technical updates

Researchers in Canada are using algae to rapidly develop low-cost serological test kits for COVID-19 that they say would determine if someone has bee from The Hindu - Science https://ift.tt/2xrRHYE

Many of the drugs and medicines that we rely on today are natural products taken from microbes like bacteria and fungi. Within these microbes, the drugs are made by tiny natural machines known as nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs). A research team has gained a better understanding of the structures of NRPSs and the processes by which they work. This improved understanding of NRPSs could potentially lead to the creation of new potent antibiotics, immunosuppressants and other modern drugs. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2y6htSI

Each year thousands of patients face life-long losses in sensation and motor function from spinal cord injury and related conditions in which axons are badly damaged or severed. New research in mice shows, however, that gains in functional recovery from these injuries may be possible, thanks to a molecule known as Lin28, which regulates cell growth. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Ss38qC

A new study from climate researchers concludes that some of the latest-generation climate models may be overly sensitive to carbon dioxide increases and therefore project future warming that is unrealistically high. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3bTY9GQ

Children who experience 'dependent' or clingy relationships with their preschool teachers tend to also have difficulties in their relationships with their mothers finds researchers. They went even further to find that later in elementary school, these children were prone to being anxious, withdrawn, and overly shy. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2zNvNzR

Strange spots scattered across the Moon's nearside where bedrock is conspicuously exposed are evidence of seismic activity set in motion 4.3 billion years ago that could be ongoing today, the researchers say. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2z0Pi7u

For the first time, people with arm amputations can experience sensations of touch in a mind-controlled arm prosthesis that they use in everyday life. A study reports on three Swedish patients who have lived, for several years, with this new technology -- one of the world's most integrated interfaces between human and machine. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3f66CZx

A research project led by chemists at the University of Warwick first used ultrahigh resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy to see the exact location of atoms and bonds within a molecule, and then employed these incredibly precise images to determine the interactions that bond molecules to one another. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2SkNWLS

For a gargantuan nuclear physics experiment that will generate big data at unprecedented rates—called A Large Ion Collider Experiment, or ALICE—the University of Tennessee has worked with the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory to lead a group of U.S. nuclear physicists from a suite of institutions in the design, development, mass production and delivery of a significant upgrade of novel particle detectors and state-of-the art electronics, with parts built all over the world and now undergoing installation at CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC). from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/35fuMMG

European countries under coronavirus lockdown have seen 11,000 fewer deaths in April compared to the same period last year due to a sharp drop in fossil fuel pollution, according to research released Friday. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2KNYBdE

COVID-19 is expected to cause global energy emissions to fall a record eight percent this year due to an unprecedented drop in demand for coal, oil and gas, the International Energy Agency said Thursday. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2YiG8Op

Researchers from Erasmus University Rotterdam and IESE Business School published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that empirically demonstrates the effects of collective layoff announcements on sales, advertising effectiveness, and consumers' price sensitivity. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2yXamM6

A supercell thunderstorm pelted a city center in Argentina a few years ago with hailstones so large scientists suggested a new category to describe them—gargantuan hail. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2z0LhzV

A multi-disciplinary collaborative relationship, developed between Penn State EMS Energy Institute researchers and a Pittsburgh-based start-up company, may hold the answer to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions while also paving the way to disrupt the chemical and material industries. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2WhKt1U

When fertilizing bermudagrass with poultry litter, turfgrass managers must consider limiting the buildup of soil P or drawing down soil test P through cut-and-carry forage. In a previous study that provided turfgrass with 122 kg ha-1 P in poultry litter, researchers found that Tifton 44 bermudagrass cut every 49 days at 3-cm stubble height recovered 23% of the P applied. Bermudagrass P removal is closely associated with dry matter (DM) yield and can be altered through management variables like variety, plant maturity at harvest, and litter application rate or timing. Given the tradeoff between DM yield and the amounts of crude protein and digestible DM in bermudagrass, managing harvests to maximize P recovery may adversely impact forage nutritive value. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2VRCUjs

Cornell scientists have developed a new technique for imaging a zebrafish's brain at all stages of its development, which could have implications for the study of human brain disorders, including autism. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3d1ri2Q

