|  Spirals of light may lead to better electronics  | Researchers have created the optical equivalent of a tuning fork -- a device that can help steady the electrical currents needed to power high-end electronics and stabilize the signals of high-quality lasers. The work marks the first time that such a device has been miniaturized to fit on a chip and may pave the way to improvements in high-speed communications, navigation, and remote sensing. | Read More » Martian chemical complicates hunt for life's clues  | The quest for evidence of life on Mars could be more difficult than scientists previously thought. A scientific paper published today details the investigation of a chemical in the Martian soil that interferes with the techniques used by the Curiosity rover to test for traces of life. The chemical causes the evidence to burn away during the tests. | Read More » NASA Mars rover Curiosity finds water in first sample of planet surface  | The first scoop of soil analyzed by the analytical suite in the belly of NASA's Curiosity rover reveals that fine materials on the surface of the planet contain several percent water by weight. | Read More » New energy storage capabilities between the layers of two-dimensional materials  | Researchers are continuing to expand the capabilities and functionalities of a family of two-dimensional materials they discovered that are as thin as a single atom, but have the potential to store massive amounts of energy. Their latest achievement has pushed the materials storage capacities to new levels while also allowing for their use in flexible devices. | Read More » Observations reveal critical interplay of interstellar dust, hydrogen  | For astrophysicists, the interplay of hydrogen -- the most common molecule in the universe -- and the vast clouds of dust that fill the voids of interstellar space has been an intractable puzzle of stellar evolution. | Read More » Unusual Mars rock: Pyramid-shaped volcanic rock unlike any other Martian igneous rock ever found  | The first rock that scientists analyzed on Mars with a pair of chemical instruments aboard the Curiosity rover turned out to be a doozy -- a pyramid-shaped volcanic rock called a "mugearite" that is unlike any other Martian igneous rock ever found. | Read More » Lunar orbiters discover source of space weather near Earth  | Solar storms, powerful eruptions of solar material and magnetic fields into interplanetary space, can cause hazards on Earth known as space weather, ranging from interference with radio communications to extensive power blackouts, complete failure of critical satellites and even the shutdown of GPS-guided transportation and global communication systems. New research increases our understanding of our space environment, and explains the source of Earth's space weather. | Read More » Study links heavy texting, sleep problems in college freshmen  | A new study has found that texting was direct predictor of sleep problems in first-year college students. | Read More » Lithium in the brain  | Experiments with neutrons show that the antidepressant lithium accumulates more strongly in white matter of the brain than in grey matter. This leads to the conclusion that it works differently from synthetic psychotropic drugs. Brain tissue samples were examined in one study with the aim of developing a better understanding of the effects this substance has on the human psyche. | Read More » Getting better together: Study looks at shared medical decision making  | A recent study looked at a group of patients with advanced hip and knee osteoarthritis and found that they reached an informed treatment decision after their first visit with an orthopaedic surgeon. | Read More » Research reveals bottom feeding techniques of tagged humpback whales in Stellwagen Bank Sanctuary  | New research on tagged humpback whales in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary reveals a variety of previously unknown feeding techniques along the seafloor. Rather than a single bottom feeding behavior, the whales show three distinct feeding approaches: Simple side-rolls, side-roll inversions, and repetitive scooping. | Read More » How to make ceramics that bend without breaking: Self-deploying medical devices?  | New materials could lead to actuators on a chip and self-deploying medical devices. Ceramics are not known for their flexibility: they tend to crack under stress. But researchers have just found a way around that problem -- for very tiny objects, at least. The team has developed a way of making minuscule ceramic objects that are not only flexible, but also have a "memory" for shape: When bent and then heated, they return to their original shapes. | Read More » Water glides freely across 'nanodrapes' made from the world's thinnest material  | Engineering researchers have developed a new drape made from graphene -- the thinnest material known to science -- which can enhance the water-resistant properties of materials with rough surfaces. These "nanodrapes" are less than a nanometer thick, chemically inert, and provide a layer of protection without changing the properties of the underlying material. | Read More » Steroids may persist longer in the environment than expected  | Certain anabolic steroids and pharmaceutical products last longer in the environment than previously known, according to a new study. The researchers found that the steroid trenbolone acetate, along with some other pharmaceutical products, never fully degrade in the environment, and in fact can partially regenerate themselves. | Read More » Scientists identify brain circuitry that triggers overeating  | Researchers have pinpointed the precise cellular connections responsible for triggering binge eating. The finding lends insight into a cause for obesity and could lead to treatments for anorexia, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder -- the most prevalent eating disorder in the U.S. | Read More » Tick tock: Marine animals with at least two internal clocks  | Animals living in marine environments keep to their schedules with the aid of multiple independent -- and, in at least some cases, interacting -- internal clocks. The findings, suggest that multiple clocks -- not just the familiar, 24-hour circadian clock -- might even be standard operating equipment in animals. | Read More » Abuse, lack of parental warmth in childhood linked to multiple health risks in adulthood  | A new study for the first time examines the effects of abuse and lack of parental affection across the body's entire regulatory system, and finds a strong biological link for how negative early life experiences affect physical health. | Read More » Biologists confirm role of sperm competition in formation of new species  | Female promiscuity -- something that occurs in a majority of species, including humans -- results in the ejaculates from two or more males overlapping within her reproductive tract. When this happens, sperm compete for fertilization of the female's eggs. In addition, the female has the opportunity to bias fertilization of her eggs in favor of one male's sperm over others. | Read More » How viral infection disrupts neural development in offspring, increasing risk of autism  | Activating a mother's immune system during her pregnancy disrupts the development of neural cells in the brain of her offspring and damages the cells' ability to transmit signals and communicate with one another, an animal study suggests. They said the finding suggests how maternal viral infection might increase the risk of having a child with autism spectrum disorder or schizophrenia. | Read More » A genetic map for complex diseases  | Scientists have created one of the most expansive analyses to date of the genetic factors at play in complex diseases such as autism and heart disease by using diseases with known genetic causes to guide them. Identifying trends of co-occurrence among hundreds of diseases in 120 million patients, they created a unique genetic map that has the potential to help diagnose, identify risk factors for and someday develop therapies against complex diseases. | Read More » Medical sensors improve with holey gold nanostructures  | A new method that fabricates gold nanostructures quickly and efficiently could lead to highly sensitive, portable medical sensors. | Read More » Hidden genetic code for better designer genes  | The relative abundance of rare "words," or codons, in bacterial genes helps control how much of the corresponding protein the bacteria produce. The results could help scientists engineer bacteria more precisely than ever before, and greatly increase the efficiency of microbial manufacturing. | Read More » Bone hormone influences brain development and cognition  | Researchers have found that the skeleton, acting through the bone-derived hormone osteocalcin, exerts a powerful influence on prenatal brain development and cognitive functions such as learning, memory, anxiety, and depression in adult mice. Findings from the mouse study could lead to new approaches to the prevention and treatment of neurologic disorders. | Read More » Warm summers coincide with less frequent flooding  | Over the past 2,500 years, flooding in the Alps has been less frequent during warm summers than during cool summers. This research suggests that the frequency of flooding can be expected to wane in the central Alps. | Read More » Hospital-grade lightweight blood flow imager on the cheap  | Tracking blood flow in the laboratory is an important tool for studying ailments like migraines or strokes and designing new ways to address them. Now, using $90 worth of off-the-shelf commercial parts including a webcam and a laser pointer, researchers have duplicated the performance of expensive, scientific-grade LSCI instruments at a fraction of the cost. | Read More » Human influence on climate clear, IPCC report says  | Human influence on the climate system is clear. This is evident in most regions of the globe, a new assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes. It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. The evidence for this has grown, thanks to more and better observations, an improved understanding of the climate system response and improved climate models. | Read More » Human robot getting closer: iCub robot must learn from its experiences  | A robot that feels, sees and, in particular, thinks and learns like us. It still seems like science