technical updates

When we think of Australia's threatened corals, the Great Barrier Reef probably springs to mind. But elsewhere, coral species are also struggling—including a rare type known as "cauliflower soft coral" which is, sadly, on the brink of extinction. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2S1h11L

Using the MeerKAT telescope, an international team of astronomers has identified wide-spread tidal debris in a nearby galaxy group known as NGC 7232. The newly found structure is composed of cold neutral atomic hydrogen and extends over 450,000 light years. The finding is reported in a paper published May 21 on arXiv.org. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3uAOWvD

New research suggests the jiggling motion of carbon nanotubes suspended in liquid solutions could have implications for the structure, processing and properties of nanotube fibers formed from those solutions. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3c65wgB

SpaceX's most-flown rocket, a Falcon 9 booster that has flown a historic 10 times, definitely looks like a veteran traveler. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3p376Fa

Four NASA astronauts recently spoke about their cultural heritage to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month from Space.com https://ift.tt/34zydyi

A piece of space junk smacked into the robotic arm on the International Space Station, but near-term operations should not be affected. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2S1eULn

Could a jacket or a pair of jeans one day power your mobile phone and other electronic devices? from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2SCzfXr

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has announced on its website that the agency has plans to put a Transformable Lunar Robot on the moon. In their announcement, they note that the goal of the robot deployment is to learn more about the surface of the moon as part of preparation for the deployment of a future crewed rover. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fXChgT

Batteries and fuel cells often rely on a process known as ion diffusion to function. In ion diffusion, ionized atoms move through solid materials, similar to the process of water being absorbed by rice when cooked. Just like cooking rice, ion diffusion is incredibly temperature-dependent and requires high temperatures to happen fast. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/34vp89y

Scientists at Murdoch University's Harry Butler Institute (HBI) have discovered that red foxes are ravaging a larger range of Australian animals than previously realized, with 70% of fox diet samples turning up mammal remains. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3i4aZbg

The United States National Security Agency—the country's premier signals intelligence organization—recently declassified a Cold War-era document about code-breaking. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3uF6lmK

As more dissolved organic matter enters lakes across the northeast United States, darkening the lakes in a phenomena called "browning," new research shows that these waters may be growing less productive and able to sustain less life. In a study published today in Limnology and Oceanography Letters, scientists found that, rather than enriching lakes with nutrients as had previously been assumed, water more heavily laden with dissolved organic matter blocks sunlight and limits plant growth. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2SGwcgT

Nitrates are critical for the growth of plants, so plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to ensure sufficient nitrate uptake from their environments. In a new study published in the journal Nature Plants, researchers at Nagoya University, Japan, have identified a plant enzyme that is key to activating a nitrate uptake mechanism in response to nitrogen starvation. This finding explains how plants meet their needs in challenging environments, opening doors to improving agriculture in such environments. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3uBahVQ

Pollution from manufacturing is now widespread, affecting all regions in the world, with serious ecological, economic, and political consequences. Heightened public concern and scrutiny have led to numerous governments considering policies that aim to lower pollution and improve environmental qualities. Inter-governmental agreements such as the Paris Agreement and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals all focus on lowering emissions of pollution. Specifically, they aim to achieve a "zero-emission society," which means that pollution is cleaned up as it is produced, while also reducing pollution (This idea of dealing with pollution is referred to as the "kindergarten rule.") from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2TmlTik

Hadal trenches are one of the ocean's most extreme and least studied regions. Hadal zones, which begin at depths of around 6,000 meters, were once thought to be "biological deserts," but over time they have been shown to be teeming with life. However, the distribution and source of organic carbon in hadal sediments are still not well understood. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fWHcie

Trees, crops and even organic waste can be transformed into a bewildering array of plastics to use in products ranging from single-use bags to heavy-duty airplane wings. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3wPOMSF

Gender roles absorbed at an early age seem to have shaped today's youth regarding their involvement in politics, in line with traditional stereotypes, concludes a new study, conducted amongst adolescents and young adults aged between 15 and 30 in Italy, within the Horizon 2020 project, CATCH-EyoU: Processes in Youth's Construction of Active EU Citizenship. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/34xgEib

