Today's Science News
Monday, July 28, 2014
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from universities, journals, and other organizations
Fist Bumping Beats Germ-Spreading Handshake
July 28, 2014 — “Fist bumping” transmits significantly fewer bacteria than either handshaking or high-fiving, while still addressing the cultural expectation of hand-to-hand contact between patients and ... full story
New Meaning to Refrigerator Magnets: Magnets May Act as Wireless Cooling Agents
July 28, 2014 — The magnets cluttering the face of your refrigerator may one day be used as cooling agents, according to a new theory. A magnetically driven refrigerator would require no moving parts, unlike ... full story
Potential 'Universal' Blood Test for Cancer Discovered
July 28, 2014 — A simple blood test that can be used to diagnose whether people have cancer or not has been devised by researchers. The test will enable doctors to rule out cancer in patients presenting with certain ... full story
Building 'Invisible' Materials With Light
July 28, 2014 — A new technique which uses light like a needle to thread long chains of particles could help bring sci-fi concepts such as cloaking devices one step closer to ... full story
Dinosaurs Fell Victim to Perfect Storm of Events, Study Shows
July 28, 2014 — Dinosaurs might have survived the asteroid strike that wiped them out if it had taken place slightly earlier or later in history, scientists say. They found that in the few million years before a ... full story
Glow in Space Is Evidence of a Hot Bubble in Our Galaxy
July 28, 2014 — A recent study shows that the emission is dominated by the local hot bubble of gas -- 1 million degrees -- with, at most, 40 percent of emission originating within the solar system. The findings ... full story
Mutations from Venus, Mutations from Mars: Why Genetic Fertility Problems Can Persist in a Population
July 28, 2014 — Researchers explain why genetic fertility problems can persist in a population. Some 15% of adults suffer from fertility problems, many of these due to genetic factors. This is something of a ... full story
New Oral Drug Regimens Cure Hardest-to-Treat Hepatitis C Infected Patients, Could Improve Treatment Uptake
July 28, 2014 — Two new pill-only antiviral drug regimens could provide shorter, more effective treatment options with fewer side effects for the majority of patients infected with hepatitis C, even those most ... full story
Climate Change and Air Pollution Will Combine to Curb Food Supplies
July 27, 2014 — Many studies have shown the potential for global climate change to cut food supplies. But these studies have, for the most part, ignored the interactions between increasing temperature and air ... full story
Invertebrate Numbers Nearly Halve as Human Population Doubles
July 24, 2014 — Invertebrate numbers have decreased by 45 percent on average over a 35 year period in which the human population doubled, reports a study on the impact of humans on declining animal numbers. This ... full story
Trees Save Lives, Reduce Respiratory Problems
July 25, 2014 — In the first broad-scale estimate of air pollution removal by trees nationwide, scientists have calculated that trees are saving more than 850 human lives a year and preventing 670,000 incidences of ... full story
Climate Change Increases Risk of Crop Slowdown in Next 20 Years
July 25, 2014 — The world faces a small but substantially increased risk over the next two decades of a major slowdown in the growth of global corn and wheat yields because of climate change, according to new ... full story
Saharan Dust Is Key to Formation of Bahamas' Great Bank, Study Finds
July 24, 2014 — Saharan dust played a major role in the formation of the Bahamas islands, a new study suggests. Researchers showed that iron-rich Saharan dust provides the nutrients necessary for specialized ... full story
Brain's Dynamic Duel Underlies Win-Win Choices
July 24, 2014 — People choosing between two or more equally positive outcomes experience paradoxical feelings of pleasure and anxiety, feelings associated with activity in different regions of the brain, according ... full story
Maltreatment Affects the Way Children's Genes Are Activated
July 24, 2014 — In a new study, researchers found that maltreatment affects the way children's genes are activated, which has implications for their long-term development and health. The researchers examined ... full story
- Fist Bumping Beats Germ-Spreading Handshake
- Magnets May Act as Wireless Cooling Agents
- Potential 'Universal' Blood Test for Cancer
- Building 'Invisible' Materials With Light
- Dinosaurs: Victim to Perfect Storm of Events
- Glow in Space: Hot Bubble in Our Galaxy
- Why Genetic Fertility Problems Can Persist
- Drug Regimens Cure Toughest Hep C Infections
- Higher Temperatures, Pollution, Less Food
- Invertebrates Plummet as Human Pop Doubles
- Trees Save Lives, Reduce Respiratory Problems
- Climate Change Ups Risk of Lower Crop Yields
- Did Saharan Dust Help Make Bahamas' Great Bank?
