Today's Science News
Friday, January 30, 2015
Featured Research
from universities, journals, and other organizations
Global Warming Won't Mean More Storms: Big Storms to Get Bigger, Small Storms to Shrink, Experts Predict
Jan. 29, 2015 — Atmospheric physicists predict that global warming will not lead to an overall increasingly stormy atmosphere, a topic debated by scientists for decades. Instead, strong storms will become stronger ... full story
Walking on Ice Takes More Than Brains: 'Mini-Brain' in Spinal Cord Aids in Balance
Jan. 29, 2015 — Scientists have discovered how a "mini-brain" in the spinal cord aids in balance. Much of the balancing act that our bodies perform when faced with a task such as walking on an icy surface ... full story
Functioning Brain Tissue Grown in 3-D Structure
Jan. 29, 2015 — Researchers have induced human embryonic stem cells to self-organize into a three-dimensional structure similar to the cerebellum, providing tantalizing clues in the quest to recreate neural ... full story
Iceland Rises as Its Glaciers Melt from Climate Change
Jan. 29, 2015 — Earth's crust under Iceland is rebounding as global warming melts the island's great ice caps. In south-central Iceland some sites are moving upward as much as 1.4 inches (35 mm) per year. ... full story
Ancient Skull Shows Modern Humans Colonized Eurasia 60-70,000 Years Ago
Jan. 29, 2015 — A skull provides direct anatomical evidence that fills a problematic time gap of modern human migration into Europe. It is also the first proof that anatomically modern humans existed at the same ... full story
Meteorite May Represent 'Bulk Background' of Mars' Battered Crust
Jan. 30, 2015 — NWA 7034, a meteorite found a few years ago in the Moroccan desert, is like no other rock ever found on Earth. It's been shown to be a 4.4 billion-year-old chunk of the Martian crust, and ... full story
Heat Waves Becoming More Prominent in Urban Areas, Research Reveals
Jan. 30, 2015 — The world's urban areas have experienced significant increases in heat waves over the past 40 years, according to new research. These prolonged periods of extreme hot days have significantly ... full story
Why Do Zebras Have Stripes? Temperature Counts
Jan. 30, 2015 — One of nature's fascinating questions is how zebras got their stripes. A team of life scientists has found at least part of the answer: The amount and intensity of striping can be best predicted ... full story
Crystal Light: New Family of Light-Converting Materials Points to Cheaper, More Efficient Solar Power and LEDs
Jan. 29, 2015 — Engineers have shone new light on an emerging family of solar-absorbing materials that could clear the way for cheaper and more efficient solar panels and LEDs. The materials, called perovskites, are ... full story
Where Did the Missing Oil Go? New Study Says Some Is Sitting on the Gulf Floor
Jan. 29, 2015 — Some 6 million to 10 million gallons of oil from the BP oil spill are buried in the sediment on the Gulf floor, about 62 miles southeast of the Mississippi Delta, researchers have ... full story
Public and Scientists Express Strikingly Different Views About Science-Related Issues
Jan. 29, 2015 — Despite similar views about the overall place of science in America, the general public and scientists often see science-related issues through a different lens, according to a new pair of ... full story
Privacy Challenges: Just Four Vague Pieces of Info Can Identify You, and Your Credit Card
Jan. 29, 2015 — Just four fairly vague pieces of information -- the dates and locations of four purchases -- are enough to identify 90 percent of the people in a data set recording three months of credit-card ... full story
New Technique for Growing High-Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells
Jan. 29, 2015 — Researchers have revealed a new solution-based hot-casting technique that allows growth of highly efficient and reproducible solar cells from large-area perovskite crystals. The researchers ... full story
CAT Scan of Nearby Supernova Remnant Reveals Frothy Interior
Jan. 29, 2015 — Cassiopeia A, or Cas A for short, is one of the most well studied supernova remnants in our galaxy. But it still holds major surprises. Astronomers have now generated a new 3-D map of its interior ... full story
Baleen Whales Hear Through Their Bones
Jan. 29, 2015 — Understanding how baleen whales hear has posed a great mystery to marine mammal researchers. Biologists reveal that the skulls of at least some baleen whales, specifically fin whales in their study, ... full story
- Big Storms to Get Bigger, Small Storms to Shrink
- 'Mini-Brain' in Spinal Cord Aids in Balance
- Functioning Brain Tissue Grown in 3-D
- Iceland Rises as Glaciers Melt: Climate Change
- Skull: Humans in Eurasia 60-70,000 Years Ago
- Meteorite: Bulk Background of Mars' ...