An international team of astronomers has captured 15 images of the inner rims of planet-forming disks located hundreds of light-years away. These disks of dust and gas, similar in shape to a music record, form around young stars. The images shed new light on how planetary systems are formed. They were published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2W8KmW8

As physicians and families know too well, though Alzheimer's disease has been intensely studied for decades, too much is still not known about molecular processes in the brain that cause it. Now researchers say new insights from analytic theory and molecular simulation techniques offer a better understanding of amyloid fibril growth and brain pathology. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3d1BNU0

Medical images for a wide range of diseases can be more easily viewed, compared, and analyzed using a breakthrough open source web-based imaging platform developed by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and collaborating researchers. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2VNnrk6

In a Commentary published April 29 in the journal Joule, energy and climate policy researchers in Switzerland and Germany provide a framework for responsibly and meaningfully integrating policies supporting the clean energy transition into the COVID-19 response in the weeks, months, and years to come. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2KILWbR

A minimally invasive optogenetic technique that does not require brain implants successfully manipulated the activity of neurons in mice and monkeys, researchers report. The researchers first genetically engineered neurons to produce a newly developed, extremely light-sensitive protein called SOUL. They then demonstrated that it is possible to shine light through the skull to alter neuronal responses throughout the entire mouse brain, and to reach superficial regions of the macaque brain. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3bSEbfq

Researchers found that similar factors cause both medical intern burnout and depression. These findings can be used to identify and treat burnout as well as mitigate the risk of burnout by modifying workplace factors. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2SjCVug

A supercell thunderstorm pelted a city center in Argentina a few years ago with hailstones so large scientists suggested a new category to describe them -- gargantuan hail. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3d0Z742

Nearly 15,000 miles of new Asian roads will be built in tiger habitat by mid-century, deepening the big cat's extinction risk and highlighting the need for bold new conservation measures now, according to a new study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Yi0qrq

Recent research has found relationships between frequencies and the passive dynamics at play when vehicles move in air or water toward a better understanding of how to use these forces to enhance performance. Understanding this fluid-structure interaction at a very basic level, could help inform new aircraft and submarine designs with a very different kind of locomotion. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2WdoGIi

A research team has found a way to make halide perovskites stable enough by inhibiting the ion movement that makes them rapidly degrade, unlocking their use for solar panels as well as electronic devices. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Yp106R

Scientists have produced the first high-resolution images of the structure of the cell wall of bacteria, in a study that could further understanding of antimicrobial resistance. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3bNzXWE

When a dead body is found, one of the first things a forensic pathologist tries to do is estimate the time of death. There are several ways to do this, including measuring body temperature or observing insect activity, but these methods don't always work for corpses found in water. Now, researchers are reporting a mouse study showing that certain proteins in bones could be used for this determination. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/35frl8y

A protein known to expand blood vessels -- key to controlling conditions like high blood pressure -- actually has different functions in males and females, new UC Davis Health research shows. Conducted using arterial cells from mice, the study is the first to identify sex-based distinctions in how the protein -- Kv2.1 -- works. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/35jv0SJ

Researchers have moved an important step closer to using sound rather than sight to track individual dolphin activity. Their study, which has potential implications for dolphin communities around the world, investigated whether there was a way to attribute unique whistles to individual bottlenose dolphins living in Western Australia's Swan River. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/35iyAwL

The worst thing for the economy would be not acting at all to prevent disease spread, followed by too short a lockdown, according to research based on US data. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3bPLzs1

Comet ATLAS has disintegrated before our very eyes, and two new images from the Hubble Space Telescope show the comet has crumbled into 25 pieces. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2W2ahyA

Researchers have uncovered the earliest evidence of a person being hit and killed by a meteorite falling to Earth. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2YeGIN1

Is space-time ultimately smooth at the tiniest of scales, or something else? It seems impossible to measure, but researchers are beginning to look down. Deep down. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3cZjAXe