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have enhanced "super-resolution" machine learning techniques to study phase transitions. They identified key features of how large arrays of interacting particles behave at different temperatures by simulating tiny arrays before using a convolutional neural network to generate a good estimate of what a larger array would look like using correlation configurations. The massive saving in computational cost may realize unique ways of understanding how materials behave. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/34Bb7at

Sri Lanka's criminal investigators began questioning the crew of a burning cargo ship Monday, as the Singapore-registered carrier smouldered for a 12th straight day in one of the island's worst-ever marine ecological disasters. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3vBYyr3

Scores of people in coastal Louisiana are still living in campers on dirt mounds or next to cement slabs where their houses once stood. Unresolved insurance claims and a shortage of supply and labor are stymieing building efforts. And weather forecasters are warning of more possible devastation to come. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3gcvpwv

For the first time since 2019 and following a flurry of net-zero pledges from the world's largest emitters, UN climate negotiations resume Monday in a virtual format just six months before the crunch COP26 summit. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fVtyvR

The use of many chemical fumigants in agriculture have been demonstrated to be harmful to human health and the environment and therefore banned from use. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2R8YcJK

Arabic speakers worldwide can now access a library of kid-friendly scientific articles thanks to a newly launched educational resource. Penned by leading scientists and published in Arabic by scholarly publisher Frontiers, the online learning resource includes a collection of fascinating scientific articles designed to inspire the next generation of young scientists. Ranging from galactic astronomy to treating human diseases to environmental sciences, this is the first free resource of its kind to be available in Arabic. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3i40QeM

Workers dig and ferry wheelbarrows laden with sand to open a new shaft at a bustling archaeological site outside of Cairo, while a handful of Egyptian archaeologists supervise from garden chairs. The dig is at the foot of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, arguably the world's oldest pyramid, and is one of many recent excavations that are yielding troves of ancient artifacts from the country's largest archaeological site. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fELVq1

A three-member crew of male astronauts will blast off next month for a three-month mission on China's new space station, according to a space official who was the country's first astronaut in orbit. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3vB6iK6

New observations help astronomers hone in on a long-standing mystery about where cosmic rays come from. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3vE1lQA

Are there particles from ancient solar winds hanging out in Earth's core and mantle? from Space.com https://ift.tt/3p3e9gY

A galaxy considered by astronomers among the strangest in the known Universe has had its picture taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3yR2q9G

Summer has not even begun and Lake Oroville, the second-largest reservoir in California that provides drinking water to more than 25 million people, is at less than half of its average capacity at this time of year. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fwGdGw

An automated spacecraft docked with China's new space station Sunday carrying fuel and supplies for its future crew, the Chinese space agency announced. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3wNrkFF

A rocket carrying supplies for China's new space station blasted off Saturday from an island in the South China Sea. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3p3Pwk8

The Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft launched from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center today (May 29), carrying 6.64 tons of supplies toward the core module of China's new space station. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3fwwLTF

Among individuals with healthy kidneys, those with more frequent depressive symptoms were more likely to show signs of rapid kidney function decline over a median follow-up of 4 years. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3ifrXnt

A new offering from Auroch Digital has gamers manage a space agency of their choice, competing for glory and "milestone" missions. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3p106IM

This week on the forums, the community takes on the concept of nothingness. We also discuss spinning in space and try a fun quiz! from Space.com https://ift.tt/2TtSGCf

It might look like a postcard from Arizona, but this snapshot shows something much more exotic: the planet Mars, as seen by NASA's Curiosity rover. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3yMpXsm

President Joe Biden is calling for a more than 60% increase in spending to fight climate change in his first federal budget, with more than $US36 billion in climate-related investments. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3hWV2Uq

The eastern DR Congo city of Goma was eerily deserted after nearly 400,000 of its inhabitants fled following warnings that nearby Mount Nyiragongo volcano may erupt again. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3yKF2eb

Ella Shone's small electric truck used to deliver milk but now she drives it around London, selling groceries and household goods that are free of plastic packaging. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3oY6NLO

Beaches in Chicago were washed out by high waves Friday on the first day the city was to reopen Lake Michigan to swimming since summer 2019. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fU1AQX

A film frame allegedly showing the autopsy of an extraterrestrial that crash-landed in Roswell, New Mexico has an opening bid of $1 million. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3vAT4gn

See the best photos on Space.com this week. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2tedITD