- Heat Waves Becoming More Prominent in Cities
- Why Do Zebras Have Stripes? Temperature Counts
- New Light-Converting Materials: Solar, LEDs
- BP Oil Spill: Missing Oil Found On Gulf Floor
- Public, Scientists: Strikingly Different Views
- Privacy? Huge Identify Theft Risks
- High-Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells
- Frothy Interior of Nearby Supernova Remnant
- Baleen Whales Hear Through Their Bones
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last updated on 2015-01-30 at 10:58 pm EST
Latent HIV May Lurk in 'Quiet' Immune Cells, Research Suggests
Jan. 30, 2015 — HIV can lie dormant in infected cells for years, even decades. Scientists think unlocking the secrets of this viral reservoir may make it possible to cure, not just treat, HIV. Researchers have ... full story
Stress Shared by Same-Sex Couples Can Have Unique Health Impacts
Jan. 30, 2015 — Minority stress -- which results from being stigmatized and disadvantaged in society -- affects same-sex couples' stress levels and overall health, research indicates. Authors of a new study state ... full story
Research Uncovers Connection Between Craigslist Personals, HIV Trends
Jan. 30, 2015 — Craigslist's entry into a market results in a 15.9 percent increase in reported HIV cases, according to research. When mapped at the national level, more than 6,000 HIV cases annually and treatment ... full story
Study Links Deficiency of Cellular Housekeeping Gene With Aggressive Forms of Breast Cancer
Jan. 30, 2015 — A strong link between the most aggressive type of breast cancer and a gene that regulates the body's natural cellular recycling process, called autophagy, has been uncovered by ... full story
Fluorescent Dyes 'Light Up' Brain Cancer Cells
Jan. 30, 2015 — Two new fluorescent dyes attracted to cancer cells may help neurosurgeons more accurately localize and completely resect brain tumors, suggests a new study. Removing all visible areas of cancer ... full story
Older Adults: Double Your Protein to Build More Muscle
Jan. 30, 2015 — Older adults may need to double up on the recommended daily allowance of protein to efficiently maintain and build muscle. Current US recommendations for daily dietary protein intake are 0.8 ... full story
Mobile and Interactive Media Use by Young Children: The Good, the Bad and the Unknown
Jan. 30, 2015 — Mobile devices are everywhere and children are using them more frequently at young ages. The impact these mobile devices are having on the development and behavior of children is still relatively ... full story
Biomaterial Coating Raises Prospect of More Successful Medical Implants
Jan. 30, 2015 — A novel, bacteria-repelling coating material that could increase the success of medical implants has been created. The material helps healthy cells 'win the race' to the medical implant, beating off ... full story
Altered Dopamine Signaling a Clue to Autism
Jan. 30, 2015 — Newly discovered genetic variations linked to autism spectrum disorder disrupt the function of the dopamine transporter, suggesting that altered dopamine signaling contributes to this common ... full story
Scientists Home in on Reasons Behind Cancer Drug Trial Disappointment
Jan. 30, 2015 — Scientists have discovered a 'hidden' mechanism which could explain why some cancer therapies which aim to block tumor blood vessel growth are failing cancer trials. The same mechanism could play the ... full story
- Latent HIV May Lurk in 'Quiet' Immune Cells
- Stress in Same-Sex Couples: Unique Health Impacts
- Craigslist Personals, HIV Trends: Connection
- Breast Cancer, Gene Deficiency: Link Found
- Fluorescent Dyes 'Light Up' Brain Cancer Cells
- Older? Double Your Protein to Build More Muscle
- Media Use by Kids: The Good, Bad and Unknown
- Biomaterial Coating for Better Medical Implants
- Altered Dopamine Signaling a Clue to Autism
- Reasons Behind Cancer Drug Trial Disappointment
Treating Cerebral Malaria: New Molecular Target Identified
Jan. 30, 2015 — A drug already approved for treating other diseases may be useful as a treatment for cerebral malaria, according to researchers who discovered a novel link between food intake during the early stages ... full story
New Technologies to Help Patients With Parkinson's Disease
Jan. 30, 2015 — New wearable sensor networks and mobile phone applications are being tested for their potential to monitor and manage patients with Parkinson’s disease. The research aim is the usage of low-cost ... full story
Heavy Drinking in Middle-Age May Increase Stroke Risk More Than Traditional Factors
Jan. 29, 2015 — Drinking more than two alcoholic beverages a day in middle-age raised stroke risks more than traditional factors such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Heavy drinking in mid-life was linked to ... full story
FDA Approves First-of-Kind Device to Treat Obesity
Jan. 29, 2015 — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the Maestro Rechargeable System for certain obese adults, the first weight loss treatment device that targets the nerve pathway between the brain ... full story
Complex Environments Push 'Brain' Evolution
Jan. 29, 2015 — Little animations trying to master a computer game are teaching neuroscience researchers how the brain evolves when faced with difficult tasks. Neuroscientists have programmed animated critters that ... full story
First-Ever View of Protein Structure May Lead to Better Anxiety Drugs
Jan. 29, 2015 — When new medicines are invented, the drug may hit the intended target and nullify the symptoms, but nailing a bull's eye -- one that produces zero side effects -- can be quite elusive. New research ... full story
New Clues About a Brain Protein With High Affinity for Valium
Jan. 29, 2015 — Valium, one of the best known antianxiety drugs, produces its calming effects by binding with a particular protein in the brain. But the drug has an almost equally strong affinity for a completely ... full story
Texting May Be More Suitable Than Apps in Treatment of Mental Illness
Jan. 29, 2015 — Texting may be a more suitable treatment aid for those with mental illness than mobile applications.This is the key finding of a new study led by researchers from Clemson University in collaboration ... full story
Transgender Kids Show Consistent Gender Identity Across Measures
Jan. 29, 2015 — A study with 32 transgender children, ages 5 to 12, indicates that the gender identity of these children is deeply held and is not the result of confusion about gender identity or pretense. The study ... full story
Common Pesticide May Increase Risk of ADHD
Jan. 29, 2015 — A new study provides strong evidence, using data from animal models and humans, that exposure to a common household pesticide may be a risk factor for ... full story
- Cerebral Malaria: New Molecular Target Identified
- Parkinson's Disease: New Technologies Help
- Middle-Age: More Than 2 Drinks a Day Risks Stroke
- First-Of-Kind Device to Treat Obesity Approved
- Complex Environments Push 'Brain' Evolution
- View of Protein Structure: Better Anxiety Drugs?
