technical updates

Experts in optical physics have developed a new way to see inside living cells in greater detail using existing microscopy technology and without needing to add stains or fluorescent dyes. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pJqoyx

Researchers have proposed a new principle by which active matter systems can spontaneously order, without need for higher level instructions or even programmed interaction among the agents. And they have demonstrated this principle in a variety of systems, including groups of periodically shape-changing robots called 'smarticles.' from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/38U8Wk3

Diamond is the hardest material in nature. It also has great potential as an excellent electronic material. A research team has demonstrated for the first time the large, uniform tensile elastic straining of microfabricated diamond arrays through the nanomechanical approach. Their findings have shown the potential of strained diamonds as prime candidates for advanced functional devices in microelectronics, photonics, and quantum information technologies. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ohar2l

The Asian tiger mosquito does not pose a major risk for Zika virus epidemics, according to a new study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3o5y51B

Scientists have revealed how a transporter protein twists and squeezes compounds out of cells, including chemotherapy drugs from some cancer cells. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2MfLJkw

A desalination membrane acts as a filter for salty water: push the water through the membrane, get clean water suitable for agriculture, energy production and even drinking. The process seems simple enough, but it contains complex intricacies that have baffled scientists for decades—until now. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2WW7xno

Diamond is the hardest material in nature. But out of many expectations, it also has great potential as an excellent electronic material. A joint research team led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has demonstrated for the first time the large, uniform tensile elastic straining of microfabricated diamond arrays through the nanomechanical approach. Their findings have shown the potential of strained diamonds as prime candidates for advanced functional devices in microelectronics, photonics, and quantum information technologies. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aY4mnm

Multiple bouts of blood feeding by mosquitoes shorten the incubation period for malaria parasites and increase malaria transmission potential, according to a new study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2L7ppcv

A novel computational drug screening strategy combined with lab experiments suggest that pralatrexate, a chemotherapy medication originally developed to treat lymphoma, could potentially be repurposed to treat COVID-19. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3o5HXZ0

When using social media to nudge people toward safe and healthy behaviors, it's critical to make sure the words match the pictures, according to a new study. After looking at social media posts, parents of young children were better able to recall safety messages such as how to put a baby safely to sleep when the images in the posts aligned with the messages in the text. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3n1BOvF

Researchers report that adding a small molecule to a chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy can help immune system T cells to effectively attack solid tumors, such as breast cancers. The boost helps recruit more immune cells into battle at the tumor site, according to the new study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3o358mZ

When fat cells in the body are stuffed with excess fat, the surrounding tissue becomes inflamed. That chronic, low-level inflammation is one of the driving factors behind many of the diseases associated with obesity. Now, scientists have discovered a type of cell responsible, at least in mice, for triggering this inflammation in fat tissue. Their findings could eventually lead to new ways to treat obesity. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2WW228p

A randomized clinical trial is the largest study to-date to compare thresholds for blood transfusions in premature babies, offers guidance for health care providers. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3pA7fyX

The SUTD study will be crucial for assessing future climatic changes and making more informed water management decisions. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rQvxXx

Even as vaccines are being rolled out to battle the coronavirus, wordsmiths at Lake Superior State University in Michigan's Upper Peninsula say they want to kick any trace of it from the English language. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3hwpgLG

We check the best online retailers for discounts on a daily basis to find you the perfect offer on Vixen products — finding your next binoculars or telescope has never been easier from Space.com https://ift.tt/30zlQAD

A magnitude 3.6 earthquake has jolted the San Francisco Bay Area on the last day of 2020. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3n30Eez

A photographer filmed the "Great Conjunction" of Jupiter and Saturn as the heavenly bodies passed by Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3rESsoq

Here, we take a look at some of the most spectacular black hole findings of 2020. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2WYqAxp

There's a giant asteroid somewhere out there in the solar system, and it hurled a big rock at Earth that left behind meteorites unlike any scientists had ever seen. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2X590aV

From Mars to asteroids, robots, humans and much more, we'll see space exploration continue to expand across the solar system. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3aXVcHq

Olivia Hinerfeld's dog Lincoln and Kate Hilts' cat Potato have something in common: They both like to interrupt Zoom calls as their owners work from home. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2WVcxZA

