ScienceDaily: Quirky - November 13, 2024
Top quirky research news
First amber find on the Antarctic continent
Roughly 90 million years ago, climatic conditions in Antarctica were suitable for resin-producing trees. Researchers have now made the southernmost discovery of amber in the world.
Image: Kseniya Krit/Shutterstock.com
Young coral use metabolic tricks to resist bleaching
Coral larvae reduce their metabolism and increase nitrogen uptake to resist bleaching in high temperatures, according to a new study.
Synthetic cells emulate natural cellular communication
A research team has succeeded in synthesizing simple, environmentally sensitive cells complete with artificial organelles. For the first time, the researchers have also been able to emulate natural cell-cell communication using these proto-cells -- based on the model of photoreceptors in the eye. This opens up new possibilities for basic research and applications in medicine.
Giving robots superhuman vision using radio signals
Researchers have developed PanoRadar, a new tool to give robots superhuman vision by transforming simple radio waves into detailed, 3D views of the environment.
Breakthrough in photonic time crystals could change how we use and control light
An international research team has for the first time designed realistic photonic time crystals ---- exotic materials that exponentially amplify light. The breakthrough opens up exciting possibilities across fields such as communication, imaging and sensing by laying the foundations for faster and more compact lasers, sensors and other optical devices.
Astronomers' theory of how galaxies formed may be upended
The standard model for how galaxies formed in the early universe predicted that the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) would see dim signals from small, primitive galaxies. But data are not confirming the popular hypothesis that invisible dark matter helped the earliest stars and galaxies clump together.
Remarkable new swimming sea slug in the deep sea
Researchers have discovered a remarkable new species of sea slug that lives in the deep sea. Nicknamed the 'mystery mollusc,' the nudibranch Bathydevius caudactylus swims through the ocean's midnight zone with a large gelatinous hood and paddle-like tail, and lights up with brilliant bioluminescence.
A new wrinkle in turtles: Their genomes fold in a unique way, researchers find
A study described the three-dimensional architecture of turtle genomes, which fold in a configuration unlike any other animal observed so far.
A milestone in the study of octopus arms
Research describes a computational model that captures the intricate muscular architecture of an octopus arm.
Swirling polar vortices likely exist on the Sun
Like the Earth, the Sun likely has swirling polar vortices, according to new research. But unlike on Earth, the formation and evolution of these vortices are driven by magnetic fields.
Was 'Snowball Earth' a global event? Study delivers best proof yet
A series of rocks hiding around Colorado's Rocky Mountains may hold clues to a frigid period in Earth's past when glaciers several miles thick covered the entire planet.
The discovery, centred around controlling tiny hurricanes of light and electromagnetic fields, could revolutionise how much information we can deliver over cables.
The Shellowship of the Ring: Two new snail species named after Tolkien characters
Researchers have named two newly discovered freshwater snail species from Brazil after characters from The Lord of the Rings.
Robot that watched surgery videos performs with skill of human doctor, researchers report
A robot, trained for the first time by watching videos of seasoned surgeons, executed the same surgical procedures as skillfully as the human doctors, say researchers.
Secret behind the corpse flower's famous stench
A new study on titan arum -- commonly known as the corpse flower for its smell like rotting flesh -- uncovers fundamental genetic pathways and biological mechanisms that produce heat and odorous chemicals when the plant blooms. The study provides insight into the flower's ability to warm up just before blooming through a process known as thermogenesis, an uncommon trait in plants that is not well understood. The researchers also identify a new component of the corpse flower's odor, an organic chemical called putrescine.
Study of mountaineering mice sheds light on evolutionary adaptation
Highland deer mice and their lowland cousins ventured on a simulated seven-week ascent to 6,000 meters. By tracking how the mice responded to cold stress and progressively lower oxygen levels, the study tested whether deer mice have a generalized ability to acclimatize or whether some mice have evolved adaptations to local conditions. The highland mice were better able to regulate their body temperature, an indication that mice living at higher altitudes have evolved distinct ways to acclimatize to low oxygen conditions.
Measurements from 'lost' Seaglider offer new insights into Antarctic ice melting
New research reveals for the first time how a major Antarctic ice shelf has been subjected to increased melting by warming ocean waters over the last four decades. Scientists say the study -- the result of their autonomous Seaglider getting accidentally stuck underneath the Ross Ice Shelf -- suggests this will likely only increase further as climate change drives continued ocean warming.
SARS-CoV-2 'steals' our proteins to protect itself from the immune system
Researchers have discovered that SARS-CoV-2 hijacks three important host proteins that dampen the activity of the complement system, a key component of early antiviral immunity. This significantly impairs viral clearance which may affect the course of both acute COVID-19 infections and post-COVID-19 sequelae.
New insights into the Denisovans: New hominin group that interbred with modern day humans
Scientists believe individuals of the most recently discovered 'hominin' group (the Denisovans) that interbred with modern day humans passed on some of their genes via multiple, distinct interbreeding events that helped shape early human history. Scientists outline evidence suggesting that several Denisovan populations, who likely had an extensive geographical range from Siberia to Southeast Asia and from Oceania to South America, were adapted to distinct environments. They further outline a number of genes of Denisovan origin that gave modern day humans advantages in their different environments.
Scarlet Macaw parents 'play favorites,' purposefully neglect younger chicks
Researchers have discovered that scarlet macaws purposefully neglect feeding the youngest chicks in most broods, even when resources are plentiful. This results in only one or two chicks being able to fledge -- the process in which parents teach their young to fly and survive on their own -- even though broods may contain up to four chicks.
Elephant turns a hose into a sophisticated showering tool
Chimpanzees perform better on challenging computer tasks when they have an audience
When people have an audience watching them, it can change their performance for better or worse. Now, researchers have found that chimpanzees' performance on computer tasks is influenced by the number of people watching them. The findings suggest that this 'audience effect' predates the development of reputation-based human societies, the researchers say.