- Brain Protein With High Affinity for Valium
- Texting Over Apps for Treatment of Mental Illness
- Transgender Kids Show Consistent Gender Identity
- Common Pesticide May Increase Risk of ADHD
Skip the Dip! Super Bowl Team Cities See Spike in Flu Deaths
Jan. 30, 2015 — Having a team in the Super Bowl correlated to an average 18 percent increase in flu deaths among those over 65 years old, according to a study of health data covering 35 years of championship ... full story
Added Fructose Is a Principal Driver of Type 2 Diabetes, Experts Argue
Jan. 29, 2015 — Recent studies have shown that added sugars, particularly those containing fructose, are a principal driver of diabetes and pre-diabetes, even more so than other carbohydrates. Clinical experts ... full story
Infants Create New Knowledge While Sleeping
Jan. 29, 2015 — There is no rest for a baby's brain -- not even in sleep. While infants sleep they are reprocessing what they have learned. Researchers have discovered that babies of the age from nine to 16 months ... full story
Cancer Fear Can Impact Screening Uptake
Jan. 29, 2015 — People who worry about cancer are more likely to want to get screened for colon cancer, but feeling uncomfortable at the thought of cancer makes them less likely to actually go for the test, finds ... full story
New Research Recommends Treating Elevated Blood Pressure During Pregnancy
Jan. 29, 2015 — Treating a woman's elevated blood pressure during pregnancy is safer for her and safe for the baby, a new study shows. The study addresses an age-old belief that reducing elevated blood pressure ... full story
Feelings of Loneliness, Depression Linked to Binge-Watching Television
Jan. 29, 2015 — It seems harmless: getting settled in for a night of marathon session for a favorite TV show, like House of Cards. But why do we binge-watch TV, and can it really be harmless? A recent study has ... full story
Love and Intimacy in Later Life: Active Sex Lives Common in the Over 70s
Jan. 29, 2015 — Older people are continuing to enjoy active sex lives well into their seventies and eighties, according to new research. More than half (54%) of men and almost a third (31%) of women over the age of ... full story
Gender Roles: Men and Women Are Not So Different After All
Jan. 29, 2015 — Gender is a large part of our identity that is often defined by our psychological differences as men and women. But a researcher says in reality men and women are more alike than we may ... full story
Concentrating on Word Sounds Helps Reading Instruction and Intervention
Jan. 28, 2015 — A neuroimaging study by psychologist suggests that phonics shouldn't be overlooked in favor of a whole-language technique, a finding that could help improve treatment and diagnosis of common reading ... full story
Playing With Puzzles, Blocks May Build Children's Spatial Skills
Jan. 28, 2015 — Play may seem like fun and games, but new research shows that specific kinds of play are actually associated with development of particular cognitive skills. Data from an American nationally ... full story
- Super Bowl Team Cities See Spike in Flu Deaths
- Type 2 Diabetes: Blame Added Fructose?
- Infants Create New Knowledge While Sleeping
- Cancer Fear Can Impact Screening Uptake
- Elevated Blood Pressure in Pregnancy? Treat It
- Feelings of Depression Linked to TV Binging
- Love and Intimacy, Still Going On in 70s, 80s
- Men and Women Are Not So Different After All
- Learning to Read: Phonics Are Important
- Puzzles, Blocks Play May Build Spatial Skills
Evidence Mounts for Quantum Criticality Theory
Jan. 30, 2015 — A new study adds to the growing evidence supporting a theory that strange electronic behaviors -- including high-temperature superconductivity and heavy fermion physics -- arise from quantum ... full story
New Method Allows for Greater Variation in Band Gap Tunability
Jan. 30, 2015 — If you can't find the ideal material, then design a new one. By manipulating the ordered arrangement of atoms in layered complex oxide materials, scientists have found a way to control their ... full story
Updating Satellite Data on Seas Could Dramatically Reduce Search and Rescue Times for Lost Planes, Ships
Jan. 30, 2015 — A new satellite imaging concept could significantly reduce search areas for missing boats and planes. Researchers have been trialling a concept for using satellite imagery to significantly improve ... full story
Water Purification: Running Fuel Cells on Bacteria
Jan. 30, 2015 — Researchers in Norway have succeeded in getting bacteria to power a fuel cell. The "fuel" used is wastewater, and the products of the process are purified water droplets and electricity. This is an ... full story
Pinholes Are Pitfalls for High Performance Solar Cells
Jan. 30, 2015 — The most popular next-generation solar cells under development may have a problem – the top layer is full of tiny pinholes, researchers have ... full story
Building Trustworthy Big Data Algorithms
Jan. 29, 2015 — Much of our reams of data sit in large databases of unstructured text. Finding insights among emails, text documents, and websites is extremely difficult unless we can search, characterize, and ... full story
Generating Mobius Strips of Light
Jan. 29, 2015 — Physicists have experimentally produced Möbius strips from the polarization of light, confirming a theoretical prediction that it is possible for light's electromagnetic field to assume this ... full story
Future of Oil and Gas Development in the Western Amazon
Jan. 29, 2015 — The western Amazon -- a vast region encompassing the Amazonian portions of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and western Brazil -- is one of the world's last high-biodiversity wilderness landscapes. ... full story
Rapid Test Kit Detects Dengue Antibodies from Saliva
Jan. 29, 2015 — Finding out whether you have been infected with dengue may soon be as easy as spitting into a rapid test kit. Researchers have developed a paper-based disposable device that will allow ... full story
Novel Eye-Tracking Technology Detects Concussions, Head Injury Severity
Jan. 29, 2015 — New research could move the medical community one step closer toward effectively detecting concussion and quantifying its severity. Neuroscientists and concussion experts present a unique, simple and ... full story
- Evidence Mounts for Quantum Criticality Theory
- Greater Variation in Band Gap Tunability
- Satellite Data Could Improve Safety at Sea
- Water Purification: Running Fuel Cells On ...