With the coronavirus pandemic temporarily shuttering hair salons, many clients are appreciating, and missing, the ability of hair dye to cover up grays or touch up roots. However, frequent coloring, whether done at a salon or at home, can damage hair and might pose health risks from potentially cancer-causing dye components. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have developed a process to dye hair with synthetic melanin under milder conditions than traditional hair dyes. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aJMtoN

Researchers have developed a new method for upcycling polyurethane foams, the spongy material found in mattresses, insulation, furniture cushions and shoes. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2xfARfk

In their search for new superhard compounds, researchers have carried out a prediction of stable molybdenum borides and their crystal structures. They revealed that the highest borides contain four to five boron atoms per each molybdenum atom. The estimated Vickers hardness of MoB5 is 37 to 39 GPa, which makes it a potential superhard material. The study was published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2Wf1klY

Despite an extreme environment characterized by high pressure, high temperature, strong acidity and low oxygen levels resembling living conditions in prehistoric times, hydrothermal vents harbor a diverse population of creatures, most of which have potential for biomedical and other kinds of research. Among other inhabitants of this difficult environment, the scaly-foot snail, also known as "sea pangolin," is of particular interest to marine scientists. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2KG6LF5

Researchers increasingly aim at using the manifold functions of lipids in our bodies, e.g., as blood fats or in blood coagulation, to better understand and predict diseases. An international team around Robert Ahrends at the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Vienna has now presented a groundbreaking tool for efficient lipid analysis in the journal Nature Communications. Their software LipidCreator highly accelerates the analysis of specific lipid groups and lipid signal molecules, and allows their qualitative and quantitative characterization with mass spectrometry. The scientists applied the new method successfully in an analysis of blood components. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2yaZGJN

It is known that approximately 80% of the human immune system functions within the gastrointestinal tract. Gut bacteria and their metabolites play a fundamental role in the interaction between gut and other organs. Since the organic acids produced by colon bacteria (acetate, lactate, propionate, succinate and butyrate) activate a number of immune and hormonal processes, the microbiota composed of hundreds of different bacterial species is of vital importance for the normal functioning and health of the human body. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3f1qU6e

Since MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) started the OpenCourseWare movement by publishing its course materials as open educational resources, many types of initiatives have been developed to open access to education via the use of digital technologies. Among other resources, MOOCs have proliferated. These offer specialized online courses (often free) to an unlimited number of students. However, the drop-out rate of students that start a MOOC (massive open online course) are very high. It is therefore useful to analyze the student profiles, establishing typologies and individual profiles. As the study by the Personal Network and Community Laboratory (LRPC) and the JRC shows, the initial diagnosis of learning intention can be very useful for improving educational performance. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2yXudL6

Higher yields and fewer weeds are possible if farmers sow wheat, maize, soy and other crops in more uniform spatial patterns, according to University of Copenhagen researchers. More precise sowing can also help reduce herbicide use and fertilizer runoff. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2VK2FlA

Developers may struggle to find enough land to offset the biodiversity impacts of future development, according to a University of Queensland study. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/35hg4F2

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide an effective way of supporting the development of the next generation of high-performance rechargeable batteries, according to research led by the University of Birmingham. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2KLwfAJ

Poaching of endangered species could rebound as authorities divert their attention to enforcing coronavirus lockdown measures, an international wildlife watchdog said Wednesday, reporting stockpiling of ivory and other animal products as borders remain shut. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2KJ9sFQ

Fruit flies, like many animals, engage in a variety of courtship and fighting behaviors. Now, Salk scientists have uncovered the molecular mechanisms by which two sex-determining genes affect fruit fly behavior. The male flies' courtship and aggression behaviors, they showed, are mediated by two distinct genetic programs. The findings, both published in eLife on April 21, 2020, demonstrate the complexity of the link between sex and behavior. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2Yii9Pk

Vietnam features extensive ethnolinguistic diversity and occupies a key position in Mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA). Vietnam, with its borders to China, Laos and Cambodia, has a rich geographical diversity, and ample access to human migration with the Red River and Mekong deltas, and a long coastline. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3cYrFLw

Like trains running on separate but parallel tracks, sometimes the forces of evolution can affect different species running along these tracks in very similar ways. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3cYrEHs