Living organisms have evolved mechanisms of biomineralization to build structurally ordered and environmentally adaptive composite materials. While research teams have significantly improved biomimetic mineralization research in the lab, it is still difficult to engineer mineralized composites with structural features and living components much like their native counterparts. In a new report now published on Nature Chemical Biology, Yanyi Wang and a research team in physics, advanced materials, synthetic biology, and engineering in China, developed living patterned and gradient composites inspired by natural graded materials. They coupled light-inducible bacterial biofilm formation with biomimetic hydroxyapatite (HA) mineralization in this work, to show how the location and degree of mineralization could be controlled. The cells in the composites remained viable while sensing and responding to environmental signals. The composites showed a 15-fold increase in Young's modulus (i.e.,...

A well-preserved Ice Age woolly rhino with many of its internal organs still intact has been recovered from permafrost in Russia's extreme north. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3o6ezSo

Volcanoes that have been quiet for decades are rumbling to life in the eastern Caribbean, prompting officials to issue alerts in Martinique and St. Vincent and the Grenadines as scientists rush in to study activity they say hasn't been observed in years. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2X1hgIY

When the parasite Cryptosporidium enters the body, it's cells in the intestines that first recognize the invader, triggering an early immune response, according to a new study. A leading cause of diarrheal disease in young children globally, the parasite generates an inflammatory response beginning in the intestines that exacerbates the effects of malnutrition. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3b81epl

new research reports that a combination of a new drug and selected DHA derivatives is more effective in protecting brain cells and increasing recovery after stroke than a single drug. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2X9BctD

The coronavirus has taught us an important lesson. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2L9wOHX

In a first-of-its-kind study within cycad horticulture literature, University of Guam researchers have found that the use of anti-transpirants neither help nor hinder successful propagation of cycad stem cuttings. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2WW0QBN

813 years of annual river discharge at 62 stations, 41 rivers in 16 countries, from 1200 to 2012. That is what researchers at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) produced after two years of research in order to better understand past climate patterns of the Asian Monsoon region. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2L9wsRD

Rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs provided some coronavirus relief in a Miami neighborhood on Tuesday, handing out $50 bills amid a crowd of hundreds. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3pAmyrd

Until recently, scientists believed that only very massive nuclei could have excited zero-spin states of increased stability with a significantly deformed shape. Meanwhile, an international team of researchers from Romania, France, Italy, the USA and Poland showed in their latest article that such states also exist in much lighter nickel nuclei. Positive verification of the theoretical model used in these experiments allows describing the properties of nuclei unavailable in Earth laboratories. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3pGSWZz

Recently, researchers from the Optical Remote Sensing Center of the Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (AIOFM), Hefei Institutes of Physical Science (HFIPS) have successfully improved the accuracy of directional polarimetric camera (DPC) laboratory polarization calibration via new methods. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3rJ0BZc

Researchers working with the ATLAS project have reported to the press that they have found 12 new species of sea creatures new to science. The EU funded undersea project has been ongoing for five years and has carried out 45 research expeditions that involved the work of over 80 scientists and student volunteers. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3rEgqA8

Physicists are working to develop a unique tokamak fusion device called 'SPARC.' from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/37ZBCc9

The introduction of computer simulation to the identification of symptoms in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has potential to provide an additional objective tool to gauge the presence and severity of behavioral problems, researchers suggest. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3nZYnC9

This year saw a new age of sample-retrieval missions, protests against a telescope, an incredible visit from a dazzling comet and the ''great conjunction'' of Saturn and Jupiter. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3802yso

When it comes to the moon, everyone wants the same things. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3rCZtGh

Research from the University of Adelaide has found that some species of fish will have higher reproductive capacity because of larger sex organs, under the more acidic oceans of the future. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2MjL0Ps

From the best places to find them to what they might breathe, here are the newest clues we discovered about alien life. from Space.com https://ift.tt/34WChsW

You wouldn't know it by looking at it, but the moon is a time capsule. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3ht9iC0

Astronomers have performed spectroscopic observations of a newly detected white dwarf star known as GD 424. Results of the observational campaign provide more insights into the atmosphere of this object. The study was presented in a paper published December 23 on arXiv.org. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3o2jdRl