- Pinholes Are Pitfalls for High Performance ...
- Building Trustworthy Big Data Algorithms
- Generating Mobius Strips of Light
- Future of Oil and Gas Development
- Rapid Test Kit Finds Dengue Antibodies in Saliva
- Eye-Tracking Technology Finds Concussion Severity
Radar Images of Near-Earth Asteroid
Jan. 30, 2015 — A team of astronomers has made the most detailed radar images yet of asteroid 2004 BL86. The images, which were taken early in the morning on Jan. 27, 2014, reveal the asteroid's surface features in ... full story
The Tell-Tale Signs of a Galactic Merger
Jan. 29, 2015 — Astronomers have captured a striking view of spiral galaxy NGC 7714. This galaxy has drifted too close to another nearby galaxy and the dramatic interaction has twisted its spiral arms out of shape, ... full story
Could a New Proposed Particle Help to Detect Dark Matter?
Jan. 29, 2015 — Researchers have proposed a new fundamental particle which could explain why no one has managed to detect 'Dark Matter', the elusive missing 85 per cent of the Universe's mass. Dark Matter is thought ... full story
Astronomers Gain a New View of Galaxy M 82
Jan. 29, 2015 — Astronomers have used the giant radio telescope Lofar to create the sharpest astronomical image ever taken at very long radio wavelengths. A new image shows the glowing center of the galaxy Messier ... full story
Cassini Catches Saturn's Moon Titan Naked in the Solar Wind
Jan. 28, 2015 — Researchers studying data from NASA's Cassini mission have observed that Saturn's largest moon, Titan, behaves much like Venus, Mars or a comet when exposed to the raw power of the solar wind. The ... full story
Some Potentially Habitable Planets Began as Gaseous, Neptune-Like Worlds
Jan. 28, 2015 — Two phenomena known to inhibit the potential habitability of planets -- tidal forces and vigorous stellar activity -- might instead help chances for life on certain planets orbiting low-mass stars, ... full story
Engineer Advances New Daytime Star Tracker
Jan. 28, 2015 — NASA is developing a precision attitude sensor or star tracker that would be able to locate points of reference, or in other words, stars, during daylight ... full story
Gully Patterns Document Martian Climate Cycles
Jan. 28, 2015 — Gullies carved into impact craters on Mars provide a window into climate change on the Red Planet. A new analysis suggests Mars has undergone several ice ages in the last several million years. The ... full story
Quantum Computer as Detector Shows Space Is Not Squeezed
Jan. 28, 2015 — Ever since Einstein proposed his special theory of relativity in 1905, physics and cosmology have been based on the assumption that space looks the same in all directions -- that it's not squeezed in ... full story
The Two Faces of Mars: Moon-Sized Celestial Object Crashed Into South Pole
Jan. 28, 2015 — The two hemispheres of Mars are more different from any other planet in our solar system. Non-volcanic, flat lowlands characterize the northern hemisphere, while highlands punctuated by countless ... full story
- Near-Earth Asteroid Image
- Tell-Tale Signs of a Galactic Merger
- Could New Proposed Particle Detect Dark Matter?
