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Artificial reef designed by MIT engineers could protect marine life, reduce storm damage

Engineers designed an 'architected' reef that can mimic the wave-buffering effects of natural reefs while providing pockets for marine life. The sustainable and cost-saving structure could dissipate more than 95 percent of incoming wave energy using a small fraction of the material normally needed.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 16:51:45 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327165145.htm

Persistent hiccups in a far-off galaxy draw astronomers to new black hole behavior

Astronomers have found that a previously quiet black hole, which sits at the center of a galaxy about 800 million light years away, has suddenly erupted, giving off plumes of gas every 8.5 days before settling back to its normal, quiet state.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 15:49:13 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327154913.htm

More efficient TVs, screens and lighting

New multidisciplinary research could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:48:05 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124805.htm

Sweet success: Sugarcane's complex genetic code cracked

Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants. Exploring sugarcane's genetic code could help researchers develop more resilient and productive crops, with implications for both sugar production and biofuels.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:48:02 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124802.htm

Scientists extract genetic secrets from 4,000-year-old teeth to illuminate the impact of changing human diets over the centuries

Researchers have recovered remarkably preserved microbiomes from two teeth dating back 4,000 years, found in an Irish limestone cave. Genetic analyses of these microbiomes reveal major changes in the oral microenvironment from the Bronze Age to today. The teeth both belonged to the same male individual and also provided a snapshot of his oral health.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:35 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124735.htm

Spot-on laser treatment for skin blemishes becoming clearer with new index

Scientists have developed the first wavelength-specific irradiation index for picosecond lasers, which are used in clinical practice to treat pigmented lesions. Comparison with previously reported clinical studies confirmed that clinical results showing low complication rates and high efficacy can be explained by the indicator they developed. The use of this indicator is expected to help set irradiation conditions in clinical practice.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:30 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124730.htm

Scientists warn: The grey seal hunt is too large

Researchers warn that today's hunting quotas of about 3,000 animals pose a risk to the long-term survival of the grey seal in the Baltic Sea. The conclusions of this new study are based on statistics from 20th century seal hunting and predictions of future climate change.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:28 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124728.htm

Want to feel young? Protect your sleep

Do you ever find yourself longing for the energy and vitality of your younger years? Feeling young is not just a matter of perception it is actually related to objective health outcomes. Previous studies have shown that feeling younger than one s actual age is associated with longer, healthier lives. There is even support for subjective age to predict actual brain age, with those feeling younger having younger brains. Feeling sleepy can make you feel ten years older.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:25 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124725.htm

A tiny spot leads to a large advancement in nano-processing, researchers reveal

Focusing a tailored laser beam through transparent glass can create a tiny spot inside the material. Researchers have reported on a way to use this small spot to improve laser material processing, boosting processing resolution.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:20 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124720.htm

Social, environmental factors may raise risk of developing heart disease and stroke

Neighborhoods with more adversity have up to twice the increased risk of heart disease and stroke, according to a new study.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:17 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124717.htm

Developmental psychology: Concern for others emerges during second year of life

An empirical longitudinal study tracked the emergence of empathic concern in children.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:10 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124710.htm

Secrets of the naked mole-rat: new study reveals how their unique metabolism protects them from heart attacks

This unusual, subterranean mammal with extreme longevity shows genetic adaptations to low oxygen environments which could offer opportunities for advancing other areas of physiological and medical research in humans, including the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:08 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124708.htm

New technique for predicting protein dynamics may prove big breakthrough for drug discovery

Understanding the structure of proteins is critical for demystifying their functions and developing drugs that target them. To that end, a team of researchers has developed a way of using machine learning to rapidly predict multiple protein configurations to advance understanding of protein dynamics and functions.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:05 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124705.htm

Risk factors for faster aging in the brain revealed in new study

Researchers have used data from UK Biobank participants to reveal that diabetes, traffic-related air pollution and alcohol intake are the most harmful out of 15 modifiable risk factors for dementia.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:47:03 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124703.htm

Heat, cold extremes hold untapped potential for solar and wind energy

Conditions that usually accompany the kind of intense hot and cold weather that strains power grids may also provide greater opportunities to capture solar and wind energy. A study found that widespread, extreme temperature events are often accompanied by greater solar radiation and higher wind speeds that could be captured by solar panels and wind turbines. The research, which looked at extensive heat and cold waves across the six interconnected energy grid regions of the U.S. from 1980-2021, also found that every region experienced power outages during these events in the past decade. The findings suggest that using more renewable energy at these times could help offset increased power demand as more people and businesses turn on heaters or air conditioners.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:58 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124658.htm

