World's chocolate supply threatened by devastating virus
A rapidly spreading virus threatens the health of the cacao tree and the dried seeds from which chocolate is made, jeopardizing the global supply of the world's most popular treat. Researchers have developed a new strategy: using mathematical data to determine how far apart farmers can plant vaccinated trees to prevent mealybugs from jumping from one tree to another and spreading the virus.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:59:10 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423155910.htm
This tiny chip can safeguard user data while enabling efficient computing on a smartphone
A new chip can efficiently accelerate machine-learning workloads on edge devices like smartphones while protecting sensitive user data from two common types of attacks -- side-channel attacks and bus-probing attacks.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:58:10 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423155810.htm
Livestock abortion surveillance could protect livelihoods and detect emerging global pathogens
A study suggests timely reporting and investigating of livestock abortions is feasible in rural areas and can provide insights into emerging infectious diseases.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:58:04 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423155804.htm
Warming climate is putting more metals into Colorado's mountain streams
Warming temperatures are causing a steady rise in copper, zinc and sulfate in the waters of Colorado mountain streams affected by acid rock drainage. Concentrations of these metals have roughly doubled in these alpine streams over the past 30 years, presenting a concern for ecosystems, downstream water quality and mining remediation, according to a new study. Natural chemical weathering of bedrock is the source of the rising acidity and metals, but the ultimate driver of the trend is climate change, the report found, and the results point to lower stream volumes and exposure of rock once sealed away by ice as the likely causes.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:57:58 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423155758.htm
Don't be a stranger -- study finds rekindling old friendships as scary as making new ones
Psychologists have found that people are as hesitant to reach out to an old friend as they are to strike up a conversation with a stranger, even when they had the capacity and desire to do so.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 15:55:30 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423155530.htm
Infected: Understanding the spread of behavior
A team of researchers found that long-tie connections accelerate the speed of social contagion.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:52:16 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423135216.htm
Researchers create artificial cells that act like living cells
Researchers describe the steps they took to manipulate DNA and proteins -- essential building blocks of life -- to create cells that look and act like cells from the body. This accomplishment, a first in the field, has implications for efforts in regenerative medicine, drug delivery systems and diagnostic tools.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:52:13 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423135213.htm
Innovative microscopy demystifies metabolism of Alzheimer's
Using state-of-the-art microscopy techniques, researchers have shed new light on the underlying mechanisms driving Alzheimer's disease.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:52:05 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423135205.htm
Major milestone reached for key weapons component
Scientists have completed a crucial weapons component development milestone, prior to full rate production.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:31:36 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113136.htm
No bull: How creating less-gassy cows could help fight climate change
A new study has revealed breeding less-flatulent cows and restoring agricultural land could significantly reduce rising methane emission levels, which play a considerable role in climate change.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:31:23 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113123.htm
Hey Dave, I've got an idea for you: What's the potential of AI-led workshopping?
Sure, ChatGPT can write a poem about your pet in the style of T.S Eliot, but generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots have a potentially more useful role to play in idea generation according to a new study.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:31:20 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113120.htm
Odor-causing bacteria in armpits targeted using bacteriophage-derived lysin
A research team has synthesized a lysin that during in vitro experiments targets bacteria responsible for producing odors in human armpits.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:31:15 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113115.htm
Gentle defibrillation for the heart
Using light pulses as a model for electrical defibrillation, scientists developed a method to assess and modulate the heart function. The research team has thus paved the way for an efficient and direct treatment for cardiac arrhythmias. This may be an alternative for the strong and painful electrical shocks currently used.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:31:07 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113107.htm
Manipulating the geometry of 'electron universe' in magnets
Researchers have discovered a unique property, the quantum metric, within magnetic materials, altering the 'electron universe' geometry. This distinct electric signal challenges traditional electrical conduction and could revolutionize spintronic devices.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:31:04 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113104.htm
Unlocking spin current secrets: A new milestone in spintronics
Using neutron scattering and voltage measurements, a group of researchers have discovered that a material's magnetic properties can predict spin current changes with temperature. The finding is a major breakthrough in the field of spintronics.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:31:01 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113101.htm
Dengue fever infections have negative impacts on infant health for three years
Dengue infections in pregnant women may have a negative impact on the first years of children's lives, new research has found.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:30:59 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113059.htm
Perfecting the view on a crystal's imperfection
Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has gained widespread attention and application across various quantum fields and technologies because it contains single-photon emmiters (SPEs), along with a layered structure that is easy to manipulation. The precise mechanisms governing the development and function of SPEs within hBN have remained elusive. Now, a new study reveals significant insights into the properties of hBN, offering a solution to discrepancies in previous research on the proposed origins of SPEs within the material.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:30:51 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113051.htm
Fossil frogs share their skincare secrets
Palaeontologists have solved a hundred-year-old mystery of how some fossil frogs preserve their fleshy parts -- it's all down to their skin. Palaeontologists studied 45-million-year-old fossil frogs from the Geiseltal site in central Germany. Remarkably, the fossils show full body outlines of the soft tissues. The team discovered that the excellent condition of the fossil frogs is due to preservation of ancient skin remnants.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:30:48 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113048.htm
Exploring brain synchronization patterns during social interactions
Social interactions synchronize brain activity within individuals and between individuals. In a new study, researchers compared brain synchronization between pairs of people with relatively strong social ties (acquaintance pairs) and pairs with almost no social ties (stranger pairs). The study found that during a cooperative task, the stranger pairs exhibited more closely connected brain networks compared to the acquaintance pairs. These findings challenge the conventional understanding that stronger social bonds lead to greater brain synchronization.