These are the top space stories this week from Space.com. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2sd6VvC

Writer/director David A. Weiner takes a nostalgic look at sci-fi cinema of the 1980s and explores why it was the Hollywood's greatest decade of all for the genre. from Space.com https://ift.tt/2QY8KLw

From the multiverse to black holes, here’s your cheat sheet to the spooky side of the universe. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3icZnDd

Astrophysicists dream of one day truly seeing a black hole merger, rather than merely painting its portrait based on how it affects surrounding matter. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3wzM7w0

The astronaut designer of a new "Dinos in Space" clothing line knows a thing or two about dinosaurs in space. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3p1S0Qm

Tonnes of charred plastic pellets from a burning container ship washed ashore near Sri Lanka's capital Friday as an international effort to salvage the vessel dragged into a ninth day. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3wHWYUH

At night, the floors of sheds vanish beneath carpets of scampering mice. Ceilings come alive with the sounds of scratching. One family blamed mice chewing electrical wires for their house burning down. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fr1XTZ

The inaugural harvest of genetically modified salmon began this week after the pandemic delayed the sale of the first such altered animal to be cleared for human consumption in the United States, company officials said. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3oVLcnh

A navigation timing error sent NASA's little Mars helicopter on a wild, lurching ride, its first major problem since it took to the Martian skies last month. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fqeyH4

Over half of the UK's arts and cultural venues and organisations believe they are at risk due to the decline in income during the pandemic, a new study from the University of Sheffield, University of Kent, and the Chartered Institute of Fundraising has shown. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fqeqr4

Researchers from Tulane University and University of Maryland published a new paper in the Journal of Marketing that examines the dynamic interplay between free and paid versions of an app over its lifetime and suggests a possible remedy for the failure of apps. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3oW2Qax

Plastic pollution has been found in seawater, on beaches and inside marine animals at the Galapagos Islands. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/34mXlrM

Scientists investigated how the immune system's previous exposure to cold-causing coronaviruses impact immune response to COVID-19. In doing so, they discovered one cross-reactive coronavirus antibody that's triggered during a COVID-19 infection. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3uuVN9E

Lead paint and leaded gasoline have been banned for decades, but unsafe levels of lead remain in some urban soils, a new study finds. The researchers mapped soil lead concentrations along 25 miles of streets in Durham, N.C. Though contamination generally has declined since the 1970s, soil collected near houses predating 1978 still averaged 649 milligrams of lead per kilogram of soil, well above the 400 mg/kg threshold associated with health risks to children. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3wyPvHu

Scientists have used gene technology to understand more about the make-up of the evolution of brassicas - paving the way for bigger and more climate resilient yields from this group of crops that have been grown for thousands of years. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2SAn9hk

The hunt for the never before heard 'hum' of gravitational waves caused by mysterious neutron stars has just got a lot easier, thanks to an international team of researchers. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3yJ6itk

New research reveals, with unprecedented clarity, details of violent phenomena in the center of our galaxy. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2Tstdt3

Scientists have observed early RNA transcription dynamics by recording where, when and how RNA polymerase enzymes kick off transcription by binding to a DNA sequence. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3oWVX8C

A digital tool that will make it cheaper, safer and faster to develop new medicines is being rolled out by scientists. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3yLgB0c

A new article seeks to help scientists structure their lab-group meetings so that they are more inclusive, more productive and, ultimately, lead to better science. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2SAS65j

Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation (pain and swelling) in the gastrointestinal tract, can cause daily health problems, frequent hospitalizations and surgery when not adequately controlled. While there is no cure for Crohn's disease, there are treatments that can help patients live a symptom-free life. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3oYMhdK

To survive in a reduced pH environment, marine organisms have to adjust their physiology which, at the molecular level, is achieved by modifying the expression of genes. The study of such changes in gene expression can aid in revealing the adaptive mechanisms of life under predicted future ocean acidification conditions. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3vthOXL

With global warming decreasing the size of New Zealand's alpine zone, a new study found out what this means for our altitude-loving kea. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3oVCVzH

Researchers have developed a new technique that allows microscopic fluorescence imaging at four times the depth limit imposed by light diffusion. Fluorescence microscopy is often used to image molecular and cellular details of the brain in animal models of various diseases but, until now, has been limited to small volumes and highly invasive procedures due to intense light scattering by the skin and skull. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3utAw07

