technical updates

As fascinating as it is mysterious, dark matter is one of the greatest enigmas of astrophysics and cosmology. It is thought to account for 90 percent of the matter in the universe, but its existence has been demonstrated only indirectly, and has recently been called into question. New research conducted by SISSA removes the recent doubts on the presence of dark matter within galaxies, disproving the empirical relations in support of alternative theories. The study, published in the Astrophysical Journal, also offers new insights into understanding the nature of dark matter and its relationship with ordinary matter. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2Leq4sd

A team at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin has succeeded in producing inorganic perovskite thin films at moderate temperatures using co-evaporation - making post-tempering at high temperatures unnecessary. The process makes it much easier to produce thin-film solar cells from this material. In comparison to metal-organic hybrid perovskites, inorganic perovskites are more thermally stable. The work has been published in Advanced Energy Materials. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2VzkZyp

When scientists are trying to make things better, they will often turn to a standard rule and try to disprove or disrupt it. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2GIqwJG

Scientists have invented a new "synthetic antibody" that could make screening for diseases easier and less expensive than current go-to methods. Writing in the journal Nano Letters, a team led by Markita Landry of Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley describes how peptoids – synthetically produced molecules, first created by Ron Zuckermann at Berkeley Lab's Molecular Foundry, that are similar to protein-building peptides – and tiny cylinders of carbon atoms known as single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) can be combined to selectively bind a target protein. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2V91qxx

When there are multiple factors at play in a situation that is itself changing, such as an El Nino winter in a changing climate, how can scientists figure out what is causing what? Researchers at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have developed an advanced statistical method for quantifying and visualizing changes in environmental systems and easily picking out the driving factor. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2ZKtJRJ

Twitter is expanding its lineup of live and on-demand premium video programming across sports, gaming, entertainment and news. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2ZKfmNd

Scandinavian air carrier SAS said Tuesday it had to cancel another 504 flights on Wednesday, affecting 47,000 passengers, as a pilot strike continued into its fifth day. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2VEgeDR

US stock market operator Nasdaq said Tuesday it was giving Oslo Stock Exchange shareholders more time to accept its near-700 million euro takeover bid, as it battles Euronext for control of the Norway bourse. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2J5jCAU

Little is known about deep ocean environments. But scientists focussing on the depths of the North Atlantic are now learning more about their ecosystems—including the role of vast sea sponge grounds – and how to safeguard them against the effects of climate change and industry. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2XUH08w

A University of Denver team is using drone images to create a 3D reconstruction of a World War II-era Japanese internment camp in southern Colorado. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2LehVnC

Samsung on Tuesday stood by its new Galaxy S10 5G model after a South Korean smartphone owner posted pictures online of a charred handset claiming it had mysteriously "burnt". from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2VEwLHK

Quebec's criticism of Justin Trudeau's French serves to position him as an "outsider" to Quebecois identity, according to a professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2GSt7Cf

Low-cost acoustic tags attached to fishing nets are being trialled as part of a major new project to reduce marine litter and 'ghost fishing'. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2GSTWWQ

European aerospace giant Airbus announced Tuesday its net profit fell sharply in the first quarter, blaming in part its decision to stop building the loss-making A380 super-jumbo. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2J2NePy

Here's a hypothetical: a telescope detects an asteroid between 100 and 300 meters in diameter racing through our solar system at 14 kilometers per second, 57 million kilometers from Earth. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2WgprPI

In serene turquoise waters off Egypt's Red Sea coast, scuba divers ease among delicate pink jellyfish and admire coral—yet a rebounding tourism sector threatens the fragile marine ecosystem. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2IQRRg5

Planting and growing a strategic mix of cover crops not only reduces the loss of nitrogen from farm fields, protecting water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, but the practice also contributes nitrogen to subsequent cash crops, improving yields, according to researchers. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2ZGFJDD

Engineers have flipped the picture of the standard polymer insulator, by fabricating thin polymer films that conduct heat -- an ability normally associated with metals. In experiments, they found the films, which are thinner than plastic wrap, conduct heat better than many metals, including steel and ceramic. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2W9ot7U

Breast cancer in young women is characterized by more aggressive biological features as compared to those arising in older patients but outcomes are good when guideline-recommended treatments are given. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2LdPeXP