Tue, 23 Apr 2024 11:30:41 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240423113041.htm
Bella moths use poison to attract mates: Scientists are closer to finding out how
Researchers sequence the bella moth genome, which they used to pinpoint specific genes that may confer immunity to noxious alkaloids.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 17:08:21 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422170821.htm
The spiciness of mustard may depend on soil microbes
New study finds microbes may influence the taste of mustard seeds.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 17:08:18 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422170818.htm
AI tool creates 'synthetic' images of cells for enhanced microscopy analysis
Researchers have developed a method to use an image generation AI model to create realistic images of single cells, which are then used as 'synthetic data' to train an AI model to better carry out single-cell segmentation.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 17:08:15 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422170815.htm
World's oases threatened by desertification, even as humans expand them
Oases are important habitats and water sources for dryland regions, sustaining 10% of the world's population despite taking up about 1.5% of land area. But in many places, climate change and anthropogenic activities threaten oases' fragile existence. New research shows how the world's oases have grown and shrunk over the past 25 years as water availability patterns changed and desertification encroaches on these wet refuges.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 17:08:08 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422170808.htm
Eye-opener: Pupils enlarge when people focus on tasks
Normally, a person's pupils naturally widen (or dilate) in low-light environments to allow more light into the eye. However, in a new study, researchers reported that a person's pupils also dilate when they are concentrating on tasks. In particular, they found that the more a person's eyes dilated during the task, the better they did on tests measuring their working memory.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 17:08:05 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422170805.htm
Liquid droplets shape how cells respond to change
New research has shown that cells regulate cAMP/PKA signaling by forming liquid droplets that segregate excess PKA catalytic subunits where they can do no harm. Some cancers may block the formation of liquid droplets, leading to hyperactive signaling and tumor formation.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 15:21:22 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422152122.htm
Life goals and their changes drive success
Though life goals change over time, a study of teen goals indicates that goals of education and high prestige can drive success.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 15:21:19 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422152119.htm
This alloy is kinky
Researchers have uncovered a remarkable metal alloy that won t crack at extreme temperatures due to kinking, or bending, of crystals in the alloy at the atomic level. Unlike most materials, the new alloy keeps its shape and resists cracking at both high and low temperature extremes, making it potentially suitable for demanding applications like high-efficiency aerospace engines.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:42 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120742.htm
To find life in the universe, look to deadly Venus
Despite surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead, lava-spewing volcanoes, and puffy clouds of sulfuric acid, uninhabitable Venus offers vital lessons about the potential for life on other planets, a new paper argues.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:40 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120740.htm
Everest mountaineer's letters digitized
Letters written by the famous mountaineer George Mallory have been made available to a global audience for the first time, in the centenary year of his fatal attempt to scale Everest.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:37 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120737.htm
3 in 5 parents play short order cook for young children who don't like family meal
While most parents of preschool and elementary aged children strive to give their children a balanced, nutritional diet, some of their strategies to promote healthy eating may backfire, a national poll suggests.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:33 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120733.htm
Study explores possible future for early Alzheimer's diagnostics
Digital memory test and a blood sample -- this combination will be tested for its potential to identify early Alzheimer's disease in a new research study. Over a hundred healthcare centers are part of the study that is now inviting participants to sign up. At least 3,000, preferably many more participants are needed for the study to be successful.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:31 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120731.htm
Giant galactic explosion exposes galaxy pollution in action
Astronomers have produced the first high-resolution map of a massive explosion in a nearby galaxy, providing important clues on how the space between galaxies is polluted with chemical elements.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:28 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120728.htm
Switching off the light to see better
Researchers used structured light and switchable fluorescent molecules to reduce the background light from the out-of-plane regions of microscope samples. This method allowed for the acquisition of images that surpassed the conventional resolution limit, and it may be useful for further study of cell clusters and other biological systems.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:25 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120725.htm
Japan's premodern concept of nature at root of distinctive mindset in early childhood education
Observers of Japanese early childhood education and care have pointed to the mindset of educators watching over and waiting on preschoolers as being an intriguing tendency. This mimamoru approach has its roots in a premodern concept of nature.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:22 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120722.htm