Poultry geneticists have long studied the inheritance of a prized fancy chicken breeding trait; feathered legs. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2WaQo8y

Researchers have recreated how toxins from smoking cause unique patterns of DNA damage. The discovery could help scientists better understand the cause of bladder cancer and the link to smoking. The causes of bladder cancer remain largely unknown, however smoking is seen as the main risk factor for the disease. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Yeg4nv

Hero shrews have some of the weirdest backbones in the animal kingdom -- they're incredibly strong, with stories of a 0.25-pound shrew supporting a grown man standing on its back. No one knows what they use these super-strong spines for, though, so scientists took micro-CT scans to examine the backbones inside and out. They discovered evidence that the bones are exposed to lots of stress from back-to-front, suggesting the shrews scrunch up like inchworms. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2ySwck9

The large near-Earth object is well known to astronomers and will get no closer than 3.9 million miles to our planet. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3f2y8XV

Scientists have finally figured out the precise timing of a complicated dance between two enormous black holes, revealing hidden details about the physical characteristics of these mysterious cosmic objects. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2VJAPpE

As the fight against the coronavirus continues and the country wrestles with when to reopen the economy, Zach G. Zacharia, associate professor of supply chain management and director of the Center for Supply Chain Research at the College of Business, addressed the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global supply chains. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2SdLB5p

Reflected in the number of companies setting science-based targets (SBTs) in line with climate science within the SBTI (Science-Based Targets Initiative), corporate climate progress has been striking, and we are seeing encouraging signs in the nature space as well (e.g., Fashion pact, Act4Nature, and OP2B, etc.). Key questions in corporate climate and nature actions are the necessity to reduce impact in line with scientific and societal need and the potential role of offsetting schemes in such action. This has led to significant discussion around so-called "mitigation hierarchies." Here, we provide a brief history of their evolution in natural resource management and highlight the increasing importance of adhering to the order they provide in facing some of the world's most pressing challenges. The temptation to skip to steps lower in the hierarchy that are easier or cheaper will at best provide a temporary bandaid to these complex global challenges and at worst, cannibal...

Using machine learning, a team of Western computer scientists and biologists have identified an underlying genomic signature for 29 different COVID-19 DNA sequences. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3bMFbSl

At least 2 billion people around the world have vision problems—but how do you know if and when your pet is struggling with its own eyesight? from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aK7Fe7

Researchers are proposing a possible COVID-19 vaccine that could be good news for resisting current and future pandemics, as well as for the needle-phobic: inhalable vaccines. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2W3fBlz

In the center of the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals are racing to maintain quality care for patients with severe disease while facing a shortage of resources and limited understanding of the novel coronavirus. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2KCwuOG

The huge "potentially hazardous" asteroid 1998 OR2, which will safely fly by Earth on Wednesday (April 29), appears to have brought its own face mask for its close encounter with our pandemic-ridden planet. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3bQX2ry

Incredible moments from Apollo 13 live on in a hidden gem museum in New York. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2KCz9rw

Social media can reveal more than just a single person's mood or frame of mind. It can capture the psychological states of an entire population, according to new research by Stanford scholar Johannes Eichstaedt. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aHPpCk

Tar, the everyday material that seals seams in our roofs and driveways, has an unexpected and unappreciated complexity, according to an MIT research team: It might someday be useful as a raw material for a variety of high-tech devices including energy storage systems, thermally active coatings, and electronic sensors. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2SeNfUe

Common shrews have one of the highest metabolic rates among mammals. They must therefore consume a considerable amount of energy for their relatively low body weight. Because their fat reserves are quickly used up, they often starve to death after only a few hours without food. Nevertheless, forest shrews and their close relatives are highly evolutionarily successful and quite widespread, especially in the northern hemisphere. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2VNwdyV

When someone becomes infected with the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen proliferates rapidly in the cells of the infected person. To do so, the virus has to multiply its genetic material, which consists of a single long RNA strand. This task is performed by the viral "copy machine," the so-called polymerase. Researchers led by Patrick Cramer at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen, Germany, have now determined the 3-D structure of the corona polymerase. This makes it now possible to investigate how antiviral drugs such as remdesivir—which blocks the polymerase—work, and to search for new inhibitory substances. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2VYJgfq