- Brain's Dynamic Duel Underlies Win-Win Choices
- Abuse Affects How Kid's Genes Are Activated
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last updated on 2014-07-28 at 4:43 pm EDT
Irreversible Inhibitor for KRAS Gene Mutation Involved in Lung, Colon, and Pancreatic Cancers
July 28, 2014 — Cancer researchers have found a molecule that selectively and irreversibly interferes with the activity of a mutated cancer gene common in 30 percent of ... full story
Disruptive Effects of Anesthesia on Brain Cell Connections Are Temporary, Study Suggests
July 28, 2014 — A study of juvenile rat brain cells suggests that the effects of a commonly used anesthetic drug on the connections between brain cells are ... full story
Green Spaces Found to Increase Birth Weight
July 28, 2014 — Mothers who live near green spaces deliver babies with significantly higher birth weights, according to a new ... full story
New Protein Structure Could Help Treat Alzheimer's, Related Diseases
July 28, 2014 — Bioengineers have a designed a peptide structure that can stop the harmful changes of the body's normal proteins into a state that's linked to widespread diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ... full story
Wearable Device for Early Detection of Common Diabetes-Related Neurological Condition
July 28, 2014 — Thanks to a small, wearable device that can hang on a pair of eyeglasses, a common complication of diabetes may get caught sooner. Researchers have developed a pupillometer that scans the patient's ... full story
HIV Treatment: Interfering With Interferon
July 28, 2014 — Using the body's natural virus killers to prevent and treat HIV infection has been problematic until now because of the strong inflammatory response these molecules can arouse as they get rid of the ... full story
Drug May Aid Multiple Myeloma Patients Who Suffer from Low Platelet Counts
July 28, 2014 — A previously unknown but crucial component in the process to make platelets has been identified by researchers, a discovery that could help spare multiple myeloma patients from a dangerous side ... full story
Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1 Most Prevalent Worldwide
July 28, 2014 — In one of the largest prevalence studies to date, researchers from the UK provide national, regional, and global genotype prevalence estimates for the hepatitis C virus. Findings indicate that ... full story
Six New Genetic Risk Factors for Parkinson's Found
July 27, 2014 — Using data from over 18,000 patients, scientists have identified more than two dozen genetic risk factors involved in Parkinson's disease, including six that had not been previously reported. ... full story
New, Noncommittal Mechanism of Drug Resistance Discovered
July 27, 2014 — Microorganisms like bacteria and fungi can evade treatment by acquiring mutations in the genes targeted by antibiotics or antifungal drugs. These permanent mutations were once thought to be the only ... full story
- Cancer: Inhibitor for KRAS Gene Mutation
- Effects of Anesthesia On Brain Cells Temporary
- Green Spaces Found to Increase Birth Weight
- New Protein Structure: Treat Alzheimer's
- Device Detects Diabetes-Related Neuro Condition
- HIV Treatment: Interfering With Interferon
- Multiple Myeloma, Low Platelet Counts? New Drug
- Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1: Most Prevalent
- Six Genetic Risk Factors for Parkinson's Found
- New, Noncommittal Mechanism of Drug Resistance
Memory Relies on Astrocytes, the Brain's Lesser Known Cells: Supportive Cells Vital in Cognitive Function
July 28, 2014 — When you're expecting something -- like the meal you've ordered at a restaurant -- or when something captures your interest, unique electrical rhythms sweep through your ... full story
Six Reasons for Headaches in School-Age Children and How Parents Can Help Relieve the Pain
July 28, 2014 — As the school year approaches and begins, many parents may start to hear their children complain about ... full story
It Takes More Than Practice to Excel
July 28, 2014 — Psychologists have overturned a 20-year-old theory that people who excel in their fields are those who practiced the ... full story
New Tools Help Neuroscientists Analyze 'Big Data'
July 27, 2014 — New technologies for monitoring brain activity are generating unprecedented quantities of information. That data may hold new insights into how the brain works -- but only if researchers can ... full story
New Brain Pathways for Understanding Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity Uncovered
July 25, 2014 — Researchers have identified neural pathways that increase understanding of how the brain regulates body weight, energy expenditure, and blood glucose levels – a discovery that can lead to new ... full story
Slow Walking Speed, Memory Complaints Can Predict Dementia
July 25, 2014 — A study involving nearly 27,000 older adults on five continents found that nearly 1 in 10 met criteria for pre-dementia based on a simple test that measures how fast people walk and whether they have ... full story
Anti-Inflammatory Drug Can Prevent Neuron Loss in Parkinson's Model
July 25, 2014 — An experimental anti-inflammatory drug can protect vulnerable neurons and reduce motor deficits in a rat model of Parkinson's disease, a study has shown. The findings demonstrate that the drug, ... full story
Manipulating Key Protein in Brain Holds Potential Against Obesity, Diabetes
July 25, 2014 — A protein that controls when genes are switched on or off plays a key role in specific areas of the brain to regulate metabolism, researchers have found. The research potentially could lead to new ... full story
Experiences at Every Stage of Life Contribute to Cognitive Abilities in Old Age
July 25, 2014 — Early life experiences, such as childhood socioeconomic status and literacy, may have greater influence on the risk of cognitive impairment late in life than such demographic characteristics as race ... full story
Why Do Men Prefer Nice Women? Responsiveness and Desire
July 25, 2014 — Does responsiveness increase sexual desire in the other person? Do men perceive responsive women as more attractive, and does the same hold true for women's perceptions of men? A recent study ... full story
- Brain Study: Memory Relies On Astrocytes
- Six Reasons for Headaches in Kids
- It Takes More Than Practice to Excel
- Tools Help Neuroscientists Analyze 'Big Data'
- Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity: Brain Study
- Slow Walking Speed Can Predict Dementia
- Anti-Inflammatory Drug Prevents Neuron Loss
- Key Protein in Brain Affects Obesity, Diabetes
- Life Experiences Contribute to Old Age Abilities
- Why Do Men Prefer Nice Women?