Canada will land a robotic rover on the Moon within five years, its industry minister said Wednesday, announcing that Ottawa plans to "dream big" as it advances its competitive stake in the growing global space market. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3vsCK11

Three Indian vessels on Thursday joined the battle to contain a major fire on a container ship off the Sri Lanka coast amid fears that it could break up and spew out hundreds of tonnes of oil. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3vlwPLj

"Ghost nets" from unknown origins drift among the Pacific's currents, threatening sea creatures and littering shorelines with the entangled remains of what they kill. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3foQm84

Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano has stopped erupting. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3vqXIxf

There's a 40% chance that the world will get so hot in the next five years that it will temporarily push past the temperature limit the Paris climate agreement is trying to prevent, meteorologists said. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2Tmba7H

When Samantha Maltais steps onto Harvard's campus this fall, she'll become the first member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribe to attend its prestigious law school. It's a "full-circle moment" for the university and the Martha's Vineyard tribe, she says. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3wy58iD

London's Science Museum and the Cambridge University library said Wednesday they have acquired a large collection of items belonging to late physicist Stephen Hawking, from his personalized wheelchairs to landmark papers on theoretical physics and his scripts from his appearance on "The Simpsons." from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3hX02sc

With brilliant colors and picturesque shapes, many crystals are wonders of nature. Some crystals are also wonders of science, with transformative applications in electronics and optics. Understanding how best to grow such crystals is key to further advances. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2QUyJn8

New research has discovered that monkeys will use the "accent" of another species when they enter its territory to help them better understand one another and potentially avoid conflict. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fnUvcd

Research across a wide range of languages shows that children's home literacy environment can often predict their language and literacy skills. However few studies, especially for English speaking children, examine how children's development affects what parents do and not just how parents affect their children's development. A new longitudinal study examined such bidirectional relationships between home literacy environment and children's progress in learning to read between grades 1 and 3. Results show that parents adjust their reading activities with their children over time, taking into account the level of difficulty the children are having in learning to read. These findings raise the important possibility that teachers could give more specific guidance to parents to help shape the home literacy environment according to children's progress in learning to read. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3vmIidw

Modern-day agriculture faces two major dilemmas: how to produce enough food to feed the growing human population and how to minimize environmental damage associated with intensive agriculture. Keeping more nitrogen in soil as ammonium may be one key way to address both challenges, according to a new paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/34iAgqi

Urgent investment in new tools is needed to address major global losses of wheat crops which cost £22 billion per year. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2QTLKgI

Nearly 40 years ago, scientists first predicted the existence of helium rain inside planets composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, such as Jupiter and Saturn. However, achieving the experimental conditions necessary to validate this hypothesis hasn't been possible—until now. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3oSDcDi

Half a billion tonnes of carbon emissions could be cut from Earth's atmosphere by improved management of peatlands, according to research partly undertaken at the University of Leicester. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2TnBXR2

Research shows that poor sleep health may disproportionately affect children of color from families of low socioeconomic status and place them at risk for behavior problems and lower academic performance. However, few sleep studies utilize standard measures of both classroom behavior and academic achievement. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fQaCP2

Laboratory experiments allow insights into the processes under the extreme pressure and temperature conditions of distant worlds. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3vs6pHJ

The Tsimane indigenous people of the Bolivian Amazon experience less brain atrophy than their American and European peers. The decrease in their brain volumes with age is 70% slower than in Western populations. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/2SwOD7w

One of the most important and widespread reef-building corals, known as cauliflower coral, exhibits strong partnerships with certain species of symbiotic algae, and these relationships have persisted through periods of intense climate fluctuations over the last 1.5 million years, according to a new study. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/34mM4rC

To help patients manage their mental wellness between appointments, researchers have developed a smart device-based electronic platform that can continuously monitor the state of hyperarousal, one of the signs of psychiatric distress. They said this advanced technology could read facial cues, analyze voice patterns and integrate readings from built-in vital signs sensors on smartwatches to determine if a patient is under stress. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/34i2v8y

Crystals are wonders of nature and science with important applications in electronics and optics. Scientists have new insights into how gallium nitride crystals grow. Gallium nitride crystals are in wide use in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and may form transistors for high-power switching electronics to make electric grids more energy efficient and smarter. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3bVXOpg