New sensing checks for 3D printed products could overhaul manufacturing sector
A sensing technology that can assess the quality of components in fields such as aerospace could transform UK industry.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:19 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120719.htm
Feedback loop that is melting ice shelves in West Antarctica revealed
New research has uncovered a feedback loop that may be accelerating the melting of the floating portions of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, pushing up global sea levels. The study sheds new light on the mechanisms driving the melting of ice shelves beneath the surface of the ocean, which have been unclear until now.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:15 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120715.htm
2D materials rotate light polarization
Physicists have shown that ultra-thin two-dimensional materials such as tungsten diselenide can rotate the polarization of visible light by several degrees at certain wavelengths under small magnetic fields suitable for use on chips.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:12 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120712.htm
New approach to tackle muscle loss in aging
A specific protein, TP53INP2, might prevent muscle loss associated with aging. A new study indicates that high levels of this protein are linked to greater muscle strength and healthier aging. This discovery paves the way for new treatments that could enhance the quality of life for the elderly.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:09 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120709.htm
Predicting cardiac arrhythmia 30 minutes before it happens
Atrial fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia worldwide with around 59 million people concerned in 2019. This irregular heartbeat is associated with increased risks of heart failure, dementia and stroke. It constitutes a significant burden to healthcare systems, making its early detection and treatment a major goal. Researchers have recently developed a deep-learning model capable of predicting the transition from a normal cardiac rhythm to atrial fibrillation. It gives early warnings on average 30 minutes before onset, with an accuracy of around 80%. These results pave the way for integration into wearable technologies, allowing early interventions and better patient outcomes.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:07:07 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120707.htm
Pressure in the womb may influence facial development
Physical cues in the womb, and not just genetics, influence the normal development of neural crest cells, the embryonic stem cells that form facial features, finds a new study.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:53 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120653.htm
AI weather forecasts captured Ciaran's destructive path
The study highlights the rapid progress and transformative potential of AI in weather prediction.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:50 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120650.htm
The enemy within: How pathogens spread unrecognized in the body
Some pathogens hide inside human cells to enhance their survival. Researchers have uncovered a unique tactic certain bacteria use to spread in the body without being detected by the immune system. In their study, they reveal the crucial role of a bacterial nanomachine in this infection process.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:48 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120648.htm
Magnetic with a pinch of hydrogen
Magnetic two-dimensional materials consisting of one or a few atomic layers have only recently become known and promise interesting applications, for example for the electronics of the future. So far, however, it has not been possible to control the magnetic states of these materials well enough. A research team is now presenting an innovative idea that could overcome this shortcoming -- by allowing the 2D layer to react with hydrogen.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:46 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120646.htm
Breakthrough rice bran nanoparticles show promise as affordable and targeted anticancer agent
Plant-derived nanoparticles have demonstrated significant anticancer effects. Researchers recently developed rice bran-derived nanoparticles (rbNPs) that efficiently suppressed cell proliferation and induced programmed cell death of only cancer cells. Furthermore, rbNPs successfully suppressed the growth of tumors in mice having aggressive adenocarcinoma in their peritoneal cavity, without any adverse effects. Given their low production costs and high efficacy, rbNPs hold great promise for developing affordable and safe anticancer agents.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:40 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120640.htm
More economical and sustainable rechargeable batteries
Lithium salts make batteries powerful but expensive. An ultralow-concentration electrolyte based on the lithium salt LiDFOB may be a more economical and more sustainable alternative. Cells using these electrolytes and conventional electrodes have been demonstrated to have high performance. In addition, the electrolyte could facilitate both production and recycling of the batteries.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:37 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120637.htm
Simulated microgravity affects sleep and physiological rhythms
Simulated effects of microgravity significantly affect rhythmicity and sleep in humans, a new study finds. Such disturbances could negatively affect the physiology and performance of astronauts in space.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:29 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120629.htm
Genetically engineering a treatment for incurable brain tumors
Scientists are developing and validating a patent-pending novel immunotherapy to be used against glioblastoma brain tumors. Glioblastomas are almost always lethal with a median survival time of 14 months. Traditional methods used against other cancers, like chemotherapy and immunotherapy, are often ineffective on glioblastoma.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:26 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120626.htm
Superradiant atoms could push the boundaries of how precisely time can be measured
