ScienceDaily: Your source for the latest research news

Top Science News

January 14, 2016

Nanophotonic Comeback for Incandescent Bulbs?

Dogs Can Recognize Human Emotions

Dog Domestication Led to Bad Genetic Changes?

Songbirds Sing Like Humans Do

Jan. 11, 2016 — Traditional light bulbs, thought to be well on their way to oblivion, may receive a reprieve thanks to a technological ... read more

Jan. 12, 2016 — Dogs can recognize emotions in humans by combining information from different senses -- an ability that has never previously been observed outside of humans, a new study published today ... read more

Jan. 11, 2016 — Dog domestication may have inadvertently led to harmful genetic changes, a new study suggests. Domestication of dogs from gray wolves more than ... read more

Jan. 12, 2016 — Research on Bengalese finches showed that each of their vocal muscles can change its function to help produce different parameters of sounds, in a manner similar to that of a trained opera ... read more

Latest Top Headlines

updated 1:33pm EST

Couples' Quality of Life Linked Even When One Partner Dies

Jan. 13, 2016 — When one spouse passes away, his or her characteristics continue to be linked with the surviving spouse's well-being, according to new research. The findings also indicate that this link between the deceased spouse and surviving spouse is as strong as that between partners who are ... read more

Is Autism Hiding in a Fold of the Brain?

Jan. 13, 2016 — Scientists have identified a cerebral marker specific to autism that can be detected by MRI and is present as from the age of two years. The abnormality thus detected consists in a less deep fold in Broca's area, a region of the brain specialized in language and communication, functions that are ... read more

Not the Weaker Sex: Estrogen Protects Women Against the Flu, Study Finds

Jan. 12, 2016 — The female sex hormone estrogen has anti-viral effects against the influenza A virus, commonly known as the flu, new research shows. The study supports why the flu may hit men harder ... read more

Religious Decline Does Not Equal Moral Decline, Says Researcher

Jan. 13, 2016 — Morality is not rooted in religion, and religion matters less for moral values now than it did thirty years ago, says a researcher. Based on the analysis of European survey data, researchers found that religious decline does not equal ... read more

'Green Pea' Galaxy Provides Insights to Early Universe Evolution

Jan. 13, 2016 — Astronomers gain a new understanding of the re-ionization of the universe by studying a nearby dwarf 'green ... read more

Will Computers Ever Truly Understand What We're Saying?

Jan. 11, 2016 — If you think computers are quickly approaching true human communication, think again. Computers like Siri often get confused because they judge meaning by looking at a word's statistical regularity. This is unlike humans, for whom context is more important than the word or signal, according to a ... read more

New Battery Shuts Down at High Temperatures, Restarts When It Cools

Jan. 11, 2016 — The first lithium-ion battery has been developed that shuts down before overheating, then restarts immediately when the temperature cools. The new technology could prevent the kind of fires that have prompted recalls and bans on a wide range of battery-powered devices, from computers ... read more

Researchers' Metallic Glue May Stick It to Soldering and Welding

Jan. 8, 2016 — Experts in nanotechnology have developed a glue that binds metal to metal to glass to you-name-it, sets at room temperature, and requires little pressure ... read more

First Demonstration of Sexual Selection in Dinosaurs Identified

Jan. 13, 2016 — Large ornamental structures in dinosaurs, such as horns and head crests are likely to have been used in sexual displays and to assert social dominance, according to a new analysis of Protoceratops. This is the first time scientists have linked the function of anatomy to sexual selection ... read more

Why Do Some Infections Persist? Blame Bacterial Socialism

Jan. 13, 2016 — New research uses time lapse microscopy to show that bacteria use a hedging strategy to trade off varying degrees of antibiotic resistance even when they are not under threat. This new insight could explain why some infections persist in spite of antibiotic treatment and suggests that a different ... read more

Scientists Pinpoint Unbroken Section of Nepal Fault Line and Show Why Himalayas Grow

Jan. 11, 2016 — A 'kink' in fault explains long-term growth of the world's highest mountains in years between earthquakes, scientists have discovered. Satellite technology shows the Himalayas have subsided by up to 60cm after the April 2015 disaster. The rupture in ... read more