A cross-disciplinary collaboration found that a majority of the U.S. public is supportive of soil carbon storage as a climate change mitigation strategy, particularly when that and similar approaches are seen as 'natural' strategies. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3vCQvu4

A new art project on Kickstarter offers backers the chance to gain "raised landscapes" of Mars in celebration of the Mariner 9 spacecraft's 50th anniversary. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3ww5Yw4

An international consortium has reported the largest-ever global metagenomic study of urban microbiomes, spanning both the air and the surfaces of multiple cities. The international project, which sequenced and analyzed samples collected from public transit systems and hospitals in 60 cities around the world, features comprehensive analysis and annotation for all the microbial species identified—including thousands of viruses and bacteria and two archaea not found in reference databases. The study appears May 26 in the journal Cell. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/34mz70M

Farmers are more likely to protect wildlife on their land if they trust their local communities and government, according to a new University of Stirling study. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3hQNgLP

A new study published by researchers from Royal Holloway, University of London and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has concluded that caffeine—a naturally occurring compound found in the nectar of many plants—reduces the occurrence and severity of an emerging fungal disease that threatens the health of bumblebees, by reducing the lifespan of worker bees and the production of new queen bees. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2TaYBvI

While advances in machine learning over the past decade have made significant impacts in applications such as image classification, natural language processing and pattern recognition, scientific endeavors have only just begun to leverage this technology. This is most notable in processing large quantities of data from experiments. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2SxollB

Plastic pollution and other ocean debris are a complex global environmental problem. Every year, ten million tons of plastic are estimated to be mismanaged, resulting in entry into the ocean, of which half will float initially. Yet, only 0.3 million tons of plastic can be found floating on the surface of the ocean. Where has the rest of the plastic gone? from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3umfDEd

NUS scientists show that two of Singapore's threatened butterfly species are now critically dependent on a non-native caterpillar host plant, the Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia acuminata) that is planted as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens. The butterflies are two swallowtail species—common birdwing (Troides helena) which is Singapore's largest butterfly, and the common rose (Pachliopta aristolochiae), voted Singapore's national butterfly. The butterflies' native host plant was last recorded in the Jurong swamp of Singapore in the 1930s. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2REjmzN

Astronomers from the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) have performed long-term observations of a peculiar magnetar known as CXOU J010043.1−721134. Results of this monitoring campaign shed more light on the nature of this source. The study was presented in a paper published May 19 on arXiv.org. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fmFEPp

A glittering full moon rose over New Zealand on Wednesday night as people there and around the world waited for a cosmic event known as a super blood moon. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3oShWO5

Be even more inspired by the universe and TED Talks with our top picks of ideas worth spreading. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3wAtFU4

Space junk removal company Astroscale hopes to start commercially removing dead satellites from orbit in the next three years. from Space.com https://ift.tt/34iVmEX

A newly released scientific paper in Nature Publishing's Scientific Reports Journal has revealed unprecedented amounts of highly toxic mercury are deposited in the deepest trenches of the Pacific Ocean. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2RPzle9

The biological clock is present in almost all cells of an organism. As more and more evidence emerges that clocks in certain organs could be out of sync, there is a need to investigate and reset these clocks locally. Scientists from the Netherlands and Japan introduced a light-controlled on/off switch to a kinase inhibitor, which affects clock function. This gives them control of the biological clock in cultured cells and explanted tissue. They published their results on 26 May in Nature Communications. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3bUAcBd

For the first time, scientists have been able to study the deposits of a volcanic island landslide-tsunami immediately after the incident with the benefit of modern acoustic equipment. Dr James Hunt from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), in partnership with Professor Dave Tappin from the British Geological Survey, have produced the first marine survey results of the December 22nd, 2018 landslide at Anak Krakatau, in Indonesia, that created the deadly 'silent' tsunami that affected Sumatra and Java. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3yEvPE9

Engineers from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) are set to trial new, state-of-the-art robot submarines in Loch Ness to pave the way for safer and more cost-efficient offshore operations. The latest phase of Oceanids—a programme with several industry partnerships which aims to put the UK at the forefront of world-class autonomous technology development—will see the team pilot the latest version of the NOC's successful Autosub Long Range (ALR) vehicle to ensure its capabilities are ready for scientific deployments anywhere in the ocean. The newly developed ALR, better known as Boaty McBoatface, offers a step change in capability compared to the earlier model. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3oSULmF