A new study finds that veterans and active-duty service members with combat-related PTSD and mild traumatic brain injury had larger amygdalas -- the region of the brain that processes such emotions as fear, anxiety, and aggression -- than those with only brain injuries. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2ZJREk7

A hijacked hormone may zombify spiders, altering their web-spinning behavior to favor wasp parasites. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2LaQMSr

Caregivers of veterans who engaged in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy found it relieved stress, anxiety and worry, according to a new study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2WftQTc

A study of older Australians has found a morning bout of moderate-intensity exercise improves cognitive performance like decision-making across the day compared to prolonged sitting without exercise. It also shows that a morning bout of exercise combined with brief walking breaks to frequently disrupt sitting throughout an eight-hour day can boost short-term memory compared to uninterrupted sitting, according to the study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2V49XSh

Researchers have created a blood test that can flag chronic fatigue syndrome, which currently lacks a standard, reliable diagnostic test. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2GIlYmx

Researchers conducted in-depth interviews to learn why we compulsively check our phones. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2vpoB7E

Remembering a familiar face engages a wider network of brain regions than previously thought, according to a new study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2URIQ81

Biochemists have discovered two ways that autophagy, or self-eating, controls the levels of oils in plant cells. The study describes how this cannibalistic-sounding process actually helps plants survive, and suggests a way to get bioenergy crops to accumulate more oil. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2LcdQAi

The United States is one of only eight countries in the world where decreases in child and adolescent mortality over a 27-year period haven't also been matched by reductions in maternal mortality, according to a new scientific study. This divergent trend also was found in American Samoa, Canada, Greece, Guam, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Zimbabwe. Of these countries, the United States had the largest increase in maternal mortality rate at 67.5%. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2vrjQKL

Newborns with life-threatening congenital heart disease often need open-heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, which carries a risk of damaging the brain. Critically ill newborns who are placed on ECMO are at even higher risk for brain injury. A new study, performed in a large animal model, suggests that adding a dash of hydrogen to the usual mix of respiratory gases could further protect babies' brains. The researchers are now planning a small safety trial. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2L8u9Oj

A new study shows that beyond the benefits of reduced extreme weather in the long term, global mitigation efforts would also lower oil prices in coming decades, resulting in a significant economic boon for most poorer countries. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2WcIjz7

Researchers have mapped the activity of individual neurons deep in the brain during sleep and exploration of novel objects in male and female mice. The study suggests these cells may facilitate memory formation. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2ZKSRYo

First Genome-Wide Association Study for Type 2 diabetes discovers seven genetic variants associated with the disease in young people. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2VAMoQA

Predicting similarity over time is strongly related to happiness later on in life according to new study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2DCJ7WU

Traumatized children and children who develop multiple allergies tend to suffer in adulthood from chronic inflammatory diseases and psychiatric disorders. Researchers have demonstrated this in a study in which they identified five classes of early immune-system programming. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2Win7YM

Scientists have discovered a new charge transfer and separation process named Twisted Intramolecular Charge Shuttle (TICS), paving a new avenue for chemists to construct unique and useful fluorescent probes in a wide range of chemical families of fluorophores. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2GOTLe2

Patients with advanced Hodgkin's lymphoma who have large tumors at the time of diagnosis may benefit from radiotherapy after chemotherapy even when all traces of the cancer appear to have gone. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2LbM4Uz

Mesothelioma patients are twice as likely to survive for two years or longer, if they are treated with a high dose of radiation to the affected side of the trunk. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2IRgB8i

A single high dose of radiation that can be delivered directly to the tumor within a few minutes is a safe and effective technique for treating men with low-risk prostate cancer. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2J3Bjkg

Urine testing may be as effective as the smear test at preventing cervical cancer, according to new research. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2DCJ5hK

How sensory perception in the brain affects learning and memory processes is far from fully understood. Neuroscientists have discovered a new aspect of how the processing of odors impacts memory centers. They showed that the piriform cortex -- a part of the olfactory brain -- has a direct influence on information storage in our most important memory structure, the hippocampus. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2V0tG5o

According to a new study, energy drink consumption in the United States has increased substantially over the past decade among adolescents, young adults, and middle-aged adults. Energy drink consumers had significantly higher total caffeine intake compared with non-consumers and the beverages represented a majority of their total daily caffeine. Use by young adults continues to steadily rise. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2V1xfIG