Insect-killing fungi find unexpected harmony in war
A new study reveals that two strains of pathogenic fungi unexpectedly divide insect victims amongst themselves rather than aggressively compete for resources.
Memories are not only in the brain, new research finds
It's common knowledge that our brains -- and, specifically, our brain cells -- store memories. But a team of scientists has discovered that cells from other parts of the body also perform a memory function, opening new pathways for understanding how memory works and creating the potential to enhance learning and to treat memory-related afflictions.
Scientists trained AI to detect faces in pain, in goats
An AI model could accurately identify goats in pain, opening up better treatment opportunities for animals and non-verbal patients.
Robot learns how to clean a washbasin
Scientists have created a robot that can learn tasks like cleaning a washbasin just by watching humans. A special sponge with sensors is used to show the robot how to clean. Using an advanced machine learning system, the robot learns how it is supposed to behave and can apply this knowledge to cleaning different washbasins.
DNA evidence rewrites story of people buried in Pompeii eruption
Researchers have used ancient DNA to challenge long-held interpretations of the people of Pompeii. Contrary to physical appearances, the DNA evidence revealed unexpected variations in gender and kinship, revising the story as written since 1748. The genetic data also underlined the cosmopolitan nature of the Roman Empire, showing that Pompeians were mainly descended from immigrants from the eastern Mediterranean.
Astrophysicists use echoes of light to illuminate black holes
Researchers have developed an innovative technique to search for black hole light echoes. Their novel method, which will make it easier for the mass and the spin of black holes to be measured, represents a major step forward, since it operates independently of many of the other ways in which scientists have probed these parameters in the past.
Research shows caterpillar fungus can slow down growth of cancer cells
New research into a chemical produced by a caterpillar fungus that has shown promise as a possible cancer treatment has revealed how it interacts with genes to interrupt cell growth signals. The discovery is an important step towards developing new drugs for the treatment of the disease.
Readily available thermoelectric generators operating under modest temperature differences can power CO2 conversion, according to a proof-of-concept study by chemists. The findings open up the intriguing possibility that the temperature differentials encountered in an array of environments -- from a typical geothermal installation on Earth to the cold, desolate surface of Mars -- could power the conversion of CO2 into a range of useful fuels and chemicals.
How gophers brought Mount St. Helens back to life in one day
When Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, lava incinerated anything living for miles around. As an experiment, scientists dropped gophers onto parts of the scorched mountain for only 24 hours. The benefits from that single day were undeniable and still visible 40 years later.
Research reveals how stormy conditions affect albatrosses' ability to feed
Researchers used biologging technology to analyse movements, activity patterns and eating habits of two species of Southern Ocean albatrosses to see how they responded to extreme weather. The study found that despite albatrosses' adaptation to use the wind to travel efficiently, both species struggled to find food in stormy weather.
Scientists unveil strategies to make self-driven vehicles passenger-friendly
Automated vehicles promise to improve urban mobility, but passenger trust remains a challenge. Providing timely, passenger-specific explanations for automated vehicle decisions can bridge this trust gap. To address this, researchers introduced TimelyTale, a dataset designed to capture real-world driving scenarios and passenger explanation needs. It would be nice to see this multimodal dataset approach for in-vehicle explanation generation improving passengers' trust and confidence in automated vehicles.
Interstellar methane as progenitor of amino acids?
Gamma radiation can convert methane into a wide variety of products at room temperature, including hydrocarbons, oxygen-containing molecules, and amino acids, reports a research team. This type of reaction probably plays an important role in the formation of complex organic molecules in the universe -- and possibly in the origin of life. They also open up new strategies for the industrial conversion of methane into high value-added products under mild conditions.
Quantum vortices confirm superfluidity in supersolid
Supersolids are a new form of quantum matter that has only recently been demonstrated. The state of matter can be produced artificially in ultracold, dipolar quantum gases. A team has now demonstrated a missing hallmark of superfluidity, namely the existence of quantized vortices as system's response to rotation. They have observed tiny quantum vortices in the supersolid, which also behave differently than previously assumed.
AI-driven mobile robots team up to tackle chemical synthesis
Researchers have developed AI-driven mobile robots that can carry out chemical synthesis research with extraordinary efficiency. Researchers show how mobile robots that use AI logic to make decisions were able to perform exploratory chemistry research tasks to the same level as humans, but much faster.
New haptic patch transmits complexity of touch to the skin
Thin, flexible device could help people with visual impairments 'feel' surroundings. Device comprises a hexagonal array of 19 actuators encapsulated in soft silicone. Device only uses energy when actuators change position, operating for longer periods of time on a single battery charge.
Asteroid grains shed light on the outer solar system's origins
Tiny grains from asteroid Ryugu are revealing clues to the magnetic forces that shaped the far reaches of the solar system over 4.6 billion years ago. The findings suggest the distal solar system harbored a weak magnetic field, which could have played a role in forming the giant planets and other objects.
Mighty radio bursts linked to massive galaxies
Researchers have uncovered where FRBs are more likely to occur in the universe -- massive star-forming galaxies rather than low - mass ones.
The egg or the chicken? An ancient unicellular says egg
Chromosphaera perkinsii is a single-celled species discovered in 2017 in marine sediments around Hawaii. The first signs of its presence on Earth have been dated at over a billion years, well before the appearance of the first animals. A team has observed that this species forms multicellular structures that bear striking similarities to animal embryos. These observations suggest that the genetic programs responsible for embryonic development were already present before the emergence of animal life, or that C. perkinsii evolved independently to develop similar processes. Nature would therefore have possessed the genetic tools to 'create eggs' long before it 'invented chickens'.