A Dutch court will give its verdict on Wednesday on a landmark bid by environmental groups to force oil giant Shell to meet greenhouse gas emissions targets in the Paris climate accords. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3vnG3Xs

Two escaped tigers killed their keeper in China and were shot dead, state media reported, in the latest incident underlining the country's chaotic handling of dangerous animals. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3oQpDnW

Chimpanzees develop specific handshake-like gestures depending on their social group, according to the results of a 12-year observational study published on Wednesday that sheds light on the animals' complex social structures. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fkd9BS

Heavy rain and a high tide lashed parts of India's eastern coast as a cyclone pushed ashore Wednesday in an area where more than 1.1 million people have evacuated amid a devastating coronavirus surge. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3ulDow9

The Mexican government said Tuesday that a private building project is destroying part of the outskirts of the pre-Hispanic ruin site of Teotihuacán, just north of Mexico City. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/34f8meO

Stargazers across the Pacific Rim will cast their eyes skyward on Wednesday night to witness a rare "Super Blood Moon", as the heavens align to bring an extra-spectacular lunar eclipse. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3vA97eB

Army ants form some of the largest insect societies on the planet. They are quite famous in popular culture, most notably from a terrifying scene in Indiana Jones. But they are also ecologically important. They live in very large colonies and consume large amounts of arthropods. And because they eat so much of the other animals around them, they are nomadic and must keep moving in order to not run out of food. Due to their nomadic nature and mass consumption of food, they have a huge impact on arthropod populations throughout tropical rainforests floors. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/2RNcRdJ

A hidden planetary crisis has long been neglected that is as serious as the disappearance of species and degradation of habitats. Genetic diversity, which reflects the variation in DNA within species and populations and is the key to their capacity to adapt in times of change, is being lost at an alarming rate. According to an article by 28 authors representing 16 countries, the loss of genetic diversity can affect resiliency in the face of environmental change and result in the loss of important services provided to society. Once gone, genetic diversity can take millennia to return. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3vqZdLW

Advanced microscope technology and cutting-edge geological science are giving new perspectives to an old medical mystery: How do kidney stones form, why are some people more susceptible to them and can they be prevented? from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/3umtTN5

If humanity ever wants to travel easily between stars, people will need to go faster than light. from Space.com https://ift.tt/3um1JSu

In an effort to increase agricultural productivity and limit waste, a team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU)'s Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment developed a method to detect signs of stress before the plant is damaged. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3bS1E2l

As the miniaturization of technology continues, scientists are seeking to engineer materials at the atomic level. In Nature Communications, researchers from the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research and RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics, along with collaborators, report a dry transfer technique to position optical quality carbon nanotubes in a precise way with no solvent. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3vjRIXp

Perovskite quantum dots are the rising stars of quantum emitters, but their inherent instability has hampered their development. Professor Hao-Wu Lin of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Associate Professor Chih-Sung Chuu of the Department of Physics, and Professor Richard Schaller of the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern University in the United States have jointly developed a perovskite quantum emitter with high stability and self-healing ability by a self-developed, simple, and economical procedure—spray-synthesis method. The unprecedented single-photon brightness of these quantum dots breaks the world-record, which makes them become the brightest room-temperature quantum emitter materials and constitute a major breakthrough in both quantum communication and quantum computing. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3ueotE1

Researchers at the Vienna BioCenter designed a testing protocol for SARS-CoV-2 that can process tens of thousands of samples in less than 48 hours. The method, called SARSeq, is published in the journal Nature Communications and could be adapted to many more pathogens. from Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories https://ift.tt/3fiA9kX

No avid skywatcher ever misses a total eclipse of the moon. This celestial pageant is often more beautiful and interesting than one would think. During the time that the moon is entering and later emerging from Earth's shadow, secondary phenomena may be overlooked.  from Space.com https://ift.tt/3fgnGy3

To celebrate the Super Flower Blood Moon, the company behind Bagel Bites says it's giving away "moon deeds." from Space.com https://ift.tt/3yG3uxo