Researchers from the Severinov Laboratory at Skoltech, along with their colleagues from Switzerland and Israel, have investigated a poorly studied bacterial BREX defense mechanism to show that it can be turned off by a multipurpose viral protein that successfully impersonates DNA. The paper was published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3bK3ssp

Advanced, fault-tolerant quantum computers may be closer to reach than scientists have projected, according to recent advances reported by Johns Hopkins researchers in a new study recently published in Physical Review Letters. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aISHoL

The loss of insulin-secreting beta cells by autoimmune destruction leads to type 1 diabetes. Clinical islet cell transplantation has the potential to cure diabetes, but donor pancreases are rare. In a new study, a group of researchers developed an improved pluripotent stem cell differentiation protocol to generate beta cells in vitro with superior glucose response and insulin secretion. This is a major step toward beta cell replacement therapy. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2VJbjRd

Rutgers engineers have created a highly effective way to paint complex 3-D-printed objects, such as lightweight frames for aircraft and biomedical stents, that could save manufacturers time and money and provide new opportunities to create "smart skins" for printed parts. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2yPZ9gB

Said Al-Ajani looks proudly over his lush date plantation, which recently survived a plague of red weevils—a destructive insect wreaking havoc across the Middle East and North Africa. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3f3kzHN

Germany and Britain said Monday that efforts to revive the global economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic must ensure a 'green recovery' that helps the world tackle climate change. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2KEiV1h

While President Donald Trump's impeachment gripped the country in late 2019 and early 2020, the long-term consequences of his trial and acquittal for American democracy remain yet unclear. What's clear already, however, is that both the public's and political experts' perceptions of the health of US democracy clearly declined during this period. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2SdWYu0

An invasive species first identified in the Mediterranean Sea just eight years ago is likely to become a permanent feature of the region, a new study suggests. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2yLw5H5

Delivering water to city dwellers can become far more efficient, according to Rice University researchers who say it should involve a healthy level of recycled wastewater. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aMUXeG

In November of 2019—likely, even earlier—a tiny entity measuring just a few hundred billionths of a meter in diameter began to tear apart human society on a global scale. Within a few months, the relentless voyager known as SARS-CoV-2 had made its way to every populated corner of the earth, leaving scientists and health authorities with too many questions and few answers. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2YcjTtB

A UCLA-led research team today reports that it has developed a new method for delivering DNA into stem cells and immune cells safely, rapidly and economically. The method, described in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, could give scientists a new tool for manufacturing gene therapies for people with cancer, genetic disorders and blood diseases. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2VJ8PlW

How does alcohol kill this virus? With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, alcohol-based hand sanitizer became a much-sought item by hospitals and the general public alike for its ability to inactivate the coronavirus. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3bMhqKc

Not only does a universal constant seem annoyingly inconstant at the outer fringes of the cosmos, it occurs in only one direction, which is downright weird. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2VEVyeb

The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak has been a sort of Rorschach test. In addition to revealing deep strengths and ingenuity in the American community, it also has exposed some of America's deepest fears, xenophobic tendencies, and dysfunctions of leadership. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2yJyDp8

A Harvard healthy-buildings expert has laid out a lower-cost, five-layered approach for employers and building managers as they consider how to safely reopen their establishments and get America back to work. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aJ7WOm

While the human world is reeling from one pandemic, there are several ongoing epidemics that affect crops and put global food production at risk. Oranges, olives, and bananas are already under threat in many areas due to diseases that affect plants' circulatory systems and that cannot be treated by applying pesticides. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aL0iTM

One in seven of all children in England have a social worker at some stage during their schooling and are behind educationally by at least 30 percent by the age of 16 compared to their peers, according to new research published today. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3cT0pyc

The sparsely distributed hot gas found today between galaxies, the intergalactic medium (IGM), is ionized. The early universe started off hot, but then it rapidly expanded and cooled allowing its main constituent, hydrogen, to combine to form neutral atoms. When and how did these neutral atoms become reionized to compose the IGM we see today? Astronomers think that ultraviolet radiation emitted by massive young stars did this work once stars began to form and shine during the cosmic era named after this activity, the "era of reionization." from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2W0Idfg