For more than a century, scientists have squabbled over how Earth's moon formed. Now researchers say they may have the answer. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2WdqWyj

Unlike antibiotics, which are destructive by definition, fecal transplants or microbial replacement therapies, repopulate the gut with a diverse group of microbes that may block the C. diff's spore from germinating and propagating disease via its toxins. Transplants have several delivery methods, including enemas, capsules and direct instillation, to replace the diverse flora that maintain health and improve metabolism. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2IPnXZA

Researchers have discovered that a drug commonly used to treat multiple sclerosis may, after necessary modifications, one day be used to treat patients with epilepsy. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2VBHbYN

Researchers propose PGE exerts adenosine-mediated effects on brainstem mechanisms of respiratory control, which may lead to destabilization of breathing in human infants undergoing treatment for congenital heart disease. Prostaglandin's effects could be mediated thorough microglia, and caffeine could be a convenient treatment to prevent respiratory instability in infants receiving PGE1 infusion. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2vuVijU

Researchers have discovered the remains of a nova in a galactic globular cluster, located near the center of Messier 22. The finding, using modern instruments, confirms one of the oldest observations of an event outside the solar system. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2GRGRx2

CHENNAI India is planning to launch its radar imaging satellite RISAT 2BR1 sometime towards the end of May 2019 on one of the variants of its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket, sources said on Tuesday. The PSLV rocket is expected to fly on May 22 carrying RISAT 2BR1, officials of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) told IANS on condition of anonymity. The rocket that would carry RISAT 2BR1 is designated as PSLV-C46 as per ISRO's numbering system and will blast off from the first launch pad at the country's rocket port in Sriharikota. Following the launch of RISAT 2BR1, ISRO will send up a cartography satellite Catosat-3. India will also launch two more defence satellites sometime in July or August with its new rocket Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV). — IANS from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2vvBRHH

Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 29 Pegging crop yield loss due to surface ozone at $5 billion for wheat and $1.5 billion for rice, a joint study carried out by scientists from India and Germany has called for an urgent need to conduct strategic ozone observations over agricultural fields and develop a regional emission database to support policy-making in India. “Our estimates reveal a nationwide relative yield loss of about 21 per cent for wheat and 6 per cent for rice. We also estimate loss of about 16 per cent for wheat and 11 per cent for rice in the states of Punjab and Haryana,” the study states. Their findings, the study’s authors claim, are “substantially higher” than earlier such researches. Elevated ozone concentrations near the surface significantly reduce crop yields, which is crucial as the country’s economy and the food security for over a billion people depends strongly on the agricultural productivity. The wheat production in India is expected to...

Samsung Electronics, the world's biggest smartphone and memory chip maker, reported a slump in first-quarter net profits Tuesday, in the face of a weakening chip market and rising competition. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2LejuBN

German airline group Lufthansa plunged deeper into the red in the first quarter, it said Tuesday, blaming the rising price of fuel and intense competition in Europe but sticking to annual targets. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2VCdSFE

Virgin Australia said on Tuesday it had delayed delivery of its order of 48 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft over safety concerns, following two deadly crashes. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2L9tdJz

Though less likely to study in a formal technology or engineering course, America's girls are showing more mastery of those subjects than their boy classmates, according to newly released national education data. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2VyvB0I

While Google has dominated the online ad market for almost the entirety of its existence, its first quarter earnings report suggests that competitors may be nipping at its heels. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2Lfmhuz

After a successful second "dig and dump", Phoenix will start taking soil samples. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2VyEd7s

SPACE.com answers reader questions on NASA's Hubble repair mission launching on May 11. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2LcDip6

Fire, ice, volcano or star — planets have a variety of ways to die. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2UOhIa3

Playmobil is releasing six amazing new playsets to help young space fans imagine a mission to Mars, including a rocket, a space station, a couple of rovers and a meteoroid-blasting satellite. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2GS7ZMo

The National Guard Bureau is calling for the establishment of a Space National Guard as a reserve component to the Space Force. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2XVf9oM

The International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety calls for an independent Space Safety Institute to develop commercial space flight safety standards and certification processes. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2GSlqvC