Conflict Among Honey Bee Genes Supports Theory of Altruism

Jan. 12, 2016 — Using modern genetic approaches, a team of researchers has provided strong support for the long-standing, but hotly debated, evolutionary theory of kin selection, which suggests that altruistic behavior occurs as a way to pass genes to the ... read more

The Secret To Staying Young May Be Having More Children

Key Ingredient To New Year's Health Goals: Friends

Chameleon's Tongue-Lashing Technique Analysed

An Iceman's Upset Stomach Can Teach Us About The Earliest Europeans

Why X Chromosome Lacks 'Housekeeping Genes'

Life-Extending Hormone Bolsters Immune Function

Prone to Rage? Blame Your Small Emotional Brain

New Type of Antidepressant Acts Quickly in Mice

Jan. 12, 2016 — In humans, males have XY chromosomes, females have XX but only one of these is active, meaning that both sexes only have one active copy of the X chromosome. A team of researchers studying the ... read more

Jan. 12, 2016 — A hormone that extends lifespan in mice by 40% is produced by specialized cells in the thymus gland, according to a new study. The team also found that increasing the levels of this hormone, called ... read more

Jan. 12, 2016 — Neuroimaging studies suggest that frontolimbic regions of the brain, structures that regulate emotions, play an important role in the biology of aggressive behavior. A new article reports that ... read more

Jan. 12, 2016 — The compound CGP3466B, already proven nontoxic for people, may effectively and rapidly treat depression, according to results of a study in mice. Researchers say that the compound -- previously shown ... read more

Latest Health Headlines

updated 1:33pm EST

3D Images of Megaenzymes May Lead to Improved Antibiotics

Jan. 13, 2016 — For the first time, researchers have been able to take a series of 3D images of a large section from a medicine-synthesizing enzymes in action. The researchers believe that the images they have generated will not only bring scientists closer to understanding how many antibiotics are made, but ... read more

Hay Fever Medicine Reduces Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Jan. 14, 2016 — The cause of abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome has been identified by researchers. As a result, they were able to select a medicine that could reduce or end that pain. This medicine is already used to treat hay ... read more

Mosquito Net Safe to Use in Inguinal Hernia Repair

Jan. 13, 2016 — Sterilized mosquito nets can replace costly surgical meshes in the repair of inguinal (groin) hernias without further risk to the patients, according to a new study. This makes mosquito nets a good alternative for close to 200 million people in low-income countries suffering from untreated ... read more

High Levels of Urate in Blood Associated With Lower Risk of Parkinson's Disease

Jan. 13, 2016 — Men who have high levels of urate, also known as uric acid, in their blood may be less likely to develop Parkinson's disease, according to a new ... read more

Vaccine Targets Alzheimer's Disease-Like Characteristics in People With Down Syndrome

Jan. 13, 2016 — In the first clinical trial of its type, researchers will test the safety and tolerability of an immunotherapy vaccine that targets Alzheimer’s disease-like characteristics in adults with Down ... read more

Brain Monitoring Takes a Leap out of the Lab

Jan. 13, 2016 — Bioengineers and cognitive scientists have developed the first portable, 64-channel wearable brain activity monitoring system that’s comparable to state-of-the-art equipment found in research laboratories. The system is a better fit for real-world applications because it is equipped with dry EEG ... read more

Flipping Molecular 'Switch' May Reduce Nicotine's Effects in the Brain

Jan. 13, 2016 — A lipid (fat molecule) in brain cells may act as a "switch" to increase or decrease the motivation to consume nicotine, new research ... read more

'Predictive Neuron Orchestra' Behind Looking, Reaching Movements Discovered

Jan. 12, 2016 — Different groups of neurons 'predict' the body's subsequent looking and reaching movements, suggesting an orchestration among distinct parts of the brain, a team of neuroscientists has found. The study enhances our understanding of the decision-making process, potentially offering insights into different forms of mental illness -- afflictions in which this dynamic is typically ... read more