A team of astronomers from Australia and Italy has investigated a nearby white dwarf designated 2MASS J050051.85–093054.9 (J0500−0930 for short). In their new study, they report that the object is the closest extremely low-mass white dwarf. The finding is detailed in a paper published April 16 on arXiv.org. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2yLr1Cn

"Ethnic spaces" at U.S. universities make students from underrepresented minority groups feel a greater sense of belonging and engagement with their campus, new research suggests. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3bJ1Ley

If you're looking to go on a virtual adventure, look no further than these astrophotographers' fave sites. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2yKQImA

Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory recently developed and demonstrated the ability to stop and restart solid rocket motors many times — something that has never been done before. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2VElSoO

The newest prototype of SpaceX's Starship Mars-colonizing spaceship just passed a crucial pressure test, likely setting the stage for a test flight in the near future. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2ScnsvV

In a new study published online on ArXiv, Profs. David Gershon, Alexander Lipton and Hagai Levine show that based on real-life data, Israel and other countries could have controlled COVID-19 without lockdown. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3bHbzGb

A Monash-led study develops a new approach to directly observe correlated, many-body states in an exciton-polariton system that go beyond classical theories. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2Y64PgZ

NUS chemists have developed a method to synthesize monolayer blue phosphorus for potential semiconductor applications. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/357C7Oa

A Korean research team has developed a high-performance ceramic fuel cell that can operate on butane fuels. Since butane can be liquefied and thus stored and transported easily, the new technology could expand the application range of ceramic fuel cells to portable and mobile applications such as electric cars, robots and drones. Previously, ceramic fuel cells had only been considered for application to large-capacity power generation systems due to their high-temperature operation. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3eSM3zz

Until now, scientists had assumed that there are about 80 so-called open reading frames (ORFs) in the genome of herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). These are the locations in the genome where the information in the DNA is read and translated into proteins. It is now clear that there are a lot more—namely 284 ORFs. These are translated from hundreds of novel viral transcripts, which have now also been identified. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2VEE29K

Highly concentrated aqueous electrolytes, known as water-in-salt electrolytes, could be an alternative to the organic solvents used in car batteries and other electrochemical devices. They have the advantages of abundance, low cost and nontoxicity, according to the review article "Water-in-salt electrolytes for high voltage aqueous electrochemical energy storage devices," published in the journal Current Opinion in Electrochemistry by Vitor Leite Martins and Roberto Manuel Torresi, both of whom are affiliated with the University of São Paulo's Chemistry Institute (IQ-USP) in Brazil. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2xRy0tz

The fundamental laws of physics are based on symmetries that determine the interactions between charged particles, among other things. Using ultracold atoms, researchers at Heidelberg University have experimentally constructed the symmetries of quantum electrodynamics. They hope to gain new insights for implementing future quantum technologies that can simulate complex physical phenomena. The results of the study were published in the journal Science. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aEExFi

Just a few weeks ago, there were news headlines about plummeting insect numbers. Academic discourse focused on three main causes: the destruction of habitats, pesticides in agriculture and the decline of food plants for insects. A team of researchers from the Universities of Bonn and Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL have now demonstrated for the first time that the diversity of food plants for insects in the canton of Zurich has dramatically decreased over the past 100 years or so. This means that bees, flies and butterflies are increasingly deprived of their food base. The study, which is representative for all of Central Europe, has now been published in the journal Ecological Applications. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2KEXVXW

"The flora and fauna of the lagoon have not changed during lockdown. What has changed is our chance to see them," says zoologist Andrea Mangoni, plunging his camera into Venice's normally murky waters to observe life. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3d2ElkT

A study has tracked the shift from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to early farming that occurred in prehistoric Europe over a period of around 1,500 years. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2VH5nbs

Poorer rural Amazonians are going hungry despite living in one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet—a new study reveals. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aFZBLx