Ever since Pluto was demoted to dwarf planet in 2006, the debate over its planethood has raged on. Tonight, April 26, you can watch that debate online. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2V2vcnO

A new "deep learning" algorithm that could help scientists better understand planetary atmospheres has passed its first big test, a new study reports. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2GCwzPK

A new collaboration with The Planetary Society is making space exploration the stuff of child's play. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2V29G2l

This new model centers on newborn Earth's molten ocean. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2ZIcMY1

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine had been a member of Congress for just one month when a large asteroid fell through the atmosphere above the Russian city of Chelyabinsk. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2PEwbEz

Astronomers have spotted wildly wobbling jets of particles spewing out of a black hole, and they think this unusually rapid motion could be happening because the black hole is warping space around it. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2vum0sW

Here are Space.com writers' and editors' picks for photo collections and astrophotography books that will transport you to other worlds. from Space.com http://bit.ly/2qZCKER

ICRISAT study discovers important factors for heat and drought tolerance from The Hindu - Science http://bit.ly/2WhamNW

Bees exposed to a neonicotinoid pesticide fly only a third of the distance that unexposed bees are able to achieve. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2XTqGF1

Japanese automaker Toyota will assemble two models of its Lexus in Canada starting in 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2V26iEA

Federally-sponsored science plays a more significant role in bringing together stakeholders and facilitating environmental governance debates than all other types of research, according to an international team of researchers. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2GJf5RZ

Planting and growing a strategic mix of cover crops not only reduces the loss of nitrogen from farm fields, protecting water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, but the practice also contributes nitrogen to subsequent cash crops, improving yields, according to researchers. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2V3SB8p

At least three major U.S. airlines were briefly affected Monday by an outage at a technology provider that shut down ticketing and check-in online and at airport kiosks. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2J2j5zH

When Alfred Brownell arrived in a remote Liberian village, the surrounding tropical rainforest had been leveled by bulldozers. Burial grounds were uprooted, religious shrines were desecrated and a stream people depended upon for water was polluted. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2vqOJip

Fishing managers on the East Coast began the daunting process Monday of implementing new restrictions on lobster fishing that are designed to protect a vanishing species of whale. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2W8kUil

You're donating an old computer storage drive or putting one up for sale on eBay. But first, you erase all the data. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2DCnfuC

Google parent Alphabet on Monday reported that profit in the first three months of this year sagged under the weight of a hefty antitrust fine in the European Union. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2WgsPdE

A study conducted by Assistant Professor Blaine Reeder, Ph.D., and co-authored by Catherine Jankowski, Ph.D., at the University of Colorado College of Nursing on older women's perception of technology found that more active older adult women prefer wearable sensors for themselves and smart home sensors for their older parents. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2PBdTEl

Everywhere you look, people are looking at screens. In the decade since smartphones have become ubiquitous, we now have a feeling almost as common as the smartphones themselves: being sucked into that black hole of staring at those specific apps—you know which ones they are—and then a half an hour has gone by before you realize it. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2XShe4F

Mixed-race couples are a burgeoning population in the United States, accounting for 17 percent of all new marriages. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2GSLo2d

Tiny tomato plants developed at the University of California, Riverside, could one day feed astronauts on the International Space Station. The plants have minimal leaves and stems but still produce a normal amount of fruit, making them a potentially productive crop for cultivation anywhere with limited soil and natural resources. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2XTgLPN

Parasitoid wasps lay their eggs on a spider's back. This team proposes that by injecting the spider host with the molting hormone, ecdysone, the wasp induces the spider to make a special web for the wasp's pupa. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2GSIeLV

A beluga whale found with a tight harness that appeared to be Russian made has raised the alarm of Norwegian officials and prompted speculation that the animal may have come from a Russian military facility. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2XVFu5Q

Polymers are usually the go-to material for thermal insulation. Think of a silicone oven mitt, or a Styrofoam coffee cup, both manufactured from polymer materials that are excellent at trapping heat. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2URAZHz

WeWork, the fast-growing office-sharing startup, said Monday it had filed documents for a stock market listing to help fuel further expansion. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2V1KwRw