Primary Texting Bans Associated With Lower Traffic Fatalities, Study Finds
July 25, 2014 — States that allow officers to pull over a driver for texting while driving saw fewer deaths than those that use secondary enforcement of texting bans. Some states have banned all drivers from texting ... full story
Common Blood Thinner for Pregnant Women Proven Ineffective
July 24, 2014 — A daily injection to the belly commonly prescribed for pregnant women at risk of developing blood clots is found to be ineffective. As many as one in 10 pregnant women have a tendency to develop ... full story
Overweight, Obese Preschoolers Lose More Weight When Parent Is Also Treated
July 24, 2014 — Primary care treatment of overweight and obese preschoolers works better when treatment targets both parent and child compared to when only the child is targeted. The study results suggest that ... full story
Low-Carb Diet Recommended for Diabetics
July 24, 2014 — Low carbohydrate diets should be the first point of attack in managing Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. The study suggests the need for a reappraisal of dietary guidelines due to the ... full story
Joblessness Could Kill You, but Recessions Could Be Good for Your Health
July 24, 2014 — While previous studies of individuals have shown that employees who lose their jobs have a higher mortality rate, more comprehensive studies have shown, unexpectedly, that population mortality ... full story
A Reward Is Valued More If You Choose It Yourself: New Quirky Byproduct of Learning from Reward
July 24, 2014 — Many people value rewards they choose themselves more than rewards they merely receive, even when the rewards are actually equivalent. A new study provides evidence that this long-observed quirk of ... full story
Background TV Can Be Bad for Kids
July 24, 2014 — Leaving the television on can be detrimental to children's learning and development, according to a new study. Researchers found that background television can divert a child’s attention from play ... full story
Warning: Birthdays Can Be Bad for Your Health
July 24, 2014 — Birthday-related drinking is associated with upsurges in hospital admissions among young people, research has ... full story
Stronger Early Reading Skills Predict Higher Intelligence Later
July 24, 2014 — A study of 1,890 identical twins has found that strong early reading skill might positively affect later intelligence. The twins, who are part of an ongoing longitudinal study in the United Kingdom, ... full story
Wireless Home Automation Systems Reveal More Than You Would Think About User Behavior
July 24, 2014 — Home automation systems that control domestic lighting, heating, window blinds or door locks offer opportunities for third parties to intrude on the privacy of the inhabitants and gain considerable ... full story
- Some Texting Bans Linked to Lower Traffic Deaths
- Common Blood Thinner for Pregnancy: Ineffective
- Overweight Kids Lose More When Parents Do Too
- Low-Carb Diet Recommended for Diabetics
- Recessions Could Be Good for Your Health?
- Quirky Byproduct of Learning from Reward
- Background TV Can Be Bad for Kids
- Warning: Birthdays Can Be Bad for Your Health
- Strong Early Reading Predict High IQ Later
- Privacy Concerns With Wireless Home Automation
Physicists Unlock Nature of High-Temperature Superconductivity
July 28, 2014 — Physicists have identified the 'quantum glue' that underlies a promising type of superconductivity -- a crucial step towards the creation of energy superhighways that conduct electricity without ... full story
Cool-Burning Flames in Space, Could Lead to Better Engines on Earth
July 28, 2014 — Scientists have discovered a new type of cool burning flames that could lead to cleaner, more efficient engines for cars. The discovery was made during a series of experiments on the International ... full story
How Sweet It Is: Bioenergy Advanced by New Tool
July 28, 2014 — Researchers have developed a powerful new tool that can help advance the genetic engineering of 'fuel' crops for clean, green and renewable bioenergy -- an assay that enables scientists to identify ... full story
Models for Polymer Macromolecules Using Magnets and DNA 'Springs'
July 28, 2014 — Scientists are making models for polymer macromolecules using magnets and DNA 'springs' that can be tuned for ... full story
Measuring the Smallest Magnets: Physicists Measure Magnetic Interactions Between Single Electrons
July 28, 2014 — Imagine trying to measure a tennis ball that bounces wildly, every time to a distance a million times its own size. The bouncing obviously creates enormous "background noise" that interferes with the ... full story
A Transistor-Like Amplifier for Single Photons
July 28, 2014 — Scientists have achieved a twentyfold amplification of single-photon signals with the help of an ultracold quantum ... full story
Superconductivity Could Form at High Temperatures in Layered 2-D Crystals
July 28, 2014 — An elusive state of matter called superconductivity could be realized in stacks of sheetlike crystals just a few atoms thick, new analysis determined. Electrons and 'holes' would accumulate in ... full story
'Holy Grail' of Battery Design Achieved: Stable Lithium Anode
July 27, 2014 — Researchers report that they have taken a big step toward accomplishing what battery designers have been trying to do for decades -- design a pure lithium anode. All batteries have three basic ... full story