A trio of researchers from the Technical University of Munich, the University of Greifswald and the University of Augsburg have found that the meat production process for organic meats produces approximately the same amounts of greenhouse gases as does the conventional meat production process. In their paper published in the journal Nature Communications, Maximilian Pieper, Amelie Michalke and Tobias Gaugler describe their study of the impact of global food production on climate change and what they found. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2L3LPew

Life is hard for small animals in the wild, but they have many solutions to the challenges of their environment. One of the most fascinating of these strategies is torpor. Not, to be confused with sleep or Sunday afternoon lethargy, torpor is a complex response to the costs of living. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3ocEF6c

Optical fibres made of topological photonic crystals allow improved versatility and control across the modes and polarization of light they transmit. Compositionally, photonic crystals contain bandgaps to prevent the passage of light relative to specific wave energies and momenta much like an on/off switch. In a new report now published on Nature Light: Science & Applications, Hao Lin, and Ling Lu at the Institute of Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences transmitted pure "single mode" light across a large frequency range via a topological feature known as a "Dirac vortex." The concept can lead to applications that transmit light signals more stably across long distances. While the work is theoretical at present, the researchers suggest the use of fibers made from silica based on stack-and-draw methods or three-dimensional (3-D) printing technologies to fabricate and test these theoretical concepts. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news storie...

The coronavirus pandemic is coming home to roost in America's backyards. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3hqTmjP

When European settlers came to North America, fire-dependent savannas anchored by lofty pines with footlong needles covered much of what became the southern United States. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3rHX3GC

A feisty young sea lion is back in the Northern California wild after five weeks of rehabilitation to treat a severe shark bite, domoic acid poisoning and malnutrition. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3htFTHO

A team found that some flag leaves of different varieties of rice transform light and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates better than others, potentially opening new opportunities for breeding higher yielding rice varieties. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3hDaCCB

Despite all warnings, people continue to ruthlessly exploit land resources around the world, planting monocultures and setting up large-scale infrastructure. Social ecologist Anke Schaffartzik analyses the political and economic interests that precede these developments and their impact on society. The snapshots of global material and energy flows, but also the power gradient of which they are a symptom, reveal that thoughtful consumption in Austria alone stands little chances against oil palm plantations in Indonesia. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3rAzcsf

A team of researchers at the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development has developed a way to model anticipated antimicrobial resistance levels across countries using economic data. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes using the average income for a country, average out-of-pocket health care expenses for those living there and the degree of government corruption to create models that could accurately represent anticipated antimicrobial resistance levels for a given country. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/37UA0jF

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex psychiatric disorder brought on by physical and/or psychological trauma. How its symptoms, including anxiety, depression and cognitive disturbances arise remains incompletely understood and unpredictable. Treatments and outcomes could potentially be improved if doctors could better predict who would develop PTSD. Now, researchers using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have found potential brain biomarkers of PTSD in people with traumatic brain injury (TBI). from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rChPqY

Researchers have always known that waves were an important part of the cliff erosion process, but they haven't been able to separate the influence of waves and rain before. After decades of debate over the differing roles that both play, new findings provide an opportunity to improve forecasts. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2L04aJq

Researchers have shown that Chiari 1 malformation can be caused by variations in two genes linked to brain development, and that children with large heads are at increased risk of developing the condition. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/34SrG21

Big bumblebees take time to learn the locations of the best flowers, new research shows. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/37XY8C6

Results from a global trial across 148 sites in 23 countries, showing a 30 per cent improvement in survival in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), significantly improving survival in older patients, over the age of 55, with the disease. AML is the most acute blood cancer in adults and its incidence increases with age, with a poor prognosis. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rBrttM

The truth is, astronomy remains as real, human and relevant as ever, though the reason why might surprise you. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3hoI1Rj

Space rocks crash to Earth carrying compounds that were formed billions of years ago. Spaceships perform fancy flips in the air but explode when they touch back down too quickly. And sometimes, iguanas fall from trees and land belly-up, frozen on the ground.  from Space.com https://ift.tt/38Llb2a

If intelligent aliens visit the Earth, it would be one of the most profound events in human history. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3pDrCvf

Check out the craziest rocket failures of 2020. from Space.com https://ift.tt/37UaNWO