Over 11 field seasons, between 1999 and 2010, ornithologist Cagan Sekercioglu trekked through the forests and coffee fields of Costa Rica to study how tropical birds were faring in a changing agricultural landscape. Through painstaking banding of individual birds, Sekercioglu asked whether the expansion of coffee plantations is reducing tropical bird biodiversity. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2Lcm6Am

Researchers have discovered a gene that drives color differences within a species of bumble bees. This discovery helps to explain the highly diverse color patterns among bumble bee species as well as how mimicry—individuals in an area adopting similar color patterns—evolves. A study describing the gene, which occurs in a highly conserved region of the genome that provides blueprints for segmentation, was led by researchers at Penn State and appears April 29, 2019, in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2VwVgXl

What matters more to a scientist's career success: where they currently work, or where they got their Ph.D.? It's a question a team of researchers teases apart in a new paper published in PNAS. Their analysis calls into question a common assumption underlying academia: that a researcher's productivity reflects their scientific skill, which is reflected in the prestige of their doctoral training. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2LcfMsy

The world's oceans soak up about a quarter of the carbon dioxide that humans pump into the air each year—a powerful brake on the greenhouse effect. In addition to purely physical and chemical processes, a large part of this is taken up by photosynthetic plankton as they incorporate carbon into their bodies. When plankton die, they sink, taking the carbon with them. Some part of this organic rain will end up locked into the deep ocean, insulated from the atmosphere for centuries or more. But what the ocean takes, the ocean also gives back. Before many of the remains get very far, they are consumed by aerobic bacteria. And, just like us, those bacteria respire by taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide. Much of that regenerated CO2 thus ends up back in the air. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2VAlZ5s

Grass-eating mammals, including armadillos as big as Volkswagens, became more diverse in South America about 6 million years ago because shifts in atmospheric circulation drove changes in climate and vegetation, according to a University of Arizona-led research team. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2LclUkC

An international research team led by invasion ecologist Bethany Bradley at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has conducted the first global meta-analysis of the characteristics and size of invasive alien species' impacts on native species as invaders become more abundant. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2VCM0B2

Clear behavioral rules posted prominently on online discussions can markedly increase participation while cutting harassment, new research from Princeton University has found. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2Ld4SCU

Some animals form characteristic infertile spermatozoa called parasperm, which differ in size and shape compared to fertile sperm produced by single males. Species that have been reported to produce parasperm include snails, cottoid fish, moths and butterflies. Moths and butterflies produce fertile eupyrene sperm and anucleate non-fertile parasperm, which are known as apyrene sperm. A research team at the National Institute for Basic Biology in Japan has identified the gene involved in the formation of the apyrene sperm and has revealed the important function of the apyrene sperm in fertilization using the silk moth, Bombyx mori. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2XZBxgR

On April 13, 2029, a speck of light will streak across the sky, getting brighter and faster. At one point it will travel more than the width of the full Moon within a minute and it will get as bright as the stars in the Little Dipper. But it won't be a satellite or an airplane—it will be a 1,100-foot-wide (340-meter-wide) near-Earth asteroid called 99942 Apophis that will cruise harmlessly by Earth, about 19,000 miles (31,000 kilometers) above the surface. That's within the distance that some of our spacecraft that orbit Earth. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2USMqPC

Hate crimes committed by groups are especially likely to result in injuries such as broken bones and missing teeth, according to a new study from Florida State University. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2ZMMp30

More than 10,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in eastern Canada in recent days as spring floods broke record levels set in 2017, officials said Monday, warning that it could take weeks for the waters to recede. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2UPAQV8

Biochemists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have discovered two ways that autophagy, or self-eating, controls the levels of oils in plant cells. The study, published in The Plant Cell on April 29, 2019, describes how this cannibalistic-sounding process actually helps plants survive. It also provides mechanistic details scientists might leverage to get plants to accumulate more oil. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2ZL0kXC

Chewy, the online pet store owned by PetSmart, is going public. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2DFwrOT

Melbourne The world's seas are becoming stormier, with extreme ocean winds and wave heights increasing around the globe, a study has found. Researchers from the University of Melbourne in Australia analysed wind speed and wave height measurements taken from 31 different satellites between 1985-2018, consisting of around four billion observations. The measurements were compared with more than 80 ocean buoys deployed worldwide, making it the largest and most detailed dataset of its type ever compiled. The study, published in the journal Science, found that extreme winds in the Southern Ocean have increased by 1.5 metres per second, or 8 per cent, over the past 30 years. Extreme waves have increased by 30 centimetres, or 5 per cent, over the same period. As the world's oceans become stormier, researchers warned this has flow on effects for rising sea levels and infrastructure. "Although increases of 5 and 8 per cent might not seem like much, if sustained into the futur...

