ScienceDaily: All - October 19, 2023
Today's top research news
Astronomers detect most distant fast radio burst to date
An international team has spotted a remote blast of cosmic radio waves lasting less than a millisecond. This 'fast radio burst' (FRB) is the most distant ever detected. Its source was pinned down by the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT) in a galaxy so far away that its light took eight billion years to reach us. The FRB is also one of the most energetic ever observed; in a tiny fraction of a second it released the equivalent of our Sun's total emission over 30 years.
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Holy bat skull! Fossil adds vital piece to bat evolution puzzle
Bats may have lived in caves and used soundwaves to navigate much earlier than first thought.
Red meat consumption associated with increased type 2 diabetes risk
People who eat just two servings of red meat per week may have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to people who eat fewer servings, and the risk increases with greater consumption, according to a new study. Researchers also found that replacing red meat with healthy plant-based protein sources, such as nuts and legumes, or modest amounts of dairy foods, was associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
Black holes could come in 'perfect pairs' in an ever expanding Universe
Researchers have shown it's theoretically possible for black holes to exist in perfectly balanced pairs -- held in equilibrium by a cosmological force -- mimicking a single black hole.
'I'd rather not know': Why we choose ignorance
When given the choice to learn how their actions will affect someone else, 40% of people will choose ignorance, often in order to have an excuse to act selfishly, according to new research.
Scientists propose super-bright light sources powered by quasiparticles
Researchers have proposed ways to use quasiparticles to create light sources as powerful as the most advanced ones in existence today, but much smaller.
Wearable device makes memories and powers up with the flex of a finger
Researchers have invented an experimental wearable device that generates power from a user's bending finger and can create and store memories, in a promising step towards health monitoring and other technologies.
Biodegradable plastics still damaging to fish
Biodegradable plastics may not be the solution to plastic pollution many hoped for, with a new study showing they are still harmful to fish.
Promising new options for treating aggressive prostate cancer
Going rogue: Scientists apply giant wave mechanics on a nanometric scale
Researchers have shown how the principles of rogue waves -- huge 30-meter waves that arise unexpectedly in the ocean -- can be applied on a nano scale, with dozens of applications from medicine to manufacturing.
Drought conditions expose rivers to hotter water temperatures
AÂ new study reveals how reduced water flows and rising atmospheric temperatures are set to heat our rivers -- creating major challenges for aquatic life, ecosystems, and society.
Researchers uncover mechanism that links NAD+ to fertility problems
A woman's fertility normally decreases by her late 30s with reproductive function eventually ceasing at menopause. It is known that a small molecule called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) plays a critical role in this decline, and scientists have revealed how this happens and have identified potential new approaches to enhance reproductive longevity.