Metasurfaces provide unique platforms to realize exotic phenomena including negative refraction, achromatic focusing, and electromagnetic cloaking due to the engineered dielectric or metallic architectures. The intersection of metasurfaces and quantum optics can lead to significant opportunities that remain to be explored. In a new report now published on Science Advances, Junxiao Zhou, Shikai Liu and a research team in quantum information, nano-optoelectronic devices and computer engineering in China and the U.S. proposed and demonstrated a polarization-entangled photon source. They used the source to switch the optical edge mode in an imaging system to ON or OFF states based on a highly dielectric metasurface. The experiment enriched the fields of quantum optics and metamaterials as a promising direction toward quantum edge detection and image processing with a remarkable signal-to-noise ratio. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/37WwtBx

A chance encounter five years ago in a Chicago-area courtroom altered the course of sociologist Matthew Clair's academic life. While a graduate student researching the criminal justice system, Clair and a colleague often observed courtroom proceedings in cities they were visiting. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3hxlHF1

DNA is the basis of life on earth. The function of DNA is to store all the genetic information an organism needs to develop, function and reproduce. It is essentially a biological instruction manual found in every cell. Biochemists at the University of Münster have now developed a strategy for controlling the biological functions of DNA with the aid of light. This enables researchers to better understand and control the processes that take place in the cell—for example, epigenetics, the key chemical change and regulatory lever in DNA. The results have been published in the journal Angewandte Chemie. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3b3mAnN

Agricultural mechanisation is on the rise in Africa, replacing hand hoes and animal traction across the continent. While around 80-90% of all farmers still rely on manual labour or draught animals, this is changing, driven by falling machinery prices and rising rural wages. During the last couple of years, tractor sales grew by around 10% annually. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3rDlMM8

If you ask someone to imagine an orchid, chances are pots of moth orchids lined up for sale in a hardware store will spring to mind, with their thick shiny leaves and vibrant petals. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3nX72FJ

When one of my co-workers found out about a tiny, orphaned kitten that needed a home a few months ago, he didn't hesitate to adopt it. He says his new companion helped make the months of COVID-19 isolation at home much less stressful. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3hsyYPm

Scientists in Bangalore, India have found toxic levels of four heavy metals, chromium, nickel, cadmium and lead, in crops and vegetables grown on soil irrigated with water from six lakes in the city, reports a study published December in Current Science. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3pxe5VT

By analyzing the data from the eROSITA Final Equatorial Depth Survey (eFEDS), an international team of astronomers has detected a new supercluster. The newly found structure consists of eight galaxy clusters. The discovery is reported in a paper published December 21 on the arXiv pre-print server. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3o3ytOc

Frog calls are iconic sounds of summer in Australia. There are more than 240 species native to Australia, almost all of which are found nowhere else on Earth. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3pwypXj

Other worlds aren't the only difficult terrain personnel will have to traverse in humanity's exploration of the solar system. There are some parts of our own planet that are inhospitable and hard to travel over. Inner Mongolia, a northern province of China, would certainly classify as one of those areas, especially in winter. But that's exactly the terrain team members from the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASTC) had to traverse on December 16th to retrieve lunar samples from the Chang'e-5 mission. What was even more unique is that they did it with the help of exoskeletons. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3nYWV2W

The 3.67-million-year-old StW 573 ("Little Foot") Australopithecus from Sterkfontein, South Africa, is the most complete skeleton known in the hominin fossil record.  It's discoverers suggested that the significant curvature of its forearm is the result of a fall from a tree during childhood.  They argued this early Australopithecus suffered acute plastic bowing of the forearm—a deformity common in young children after suffering a traumatic fall onto an outstretched hand, as juvenile bones are more elastic than those of adults.  from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/37WfUWn

Imaging techniques enable a detailed look inside an organism. But interpreting the data is time-consuming and requires a great deal of experience. Artificial neural networks open up new possibilities: They require just seconds to interpret whole-body scans of mice and to segment and depict the organs in colors, instead of in various shades of gray. This facilitates the analysis considerably. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3n2XMi5

A fast, green and one-step method for producing porous carbon spheres, which are a vital component for carbon capture technology and for new ways of storing renewable energy, has been developed. The method produces spheres that have good capacity for carbon capture, and it works effectively at a large scale. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3nZ5QSe

Researchers have discovered what type of neural mechanisms are the basis for emotional responses to music. Altogether 102 research subjects listened to music that evokes emotions while their brain function was scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/34RO0ZH