Scientists have identified a protein sensor that restricts how much sugar and fat our cells convert into energy during periods of starvation. It is possible, the scientists say, that the sensor could be fine-tuned to prompt more sugar and fat conversion in people with metabolic conditions. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3bGvZis

Researchers have engineered a new catalyst that can more efficiently convert ethane into ethylene, which is used in a variety of manufacturing processes. The discovery could be used in a conversion process to drastically reduce ethylene production costs and cut related carbon dioxide emissions by up to 87%. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2zxLxH8

A new study has found that tectonic plates beneath the Earth's surface can show varying degrees of roughness and could help explain why certain earthquakes are stronger than others. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3aBBIot

Researchers have published a new study that explains how they created a hollow nanostructure for metal halide perovskites that would allow the material to emit a highly efficient blue light. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3aEV8bR

A team of engineers, material scientists, and physicists demonstrated how a new material -- a lead-free chalcogenide perovskite -- that hadn't previously been considered for use in solar cells could provide a safer and more effective option than others that are commonly considered. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Ye1Fbb

The structure of enzymes determines how they control vital processes such as digestion or immune response. This is because the protein compounds are not rigid, but can change their shape through movable 'hinges.' The shape of enzymes can depend on whether their structure is measured in the test tube or in the living cell. This is what physicochemists discovered about YopO, an enzyme of the plague pathogen. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3eSdTfl

The fundamental laws of physics are based on symmetries that, among other things, determine the interactions between charged particles. Using ultracold atoms, researchers have experimentally constructed the symmetries of quantum electrodynamics. They hope to gain new insights for implementing future quantum technologies that can simulate complex physical phenomena. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2yJog4v

A multidisciplinary research group dated the bones of dozens of Iron Age residents of the Levänluhta site in Finland, and studied the carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios. The results provide an overview of the dietary habits based on terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems, as well as of sources of livelihoods throughout the Levänluhta era. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2KxMIIV

Data transmission that works with magnetic waves instead of electric currents can be the basis for future information technologies. Some years ago, researchers reached a new quantum state of magnetic particles at room temperature -- a Bose-Einstein condensate. In a new study they show that the particles in the condensate behave repulsively, which leads to its stabilization. In this way, they resolve a long-standing contradiction between the theory and the experiment. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2KAig0P

Health practitioners are constantly developing new ways to help those with drug and alcohol addictions wean themselves from their substance of choice. Most such programs have limited success, however. A new study finds that interventions that take a multidimensional approach -- tackling the biological, social, environmental and mental health obstacles to overcome while also addressing a person's substance use -- work best for those hoping to stop using drugs. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2S8O00S

Shuffling of DNA in a single gene might be why the syphilis bacteria can evade the immune system. The change alters a protein on its cell surface to create a distraction. People can become re-infected several times with syphilis because they can't develop immunity, Untreated syphilis can hide in the body for decades. Genomic findings on these evasive strategies may point to designs for vaccines to outwit syphilis' defenses. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3aENUVp

A combination of immunotherapy agents that encourages some immune cells to eat cancer cells and alert others to attack tumors put mice with a deadly type of brain cancer called glioblastoma into long-term remission. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3aL6s6A

Writer/director James Gunn doesn't think there will be a need to postpone "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" despite cascading delays in film release due to the coronavirus pandemic. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3bFouIB

The rock with arguably the most fascinating story on Earth has an ancient name. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3aFiFJC

After a close encounter with the moon on Sunday (April 26), Venus will be at its greatest brightness of the year on Tuesday (April 28). from Space.com https://ift.tt/2W0pWi8

Pre-production has begun on the third season of Disney+'s "Star Wars: The Mandalorian." from Space.com https://ift.tt/3cLScf2

Hubble's infrared eyes provided new major capabilities. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2xR9lW5

The Big Bounce theory was once thought impossible. But two physicists have just resurrected it. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2VDk13p

A lull in boat traffic and a fishing ban in Istanbul forced by the coronavirus pandemic has proved good news for some of the city's most-loved inhabitants—the dolphins that swim in the fish-rich waters of the Bosphorus Strait between Europe and Asia. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2Kx55O7