ScienceDaily: All - September 27, 2023
Today's top research news
Down goes antimatter! Gravity's effect on matter's elusive twin is revealed
For the first time, in a unique laboratory experiment at CERN, researchers have observed individual atoms of antihydrogen fall under the effects of gravity. In confirming antimatter and regular matter are gravitationally attracted, the finding rules out gravitational repulsion as the reason why antimatter is largely missing from the observable universe.
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How to save plants from climate change? Just ask them
Climate change and a range of human-caused factors have disrupted the habitats of many California native trees and other plant species. Efforts to protect or relocate plant species would be bolstered by understanding which habitats are best suited for each species. A new study identified a range of characteristics from more than 100 types of plants that can be analyzed to determine each species' preferred temperature and rainfall amount.
A close-up of biological nanomachines: Researchers take a deep look at peroxisomal processes
The cell organelles known as 'peroxisomes' dispose toxic substances and fats in the human body, among other things, and, in doing so, they prevent serious illnesses. The 'Pex' group of proteins (peroxisomes biogenesis factors) keep these 'detox units' functioning properly -- and now researchers have shown, at the atomic level, how these highly complex processes proceed.
Investigating the role of greener plastics for Japan's carbon neutral goals
Researchers have investigated the potential in Japan for more sustainable plastic recycling and the market for bioplastics.
Unleashing the power of AI to track animal behavior
Scientists have created a non-invasive movement tracking method called GlowTrack that uses fluorescent dye markers to train artificial intelligence to capture movement, from a single mouse digit to the human hand. GlowTrack has applications spanning biology, robotics, medicine, and beyond.
New insect genus discovered in one of the most biodiverse rain forest regions in the world
The Allpahuayo-Mishana National Reserve in Peru has often been described as the most biodiverse rainforest in the world. For example, in recent decades, scientist have discovered several new bird species from the region. Researchers from the University of Turku in Finland have studied the insect biodiversity in Allpahuayo-Mishana for over 20 years. In their latest study, the scientist described a new wasp genus, Capitojoppa, to science.
Decreasing biodiversity may promote spread of viruses
How are environmental changes, loss of biodiversity, and the spread of pathogens connected? The answer is a puzzle. Researchers have now described one piece of that puzzle, showing that the destruction of tropical rainforests harms the diversity of mosquito species. At the same time, more resilient species of mosquitoes become more prevalent -- which also means the viruses they carry are more abundant. If there are many individuals of a given species, those viruses can spread quickly.
Exploring the effect of water on seismic wave attenuation in the upper mantle
The mechanism facilitating the smooth movement of the oceanic lithosphere over the underlying asthenosphere (upper mantle) remains poorly understood. Recently, researchers from Japan investigated the effect of water on the seismic properties of olivine rocks, finding that water retention in the asthenosphere can induce sharp drops in shear wave velocity. This also explained other seismic changes observed at the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. These findings provide invaluable insights into the diverse seismic activities on Earth.
One-hour training is all you need to control a third robotic arm, study finds
A new study has found that people can learn to use supernumerary robotic arms as effectively as working with a partner in just one hour of training.
Increasing steps by 3,000 per day can lower blood pressure in older adults, study finds
An estimated 80 percent of older adults in the U.S. have high blood pressure. Maintaining healthy blood pressure can protect against serious conditions like heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes. A new study found that adding a relatively minimal amount of movement, about 3,000 steps per day, can significantly reduce high blood pressure in older adults.
Study sheds new light on strange lava worlds
In a new study, scientists have shown that sweeping molten oceans have a large influence on the observed properties of hot rocky Super-Earths, such as their size and evolutionary path.