- Astronomy: New View of Galaxy M 82
- Cassini Catches Titan Naked in the Solar Wind
- Some Habitable Planets Began as Gaseous Worlds
- New Daytime Star Tracker
- Gully Patterns Document Martian Climate Cycles
- Quantum Discovery: Space Is Not Squeezed
- Mars: Moon-Sized Object Crashed Into South Pole
Computing: Common 'Data Structure' Revamped to Work With Multicore Chips
Jan. 30, 2015 — Every undergraduate computer-science major takes a course on data structures, which describes different ways of organizing data in a computer's memory. Every data structure has its own advantages: ... full story
Forecasting the Flu Better
Jan. 29, 2015 — Researchers say they can predict the spread of flu a week into the future with as much accuracy as Google Flu Trends can display levels of infection right now. The study uses social network analysis ... full story
3D Printing Makes Heart Surgery Safer for Children
Jan. 29, 2015 — A cardiac surgeon in the United States recently used a 3D printed heart as a model to plan a life-saving procedure for his young patient. The 3D printed heart was used as a model to plan a ... full story
Mobile Teledermoscopy for Short-Term Monitoring of Atypical Moles
Jan. 28, 2015 — Allowing patients to use mobile devices to capture skin images appears to be a feasible and effective method for short-term monitoring of atypical nevi (moles), according to an ... full story
Results of Sun-Safety Mobile App Released
Jan. 28, 2015 — A smartphone mobile app that can provide personalized, real-time sun protection advice improved some sun protection behavior, according to an ... full story
Pacemakers With Internet Connection, a Not-So-Distant Goal
Jan. 28, 2015 — An efficient security protocol has been designed to protect the information provided by pacemakers and similar medical devices connected to the Internet. Thanks to the latest advances in ... full story
A Robot to Help Improve Agriculture and Wine Production
Jan. 28, 2015 — Agricultural researchers and computer scientists are working on the development of an unmanned robot, equipped with non-invasive advanced sensors and artificial intelligence systems, which will help ... full story
Researchers Use Sound to Slow Down, Speed Up, and Block Light
Jan. 28, 2015 — How do you make an optical fiber transmit light only one way? Researchers have experimentally demonstrated, for the first time, the phenomenon of Brillouin Scattering Induced Transparency (BSIT), ... full story
Game Theory Explains Social Interactions of Cancer Cells
Jan. 28, 2015 — The interactions of cancer cells may be explained by using game theory. The Public Goods Game is part of game theory and is used in economics as a model to analyze the provision of common goods. ... full story
Nanoscale Mirrored Cavities Amplify, Connect Quantum Memories
Jan. 28, 2015 — Constructing tiny "mirrors" to trap light increases the efficiency with which photons can pick up and transmit information about electronic spin states -- which is essential for scaling up quantum ... full story
- Computing: Parallelizing Common Algorithms
- Forecasting the Flu Better
- 3D Printing Makes Heart Surgery Safer for Kids
- Mobile Teledermoscopy for Monitoring of Moles
- Results of Sun-Safety Mobile App Released
- Pacemakers With Internet Connection Coming Soon
- Agricultural Robot Checks Up On Grape Vines
- Sound Used to Slow Down, Speed Up, Block Light
- Social Interactions of Cancer Cells: Game Theory?
- Nanoscale Cavities Amplify Quantum Memories
Population Genomics Unveil Seahorse Domain
Jan. 30, 2015 — In a finding vital to effective species management, a team of biologists has determined that the lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) is more a permanent resident of the western mid-Atlantic Ocean ... full story
Blue Mussels Not Yet the Bellwether of NE Coastal Environment
Jan. 30, 2015 — Mussels could be the perfect 'sentinel' species to signal the health of coastal ecosystems. But a new study of blue mussels in estuary ecosystems along 600 kilometers of coastline in the Northeast ... full story
Scientists Investigate Link Between Skyrocketing Sea Slug Populations, Warming Seas
Jan. 29, 2015 — A team of California scientists believes a far-flung Okenia rosacea bloom -- along with a slew of other marine species spotted north of their typical ranges -- may signal a much larger shift in ocean ... full story
Structure of World's Largest Single Cell Is Reflected at the Molecular Level
Jan. 29, 2015 — Biologists used the world’s largest single-celled organism, an aquatic alga called Caulerpa taxifolia, to study the nature of structure and form in plants. It is a single cell that can grow to a ... full story
In a Role Reversal, RNAs Proofread Themselves
Jan. 29, 2015 — Building a protein is a lot like a game of telephone: information is passed along from one messenger to another, creating the potential for errors. Enzymatic machines proofread at each step, and ... full story
Research About Unique Cardinal Revealed
Jan. 29, 2015 — A biological sciences professor is receiving attention for his research and publication on a bilateral gynandromorph bird found in the wild. More specifically, the bird has the brownish-gray ... full story
Global Patterns of Specialized Feeding in Insect Herbivores Revealed
Jan. 29, 2015 — After decades of field work from dozens of sites around the world, and after two years of combing through and analyzing data, researchers have reported on global patterns in the diets of insect ... full story
Bird Watchers Help Federal Agencies Pinpoint Conservation Priorities
Jan. 29, 2015 — Migratory birds are a little like college students moving from home to school and back over the year. With each move they switch landlords, encountering new rules and different living conditions. ... full story
Canceled Flights: For Monarch Butterflies, Loss of Migration Means More Disease
Jan. 29, 2015 — Ecologists have found that sedentary winter-breeding monarch butterflies are at increased risk of disease, a discovery that could apply to other migratory species as well. But, for the monarchs, ... full story
Among Gut Microbes, Strains, Not Just Species, Matter
Jan. 29, 2015 — Sophisticated genomic techniques now allow scientists to estimate the strains, not just the species, in samples of the human gut's microbe collection. Differences in the strains of microorganisms ... full story
- Population Genomics Unveil Seahorse Domain
- Blue Mussels Signal Ecosystem Health?