Magnets for Fusion Energy: High-Temperature Superconductor Achieves New World Record for Electrical Current
July 25, 2014 — Scientists have achieved an electrical current of 100,000 amperes, which is by far the highest in the world, by using the new idea of assembling the state-of-the-art yttrium-based high-temperature ... full story
New System to Detect Mercury in Water Systems
July 25, 2014 — A new ultra-sensitive, low-cost and portable system for detecting mercury in environmental water has been developed by researchers. "The promising sensing performance of this system along with its ... full story
- Quantum-Glue for Superconductivity
- Cool-Burning Flames in Space: Better Engines
- How Sweet It Is: Bioenergy Advanced by New Tool
- Models for Polymer Macromolecules
- Measuring the Smallest Magnets
- A Transistor-Like Amplifier for Single Photons
- Superconductivity in Layered 2-D Crystals
- 'Holy Grail' of Batteries: Stable Lithium Anode
- New World Record for Electrical Current
- New System to Detect Mercury in Water Systems
New Mass Map of Distant Galaxy Cluster Is Most Precise Yet
July 24, 2014 — Astronomers have mapped the mass within a galaxy cluster more precisely than ever before. Created using observations from Hubble's Frontier Fields observing program, the map shows the amount and ... full story
Hubble Finds Three Surprisingly Dry Exoplanets: 'Hot Jupiters' Had Only One-Tenth to One One-Thousandth the Amount of Water Predicted
July 24, 2014 — Astronomers have gone looking for water vapor in the atmospheres of three planets orbiting stars similar to the Sun -- and have come up nearly dry. The three planets, known as HD 189733b, HD 209458b, ... full story
Voyager Spacecraft Might Not Have Reached Interstellar Space
July 23, 2014 — In 2012, the Voyager mission team announced that the Voyager 1 spacecraft had passed into interstellar space, traveling further from Earth than any other humanmade object. But, in the nearly two ... full story
New Approach in Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Target Alien Polluters
July 23, 2014 — Humanity is on the threshold of being able to detect signs of alien life on other worlds. By studying exoplanet atmospheres, we can look for gases like oxygen and methane that only coexist if ... full story
Atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's Largest Moon
July 23, 2014 — An astronomer has published the results of the comparison of his model of Titan's atmosphere with the latest ... full story
Lives and Deaths of Sibling Stars
July 23, 2014 — In a new image from ESO, young stars huddle together against clouds of glowing gas and lanes of dust. The star cluster, NGC 3293, would have been just a cloud of gas and dust itself about ten million ... full story
Satellite Galaxies Put Astronomers in a Spin
July 23, 2014 — Astronomers have studied 380 galaxies and shown that their small satellite galaxies almost always move in rotating discs. However, such satellite galaxy discs are not predicted by current models of ... full story
NASA's Fermi Finds a 'Transformer' Pulsar
July 22, 2014 — In late June 2013, an exceptional binary containing a rapidly spinning neutron star underwent a dramatic change in behavior never before observed. The pulsar's radio beacon vanished, while at the ... full story
Hubble Traces Halo of a Galaxy More Accurately Than Ever Before: An in-Depth Look at Giant Elliptical Galaxy Centaurus A
July 22, 2014 — Astronomers have probed the extreme outskirts of the stunning elliptical galaxy Centaurus A. The galaxy's halo of stars has been found to extend much further from the galaxy's center than expected ... full story
Boosting the Force of Empty Space: Theorists Propose Way to Amplify Force of Vacuum Fluctuations
July 22, 2014 — Vacuum fluctuations may be among the most counter-intuitive phenomena of quantum physics. Theorists have now proposed a way to amplify their force. The researchers believe that their proposed ... full story
- New Precise Mass Map of Distant Galaxy Cluster
- Hubble Finds Three Surprisingly Dry Exoplanets
- Voyager May Not Have Reached Interstellar Space
- Searching for Extraterrestrial Polluters
- Atmosphere of Titan, Saturn's Largest Moon
- Lives and Deaths of Sibling Stars
- Satellite Galaxies Put Astronomers in a Spin
- NASA's Fermi Finds a 'Transformer' Pulsar
- Hubble Traces Halo of Giant Elliptical Galaxy
- Vacuum Fluctuations: The Force of Empty Space
Collecting Just the Right Data: Algorithm Helps Identify Which Data to Target
July 25, 2014 — Much artificial-intelligence research addresses the problem of making predictions based on large data sets. An obvious example is the recommendation engines at retail sites like Amazon and Netflix. ... full story
Smartphone Experiment Tracks Whether Our Life Story Is Written in Our Gut Bacteria
July 25, 2014 — Life events such as visiting another country or contracting a disease cause a significant shift in the make-up of the gut microbiota -- the community of bacteria living in the digestive system, ... full story
New Characteristics of Complex Oxide Surfaces Revealed
July 24, 2014 — A combination of microscopy and data processing has given researchers an unprecedented look at the surface of a material known for its unusual physical and electrochemical ... full story
