Today's Science News
Monday, July 28, 2014
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from universities, journals, and other organizations
Cassini Spacecraft Reveals 101 Geysers and More on Icy Saturn Moon
July 28, 2014 — Scientists using mission data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft have identified 101 distinct geysers erupting on Saturn's icy moon Enceladus. Their analysis suggests it is possible for liquid ... full story
Global Warming Amplifier: Rising Water Vapor in Upper Troposphere to Intensify Climate Change
July 28, 2014 — A new study from scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and colleagues confirms rising levels of water vapor in the upper troposphere -- a key ... full story
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
Impact of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Coral Is Deeper and Broader Than Predicted
July 28, 2014 — A new discovery of two additional coral communities showing signs of damage from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill expands the impact footprint of the 2010 spill in the Gulf of ... full story
Learning the Smell of Fear: Mothers Teach Babies Their Own Fears Via Odor, Animal Study Shows
July 28, 2014 — Babies can learn what to fear in the first days of life just by smelling the odor of their distressed mothers’, new research suggests. And not just “natural” fears: If a mother experienced ... 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, ... 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
'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
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
- Cassini Reveals 101 Geysers On Saturn Moon
- Global Warming Amplifier: Rising Water Vapor
- Fist Bumping Beats Germ-Spreading Handshake
- Magnets May Act as Wireless Cooling Agents
- Potential 'Universal' Blood Test for Cancer
- Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Impact On Coral
- Moms Teach Babies Their Own Fears Via Odor
- Protein Structure Could Help Treat Alzheimer's
- Glow in Space: Hot Bubble in Our Galaxy
- Why Genetic Fertility Problems Can Persist
- Drug Regimens Cure Toughest Hep C Infections
- 'Holy Grail' of Batteries: Stable Lithium Anode
- Higher Temperatures, Pollution, Less Food
- Invertebrates Plummet as Human Pop Doubles
- Trees Save Lives, Reduce Respiratory Problems
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last updated on 2014-07-28 at 10:38 pm EDT
Stem Cell Advance May Increase Efficiency of Tissue Regeneration
July 28, 2014 — A new stem-cell discovery might one day lead to a more streamlined process for obtaining stem cells, which in turn could be used in the development of replacement tissue for failing body parts, ... full story
Forced Mutations Doom HIV: How Potential HIV Drug Exacts Its Toll on Viral Populations
July 28, 2014 — Fifteen years ago, medical researchers had a novel idea for an HIV drug. They thought if they could induce the virus to mutate uncontrollably, they could force it to weaken and eventually die out -- ... full story
Endurance Runners More Likely to Die of Heat Stroke Than Heart Condition
July 28, 2014 — Heat stroke is 10 times more likely than cardiac events to be life-threatening for runners during endurance races in warm climates, according to a new study. The authors noted the findings may play a ... full story
Running Reduces Risk of Death Regardless of Duration, Speed
July 28, 2014 — Running for only a few minutes a day or at slow speeds may significantly reduce a person's risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared to someone who does not run, according to a new ... full story
Glucose 'Control Switch' in the Brain Key to Both Types of Diabetes
July 28, 2014 — Researchers have pinpointed a mechanism in part of the brain that is key to sensing glucose levels in the blood, linking it to both type 1 and type 2 ... full story
Cell's Recycling Center Implicated in Division Decisions
July 28, 2014 — Most cells do not divide unless there is enough oxygen present to support their offspring, but certain cancer cells and other cell types circumvent this rule. Researchers have now identified a ... full story
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
Parents Need to Talk to Their Children About School Bus Safety at the Start of the School Year
July 28, 2014 — According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, from 2001 through 2010, 1,368 people died in school transportation-related crashes—an average of 137 fatalities per ... full story
Genetic Mutations Linked to Salivary Gland Tumors
July 28, 2014 — Research conducted at the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute has discovered links between a set of genes known to promote tumor growth and mucoepidermoid carcinoma, an oral cancer that ... full story
Researchers Produce Record-Length Mirror-Image Protein
July 28, 2014 — Biochemists have reported an advance in the production of functional mirror-image proteins. In a new study, they have chemically synthesized a record-length mirror-image protein and used this protein ... full story
- Stem Cells: Efficiency of Tissue Regeneration
- Forced Mutations Doom HIV
- Endurance Runners: Heat Stroke Vs. Heart Risks
- Running Even a Few Minutes Reduces Risk of Death
- Brain Glucose Control Switch Key to Diabetes
- Cell's Recycling Center Implicated in Division
- Cancer: Inhibitor for KRAS Gene Mutation
- School Bus Safety: Good Start to the School Year
- Gene Mutations Linked to Salivary Gland Tumors
- Record-Length Mirror-Image Protein Produced
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
Stimulation of Brain Region Restores Consciousness to Animals Under General Anesthesia
July 28, 2014 — Stimulating the ventral tegmental area, one of two dopamine-producing regions in the brain, was able to arouse animals receiving general anesthesia with either isoflurane or propofol. The same effect ... full story
Brain's Habenula Signals How Bad Things Could Be
July 28, 2014 — An evolutionarily ancient and tiny part of the brain tracks expectations about nasty events, according to new research. The study demonstrates for the first time that the human habenula, half the ... full story
Facial Features Are the Key to First Impressions
July 28, 2014 — A new study shows that it is possible to accurately predict first impressions using measurements of physical features in everyday images of faces, such as those found on social ... 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
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
Google Searches May Hold Key to Future Market Crashes, Researchers Find
July 28, 2014 — A team of researchers has developed a method to automatically identify topics that people search for on Google before subsequent stock market ... 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
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
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
- Brain Study: Memory Relies On Astrocytes
- Brain Stimulation Restores Animal Consciousness
- Brain Region Signals How Bad Things Could Be
- Facial Features Are Key to First Impressions
- Six Reasons for Headaches in Kids
- Green Spaces Found to Increase Birth Weight
- Google Searches: Key to Future Market Crashes?