- Skyrocketing Sea Slug Numbers, Warming Seas: Link
- Structure of World's Largest Single Cell
- In a Role Reversal, RNAs Proofread Themselves
- Research About Unique Cardinal Revealed
- Global Patterns of Feeding in Insect Herbivores
- Bird Watchers Help With Conservation Priorities
- Monarchs: Loss of Migration Means More Disease
- Gut Microbes: Strains, Not Just Species, Matter
Invasive Species in the Great Lakes by 2063
Jan. 29, 2015 — The vulnerability of the basin to future invaders has been demonstrated by a new study that calls for regulations to mitigate this threat. The Great Lakes have been invaded by more non-native species ... full story
Solar Chip Monitors Windows
Jan. 29, 2015 — A new kind of radio chip is intended to warn when windows are left open. This way, you can avoid having the heat go out the window on cold days. The sensor also detects break-in attempts early on. ... full story
Building a Better Weather Forecast? SMAP May Help
Jan. 28, 2015 — If you were trying to forecast tomorrow's weather, you would probably look up at the sky rather than down at the ground. But if you live in the U.S. Midwest or someplace with a similar climate, one ... full story
Researchers Produce Two Bio-Fuels from a Single Algae
Jan. 28, 2015 — A common algae commercially grown to make fish food holds promise as a source for both biodiesel and jet fuel, according to a new ... full story
Erratic as Normal: Arctic Sea Ice Loss Expected to Be Bumpy in the Short Term
Jan. 28, 2015 — Arctic sea ice extent plunged precipitously from 2001 to 2007, then barely budged between 2007 and 2013. Even in a warming world, researchers should expect such unusual periods of no change -- and ... full story
Smothered Oceans: Extreme Oxygen Loss in Oceans Accompanied Past Global Climate Change
Jan. 28, 2015 — From the subarctic Pacific to the Chilean margins, extreme oxygen loss is stretching from the upper ocean to about 3,000 meters deep. In some oceanic regions, such loss occurred within 100 years or ... full story
Missing Link in Metal Physics Explains Earth's Magnetic Field
Jan. 28, 2015 — Earth's magnetic field shields the life on our planet's surface from cosmic rays. It is generated by turbulent motions of liquid iron in Earth's core. Iron is a metal, which means it can easily ... full story
Earlier Menopause Linked to Everyday Chemical Exposures
Jan. 28, 2015 — Women whose bodies have high levels of chemicals found in plastics, personal-care products, common household items and the environment experience menopause two to four years earlier than women with ... full story
Slope on Ocean Surface Lowers Sea Level in Europe
Jan. 28, 2015 — A ‘slope’ on the ocean surface in the Strait of Gibraltar is lowering the sea level in Europe by 7cm, researchers have discovered. This research will help to more accurately predict future sea ... full story
Satellite Study Identifies Water Bodies Important for Biodiversity Conservation
Jan. 28, 2015 — Using satellite images to study changing patterns of surface water is a powerful tool for identifying conservationally important 'stepping stone' water bodies that could help aquatic species survive ... full story
- Invasive Species in the Great Lakes by 2063
- Solar Chip Monitors Windows
- Better Weather Forecasts? SMAP May Help
- Two Bio-Fuels Made from a Single Algae
- Arctic Sea Ice Loss Expected to Be Bumpy
- Smothered Oceans: Extreme Oxygen Loss Found
- Earth's Magnetic Field Now Explained
- Earlier Menopause Linked to Chemical Exposures
- Slope On Ocean Surface Lowers Sea Level in Europe
- Water Bodies Vital for Biodiversity Conservation
Ancient 'Genomic Parasites' Spurred Evolution of Pregnancy in Mammals
Jan. 29, 2015 — Large-scale genetic changes that marked the evolution of pregnancy in mammals have been identified by an international team of scientists. They found thousands of genes that evolved to be expressed ... full story
Long-Necked 'Dragon' Discovered in China: Dinosaur's Lightweight Neck Spanned Half the Length of Its Body
Jan. 28, 2015 — Paleontologists have discovered a new species of a long-necked dinosaur from a skeleton found in China. The new species belongs to a group of dinosaurs called mamenchisaurids, known for their ... full story
Did Genetic Links to Modern Maladies Provide Ancient Benefits?
Jan. 28, 2015 — Genetic variations associated with some modern maladies are extremely old, scientists have discovered, predating the evolution of Neanderthals, Denisovans (another ancient hominin) and contemporary ... full story
Early Mesoamericans Affected by Climate Change
Jan. 27, 2015 — Scientists have reconstructed the past climate for the region around Cantona, a large fortified city in highland Mexico, and found the population drastically declined in the past, at least in part ... full story
Easter Island Mystery: Why Did the Native Culture Die Out?