Gene Changes in Breast Cancer Cells Pinpointed With New Computational Method
July 24, 2014 — Computer scientists working with high-throughput data generated by breast cancer biologists have devised a computational method to determine how gene networks are rewired as normal breast cells turn ... full story
Artificial Intelligence Identifies the Musical Progression of the Beatles
July 24, 2014 — Computer scientists have developed an artificial intelligence algorithm that can analyze and compare musical styles, which they have used to study the musical progression of the ... full story
Novel Technologies Advance Brain Surgery to Benefit Patients
July 24, 2014 — In a milestone procedure, neurosurgeons have integrated advanced 3-D imaging, computer simulation and next-generation surgical tools to perform a highly complex brain surgery through a small incision ... full story
Nearly 50 Years of Lemur, Other Primates Data Now Available Online
July 24, 2014 — A 48-year archive of life history data for the world's largest and most diverse collection of endangered primates is now digital and available online. The database allows visitors to view and ... full story
Unleashing the Power of Quantum Dot Triplets
July 24, 2014 — Another step towards faster computers relies on three coherently coupled quantum dots used as quantum information units. Quantum computers have yet to materialize. Yet, scientists are making progress ... full story
The Birth of Topological Spintronics: New Material Combo Could Lead to More Efficient Computers
July 23, 2014 — The discovery of a new material combination that could lead to a more efficient approach to computer memory and logic is the first promising indication that it may be possible to build a practical ... full story
New Model Helps Explain How Provisions Promote or Reduce Wildlife Disease
July 23, 2014 — Scientists have long known that providing supplemental food for wildlife, or resource provisioning, can sometimes cause more harm than good. Ecologists have now developed a new mathematical model to ... full story
- Algorithm Collects Just the Right Data
- Our Life Story Written in Our Gut Bacteria?
- New Characteristics of Complex Oxide Surfaces
- Gene Changes in Breast Cancer Cells Pinpointed
- Computer Shows Musical Progression of Beatles
- Advancing Brain Surgery to Benefit Patients
- 50 Years of Primate Data Now Available Online
- Unleashing the Power of Quantum Dot Triplets
- The Birth of Topological Spintronics
- How Provisions Promote, Reduce Wildlife Disease
Social Network Research May Boost Prairie Dog Conservation Efforts
July 28, 2014 — Using statistical tools to map social connections in prairie dogs, researchers have uncovered relationships that escaped traditional observational techniques, shedding light on prairie dog ... full story
New Species of Mayfly Discovered in India
July 28, 2014 — Scientists have discovered a new species of mayfly in the southern Western Ghats, a mountain range along the west coast of India. The larvae have light-brown heads with light-yellow antennae, and ... full story
Europe's Habitat and Wildlife Is Vulnerable to Climate Change
July 28, 2014 — New research has identified areas of the Earth that are high priorities for conservation in the face of climate change. Europe is particularly vulnerable, as it has the lowest fraction of its land ... full story
Fire Ecology Manipulation by California Native Cultures
July 26, 2014 — Before the colonial era, 100,000s of people lived on the land now called California, and many of their cultures manipulated fire to control the availability of plants they used for food, fuel, tools, ... full story
Changes in Agriculture Increase High River Flow Rates
July 25, 2014 — Researchers have examined how changes in rainfall amounts and an increase in the amount of acreage used to grow such crops as corn and soybeans can affect the volume of river water flow in the U.S. ... full story
It Takes Two to Court: Pheromone That Triggers Mating Found in Mice
July 25, 2014 — The functions of two classes of pheromone receptors have been identified by researchers, who have also found pheromones crucial to triggering the mating process in mice. "Interestingly, the pheromone ... full story
Monitoring Rise and Fall of the Microbiome
July 25, 2014 — Close analysis of bacteria in the human digestive tract reveals links to diet and other lifestyle factors, researchers report. Trillions of bacteria live in each person's digestive tract. Scientists ... full story
Bacteria Manipulate Salt to Build Shelters to Hibernate
July 25, 2014 — For the first time, researchers have detected an unknown interaction between microorganisms and salt. When Escherichia coli cells are introduced into a droplet of salt water that is left to dry, ... full story
'Light Pollution' May Affect Love Lives of Birds in the Viennese Forests
July 25, 2014 — Artificial light in cities exerts negative effects on humans, animals, and their environment. In an ongoing research project, behavioral biologists are investigating how blue tits in the Viennese ... full story
Parched West Is Using Up Underground Water: Study Points to Grave Implications for Western U.S. Water Supply