Looking to the past to prevent future extinction

Anthropologists created a computational model to predict the likelihood of animal extinctions based on the complex interaction of hunting and environmental change.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:56 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124656.htm

A new type of cooling for quantum simulators

Quantum simulators are quantum systems that can be controlled exceptionally well. They can be used to indirectly learn something about other quantum systems, which cannot be experimented on so easily. Therefore, quantum simulators play an important role in unraveling the big questions of quantum physics. However, they are limited by temperature: They only work well, when they are extremely cold. Scientists have now developed a method to cool quantum simulators even more than before: by splitting a Bose-Einstein-condensate in half, in a very special way.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:53 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124653.htm

Not unique to humans but uniquely human: researchers identify factor involved in brain expansion in humans

What makes us human? According to neurobiologists it is our neocortex. This outer layer of the brain is rich in neurons and lets us do abstract thinking, create art, and speak complex languages. An international team has identified a new factor that might have contributed to neocortex expansion in humans.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:41 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124641.htm

Popular obesity drugs may lead to medical procedure complications

New research suggests people who are scheduled for certain medical procedures should stop taking popular weight loss drugs in the days or weeks prior to avoid complications.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:37 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124637.htm

New enzymatic cocktail can kill tuberculosis-causing mycobacteria

An enzymatic cocktail can kill a variety of mycobacterial species of bacteria, including those that cause tuberculosis.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:34 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124634.htm

Astronomers unveil strong magnetic fields spiraling at the edge of Milky Way's central black hole

A new image from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration has uncovered strong and organized magnetic fields spiraling from the edge of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Seen in polarized light for the first time, this new view of the monster lurking at the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy has revealed a magnetic field structure strikingly similar to that of the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy, suggesting that strong magnetic fields may be common to all black holes.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:32 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124632.htm

Safer, more efficient drug discovery

Researchers have discovered a safer and more efficient technique for testing new drugs while they are in development.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:29 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124629.htm

Distant 'space snowman' unlocks mystery of how some dormant deep space objects become 'ice bombs'

Researchers found that the double-lobed object, which is officially named Kuiper Belt Object 486958 Arrokoth and resembles a snowman, may have ancient ices stored deep within it from when the object first formed billions of years ago.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:27 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124627.htm

Researchers create biocompatible nanoparticles to enhance systemic delivery of cancer immunotherapy

Researchers are enhancing immunotherapy effects against malignant tumors by developing and validating patent-ending poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid), or PLGA, nanoparticles modified with adenosine triphosphate, or ATP.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:20 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124620.htm

Researchers discover a mechanism that could improve platinum-based cancer therapy

Researchers say they have discovered that the protein puromycin-sensitive aminopeptidase (NPEPPS) plays a role in regulating response to platinum chemotherapy in patients with bladder cancer.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:15 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124615.htm

The serious side of kid and canine play

With two-thirds of children in the U.S. failing to meet national physical activity guidelines, kinesiologistshave been looking at the impact of the family dog on the exercise habits of kids. Could having a canine best friend get kids on their feet and help bring them more in line with the minimum recommendation of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day?
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:08 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124608.htm

What if the heavy rain would have fallen 50 kilometers away?

Floods affect more people worldwide than any other natural hazard, causing enormous damage that is expected to increase in a warming world. However, people and decision-makers in vulnerable regions are often unwilling to prepare for exceptionally severe events because they are difficult to imagine and beyond their experience.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:06 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124606.htm

Biologists uncover new species of tiger beetle: Eunota houstoniana

Evolutionary biologists have unearthed a new species of tiger beetle, deemed Eunota houstoniana, honoring the Houston region where it predominantly resides.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:03 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124603.htm

Couples with similar drinking habits may live longer

The couple that drinks together might live longer together, too, says a University of Michigan researcher.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:46:00 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124600.htm

Implantable batteries can run on the body's own oxygen

From pacemakers to neurostimulators, implantable medical devices rely on batteries to keep the heart on beat and dampen pain. But batteries eventually run low and require invasive surgeries to replace. To address these challenges, researchers have devised an implantable battery that runs on oxygen in the body. The study shows in rats that the proof-of-concept design can deliver stable power and is compatible with the biological system.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:45:58 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124558.htm

Sap beetles vs wind: What pollinates screw pines?