fiction, but new research hints that it could happen. Scientists are working to implement the cognitive process of the human brain in robots. A new humanoid will blur the boundaries between robot and human. | Read More » Superfast switching of quantum light sources  | Usually, an elementary light source – such as an excited atom or molecule – emits light of a particular color at an unpredictable instance in time. Recently, however, scientists have shown that a light source can be coaxed to emit light at a desired moment in time, within an ultrashort burst. The superfast switching of a light source has applications in fast stroboscopes without laser speckle, in the precise control of quantum systems and for ultrasecure communication using quantum cryptography. | Read More » Professor develops 'brain' for robots  | Scientists have developed a new feedback system to remotely control mobile robots. This research will allow robots to operate with minimal supervision and could eventually lead to a robot that can learn or even become autonomous. | Read More » Beautiful brushstrokes drawn from data  | A good painter uses simple strokes of a brush to bring texture, contrast and depth to a blank canvas. In comparison, computer programs can have difficulty reproducing the complex and varied forms of brushstrokes, and often require painstaking effort to mimic a brief sweep of paint. A new program creates the look and texture of actual brushstrokes. | Read More » Space-based laser system as a cost-effective way to nudge small asteroids away from collision course with Earth  | A space-based laser system could be a cost-effective way to nudge small asteroids away from a collision course with Earth. | Read More » Made to order at the synapse: Dynamics of protein synthesis at neuron tip  | Protein synthesis in nerve cell dendrites underlies long-term memory formation in the brain, among other functions. Knowing how proteins are made to order at the synapse can help researchers better understand how memories are made. RNA translation is dictated by translational hotspots, where translation is occurring in a ribosome at any one time in a discrete spot. | Read More » Colonizing songbirds lost sense of syntax  | As one species of European songbird island-hopped to colonize mid-Atlantic archipelagoes over the course of a half million years, their songs lost their sense of syntax. | Read More » 'Jekyll-and-Hyde' protein offers a new route to cancer drugs  | The mood changes of a 'Jekyll-and-Hyde' protein, which sometimes boosts tumour cell growth and at other times suppresses it, have been explained in a new study. | Read More » Folic acid deficiency can affect the health of great, great grandchildren  | A study reveals that a mutation in a gene necessary for the metabolism of folic acid not only impacts the immediate offspring but can also have detrimental health effects on the next several generations. | Read More » Newly identified antibodies effectively treat Alzheimer's-like disease in mice  | Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the accumulation of particular toxic proteins in the brain that are believed to underlie the cognitive decline in patients. A new study conducted in mice suggests that newly identified antibody treatments can prevent the accumulation of one of these of these toxic components, called tau proteins. The findings suggest that these antibodies may provide a basis for a promising therapy for patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. | Read More » Key cellular mechanism in body's 'battery' can either spur or stop obesity  | Becoming obese or remaining lean can depend on the dynamics of the mitochondria, the body's energy-producing "battery," according to two new studies. | Read More » Study of 'sister' stem cells uncovers new cancer clue  | Scientists have used a brand new technique for examining individual stem cells to uncover dramatic differences in the gene expression levels -- which genes are turned 'up' or 'down'-- between apparently identical 'sister' pairs. The research provides the latest evidence that despite having identical DNA, sister stem cells can display considerable differences in their molecular characteristics. | Read More » Patient's own cells might be used as treatment for Parkinson's disease  | Studies in rodents have suggested that the body may mount an immune response and destroy cells derived from iPSCs. New research in monkeys refutes these findings, suggesting that in primates like us, such cells will not be rejected by the immune system. In the paper iPSCs from nonhuman primates successfully developed into the neurons depleted by Parkinson's disease while eliciting only a minimal immune response. The cells therefore could hold promise for successful transplantation in humans. | Read More » Microbes facilitate the persistence, spread of invasive plant species by changing soil chemistry  | Invasive species are among the world's greatest threats to native species and biodiversity. Once established, invasive plants can alter soil chemistry and shift nutrient cycling in an ecosystem, impacting not only plant composition, diversity, and succession within a community, but also in the cycling of critical