July 24, 2014 — A new study finds more than 75 percent of the water loss in the drought-stricken Colorado River Basin since late 2004 came from underground resources. The extent of groundwater loss may pose a ... full story
- Social Network Research for Prairie Dogs
- New Species of Mayfly Discovered in India
- Europe's Wildlife Vulnerable to Climate Change
- Fire Ecology Manipulation by California Natives
- Changes in Agriculture Up High River Flow Rates
- Pheromone Triggering Mating Found in Mice
- Monitoring Rise and Fall of the Microbiome
- Bacteria Build Shelters of Salt to Hibernate
- Love Birds Prefer Dark? Light Pollution Harm
- Parched U.S. West Is Using Up Groundwater Fast
'Nuisance Flooding' an Increasing Problem as Coastal Sea Levels Rise
July 28, 2014 — Eight of the top 10 US cities that have seen an increase in so-called 'nuisance flooding' -- which causes such public inconveniences as frequent road closures, overwhelmed storm drains and ... full story
Intensity of Hurricanes: New Study Helps Improve Predictions of Storm Intensity
July 25, 2014 — While predicting the path of hurricanes has gotten better, little has been done to improve predicting a storm's intensity. That is, until now. "The air-water interface -- whether it had significant ... full story
Steam Energy from the Sun: New Spongelike Structure Converts Solar Energy Into Steam
July 24, 2014 — A new material structure generates steam by soaking up the sun. The structure -- a layer of graphite flakes and an underlying carbon foam -- is a porous, insulating material structure that floats on ... full story
Biologist Warn of Early Stages of Earth's Sixth Mass Extinction Event
July 24, 2014 — The planet's current biodiversity, the product of 3.5 billion years of evolutionary trial and error, is the highest in the history of life. But it may be reaching a tipping point. Scientists caution ... full story
How to Power California With Wind, Water and Sun
July 24, 2014 — New research outlines the path to a possible future for California in which renewable energy creates a healthier environment, generates jobs and stabilizes energy ... full story
Global Wildlife Decline Driving Slave Labor, Organized Crime
July 24, 2014 — Global decline of wildlife populations is driving increases in violent conflicts, organized crime and child labor around the world, according to a experts. Researchers call for biologists to join ... full story
Pesticide Linked to Three Generations of Disease: Methoxychlor Causes Epigenetic Changes
July 24, 2014 — Researchers say ancestral exposures to the pesticide methoxychlor may lead to adult onset kidney disease, ovarian disease and obesity in future ... full story
No Returning to Eden: Researchers Explore How to Restore Species in a Changing World
July 24, 2014 — Reversing the increasing rate of global biodiversity losses may not be possible without embracing intensive, and sometimes controversial, forms of threatened species management, according to ... full story
Noise Pollution Impacts Fish Species Differently
July 24, 2014 — Acoustic disturbance has different effects on different species of fish, according to a new study that tested fish anti-predator behavior. The current study demonstrates species-specific differences ... full story
Synchronization of North Atlantic, North Pacific Preceded Abrupt Warming, End of Ice Age
July 24, 2014 — Scientists have long been concerned that global warming may push Earth's climate system across a 'tipping point,' where rapid melting of ice and further warming may become irreversible -- a hotly ... full story
- Coastal Flooding Worse on East Coast of U.S.
- Improving Predictions of Hurricane Intensity
- New 'Sponge' Converts Solar Energy Into Steam
- Biologists Warn of Earth's 6th Mass Extinction
- How to Power California With Wind, Water, Sun
- Global Wildlife Decline Driving Slave Labor
- Pesticide Linked to 3 Generations of Disease
- Can Species Be Restored in a Changing World?
- Noise Pollution Hits Fish Species Differently
- Risk of Tipping Point for Abrupt Global Warming
Earlier Stone Age Artifacts Found in Northern Cape of South Africa
July 24, 2014 — Excavations at an archaeological site at Kathu in the Northern Cape province of South Africa have produced tens of thousands of Earlier Stone Age artifacts, including hand axes and other ... full story
Leaf-Mining Insects Destroyed With the Dinosaurs, Others Quickly Appeared
July 24, 2014 — After the asteroid impact at the end of the Cretaceous period that triggered the dinosaurs' extinction and ushered in the Paleocene, leaf-mining insects in the western United States completely ... full story
Four-Billion-Year-Old Chemistry in Cells Today
July 24, 2014 — Parts of the primordial soup in which life arose have been maintained in our cells today according to scientists. Research has revealed how cells in plants, yeast and very likely also in animals ... full story
Dog Jealousy: Study Suggests Primordial Origins for the 'Green-Eyed Monster'
July 23, 2014 — Dogs exhibit jealous behaviors. The first experimental test of jealousy in dogs supports the view that there may be a more basic form of jealousy, which evolved to protect social bonds from ... full story
3-D Image of Paleolithic Child's Skull Reveals Trauma, Brain Damage
July 23, 2014 — Three-dimensional imaging of a Paleolithic child's skull reveals potentially violent head trauma that likely lead to brain ... full story
