionately impacted healthy young adults.
Discovery of invisible nutrient discharge on Great Barrier Reef raises concerns
Scientists using natural tracers off Queensland’s coast have discovered the source of previously unquantified nitrogen and phosphorus having a profound environmental impact on the Great Barrier Reef. Groundwater discharge accounted for approximately one-third of new nitrogen and two-thirds of phosphorus inputs, indicating that nearly twice the amount of nitrogen enters the Reef from groundwater compared to river waters.