Astronomers are studying black holes that could have formed in the early universe, before stars and galaxies were born. Such primordial black holes (PBHs) could account for all or part of dark matter, be responsible for some of the observed gravitational waves signals, and seed supermassive black holes found in the center of our Galaxy and other galaxies. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/38BBJcW

Chemists have made a discovery that supports a surprising new view of how life originated on our planet. They demonstrated that a simple compound called diamidophosphate (DAP), which was plausibly present on Earth before life arose, could have chemically knitted together tiny DNA building blocks called deoxynucleosides into strands of primordial DNA. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/38z6X4g

Psychologists have found a link between extraverts and their word choices. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rvQYga

A pioneering high-speed atomic force microscope technology has now shed light on the structure and dynamics of some of life's most ubiquitous and inscrutable molecules - intrinsically disordered proteins. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3nYY8Y7

A research team has developed a new drug discovery method targeting membrane proteins on live cells. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3aMXRDS

Biochemists have developed a new strategy for controlling the biological functions of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) by means of light and therefore provide a tool to investigate processes which take place in cells. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3nTUI9a

When toddlers begin to use a spoon to eat by themselves, what kind of interactions facilitate this behavior? To find out, an international research collaboration investigated the interactions between toddlers and their caregivers during mealtimes at a daycare center in Japan. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3nZJC2k

New research shows the enormous potential of restoring lost oyster reefs, bringing significant environmental benefits. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ry9ynV

A research team led by Dr. Xiaoyu Li from the Research Division for Chemistry, Faculty of Science, in collaboration with Professor Yizhou Li from School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chongqing University and Professor Yan Cao from School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University in Shanghai has developed a new drug discovery method targeting membrane proteins on live cells. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2MfmKxR

A second Taiwan-born giant panda made her media debut on Monday, clambering over a wooden climbing frame and playing with sawdust to the sound of clicking cameras. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3ry5wMj

Chemists at Scripps Research have made a discovery that supports a surprising new view of how life originated on our planet. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3aMYBsF

The full moon of December, called the Full Cold Moon, will arrive on Dec. 29 and there are plenty of planets to see with it. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2G6HSmz

NASA's quest to put boots back on the moon will likely get less urgent after President-elect Joe Biden takes office next month. from Space.com https://ift.tt/37TFWth

SpaceX launched two crewed missions to the space station and sent a prototype of its Starship Mars vehicle high into the Texas skies this year, among other milestones. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3hp8TR4

While 2020 was a difficult year around the world with the challenges that have come with the coronavirus pandemic, space continued to reach new heights. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3b0edcD

There's something a little off about our theory of the universe. Almost everything fits, but there's a fly in the cosmic ointment, a particle of sand in the infinite sandwich. Some scientists think the culprit might be gravity—and that subtle ripples in the fabric of space-time could help us find the missing piece. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/37RWqC5

A fast-food eatery at Pompeii has been excavated, helping to reveal dishes that were popular for the citizens of the ancient Roman city who were partial to eating out. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3mNR2Es

The ten costliest weather disasters worldwide this year saw insured damages worth $150 billion, topping the figure for 2019 and reflecting a long-term impact of global warming, according to a report Monday. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2WMowZi

After delaying for nearly a week and under pressure from all sides, US President Donald Trump finally signed a massive $900 billion stimulus bill Sunday, in a long-sought boost for millions of Americans and businesses battered by the coronavirus pandemic. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2L0ExYO

Coronavirus infections have barely touched many of the remote islands of the Pacific, but the pandemic's fallout has been enormous, disrupting the supply chain that brings crucial food imports and sending prices soaring as tourism wanes. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3hkhV1M

A new reference genome assembly identified more than 85 million genetic variants in the rhesus macaque, the largest database of genetic variation for any one nonhuman primate species to date. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2JtIi92

As you drive down the road leading to Jodrell Bank Observatory, a sign asks visitors to turn off their mobile phones, stating that the Lovell telescope is so powerful it could detect a phone signal on Mars. from Space.com https://ift.tt/34MlrNs

A mere two weeks after the National Science Foundation declared it would close the Arecibo single-dish radio telescope – once the largest in the world – the observatory took a dramatic dying breath and collapsed on Dec. 1, 2020. from Space.com https://ift.tt/34HJPj9