Ancient Genetic Material from Caries Bacterium Obtained for the First Time
July 23, 2014 — Streptococcus mutans, one of the principal bacteria that cause dental caries, has increased the change in its genetic material over time, possibly coinciding with dietary change linked to the ... full story
Mammoth and Mastodon Behavior Was Less Roam, More Stay at Home
July 21, 2014 — Their scruffy beards weren't ironic, but there are reasons mammoths and mastodons could have been the hipsters of the Ice Age. According to new research, the famously fuzzy relatives of elephants ... full story
Science and Art Bring Back to Life 300-Million-Year-Old Specimens of a Primitive Reptile-Like Vertebrate
July 21, 2014 — Paleontologists have recreated the cranial structure of a 308-million-year-old lizard-like vertebrate that could be the earliest example of a reptile and explain the origin of all vertebrates that ... full story
Tooth Plaque Provides Unique Insights Into Our Prehistoric Ancestors' Diet
July 16, 2014 — An international team of researchers has found new evidence that our prehistoric ancestors had a detailed understanding of plants long before the development of agriculture. By extracting chemical ... full story
Brain of World's First Known Predators Discovered
July 16, 2014 — Scientists have found the fossilized remains of the brain of the world's earliest known predators, from a time when life teemed in the oceans but had not yet colonized the land. The discovery reveals ... full story
- Earlier Stone Age Artifacts Found in S. Africa
- Leaf-Mining Insects Destroyed With Dinosaurs
- Four-Billion-Year-Old Chemistry in Cells Today
- Primordial Origins for Jealousy in Dogs
- 3-D Image of Paleolithic Child's Skull: Trauma
- Ancient Tooth Decay Bacteria: Changes
- Mammoths and Mastodons Liked to Stay Home
- 300-Million-Year-Old Reptile-Like Vertebrate
- Tooth Plaque Shows Prehistoric Ancestors' Diet
- Brain of World's First Known Predators
Shift Work Linked to Heightened Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
July 24, 2014 — Shift work is linked to a heightened risk of developing type 2 diabetes, with the risk seemingly greatest among men and those working rotating shift patterns, indicates an analysis of the available ... full story
Humans Share Fairness Concerns With Other Species
July 24, 2014 — Humans aren’t the only species to react strongly to actions they consider unfair. A similar drive for fairness in monkeys and some dogs may offer insight into people’s desire for equity, ... full story
Fukushima Accident Underscores Need for U.S. to Seek out New Information About Nuclear Plant Hazards
July 24, 2014 — A new congressionally mandated report concludes that the overarching lesson learned from the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident is that nuclear plant licensees and their regulators must actively ... full story
Community Service Programs That Include Reflection Found to Be More Beneficial to Youth
July 24, 2014 — Using meta-analysis to asses 49 studies from around the world, researchers have found that community service that includes reflection is more beneficial for adolescents than community service that ... full story
Western Indian Ocean Communities Play Vital Role in Conservation
July 24, 2014 — Researchers have carried out the first assessment of community-led marine conservation in the Western Indian Ocean. The results point to a revolution in the management of marine protected areas, ... full story
Strengthening Community Forest Rights Is Critical Tool to Fight Climate Change
July 24, 2014 — Strengthening community forest rights is an essential strategy to reduce billions of tons of carbon emissions, making it an effective way for governments to meet climate goals, safeguard forests and ... full story
Greater Odds of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Those With Military Service, Study Finds
July 23, 2014 — Men and women who have served in the military have a higher prevalence of adverse childhood events (ACEs), suggesting that enlistment may be a way to escape adversity for some. ACEs can result in ... full story
15-Year Analysis of Blue Whale Range Off California Finds Conflict With Shipping Lanes
July 23, 2014 — A comprehensive analysis of the movements of blue whales off the West Coast found that their favored feeding areas are bisected by heavily used shipping lanes, increasing the threat of injury and ... full story
Strategy Proposed for Preventing Diseases of Aging
July 23, 2014 — Researchers argue that medicine focuses too much on fighting diseases individually instead of concentrating on interventions that prevent multiple chronic diseases and extend healthy lifespan. They ... full story
Nano-Sized Chip Picks Up Scent of Explosives Molecules Better Than Dog's Nose
July 23, 2014 — A groundbreaking nanotechnology-inspired sensor picks up the scent of explosives molecules better than a detection dog's nose. The device is mobile, inexpensive, and highly accurate, detecting ... full story
- Shift Work Linked to Heightened Diabetes Risk
- Human-Like Drive for Fairness in Other Species
- Fukushima Accident and Nuclear Plant Hazards
- Community Programs: Reflection Beneficial to ...
- Communities Play Vital Role in Conservation
- Community Forests: Climate Change Mitigation
- Bad Childhood Experiences Among the Military?