Blueberries, Citrus Fruits, Red Wine Associated With Reduced Erectile Dysfunction

Jan. 13, 2016 — Flavonoid-rich foods are associated with a reduced risk of erectile dysfunction, according to a new study. Of all the different flavonoids, Anthocyanins (found in blueberries, cherries, blackberries, radishes and blackcurrant), flavanones and flavones (found in citrus fruits) were found to offer the greatest benefits in preventing the condition. ... read more

Trauma Experts Study Treatment of Pregnant Trauma Patients to Improve Neonatal Outcomes

Jan. 13, 2016 — Expectant mothers who sustain a traumatic injury and receive care at a hospital with a designated trauma center experience better outcomes than those treated at a non-trauma hospital, say ... read more

Immigrant Kids' Diet Is Different, Less Nutritious Than Mom's

Jan. 12, 2016 — The diet of Mexican immigrant children in the US is different from what their mothers eat, according to sociologists, and that may mean kids are trading in the generally healthy diet of their moms for less nutritious American ... read more

The Way You Sound Affects Your Mood

Jan. 11, 2016 — Researchers have created a digital audio platform that can modify the emotional tone of people's voices while they are talking, to make them sound happier, sadder or more fearful. New results show that while listening to their altered voices, participants' emotional state change in accordance with ... read more

Japanese Firm Introduces an App That Reads Pets' Emotions

Here's What Vice President Biden's Cancer 'Moonshot' Will Try To Do

Medical Cannabis Treats Colombian 12-Year-Old's Epilepsy

Study Finds Hookah Delivers 25 Times More Tar Than A Cigarette

Gravitation Under Human Control?

Gas Cloud: Relic from Death of First Stars?

Most Distant Massive Galaxy Cluster Identified

Glimpse of Conditions Found On Other Planets

Jan. 8, 2016 — Produce and detect gravitational fields at will using magnetic fields, control them for studying them, work with them to produce new technologies -- it sounds daring, but one physicist has proposed ... read more

Jan. 8, 2016 — Researchers have discovered a distant, ancient cloud of gas that may contain the signature of the very first stars that formed in the ... read more

Jan. 7, 2016 — Astronomers have detected a massive, sprawling, churning galaxy cluster that formed only 3.8 billion years after the Big Bang. Located 10 billion light years from Earth and potentially comprising ... read more

Jan. 6, 2016 — Scientists have recreated an elusive form of the material that makes up much of the giant planets in our solar system, and the sun. Experiments have given a glimpse of a previously unseen form of ... read more

Latest Physical/Tech Headlines

updated 1:33pm EST

Unique Phononic Filter Could Revolutionize Signal Processing Systems

Jan. 12, 2016 — A unique filtering technology that combines light (photons) and sound (phonon) waves on a single chip is expected to detect radar and communications frequencies better than ... read more

New Microscopy May Identify Best Sperm Cells

Jan. 13, 2016 — New microscopic technology promises to be a game-changer in the field of reproductive assistance. A team of scientists has devised a new method of microscopy allowing scientists to perform clinical sperm analysis for in vitro fertilization without the use of staining, which can affect the viability of sperm ... read more

Shiny Fish Skin Inspires Nanoscale Light Reflectors

Jan. 13, 2016 — A nature-inspired method to model the reflection of light may have applications for advanced optical coatings for glass, laser protection, infrared imaging systems, optical communication systems and photovoltaics, according ... read more

Major Advance Reveals How Charge Forms in Key Radiation-Absorbing Layer Within Solar Cells

Jan. 13, 2016 — Researchers demonstrate in a new study the precise mechanism by which sunlight generates electrical charge within cutting-edge solar cell film, yielding potential benefits for solar ... read more

First Light for Future Black Hole Probe

Jan. 13, 2016 — Zooming in on black holes is the main mission for the newly installed instrument GRAVITY at ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile. During its first observations, GRAVITY successfully combined starlight using all four Auxiliary Telescopes. During its initial tests, the instrument has already achieved ... read more