elements like carbon and nitrogen on a much larger scale. Could changes in soil biogeochemistry be due to an advantage that invasive plants get from interacting with their microbiome? | Read More » Scientists discover important wound-healing process  | Scientists have discovered an important process by which special immune cells in the skin help heal wounds. They found that these skin-resident immune cells function as "first responders" to skin injuries in part by producing the molecule known as interleukin-17A, which wards off infection and promotes wound healing. | Read More » Pan-cancer studies find common patterns shared by different tumor types  | Molecular analysis now shows that cancers of different organs have many shared features, while cancers from the same organ or tissue are often quite distinct. The Pan-Cancer Initiative, a major effort to analyze the molecular aberrations in cancer cells across a range of tumor types, has yielded an abundance of new findings. | Read More » Future sea level rises should not restrict new island formation in the Maldives  | The continued accumulation of sand within the iconic ring-shaped reefs inside Maldivian atolls could provide a foundation for future island development new research suggests. Islands like the Maldives are considered likely to be the first to feel the effects of climate change induced sea level rise, with future island growth essential to counter the threat of rising sea levels. | Read More » Facebook data used to predict users' age, gender and personality traits  | In the age of social media, people's inner lives are increasingly recorded through the language they use online. With this in mind, an interdisciplinary group of researchers is interested in whether a computational analysis of this language can provide as much, or more, insight into their personalities as traditional methods used by psychologists, such as self-reported surveys and questionnaires. | Read More » Methane Out, Carbon Dioxide In?  | Researchers have found that the Marcellus Shale geological formation in Pennsylvania has the potential to store roughly 50 percent of the U.S. carbon dioxide emissions produced from stationary sources between 2018 and 2030. | Read More » First long temperature reconstruction for the eastern Mediterranean based on tree rings  | For the eastern Mediterranean, an exactly dated time series of almost 900 year length was established, exhibiting the medieval warm period, the little ice age between the 16th and 19th century as well as the transition into the modern warm phase. | Read More » New medical device extremely effective at preventing HIV in women  | An intravaginal ring effectively delivers HIV-preventing drugs for one month. | Read More » Wildlife face 'Armageddon' as forests shrink  | Species living in rainforest fragments could be far more likely to disappear than was previously thought, says an international team of scientists. In a study spanning two decades, the researchers witnessed the near-complete extinction of native small mammals on forest islands created by a large hydroelectric reservoir in Thailand. | Read More » Mucus useful in treating IBD, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease  | Researchers foresee a day when mucus could be manufactured and given to sick people to help them fight inflammation and increase immunity. For the first time ever, they report that mucus in the large intestine provides a valuable anti-inflammatory and self-regulating immune function. | Read More » Antibiotic resistance in agricultural environments: A call to action  | Antibiotic resistant (ABR) pathogens are an emerging, critical human health issue. ABR has been found in soils dating back for millennia. Current research illustrates the need for considering natural, background resistance in soils in any scientific study examining the effects of antibiotics on the environment. | Read More » Setting blurred images in motion improves perception  | Blurred images that are unidentifiable as still pictures become understandable once the images are set in motion. That's because of a phenomenon called "optic flow," which may be especially relevant as a source of visual information in people with low vision. | Read More » Changing laws, attitudes of police response to drug overdose may lead to better outcomes  | A recent study has found that a change in the way police respond to drug-related overdose emergencies could contribute to improved outcomes of the victims and to the communities where overdoses occur. The study found that while law enforcement officers often serve as medical first responders, there is a lack of clarity as to what police can do, or should do, at the scene of an overdose. | Read More » In prostate cancer prognosis, telomere length may matter  | Like the plastic caps at the end of shoelaces, telomeres protect — in their case — the interior-gene containing parts of chromosomes that carry a cell's instructional material. Cancer cells are known to have short telomeres, but just how short they are from cancer cell to cancer cell may be a determining factor in a prostate cancer patient's prognosis. | Read More » | |
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