Jan. 27, 2015 — Long before the Europeans arrived on Easter Island in 1722, the native Polynesian culture known as Rapa Nui showed signs of demographic decline. However, the catalyst has long been debated in the ... full story
The World's Oldest Known Snake Fossils: Rolling Back the Clock by Nearly 70 Million Years
Jan. 27, 2015 — Fossilized remains of four ancient snakes have been dated between 140 and 167 million years old -- nearly 70 million years older than the previous record of ancient snake fossils -- and are changing ... full story
Tracking DNA Helps Scientists Trace Origins of Genetic Errors
Jan. 27, 2015 — Scientists have shed light on how naturally occurring mutations can be introduced into our DNA. The study, which focuses on how DNA replicates every time a cell divides, helps to make clear ... full story
The Origin of Life: Labyrinths as Crucibles of Life
Jan. 27, 2015 — Water-filled micropores in hot rock may have acted as the nurseries in which life on Earth began. A team has now shown that temperature gradients in pore systems promote the cyclical replication and ... full story
New Tattoos Discovered on Iceman Oetzi: All of the Skin Marks on the Mummy Mapped
Jan. 27, 2015 — With the aid of a non-invasive photographic technique, researchers at the EURAC-Institute for Mummies and the Iceman have been able to show up all the tattoos on the man who was found preserved in a ... full story
Climate Affects Development of Human Speech
Jan. 23, 2015 — A correlation between climate and the evolution of language has been uncovered by researchers. To find a relationship between the climate and the evolution of language, one needs to discover an ... full story
- Genomic Parasites: Evolution of Pregnancy
- Long-Necked 'Dragon' Discovered in China
- Genetics and Modern Maladies: Ancient Benefits?
- Early Mesoamericans Affected by Climate Change
- Easter Island: What Doomed Native Culture?
- World's Oldest Known Snake Fossils Dated
- Tracking DNA to Trace Origins of Genetic Errors
- Origin of Life: Labyrinths as Crucibles of Life
- New Tattoos Discovered On Iceman Oetzi
- Climate Affects Development of Human Speech
How Poverty May Affect Memory
Jan. 29, 2015 — Investigators have studied whether working memory of children living in rural poverty is distinct from the working memory profiles of children in urban poverty. The results clearly suggest that ... full story
Child Maltreatment Not a Clear Path to Adult Crime
Jan. 29, 2015 — Research has long made a connection between childhood abuse and neglect and crime in adulthood. But a new study found that when other life factors are considered, that link all but ... full story
To Reassure Electric Car Buyers, Combine Battery Leasing With Better Charging
Jan. 28, 2015 — A proper choice of business model plays a critical role in electric vehicle industry where many consumers are subject to range and resale anxieties. In particular, a combination of owning or leasing ... full story
Detecting Chemical Weapons Quickly With a Color-Changing Film
Jan. 28, 2015 — In today's world, in which the threat of terrorism looms, there is an urgent need for fast, reliable tools to detect the release of deadly chemical warfare agents (CWAs). Scientists are reporting new ... full story
Urban Sprawl Promotes Worm Exchange Across Species
Jan. 28, 2015 — The complex exchange of parasitic worms between wildlife, rats and humans is a little more clear, thanks to new research. “We developed a model concept that allows us to link the probability of ... full story
Research Projects Contribute to Shaping EU Regulation to Control Invasive Species
Jan. 28, 2015 — A new regulation governing the control of invasive alien species became effective in all EU states on 1 January 2015. The European Union hopes that it will actively combat one of the greatest threats ... full story
Crude Oil Conspiracy Theories Could Be Right: Oil Is Often the Reason for Interfering in Another Country's War
Jan. 27, 2015 — Researchers have for the first time provided strong evidence for what conspiracy theorists have long thought -- oil is often the reason for interfering in another country's ... full story
Psychopathic Violent Offenders’ Brains Can’t Understand Punishment
Jan. 27, 2015 — Psychopathic violent offenders have abnormalities in the parts of the brain related to learning from punishment, according to an MRI ... full story
Low Influenza Vaccination Rates Among Nursing Home Employees Put Residents at Risk, Study Finds
Jan. 27, 2015 — Influenza is associated with as many as 7,300 deaths annually in nursing home residents, but the vaccination rate for nursing home staff is only 54 percent in the United States, according to a ... full story
From Tar Sands to Ring of Fire: Forewarning Changes to Canada's Watersheds
Jan. 27, 2015 — Ecologists have found the conservation of aquatic ecosystems in Canada has not kept pace with the country's changing landscape, and a prioritization of protection is needed. This new assessment of ... full story
- How Poverty May Affect Memory
- Child Maltreatment Not Clear Path to Adult Crime
- Electric Cars: Buyers Want Battery Leasing
- Detecting Chemical Weapons: Color-Changing Film
- Urban Sprawl Aids Worm Exchange Across Species
- Shaping EU Regulation to Control Invasive Species
- Crude Conspiracy Theories Could Be Right
- Psychopath's Brains Don't Understand Punishment
- Nursing Homes: Risk of Low Flu Vaccination Rates
- Tar Sands to Ring of Fire: Canada's Watersheds
Ads Effective Even in the Midst of Multitasking, Studies Find
Jan. 26, 2015 — Those video ads playing in the corner of your computer screen, in the midst of multitasking, may have more impact than you realize. They may be as effective as ads you're really watching, says one ... full story
Would You Tell Your Manager You Had a Mental Health Problem?
Jan. 26, 2015 — Although nearly four in 10 workers wouldn't tell their manager if they had a mental health problem, half said that if they knew about a coworker's illness, they would desire to help, a new survey ... full story
Stock Market Changes: Patents Provide Insight Into Wall Street 'Technology Arms Race'
Jan. 26, 2015 — A new study has used US patent data to shed light on the technological roots behind Wall Street's ongoing 'technology arms race.' The way financial assets are traded, and the nature of the markets ... full story
Reducing Work-Family Conflicts in the Workplace Helps People to Sleep Better
Jan. 26, 2015 — Workers who participated in an intervention aimed at reducing conflict between work and familial responsibilities slept an hour more each week and reported greater sleep sufficiency than those who ... full story
Heightened Scents: Do Ambient Fragrances Make Consumers Purchase More?