Astronomers have discovered rapidly swinging jets coming from a black hole almost 8,000 light-years from Earth. The research shows jets from V404 Cygni's black hole behaving in a way never seen before on such short timescales. The jets appear to be rapidly rotating with high-speed clouds of plasma -- potentially just minutes apart -- shooting out of the black hole in different directions. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2PyzwFl

Scientists have developed a method with which they can quickly test a very large number of molecules for antibiotic effect. With it, they have already successfully discovered new antibiotic candidates produced by microorganisms. In the future, they will use their new technology to examine soil samples and the microbiome on human skin for medically useful microorganisms. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2GGOeWO

Molecular details on how harmful bacteria attach to the human body have been revealed for the first time. This new knowledge could have huge impacts in anti-microbial development. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2W8CjHE

A team has succeeded in producing inorganic perovskite thin films at moderate temperatures using co-evaporation - making post-tempering at high temperatures unnecessary. The process makes it much easier to produce thin-film solar cells from this material. In comparison to metal-organic hybrid perovskites, inorganic perovskites are more thermally stable. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2ZFZs6p

Researchers examined the degradation of five plastic bag materials widely available from high street retailers in the UK. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2V1OzgB

In a first-ever advancement in human medicine and aviation technology, an unmanned aircraft has delivered a donor kidney to surgeons for successful transplantation into a patient with kidney failure. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2GMaONJ

A new study aims to validate the pediatric version of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score in the emergency department setting as a predictor of mortality in all patients and patients with suspected infection. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2V2ZtD0

Allopregnanolone, a hormone made by the placenta late in pregnancy, is such a potent neurosteroid that disrupting its steady supply to the developing fetus can leave it vulnerable to brain injuries associated with autism spectrum disorder, according to new research. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2GFy93w

Bill Fairbank is looking for... nothing. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2PDaTr1

A grain of dust forged in the death throes of a long-gone star was discovered by a team of researchers led by the University of Arizona. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2J2z6po

Astronomers have discovered rapidly swinging jets coming from a black hole almost 8000 light-years from Earth. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2IOA4q4

A 'deep learning' approach to detecting storms on Saturn is set to transform our understanding of planetary atmospheres, according to UCL and University of Arizona researchers. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2PzoC29

An international team of scientists has found part of the world's largest ice shelf is melting 10 times faster than expected due to solar heating of the surrounding ocean. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2vrOhQO

Scientists from around the world have joined together to identify the most important actions needed by Madagascar's new government to prevent species and habitats being lost for ever. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2PJJioh

In late March 2019, the World Health Organization and a vaccine advisory committee of the Food and Drug Administration selected the final influenza strains to include in the vaccines produced for the next flu season. These include H1N1, influenza B, and H3N2 viruses. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2vr0B3Z

An international team of researchers has combined archaeological, historical and linguistic data with genetic information from over 700 newly analyzed individuals to construct a more detailed picture of the history of inner Eurasia than ever before available. In a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, they found that the indigenous populations of inner Eurasia are very diverse in their genes, culture and languages, but divide into three groups that stretch across the area in east-west geographic bands. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2PzowHP

Researchers from the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg have combined their expertise to develop a new type of microscope. The revolutionary new light-field microscopy system makes it possible to study fast biological processes, creating up to 200 3-D images per second. Initial tests have already delivered new insights into the movement of blood cells in a heart. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2vuaIVA

Boeing management faces a potential rebuke by shareholders on Monday when investors gather at an annual meeting six weeks after a top-selling plane was grounded globally following two deadly crashes. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2PDbsRF

Facebook announced Monday its first research grants to academics studying the impact of social media on elections, part of an effort to prevent manipulation of social platforms. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories http://bit.ly/2vqPdoG

The leaves of date palms can heat up to temperatures around 50 degrees Celsius. They survive thanks to a unique wax mixture that is essential for the existence in the desert. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2ZIetET