- Device Detects Diabetes-Related Neuro Condition
- It Takes More Than Practice to Excel
- Six Genetic Risk Factors for Parkinson's Found
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
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
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
- Some Texting Bans Linked to Lower Traffic Deaths
- Life Experiences Contribute to Old Age Abilities
- Why Do Men Prefer Nice Women?
- 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
Printing the Metals of the Future
July 28, 2014 — 3-D printers can create all kinds of things, from eyeglasses to implantable medical devices, straight from a computer model and without the need for molds. But for making spacecraft, engineers ... full story
Mineral Magic? Common Mineral Capable of Making and Breaking Bonds
July 28, 2014 — Researchers have demonstrated how a common mineral acts as a catalysts for specific hydrothermal organic reactions -- negating the need for toxic solvents or expensive ... full story
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
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
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
- Printing the Metals of the Future
- Common Mineral Makes and Breaks Bonds
- 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
- Building 'Invisible' Materials With Light
- Superconductivity in Layered 2-D Crystals
NASA Long-Lived Mars Opportunity Rover Passes 25 Miles of Driving
July 28, 2014 — NASA's Opportunity Mars rover, which landed on the Red Planet in 2004, now holds the off-Earth roving distance record after accruing 25 miles (40 kilometers) of driving. The previous record was held ... full story
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
- Mars Opportunity Rover: 25 Miles of Driving
- 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
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
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
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
- Tools Help Neuroscientists Analyze 'Big Data'
- 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
- Privacy Concerns With Wireless Home Automation
Generating a Genome to Feed the World: African Rice Sequenced
July 28, 2014 — An international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of African rice. The new information will enable scientists and agriculturalists to develop varieties of rice that can survive in a ... full story
Stress-Tolerant Tomato Relative Sequenced
July 28, 2014 — The genome of Solanum pennellii, a wild relative of the domestic tomato, has been published by an international group of researchers. The new genome information may help breeders produce tastier, ... full story
The Role of Dairy in Maintaining Adult Bone and Skeletal Muscle Health
July 28, 2014 — Understanding that diets are often built around food groups rather than specific nutrients, researchers from Switzerland, France, and North America decided to examine interactions between four ... full story
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
- Genome of African Rice Sequenced
- Stress-Tolerant Tomato Relative Sequenced
- Maintaining Adult Bone and Skeletal Muscle Health
- Social Network Research for Prairie Dogs
- HIV Treatment: Interfering With Interferon
- New Species of Mayfly Discovered in India
- Dinosaurs: Victim to Perfect Storm of Events
- Europe's Wildlife Vulnerable to Climate Change
- New, Noncommittal Mechanism of Drug Resistance
- Fire Ecology Manipulation by California Natives
Lead Pollution Beat Explorers to South Pole, Persists Today
July 28, 2014 — Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen became the first man to reach the South Pole in December 1911. More than 100 years later, an international team of scientists has proven that air pollution from ... full story
'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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
- Lead Pollution Beat Explorers to South Pole
- Coastal Flooding Worse on East Coast of U.S.
- Changes in Agriculture Up High River Flow Rates
- Climate Change Ups Risk of Lower Crop Yields
- Improving Predictions of Hurricane Intensity
- New System to Detect Mercury in Water Systems
- Bacteria Build Shelters of Salt to Hibernate
- Love Birds Prefer Dark? Light Pollution Harm
- New 'Sponge' Converts Solar Energy Into Steam
- Did Saharan Dust Help Make Bahamas' Great Bank?
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
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
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
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
- Earlier Stone Age Artifacts Found in S. Africa
- Biologists Warn of Earth's 6th Mass Extinction
- Risk of Tipping Point for Abrupt Global Warming
- 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
- Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1: Most Prevalent
- Shift Work Linked to Heightened Diabetes Risk
- Parched U.S. West Is Using Up Groundwater Fast
- Human-Like Drive for Fairness in Other Species
- How to Power California With Wind, Water, Sun
- Global Wildlife Decline Driving Slave Labor
- Pesticide Linked to 3 Generations of Disease
- Fukushima Accident and Nuclear Plant Hazards
- Community Programs: Reflection Beneficial to ...
- Communities Play Vital Role in Conservation
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
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
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
- Strong Early Reading Predict High IQ Later
- 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