Runaway Stars Leave Infrared Waves

Jan. 12, 2016 — Astronomers have discovered roughly 100 of the fastest-moving stars in the Milky Way galaxy with the aid of images from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, and use of the Wyoming Infrared Observatory on Jelm Mountain near ... read more

Most Energetic Light Ever Observed from a Few Kilometers Large Star

Jan. 12, 2016 — Scientists working with the Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov (MAGIC) observatory have reported the discovery of the most energetic pulsed emission radiation ever detected from the neutron star in the center of the supernova of 1054 A.D., known as the ... read more

New Images of Dwarf Planet Ceres

Jan. 12, 2016 — Features on dwarf planet Ceres that piqued the interest of scientists throughout 2015 stand out in exquisite detail in the latest images from NASA's Dawn spacecraft, which recently reached its lowest-ever altitude ... read more

Microbots Individually Controlled Using 'Mini Force Fields'

Jan. 13, 2016 — Researchers are using a technology likened to 'mini force fields' to independently control individual microrobots operating within groups, an advance aimed at using the tiny machines in areas including manufacturing ... read more

Maxwell's Demon as a Self-Contained, Information-Powered Refrigerator

Jan. 11, 2016 — Making use of nanotechnology, scientists in Finland have succeeded in constructing an autonomous Maxwell's demon that makes it possible to analyze the microscopic changes ... read more

Overwhelming Evidence? It's Probably a Bad Thing

Jan. 12, 2016 — The old adage that says 'If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is' has finally been put to the test -- mathematically. A team of researchers has found that overwhelming evidence without a dissenting opinion can in fact weaken the credibility of a case, or point to a failure of the ... read more

Robotic Vehicles Offer a New Tool in Study of Shark Behavior

Jan. 11, 2016 — The dramatic video footage of a great white shark attacking the REMUS SharkCam autonomous underwater vehicle brought some of the highest ratings to Shark Week 2014 and went viral. While the footage was unprecedented, the scientific understanding enabled by the REMUS SharkCam is just as ... read more

more top physical/tech stories

Latest Physical/Tech Videos

from news services

Growing Vegetables Via Smartphone

Japanese Firm Introduces an App That Reads Pets' Emotions

Obama Keeps Calling For Better STEM Students, So How's America Doing?

A Toy Star Wars Robot Controlled by ‘The Force’

more top physical/tech videos

Environment News

January 14, 2016

Giant Icebergs Remove CO2 from Atmosphere

How Blue and Green Clays Kill Bacteria

Non-Circadian Biological Rhythm in Teeth

Hard Evidence for a Human-Driven Earth

Jan. 11, 2016 — Giant icebergs are responsible for storing up to 20 percent of carbon in the Southern Ocean, a new study has found. The Southern Ocean plays a significant part in the global carbon cycle, and is ... read more

Jan. 11, 2016 — Since prehistoric times, clays have been used by people for medicinal purposes. Whether by eating it, soaking in a mud bath, or using it to stop bleeding from wounds, clay has long been part of ... read more

Jan. 6, 2016 — Researchers, through metabolomic analysis of blood plasma of domestic pigs, have linked mammalian pace of growth and development variations to a non-circadian biological timing mechanism operating on ... read more

Jan. 7, 2016 — Evidence for a new geological epoch which marks the impact of human activity on the Earth is now overwhelming, according to a recent paper by an international group of ... read more

Latest Environment Headlines

updated 1:33pm EST

Taoyuan No. 3: New High-Yield Lettuce for Subtropical Regions

Jan. 13, 2016 — A new high-yielding lettuce cultivar for subtropical regions was developed by introducing the high growth rate trait from romaine lettuce 'Jhih Li Wo' into high-yielding Batavia lettuce 'Fu San'. Researchers analyzed temperature and day length on days to harvest for maximum marketable yield (DMMY) for nine lettuce cultivars. Temperature affected DMMY the most and the relative contributions of ... read more