Researchers have discovered the first species pollinated by sap beetles in the genus Pandanus, a group of palm-like plants native to the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Eurasia. The discovery overturned the long-held belief that these plants were pollinated by wind. The researchers also found that fragrant screw pines' male and female flowers produced heat at night stably, making them the first such species in the family Pandanaceae.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:45:55 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124555.htm

Accelerating CAR T cell therapy: Lipid nanoparticles speed up manufacturing

Engineers have developed a novel method for manufacturing CAR T cells, one that takes just 24 hours and requires only one step, thanks to the use of lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), the potent delivery vehicles that played a critical role in the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:45:50 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124550.htm

Turbulence within solar transients imaged

Scientists captured images showing the development of turbulence as a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) interacted with the ambient solar wind in the circumsolar space.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:45:48 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124548.htm

Hidden geometry of learning: Neural networks think alike

Engineers have uncovered an unexpected pattern in how neural networks -- the systems leading today's AI revolution -- learn, suggesting an answer to one of the most important unanswered questions in AI: why these methods work so well. The result not only illuminates the inner workings of neural networks, but gestures toward the possibility of developing hyper-efficient algorithms that could classify images in a fraction of the time, at a fraction of the cost.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:45:45 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124545.htm

Milk on ice: Antarctic time capsule of whole milk powder sheds light on the enduring qualities--and evolution--of dairy products past and present

In a remarkable discovery, whole milk powder manufactured in New Zealand in 1907 and transported to Antarctica with explorers seeking the South Pole was unveiled after more than a century. The find has allowed dairy researchers to answer the question: Is the milk we enjoy today different from the milk consumed in previous generations? Now, a new comparative study has peered back in time to demonstrate that -- despite advancements in selective breeding and changes to farm practices -- milk of the past and milk today share more similarities than differences and are still crucial building blocks of human nutrition.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:45:42 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124542.htm

Old immune systems revitalized in mouse study, improving vaccine response

Those with aging immune systems struggle to fight off novel viruses and respond weakly to vaccination. Researchers were able to revitalize the immune system in mice.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:45:40 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124540.htm

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica's ice sheets. An international research team has now used sediments taken from the South Pacific to reconstruct the flow speed in the last 5.3 million years. Their data show that during glacial periods, the current slowed; during interglacials, it accelerated. Consequently, if the current global warming intensifies in the future, it could mean that the Southern Ocean stores less CO2 and that more heat reaches Antarctica.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:45:32 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327124532.htm

Memory self-test via smartphone can identify early signs of Alzheimer's disease

Dedicated memory tests on smartphones enable the detection of 'mild cognitive impairment', a condition that may indicate Alzheimer's disease, with high accuracy.
Wed, 27 Mar 2024 12:39:43 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240327123943.htm

UK rabbit owners can recognize pain in their pets, study finds

Rabbits are popular family pets, with around 1.5 million in the UK and it is important that owners can recognize when their animal is in pain, and know when to seek help to protect their rabbit's welfare. New research has found the majority of rabbit owners could list signs of pain and could mostly identify pain-free rabbits and those in severe pain, but many lacked knowledge of the subtler sign of pain.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 23:54:51 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326235451.htm

The behavior of ant queens is shaped by their social environment

The queens in colonies of social insects, such as ants, bees, and wasps, are considered the veritable embodiment of specialization in the animal kingdom. The common perception is that the queen's only task is to lay eggs -- and that this attribute is an inherent trait, not influenced by external factors. In contrast, recent research has demonstrated that in certain ant colonies the social environment can play a crucial role in shaping the behavioral specialization of the queens.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:01:19 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170119.htm

Sleeping supermassive black holes awakened briefly by shredded stars

Astronomers have concluded that an obscure class of galaxies known as Compact Symmetric Objects, or CSOs, are not young as previously thought but rather lead relatively short lives.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:01:17 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170117.htm

New testing approach improves detection of rare but emerging Powassan virus spread by deer ticks

Researchers have come up with a new, more accurate method for detecting in ticks the emerging Powassan virus, which can cause life-threatening neuroinvasive disease, including encephalitis and meningitis.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:01:14 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170114.htm

Study finds high prevalence of hidden brain changes in people with heart disease

A new analysis involving over 13,000 people has found changes to blood vessels in the brain that can increase the risk of stroke and dementia are common in people with a range of heart conditions, regardless of whether they have experienced a stroke.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:01:12 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170112.htm

New genetic analysis tool tracks risks tied to CRISPR edits

While CRISPR has shown immense promise as a next-generation therapeutic tool, the gene editing technology's edits are still imperfect. Researchers have developed a new system to test and analyze CRISPR-based DNA repair and related risks from unintended but harmful 'bystander' edits.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:01:07 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170107.htm