- Blue Whale Feeding Areas in Shipping Lanes
- Strategy for Preventing Diseases of Aging
- Nano-Sized Chip Picks Up Scent of Explosives
Powerful New Source of Up-to-Date Information on Economic Activity
July 10, 2014 — Researchers have developed a new data infrastructure for measuring economic activity. The infrastructure uses aggregated and de-identified data on transactions and account balances from Check, a ... full story
Computer Security: 'Melbourne Shuffle' Secures Data in the Cloud
July 10, 2014 — Encryption might not be enough for all that data stored in the cloud. Usage patterns -- which files are accessed and when -- can give away secrets as well. Computer scientists have developed an ... full story
Neuroeconomists Confirm Warren Buffett's Wisdom: Brain Research Suggests an Early Warning Signal Tips Off Smart Traders
July 7, 2014 — Investment magnate Warren Buffett has famously suggested that investors should try to 'be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy only when others are fearful.' That turns out to be excellent ... full story
Putting a Price Tag on the 2 Degree Celsius Climate Target
July 2, 2014 — Addressing climate change will require substantial new investment in low-carbon energy and energy efficiency -- but no more than what is currently spent on today's fossil-dominated energy system, ... full story
Oil Palm Plantations Threaten Water Quality, Scientists Say
June 30, 2014 — Indonesia pays a price for a lucrative crop used in many household products. Palm plantations damage freshwater streams that supply drinking water to millions of people. Found in thousands of ... full story
Are You Seen as a Jerk at Work? Many People Are Oblivious to How They Come Across to Counterparts and Colleagues
June 30, 2014 — New research shows that many people seen by others as under-assertive or over-assertive think they're appropriately assertive. The study also reveals that people seen as getting assertiveness right ... full story
Back Away, Please: Humans Tend to Fear Things Approaching, Even If Non-Threatening
June 23, 2014 — We still have negative feelings about things that approach us -- even if they objectively are not threatening, according to new research. Though we modern humans don't really consider such fear, it ... full story
New Research Proves Gender Bias Extraordinarily Prevalent in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Fields
June 23, 2014 — With everyone from the federal government to corporate America working to encourage more women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math fields, you would think the doors would ... full story
Android Security Weaknesses Caused by Performance Design Identified
June 19, 2014 — Researchers have identified a weakness in one of Android’s security features. The research identifies an Android performance feature that weakens a software protection called Address Space Layout ... full story
Crucial Security Problem in Google Play: Thousands of Secret Keys Found in Android Apps
June 18, 2014 — Researchers have discovered a crucial security problem in Google Play, the official Android app store. The study is the first to make a large-scale measurement of the huge marketplace, using ... full story
- New Source of Information On Economic Activity
- 'Melbourne Shuffle' Secures Data in the Cloud
- Neuroeconomists Confirm Warren Buffett's Wisdom
- Putting a Price Tag On Climate Target
- Oil Palm Plantations Threaten Water Quality
- Are You Seen as a Jerk at Work?
- Humans Tend to Fear Things Approaching
- Huge Gender Bias in STEM Careers
- Android Security Weaknesses Identified
- Thousands of Secret Keys Found in Android Apps
Natural-Terrain Schoolyards Reduce Children's Stress, Says Study
July 22, 2014 — Playing in schoolyards that feature natural habitats and trees and not just asphalt and recreation equipment reduces children's stress and inattention, according to a ... full story
Try, Try Again? Study Says No: Trying Harder Makes It More Difficult to Learn Some Aspects of Language, Neuroscientists Find
July 21, 2014 — Neuroscientists find that trying harder makes it more difficult to learn some aspects of language. When it comes to learning languages, adults and children have different strengths. Adults excel at ... full story
Philosopher Uses Game Theory to Understand How Words, Actions Acquire Meaning
July 21, 2014 — Why does the word "dog" have meaning? If you say "dog" to a friend, why does your friend understand you? A philosopher aims to address these types of questions in his latest research, which focuses ... full story
Brain Waves Show Learning to Read Does Not End in 4th Grade, Contrary to Popular Theory
July 21, 2014 — Teachers-in-training have long been taught that fourth grade is when students stop learning to read and start reading to learn. But a new study tested the theory by analyzing brain waves and found ... full story
Large Twin Study Suggests That Language Delay Due More to Nature Than Nurture
July 21, 2014 — A study of 473 sets of twins followed since birth found twins have twice the rate of language delay as do single-born children. Moreover, identical twins have greater rates of language delay than do ... full story
Months Before Their First Words, Babies' Brains Rehearse Speech Mechanics
July 14, 2014 — New research in 7- and 11-month-old infants shows that speech sounds stimulate areas of the brain that coordinate and plan motor movements for speech. The study suggests that baby brains start laying ... full story
Want a Higher GPA in College? Join a Gym
July 10, 2014 — For those students looking to bump up their grade point averages during college, the answer may not be spending more time in a library or study hall, but in a gym. New research shows that students ... full story
Same Genes Drive Mathematics and Reading Ability
July 8, 2014 — About half of the genes that influence how well a child can read also play a role in their mathematics ability, say scientists who led a study into the genetic basis of cognitive traits. While ... full story
Working Memory Is Key to Early Academic Achievement
July 8, 2014 — Working memory in children is linked strongly to reading and academic achievement, a new study has shown. Moreover, this finding holds true regardless of socio-economic status. This suggests that ... full story
3-D Printer to Aid the Visually Impaired Students in Their Educational Endeavors
July 2, 2014 — New technology has been developed to make tactile objects with ease thanks to the convergence technology of 3-D printing and 3-D thermal reflow treatment, which can be denoted as the revolution in ... full story
- Natural-Terrain Schoolyards Reduce Kids' Stress
- Try, Try Again? Neuroscientists Say No
- Game Theory: How Words, Actions Acquire Meaning
- Learning to Read Does Not End in 4th Grade
- Language Delay Due More to Nature Than Nurture
- Before First Words, Babies' Brains Rehearse
- Want a Higher GPA in College? Join a Gym
- Same Genes Drive Maths and Reading Ability
- Working Memory Is Key to Early Achievement
- 3-D Printer to Aid Visually Impaired Students