De-Mystifying the Study of Volatile Organic Plant Compounds

Jan. 13, 2016 — Plant volatile organic compounds are elusive and influential chemicals that are an essential part of how plants react with their environment and that also affect Earth's climate globally. A new review gives a comprehensive overview of available sampling methods and measurement techniques to give ... read more

Ocean Current in Gulf of Mexico Linked to Red Tide

Jan. 12, 2016 — A major ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico plays an important role in sustaining Florida red tide blooms, a new study indicates. The research team suggests that the position of the Loop Current can serve as an indicator of whether the algal bloom will be sustained, and provide warning of possible ... read more

Modifying the Structure of Wood Alters Plant Microbiome

Jan. 13, 2016 — Modifying the structure of poplar wood can also alter the endosphere microbiome, the bacteria that reside inside tree tissue, new research shows. In this study, the researchers looked into how trees with modified wood structure could be used as a basis for the production of, inter ... read more

Fires Burning in Africa, Asia Cause High Ozone in Tropical Pacific

Jan. 13, 2016 — The burning of forests and vegetation may play a larger role in climate change than previously realized, new research suggests. Based on aircraft observations, satellite data and models, the findings indicate 'biomass burning' may need to be addressed with future regulations. Following closely ... read more

Revealing the Secrets of Marine Microbes: Exciting Results from the MaCuMBA Project

Jan. 11, 2016 — Huge successes in the isolation and cultivation of marine microbial strains have been made by the EC-funded MaCuMBA (Marine Microorganisms: Cultivation Methods for Improving their Biotechnological Applications) project, which aims to uncover the untold diversity of marine microbes using cultivation-dependent ... read more

Growth Rings on Rocks Give Up North American Climate Secrets

Jan. 11, 2016 — Scientists have used soil deposits that form growth rings on rocks to provide a detailed picture of North American climate over a 120,000-year ... read more

Thousands of Landslides in Nepal Earthquake Raise Parallels for Pacific Northwest

Jan. 11, 2016 — An evaluation of the major 7.8 magnitude subduction zone earthquake in Gorkha, Nepal, in April 2015, has identified characteristics that may be of special relevance to the future of the Pacific Northwest. Most striking was the enormous number and ... read more

Ancient Burial Rituals Prove You Can Take It With You ... and What You Take Says a Lot

Jan. 11, 2016 — Research on ancient burial tombs unlocks the mysteries of pre-Roman social status and cultural change, including urbanization, militarism and even likely shifts in ... read more

Ancient Protein Flexibility Can Drive 'New' Functions

Jan. 6, 2016 — Scientists reveal how evolutionary fine-tuning has obscured the origin of the glucocorticoid receptor's ability to adopt different shapes. It highlights how proteins that evolve 'new' functions may have had those capacities -- in some cases, for millions of years -- because of ... read more

Roman Toilets Gave No Clear Health Benefit, and Romanization Actually Spread Parasites

Jan. 8, 2016 — Intestinal parasites such as whipworm became increasingly common across Europe during the Roman Period, despite the apparent improvements the empire brought in sanitation technologies, archaeological ... read more

Pathogens Found in Ice Man's Stomach

Jan. 7, 2016 — Scientists are continually unearthing new facts about Homo sapiens from the mummified remains of Otzi, the Copper Age man, who was discovered in a glacier in 1991. Researchers have now succeeded in demonstrating the presence of Helicobacter pylori in Otzi's stomach contents, a bacterium found in ... read more

Insect Oil Could Make Roach Dressing for Salads

Growing Vegetables Via Smartphone

Japanese Firm Introduces an App That Reads Pets' Emotions

Alex Becomes The First January Hurricane To Form Since 1938

No Proof That Cancer Screening Saves Lives

How Hardship Affects Risk Taking Over Lifetime

Moms, Put the Cell Phone Away

Cancer Death Rate Continues Steady Drop

Jan. 6, 2016 — Cancer screening has never been shown to 'save lives' as advocates claim, argue experts, adding that the harms of screening are ... read more

Jan. 8, 2016 — With increasing age, the propensity to take physical, social, legal or financial risks decreases. Researchers have now been able to show how factors such as poverty and income equality play a ... read more