Curbside collection improves organic waste composting, reduces methane emissions

Most organic household waste ends up in landfills where it generates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Composting food and garden waste instead of sending it to landfills can significantly reduce methane emissions and help mitigate global warming. A new study explores the effects of curbside compost collection programs.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:01:04 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170104.htm

Researchers find energy development and tree encroachment impact Wyoming pronghorn

While Wyoming is home to some of North America's most abundant populations of pronghorn that have largely been stable in recent years, a new analysis shows that many herds are experiencing long-term declines in fawn production.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:00:58 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170058.htm

Researchers show that introduced tardigrade proteins can slow metabolism in human cells

Tardigrade proteins are potential candidates in technologies centered on slowing the aging process and in long-term storage of human cells.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:00:55 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170055.htm

Optimizing electronic health records: Study reveals improvements in departmental productivity

Researchers identify transformative effects of electronic health record (EHR) optimization on departmental productivity.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:00:53 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170053.htm

Just ask: Patients in the ER are willing to get a flu shot

Simply asking patients to get the flu vaccine, and combining it with helpful video and print messages, is enough to persuade many who visit emergency departments to roll up their sleeves, according to a new study.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:00:37 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326170037.htm

In paleontology, correct names are keys to accurate study

When the skeletal remains of a giant ground sloth were first unearthed in 1796, the discovery marked one of the earliest paleontological finds in American history.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:47:31 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326134731.htm

Researchers identify protein sensor that plays a role in lung fibrosis

Researchers have discovered a protein called SEL1L that plays a critical role in clearing collagen from tissue, and which may be a therapeutic target to help prevent fibrosis, scar tissue that interferes with organ function. The paper provides clues that could lead to drug development for diseases like lung fibrosis which have no therapeutic options currently.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 13:47:28 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326134728.htm

Researchers a step closer to a cure for HIV

A new study shows virus-like particle can effectively 'shock and kill' latent HIV reservoir in those living with chronic HIV.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:45:55 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326124555.htm

Beethoven's genes reveal low predisposition for beat synchronization

Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the most celebrated musicians in human history, has a rather low genetic predisposition for beat synchronization, according to a new study.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:45:53 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326124553.htm

Genetically engineered dendritic cells enhance the power of immunotherapy against lung cancer

A new study suggest that using CXCL9 and CXCL10-producing dendritic cells alongside immunotherapy can be a promising strategy to overcome treatment resistance and improve clinical outcomes for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:45:48 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326124548.htm

Developmental crossroads in the brain

Study reveals how proteins direct nerve cell precursors to turn into specialized neurons.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:45:45 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326124545.htm

Bullseye! Accurately centering quantum dots within photonic chips

Researchers have now developed standards and calibrations for optical microscopes that allow quantum dots to be aligned with the center of a photonic component to within an error of 10 to 20 nanometers (about one-thousandth the thickness of a sheet of paper). Such alignment is critical for chip-scale devices that employ the radiation emitted by quantum dots to store and transmit quantum information.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:45:40 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326124540.htm

Using 'time travel' to think about technology from the perspective of future generations

Researchers have conducted a series of participatory deliberation workshops in which the participants were asked to consider issues of future society and manufacturing, in general, and as they relate to hydrothermally produced porous glass. In workshops where the perspective of 'imaginary future generations' was adopted, participants' perceptions of the technology's feasibility and future potentiality changed significantly.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:26:11 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326122611.htm

Severe hurricanes boost influx of juveniles and gene flow in a coral reef sponge

A study is the first to evaluate substrate recolonization by sponges in the U.S. Virgin Islands after two catastrophic storms using genetic analyses to understand how much clonality verses sexual recruitment occurs on coral reefs post-storms. Results show that populations of clonal marine species with low pelagic dispersion, such as A. cauliformis, may benefit from increased frequency and magnitude of hurricanes to maintain genetic diversity and combat inbreeding, enhancing the resilience of Caribbean sponge communities to extreme storm events.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 10:39:48 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326103948.htm

New method to measure entropy production on the nanoscale

Entropy, the amount of molecular disorder, is produced in several systems but cannot be measured directly. A new equation sheds new light on how entropy is produced on a very short time scale in laser excited materials.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 10:39:45 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326103945.htm

Silicon spikes take out 96% of virus particles

An international research team has designed and manufactured a virus-killing surface that could help control disease spread in hospitals, labs and other high-risk environments.
Tue, 26 Mar 2024 10:39:36 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240326103936.htm


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