Jan. 21, 2015 — Do consumers make different choices based on the fragrance surrounding them? A new study shows for the first time that the “temperature” of scents in a store atmosphere may have a powerful effect ... full story
New Research Reveals the Power of Hierarchy in High-Pressure Situations
Jan. 20, 2015 — Researchers analyzed more than 30,000 Himalayan climbers and 5,000 expeditions over the past 100 years to assess the impact that hierarchical cultures can have in high-pressure group situations. The ... full story
Hostile Boss? Study Finds Advantages to Giving It Right Back
Jan. 20, 2015 — In a result that surprised researchers, a new study found that employees who had hostile bosses were better off on several measures if they returned the hostility. "Before we did this study, I ... full story
Inventors Choose to Reveal Their Secret Sauce Before Patent Approval
Jan. 15, 2015 — Common wisdom and prior economic research suggest that an inventor filing a patent would want to keep the technical know-how secret as long as possible. But a new study of nearly 2 million patents in ... full story
In the Mood to Trade? Weather May Influence Institutional Investors' Stock Decisions
Jan. 15, 2015 — Weather changes may affect how institutional investors decide on stock plays, according to a new study. Their findings suggest sunny skies put professional investors more in a mood to buy, while ... full story
Huge 3-D Displays Without 3-D Glasses
Jan. 15, 2015 — A new kind of display uses laser beams to send out different pictures into different directions. Each pixel contains lasers and a moving mirror, which directs the laser light. Different pictures can ... full story
- Ads Effective Even While Multitasking
- Mental Health Problem? Would You Tell Your Boss?
- Insight Into Wall Street 'Technology Arms Race'
- Better Work-Family Balance Helps With Sleep
- Do Ambient Fragrances Make You Purchase More?
- Power of Hierarchy in High-Pressure Situations
- Hostile Boss? Benefit to Giving It Right Back
- Inventors Reveal 'Secret Sauce' Before Patenting
- Stock Decisions Affected By Weather?
- Huge 3-D Displays Without 3-D Glasses
Can Synesthesia Be Taught? Colored Letters, Tasty Sounds?
Jan. 29, 2015 — Can synesthesia have cognitive benefits and can it be taught? There are over 60 known types of synesthesia, a condition in which stimulation of one sense, such as taste, leads to automatic, ... full story
Students Master Math Through Movement Using Kinect for Windows
Jan. 26, 2015 — Significant gains in the understanding of angles and angle measurements by elementary school students are seen in those who performed body-based tasks while interacting with a Kinect for Windows ... full story
Girls Lead Boys in Academic Achievement Globally
Jan. 26, 2015 — Considerable attention has been paid to how boys' educational achievements in science and math compare to girls' accomplishments in those areas, often leading to the assumption that boys outperform ... full story
Mindfulness-Based Program in Schools Making a Positive Impact, Study Shows
Jan. 26, 2015 — A social and emotional learning program started by Academy Award winning actress Goldie Hawn to help school children improve their learning abilities, be more caring, and less stressed is now backed ... full story
For University Students, Walking Beats Sitting
Jan. 26, 2015 — Walking classrooms are better for not only for students' physical health, but classroom engagement, a study shows. What began in a response to a physical activity challenge for the computer science ... full story
How Are Student Loans Affecting the Well-Being of Young Adults?
Jan. 22, 2015 — Young adults who accumulated higher amounts of debt incurred from student loans reported higher levels of depressive symptoms, even with adjustments for parental wealth, childhood socioeconomic ... full story
Rescuing Memories of Past Events: How the Mundane Can Be Meaningful -- And Remembered
Jan. 21, 2015 — It's not surprising that our memories of highly emotional events, such as 9/11 or the birth of a child, are quite strong. But can these events change our memories of the past? Researchers report that ... full story
Facebook Not to Blame for Negative Impact on Grades, Professor Says
Jan. 20, 2015 — The more time college students, particularly freshman, spend on Facebook, the more their grades suffer. But a professor says the problem is not Facebook -- it's an issue of ... full story
Practice Really Does Make Perfect
Jan. 8, 2015 — New research into the way in which we learn new skills finds that a single skill can be learned faster if its follow-through motion is consistent, but multiple skills can be learned simultaneously if ... full story
All in a Good Night's Sleep: How Quality of Sleep Impacts Academic Performance in Children
Jan. 8, 2015 — A good night's sleep is linked to better performance by schoolchildren in math and languages -- subjects that are powerful predictors of later learning and academic success, according to a study. The ... full story
- Can Synesthesia Be Taught?
- Kinect: Students Master Math Through Movement
- Academic Achievement: Girls Lead Boys Globally
- Mindfulness-Based Program in Schools a Positive
- For University Students, Walking Beats Sitting
- Student Loans and the Well-Being of Young Adults
- Rescuing Memories of Past Events
- Can't Blame Bad Grades On Facebook, Says Prof
- Practice Really Does Make Perfect
- Sleep Impacts Academic Performance in Children