Jan. 5, 2016 — Mothers, put down your smartphones when caring for your babies! That's the message from researchers, who have found that fragmented and chaotic maternal care can disrupt proper brain development, ... read more

Jan. 7, 2016 — Steady reductions in smoking combined with advances in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment have resulted in a 23 percent drop in the cancer death rate since its peak in ... read more

Latest Society/Education Headlines

updated 1:33pm EST

Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations Could Endanger Women

Jan. 12, 2016 — If followed, new U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) breast cancer screening recommendations will result in thousands of unnecessary deaths each year and thousands more women enduring extensive and expensive treatment than if their cancer had been found early by an annual mammogram, argue ... read more

Breast Cancer Screening: Making a Safe Procedure Even Safer

Jan. 12, 2016 — Breast cancer screening with digital mammography poses only a small risk of radiation-induced breast cancer for most women, a comprehensive modeling study has found. However, the research showed increased risk for women with large breasts or breast implants, who must often receive extra screening views, increasing their radiation ... read more

Cultural Look at Moral Purity: Wiping the Face Clean

Jan. 12, 2016 — Moral purity is both universal and culturally variable. Its existence is found East and West. But the specific form of purification may differ from one culture to another. Whether people should wipe their hands or face clean -- or rinse their mouth, or shampoo their hair, or wash their feet -- is likely to depend on the cultural meanings attached to each body ... read more

New Study Challenges 'Mid-Life Crisis' Theory

Jan. 11, 2016 — A 25-year longitudinal study suggests the curve in happiness from early adulthood to midlife goes up, not ... read more

Teens With Autism and Caregivers Should Plan Early for Adulthood

Jan. 6, 2016 — As the number of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders continues to rise, medical professionals have emphasized early diagnosis, intervention and treatment. However, less attention has been given to children with autism once they reach their teen years and adulthood. Now researchers are working to find ways to support teens with autism and their caregivers so the teens can transition ... read more

Children's ADHD Symptoms and Peer Relationships Influence Each Other Over Time

Dec. 16, 2015 — A study of 962 Norwegian children at ages 4, 6, and 8, investigated the bidirectional relationship between the development of ADHD symptoms in young children and rejection by ... read more

Helping Children at High Risk for Aggressive Behavior Found to Have Long-Term Benefits

Dec. 16, 2015 — A new longitudinal study examines an intervention for children at high risk of developing behavior problems. It found that teaching soft skills, such as self control, prevented criminal and delinquent problems later in ... read more

In US, Poverty Dampens Genetic Influence on IQ

Dec. 16, 2015 — The influence of genes on intelligence varies according to people's social class in the US, but not in Western Europe or Australia, an analysis of data gathered from 14 independent ... read more

Negotiation Tip: Gain Sympathy and Gain the Advantage

Jan. 7, 2016 — Is sympathy considered a sign of weakness or is there a place for sympathy in negotiations? Research suggests that when one party conveys information with emotional reasons behind it, the other party is more likely to develop sympathy, be more willing to compromise, and find creative ... read more

Ambitious Women Must Use Their Social Capital to Reach Top Jobs

Jan. 5, 2016 — Aspirational professional women would benefit from a better understanding of how to build, maintain and use their social capital to succeed in reaching the top, say authors of a new ... read more

Premium-Based Financial Incentives Did Not Motivate Obese Employees to Lose Weight

Jan. 5, 2016 — Employers around the nation are increasingly searching for ways to help their employees make healthy lifestyle choices including encouraging obese employees to lose weight, often by offering financial incentives in the form of reduced health insurance premiums to help encourage success. But these programs are likely to fail, according to new ... read more

Less Financial Burden for Cancer Patients With Paid Sick Leave, Study Finds

Dec. 22, 2015 — In a survey of more than 1,300 patients with stage 3 colorectal cancer, researchers found that only 55 percent who were employed at the time of diagnosis retained their jobs after treatment. Patients who had paid sick leave were nearly twice as likely to retain their jobs as those without paid sick ... read more

more top society/education stories

Latest Society/Education Videos

from news services