Superradiant atoms can help us measure time more precisely than ever. In a new study, researchers present a new method for measuring the time interval, the second, mitigating some of the limitations that today's most advanced atomic clocks encounter. The result could have broad implications in areas such as space travel, volcanic eruptions and GPS systems.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:23 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120623.htm
People think 'old age' starts later than it used to, study finds
Middle-aged and older adults believe that old age begins later in life than their peers did decades ago, according to a new study.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:21 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120621.htm
To accelerate biosphere science, reconnect three scientific cultures
Researchers who study Earth's biosphere tend to operate from one of three scientific cultures, each with distinct ways of conducting science, and which have been operating mostly independently from one another. The authors identify and explain the three cultures, and suggest that reconnecting them could help accelerate biosphere science.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:05 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120605.htm
Despite AI advancements, human oversight remains essential
State-of-the-art artificial intelligence systems known as large language models (LLMs) are poor medical coders, according to researchers. Their study emphasizes the necessity for refinement and validation of these technologies before considering clinical implementation. The study extracted a list of more than 27,000 unique diagnosis and procedure codes from 12 months of routine care in the Mount Sinai Health System, while excluding identifiable patient data. Using the description for each code, the researchers prompted models from OpenAI, Google, and Meta to output the most accurate medical codes. The generated codes were compared with the original codes and errors were analyzed for any patterns.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:06:03 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120603.htm
Mosaics of predisposition cause skin disease
Clarifying the cause of a skin disease led to the discovery of a new disease-causing gene, a new category of diseases, and new perspectives for both counseling and therapy. The discovery is the first time that epigenetic silencing, the 'switching off' of an otherwise intact gene, has been recognized as the cause for a skin disease.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:05:57 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120557.htm
Social programs save millions of lives, especially in times of crisis
Primary health care, conditional cash transfers and social pensions have prevented 1.4 million deaths of all ages in Brazil over the past two decades, according to a new study. If expanded, these programs could avert an additional 1.3 million deaths and 6.6 million hospitalizations by 2030.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:05:51 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120551.htm
AI and physics combine to reveal the 3D structure of a flare erupting around a black hole
Based on radio telescope data and models of black hole physics, a team has used neural networks to reconstruct a 3D image that shows how explosive flare-ups in the disk of gas around our supermassive black hole might look.
Mon, 22 Apr 2024 12:05:49 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240422120549.htm
Invasive species sound off about impending ecosystem changes
Anticipating changes to ecosystems is often at best an educated guess, but what if there was a way to better tune into possible changes occurring? Researchers have discovered that the silent growth of non-native invasive plants can affect the soundscape of an ecosystem. These altered soundscapes, the acoustic patterns of a landscape through space and time, may provide a key to better observing the hard-to-see physical and biological changes occurring in an ecosystem as they are beginning.
Sat, 20 Apr 2024 16:59:30 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240420165930.htm
New copper-catalyzed C-H activation strategy
Inspired by what human liver enzymes can do, chemists have developed a new set of copper-catalyzed organic synthesis reactions for building and modifying pharmaceuticals and other molecules. The new reactions are expected to be widely used in drug discovery and optimization, as well as in other chemistry-based industries.
Sat, 20 Apr 2024 11:59:42 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240420115942.htm
New beta-decay measurements in mirror nuclei pin down the weak nuclear force
Scientists have gained insights into the weak nuclear force from new, more sensitive studies of the beta decays of the 'mirror' nuclei lithium-8 and boron-8. The weak nuclear force drives the process of nuclear beta decay. The research found that the properties of the beta decays of lithium-8 and boron-8 are in perfect agreement with the predictions of the Standard Model.
Fri, 19 Apr 2024 18:20:12 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240419182012.htm
New compound from blessed thistle promotes functional nerve regeneration
Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus) is a plant in the family Asteraceae. For centuries, it has been used as a medicinal herb as an extract or tea, e.g. to aid the digestive system. Researchers have now found a completely novel use for Cnicin. Animal models as well as human cells have shown that Cnicin significantly accelerates axon (nerve fibers) growth.
Fri, 19 Apr 2024 18:20:09 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240419182009.htm
Shoe technology reduces risk of diabetic foot ulcers
Researchers have developed a new shoe insole technology that helps reduce the risk of diabetic foot ulcers, a dangerous open sore that can lead to hospitalization and leg, foot or toe amputations.
Fri, 19 Apr 2024 18:20:04 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240419182004.htm
'Itinerant breeding' in East Coast shorebird species
A study has found direct evidence of a species -- the American woodcock, a migratory shorebird from eastern and central North America -- that overlaps periods of migration and reproduction, a rare breeding strategy known as 'itinerant breeding.'
Fri, 19 Apr 2024 18:20:01 EDT
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240419182001.htm