The joint U.S.-European Solar Orbiter spacecraft had an appointment with Venus this morning, the first in a series of planetary flybys to hone the probe's orbit on its journey to the sun. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3nUIP2B

Whether you're looking for a telescope, binoculars or both, we have the best prices from top online retailers from Space.com https://ift.tt/2GQPwCo

Samples taken from the ocean surrounding the subtropical island of Okinawa have revealed the presence of microplastics in all six areas surveyed, finds new study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/37O1sj2

By transferring mouse aged hematopoietic stem cells (aged HSCs) to the environment of young mice (bone marrow niche), it was demonstrated that the pattern of stem cell gene expression was rejuvenated to that of young hematopoietic stem cells. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3mRC4xk

Scientists have, for the first time, provided experimental evidence that cell stickiness helps them stay sorted within correct compartments during development. How tightly cells clump together, known as cell adhesion, appears to be enabled by a protein better known for its role in the immune system. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rrHdj4

Developing brains constantly sprout new neuronal connections called synapses as they learn and remember. Important connections -- the ones that are repeatedly introduced, such as how to avoid danger -- are nurtured and reinforced, while connections deemed unnecessary are pruned away. Adult brains undergo similar pruning, but it was unclear how or why synapses in the adult brain get eliminated. Now, a team of researchers has found the mechanism underlying plasticity and, potentially, neurological disorders in adult brains. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/34NyiPf

To describe weedy seadragons as unique is an understatement. With a fused, elongated jaw, body armor, leafy appendages and no pelvic fins, these fish are like no other. Found only along Australia's temperate coast, numbers have been declining. Now a landmark study using genomics reveals four distinct populations in south-eastern Australia. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3mSZOB7

Scientists report that the metal ruthenium, supported with lanthanide oxyhydrides, can efficiently catalyze the synthesis of ammonia at a much lower temperature than the traditional approach. In their new study, they highlight the advantages of the oxyhydride support and its potential in becoming a feasible catalyst for low-temperature ammonia synthesis in the future. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3aHnXrN

Whether you're looking to give a telescope or binoculars as a gift or buying kit for yourself, here are the very best daily deals on Sky-Watcher products from Space.com https://ift.tt/3lg0ShW

Capella Space's first fully operational satellite has snapped some breathtaking images of Earth during its first few months in orbit. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2WNuFVe

Private company SpaceX launched SN8, a prototype of its Starship spacecraft, designed to go to the Moon and Mars, on December 10. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3mRXrhM

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins harvested fresh radishes grown in space, opening new doors for producing food in microgravity to sustain future longer-term missions to the moon and Mars. from Space.com https://ift.tt/38yL4lT

Inspire others to look up by giving the gift of a telescope or astronomy binoculars. We've rounded up some of the best deals from Space.com https://ift.tt/2AbcP4G

The very best deals on Orion telescopes and binoculars — whatever your budget and whoever the recipient from Space.com https://ift.tt/2Gv7w4V

Tour the universe with the latest in telescope technology — and at a great discount from Space.com https://ift.tt/33xHGpo

December is the month of the winter solstice, which a large part of the world associates with such celebrations as Nativity festivals. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2sVER2i

Astronauts on the International Space Station are sending Christmas tidings to the people of Earth with a message of hope in a year challenged by a global pandemic. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3nOby9b

The ultra-powerful James Webb Space Telescope will launch soon. Once it's deployed and in position at the Earth-Sun Lagrange Point 2, it'll begin work. One of its jobs is to examine the atmospheres of exoplanets and look for biosignatures. It should be simple, right? Just scan the atmosphere until you find oxygen, then close your laptop and head to the pub: Fanfare, confetti, Nobel prize. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3nRQChG

When thinking of fierce predators of the past, it's difficult not to imagine dinosaurs, considering theropods are well known for having blade-like teeth with serrated cutting edges used for biting and ripping their prey. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3pqd1mr

Whether organic chemists are working on developing new molecular energetics or creating new blockbuster drugs in the pharmaceutical industry, each is searching how to optimize the chemical structure of a molecule to attain desired target properties. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/34CwwR1

Paleontologists have succeeded in reconstructing the chewing motion of an early mammal that lived almost 150 million years ago. This showed that its teeth worked extremely precisely and surprisingly efficiently. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3rqjhfP